DECISIONS AND AMAZEMENT

There was tense silence on the table with Shirou having his face scrunched up with pain and agony.

Memories of several holy grail wars comes to his mind and the several scenarios that played out differently.

One Holy Grail war where he had to kill Rin who took saber from him by hypnotizing him making an unstoppable duo that almost won the grail, giving chance for the birth of Angra Mainyu.

Another where he had to kill Illaya after she took saber by killing his past self.

Another and then another.

Time and Time again with possibilities and fear of a failed holy grail war giving birth to the evil god.

He killed and killed like a machine.

Every time some one mentions the holy grail, he has severe PTSD just by hearing about it.

He had to clean lots of troublesome holy grail wars that had a chance to blow right up in Alaya's face.

There was one grail war he was in where the Greater Grail was stolen by killing the three great families who were its creators.

The Apocrypha protocol.

A complete fuck up of any grail wars.

He had to take out all of the masters while their servants were away.

So much blood and sins.

He doesn't hope to be forgiven but he must repent for those sins.

He might blame Alaya for forcing him to do it, but it was his fault to make a contract like a fool he was.

Shirou slumped on the chair making both of his hands go down his face.

Saiki: Quiet the pained look on your face, is it because of your previous job?

Shirou: Looks like coming back to life is giving me flashbacks of memories I would like to forget.

Saiki: Well then welcome to the world of the living, some regrets and embarrassment you cannot escape.

{Zelrecht: Sorry for you Vietnam flashbacks}

[Shirou: Fuck you!]

{Zelrecht: Give some thought on it. Think of it as an option on the table}

(Saiki: Holy Grail war I saw it in your memories. Can you explain it to me actually what it is?)

[Shirou: A rabbit hole you don't want to dive in, also I don't think I even have the mana capacity to keep a servant or multiple ones with me. It's not like I am in Chaldea with the command spells Sirius Light on me]

{Zelrecht: Oh, but you do have them with the device to facilitate the process}

Shirou stilled when he heard those words.

He has the Gate of Babylon after all, he won't be surprised if Gilgamesh has command spells and a holy grail with him.

Arrogant prick never gives out his trump cards.

Shirou closed his eyes looking through the archives of the gate and surely there it was.

His breath hitched as his pupils were shaking as he opened his eyes.

A golden gate opened under the table as he put his hands in and took out a decorated golden cup.

Saiki who was having his fifth serving of his cake dropped his spoon.

Shirou was glaring at the cup he was holding.

How many lives were lost due to this wish granting machine.

How many heroic spirits had been sullied by this tool.

The same thing Kiritsugu fought, for his wish to save the world be realized.

He also had the same dream for it if not for an evil god tainting it.

As he holds this cup mixed emotions formed in his head.

Lots of possibilities were forming in his head.

He could use this to bring back Rin, Sakura and Illaya.

With this he can have his family back.

In the world he was here he can gather enough mystery to jump start it for a wish but there is one troublesome process.

Using heroic spirits as fuel to create a hole to the root.

But given enough time he could find another way without creating his own holy grail war.

Also, he is not sure if Rin and Illaya will find it well for them to be suddenly come back to life.

He would sure get a massive scolding and he would like that feeling their company.

No matter how much he wants to he cannot.

As he is on a mission.

He does not know what dangers he is facing in the world he is in so it is better to forget about it.

Some dreams are meant to be forgotten.

The only thing going for him is that he is free from Alaya and that is all there is to it.

Rin would be happy to see him free.

Shirou threw the cup back in the gate and looked at Saiki who was amazed looking at the grail.

Saiki: Was that the cup Jesus Christ had in his last supper.

Shirou: No, it's a fake wish granting device, the real one was returned to God by Sir Galahad.

Saiki: It's still operational right?

Shirou: What are you thinking?

Saiki: Can it make infinite coffee jellies.

Shirou: For the love of God that is the only thing you can think of?

Saiki: Yare yare can you blame me, imagine the amount of coffee jelly I could stock.

