Fate/Clusterfuck (Fate/Stay Night)

[Erien]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66DW--mbGI8

[Circe, get them out. The rest of us are staying and helping the man and the innocents]

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

An effort paid off.

—

There was no further time for thought, or plans… not that you put much stock in plans to begin with. "Circe, get Ayako's parents back to the mansion. The rest of us are staying and helping that servant fight the Monster. There's too many innocents in danger here."

"Shirou that-" Circe begins.

But you cut her off. "Circe, I trust you to get them there safely. I am not letting this spill into the houses around here if I can help it, I am not running away, these people have nothing to do with the war."

You turn your head towards Medea. "Can you slow that thing down?"

Caster stares at you for a few moments, saying nothing as the sound of crashing timber and crunching metal sounds out from down the street. "Leave it to me."

Then you turn your attention to Ayako. "Ruby?"

Ayako swallows, nods, then yanks the wand out of of the air where it had been floating in front of Circe. With a flash of light, the clothes she was wearing fade away, replaced instead by the same outfit she had been wearing when she kidnapped you just a short while ago.

"Are you in control?" you ask quickly, wanting to get out there

"I want to die wearing this, so yeah. I think so!" Ayako hisses.

"Ayako's in control, just point me at 'em!" Ruby cheerfully reports.

You nod your head, then you run out of the house. You leap over the rubble and debris, and land on the road. Then you look towards the ongoing battle… and…

Two buildings were already aflame on either side of the street. Flames billowed upwards from them, the smell of gas staining the air. One, to your left, had a car sticking through the second story, one wheel still turning rapidly from either the force of whatever had thrown it in there… or from the fact that someone had been driving it only moments prior.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

The beast is down the street, maybe a hundred yards away, swinging its spear with abandon toward the newly arrived servant. With every swing of the weapon, black streaks of light erupt, carving into the neighboring houses, cars, and people. People were either locking up their homes or trying to run away, those unlucky enough to be near the Monster died. Men, women, and children, their bodies cut in half or worse, falling to the ground in clumps.

Then you were sprinting down the street.

"Focus on me servant!" the white-haired man shouts as he raises his pistol and fires. The round connects, slamming into the Monster's shoulder. It… doesn't move or react as blood pours down from the open wound.

Eyes snap onto the newcomer, tongues slobbering, and then it launches itself forward.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

"Stop!" you shout.

The beast jerks at the sound of your voice, juking around the side of the white-haired man to leap towards you. It was a hundred yards away, and in as much time as it took to process it even moving at all, it was on you. You reinforce your legs on instincts, sliding down on them as you skid across the asphalt. An intense heat from the Monster's body washes over you, as does a sickening scent of death. You collide with its legs, and you begin to scramble, to dry and move.

You aren't fast enough, the spear screams down, slicing through the air with a shriek as it surges towards your abdomen.

"Fuck off from my boyfriend!" Ayako screams, and she's then standing above you. Ruby screams as it swings into the spear like a baseball bat, a loud clunk sounds out as the toy stick slams into the spear. The spear drives itself into the asphalt an inch away from your head, and you roll to the side, climbing back up onto your feet in nearly the same acti-

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

You go flying back into a parked car as the Monster bellows with enough force to push you and Ayako both away.

"It shall not leave this street!" a voice calls out, and you jerk your head to see the man who had crashed into Circe standing just a short distance away. "It is using the people here as bait."

…

"Caster, we fight this thing here and now, it's already hurt Taiga and Sakura. No more." You push yourself off the car with a grimace, your back alighting in pain. Caster appears by your side a moment later, helping you up even as the beast turns to look at the two of you.

"We shall most certainly die." Caster replies.

"Probably, but if some of the people get away… it's worth it."

"... Fool." Caster says, then raises her staff.

That, you wouldn't argue.

Your body was currently wracked with rather interesting pain, but you could move. Your mana was drained from working on Mordred earlier. But you were going to fight, and you were going to fight here and now. This thing wasn't going to hurt anyone else. The flames dance on the buildings around you, the fire spreading. People screamed, shouted, whimpered. You were back there, as you were, twelve years ago. Only this time… this time you could do something about it.

You were on a small, two-lane street, not meant for much in the way of traffic. Cars crowded the sides of it, people cramming as much they could to live in the multistory houses to either side. The Monster barely fit into it, bulging muscles and pulsing, tumorous flesh brushing against the walls and vehicles.

"Palintonos - Penelope."

The bow forms in your hand, and the Monster snarls. It leaps, Medea moves, you fire. The arrow sails through the air to slam into its neck… and snaps as it jerks its head, blood pours down from the wound, but the Monster doesn't care. Charging forwar-

The ground underneath its feet alights purple, runes painting the asphalt, before an eruption of light and energy shoots straight up. Shackles of pure energy slam around the arms and legs of the Monster, causing it to stumble. Gibbering mouths drool and send spittle all over as it roars and struggles, pulling against the restraints. You fire again, and again, your mana draining, but you don't move, pumping arrow after arrow into the Monster as it struggles against the restraints.

Then a beam of bright, pink light slams into it, causing the Monster to howl and stumble backward, the chains break from the sudden hit of energy, allowing the Monster to crash back into a car, and a wall behind it. The smell of burning meat fills the air, and you turn your head to see Ayako come to a skidding stop just beside you, panting with a sheen on sweat on her face. "Did that get him?"

"No, not hardly." The white-haired man replies.

You look his way, only to see him stand between you and the Monster. You have but another moment to draw in a breath, before it lurches up and off the car, a large hole now present in its midsection, revealing… nothing. An inky black hole in reality stood proudly where once had been flesh, and before your eyes ligaments stretch and snap over the hole, closing it like one would sew shut a hole in a shirt.

"Well fuck." Ayako says.

"Indeed," the man replies.

"Machia Hecatic Graea!" Caster's voice shouts from above.

You look up to see her floating above the battlefield, her cape extended like wings billowing behind her. Then beams of light erupt from the cape, slamming down into the Monster.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

Smoke fills the street, and then it violently blows outwards as the Monster, smoking, bleeding, and missing large chunks of its flesh, leaps clear upwards and grabs Medea. It twists, spinning into the air, then throws her down. She screams with a rush of air back towards the earth, crashing through the roof of one of the parked cars. Glass shards from shattered windows throw shrapnel across the street, pelting you as you yank Ayako and push her behind you.

The Monster lands with a crunch of asphalt a moment later, spear raised to deliver the finishing blow.

Your shoulder crashes into it, the arrow held in your hand stabbing into its back. "Don't you touch her!"

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

A mouth forms around the arrow, biting down and snapping it in half. Your hand snaps back, mana surging through your body as a blade forms in it. It's a red thing, it belonged to a goddess once, though Circe has stated that wasn't necessarily a good thing. It was short, shorter than your arm by half, with a simple unadorned hilt. The only notable thing was the fact that the blade was blood red, and as it fit into your hand perfectly, it begged to be painted yet more. "Haema!" The blade is stabbed into the mouth, then locked there, unable to be moved as you try and carve upwards. The Monster's flesh wraps around it, locking it in place, you attempt to leap back and move away. Only to find the same had happened to your shoes. Your body went rigid then, tendrils of flesh shooting out from its back to latch around your limbs.

Then there's a flash of silver, and you are falling back towards the ground. The man was in front of you now, his blade swinging with abandon, carving chunks out of the Monster as it howls and turns back around, and you find yourself in the arms of Ayako a moment later. Your girlfriend dragging you back and away from it.

The wounds on the Monster knit themselves, blood pours, but is ignored, eyes pop, but are ignored. It stabs the spear forward, and the man only narrowly leaps back and away from it.

You free yourself from Ayako and run forward. The Monster rushes past you, focused now on the man, and you reach the car and look down at your servant. Medea lays there, eyes unfocused and staring at the sky, a thin dribble of blood coming out the side of her mouth. You wrench her free, Medea letting out a grunt as you hoist her out of the ruined car. You then lay her against it, ignoring the sound of battle behind you. The shouts of Ayako and Ruby, the sound of sword clashing against spear. You are wholly focused instead on Medea.

"You are an awful master boy," Medea says. Her eyes regaining their focus as she raises a hand to wipe the blood away from her mouth. "And that thing cares little for my magic."

"Any ideas?" you ask.

Medea shakes her head. Then pushes herself to her fee-

"Shirou!" Ayako's voice cries out in alarm.

You turn your head to see the Monster charging towards you, spear raised. The man that had been fighting him was in a crater in the ground. You move on instinct, grabbing Medea and throwing her to the side. Then you try to dive yourself. Mana floods your body, reinforcing your arms, legs, and you begin to mo-

Your mana fails, drained, and you make it only a few steps to the right before its spear stabs forward.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

Your vision flashes white as it stabs straight through your stomach.

"Shirou!" this time it was Medea's voice, and your vision returns to see yourself leaving the ground, your hand moves to the spear, clutching it, vainly trying to pull yourself free as the Monster lifts you off the ground, gurgling, laughing.

You raise your hand, trying to do something, anything, but you felt… so very tired.

"Medea… Ayako… Safety!" you say through gritted teeth, fighting to stay conscious despite the pain.

But Ayako was frozen in fear, watching you die. You begin to slide down the spear, towards the Monster, towards the gaping, slobbering mouths.

"Oi! Bastard! Get away from my fucking MASTER!"

—


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7OhTeJEBik

—

A glint of silver and red rushes past you-

*Crash*

Mordred's sword swings up, slamming into the spiked, black spear. The spear holds for a moment, then cracks, breaking, and sending you tumbling to the ground.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

Mordred gives the Monster no time to react as it processes its spear being broken, she charges into it. Her armored shoulder crashes into its stomach and sends it back several feet. Then her blade swings upwards carving a gouge in it from hip to shoulder.

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!"

It lurches back, bleeding a mix of red blood and a black ichor. It stares at Mordred, panting, then it opens its mouth to roar once more.

