Fate/Incarnation

Archer kept one hand wrapped tight around AVALON, the sheath still slowly acclimating to being a purely physical existence, while the other was currently being pulled by an all too eager maiden of France while his family and… former subordinates lagged behind them, with a rather stone faced group of kings and her knights falling into step beside them. It would be some time before all of the sheaths abilities could be unleashed, however just having it near him was already repairing the damage done to his cells, reinforcing his soul's connection and sympathetic bond with his body, and even soothing his overheated and strained circuits. Damn conduits had almost burst after he stepped outside of the blade works, it was only Jeanne's hand and Avalon's light that kept him upright and moving despite the searing pain traveling up and down his slowly recovering nervous system.

He had to drag two even furrows in the ground with legs he couldn't feel anymore before the maiden turned to face him with large watery eyes that became serious when she finally took in his ragged breathing, the glowing sheath, the red broken circuit patterns tracing his right hand holding said sheath all the way across his torso, through his armor and shroud, and all the way up to his eye.

"What's wrong?"

The entire left side of his vision was black and he couldn't feel his left hand anymore. His legs tried to give out on him as his center of gravity shifted, only just managing to grab Jeanne's shoulder to steady himself.

"Miyu." He hissed through clenched teeth, slowly crouching down to the small magus' level and dismissing his armor with an unsteady thought, leaving his scarred torso bare for the first time in… eons. He threw the random thought away and focused. 

The Shirous who chose their little sister over the world had taught the young miracle child much of EMIYA's craft, and Archer only now remembered that the only one here with enough mastery of magecraft and his own anatomy to press just shy of his spine in just the right way and push-

He came back to his senses with a hiss of air that left steam behind, his circuits restarting and flowing mana properly now as his 'youngest' sister checked his face over with wide worried bronze eyes despite her mostly stoic face. He let go of Jeanne's shoulder once he found his balance again and reached up with his only free hand to ruffle her black hair in silent thanks with an equally blank face and gratitude shining past his usually apathetic eyes.

To most, she'd appear unaffected by both gestures, but he was her older brother at countless differing points. He knew by the way one hand covertly twirled the edge of her (why was it still so short?!)skirt and the other gripped her wand tightly that she was currently happy and relieved that he'd indirectly confirmed that yes, he was still her older brother who raised her.

Words had never been either of their strong suit, body language and action had always defined their relationship well enough, and now was no different. A twitch of a particular muscle along his jawline was met by a slight flutter of her left eye, a raised eyebrow was met with a tilt of her head at an angle, and so on.

'What happened?'

'Mana overload. Strained circuits.'

'Reckless.'

'Sorry.'

'Meeting now. Scary?'

'Safe.'

'Understood.'

And just like that, she was more than happy to help him back up and keep a hold of his free hand as he willed his armor back on. 

"What the hell was that about?"

And suddenly, TOHSAKA was in his face, trying but failing to reach him through the impregnable shield known as 'scowling little sister unhappy with another female presence near her big brother'.

"And how the hell did you pull that off?" She waved dismissively at the sheath in his hand while tapping one foot on the ground in irritation. Normally, Emiya would throw a sarcastic quip at the gambling addict, maybe a wink or two, and probably end up either with some very passive aggressive nights of sex for the next few days or a few ineffective punches to the chest and hours of pouting for not answering… unfortunately, he had bigger concerns.

Mama bear spotted.

He could practically feel his 'mother's', (it was getting easier to call her so now that his counterparts were slowly converging and adding their small lifetimes of being raised by the energetic homunculus onto the pile of unorganized memories that he swore he would settle… soonish), eyes boring holes into the back of his skull and knew without a doubt exactly what she was thinking, poor woman was a mother through and through, the desire for their utterly tiny clan of foolish Emiya's to grow into a family large enough to rival even her creator's army of homunculi was always present when the woman had the opportunity to actually be a mother rather than die in the fourth holy grail war.

It almost made him feel guilty, his descendants still stood strong and united in a world where she hadn't survived long enough to even see him, let alone her grandchildren, but there wasn't anything he could do at the moment. The 'reunion' wasn't supposed to occur until he was, repeating himself here, summoned to fulfill his role as 'saber'.

"Pushed myself a bit there." The lie came easily because it was in one way the truth, just a gross oversimplified version of it he didn't have to elaborate on account of the retinue of knights currently giving him looks that did NOT give him any kind of reassurance that his future would be anything but chaotic at best.

….

He blamed Kiritsugu and made sure his eyes conveyed every bit of that particular thought to the Magus Killer.

