Cleo Forsberg

Summoning her Servant; Preparing for war

“You’re taller than I thought you’d be. Ruder too.” She’d known the stories, about how Ajax towered over the rest of the Achaeans to the point of being easily recognisable from the walls of Troy, and she’d seen what was left of his skeleton. Even so her Servant was taller than she had imagined he would be, his broad figure more imposing, his presence more overwhelming and his eyes… darker.

The anger she saw in him, the bitterness, was a far cry from the protector she had wanted. His words were harsh, even discounting the threat on her life, his whole demeanour more dangerous. Has she made a mistake in assuming he would be like the accounts she had read? Did Homer’s epic glorify the heroes of the Greeks and paint them in a better light than they deserved, or did his ignoble end simply change him more than she had thought it would?

“Fine then, Servant, if that’s how you want to play things then we can skip the pleasantries.” She needed to gain some control over this situation before this brute of a man overran her. A Seidr witch couldn’t let herself be intimidated by a spirit, even one as great as this, if she was going to claim victory in this war. “Save your oaths of revenge and maledictions for someone else; do your job and win me this war and there won’t be any need for double crossing. Protect me, as you are known for, and I’ll make you unstoppable; fail me and I’ll find another path to the Grail.”

Perhaps she was pushing her luck with this man. It would have to be seen whether he would respect her convictions or decide that she was more trouble than she was worth. If he moved against her now she would need to use her Command Seals to supress and end him before calling this whole endeavour off and returning home.

“You’ll have your wish, so long as it doesn’t interfere with mine, when we see the end of this war. Now, tell me your name Shielder, so that I can be sure who I’m dealing with.”

@Crusader Lord

----

Archer Actaeon

First meetings are sometimes awkward

So, I find myself partnered with a woman once more; I am to fight by her side, hunting a different kind of foe than I did back then.

The mages eyes followed his around the room, perhaps mistaking his expression for disappointment as she commented on its depressing nature. The barren room was not to be their base however, merely their starting point, as she suggested heading to the real location soon, a friendly smile on her lips.

Ah, and she is beautiful as well; she pales in comparison to a Goddess, of course, but she’s beautiful nonetheless. I don’t have the best luck with beautiful women, do I? I’m sorry I can’t speak with you; I still bear the curse of the last woman I was partnered with, even if she was far more than just a woman in truth.

Mercedes reached a hand in his direction, the red Command Seals stark against her skin, as her friendly smile changed to something warmer; the gesture was unfamiliar, though the Grail filled his mind with the knowledge required to understand it. Archer hesitated a moment, staring at the extended hand with that same wariness.

I even find myself contracted to her. An oath of fealty of sorts, backed by the threat of destruction should I break it; a familiar situation. History does like to repeat itself doesn’t it? But maybe this time I can avoid making the same mistakes.

A small spark of resolve entered his eyes before he grabbed her hand with his own, raising his gaze to meet herself firmly as he shook her hand. I am at your service Master.

@Yankee

Caster

---

". . .I wasn't so fond of shields. And wearing capes into battle is. . ." When Artoria spoke during the meal, it was mostly to earnestly answer her masters question like that. Aside from that she ate rather silently, comments on the anime aside. Even so, there was a certain amount of elegance even when she ate chinese food. Thankfully she was using the chopsticks perfectly normal, the Holy Grail being reliable as ever.


"...Hmm." Rarely she would nod or make expressions as if she was in deep thought. It certainly didn't have to do with the anime, but rather what she was consuming at any given moment. One could probably chalk it up to enjoying the meal, but Caster was so irregular it was probably hard to tell.

By the time Caster was nearly done she had begun to smile a little bit. Even with her own limited interactions with the girl, she had already 'felt' many abnormalities within this magus.

"It was good, Charlie. Food is important to continue fighting." It seemed her master didn't like her actual first name, so she had stopped using it shortly after their summoning. While it was true that eating had some benefit in maintaining her form, this incarnation had plenty of energy. Perhaps she could've mentioned the meal as unnecessary, but refrained from ever bringing it up.

A few moments after both had finished their meals, Caster stood up.

It would be better if her Master was slowly eased into their role. Making reckless mistakes was one thing, but actually experiencing the war would be important for winning it. Real battles were about determination at the decisive moment. If her Master wasn't for combat, then their chances for final victory would lower drastically. It didn't seem such, but-

More importantly than that, she wanted to judge her Master.


"We should begin patrolling. There's no reason for us to avoid the first night, Master."

There was no way to offer her own power right now. This body was that of a small girl, after all. There was no worth to a King who couldn't protect anyone. But at the same time, it had become more complicated. With the presence of Merlin, she was definitely a lot more reassured in this form. It wasn't a matter of the power she was borrowing, but more that he was so reliable. Even if he was just a little bit mischievous and troubling, there were few people that she could trust to be the Kings power. He was definitely one of them.

"I believe we should inspect grounds favorable to Magi, starting where the leylines have Fallen." The detection abilities of Caster eclipsed that of any other class in the war. Usually merely finding the enemy wandering about was difficult, even with the use of familiars. But in her case, it would be much easier. This was to say nothing of territories, of course. Those were far more troublesome to detect for a modern magus, yet for her it would be far easier. It was something to have a little bit of pride in, even in her current state.

Certain land favored certain Magi, Merlin had said. Different attributes, elements, and paradigms. An astrologer would be in a tower or a place close to the stars. A spiritualist would be in a temple or graveyard. It was the same philosophy as constructing Temples, Magi just had some extra considerations. Finding the camps of all their rivals would go far in giving their own a distinct advantage.

A leyline foci was certainly the greatest prize, but modern magi couldn't control them so easily. Still, it was important to keep tabs on the entire network. Some Noble Phantasms may do something, or a Magus could possibly attempt to piggyback the network. Caster had no intent in using them herself, but monitoring their state was important. They could go to each nexus in the city and check up on them from a distance. As this was a war composed of foreigners, she imagined the current Masters didn't even know their locations. That, too, would be another advantage.

