Fate/Broken Melody Chapter 5: Assassin vs Archer

Illyasviel von Einzbern PoV

There hadn't been any special moment in the conversation. No sudden movement that got me to realize that something was off. No suspicious actions that finally snapped me out of it. All it took was an errant look towards his chest while he continued to speak sitting down. Talking about the stories that involved Hercules while he was still a member of the Argo.

The wire that had been wrapped around his body from earlier was gone.

That much wasn't surprising. Even the weakest servants summoned by the grail could probably break out of it. No, the problem was the fact that I had never noticed.

I was connected to each thread. Allowing me to feel just about every vibration through them. Which made for a very good detection system if the bounded field failed.

Yet I hadn't even noticed that the thread right in front of me had been destroyed.

When had it been done? Recently? No, back when he had reached over to shake my hand over the table to an almost comical degree he hadn't been attached to the chair.

It was with a sense of growing trepidation that I was starting to realize why I hadn't even noticed him getting free. One of the biggest clues being the fact that I still wasn't truly panicking or feeling fear in the slightest.

That must be Orpheus's true strength. Some sort of calming aura, no, maybe a type of charm skill?

Despite closing my hand several times, I couldn't truly ball it up into a fist. Each finger was too relaxed and almost seemed to refuse to be tensed up. Almost as if I had been numbed somehow, yet I could still feel everything quite clearly.

For a moment I seriously considered having Berserker kill him.

But…it wasn't necessary. Not really.

This ability, it was one that lost it's power the moment I realized what it was. It was perfect for quick take downs. Conversations that lasted less than a minute before striking. Because every second was one in which someone could realize what was happening.

Yet this servant hadn't even made any moves to end my life.

No, even more importantly than that, Berserker still hadn't made any movements. Which meant he still didn't consider Orpheus any sort of threat. Even when he likely would have known about this sort of ability.

Which meant…

This servant…Orpheus…

He was really quite puny, wasn't he?


~o~


Orpheus PoV


As far as parleys went, I'd definitely say this was a smooth success. Despite Illya's rather…coarse choice of words, she was more than receptive to talks. Showcasing her wisdom despite her young age.

She even seemed to enjoy my songs! Which showcased what good taste in music she had.

True, I wasn't able to sing about anything other than Heracles, but still. A song was still a song.

I wouldn't sing and play one if I wasn't proud of it.

I'd have liked to change things up, but I didn't quite feel that pressing my luck was a good idea today. Leading me to eventually call it a day and start making my own exit.

Most of my grocery bags had fallen off during the scuffle with Heracles, or when he had thrown me over his shoulder. Still, there was at least one that had gone relatively untouched. That still had a sealed drink and freshly crafted food that I planned to deliver to Medea.

…Emphasis on planned.

Well…most of the groceries had simply fallen onto the ground, correct? It's not like all of them had been trampled on…and it hadn't been that long since they had been abandoned.

Maybe they could be saved?


~o~


The gods smile upon me this day. It took little time to retrieve the groceries. A good portion of them were still salvageable, and the ones that weren't were easily purchasable with the money people had so graciously cast in my direction as I played music on the streets.

The Japanese people were very kind indeed.

All that was left to do at the end of the day was to return back to the temple with my goods in hand. Storing the goods within the kitchen of the monks and placing several appliances on nearby countertops for later usage.

Medea hadn't gone out to greet me, so instead I decided to go and pay my respects. After making her a good meal with tea of course.

She hadn't reacted much to my presence or the food I had been carrying. Simply silently taking it and eating while staring into some sort of…crystal sphere like object.

I assumed it was like TV but for mages.

Eventually she inquired as to what had taken me so long, to which I finally began to describe the events of today. To which she promptly stopped eating in order to stare at me in dumbfounded silence.

"…Heracles is Berserker?"

I nodded.

"Oh yes, most assuredly."

"…Fuck."

Medea cursed under her breath before speaking ancient Greek. Well, I think it was Greek, but the dialect of Colchis was not one that was familiar to me. She then started to bite on the nail of her thumb with a frown.

"This changes everything. We'll need to create some counter measures for him. We might even need to take more active steps in this war."

She muttered to herself while lifting up her hands and making them glow faintly with magic. I wasn't sure what exactly she was doing, but it sure did look impressive.

