Crimson Rebellion

In Solomon's castle, the Grand Caster along with Kiara, Enkidu and Gilgamesh were reviewing the plan for the large scale battle that was to come. They were in the conference hall looking for the map as two points were highlighted: Fuyuki City and Sekigahara.

"I shall bring Enkidu with me to attack Sekigahara. I imagine the enemy will be drawn to that site the most given how the battlefield is wide open and a majority of the ground forces will attack there. More than likely, Scathach will divert her forces to this location so that she can show off her faction's battle prowess," Gilgamesh explained.

"I agree my King; the woman is overconfident in her strength. She will want to fight on the front where there is plenty of room to display her skills. Those under her wing will likely want the same," added Enkidu with a curt nod.

"There are more than likely other ignorant Heroic Spirits who haven't the faintest idea as to which faction to join. Their weakness will be the catalyst of their suffering as I send Kiara and another ally to bring the city down upon their heads. Jeanne's faction will want to play the hero roles and try to save as many stragglers as they can," Solomon smirked with a sinister grin upon his face.

"What army do you plan on sending out to the field? We didn't recruit many sacrificial mongrels to deploy," the King of Heroes inquired.

"You'll find out soon enough, plus you did bring me sacrifices. The meaningless warriors in the courtyard outside do not realize what they are truly here for."

The King of Mages snapped his fingers bringing up a display monitor in the room showing the outside gardens where all the servants that Gilgamesh recruited had gathered. The sun was high above them but the skies grew dark when a sudden eclipse began. It was then that the blue skies turned black and the outline of the light that could be seen turned red. In the room where the four heroic spirits stood, the dark-skinned wizard brought forth the decorated golden chalice with the fragments of the Arcana Crystal inside of it.

"Great Arcana, I offer these sacrifices to you to summon the incarnation of strength. Sever the chains bound around this soul and bring them up from Purgatory! Let your divine might give them life so that their vengeful spirit may have solace to obtain their desire once more!" Solomon chanted.

On-screen, the servants that remained outside were all unsure as to what was going on. Crimson lightning struck the ground around them as black chains bathed in hellfire sprang up from the dirt wrapping around their bodies. In the next horrifying instant, large spikes erupted and impaled all of them draining them of their mana. Their blood seeped upon the dirt as the area became engulfed in flames igniting the gardens. After a giant inferno leapt into the skies above, a lone silhouette came forth from the fires. With a wicked smile, Solomon opened a portal to let her walk inside the room in which he and the others were standing in.

The silhouette revealed a female with ash blonde hair, yellow eyes and pale skin. She wore black armor over her body only revealing the skin on her thighs. Knee-high black leggings supported by the black greaves of her armor finished off her bottom-wear while a black and dusk purple cape draping from her shoulders completed her upper attire. With a black, crown-like plate that covered the outline of her face and a black and purple rapier on her side, the woman bore a striking yet sinister resemblance to the Saint of Orleans. This was her corrupted doppelganger born from the hatred that she should have felt towards those who betrayed her and burned her at the sake.

"Servant Class: Avenger, the Dragon Witch and the Cursed Maiden of God, Jeanne D'Arc (Alter). I ask you, are you the one who summoned me?" she spoke with a disdainful expression upon her features.

"That I am. I am the Grand Caster, Solomon, and these are my comrades. How would you like the opportunity to wreak havoc and destroy this forsaken world to your heart's content? You may even have the opportunity to fight against your sister," the insidious mage tempted.

"If that bitch is here, I'll gladly assist you. Tell me everything that I need to know."

"With pleasure," the wicked demon responded, "Now that we have our final ally, it is time for the last battle to begin. Come Avenger; let's get you caught up on everything you need to know."

As the woman stepped towards her newfound allies, the curtains began to rise for the upcoming battle of fate between a Saint and a Sinner.

*****

Hours passed at Chaldea in the Antarctic Tundra as night eventually gave way to day. The blizzard conditions made it difficult for any ordinary individual to perceive the difference between night and day; however, technology made it possible for everyone to get up at certain times designated by an alarm system. These clocks functioned in multiple methods. One method was based on a system-wide cycle in which a sequence would play over the intercom when certain times were struck to keep all personnel up-to-date with the current time. A second method was based upon user-preference in which each room could have its alarm set to wake anyone within their quarters at certain times they wished. Then there was another method that kept track of sections in case staffers were on rotations. These were the options available back to when humanity made use of this base once upon a time.

After about 7 to 8 hours of rest, Kimiko woke inside the bedroom that she shared with Raizo. The girl sat up slowly in the conjoined bed stretching her arms whilst tilting her neck to the side to warm up her muscles. The extended training session as well as the intimacy she shared after with Raizo hardly exhausted the woman but enjoying a peaceful night's rest was always a good amenity to take advantage of. As she continued to stretch, her eyes glanced down seeing the face of the young man in question sleeping peacefully. With a soft smile, the girl reached down and gently caressed his cheek before slipping out of the bed as carefully as she could. From there, she stepped into the bathroom to get herself ready for the day.

