The city of Fuyuki has managed to make it to the modern day. How unfortunate then that it is about to be plagued by yet another Holy Grail War. Will you survive? Will you win and make a wish upon the Holy Grail? What kind of chaos and horror are about to be unleashed?
The choices are yours to make.
Alternate Universe, modern day Fuyuki Holy Grail War
You swing an arm out and smack the alarm clock off your dresser, rubbing your eyes with your other hand. Doing so blots out the ceiling of your room, which you've been staring blankly at for what you realize now has been several hours thanks to the endless stream of thoughts keeping you awake. You force yourself up, and see light beginning to peek through your bedroom curtains.
You are Mikami Tatsuko, and you did not get any sleep.
This would be due to all the countless possibilities and ideas you've been exploring since yesterday afternoon, when Caren Hortensia stopped you on the way home from Homurahara Academy to inform you of the beginning of a new Holy Grail War here in Fuyuki. As the inheritor of your family's Magic Crest, participation and ultimate victory in such an event is what you've been training your whole life for. Naturally, the first step is to summon a Servant as soon as possible, before any of the other Masters you'll be fighting against. How fortunate then that you have an in through Caren, the designated Overseer. You've cleared out a block of time to do your summoning, but that won't be until this evening unfortunately. The anticipation is killing you, and you don't even want to begin to think about if you mess up somehow or if it fails. No, you may be young, but you're confident you can do this, nerves be damned. Tonight is the night that you summon……
You climb out of bed, assured that you'll not only summon successfully, but also call forth a strong Servant of your desired class. Now, it's time to get ready for the day. Among the things blocking you from setting up a summoning circle and performing the ritual here and now–or yesterday, for that matter–is the fact that you are still a seventeen year old girl, and it's another school day. If you didn't already have plans set for homework and extracurricular you'd have raced home and summoned immediately yesterday. That you haven't already is a testament of your willpower, probably–although, that didn't stop you from being on edge and aching with anticipation yesterday. You expect today to be no different-that is, if you can stay awake. You finish preparing your lunch for the day and pack up, ready to leave, when you hear a noise come from upstairs. Oh, of course, it's-
[End of story for the chapter]
In order to wrap up this opening post, there is one other vote that needs to be resolved:
Does Mikami use a specific catalyst?
[ ] Yes (the Servant summoned will be the one desired, or at the least of a similar class and/or strongly related to the desired Servant)
[ ] No (low odds of pulling the desired Servant or anyone similar; high odds of pulling something random, and gives greater odds of the wilder/more chaotic routes opening up; also opens up the possibility of summoning an Extra class Servant like an Avenger, Foreigner, Alter Ego, Pretender, etc.)
Also, feel free to suggest a Servant you'd like to see from the class you vote on! I've got pre-set choices made, but I'm open to making some changes if it looks interesting (and also it would be neat to see what people like).
Now that that's taken care of, thus concludes the first post! My name is LuxuryLore, and I will be your QM. This is a standard voting quest, with approval voting allowed.
This Quest is an Alternate Universe taking place in modern day Fuyuki, and only time will tell what sets it apart from the three routes of Fate/Stay Night.
Assume nothing. Expect anything and everything. Chaos reigns supreme.
Oh right, it's your younger sister Haru. She walks down the stairs, yawning a little. "Good morning, big sis."
You smile, and you're about to greet her back when your attention is caught on the clock. "Oh, Haru, you overslept!"
She follows your gaze, rubbing her eyes before looking closer. "Mmmaybe a little."
"Come on, I'll help you get ready. If we're lucky I'll be able to still get you to school on time. Go get dressed, I'll make you something for lunch and call Mr Browning so he's not waiting for you all morning."
"'Kaaayyy!"
"Big sis, are you okay?" Haru asks as the two of you walk.
"Huh? What do you mean?" you ask her.
"You look tired!"
"Ah, that, well…" You rub the back of your head. "I saw Miss Caren yesterday, and she told me about something exciting happening soon, so I couldn't sleep."
"Miss Caren? She's the lady in the church?"
"That's right."
Haru fidgets nervously. Hm.
"Do you not like her?" You ask. "You've only met her once before, right?"
"She's weird," your sister pouts.
"Do you like her more or less than Mr Browning and Ms Grayfore?"
"More, more" Haru replies, certain. "They don't like me that much….."
Well, that part's true enough, and you can definitely understand it. Despite being your legal guardians now, the two "family friends" are just as uncaring towards Haru as you'd expect two mages would be towards a non-mage; not to mention clear distrust around you as well. Some caregivers they've been.
"Hey, it's okay," you tell Haru. "You'll always have me around, and I like you a whole lot!"
Haru smiles, and her grip on your hand tightens a little.
The elementary school is upon you now and you stop, turning to Haru. "Alright sis, I think you're still on time. We did it!"
Haru raises her hands and hops in celebration. "Hooray!"
"Ms Grayfore will be by to pick you up, and I'll be home later in the afternoon, okay?"
"But big sis," she says, a worried expression on her face. "Won't you be late for school too? The tiger lady's gonna be mad, right?"
You laugh a little. Yes, yes she is.
"Don't you worry about me, Haru, I'll be fine. I'll just pretend to point a laser and distract her!"
You raise your hands above your head to mimic cat ears and give a little rawr. Haru giggles, and you ruffle her hair a bit before hugging her and sending her off. You can probably, maybe, use some magic to cheat a little to get there on time. It's comforting to be able to relieve your sister's worries, after all.
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Well, you tried at least; you're still moderately late, and turning up your speed boost any more would've put you in a bad spot with civilians noticing magic and all that. To top it all off, you've already fallen asleep at least once during class. Ms Fujimura is not happy with you today. Maybe Haru's concerns weren't so unfounded after all. At least your friends Akari and Yumi are always happy to see you.
"Hey, Yumi, what's that book you've been reading lately?" Akari asks at lunch.
"It's called 'Life, Death, and Butterflies in the Springtime'. It's pretty philosophical, but also kinda bland? I dunno if I'll finish it."
"Seriously?! Didn't you start reading it last week? Is it really that boring?"
"I think I'm being put to sleep just looking at the cover," you say.
"That's your fault, dummy! You're practically sleepwalking through the day!" Akari teases.
"Yeah, I guess so…...I couldn't sleep at all after talking to Miss Hortensia yesterday."
"The woman in the church? What would she want to talk about with you?" Yumi probes.
"Just….just some business about my mom, officially moving her grave next to Dad's" you lie, turning away somewhat, doing your best to feign sorrow. It's not that hard when the lie gets you thinking about your parents anyways. Your friends pull back a little, and Akari shoots Yumi a 'you shouldn't pry into sensitive business!' look. Damn it, now you really are tearing up a little.
"I'll-I'll be fine guys, promise," you say, wiping a nascent tear from the corner of your eye. "I just….I just miss them, is all."
"Hey, Mikami, how about this," Akari offers, gently grabbing your arm. "After school when Yumi's done with kendo and I'm done with the occult club, the three of us go out together and do some window shopping. I've got some extra money to burn, so I'll cover everyone. You'll feel like collapsing with all the bags we'll be carrying!" She points a hand to the ceiling to emphasize this. Yumi nods in agreement. "It has been some time since we've spent time with each other outside of school with my kendo, Akari's occult club, and your extra studies classes."
You pull together a smile, and nod. "Alright, let's do it."
Once school ends for the day, time flies by much quicker. Learning about foreign culture and history really has its perks when one plans to participate in the Holy Grail War, and finishing early for the day gives you time well spent meditating. You wrap up and swing by the occult club to grab Akari, and Yumi meets you halfway to the dojo.
"Aaaahh, I'm pretty sore. That was a super big workout I got today," Yumi comments, rubbing her arms.
"You've got that big tournament soon, right?" You ask.
"Yeah! You gotta stay in shape, Yumi! It's all about mentality! If you sharpen your mind, you sharpen your body! That's the first thing I learned in training my latent psychic powers!" Akari chimes in.