Shirou: I can imagine the amount of Diarrhea you would chug on the toilet, must be catastrophic.

Saiki: ...….

{Zelrecht: So what do you think}

[Saiki: Hmm meeting heroes from the past, I would like to meet Hans Christian Anderson if you could summon him.]

(Shirou: If you want to be roasted to oblivion be my guest, also I don't think I would. How the heck would I control them anyway. Last thing I want is having a Noble Phantasm slammed on my face)

{Zelrecht: You can appeal to them giving some deal to them. I am sure they would support you even as far to go beyond their given ideals of heroes}

{Zelrecht: I am sure you can recall some heroic spirits who have no wish or the desire to help people. I am sure spending your time in Chaldea you are knowledgeable about their personality and get a correct idea for who to summon}

Shirou: Hmm.

Shirou was giving a serious thought about it now.

There are some heroes he could summon who are more than willing to help him on his quest to save a world.

He might not be on a level like Ritsuka but he could manage.

The problem was who to summon.

He is sure for the fact he would summon Arash as he was a nice guy who would help on any fronts.

But the problem was to select servants who do not have a wish for it to be granted but wanting to help people or be a hero again.

Just who could he summon?

{Zelrecht: I know what you are thinking and I have some suggestions for the seven servants to be summoned}

(Saiki: Well, this just got interesting)

[Shirou: Since you are the second magic user, I am sure you were able to observe servants and their wished, who do you suggest?]

{Zelrecht:

Saber: Siegfried

Archer: Arash

Lancer: Karna

Rider: Achilles

Assassin: Jack the ripper or Semiramis

Berserker: Boudica or Minamoto No Raikou

Caster: Hans or Shakespear

}

Shirou: ....

Saiki: ...…..

Shirou: I am okay with Saber, Archer, Lancer and Rider but what the heck is with Assassin, Berserker and Caster?

Saiki: Hmm I heard those names.

Siegfried the one whose legend revolves around slaying dragons. Especially the legendary Dragon Fafnir.

Arash Karmigar the one who shot an arrow that stopped a war.

Karna the legendary hero of Mahabharat.

Achilles also known as twinkle heels or the great hero of troy.

Jack the Ripper I don't want to talk about do you want us to die in our sleep.

Semiramis the queen of poison? Or Arissa.

Boudica who had a tragic life against the war to Rome.

Minamoto no Raikhou the leader of four heavenly kings.

Hans and Shakespear are people I fuck with.

Did I get anything wrong?

Shirou was impressed by Saiki's Knowledge about heroes and how he shot down four of the concerns like a champ.

Shirou can only sigh.

{Shirou: For assassin I'll summon Sasaki Koujiro and for Berserker I'll take Boudica. Caster I'll take Hans. Fuck Shakespear I hated that guy in Chaldea}

{Zelrecht: What's problem with my choice? They are powerful you know?}

{Shirou: Exactly my fucking point. There are chances for Semiramis poisoning me for the Grail. Jack she is a child and I cannot write down enough reasons for a child working for me. Child Labour is no no. Minamoto no Raikhou? The less I talk about her mother complex the better}

{Zelrecht: You can't summon Sasaki. The only reason you had him in the fifth grail war is because it was corrupted. Not to mention he is a wraith at that time, chances are he will go crazy. Did you forget you are in a world where Gaia and Alaya is missing to suppress him}

Shirou: I have decided and there is no going back.

{Zelrecht: Pick Semiramis she can help you with her skills as a ruler in your incursions and your future exploits}

{Shirou: Chances to be poisoned I say, also she has a wish to be a ruler again you know.}

{Zelrecht: You have command spells and Avalon and you do not have to worry that much. The only reason I suggested it because of your skills as a master to work things out. If you get to know her, I am sure she will warm up to you.}

Shirou: I am not sure.

Saiki: I am not sure about the rules but I am not sure if a ruler would take orders from us or mostly Shirou.

