4

In the middle of the day, where all have gone to class and forgotten a lone victim, a sorry, lanky victim that the universe decided to rip and tear their limbs and mind apart, lies a single locker where the said victim was last seen.

It wasn't clear how long it will take for anyone to find this victim. It wasn't clear if she'll be coherent by the time the janitor finds either her or the stench emanating from it first. There was one thing clear though.

She wants ou-

*CRASH*

A locker door was kicked wide open and collides with its neighbor. In no time, the victim of the locker leaps out dotted with waste and yet pays no mind to the smell. Her outfit that she went out from the locker with was not the one she wore when she went in the locker. It was a pristine uniform if you could ignore the waste hanging on it. A white dress shirt with strategically placed black belts plus a duel diamond symbol tacked on the collar, a black skirt with stockings, and white long boots to complete the look. The only feature she retained was her rimmed glasses and long black hair. She looks feverishly to the left and right, down the hallway of Winslow High and says,

"I NEED MORE QUARTZ!"

Less than a statement, more so a crazed war cry, the victim sprinted down a random direction in dire need of "Quartz", leaving her prison no longer filled with trash and waste wide open to allow anything or anyone to come out also.

Such as a scantily dressed purple haired girl in black armor and sheathed sword equipped with an unwieldy enchanted cross-shaped shield.

A shield that was having troubles getting through the small locker opening.

Mash Kyrielight tugged on the Round Table to free it from its prison. Judging by her struggling expression, she was having trouble getting her shield out.

"Why. In the world. Did we rayshift. Into a locker?" She grunts between pulls.

Eventually, she succeeds. At the expense of public-owned property.

Ignoring the now mangled open locker, Mash did a once over with her shield. Satisfied, she took in her surroundings.

"Master? Taylor?" She called out. "Vinci, can you see her?" Mash held her hand to her ear.

"Yes, she's running towards the nearest exit. You should see her right now." Comes an amused response.

"Yes. Run by me the situation." Mash started sprinting in the same direction as Taylor did, albeit faster, much faster than any human can manage.

"Another Singularity. Another Grail. Although, the readings from SHEBA are different. Much different." Vinci reported.

"How different?" Mash pressed, turning a corner and ignoring a surprised teacher. Her hearing caught a door opening just ahead. Must be Taylor.

"The Singularity doesn't have Mana. There are no readings of it anywhere. Nor is there readings of a Grail." Vinci explained. "It's like the World of this Singularity doesn't exist or rather is dead."

"There's no magic? No magecraft?" Mash questioned. A World without Magic? Is this a Singularity where the Age of Man ended? What would you call an Age without Magecraft?

"No. It's as if the World never had Magic in the first place. No Age of Gods. No Age of Fairies. No Age of Mystery. LAPLACE and TRISMEGISTUS came up with nothing but mundane history." Vinci confirmed. "A strange singularity, no?"

Mash allowed Vinci's report go in and out of her ears. With the exit in sight, Mash went outside, shield in tow without any signs of encumbering.

"Although…" Vinci continued on.

Letting the door close behind her, Mash saw her master standing in stunned silence. "Taylor?"

"Not all of the history was mundane," Vinci revealed to a worried Mash.

"I'm… back?" Taylor Hebert had the thousand yard stare when she realized where she was.

Mash remembered the time when she first met Taylor in Chaldea. She was hysterical at first, but thanks to Mash, she calmed down just as quickly like she had an epiphany. The incident drifted away from Mash's mind as time progressed. The explosion. The singularities. The normal casual routine in between.

Mash remembered Taylor being a deer in the headlights as she first started out. It didn't help when she became the last Master of Chaldea. Despite this, however, Taylor flourished under the pressure of Humanity's Extinction and the threat of Collapse of Reality. She got up to speed in an instant and became a Master worth following to the grave. Mash can attest to this personally.

Though Taylor didn't completely come out of it all unscathed.

"Mash! I'm back home!"

Mash raised her brow to Taylor's smile and jumping for joy. It was innocent and sincere. Mash couldn't help but smile also. The only time Taylor smiled like that was back in Chaldea when she and Mash would bond with the staff and servants. The normal days of Chaldea were something to remember dearly and there are days still yet to come…

Wait.

"Did you say home, Taylor?" Mash realized Taylor's words and their connotation.

"Yeah. Yeah…" Taylor began to deflate and the smile slowly fades from her face. "Yeah."

"Hey hey, Taylor. Are you alright~?" Vinci said over the earpiece.

"I… Uh. Yeah." Taylor was quick to the draw. "This isn't a singularity, Vinci. It's where I'm from." Her voice lowered to a hush.

"Oh! I see!" Vinci's voice brightened up. "A parallel world! Of course of course! Oh, how dumb of me! Why didn't I realize sooner?"

"Do you know something?" Mash spoke up as she joined with Taylor to give a comforting shoulder pat.

"So that's why Taylor didn't have energy in the first place! I was curious why she was a master candidate when she didn't have any circuits!" Vinci giggled. "You two didn't rayshift to a singularity. You two were transported to a parallel world through the Second Magic! A world where magic never existed, Gaia never lived, and people who could be considered as Magi are called Parahumans! This is where Taylor came from!"

"Para… Humans?" Mash repeated in confusion.

"They're like superheroes you would read in manga or comics…" Taylor muttered. "But there's not just heroes."

A sudden ring filled the air, alerting Mash.

"This is a school, right? That must be a dismissal bell." Mash came to a conclusion. "Unlike a singularity, what we do here does matter afterward. Master-"

"Mash." Taylor interrupted her lifelong friend, brushing off the revelation that the unwritten rules of Earth Bet still apply to her and the encroaching threat of being outed.

"Taylor?" Mash answered.

A shout grabbed Mash's attention as she saw several students walking out, beginning to murmur and gather to stare at the two of them. She noticed several of them with phones taking pictures of a girl in a uniform and another in armor with a giant shield. A part of her was glad that since magic and magecraft doesn't exist in this world, she doesn't need to worry about the Mage's Association breathing down their necks with Enforcers coming and silencing them and any witnesses. Sanctioned or not, dedicated to the preservation of Humanity or not, the Chaldea Security Organization are still under the same rules of concealing magecraft from the public and the Association would not hesitate to bring the Organization down for this crime.

"Let's go home." Taylor smiled and dragged Mash off by the hand, paying no mind of people taking pictures of a master and her servant.

"Your home?" Mash questioned.

The wide grin on Taylor's face says it all.

"It's been a while since I've carried this shield…" murmured Mash, hefting the Round Table over her shoulder.

"I told you that you didn't need to come with earlier. You can do just as much good in mission control, Mash." Her master reprimanded her best friend. "Do you even feel comfortable?"

"Yes, master. I promised I will be by your side to the end. I want to keep that promise." Mash steeled her voice, a fire ignited. "I can't do that being behind a console forever."

"Fine… Just don't do anything crazy like before again." Taylor rolled her eyes for a silent moment. "Thank you, Mash." She said under her breath.

Mash heard it all the same and smiled. They still had the Round Table with no one appropriate to use it; Mash couldn't just leave it to just collecting dust summoning essences and servants. Even if she's a human, the Round Table is essentially a Mystic Code, mana supplied by master's truly. Her capabilities are up to par, if not more so, and that's all that matters.

