Gramps and I walked back into his home, a small smile on my face and a frown on his.
"Why are you both covered in blue paint?" Rin stopped, staring at us.
"No reason." Zelretch smoothly replied.
"He's a sore loser." I corrected. "How you doing, Rin?" I asked, seeing Artoria also join her.
Zelretch disappeared when I wasn't looking, probably off to fulfill his side of the wager.
"I'm good." She shrugged. "You want a status update or something? I thought you were in another world."
"I was and sure, but I'm not really here to pressure you or anything, just wanted some notes looked at by the old man." I tried to wipe away the blue dye on my face as best as possible. "Oh, by the way, picked these up over there." I tossed a couple of the magical phones on the nearby table. "Ah, and before I forgot." I turned to Artoria. "Izzy wants to hang out some time, if you're interested."
The dye was easy enough to remove with some magical applications.
"I would like that very much." Artoria beamed.
Rin held one of the phones in her hand, eyeing them. "Huh, I'll take these apart laters." She set them back down, honestly, she looked rather out of it. A look rather familiar to most mages, you can only shut yourself in your workshop for so long. "Who's Izzy?"
"You didn't tell her?" I asked Artoria.
"I did not wish to reveal any private matters." Artoria replied.
"You are ridiculously sweet, but it's fine to tell Rin stuff like that." I couldn't help but wrap my arms around her. The sound she made was so cute and she returned my hug. "I still owe you another date, anything in particular you want to do?"
"I…..will think on it." She looked rather thoughtful at the notion. I was the one who basically lead the other dates, so I figured it would be good to allow her to take the lead here.
"Bleh, flirt somewhere else." Rin made a gagging noise. "Anyways, who's Izzy?"
"Izanami-no-Mikoto, Japan's goddess of Death and creation. I happened to befriend her in my birth world, Artoria helped me with a matter involving her, and they apparently became friends as well."
"I feel like I'm missing a lot of context."
"Actually, that is very much what happened." Artoria commented. "Izanami is nice, we spent awhile chatting."
"I'm not even surprised, this is pretty much the norm around here." Rin sighed.
"You'll like her." I smiled. "She's a lot different than how her legends portrays, honestly she's a bit of a shut in, spends a lot of time on the internet." Honestly, the image is still amusing. "Oh, TLDR; they have supernatural internet over there." Learned that little tidbit the hard way.
"Well, if I ever get to the point where I can come and go across world-lines, I would like to visit." She shrugged. "Do you have more info on that one world we were supposed to go to soon?"
"Oh, Skyrim?" Well, Skyrim was the name of the province, but I didn't really intend to venture beyond those borders for the moment.
"Yeah, that place." She sent me a tired dismissal. "I think I should be finished with my kaleidophone soon – and are we really calling it that?"
"You gonna tell the old man he can't?" I eyed her.
"Point." She agreed.
"You okay?" She seemed so out of it, more than just being tired.
"Mmm tired." She yawned. "And hungry, I haven't slept in...…60 hours and eaten in almost as long."
"I had to drag her away from her work." Artoria sighed.
"Perfect timing then." Zelretch popped in right at that moment, carrying a few bags that gave off a tantalizing smell.
"Bullshit, you did that on purpose." I rolled my eyes. Though I would have done the same thing. "What did you get?"
"Authentic Cajun from New Orleans Louisiana." He set the stuff on the table.
"Oh, good choice." I nodded, putting my hat on Artoria's head, much to her amusement. "Hope you brought some bibs."
"Hah" He smiled, taking them out with little cartoonish pictures of lobsters on them. "If you aren't covered in a mess, you aren't eating it right."
I just smiled as Artoria didn't take my hat off and happy started digging in.
"So what are you doing after this?" Zelretch looked at me and asked.
"Figured I'd go swing by and see Sasaki Kojiro, promised him I would bring some Sake." I took a bite of food. "Maybe check in on Medea too, see how it's going. After, though, probably head back over to my birth world, got some stuff going on."
"How is Assassin? I have not spoken to him in – " Artoria scrunched her brow. " – Well over a year."
"He's doing well I suppose. But he seems dreadfully bored." Should I spar with him again? "Actually, Rin, when you finally finish your project, I was thinking about maybe linking it up to the supernatural internet back in my birth world, and perhaps giving a few of them away to friends?" I think Sasaki would appreciate that quite a bit.
"Whatever, just pay me." She shrugged, clearly not caring.
"Fair enough." I turned back to Artoria. "Want to come with me?"
She tilted her head, glancing over at Rin.
"Go, go." Rin made a 'shooing' motion. "Go have fun with your boyfriend, I'm gonna nap after I eat."
I think hearing Rin calling her that, Artoria started to blush. "I would like to join, if it is okay."