You laugh a little with Yumi and watch amusedly as your friend continues on about the activities of the occult club.
You notice a familiar business as you walk through town with your friends: the flower store. You don't come here often nowadays, but your mom always loved buying bouquets here. You weren't planning on going to the cemetery tonight, but you haven't visited in a while and it would be nice…..plus, given your plans for tonight….yeah, alright. You split off from your friends momentarily to grab a bouquet of camellias–one of your mom's favorites.
Eventually, evening starts to roll around, and the three of you head your separate ways. You have acquired for yourself flowers, final materials you needed to set up your summoning circle (purchased discreetly), and some new outfits for yourself. Between the shopping and going to a nearby cafe for a bit, this has been a good day, and you're glad you got to spend more time with your friends than usual. Your good mood evaporates when you arrive home and try to stealthily enter, only to see Ms Greyfore sitting on the couch straight ahead, a lit cigarette hanging out of her mouth as she taps away on her phone.
Dammit, what's she still doing here? She's never here this long, always picks up Haru and leaves after a routine check up on your home. You're grateful you had the presence of mind to hide your more expensive purchases in with the bags of clothes, but the flowers aren't so easily hidden. You move for the staircase, but stop when she speaks up.
"You're home late."
"I spent some time with friends," you tell her. Keep the conversation short, don't' draw it out. The sooner you can get away, the sooner she'll go away. Hopefully.
She looks up from her phone and spots the flowers, before her gaze flits to the kitchen, where Haru usually goes to do her homework. She sighs and stands, pulling out the cigarette for a prolonged drag.
"I'll ask you to please not smoke in here," you tell her, as you've done countless times since making her unfortunate acquaintance.
The woman slowly walks over to stand beside you, looking out into the neighborhood.
"You're familiar with the stories of how your parents saved my life and Drake's, and got me out of a bad spot. I said that I owed them a life debt–something, anything they ever wanted my help with."
"But, you know…." she says, her voice soft and wistful, "I can't speak for Drake, but if I knew that they'd make me pay that debt by babysitting a no-good, insolent brat of a daughter who doesn't respect her elders and is a waste of good magical circuits….and her younger sister, who'll be wallowing in ignorance all her life when she could be a better heir to a halfway decent Crest, once they'd gone and passed….well, I think I'd rather have died in that pit in America."
Your fists clench.
[ ] Let it slide. You've heard these kinds of barbs before, and you have bigger things to spend your time caring about.
[ ] Snap back at her. You've taken this for too long, and you're not going to tolerate it any longer.
[ ] Write-in
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As a necessary bonus, here is an image that shows what Mikami looks like (Outfit may be different)
Also, I'm going to be starting to use the SV tally system.
A quick warning before we begin:
This Quest has the Mature tag on it. This chapter will feature mature content.
Please enjoy the story.
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Your fists clench. You take a long, deep breath, and center yourself. You place your things on the floor as a deep green glow emerges from your clavicle.
Strength shift.
You spin and thrust your palm out towards the older woman. You touch the cigarette she's holding, and it flies into the air, disintegrating from your strike. You turn back to look towards the kitchen, towards Haru.
"I believe I asked you not to smoke in here. It's not good for your health." You whisper.
Your nerves erupt, pain flooding through your gut. You hit the floor, shaking, struggling to breathe. You can hear your guardian turning towards you, and that telltale sound of another cigarette being lit.
"Is that so," she laughs. "I'll have to take that in mind."
The front door closes, and the fire in your lungs is extinguished. You press your hands to the floor and push yourself up, looking to the kitchen. It's quiet. You brush your hair out of your eyes and shakily lurch over to look. Her things are spread out along the table, but Haru isn't to be seen. Maybe she went to her room? You walk upstairs past your room, and peek through the slightly ajar door to her room. Haru's in her room, scribbling something down in a notebook. Relieved, you go to your room and lean against the wall, pressing your arm against your forehead and gritting your teeth. You close your eyes, and try to move your thoughts to later. You're only a few hours away……
…………..
You don't know how long it's been, but you must have fallen asleep standing against the wall. Haru is standing at your side, tugging your arm and gently trying to wake you.
"I told you you looked tired, big sis."
"Mmmmh…yeah, yeah, you were right."
You crane your neck towards the alarm clock. It's only been forty minutes, but you've got mouths to feed and things to do. You yawn a little and stretch before leading your sister back downstairs. "C'mon, let's go make dinner. How's udon sound?"
"Tasty!"
You stop at the bottom, spying the flowers and bags still on the floor. Oh….you must've forgotten to take those with you.
"I was writing for homework and saw those, and went to look for you," Haru pipes up. "Are you gonna see Mom and Dad soon?"
"Yeah," you tell her, grabbing your things. "I'm gonna go see them tonight, a little after you go to sleep. Is that okay?"
"That's really late, big sis….but, can you say hi for me?"
The rest of the evening proves to be more calming. Haru helps you make udon, and you do your homework afterwards (while also helping Haru with hers). As you're tucking Haru in, you decide to tell her a few more details about your plans.
"I'm gonna visit Mom and Dad, but afterwards……I have something I need to do. What's important is that when I come back, I'll be….bringing someone with me. A guest. They'll be staying with us for a while, but you can't tell Mr Browning or Ms Greyfore, okay?"
Haru looks a little confused at that. "What kind of guest?"
"I don't know for certain what they'll be like, but they're going to be helping me out with some things for a while. But you have to promise to keep it a secret, okay?"
Haru makes a face of deep thought, eventually beaming with delight at the idea of keeping a secret with you. "Okay! Will I get to meet them at breakfast?"
You smile. "You should be able to, yeah."
You spend the next thirty minutes gathering up your materials into a bag and going over the plan. You check to make sure Haru is asleep before grabbing the flowers, turning off the lights in your home, and locking the door behind you. You're putting Haru in a lot of danger by telling her about Servants, but she needs to know something about it. You only hope that whoever answers your call is amicable.
Fuyuki at night is not a safe place to be. No matter how many streetlights or neon signs illuminate your passage, there is a deep darkness inherent to the city that chills your heart while you cling to it. You are a Mage, and a strong one at that, but this city can and has dredged up the world's untold horrors before. Few man-made wonders can threaten you; it's the beings of a more supernatural bent that have you sticking to the shadows as you walk through town.
You slip into the cemetery, and make your way to your parents' graves. Not using a flashlight or something similar leaves you in the dark, but it's no concern. You know the way to the plots like the back of your hand. You lied to your friends earlier–the real truth is that their graves have been together from the start; Mom's grave was put in next to Dad as soon as the Association's search for her ended and they decided to give up and declare her legally dead. You stop, and before you stand the graves of Erika and Akira Tatsuko.
"Hi Mom, Dad" you whisper. "I….I really miss you guys. It's been a while since I came here, and those friends of yours are serious jerks….Haru says hi too. She's grown a lot, you know. I'm doing my best to take care of her, since those people you knew won't."
You bend down, and place the flowers in between the graves. "Mom, I…..I know you've been declared dead, and that the search for you ended…but I know you're still out there. I can feel it, I swear. There's…..a Holy Grail War about to start any day now. I'm going to become a Master and summon a Servant in just a little bit, and I'm going to win. When I win, I'm going to find you, I promise."
You step back and take a moment to breathe, feeling tears about to come. "I just…..I just really miss you two. Is that okay? If I say it enough times, will you be able to hear it? You've taught me so much….I'm happy the Association let me keep most of your research and equipment. I promise I'll live up to all that you've done. I promise. I'm gonna go summon a Servant now, but I'll be back soon enough. So, I think this is goodbye and good night for now……I love you."
You wipe your sleeve across your eyes, sniffling lightly, and turn to go.
"Very touching. Really, I mean it."
You turn, and see a pair of glowing red eyes peering out of the darkness. You open your mouth to say something, only to be interrupted as you feel something rush behind you. It hits you across the back of the neck, and the world goes black.