"Is this your home?" Mash noticed a small humble home, hard not to when they're walking straight towards it. She never noticed the looks and glances and cameras they attracted on their way.

"Casa de Hebert." Taylor chuckled as she swept her arms open in grandeur. "It's not much, but it's home. I haven't been back since…"

Taylor stopped and cupped her chin. Her expression twisted into distress. She looked down at her outfit and person, covered in ignored waste and smell. She remembered she wasn't this grown when she left.

"How… how long was I gone?" Taylor asked the question she should've realized the moment she left the locker. "How long were we fighting?" She turned to her companion, who stood astonished.

Mash recovered as her mind ran the numbers. "Approximately 3 years. Um, roughly. If you include the downtime in Chaldea." She answered certainly.

"Right right… I'm 18 now… how could I forget the birthdays you guys threw for me?" Taylor reminisced the heavenly cakes and pastries Archer made for everyone. She remembers everyone's smiles as they wished her happy birthdays. Even her Avengers. A smile crept back on her grief-stricken face.

"Taylor?" Mash raised her voice.

"It's okay, Mash. I'm fine. As long as I have you guys, I'm happy." Taylor gave a weary, but sincere smile. It was a smile every servant in Chaldea knew personally, not one from master to servant, but one given from heart to heart.

"I…" Mash was taken aghast but remained calm. Taylor wasn't acting like this before. She was always smiling back in Chaldea. 'Maybe she's in shock. I need to be here for her.' Mash mentally swore, determined.

Like glue, Mash stuck beside Taylor's side as they got to the porch. Taylor reached into her back pocket as if instinctively, but felt nothing but her Chaldea-issued communicator and several shards of Quartz. She needs to do those missions before they time out, she mentally noted.

"Tsk. I left my stuff at Chaldea." Taylor grumbled as she realized her mistake. She very rarely looked at her book bag during her time in Chaldea. It only reminded her of scattered, but unpleasant memories. It sits buried under clothing and mystic codes and materials in a closet in her room. Air blew through her nose when she remembered stuffing all the extra materials into her room when they ran out of space in the warehouse.

The perfect solution, Liz said. I've done it all the time to avoid cleaning my room! The dragon idol was smiling smugly.

The small smile on Taylor's face widened.

"Is there anyone home? Your father?" Mash suggested. "We could try knocking."

"No… He should be at work right now." Taylor winced as she tried digging through the three years of fighting and heightened emotions and all the happiness that came with it. "I… think he should be."

"It wouldn't hurt?" Mash shrugged.

Taylor nodded and raised a fist to the door.

And hesitated.

Mash laid a hand on her friend's shoulder with a reassuring smile and the nervousness melted away from Taylor's mind.

*knock knock*

Taylor didn't bother with the doorbell. She remembered the time when the darn thing broke when she pressed on it too hard. It was an oddball memory that bubbled to the surface.

A moment passed. Then two. Then three. It was at three when Taylor sighed and considered going through the kitchen backdoor.

It was the fourth moment when the door opened.

The person who came forward was the best sight for Taylor's sore eyes.

"Dad," Taylor whispered in relief.

Her father on the other hand. A tall intellectual with glasses in their forties. With soft green eyes, he spoke.

"Yes? Hello, mis-," Danny Hebert readjusted his glasses as he greeted the two visitors at his door and stopped midsentence as recognition grabbed him. "Taylor? What happened-"

Again, Hebert Senior was cut off by the sudden embrace of his daughter, taller than he last saw her this morning. His nose scrunched in defiance as it was assaulted by a horrid smell.

"Dad…" Danny heard the weak cries and muffled sniffles from his daughter's tighten grip on him. With his parental strings tugged, he said nothing and only held his distressed daughter. Like any caring father would.

He felt his sweater vest and buttoned shirt getting soaked from the tears.

'What happened?' was all he thought of.

The only person who could answer was his other visitor.

A girl in armor wielding a massive shield.

"Senpai's father." The girl was starry-eyed in awe.

Then the girl snapped out of it when she realized how awkward the situation was currently.

Mash stood at attention and bowed a right angle.

"Taylor's father. Thank you for giving me a wonderful senpai!" She said with complete and utter seriousness as if that explained everything. It only served to make it more awkward.

A part of Danny wants to feel complimented, but he just wants a proper explanation right now.

"Would you… like some tea?" Danny managed to say with a wavering smile.

---​

"Three years…" Danny muttered.

For the few past hours, he's been listening to Mash's… explanation in the living room.

If you define explanation as a romanticized retelling of a person's exploits as a legendary epic akin to today's mythology.

What he means was that Mash was a little enthusiastic over talking about her "senpai". Danny figured it's a cultural thing. She looked and sounded foreign, Asian in origin. He couldn't really comment on it.

He looked down at his asleep daughter, still clinging to him. It reminded him of the times when Taylor was a young little girl and the times where this family of two was three… Those were better times.

Of course, the tender memory would be a bit tenderer if said daughter wasn't 18 years old, an age most teenagers would boast 'I don't cry! I'm tough as nails and don't need my parents!'

He ruffled her hair with fatherly care. He didn't know what to feel besides pride and fear.

To sum up his fears, he was scared that he might've lost Taylor and he would never have known. To him, his few hours of today was three years to her. A lot can happen in three years.

But that doesn't matter anymore. She's here and she's safe.

As for pride, he just couldn't help but feel proud of his daughter. Becoming the first and last line of defense for Humanity? Fighting against numerous apocalypses and succeeding? Befriending heroes and figures of mythology and legends? Actually developing as a healthy human being in mind and body? What kind of father wouldn't be proud of their child who saved the world and still remained sane?

Danny feels like bragging to his coworkers tomorrow. 'Yeah? Well, Taylor saved the world. Several times.' No matter what other people will say, Danny would win the argument hands down.

If only Annette could see their daughter now.

"Dad?" woke the sleeping savior. Her eyes watered again at the sight of her father.

"Hey, Taylor," Danny replied, pulling her in for a hug.

Taylor still couldn't believe he's here, holding tight to her father.

"I'm so proud of you, Taylor." Danny couldn't help it.

Taylor couldn't help it either, struggling a smile with the tears of happiness.

"Thanks, dad." The Master of Chaldea cracked under her voice.

Mash, meanwhile, couldn't be any happier watching her senpai bonding with her father. She wished she had a camera. The ecstatic grin on her face just won't go away as she shook at the utter cuteness and adorableness of the scene.

"Well then, isn't this a pleasant sight~." Came a forgotten voice.

"Vinci?" Mash snapped out of her fangirl excitement to answer Vinci. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"While you and Taylor were busy, I decided to take a closer look at the history LAPLACE drew up," Vinci reported with a giggle.

"What did you find?" Mash stepped out into what appeared to be the dining room. She was savvy and experienced enough to know anything that brought Vinci's attention should be treated seriously.

"I think you need to sit down before hearing this." Vinci giggled.

Mash didn't like the sound of that.

---​Per routine, Taylor Hebert brushed her teeth as she wandered from the misty bathroom to the drier living room, with a towel as a hat and holding a cup of clean water. Morning showers are the best.