"Of course." I reached over, squeezing her hand briefly. "Though…..will you be okay seeing Medea?"
Artoria pursed her lips. "We have an…..understanding."
Ominous.
***
"The air here is quite nice." Artoria commented as we stepped out of a portal at the base of the Ryuudou Temple in Fuyuki. "I had missed it."
"Yeah, this land is saturated with magical energy due to the ley lines…comparatively to most of the world that is." I nodded, and the air here was much cleaner than in London. "Ah, that reminds me, has Rin been practicing with her Noble Phantasm?"
The corners of Artoria's lips curled up. "I have managed to drag her out a few times to practice, she is a fast learner." She looked pleased with herself. "Ah, I also had a question I had been meaning to ask." She ran her fingers along the brim of my hat she was still wearing. "Where is Sir Wiggles?"
I held back a laugh at her saying the name with a serious face. "Izzy and him are having a sleep over." I smiled. "It seemed like she needed some company."
"I see." She nodded with what I heard of a 'lucky' under her breath.
Seems like I chose well for my familiar.
"Oh, some familiar faces." I heard certain voice call out, walking down the steps.
"Hello, Sasaki." Artoria greeted him like an old friend.
"Saber, a please as always." He nodded towards her. "And if it isn't Wilhelm…." He looked at me intently. "You've changed quite a bit."
Well, I do preen under praise. "I have." No point in hiding it.
"Curious….you've only been gone weeks at this point, yet….." His hands almost made an unconscious grasping motion, practically looking for his sword.
"Time is relative." My fingers twitched similarly.
"Oho, an interesting answer well, why don't we test that out then?"
I paused, sighing. "Sorry, can't fight this time." I held my hands up in surrender.
His face relaxed, almost looking sad. "Unfortunate."
"Hey, I did bring some good stuff though." I replied, taking out a few jars of Sake.
"You are the best kind of visitor." All battle intent seemed to dissipate as he almost skipped towards me and happily took the jars. "Next time, we will cross blades." He replied. "And you are welcome to join as well, Saber."
"I thank you for the invitation." Saber looked amused at the prospect.
"My, my, what a cute couple you two make." He laughed.
Artoria looked bashful at his statement. "How did you know?"
"Hmm, the way you seem so relaxed around him I suppose." He replied. "You look happier than the last time I saw you as well."
"hmm, no use in hiding it." My hand reached over, interlocking fingers with Artoria's. She didn't reel back nor hesitate, but her face was clearly red.
"Haha!" Sasaki laughed. "Little Lion, this you is a much better sight than the one all those years ago."
Ah, embarrassed Artoria, this is my favorite.
"Is Medea in?"
"The Witch is up there." He waved me off. "She probably knows you're here already."
"Thanks, Samurai."
He sat down lazily, uncorking a bottle of Sake. "Bring me some more next time"
"No problem, enjoy" I said my goodbyes as Artoria and I began to scale the steps. Honestly, I would make a comment about them be never ending, had we not entered an illusion and them literally never ending.
"Medea?" I asked.
Artoria was clearly aware of what was going on and but seem nervous.
"Sa~ber~. You came back to me." A voice echoed out.
"Caster, we had an agreement." Artoria said evenly.
"Boo, how about we –"
"Caster."
"Fine~" She said, and the surroundings returned to normal, Caster standing at the top of the stairs. "Hey there, Boy, heard you managed to snag Saber as your woman, good job!" She gave me a thumbs up.
Huh, was expecting her to not be on board with that. More of the 'how dare you corrupt my saber' kind of thing. But I guess that's a Greek for you. "Thanks!" I replied happily with Artoria making embarrassed Artoria noises.
"You come here to get wedding dress designs? I got tons, perfectly in saber's size!" She sounded so giddy.
"Caster." Artoria sighed.
"Saberrrrr, just a few dresses!"
"Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing some of your designs." I commented. I doubt all she had were wedding dresses...or that would be a bit weird. But I was honestly interested in what she's made, the fact that she indeed sells some of her designs speaks of her ability.
"Hehehe." Medea muttered to herself.
"I also got some materials I want you to take a look at, see if you can do anything with them because my wardrobe is looking rather nonexistent right now."
"You're in luck, I was bored the past couple weeks and designed a line of men's clothing. I wouldn't mind a second opinion." She nodded to herself. "As much as I love my hubby….he's a bit dense when it comes to fashion."
Well, I had some time to spare before I went back to my birth world.
***
Second chapter for the day. Wrapping up this DxD arc in the next few chapters, probably about 7 from this point onward.
Anyways, if you want to read 5 chapter ahead or support me, visit my pat.reon.com/Astoryforone.