I decided to throw in my own two cents.

"So what you're saying is…I need to peacefully negotiate with the other servants?"

Medea threw an unamused look in my direction before pausing. Tapping her lip slightly before looking away with a light hum.

"That's…not actually a terrible idea…"

Oh? Well that sure sounded pretty good to me!

Medea nodded her head in thought as a smile started to snake it's way across her face once again. One that looked rather genuinely amused and joyful.

"…Yes, and if I take them with Rule Breaker…"

Hmm? That sounded vaguely concerning.

Medea then shook her head in the negative before focusing on the table once again.

"No, that wouldn't work. More than likely they'll still be stubborn heroes. Even if I promise that I could grant all of their wishes by tampering with the greater grail…"

Ah, that's what she meant. Honestly, I felt a bit ashamed of myself for even suspecting Medea of planning something nefarious.

Sure, even on the Argo she could be a bit…harsh, but that was no real reason to suspect her. She was still the kind thoughtful Medea I had once known. The same one who had saved me and the other Argonauts countless times.

She was dependable, and above that, she was trustworthy.

"…but what if I break their spirit?"

Medea wondered out loud, causing me to blink slowly.

…She probably meant that in a nonthreatening manner.

Probably.



~o~


Medea, the witch of Colchis PoV


Heracles as berserker. Cu Chulainn as lancer.

Great. That was just great. What's next, the invincible Achilles as a Rider? The legend maker Chiron as an archer? Perseus the monster slayer as a Saber!?

These weren't just some figures in history, these were some of the very strongest to exist. Each one being an incredible threat on their own.

What was I in comparison?

Sure, I was powerful. My mastery of sorcery was nothing to scoff at. Yet not even I was confident or foolhardy enough to say that I was on the same level as Heracles. The man who ascended to godhood.

The only current advantages I had was the fact that he had been summoned as a Berserker, and that I had time to prepare for him. Time that was slowly whittling away with every passing moment.

To beat Heracles, I had to get creative. There were three different possibilities to choose from.

The first was the one I was favoring the most. Obtaining other servants and once I had a decent enough fighting force, I could send them against him. The problem with that though was that it was very unlikely for another servant to take orders from me. Even if I revealed I could likely force the Holy Grail to grant multiple wishes, they'd likely not trust me.

It didn't exactly help that I was known as the vile and wicked witch of Colchis. Which didn't do me any favors.

I definitely had enough stockpiled mana to accommodate several servants. It was even likely that I would gather more than I lose with upkeep, unless they were very cost intensive. But if that was the case I could definitely think of a few solutions.

There was also the problem that it was seeming more and more that the servants of this holy grail war weren't easy pickings. Both a blessing and a curse in equal measure. A good thing as I would need someone rather strong to beat Heracles, and a bad thing due to that making things much more difficult for me.

The second possibility was to summon the dragon of Colchis.

It wasn't a particularly good idea. Though it might be strong enough to deal with Heracles, it wasn't something I could control. Which meant even in the case that it beat Heracles, which I wouldn't hold my breath on, it would likely wreak havoc on the city. While I cared little about the lives that would be lost, there would be a massive target painted on my back after the fact. It wouldn't be surprising if every remaining servant joined up to destroy me.

There was also the problem of it potentially turning around to kill me. Forcing me to fight both Heracles and the dragon at the same time. With Orpheus around, it just might be possible to somewhat control the dragon temporarily, but that would require quite a lot of trust in him. Both in his abilities, and in his loyalty.

Trust that was lacking on both counts.

Sure he was friendly enough, but I didn't doubt that he'd attempt to stab me in the back if it meant a wish on the holy grail. His wife, Eurydice, meant that much to him.

…And for once, I wasn't all that upset with the prospect. Of course I'd make sure to stop and kill him first, but I wouldn't be too angry with his decision.

The love he held for his wife was real. Powerful. Visceral. He was a man who would never let her go, even after death. Willing to risk his own life in order to bring her back.

A loyal lover.

Those were rather hard to come by.

But just because he was a better man than HIM didn't mean that I was going to trust Orpheus. No, trust wasn't something I was in the habit of giving out. And as long as I didn't, then that trust would never be broken.