"▂"

It manages a syllable before a twisted, gigantic arrow whistles by your head and into its gaping mouth. The eyes along the body dart to it, then it detonates. Smoke and chunks of asphalt fill the air, clearing a moment later to reveal… the Monster standing there, chest heaving, a bloody gurgling stump where its head used to be. It stumbles forward, off balance. Before it pitches forwar-

Its hand stabs out, attempting to grab Mordred. The armored woman leaps to the side, sword swinging at the arm. It rushes past you both, tripping and stumbling. Then it turns, and… to your horror.

It's head is already back. The wound from the sword along the chest is gone, and a misshaped, bloody head is looking straight at Mordred. The pain from the spear currently sticking out of your stomach was easy to ignore as you processed that, you stumble, falling back onto the ground, but you never lose sight of it. Not as it steps forward towards Mordred, giggling, slobbering, its many mouths barking and yipping in excitement.

Ayako then is in front of you again, Ruby held in both hands as she casts a terrified look your way. Then… the Monster stops, the mouths close, the head tilts. Then ever so slowly it looks towards the south and leaps. A buffet of wind hits you, rustling your clothes and hair, and you just lay there. Listening for the sounds of battle as it chases after Archer… he had to have been the one to shoot that arrow like he did at Rin's servant.

Only… to your surprise, Archer lands in the middle of the street, Sakura tucked up against him. Circe lands besides him a moment later, both Circe and Sakura looking at you in abject horror and worry respectively.

"Shirou/Piglet!"

—

You were lying against an AC unit on a nearby roof, the spear had been removed by Mordred, none too gently. And that woman was now… idly standing in the middle of the roof, dead-eyed and seemingly paying attention to nothing going on around her. Circe meanwhile, had just finished closing the wound in your stomach.

"You seem to have a knack for attracting spears, Master." Medea comments, the witch sitting just beside Circe, watching the other woman like a hawk as she closed your wound.

"It's a gift," you reply. The wound was closed and gone, the pain wasn't. You felt cold and clammy, you weren't sure if that was the blood loss, the mana loss, or both at this point. The Monster hadn't returned, but then… the damage was already done. The street was littered with bodies, you had forced yourself to stop counting after twenty. Sirens sounded from below, the police and fire department helping people deal with something they didn't… couldn't understand.

"My apologies," the man… the newcomer speaks up, and you turn your gaze to him.

He was a mess, covered in burns, scratches, cuts and other various injuries. He still cut a rather imposing figure regardless, though it was rather difficult to feel anything resembling fear at the moment after what you had just dealt with. "I had been attempting to lead that servant away from the city since the previous night, and had been succeeding… until its way went here like a dog upon the fox straight and unerring."

There was no sign of Mata Hari, but you didn't expect her to be here. Archer however, you dimly note was looking at the white-haired man in what could only be described as 'concern and confusion'. He hadn't spoken once however, allowing Sakura to fuss over you as much as the two witches were.

"Who are you?" you ask.

The man reaches up to the top of his head, his hand closing as if to grasp a hat that wasn't there. He frowns, recovers, smiles, then bows. "Servant Ruler, I was summoned to manage this Grail War."

"You're doing great." You say tiredly.

The man grimaces. "It is to my regret that innocents have been harmed, however, I was only summoned yesterday evening… directly next to that Servant I must mention."

"This war has already gone out of hand," Circe replies slowly. "Why would a Ruler be summoned only now?"

"In response to an evil that is forming," Ruler replies. "Separate from this Grail War, but attached all the same."

"Oh, good to hear that this isn't evil yet," you reply. Then force yourself to stand on unsteady feet. Three pairs of hands halfheartedly try to stop you, and all three instead turn to help keep you steady and upright once you do manage it. "Are you going to deal with that… that thing then?"

"I fought it as it attacked me, and I attempted to limit collateral damage. However, I cannot become involved in the Grail War." Ruler replies.

You stare at him and listen to the cries from below. "We're going to need help."

"I'm afraid, as stated, I canno-"

"I know," you reply, cutting the man off. "You're tied into this Grail War, which means you are functionally useless and don't care what happens to people. Nobody does. Not the other masters, not their servants."

You move a hand to your stomach, then push yourself away from the AC unit, stumbling slightly before you right yourself. You felt sick, you felt tired… but you couldn't leave things like this. "Caster… we need help, we can't let that thing attack again. It… it dies today."

"Shirou you are in no condition to fight," Medea replies.

"Were they?" you ask, gesturing to the street below. "No, we solve this now." No more, no more. There won't be another Fuyuki fire, there won't be more bodies in the street. There won't be people you cannot save. There won't be any more running away, you don't care if you die.

But that thing could not be allowed to live.

—

But you need help.

[] [Ask Illya]
A plea for help, an answered call. A monster for a monster.

[] [Ask Kirei]
A deal with the devil, an enemy of my enemy. A god.

[] [Ask Raiga]
Men of the shadows, snakes in human guise. A machine in the form of a teacher.

—

Lemme know if y'all like. I've been worried about this story recently.

 

[Erien]

[Ask Illya]
A plea for help, an answered call. A monster for a monster.

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

Not one more death, not one more person. Not one more innocent. Not while you still lived. If you could end this all now, at the cost of everything you were, you would. You were a Magus, you chose to be that, and you made your sacrifices. You were dragged into this war against your will, but you fought in it, and bled for it. Just so that it didn't get out of control so that some irresponsible bastard didn't run away with it.

You were a fool. You knew that, you always knew that. It was an impossible goal, for all that Circe and Medea looked human, they weren't. Compared to you, compared to any human, they were gods. Their magic capabilities would be the envy of any mage of the Clocktower green. You couldn't compare to them, you couldn't compare yourself to anything, not really. You were Shirou Emiya, the adopted son of Kiritsugu Emiya. And right now it was all you could do to survive just on the off-chance you could save someone in this wretched war.

You look towards Ruler. "What is this evil you mentioned? You said it was separate from everything else."

"I cannot say as of yet, my apologies," the man replies, and to his credit, he looks truly apologetic. "It isn't in this city, not yet. But it is an evil forming all the same."

You sigh, that was something you would have to deal with then. "Is it a servant?"

"I cannot say," Ruler replies.

You stare at him for a moment longer, then look towards Medea. "Fine, Caster, we're going to visit my sister for help… we're going to need more firepower to deal with that thing."

"No, we are not." Medea hisses. "I can feel our link master, you have almost no mana left of any kind. You have a Berserker you cannot control, and you have a gaping wound that was only recently closed."

"Does it matter?" you ask, genuinely. "I'm constantly getting hurt, but people are dying. The faster we move, the faster we solve this, the less people have to suffer due to the actions of magic."

"You shouldn't be getting hurt either master."

"It's a war," you reply, "I expected some scrapes ever since you explained this to me… except, you didn't. That was Sakura."

The girl in question takes a step back nervously. Ayako, for her part, was looking around nervously, like she wasn't sure if she should be saying something.

"It doesn't matter what happens to me," you gesture out towards the wrecked street below. "But Fuyuki doesn't deserve thi-"

"It matters to me!" Caster growls. Then she steps forward so that she is mere inches away from you. "You don't get to kill yourself, not after saving my life. If you want to see your sister, that's fine. If you want to make a plan so that you can win this war. That's fine. If you want to take the fight to whatever that thing is. That's fine. But you do not get to throw your life away for these… these people! They owe you nothing!"

"Now Medea dear, the way to a man's heart is not to insult his ideals," Circe says.

"I. Didn't. Ask. You." Caster replies.

The witch titters, looking between the two of you in amusement. "My dear piglet says he needs allies, who are we to refute that?"

"What I'm against," Medea hisses. "Is that he plans on chasing after that servant immediately afterwards so that he can feel like he's doing something."

"So you admit that I'm not?" you ask bitterly. "Fuyuki is burning, and I have at least three masters running about… and I only know of Rin. All we've been doing is be attacked, repeatedly."

Caster moves a shaky hand to her face, pushing the hood back by accident as she does so. "Master, I am a caster, we rely on time, patience, and planning. You have a berserker you cannot control, a friendly Archer who appears whenever the mood strikes him, an assassin who appears to disappear into Tartarus whenever the mood suits her, a rogue master and her rogue Shielder, and you are begging favors of a Rider who has kidnapped you."

She lowers the hand, eyebrow twitching. "You are not exactly in a strong position to launch an assault."

"Which is why I want to speak to Illya to see about getting her help. She already agreed to help me find Fujimaru's servant, and did."

"And now you wish to use your rediscovered relationship for more, without thought that she might refuse you."

"At least he's thinking about doing something, instead of just mocking all the ide-" Ayako begins, but her jaw clicks shut as Caster turns to look at her. Caster stares at her for several moments, saying nothing even as Ruby wiggles in Ayako's grip. Then your servant turns to look at you once more. "Well, glad am I to find you two share something in common beyond your age. Now, master, I wish for you to truly think carefully, you wish to defeat this servant? That's fine, but how exactly do you plan on asking another, neutral master to do that? What would she gain beyond strengthening your position?"

"Nothing, but does she need to, we're family."

"Family? Do you think that truly means anything Shirou? Not in a situation like this, what is at stake is a wish. And you wish to throw yourself into even more danger, when you can barely support me at the moment with mana, just so that you can avenge people you don't kno-"

"Does he need more than that you… you miserable woman!?" Sakura shrieks.

All heads as one turn to Sakura, including her own servant.

"I don't see you making up any plans!" Sakura continues. "He wants to help, isn't that enough?! Who cares about something stupid like a wish, I never wanted it, that was my grandfather and brother. Now they are dead. I don't like him being in danger, Shirou is all I have left, but a plan is better than no plan. I can't think of any other ideas, do you just want to hide?" then Sakura blanches, moving a hand to her mouth in apparent horror of what she had been saying.

"No, but I do not wish for my master to throw himself needlessly in danger when he is drained," Caster says, gritting her teeth. "Master, if you wish to speak to Illya, that is entirely up to you. However, do not go after this servant as you are now. It will be the death of you."

You draw in a slow breath, forcing yourself calm. "Fine, I know you are drained yourself Caster. I won't force it."

Caster smiles, then, placing her hands on eitherside of your cheeks… she kisses you. You feel a tingle of your mana being drained, but only slightly. It's a chaste thing, and she pulls away a moment later with a light blush on her cheeks. Then, turning away, she raises her hood up once more.

