Fate/Off the Rails (and onto hiatus again)

OOC: I should really get a beta reader. Any of you guys interested?

[X] "Come on guys, let figure this stuff later after we get to stop Rin from kicking the poor tree and calm down enough to make a gameplan at Luvia's place." I said to everyone. "It's first thing in the morning and already things are getting complicated."

"I agree. Shirou, we'll have this talk later. Assassin, is it okay if you go and inform uh... Luvia was it? Shirou spoke of her but I don't know much about her, partly why I'm asking you this. Is it fine if you alert her about about our coming?"

"Sure, I have the best chance of getting to her."

Lancer nodded in response. "For now I shall be under taking the complicated task of... actually Shirou I would very much like your help in this." The young amateur magus sighed to himself as he followed the Lancer in black towards the raging storm that surrounded the tree. Being a hero is hard work.

Leaving both of them to the highly delicate task of managing Rin's anger issues. I enter back into my presence concealment before floating over to the hidden Edelfelt Mansion. It was mostly a quiet trip though I was able to check the state of the Matou home. It was hidden by an illusion based barrier but I could see it, one big hole right in the front entrance and another one through the ceiling. I could spy on them but I don't have that luxury right now. Besides after that fight with Saber (Einzbern Saber I guess) they'll most likely be on high alert.

After some time I found the Edefelt Mansion and floated down to the front door. Materializing once more I knocked on the door and waited for a bit. I was greeted with the door suddenly slamming open and the barrel of a musket pointed right down on my cute little forehead. "Hah! Seems like you have found us but tremble for it's... wait... that presence... is that you Assassin? Why do you look so short and pale all of a sudden and what's with the hood?"

I gave her a sly smile. "Oh nothing, just setting up a joke."

She gave me an odd look but shrugged it off. "Sure... I guess... But I we're on edge right now and Luvia's dealing with a relative of hers... Ha, 400 hundred years and politics hasn't changed one bit."

"Oh dear. From what I can gather, the practitioners of this age are still as full of themselves as they've always been."

"She'll manage. Take it from me, I had to deal with dissenters and the Elders of the Oda clan back in my reign." She puffed out her chest, an aura of pride and ego emanating from her.

"I'll take your word then. If Luvia's busy, then'll talk to the house servants."

"What for?"

"My master and her newfound companion are making their way here for a meeting of their own."

"A war meeting then huh? Sounds good, come in the mansion. I'll call down a servant."

After entering and closing the door behind me, Archer cleared her throat and called out. "Servant! Come forth so we may"

A bespectacled old man with graying old hair in a butler uniform came over with an annoyed expression. "I have a name you know, it's Auguste. Now what have you come and called me down for?"

"This servant and her master are coming over for a meeting. Set up the living room with tea, a map, and snacks if we're feeling famished."

"I shall do so, not because I abide by you but because of my duty as a butler."

Archer leaned over to me. "He's loyal servant that one. Probably willing to die for her if she commands it but he has no respect for me. Come on, we'll exchange some information at the livng room."

We both sat across from each other on expensive looking couches. She reveals that there are some back at Europe who feel that they would make a better contender for the holy grail then her. She disagrees. Basic politics. I talked to her about what had happened at the Church. "There's more to this plot then we thought. Extra servants being summoned for some odd reason... Tell me Assassin, as one who claims to be able to be summoned in the Caster class, tell me. How would the out of control leylines relate to all of this?"

I thought to myself a bit, I may not exactly as much of a magical genius as I should be but I do know a bit about how this all works. "Maybe there's an excess of prana of some sort."

"Excess?"

"You see, as far as I can tell. We servants aren't exactly being fueled by our masters. The prana they feed us are more or less anchors that keep us in this world. It's the Grail, the source of our being that's really taking the bulk of it by sustaining our existence."

"Can you, if you may, elaborate how all this relates to excess?"

"Well..." I thought some more to myself. "So how about this, what the grail does is that it pulls inferior, simplified copies of people from the Throne of Heroes. It can't exactly pull a hero outright in its full glory so the servant class, specialized containers, are used instead. The thing is that even inferior copies take lots of prana to sustain so thus seven are, as far as I know, about as much as the grail can handle."

"Wait, go back a bit. What's this about being an inferior copy?"

"Nah, later."

"But-"

"Anyways, continuing on. The fact that there are more than seven servants being summoned means that the grail is getting a lot of prana from somewhere and is able to sustain more servants. That or..."

"Or?"

"Well, there's always the chance that the grail always had that much prana and the guys who decided to make this ritual simply just capped it off at 7." I gave a shrug. "That's about as far as I know."

"So you don't exactly know?"

"Just some theories that I forwarded."

"Then what? We don't know?"

"Well unless we can go and open up the grail ourselves then we'll never know."

"Nothing huh? Oh hey the Tohsaka girl is here."

"I have a name you know." It seems she had gotten way into her kicking as she was being carried by Lancer. Her leg being held carefully. "That butler at the door was far more nicer then you. He and Shirou went off to grab a first aid."