There in the living room came a sneak attack.

"Bye, Taylor. Take it easy, okay?"

"'kay, dad. Love you too."

With a kiss on his daughter's forehead and a prideful smile, Danny Hebert went out the door for work.

Taylor smirked at her father's renewed vigor. He seemed happier than she last remembered. She wondered why.

A swig of water plus spit later, Taylor used a free hand to dry the rest of her hair while holding the cup of spittle with a toothbrush in the other.

"Mom had some weird fashion sense…" Taylor muttered, dressed in a colored tank top and drawstring palazzos, pajamas you would expect from an English professor. Your old clothes can't really fit you anymore if you had a growth spurt of three years. "Then again, who cares about the clothes you wear in your own house?"

A flicker of history lessons came to mind. Some of the very prideful and vain figures that maintained a high status all their life, regardless if they're alone. Some of which she knew personally.

"Oh. Right. Nero. If anything, she'll make it a contest." Taylor shuddered at the memory of NeroFest.

"Good morning, master." Came a soft and ragged voice.

"Morning, Ma- aaaaah?!" Taylor jumped at the sight of her dining room filled with paper, strings, and clippings.

But she was more focused on the sight of her beloved kohai in her casual attire looking very exhausted, who was up and at attention. The Round Table leaned on a nearby wall, equally caked in papers and string.

"Mash! Were you up all night!? I thought I tucked you in!" Taylor sputtered.

"I couldn't sleep after what Vinci told me last night." Mash laughed weakly. Taylor saw the bags under Mash's eyes. "We've been working on researching this parallel world. Here."

Mash held out a particularly thick dossier to her master.

"I thought I told you to not worry about it. Whatever Vinci told you could wait for today." Taylor scolded her kohai, taking the dossier. "What did you two work on anyway?"

"A generalized list of interests, more or less." A voice crackled into existence. "We figured since you've been gone for so long, you should be refreshed on what you've forgotten."

"Capes, gangs, persons of interests, organizations, unspoken rules of agreement, modern shared mentality, the current status of countries…" Taylor flipped through the document that was written with care. Her memory refreshed in remembrance as she continued on. She couldn't help but compliment Mash's penmanship.

"Thank you, senpai." Mash had the hint of embarrassment upon being praised or it could be the exhaustion catching up. You could see her wobbling in place.

"Ok." Taylor dropped everything to the dinner table, the cup and the document. "You need sleep."

"But-"

"No buts, Mash. You're human now and humans need sleep." Taylor refused to let her kohai be like this. "Come on." Abruptly, she lifted Mash up in a bridal carry and made a beeline to the stairs. There was no sign of Taylor struggling with carrying Mash.

"No…" Mash muttered, her strength leaving her. She wanted to put up more of a fight, to do more for her senpai, but her body betrayed her.

Kicking the door to her room open, Taylor dropped Mash onto her bed without any fanfare. Her old room, Taylor sighed in content. Nostalgia is always nice.

"Senpai's bed." Mash's voice lets out a sigh of relief. "So soft."

"Get your rest, Mash. You've done great." Taylor patted Mash's head and tucked her in, replacing her glasses from the bed stand with Mash's.

Mash didn't reply, already whisked away to dreamland.

Tossing the towel hanging on her shoulders to the laundry bin on the way out, Taylor closed the door behind her.

"A few hours should do her good." Taylor sighed.

"That was rather out of the blue." Vinci giggled.

"A senpai should do all they can for their kohai." Taylor lectured. "I wouldn't be a senpai in the first place if I didn't."

"Yes yes, I know." Vinci chuckled.

"So give me the abstract." Taylor changed the topic quick. "I remember enough to know the world is awful and spiraling out of control."

"Aw, and Mash stayed up all night making that for you." Vinci teased.

"I know I know. You know what I mean." Taylor was in the midst of washing the cup and her toothbrush from earlier.

"Fine fine. I'll just start with the most pressing issue." Vinci snickered. "This world doesn't have mana, no?"

"Nope." Taylor began pulling down all the strings and papers and clippings, neatly putting them in a pile for later use.

"Then why were Chaldea's systems able to analyze this world's history?" Vinci questioned. "There are no spiritrons nor magic particles for Chaldea to analyze with."

"I would like to say the holy grails infused within me, but I didn't output any mana ever since I came here." Taylor shuts down one theory.

"Curiously, the world does have some sort of energies floating about. Or worlds rather." Vinci explained. "Tapping into these energies for the same results was child's play for someone like me." Her voice was beaming with pride.

"Okay, I'm going to assume these energies are related to parahumans." Taylor jumped to a conclusion. After everything that happened so far, it wouldn't be surprising. "Just get to the point please, Vinci."

"Alright alright. I've studied these energies and they do indeed correlate to parahumans. They essentially lead to alternate dimensions should an individual realize their potential." Vinci revealed. "I've looked into these worlds and noticed organisms, not unlike Beasts. They're connected to those individuals. These organisms are parts of a whole, much like how demon pillars can connect to each other."

Flipping through the papers again, Taylor looked at the section relating to Vinci's debrief. "So basically, when people trigger, the transdimensional organs connect to them and grant them powers to warp reality according to who the individual is and how they are at their current moment. This process spans across multiple versions of Earth excluding the Earths where the World and Mana exist, oddly enough."

Taylor sighed and stood up to stretch.

"What are we looking at? Demons? Extraterrestrial life? An alternate incarnation of the World and its mana? A manifestation of a facet of Humanity? The best specimen of a powerful species in hiding? Spirits hiding in the spaces between Worlds? A secret technological breakthrough went horribly right? Is Scion involved?" Taylor began comparing her previous exploits to the current situation, a type of sizing up the competition.

"Do you remember he was the first parahuman to appear?" Vinci asked.

"Yep. Who could forget the flying Oscar?" Taylor twisted and stretched her body as warm up. She was surprised she remembered all of this parahuman knowledge so quickly. It must've been the buzzwords and key phrases. Much like how a musician remembers musical terms despite years of no practice. "Plus with how mysterious he was, it'd be obvious to ask questions."

Taylor humored the idea of Scion being a holy grail himself. They're both golden. Same difference, right?

"It's an alien. Multidimensional. It came in a pair." Vinci classified the apparent threat. "I've seen its actual body. It spanned several dimensions, fairly enough. It was also rather depressed. It's a widower."

"Being a renaissance woman is fun for you, huh?" Taylor rolled her eyes, making her way to the laundry room.

"Oh, you know me so well." Vinci giggled.

"One more question," Taylor grabbed her dried mystic code from the dryer; she was glad they're machine washable. "Is it doing anything wrong and should I care about what it's going to do?"

"Not particularly. It seemed resigned to do nothing exciting. Without its partner, it can't do anything." Vinci felt pity for the beast. "Oh, it's so sad."

"Then let sleeping dogs lie." Taylor straightened her collar. She smelled of lavender fabric softener. "If it doesn't plan on pulling a Velber, then we should leave it alone. It's not a threat to Humanity. If anything, it gave Humanity powers. That's a plus. Now obviously there would be an ulterior motive that possibly involves destroying the host species; however, I'm assuming since it has no one to tango with, its plan is dead in the water. Case closed."