The witch of betrayal would never be betrayed again.

…Now that I was thinking about it, it would be a good idea to check up on Orpheus quietly. If he was making his own moves behind my back, then I definitely needed to know about it. He may claim to be friendly with me, but that was because he was the most sociable member of the argonauts. He was friendly with just about everyone.

Which included Heracles.

My suspicions only grew when I realized he had left the temple. With a familiar I was able to follow his trace towards the back of the temple, towards the lake.

Through the familiar's eyes I could see countless trees bending at angle due to the slope of the ground being uneven. The ground was damp due to the rain the night before, making the path Orpheus took even more obvious.

Eventually the trees opened up to the lake lit up the waxing moon. It was quite a decent looking place, even compared to some of the sights on Colchis, it didn't lose out completely. Something about it was soothing.

Perhaps I should venture out here in order to bathe. It has been a while since I've left the workshop.

Speaking of bathing, I also quickly located Orpheus. Who had stripped himself naked and was currently washing his body in the lake.

His wet hair clung to the back of his neck as he focused on wiping his arms of filth. His lower body was hidden by the pool, but his upper body was on display from above. Showcasing the toned body his clothes hid. He wasn't particularly muscular, but he was definitely very fit. There was faint lines of abs going down his chest that ended just out of sight below the water.

He may not be strong, fast, or durable, but he was undeniably alluring.

…Not that I would ever actually consider laying with him or any such nonsense. I merely meant it from an impartial point of view. It was undeniably one of his strengths. Much like how a Pornai's greatest asset was…

What foolishness was this? I was trying to explain myself…to myself!

It was so incredibly pathetic. It must be the exhaustion from working on the Temple getting to me. When was the last time I had left the workshop? Maybe getting some air would do me some good. A good bath also sounds quite enticing.

…Though I'd have to make sure that Orpheus wouldn't accidentally stumble upon it.



~o~


Orpheus PoV

I couldn't help but notice the temple had become a bit more livelier. Part of it was of course attributed to the monks preparing for some sort of foreign ceremony or festival, but another part of it was Medea herself.

She's made more of an appearance as of late, and has begun talking to me whenever we bump into each other. She was still wearing her hood up so it was a bit difficult to tell, but I think her hair had been looking a bit…silkier.

Which meant it was being well maintained. Good! For a bit I had been worried that she hadn't been uh…properly bathing. And while I find myself looking back on my adventures on the Argo fondly, that was something I absolutely didn't miss. I made sure to compliment Medea in order to potentially encourage her, but she didn't seem to care one way or the other. It was kind of difficult to tell due to her face being mostly obscured with magic, so all I had to go off of was her tone and words.

…That being said, I have noticed a strange feeling occasionally when talking to Medea. As if her eyes were watching me but weren't looking at me. A strange way to phrase it, but I wasn't sure how else to do it.

It shouldn't be strange to be watched during a conversation. Maybe it was the fact that her eyes were obscured from my vision that was giving me goosebumps.

Ah well, it likely didn't matter all that much.

What mattered more was my most recent orders. To scout around the city and attempt to locate and identify the other servants of the Holy Grail War.

Which was an easy enough task. Especially for someone like me. Non combat oriented tasks were my specialty. Or rather the only thing I could actually do with a certain level of confidence, haha.

To create alliances and rapport with others was my goal, and what a worthy one it was. Because if I did well enough, then no one would have to die.

Hopefully.

More specifically Medea and Heracles as they are my friends, but Lancer didn't seem to be a bad guy either. And the servants summoned were in fact heroes, so their lives were likely valued by someone.

Even if everyone they ever loved had already passed away long ago, their feelings and their songs remain. Pushing them to carry on and keep moving.

Currently there were three main districts of note that Medea marked.

The first was a residential district that highlighted another point where leylines seemed to converge. Medea seemed to believe it was likely that since the temple hadn't been touched, that someone was using that one to gather magical energy.

Which made perfect sense to me.

The second was a nearby school. Medea had felt someone setting up some sort of bounded field around the area, so if I do investigate I'm supposed to be as stealthy as possible.

Which I was way ahead of. I got a bunch of clothes earlier in order to blend in as much as possible. It also helped that other servants had difficulty being able to detect me as a threat.

