I apologize in advance for my poor writing skills, and for the fact that this is my first quest...
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Confringentur, a PMMM/Fate Quest and Communication
- Thread starter Astra Myst
- Start date
- Crossover
- Created
- Status
- Ongoing
- Watchers
- 202
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- Threadmarks
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Statistics (238 threadmarks, 250k words)
User Total Astra Myst 4 SVS 234 -
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Parse 1
Astra Myst
Do you want a wish?
- Location
- Milky Way Galaxy
- Pronouns
- Femhon/Boymoder
In the ruins of Mitakihara City. A pink haired girl with twin tails clad in a school uniform stood. The girl stands watching as her last living friend struggles to save her.
She has learned everything, the magical girl system, Incubators, Homura's Wish...
"If you want to save her, make a contract with me and become a magical girl" The wretched little bunnycat-like thing said
Madoka Kaname gathered her resolve and wished
"I wish Homura-chan always has help!"
Atop a hill of blades a tanned, white haired man stood. He wears a black skintight sleeveless shirt, over that is a coat that has been cut to show his upper torso and ends on his mid thigh. He also wears black trousers and metal plated boots
He sensed something, a call... not a call to fight for the holy grail, but a call nonetheless.
He answered.
On a hospital bed a girl with long, silky black hair done in twin braids and purple eyes clad in a hospital gown woke up.
On the back of her right hand are three distinct markings reminiscent of an hourglass and beside her bed is a tanned, white haired man.
"I am servant Archer, I ask of you, are you my master?"
[?] Write in
Rules:
- Each member gets one post to send to both Homura and EMIYA, if there is a mistake or you wish to add information, edit your post.
- You must have three likes or more for your post to be classified as a message
- Each member must pick a color if said post to be classified as a message
--For example:
- Posts from the QM does not require three likes
We have A new QM now! Go to page 4!
Last edited:
Parse 2
Astra Myst
Do you want a wish?
- Location
- Milky Way Galaxy
- Pronouns
- Femhon/Boymoder
"What" They both said
After a few minutes they replied with silence
"Did you hear that as well?" The girl asks
"Yes and you still hasn't answered the question, are you my master?"
"Do these markings have anything to do with it?"
"Yes, you are my master"
"Another one" Homura said.
"This one appears to have a verbal tic"
What followed is a strange yet somehow natural silence.
"We have a name for these voices now. And it appears that these voices are... idealistic in nature" Archer said
Homura replied with only a nod and a small grunt
EMIYA raises his eyebrows and asks "You're a magical girl?"
"You're a superhero?"
"No"
"Still, it appears that this 'Sufficient Velocity' is watching over us; and others. And that you could reverse time"
"And you could make these 'Broken Phantasms'. What are these?"
"To put it very simply; exploding weapons."
"They will be useful"
"For dealing with these bunny creatures?"
"No, a simple gun can deal with them."
"Then what will they be used for?"
"Killing witches"
"I thought you kill those with the power of love" He said, sarcasm dripping out of his voice
"No, we kill them with violence"
"That, is much more easier"
"Can you confirm this?"
"What they said is true, but what is that 'I am the bone of my salt' thing?"
"A mockery of my incantation"
Homura replied with a raised eyebrow and nothing else
"What shall be our next course of action, master?"
"I will be released from the hospital two days from now. I believe getting to know of each other's abilities will be beneficiary"
"I agree"
[?] Write-in
I apologize if the characters conversations seemed barebones, forced, unorganic, or unnatural or OOC and if my characterisations seems a bit... off
Regarding Archer's tracing
Astra Myst
Do you want a wish?
- Location
- Milky Way Galaxy
- Pronouns
- Femhon/Boymoder
Ok, while Archer can trace weapons we send him. Our connection is going to make things a bit... tricky.
For one videos and pictures are usually taken through a camera. And you don't share memories with a camera. If the video or picture is taken through someone's eyes or at least the perspective of someone. However it's perfectly fine.
But! If you do send archer something through photo and video, Archer will complete step 1, 2, and 4 of tracing. Whether he completes step 3 and 7 is conditional on the weapon you send him. For 5 and 6 you will have to help give him at least a bit of context on the weapon, the more the better.
For example if I am to send him the spear of Longinus from Evangelion, I would have to tell him what it is, what it's made out of, How it's made, and give him a description of things from the perspective of the spear. Added with a picture or video.
Is this a bit complicated or should I just give a yes or no answer to you edboy?
For one videos and pictures are usually taken through a camera. And you don't share memories with a camera. If the video or picture is taken through someone's eyes or at least the perspective of someone. However it's perfectly fine.
But! If you do send archer something through photo and video, Archer will complete step 1, 2, and 4 of tracing. Whether he completes step 3 and 7 is conditional on the weapon you send him. For 5 and 6 you will have to help give him at least a bit of context on the weapon, the more the better.
For example if I am to send him the spear of Longinus from Evangelion, I would have to tell him what it is, what it's made out of, How it's made, and give him a description of things from the perspective of the spear. Added with a picture or video.
Is this a bit complicated or should I just give a yes or no answer to you edboy?
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Parse 3
Astra Myst
Do you want a wish?
- Location
- Milky Way Galaxy
- Pronouns
- Femhon/Boymoder
"So, what can you do other than those Broken Phantasms of yours?"
"I can copy weapons, including magical ones at will"
"Is there a limit?"
"Yes, how much prana I have"
"Prana?"
"Prana, magical energy"
Suddenly a knock can be heard through the room
"Akemi-san? It's your food" A nurse said through the door
"Hide"
And with that Archer dissapeared without a trace
"Come in" Homura says channeling as much moe as possible, which is quite a lot.
"Here is your food"
"Thanks"
"So you can sound like a little girl"
"What, how are-
"All servants can become incorporeal, however in this form I can only sense through your senses and of course telepathy between Servant and Master"
"I see"
"Akemi-san, Akemi-san"
"S-sorry, what?"
"Don't worry, I was saying that your daily check up is in a few hours at Doctor Suzukawa's office"
"Okay, thank you for reminding me"
"No problem, call me when you need anything" she said before leaving the room
"Anything else worth mentioning?"
"I can create a dimension with an infinite amount of swords and other weapons I've copied over the years"
"Do they include firearms?"
"No, but enough about me; what can you do other than time travel"
"I can stop time, whatever I touch excluding the ground can move within stopped time. The limit depends on how dark my soul gem and how many grief seeds I have, The longer I keep it; the darker my soul gem"
"One, what is a grief seed. Two, what happens when your soul gem is completely dark. And three, anything else?"
"In order, a grief seed are what Magical Girls use so their soul gem is bright again; I become a witch and finally I have a hammerspace mostly filled with firearms and explosives"
"Up to what calibre?"
