Meet the Eye

Hi ! A friend suggested this ship to me, so I thought about giving it a try. (Don't worry. It's soft. Like. SUPER. SOFT.)

This is a fanfic about Artoria and Medea from Fate/Stay Night – set in the story of Fate/Grand Order. If I were to be more accurate, this is set around the beginning of the game story-wise – and Artoria (or Altria) was summoned way before Medea. On our favorite witch's part, consider that she was summoned quite late compared to the other Servants.

If you find any resemblances to the parodic anime 'Carnival Phantasm' - then you're right. The story is basically "What if Artoria was the one who found out about Medea's antics ?", though it's a completely different setting.

One more thing is that this Fujimaru Ritsuka (or should I say Gudako ?) is supposed to be a bit of an airhead, though quite perceptive. However, I plan to give her a humouristic side later on, in other fanfictions. (Will she end up being Riyo's Gudako ? I'd love to try that out, but I'm scared she'll end up being way too savage and vulgar rofl)

Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this short story as much as I did by writing it. (Do not hesitate to comment as well, I'd love to hear your opinion ! … As long as it's constructive criticism ! Even if it's short !)

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"Hm?"

It happened again. Artoria, once again, turned around as she felt someone staring at her – but each time she tried to find out who was following her, her blue eyes fell on nothing. Be it in the corridors, meeting rooms ; even in her own room … She just couldn't catch that person, even though she tried everything : from baiting, to pursuing : even pestering Doctor Archiman to take a look at the recordings from the security cameras. Her struggle resulted to nothing. And it's been two weeks already.

"Is there something wrong, Artoria ?"

Ritsuka asked, as she looked back at the Saber-class Servant. She was smiling and carefree, as usual – but the difference was that she was carrying a stack of files, which gave her a more responsible impression. Actually, so was Artoria, as she accompanied her Master – that is, until she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

"No, there is nothing, Master. My apologies for making you worry.

- Is it ? Oh well, if you say so !"

With that, she went back to following Ritsuka's lead to Doctor Romani's room.

It has been quite some time since she was first summoned in Chaldea. The first pair of eyes she saw were Ritsuka's – golden ones, which is, whatever era it may be, unusual. A color that would unsettle most people by how unique it is. But, somehow, her Master's face was fair, and nice to look at – no, more like it felt … nostalgic. But of what time ? The Blue Saber couldn't put her finger on it. After all, it wouldn't be from the times of Camelot – never did she meet someone there with those eyes. No, it definitely was impossible for her to make a guess.

But that wasn't of any importance right now. Definitely not. The King of Knights was starting to get impatient there – though her face showed nothing, if not determination and absolute resolution, reinforced by the regal aura she had. Who was it ? Who dared to disturb her in her daily duties ? No, even worse than that : who was capable to go unnoticed from her ? As she followed Ritsuka, she couldn't help but lose herself in her thoughts.

Chaldea was mostly unhabited by Servants – the rest were humans, and part of Chaldea's staff. However, the organization was so understaffed that, aside from Ritsuka and Mashu - when it wasn't about Rayshifts - they didn't have the time to care about the Servants. So it could only be one of them.

Could it be Kiyohime ? Or was it an Assassin-class Servant ? Both options were specializing in stalking, but they both felt wrong at the same time. Kiyohime doesn't care about anyone but their Master, and with the Assassin-class's "Presence Concealement", the King just wouldn't notice them that easily, even with her "Instinct".

This was getting tricky. So tricky that she couldn't help but show scorn on her face.

"Um, Artoria … Your face is scary …

- Yes ?"

Artoria lifted her eyes, surprised. Ritsuka laughed nervously.

"You know, you can talk to me if something bothers you. Also, you don't need to push yourself – I can bring those files to the Doctor by myself, so you can rest !

- Ah, no … That isn't it …"

Artoria hesitated, looking at the redhead straight in the eyes. She opened her mouth, about to say something ; but the moment after, she stopped. Then, she sighed.

"It's just … Lately, I do not feel well. P-Please, do not misunderstand. My magic reserves are fine, and so is my body.

- Huh, so you're, like, mentally tired or something ?

- Yes, I suppose you could say that …

- Is it something you can talk about with me ?

- Well …"

Ritsuka hummed.