The third was further north and towards several houses on the edge of the city. There was no special reason to check out the area except to be as thorough as possible. It helped that it wasn't too far from the temple so it'd also help to make sure there wasn't any enemies camping nearby.

When I think about it, my choices really boiled down to either North, East, and South.

I decided that the Leyline convergence was the best shot of finding another servant. And the quicker the results, the more information we had on hand. The more information we have on hand, the better we can prepare.

Everything works out in the end.

I may not nearly be as fast as Heracles, but I still had some pride with how quick I could be. Allowing me to easily fly through the city by jumping from building to building.

It was a rather freeing experience. One that I couldn't experience back in Greece due to humanity not being able to make such tall buildings. It also probably wouldn't have been a good idea even if they could due to how destructive things were back then.

Magical beasts were a dime a dozen. Cities and towns being attacked was a weekly event. True peace wasn't something ever achievable in my lifetime. That was just a pipe dream thought of by only the greatest or craziest philosophers.

But here? Now?

It was a reality.

Death wasn't something that loomed closely on the horizon. A haunting specter that creeped ever closer and threatened to take you under when your guard was down. It was an ever distant threat.

I felt both pride and envy for these people.

The residential district seemed to be kept much cleaner than other parts of the city. Not to say there were generally dirty or anything, but they definitely had a lot less presence.

Yet there was also a lack of actual people in this space. Most houses here were large, mansion like structures that denotated wealth and land respectively. Yet due to that fact, it meant none of them were truly close neighbors. Only being ones in the most technical of terms.

There was one house among the others that seemed to grab my attention. Likely due to the bounded field that hung over it like a veil.

I may not know much about the inner workings of sorcery, but I knew how to at least learn my lesson. Obviously touching and going through the bounded field was a terrible idea. Instead I'd simply observe from a distance and…

…Was that an arrow flying towards my face?



~o~



Rin Tohsaka PoV

I may not have summoned a Saber, but at the very least she was powerful in her own right. Atalanta. The fastest woman in Ancient Greece. Her speed was legendary, and so too was her feat in hunting down the Calydonian boar.

Not only that, but she was serious. No nonsense, and in control. Whatever her wish was on the grail she obviously didn't take it lightly.

One of the first things she decided to do was scout the area…and she never really seemed to stop. Her eyes constantly gazing outside as if expecting an attack an any second.

While it was a bit…tiresome, I couldn't help but also admit it was reassuring.

She knew what she was doing.

Yet she still didn't seem to be able to warm up to me just yet. Being rather short and blunt in the few communications we've had. The biggest achievement I've made so far is getting her to actually accept a cup of tea.

Which…well…was a step in the right direction?

"…So, Atalanta, what exactly is it that you-"

Immediately my servant held up a finger towards me while swiveling her head to the side. Her eyes narrowing in distaste. Causing my eye to twitch.

I stood up in annoyance and was ready to give her a piece of my mind when she spoke up.

"…There's an enemy servant outside."

I quickly shifted into a more serious demeanor. I hadn't expected any master or servant to make a move so blatantly against me in my own home. That was a mistake I had to correct.

"Are you sure?"

Atalanta's lip twitched upwards showcasing her teeth.

"I'm sure. He's someone that needs to be killed."

…If my servant was sure, then I should probably put at least some faith in their abilities. Otherwise I likely wouldn't last long in this war.

Hah. I certainly had my work cut out for me.

"Alright, we'll go and-"

I turned back to face her only to see that my servant already disappeared from view.

…It seems we were going to need to talk about working TOGETHER later.



~o~



Orpheus PoV

My eyes narrowed as the arrow got closer. Whistling quietly through the air in order to pierce through my skull in a split second. While I doubted my ability to dodge the arrow at this distance, I did at least have something to even the playing field.

With one swift movement the guitar case swung to my front and was quickly pulled out of it's holster. Allowing me to grip it with both hands.

But it wasn't nearly fast enough to deal with the first arrow. Which had steadily been pushed off course by a sudden gust of wind. Slamming into the ground a certain distance behind me, causing the ground to explode with dirt and rocks.

It would seem the gods in their kindness have protected me.