"Depends on what I have at the time, what is your range?"
"Four Kilometers"
"Why?" They thought at the same time
"They're back, but can they hear us?"
"Presumably"
"But it appears that we either need to eliminate these Incubators or achieve a better magical girl system"
"A long term goal for now"
"And short term?"
"Survival and noncontract of Kaname Madoka and the defeat of Walpurgisnacht"
"It appears that this 'great ax of war' is chaotic, we should listen to him carefully"
"Agreed"
"A new one"
"And it appears that chaos in Sufficient Velocity is rare"
Homura continues to listen in silence
"Madoka wished... for me? Of course she would. She wouldn't be Madoka if she didn't try to help people, the good that did though."
"Ok, so who is Madoka Kaname and what does she have to do with all of this?"
"Her wish is what brought you and Sufficient Velocity here, though I don't know for how long."
"Understood"
"Of course, if you could have solved it; you would've done so immediately. Though what is trace that he mentioned?"
"A name for my ability to copy weapons"
"Good"
"Master, it appears to be the time for your check-up"
"Very Well"
[?]-Write in
I apologize for writing errors
"I can copy weapons, including magical ones at will"
"Is there a limit?"
"Yes, how much prana I have"
"Prana?"
"Prana, magical energy"
Suddenly a knock can be heard through the room
"Akemi-san? It's your food" A nurse said through the door
"Hide"
And with that Archer dissapeared without a trace
"Come in" Homura says channeling as much moe as possible, which is quite a lot.
"Here is your food"
"Thanks"
"So you can sound like a little girl"
"What, how are-
"All servants can become incorporeal, however in this form I can only sense through your senses and of course telepathy between Servant and Master"
"I see"
"Akemi-san, Akemi-san"
"S-sorry, what?"
"Don't worry, I was saying that your daily check up is in a few hours at Doctor Suzukawa's office"
"Okay, thank you for reminding me"
"No problem, call me when you need anything" she said before leaving the room
"Anything else worth mentioning?"
"I can create a dimension with an infinite amount of swords and other weapons I've copied over the years"
"Do they include firearms?"
"No, but enough about me; what can you do other than time travel"
"I can stop time, whatever I touch excluding the ground can move within stopped time. The limit depends on how dark my soul gem and how many grief seeds I have, The longer I keep it; the darker my soul gem"
"One, what is a grief seed. Two, what happens when your soul gem is completely dark. And three, anything else?"
"In order, a grief seed are what Magical Girls use so their soul gem is bright again; I become a witch and finally I have a hammerspace mostly filled with firearms and explosives"
"Up to what calibre?"
"Depends on what I have at the time, what is your range?"
"Four Kilometers"
"Why?" They thought at the same time
"They're back, but can they hear us?"
"Presumably"
"But it appears that we either need to eliminate these Incubators or achieve a better magical girl system"
"A long term goal for now"
"And short term?"
"Survival and noncontract of Kaname Madoka and the defeat of Walpurgisnacht"
"It appears that this 'great ax of war' is chaotic, we should listen to him carefully"
"Agreed"
"A new one"
"And it appears that chaos in Sufficient Velocity is rare"
"Pendragon? How does that happen? and rule breaker? Nope, don't have it. And what is this 'Grand Order' you're referring to?
Homura continues to listen in silence
"Madoka wished... for me? Of course she would. She wouldn't be Madoka if she didn't try to help people, the good that did though."
"Ok, so who is Madoka Kaname and what does she have to do with all of this?"
"Her wish is what brought you and Sufficient Velocity here, though I don't know for how long."
"Understood"
"Of course, if you could have solved it; you would've done so immediately. Though what is trace that he mentioned?"
"A name for my ability to copy weapons"
"Good"
"Master, it appears to be the time for your check-up"
"Very Well"
[?]-Write in
I apologize for writing errors
Parse 4
Astra Myst
Do you want a wish?
- Location
- Milky Way Galaxy
- Pronouns
- Femhon/Boymoder
A few hours after her daily check-up she returned to her room.
"Archer"
"Yes, Master?"
"Please explain what exactly is a servant"
"A heroic spirit summoned to fight for the holy grail, under normal circumstances."
"And in this circumstance?"
"The call I received was unclear, it was only to 'help' "
"Then you will do so"
"And if I don't?"
Homura point her index finger to the back of her right hand
"I already know this, and teaching Homura might be difficult; and I don't have Avalon even if I did Saber isn't around so it's inert"
"Why will it be difficult to teach me your magic?"
"Well, for one I don't know how many circuits you have. Two I'm not a good teacher and three, if we're using the method he told; it will be painful"
"I can numb myself"
"How?"
"I do not know, it is instinctual for magical girls"
"I do not know these people" Archer said
[?] Write-in
In hindsight writing this is probably a bad idea.
"Archer"
"Yes, Master?"
"Please explain what exactly is a servant"
"A heroic spirit summoned to fight for the holy grail, under normal circumstances."
"And in this circumstance?"
"The call I received was unclear, it was only to 'help' "
"Then you will do so"
"And if I don't?"
Homura point her index finger to the back of her right hand
"I already know this, and teaching Homura might be difficult; and I don't have Avalon even if I did Saber isn't around so it's inert"
"Why will it be difficult to teach me your magic?"
"Well, for one I don't know how many circuits you have. Two I'm not a good teacher and three, if we're using the method he told; it will be painful"
"I can numb myself"
"How?"
"I do not know, it is instinctual for magical girls"
"I do not know these people" Archer said
[?] Write-in
In hindsight writing this is probably a bad idea.
New Chapter 1
- Location
- Around here
Destruction. The city lay in ruin as morning broke on the first of May, a wasteland of pulverised buildings ringing a crater where once was Japan's shining symbol of modernity. Water from the river that split the city in half slowly drained from its confines, forming shallow pools amid the ocean of shattered concrete and twisted metal. In the center of it, two girls, the only survivors of the living storm that had wrought this devastation. The first, with pink hair held aloft her hands, straining to smile despite the pain that marred her face and wracked her body. Cradled in her embrace was an ornate jewel, a stone whose rose-coloured facets were rapidly being consumed by the blackness within. The second, whose long black hair was tied in a pair of braids, angled a pistol at the jewel with shaking hands. Tears streaked both their cheeks.
"You finally called me by my first name, Homura-chan, " the pinkette said. "I'm so glad."
The bark of that pistol as it fired, and the sound of breaking glass that accompanied the shattering jewel, would haunt the black-haired girl for the rest of her life.
Something stirred, a consciousness among the cosmos. Somewhere, in some long-forgotten corner of time and space, the natural laws of a universe had been rewritten. Not The Universe, but a universe all the same. Tightly woven at the center of that universe, an uncountable number of timelines spiraled out like the threads of a spider's web, each one echoing the vibrations of that universe's fundamental alteration. And so many were these interlaced timelines, that the spirit of the World itself could feel their vibrations.