Just being able to get a good grasp of the city on foot would be nice.

"Are you ready, Master?"

"So... I was ripped off? The dealer who sold me that assured that it belonged to a famous warrior. But it seems like I got scammed. Oh well, I guess that's what I get for trying to game the system," Alex sighed once more. Things weren't really going like she expected them to.

"Stay calm, analyze, decompose, reassemble..." she thought, remembering the steps of the alchemical method. She could do it, she could...

"Oh, woah! You are quite a hottie, Emon! Maybe I didn't draw a hand as bad as I thought," Alex said when she got to take a proper look at her Servant's features. The greatest alchemical discoveries of all time were made pretty much by accident. Having luck on your side is something every Alchemist has to be used to. Alex was sure she could make do with anything she was given, except probably a Berserker. That would never work.

After feeling her heart skip a beat for a moment, Alex set the coins aside—they probably belonged to the family that she was living with—and looked at Assassin as he informed her of his next course of action. "Scouting, I see... that's a great idea. Just what you'd expect from a professional in the field," she said with a smile stamped on her face.

"Anyway... would it bother you if I tagged along? I mean, I don't have anything against being one of those crooks that sends an assassin out to stab people in the back while they are in the toilet or something like this if that's the kind of Master you prefer to work for. But, if I could, I'd like to do something more interesting than chilling around for the next two weeks or so," She asked in the same bashful from before voice, once again scratching her cheek.

"Also, erm... I can help find the other Masters faster with my eyes and this," Alex said as she drew a map of the city overlaid with a magical circle in the shape of an astrological chart and a crystal pendulum hanging from a silver chain.

"It's kinda rough to do this kind of Divination in a land I'm not used to, but at least we are still in the Northern Hemisphere, so the stars aren't gonna be misaligned," she said as she laid the map on the floor and ran some mana through it, before letting the pendulum do its work of pointing towards the next few nearest major sources of magical power.

"I guess that... this is where we should be looking at first," Alex said, pointing towards a certain direction in the map of Tokyo.

"Understood, My Princess. I'll refrain from using my full capacities until you order me otherwise," Saber replied to her Princess' orders. Both the spoken and unspoken ones.

Following that, she extended her hand to her Princess and said, "With your choice made, I believe that we should leave this place. If we stay, we ran on the risk of endangering innocents as well as revealing the existence of the Holy Grail War to the public. It would be ideal if we could go to an open place, like a park. If that's not possible, the rooftops of the nearby buildings will suffice. I'd rather not need to duel in a filthy place such as the alleys if it can be avoided."

---

...Soon after Cleo finished speaking, a grin spread across the face of the giant of a man. Then another booming laugh, this time notably more jovial and upbeat than before, came out of Aias' lips and almost seemed to shake the air itself. The servant then reached over, giving his master a light and friendly slap on the back. Not that it wouldn't almost knock a regular human over, but...it was the thought that counted?

"Good, good! You are not some gutless rat, i see, who would shirk in the face of threats! You spit back with fire, and that i like!" Aias said, his mood as he spoke seemingly shifting entirely into a far more friendly and camaraderie-filled demeanor before Cleo's very eyes, "I am the great Aias, son of Telamon! My shield and protection are yours, little witch, though for the future i'd caution that not all heroic spirits are those 'prim and proper' formal types. Many of us lived and breathed upon the battlefield, after all!"

Telamon Ajax let out another booming and hearty laugh, before looking to his side and out of the apartment's admittedly tiny (to him) window and then back to Cleo once more. His grin seemed to remain in place, thought it did soften a little from its former intensity.

"So, by what name and family are you known? As we are fighting together in this conflict, i would wish to know that much about you as well!"

What? He had to test this little human to see what she was made of. He would not serve a weak and overly timid master, though he knew he could have killed her in a heartbeat in such a case. But this woman seemed to have a fire, and that he liked in his women and masters both. Was one reason he had tried for the hand of Helen way back when, though admittedly that had become more of a mess for him when that one Trojan prince has decided to think with what was between his legs as well. Bah. This was a time age, a new time, and he would have battle again on his own terms. And with a master he could at least respect the force of will of, well, that just made it all the better!

They would both be tried in the days to come, anywho, and as such his observations of tonight would either be prove true or false during that time period.

@King Cosmos

Charndoisella Ariellitya

---

"Avoiding the first night...?" Charlie wrapped her head around what exactly it was that her Servant was trying to say. Were they not enjoying the nightlife in one of Tokyo's finest nighttime establishments? What more did this city have to offer during the evening hours? Her butler told her that Akihabara was the greatest place in Japan during these hours! What greater means of entertainment could she offer her Servant? There were trying times.

On the airplane over, Charlie did here some fellow Englishmen speaking on how they were so excited for the Japanese nightlife. They mentioned places like Roppongi and Kabukichō, but since her butler never mentioned them, Charlie assumed they were for the poor. Could it be that her Servant wanted to see how the more simple people lived in this era? Yes! That must have been it! They would go to Kabuki-

It was at the end of this thought that Saber mentioned they were going to go around patrolling. It appeared that Saber didn't want to enjoy the nightlife, but instead, wanted to see if they would run into any enemies. This seemed strange for a Caster, but Charlie wasn't going to second guess her Servant. After all, they were the great King Arthur! They had made absolutely 0 bad decisions in their life. Ever.

According to that anime at least...

"Oh, well I hope you didn't get the wrong impression of me, Caster. I entered this war fully aware of what was to happen, and I have no intent on backing down. If you are to be my sword, then I will join you in the fray."

