Just A Bit Of Mayhem: Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Just like in any war, preparation was the key to success and what better way to do so than to gather supplies. As such, she had taken liberty raiding the family's coffers (after shouting at the old bastard) to do just that.

Sitting in the backseat of one of her family's cars, she hummed a half forgotten tune as the castle's butler drove her and her servant to the nearby town. The car they used wasn't one of the faster ones in the garage, being the one used by their butler when he went out to pick up supplies that the castle simply couldn't make on its own, but it'll do.

She actually found the sedate speed soothing. What's more, it allowed her to enjoy the view. Looking up from her college chemistry textbook, she saw the rustic countryside of rural germany. Blanketed by snow, the large pastures and rolling hills were a picturesque sight. It was just as lovely as she remembered it.

As she reminisced on some old memories she all but forgotten, her servant cleared her throat, catching her attention. Turning, she found the woman squirming in her seat. "Master…"

"Yes Archer?" She asked as she closed the book.

Now normally, she would have dragged Sella and Leysritt for this incursion, but they were busy at the moment packing for her trip to Fuyuki. In their steed, she took Atalanta with her. Not only did she have someone pampering her, but her servant could also stretch her legs and acclimate to modern life. Three birds with one stone.

It seems, however, the Argonaut was a bit uneasy about their arrangement. "I know you wished to visit the nearby city to gather supplies and you need someone to watch over you," She whispered as her ears flattened against her head, "But do I really have to wear this?"

Illya struggled not to grin as she watched the girl tug at her skirt. She might have borrowed some of the other Homonculi's uniform and modified it to her liking. Seeing how it turned out, it was well worth the effort. "So cute~"

Giving her a flat look, Atalanta deadpanned, "You're worse than Jason…"

Gasping in mock horror, she replied, "I am not! Your current outfit is absolutely necessary." As her servant kept staring at her, she explained, "Not only would it draw prying eyes away from myself, but it also serves as quite the cute disguise!"

Smoothing out her short skirt, the blonde muttered, "Couldn't I simply astralize and watch over you from a distance? My bow should be swift enough to dispatch any threats."

"You could," Illya nodded, "But who would carry all the things that we're going to buy?" Waving her short arms around, she pointed out, "I have really short arms and they're not good for carrying bags. I blame my grandfather for that." While she was only half homunculi, her grandfather modified her while she grew inside her mother.

Atalanta took a deep breath before sighing as she relented, "As you wish, Master." She was such a good girl. Chuckling, Illya returned to her reading. She had a lot of brushing up to do.

As the pastures and farmland gave way to the urban sprawl of small neighborhoods, she felt a sense of nostalgia wash over her. The town looked so much like the one she grew up in...

Shaking her head of such thoughts, she instructed their driver, "Please drop us off at the nearby supermarket." Daydreaming had to wait. She had a war to win. Stretching, she added, "And treat yourself to one of the cafe's while you wait. We might take a while."

She had always found it weird that the Einzbern had humans serving them when they had Homunculi for just about every occasion, but she appreciated their presence. It made the castle not as cold as it would have been.

Perhaps her family kept them around exactly for that. The natural calculating coldness of an Einzben along with their features made them rather uncanny. Without the Tuner's, her family might have a harder time interacting with the outside world.

Glancing back at her from the rear view mirror, the man flashed her a jovial smile. "Thank you miss, but that won't be necessary. I'd rather much prefer the kitchen's brew of coffee than the sugary concoction they have down here."

"So that's why there's always a missing pastry in the kitchen," She mused with a teasing smile.

"Guilty as charged," The man laughed as they rolled to a stop before their destination, a big supermarket chain that sells wholesale. She was surprised that her family has a membership in Metro of all things, but it was quite fortunate. At least she didn't have to go run around town, trying to get everything she needed.

Stepping out of the car with Atalanta in tow, she asked their driver once more, "Are you sure you don't want anything?"

"No, it's fine," The old man replied, "Just enjoy your shopping, mistress."

Nodding, she skipped off, leaving the man be. She always likes their butler. It was a shame that she'd probably never get to talk to the man again once she left for Fuyuki. She just hoped that he wouldn't miss her as much as she would miss him once she's gone.

Picking up her pace, she stepped inside the large warehouse before breathing in the plastic scent she had missed so much. Shelves upon shelves of products all for her to buy. "There's so many…" Atalanta whispered as she gazed around, eyes wide in wonder.

"The wonders of the modern age," She giggled. Despite the mystical wonders that humanity has lost throughout the ages, many modern ones replaced it. Right now, they stood in the midst of one of modern humanity's greatest achievements. "Produce from across the globe at our fingertips and at a cheap price!"

Grabbing a fruit from one of the displays, she tossed it over her partner, "Here catch,"

"Is this an Orange?" The catgirl replied as she took a sniff, "It seems so fresh as well."

"Would you believe that one was grown from the other side of the world," She asked as the Greek heroine looked at her in disbelief, "I believe that one was grown in Brazil?"

Eyes scanning the isle, she smiled as she found what she was looking for; The gardening section. Running ahead, she told her, "Why don't you grab a cart and browse around? Just grab whatever you want. Grandfather will pay for it!"
Startled, the girl quickly grabbed a cart and ran after her, "Master, wait!"

-x-x-x-

In the end, her servant stuck close, refusing to leave her side. She had hoped that the allure of sweets would distract the servant, but her sense of duty was far too great for that. At least she wasn't getting flustered from all the attention she drew as both of them browsed through the various products on display.

"Humanity really has gone a long way since my time," Atalanta noted with a smile as she lifted up a pack of chocolates Illya grabbed for her, "Medea would have loved this place."

"Then we better bring her here once we find her," She replied before stopping at the fertilizer section. Medea had always fascinated her. Underneath all that anger and grief was a truly sweet woman. She hoped that she could find some common grounds with her.

"Master," Atalanta replied, lips pursed as a look of uncertainty graced her face, "Are you sure she'd be summoned for this war. What if another Argonaut shows up? What then…"

"I…" Illya replied, pausing briefly as she frowned, "I have considered the possibility that she might not be the one summoned for this war."

It wasn't too hard to think of such a scenario given all that had happened. With all the changes she made on her, who knows what she'd find in the battlefield. If only the Einzbern weren't so insular. Life would have been so much easier if she knew what the master of Caster would summon.

Humming, she grimaced, "If we don't summon her, we might be in a bit of trouble." She was the one servant she knew she could pouch early. Not only was she powerful, being from the Age of Gods, but also quite versatile with a wide range of expertise. "We need her if we want to clean up the grail or at least someone as good as her."

"Without her, my plan just falls apart," Illya sighed as she ran her fingers across her hair.

She was leaving so much of her plan to chance, but that was all they had, a chance. So long as she had that chance, she was still going to keep fighting. She just had to adjust on the fly. "Don't worry though, if she doesn't get summoned then we can always turn to Plan B!"

"And that would be?" Atalanta asked as she raised a brow.

"Starting things off with a bang off course!" She replied as she found what she was looking for, a bag of nitrate rich chemical fertilizers. "Now help me load up these bags of fertilizers. I need to purify them before we go to Fuyuki!"