You start to wake up, your head sore. You're lying against…..cold concrete, most likely. Gripping your aching neck, you slowly rise. You don't recognize the building you're in, but it looks to be a warehouse of some sor-
You stop, having caught sight of a….you can't believe that's a person. It's a man, massive and muscled, wearing what looks to be a black bodysuit with shining golden armor with orange-red cloth trailing behind. His face looks to be contorted into an expression of eternal rage, and it almost feels like his face could be somewhat androgynous if he wasn't in such a state of anger. He carries a spear, and has darkened green hair somehow?
Wait.
Something clicks in your mind.
That's a Servant. Probably a Berserker, if you had to guess. This….is a bad situation.
The good news is that he seems a little at ease–or at least, as much as he could be in such a fit of rage. His attention seems to be split between watching you and watching someone….behind you? You turn and see someone working on what you're pretty sure is a summoning circle, using what you're pretty sure is the materials you were going to use. The Master (you're assuming, it seems like a safe guess to make) rises, seemingly finished. As they turn around, you can see they're a girl who looks to be in her late teens with pale skin, long white hair, and those deep burning red eyes that you saw at the cemetery. She smiles upon seeing you, a smug, predatory smirk.
"Oh, good, you're awake. Perfect timing, I just finished setting things up for you."
You get to your feet to meet her, and start to step back. It's not even a conscious decision, something prompted by the aura she exudes; it doesn't matter. You start to take a small step back and her eyes blaze. Your lower half freezes entirely, and no amount of willpower is getting your legs to budge.
"Mystic Eyes…" you grimace. The girl claps.
"Oh, you know what they are! Looks like there is a modicum of intelligence rolling around in there. You've got some good Magic Circuits, too….I'd be impressed if I wasn't, well, me" she grins.
"Oh, but I suppose I should introduce myself, shouldn't I? My name is Lilianasviel von Einzbern. You, Mikami Tatsuko, are one of the only mages in this city who I currently believe would be worth actually putting effort into taking care of. Possibly the only one! I'd say you should be honored that I don't consider taking you out of the Holy Grail War to be a waste of my time."
Oh, she's an Einzbern. Makes sense. One of the three Founding Families, who live in that castle and specialize in…..homunculus magic, you're pretty sure.
"What's going on? Why were you setting up my circle? I haven't even gotten a Servant yet, so killing me doesn't really give you any advantage."
Oh, yes, this was to be your circle, wasn't it?" She looks back at it. "Those materials are quite nice. Gemstone dust, dirt and debris from Central Park, all to be sprinkled in as you trace the circle, and incense to place all around. If a Heroic Spirit were to answer such a call, I'd bet that such a strong circle would probably call forth someone quite powerful. Unfortunately, I have other plans for you."
The Einzbern girl steps around, pointing out a specific section that you distinctly don't recognize. "See this section here? As one of the Founding Families, the Einzberns have…well, we've been able to manipulate summoning here and there. It's how I got Berserker, after all."
The maddened warrior gives out a low grunt in acknowledgement.
"The problem is that you've met my expectations. Berserker and I could take down you and whatever Servant you manage to call up fairly easily….but why bother with the effort of doing so? Why not just cut you out of the picture entirely early on, so that my road to victory becomes even smoother?"
"What are you saying?," you ask her. "What exactly are you wanting to do here?"
"Isn't it obvious? I've set up your circle, but with some tweaking to ensure you get a certain class–Assassin, specifically. As soon as they arrive, Berserker here attacks them. Most Assassins aren't going to be able to hold their own in a straight fight, after all–especially when they're caught off guard from having just materialized, and especially against Berserker. It's a win-win, really. You summon a Servant like you want, and I get to immediately knock them–and you–out of the War!"
You stand in stunned silence, processing. It's a solid strategy, you have to admit, and you can't think of what other options you have. Trying to escape or attack wouldn't work, not with the position you're in, and not against a freaking Einzbern and a Berserker. Could you try and warn the Servant when they get summoned? Maybe? Berserker is probably pretty fast….damn, she's got you cornered here. Hope for the best, that you get a strong Assassin, or somehow defy fate and get someone of a different class who can defend themself?
"What if I refuse?" You ask.
Lilianasviel turns back to you, puzzled. "Pardon?"
"I refuse," you tell her, crossing your arms. "Your plan doesn't work if I don't summon a Servant. So, I refuse."
The girl stares at you for a long moment. "Is that the path you're set on? I thought I heard you clearly state an intent to enter and win the war. You'd really give up on the best option available to you to find your mom?"
"Yup. Besides, it's not really an option if I'm going to immediately lose."
Lilianasviel starts laughing. It seems slightly strange to see her doing this. She calms down for a minute, before putting her hand out flat. The air around it seems to shimmer and coil, condensing into an outline, almost like…..like a blade.
"I didn't want to have to do this," she says, stepping forward. "But if you won't cooperate, then you're no use to me. I'll simply find someone else to repeat this with, and removing you from the field entirely means I won't have to worry about you contracting with any other Servants later on. Please understand, it's nothing personal."
She thrusts her arm forward, and stabs the blade into your stomach. "But, really, I just want to see how far you'll take the bluff."
You gasp, and blood comes out instead of air.
"I'm quite knowledgeable in anatomy, you know. So how about this, I'll even make a deal here for you. You've got a few minutes of consciousness. Summon a Heroic Spirit right here, right now, and I'll keep you alive and tend to you. You won't die, so I swear on the Einzbern family name. You can live and move on, or you can die here in an abandoned warehouse."
Your eyes feel heavy. You don't really process the last part of what she said. You stretch your hand out. Your mind begins drifting–to the cemetery, to school, to a feeling or thought, of……..
[ ] Haru. You have to be there for her still.
[ ] Your friends, Yumi and Akari.
[ ] Survival. You have to make it through this.
[ ] Anger. The nerve of this girl. She's not really cheating, but it's still infuriating.
[ ] Dying. You don't want to die.
[ ] Your parents. You still need to find Mom.
[ ] Help. Call out to the void for help, for someone to rescue you.
Your thoughts are a jumble, rarely maintaining stability for more than a second. Pain. Anger. Fear. But amongst these strands, you find yourself coming back to one thing, the core of a maze of concerns.
Haru. If you die here, you practically leave her to the wolves, and you refuse to let that happen. You're the only real family she has left. Is dying to spite this girl worth those consequences? No, no it is not. You stretch your arm out reaching towards the circle, shaking. Lilianasviel turns to watch, cold approval on her face.
"For the elements, silver and iron, for the foundation stone and the Archduke of Pacts. Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill. Repeat five times, but when each is filled, destroy it."
The circle lights up, and your arm pulses red as your Command Seals appear. You pay it no mind, staring ahead numbly, but something about it seems to have caught your tormentor's attention. She tilts her head with a curious look. You don't care, and continue.
"Hear my words. My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny. If you heed the Grail's call, and obey my will and reason, then answer my summoning."
You see the void appear before your mind's eye, an endless galaxy. You are reaching out across an eternal abyss. Somewhere, your call is heard. A hand in shadow reaches out for you from the other end of the cosmos.
"Raise a wall against the wind and close the gates of four directions. Come forth from the crown and follow the forked road leading to the Kingdom.
I hereby swear, that I shall be all the good in the world. That I shall defeat all evil in the world."
The circle brightens, and Berserker walks into view. He goes into a stance, ready for the arrival.
"Seventh heaven, clad in the great words of power, come forth from the circle of binding, Guardian of Scales!"
The light erupts, and you close your eyes. You open your eyes after a moment, to see the area enveloped in mist. A blur shoots into the mist, and you hear a clanging sound, metal striking metal. The sound of a clash emerges as the mist begins to fade, only for you to see Berserker roundhouse kick someone into the wall before plunging his spear into the mystery Servant's flesh.
The air is quiet as Berserker backs up. You see a man in the crater in the wall. He seems well dressed, with parted dark hair and bloodied bandages across the right side of his face. More notably, he has a large wound across his chest. He seems to notice you, attempting to reach up with a hand that ends in long clawed fingers. He starts to speak–or at least, try too–but explodes into gold dust after a moment, evaporating into the ether. It took maybe ten seconds for Berserker to successfully ambush and kill a Heroic Spirit.