Even so, I couldn't possibly expect them to do all the heavy lifting. Fighting wasn't my strong suit, but if needed I could at least defend myself. Long enough to figure out a way to end this without anyone losing their lives.

Within the span of a second, there was already three other arrows heading towards me. Each one with unerring precession. Whoever was shooting at me must have been quite the famous marksman.

But unfortunately for them arrows whistled. They were able to carry a tune. They were able to make music.

That meant they were nothing before me.

My hand quickly slid downwards, plucking a string as they went by.

Immediately one of the arrows shattered in response. The pieces becoming the size of grains before dissipating into the ether. Another arrow was diverted off course allowing me to focus on the last remaining one.

But it wasn't the last for long, as it was quickly followed up by three more arrows. Each one seeking to end my life, and likely would if I did nothing.

Due to being so closely knit together, my hand was forced to no longer focus on them individually, but as a group. Leading me to strum my guitar.

The ground in front of me shook and rumbled in response as the music continued forwards. Annihilating anything in it's path that didn't resonate as it did. It was an overbearing and powerful sound, one that threatened to swallow up anything in it's path.

Including the arrows that came for it.

I winced slightly as it continued to travel and churning up the ground before it. Stopping the arrows in their tracks and shattering them before tearing up the ground and nearby wall. Causing it to explode outwards in debris.

My arm relaxed for but a second, but that was more than enough for my enemy to take advantage of. My eyes widened as an unseen arrow continued unabated for my eye socket. Only when it had already crossed already crossed halfway did it start to whistle once again, alerting me to it's presence.

There was little else for me to do but bend my body backwards in an attempt to dodge it at the last second. My back protested for only a moment before the wind in front of my body pushed everything out of it's way.

The arrow lanced upwards near my chest. The arrowhead cutting the top few inches of my shirt before continuing on it's path. Shattering the ground next to me and causing me to lose my balance for a second.

Aw…I had just gotten this shirt as well! It was nicer and much more comfortable than the ones from my own time. To be quite honest, I'm not sure I could go back to those rough tunics.

My eyes locked onto the nearby roofs. Searching for my opponent before finally finding the figure standing on a nearby corner…

…Wait…

I knew that archer!

"Atalanta! It's me! Orpheus!"

My hands darted upwards, waving the palms of my hands towards her as a sign of peace. In response I heard a rather strained sounding grunt. Seconds later the bow was once again raised upwards.

Though I was able to make out a strange sort of shaking motion with the bow. And if I could see that it was shaking, then it was probably shaking quite badly.

How odd.

The bow once again launched a multitude of arrows. This time they were fired high into the air, so that their trajectory couldn't be easily guessed when they came back down. It was a trick of hers I was lightly familiar with.

I prepared my guitar for my own defense, only for the first arrow to go extremely wide. Hitting the ground with just a light thunk. No explosion or any real power besides piercing deeply.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

Several other arrows also landed somewhat nearby. But none of them had been even close to hitting me. I waited until I was sure all the arrows had been fired to wave back to Atalanta again.

…Wait a minute…had that been her way of messing with me? Some sort of Argonaut hazing?

Haha, she sure was as playful as ever.

I waited for signs of more movement on the rooftop, but the only thing that followed was a period of nothing before a yell rang out. Then a flash of red.

Silence then fell upon me and the waking world.

…They were going to come out and talk to me in person, right? Or…were they expecting me to go inside myself?



~o~


Atalanta PoV

In one breath I fired three arrows. They flew with perfect accuracy towards my target. I'd have preferred the distance between us to be more substantial, but it would have to do.

The fool quickly noticed the arrows before hastily attempting to pull out some sort of device. Unfortunately for him time was not on his side.

Unfortunately for me, the gods most certainly were.

Most of them, at any rate.

My arrows were much too quick for an errant gust of wind to blow them off course. Even if such powerful winds did exist, then they'd only be knocked slightly off course. Not diverted into a completely different direction.

Thankfully it would seem Artemis still guides my bow, as several arrows were still able to get through to him. His hands firmly gripped the peculiar instrument in his hands before running his hands down on the strings.

The arrows disappeared completely from view. Some sort of invisible force having snatched them from the very air.