Her steadied her resolve and prepared herself for whatever may come. Battle was the last thing a proper magus should ever bother themselves with, but if it meant advancing her family, then it would be a necessary step. Besides, at this point, was it even right for her to call herself a proper magus? What self respecting magus has anything to do with Norwich?

Just as she was about to exit the booth, her Servant began chanting. A series of spells was cast upon Charlie. These spells included something that would hide and suppress her command mantra signature, a spell to alter her appearance, and a spell that would reject magecraft on the level of an amulet. Finally, a tiny little companion who appeared out of (seemingly) nowhere flew into Charlie's bag. She was not going to question this, even though she had a myriad of questions to ask in regards to it.

"With all of that out of the way, are you ready, Caster?"

Before even waiting for her Servants words, Charlie began heading out. There was no point in waiting, for she already knew her Servant's answer. Nobody would be more prepared for war than the legendary King Arthur herself.

The woman's smile only grew wider when Archer took her hand. Relief overcame her and assuaged a worry she didn't even know she had. The servant accepted her as his master, his silence wasn't a rejection. And the sincere look in his eyes... this was good. Though the man had yet to say a word, she got the feeling he had a reason not to - or at the very least, he wasn't trying to be a jerk.

"Good," she said, more to herself than anything, and after a firm handshake she gestured for Archer to leave the magic circle as she began collecting the candles and rubbing away the chalk with the heel of her boot. Though they were abandoning this location soon, she wanted to take some steps to protect them as they moved. If another mage had felt the draw of mana here and found the circle, there were certain ways they may be able to identify the summoner. If they did that, she would be at a disadvantage. It was unlikely, but she had to be sure. When she was through, she glanced back at Archer with a grin.

"Strong silent type, I take it? No worries. My name is Mercedes Fomonar, just to let you know. Even though I'm your master, I'm having a little... well, trouble, seeing your true name. It would help me to know it so I could come up with a proper battle plan for us." Although she made the request of him, Mercedes didn't stand around waiting for his answer. With the room cleaned out, she pulled her cloak on a little tighter and made for the exit. There was no time to waste. She headed back down the narrow stair well, fully expecting Archer to follow her either as he was or in his incorporeal form. The man wouldn't exactly blend in with the way he looked now, but the chill in the air and the late hour kept most people from roaming the streets anyway.

"As for me, I'm a 'take the fight to the enemy' kind of gal. Hunting magi down is kind of my profession," she spoke as she walked, her volume low though she expected the other could hear her either way, no matter if it was a servant's enhanced senses or the quasi-psychic link they now shared. As she expected, the street was barren.

"That said, I'd like to get you acquainted with our base of operations. We're a team now, Archer, and I expect we'll make a good one, but it might be a good idea to get any information tonight while we can." She made her thoughts known to the man as she walked briskly down the street and through alleys, heading South.

Caster

---

Familiars were useful as an advanced screen. Scouting was paramount in any conflict; in the Holy Grail War, knowledge determined everything.

Suppressing her own magical energy and moving under the cover of illusion magic went without saying. While she wasn't underhanded, Caster preferred to avoid the enemies gaze through familiars. If they encountered an opposing pair, she would like the initiative and a moment to determine their course of action. Of course, just hiding like that was a downside all its own. It lowered the chance of an enemy revealing themselves. Exposure was a bait all its own, she certainly knew that much.

That aside, though, the majority of spiritual land was already claimed. The pair had made sense of that much between familiars and their own plodding around for hours on end. That was well and good, since it could prevent some future collateral damage. There was no telling what a desperate servant or master could've done to the innocents of this city with access to a fallen leyline. The most likely option was feeding on their souls in mass. It was a bit reassuring that it probably wasn't even a possibility. Or, at least, it had become far more difficult.

Still, there was one nexus left completely unclaimed. That place was called. . . The Tokyo Tower. It was exceptionally tall. They would have to be on the lookout for an Archer class servant on approach.

She took a moment to inform her master before starting to move in its direction.

Charndoisella Ariellitya

---

And then they were off, going through the streets of this remote, isolated, island nation. The bright lights of the anime signs at night made it fairly difficult for her to see, but she was managing to find her way. Despite not being used to such large bright signs of lewdly drawn characters, she was quickly adapting. Her family estate was usually kept fairly bright, something about how bright lights were associated with both angels and fairies.

Once her eyesight was fully adjusted, she was on full alert. Every alleyway could have waited danger and every person on the street was a potential magus. From this night onward, Tokyo was going to turn into a battlefield. Even if the millions of inhabitants were unaware of it, the city was not going to look the same by the end of this conflict. Charlie was not sure of the kind of damage that the city would go through, minimal or major, but ultimately, there was going to be damage. Innocent lives were probably going to be lost as well.

This city was a tragedy waiting to happen.

"Hey, Caster, since we both work with the fae, would it be a bother if I asked you to instruct me? It would be an honor to learn from someone like you!"

A question to save the girl from thinking too hard.

Not that it was really out of nowhere or anything, for it was the real reason for her participating in the war. To advance her family by summoning someone connected to the Fae and learning all she could within 2 weeks. The excitement of actually summoning someone so prolific and showing them the modern world made the question slip from her mind. However, if she couldn't gain anything from her Servant, then her priorities in the war would have to change.

After asking that question, her face turned slightly red. It was a horrible time to ask, and she absolutely botched how it should have been done. To begin with, starting with "Hey, Caster" instead of something like "Please, my lord" was a massive blunder. What proper King would take a student who showed such little respect? Following that, why did she not bow? It was a bit disgraceful for a magus to lower themselves to such a point, but for an opportunity like this? She truly was an idiot.

Most importantly, why would King Arthur teach a like her?

Charlie simply kept her head low and waited for the rejection.

So this was his respite, his moment of peace before battle. Living in a home that in of itself was both pride, status and torment. What a strange life his master had. His home was so different from the glen he left.