"Hey! That's my boyfriend!" Ayako growls.

Circe looks at her in confusion. "Yes? What does that have to do with anything?"

"She can't just kiss my boyfriend!" Ayako says, raising her hands as if she was explaining a concept to a child.

"Oh," Circe replies dully. "Well, if you're upset about the kissing then I'm afraid I have bad news for you."

Ayako stares at the witch, saying nothing for several moments. Then she looks towards you. "Shirou? Mind explaining?"

…

You look off towards the north. "Sakura, are you comfortable coming with us to Illya's Castle?"

"Answer the question!"

"Er, um, yes?" Sakura replies, sounding more than a little confused.

You nod your head, "let's be off the-"

A hand grabs your collar, and tugs. You are spun around to find yourself face to face with Ayako, Ruby held like a knife between the two of you. "Explain."

"Indeed, Shirou, explain why you've been cheating on me with other women." Ruby says.

You and Ayako both look down at the stick, staring at it. Then you wrench your gaze away. "... Tantric ritual, I'll explain later. We don't have time for this."

"Oh you better," Ayako growls. "You've been my boyfriend for a week."

You weren't sure what scared you more, her, or that monster. But at the moment, Ayako looked absolutely furious. Far, far more than you had ever seen her before.



—

The trek to the forest went by thankfully unmolested. If one didn't count being glared at by Ayako the whole way. At least now she didn't need to be carried by Circe or Medea, with Ruby held in her hand she was perfectly capable of keeping up with the rest of you… not exactly gracefully, and she seemed utterly mortified by the skirt. But she kept up. It was a matter of minutes before you reached the edge of the forest. It was another half hour after that you reached the path leading to the castle itself, and there, of course, was the guard.

Rider stood atop a branch, one hand placed against the tree, the other dangling, allowing a long chain weapon to swing in the breeze. "So it is you this time," Rider says.

You stare up at her, it is rather hard not to. "What do you mean?"

Rider turns to look out west, deeper into the forest. "Another servant has been about, hiding themselves… but not enough that it is beyond notice. Prodding, looking for ways around the castle." She then looks back to you and your group. "You, meanwhile, simply arrive with an army. Why are you here?"

"He has come to beseech your master for aid, of course, a lost lamb in the night," Circe replies, leaning on her staff. "A man adrift, with no stars to guide him and no gods. He would wish to but speak with her. Might you acquiesce to this request?"

Rider says nothing for a few moments, looking at the lot of you. "No, not with this many, and not with a servant probing the defenses."

Circe smiles, then says… something in Greek.

Medea looks confused, Rider bristles. The chain creaks in her hand, the metal squealing from how tight Rider is gripping it. Then she leaps down onto the ground. She ignores you, she ignores everyone barring Circe. She stares at the witch, Circe grinning from ear to ear like a cat as she matches 'gazes' with Rider.

"You are…" Rider says wistfully.

"Indeed," Circe says, eyes twinkling. "Now, might he speak to your master? Or shall we remain in this cold."

Rider nods her head, "Come."

It was a short trip to the castle, and the place was identical to the last time you had been there.

"Shirou!" Illya's voice shouted in glee just about a second after the door to the foyer opened, and you found Illya wrapped around your midsection a moment later, her head pressed against your stomach. She looked up at you a second later, beaming. "You came to visit! I was going to come by tonight for dinner."

Then she blinks owlishly, looking at the group. "What… is going on?" she asks, then fixates pointedly on Ayako, her head tilting even as Ayako hurriedly looks away. "Shirou… who is that?"

"We'll… discuss that later, are you alright?" you ask.

Illya nods happily. "Yep! Have you come to live here?"

"Not exactly, I actually came to ask you something."

Your sister's head tilts again. "Oh?"

You clear your throat.

You were asking another neutral party to join you, with how much you had asked of her recently, she may very well take that as an insult. But then, Illya also seemed to care about you a great deal, and frankly, you had begun to care about her a great deal as well. So the question was, how were you going to handle this? You didn't think she was going to refuse you, so what plan were you going to put forward?

—

Illya isn't going to refuse, she desperately wants her brother to see her as valuable for good or for ill. The question is, how do you want to go about this?

The battle won't be happening today, Shirou is too drained and Medea would kill him herself if he tried. Of course, he still has to explain the plan to Taiga as well, who may very well kill him this evening.

[] [We need to lure this monster out of the city.]
Somewhere we can fight it without collateral damage, then, we unleash everything. Of course, then it has freedom of movement as well.

[] [We find its master.]
Something, or someone called it. A servant cannot survive without their master. Whether spirit liner or mere familiar.

[] [We hunt it.]
This time, we ambush it. Wherever we find it.

 

[Erien]

View: https://youtu.be/kh89bD0MF80?si=z3bmZOyMHAwBq1Nt

[We find its master]

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

Leysritt sets down the tea tray between the two of you, then quickly bows and makes herself scarce. You were back in Illya's bedroom, it was as frilly, pastel, and overly decorated as you remember. But it was warm, and the chairs were comfortable. The servants… and other Magus were still in the lobby, being served by Sella. It was an odd thing to be served by maids, but then, you were served by men and women in suits who called you 'Mr. Emiya' and seemed to live in a constant and utter terror, so, really, who were you to judge? You lived with a mob boss, you were having tea in a fairytale castle, and less than an hour ago you had a spear driven through your chest by something more muscle than man.

To think, only a week ago your biggest worry was whether you'd be able to set aside enough time to fix all the heaters at school. You hadn't even been to school in some time, you wondered what the rumors were saying now. They followed you like the plague and you never quite established why. But then, it was high school, the rumors followed everyone like the plague. "Have you involved yourself in this war… at all?" you ask Illya, ignoring the tea.

Illya shakes her head. "I was, but I changed my mind."

"What caused the change?"

"Well, I originally was involved so that I could kill you, but then Rider said I should speak to you first, so now I'm just waiting to see what happens."

"That… that's good." You say.

Illya smiles and grabs the teacup closest to her. Taking a moment to fill it, she holds it between her hands without drinking. "Has it been going well?"

"No, two homes have been destroyed… though one will be rebuilt. I've been stabbed multiple times, I have no idea what my servant is doing most of the time, a time traveler is involved, and we have at least one rogue servant. A ruler has appeared stating there is another evil growing elsewhere separate from all of this. A witch from the age of gods is here, my adoptive sister got mauled, my girlfriend got possessed, and someone I looked up to killed someone the other day and showed no remorse for it." Also, you killed Shinji, but you didn't much like thinking about that.

"Oh dear," Illya says quietly, then pauses. "Girlfriend?"

You nod your head. "Ayako, she's a classmate of mine. It's… a long story about the possession, well, it isn't, but frankly, I don't know how to explain it."

"And is she dear to you?" Illya asks, an edge to her voice.

"Yes, just like you are, just like everyone else is," you reply. "It's why I came to you for help, I want to protect everyone, Rider said someone… or something had been poking around here lately, have you been alright?"

Illya stares at you for several moments, saying nothing, studying your face. Then she brings the cup of tea to her lips and takes a sip. She savors it, still not looking away, then she sets the cup down and smiles. "What do you need?"

"I was hoping you'd join me, I'm tracking down… a monster, frankly I don't know what it is. It's faster than anything I've seen and it's strong enough to throw a building. It was just rampaging through a neighborhood and it… I was unable to save the people there. I don't know who its master is, but it's already destroyed my home and destroyed the home of several others. But I don't have the power to deal with it."

"So you want… an alliance? I already helped you find that girl and her servant."

"I want this war over with, I don't care about any wishes. I just don't want anyone else to get hurt."

"I have a wish of my own Shirou, if I join with you completely, I won't ge-"

"You can have it," you say, cutting her off. "I don't want a wish, I didn't get involved in this for a wish. I just want to help people."

Illya says nothing for a few moments. "Shirou, you know your servants will have to die then, right?"

You frown. "I know it's the last man standing, but that doesn't mean innocent people have to die. The people who live in Fuyuki, they didn't ask for this."

"There are few innocent people Shirou," Illya says with a smile. "And regardless, they aren't Magus, so what does it matter?"

Your hand, which had been reaching for the cup pauses, and you have to not let the bile you suddenly feel forming in your throat affect your response. "And I'm only your brother, why do I matter, I'm not much of a Magus." You fail.

"Of course, you matter Shirou silly," Illya says, her smile widening. "Because you're my brother!"

"So what stops people that aren't Magus from mattering? Or me, or anyone else. Why would someone's ability to use magic change how I should view them? I've already seen plenty of people with that opinion in this war, I've already killed one of them."

"Magus stand apart from humans Shirou, we are… separate. They are lesser."

"Bullshit," you reply. "I don't know when you learned that but whoever told you that was a liar, Kiritsugu stated magic couldn't help people, and he was wrong. It's already saved my life more than once. It's saved others. And I'll continue to use it to help however I can, no matter how poor of a Magus I may be."

"Is the tea no good?" Illya asks, her eyes flitting to your cup.

"... Sorry," you reply, taking a sip. It was too sweet for your tastes, but you drink it anyway. "Regardless, I don't see them as such, and I would like your help in making sure more aren't hurt in the future. I nearly died today fighting that servant, that monster I mentioned, and he did succeed in killing others." You raise a hand to your chest, there is a large hole in the shirt now revealing flesh underneath. "It was healed, but it was close."

Illya moves a hand to her hair, twirling it around her finger. "And what do you propose?"

"I want to go after the master instead of the servant, but for that, we would need to find the master."

"My servant is powerful," Illya says, playing her hands on the edge of the table, leaning back, and smiling. "But what is your actual plan?"

"So you agree to help?"

"Of course!" Illya says. "You're my brother!"

You have to fight to keep your shoulders from slumping in relief. That's… you were still learning to read her. "Well, right now I have no mana, so I was hoping to invite you back to my home for lunch."

The smile that formed on Illya's face was so brilliant it nearly made you forget all your worries.