{Zelrecht: Also, I forgot to mention that you can modify their spirit origins with my help of course}

Shirou: Better be safe than sorry. Fourth Holy Grail war was enough for me to know about betrayal. Cleaning up that timeline was a disaster. Had to work with Okita and Ryouma to clean it up. Apocrypha protocol happened in one time line. Had to take seven counter-guardians to clean it up.

{Zelrecht: Fucking hell don't remind me one of the apostles was in it. Not mention Fake Holy Grail wars. Sometimes I regret helping Einzberns creating it}

(Saiki: Wait you had a hand in creating it? Why would you make something like that?)

{Shiou: Now that you mention it why did you create it?}

{Zelrecht: Long story we'll talk about it another day}

[Shirou: Don't try to beat around the bush, when we go back, we are definitely having this conversation]

{Zelrecht: So, the decision? You can summon king Hassan you know?}

[Shirou: He will end my career the moment I summon him with a grail. Knowing his faith to his God, he will kill me. Other Hassans are off the book}

{Zelrecht: How about Scathach}

Shirou: ....

Saiki: The famous witch of Dun Saith?

Shirou: T-hat could work.

{Zelrecht: She could train you}

[Shirou: Nope, from the stories I could gather I don't want to challenge her]

{Zelrecht: So, take a pick Scathach or Semiramis}

Shirou: Now that it stands, I have a pick.

Assassin: Scathach.

Berserker: Boudica.

Caster: Hans Christian Anderson.

Saiki: Solid pick I would say, even though I am not too knowledgeable about what servants or Grail wars. So, it is like summoning but instead of fairies it is the soul of Heroes from legends.

(Shirou: But would it work in a different universe, will second magic even reach the throne of heroes?)

[Zelrecht: Trust me it will. I really wanted you to summon Minamoto no Raikhou, she had a troublesome past. She was in the third grail war you know. Her fate is always tragic not able to protect anyone]

{Shirou: Keep you nonsense to yourself. In the matter of fact I don't trust you}

{Zelrecht: Touche}

Shirou: We need to find a leyline and some ingredients I have in the gate.

Saiki: Explain it on the way for me will you.

{Zelrecht: You could summon Merlin to help saiki learn magecraft}

{Shirou: Fuck him}

{Saiki: Wait! Merlin is there}

{Shirou: Forget him the less you know the better}

"THERE WERE TWO UNKOWN PEOPLE SEEN IN THE SKIES DURING THE DRAGONS ATTACK"

Saiki and Shirou swiftly turned their head to the TV that was relaying the news.

"THE VISUALS WERE NOT CLEAR OF THE TWO PEOPLE WHO WERE RIDING AN UNKNOWN CRAFT, BUT IT IS ASSUMED THE DEATH OF THE DRAGON AND MISSING ISLAND ARE THEIR DOING"

"THE PICTURE OF THE UNKNOWN AIRCRAFT IS SHARED TO ALL NATIONS, BE ADVISED IF SUCH AIRCRAFT ARE KNOWN TO BE SEEN AGAIN, IT IS ADVISED TO CALL THE HUNTERS ASSOSIATION OF THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES"

Saiki turned around and held his head in his hand and Shirou was looking at Saiki to see how he missed it.

{Zelrecht: The missing Island was a giveaway but remember you all did not hide when you suddenly arrived at this place}

[Shirou: Whose fault is that I may say?]

{Zelrecht: Just making things spicy you know, letting Saiki know the path of magecraft is laced with death}

{Zelrecht: Go to Kyoto at midnight you could go to Nijo Castle for summoning by setting up a bounded field, the mana would be high at that time. I am not sure if a leyline is still there it does not hurt to check. Nanzenji may be a second option}

Shirou: Saiki let-

"ONE OF THE UNKOWNS IS CONFIRMED TO HAVE PINK HAIR"

Shirou: ...

Saiki: ...…

Saiki: Time to use the banana.

Author Note:

Vote for summoning.

Saber.

Lancer.

Archer.

Rider.

Berserker.

Assassin.

Caster.