A draft about a ‘What if’ world. And of course, it’s Artoria/Emiya centric

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Emiya breathed out. His sigh turned into a thin layer of white mist under the bitter cold weather. Slumping against the alley wall of a vacant street, he tried to shift into a more comfortable position for his bleeding arm, then gave up with a painful hiss as the other wounds were disturbed.

The blood had stopped seeping out from his major wounds, but his body remained immobile, too weak to move. Emiya knew he wouldn’t die with the protection of the holy scabbard inside him. However, between becoming a human popsicle and death, the latter suddenly sounded so much greater.

Down to his luck, snow began to fall from the starless sky despite it already being the middle of February. Had Emiya known tonight it’d end like this, perhaps he would’ve worn something more warm and sturdier than a dark colored leather jacket and turtleneck shirt.

A tasteless chuckle sliding out from his dry lips, he could only curse himself quietly. Those beings he had found out on the patrol were nothing alike to anything he had been fighting against so far. None of his weapons managed to land a hit on them. Knowing his chance to win was zero, he had lured them to the remote area before running for his life.

After twenty two years of his life, Emiya had been forced to retreat for the first time.

…. So much for Ally of Justice. He ridiculed himself, hunching over.

At that moment, faint footsteps reached his ears. They were light and nimble, probably female, coming closer and closer. Emiya closed his eyes and took advantage of the building shadow casting over him to hide, hoping he wouldn’t be noticed. He was too exhausted to deal with anything else right now.

Much to his dismay, the footsteps halted and there was a soft gasp coming out above him. Emiya once again cursed his rotten luck and prayed to whoever would walk away if he remained unresponsive. With his current state, anyone with the right mind would think him as some drunkard that slumped or some shady figure they should not get involved with.

As expected, that anonymous person seemed to shift uncomfortably on their spot as if deliberating what to do before there was silence.

They probably had walked away, he assumpted himself with relief.

Emiya just didn’t see it coming as something warm and smelling nice warping around his neck. His eyes were prompted to snap open on their own.

For a moment, he was sure he forgot how to breathe.

Silky golden hair as if sprinkled with gold dust made the snow around it seem glittering under the dim light as well. Wordlessly, she worked on the red scarf on his shoulders with dead seriousness. Those small white hands gently and nimbly fasten it. Each action was delicate like she was treating something very frail.

“I don’t know what happened, but if you keep slumping here, you’ll freeze to death.” The girl’s voice is like a bell. Jewel-like eyes staring at him, straight and pure, could put the finest emerald in the world to shame.

“Where’s your home? Or don’t you have a number perhaps? I can help you reach your contact.” She proposed, relief lacing a bit in her voice the moment she noticed him conscious.

Clearly, this girl was worrying for him.

Emiya was speechless. Not because he was confused by the sudden turn of events, but because of this girl’s overwhelming beauty and the kindness she showed.

Brave or reckless? No one with a right mind would stop to help a stranger in a vacant alley late at night, much less for a high school girl. It was a bit odd that she had yet to call the police to report about a dubious man she encountered.

Emiya had many things to say to her, but of all things, he found himself saying this was what came out of his mouth instead.

”… You have a strange speech pattern.“

Silence set around them, before the girl’s already rosy cheeks covered in a new shade of red within a blink of an eye. And the situation was plunged into the oblivious as she stuttered at him.

"I- It’s not my fault! Living in a family full of men made anyone this way— Why are you giving me that unconvinced look?! I’m stating the truth!"

She blushed more when he just silently regarded her, the word stuck at her throat. Emiya was aware he was being mean, but he couldn’t help it. The girl looked like a ripe tomato that he didn’t realize until tonight that humans could turn into one.

"Fu…"

Unable to hold back any longer, Emiya cracked up. He honestly didn’t remember the last time he could laugh like this. Now noticing that he was teasing her, the girl pouted while giving him an unamused look. Embarrassment still showed clear in her body.