—

It was to your relief that the mansion hadn't burned to the ground since you had been gone, you hadn't expected it seeing as how Fujimaru and Mash were guarding it. But life had a nasty habit of surprising you lately. Of course, it was still a good hour before you left Illya's place that you actually got back, Ayako's home was fixed up, she had grabbed all of her clothes, her family was brainwashed, and now for all they knew she was on a long extended field trip and not dressing in a magical girl outfit and fighting monsters.

Mordred was still mindless, Sakura kept shooting glances at Medea, Circe couldn't stop smirking, and you were still hurting all over and had no mana. All of that, however, was far from your mind at the moment. "So this is Illya, Kiritsugu's daughter. Illya, this is Raiga, Kiritsugu's…"

"Adoptive father, and Shirou's grandfather." Raiga says, then he leans forward on his cushion, hand cupping his chin. You were back in his office, a place you rather didn't like being. Still, you were bringing in yet more people to live in his home, at least temporarily, so introductions were in order.

"Is that so…" Raiga says quietly.

Illya, for her part, was sitting ramrod straight and had a practiced, if adorable smile on her face.

"I don't believe it," Raiga says finally, leaning back. "That man could not have made such an adorable daughter. Wherever did you find this precious child?" he then reaches into his robes and produces a small metal tin. "Would you care for a candy little one?"

Illya doesn't so much move to reach Raiga as teleport, but she still manages to accidentally kick you in the chest regardless before she takes a seat next to the man. She busies herself with opening the tin and looking at the hard candies inside as Raiga for his part looks to you. "Two more guests, this home is becoming quite full. Tell me, boy, what have you decided?"

"I'm hunting that monster's master," you reply simply.

"And when you find him or her, will you kill them?"

You close your eyes for a few moments before you force the words out. "Yes. If I have to. I will."

Raiga smiles, "a fine answer. Though perhaps one too heavy for someone your age." His hand moves to rub the top of Illya's head as she munches down on a cherry-flavored candy. "If you wish to find where that servant came from, I would suggest checking its lair at the church."

You open your mouth, then close it, processing that. "How… could you know that?"

"How could I not?" Raiga asks with mirth. "I have eyes all over this city, and that servant is far from stealthy and quiet." Raiga leans forward, his voice lowering. "The Fujimura family have lived here longer than the church has, it has lasted here longer than even the oldest Mage family, boy. There are no secrets here, not from us." He then leans back, stuffing his hands in his robes. "It is more than likely the servant of a master hiding in that church or the priest himself. If it's Kirei, I will have… words with the church. Regardless, it is good you are doing something aggressive, did you ever find out where that servant ran off to that fled at the temple?"

"How could you know about tha-"

Raiga smiles.

Your jaw clicks shut. You sat there for a moment, studying your 'grandfather' like you had never met him before. "No, no I don't. It may have… it hopefully did, fade away after Shinji was… dealt with."

"Killed," Raiga says simply. "Dancing around it with pretty words doesn't change that a man lost his life."

You want to argue that, but you don't. "I'll be heading to the church in the morning then, thank you for your wisdom."

"Don't thank me until you've seen the bill," Raiga replies with a small, but dangerous smile. "There are things from you I require boy."

"Do I want to kno-"

"Grandpa, I want more candy!"

Raiga turns his head to look at Illya, where, indeed, she had emptied the tin. "Oh? Do you now?" his smile warms considerably. "Then you shall have it, Shirou, you are dismissed, do inform the man at the door I require more candy."

Illya beams, wrapping her arms around the man.

You begin to stand-

"Oh, and Shirou, good luck," Raiga says, looking back at you.

"I hopefully won't need it," you reply. "But thank you."

"Oh, I wasn't wishing you luck with the fight, I was wishing you luck with my granddaughter," then he raises a bony finger to point behind you. Looking back was… Taiga, she was still rather bandaged from her encounter with the monster and as she reached forward to grab you by the ear you found yourself suddenly under an attack from a mummy. "My room, now." Taiga growls.

She was supposed to be teaching school today!

"And that's your older sister," Raiga says warmly to Illya, even as you are being pulled out of the room.

—

The time it took you to get from Raiga's office to Taiga's bedroom was short, and you barely had time to process it before she had dragged you inside and closed the door. Her room was… as much of a mess as it always was. Clothes littered the floor, not picked up yet by the servants. The table was covered in books and study material, and the walls and shelves were lined with trophies and awards from her kendo days. You had only a few precious seconds to study all of that, however, before she grabbed you by the shoulders and was glaring at you. "Explain to big sis exactly what you were doing."

"I was kidnapped by Ayako wearing a frilly magical girl outfit, there's a broken wall in the garden if you want to take a look at it."

Taiga stares at you, she stares at you the same way she does a misbehaving student. "Ayako?"

You nod your head.

Taiga raises a hand slowly, moving it to rub at her head. "I'm not sure if I should hug you or slap you."

"Could kiss him, he's doing his best after all," a honey-sweet voice replies.

You both turn to see Assassin sitting in the corner chair, a book open but turned over on her lap.

"I'm not kissing this idiot, he's lucky I'm not beating him to death." Taiga replies, removing her hands from you shoulders. She then looks back to you. "How'd you let yourself get kidnapped?"

"Well, I woke up this morning noticed it hadn't happened in a while, so I guess I was just starting to miss it."

"Drop the sarcasm before I rip your tongue out." Taiga hisses.

…

Right.

"I didn't have much say in the matter, but I was able to protect Ayako and her family at least."

Taiga stabs a finger through the hole in your shirt. "And yourself?"

"I got stabbed a little but I'm fine," you reply.

"A little stabbed, how is someone only a little stabbed?!" Taiga shrieks.

"In an embrace of passi-" Assassin starts.

"Shut it you!" Taiga yells.

The door behind the Taiga opens, revealing Sakura. She had her mouth open as if to speak, but stood there looking confused for a moment. She then smiles. "Lunch is ready?"

"Thanks Sakura," you reply graciously. You'd rather not be on the other end of one of Taiga's rants again.

*Crash*

It was at that exact moment the window to your right shattered. You grabbed Taiga on instinct, yanking her down to the ground as she let out a yelp. Above you both, passing a mere foot away from Sakura before impacting the wall just next to Assassin flew… a brick, with something taped to it.

You jerked your head to watch it, it bounced off the wall with enough force to leave a sizable dent, before hitting the ground and rolling over. It was a simple, red brick. With what appeared to be… a phone taped to it? You stare at it, then it began to ring a little simple uncomplicated tune. Then you felt it, a pull, a falling. The walls around you vanished, then the floor. There was a splash, a scream and an all-encompassing view of blue blocks.

Then, there was nothing.

—


View: https://youtu.be/MlPJTn04YSs

[To Be Continued]

I'm on vacation starting the 4th, so expect sidestories and omakes. Lord knows I have enough characters to write about.

 

[Erien]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j66x9AS7oe4

OPHELIA

Click to shrink...

Ask any ye shall receive.

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

Ophelia Phamrsolone was a Magus. But only one as of recently. She was, in truth, a newly graduated student. Barely considered an adult in the world of mysteries. Ophelia Phamrsolone was broken, a damaged person. Traumatized by youth and the world around her, her only solace being her own abilities, even forced upon her as they were. Ophelia Phamrsolone was wise, she did not accept gifts of power offered with no apparent cost.

Ophelia Phamrsolone…

Ophelia Phamrsolone was running.

The Clocktower was gone, ruined now, a shell of its former shelf. The Magus were gone now, barring a select few. And Ophelia didn't know where they had gone, the shadows were deeper now, the light had fled from the Clocktower, and things lurked within them. It had started simple enough, Lord Marisbury had summoned a servant. Oberon. Such a thing was unusual, a grand display of power for… Frankly, Ophelia didn't even know. But then things began to change. The servant was friendly, everyone adored him and fought for his attention, and he was gracious for it. He helped, he taught, and he gave gifts.

Then Lord Marisbury disappeared.

It had been a sudden thing, one moment he was there, then he simply… wasn't. But nobody seemed to notice or care. Not Lady Reines, who had latched herself to the side of Oberon and hardly even seemed to leave it. Nor Luvia, who hardly seemed even alive.

Ophelia ran, sprinting past a man in a suit. He was whimpering, crying on the floor, he was drawing a symbol onto the wall in chalk. A star with a flaming eye in the center. There were seven hundred of them.

She saw Kadoc, standing stock still in another hallway, staring at a wall with a crazed expression on his face. He wasn't blinking, he was barely breathing. Then she heard it, a roar so mighty it shook the foundations of the building itself, and she was running ever harder. A shadow was chasing her now, clawing and fast. It bounced from the walls and snuffed out every light it passed. She skidded around a corner, her legs pumping. She was the only one left, there had been others, other masters, others told to summon servants. And they had been corrupted, changed.

There were eight masters now in the Clocktower, and she was but one of them. And she was the only one left who still had her mind. Laughter surrounded her, and she passed a room filled with flaming priests, representatives of the church, screaming as they were burned alive. The shadows were closing now, crushing, all encompassing. The light was fading, and Ophelia Phamrsolone lept. The window broke around her, and at once she was out of the darkness and into the light.

"Now!" she screamed.

A steed of brilliant white appeared underneath her, and atop it was a rider bedecked in brilliant silver plate. She landed atop the saddle, and the howl of the beast of shadows sounded behind them, confined to the tower. The horse landed onto the rooftops, then continued, leaping from place to place as they darted above London."

The knight looked back. "Where next my master?"

"The airport, we need to get to Fuyuki… we need to get ahold of the grail before Oberon can."

"So very headstrong," the knight says smiling. "You remind me of Jimena, little master."

Ophelia glares.

The knight laughs. "It shall be done."

Then they were off, and the tower howled behind them.

—

Regarding the Taiga Vote, it's called, and I'll probably do it in an omake to not crowd the quest. We're entering the final arc shortly, don't worry, still a good bit to go in any case.

 

[Erien]

Annatar

Click to shrink...

