Author's Note: I admit that this chapter is short and some may consider it boring. But it is necessary for the development of the story.
In the next chapter, Team Emiya-Einzbern will reach Fuyuki City and things will become more adventurous.
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Story Arc: Welcome to the Fourth Holy Grail War
Episode 1: Summoning the Heroic Spirits (IV)
Chapter 3: Discussions within the Owl House
Synopsis: The Owl House has taken flight, carrying Kiritsugu, Illyasviel and Irisviel away from the Einzbern castle.
Inside the magical house some discussions are taking place and agreements are being made.
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Narrator's POV
Kiritsugu Emiya, the infamous Magus Killer who fought against the worst of the mundane and supernatural world, has finally been brought to his knees... by a sudden takeoff and old cookbooks.
When the Owl House took off there was some turbulence, magical houses with bird legs and wings are cool, but they are not designed for maximum safety.
Luz, Amity and Artoria being Servants are able to maintain their balance in these circumstances and not fall.
Irisviel and Illyasviel were luckily sitting on the couch in the middle of the living room, so the two of them didn't have to worry too much about the turbulence.
Unfortunately, Kiritsugu was less fortunate, receiving a book on his back upon takeoff.
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If someone had a telescope or radar they could discover the presence of a haunted house with owl legs and wings flying in the troposphere.
Once it reached a high enough altitude, the Owl House's wings stopped flapping forcefully at a rapid pace as if it were a rooster.
Then, it began to glide elegantly like a swan, being carried partly by the wind and by its own magical strength.
In this state, people inside can walk inside the Owl House without fear.
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"The Owl House has stabilized, you can move without fear, but do not open doors or windows without asking permission." Luz says she has a big voice, as if she were a flight attendant talking to passengers.
Amity who is next to Luz, remains silent and looks at Kiritsugu's figure on the floor.
'Karma is a beautiful thing.' Amity thinks, feeling an unusual joy in knowing that the Kiritsugu got a little roughed up during takeoff.
Strangely, this innate sadism appeared when Amity's eyes were strange.
Amity's cat-like yellow eyes had a hint of gray for a few seconds.
When Irisviel received the news from Luz, the woman with white hair and red eyes hurriedly got up from the couch.
Saber, not wanting to interfere in the affairs between husband and wife, has placed herself next to little Illyasviel, who is a little shaken and confused by the take-off.
"Are you okay, Kiritsugu?" Irisviel asks as she helps her husband up.
"I'm fine Iri, I've received worse in the past." Kiritsugu said, not caring about a bruise or two.
"Kiritsugu you must not belittle your pain, if you get hurt I want to know so I can help you." Irisviel said, placing her hands on her husband's face.
Unfortunately this tender moment was ruined by Luz.
"You are a cute couple with a nice aesthetic, a man dressed in black, a woman dressed in white." Luz said, a smile on her lips, liking KirIri's appearance.
"You like shipping and inventing couple names too much." Amity murmurs, knowing full well Luz's little personal quirks.
"Shipping?" Saber mutters under her breath, finding another modern thing he doesn't know about.
"I'll explain them to you later." Luz said with a mischievous smile, ready to bribe Saber with the wonders of Shipping.
'Poor Artoria Pendragon doesn't know what awaits her.' Amity thinks, pitying Saber.
Kiritsugu with Irisviel's help stood up, turning his attention to White Caster and Violet Caster.
"Next time you do something general you should give longer notice." Kiritsugu exclaims in his usual tone of voice, but with a subtle hint of irritation.
"Kiritsugu is right, next time you use a Noble Phantasm a warning would be appreciated." Artoria said, for once agreeing with his Master.
Perhaps this is possible because a house is flying, an absurdity comparable to a pig flying.
"Sorry team, I think I overdid it with the theatricality and stage effects." Luz said with an awkward smile as she scratches the back of her head.
"Exaggerate seems like the wrong word in this small case.
My Good Witch has been too enthusiastic, being in that gloomy castle must have made her restless." Amity said, coming up with an explanation for Luz's actions.
'These two witches are difficult to handle.' Kiritsugu thinks, having wished Irisviel had invoked a more traditional Servant Caster.
" Castle Einzbern is not the kind of castle I frequent, too many serious people with no imagination, no eccentric scientist/sorcerer with crazy ambitions and plans.
