Projection-kun! (FGO Fanfiction)

Familiar faces 3

I'm now back, maybe not, maybe yes. Updates are going to be faster, albeit a little. So now I'm updating this, before I actually go busy for a few days. I promise I will update in the weekend. Also don't expect my promises to be legit.

Shirou left the room with a sigh, scratching his head while looking at the ground. "Remind me to never ever put them in the same room." Shirou muttered to himself before looking forward, the hallways of Chaldea seemed infinitely long, like some void. Taking a look at it, Chaldea, despite having a basic look, was quite a lively place. 

Courtesy of unique servants here, Chaldea is a place that's extremely chaotic. Servants would be out here screaming on each other, doing random stuff with the technology. 

He even heard that one servant found... por- 

Well he's not finishing that is he. Although it was quite chaotic, it felt like a very warm place. A place where you're welcomed. Not as a magus that lives and partners with death, but as a human who was once pure. Shirou wishes, to at least live his Chaldea life as a person this time. Not as a magus. 

Shirou them remembered a few fragments of his life, his mind flashed back to Rin's figure. Shirou could see her standing, right in front of him. The surroundings were filled with destroyed objects, ruins of a room that used to exist, books and papers were lied over there while Rin's face was filled with an enraged look. 

Engulfed in fury she pointed her hand at me, "Gandr!" She said out loud, a black orb with a red outlining formed itself on the tip of her finger. Lightning of the same color sparked from the tip of her fingers, the orb then flew towards Shirou. Although Shirou simply reinforced his hand and blocked the Gandr. 

But then, Shirou snapped back to reality. Looking at the hauntingly beautiful halls of Chaldea, Shirou didn't say anything. He had made that choice on that day, the choice that ultimately made himself an enemy to Rin. 

Shirou told her a lie to hide her form the truth, to try and protect her, but that act of innocence was simply paid back with a baleful attack. Ever since then, Shirou hadn't met her. Maybe it was for the best, he couldn't simply face her after telling a whole bunch of lies and say that it was all to protect her. Nobody would believe that. 

Shirou with a disheartened face suddenly smelt something fragrant, like a perfume of some sorts, like a flower. Smelling it a few times with his keen nose that he got when he was travelling as a magus, he raised his head, looking forward only to see a woman with white long hair and purple eyes. Her face was, beautiful, luxurious hair and a figure like an hourglass.

But for some reason, instead of being starstrucked and stunned by her beauty, Shirou gulped. "M-merlin?" This was none other than Merlin, but not the original Merlin, the proto one. Proto Merlin smirked while looking at him. 

"Oho~ A familiar face? What are you doing here?" She said in a teasing tone, seductive even. She gradually approached Shirou, closing the distance of their faces while Shirou stepped a little to the back. "A heroic spirit? No that's impossible." She said while rubbing her chin, her eyes averted to the side.

"A craft essence to be exact." Shirou sighed, knowing his doomed fate meeting such a chaotic woman here. Now don't get him wrong, he sees Proto Merlin as a very reliable servant, although cunning and keen. Shirou and Merlin didn't have the best compatibility, Merlin needed large amounts of mana, while Shirou is simply a third rate magus. 

Although they manage to defeat most of the servants by well, doing tricks, stealth was a massive part of it. Unlike Atalanta, who Shirou thinks he had the best compatibility to, Atalanta seemed like the perfect match, a terrifying Archer that didn't cost a lot of mana. Man it would be nice if he could work with her again. 

"Are you thinking of another woman while in front of a woman?" Proto Merlin asked this time, snapping Shirou's thoughts while gasping. Proto Merlin had a pout on her face while resting her cheeks on her palm. "You know, that's extremely impolite. I feel offended." She said with a sweet tone while making a sigh with closed eyes, seemingly dissapointed.

Shirou snapped out of it and simply scratched his head. "Sorry." He apologized, while this made Merlin smirk. Now Shirou knows he had fallen into the trap. 

"Sorry won't be enough." She made a pout, while Shirou deadpanned, knowing he has no way out of this and now all he has to do is go with the flow and suffer the consequences of falling into her trap. Proto Merlin then dropped the pout and grabbed Shirou's hand, Shirou looked at his hand for a while before turning to Proto Merlin who now has a blush on her face.

Shirou's concern of what's going to happen to him was gradually increasing, so much so he would be dead by now. "Umm, what are you going to do?" Shirou asked meekly, his voice was quite weak while Proto Merlin charmingly at Shirou before starting to move. Looking at her right now, she seemed really charming, Shirou would lie if he said he didn't liked her at one point.

Summoning her at first, was quite tricky. Not to mention working with her was usually quite difficult because of her mischievous attitude. Shirou would order her something, but she would like to sprinkle a bit more... "Surprise" on it. Now don't get him wrong, she was a top-tier servant but her antics would really get you off guard.

Shirou sighed remembering it, but she was quite enjoyable to be around with. At first she kept on teasing Shirou while having a conversation, although after a few days, she would open up and talk more to Shirou and less teasing, seemingly as if she was an innocent radiant being of some sorts. Which was quite ironic considering her personality.

She seemed happy while having a conversation with Shirou, as if it was pleasing for her to be in the same room with him.

It was like a goddess falling in love with a mortal man. 

Eventually the day when they part would come. Remembering that moment, was both beautiful and heartbreaking, her figure was standing in front of me, her face had a small smile and the sun was behind her, she said her farewell words before looking around. Although it was a short time, Shirou was attached to her quite quickly.

She would casually talk about king Arthur and the knights of the round table, and other things that she had experienced, all of this made Shirou smile. But what made him smile the most was her innocent of having such a conversation. It seemed like she was having fun at the time.

Although before Shirou could see her figure disappear, Shirou saw a stray tear, although small it was noticeable through her smile. The tear then dropped to the floor. Eventually they parted ways.

Proto Merlin then pushed Shirou to an unknown room while she still held that small smile from the start, sitting down on the couch while Shirou also sat down. "Shirou, you won't believe how interesting Chaldea is!" She said with an ecstatic tone, continuing to talk about her pranks which made Shirou chuckled a bit.

All of that concern for nothing, all she wanted to do was talk after all. Just like at that time.