Once would have been enough to spur action, but what would have been several years for the life of a human was but an uncountable fraction of a second to the World, and for the second time, the threads of that universe vibrated as their fundamental self was altered.
Once would have been enough to spur action. Twice, and the World was resolved to see that even the first was made never to occur. And so the World chose to act.
The hero known in life as Emiya Shirou found his landing broken by a couch. Dusting himself off as he stood, he took a moment to survey his new surroundings. The room in which he had landed was stark white, circular, and given the rather unusual theming of "time". Many colourful couches, curved like fragments of a circle, were arranged in the room's center to form the shape of a clock; while above, pictures of timepieces hung from the ceiling, suspended by nothing as a bladed pendulum swung back and forth.
"Well alright," he said, running a tanned hand through his light grey hair. "Let's see what sort of mess I've gotten myself into this time."
When a minute had passed, or perhaps more, and yet no one had come to investigate, the hero took a few hesitant steps in the direction of what appeared to be a door. "Okay Rin, where are you? Usually you come running as soon as you hear the couch breaking." Nothing. "Rin?" Still nothing. "Damnit Rin, where are you?"
The door opened, but the girl on the other side was not Tohsaka Rin. Rather, she had waist-length black hair, a uniform that was distinctly different from the Homurahara school uniform, and royal blue eyes bearing a coldness that no girl so young should have.
"Well, you're not Rin."
"No, I am not."
[ ] Wat do?
Date:
16 March 2011, shortly after 1230 Tokyo central time.
Major characters:
Akemi Homura - A magical girl with the power to control time.
Archer/Emiya Shirou - A heroic spirit employed by the World.
Major objectives:
Homura- Prevent Kaname Madoka from contracting and becoming a puella magi, defeat the witch known as Walpurgisnacht
Archer- Investigate, identify, and prevent the occurrence of the event that caused a fundamental force of this universe to be twice overwritten
Hello and welcome back everyone, and hopefully you won't mind that we're starting from scratch, but I really needed that fresh start so that I could properly set the tone for the quest to come. Anyway, this quest is much the same as the old one, but there's one slight twist. We're still retaining part of the "conversation" aspect of this quest, but instead of only being able to send messages, you now have a choice- You can either take on the role of Alaya, sending information, messages, memories, and orders to Archer; or you can take on the role of Homura by voting to control her actions as you would in a regular quest. Doing this, I think we can get a much wider spectrum of what it's possible to accomplish.
Hopefully you agree.
"You finally called me by my first name, Homura-chan, " the pinkette said. "I'm so glad."
The bark of that pistol as it fired, and the sound of breaking glass that accompanied the shattering jewel, would haunt the black-haired girl for the rest of her life.
Something stirred, a consciousness among the cosmos. Somewhere, in some long-forgotten corner of time and space, the natural laws of a universe had been rewritten. Not The Universe, but a universe all the same. Tightly woven at the center of that universe, an uncountable number of timelines spiraled out like the threads of a spider's web, each one echoing the vibrations of that universe's fundamental alteration. And so many were these interlaced timelines, that the spirit of the World itself could feel their vibrations.
Once would have been enough to spur action, but what would have been several years for the life of a human was but an uncountable fraction of a second to the World, and for the second time, the threads of that universe vibrated as their fundamental self was altered.
Once would have been enough to spur action. Twice, and the World was resolved to see that even the first was made never to occur. And so the World chose to act.
The hero known in life as Emiya Shirou found his landing broken by a couch. Dusting himself off as he stood, he took a moment to survey his new surroundings. The room in which he had landed was stark white, circular, and given the rather unusual theming of "time". Many colourful couches, curved like fragments of a circle, were arranged in the room's center to form the shape of a clock; while above, pictures of timepieces hung from the ceiling, suspended by nothing as a bladed pendulum swung back and forth.
"Well alright," he said, running a tanned hand through his light grey hair. "Let's see what sort of mess I've gotten myself into this time."
When a minute had passed, or perhaps more, and yet no one had come to investigate, the hero took a few hesitant steps in the direction of what appeared to be a door. "Okay Rin, where are you? Usually you come running as soon as you hear the couch breaking." Nothing. "Rin?" Still nothing. "Damnit Rin, where are you?"
The door opened, but the girl on the other side was not Tohsaka Rin. Rather, she had waist-length black hair, a uniform that was distinctly different from the Homurahara school uniform, and royal blue eyes bearing a coldness that no girl so young should have.
"Well, you're not Rin."
"No, I am not."
[ ] Wat do?
Date:
16 March 2011, shortly after 1230 Tokyo central time.
Major characters:
Akemi Homura - A magical girl with the power to control time.
Archer/Emiya Shirou - A heroic spirit employed by the World.
Major objectives:
Homura- Prevent Kaname Madoka from contracting and becoming a puella magi, defeat the witch known as Walpurgisnacht
Archer- Investigate, identify, and prevent the occurrence of the event that caused a fundamental force of this universe to be twice overwritten
Hello and welcome back everyone, and hopefully you won't mind that we're starting from scratch, but I really needed that fresh start so that I could properly set the tone for the quest to come. Anyway, this quest is much the same as the old one, but there's one slight twist. We're still retaining part of the "conversation" aspect of this quest, but instead of only being able to send messages, you now have a choice- You can either take on the role of Alaya, sending information, messages, memories, and orders to Archer; or you can take on the role of Homura by voting to control her actions as you would in a regular quest. Doing this, I think we can get a much wider spectrum of what it's possible to accomplish.
Hopefully you agree.
Last edited:
Chapter 2
- Location
- Around here
[x] Ask what this stranger is doing in your apartment. Ask for details; your time-honed sense of anomolous-timeline-bullshit is telling you that you should be careful and pay attention to whatever is happening here. Also, your interactions with Kyubey have taught you: you aren't letting anyone get away with "you never asked" or deliberate withholding of important information ever again. (If it becomes applicable: do not go so far as to threaten to burn a command seal on this.)
[x] Senses the man containing an insane level of magical energy. Be extremely cautious. Likely to be an incubators experiment. Try getting him as an ally for WALPURGISNACHT. Each non Madoka body counts.
"Well, you're not Rin."
"No, I am not."
In the eyes of Emiya Shirou, it would have been wrong to say that the girl before him drew a firearm. Rather, it would be more accurate to say that in one second, the girl stood motionless as she faced him down; and in the next, a firearm appeared in her hand, already aimed at him.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Emiya exclaimed, slowly backing away from the girl with the firearm. "Let's just settle down, okay? I don't feel like getting shot on my first day."
'Projection magecraft and instantaneous spellcasting? No, that can't be right; it has to be something else... But what?'