The hand in shadow starts to withdraw.
Berserker looks back towards his Master, who in turn looks back to you. "See? A satisfactory result, and it didn't take up too much of our time. Now, I'll hold up my end then."
She eyes the blade, still in your abdomen, and her brow furrows in concentration. The blade shimmers again, but this time begins to seep off her hand and roil around you before hardening in something akin to a bandage. Feeling begins to return to your legs as well, and you fall onto your back. Pressing a hand to the wound, you pull from your inner well of magic.
Heal shift.
Lilianasviel watches as your magic goes to work to speed up your body's natural healing. "Fauntra?" she calls out. "Your services are needed. I've stopped the bleeding, and she seems to have some magic to heal herself, but I would prefer for you to assist with your skills as well. When she's in a suitable state of recovery, take her home."
She addresses you now. "Consider this….hm, let's call it you owing me a debt. One more reason not to try and join with a different Servant later on, in case tonight's demonstration wasn't a good enough lesson."
You blink, your eyelids weighing on you, before giving in and embracing the relief brought about by unconsciousness.
You open your eyes, finding yourself lying…..on top of your bed in your room, at home. Huh. You start to rise, and a wave of pain crosses your gut. Owww…….okay, well, you can move around a little, so that's something. You take a breath, and begin to speed up your healing process with your magic again. You peek towards your alarm clock and find that it's still early morning, just a little before you'd normally get up for school.
You lie back down, focusing to keep yourself calm. Last night was pretty bad. Okay, that's a bit of an understatement. Last night was really bad. You got ambushed by the current keeper of the Einzbern castle and the Master of a Berserker Servant. She kidnapped you and forced you to make a rigged summoning (under duress of death, after she stabbed you). Her Servant immediately ambushed and killed the Assassin you summoned.
Your hope of participating in and winning the War, as far as you can tell, have been crushed. Now you're what, just another mage. A failed Master, who couldn't even stay in the game for a full minute.
During this reflection, you notice something that didn't seem to be present when you woke up–or a least, something that wasn't immediately noticeable. As you still your mind, you feel a light sensation of something grabbing at you. This feeling isn't in your body, but your core; something is trying to pull at your very soul, something off in the distance….north or northeast, if you had to put a direction to it. You're not sure what to make of this, but you don't get time to mull over it, as the door opens and a woman you've never seen before.
"You're awake, good. I will try to keep this brief, and when I am finished I will leave. My name is Fauntra, one of Mistress Lilianasviel's attendants."
The name registers with what you heard at the end of the night. Between being named as an attendant, her appearance, and the Einzbern specialty it's not hard to understand that this woman is a homunculus.
"I apologize for the intrusion of your home, but I was tasked with making sure you were safely returned here. I expect Mistress Lilianasviel did not expect me to be out this long, but I consider it a necessary measure to ensure that you awakened."
"Your wound," her gaze drifts to your torso, "appears to be in decent shape. Between the efforts of myself, Mistress Lilianasviel, and your application of magic both then and now, I predict that you should be more or less recovered in a day or so. Until then, I would advise rest and continued healing. Unless you have any further concerns, I shall take my leave. Please do your best to avoid encountering my Mistress again, as it would most certainly end with your demise."
Your silence conveys your answer, and Fauntra departs. You lie in silence for a while until the alarm goes off, and slowly move to turn it off. Upon doing so, you notice a fading red mark on your hand. You roll your sleeve up to examine your Command Seals. They're beginning to fade, but you can make them out–except, the Command Seals seem to be going along as much of your arm as you can see. You lurch out of bed, starting to undress. You should change anyways, and you don't want Haru to see you in the same, but also now bloodied, clothes you had on last night.
You take off your dress shirt, and gaze at your arm. You expected your Command Seals to be on the surface of your hand. This is different. Three long red marks streak and spiral across the entirety of your arm, from your hand all the way to your shoulder blade. They intertwine at one or two points, and each is segmented, like a stretched out laurel wreath or a bird's very long and feathered wingspan. You ignored it when it occurred last night, but this must have been what caught Lilianasviel's curiosity. It's understandable, since the occurrence is a little strange. But, you wonder, how much difference does it make now that your Servant is gone and your Seals are fading?
You take your time getting dressed, putting yourself in something more casual while taking care not to move suddenly or in any way that could be immediately painful. You're not going to be able to go to school today, and while that could be a minor issue, dealing with your caretakers is the real problem at hand. You carefully head downstairs, to find Haru eating breakfast. She looks up.
"G'morning, big sis!"
You go to take a seat. "Morning. Sorry about this, but I'm not feeling the best so I won't be able to walk with you today."
"What's wrong?"
"I just….hurt myself a little last night, so I'm going to stay here today."
Haru looks confused. "When you went to visit Mom and Dad?"
You rub your side gently. "About that time, yeah."
"Is that why you didn't bring that guest home like you said?"
You turn away somewhat, choking up a little. ".....yeah, it has to do with that."
Haru hops off her chair and comes around the table, hugging you from the side. "It's okay, big sis!"
"Haru..?"
"It's okay, big sis! Please don't be sad!"
"Haru, please…" you plead. She doesn't let go.
"It's okay if your guest can't be here! It's gotta be okay! So please, don't be sad!"
It's a little bizarre, but you think you understand what she's trying to say: it's not the end of the world, right? You need to move on as best you can, and focus on what you still have here and now; and what do you still have? Your sister, the person you sacrificed a shot at the Holy Grail to stay with.
You squirm, trying to move around while also trying to be careful from your wound. A few moments and hisses of quick pain later and you're properly hugging her, wrapping her in your arms.
"I think I understand. I'll…..I'll try to do my best, okay?"
"Promise?," she insists.
"I promise. I'm still staying home today, though."
Haru releases you from her grasp, a determined look on her face. "Please feel better, big sis!"
You call Browning, and he agrees to come and pick Haru up in order to take her to school, though he doesn't sound particularly happy about it. Once Haru is off, you return to your room for rest, meditation, and healing. Your day seems to go by peacefully, up until early afternoon, when you hear the front door unlock and someone coming up the stairs. That's odd, Greyfore doesn't usually arrive until later…..
The woman in question opens the door and walks into your room. Why is she here so soon?
"I heard you decided not to go to school today. Care to enlighten me as to why?"
You cross your arms. "I had an accident while making dinner last night and hurt myself. I'm spending the day recovering."
"Is that so." Her eyes narrow, and she starts to look around your room. "You know, the Association contacted us the other day. Apparently a Holy Grail War is about to occur."
"Really now?"
"Pretty much. Now, I can't help but be concerned, given that I'm a legal guardian of a girl who just so happens to be the heir of a mage family with more than a few generations to its name. That would be-"
She stops. You turn, and see her looking at the bloodied clothes you'd changed out of. Uh-oh.
"Just an accident at dinner, huh?" She turns and walks over to you, looking you over before spotting the red smudge on your hand. She yanks your arm forward and rolls your sleeve back, revealing your Command Seals.
"What. Did. You. Do." Her eyes are wide and blazing white-hot fury.
You tell her that you went out to summon a Servant, got kidnapped, threatened, stabbed, and how your Servant was ambushed and immediately struck down. You make sure to leave out as many important details as you can, though; she doesn't deserve to get anything other than the basics. You finish, and she lets go of your arm, stepping back. She's silent for a moment before turning to leave.
"Stay here. I have a call to make."
She walks away, and you can hear her heading downstairs. You don't see yourself having much of a choice, but staying here doesn't mean you can't listen in. You close your eyes and steady your mind.
Sensory shift.
You blot out all sensation in your body, temporarily shutting down four of your basic senses in order to enhance your hearing. It's just enough that you can pick up pieces of what she's saying from the other end of the house.
"........had a Servant……..got killed……..always get another………………..can we kill……….what about the Overseer?.......hide her away……..can remove command seals, right?.......................give her a call."