Well, he always had a choice even if he was discouraged. To walk a path that others discouraged, to walk a path that others wished for you to walk. To fulfill expectation and to defy it both were things he knew of.

“Mhm, that’s right isn’t it? There’s so much here. That’s how I felt when I arrived at the kingdom. There was just so much! And so many things I’d never seen either. Food, buildings, swords, armor, people. The world is so much bigger than I knew. Even if a castle is smaller than a forest. Even if a village is dwarfed by the plains. The weight and fun of human lives is just as big as any wildland.”

“...Speaking of weight think we can drink enough to match what we’ve had gram for gram?”

Their next hours were a blur of excess. But what was wrong with that? In the wilds the animals gorged themselves in times of plenty, preparing for the time of scarcity. This man, his master was someone who lived in a winter all his life.

“It’s very pretty.”

They ended up perhaps fittingly in a rooftop bar, one of the Tokyo sky lounges in Ginza. High above the ground, yet that height was something to simply admire the stars closer.

“Your dress that is, but you’re even prettier. Where did you get that ring by the way? It’s really nice, I’d like one like that too!”

And as it turned out the appetite of the man’s servant seemed to come with a lighthearted reaching out for people as well. The way he spoke to the women about was not that of a predatory beast, but rather a casual interest. Certainly it was an engagement caused by his pursuing initiative. But as masculine as the experience was it felt more a matter of simply that he was engaging in a core part of the “experience” in such merrymaking.

To flirt, and to engage with women was simply part of having fun. Along with wherever such a thing led to. The wholesome demeanor and attitude of Lancer clashed partially with the casual skirt-chasing,

“Hey master, I forgot to ask. Are you married? Because if not… Aha, maybe we’ll find out which warms up your heart better. A hotpot or a someone!”

Cleo Forsberg

Summoning her Servant; Preparing for war

Cleo fought not to flinch as the hand lashed out at her, her entire body tensing up at the sudden action even as Shielder’s grin and laughter seemed to suggest he meant her no harm. She was nearly knocked off her feet by the heavy blow to her back, managing to limit herself to a small stumble as her Servant’s demeanour changed entirely in a moment.

It seemed her gamble had paid off; she suspected that Ajax was someone who would respect her attempt to push back against him, that he wanted a Master who could stand alongside him in this war as something like an equal. As much as that was possible with Servant and Master at least. Alternatively, he was testing her because he was hoping to find a Master who was meek and easily controlled. She attempted the former because she would not accept the latter, but if she had been wrong then her participation in this war would have ended before it had truly begun.

“I am Cleo Forsberg.” Since she had answered his question, it was only fair that she answer his own. “My family deals in fate, in directing the course of events to suit our purposes; as far as this war is concerned, I am a shaman and a diviner.” That should be enough to satisfy his curiosity for now. In time he would realise what it meant to have a Master who was adept at manipulating spiritual energy in a war fought between spirits.

Turning her head to the side Cleo also looked out the moderately sized (to her) window, making note of the fact that dusk seemed to have given way to the encroaching night while she had been summoning Shielder. “This is our first night of the war Shielder. Do you wish to sit it out until I am better prepared, or do you want to see who your opponents are?”

@Crusader Lord

----

Archer Actaeon

First meetings are sometimes awkward

Archer stepped aside when indicated to by his Master, walking outside the boundaries of his summoning circle as Mercedes began to clear away the chalk lines and mystical paraphernalia. With the mage distracted, Archer turned his back to her and moved towards the single window in the room, standing to the side of the window frame he looked down on the street below without exposing himself to anyone looking up at him in turn.

I would tell you my name if I could Master, if it wouldn’t turn me into an animal to do so. I still remember what it felt like to be torn apart, body and soul, by the hounds I had so dutifully trained; it’s not something I’d like to experience again. He didn’t turn away from the window to face Mercedes as she spoke, though he listened to every word carefully. The streets were emptier now than they would be during the day, but some people still braved the cold and it was these people that Archer kept his watchful eye on I can’t even explain to you why I can’t speak, not yet at least.

When the mage pulled her cloak about herself Archer pulled himself away from his vigil and followed her out of the room; he disappeared into his immaterial form before they reached the street, following behind his Master invisibly and still keeping a watchful eye on everyone around them. You’re a hunter as well; maybe that’s why I was summoned to you in particular. I can send my hounds to search for our enemies while you show me our base but… I can’t even tell you this much.

@Yankee

When Archer still did not to speak to her, Mercedes moved on quietly. Several thoughts swirled around her mind, some about the Grail War she presently found herself in, but most relating to her servant. Though he was invisible to her eye now, she could feel him through their bond. In the attic room, she'd gotten a faint feeling of... something through it, but not a clear message. As she'd talked about herself to him as they walked, she'd gotten what felt like a hint of kinship. The servant was still with her, they had already shaken hands and made a pact through the Grail together. He didn't dislike - or so she assumed. Why did he not speak? As she thought over the summoning ritual, wondering if her lack of expertise in that area of magecraft had somehow affected the servant, a sudden epiphany came to her.

What if he couldn't speak? There were many heroes of history rendered mute through injury of the body or mind, or had curses laid upon them that stole their voice. Was Archer just such a hero?

Her mind changed direction, bringing up every historical figure she could think of that met that description. Most magi studied the history and theory of Grail Wars, and read up on heroic spirits in hopes to one day fight in one. Mercedes had no such day dreams, but she wasn't totally ignorant to the heroes of the past. She was once a young mage too. Still, the answer didn't immediately come to her. A mystery to solve once they returned to her base. The wonderings of the Grail War fresh in her mind, she was reminded that since she was chosen by the Grail to compete, she must have some desire for it. She supposed that was true. Some selfish wish, deep down within herself... another mystery, for another time.