"Who are you?" asked the girl, who Emiya noted had in that same missing instant changed her attire. Her school uniform had vanished, replaced with something else. Now she wore a black shirt, black stockings with violet diamond patterns running down the legs, a pleated lavender-grey skirt with ruffled white trim, and a white tunic with sleeves that terminated at the elbow, with a short lavender-grey shawl draped over her shoulders. "Or rather, what are you? You look like a person, but you're bursting with magic. What are you- Some kind of Incubator experiment? How did you get in my apartment?"
'So, this girl is supposed to be my master, then? I think I'd rather deal with Rin and that idiot. At any rate, it looks like whatever her trauma is, it's more hazardous to my health than to hers.'
"I'm a Servant," he replied. "A heroic spirit summoned from across time and space, to do battle for the Holy Grail." A thumb motioned over his shoulder, pointing to the wreck of one of her many colourful couches upon which he had landed on his way in. "I came in like that. It's a surprisingly common occurrence for me."
The girl eyed him incredulously, her steady hand never once causing her gun to waver. "I don't know the first thing about your 'Holy Grail'. Tell me, who summoned you, and why have you been summoned in my apartment?"
'So, if I have this right- The 'Incubators' are the enemy and this girl is my master, yet she wasn't the one who summoned me nor have I been summoned to fight in a Grail War. And there's a chance of terminating my contract, as well? How very interesting...'
"I do not know who summoned me," that was a lie, but Emiya's face brokered no trace of his deception. Perhaps she wouldn't notice? "However, the Command Seals on your hand clearly mark you as my master all the same."
"Command Seals?"
"Yes, those markings on the back of your hand."
"My Soul Gem?"
"If you mean the jewel on the back of your left hand, then no. Try the other hand."
The girl did so, eying the back of her right hand. Thin red lines traced a shape remarkably similar to her Soul Gem. It was divided into three distinct segments, yet the shape was unmistakably the same as the amethyst jewel adorning the back of her left hand. Slowly, hesitantly, she lowered her firearm, still keeping her distance. In another flash of missing seconds, her strange attire had vanished, returning her to her school uniform, though the firearm still remained tightly in her grasp. Once more, she studied the crimson markings on her hand. "They don't go away... These, 'Command Seals' you called them; what are they? What do they do?"
"Command Seals are the symbols that mark a person's right to command a servant. Contained within them is a tremendous amount of magical energy, enough to force the servant to obey any command he is given."
"And if I were to order you to kill yourself?"
"Well, I hope you wouldn't go that far, miss..."
"Akemi Homura. And what might I call you, servant?"
"Before I answer that, I have one question."
Once more, Homura had leveled her gun in Emiya's direction. "You invade my home, brimming with unknown magic, and yet you expect me to answer your questions? You walk on thin ice, servant. Very well, what is your question?"
"What year is this?"
"How is that relevant?"
"There are some people that I'd rather not run into, so I need to know what year it is so I know whether it's safe to give you my name or not."
"On the run from someone, servant?"
"No; more like 'annoying friend-of-a-friend'."
For a brief moment, the look of hardened steel softened in Homura's gaze, and she lowered her firearm once again. "It seems we have something in common then, servant. Very well; it is two-thousand-eleven."
"Then, miss Akemi, you may call me Archer."
Does Homura
[ ] Trust Archer
[ ] Don't trust Archer
[ ] Ask further questions (be specific)
[ ] Write-in
?
[x] Senses the man containing an insane level of magical energy. Be extremely cautious. Likely to be an incubators experiment. Try getting him as an ally for WALPURGISNACHT. Each non Madoka body counts.
"Well, you're not Rin."
"No, I am not."
In the eyes of Emiya Shirou, it would have been wrong to say that the girl before him drew a firearm. Rather, it would be more accurate to say that in one second, the girl stood motionless as she faced him down; and in the next, a firearm appeared in her hand, already aimed at him.
"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Emiya exclaimed, slowly backing away from the girl with the firearm. "Let's just settle down, okay? I don't feel like getting shot on my first day."
'Projection magecraft and instantaneous spellcasting? No, that can't be right; it has to be something else... But what?'
"Who are you?" asked the girl, who Emiya noted had in that same missing instant changed her attire. Her school uniform had vanished, replaced with something else. Now she wore a black shirt, black stockings with violet diamond patterns running down the legs, a pleated lavender-grey skirt with ruffled white trim, and a white tunic with sleeves that terminated at the elbow, with a short lavender-grey shawl draped over her shoulders. "Or rather, what are you? You look like a person, but you're bursting with magic. What are you- Some kind of Incubator experiment? How did you get in my apartment?"
'So, this girl is supposed to be my master, then? I think I'd rather deal with Rin and that idiot. At any rate, it looks like whatever her trauma is, it's more hazardous to my health than to hers.'
"I'm a Servant," he replied. "A heroic spirit summoned from across time and space, to do battle for the Holy Grail." A thumb motioned over his shoulder, pointing to the wreck of one of her many colourful couches upon which he had landed on his way in. "I came in like that. It's a surprisingly common occurrence for me."
The girl eyed him incredulously, her steady hand never once causing her gun to waver. "I don't know the first thing about your 'Holy Grail'. Tell me, who summoned you, and why have you been summoned in my apartment?"
'So, if I have this right- The 'Incubators' are the enemy and this girl is my master, yet she wasn't the one who summoned me nor have I been summoned to fight in a Grail War. And there's a chance of terminating my contract, as well? How very interesting...'
"I do not know who summoned me," that was a lie, but Emiya's face brokered no trace of his deception. Perhaps she wouldn't notice? "However, the Command Seals on your hand clearly mark you as my master all the same."
"Command Seals?"
"Yes, those markings on the back of your hand."
"My Soul Gem?"
"If you mean the jewel on the back of your left hand, then no. Try the other hand."
The girl did so, eying the back of her right hand. Thin red lines traced a shape remarkably similar to her Soul Gem. It was divided into three distinct segments, yet the shape was unmistakably the same as the amethyst jewel adorning the back of her left hand. Slowly, hesitantly, she lowered her firearm, still keeping her distance. In another flash of missing seconds, her strange attire had vanished, returning her to her school uniform, though the firearm still remained tightly in her grasp. Once more, she studied the crimson markings on her hand. "They don't go away... These, 'Command Seals' you called them; what are they? What do they do?"
"Command Seals are the symbols that mark a person's right to command a servant. Contained within them is a tremendous amount of magical energy, enough to force the servant to obey any command he is given."
"And if I were to order you to kill yourself?"
"Well, I hope you wouldn't go that far, miss..."
"Akemi Homura. And what might I call you, servant?"
"Before I answer that, I have one question."