"It's not like I do not trust you, Master ! It's just …"

Artoria just didn't feel like It was appropriate to burden her Master with such a trivial problem, that was all. She did represent Humanity's Last Hope – giving her more trouble was out of the question. Sure, the Blue Saber needed to do something about that feeling of being watched that went on for too long – but that wasn't something as important as Fujimaru Ritsuka's duty.

"I don't think we have a psychologist or a psychiatrist – would drugs work on Servants, even ? … Maybe you can go to another Servant's room and ask for advice ? Oh, maybe something made with magecraft would work …

- M-Master ?

- Ah, I know ! Maybe we can find something in Da Vinci-chan's workshop ! Though she's not much of a mage in the first place …

- Master, please-

- Actually, it's more like she has stuff like telescopes, so I guess she won't give much help ...will she ?"

Ritsuka stopped her monologue – not because of Artoria's interpellations. Actually, this time, Artoria said nothing – and that was what stopped Ritsuka. She just went silent : something happened in that brain of hers. Downcasting her eyes, staring at the floor, Artoria's thoughts were at full speed.

The King couldn't find anybody, no matter what she did. It was like she was imagining things, as if she went mad for some people. But her Instinct cannot be wrong. Someone did watch her. But following her ? That wasn't it. She was stared at … From a distance. Via a camera, or magic … ? Yes, that was it ! That could've been an option !

"A-Artoria ? Heeey, Artoria. Chaldea speaking … Woah !

- Thank you very much for your help, Master ! My mind is clearer !"

Smiling slightly, the blonde knight felt relieved – she was making progress. It was just a matter of time before she caught that impolite fellow. She just needed to do some research. But first.

"Now, shall we go to the Doctor's room ?"

···················

Knock, knock.

Now that's the first time someone knocked at her door – and even though nobody could see her eyes underneath her hood, they did show surprise. It wasn't everyday that people would like to interact with her, let alone meet her.

She is the Witch of Betrayal, the infamous Witch of Colchis, after all. Being related to her only meant trouble ; well, not like she cared in the slightest. Interacting with others wasn't exactly her forte : quite the opposite, actually. Killing her brother, abandoning her country … just for the sake of the man she fell for. And that wasn't all, sadly.

Truly, there are many reasons for her not to expect any guests. So why?

Letting her concoction boil, and slowly getting up from her desk ; careful in her steps, Medea ignored the person out of her room – or should we say workshop ? Medea lived like a true mage : anything and everything was as valuable as dangerous, be it Grimoires, or materials : such as Dragon Fangs, Hearts of Foreign Gods, Homunculus Babies ... Even if she knew the exact location of all of her belongings, there was no telling she wouldn't end up making a mess out of a blunder.

In any case, she had nothing to do with any guests at the moment. She had a lot of work to do – she was only recently summoned as a Servant, after all. Her workshop needed to be set up. That was that. But that wasn't all. As a mage, she had to show the example to the failure her Master was.

Fujimaru Ritsuka is … cute. If her job as a Master could be considered as exceptional, her abilities as a magus was, at most, average. Personality-wise, Ritsuka seemed completely the opposite of what someone would expect of multiple Servants' Master – that is soft-hearted – but, at the same time, exactly what Medea would expect of an average magic user. This was the impression she got of Chaldea's last Master, the second she was summoned.

In any case, the witch of Betrayal might as well be nicknamed the Aloof Witch : no matter how many seconds passed, she didn't feel any sort of culpability crawling on her back. She minded her own business, went on to crafting. Since her summoning, she spent most of her time between these four walls, unless Ritsuka needed her. She had no friends, nor any acquaintances here except her Master. She had no interest in anyone. Except ...

"Witch of Colchis, are you there ? My name is Artoria Pendragon, and I need to speak with you about a certain matter."

… Ah ! AH !

Was it really her !? Did she hallucinate, or was it true that that one Saber, with her straight blonde hair, magnificent blue eyes, and elegant yet adorable aura in all its seriousness, showed herself right in front of her room !?

'Oh, just what should I do !?' Medea wondered : she wanted to welcome her with open arms, but … There were actually a few problems. No, a lot of problems. First, her room wasn't welcoming – it screamed danger from any angle, no matter how someone would look at it, no matter how optimistic or dense they may be. Second, she, herself, didn't give off any good vibes. A long cloak, her face hidden by a hood. She resembled one of those people that would try to bait kids with candy. And finally, last of all … The King of Knights sure had a pleasant voice as ever, but that didn't apply to how she felt at the moment ! More than that, she seemed angry !