"As you say, master." Vinci chuckled.

"Now all we need to do is to deal with the people misusing its gifts to Humanity… I should grab breakfast and groceries." Taylor made plans for today. "The fridge is emptier than I remember…"

"Ho ho? Planning a vacation, I see?" Vinci teased.

"Now that you mention it, it wouldn't hurt to take a few days off," Taylor hmm'd, "Vinci, were there any other signs of singularities when we left?"

"No. CHALDEAS has been quiet ever since you left." Vinci laughed. "Enjoy your vacation, Taylor. I'll always be here whenever you required assistance-"

"HUSBAND! MY HUSBAND! WHERE ARE YOU!? ARE YOU OKAY?! WHEN ARE YOU COMING BACK!? YOU'VE BEEN GONE FOR A DAY!!" Came a loud yet worried cry of passion.

Ah, there she was. Taylor was sure Kiyohime would skip communications and just go straight to her altogether. For once, the young maiden put her husband ahead of herself.

That reminds her…

"I love you too, Kiyohime." Taylor gave one quick declaration before adopting a serious tone. "Da Vinci, is there any way to recreate the 2nd magic like Mash and I had done?"

"Ah, I was wondering when you were going to ask that." Vinci lit up while Taylor could hear a flurry of embarrassed and prideful mumbling. "To be frank, I was curious about how you two managed the 2nd magic in the first place. The only person capable was the old man."

Taylor thought about the Wizard Marshall. He was infamous in the Mage Association for his… eccentric tendencies. Whether her returning home was some magical fluke or the result of his machinations will be known in due time, Taylor was sure of it.

"But! I have been able to work around the fact that the world you're in lacking mana! With the combination of the other energies there PLUS the kaleidoscope craft essence, rayshifting is back in business!" Vinci sounded particularly satisfied with herself. "Although, I find it odd with how quickly I managed to solve that hiccup. It's as if the problem solved itself rather conveniently."

That… does seem a bit strange. Puzzle pieces don't fall into place so easily.

"Post it on the fridge, Vinci. I'm hungry for breakfast." Taylor cradled her growling stomach. There was a time for critical thinking; now was not it.

"Ah yes, of course! Well, if you need anything-" Vinci made it clear that the conversation was over.

"Wait." Taylor had one last request.

"Hm? What is it?" Vinci was a bit too quick on answering. It's as if she was waiting for Taylor to ask for something.

"Have you tested it yet?" Taylor sounded as if she's giving a stern lecture.

"It? Oh! You mean the rayshift!" Vinci played innocent. "Of course I did! I've used it on Cú several times! It works perfectly!"

Taylor hoped PETA doesn't hear of this. She'll need to make it up to him after all of this. "Right, assemble a team."

"Oh? Are you in trouble?" Vinci teased, knowing why.

"No. I just need someone with me. I don't like shopping alone." Taylor tried her best attempt at an excuse.

"Alright, who do you need?" Vinci giggled. She knew Taylor didn't want to be alone anymore. With what she went through, Taylor always wants to be with family and friends. She wants to show her servants her home! Her master isn't honest with herself at all!

"Let me think…" Taylor cupped her chin.

Whoever she's bringing, Taylor just hopes this vacation of her goes smoothly.

---​

AN: If you've been fighting nonstop for three years, of course, you would want a vacation. I've been reading the discussions and I'm loving what I'm seeing. Food for thought. It's giving me ideas.There was a knock at the door.

"Come in." said a stubborn woman.

In no more than 5 seconds, her visitor stood at attention in shining armor filled with hidden gadgets and knick knacks. He once insisted that the excessively miniaturized toilet paper roll would be useful one day. His superior rolled their eyes at his silly and excessive preparation.

"Director Piggot." Said the visitor.

"Say what you need, Armsmaster. Can't you see the god forsaken paperwork on my desk?" The director of the Brockton Bay branch of the Protectorate grumbled; her darting eyes never looking up with her hands in a flurry of ink and paper.

"There's a never before seen team of parahumans roaming the streets." Armsmaster stated dryly. "They've been causing a disturbance for the past hour."

Piggot took a deep breath with her eyes closed. "Have you done the proper procedures? Sent anyone before you came here personally? Is there a reason why you came personally? I would've liked an email beforehand, but I'm grateful that you didn't send one." She stood up and straightened her suit. "You said it was a team. How many? What sort of disturbance? Will we need to mobilize a larger force?"

Armsmaster hesitated. Piggot knew this because she saw the tinker coughed into a fist, as if clearing his breath. This won't be good.

"The situation did not escalate to require my constant oversight. We've sent a detachment of one platoon to control the situation. We're recalling everyone due to the commotion they're generating. We plan on leaving in half an hour." Armsmaster started answering.

Piggot narrowed her eyes. "That's… a rather large force. Is this team dangerous? Are there any injured?" She went out the door with Armsmaster, hurrying to minimize the damage quickly. The tinker didn't look at all concerned however.

"No, no one is injured currently. Only minor property damage. The platoon was sent to calm down the masses." Armsmaster replied as fact. "We only caught wind of them due to how… noticeable they're being."

"How noticeable?" Piggot wanted details.

"They have very obvious clothing, but no masks and their behaviors stood out. This caused every bystander they passed by to follow them and take photos and videos and stream per public interest. There's already discussions and speculations on who these capes are. The capes themselves didn't seem to acknowledge the attention they're gathering." Armsmaster shared several details. "We have yet to identify these individuals despite their transparency."

"They clearly don't want to have a secret identity. The cover up for this will be disastrous." Piggot groaned as they picked up the pace. "How many names are we looking at?"

"Nineteen." Armsmaster said it outright.

Causing Piggot to stop dead in her tracks.

"What?" Piggot said the question of the day.

"It is a team of 19 parahumans comprised of several men and women led by a Taylor Hebert, a person of interest you have been alerted of yesterday evening." Armsmaster answered.

"I know of the circumstances! Get to the point." Piggot rushed. She knew of Taylor Hebert. A recent trigger plus friend that debuted in Winslow High. According to eyewitnesses, it was difficult to determine who the mysterious cape due to the stark differences in height, outfit, and face. Nevertheless, the student body revealed that she was indeed Taylor Hebert, aged considerably. Armsmaster hypothesized that her unknown power had the side effect of accelerated aging. Piggot didn't care about the other details.

That hardly explained the appearance of her companion. An armored girl who was not practically dressed for battle despite the armor platings attached and shield. She lacked a recorded identity other than the scant details recorded by initial investigations. She was an unknown as far as Piggot knew and by extension, the Protectorate.

"They are currently walking their way to an undisclosed location." Armsmaster held up a screen with a livestream playing.

There in plain view in fuzzy mobile video quality was a very… colorful group of individuals talking, laughing, smiling, playing, arguing, walking. There were some extreme outliers including casually attired men and women, some humanoid case 53's, and several formally dressed women. The onlookers and civilians on sight kept their distance due to being intimidated by the large group of new capes. She saw the PRT grunts interspersed trying to rein in the crowds. The words Piggot had were caught in her mouth.

If anything, the ridiculous situation of a group of capes walking down the street looked like a bunch of tourists. Piggot grew paranoid.