Once more, Homura had leveled her gun in Emiya's direction. "You invade my home, brimming with unknown magic, and yet you expect me to answer your questions? You walk on thin ice, servant. Very well, what is your question?"
"What year is this?"
"How is that relevant?"
"There are some people that I'd rather not run into, so I need to know what year it is so I know whether it's safe to give you my name or not."
"On the run from someone, servant?"
"No; more like 'annoying friend-of-a-friend'."
For a brief moment, the look of hardened steel softened in Homura's gaze, and she lowered her firearm once again. "It seems we have something in common then, servant. Very well; it is two-thousand-eleven."
"Then, miss Akemi, you may call me Archer."
Does Homura
[ ] Trust Archer
[ ] Don't trust Archer
[ ] Ask further questions (be specific)
[ ] Write-in
?
Last edited:
Chapter 3
- Location
- Around here
[x] Ask further questions (be specific)
-[x] Ask him to explain this "battle for the Holy Grail"; you've seen anomalous loops before, and if this is one of them, any chance to gather some information about it before it becomes a problem for you is invaluable. You need to know what you might be getting involved in, and how it might endanger Madoka.
-[x] Who is this "Rin" he was expecting, and why was he expecting her? The "Usually you come running as soon as you hear the couch breaking" that you overheard, combined with his request for the year, gives you the sneaking suspicion that he might be engaged in some sort of time looping of his own, but you'd like to see if he confirms this suspicion, or what he tells you if he doesn't.
-[x] You've already spilled some hints as to your own time traveling; if he is a time traveller himself, Archer may well be able to guess about you. Whether you find this Archer trustworthy or not, keep any discussion of your own time travel short, and within timestop; it's not something Kyubey should know, and you can never be sure it's not watching. Better that Archer knows it's a topic that should not be discussed or speculated about in a potentially insecure setting.
"Then, miss Akemi, you may call me Archer."
Homura stared at Archer, suspicion still dancing across the glassy plains of her eyes. "I don't know whether I trust you just yet" she said, sidestepping her crimson-clad servant and making her way towards the ruins of her couch. "However, for the moment it appears that we can at least be cooperative."
"Well, you not having a reason to point a gun at me would be as good a place to start as any."
'Just because I can take it doesn't mean I want to be shot.'
"Yes..." There were still more missing seconds, and the firearm, as well as the remains of the broken couch, now were nowhere to be seen. Homura's eyes glanced down at her Command Seals for but a moment as she took a seat on one of the many untouched couches. "You were a fool to reveal your weakness to me, Archer. Should I have any reason to suspect that you are untrustworthy, that small handgun will be the least of your problems."
The implications were painfully obvious.
"I do still have a few questions I would like to ask you, now that we're attempting to be civil. You called out for a 'Rin'; who was she? Why did you assume she would come at the sound of you breaking my couch?"
For a heroic spirit, time has no meaning, and though to the rest of the world it was many years ago, Archer could still picture that girl like it was yesterday. Long, wavy hair the colour of dark chocolate tied into twintails, eyes as clear a blue as the sky above the ocean, and a fiery temper to match her favourite red turtleneck. A smile passed over Archer's lips. "She was my master in three previous Grail Wars," he said, taking his own seat on one of Homura's many couches. "Or rather, she was my master in my only Grail War, all three times in which I fought. And, each time she summoned me to fight I somehow managed to stick the landing just enough to break her couch, every time."
"What is a 'Grail War'? Earlier, you mentioned a 'Holy Grail'; are the two related?"
"Indeed. The Holy Grail War is a ritual conducted by powerful mages. Seven mages summon seven servants to do battle, with the winner being granted the right to make a wish on the Holy Grail, an omnipotent wish-granting device."
"You said that Rin summoned you three times in the same war. Do these wars regularly last long enough that servants see themselves killed and re-summoned multiple times?"
"Have you ever seen the movie 'Groundhog Day'?"
"No."
"For a heroic spirit, time has no meaning. It's entirely possible that a servant could be summoned to fight in a Grail War, only to find that the next time they are summoned is nothing more than a repeat of that same Grail War in another timeline. When I said that Rin summoned me three times, I meant just that. On three instances I was summoned to fight in-"
Archer's words were interrupted when Homura grabbed him by the wrist as that look of hardened steel returning to her eyes. Beyond her, the world had turned to grey, and the swaying of the pendulum had ceased mid-swing.
"You are not to make another mention of the existence of any other timeline but this one," she said, tightening her grip, as the sigils that adorned her hand burned with crimson light. "Do I make myself clear, or do I need to use my Command Seal to compel you to obey?"
"I take it we're more alike than I initially thought, miss Akemi," replied Archer, meeting her gaze with his own. "You have my word."
Homura was silent, committing to word neither a confirmation nor a refutation of Archer's statement. The sigils on her hand ceased their fiery glow, and she released her iron grip on his wrist. Colour returned to the world, and once more the pendulum took up its sway.
"So, because Rin summoned you three times in the past, you expected that she would have been the one to summon you a fourth time. Is that correct?"
"And every time she summoned me, I broke her couch, yes."
"And can I assume that Rin is also the reason you asked for the current year?"
"Yes. That annoying friend-of-a-friend I spoke about? He... At least once, he was someone that Rin loved. Personally, I found him stubborn and annoying. Fortunately, if seven years really have passed since the last time I was summoned, I won't have to worry about seeing him ever again."
"Dead?"
"No, worse. He's in some far-off corner of the world, continuing to be stubborn and annoying."
A thin, wiry smile snaked its way across Homura's lips, for the first time in what to her must have felt like an eternity. "Perhaps you're right, Archer. We really are more alike than we seem."
Homura's response elicited a deep laugh from Archer. "Got a stubborn and annoying friend-of-a-friend of your own, I take it?"
Homura nodded. "I have one more question to ask. You said that servants are summoned to fight in Grail Wars. You are a servant that has been summoned. What are the chances that there will be another Grail War in the immediate future?"
"None," Archer replied. "The Grail was destroyed seven years ago. My master was instrumental in its destruction. There will never be another Holy Grail War."
"Why was it destroyed?"
"The Grail had become corrupted by a malevolent intelligence, twisting any wish made on it and bringing only ruin to those who would wish upon it."
"Most wishes bring only ruin, regardless of any malevolence behind their granting."
"You have some experience with this sort of thing, I take it. Are you perhaps a magus yourself?"
Does Homura
[ ] Trust Archer
[ ] Not trust Archer
[ ] Trust Archer enough to talk about the puella magi system
[ ] Write-in
?
NEW
Minor character unlocked!
Tohsaka Rin - A powerful magus and the master of Archer during the events of the Holy Grail War of 2004. Her whereabouts are currently unknown.