"You are worse than Kay…” She grumbles. Before she could berate him further, his laugh suddenly turned into a painful wheeze, reminding Emiya that he was still injured. Wincing, Emiya held the side of his stomach. It served him right for teasing such an innocent girl.

However, his action revealed his bloody arm that he had been desperately trying to hide from her. Immediately, she gasped and boosted into action.

“You are bleeding?!” Astonishment and concern etched at her voice again. “Stay here, I will call for help–”

“No, don’t.” Emiya managed to grab her arm before she ran off. Seeing that his body recovered enough for him to move around, he stood up along with her. If she brought more people here, it would be more trouble than actually help.

“This scarf is sufficient. Thank you.” Emiya gestured at the red scarf around his neck. It was a shame that such beautiful clothes were stained by his blood.”

“Sorry for tainting it, I will wash it and return it to you someday.” He smiled at the irony of his own words. “And you probably should go home now, it’s dangerous for a girl to wander on the street this late.”

Impulsive, Emiya tousled her hair then strolled down the empty street, ignoring the call of her telling him to wait. Waving a hand over his shoulder, he disappears into the night. They were from different worlds. He had a feeling if he stayed any longer, something bothersome might go after her. That worst scenario was the last thing he’d wish for.

Recalling the girl’s earnestness made the corner of his lips involuntarily curl up. Emiya felt like he had found the strength to continue.

To protect people like her, he was willing to fight even if he was thankless.

… Still, he didn’t mind if there was a little reward sometimes.

He tugged the scarf closer to his neck a bit, the warmth from it seemed as if spearing through his body and his heart. The faint scent of fresh flowers still lingers there, tickling his nose. All the pain he was bearing had been soothed by the power of the holy seath, or by—

Emiya shook his head slightly. It was strange indeed. He was still trying to grasp the nature of what happened just now. Something must really be wrong with her, with him. He was what people could describe as a social retard, but for some reason, he did not mind being in her presence.

He didn’t deny that something in that girl appeared to draw him in.

Closing his mind, Emiya could see that brilliant golden hair and those clear emerald eyes vividly in his mind.

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It feels like time has stopped just around him. That scene of fateful night flashes on his vision.

That silky golden hair is still beautiful as in his memory, glittering under the moonlight.

Emiya can’t breathe. He feels like his heart has stopped for a moment while a block of ice drops down to the pit of his stomach.

Fresh blood like crimson flowers adorn on her chest. The girl that was once like a shining star, is slumping against the wall listlessly. The navy sailor uniform is dried red by her own blood.

—Something inside him died at that moment.

This must be his fault.

《To be continued?》

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This world is similar to UWB timeline, but with Shirou/Saber and Rin/Archer switched role for each other.

Artoria Pendragon

Live with her family (Father Gawain, brother Lancelot, brother Kay and a younger brother Bedivere).

A ‘normal’ high school girl. She was born on the same year 4th HG war happened and has no knowledge about HG war.

Servant: Saber (Sengo Muramasa)

Shirou Emiya

A freelance magus to pursue his dream of becoming a Hero of Justice… Please call him ‘Emiya’.

Tan skin and white hair due to he overused thaumaturgy. He once studied under Lord El-Melloi II and knows about 5th HG war throught him.

Servant: Archer (Ishtar)

Shinji Matou

Same age as Artoria. Since the Tohsaka was eliminated completely since the 4th war, there is no Sakura. He is a mixed of FateVN!Shinji and FateExtra!Shinji.

Servant: Rider (Drake).

Illyasviel

A Pseudo-Servant class Berserker and a Master at the same time. She has an appearance of a teenage girl. (I still can’t decide to let her enroll in the same school as Artoria or not…)

Bazett Fraga McRemitz

Kotomine will stab her back much later than the original… Hopefully she won’t die.

Servant: Lancer (Cu Chulainn )

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This is the currently setting of this world. I wrote for fun so if you have any input or want to use this plot to write a fic, feel free to comment 👍 ✨