Fate/Writer's Dream

Chapter Twenty Five, Realization

Emiya's dagger was to the attacker's throat as well. They both stood there in silence, not moving a muscle.

"Who are you?" the woman asked, a burning fire in her eyes. For an unknown reason, she seemed very aggressive.

"I could ask you the same thing," Emiya replied.

The lady looked over his shoulder at the children behind Shuten. "Why do you have these children with you? Did you kidnap them? Are you going to use them as a sacrifice?"

"No, why would we?" Emiya scowled. "We saved them, that's all."

"Then why did you save them? To kidnap them? To use them as a sacrifice—"

"Would you move on from that already?! I'm not gonna kill them or anything, I—" He shot a look at Shuten and frowned.

Shuten tilted her head to the side. "Why are you looking at me?"

He sighed and shook his head. "We won't kill them or anything. Now please, put away your weapon and let us through."

"Into the Kitchen?" She gasped and stepped back. "Are you gonna eat them?!"

"NO! Again! We're not gonna do anything! Jesus Christ!" He turned around and placed his hand on his face. He gestured to Hera. "We're trying to save her. She's bleeding out right now."

The lady paused and looked at Hera, who was being held in Shuten's arms. "If your true intent was to help someone, why would you do it?" she asked.

Emiya scratched the back of his head and looked down at the ground. "... Old habits die hard... I guess?" he answered.

She examined him for a moment and nodded. "Fine, I'll allow you to enter. Follow me, and watch your step." She stepped back through the doorway while holding it open for them.

"Watch our step?" Emiya stepped in and looked at the ground.

Hundreds of children either laid or sat on the floor. Some laid on tables and were dimly glowing. When they saw Emiya and Shuten with the children step in, they all stopped chatting and stared at them.

One of the uninjured children got up and walked up to the lady. "Ms. Bastet... welcome back," the child shyly welcomed.

The lady presumably named Bastet crouched down and caressed the child's head. "Is everyone alright? Are they recovering?"

"Yes ma'am," the child answered.

Bastet nodded and stood back up. "That's good." She turned around to look at Emiya and the others. "Follow me. I can help her over here."

"... Okay." Emiya looked around at the hundreds of children they all looked back at him. Like Hera, Kyle, and Julia, they all wore the same uniforms. "You helped these kids?"

"Of course. It was my motherly instinct that pushed me to save them. Even if they are the enemies of my Master, I couldn't just stand by and let them die," Bastet explained. She looked at Emiya from the corner of her eye. "I guess that you could say the same, Guardian."

"Wait, you know who we are?" Emiya asked.

"Of course I do. I was just messing around with you earlier. I am your friend's Servant." Bastet stood by a wooden table and patted the top of it. "Come here and lay her down on top of this."

"Who is your Master?" Emiya asked as he laid Hera on the table. She was shivering feverishly and a light pool of blood was forming around her.