-[x] Ask him to explain this "battle for the Holy Grail"; you've seen anomalous loops before, and if this is one of them, any chance to gather some information about it before it becomes a problem for you is invaluable. You need to know what you might be getting involved in, and how it might endanger Madoka.
-[x] Who is this "Rin" he was expecting, and why was he expecting her? The "Usually you come running as soon as you hear the couch breaking" that you overheard, combined with his request for the year, gives you the sneaking suspicion that he might be engaged in some sort of time looping of his own, but you'd like to see if he confirms this suspicion, or what he tells you if he doesn't.
-[x] You've already spilled some hints as to your own time traveling; if he is a time traveller himself, Archer may well be able to guess about you. Whether you find this Archer trustworthy or not, keep any discussion of your own time travel short, and within timestop; it's not something Kyubey should know, and you can never be sure it's not watching. Better that Archer knows it's a topic that should not be discussed or speculated about in a potentially insecure setting.
"Then, miss Akemi, you may call me Archer."
Homura stared at Archer, suspicion still dancing across the glassy plains of her eyes. "I don't know whether I trust you just yet" she said, sidestepping her crimson-clad servant and making her way towards the ruins of her couch. "However, for the moment it appears that we can at least be cooperative."
"Well, you not having a reason to point a gun at me would be as good a place to start as any."
'Just because I can take it doesn't mean I want to be shot.'
"Yes..." There were still more missing seconds, and the firearm, as well as the remains of the broken couch, now were nowhere to be seen. Homura's eyes glanced down at her Command Seals for but a moment as she took a seat on one of the many untouched couches. "You were a fool to reveal your weakness to me, Archer. Should I have any reason to suspect that you are untrustworthy, that small handgun will be the least of your problems."
The implications were painfully obvious.
"I do still have a few questions I would like to ask you, now that we're attempting to be civil. You called out for a 'Rin'; who was she? Why did you assume she would come at the sound of you breaking my couch?"
For a heroic spirit, time has no meaning, and though to the rest of the world it was many years ago, Archer could still picture that girl like it was yesterday. Long, wavy hair the colour of dark chocolate tied into twintails, eyes as clear a blue as the sky above the ocean, and a fiery temper to match her favourite red turtleneck. A smile passed over Archer's lips. "She was my master in three previous Grail Wars," he said, taking his own seat on one of Homura's many couches. "Or rather, she was my master in my only Grail War, all three times in which I fought. And, each time she summoned me to fight I somehow managed to stick the landing just enough to break her couch, every time."
"What is a 'Grail War'? Earlier, you mentioned a 'Holy Grail'; are the two related?"
"Indeed. The Holy Grail War is a ritual conducted by powerful mages. Seven mages summon seven servants to do battle, with the winner being granted the right to make a wish on the Holy Grail, an omnipotent wish-granting device."
"You said that Rin summoned you three times in the same war. Do these wars regularly last long enough that servants see themselves killed and re-summoned multiple times?"
"Have you ever seen the movie 'Groundhog Day'?"
"No."
"For a heroic spirit, time has no meaning. It's entirely possible that a servant could be summoned to fight in a Grail War, only to find that the next time they are summoned is nothing more than a repeat of that same Grail War in another timeline. When I said that Rin summoned me three times, I meant just that. On three instances I was summoned to fight in-"
Archer's words were interrupted when Homura grabbed him by the wrist as that look of hardened steel returning to her eyes. Beyond her, the world had turned to grey, and the swaying of the pendulum had ceased mid-swing.
"You are not to make another mention of the existence of any other timeline but this one," she said, tightening her grip, as the sigils that adorned her hand burned with crimson light. "Do I make myself clear, or do I need to use my Command Seal to compel you to obey?"
"I take it we're more alike than I initially thought, miss Akemi," replied Archer, meeting her gaze with his own. "You have my word."
Homura was silent, committing to word neither a confirmation nor a refutation of Archer's statement. The sigils on her hand ceased their fiery glow, and she released her iron grip on his wrist. Colour returned to the world, and once more the pendulum took up its sway.
"So, because Rin summoned you three times in the past, you expected that she would have been the one to summon you a fourth time. Is that correct?"
"And every time she summoned me, I broke her couch, yes."
"And can I assume that Rin is also the reason you asked for the current year?"
"Yes. That annoying friend-of-a-friend I spoke about? He... At least once, he was someone that Rin loved. Personally, I found him stubborn and annoying. Fortunately, if seven years really have passed since the last time I was summoned, I won't have to worry about seeing him ever again."
"Dead?"
"No, worse. He's in some far-off corner of the world, continuing to be stubborn and annoying."
A thin, wiry smile snaked its way across Homura's lips, for the first time in what to her must have felt like an eternity. "Perhaps you're right, Archer. We really are more alike than we seem."
Homura's response elicited a deep laugh from Archer. "Got a stubborn and annoying friend-of-a-friend of your own, I take it?"
Homura nodded. "I have one more question to ask. You said that servants are summoned to fight in Grail Wars. You are a servant that has been summoned. What are the chances that there will be another Grail War in the immediate future?"
"None," Archer replied. "The Grail was destroyed seven years ago. My master was instrumental in its destruction. There will never be another Holy Grail War."
"Why was it destroyed?"
"The Grail had become corrupted by a malevolent intelligence, twisting any wish made on it and bringing only ruin to those who would wish upon it."
"Most wishes bring only ruin, regardless of any malevolence behind their granting."
"You have some experience with this sort of thing, I take it. Are you perhaps a magus yourself?"
Does Homura
[ ] Trust Archer
[ ] Not trust Archer
[ ] Trust Archer enough to talk about the puella magi system
[ ] Write-in
?
NEW
Minor character unlocked!
Tohsaka Rin - A powerful magus and the master of Archer during the events of the Holy Grail War of 2004. Her whereabouts are currently unknown.
Chapter 4
- Location
- Around here
[x] Trust Archer enough to talk about the puella magi system.
[x] Trust Archer enough to talk about the puella magi system. It's important tactical information if he's going to be sticking around for any length of time.
-[x] But not enough to talk about Madoka, or her enormous potential, or your quest to save her and stop her from contracting. You need a little bit more opportunity to judge this Archer's character before letting him even know Madoka exists, no less her importance. (And if it becomes prudent to tell him about the matter, you'd prefer it happen in timestop; your quest is inexorably tied to your journey through the timelines.)
"You have some experience with this sort of thing, I take it. Are you perhaps a magus yourself?"
"Of a sort," Homura replied. The ring on her left middle finger - something which Archer had noticed only just now - shone with a brilliant violet light, before transforming itself into a strange construct which floated gently above her open palm. It was amethyst, about the size of a small egg, and wreathed in gold like those made by Fabergé for the Czar. At its top, a golden marker stood, formed in the same shape as the jewel that had earlier adorned her left hand. "This is a Soul Gem. It is the symbol of the puella magi, those that have sold their soul for the power to see their deepest wish granted. Those who make their contract to become puella magi are granted enormous magical power, and in exchange must take on a destiny of battle, fighting creatures called 'witches'."