Greyfore ends the call, and you emerge back into the greater part of reality, having heard some very concerning bits. You don't need to know the whole conversation to know that you need to get out of here immediately. You start to wonder where to go, and the pull on your core seems to give a sufficient answer. You go over and open the door to the balcony. At the very least, you can throw them off and stall for time by disappearing, and the front door is not an option. You take a breath, and activate a shift for physical enhancement. It's already necessary given you're leaping off a second-story balcony, but the shift needs to be extra strong since you're about to be going out with a still-healing stab wound.
You land with a wince, as the pain manages to just slightly hit through the shift. You clench your teeth and collect yourself, before setting out in the direction you're being pulled towards. You don't know where you're going, but it's like walking with an inner GPS. As you walk, you notice that the more you travel, the greater of a sense you get of being "closer" to the source of the pull; and as you get closer, the stronger the pull becomes.
It's after you cross the Fuyuki Bridge that you realize you are also near the Church–the pull is in a different direction, moreso north, but since you're nearby, maybe you could go to see Caren? It might help to talk to her and ask for assistance, maybe. You find yourself at a figurative fork in the road.
[ ] Follow the pull, see where it takes you.
[ ] Go to the Church and talk to Caren.
You turn away. Caren can wait, and it might not be a good idea given your current emotional state. You follow the pull on your core, wandering further through town. You're taking your journey slowly, thankful that you had some time to rest today instead of none, but you're still going slow enough that it's starting to turn into evening when you find yourself drawn towards a block of warehouses, with a sign posted saying they're scheduled for demolition. You're beginning to get an idea of what might be here.
You walk into the area, and stop at the entrance to one towards the middle of the group. This one. You struggle against the heavy metal door, reinforcing yourself with a shift. The door yields after a minute. You step in, and feel a chill flow over you, a not quite subliminal effort to push back your senses. You rub your temples, and keep going. Your studies tell you that you just walked into a Bounded Field, and a pretty strong one too given that voice in the back of your mind urging you to walk away and forget you ever saw anything here.
You could disable it now that you're inside, but you've managed to overcome it anyways and you're currently focused on finding whatev-huh.
On the far wall is a familiar crater, and scribed onto the floor a familiar circle. At least, it would be, if it hadn't been turned into a crater of its own, rubble scattered around. From the ruins of the circle you feel the pull like a vortex. You figured that this was the origin once you saw the warehouses, but why is there still a lingering attraction to this room after last night? The pull seams to swirl in your mind, a hypnotic call to come ever further. You make your way in, moving away the rubble to sit in the center.
"I already summoned someone," you say, hoping that despite being alone your words will reach whatever has been trying to reach you. You roll up your sleeve, staring at your arm. Your Command Seals have been fading more and more now. "That's how this works, right? I get one shot and that's it, and I blew mine. I told Haru I'd move on. How do you expect me to move on when you're trying to pull something here?!"
"I tried, I swear I did." You slap your palm against the ground, tears beginning to form. A piece of rubble stares back at you. You can still see the lines drawn in it. "What was I supposed to do? Stand there and die? What do you want from me? I called and you came, what more is there?"
The hand, clouded in shadow against the stars, pauses. A sound emerges from where it is, in your mind's eye. Indistinguishable, but you don't need to know what's being said. You know what it is. Not an answer to a summons, or to your questions. A call, wanting to be answered.
You sniffle, wiping your eyes, and look up towards the wall. You can still remember the person, reaching for you, right before they vanished. Your call was answered; now it seems you're expected to answer a call from beyond. You look back down at the rubble, and your arm. You sigh, and place your arm against the earth.
Here goes nothing. If this fails, you better leave me alone, okay? Let me move on.
"For the elements, silver and iron, for the foundation stone and the Archduke of Pacts. Fill, fill, fill, fill, fill. Repeat five times, but when each is filled, destroy it."
The air around you hums and starts to crackle.
"Hear my words. My will creates your body, and your sword creates my destiny. If you heed the Grail's call, and obey my will and reason, then answer my summoning!"
You think about Haru. What you told your mother at the cemetery. You have people to protect, and goals to accomplish, but you need help. In order to make your wish come true, you need help. The motivation may be different for each person, but really; at its very core, what is the act of summoning a Servant, if not a call for help?
"Raise a wall against the wind and close the gates of four directions. Come forth from the crown and follow the forked road leading to the Kingdom."
The hand stops, pausing for a moment, before reversing its course back towards you, rushing now, speeding past a boundless eternity.
"I hereby swear, that I shall be all the good in the world. That I shall defeat all evil in the world."
The rubble around you starts to glow, and your arm burns red as the Command Seals are renewed with purpose.
"Seventh heaven, clad in the great words of power, come forth from the circle of binding, Guardian of Scales!"
You are shot out of the crater and onto the floor some distance away as the rubble becomes illuminated in blinding light. You roll over, clutching your side. You're never going to be fully recovered at this rate, ow. You tilt your head to look towards the crater, and to the mist spilling out. After a moment, two figures emerge.
On the right is a person who looks to be shorter than you. They have short white hair and have scars across her face; they wear a black coat that covers them from mouth to thigh, and they're holding a curved sword. Next to them is a larger woman, with long blonde hair, wearing a massive red coat and a red hat, with both having a skull and two crossed bones on them. She has on her shoulder a long object that you're pretty sure is a gun. The duo look around, surveying their surroundings before focusing on you.
"Surprised?," the shorter one asks. "The two of us are one Servant. We're exclusive–a package deal, essentially. Where one goes, the other follows."
"Rider-class Servant, here to help," the other chimes in. "She's Mary Read, and I'm Anne Bonny. Pleased to meet you!"
"Wha….." you try to speak, but you can't really seem to get anything out that could really express what you're going through right now. This shouldn't be possible.
Anne grins. "Looks like you're our Master, right?"
You stutter, tripping over several dozens of syllables in an attempt to say something intelligible. You settle for swallowing in a large gulp of air and nodding.
"Then the contract is set," Mary murmurs. The top of her coat makes it a little difficult to hear her since it covers her mouth, but you manage to piece it together. You feel a phantom sensation around your hand, as if it's being shaken.
"Good, good," Anne nods. "You know Master, this is a bit of a wreck you've summoned us in, and you don't look so good yourself. I'm thinking the first order of business is to get you cleaned up."
"We can't perform at our best if you're not in good shape," Mary assents.
It occurs to you that you are sprawled on the floor of a rather smashed-up warehouse, eyes red and wet around the edges, clothes dirtied, and currently trying (and somewhat failing) to recover from being stabbed a mere twenty or so hours ago. You are quite the mess, and you should definitely get cleaned up. You start to rise, grabbing your side as a jolt of pain surges through you. You fall back, and find yourself now in Anne and Mary's arms.
"Easy there, we've got you," Anne says.
"Hmm, seems you've taken a blade recently," Mary notes.
"Seriously?! And you managed to summon us even after that?," Anne asks. "Guess you don't go down easily, huh. Well, that's good to know, cuz neither do we!"
"It is nice to know our Master is sturdy," Mary agrees.
You loosen up. "I think I'm gonna need help getting home."
The crimson corsair laughs a little. "That's no problem, leave it to us!" She readjusts her hold on you, while Mary moves to lift your legs up. Together the two carry you out of the warehouse in a manner not too dissimilar to a stretcher.
"......I'm Mikami, by the way. Mikami Tatsuko."
Mary turns her head back, and shares a curious look with Anne, who looks at you in turn. "Right. Command us well, Mikami Tatsuko."
You guide your Servant(s?) through Fuyuki, directing them back to your house. They make jumps and small sprints, and you get the sense that they're keeping their physical ability at a minimum for your safety and comfort. You arrive at home, noticing in that last leap that the door to the balcony outside of your room has been closed. Well, at least it's late so Haru isn't awake anymore, or at least she shouldn't be. You step up to the door, look back at Rider–they seem confused at your hesitation–and enter. You walk in, and see both Ms Greyfore and Mr Browning in the main room, working on various projects.