There wasn't even an explosion, a labyrinth of secret passages, or a nightmarish beast crawling through the corridors." Luz said, listing all the things the Einzbern castle lacks to be acceptable to Luz's extravagant tastes.
'Did White Caster live in a haunted castle?
With this magical house like Noble Phantasm, it wouldn't be strange.' Irisviel thinks, looking in Luz's direction, trying to learn more about one of her Servants.
"Don't look at me strangely, I'm different from my Good Witch, I appreciated the aesthetics of the Einzbern castle, although I can say a thing or two about the Master's relatives." Amity said, considering Irisviel's relatives too similar to her mother.
The Magus Killer steps forward, wanting to order the two witches to land the house, so he can proceed with his plan.
Unfortunately, something unexpected happened.
"Mom, Kiritsugu, I'm hungry." Illyasviel exclaims loudly, placing a hand over his stomach.
The snow princess, now that she has stopped playing in the snow and is in a warm and comfortable place, her stomach asks to be filled.
" Illya, you could wait a little while." Kiritsugu asks, trying to reason with his white princess.
The Magus Killer doesn't want to let his daughter eat inside a haunted house (Noble Phantasm) that belongs to a strange witch who could easily fit into the Land of Oz.
At that moment, Irisviel's stomach began to growl.
"I'm sorry, I forgot to make breakfast today." Irisviel said with some embarrassment, placing a hand on top of her stomach.
" It's time for lunch anyway. White Caster, does your mansion have a kitchen and supplies to feed our Masters and their daughter?" Saber questions, with a composed tone giving the air of a knight who cares for his lady and her family.
In fact, the King of Knights is also feeling a certain hunger, but he doesn't want to show it, after all, she is the perfect King of Brittany.
A frown appeared on Kiritsugu's face, not too happy that Saber was tempted by the food too.
"My Noble Phantasm, The Owl House: The place of rest of a messy magic family, is not an industrial fortress capable of producing thousands of artificial demons or firing a magical ray capable of flattening a city." Luz comments, as if she has seen similar monstrosities in her life.
" But it is a house with a great history, full of many memories and useful in everyday situations and the most extreme situations.
My kitchen has enough food to feed a large family for an entire month.
The attic is full of Mystic Code, Magical Artifacts, Ancient Relics that I have collected during a life full of adventures and travels.
The basement is a well-stocked laboratory, which can allow me to build a huge amount of useful items, such as healing elixirs or defensive amulets." Luz recounted some of the qualities of her beloved home.
In a strange way, Luz appears as a person who protects the honor of her old car against the arrogance of a latest generation luxury car.
'An attic full of Mystic Code from the Age of Gods might come in handy.' Kiritsugu thinks, writing this information down for later, wanting to search the attic and see if he finds a suitable weapon.
"Does that mean the cute witch is going to make us something to eat?" Illyasviel questions, slightly lost by Luz's speech.
"Yes, princess, I will prepare a delicious dish." Luz said as she pats Illyasviel's head.
" As always, you love to spoil children." Amity comments, aware that Luz is often the indulgent and all-too-loving parent.
"You know me all too well, my Corazon." Luz said, with a sweet and affectionate smile.
The Good Witch drew a simple shaped mid-air glyph.
In an instant, Luz's witch outfit was replaced by a stereotypical housewife's feminine outfit with a purple apron.
'Luz is so beautiful when she dresses more feminine.' Amity thinks, feeling her heart start to beat faster.
Amity's love for Luz never waned, always remaining burning throughout her life and beyond. After all, if Amity didn't love the Good Witch she couldn't have been summoned together with her by Irisviel.
"Did you use magic to change your clothes?" Irisviel questions, not having heard of such magic that can be used for such a menial task.
The wizards and witches of the Moonlit world who live and die to improve their understanding and skills regarding Magecraft, would not hold back magic to do something so mundane.
" Changing clothes with a wave of the hand is a simple trick, one of my first spells I learned." Luz said, with a nostalgic voice, remembering her first moments of learning magic with the help of her and Eda's best friend.
"Of course, I improved the spell with practice and the use of space and aether glyphs.
Now, I have a pocket dimension that functions as a wardrobe and inventory for items." Luz said, with an amused smile, knowing that she looks like a video game character with this makeup.