Not even five minutes passed before Raizo opened his eyes as the light in the room illuminated the crimson glow of his irises. As his consciousness began to clear up, he began to stretch out in the bed as well. He took immediate note of the fact that Kimi was missing from his bedside but was at ease when he heard noise coming from the bathroom. Flipping over onto his back, he placed a hand to his forehead while gazing up at the blank, white canvas of the ceiling. Feeling the impulse to move, he went to get out of bed but felt something weird. For some reason, the softness of the sheets felt like they were really clinging to his body. Lifting up the covers for a second, he looked down then covered up.

"Er…why am I naked? I….I could have sworn I had clothes on," he asked aloud with a slight blush. It was then that the door opened and the visage of the beauty that he shared all of his time and energy with yesterday came out.

She was currently wearing only a t-shirt that was cut open a bit in the front exposing her cleavage while only covering her body down to just past her pelvic area. Her dark hair with crimson highlights was soaked from water as droplets still trickled off the tips of her hair strands onto the floor. Her enticing red eyes filled with warmth caught sight of the youth in bed as her lips curled into a small smirk overhearing his question.

"That's because I stripped them off last night when we were going at it again. Wearing you out must have done something to that delicate memory of yours," she chuckled.

Raizo couldn't even utter a response because he was too busy staring at her with his mouth slightly opened. He felt like being this way was embarrassing yet he couldn't help but be captivated by the allure of the woman before him every time he laid his eyes on her. As her beauty burned into his mind again, he felt his heart beating intensely while his lower region began to spring to life.

"Oh my, that's one way of saying 'Good Morning'. So last night wasn't enough it seems," Kimiko teased referring to the growing tent in the sheets. The Stormbringer quickly curled up trying to hide it.

"Th-that's not the case, Onee-sama…it…it just randomly happened," he stammered over his words.

"I just got out of the shower too…but I can't have you walking around with that today. What to do here…hmm," Kimiko tilted her head before shrugging her shoulders.

"Get out of bed and come join me in the shower. Let's get you squared away before breakfast~"

"M…Mou…Onee-sama…d-don't make fun of me, jeez…"

"I don't see you moving out of that bed, do I have to make you?"

"No, no! I…I got it."

As the boy shyly crawled out from under the sheets with his body fully exposed, he quickly dashed over to her location before being escorted by her into the bathroom. Kimiko took off her t-shirt once more tossing it to the side before closing the door behind her. It was here that the two shared a quick jumpstart to their day.

Meanwhile on the other side of the base, Lucy was currently hard at work preparing a large meal for the first meal of the day. Chaldea featured a massive kitchen that was structured for a family-owned diner or small restaurant. It featured 4 top-of-the-line 8-burner stoves with double tray ovens per unit, a steel deep fryer and grill, a pizza oven, dishwasher, two refrigerators with deep freezers and tons of other amenities for dishes and utensils arranged in an L-shape within the open-concept chamber. A widespread, marble countertop island that was about 30 feet by 20 feet sat in the center where the time goddess currently sat all of her ingredients that she would be using for the feast to come.

As the blonde woman was hard at work chopping vegetables, grilling and frying meats as well as cracking a few eggs to boot, she found herself having a spectator watching from the other side of the area. With his red scarf tucked behind him, Akaro merely stood by watching quietly not even feeling daring enough to walk inside the kitchen to fetch something to drink.

Never interrupt a woman hard at work in the kitchen…getting knives thrown at me by Akame taught me that much.

"Oi, if all you're gonna do is just stand there then do me a favor and set the table in the dining room bud," Lucy called out while scrambling eggs and flipping the meat items on the grill.

"Ah, so it's safe to enter?" Akaro chuckled in response.

"Yeah only if you're grabbin' those dishes. Sneaking a bite of anything I got set out will get those hands of yours chopped off, 'kay?" she turned around with a smile but the Red-Eyed Hero knew better than to test his luck.

"Right, I'll keep that in mind."

The enthusiastic yet focused girl went about her business as the man carefully stepped inside her domain to grab the dishes she sat out beforehand taking them into the dining area. Around the corner from that section sat a long, rectangular table carved out of mahogany wood. Large enough to seat about 16 people, Akaro set the dishes up to seat the individuals that were inside the base. Sitting down the plates and glasses, he then added the silverware and napkins before stepping back to see if everything looked about right. Satisfied with that, he took note of two people walking in.

The first was Artoria wearing a white shirt with a blue bow tied around her color and dark blue dress with black stockings and black shoes. The other was Altera who was wearing a red shirt and blue jeans with sandals. Both of them appearing well rested, they walked into the dining room exuding calm demeanors.

"Good Morning, Akaro-san," the King of Knights greeted politely with a slightly.

"Morning," the dark-skinned girl beside added with a small wave.

"Hey you two, looks like you both got some much needed rest eh?" greeted the hero with a smile.

"Indeed. Even though last night's mingling was amusing, having that period of slumber was quite refreshing," the blonde knight responded.

"Yes, I concur with that point. With the battle that is to come, sleep is an amenity that we can't afford to squander," added the Hun warrior.

"Something smells heavenly," Artoria then noted as her nostrils inhaled the aroma that was floating in from the kitchen.

"Ah, that's Lucy making breakfast. I wouldn't go in there bothering her though; she's rather into her craft at the moment. I'm fortunate that she allowed me to grab plates and stuff to set the table."