Well, time to face the music.
Your guardians look up, startled, and move into practiced positions to cast spells. Browning's wrist lights up in scaled white lines, while Greyfore's thigh is illuminated a sickly yellow. They're halfway to casting their respective spells when they halt, having recognized you. You were beginning to take a defensive stance yourself, and you breathe a quiet sigh of relief.
"You…." Browning seethes. "You shouldn't hav-"
His voice cuts off, as he and Greyfore see Rider walk in behind you.
"You didn't," Greyfore whispers.
"I did," you answer, your voice hard.
"And whose blood is on your hands now?," Browning seethes. "Who'd you have to kill to get this second chance?"
"No one's. I summoned them here."
"That's impossible, for multiple reasons."
You give a light shrug. "I'll hit the books and talk to Caren about it sometime. It's really not my problem, not right now at least."
Anne and Mary move up, to stand at your side. "Hey, Master, maybe it's just me, but these folks don't seem all too kind to you," Anne says, frowning. Mary nods and hums in agreement.
"We're her guardians," Greyfore hisses. "We'll not be talked to that way, by her or by you familiars. Hell, she didn't even have to get her hands dirty! At least maybe now that Einzbern can finish what she started yesterday."
You start to grit your teeth in silenced frustration, when Rider moves in the blink of an eye. Anne is shouldering her gun at Greyfore, and Mary is standing on the table, her cutlass aimed down at Browning.
"Guardians, huh? Well, whatever you call yourselves, we'd advise you not to insult our Master so," Anne says.
"Us, either," Mary adds.
"Rider, stop." You call out. They both turn to look towards you. You turn away, pressing your hand to the side of your head. ".........It's not worth it." You move for the stairs, eager to get away from your caretakers and go upstairs more than anything else. You hear movement as you ascend, and the duo are following you again.
"If you don't mind our asking, Master, we're curious…." Anne begins. "What would you say is 'worth it'?"
You go down the hall, and carefully open the door to Haru's room. The lights are off, and she looks sound asleep. You close the door, and quietly slump against it. "That, is what's worth it."
The two share a knowing look and are all smiles again. Or, at least, Anne is. You're still struggling to decipher Mary's emotions, thanks to a good part of her face being covered. You lurch towards your room. "I think I'm gonna go to bed. Looks like I'm taking tomorrow off too. I'll trust you to make sure I'm safe tonight, and that the two downstairs leave eventually. Don't interact with them or let them see you unless it's absolutely necessary, please."
The Riders nod. "That's a bit disappointing, but we'll settle for the trouble we caused earlier."
".......Right." You close the door, and you're fast asleep.
Tomorrow, you'd like to spend the day actually taking it easy–but maybe it would help to get Rider acquainted more with the city. So, the question is: where in Fuyuki do you want to go?
[X] School (vetoed)
[ ] Write-in
Class: Rider
True Name: Anne Bonny and Mary Read
Master: Mikami Tatsuko
Stats:
Strength: C
Endurance: C
Agility: A
Mana: D
Luck: A
NP: ??
Skills:
Riding: ???
The signature skill of the Rider class.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Notes:
-The song is one of two by Audiomachine I always play when pulling in FGO, it's what I consider a personal musical catalyst (and it's just a good song). the other, if you're interested, is Dauntless (No Choir).
-Anne is using her Third Ascension design, but Mary is using her Second Ascension design. However, both are missing (and will not receive) the Third Ascension bunny ear accessories because I think they're stupid and a bit too "waifu"-esque. They're already cool yet attractive! Mary's outfit underneath the coat will also be somewhat different, I saw a redesign I really liked (and also again, the og goes a bit too far in terms of needing to make them into waifus).
-May comment on their design in mechanical/statistical areas in the future, if I feel like it.
The William is anchored in Jamaica, awaiting its doom. As the Mary Anne closes in, the crew has fled below deck. The deck is quiet–save for two, who remain.
"They're really committed to this?," Anne asks, frustrated.
"Everyone's down there, even John," Mary answers. She walks over to the hatch, grabbing a nearby pistol. She points it at the hatch and fires, yelling "Come out and fight like men!"
"It's no use, Mary," Anne says. "It's just us. You and me against all odds."
"Nothing new about that," Mary replies.
A call comes out from the Mary Anne. "Strike your colors, and surrender peacefully!"
Anne grabs one of the swivel guns and fires a shot off in response. "They'll be boarding soon, you know."
Mary pulls out her cutlass. "Let them come. They're privateers, right?"
"Right. Reformed pirates."
"That just means they didn't have what it takes to live this life. They're not true pirates, just like our Captain and his crew."
A salvo of cannonfire bursts from the Mary Anne. The William shakes, and a cannonball shatters its boom. After a minutes, the smoke clears and the chaos dissipates, leaving two women on the deck of a broken ship. The Mary Anne quickly approaches.
Anne rises. "Not true pirates, huh?" She readies her gun. "Maybe it's about time they learned what true pirates look like."
You open your eyes, the blare of the alarm clock making itself known. That was a weird dream you had. You'll have to ask Rider about it….in any case, it's early in the morning, and you're still here. A look at your arm tells you the same can be said of all three of your Command Seals. You rise, and set yourself to getting dressed. Something casual again–you feel better, but not fully, which means another day of skipping school and taking some time to yourself. You walk into the hallway, and Anne and Mary appear before you, coming out of their spirit forms.
"Seems like everything's in order, so far at least." You say.
Anne nods. "Yup! Those 'guardians' of yours had some awful things to say for a bit, but they got their things in order and left eventually. All safe here!"
You give a small smile. "Good. Thanks guys, I appreciate it. If you don't mind staying behind a little, I'll call for you shortly."
The duo look at you curiously, but shrug and stay where they are. You head downstairs, and find Haru happily eating breakfast.
"Big sis! You're back!" She hops off her chair and hugs you.
"Hey there, sorry about that."
"You weren't home yesterday……….."
You lightly comb your fingers through her hair, patting her. "I'm sorry, Haru. I….some bad things happened with me and our caretakers, and I went to go get help."
"They were here all day, too…….."
"I know," you tell her. "I'm really sorry it took me so long. It was rough for me, too. But….you know how I said yesterday that we wouldn't be having someone stay with us?"
"Uh-huh?" Haru looks up at you.
"Well, the…..place, I went to for help, I actually got someone to come here. So they'll be someone staying with us after all. Is that okay?"
Haru's eyes twinkle. "Yeah! You seem real happy about it, big sis."
You laugh a little. "Yeah, I am. But you wanna hear the best part?"
Haru looks at you excitedly.
"It's not one, but two people staying with us!"
"Oooo…." Haru's eyes widen. "Can I meet them?"
You smile more now. "I was just about to introduce them. Anne, Mary, if you don't mind coming in?"
The duo walk into the kitchen, and smile upon seeing Haru, who in turn gazes at them happily.
"Well, look at you!" Anne greets her. "And who might you be?"
"I'm Haru! It's very nice to meet you!"
The two laugh, and share a look, as Anne leans back. "It's nice to meet you as well," Mary says.
"I'm Anne, and this is Mary. We'll be staying with you a while, if that's okay?"
"Yeah! You're both very pretty!" Haru is practically drooling at this point. Anne and Mary blush, and laugh a little. "And you're quite cute as well, Haru!"
"I told you that they were supposed to be a secret," you tell her, "but Ms Greyfore and Mr Browning already know about them. But, I do still need you to keep their names secret, okay?"
"Okay!"
"Also, you probably shouldn't bring Anne and Mary up around them. It'll make them….well, they'll get really upset."
Haru nods.
"Alright, well, I'm taking you to school again, so go get ready, okay?"
"Okay!" She rushes off to her room. Anne and Mary watch her go, before turning back to you, smiling.
"Well, isn't she adorable?" Anne remarks.
"For sure," Mary agrees.
"Glad you two approve," you say, rubbing the back of your head. "Say, since you're the ones in the Rider class, you wouldn't happen to be able to commandeer a car, would you?"