"You use magic so carefree." Comments Irisviel, finding the two witches' personalities towards magic incredible and enviable. Completely the opposite of the attitude of the Einzbern and other noble wizarding families.
"On my home island, everyone could use magic, so we could invent spells for everyday tasks." Amity said, unable to remember the number of times she has cleaned up a mess using magic.
'An entire island full of witches and sorcerers, the Age of Gods were certainly unique times.' Irisviel thinks, unable to imagine an island full of people capable of performing spells in broad daylight without repercussions.
'A nation full of witches and wizards, I wonder what kind of monarch ruled them?' Artoria thinks, slightly intrigued as to how such a nation might be led.
Luz drawing another symbol in mid-air took out a wand that looks like something out of a certain book/movie saga about a child who goes to a magic school in England.
"Even using magic in the kitchen will take some time until the main course is ready, but the refreshments and appetizers will be ready soon." Luz said, before walking towards the kitchen.
Leaving Amity in the living room with Illyasviel, Irisviel, Kiritsugu and Artoria.
'So, what should I talk to them about?' Amity thinks, not knowing what to say in front of the entire team.
In the Lumity couple, Luz is the sociable woman who can make friends with anyone, while Amity is the one capable of dealing with business and serious agreements.
In a very superficial way Lumity resembles KirIri. Even if the first couple has less emotional problems and baggage.
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Unable to do anything else, Kiritsugu sat on the couch next to Irisviel, who has Illyasviel sitting on her hips.
Violet Caster is sitting in an armchair on the left, while Saber is sitting in an armchair on the right, between them is a small rectangular table.
'This is a fortress-type Noble Phantasm?' Kiritsugu thinks, looking around, with an apathetic look.
In Kiritsugu's mind, if you don't count the house's unique moving abilities, it doesn't seem that extraordinary at first glance.
This reasoning isn't just based on the fact that Kiritsugu is an unimaginative cynic who never reads a fantasy novel.
The Owl House does not exude the overwhelming atmosphere of Excalibur, instead it has a warm aura like something out of a children's story.
This fact combined with its old, lived-in look makes it quite obvious why Kiritsugu is unimpressed by the Owl House.
"Violet Caster, can I ask you a question?" Irisviel asks having a curiosity about the Owl House.
"You can ask me anything you want, Master, but I hope it's nothing too personal." Amity said, not wanting to answer too private questions.
The head of the Blight family can discuss important projects with the elite of the Boiling Isles and argue with Belmont for hours over their contradictory theories.
But discussing certain more intimate and sensitive topics makes her react like a shy child.
"I don't mean to offend, but is White Caster Baba Yaga or somehow connected to the myth of Baba Yaga?" She asks Irisviel with an embarrassed expression as she holds her daughter tightly in her arms.
Irisviel is sure that White Caster is too good a woman to be a mythical, child-eating Russian witch, but her maternal instincts may be irrational.
"Who is Baba Yaga?" Illyasviel asks in an innocent voice.
The little snow princess is very curious about what is happening around her, this day is full of interesting events.
"Baba Yaga is an enigmatic or ambiguous character from Slavic folklore or one of a trio of sisters of the same name who have two opposing roles.
In some motifs she is described as a repulsive or ferocious-looking old woman who fries and eats children, while in others she is a friendly old woman who helps the hero.
It is often associated with forest wildlife.
His distinctive traits are flying in a mortar, wielding a pestle, and dwelling deep in the forest in a hut standing on chicken legs." Emiya said, he is generally familiar with the myth of the old witch with the house who walks through the forest.
"Are you and White Caster connected in any way to Baba Yaga?" Artoria asks, becoming interested to hear Amity's answer.
Artoria's identity as King Arthur was easy for the two witches to discover, but the same cannot be said for the witch couple.
The identity of White Caster and Violet Caster is a mystery to everyone.
Amity places her hand under her chin and seems to think about it for a moment.
"The origins of the Owl House is a mystery, who built it or why it was built is one of the mysteries we have never been able to solve." Amity said with some embarrassment, admitting that she couldn't solve this puzzle.
" Thanks to its mobile abilities and the fact that the Owl House is passed down by hook or by crook, it makes it impossible to establish the origin area of the Owl House.