Oh no. Did she realize it ? Did she find her out !? Even though the Caster-class Servant was careful not to do it too much !

"Um ..."

That's right. Medea… despite her age, the life she lived, the things she did, the Witch of Colchis still is a maiden at heart – even though she would flat out reject it if someone were to make a remark about this. It's not easy for people to think about it once they know her story, but, by only taking into consideration the reasons behind her actions, all of it actually sounds, somehow, understandable. Innocent, even – so innocent, ignorant of the notions of morality, that it was difficult to label her either a victim or a culprit.

"..."

So when she first saw the King of Camelot, Medea just went back to the old days, the days during which she was just an inexperienced maiden, unaware of the world outside of the lands she was born in. She regained the innocent love she held for that despicable Jason – this time, with a true royal, both in status and spirit. A fitting choice for the daydreamer she is – just like in a fairy tale ! But.

As adorable the love Medea bears for Artoria may be, the way she acted because of it was something else. It could be described in a single word : Stalking. From her room, using a magical artifact, Medea watched over Artoria whenever she felt like it. Anytime. Anywhere. Just like those teenage girls in the 21st century, the Witch couldn't help but to look at the object of her unrequited love, checking everything they do, daydreaming, and even going as far as to keep everything concerning her like treasures.

All of that. And yet, she restrained herself from going any further. If she wanted, she would've already created many Artoria goodies. If she wanted, she would've been working on a small Reality Marble full of clones of Artoria at the moment. Yet, she stopped herself from even thinking about it.

She did not want to repeat the mistakes she's done in her life for Jason's sake – thus, she kept the passion of her feelings to a minimum.

Though the minimum was still a problem, apparently …

"It is strange. Master did tell me she would be in there..."

The Pendragon heir was still behind the door. Medea felt it : she was about to leave, and may never come back again. She sighed, as she looked at her via her crystal ball.

The witch would lose her chance to know more about one of the few people that put her at ease ; one of the few people whose personality was, undoubtedly, reassuring, without any malice. She would lose one of the few occasions for her to get past her fear, her mistrust of others.

But. Wouldn't that be fine ? Yes. That would be very fine, indeed. Not having to deal with other people … Wouldn't it be better for her, for them ? If they were pure indeed, then, what about her ? She can't erase the past – her past. So even if she tried, the title of "witch" would always …

…

It smelled weird. Not only it smelled weird, but it was difficult to breathe. But, that smell was familiar… Yes, it was the smell of …

"Burning ? … Ahhh !"

Medea screamed at the realisation. There it was : the potion she was making earlier, and left it as it was … that is, boiling. And now, it has been doing so for far too long. The contents were making a mess all over the desk, it smelled awful, … an embarrassing moment for an expert mage – a horrible sight for anyone.

An unknown danger for Artoria – that bursted inside the room the second it caught her attention.

"What is happening !?"

Fully prepared for combat – holding Excalibur in her hand, wearing her silver armor over her blue dress … How flabbergasted the knight, coming to the rescue, ended up being when all she saw was a desperate witch, ridiculously trying to stop the fire and the undescriptible liquid from spreading. A whole minute – maybe two ? – passed before Medea stopped struggling, and took notice of the intruder.

"S-Shoot !

- What happened in here ? Just what are you doing, Witch !?"

Embarrassed. Were there any other words to describe how the said witch felt ? Yes : she wanted to dig a hole, in which she would hide for all eternity. That's how embarrassing it was. Not only Artoria seemed to have discovered who was behind the stalking – the proof lied right before her eyes, in the form of an orb reflecting her image – but she saw her in such a pitiful state. Slightly sooty from her blunder, and highly despicable from her past deeds. There was nothing to be proud of here. And she was supposed to be a student of Hecate, a mage from the Age of Gods !

"Answer me ! What is the meaning of all of this ?"

Each word stung Medea, as the King had the advantage – both in the situation, and in Medea's heart. Scary. It was scary, the more the King pressed for answers, the more it lasted. Soon, people may gather around, curious from all the commotion …

"… Hic ..."