"Seriously, that butler has something against me... What's with your leg?"

She looked away blushing as Lancer laid her across a couch. "I just... needed to lay off some steam."

"Oh? That's all huh? Take my advice and go torture someone, that'll help cool your head off."

"Hey what kind of... oh right Japan's most infamous military tactician. Sometimes that just... why can't you be like the gruff scary man that historians kept saying you were. I just can't take you seriously like... Oh I'm just getting worked up all over again."

"Hey it's not my fault that the scribes were so lowly and cowardly that they slander me like this."

"I'm back with the first aid madam. Please hold still while I apply a special ointment for accidents such as these. The mistress had trouble like this when she was more younger and naive though they do crop up every once in a while. Mind holding her leg Mister?"

"Shirou, just call me Shirou."

"Very well. Please hold her leg Mister Shirou." Simply giving a small sigh, he used his good hand to hold Rin's leg still. "Lancer was it? Hold her down tightly, you too young man."

"Wait, why're you telling them to hold me tightly?"

"Oh nothing miss." Wearing a pair of leather gloves with gems encrusted into them. He spread a bit of green goop on one of his palm. After taking off off both her shoe and her very long stocking he started smearing it across her legs. "It's just going to burn a lot."

"Burn a lot? Wait, wait, wait that's- HOT! HOT! HOT!"

"Don't worry miss it'll only last for 5 seconds. After that you'll feel it start to cool down and whoa!" Shriou lost his grip as Rin reflexively threw her leg upwards. "In hindsight, it may have been a mistake to ask a man still healing from his wounds to hold someone down with his only good arm."

"HOT! HOT Hot... Oh... that's better..." She laid her leg down as the goop started turning a shade of blue. "What is this cream anyway? It felt like I dipped my leg into a volcano."

"That's a bit of a secret." He said with a small smile. "Now then, let me wrap this bandage around it and... you should be good now. Give it about three hours and it should be all well. You can move it but please make sure not to flow any prana through that leg of yours in that duration. Now then, is there anything you'll be wanting?"

"Tea if you have any."

"Alright then. I go prepare some. Oh, I do believe the mistress should be coming in about 10 minutes. I know my mistress well and there's only so much you can spend bickering with your family members before you quit." He left us to our devices after that.

"So Rin, since you're here now. Feeling like sharing what happened at the Church?"

"I'll do it when Edelfelt gets down. Besides I need some time to sort things in my mind before I can say my piece." She looked off somewhere as she tapped on her chin. "Maybe I should get a butler of my own after all of this... though I don't have enough money for that..."

Maybe I should do some thinking of my own. When Luvia gets down I should try direct the discussion to...

[] The possibility of checking the Grail

[] The dangers of extra servants

[] Talk about our growing alliance

[] Write in

[X] The possibility of checking the Grail
-[X] "So I think we can all agree that when a magical artifact of great power starts doing things it isn't supposed to be doing, it might be a good idea to check why it's doing so before it gets any worse."
-[X] "Rin your family helped set it up, you wouldn't happen to have some blueprints laying around that we can have a look at?"

It didn't take long before Luvia came back into the room. She was dressed in her expensive blue dress but judging by her grumpy expression, strands of hair poking out of her elaborately styled hair. "The nerve of her. Claiming my exhausted state is a sign of weakness. Doesn't she know that everyone gets tired? Besides Archer is such a glutton, burning through so much of my prana just to let her fight."

"Please mistress," said the maid following close behind her. "You are very much worked up and we have guests here. Please conduct yourself in a better manner, even if those twins were being rude."

"Thank you for the advice dear. It's nice to know that I have such wonderful servants."

"I live to serve."

"Now then. I believe you wanted to talk to me, that and I see that the young man from last night is a master now? Why this war keeps surprising me at every turn."

"Uh... Hi miss Luvia. Sorry to barge in here but we could really use your help. Oh I almost forgot, this is Lancer." The girl in black simply gave a small bow.

"Well, even your servant is well behaved. Though I will say I can't seem to figure out which mythology she's from, Ireland? Germany? I simply can't put my fingers on it."

"Even I don't know." Shirou added to the conversation.

"Yes I do understand that... wait. Even you don't know?"

"My master is greatly inexperience. For the best chance of his survival I choose not to tell him my true name in case of hypnosis or mind reading. I hope you understand."

"My it's the exact opposite of my problem. Archer can't help but tell everybody her name. Isn't that right?" She gave a deep glare to the archer mentioned. She merely shrugged.

"I can't help being the most recognizable servant in this war. It's simply part of my nature as the Demon King."

"Yes, you been telling me that for about... Margaret dear how many times has she told me that explanation?"

"About 83 times, give or take."

"Give or take? I thought you had perfect memory?"

"I'm sorry but that one time one of your cousins had um... a little temper tantrum and I was force to deal with him."

"Oh that manchild? Please don't speak of him, I had enough family matters for one day." She said before sitting on the couch opposite to Rin.