Mercedes said nothing more as she worked her way closer to the city's edge, moving quickly and idly drawing runes in front of her from time to time. They were small spells of deflection, designed to keep curious pedestrian eyes from lingering on her for too long. They wouldn't fool any half-decent magus, but they didn't need to. After an hour of walking, the red haired woman approached an old gravel trail, leading up a small hill. She climbed the trail and came upon a small ramshackle building. From the outside it appeared as what could only be described as an abandoned shed. The area wasn't devoid of homes by any means, and the city was perfectly visible from it. Behind the shed was a field and some broken fence work. The previous owners of the property had likely been homesteaders that preferred to move up country when the bright lights of the city began to reach all the way toward their little farm. Now, it belonged to the Fomonar family, hastily but confidentially acquired as soon as the burning red marks had appeared on the woman's hand.

"Home sweet home," she laughed, checking up on the runes carved into the earth around the building. A bounded field. After a quick touch-up, she opened the door which led immediately to a few short steps downward. The area opened up to a much larger space, well lit and cozy with a large plush futon and a fur pelt of some kind laid on the floor. Mercedes' workshop.

Besides the futon and pelt, a large wooden table stood in the center of the room with a few chairs tucked beneath it. A few empty take-out containers still sat on the table, and Mercedes scooped them up and dumped them into a wastebasket nearby. "I'm not exactly a Michelin star chef," she chuckled as she did so. Above the wastebasket, mounted to the wall, was a huge board with the map of Tokyo Prefecture. There were several places on the map circled or outlined, and beside it were documents pinned to the board. Missing mages, potential participants in the War. Areas where magi were likely to gather. Although Mercedes hadn't planned to be a part of this War, she was diligently preparing for it.

"Archer," she called, waiting for the man to give her his attention before continuing, "I've been thinking about it. You can't actually speak, can you?"

Berserker allowed Daisuke to guide him into another room, seating himself on a sofa. It was certainly more comfortable than the wooden throne of coronation that he had created. The time that had been wasted was already gone, and there was time to relax. Some, at least.

"The first thing a king should know is the culture of any land he visits - this here is Sukiyaki, a Japanese dish that is typically served on special occasions in the winter, such as the end of the year. This is a grave warning, so heed it well - It is fairly hot since I just cooked it, so be very cautious to avoid burning your mouth."

Edward nodded gravely, taking his fellow lord’s warning seriously. A special dish that one must consume carefully - that seemed to fit what he knew of this land. Picking up the cutlery, he took a tentative bite. “Excellent,” He said, muffled slightly by his chewing. A strange dish, compared to what he knew, but its taste was good.

"Oh my word, I have been uncouth - I apologize, Sir Edward, you should be the one talking. Do you have any questions for me? After we get you comfortable, we can start work on the war. Personally, I think the highest priority is your code name."

“A code name?” Edward asked. “My class name should suffice. Though if you want to attempt to obfuscate that…” He paused for a moment, thinking. “I shall leave it to your discretion. Nothing that provides any hint to my identity, mind.”

He calmly finished the meal, and then stood. “Come,” Edward said, walking from the room without turning to check if Daisuke was following. “I need to see the battlefield that I will be fighting on.”

There was no need to hide in spirit form; if an enemy wanted to challenge him, they were welcome to. As he strode through the city, the citizens around him took great notice of the tall foreigner in strange armour. He paid them no mind. If it came to a fight, his will alone would be enough to ensure nobody remained to witness it.

Casting his gaze towards the citiy’s skyline, he smiled. “Yes, that tower will be an excellent point to look over this city,” He said as if to an ally behind him, without checking if Daisuke had followed him. He began to move.



@Duoya

Daisuke Nagahara

“A code name?” My class name should suffice. Though if you want to attempt to obfuscate that… I shall leave it to your discretion. Nothing that provides any hint to my identity, mind.”

"Er, yes - to hide your class of course! That is the sole reason, haha..."

That was a lie - the real reason was that Daisuke wanted them to have a cool naming theme going on, which would then enable a proper team name. Normally Daisuke would simply pick a name on his own, but he at least wanted to offer Edward the chance to pick something, since he was by far Daisuke's smartest familiar.

Daisuke heard a low pitched hiss in his mind as that thought occurred, and he forced it down. I offered you to pick your title, Survivor, but you lost that privilege when you ate the maids and got us kicked out of the home. Daisuke would never let the Daemon live that one down... Daisuke continued to think of a cool name that would at least tolerate the pre-established lore he set up for his familiars in their backstories. Best case scenario, he would think of a Team name while he was at it!

"How about 'Hammer of Wrath?' I believe that to be a most excellent title!"

As Daisuke said this, he noticed Edward had already completed most of his meal and was headed out the front door.

“Come, I need to see the battlefield that I will be fighting on.”

Daisuke jumped to his feet and rushed to grab his supplies - he quickly grabbed a rather large duffel bag, emptied it of the various pet toys it was previously containing and began filling it with his Mystic Codes. He then went down the list of priorities, filling it with notebooks, a few dog treats, a camera, a few water bottles, and his boombox. After several seconds of deliberation, he also threw in a couple dozen of his cassettes, justifying the weight by simply having Survivor or Edward carry it if it grew to strenuous.

He then ran down the stairs as quickly as he could, risking tripping in order to catch up with his far taller and faster Servant. Luckily, Edward stood out very much, allowing Daisuke to locate him and stick close behind him.

"Heavens... You are as fast as a messenger of the gods!"

The pair walked down the street, Daisuke smugly looking at everyone who stared at Edward. Of course, they were astonished at the raw power that Daisuke had under his control - the Servant! Now they would know how potent his magical capabilities were... In fact, Edward could probably put the heavy bags of dog food onto the top shelf of the store, without a ladder or Dracomar to help him!