"Sounds like that place is a battlefield that people like us would refer to as 'No Man's Land'," Altera concluded. Artoria and Akaro could only nod in agreement.

"My, my, somethin' be smellin' real good around here. Maybe a good meal will get my day started on the right foot," remarked another voice before trailing off into a yawn.

"Well ahoy to you too, Drake-chan. How's the hangover?" teased Akaro.

The pirate in question walked up to the growing group in a bartender's outfit with her white shirt unbuttoned exposing her abundant chest underneath the black vest of her outfit. Her reddish pink hair was bound up into a ponytail as her bright ocean blue eyes illuminated her face.

"Oi, oi Nii-san, y'know Heroic Spirits can't get drunk," she laughed haughtily.

"That's true but with all the booze you downed last night, I'm amazed ya can even stand up properly."

"Hey, ya can't blame a girl for wanting to splurge a lil'. Besides, with all this war stuff goin' on, ya gotta take advantage when given the chance ya know? And you even had a few mugs yourself, Nii-san."

"Goodness, you both really need to learn when to exercise restraint. Try to be upstanding role models for once," criticized the voice of the Holy Maiden arriving behind Drake.

The Ruler-Saber hybrid servant was dressed down in a school girl's uniform with a navy blazer, white undershirt, and navy blue skirt with black stockings and dark brown shoes. Her long, golden hair was bound in a ponytail whilst crossing her arms in a disapproving fashion over the topic of discussion.

"Oya Jeanne, if I recall correctly you delved into sin a bit and downed a mug or two as well," the pirate winked playfully.

"W-what? I mean…well maybe I did partake of a beverage or two but at least I controlled my impulses!" the Saint cried aloud in protest.

"Uh-huh, admit it Jeanne…you finally decided to become a part of the cool kids club."

"M-mou…Akaro, really?!"

"Even the Maiden of Orleans isn't safe from being bullied…what hope do we have?" Altera sighed.

"Tera-chan! No! Don't lose faith in me! It was just temptation; you can still depend on me honest!"

"It's okay Holy Maiden, I still believe in your integrity. Akaro-san and Drake-san are just advanced players when it comes to using peer pressure," Artoria nodded.

"Coming from the knight who also elected to partake in a brief drinking contest, so much for that chivalry eh?" Akaro smirked.

"All this talk about alcohol is making me wonder if I would have to be treating livers should we not possess the perks of being Heroic Spirits," said Nightingale as she joined in too wearing her normal attire.

"Oya, oya, everyone's favorite nurse is here too eh? I was wonderin' where you were off to since ya didn't take the ride to Fuyuki yesterday," pondered Drake.

"I had to make sure I had adequate medical supplies in case the excursion went wrong so I couldn't afford to join. As for the festivities that took place when you all returned…well, someone has to prepare materials for barfing. Even if our bodies aren't conventional like human beings, a nurse can never be too careful when it comes to potential risks," the woman explained.

"Valid point ya got there but hey, at least you're here with us for breakfast. Anyways, looks like everyone has gathered except…well then, here comes the little rascals now," Akaro was going to say when he caught a glimpse of Kimiko and Raizo approaching the area.

"Morning everyone," Kimiko greeted casually showing off her recently augmented attire of the black kimono under the red jacket.

Behind her, Raizo merely waved seemingly dragging behind her in a sluggish pace. With each step he took, it appeared that the Stormbringer was limping ever so slightly showing the signs of pain on his face. The boy was wearing the same t-shirt that he grabbed last night with the 'Arts' logo on it with black pants for his leg wear and his regular boots.

Feeling the change surrounding Kimi as well as noting her appearance, Akaro only raised an eyebrow.

"Looks like someone got an upgrade eh?" the man observed.

"Yeah, I had a little technical problem but I fixed it," the girl shrugged. Her crimson gaze glanced over the other Heroic Spirits in the room whom were staring at her. Each one of them had composed expressions but she could tell that they were marveling over her newfound strength and intensity in aura.

Meanwhile, Akaro had cast a glance over to the young man behind her. Seeing his movements only caused the Red-Eyed Hero to grin mischievously. As the One-Cut Killer drew closer towards him, the taller male leaned down a bit.

"I thought I told you not to break him. The poor kiddo looks like he's about to pass out," he whispered.

"The first time is always the roughest. You of all people alongside Akame should know that for sure given past experiences," she responded.

"Well, you're not wrong but we adjusted quickly. He's the baby of the group you know."

"He'll get used to it. Besides since he's a speedster, it means I have to be a little more vigorous. His home life is only going to get more intense too when the time comes."

"I can literally sense the ships sailing right now. You'll finally get your OTP, Kimi."

"Well…I became the OTP; I'm just willing to spoil the kid."

"Oh my, how greedy of you."

"Hey, I have my tastes."

After the quiet yet brief banter between the two individuals, Akaro turned his focus to Raizo.

"Hey there Raichu how was that training session last night? I'm guessing Kimi really broke ya eh?" the man began to tease with a little innuendo.

"N-No comment…" the child of thunder replied with a blush.

"Uh-huh, oh and that shirt of yours is rather fitting. I could see that being your card."

"Eh?"

This caused the Heroic Spirits in the room to actually focus their attention on the boy for a second. Feeling awkward, the boy only leaned back being caught off guard by the hard stares.

