Land of the Blades

52. A Shield

Huh? Where I am? This wooden floor, and this kind of paper doors, this is a traditional Japanese house, right? But, how did I get here? Wasn't I on the moon? I smell something, and it smells really good, so much that I can avoid entering the house.

—Ah, Phos, welcome —Shirou says, as if nothing about this was weird—, dinner will be ready soon, so take a seat.

He is wearing casual clothes, and looks a bit younger. Is this one of his memories? They have never been so clear, and I had never been able to interact with them. Nonetheless, I obey and walk towards the table. There are other people already there, though I could swear there weren't anyone else just a moment ago.

Taiga is looking bored. Rin and Lluvia are having a discussion that is just a word from becoming a brawl, while Sakura is trying to calm them down. Illya and Miyu are doing their homework. An------ is sitting on a corner, almost as a living doll. C---- is just sipping out of her cup of tea. After a moment, Shirou brought the plates to the table.

—Finally, I was going to die of hunger! —Taiga said, trying to grab hers, but Shirou stopped her.

—We need to wait until everyone is here —he said —, she will be here any minute now.

—Who? —I asked.

—Who else? Saber.

I heard the door open behind me, and I suddenly woke up. I was in the moon, surrounded by Hans, Ondyne, and Mantis.

—W-what happened?

—You suddenly fainted, just as we got near to the Ziggurat.

—Ugh... how long was I out?

—You were unconscious for exactly 30 seconds, just long enough for us to notice that you had fainted —Hans spoke.

I knew dream-time and real-time weren't directly related, but it was very confused that I was able to experience all of what I had seen in half a minute. I got up, and checked my condition, weirdly, I wasn't feeling dizzy or anything. I actually felt like my head had cleared, and that allowed me to notice something.

—You weren't with us when we fought Ushiwakamaru... —I said, looking at Mantis.

—Ah, yes, I'm sorry. I tried to block her attack against you, but ended up evaporated —she said, sounding defeated—, but the good news is, I took advantage of my incorporeal state to do some reckon, I know how to get right where Franny is without engaging with any of the bosses.

—Bosses?

—Yes. Archer is guarding the front entrance, the most direct path. The second Assassin is guarding the back, though she was gone for a moment when I got there. Finally, there is a path from below, which is guarded by Saber.

—Saber...

—We have to take that last path, but don't worry —Mantis continued—, Franny forgot to secure the ventilations, and we can pass around Saber without her noticing a thing. It will be very cramped, but Ondyne can turn small, Phosphophyllite-sama can turn into a semi-liquid, and Andersen is naturally small, so we can make it!

—Oi, who are you calling naturally small, you space vermin!

—How did you know I can turn semi-liquid? —I asked, interrupting their discussion.

—Huh? You can't?

—I don't know, I have mostly only changed the shape of my arms. But you sounded so confident, which is why I was asking.

—W-well, you see... I might have scanned your corporal structure once or twice without your consent. I'm very sorry! —she said, bowing towards me.