Truly, the strongest of familiars - completely at Daisuke's whims. Daisuke chose to ignore the fact that he wasn't the one who decided to look for enemies or the fact that his Servant was remaining in a corporeal form despite the added costs that came with. Instead, he looked at his cool Command Spells! Normally, Daisuke would cry too much, so normal Tattoos were impossible - but the Command Spells looked cool, and were only a slight burning sensation to get!

“Yes, that tower will be an excellent point to look over this city,”

Daisuke paused and looked up, taking a sip of water from his water bottle.

"Tokyo Tower? Well, I must admit, the view is absolutely stupendous the first time around. We'll go at once if that is what you wish!"

Apparently, that was what Edward wished since he started moving again in the tower's direction. The place was kind of boring in Daisuke's opinion - sure, being up high and looking at the peasants like they were ants was fun the first 23 times, but Daisuke quickly grew to dislike the walk and just looked down from his significantly shorter apartment. When one of the faculty yelled at him for playing his boombox too loudly, Daisuke decided to stop visiting the tower altogether.

"Did you know, Berserker? Tokyo Tower is the largest structure in all of Japan!"

Daisuke wasn't thinking about any strategic advantages that the tower would offer - in fact, when it came to actually fight in the war itself, Daisuke hadn't really thought of anything. He had already achieved his wish - summoning a Servant. The only real reason he was even risking going out in the open, where they could be attacked at any moment, was because he trusted Edward to protect him. A small creature pecked Daisuke in the head, and the young man jumped to the side in response, nearly hitting a random passerby with his bag. It was a small pigeon, and Daisuke lit up when he noticed it.

"Good idea, Survivor! Hey, Berserker, do you think I should send my royal familiars to go and scout for the other masters? We'll find them in the time it takes Dracomar to clean out his food bowl, if their Servants stand out as much as you do."

Daisuke was oblivious to the fact that he also stood out greatly, in his extremly fanct cape and toy crown. His motive for locating the other masters was completely different from his Servant's, unbeknownst to the young man. Daisuke wanted to find the other Masters in order to avoid them, and let them kill each other off, rather than to fight them with Edward. After all, divide and conquer was the best of strategies.

By this point, the pair had gotten fairly close to the tower itself, and Daisuke could even make out the base of it.

@SSW

The Black Lotus, as the Clock Tower had nicknamed her, followed Saber out of the eyes of the public. The Servant had brought up a very good point: Not every place could be employed as a battlefield this early into the night. Without proper preparative measures, such as a bounded field, the risk of a mundane coming across a supernatural scene was too high for comfort. Though the Holy Church would have been the one to respond if such event ever happened, Yuriko did not want to owe them anything, thus losing the position of power she earned after designing their last protective vest. More importantly, Sekimoto, despite voluntarily jumping into a death-match, was not really fond of bloodshed or getting others involved in her own problems. So, with no argument to retaliate, she moved away from the luxury of the restaurant where they had finished eating dinner only minutes ago.

"..."

Saber loyalty might have been peerless, but it was not hard to notice her eagerness to fight behind that mask of chivalry. It was only natural, after all, she was a Heroic Spirit who had accepted the call in order to do exactly that. To oppose the idea would be the same as going against her own purpose. Regarding this, it would be a lie to say Yuriko didn't feel a little bit troubled. Though there had been no clashes personality-wise, the way each one of them was used to approaching combat was completely different. It wouldn't be a surprise if Odette, as a Saber Class Servant, preferred a straightforward approach that took full advantage of her container. By this point, the Magus had no doubt the woman was more than capable of storming an opposing team's workshop by herself. On the other hand, Yuriko excelled at drawn-out battles in a fixed, neutral spot. Being a human being before a Magus, having such a vast array of defensive tools meant her offense was lacking, and thus, she was not fit for workshop raids. If everything is taken in consideration, then it shouldn't be difficult to understand why Saber's concealed insistence on getting things done was making the blonde feel a little out of her element.

"Alright. If they are not coming to us, then we'll go looking for them."

But do not be fooled: As a pride who has been given the color designation of 'Black', Sekimoto Yuriko is no pushover. She wouldn't have got this far if she did not possess the ability to adapt. In hindsight, she was being selfish by forcing Saber to abide by her rules when the two of them were a team. This was an exercise of give and take. To her Servant, who had showed her an unmatched resolve, she would respond with the attitude a Master of such Servant should have. Well then, if they were going to make a move on the first night, she had strong guesses of where the other Masters -provided they were smart enough- would be headed. Granted, Yuriko was not born in Tokyo, but as a Japan native, she had a good grasp of its leyline locations.

---

The duo arrived at the Tokyo Tower several minutes before Daisuke and Berserker did. Sekimoto used this time to erect a bounded field across the area. It was strong enough to keep civilians away through a basic enchantment spell -convincing them there was nothing to be seen or done there- and yet subtle enough that only a Magus of pedigree would notice its presence as they ventured into it. This way, the risk of civilian exposure would be kept to a minimum without them having to be picky about where to have their fights.

It goes without saying that Yuriko saw the opposing Master was coming 'from a mile away'. Her puppet familiars had scouted him early as the duo really stood out from the crowd. Her suspicions were confirmed when the two of them walked into the bounded field, naturally resisting the effects of the spell cast to keep others away. Now, that's not to say that the two of them would be completely unaware of Saber and her Master's presence under all circumstances. Though this was a decent set-up ambush of sorts, there was no guarantee that it would work. Normally, Yuriko would have simply allowed herself to blend into the shadows. Having confirmed the identity of one Master, there was no need to rush into combat. But that was then and this was now: She wasn't working along in this matter.



@Duoya@SSW@KoL

Brahelius chose not to answer, his focus fully turned up into the night sky, staring with a strange combination of both contempt and contentedness at the moon.

There was nothing but a non-committal hum at Lancer's words before he raised his glass to his face, swirling a bit of the clear drink within his hand, not yet imbibing its contents.