"Yes, I can see it as well given what I've seen," Altera nodded.

"Well, I could see 'Quick' going for him as well but Arts does seem the appropriate type," Jeanne added.

"Oya, oya, I'm shocked he ain't a 'Buster' type but surprises are always nice," Drake grinned approvingly.

"Hmm…singular strike type or support type, that's the debate," Artoria pondered.

"He's still a specimen that I would like to study for medical purposes," Nightingale stated plainly.

"No…you stay away. My personal space was invaded enough by you last night," Raizo quickly disregarded in referral to the Nurse's proposal.

"Wait, you two met each other last night? Oh man, I can't believe I missed that one," Akaro chuckled.

"Yes, he was crying for help when the girl beside you collapsed. I never finished my examination either," the Nurse sighed, "But we do have some time before breakfast..."

"Oya, oya, don't bully the kiddo. He's too cute to be tormenting!" Drake announced in protest moving over towards the youth slinging one arm around him and pulling him into an embrace smashing her breasts against him.

"P-personal…space…jeez, Drake-san…" the youth protested trying to escape.

"Oi, don't be mean to your big sis here; I'm just tryna save ya from the crazy nurse," the pirate snickered with a grin.

"I'm gonna wind up shanking people in a minute…" Kimi glared whilst having an annoyed tone.

The joking atmosphere then became layered with a bit of tension from that moment. Silence soon followed but that was swiftly cut in half.

"Oi, I can hear y'all in here and it's throwin' off my damn groove. Sit yer asses down at that table and be quiet otherwise none of ya will eat!" shouted a very irritated Lucy.

Without any further delay, the entire group shuffled to sit at the table not taking any care in the ordering of who sat where. Starting from the head of the table was Akaro, and then going clockwise sat Kimiko, Raizo, Altera, and Artoria on one side. Counterclockwise from Akaro's position sat Jeanne, Drake, and Nightingale. There were empty seats given the size of the table but nevertheless, everyone sat together.

This feels awkward. Yeah I get to sit next to Onee-sama but…this is still a little weird.

Raizo squirmed a little in his seat since he was sitting next to the woman with whom he almost battled to the death with yesterday. Sure she may have dismissed the fight as a misunderstanding but that didn't make him feel any less awkward about his position presently. In addition, looking across the table was rather difficult. The pirate queen only held a devilish smirk across her face as she daringly flaunted her chest resting them on the table just to mess with the boy. At all costs, Raizo wanted to avoid eye contact especially since he couldn't understand why she was messing with him so much in the first place. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder coming from Kimiko. She patted him gently reassuring him that he'd be okay.

"Alright everyone, who's hungry?" Lucy announced wheeling in a giant cart with covered plates atop of it dragging another one behind her.

As she approached the table, she began to pick up each dish and sit it on the table one after the other. After that, she grabbed additional trays of food and sat one down before each of the individuals sitting at the table signifying she made something for each of them. Finally, she began pouring each person some orange juice. She unveiled everyone's dishes pulling the lids off of each plate sitting the covers on the carts. Moving the carts down towards the unpopulated part of the table, she took a seat next to Nightingale in front of her own plate.

Akaro's plate featured two giant omelets stuffed with eggs, cheese, ham, sausage, and bacon with a side of hash browns and waffles. Jeanne had scrambled eggs with cheese, bacon, sausage patties, and biscuits. On Drake's plate was a similar set up except she also had chicken strips and sautéed mushrooms. Nightingale's plate was rather simplistic in nature since she didn't care for extravagant meals so she only had chicken and waffles. Lucy also had the same. Artoria had a dish of omelet rice with biscuits drizzled in sausage gravy as did Altera except she had a side of green peppers and mushrooms. Kimiko had two giant stacks of pancakes before numbering about 50 in all with tons of butter and syrup. These dishes were all finely prepared and truly heavenly to gaze upon but Raizo's dish had more than the Stormbringer was prepared to deal with.

He had a plate of omelet rice with cheese, sausage, and bacon bits, then a small stack of blueberry pancakes. In addition, he had a fajita style omelet with steak, chicken, green peppers, mushrooms, and cheese along with biscuits drizzled in syrup. Seeing the plate before him, Raizo just couldn't help but to gasp and feel a bit overwhelmed. This attracted the attention of the others at the table before all eyes went to Lucy.

"Oi, you're my kid…and you got a lot of room to grow. Plus, you're a speedster so that metabolism game is beyond on point. Kiddo, ya need to eat, way too skinny for your own good. So get that protein boy, oh and I added extra electrolytes to your orange juice since I know yesterday was exhaustin' for ya~" the mysterious heroine winked at the child.

"M-Mom…" he quietly responded.

"Get some energy in ya so ya can make me some grandkids!"

"MOM, REALLY?!"

A couple of chuckles circulated the table before everyone clasped their hands together.

"Thanks for the food."

Time passed and eventually everyone finished their meals. Looking at all the empty platters on the table, not a single dish was left with any modicum of food upon the surface as the feast was consumed to completion. Full off of the delicious meal, there was only one more matter left to attend to.

"All right kiddos, now that breakfast is done it's time to decide who's gonna be handling the clean-up game," Lucy declared placing both hands on the table.