'I... I can't trace it... I can't even properly analyze its composition. It's... It's like a living ball of nothing but magic circuits. There must be thousands of circuits in this thing! How many Berserkers could she command with just this tiny egg? And, she's not the only one like this, either...'
"Funny," Archer's comment earned him a look of scorn from Homura, but he continued. "You puella magi make a contract with a master, having your deepest wish granted in exchange for taking on a life of battle. And where I'm from, a master makes a contract with a servant, doing battle for the chance to have their wish granted. It almost feels like home."
"The Incubator is far from being a master to me."
"This is the second time you've mentioned the 'Incubator'. From your tone I gather that it's nothing good."
Homura's eyes darted around the room, scanning through shadows and corners for something - wait, how the hell can a circular room have corners? God damnit Shaft, what are you doing? Stop! Geometry lives matter!
"The Incubator is the one through which a puella magi must contract in order to gain their powers. Think 'animal mascot in a shoujo anime', except its every word is chosen with the intention of withholding as much information as possible without ever actually lying to you."
"In other words, he's a used car salesman that preys on little girls."
"You could say so." Homura stood, turning so that her back was facing Archer. "I freely chose to become a puella magi, but others... Others aren't always so lucky. Some he tricks, while others he only appears before in their darkest moments, when they have no choice but to contract..."
There was a slight strain in Homura's voice as she spoke, something that threatened to tear itself free from the confines of her meticulously-crafted facade, and her hands trembled as they clenched tightly, but Archer said nothing as he took in her words. 'I get the feeling that she isn't telling me the whole story... At any rate, I think I'm beginning to understand my mission.'
"Very well, miss Akemi. What would you have me do?"
Does Homura
[ ] Hunt the Incubator
[ ] Stalk Madoka
[ ] Tell Archer to replace the couch he broke
[ ] Prepare for school- We do start tomorrow, after all
[ ] Write-in
?
NEW
Major character unlocked!
Incubator - A devious mahou shoujo mascot and the contractor of the puella magi.
Major item unlocked!
Soul Gem - The symbol of a puella magi's contract and the source of their power.
[x] Trust Archer enough to talk about the puella magi system. It's important tactical information if he's going to be sticking around for any length of time.
-[x] But not enough to talk about Madoka, or her enormous potential, or your quest to save her and stop her from contracting. You need a little bit more opportunity to judge this Archer's character before letting him even know Madoka exists, no less her importance. (And if it becomes prudent to tell him about the matter, you'd prefer it happen in timestop; your quest is inexorably tied to your journey through the timelines.)
"You have some experience with this sort of thing, I take it. Are you perhaps a magus yourself?"
"Of a sort," Homura replied. The ring on her left middle finger - something which Archer had noticed only just now - shone with a brilliant violet light, before transforming itself into a strange construct which floated gently above her open palm. It was amethyst, about the size of a small egg, and wreathed in gold like those made by Fabergé for the Czar. At its top, a golden marker stood, formed in the same shape as the jewel that had earlier adorned her left hand. "This is a Soul Gem. It is the symbol of the puella magi, those that have sold their soul for the power to see their deepest wish granted. Those who make their contract to become puella magi are granted enormous magical power, and in exchange must take on a destiny of battle, fighting creatures called 'witches'."
'I... I can't trace it... I can't even properly analyze its composition. It's... It's like a living ball of nothing but magic circuits. There must be thousands of circuits in this thing! How many Berserkers could she command with just this tiny egg? And, she's not the only one like this, either...'
"Funny," Archer's comment earned him a look of scorn from Homura, but he continued. "You puella magi make a contract with a master, having your deepest wish granted in exchange for taking on a life of battle. And where I'm from, a master makes a contract with a servant, doing battle for the chance to have their wish granted. It almost feels like home."
"The Incubator is far from being a master to me."
"This is the second time you've mentioned the 'Incubator'. From your tone I gather that it's nothing good."
Homura's eyes darted around the room, scanning through shadows and corners for something - wait, how the hell can a circular room have corners? God damnit Shaft, what are you doing? Stop! Geometry lives matter!
"The Incubator is the one through which a puella magi must contract in order to gain their powers. Think 'animal mascot in a shoujo anime', except its every word is chosen with the intention of withholding as much information as possible without ever actually lying to you."
"In other words, he's a used car salesman that preys on little girls."
"You could say so." Homura stood, turning so that her back was facing Archer. "I freely chose to become a puella magi, but others... Others aren't always so lucky. Some he tricks, while others he only appears before in their darkest moments, when they have no choice but to contract..."
There was a slight strain in Homura's voice as she spoke, something that threatened to tear itself free from the confines of her meticulously-crafted facade, and her hands trembled as they clenched tightly, but Archer said nothing as he took in her words. 'I get the feeling that she isn't telling me the whole story... At any rate, I think I'm beginning to understand my mission.'
"Very well, miss Akemi. What would you have me do?"
Does Homura
[ ] Hunt the Incubator
[ ] Stalk Madoka
[ ] Tell Archer to replace the couch he broke
[ ] Prepare for school- We do start tomorrow, after all
[ ] Write-in
?
NEW
Major character unlocked!
Incubator - A devious mahou shoujo mascot and the contractor of the puella magi.
Major item unlocked!
Soul Gem - The symbol of a puella magi's contract and the source of their power.
Last edited:
Chapter 5
- Location
- Around here
[X] Tell Archer to replace the couch he broke
[x] Probe for Archer's real objective. Since there is no Grail War now, why would he be summoned, and to you of all people?
[x] Try to get to know more about Archer's abilities. You sensed a huge amount of magical energy from him. He can be useful but also dangerous. This entity may attract attention from the incubators as well. If you want to gather more information about him and utilize him against Walpurgis, you need to understand what he is capable of.
[x] Adjust your original plans and to do list (for tomorrow and futher in the future if necessary) according to the information gathered.
[x] Prepare for school.
"Very well, miss Akemi. What would you have me do?"
"You can start by replacing the couch you broke on your way in," said Homura, as she made her way to the door. "There's a furniture store a few blocks from here; I have other things I need to do today, but I can give you the address before I leave."
"That won't be necessary." Archer stood, placing a hand on the couch nearest to the space where the broken one had been. 'Trace on'
Arcs of light snapped back and forth, dancing from his hands across the material of the couch. Homura was silent, staring with wide eyes as Archer, as if from nothing, created a perfect replica of the broken couch.
"That's a neat trick." Homura made her way over to Archer's side, prodding the couch, making sure it was real. "What else can you do?"