"While we appreciate your willingness to live the pirate life, Master, we…..kind of can't." Anne says, looking a little embarrassed.
"We're not able to use any creature as a mount, really.," Mary says. "Same for most vehicles, too. The only form of travel we know is steering ships–of course, we're pretty good at that, being pirates."
Huh. Well, so much for that idea. "Alright, that's fine. I'm used to walking Haru to school anyways. I'll need you two in spirit form, though. You kind of stand out in those outfits, no offense. We'll have to go to the shopping district today to take care of that."
The mention of an entire district for buying and selling things lights the pair up immediately. They're…..yeah, they're definitely thinking about how much they can get away with stealing.
Riding Voyage: A
This skill replaces the regular Riding skill. It denotes steering techniques for a ship. Because of this specializiation, it is impossible for this skill to apply to any other mount or type of vehicle. As Anne and Mary are pirates, their rank in this skill is high, as one would expect.
Rider's returned to Spirit Form by the time Haru comes back down, ready to go, asking where they went. "They'll be….watching over us, as we're walking," You tell her.
Haru brings up your outfit, concerned about missing multiple days of school. It'll be okay, although people definitely might think you're a delinquent, being out and about during school hours for the second day in a row. At least you're in better shape this time.
You drop Haru off, and head over to Shinto. You're crossing the bridge for the third time in as many days, but at least you're getting Anne and Mary acquainted with the more water-focused parts of the city. You'll take them to the Harbor today as well, but for now you'd like to have them able to accompany you physically.
You enter the shopping district, and find a more private corner where you might not be noticed talking to the air.
"...................I'm not going to be able to stop you guys from stealing things without a Command Seal, am I?"
"Probably not," Mary answers. "We are pirates, after all."
You sigh. "Alright. Well, I'd like for you two to have something casual to wear that won't immediately scream 'Servant' for the daytime. Just…..don't cause too much trouble? Maybe only steal clothing and other items, and not cash or people's credit cards or anything like that?"
"We'll do our best," Anne replies. "Modern security is an entertaining challenge. But we can probably settle for not robbing people."
"Alright. I'll trust you two to keep things under control. We can meet back in this area when you're done. Happy hunting, I guess?"
The duo pop out of spirit form, grinning, before sprinting off. You sigh. You give it five minutes, tops, before things go awry.
Well, that gives you some time to kill. You settle for slowly walking around the area, and regularly taking a moment or two to breathe on a bench. You did plenty of window shopping recently, so the district doesn't have much that appeals to you, but Anne and Mary can take care of themselves, you're sure.
It's while you're strolling around that you notice a familiar someone sitting outside at one of the cafes, the one and only Caren Hortensia. You'd recognize her anywhere, with her priestly garb and her long white hair, even when she's sitting with her back mostly towards you. You're about to approach, you've got some things to talk about with her, when you notice she seems to be having a conversation of her own with someone sitting across from her. A girl, maybe a little older than you it looks like, with yellow eyes and short white-blonde hair, almost bleached, wearing a jacket over a black dress. She notices you staring, and grins. Something about the smirk is…..unnatural, and you feel a chill rush over you. Almost instinctively, you turn and start to hurry back the way you came. You don't know why, but you're getting a gut feeling that right now it's much safer to be near Anne and Mary.
You make it to the boundaries of the district where you arrived, and find the duo waiting for you, sitting on a bench and eating ice cream together. Mary is wearing a power suit and combat boots, and is twirling a knife in her spare hand. Now that her face isn't partially covered, you can get a better look at the scars–the long one goes across her whole face, and you can see a few other smaller ones. Anne has on a shoulderless sweater, jeans and a simple belt, heels, and several pieces of jewelry–earrings, a necklace, bracelets, they all look really expensive. Her hair is also pulled back into one long ponytail.
"Wow…" you breathe. "You guys look great."
They grin at each other. "Glad to hear, Master!" Anne says. "You know, stealing this stuff wasn't as hard as we thought! Good to know the times haven't really changed that much."
Aaaaand there it is. "Please don't say such things so loudly," you insist, leaning in.
Anne pouts a little, but laughs it off after a moment.
"We got something for you as well," Mary says, putting the knife aside to fish for something in her pocket.
"For me?"
Mary puts her hand out and unfolds it, and you see a small metal object. "What's this?"
"It's a coin from our time, what you'd call the Golden Age of Piracy."
"We got super lucky, finding it in an antique store," Anne says. "The owners probably didn't even know they had it."
"Wow……" You take the coin from Mary, and inspect it. It is very old, and hard to tell apart from any other piece of aged metal, but if they say it's a coin, it's a coin.
"You guys…..this is……wow, just, thank you."
The pirates seem happy by this, and they rope their arms around yours, pushing you along.
"Now, how about we go see that harbor?" Anne beams.
They ended up stealing a boat. Of course they did. Why are you not surprised?
If Rider had a field day stealing in the shopping district, the harbor might as well be heaven. The two were practically drooling over all the boats, and seemed to find "the one" when they came across a jet boat, the Perilous. You have no idea how stealing a boat worked in their time, nor how it works now, but one hour later the three of you are cruising across the coastline, Anne and Mary having the time of their lives.
As the afternoon passes, and the duo get their sea legs back (with the utmost glee), the time comes to pick Haru up from school. She's ecstatic to see Anne and Mary in their casual outfits, as you expected. Neither of your guardians comes by the rest of the day. You're relieved by this.
The evening arrives, and you find yourself on the balcony in your room, staring out at the Fuyuki night sky. You consider the idea of going out again, now that you have a Servant…..no, no need to push yourself. You've got plenty of time, and you need to spend at least some of it preparing and keeping yourself and Rider in good condition. Tomorrow night, perhaps.
You hear a sound far off in the distance, that you're fairly certain is some kind of explosion. Nope, definitely not going out tonight, you're not getting into any of that right now. That sounds like one hundred percent not your business. Whatever's going on elsewhere in the Fuyuki, that's someone else's concern.
You head to the study to do research on the mysteries surrounding your summonings. After three or so hours of poring over texts, doing tests, and theorycrafting, a possibility strikes you. Servants need to make a contract with the Master, and doing so allows the Master to officially anchor the Servant to the world. You thought that the contract was typically made as soon as the Command Seals appeared, but what if there was a bit more to it? Rider did need to confirm you were the Master, and the person you summoned initially didn't get to so much as speak. Hmmmmm…….it's only a theory right now, but worth discussing with Caren. You really should get to talking to her soon….though, preferably not around that girl she was with today.
You clean up your workshop, and head for your room. Bidding Anne and Mary good night, you turn in and go to sleep.
TO BE CONTINUED
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Notes:
I couldn't really think of a good place to make a vote and split things, so the chapter "revelations" is simply going to be in two parts; looking at the content, I feel that this is a smoother option then combining both into one chapter.
I'll post Part 2........tomorrow? Sunday? Let's go with Sunday night at the latest. It's already written, just depends on when I have time to upload it.
Normally, two people would not have a chance in defeating twenty men in combat. Anne Bonny and Mary Read are not two normal people. The crew of the Mary Anne leaps aboard the William, and are immediately greeted by gunfire and whirling blades. Battle commences, and the enemy sailors are surprised by the ferocity of the two women who stand against them. Their speed, strength, and resilience seems almost supernatural, as if they're going against destiny itself in this final stand. Wounds only serve to infuriate them further.
But, no one can stand against the test of time. The same can be said for no two people, either. The enemy gathers round, and begins to wear down the duo. The fight lasts for the longest ten minutes of their lives before Anne and Mary can move no further under the power of their bloodied and battered bodies, practically smoking from rage. They give one last rally before falling over, unconscious.
Jean Bonadvis, privateer and captain of the Mary Anne, boards the William as its crew is being led up onto the deck for their arrest. He sees the two women collapsed, and asks who they are.
"The bravest of us, the only ones with real courage," is what the crew of the William reply.