"Feel free to play a game to choose but just know that this girl ain't doin' it. After all, I cooked so the least y'all can do is clean for me."

"Aww come on Lucy, can't we just deal with that after the briefing for this afternoon?" Akaro stated in protest but the sassy time goddess shook her finger.

"And let the grease and food stains settle on the fine China? What the heck is wrong with ya?"

"Akaro, you're always trying to escape kitchen duty. Even at home you're like this," Kimiko sighed whilst shaking her head.

"Oi, I've always had business to take care of around town after dinner time back home. No need to try and throw me under the bus, Kimi."

"I'll throw you wherever I like. The moon isn't that far away you know."

"Alright, I'll give you that one. But there's only one way to settle this…1, 2, 3…Not it!" Akaro called out before ducking away from the scene.

"Not it! Cleanin' ain't really my thing. In my experience, dishes are best used as weapons in bar fights!" Drake chuckled before retreating from the scene.

"Not it as well, I have to organize the medicine in the Infirmary today," Nightingale calmly added before getting up and leaving the table.

"As much as I would hate to do this, I too declare 'not it'. I have to gather information for today's briefing. Forgive me," Jeanne bowed her head before retreating from the table.

"I'm a bit of a klutz when it comes to fragile objects so I too shall take my leave," Artoria bowed her head before getting up and following behind Jeanne.

As each of the individuals who left the table came up with convenient excuses in order to get out of the job at hand, Kimiko, Raizo and Altera remained. Which one of the three would be next to duck out? That was something that Lucy found herself asking in the back of her mind.

"Oi Raizo, why don't you do your Mom a favor and clean up?" Kimiko suggested with a slight nudge against the boy's shoulder.

"Eh? I mean…it's not really a big deal so I don't see why not. Dirty dishes being left uncleaned are the worst," sighed the Stormbringer recalling the horror of dirty dishes back during his days in Night Raid as well as recent history in the Team AKARA Headquarters. Vesta hated having to clean up after cooking and Adena hated doing the dishes so he usually dealt with cleaning up.

"Good boy, you can have cuddles later," Kimi nodded approvingly.

"Onee-sama…you don't have to say that out loud…" the child of thunder lowered his head with shades of pink filling his cheeks.

"You're not denying it though," she smiled giving the male a pat on his head in the meantime.

"Welp, looks like it's settled then. Thanks kiddo, Momma's happy that you're takin' the job off her hands," Lucy grinned enthusiastically before standing up as well.

"Oh Lucy that reminds me, we need to have a word. There's something important that I need to discuss."

"Oh boy, if it's about pirating last season's Game of Thrones…I swear I have a reason for it," the blonde girl pleaded.

"Wait what? No, not that. Besides, I wouldn't blame you. You know how devastating it was finding out they sold out of that deluxe box set on Amazon? I almost stabbed the computer screen when I saw that."

"YES, and I was totally hunkering down for it so I could meet the cast at Comic-Con."

As the two females took their leave from the area, Raizo was about to get up but he noticed that the woman to his right didn't bother leaving the room at all. As his eyes met with hers for a second, he felt his eyebrow twitch a bit.

"Um…you're not going with them or anyone else? I can handle doing this stuff," he assured her but Altera merely shook her head.

"I know you can but I'd rather lend my assistance if you don't mind. And it gives us a chance to talk, if that is okay with you?"

"Er…sure I guess?"

Going along with that, the two individuals of somewhat mutual resemblances began to pick up the plates, utensils, and glasses left behind before putting them on the carts and wheeling them into the kitchen. Gathering up all of the kitchen wares that needed to be washed, they stood together by the sink. Raizo took a sponge and added droplets of soap on it to prepare to wash while Altera went around on the other side with towels ready to dry. From there, the two started working together to get the task accomplished.

An awkward silence passed between the two for the first few minutes. Raizo was just scrubbing each plate in the sink thoroughly; while doing this, he still felt like his heart was trying to leap up into his throat. He wasn't really expecting to be alone with any of the Heroic Spirits like this.

Drake is ridiculously flirty, Nightingale is someone who likes to be hands-on with her approach, I decapitated Artoria once upon a time, and this one is someone I literally was about to kill on the battlefield. The only one of the bunch that I don't feel uncomfortable around is Jeanne and that's because she's like family. Man this situation is nuts. But I can't afford to be rude here…

"So um…"

"I sense that you are still apprehensive about what happened between us on the battlefield. Know that I harbor no ill will towards you, we were both caught up in the heat of battle and our conflict was only birthed from a false assumption. You don't have to worry about anything," Altera swiftly explained with a soft sigh.

"Oh…really?" the youth asked with a slight head tilt.

"Yes. Besides, how could I hate someone who is the younger brother of the man who saved my life?"

"Wait…what?"

"Akaro-san saved my life; no…saying it like that is an understatement. He saved my very existence and gave me a second chance that not many could ever say they've received in their lives. This all started back on the Moon Cell."

The story from there went like so:

As the Red Knight was summoned by the Moon Cell system once more, the man found himself allied with Hakuno Kishinami again alongside another servant. This being was of the Saber Class whose legend was that of the 5th Ruler of Rome, the Emperor of Roses – Nero Claudius. During the civil war that was caused by the splitting of the Regalia, the heroes found themselves running into a formidable faction known as the Forces of Destruction.

