Harrison is your average Fate fan with a "light" obsession with FGO. However with a Holy Grail of his own can he survive? See if he can become one of the seven core masters, with his first of many servants Artoria Pendragon (Alter), or will his name...
Yor sits Harrison down without another word as she gets him ready to unpack her plans, which have been deliberated over the two days he was out. "So as you know Harrison you have become a core master now, the thing about that is according to Annabelle other core masters are notified of new core masters joining the fold, thankfully it is nothing specific. However, certain masters may have an affinity for drawing more details from that. So worst-case scenario the other core master (the one who has ties to Annabelle) may have reason to seek you out now to confirm your ascension to the 7th spot. Is this making sense?" Yor asks double-checking with Harrison. Harrison nods in agreement showing he is following so far. "Good because I wasn't going to explain again.
"You have essentially a target on your back as the last core masters, other non-core masters will be looking to take your spot and other core masters will be looking to crush you while they maintain a large lead. Therefore since we have a week off of school, Salter and I have come up with an optimal plan." It is at this point that Harrison lets a worried look across his face as those two could have only come up with some sadistic training regimen. "Alrighty, what did you guys come up with," Harrison asks. Yor takes a deep breath before continuing on her rant assisted by a whiteboard brought to life by BB's magecraft.
"You will spend your day's training your magic circuits as they are simultaneously your strong suit and weakest point, as for nights those will be devoted to watching and going on the lookout as that is most likely when other masters are to strike. As for teachers you will have both BB and I for general magecraft, Annabelle occasionally when she can come in until that pesky master is dealt with, then Salter will be continuing your hand-to-hand combat instruction as you spar against both her and Jalter." Yor wipes her brow when she is finished reciting that entire speech as if it took a lot out of her. "To think we originally had you working for 32 hours a day but clearly that is impossible so we managed to narrow it down to 22," she continues as if proud. "22! When will I have time to sleep or anything like that," Harrison yells out reasonably taken aback before the pain in his muscles slaps him back down into his seat.
"Eh I am sure you'll figure something out, besides this is crunch time if we get cut off early most likely you will die," Yor says suddenly serious at the prospect of Harrison's death. "There is no room for error anymore so it is graduation or death at this point, and let's hope that our biggest problem hasn't gotten any stronger while on break," Yor finishes up now pressing her hands against the couch as she stands up to leave the room leaving the whiteboard with Harrison's "schedule" written on it. Harrison lets out a sigh as he lets his head hang low. It is as his thoughts start to wander as his focus drains that his ears tune into the soft humming off Salter as her and Jalter's competition has leveled out.
A tune Harrison recognized all too well and that was so out of the blue it stunned Harrison. As Salter washed the many dishes made during the breakfast fiasco and Jalter dried them she started to sing softly to herself, a beautiful tone that coasted along the wind like scents of lavender would. "There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold and she's buying a stairway to heaven. When she gets there she knows, if the stores are all closed, with a word she can get what she came for. Ooh, ooh, and she's buying a stairway to heaven," the words were so soft and sweet that Harrison didn't even realize the tears that welled in his eyes at the forceful reminder of his mother.
Whenever she did chores with Harrison or his father she would sing songs like this to herself, and one of the things Harrison vividly remembered was how sweet his mother's singing voice was. Each breath he took began to become raged as the memories were not welcome, the thoughts of his parents' disappearance still a terrible memory in his mind, "Where were they?" a thought that plagued Harrison's mind to this day. Their bodies were never found so they had to be somewhere in the line of thinking that Harrison often took just hoping, praying, wishing one day he would see them again.
Harrison was so in his own spiral of quickly declining mental stability he didn't notice the arms that wrapped around him snuggly. "Hey hey Righter, is everything okay?" Salter's soft voice drifted to his ear bringing him back to reality. "That's right it's just a song Salter couldn't have meant to remind him of his mother, a simple mistake," Harrison thought. Jalter's brash voice cut in next, "I think he has been cooped up too much he should come to the library with me, get him out of this place." Harrison leaned into the hug momentarily, "Yeah I think that would be nice, besides it's about time we send Yor home as well," Harrison says getting up.
Yor who was previously picking at some fruit leftover from earlier pipes up at this, "Oh no I am staying here until the holy grail war is over, completely over that is," she says. Harrison looks at her with tired and exasperated eyes, "What room do I have here from you," he says with more exhale than words. "You don't but BB has," Yor says as BB does a twirl. "The BB trademark travel camper van equipped with state-of-the-art witness protection programs and cameras galore," she says with a proud smile strew across her face.
Harrison rolls his eyes at this as he stumbles himself back to his room his muscles having healed considerably in the short amount of time he was awake. "Oh also Salter give Jalter some other clothes she'll attract too much attention in a library like that," Harrison says before he closes the door to his room starting to get changed. "I am not sharing with that dragon witch," Salter shouts to no one in particular as the arguing begins to start up again between the two of them.
When Harrison does open the door having put on a nice white button-up with long sleeves to cover his bandages and black dress pants he sees the two characters standing outside his door their patients waning. Taken aback by the sight slight Harrison tries to keep his thoughts on track as he quickly goes to, "You two ready?" Though the two girls aren't so stupid as to not notice Harrison's double-take and both of them smile to themselves. "Though I think you two might just attract attention no matter where you go," Harrison says with a half-hearted smile.
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(Art credit to @soumashigure on twitter)
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So I will be changing my schedule from one chapter published every other day to every 4 days as I think that my breakneck pace may be a slight bit overwhelming. Regardless I still have plans to finish everything set up. As always I hope you enjoyed today's chapter.
