Omake 5: FGO 5

There are many things that have quite the high chance of surprising me while wandering around Chaldea on my own. Former friends now turned mere acquaintances, old foes that didn't recognize me and… hugs. Specifically hugs from people that I wasn't exactly familiar with… but I technically was 'familiar' in the great scheme of things.

So, when I was first approached by the one that was called 'Scathach Skadi', I thought it was weird for me to just address her as my former teacher. After all, there was a massive difference between the two same-looking women, with this Scathach being less tough-sounding and looking and more… affectionate for some odd reasons. I didn't even notice her approach, and so I was stunned and shocked when I felt a pair of fairly strong arms suddenly grasp around me from behind in quite the fierce hug. I was quick to learn that this version of Scathach was one that had been fused with the Norse Deity Skadi, hence the name she was given… and yet that didn't explain why she was instantly 'enamored' by me and considering me her 'long-thought lost beloved one'. With amusement and intrigue, Mya allowed that kind of contact to unfold and more, especially since she could feel that Scathach bore a 'striking resemblance' with the one that had 'yet' to be summoned. In a sense, I could too perceive that and even the gloom-looking Ria had her own suspicions that this was indeed a copy, or a version at least, of the Scathach we were more familiar with. DaVinci-chan confirmed this possibility, bringing up that the Scathach that was fused with Skadi by Odin during the Scandinavian Lostbelt was none other than a copy of the one that existed in our dimension.

In her words, Odin wanted someone that knew how to handle marriages as she was meant to marry and expand the ties within the Norse Gods. Of course, Ragnarok happened and she remained alone to bear the sorrowful thought of her 'beloved one' being far from her reach. And as much as I was still skeptical about it, I could tell she was 'our Scathach'. Why? Well, there were a few things that just made her stand out from the others. Things that I knew only our Scathach knew and was known to do.

"Kiss!" She hummed loudly, and her lips stole a little peck out of mine. A cheeky grin ensued, a little blush followed. "That's another night to rest by Myasviel's side. And, of course, yours."

She remembered that kind of agreement, and some others too in the process, which made her currently the one that remembered the most out of that particular timeline. I wasn't sure 'how much' she remembered or how much it was the memory adding to Skadi's personality or even if that was actually Scathach's own personality resurfacing from time to time to show that she was still within Skadi's own mind as an important part of it. Just as we turned the corner while she explained how Ice Cream was the supreme snack to try and enjoy, we ended up finding someone that was a little bit of a bully to Scathach since her summoning. Not like he meant it out of pure maliciousness, but Cu Chulainn sure had plenty of chances to show off some of his displeasure with his teacher regarding the few (if not 'many') times where he was caught behaving unruly and foolishly in combat.

I could still remember the times Scathach brought him up during training, at first as a reminder that someone easily made some of the tests I went through without any issues, but then switching it in a less positive light as she was then forced to remember the many times she had her facepalm and react quite 'viciously' due to his 'stupidity'.

"Ohayo, Kinglet and oldie."

I sighed, noticing that Skadi quickly tensed up in clear discomfort.

"Look, can you not?"

"Uh? Why not? Shishou is still Shishou-"

"Physically yes, but most of her personality is tied to another individual," I reasoned with a slightly annoyed tone.

I knew there were multiple Cus within Chaldea, but I thought he would have been less rude on all kinds of Scathach considering that, well, she tended to lovingly kick his ass whenever he tried to sound too 'smartassy' with his words. Something I could see unfolding, maybe as a response to years of training under her and getting beaten to death for saying some stupid and kind of offensive things that riled up our mutual teacher.

"Heh, still an old ha-"

He didn't get to finish that sentence. Not when I felt Skadi's hold over my arm vanish and she silently appeared right in front of Cu before slamming one of the strongest punches available to her and sending him upward, sticking him through the ceiling.

Wasn't her strength ranked B?

There was a pause, then Skadi looked at her fist and slowly up to me.

"I'm… not a hag."

Was that an affirmation or a question? I couldn't tell from the way she said these words so softly and with some uncertainty. So, instead of going for something risky, I merely went through the usual attitude I had in facing that kind of situation with Scathach.

"You are not. In fact, you are as fresh and strong as the first time you bathed the earth red," I replied with some indirect and direct complements. She picked up all of those from the way she blushed at my comment, but I wasn't done just yet. "How about we go and pick ourselves some ice cream? You mentioned that you had a couple of flavors you wished for me to taste. We could even pick some for Mordred and Mya."

Her smile was back, if not going stronger and brighter at the mention of getting some ice cream for everyone. We were back to strolling happily through the halls of Chaldea, unaware that now we had two different groups looking at us. One was made by a single individual, with annoyed brown eyes and flexing a tiny whip she had with herself. A certain Irish Servant wasn't happy with the fact that a possible love interest was 'being stolen' off her palms and by a King she didn't know about due to his unusual summon. While the others were made by three recent individuals that had been summoned through the last Lostbelt.

"Mother, is that..." The tallest tried to say, her comment drawing a sigh out of the one she was speaking to.

"Yes. The one that calls himself the King of Britain, the Emperor of Europe," A suave voice muttered with a hint of disappointment but a greater sense of intrigue towards me. "He doesn't look aware right now of us, which allows us to plan out something about this situation."

"Should we test him?" The red-haired one asked, almost excited to try her might against this new 'anomaly'. "To see if his claim is indeed a threat to rightful yours?"

"No," The stronger Servant argued. "Albeit he is a claimant, he is a step beyond yours combined. Don't underestimate his jovial and eased guard, he is not someone that anyone but me can face with utmost confidence."

"Are you sure, your majesty?" The tallest of the trio inquired. "I don't find any reason to doubt your strength but-"

"It's not just a matter of strength, Barghest. It's a matter of curiosity as to why she calls my child his and why said child appears to bear incredible power within herself."

"Oh? May I challenge that child that is truly your daughter? To prove my worth and see her suffer for accepting a weakling as her father?" The redhead almost begged with a sadistic glee within her smile.

The pale blonde blinked and… slowly nodded. "In due time. I will first gauge this possible issue. I doubt it will escalate but I believe it would be best for me to take care of this on my own."

The Queen eyed the claimant with a mixture of disdain, curiosity and… pure fascination. After all, her 'former husband' had been entertaining but far from ideal as someone befitting of her status. It made her wonder what happened to the version of her that was bound to that dimension. She needed to know, and it was out of a sense of personal desire to know if he was someone she could call her equal despite his disappointing bonds.

Maybe, just maybe, her heart could finally stop beating so loudly. It's been years since it's been silent so… could it be excitement or something stronger that was driving that eagerness within her mind and soul?