These forces were led by Altera in advance of an entity that was set to cleanse all creation once again after 14,000 years known as Velber and the Umbral Star. Altera was an incarnation of one of Velber's advanced lifeforms; her true nature was described as an evil titan-like form called Sephyr. The first time Altera visited the civilization; she became Sephyr and destroyed many civilizations until a hero stood against her and slayed her with the might of the holy sword. However, a part of her essence remained and that piece later became known as Attila the Hun who would later be recorded in the Throne of Heroes as the Great King of Destruction.

At that time, the only thing standing between Velber and the destruction of humanity was the Moon Cell hence why Altera was called forth once again. The Moon Cell summoned the Red Knight as a direct countermeasure to her. When the two came face to face, he met a being that was far gentler than the gruesome legends described and that was Titan Altera. Despite of her giant size, she was kind and loving with an aura that radiated gentleness. As a result, Akaro bonded with the giantess trying to understand her but fate would take away those days of peace.

Due to the manipulation of an insane Caster-class servant, the evil nature locked within the titan-like female was unleashed transforming her into the albino beast of destruction whose purpose was to tear apart the Moon Cell and bring her master to Earth. As the monster began its rampage, the Red-Eyed Hero had no choice but to take her down.

A fierce battle ensued but supported by Hakuno as well as the other servants on the Moon Cell whom united under Nero's banner, they all fought alongside the man as they pushed back the Forces of Destruction. The Red Knight defeated Sephyr; however, as an unexpected added bonus, he unleashed a miracle and destroyed Velber and the Umbral Star for good preventing them from ever threatening civilization ever again. After the battle ended, some servants had fallen and some other lives were lost but amidst the chaos that consumed the land after the fearsome conflict was a sudden shining ray of hope. Altera had been reborn once more in the form of her Heroic Spirit self free from the shackles that bound her existence previously thus allowing her to live a life of her own making.

"Words cannot describe how grateful I am to Akaro-san for freeing me from my destructive curse. He not only saved me but he gave me a second chance, something I resigned myself to thinking I would never have as a Heroic Spirit," Altera surmised with awe in her eyes.

"Heh, Aniki really does have a way of doing more than just saving someone. He touches lives and changes people for the better; so that they not only live to see another day, but have the opportunity to re-evaluate themselves and make a change for the better. I'd know from experience, even though he's saved my ass on many occasions but that's a different story. Aniki, Onee-sama, and the rest of our family caused me to realize the error in my ways. I used to be like you actually," Raizo explained.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah…I mean…it seemed so long ago now but I was quite the self-destructive edgy guy. Those were the days of 'Raizo Arashi', a guy who was selfish and impulsive. During that time, I traveled the path of vengeance, deluded myself into changing time and playing into the hands of my enemies with every careless decision I made. All of my actions led to dire consequences in which I lost many allies, caused countless deaths and only enabled chaos to spread faster across the planet I was tasked to protect. Eventually I drove myself mad with self-loathing and I nearly ended it all but…my family never gave up on me, especially Aniki. He was the first one to show me that I could change, that someone like me was worthy of redemption and stepping into the light."

"I see…"

Altera glanced at Raizo from the corner of her eyes stealing a glimpse at his face. As he finished telling his story, she saw that the youth held a calm expression filled with subtle joy reminiscing about his past. She did not know him long but she had a gift for reading people.

That troubled look you had on your face yesterday seems like an illusion compared to the soothing joy you are showing right now.

"Your brother must truly be the definition of a hero."

"He's the greatest hero of all and someone I look up to. I mean, I was raised to be a ruthless assassin who would not let emotions or attachments bar him from his purpose of being a blade in the darkness. Then Aniki came into my life along with Sensei, Onee-sama, and the rest of my family and…my dark world that I encased myself in just collapsed. Sure, I'm not perfect and I stumble here and there but…I have him to count on as well as everyone else who has stood beside me so far."

"You truly are blessed…" the Saber-class female smiled softly before her crimson gaze was cast down upon the surface of the sink. She tightened her grip on the towel in her hand before bringing it to her chest as an aura of gloom came over her.

Raizo was finishing up the last stack of dishes when he took note of Altera's condition. As he saw how the pile ready to be dried off was building up, he paused for a moment.

"Altera-san, are you okay?" he asked but she didn't respond. He had just placed the last of the washed stack in the drain to be dried when he turned off the water thus grabbing another towel to dry his hands. From there, he gradually reached out towards the girl and tapped her shoulder.

"Altera-san?"

"Hmm? Oh…I'm sorry, I must have zoned out for a moment," the girl apologized before grabbing another plate to dry.

"Is there something bothering you?" the Stormbringer asked sensing something was off.

"No I…" the woman tried to deny but the young man only stood beside her folding his arms with a raised eyebrow thinking otherwise.

"Forgive me…I suppose there is something troubling me."

"I can tell. I'm listening if you don't mind telling me about it."

"I see, well if that is the case then I suppose I shall impose a bit on your kindness."

"Go ahead."