Probably one of the previous or future owners caused the myth of Baba Yaga to be born." Amity said, crossing her arms, explaining her theory to her teammates.
"This could explain the dozens of nuances surrounding the myth of Baba Yaga. The house is the same, but the owner is different." Irisviel comments, believing that Amity is right with her theory.
'The only clue to who White Caster is has turned out to be a labyrinth full of mirrors.' Kiritsugu thinks, immediately giving up on the idea of spending his time researching the myth of Baba Yaga.
At that moment, Luz returns from the kitchen using her wand to levitate two trays, the first full of drinks and the second full of appetizers.
"Sorry for the wait. Lunch will be ready in half an hour, but the aperitifs are ready." Luz said, pointing her wand at the coffee table in the middle of the living room.
The two trays flew across the coffee table without spilling a drop or dropping a crumb.
" Hunger is the enemy, we must eat properly." She declares Artoria with a stoic face, not wanting to show her greedy side of her to anyone.
The king of knights was the first to reach out and take one of the appetizers.
" Delightful!" Artoria exclaims, losing her stoic face, starting to eat the appetizers one after the other with speed and precision.
"Becoming a Heroic Spirit didn't make me lose my hand in the kitchen." Luz said with a proud smile.
The white queen and the white princess seeing
" Fantastic!" Mother and daughter exclaim, their eyes shining, loving the taste of the food Luz prepared.
Kiritsugu didn't touch the offered food, but I don't try to stop the girls from eating Luz's food.
The Good Witch shifted her attention to Amity, drawing a magic circle, she summoned into her hands a small purple muffin with something similar to insect wings inside of it.
"I have prepared something special for you, my Corazon." Luz said, handing her beloved Amity a Boiling Isles-style treat.
"I don't know what's sweeter, the muffin or you." Amity whispered, unable to help but feel her insides melt.
This little moment was interrupted by Kiritsugu.
"If you're done being sappy with each other, I have a request to make." Kiritsugu comments, not appreciating this strange atmosphere conveyed by Lumity and the Owl House.
Kiritsugu Emiya is a nihilistic man who feels comfortable surrounded by war and death.
Staying in a house with a fairytale and homely atmosphere is strange for him.
Like a Fallout character ends up in My Little Pony.
'I'm seriously thinking about ripping off the Command Seals and throwing him out of the Owl House, maybe into the middle of a lake or a forest full of wolves.' Amity thinks, not liking Emiya's comment.
"Once we finish lunch, I would like you to bring this flying house back to near the Einzbern castle. Illyasviel cannot be involved in this work." Kiritsugu said with a more serious tone than usual, thinking of the good of her daughter.
Luz and Amity exchanged a silent glance with each other, then turned to Kiritsugu.
" No." I answer the two witches at the same time.
" Emiya your idea is terrible." Amity said, against Kiritsugu's proposal.
"The Owl House will go directly to Fuyuki City without stopping, we should arrive in at least two days, at most four." Luz said, doing the math on the spot.
" Can I know why?" Kiritsugu questions, wanting to know why his proposal was rejected.
"Very good, but we can talk about it in the kitchen." Amity said, sensing that there will be a potentially nasty argument.
Luz, Amity and Kiritsugu left the living room, leaving Irisviel, Illyasviel and Artoria to eat.
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Inside the kitchen of the Owl House, the two witches are talking to Kiritsugu.
"I want an explanation as to why you don't want to bring Illya back." She asks Kiritsugu with a serious tone, making efforts to understand what White Caster and Violet Caster want to achieve.
"Normally, I would have no problem leaving a child in a loving home while her parents go on a business trip." She begins to talk about Luz, remembering that she left her children with Eda or another member of her family more times than necessary.
"But the Einzberns don't seem like a loving family to me. You just have to look at Illyasviel to understand that she's not a normal child." Luz said with a bitter expression, showing negative feelings towards the Einzbern family.
"I can't be sure without doing a medical checkup. But I'm sure that Illyasviel's body was heavily modified before and after his birth to maximize the magical circuits in his body." Amity continues, noticing Illyasviel's alterations as he stands next to her and looks at her carefully.
"Iri's family can be described as cold and heartless, but they will honor their agreements.