You wake up. Another strange dream today. You weren't aware of dreams about one's Servant being a thing, but you suppose it's possible. Well, whatever. You rub your eyes and rise. You feel a lot better now–not fully back to normal, but well enough that you can take care of yourself just fine. It's probably for the best anyways, you really don't want to miss three or more days of school in a row.
You get dressed and head downstairs, where Anne and Mary are having breakfast with Haru. You know they don't need to eat, but it's good to see them getting along with her, not that you expected anything different.
"Good morning."
"Morning, Master!"
"G'morning, big sis!"
"Aren't we a lively bunch today?"
Haru notices that you're in your uniform. "Ah! Big sis, you're going back to school today?"
"That's right," you tell her. "We'll walk you to school, and then Anne and Mary will walk me to school as well."
"Are you also going to school?" Haru asks the pair.
"Afraid not," you reply. "They'll be nearby, though."
Anne and Mary give you a look, as if to say 'we don't know what you mean, but ok'.
The four of you wrap up breakfast, and after finishing up you set out. You drop Haru off, and head towards Homurahara Academy.
"I can't really have you with me inside," you tell Rider, "but I'd like you to stay in the general area, in case of trouble. In sight, maybe, close by."
They nod, happy to comply. You reach the entrance to the school and bid them goodbye for now.
As you're about to walk in, the door bursts open, and Ms Fujimura runs into you. The two of you hit the ground, Taiga's papers scattering.
"Ah, Tatsuko-san! Are you okay?!"
You pick yourself up. "I think so, Fujimura-sensei."
She picks up her papers, and looks at you. "Hmm….I had somewhere to be, but you're in need of a talking to."
"About what, sensei?"
"You're a good student. You've got good grades, and I don't think you've ever caused trouble.," She raises a finger. "But that's exactly why I'm concerned about you! You're gone for two days, and in that time weird things start happening!"
You stare at her. "And…you think I'm connected to those things, Fujimura-sensei? That seems like a bit of a stretch….."
"Look," she puffs. "I've seen a lot of things, especially weird things. The last time I saw a lot of weird things happen around the same time, it involved some kids about your age. It wasn't particularly pleasant."
"I….see." You have an inkling of what she might be talking about, but there's no way to be sure–not right now, anyway.
She sighs. "Look, just….be careful, Rin."
You look at her, confused. "Ms Fujimura? Did you just call me 'Rin'?"
She adopts the same face, thinking for a moment. "Hm? No, I don't think so. I don't know anyone named Rin. You must be hearing things."
You raise an eyebrow, but ultimately shrug. "I…I guess so, yeah."
Taiga straightens, as if she's just remembered something. "Ah, it's almost class time, I gotta finish grading papers! Make sure you're on timeeeeee!"
With that, she hurries back into the school. Huh. That was….odd, to say the least. Although, given that it was a conversation with Taiga, you suppose that's not entirely unexpected. You walk into school.
When you enter the classroom, you spot Yumi and Akari–the latter wearing glasses. Huh, she's never said anything about having bad eyesight. Those glasses look….unique, but you can't put your finger on why. Shoving the thought aside, you go over, as they notice you.
"Mikami's back!" Akari cries
"We missed you." Yumi greets you.
"Yeah, I had a….minor injury a few nights back. Man, catching up on homework's gonna be a nightmare….."
"You said it!" Akari says. "That's why we, your invaluable friends, are here to help! We'll make sure you're back on track!"
You blush. "Thanks, I appreciate it."
Class starts, and the rest of the day seems to go smoothly. Yumi and Akari work to fill you in between periods, both on schoolwork and in making small talk. It's in the middle of one of these breaks, later in the afternoon, that Akari stands up to do some stretches. She takes her glasses off momentarily as you turn to focus back on what Yumi is saying, when you hear a sound from behind you. A low hum that you're surprised to have heard, a quiet buzzing. This is immediately followed by hearing Akari cry out, and the sound of her falling.
You whirl around, and see Akari on the floor, wincing in pain and gripping her forehead.
"Akari!" You go over to her, Yumi following. Akari is quaking, clearly pained, but from what you can't tell right away.
"Akari, what's wrong?" Yumi asks.
"Nnnghhh…..legs…gave out…"
You put an arm under her and start to lift her up. "I'm going to take her to the nurse," you say, looking to Yumi. "See if you can go get one of the teachers!"
Yumi nods, and gives you a boost, ultimately getting Akari up on her feet. She seems to be struggling to stay balanced, so you're going to have to help her walk to the nurse. Yumi runs off, and you take Akari the opposite direction, towards the stairwell. You reach the stairwell, and one of Akari's hands slips down. You hear the low hum from before again, this time a little louder, and a small part of the wall cracks. You look towards Akari's exposed eye. It is glowing a soft blue-green. You know what this is. A pair was used on you a few nights ago.
Mystic Eyes. A special type of magecraft. But, Akari isn't a mage–or at least, you had been pretty certain she wasn't. Although you do recall that, although a rare occurrence, Mystic Eyes can spontaneously appear, even at older ages like the late teens. Knowing this, you recognize the type of glasses now. You've never seen a design like this, but they must be Mystic Eye Killers, a Mystic Code that can suppress Mystic Eyes.
"Akari, I know this is going to sound weird, but I need you to put those glasses on."
She closes her eye, opening the glasses and putting them back on. It looks like this helped–she doesn't seem to be in as much pain anymore.
"It's not weird to hear it….." She looks towards you now, confused. "But it is weird to hear that from you, Mikami. How'd you know that'd help…?"
You grit your teeth. This really isn't a conversation you want to have right now. "We need to get you to the nurse's office.
"No," she shakes her head. "I need you to take me to the occult club's meeting room."
"What? How's that going to help?"
"There's someone there who can help," she says, gazing upwards.
That's….odd. But who could help that's not-ohhhhhh. Please, no……your guess as to who–or rather, what–it might be leaves you no choice but to scan your friend. You pull her arm over and sure enough, just peeking out of the sleeve of her left arm is a red marking.
Oh, no. Oh, no no no……
You're trying to figure out what to do when Akari starts sniffing. "Hey, is it just me, or is something burning?"
Now that she's said something, you do catch the smell of something burning. You look around and–oh. Wisps of smoke are beginning to rise from the lower level. This discovery is punctuated by a dulled thud and a minor quake, from the other end of the school it feels like.
"Stay here, I'll be back in a moment," you tell Akari. You start to make your way downstairs, covering your mouth and nose with your sleeve. You get to the next flight before seeing flames spreading around the edges at the stairwell's base. The door is busted and bent, partially off its hinges, parts of it searing red. It looks like something struck it.
Well, looks like you won't be heading down that way anytime soon. You head back up to where you started….and Akari's gone. Great. You hurry back through the hallway, and see that people are making their way down through the fire escapes. Well, at least everyone else is getting out safely. You've got a friend to attend to.
You make it to the stairwell on the other side of the building. This one is much worse off–the flames are a lot closer than you hoped, but how the flames are so fierce, you don't know. You saw an abandoned fire extinguisher back in the hallway, so it looks like that wasn't effective. You settle for blaming it on magic, since that's probably what's going on here. You cough a little and press your sleeves closer, reaching out as you ascend to the next floor.
I need you guys to get over here, there's trouble!
We see it, we'll be there in just a moment. Hang in there, Master!
You're on the third floor now, where the occult club meets. The room should be towards the middle……you're looking at the room numbers, should be the next one-
You blink. You're suddenly looking at a poster. That's not right. You look around. The hallway is filled in flame, and based on the classrooms you can see….you're on the first floor?! How did that happen?!
Any time, guys!
We're about to come in, we just lost sight of you!
First floor!
On it!
As you're trying to judge which way would be safer, you hear a sound. Something horrible and screeching. Something made of metal, not collapsing, but….being dragged against the walls, and very much on this floor. It's coming from up ahead and is slowly approaching.
[ ] Run the other way.
[ ] Try to hide.
[ ] Stand your ground.
[ ] Summon Anne and Mary to your side. They're only moments away, but you need them here now (this will use a Command Seal).