"Assign more men. We need to be on site right now." Piggot hoofed it. Armsmaster had no trouble in matching pace, off handedly sending off an emailed order for more men. "What are these parahumans doing? What are they planning?" She was worried about a sudden tragedy waiting to happen.

"And why haven't you gotten around to contacting this Hebert?" Piggot snapped. She knew the answer to her own question though. Contrary to popular belief, the PRT and Protectorate in Brockton Bay doesn't immediately contact recently discovered parahumans by the drop of a hat. There was routine to consider, patrols and conferences and they were spread thin already. Piggot recommended that Armsmaster would hold off on contacting Taylor Hebert until a more convenient time for a Protectorate member to be available. She could've just phone it in and sent a PRT recruiter, but of course, appearances and first impressions matter to Piggot. All in the name of integrating parahumans into society, a slow and arduous battle. She shudders of the time when the phase for Case 53's comes.

"No one was available for a meeting since our debriefing to now. It was only due to Miss Hebert's stunt that we're forced to mobilize." Armsmaster spoke tactfully. "Though…" There was a lull in his throat.

Piggot noticed this. "What? Something new?"

"Yes. There was recent activity earlier today that involved Miss Hebert. It's regarding the speculation of her powers." Armsmaster then rewinds the footage to where the footage showed Taylor Hebert alone on the boardwalk wandering.

Director Piggot narrowed her eyes. Where are the others? She made her thought known.

Armsmaster continued to footage.

There was background chatter of surprise and talk. A scene was forming around the newly outed parahuman.

"As earliest the footage showed, Miss Hebert was traveling the boardwalk. It was later that interested citizens began to notice who she was and congregate for questions and fan memorabilia."

Off to the corner of the footage was where Piggot noticed the enforcers of the Boardwalk, Merchant enforcers. They were on the phone while watching Taylor. Other enforcers joined in the crowd, trying to disperse them with the excuse of "maintaining the peace".

"I trust things grew violent?" Piggot raised a brow to Armsmaster.

The leader of the Protectorate ENE stayed silent and fast-forward the footage.

Taylor didn't even noticed the commotion and kept walking, electing to ignore the crowd and the yells from the more unruly enforcers for her to halt.

It was at this point that the camera was blinded by a shimmer of gold and there were the familiar faces.

All 18 of them.

The crowd of civilians and hidden gangsters immediately dispersed, caught off guard by the appearance of intimidating parahumans. There were a cacophony of sounds, yells, gasps, and screams.

Taylor Hebert only smiled and kept walking with her group in tow. Snippets of conversations can be heard.

"Is she a master or stranger?" Piggot grimaced.

Armsmaster turned off the recording. "It has yet to be discerned. The equipment for detecting projections weren't used of yet and our thinkers have yet to give their input."

"So we either have a master who can summon projections of unknown properties or a stranger who can cloak entire groups of people. People who may be parahumans or otherwise." Piggot said as such.

"That is the current situation summarized." Armsmaster nodded.

"Regardless, we should try to contain this. Send for a contingent of Protectorate teams from other branches. We don't have the manpower for this amount of possible threats." Piggot started to walk off, less desperate than before. "What's the current status of Hebert and her group?"

Armsmaster paused as if he recently received new intelligence. "Director."

"Well? What is it?" Piggot took Armsmaster recent silence as he did receive said intelligence.

"They're shopping at a grocery store." Armsmaster said this with the most serious tone she had ever heard from him.

Piggot, understandably, looked bewildered.

"What?"

8:00.

8 00.

8:00.

8 01.

8:01.

I looked at my wrist watch to note the time. I clicked a button to pause the stopwatch. About an hour passed since I started my relaxation and the city's not another Fuyuki burnt to the ground yet!

So far so good! This is progress! I can already call this outing a success!

"Don't jinx it, master." Comes a sigh of resignation from my side.

"Don't try me, Emiya! This is the first time since forever I've been home! Like home home! Do not ruin my moment!" I can't help but smile, betraying my faux-frustration.

"Hm…" Came a stray thought from my other side.

"Demiya, I heard that!" I accused the Alter of the crime of laughing at my despair.

"… If you say." Demiya crossed his arms with eyes looking down at the assortment of vegetables and fruits, uncaring. Liar. He totally cares. I see those mouth twitches. You can't be broody anymore! I made sure to fix you! Emiya helped!

"Hm… what should we be making for breakfast?" Emiya checked a head of lettuce.

"Are you considering dinner also?" Demiya rotated through some fresh eggs. "We can try American. Though we could try Greek."

"I'll get the vegetables. You figure out what entree we should include for dinner." Emiya looked through more: cabbage, eggplant, tomato. I can't wait for tonight.

Ever since the day Demiya opened up, Chaldea's Taco Tuesdays became Foods-that-start-with-T Tuesdays because of the two Archers' friendly rivalry of being the better chef. Honestly, those two are hopeless! I can't help but smile at the memory of the table filled with plates of 5-star meals. Whoever won the contest didn't matter. The smiles on everyone's faces when they dug in was worth the empty food stores.

I nodded and let the two archers plan. Stepping over some rubble, I walked by the dairy isle to see my favorite bull with my favorite group of gorgons.

"A breakfast… Why not humans?" The oldest muttered jokingly.

"Sister…" Groaned the middle child, looking through the admittedly absurd variety of cheese. "Asterios is here." She said as she patted on her longtime friend from atop his shoulders.

"I don't believe he prefers humans anymore." Wondered the youngest. "He'd rather have a different kind of meat?"

Asterios, the colossal and most fluffy servant I ever had, stayed silent while peering over the fridge bin full of cheese. He picked up a wheel of cheddar and sniffed.

I know I damned myself to Lobo for saying that, but Asterios is the nicer fluff. Lobo is the cool kind of fluff when he's in a good mood.

"Hey there, big guy." I walked up and patted his big, fluffy mane. He loves it when I do that. "What's going on, Gs?" I cracked a warm smile.

"We've been thinking of something traditional." The youngest and most statuesque of the sisters, Medusa shared. "Wheat bread with goat cheese. Something light." Her eyes darted with potential recipes in mind.

"Ooo. What's this yogurt?" Euryale, the middle child idol pointed towards a small carton of Greek yogurt. Asterios wordlessly passed it up to her giggled excitement.

"Human civilization is strange, Taylor. Do humans usually stare at each other in broad daylight?" The oldest and most tricky sibling, Stheno grinned. "It's because of how beautiful we are, no?" She was looking smug with those eyes of hers. Always the vainest one, aren't you?

"Nah, humans are weird like that. They act like they don't see cool beauties like you every day." I chuckled at the oldest gorgon's ego. She joined me in the laughter.

"Is that flattery? Are you trying to make a pass on us?" Stheno giggled. "It's as though you wish to be whisked away to our island!"

"I thought we were already inviting master to our island?" Euryle reminded her dear sister with a mouth full of Greek yogurt.

Asterios was equally guilty. I can see the yogurt caught around his mouth.

"Ah. We didn't pay for that yet…" Medusa noticed too late.

"Ufufu~ Master's never relenting with her sweet nothings." Stheno covered her mouth with her giggles. "Get out of here, you charmer, before we try and take you for ourselves again."

