Arthur Tries To Fly

                                    

                                          


                          
When I next woke up, I felt like I had been beaten up in a massive Holy Grail War...
                          
Wait a minute.. That DID happen!!
                          
Anyways, I was on the couch back inside the Emporium.. and Grover was standing nearby, thankfully NOT stone.. Sakura was patting a wet towel over my head and Annabeth was standing over me, her arms folded like she was about to scold me.
                          
"Don't.. please.." I muttered to Annabeth.
                          
"Don't what?" said Annabeth, raising an eyebrow. 
                          
"Say whatever you were going to say just now."I said. 
                          
Annabeth sighed, and held up her hands in surrender.  "You may be a king.. but you're also an idiot.."
                          
"Hey! I'm not stone anymore, I'm not arguing." said Grover. "2 more hours as hard rock and I would've been like that forever.. "
                          
"And that wouldn't be suitable now would it darling Satyr?"  A woman wearing a long black turtleneck sweatshirt  and glasses. 
                          
For a moment I didn't recognize her.. then I realized it was Rider in casual clothing. Oddly enough she actually looked a little nice in those clothes..  like a school teacher, the nice kind not the Ms. Dodds kind. 
                          
Her Glasses, if I had to take a guess, were meant to negate the power of her Mystic Eyes, but they had a pleasant book worm appearance. 
                          
"I find it quite odd you know.. you and I used to be rivals back in the day, but here you are.. saving me now.." said Rider.
                          
"We were Rivals?" I muttered.
                          
"Oh my, you should have amnesia more often." said Rider. "You should've seen yourself.. honestly, Freeloading off that Shirou boy while I myself was the only one decent enough to get an actual working job.. "
                          
"Really.. Rider-san.. don't tease Saber.. not after what she did for us..?"
                          
"Yeah.. still don't understand that part.. WHAT did she do for you?" said Annabeth, looking at Rider with an expression of extreme mistrust. 
                          
"She broke the curse." said Rider, rolling up her sleeve and showing her healing burn mark. "Excalibur's magic it seems is stronger than the bonds of the curse.. I had no idea such a blunt method would work... Sakura is no longer stuck as an immortal, she can age, fall in love.. grow old.. without having to worry about me.. and my desire to kill for the Grail no longer drives me.. we are free."
                          
"How did you know that would work!?" stammered Grover, looking at me.
                          
"I didn't.. honestly it was just instinct that I tried it.." I murmured. 
                          
"Either way.. the Saber I knew would've known to show no mercy, she would've chosen the wise path and killed me when she had the chance." said Rider. "Why did you spare me?"
                          
"It is Zeus who deserves to be punished.. not you.." I whispered. "Why else?"
                          
Rider nodded, she looked at Annabeth. "No offense to your mother, dear child.. but I have many a reason to hate Athena.. and the gods.. Poseidon is the only god who ever held my endearment.. it is for that reason that he allowed Pegasus to be the catalyst for my Noble Phantasm."
                          
Athena looked away, scowling. "I know the story.. Poseidon and you were caught making out.. in MY MOTHER'S temple.. that's why you were turned into a Gorgon.. "
                          
I felt after all that happened, this attitude was a bit uncalled for, I opened my mouth to reproach Annabeth, but Rider nodded. "Yes.. it was in part my fault as well.. I should've remembered that Poseidon and Athena's rivalry was great before taking part in.. well.. that.. "