That was one of the things I had been wary of. The attacks that could not actually be seen by the discerning eye. My ear twitched slightly as I took a second breathe…and let loose several more arrows. This time delaying one by half a second in order to trip him up.

In response the ground shook around him. The blades of grass shaking this way and that was one of the few signs that something was coming.

Sure enough the ground shattered under an unseen force before obliterating the arrows in their entirety. Not letting even a fragment exist in it's wake. It continued forward, eradicating the dirt, rocks, and the nearby paved road in it's wake before suddenly ceasing to exist.

The delayed arrow at least escaped total obliteration before attempting to pierce his heart. He didn't seem to have enough time to even pluck the strings of his guitar. Instead relying on his instincts by bending backwards.

Narrowly avoiding death by centimeters.

The only damage I seemed to have done being a two and a half inch cut near the collar of his shir-


OPEN YOUR HEART​

Every muscle in my body tensed in response to the unbearable voice in my skull. Rattling around inside like a heavy marble, and doing just as much damage as if it truly was inside.

"Ah…Ah…!"

My arms and legs ached in pain as I fought it with every fiber of my being. To my greatest shame I couldn't even offer up a single prayer to Lady Artemis, else my mind would completely submit to another's rule.

Blood caked the inside of my mouth as I bit down on my cheek. Deep, deeper! Something to focus on in order to not drop my bow completely.

The disgusting touch of Aphrodite was not one that was foreign to me. It was attempting to forcefully change any and all forms of resistance. And if it couldn't change it, it'd ruthlessly skewer what still put up a fight.

Tears ran down my face as my teeth were forcefully bared. Pain…I needed to be in more pain! Something…anything to focus on!

Like Orpheus. His magnificent figure down below. The perfect and delectable nape that was just teasing me. It was simply begging for-

NO.

I would submit to none but Lady Artemis. Only she-

"Atalanta! It's me! Orpheus!"

Ahhhhh!

Shut up, shut up, shut up shut up shut up!

My left arm had already forced itself to relax. Leaving little to no actual strength remaining in that arm. It was incredibly doubtful that I could even twitch the tips of my fingers. Not unless I forcefully punctured my arm with an arrow.

I was forced to switch arms in regards to my bow, but it was fine. I could simply string the arrows with my right arm, and use the left to hold the bow. It wasn't perfect, but it'd have to do.

It was the only way to kil-

It was the only way to help Orpheus.

Prana coursed through my fingers. Causing the arrows to multiply as they were fired into the sky. Aiming at him directly might not be able to work anymore, but sure enough if I was to rain them down on him it'd be much more effective.

…Yet the moment they left the tip of my finger I knew immediately they wouldn't connect. He wasn't even moving. Only stupidly waving his arm to and fro in an almost panicked motion.

He wasn't even fighting!

So why was I?

I quickly shook my head, disregarding the thought before taking a step back. My breaths were coming out ragged. My chest heaving with every single one as if I had ran the entire distance of Greece several times over.

I couldn't lose here.

I wouldn't.

Thankfully my thoughts were once again directed elsewhere as the door to the roof was forcefully flung open.

My master quickly entered the roof next to me. Obviously more ready for combat that I had previously given her credit for.

Her hardened exterior shattered briefly in order to give me a quirked eyebrow before talking. Likely asking about the situation at hand, but I couldn't hear even a single word. Every sound was muffled and distant sounding.

The only thing I could really do was continue to breathe and likely look foolish. Face flushed with drool leaking from the edge of my mouth.

"Need to…kill him…"

I answered, before pointing my bow once more over to the side. Rivulets of sweat were falling down my back as I attempted to fire once more.

My master went over to the side of the roof to look at our enemy. Watching him as he waved his hands with a calm expression on her face. After a few seconds she said something to me but I still couldn't hear anything.

It didn't matter. All that mattered was that I took the shot.

Once again it seemed my master tried to say something to me but this much closer. Even going so far as to place a hand on my bow. The same one that had been blessed by Lady Artemis.

Immediately I pushed her out of the way, causing her to tumble a good distance before hitting the floor. Reacting with pain as she held her arm with a grimace.

I…I hadn't meant to be that rough. But I just couldn't THINK.

…I needed to use my Noble Phantasm.