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t032o9ECs0c

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

It was always so very simple to twist the evils that lurked in the hearts of men. Power, greed, lust? Tools. One simply needed to offer them what they wanted, and they would come willingly. Even the proudest of the Atani would kneel, in time. But then…

Annatar looked out the window over the city, and smiled. These weren't those men. There were no elves, no Maiar, no Valar. He had been… surprised to be brought here, but he adapted, for Sauron was many things, wise amongst them, and he always had been quick to adapt to the changes of the world. His 'makers' were dead, one of age, the other never existed in this realm to begin with.

Neither was a loss, not to him, not to his goals. This world was… chaotic, it's 'Magus' a far cry from the wizards he knew. These were blind men, stumbling in the dark. Lost to the intricacies of the world around them as they scrambled and clawed at an ever distant past escaping them like wind through the grain. All that remained for them was pale imitations and fraught imaginings. He had since set them right.

He had set them all right.

And how could they not?

They sought knowledge, and knowledge was something he could gift. They sought power, and power was something he could provide. And now, it was done, and he could continue. Seven rings had been offered. Six had been taken, one had escaped, one had disappeared along with the master it had been granted to.

Annatar looked back, to the shadows curling in the corner of the room. For a moment they were a man, then they were something else, indescribable even to him. Eyes met eyes, spirits met spirit. Then they were gone, their only remains fading tendrils. An annoyance, but nothing more than that, the servant remained, and it would be used. All would bend to his will.

All would right the inefficiency of this realm.

Annatar smiled, he simply needed…

Two days, perhaps three.

Then the grail would be his, and with it.

He would call upon his…

No.

Master wasn't the word. He was a tool like everything else, this world needed to be remade so that he could rule it.

But it was a finely crafted tool nevertheless.

"Are we leaving soon? I'm bored." Reines commented.

Annatar looked to her, laid back on the couch, one hand waving in the air.

"Soon, then we shall be seeing… an old friend of mine."

Reine's head perked at that. "Oh? Someone as wonderful as you, Oberon?"

"Perhaps," Annatar replied with a simple smile. "But there are many things that could be described as wonderful, and that word has changed in any case."

"Who are we seeing then?"

"Melkor."

---

One sidestory left.

 

[Erien]

Ayako and Ruby.

Click to shrink...

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

"He's clearly cheating on us." Ruby chirps.

"I wasn't aware he was dating you," Ayako hisses.

"He got to third base with his fingers!" Ruby replies. "Soft, supple, yet callused and manly fingers. Like a lion, playing a violin."

"The fuck does that even mean?" Ayako asks, holding the stick up in front of her and glaring. "And regardless, he did nothing to you."

"Oh keep telling yourself that," Ruby replies, the glint on the gemstone moving… disturbingly like an eye rolling. "He was quite handsy."

"You're a plastic stick!"

"No, I'm painted birch, and I don't need a hanger-on getting between me and my man." Ruby replies, hopping out of Ayako's grip and landing on the floor of her new bedroom. "You're old news, good for little else but… dressing up as a third-rate magical girl!"

Ayako was captain of the Archery club at school, she got good grades, she was a model student. She had decorum, self respect, and a good head on her shoulders.

As she dived off the bed to attempt to strangle a magical talking stick, none of that was evident. "Did I ask to be a magical girl?! That was your idea!"

"Who was I supposed to pick, your mother!? Nobody above the age of eighteen can be a magical girl, the market isn't there!"

"What are you even talking about you stupid stick?!"

"I." The stick flexes. "Am telling you to stay away from him, he's mine."

Ayako drew in a breath. "You said birch, right?"

"Sourced from Blem-"

"Don't care, you want to burn in that fireplace?"

The stick goes very still.

"I don't give a rat's ass about being a magical girl, I am his girlfriend, and I will protect him from the people around him and this whole… bullshit crazy situation."

"You… you wouldn't dare. You couldn't." Ruby hisses. "And he may be your girlfriend but I am his lover."

"Get him to admit that and we'll talk," Ayako replies. "You are going to teach me this magical bullshit or I'm taking you two blocks over."

"And do what?" Ruby asks.

"Dog park."

Ruby goes very still for several moments. "Slut."

"Bitch. Yes or no?"

…

"Get a pad and paper," Ruby says slowly.

 

[Erien]

View: https://youtu.be/WMPqcHB8rE4?si=-eyMSe-XzwnvN_ck

[Continued]

—

You awoke in… pain. That wasn't unusual, the fact that you were slowly getting used to that was rather depressing now that you thought about it. You awoke confused, that wasn't unusual either. Your eyes opened slowly, taking in… what were you laying on? A blue… square was your bed, like glass but… not, it shimmered and glowed where you touched it. Below its non-opaque surface was… a funnel? A black funnel of shimmering lights that seemingly went on forever. You stare at it, watching the lights, then you hear a groan.

Turning your head to the right, you see Sakura pushing herself up from the ground as well. She gets about a foot up, then stares through the non-opaque floor the same way you did. Her mouth falls open, and she tilts her head, watching the lights.

Then you heard the scream.

Jerking your head the other way you see Taiga launching herself up from the floor like a startled cat. "What the- where the?!"

"The What, is 'my world', the 'Where', well..." A new voice speaks up. The three of you turn as one to look at…

"Sakura?" you ask, confused.

There were two Sakura's now, the one you had just seen informing you of lunch, and a second one that… you weren't quite sure what to make of it. For starters her hair was now down all the way to her ankles, and she was wearing a black… cloak… thing with a high collar. It was open at the front, to reveal a white shirt underneath that emphasized…

…

You weren't aware Sakura was that busty.

"If you have the wherewithal to ask that, then I do believe the fall didn't scrambled your pitiful brains like I thought it would." Sakura(?) says with a vicious grin.

You push yourself up onto your feet. "Where are we?"

Sakura(?) looks at you, the smile fading. Her eyes flit up and down your form. "An alt of that blacksmith? How droll. Not even a summer version."

What?

"Now be quiet." She says with a smile and a wink.

You open your mouth to speak, but your mouth doesn't move. It doesn't even twitch, your dart to your face, only to meet smooth skin beneath your nose. Your mouth is gone!?

"Shirou!?" Sakura shrieks.

Then the second Sakura is gone, face to face with the one you knew. Her hands dart out, white-gloved fingers grabbing Sakura by the face and tilting her head this way and that like a doll. "So this is the original model? How…"

"DISAPPOINTING!" her voice booms from all around you.

Your hands shoot to your ears as a gargantuan version of her looks over you all. The one that was here just a moment ago was gone, instead she had been replaced by one looming over the endless expanse of blue squares, hundreds upon hundreds of feet high, looking down at all of you with a grin that stretched from ear to ear, splitting her face completely in half as skin was broken open to show more and more teeth.

"I could not be born from such a boring person!"

Then Sakura was gone, the floor opening up beneath her. She fell with a scream then turned into motes of lights.

"And you, you're nothing more than an NPC!" Sakura(?) yells, pointing a finger at Taiga.

Taiga opens her mouth to respond, only to scream as the floor disappears beneath her as well. You start to move towards her, but you were far too late, your shout of alarm coming out as nothing behind your sealed mouth.

Then, the finger points at you.

"And you… you are nothing, you weren't even there. Not even worth recreating in the school. Here I thought sneaking along with Fujimaru would be fun, but you are all so…" She's in front of you, her forehead pressing against your own as her eyes bore into you. "Boring."

Then… she's gone, and you are alone. There's no Sakura… either of them, there is no Taiga, there's just an endless expanse of blue squares. Your hand moves to your mouth again, pulling at the flesh there. But… there's nothing, not even the feeling of teeth beneath the skin. Where… what… where did they go, who was thi-

"Breath…" a quiet voice whispers.

You freeze, a sweet scent fills the air, and you feel hands place themselves on your shoulder… but nothing is actually there.

"You know my voice," the whisper continues.

It's… Taiga's servant. But you couldn't see her.

"She failed to notice you were the only being here with a shadow." Assassin continues, "now… breath. I can still feel the connection to my master, turn around."

You do so and see… three doors. They float above the ground, each an open frame with a brilliant blue light within them, allowing no view through them. Atop each was a small sign. One showed a picture of Taiga and… a cow. Sakura and a penguin, and one that simply read. 'Not a Trap'.

"It would seem those are our only options," Assassin whispers. "At least for the moment."

You nod your head, then step forward.

—


View: https://youtu.be/bO_7NhhKbHs?t=7

Hello and welcome to BB's amazing voting corner, here we have three wonderful options for you, aren't I generous?

First, and definitely the least we have [] [Taiga and the Cow] truly a battle for the ages, we have a character that nobody cares about, and a clone of me with self esteem issues.

Second, and definitely the worst. We have [] [Sakura and the Penguin] which, who would even pick that? Nobody cares about Sakura outside of Heaven's Feel. It's all about Rin and Saber, oh, what's that? They aren't even options in this timeline? Why are you even here then?

Third, and definitely the safest. We have [] [Not a Trap] which, honestly, speaks for itself doesn't it? Step on through, you can trust BB, can't you?

 

[Erien]

[The Inferior Original and the Ballerina]

—

Your hand moves to your mouth, feeling the solid skin there. You press in against it, not even feeling teeth through it. It goes back about a quarter inch, then has stretched to its limit, revealing nothing. You lower the hand a moment later, staring at the door with Sakura's face above it. Sakura was a magus, but her talents were unknown to you. Taiga wasn't, and they were both likely in danger.

But Sakura…

Something pulled you towards Sakura. Without a word, without another thought you were running, and then you were through the threshold. The world of cubes disappeared instantly, instead, you found yourself standing in… ruins. Grecian ruins, white pillars, and ruined temples surrounded you, cracked, destroyed. With… fish swimming about them. The 'air' was replaced by water, with bubbles rising from the sandy floor beneath you. But it neither slowed you down nor affected your breathing in any way. You take a moment to process that, looking around. Before you spot Sakura, just a few feet away from your front.

Or rather, there were two Sakuras. One was the one you had known now for years, and she was hurriedly moving to step in front of and block from view a second Sakura. You only saw her for a moment, but that was enough to see rather obvious differences. She was… wearing one hell of an outfit, completely open down from her breasts to her crotch, with nothing but a little metal plate covering that. While her coat barely covered her breasts, but was long enough in the sleeves to completely cover her hands. She looks emaciated, far, far skinnier than Sakura was, but is also a good deal taller because she was wearing stilts or… prosthetics or something roughly two feet long with large protruding spikes out of the knees.