Too many emotions, mixing together, flooded out of Medea's eyes, as she dropped on the floor, vulnerable. They were wet, and her face burned. Her throat hurt, too. She was about to cry – no, she was already crying, since a tear was already dropping on her dress. It was too much, even for a woman of her age. Her voice was hoarse, as the only words she could muster were :

"I'm sorry ..."

Realizing the situation, Artoria's expression softened – she let go of her weapon. She still was angry at her, now that she knew the identity of her stalker … But making them crying was not her intention. Saber was noble at heart, modest in her desires. She knew that one's heaven was another's hell – so as long as the other party's reasons were reasonable, she would understand. So now that she saw the Greek Caster-class Servant crying, it seemed impossible that her intentions were bad.

Artoria sighed.

"Caster. I apologize for making you crying. I do not know your intentions, nor your goal. But from your reaction to my questions, I assume you did not mean wrong. However, I am still angry. Unless I hear your reasons, that anger won't disappear."

Kneeling down in front of her, trying to look at her in the eyes, Artoria slowly lifted Medea's hood. That was how she ended up being the first to see the witch's face – blue eyes. Just like her own – although it was slightly red from her tears. Aside from that … Her face is different from what one would expect of a witch. There are no imperfections. Her nose is small. Her teeth are healthy. Her face is just simply … beautiful.

It's only when one sees her face that they would realize – before being a witch, she was a princess. Medea of Colchis was royalty – she was educated to love her people, learning manners … but also putting aside her own feelings and humanity … for the sake of others. Yes. Then again, just like Artoria. The only difference was that Medea followed her heart, while Artoria followed her destiny.

Even so, weren't they actually pretty similar ?

They stared at each other for a moment.

Medea did not know what to do. All this time, she restrained herself. She didn't want to have anything to do with others – be it admiration, friendship, or, simply enough, romance. All of that because she was scared of being manipulated again – because she felt that … She did not deserve the happiness that comes with loving anyone in any way.

"I …

- You are not alone.

- Huh ?

- I do not know what you are thinking about, but please know that you are not alone. What you do in Chaldea concerns everyone. Be it Master, or all of us Servants. So you should come out of here, to help everyone. And for everyone to help you … What I mean is, watching over others without their permission would only cause trouble ! It could impact our efficiency in battle !"

Frowning, almost pouting, Saber seemed … unreliable. The kind of facial expression that was unfitting for a king, but natural on a small woman like her. Now now, Medea did hear from their Master that Artoria was, when she first arrived, particularly stiff – at worst, self-sacrificing. She also said something like …

"I hope you will find your place here, Medea. My words don't mean much compared to Dr. Roman, but I want you to know that Chaldea is humanity's last hope, but also where humanity can be itself ? A place where people can be themselves. Something like that, he-heh."

A place where people can be themselves. A place in which people can grow, do what they always wanted to do – even though the world is facing its last moments. So … Is it also the place in which Medea could no longer be a witch, but a princess like any other ?

A place in which she could embrace the dreams she always had.

"… I –"

···················

"Senpai.

- Mh ? What is it, Mashu ?

- Did you know about miss Medea ?

- Huh ?

- Fou ?"

On a break, both senior and junior enjoyed a cup of tea while playing with Fou. They talked about anything that came to mind ; and now, it was about one particular Servant. Hearing their name picked the redhead's curiosity : she was worried about her, after all. However, seeing Mashu's heartwarming smile eased her mind.

"What happened ?

- Recently, she's been coming out of her room aside from missions. People say she spends a lot of time with miss Artoria … Oh, and she also took off her hood. We saw her earlier ... She really is beautiful ! Especially her smile ! Right, Fou ?

- Fo-Fou !

- Also, miss Artoria seems to have softened as well. She was angry lately, but maybe spending time with miss Medea calmed her down ?"

Laughing with the small animal, Mashu did not realize the relief written over Ritsuka's face, as her lips turned into a smile.

"Two birds in one stone, huh ..."

Or should've she said lovebirds ? Ritsuka chuckled at the thought. Nah, that was asking for too much … wasn't it ?

A king and a princess. That was perfect material for a love story, just like a fairy tale.

"Fou …?

- Senpai ?

- Oh, no, nothing ! Just … daydreaming a bit, I guess ?"