Fragments of the Lost [Fate/Grand Order] [Abandoned]

Chapter 19

"I worked myself to the bone... I gotta thank Caster for the help she assisted me with though."

"Hmm, certainly. You really are the same. You still hold that selfless nature in you."

"What can I say? Sometimes, you revert to your old roots... Even if you hate it. Why are you here anyway?"

"Simple. I'm just here to entrust you're recovering and not overworking yourself." Artoria says with a smile. Looking over at Archer as he lays in his bed with a blanket covering him.

"Ugh... You shouldn't worry at all. Servants don't get sick you know?"

"Then what do you call your current state in bed with your eyes being duller than usual? And the black bags beneath them?"

"Depression."

"Oh."

"Which is what I will usually say if I was contemplating my life choices and mistakes in my past. But I am not right now."

"Then you're sick."

"Not sick, just exhausted." Archer exhaled.

"Yes. And exhaustion is a form of fatigue. Which is a symptom of being ill."

"You're not letting this go are you?"

"Depends. Will you leave the room once I leave?"

"I have a kitchen to maintain."

"Then I will not leave."

"Fine." Archer was defeated. Artoria meanwhile looks over him while the man closes his eyes with a worn-out expression.

"Was it so hard to accept that you need to relax?"

"What's there to relax about? It's not like relaxing will matter in the end."

"Shirou..." Artoria said worriedly.

"Sorry." Archer chuckled. "Sometimes I forget that true Heroic Spirits don't get to keep their memories. Well... Somehow you kept yours alongside a few others from our past." Archer sighed.

"..."

"Enough about my sour mood that's bringing this atmosphere down. Moving forth, thanks for being here."

"You don't need to thank me. I came here because I wanted to."

"Hmph. That personality of yours is why I fell for you in the first place..."

"..."

"I'm joking." But both knew he was not joking. Thus leaving them in an odd yet peaceful quiet room.

"It's so calming..."

"Hmm. Agreed, though the peacefulness must also come from the fact your room is quite empty." Artoria smiled. "Though I noticed that since last time I came, it was empty besides the bed. Now, there seems to be a table with weapons laid out. So you did decide to decorate after all." Artoria hummed.

"Don't take it the wrong way. I just need something to do in my alone time."

"And that is?"

"The thing that I usually do... Clean and mess around with my gear."

"I see." Artoria's eyes sparkled. Looking over at the weapons on the table. They're mostly daggers from what seems to be. "These are in flames!" Artoria grabbed the ones that burst in fire as she held them.

"Heh, caught your interest, didn't they?"

"Who wouldn't? Amazing... I wonder how they'll look like as a sword though."

"It's easy... Look." Archer got up slowly as Artoria looked at him with a disapproving look. Though she saw Archer take the daggers from her hand.

With a blank stare, the daggers slowly shifted. And what happened is that they formed into a broadsword. A flaming red broadsword.

"!" Artoria's eyes sparkled at the weapon, grabbing it as soon as Archer handed it to her.

"Alteration. A step between reinforcement and projection. I alternated the aspects of the daggers and reshaped it into a broadsword."

"Mm..." Artoria nodded. Then her eyes stared at Archer. "You should be laying down."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Archer slumped back down with a sigh.

-~-

"He's sleeping?" Ritsuka asked.

"Yes. After he forced himself to overwork for the Christmas party it seems. He pulled himself too much. It was only thanks to Medea Lily that his appearance was unnoticed." Artoria says.

"Man... Now I feel bad." Ritsuka scratches the back of his head. "If I would have known he was pushing himself that much or giving too much of a responsibility to the cooking team. I would have gotten more people to help."

"It's not your fault Master. If anything else, Shirou said that he was just glad they managed to get everything done." Artoria says. "For now, I left him resting in his room after a while he drifted to sleep. I didn't want to disturb him any longer and wanted to make sure he was getting plenty of rest."

"That's good. Even Servants need rest in my opinion. Especially him, I would know."

"Really now?" Artoria was interested in what Ritsuka said. "Was he always like this during his time here?"

"Honestly, this isn't the first time he was like this. Multiple times I would have to use command seals."

"You don't say. How did you catch wind of that?"

"During the past, he was hard working. Sometimes he showed signs of fatigue when we went out and battled. But he still pushed through. Right Mash?"

"R-right. And I thought the Doctor was restless..." Mash thought back to Romani.

"Well, in the end, thank you for looking out for him." Ritsuka said with a smile. "That goes for all of you, I'm glad that he's able to rest here... I could not imagine how much he had to go through. He told me of his experiences. Even after what goes on in these Lostbelts... I know how he must have felt." Ritsuka frowned.

"Master." Artoria frowned as she looked at him.

"Man... These Lostbelt's are rough I tell you." Ritsuka chuckles. "But we're almost done... And our world can be saved again." Ritsuka said as he scratched the back of his head.

"..." Artoria only winced in silence. The pressure of all of humanity in her master's back. Truly is horrible to see. Especially the blood in his hands that he has.

-~-

"..."

Don't mind his disappearance, I took him with me, dear sister. Your things are mine.

CRUMBLE

Artoria glared at the crumbled-up piece of paper in her hand. Calmly she closed her eyes and breathes in. Then she opens them and exhales.

"MORGAN—"

-~-

Word Count: 1,013