She had been in the process of turning around, and… you should not be admiring Sakura's ass, much in the same vein, you should not have been admiring her bust. But you found it very, very hard not to when she was wearing that. The second Sakura looks down at the one you knew, head tilted. Even with Sakura standing in front of her, she was easily taller, just due to her odd legs. Her hair shifted in the 'water' going well down past her knees. "So, you're the original?"

"W-what?" Sakura asks, "Who are… you?"

Sakura then looks back at you, then… screams. "Your mouth!?"

Sakura, at least, wasn't injured. Though you had no way of actually speaking to her.

"Are you alrigh-"


View: https://youtu.be/drcWXTIz7rc?list=PLs0-GZMtGnxJICogmG7NcHofRsP4S4uQu&t=15

"Too noisy!" the second Sakura barks, then jerks a leg upwards. Sakura barely gets a step toward you before her question is interrupted by a large metal spike jutting out of her neck. Blood erupts from the wound, and the spike slides back out with a wet, horrific, shwup sound. Sakura stumbles, her eyes wide, her hands twitching. Before her eyes roll back in her head and she falls forward onto the ground, her body jerking.

You scream without sound, sprinting forward. The space between you and Sakura's attacker closes in an instant, and your fist, reinforced by mana, is flying towards her head. It isn't the wisest attack, but you weren't thinking straight either. The woman with prosthetics watches you approach with a growing grin on her face.

*Crack*

Your fist crashes into the side of her face, and pain shoots up your arm. The woman… doesn't even turn her head. She continues to stare at you, open mouth, grinning, unmoved.

"I don't know you." The woman says, her eyes narrowing as she does so. "That means you aren't important."

Then her leg shoots up, faster than you can tra-

You stumble, your vision flashing. Your left-hand moves to the stump of your right as blood pours out around the jutting bone of your forearm past where your right hand and fist used to be. You watch, tripping backward as the hand falls onto the ground with a wet plop. You collide with Sakura's corpse, looking up at the woman. The skin around what used to be your mouth stretches painfully, your body begging to scream in agony and pain but nothing comes out.

Then Assassin was there, behind the duplicate, blade drawn and stabbing into the attacker's neck. Only, the blade stops, the tip pressed against the flesh, indenting it slightly, but doing little else. Assassin's eyes have a moment to open in surprise before they are locked in that position forever. The woman spins around, leg raised, and the next thing you know, Assassin is tumbling to the right, while her head goes left, separated at the neck. She catches it then, spike impaling the Assasin through the eye, she lets it slide down, observing it as blood pours down the leg. Then she tosses it at you, Assassin's head bouncing off your chest.

"I was hoping this would be more exciting." The woman complains, then turns to look at you.

You were still clutching your stump, in too much pain to rise. Your eyes locked onto the wide open, unblinking, eyes of Assassin.

"What, not going to fight? You can't defeat me, human, but you could at least try." She walks towards you, metal legs sinking into the sand. She stops, standing over you, looking down. "Or are you trying to protect that thing?" she asks, raising a sleeve towards Sakura.

Tears sting your eyes, and you start to try and get to your feet. To do something.

A swing of her leg, and you were missing one of your own. Causing you to fall back to the ground, howling without a mouth. Your vision was taken up by her now, standing over you, grinning from ear to ear.

"Oooh? You want to scream, is that it?"

She kneels, and the spike pierces the flesh where your mouth used to be. A howl of pain tears forth, and she laughs, a sleeve moving to her head as she rears her head back. "Yes! Scream! That's right! You're just a human~"

Then she turns her head back down, and pushes the knee down, slowly, your one remaining hand moves to it, grabbing it. But it's no use, you have lost too much blood already, and all you can do is feebly grab and pull as she pushes more and more weight down until the spine is pressing against the back of your throat. She pauses there, tilting her head, grinning from ear to ear as blood drips off of her. "Now, tell me, your brain or your spine?"

"... Both." She says a second later. Then jerks her leg.

A flash of pain is all you feel before it all goes dark.

—

Then you could see again, and you were screaming directly into the very bored face of the 'Sakura' who had brought you all here originally. She was leaning over you, a pointer held in her hand as she stared you down.

You jerk up, only to be halted by the pointer pressing itself against your chest and somehow holding you to the floor. You are slammed back into the ground, and then, and only then do you realize where you are. You are back in the room of blue cubes, an infinite sky above you, and just to your right is Sakura, but a jerky turn of your head shows no sign of Taiga.

"I expected more of my 'Master's' enemy," the woman says, saying the word 'master' with obvious distaste.

You ignore her, looking around for Taiga, but you see no sign of her, nor of the duplicate that had just killed you… and…

"Yes yes, do keep up." The woman above you chides. Then the point is pressed against your cheek and forcefully turns your head to look at her. "Now, if you want to keep your mouth, don't open it." She then smiles. "Okay? I was kind enough to give you your hand and leg back so at least behave."

You don't speak, you don't move. You didn't know what was going on, but you weren't in the mood to make this situation worse, either.

"Now, my 'Master' wishes to talk to you. Because she feels delightfully guilty." She continues. "And I, BB, saw fit to… help out." She draws the point across your face, then taps your mouth. "Oooh yes, I see those questions dancing around in your head, you want to ask who my master is? Ask, amuse me."

"Where's Taiga?" you ask.

BB blinks. Then grins. "Taiga? Oh, so she has that name here as well… Why do you care? You went running after Sakura, not Taiga. She doesn't matter in all of this. All that matters is you, and my master. Why she cares so much about your opinion I have no idea, but I'm such a kind 'servant', sorting all of this out."

"Where's Taiga?" you repeat.

"You're breathing her," BB replies, her face splitting open in a far too-wide grin. "She's data now, floating in the space between bits. All because you thought Sakura was more precious to you." She then looks over at Sakura, tilting her head and tapping the pointer against her cheek. "Is she spreading her legs for you?"

"What do you want!?" you shriek.

BB blinks, then looks back at you, the smile fading. "My. Master. Wants. To. Talk. To. You. Do try and keep up, you silly human."

"And who is that?"

She presses the pointer against her palm and collapses it, then keeps going, closing her hands together. Then she splits them apart again, revealing the point to be missing, instead, it is replaced by a yearbook photo of…

"Tohsaka?"

"Tohsaka Rin~," BB says. "Correct, and a hundred points to you. I came here as I only wished to meet Sakura. But Rin, silly little Rin feels so bad about her part in all of this, oh she stays up every night crying." BB moves a fist to the corner of her eye, twisting it to mimic wiping away a tear. "So, I thought I would complete two goals at once, aren't I kind?"

Then you felt it, a tickling at the back of your mind. A familiar presence, the link between you and Caster. You don't acknowledge it, continuing to stare at BB as she monologues. "I let my…" BB pauses. "Well, I let the others have some fun as well. Now, here's how this is going to work. You are going to follow my directions, meet my Master, and I juuuust might think about giving you Taiga back." BB says.

The tone of her face as she finishes her offer was sweet, the smile was anything but. It was cruel and mocking.

"Or, you can just stay here until I'm bored of playing~," BB says. "So, what will it be?"

Rin had two servants then, or BB was lying. Either was entirely possible, as you were either in an illusion or something more. You couldn't tell, frankly, it was rather hard to think straight at the moment in any case. All you knew was that Taiga was missing, this thing was claiming to represent Rin, and you had no idea where Assassin was.

Caster was here, at least, what that meant you didn't know. But you were at a disadvantage, that much you knew. But then, how was that different than any other day in this nightmare of a war?

BB leans down, her face a foot from your own. She searched your face for a few moments, looking you over as you lay on the ground. "Do try and think faster. I was kind enough to bring you back after Melt had her fun." She then stands up again. "Or don't, it doesn't matter. I got what I came here for. What my 'Master' wants, well." BB rolls her eyes. "After trapping me in that awful phone, after what she did to me, she should be counting her blessings."

You-

—

[] [Call Medea]
Dear little Shirou was going to try and take control of the situation, or break out, how very desperate.

[] [Stall for Time]
Ah yes, the most patient man in the world waiting for someone else to do something. That would certainly be different at least.

[] [Agree]
Good boy, follow my commands and the pain stops~

—

Did you think I was going to be a meme lord and Melt was going to be a waifu?


View: https://i.imgur.com/PQQd4MB.jpeg

This war, these people.

They are toys.

A broken doll, a shattered mirror looking offering a reflection that isn't there, and a burned toy soldier attempting to save the day. How very…

Pitiful.

—

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

 

[Erien]

View: https://youtu.be/FeYk8sjPYQk

[Agree]

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

"Fine, I'll speak to Rin." You say. "Give Taiga back."

BB tilts her head and her eyes widen, showing just about all of the whites. "Do you think you are in any position to make requests?"

You push against the ground. "Give Taiga ba-"

—

Then you were back, standing in Taiga's room as you had been just a short time ago. Only now, Sakura was in your arms, and the room was crowded. Medea and Circe, Fujimaru, Shielder, Archer and Ayako were in the room. And you only have a single, solitary moment to process this, and the fact that Sakura was still unconscious and in your arms before Medea has fully taken up your frame of view. She barely has a moment to open her mouth before Ayako is there.

"Master/Shirou are you okay!?"

You ignore both of them, turning to instead look to where the phone on the floor is buzzing. You stare at it for a moment, processing everything that was happening. Then offer Sakura to Archer who takes her with a look of surprise, consternation, and worry. You ignore Medea and Ayako, both peppering you with questions, and instead you kneel, stripping the phone from the brick, then flip it open. The screen displays… a tiny little version of BB, holding a sign above her head that has an address in Downtown Fuyuki written on it. Then the image switches, showing a little graphic of a tiger with a red 'X' over it.

Then the address comes back, the little BB waving the sign around.

"We're going after Rin," you say, not getting up, not looking away from the phone.

"Tohsaka... Why?" Ayako asks.