"How's a salad sound, master?" Medusa spoke up.

"Maybe for lunch. I'd like to try a salad made by you. Is that alright?" I crossed my arms.

"Hmm… Very well." Medusa nodded and went back to the cheese, picking up some blue cheese. She seems a tad invigorated with how focused she was. She looks so much better without that blindfold.

"Bye bye, master~!" Euryale waved as I left. Asterios frowned as I moved on to the meats. He always had that perpetual frown quiet people would have.

He was still waving me goodbye. Aw, he'll always be our fluffy boy.

Whoever wrote the legend of the Gorgons should be sacked. The sisters weren't that bad when you get to know them. Then again, history has a way of mixing truth and fiction. It's up to the observer to determine what's real and what's not.

Strolling past a locked break room full of terrified workers, I looked over the shoulder of two of my favorite witches. One was holding a massive slab of pork while the other was deliberating between beef or chicken.

"Huhu, I wonder if this is home grown." Said the older yet younger looking witch, eyeing the pork. "The leftovers should make a good offering, if there are any."

"Should we get the olive oil or did someone else grabbed it already?" The younger yet older looking witch muttered. "What do you think, teacher?"

"Medea, Circe! How's the meat?" I said my pleasantries.

"Ah, master. We're determining which meat should be fine." Medea nodded a faint smile. "A breakfast is an important meal after all."

"Which is why my wheat porridge is the perfect grain to eat!" Circe smiled smugly with her hands to her hips. Her wings flapped with gusto.

"Isn't that the only snack you can make?" I kindly reminded.

"Of course! It's my specialty! I wouldn't be such a good host if I served awful food!" She hid her embarrassment behind a facade of pride. I can see her feathers being frayed.

"You can't use magic to cover where you're lacking, teacher." Medea admonished, hinting in more ways than she meant. "You need to be more well rounded in dishes. Your victims can't live off of oats forever." She said victims instead of guests. She knew what she said.

"Huh, what's this student turned teacher act?" Circe sneered. "Do I need to tell master a story from when you were young?"

"NO!" The student immediately shuts down the idea.

"Actually, it'd be nice to listen a story from you, Circe. You still have more stories to tell, right?" I've listened to Circe a few times. The way she told her stories were like you were there yourself. She would always have this melancholy feel. It's definitely because of her age. Whenever you look back at your life, you'll always remember fondly of your journey to where you are now.

Circe lit up, but was cut in.

"Master, y-you wouldn't really want to hear a story about me. Right?" Medea was trying really hard not to break her composure. The witch of betrayal really did get rusty. Goes to show you how a little kindness can go a long way. Great! That hood was covering her beautiful face anyway!

"Right, I'll check on the wine. It's a staple food." It was, for the Greeks. I began to walk off. "Don't get into any trouble, you two." I flashed a quick smile back.

"Make sure it's not cheap!" Circe shouted as she giggled. She was getting shaken by a flustered Medea.

Circe and Medea. I like their stories. They're tragedies by modern standards, but even tragedies have lessons to teach. I'm grateful to have those two, for better or worse. A witch is only as bad as the amount of fear we give them.

I just need to give them the affection they wanted and deserved. I feel like I've done a pretty great job so far. I've yet to see a frown on their faces since a while. The memory of them reminiscing their tragic history spurred me on. I won't let that happen again. I promised.

I started whistling as I kicked aside a large chunk of concrete to the side. It would've been nice if there weren't so much debris everywhere. Alas, the doorway wasn't big enough for Asterios and I would never tie him to a post like some dog. I'll just mend the front door when we leave.

"This should be fine, don't you think?" Offered the saint, holding up a bottle of wine. She was dressed like a casual farm girl. You wouldn't know she was a servant at first glance.

"Feh, that cheap drink? Isn't there more stronger stuff in here?" Denied the avenger. Dressed more bold and darker, she peered at the shelves of wine bottles.

"Jeanne, what's the problem?" I caught their attention.

Jeanne d'Arc smiled at my entrance, bringing her hands together. "Ah, mas-"

"This place is a hack. Fresh market? Hah! The gall to sell this watered down grape juice." Jeanne's counterpart, Jeanne d'Alter, shortened to Jalter cuts her off. "We should burn this place down, Taylor."

"Calm down, sister! This should be fine!" Jeanne tried to defuse the situation. She turned to me with a calm grin. "We have the olive oil, but we can't decide what type of drinks we should take."

"We'll just buy as much as we can carry. The drinkers back home should appreciate the leftovers." I gave my solution. Everyone will appreciate this gift. I hope Asterios can carry all the groceries.

"Are you sure?" Jeanne pondered with a head tilt. Jalter gave a holler of glee. She must've found something good.

"Positive, just grab whatever you want, Jeanne. Gilgy's treat." I waved off the saint's concern. "You guys earned it."

Jeanne brightened. She always has a way with a smile. Maybe it's her demeanor that sells it. "Thank you, Taylor. Now I'm worried about the leftovers."

"Please. With Artorias, there won't be any." I shook my head. I smirked at the memory of the Kings of Britain single handedly finishing the dinner table every single night.

"You're right. Very right." Jeanne sighed content. "Um, Taylor?"

I was just about to leave before I turned back. "Yeah, Jeanne?"

"How are you feeling?" Jeanne voiced her concern. She's always concerned behind her confidence. I can't help but feel envious.

"Never better? Are you just being a worrywart again?" I smiled.

"Yes. It's a servant's purpose to care for their master." Jeanne kindly reminded me.

"Jeanne, that's not a servant's purpose. That's what a friend does!" I corrected her.

Jeanne blinked several times and remembered. "Oh! Forgive me. You're right, Taylor." A pause. "Thank you. Through hardship and sorrow, yes?"

"Till the bitter end, Jeanne." I quoted my answer from that eventful moment that I would have with every one of my servants. The moment where my servants truly trusts in me as much as I trust them with my life.

"Gag me with a shovel!" Came Jalter's jeer from down the aisle.

"Love you too, baby girl!" I replied back with Jeanne laughing.

She eloquently stuck her tongue out and pull down her eye bag in response.

I waved back to Jeanne before finding myself in the grains aisle. There was flour powdered all over the floor. Kiyohime must've been looking for the flour that's juuust right.

"Kiyohime, the flour did nothing wrong to you." Said the big sister of the three, thankfully dressed decently.

"Oh dear. What will master say about this?" Sighed a smiling motherlike figure. I wouldn't really say they're dressed like a mother would though.

"*gasp* My husband!" Speak of the devil, I was the devil.

I was swiftly tackled by a seafoam colored blur. I rubbed a child's head, minding the horns.

"Kiyohime, are you being a stickler for perfection again?" I shook my head at the absurdity.

"Only the best for my husband!" Yellow eyes mellowed at the sight of me. Her smile can melt any heart it's meant for.

"We tried to remind her." Boudica raised her hands in thinly veiled disbelief. "Honestly, this child and her obsession with you."

"We've all been through a lot together, my Queen. Give her this, please?" I pleaded with Boudica's patience.

She only sighed and gave a wry smile. "That is true. And you don't need the formalities. Ah. Also. How would some galette sound?"

"That sounds nice actually." I nodded with interest. "Margaretha, what's your suggestion?"