"That's pretty much the extent of my abilities," Archer replied. "But I'm not limited to just couches."
"Can you make weapons?"
"Swords are my specialty, but in a pinch I can make just about anything so long as I understand its material composition."
"How very useful, if somewhat underwhelming for the amount of magic I sense within you. But if that's truly all you can do, then I find it difficult to believe that your summoning would have been purely incidental. The ability to spawn weapons from nothing isn't exactly an uncommon ability among puella magi. That you have been summoned now, even with the Grail destroyed... There must be some greater purpose to all of this." 'Something that I must have missed in all my previous loops...'
"I only know a few things here and there, but from what I gather, there is an event which I have been summoned here to prevent. I also have reason to believe that the Incubator has something to do with this as well, and that stopping him will go a long way to the completion of my objective."
"What sort of event?"
"The details are vague and probably intentionally so; whatever it is, if it is not prevented it will happen twice, and both times it occurs it will rewrite a fundamental force of this universe."
"That would be most problematic."
Archer and Homura turned towards the intruding voice, greeted by the sight of the white, vaguely cat-shaped creature that sat in the corner of the room - okay seriously Shaft, circles do not have corners. You need to cut this shit out now.
"Incubator," said Homura, drawing a pistol from her store of missing seconds, leveling it at the white creature. "How long have you been there?"
"Only long enough to have been made aware that this unknown event is coming, Akemi Homura. Though I must admit, I am unclear as to how you came to be aware of my identity, as I do not recall ever having made a contract with you before. As such, I believe your aggression towards me to be unwarranted."
Homura's pistol fired, splattering the creature's biomass across the stark white floor. "Well, I guess that's that," said Archer, eying the remains which looked more like marshmallow mush covered in strawberry jam than the bloodied corpse of a living creature. "Incubator's dead, my work here is done."
"It will be back." No sooner had Homura spoken, than Archer's attention was drawn to the place where the Incubator's remains lay. Rather, where the Incubator's remains had been, for now they had vanished into nothingness. "It has many more spares. Killing them is only a temporary measure."
"Good to know. I wish the job description had mentioned that."
Homura gave Archer a look, and once more she turned her back on him, resuming her earlier trek to the door that had been interrupted. "There are a number of things I must do to prepare for tomorrow, and your arrival means that I must adjust my plans accordingly. Can I trust you to behave yourself while I'm out running errands?"
"I would consider myself a poor servant if you couldn't."
"Then I leave you to your own devices until I return, Archer."
Your name is Emiya Shirou, though perhaps the moniker "Archer" would be one to which you are more accustomed. Your master, the enigmatic magical girl named Akemi Homura, has left you in charge while she runs errands.
What do you do?
[ ] Write-in
A word of importance- The role of Alaya won't go away just because player control has shifted to Archer. Feel free to keep sending him messages if you so choose.
[x] Probe for Archer's real objective. Since there is no Grail War now, why would he be summoned, and to you of all people?
[x] Try to get to know more about Archer's abilities. You sensed a huge amount of magical energy from him. He can be useful but also dangerous. This entity may attract attention from the incubators as well. If you want to gather more information about him and utilize him against Walpurgis, you need to understand what he is capable of.
[x] Adjust your original plans and to do list (for tomorrow and futher in the future if necessary) according to the information gathered.
[x] Prepare for school.
"Very well, miss Akemi. What would you have me do?"
"You can start by replacing the couch you broke on your way in," said Homura, as she made her way to the door. "There's a furniture store a few blocks from here; I have other things I need to do today, but I can give you the address before I leave."
"That won't be necessary." Archer stood, placing a hand on the couch nearest to the space where the broken one had been. 'Trace on'
Arcs of light snapped back and forth, dancing from his hands across the material of the couch. Homura was silent, staring with wide eyes as Archer, as if from nothing, created a perfect replica of the broken couch.
"That's a neat trick." Homura made her way over to Archer's side, prodding the couch, making sure it was real. "What else can you do?"
"That's pretty much the extent of my abilities," Archer replied. "But I'm not limited to just couches."
"Can you make weapons?"
"Swords are my specialty, but in a pinch I can make just about anything so long as I understand its material composition."
"How very useful, if somewhat underwhelming for the amount of magic I sense within you. But if that's truly all you can do, then I find it difficult to believe that your summoning would have been purely incidental. The ability to spawn weapons from nothing isn't exactly an uncommon ability among puella magi. That you have been summoned now, even with the Grail destroyed... There must be some greater purpose to all of this." 'Something that I must have missed in all my previous loops...'
"I only know a few things here and there, but from what I gather, there is an event which I have been summoned here to prevent. I also have reason to believe that the Incubator has something to do with this as well, and that stopping him will go a long way to the completion of my objective."
"What sort of event?"
"The details are vague and probably intentionally so; whatever it is, if it is not prevented it will happen twice, and both times it occurs it will rewrite a fundamental force of this universe."
"That would be most problematic."
Archer and Homura turned towards the intruding voice, greeted by the sight of the white, vaguely cat-shaped creature that sat in the corner of the room - okay seriously Shaft, circles do not have corners. You need to cut this shit out now.
"Incubator," said Homura, drawing a pistol from her store of missing seconds, leveling it at the white creature. "How long have you been there?"
"Only long enough to have been made aware that this unknown event is coming, Akemi Homura. Though I must admit, I am unclear as to how you came to be aware of my identity, as I do not recall ever having made a contract with you before. As such, I believe your aggression towards me to be unwarranted."
Homura's pistol fired, splattering the creature's biomass across the stark white floor. "Well, I guess that's that," said Archer, eying the remains which looked more like marshmallow mush covered in strawberry jam than the bloodied corpse of a living creature. "Incubator's dead, my work here is done."
"It will be back." No sooner had Homura spoken, than Archer's attention was drawn to the place where the Incubator's remains lay. Rather, where the Incubator's remains had been, for now they had vanished into nothingness. "It has many more spares. Killing them is only a temporary measure."
"Good to know. I wish the job description had mentioned that."
Homura gave Archer a look, and once more she turned her back on him, resuming her earlier trek to the door that had been interrupted. "There are a number of things I must do to prepare for tomorrow, and your arrival means that I must adjust my plans accordingly. Can I trust you to behave yourself while I'm out running errands?"
"I would consider myself a poor servant if you couldn't."
"Then I leave you to your own devices until I return, Archer."
Your name is Emiya Shirou, though perhaps the moniker "Archer" would be one to which you are more accustomed. Your master, the enigmatic magical girl named Akemi Homura, has left you in charge while she runs errands.
What do you do?
[ ] Write-in
A word of importance- The role of Alaya won't go away just because player control has shifted to Archer. Feel free to keep sending him messages if you so choose.