You grab the phone, staring at it for a moment, then you slip it into your pocket and stand. The entire group was staring at you, most now with expressions of concern or confusion. Or in the case of Circe, nothing readable at all. Assassin was gone as well, you note, probably trapped… in there. "Because she's kidnapped Taiga," Archer bristles, but says nothing, glancing down at Sakura a second later. "Her servant is in the phone… or was using it, I don't know. At the moment I don't care. But she's holding Taiga hostage until we meet Rin."

You then look at Fujimaru. "Do you know BB? Do you know what she's capable of?"

Fujimaru blinks, "wh-"

"Yes or no."

Fujimaru hesitates for a moment, then nods her head. "I do."

"Then I'm-"

"Not going." A new voice speaks up, it's male, aged, and has all the weight of a slammed door.

The servants and the masters part, to reveal Raiga standing on the threshold of Taiga's room. He looks as he always done, aged, slightly hunched, and holding his cane. But there was something else now, a weight to his presence he only hinted at before, his weight, near blind eyes were staring directly at you now, any trace of humor or familial joviality gone.

"Emiya, please explain where my granddaughter has gone."

"She's been kidnapped by another mas-"

"Rin Tohsaka, yes," Raiga says cutting you off. "It was a rhetorical question. Give me the address."

"Third street, across from the hospital. Suite 430." You reply. "I'm going after her."

"Oh?" Raiga asks, tilting his head ever so slightly. "And do what, Mr. Emiya?"

"Talk to her, she did this just so she could talk to me."

Raiga enters the room, his cane tapping against the floor with a soft little tap tap tick. It's the only sound emitted as he does so. He comes to a stop a foot away from you, then he looks up. "Perhaps things have changed since I was a younger man. When I had my youth, if I wished to speak to someone, I would send them a letter. Or, approach them at their place of work." He looks to the window, to the brick, and then to you once more. "It seems things have changed, but then, the Tohsaka family has always been a bold one."

He walks over to the window, looking out into the morning light. "That is why they are nearly extinct." He takes a few moments, letting silence fill the room. "You will chase after this 'monster' of yours, fetch Illya, she's in the garden. Keep to your plans Mr. Emiya. I shall handle my own."

"Brave, but foolish. A magus and their servant are nothing to scoff at." Circe comments.

Raiga looks up slightly, then turns around. His face was like that of a stone carving, it showed no emotion at all. "If every Magus could simply do whatever they wished, there would be a lot more of them." Then he smiles, very thinly. "I know of her actions near the forest, and now she does this."

"What will you do?" you ask.

Raiga's smile fades. "I will be making some calls, and then the issue will be resolved in the manner as is customary."

"But what about Taiga-" you start.

"I shall retrieve her," Raiga replies. "And you, will go about the task you assigned for yourself."

You stare back at the man, "BB, the servant, she didn't imply Rin knew about this."

"And if one of my men were to commit a fault without me knowing, do you believe I would be free from blame?" Raiga asks. "Or are you simply hoping you can settle this with words," Raiga shakes his head. "No, Mr. Emiya. We are well beyond words now, this 'war' as the Magus call it has grown out of control. But it isn't a war. They can hide in their workshops, they can hide in that church. I shall show them a war."

"There's no guarantee that you'll be able to get Taiga back without me talking to her." You reply.

"Nor is there guarantee your presence will bring her back," Raiga replies. "I am no Magus Mr. Emiya, and every day I wake up thankful for that. But I have my ways and methods." He then walks to the door and pauses at the threshold. "If you interfere, I will remove you from this house. Go about your task Mr. Emiya, and leave me to mine." Then he closes the door behind himself.

"Shi… Shirou, is he about to kill Rin?" Ayako asks slowly.

"Yes." You reply curtly.

"You can't let him do tha-"

"And why can't I?" you ask, snapping your head to Ayako.

Your girlfriend lurches back.

"She isn't our classmate anymore, she's killing people, and her servant butchered Sakura and took Taiga." You look to Sakura. "I found her in there, and a servant punched a hole through her throat and she bled to death right next to me, I don't even know if she's okay."

You step towards the door yourself, and Caster places a hand on your shoulder. "Are you… alright, master?"

"No," you reply. You wanted to go after Taiga, you wanted to save her. But should you? Raiga said he was handling it, and you didn't much want to talk to Rin. The only reason you'd go is for Taiga. You didn't care about Tohsaka these days, not after everything that had happened. You didn't care about any Magus except those you closely knew.

But… that monster was also on the loose, and Raiga had made his warning to you clear.

You step forward, brushing off Medea's hand. Only for another to grab you by the shoulder and turn you.

It was Archer.

The tan man was looking down at you with an expression you didn't care to decipher. "What do you plan on doing?"

If you leave the monster, if you don't chase it down. More people were going to die. If you did, Rin was likely going to die. Only one of those you cared about at the moment, but it wasn't the one that had Taiga involved. You didn't know what to do. You wanted to do both. You didn't have control of the situation. You didn't have control of anythi-

Another hand is placed on your shoulder.

"First rule of Kyudo?"

You pause, then draw in a deep breath. "Breath." You then turn your head to look at Ayako.

"You can't just let him kill Rin," Ayako says.

"And why can't he? She has harmed him, and now hurts his family." Caster replies.

"Either decision is a valid one," Circe says. "It would seem that man can handle himself, but every moment that monster is about… well…"

You glance at Fujimaru, and she raises her hands. "I… don't know?" Shielder also looked mostly confused.

"Just be certain of whatever you are about to do," Archer says. "There's no going back."

… Is that ever even an option? To try and guarantee Taiga's safety, and potentially save Rin's life. Or save many.

You hate this war.

—

Sorry for the shorter chapter, but this changes some things rather drastically going forward. This vote is more complicated than it seems.

[] [Go after Rin]
You were going to get to the bottom of her actions, you were going to get Taiga back. You didn't give a damn about what Raiga wanted. To be honest, you didn't care what Rin wanted either.

[] [Go after The Monster]
You were going with your original plan, you were going to deal with that monster before more lives were lost, and you were going to end this war.

---

Please vote if you enjoy the chapter!

 

[Erien]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-KVm-nKo5E


[Go after Rin]
You were going to get to the bottom of her actions, you were going to get Taiga back. You didn't give a damn about what Raiga wanted. To be honest, you didn't care what Rin wanted either.

Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead. So begins the end of the Fuyuki arc.

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

You don't even have to think about it, it's not a question to you. The monster is still rampaging, it is still hurting people. But Rin has taken Taiga. There were no other options, there is no alternative, no backup plan. You were going to get her back. Raiga could do whatever he wanted, you were doing this. "We're going after Rin, we're getting my sister back."

"And… what are you going to do to Rin?" Ayako asks.

"Keeping her alive is the easiest way to protect Taiga, and she… or her servant, is currently holding Taiga hostage." You look at your girlfriend. "I won't kill her unless I have to, beyond that, I can't promise anything."
"If… if you have to!? What kinda thought process is that?! You can't just get her killed!" Ayako half shouts, half screeches.

"You're thinking like a human," you reply deliberately quietly… and tiredly for that matter. "You can't, not here."

"You're a human!" Ayako says, grabbing your shoulders. "Did you change when I wasn't looking!?"

You stare at her, you wonder… Do you look like Kiritsugu at the moment? "I'm a Magus, and so is Rin. We are separate from humanity, and most Magus as a whole care little for them. Rin has already killed at least one innocent person, endangered many, and is now putting Taiga at risk. Taiga isn't a Magus, she got involved in this when she saved," you raise a finger to point at the comatose Sakura. "Her life, Sakura, who is currently comatose because of Rin's servant's actions." You lower the hand. "She attacked me in broad daylight, she caused someone to be killed. She has hurt others. She isn't human, she's a Magus, and I have to treat her as such. She's no different than Shinji was."

"You… you can't really mean that?"

"Why can't I?" you ask. "You'd be fighting her if she threatened your family. You…" You stare at Ayako for several moments, saying nothing. "You can't save everyone."

"He's not wrong," Caster says, and you look at her. Medea is… Medea is looking at you with genuine pity in her eyes, more emotion than she ever bothered to show publicly before beyond anger and worry.

You sigh again, this is just wasting time. "Ayako, can you stay here and look after Sakur-"

"No." Ayako hisses. "Rin's my childhood friend, and I'm going, and you'd have to fight to stop me."

"Fine." You really didn't feel like arguing at the moment.

—

You almost made it outside when you heard his voice. "Mr. Emiya, are you going after that monster of yours?"

You pause at the threshold, then turn your head to look at Raiga standing by the doors to his office. Sakura is still out of it, having been deposited in her room by Archer who is now looking over her. That 'only' left you with Medea, Circe, Illya, Rider, Ayako, Fujimaru and Shielder. Illya for her part is rather excited about all of this, Fujimaru has said little, and Shielder seemed to be in a perpetual state of 'determined nervousness'.

"No, I'm going after Taiga," you reply. Staring up at the man who for many years you had considered a second father.

He is staring down at you, flanked by two of his men on the upper balcony. "I do believe Mr. Emiya, we just had a conversation about that. I've had clients of mine on standby now for the past week, and they are already in position."

"My apologies, I'm sure they are quite expensive, and… you've been very kind to me over the years Raiga. But you aren't my father, and you cannot give me orders. My father died when I was very young, both of them did." You shake your head. "I'm not going to lose my sister too, not while I'm still capable of fighting for her."

"If you do this, you won't ever be welcome back in this house. You understand this boy?"

You smile, genuinely. "You have been very kind to me Mr. Fujimura, and I only hope someday I can repay you. But… this is something I have to do."

You see the corner of Raiga's lip twitch slightly upwards, then he turns and walks back into his office. You watch him go, then you are gone as well, possibly for the last time.
—

It is… a hotel highrise, one of those fancy ones that have marble lobbies and more fountains than necessary. It isn't much taller than the buildings around it, but then, in this part of Fuyuki, all the buildings were quite tall regardless. You have been walking towards the entrance when you felt a brush against your shoulder, and heard Medea speaking in your ear even though you couldn't see her. "Master, someone has put a perception filter over the entrance… non-magi would ignore the building."

"Rin's doing?" you ask.

"Possibly."