"Hnn… I was suggesting pies, but for breakfast?" The spy cupped her chin. "I suppose a meat pie?"

"That's… close enough." I conceded to her missing the point. I looked down. "Did you have your fill yet?" I said to my wife.

The silence she gave as her grip tighten was her answer.

"Okay." With ease and ample experience, I pried off the dragon princess, much to her distaste.

"I love you." She said with a pout.

"Same here." I meant it. "Mind making me the best breakfast for me?"

"Hmph, anything is possible for my husband." She smiled with mischief in her eyes.

"Well good, I'm looking forward to it." I put her down with a pat on the head. She didn't shake it off. She never will.

"Mind making sure she doesn't go overboard?" I couldn't be too careful with Kiyohime.

"Leave it to big sister." Boudica patted her flexed arm muscle, determined.

"Fufu~. Always, Taylor." Margaretha curtsied.

I left the trio to their thoughts and plans. A flicker passed by my head. Their stories never had a happy ending. It was saddening when everything you had was torn away from you, physically and emotionally. I promised to them I'll keep them happy, to see the world someday when all of this defending Mankind business is over. Someday.

"Waffles."

"Pancakes."

"Waffles."

"Pancakes."

"Little Medea is already making the pancakes."

"THOSE AREN'T PANCAKES."

"Waffles."

"I hate you."

"I apologize."

"Why am I here with you?"

"Because Taylor is here."

"I'm her favorite."

"I think not."

"Yes, I am."

"No, I am."

"I saved her from that pillar before you."

"I was the one who dealt with the rest of them."

"You wanna go?"

"Any time."

I coughed.

In an instant, the two brothers reeled back astonished and recovered as if nothing happened with Arjuna coughing into his fist and Karna looking to the side bored. I looked down to see two different boxes in their hands. Pancake and waffle mixes. Don't they use the same type of powder? I shrugged and shook my head. Capitalism.

I glared at the two. "How many times have I told you two? You're both my favorites. I don't care how favorites work. That doesn't change the fact that we're family."

Arjuna winced, as his only defense was shot down. Karna blinked blankly.

"We'll do both. How's that sound?" I sounded tired. I must be. It was like dealing with children.

"... Fine." Arjuna folded and hung his head in defeat. "I'm sorry, master." His gloved fist creased under the strain.

"I am also sorry." Karna apologized as plain as he could. He meant it though. It was his thing.

I smiled. These two goofballs. "Apology accepted! Now hug."

""What?"" Came the response, flabbergasted.

"You heard me. Hug!" My hidden sadism leaked. "Or do I need to bring out the sweater?"

A cold sweat broke on their brows. They looked at each other with disdain.

Begrudgingly, for the slightest second, their arms flailed to the other's side in the barest definition of a hug before dropping them. It was like they used their arms as clubs if anything. They avoided the other's gaze as the moment passed.

"Good." I nodded. "Now if you really want to find out who's better, make me a better breakfast than the other."

As if the sun rose to the highest peak of the Himalayas, they perked up in anticipation of proving they're better and raced off while shoving each other in hopes of phasing them.

I sighed. "Those sweet idiots." It was the most bittersweet sibling rivalry I've ever seen. Still, even with Arjuna's want for isolation, they get along when they need to. I made sure of it.

Just to make to set the record straight, I totally handled that Demon pillar before they came to help.

"Fish!"

I heard a distinct cry nearby.

"Hehh? Fish can come prepackaged and deboned? How convenient. But this is not what we're looking for! If we want to be a proper wife, we must use the rawest ingredients! Only the freshest ingredients for the best breakfast!"

"Fish!"

"Well met, dear sister! Master will be so grateful with us!"

I heard a prideful laugh coming from the seafood aisle. I shook my head; I already knew the perpetrator and her accomplice.

She was a certain miko that anyone familiar with her should recognize. Wearing one of two blue shrine maiden uniforms that was the more flexible, a starry eyed woman peered over the fresh arrangement of fish. She and her companion must be planning on grilling fish for her share in the kitchen. She was the more sharp of the two. Rather, should I say Nine? I'm still waiting for the other seven to come to Chaldea. That'll be fun. So much fluffy.

Speaking of, her quote unquote "sister" stood right beside her, holding up a rather massive carp high above her head. How did this supermarket find the room to display that is a mystery. She was wearing a shrine maiden outfit just like her sister, but in red. In contrast, she's more simple minded, but also just as loyal. She's such a dear. Her honesty can melt anyone's stone cold heart.

Although that's not their most distinguishing feature.

It was the fact that they had long pink hair and… fox ears plus tail. Like I said, anyone should recognize Tamamo-no-Mae and her more honest aspect Tamamo Cat.

In hindsight, this sounds a little out there. Not that it's deterred me before.

"Tamamo! You sound excited." I wandered to their side. Both of them smiled when they saw my smile. They knew I mean well when I called them both with the same name. It was easier.

"Why yes we are! Sister and I are deciding what sort of seafood dish we're cooking." Mae's mouth curved at the edges. I heard a hum from her. She was happy. Good.

"Master, master! We should prepare a feast!" Cat laughed like a child while piling on more fish in her arms. I can't help but nod at her absurdity.

"Whatever you guys want. You've earned it." I suggested.

"Aw… Master's doting on me again~" Mae cooed, clasping her hands to her cheeks. "You're such a darling!"

"I try. Anything for you guys." I said, petting Cat's head. Her ears twitches in my hands. Her wagging tail brushed against my legs.

"Master is the best!" She said without restraint.

"Just don't work too hard, okay?" I reminded them.

"Hmhm, it's no fair for Master to do all the work! Let us help out! It's what we're here for!" Mae's ears twitched as she spoke.

I cracked a grin. "Sure, I'm counting on you."

"Master may be the best, but she's also not invincible!" Cat unexpectedly gave words of wisdom. "The enemy of Master is our enemy too!"

"I… Yeah, Tamamo. You're right." I blinked.

She only laughed at her own cleverness.

Tamamo no Mae crossed her arms and sighed. "I blame you." She failed to hide her joy.

"She's your sister. She takes after you after all." This fact rang more than true.

"Yes yes, I know that." Mas rolled her eyes, ignoring her sister's laughter. "Get going. The king is waiting for you, remember?"

I nodded. "I'm looking forward to your meal."

"Yes, master~! Just watch this miko!" Mae giggled. I sighed at the warm smile of hers. It was like the sun. Actually, that's pretty blunt.

"Hey heey! Master, watch me too!" Cat yelled from under the sudden pile of fish in her arms. "Tamamo Cat will make you happy too!" Her honesty was bare.

"I know you will." I replied in truth. "I'll go check on the king. We'll meet at the register, okay?"

"Yes yes, Master!" Mae gave me a salute. "I'll be sure to blow your mind!" She looked at me with tender eyes. She really values me in her heart.

"Alright, Mae. I'll leave you two to fish. Be careful, Tamamo Cat." Leaving behind the two maidens, I heard an innocent laugh before a wet sound came followed by a startled meow that ended with a wave of wet slapping noises. I didn't look back. I just walked forward with a smile.

