We're not really Doctors. (Shirou x Harem) Arknights x Fate

Chapter 22 - 1

=== CHERNOBOG ===

Nearl slowly opened her eyes.

Something wasn't right. She quickly seized on it and forced herself to shake off the shackles of sleep.

Danger.

Her instincts warned her of danger. A sharp suffocating sensation she learned to grasp and use against her opponent during her days as a competition knight in Kazimierz. Margaret Nearl was a talented knight, trained and pushed to the very top of the league. Danger wasn't a threat to her, it was only a warning that her opponent was attacking her. Nearl leaned into the feeling, judging where it spiked and countering the opponent's move with one of her own.

But...it was that effective when you couldn't see your opponent.

A crunch- followed by sharp blades unsheathing were heard. Muffled impacts and thumps registered on Nearl's hearing before steps closed in on her prison.

Stay calm.

Nearl controlled her breath and forced her body to relax. She evened it out, putting on the illusion that she was still asleep. It was night and the interior of the building- her cell much deeper inside- would be dark if not pitch black to most. Unless the person had decent night vision, then they'd have the same disadvantage she had.

Nearl would spring the trap on them once they entered her range.

The person stopped right in front of her cell.

Nearl readied herself...

"Nearl, are you awake?"

-and jerked up.

She opened her eyes to darkness, but the recognizable outline of a person stood outside her bars.

"Shirou? What's going on?" What Nearl heard was definitely a scuffle. Why was Shirou fighting Reunion guards now?

"Nearl, do you trust me?" Shirou quietly asked.

"...not particularly." Nearl admitted. Sure, Shirou helped extract Rhodes Island during the Chernobog invasion. Yes, he delivered her delicious food. But that wasn't enough for Nearl to give him her trust. She knew he was a good person, he wouldn't have saved those children if he wasn't.

But that was the thing. Nearl didn't particularly trust his decisions. Not until he explained why he joined the Reunion.

"I don't have time to explain everything, but will you help me rescue the prisoners?" Shirou wanted to save the civilians, but doing so alone was inefficient. Asking Patriot's forces was an option, though it would pull valuable manpower away from battle. Shirou needed someone else that could protect the civilians aside from him.

Nearl wanted to say yes right away. It was in her character to protect others. "Of course. But can you tell me what's going on first?" She needed to know more. A few hours ago the city came alive. What was the Reunion planning?

"Remember the Draco leader?" Shirou pulled out the key he took from the guards and unlocked her cell.

"Talulah?" Nearl was very well aware of the Reunion's leader. She was the figurehead of the entire Infected movement and was a wanted criminal.

"I'm not sure, but we think she plans to run Chernobog's core into Lungmen."

"What?!"

"It's complicated..." Shirou could try and explain it to her, but it wasn't the best time. He was supposed to be bringing her to meet Patriot and FrostNova. "I'll explain some other time." He started walking to the exit with Nearl following close behind. She noted the dead Sarkaz lying on the floor with a small pool of blood around their necks.