You nod your head, then keep walking. The only people around you now are Ayako, Illya, and Fujimaru, the rest are invisible, having slipped into spirit form so as to not draw attention. Mordred, for her part, was staying back at the mansion for now… too much of a loose cannon. Ayako draws gazes regardless due to what she is wearing, but there is only so much you can do there. You press on the glass and step through, into the…

"What…" You start.

"Someone's been busy~" Illya says in a singsong voice, head peeking around your hip to gaze into the interior.

White pillars, black marble floor, no less than two fountains and a bar. It is the picture of glamor and wealth that made up much of downtown Fuyuki. It is also, you note, filled with sprawled about, unmoving people. None of them were in unnatural positions, those on chairs and sofas were merely slumped to the side, the rest were… just fallen to the floor. Bags, suitcases and clothes lay strewn about, and the air is rich with the scent of spilt coffee. Only three people are standing, and all three of them are standing next to the elevator… and all three of them are staring at you as you enter.

The first man, farther to the left of the elevator is a man, tall, wearing a leather jacket and jeans. He has slicked black brown hair, sunglasses, and his face is covered in jagged scars. To his left is… a woman with shoulder length red hair, red eyes looked at you curiously through clear glasses, she is wearing little more than a simple white shirt and orange jacket and pants. All are smoking except the last, and the last one is the closest.

And it's…

It's…

"Mr. Souichirou?" you ask.

Kuzuki was a tall man, stern, and didn't talk much outside of class. But he was kind enough, though you knew him little. He is a teacher at Homurahara Academy, though not one you interacted with all that often.

"Mr. Emiya." Kuzuki responds with a small nod of his head. He opens his mouth again to speak, only to pause, his eyes quickly shifting to something over shoulder.

"Miss Mitsuzuri, what… are you wearing?"

"I… I don't want to talk about it." Ayako replies.

Kuzuki stares at Ayako for several moments, his expression not changing… you've never seen it change no matter the circumstance. Then he looks to Illya, to Fujimaru, and then to you. It isn't curiosity in his gaze in the slightest.

"Why are you here?"

"I'm here to talk to Rin," you say, then take a step forward. "Did you…" You look around at the people, they were all breathing, but none were really moving. "Hurt these people?"

The scarred man by the elevator blows out a long stream of smoke from his cigarette, it doesn't hang like normal smoke should, it falls down to the ground like a heavy gas before disappearing. "Just sleeping. We're only here for the girl."

You keep your gaze focused on Kuzuki, he is the only one you know here. "Rin is holding Taiga hostage, and we have no guarantee of getting her back without me talking to her first. She did all this so she could speak to me."

"That so?" the scarred man asks. "Could have just sent a letter."

The woman, who this entire time has been staring at you and only you. Lowers the cigarette from her mouth and idly flicks her finger against the end of it, sending ash down onto the polished floor. Her other hand moves, revealing a small suitcase. "You're Shirou Emiya right?"

You nod your head.

"Son of Kiritsugu Emiya?"

"Adopted." You reply. "Why?"

The scarred man lifts his sunglasses, staring at you with squinted, blue eyes. "Huh," then he lowers them again, taking another drag from his cigarette. "I was wanting to finish this cigarette anyway, go on ahead."

"Those are not our orders." Souichirou says, looking back. It isn't accusatory, or even questioning, just a simple statement of fact.

"Isn't our orders to stop him either," the scarred-man replies. "Besides, he's an Emiya, they're all fucking batshit."

You want to question him on that, and the woman, but you don't have time for that at the moment. Any second you waste, is possibly a second where Taiga's life is in danger. So instead you merely nod your head and step past your teacher, making your way to the elevator. The woman continues to stare at you as you wait for it to come down, then gives what you… assume to be a friendly wave as your assembled mass gets onto it and rides to the upper floors.

"Shirou… who were they?" Ayako asks.

"No idea," you reply honestly, watching the numbers tick by on the elevator. "I'm just happy we got here before they got to Rin. Caster… is Souichirou a mage?"

"Not that I could tell," Caster's voice replies. "The other two were though."

"One smelt of death and decay," Circe's voice replies from elsewhere. "The other smelled like nothing but tobacco."

"Well, hopefully they stay willing to wait," you say, then step through the doors of the elevator as they open again on the 40th floor. Rin has the penthouse suite, she's the only door on the floor. You walk across the short hallway, reach the door, and without a moment's pause you rap your knuckles on it.

There's silence for several moments, then a shuffling, then it opens to reveal…

Rin, surprisingly, you expected to see her Saber, or a magic spell. But instead it's Rin, a Rin who looks… remarkably more tired than you had ever seen her. She was covered in cuts and scrapes hastily bandaged, her eyes had deep purple bags, and she looked absolutely miserable.

For a brief moment you nearly reached out to her, to ask her what was wrong, but your purpose takes over. "Rin. You wanted to talk?"

She blinks, once, twice, then her eyes widen rather dramatically. "Wait… Shirou!? How…" She blinks again, then straightens up. "What are you talking about?"

You reach into your pocket and produce the phone.

Rin's eyes flit to it, her expression of dignified confusion turning into regular confusion quickly. "How'd… how did you get that?" then she looks past you, her eyes widening further. "Ayako… why are… what are you wearing!?"

You feel more than see Ayako dip behind you to hide. "It was thrown through my window, where I met BB, where she kidnapped Taiga and made Sakura comatose."

Rin's eyes flit back to you, and… she still looks confused. "Taiga? Wait, who's BB?"

"Your servant has kidnapped Taiga, are you saying this isn't your doing?" you ask.

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" Rin half shouts, half growls. "You just came here out of nowhere with… who the heck are all these people?!"

"Backup," you reply simply. "In case."

"In case what?" Rin asks, crossing her arms. "I'm not going to just… attack you."

"So that attack on the edge of town was just how you say hello then? An innocent person died Rin."

"You think I wanted to!? I was trying to deal with your servant, and it's your servant that destroyed my house!" Rin screeches. "I can't help people getting in the way of all this!"

You open your mouth to retort, then you hear it, a familiar jingle.

—


View: https://youtu.be/MlPJTn04YSs

—

You're back in that odd… cubed… place. Though this time you're standing. It's the same room you appeared in originally, only this time… Fujimaru is standing right beside you with Shielder, and Rin is right in front of you, in the exact same position she had been a moment before.

A laugh without mirth sounds out over the area, and you look up to see BB floating in the air roughly the size of a building. One hand was propping up her chin, the other was holding a noose, a noose wrapped around the neck of a doll that roughly looked like Taiga.

"Hello Rin~" BB greets with a singsong tone.

Rin looks around in confusion for several moments before jerking around to look at BB. "Shirou, where is thi-"
"He had nothing to do with this," BB says, now standing just in front of Rin with a flash of light. BB then tilts her head, raising a finger to poke her lip, the other now swinging the Taiga doll around by the noose in a wide circle. "Well, I suppose he did. I asked him to come by and speak to you, and he was a very good boy who promised he would."

"Who… who are you?" Rin asks.

"BB," the Sakura-look-alike replies. "Or your phone… oh, what did you call it? Ah yes. 'Artificial Assistant' was what you called me. You were much too stupid to realize you were talking to a servant I suppose."

Rin recoils, taking several steps back. "You were…"

"Yes." BB replies, teleporting behind Rin and leaning close to her ear.

Rin yelps and leaps forward, spinning around to face the grinning BB.

"You asked me so many questions when you found I could respond, but you never questioned that. Too stupid to realize that little niggling voice suggesting you seek the aid of that Church NPC wasn't your own in your dreams, too stupid to realize that Shirou hasn't been hunting you." BB laughs, and she laughs hard and ugly, hands wrapping around her stomach as pure joy erupts from her. "You thought I was some form of 'assistant'! You're stupid in every universe."

"BB." Fujimaru says, "Stand down."

The laughter ceases like someone flipped a switch, and BB looks at Fujimaru with a perfectly flat expression. No, that wasn't entirely true, her mouth showed nothing, her eyes showed everything. Pure, raw, disgust. "Master master master… I simply came along so I could meet the original 'me', and frankly, I'm disappointed. Aren't I due some recompense for that, and besides." Her eyes flit to Rin, and the smile returns. "An opportunity to torture Tohsaka… why that's just too good to give up."

"But now." Her pointer stick appears in her hand, "for the point of all of this." She points to Rin. "Dear Tohsaka has been in such tears lately, oh she cries every night, wailing and sobbing, lamenting the life of a Magus." BB rolls her eyes. "And she was so proud until cute widdle Shirou said he was gonna kill her."

BB snorts, then looks at you. "She didn't even hesitate when the priest said what was going to happen to her servant, she just wanted power so she could get back at you for your servant destroying her dinky little house." She raises a hand. "Mind and free will of that servant gone," she snaps her fingers. "Just like that."

Then BB is gone, and she reappears, floating over the landscape again. "So, I thought I'd make her feel aaaaall better by summoning her precious little Shirou so he could talk to her, and now he has. Of course," BB looks down at Rin with an unkind grin. "He didn't do this for you, he did this because I have Taiga in my possession." BB holds out a hand, dangling the Taiga doll. "Now, you two are free to talk as much as you want but… well. I've found I'm not overly fond of Shirou, but I'm fond of you Rin even less. So my offer is simple."

BB's eyes then flick to you. "If you want Taiga back?"

—


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xB7Fw96NQI

—

"Then just kill Rin!" BB says with glee. "End her life, and you can have your precious Taiga back. I'm bored of her, she's far too stupid." Then you hear her voice whisper in your ear. "And… don't think about your servants, they are currently busy dealing with her Saber." An image flashes in front of you, Rin's apartment on fire, Medea and Circe casting spells at a figure dressed in black, then it's gone.

You turn around to see BB standing there, hands on her hips. "It's a nice double deal isn't it? You kill her, no more servant, your friends are safe." Then she's gone again, appearing in the sky once more, and you slowly turn your head to look at Rin.

…

She is looking at you, and gone was the fierce, determined girl you have known, gone was the school idol. She looks… scared. "S-Shirou?"

—

[] [Kill Rin]

[] [Refuse]

[] [Write-in]