Said man, who had Illya hanging off his neck choking the 'life' out of him, Irisviel crushing his one free arm not holding his Contender ready and waiting to her chest while she glared impotently in Emiya's general direction, lost in her own thoughts, and little Chloe beside the older Grail, just seemed to be happy watching their little train wreck happen from the sidelines, the only thing she was missing was popcorn and she'd be the poster girl for people who loved watching disasters play out.

The deadbeat father met Archer's damning gaze, shrugged in acceptance and apology, and continued his vigil, his dead eyes constantly scanning their immediate area without moving an inch.

Which, fair, but also screw him.

…

…

…

Maybe Archer was leaning too far into the whole retired old man act? What role would suit his current self the best?

Retired soldier? Old janitor? Cranky overworked blue collar?

"What the hell is this meeting about, Archer?"

He almost fell, and would've if it wasn't for Miyu holding him up with a scowl when someone's tiny hand slammed into the small of his back to push him forward.

Archer rolled his eyes and looked back into the struggling woman's nearly dead eyes as she tried and failed to move him, her small arms unable to budge him without tapping into her heritage. SHIKI always was the most impatient of his little group of rejects. 

"If I had to guess? Either to start a war or stop one in its tracks." Archer shot back before shrugging her hands off his back and allowing his youngest sister to pull him forward up the hill leading to a small valley where he could feel hundreds of other humans, gods, spirits, and demons gathered.

"Praetor! I feel Rome!"

Archer shot a look in the bouncy Emperor's general direction before continuing on his way. His eyes closed for a moment before the gathering could come into view, his senses expanding in ways no human should ever be capable of.

Then again, he hadn't ever been a 'real' human to begin with, huh?

The other grands had all gathered.

Romulus, the founder of Rome, the Grand Lancer. His spear had carved civilization into the very foundations of humanity, and his successors all proudly bore that weight…

Merlin, the actual Merlin not whoever the hell that was before, the Grand Caster was making a point to broadcast his physical presence this time, it seemed even he was actually here…

King Hassan-i-Sabbah, the greatest Murderer the world had ever known and the Grand Assassin wasn't hiding his prominence either…

Orion, the Grand Archer, beloved of Artemis and the greatest hunter to have ever lived…

Gurando Basaka, the would be Grand Berserker, the weakest of the six warriors who waited for their arrival…

Noah, the Grand Rider, perhaps one of the most famed servants of them all, his Ark known throughout the world that desired the continued survival of all species…

Lancer…

Caster…

Assassin…

Archer…

Berserker…

All that was missing…

Well, might as well make an entrance.

With a thought, Avalon screamed in his hand, in a language only other weapons and he himself could hear, and the world changed once more. Flowers spread from his feet as an illusion of a knight's gray armor folds itself around his arms and legs, leaving his head the most appetizing target for an enemy to take advantage of.

The sky was cleared of any clouds, and the sun began to sink towards the horizon. Blades of every shape, size, and make began to sprout among the earth within the ocean of flowers, each pouring magical power that he shouldn't have access to without being summoned to mindlessly slaughter the endless who threaten humanity's future.

By the time he crested the hills, he was no longer holding his sister's hand.

By the time he stood before the incomplete circle of Grand Servants, the pale silver full moon had risen to its zenith.

By the time the circle was complete, the Grand Saber had his peers and potential enemies completely surrounded.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Fate/Incarnation: Broken Records…

"You can't keep this up, Shirou."

HE ignored HIS wife's words and curled deeper into her gentle embrace, her long blonde hair resting on HIS face as a curtain to block the outside world out. HIS tiny body weakly responded to HIS will as HE forced the steel blades back into HIS skin, back into HIS bones, back into HIS world.

"I will not stand for this much longer."

"I'm not losing my only guarantee of finding you again." HE whispered into her blue dress, HIS bloodstains already fading under the light of her utopia.

"Shiro-…"

"Please."

…

"Please, don't let them take you away from me too…"

The boy is dead. The boy has to be dead, otherwise HE couldn't be here, holding onto HIS wife in a world meant only for those that have passed on. HE can't, won't, give her up.

Not now, not ever again.

The rest of HIM would find its way back home, it always did, and this time it seemed Alaya and Gaia were truly desperate. 

Trying to use the rest of HIS being as both bait and a magnet to drag the boy out of HIS promised paradise, to use the grand saber to forever forestall their destined demise?

As if HE would allow it! HIS home, HIS promised paradise was almost within reach once more! 

HE would be whole!

HE would reach her!

HE PROMISED!