The story of Tamamo also didn't have a happy ending. A tragedy if anything. She only wanted a single desire and not even the person she loved would grant it. I refused to let it end like that. Just like every one of my servants, I vowed to make them happy, until my last breath.

My eyes caught who I was looking for, hidden away in the pharmacy aisle.

"Looking for something for that headache of yours?" I said.

He didn't slight his head, but I knew he saw me from the corner of his eye.

"My king, how many times do I need to stop you from working so much?" I crossed my arms as I stood next to him. My eyes lingered on the over the counter aspirin in his hands. He was having trouble deciding which to take.

He didn't say anything; he kept switching out vial after vial.

"Don't you have the greatest medicine ever devised by Humanity in your treasury? Why bother with plebeian cures?" I did my best to not sound patronizing. It was easy whenever I'm around him. I always tend to act differently when I talk to a servant; whether voluntary or not, I always seem to say just the right thing to them. Maybe it's my natural charisma? I've shook off that question years ago. I didn't need to know the answer.

"Be it as it may, my treasury will always have room for more treasures." His eyes creased as he recognized a bottle of painkillers as not entirely human made.

It was tinker made, Protectorate tested and approved. Guaranteed to resolve all your head pains or your money back.

"Hmph." My king brushed it off and puts it back on the shelf. "Inadequate." He excused himself from the aisle. I sighed as I stood here.

It wasn't human made after all. It was made from "foreign knowledge," never hoped to be understood by human comprehension. Only understood by the one who made it themself.

I need to find a sample of an Entity. The report Vinci gave me this morning didn't reveal much from her initial examinations. It might be a fun side project for my Casters to look at. Maybe utilize rayshifting to the dimension where a shard might be. I just need to find a way to get the exact coordinates. It's just a "what if" thought I have.

"What are you standing there for?"

I saw King Gilgamesh offering a hand to me. He was smiling. Was today the day the stars aligned? I would've prepared some experiments beforehand.

"You mustn't keep a king waiting." He tilted his head fondly.

I breathed in deeply. I sobered up. Everyone should be ready by now at check out.

"Yes, my King. As you command." I took his offer with a nod.

---​Everyone was crowding a single register, chatting away. I can see a shaking employee hiding under the counter.

"Um… excuse me?" I tried to grab her attention.

"Maybe snap the fear out of her?" Jeanne suggested, carrying a bottle of wine, French.

I heard a giant inhale and I twirled in my heels and thrusted a hand in front of Asterios's mouth, making him pause. He blinked as he closed his mouth enough for my hand to touch it. He was carrying so much food in his arms. I didn't know how I managed to reach up to his height. Euryale giggled with an apple in her hand. There was a bite mark on it. Stheno rolled her eyes while Medusa shook her head exasperated.

Circe sighed, with boxes of oats in her arms. "Anyone would be taken aback by us. How about we just leave?"

"That's called shoplifting." Emiya coughed, holding a basket of vegetables.

Margaretha walked up and leaned over with a disarming smile. "Excuse me. We would like to pay, please." I can feel the motherly tone from here.

The employee stopped her shaking to look over her shoulder. I can see the fear in her eyes, mitigated from seeing her smile. I heard a swallow from her throat.

"P-paper or plastic?" She managed to steel herself. Her legs were still shaking though.

"Paper." Boudica answered, pushing a stray hair to behind her ear.

"Be quick about it. We don't have all day." Jalter sneered with piercing eyes, causing alarm.

"What she meant was that we need to make breakfast soon." Medusa alleviated the employee's fears.

It was awkward listening to the beeps from the register, ringing up our loot. She was scared out of her wit's end.

"Five hund-"

A golden ripple opened above the counter and an avalanche of gold and gems flowed out like water, crushing the register and collapsing the counter. The employee jumped back while we stood there and watched.

King Gilgamesh took a single gold coin from the pile and flipped it into another golden gate. "And not a single more."

I heard a sigh. "Even a wise man has his bouts of pride." Demiya grimaced.

I smiled. Show off. I clapped my hands together with a warm smile. "Well! Time for breakfast, everyone!"

To everyone's joy, we all walked out of the gigantic hole in the front of the supermarket with our newly gained supplies. There was smiles on everyone's faces as we ventured for home.

"Oh, right. Almost forgot." I remembered. I took out a sleek dagger and pointed at the hole in the supermarket.

I spoke an aria in an ancient language and a glow arised from my dagger. I could slack on it, but I was taught better than that. My teachers are right here with me after all.

The rubble from our abrupt entrance shuddered and lifted from the ground to their rightful place as if time flew in reverse. The market was none worse for wear.

"Good work, maybe in a hundred more years, you'll get to my level when I was an apprentice!" Circe snickered.

"You used a bit more energy than necessary." Medea shot a glare at her teacher before settling on me. "It would take you more so a year by the very least. You've done well, Master."

"Don't slack off now, Master." Tamamo no Mae nodded to me. Emiya was smiling.

I was beaming with pride and accomplishment. "Always room for improvement. Now we just need to-"

"This is the PRT. Stay where you are or we will be forced to restrain you!"

I looked back to see a massive police barricade a few good meters away from us. There were police officers and PRT grunts aiming at us. A slight nod to the side and I saw a conglomerate of civilians spectating with phones and cameras. I was suddenly tackled by the usual suspect. She was glaring at them.

"Just say the word, my husband!" Kiyohime gnashed her teeth. I patted her head.

"There's no need for violence." I admonished. I contemplated the sky. "At least… not yet."

"Good grief." Boudica sighed, voicing her concern.

"This is not the first time." Emiya shook his head.

"You must admit. The authorities have respectable response times." Karna overestimated the police's competence. Oh you sweet boy.

"They think they can handle me?" Arjuna smirked. Stop it. You're not fooling anyone with those boxes of pancake mix in your arms.

"Shall we make ourselves scarce, master?" Medea giggled with her arms full of meat products.

"Don't make it sound like we're criminals, Medea. That's Papa's job. Or Jalter's." I reprimanded.

"Screw off!" Said the latter. Jeanne scolded her sister, who then grumbled back.

"Language! Asterios is here!" Tamamo no Mae pointed a finger at the Avenger. Tamamo Cat did it too, but she's just copying her sister because she can.

Medusa slapped both their hands down with a disapproving glare.

The Tamamos stuck their tongues out in defiance.

King Gilgamesh is just standing, unflinching, not saying anything, not starting anything. Good. Those interventions for the more rowdy servants are paying off. Arjuna still needs a few more sessions it seems.

Alright, I had enough of this. Prime breakfast time is almost over and we need to get home stat. I raised a hand to my ear. "Vinci? You there?"

"Why yes I do, Taylor~." Leonardo knew fully well what's going on. I bet she was watching us the entire time. Maybe I should drag her out myself next time. "Your house?"

"My house." I replied. This was definitely not the intended use of Rayshifting, but it's so darn convenient and saves me a lot of mileage.

"I said put your hands in the air! All of you!" The speaker man repeated. I didn't really hear him the first time. Even with all these officers, I doubt they'll get much done.

I whistled with two fingers in my mouth and all my servants stood at attention as a giant light enveloped us and blinked out.

The officers were a second too late on the draw as their rubber bullets and containment foam flew harmlessly past where we were.