If I win the Fourth Holy Grail War, Illyasviel will be freed from the influence of the Einzbern." Kiritsugu said, showing awareness of the amoral nature of the Einzbern family and confidence in his victory.
Harming innocents, especially children is one of the few surefire ways to earn the Good Witch's hatred and see her evil side.
"I will win the Fourth Holy Grail War no matter what the cost." Kiritsugu states, not joking in the slightest.
A spark as cold and hard as a sword appeared in Kiritsugu Emiya's empty black eyes.
To achieve victory in this war, the Magus Killer is literally willing to use any dastardly trick, if he had the means, he would probably use a nuclear weapon...
"For once, I can see real emotions on your face." Amity comments, enjoying seeing a sliver of human emotion on Kiritsugu's face.
"Putting aside, our plans for the Holy Grail, we want to help Illyasviel and also Irisviel if she has a design flaw." Amity said, not only wanting the Holy Grail, but also helping her Master's family.
" Corazon that word is offensive, Irisviel is a female homunculus, not a machine." Luz exclaims in a chastising tone, considering the word design flaw a kind of racist insult for life forms born in the laboratory.
"Sorry, I'm just a woman more used to working on machinery than living things." Amity said, apologizing for her unknowing mistake.
"Do you want to help my wife and daughter?" Kiritsugu asks, trying to understand the reason behind the two witches' proposal.
The Magus Killer cannot understand the mentality of White Caster and Violet Caster.
"Wouldn't that be the perfect scenario for you, winning the war with a wife and daughter alive and well." Amity said, putting the possibility of such a future for Kiritsugu Emiya on the table.
"Be able to help Illya and Iri?" Kiritsugu questions in a deadly serious voice.
"By modern standards, you can consider me some kind of magical engineering, while my Good Witch is a Witch Jack of All Trades." Amity said, putting an RPG style tag on herself and Luz.
"However, we have theoretical knowledge and a fair amount of practical experience in caring for people with altered and/or unique bodies." Luz concludes, not wanting to go into the details of how she obtained these abilities.
"As you know so much about fixing and upgrading human bodies, you don't seem like the kind of people who practice such questionable arts." Kiritsugu asks, trying to understand the two eccentric witches better.
The two witches exchanged a silent look again, their expressions are difficult to describe, as if they don't know whether to talk about a taboo or not.
"My best friend has a double origin: Evolution and Metamorphosis." Luz begins to talk about the sensitive topic for the two witches.
Originis the starting point that defines one's existence and directs one's actions throughout life. It is the driving force that comes from within theRootthat has managed to stream out of the Source and take on material form.
The form it can take on at times is that of a human being, and all humans match their actions to be in harmony with the driving force that originated them from the moment they enter into the world.
These actions are more along the lines of an inherent compulsion that could be called a person's instinct rather than a conscious decision.
If a person becomes awakened to their Origin, it becomes nearly impossible to stray from their Origin if it's even possible in the first place.
"This unique origin pushed my friend to continuously improve himself to achieve his goals.
One of his ambitions is to learn and master all the magic in the world." Luz said, introducing more information about her best friend.
"A superb wish typical of a magician. But it is something impossible to achieve." Kiritsugu said, certain that no human could complete such an ambition.
" Try telling that to Belmont. Nothing and no one has ever been able to stop him.
When he reaches a barrier he either overcomes it through study and training, or he alters his body in order to overcome the obstacle." Amity said with a voice full of exasperation towards this Belmont.
" Some of his updates were quite scary, creepy or dangerous.
Such as copying the Concept Core technique of Dorothea, a Dead Apostle or sealing a greater demon of hell into a crystal and inserting it into one's chest as a backup fourth heart and extra source of magical energy." Luz mentions a couple of her friend's experiments what he did to himself.
'Great... White Caster and Violet Caster were close allies of the equivalent of a heretic with Sealing Designations during the time of the Gods.' Kiritsugu thinks, not even wanting to try to imagine what kind of experiments the two witches saw.
"Being around Belmont we learned without wanting to do things like create Frankenstein's Monster and look after children with conditions comparable to Illyasviel's." Amity said with a bitter voice, having a complicated relationship with that person.
"Tell me what exactly do you two have in mind?" Kiritsugu asks, sitting down on a chair, knowing that there will be a long discussion.
Continues ...