"To answer your question Lancer, I have not yet taken anyone to be my partner. Though the time comes that if I am to continue the legacy entrusted to me, that I will have to take one within the near future."

Taking a sip from his glass, Brahelius peered into his cup, continuing to speak to his servant.

"But truthfully, I would much rather be in the company of a good hotpot rather than a bothersome woman. In my experience, they are often forceful beings who push past anything within their way. They bring nothing but headaches. Anyways Lancer, come closer."

Brahelius gestured to Lancer to come to his side, pointing to his glass.

The Ginza Skylounge was a small stop for their rampage throughout the streets and bars of Tokyo, yet here upon the rooftop of the establishment, Brahelius had carefully woven a bounded field to turn attention away from the small corner Brahelius sequestered himself away in.

"I find myself in a talkative mood Lancer, and within the course of my life, I have learned that my own abilities are lacking. Yet, that does not mean I cannot have some pride within my meager skill!

"Lancer, the World abhors a fantasy. The element we mages know as ether is an illusion the world crushes. It is only within the moment of its ignition that it can accomplish much. So for you Lancer, and for this world, I will show you a fantasy given form.

"Above us hangs the moon. It has been the subject of many a belief, such as that it is an eye of god. These beliefs continue to linger and shape the world we who hold the seat of primates live within. More importantly, and more relatedly, it is also a mirror. This is but one portion of this 'magic trick' I will show you."

Once more motioning to his drink, Brahelius continued with his exposition.

"In Vino Veritas. In wine, truth. All around the world, alcohol and other mind-altering substances carried the property of elevating man's vision, letting us catch glimpse of enlightenment. Though there have been many implements specialized for the use of divination and clairvoyance, at the core of each device they were 'containers', much like the glass I carry within my hand."

Pulling his free arm within his cloak, Brahelius withdrew from it a darkened orb, emitting light from a few holes carefully carved into its surface.

"It is time Lancer, even if we enjoy ourselves in this outing, we cannot deny we are in a war, thus, I will do my duty to support you, so that you can do the same for me."

With a small smirk, Brahelius went about his task, taking a small mouthful of his drink while positioning it so that it can clearly reflect the image of the moon upon its surface.

Within a hazy tone, as if he were lost within a dream, Brahelius incanted.

"Myfi yw llong Sadwrn.

I wyth plasty ar hugain y lleuad rwy'n pledio

Ail-lenwi, Ail-lenwi, Ail-lenwi

Dangoswch y Ffordd i mi!"

Creating a symbolic connection to the moon, Brahelius utilized the properties of alcohol to gaze upon the city of Tokyo, seeking any masters out within the streets of the bright cityscape. Even by mundane means, tracking existences by their relationship to celestial bodies is a simple task. It was really only a matter of seconds before he discovered a wayward master

“Let us go Lancer, I have located a suitable target for us to battle. The night is still long, and I can still drink, but the war will not wait for us Lancer, we must seize victory with our hands lest it slips away.”

@Yukitamas

Servant of Alexa Cellesis Jupteria
_____________________________________________________________________***@KoL

There was nothing an assassin was less sure of then bringing their master with them. While a knight class, or a Rider might be able to protect a master in danger, and assassin could not. They were not the defensive sort, and so many of them were loners. And while Kirigakure bit his lip, he knew he couldn't dissuade his summoner. She was a liability, and he couldn't guarantee her protection. It was probably the disadvantage of a class that existed to sneak around in the dark.

"Is is possible for you to create a proxy? Possibly something like a familiar?" It probably wasn't the best solution to be honest. He had to make sure she was protected somehow after all, and bringing her to his fights was simply out of the question. She'd be put at risk during his assassination attempts. "Perhaps, if you follow in a car or something, like a taxi, you can follow in a familiar, while staying well out of range of retaliation." It wasn't the most graceful, but it was a solution that could work.

Though, her map divination helped, so at least that was something. Perhaps this team up wasn't as hopeless as she might have felt to start. Either way, they had at least some plan. If she was danger, the taxi could drive off, and she could summon him to play distraction. More than within their limitations of teamwork.

____________________________________________
It was less than ten minutes that he was on the move. The ninja's feet barely touching the rooftops as he ran. His presence was gone, but he himself? Never. He was graceful in the dark. An invisible stain in the night, as if he simply didn't exist at times. Any servant's eyes would pass cleanly over him. He was spying now.

His single-mindness was a blessing in that regard. For none could escape his sight. From a distance, he could spy upon a man who seemed to tower over all others. Berserker perhaps? And another was a clear knight of some kind. Saber? Either way, he watched, and with bated breath hoped that either would reveal their nature to him. Or in the best case... Leave their masters unguarded. He could very well remove two pieces from play before the night was over.

"Well, I hope they put up good fights." He mumbled, mostly under his breath. His next words directed at his master.
"Two servants and their masters, are at the Tokyo Tower. The fact that neither has been attacked yet suggests heavily that the Archer Class servant has not made his base there... Yet. An archer would be more than a little protective of their perch."
It wasn't the world's most complex analysis. But considering he didn't see anybody with a bow when he looked at the top of the tower, that did help his case. "Do you want me to stay and watch, or move on?"

Archer Actaeon

Fomonar Workshop

Archer followed Mercedes through the city, seeing nothing untoward in the crowds or people they passed and seeing even less once the mage started laying down runes of deflection, until the buildings and urban setting began to fall away. As she had said Mercedes’ base of operations seemed to be on the very outskirts of the city itself, far removed from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo’s special wards as one could be while still being said to be in Tokyo.

The dilapidated building with its broken fence didn’t look like something a regular mage would consider fit for living, let along something worthy of being their workshop, but the Enforcer didn’t seem to mind the humble setting much. I don’t mind it either; though we are still within the city it is much quieter here. I was always more comfortable in the forests than the cities.