"Does that mean our second meeting is starting now?"

"Yes, it has. Besides anything to take my mind off of family matters. Anyways, first things first what has happened to your leg?"

"Oh that? Your butler helped fixed it up but if you were asking how it got hurt well... I may have kicked a tree a few too many times while I reinforced my leg..." She looked away blushing.

"Oh? What made you so mad as to assault a poor defenseless tree?"

"Oh nothing, just this entire war's basically gone down the drain."

"The drain? Do tell."

"I went to see the Oversseer. There were two other masters there, one's from Atlas and the other's a first generation magus as far as I can tell."

"Atlas? Oh dear this situation is getting more complex by the minute. Also what's this about a first generation magus?"

"She's a lot like Shirou's situation. A person, who's born with mutations allowing them the use of magic circuits. I don't know much about her capabilities but she's near death. New strain of tuberculosis, the only thing keeping her alive is a mystic code of sorts. It's suppressing and slowing down her illness and keeping it from spreading but... to be honest I'm not sure how much she has left to live."

"Hmm, quite the sob story isn't it? But that doesn't really relate to anything."

"No, but she does have a Saber."

"Yes that is... wait. Scroll back a moment, what was that?"

"While we were getting here. I talked to Shirou and Lancer for a bit, seems like Assassin met one when she offered to cure the girl."

"Oh? Are you sure it wasn't a fake?"

"Lancer said that Assassin also thought of that as well. It's more accurate to say that she 'claims' to be a Saber."

"Hmmm... Anything else?"

"Well, real or not Kirei at least confirmed the summoning of extra servants."

She raised an eyebrow at that. "Extra servants? This war simply refuses to be simple does it?"

Rin gave a sigh. "I wish it was simpler too."

"So I think we can all agree that when a magical artifact of great power starts doing things it isn't supposed to be doing, it might be a good idea to check why it's doing so before it gets any worse." I interjected. "Rin your family helped set it up, you wouldn't happen to have some blueprints laying around that we can have a look at?"

"Normal I would refuse to share Tohsaka secrets... I don't think I can afford to be so secretive do I?"

"If the grail and the leyline distortion are related, I think your family problems won't stop there."

"I guess I can share the designs and notes of the grail with you. Though..."

"Hey Rin, what's wrong?" Shirou asked.

"Oh it's just that... I feel like if the grail's malfunctioning... well maybe do you think we'll have to decommission it?"

"I don't see why not? It has been nothing but a failure of a ritual, four attempts and yet no winner. Makes you think huh?" Shirou was looking downwards now. My best guess was that he's thinking about something but I wasn't sure of what. "Are you perhaps feeling like all your family's work was for naught perhaps?"
I think we should scrap it. It's what caused the fire all those years after all...
"..." Things got pretty silent after that. We just sat there, thinking of all sorts of things. Lancer was gazing out a window, same for Archer, perhaps they were looking out for any danger? Shirou was sitting beside Rin, his gaze never leaving the floor. Rin was moving her bandaged, checking how well her leg was, I think she preparing to go over to her mansion to grab all the notes about the grail. Luvia was simply drinking her tea as her maid was fixing her hair, brushing out everything that was sticking out.

It was later the butler came back but this time he was carrying a platter of biscuits and a pot of tea with a few cups already filled. "It seems that everyone here is all strung up. I wish I could suggest that we all go out for a nice break but this war offers no time for self indulgence does it?"

"Nonsense Auguste, your tea is always enough for me loosen my nerves." She said, taking a fresh cup and started sipping from it.

"You give me too much praise."

"Oh so humble. Margaret, how's my hair?"

"Just started braiding it mistress."

"Oh good. Now then, are you going now to grab your family's research notes Miss Tohsaka?"

"Yeah, I'll be back in a few. Hey Shirou mind if I barrow your Lancer for a bit?"

"Oh, but Tohsaka don't you have Assassin?"

"Well..." She glanced in my general direction. "She isn't exactly what you call a combat based Servant."

I waved it off. "I'm fine with it. Besides you're right, Assassins like me suck as bodyguards when compared to the other servant classes. Really the actual question is if Lancer's okay with it."

"I'm fine with it. As long as Shirou stays here, it's hard to guard two people."

"Well..." Shirou looked at his broken arm. You could really tell he's frustrated with himself. "I think that's okay. Just watch yourselves."

"Come on Emiya, it's only for a short trip to my house which really isn't that far off. Sometimes I think you worry too much." She left along with Lancer. While they're getting the stuff we need, maybe I should do something while we wait...

[] Chat with Luvia
-[] About what?

[] Chat with Shirou
-[] About what?

[] Chat with Archer
-[] About what?

[] Chat with the Servants
-[] About what?

[] TIME TO SCIENCE MAGIC! IN PRIVATE! IF LUVIA HAS A SPARE ROOM!
-[] Mess around with potions
-[] Prepare some Rin Natsui Kinoko disguises
-[] Read up on some spells.
-[] Write in

[] Write in