"I seem to be struggling with my own existence. Do not mistake me as being ungrateful to your brother for what he did for me but I often wonder if it was right for me to be given a second chance at life. Even though I've become a true Heroic Spirit and I am siding with Jeanne in this war to restore the world, I can't help but feel some dramatic irony. How can one whose sole purpose was to destroy civilization and mankind become a person trying to save it? With all of the death and devastation that has consumed the land, my past self would have taken great pleasure or satisfaction in the way this world has become; however, my current self realizes the horror of such actions. There are times when I just look in the mirror and I take great revulsion at the sight of my own appearance because I recall the things I've done."

The woman's eyes began to fill with tears as she bled her heart out to the Stormbringer. Hearing her story along with her current feelings painted a picture that was a similar portrait to his life. He felt that he could relate to her. They were both beings that were bred as instruments of death albeit in different circumstances. She was the incarnation of destruction while he was the blade that struck from the shadows. Despair and ruin impacted the lives of those caught in their phantoms wherever they went once upon a time. But their circumstances changed and they both shared the same person to thank for that.

That concern she felt inside was something that Raizo knew all too well. It was the same concern he had after the Shatterpoint Crisis. There were so many innocent lives taken in that false reality, a number of which had died by his hand. He was the son of a tyrant and took part in spreading terror across the world. The very war he sought to end in his world had only intensified in that of the fake one; all of which was brought about by his selfish desire of changing the timeline. After the deed was done, he found himself thinking of his self-worth so he greatly empathized with Altera.

"Those words of yours resonate deeply with me. It's amazing how much we're both alike despite of our different circumstances. I've been where you are and had the same question about my own existence at one point. Like I told you before, I almost ended my own life because of it. However, you and I were both given second chances for a reason," Raizo stated with a strong nod.

Altera merely stayed quiet focusing her tear-filled eyes on him and listening to his words. Taking her silence as a sign that she was truly pay attention, the former blood wolf continued.

"Life is an unpredictable entity. We're born into the world given a chance to live and make our decisions because of free will. Sometimes it's a smooth ride and other times it's rough, but such is the nature of experience. One thing I've learned in the short amount of years that I've been given so far is that we all make mistakes, but mistakes are best left in the past. They are not meant to be forgotten because they should be used as learning curves for how we each walk towards our futures. But the thing is, the future is always uncertain so we have a responsibility to stay in the present and make the most of every moment we have available to us. Both of us were given second chances thus being removed from our dark histories, so we have mutual responsibilities to take the opportunities given to us and move forward. Mistakes do not define who we are because at the end of the day, it's not about where we came from but where we are going."

Raizo crouched down softly grabbing Altera by her shoulders staring into her red eyes, his crimson hues brimming with hope for the girl to accept who she is in this very moment.

"You and I are kindred spirits. We're survivors so it's our duty to carry on with our lives using our experiences and wisdom to guide us along the way. Even if the road ahead gets tough, whatever challenge we both face we have to take it head-on and remember what we went through and conquered in order to get where we are today. So don't ever doubt your existence, Altera-san. You have strength; you just have to look inside of yourself to realize it."

The youth let go of her and stood upright before reaching and patting her softly on the head. He relinquished a small smile hoping that his words would ring true for the girl.

Ironic, I'm not sure if I was preaching to her or to myself. I never would have guessed that I could give that kind of speech to someone else. Aniki, you and the rest of the family are really rubbing off on me.

Suddenly, Altera opened her arms and pulled herself close to Raizo giving him a warm embrace as her head rested against his chest. This made the Stormbringer blush ever so slightly but given the mood she was in, he figured it was harmless. So he hugged her back and softly patted her on the back. He felt his shirt dampen a little from her tears.

"I understand," she said, "You just helped me understand what it means to start over."

"I'm glad. Everything is going to be okay, Altera-san. You can do this…we both can."

"You really are like him in your own unique way, but I have a request," the girl responded before backing out of the hug.

"Y-yeah?" Raizo tilted his head.

"Would you mind addressing me as just 'Altera'? I don't think we should be so formal if you don't mind, Raizo-senpai," the girl blushed a bit clasping her hands with the towel.

"Eh? Senpai? Wh-what? How? I mean…I don't mind calling you by your name without the formal tone but…."

"It's because you're closer to Akaro-san than I am…and…well I feel like I can look up to you too…so…I figured calling you senpai would be okay. If it's not then…"

"No, you're fine. I was just surprised that's all…yeah…a-anyways um…you're good now right?"

"Yes I'm fine now thanks to you, Raizo-senpai."

"M-mou…this is a little embarrassing…"

"Heh heh," Altera chuckled, "Seeing that look on your face is a stark contrast to how you appeared yesterday. I trust you're doing better now?"

The Crimson Harbinger had to recall her meaning for a brief moment but figured out what she was referring to. He did have a visible aura of frustration around him when they first arrived in Chaldea about things.

"Yeah, I'm doing okay. I just have to find a way to strengthen myself for this battle to come. That reminds me, I have to get back to training today…my technique needs better refining."

"It's always good to face oneself via meditation. You can discover your own weaknesses by exploiting yourself in your mind."

"Ah, that's it!" Raizo snapped his fingers.

"Altera, thanks for that tip. I just remembered something I can do," he said as he was preparing to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" the girl asked.