My arms trembled as they once again grasped the bow. Slowly but surely I was able to bring it upwards again until it was pointed at the sky. The words were already on my lips before-

"-Seal, LISTEN TO ME!"

With a flash of crimson light, my body once again started to lock up. Causing me to wince as yet another force assaulted my mind. This time causing me to drop my bow as I gripped my head with both hands.

Fortunately the pain was quick. Allowing me to breathe a bit before getting back on my feet. The disgusting and revolting touch of Aphrodite was no longer upon my mind, but it had only been replaced with a new one.

I glanced upon my master with a frown while awaiting my new orders.

"…What?"

She was a bit wary, but nonetheless was compelled to speak her mind. At the very least it seemed she had a spine.

"He seems to just want to talk, not fight. I think that much is arrangeable."

Foolish. This was a Holy Grail War. Letting anyone close, especially an enemy servant, was just another way of signing her life away.

I'd have given her my own advice, but it was quite obvious that it wasn't wanted. Especially after that Command Seal from earlier.

"…Tch."

I turned around on the spot before dissipating into my spirit form. If she wanted to find things out the hard way, she was welcomed to. As long as she didn't ruin my chances of getting the grail, that is.

~o~


Orpheus PoV


Thankfully I didn't have to wait too long for them to show up. It only took about twenty two minutes for them to finally meet me in their living room. Perhaps it was uh, a bit too…impudent to just waltz into their home.

But in my defense, there wasn't really a correct option. Either I went inside and risked being rude, or I stayed outside, and risked being rude by making them wait.

It was a difficult situation.

Upon seeing Atalanta, I quickly waved my hand in a friendly manner. To which she returned with a disgusted look. Turning her nose up at me while raising her mouth a bit and exposing her teeth, and a bit of a fang.

She also had cat ears and a tail, but I felt like this wasn't the time to mention it.

…For now.

Atalanta's master on the other hand seemed much more open to conversation. Schooling her emotions into a neutral gaze.

Yes, I was familiar with the look. It reminded me a lot of royalty and the various kings I've met in life. That of hard practiced gestures and expressions.

"Ah, hello friends! I'm glad you've finally decided to talk to me instead of uh…"

Atalanta's master gave a wry look.

"Instead of attempting to kill you?"

I quickly waved her comment aside.

"Oh no. That was just Atalanta playing around. If she had been serious I doubt I'd have stood much of a chance."

Atalanta's eye twitched, which seemed to cause her tail to flicker out behind her. Even so she still seemed to keep quiet. Seeming to prefer her master to talk instead of herself.

How odd.

Was she perhaps…embarrassed?

Her master's eyes widen at my comment, causing her to hum a bit before nodding. After coughing a bit into her hand she spoke up.

"I see. Oh, my apologizes. My name is Rin Tohsaka. The second owner of Fuyuki city."

"My name is Orpheus. A simple musician."

Her eyes widen in stunned surprise as she simply continued to watch me. A brief bout of awkward silence hung in the air. Only interrupted punctually by Atalanta getting up and traveling towards what I assumed to be the kitchen.

Minutes later she came back with a cup. I believe with tea in it, but I couldn't quite get a good enough read on it.

I…hadn't expected miss Tohsaka to be so taken aback. I'd have thought that Atalanta would have told her my name before hand. But then again…this was Atalanta we were talking about. She could be a bit of a prankster.

"…You are uh…pretty forward about your identity, aren't you?"

Tohsaka asked, clearing her throat a bit before readjusting herself. Attempting to gain a more dignified look again, much to my amusement.

"Well, there's not much worth hiding. I'm not exactly well known, or very strong for that matter."

I answered back, bowing my head slightly only to look up when Atalanta scoffed. My eyes lit up with surprise as she spoke up, giving me a rather scathing look as she did so.

"Don't let him fool you, master. He's much more dangerous than he seems."

My mouth opened for a few seconds before closing. The words on my lips simply unable to come out until they were finally forced.

"I…thank you, Atalanta. That's very nice of you to say."

In response she gave me a disgusted look before turning her head off to the side. I simply smiled at her antics before turning my attention back to Rin. Who seemed to be giving me quite the odd look.

"Riiiight…so if you're still rather open to answers, can you share what class you are?"

Atalanta paused her drinking in order to glance at me. No, calling that a glance was doing a disservice. She was observing me rather closely.

I blinked.

"Well, I guess it's only fair, since Atalanta is obviously an archer. I'm an assassin."

Atalanta watches me rather closely. Her eyes tracing my body for any signs of stress or nervousness. Or what I assume were telltale signs of deceit. Until finally her eyes narrowed and she faces back to her master.

"Don't trust him. Remember that he's an enemy and to take what he says with a grain of salt."

I nodded along.

"You'd be wise to listen to Atalanta. While a bit abrasive, she gives advice that's genuine and from the heart.…Ah, but that's not to say that I'm lying or anything, please don't misunderstand."

I stated while waving my hands. As if to rid them of the notion physically. Atalanta simply crossed her arms before closing her eyes. As if to give them a rest.

Rin gave me a cursory nod as if attempting to follow along with what I was saying.

"Uh huh. So what brings you here, Assassin? I doubt it was by accident."

"Well no. My master simply wants to know about the other servants and masters in the city."

Her eyes narrowed as she instinctively tilted her body forward on the nearby table. Her arms crossing as she did so.

"And who is your master?"

"Ah, well that I can't tell you."

Rin frowned at that but nodded. Leaning a bit back in response.

"Fair enough, I should have seen that one coming. What about the other servants? How many have you found?"

"I…think it might be a bit rude to them if I told you about them. As it would be rude if I told them about you, don't you think?"

Rin opened her mouth to respond before closing it. Tapping her finger on the table in thought as she seemed to consider something. Finally she seemed to settle on something as she started talking again. This time with a bit of an annoyed edge to her voice.

"Alright then. Well, if you didn't want to talk about other servants, what exactly did you want to talk about?"

"Oh, I just thought it would be the polite thing to do. It also helps with my goal."

That got Rin's attention once again.

"…your goal?"

"To make sure no one dies in this Holy Grail War, of course."

That got both Rin and Atalanta to gaze at me. Both with varying levels of confusion and annoyance. As if they couldn't quite comprehend what I was saying.

Honestly it was making me a bit nervous.

"Well…I know it's not an easy thing to do or anything…"

"…You're crazy. You know that, right?"

Rin asked, causing me to look at her.

"Haha, well, maybe a bit."

I chuckled a bit in good nature before leaning back. A smile planted on my face as I continued. What was a bit of craziness when it came to being a hero? In fact, I'd go as far as to say the two were practically synonymous.

A hero was someone that rose above the others. That did things differently, that thought in another way. Someone that was irregular.

In that way, I guess I was a bit heroic.

"I see. Uh…well this meeting was certainly uh…eventful. But I do have other things I need to start on today."

Rin stated, causing me to nod back.

"Of course. I'll just…get out of your fur."

I was met with a deafening silence. Both Rin and Atalanta gazed at me with zero emotion in their faces. Both for completely different reasons.

Or so I'd hope, at least.

I decided to get the conversation back on track by coughing. Showcasing that I was going to change the tone.

"For what's it's worth, I hope you two stay safe. Remember to not only stay on guard, but to stop and smell the roses. Enjoy every gift that life gives, and every meowment."

Immediately pivoting towards Atalanta, I tried to discern and observe her much like she did to me. Attempting to see any sort of change in her expression or tension in her muscles.

After careful observation…I discovered that she wasn't particularly amused.

Rin on the other hand had a rather strict and stern looking face, but her bottom lip trembled. Causing me to feel at least some satisfaction out of that.

I wanted to continue to see how long she'd hold out for, only for Atalanta's hand to slowly venture backwards until it was placed onto her bow. Signaling to me that she was tired and desired an end to the conversation. That or she just wanted to go to the bathroom without me watching.

Come to think of it, I think she did that a lot when she was aboard the Argo. I wasn't sure why, a lot of the guys would simply release their bladder off the bow of the ship. As long as she wasn't doing that she was doing quite well for herself.

After making sure everything was still fine, I decided to make my way back to Medea in order to tell her about my meeting.

Sure, I had to avoid Atalanta attempting to track me back, but that wasn't too difficult. Besides, she likely only had the best of intentions in attempting to make sure I got home safely.

She was very much the type to say one thing, but mean another.