"I have something urgent to settle right now. The kitchen is done now so I'll be back in a while."

"Okay but don't forget about the briefing!"

"Don't worry, it won't take long."

Leaving the girl to finish up drying the rest of the dishes now that his part of the labor was finished, Raizo took off feeling like he just arrived at an answer towards his problem.

*****

In another part of the Chaldea base was a medium-sized corridor. Within it were giant steel shelves with metal fixtures connecting them giving this structure a cage-like appearance built to contain various species from the animal kingdom. Except instead of animals being kept within this place, the shelves along with the numerous overhangs contained all different kinds of plant life, some bearing fruit or vegetables. The ceiling of the room was adorned with an advanced lighting grid to mimic sunlight which allowed these plants to assume the process of photosynthesis. This was how Chaldea kept a stock of food for nutrients and also herbs to create medicines. In this area which held the nickname of "Eden", two women were walking around. Kimiko and Lucy had taken the time to use this space to talk while Akaro and the other Heroic Spirits were gathering in the Conference Room for today's briefing.

"So Kimi-chan, what's beatin' ya? Normally we don't have any serious talks unless we're nerdin' out on comics, manga and stuff. Ah, speaking of…how's that one series you were telling me about going for ya? I gotta get that first volume or somethin' so I can check it out," the casual blonde spoke arching her arms behind her head.

"It's interesting to say the least, definitely not what I expected from a Shoujo series; however, we can talk about that another time. For now, I need to talk to you about Raizo," Kimiko responded as the look of concern showed in her face.

"Don't tell me mah kid can't perform…dammit, I want grandkids…"

"No, you don't have to worry about that at all. He's got things to learn but he's equipped well enough and he has potential."

"Yeah, I had a feeling you two went to town last night. I heard Akaro's jokes about the way he was walking. Try not to hurt him too much."

"Just wait until he gets home…"

"Oh yeah, my little ginger-in-law hasn't had the chance yet has she? I bet that frustration built up."

"Maybe, she does have Vesta with her to keep her occupied."

"Oh come on now, we both know that those two are just biding their time for when the kid gets home. I bet it won't even be 24-hours before they pounce on him."

"Or 24 seconds, but I'm sure they'll be fine when the time comes."

"Heh, well regardless…as long as they take care of him and not just physically, I'm talkin' emotionally and spiritually too, then I'm sure things will work out. I know he's in good hands with you. I shouldn't have to say this since you already know but, I can't hold back my maternal instincts. When I first met Raizo, he was broken…like a wine glass that fell on the floor. Seeing his life at that time through his eyes really got to me in a way I wasn't expectin'. The kid's been through it…lied to, manipulated, used, cheated, betrayed, lost, and the list goes on and on. It breaks my heart thinkin' about it really, especially since he's never had parents to be there for him. But he has us now…and I don't want to know what would happen if he didn't have us in his life," Lucy explained with a distant look in her eyes.

She stopped in her tracks and took a deep breath gazing up at a vine of strawberries growing along the pole before her. Thinking about everything she was talking about almost brought tears to her eyes since she harbored such strong feelings for the boy she called her own. It was then that she just grabbed the bill of her cap and tucked her head down for a second.

"Listen at me gettin' all sentimental and stuff, heh…it's almost embarrassin'. But speaking truthfully, he may be Mercer's child from another relationship before me but I see more of his father in him than anythin' else. I'll gladly be his mother; I'll do the job better than that bukkake bitch ever could. I love him like he's my own blood," Lucy grinned proudly.

"That was quite the speech. I'm glad to hear you say all of that though. Raizo couldn't ask for a better mother. He's loved even if he doesn't realize the full scope of that feeling. I only wish that he understands this and doesn't fall into despair again. Though, I'm confident that he won't in the future," Kimi sighed.

"Well like I said before…he's got you and everyone else in Team AKARA," the Grand Saber spoke reassuringly patting the female beside her on the back.

"That's true but the thing is…I'm worried about him."

"Eh? How come, Kimi-chan?"

"I'm worried about where he'll go from here. Raizo is a child that is sitting on a wealth of potential. I discussed this at length with Akaro but there's much he has to learn about himself and he needs the kind of training that I can't give him in one or two mock combat sessions. He's at the point now where as it stands with his current self, he won't survive long without any of us by his side. He doubts himself as it is thinking that he's reached a brick wall that he can't breakthrough when it comes to combat. So after all of this is over…"

"You want him to head to Elysium for training, right?" Lucy interrupted with a raised eyebrow. Kimiko could only nod in agreement.

"Well don't worry about it; Mercer was hopin' to see Raizo soon after all of this blows over. It's about time the kiddo got to know himself and his bloodline in great depth. Of course, we'll have to do somethin' about that annoyin' ass rust bucket of a broken deity inside him sooner or later."

"That matter may resolve itself sooner than you think, Lucy."

"Yeah? Well hopefully it's soon. My son needs to be free of that old bastard."

The structure of the building then shook violently as the sound of the proximity alarms went off. A staggering clash of auras spiked as well putting both females on alert.

"What the hell?" Lucy stated while raising an eyebrow.

"Here we go," Kimi sighed before heading out to investigate with the blonde girl following behind.