The Servant rematerialized once they were inside and the door was closed. Then, ignoring the empty food containers Archer went straight to the map of Tokyo on the wall, looking at it with intense interest. This was to be their battleground and as Archer scanned each portion of the map his mind was filled with information about each area, dutifully provided by the Grail to assist him in this time period. It seemed his Master had already done some of the legwork towards finding their opponents, highlighting areas of interest or common gathering points as well as identifying several Master candidates.

Archer turned his head as his Master called for his attention, turning away from the map to face her fully. Finally, the question of his silence was being brought up and in response to the mages question Archer shook his head. No, I cannot speak. He raised a hand and pointed a finger at his chest, then raised it further to press his index finger against his lips in the gesture for silence. I am cursed to never utter another word, unless I want my life to end prematurely. Archer then placed his index finger under his chin and dragged it across his throat to make this fact clear.

But I can still be of use to you. My skills as a hunter have not been dulled and the throne saw fit to give me my companions back to me, even if our reunion is somewhat bittersweet. Turning away from Mercedes, Archer gestured to an empty space next to the wooden table and activated his Nobel Phantasm, three large hounds appearing from thin air, much as he did when he rematerialized; they sat at attention, their heads swivelling around the room, keen eyes moving from Actaeon to Mercedes and back again, but otherwise remaining absolutely still. Dorceus, Hylaeus and Laelaps; these three were the first to find me after I had turned into a stag. My finest hunters.

Pointing at the hounds then at the map on the wall, in particular indicating the areas that his Master had marked out, Archer tried to convey his meaning without the aid of speech. I can send my hounds out to scout and search for the other Masters. I have hunted prey that you can’t even imagine, the kind of prey that isn’t found in this world anymore, and these hounds were by my side the entire time. I trained them myself; they will not disappoint.

@Yankee

"Well... It's not like I can't create'em. But, you're kind of my familiar now, so..." Alex said once Emon suggested that she created a familiar to follow him. She didn't mean any ill with her explanation, just laying out the facts. Thankfully, Assassin didn't take it personally, causing her to sigh with relief.

"I can do that, sure. I didn't mean for you to take me right into the fray, so it's fine like that," she replied to Emon's next suggestion, before letting him go do his thing.


Naturally, Alex would take a little while more to arrive at their destination than Emon. However, that was part of the plan, since she disembarked a few blocks away from the Tokyo Tower and took a detour through some back alleys.

"You can act at your own discretion. You know more about these tactical stealth operations things than I do, after all, Emon. However, now that we are here, we might as well try to learn as much as we can before hopping to somewhere else," she said to Emon as she crossed the alleys.

Every once in awhile, she wrote a small sigil in the walls, and floor using chalk. These wouldn't do anything but they radiated a faint magical energy aura, like an incomplete bounded field. Alex tried to spread them apart randomly as if she were trying to build an actual bounded field in the alleys, but the intention was quite different...

"Like a trail of breadcrumbs," She said to herself as she wrote one last sigil before ducking behind a pile of crates, at the back of what seemed to be a bar and erecting a quick bounded field to erase her presence, waiting to see if some other mage would notice her fake bounded field.

"I'm thankful for your understanding, My Princess," Saber said after finally being given the order to pursue their enemy.


At the Tokyo Tower.

"As expected, even Archer would think it foolish to try to isolate themselves in such a position. The disadvantage of having a perfect vantage point is that it leaves you open to counterfire," Saber said in a calm and collected manner as they approached the massive steel structure, leaving the implications of her assessment unsaid.

As soon as the opponent she had been feeling came into their field of vision, Saber made herself known, materializing right in front of the tower, several meters away from the other armored-clad Servant.

"A knight, I presume. I'm the Saber Class Servant summoned for this Holy Grail War. It'll be my honor to challenge you to a duel," Saber said, presenting her sword in a single-handed fencing stance to the other Servant, whose imposing presence dwarfed hers.

Rider chuckled to himself at the circumstances at play. Who would've known he would serve another Vladimir in this war? Surely a man who shared the same name as his rightful Prince would surely be a righteous man in his own right, especially if he were a descendant of Grandfather Frost! Rider smiled to himself as the image of his Master delivering gifts to the good boys and girls on a troika came to mind. Rider, himself, recalls his childhood where he tried his best to be a good boy despite being confined to a bed.

"A descendant of Ded Moroz, aye? Ad I see you've surely got Snegurochka helping you out!" Rider states as he watched the Snow Maiden do her work, amazed at his Master's display of magecraft. While he had encountered sorcerers and other spellcasters in his lifetime, he never truly took the time to appreciate their art to the fullest. Standing up from his kneeling position, Rider stretched his meaty fingers outward before crossing his arms.

"Very well, Milord. The war has already begun, has it? Let us seek out our enemies in earnest and show them all our strength!"

---

---

Like a shooting star, Rider soared through the night skies of Tokyo atop a mighty steed. Karushka was its name, a stallion almost as black as the night. Ilya stared at awe as he watched the city lights down below. To think that the modern world was full of such wonders of man. Mankind truly has flourished in the coming years. Rider would only wonder what his own homeland looked like. If only this Holy Grail war had taken place in the Motherland....

I the end, Rider just laughed the thought away, realizing that having a war take place in Russia would only invite destruction to his home.

"Ahahaha, we can see everything from up here, Miledi! Karushka will find us a fight in no time!" Rider hollered to his partner, Vladimir's beautiful snowy companion, who was ordered to accompany Rider on his search for the other Servants. And sure enough, Rider would soon find the fight he sought after as he and his steed dominated the skies of Tokyo...

Mercedes watching her servant intently as he gestured to her. She surmised that it was a sign language of some kind. Magi had found many ways to communicate without words, and so many had never bothered to learn any kind of modern pedestrian sign language. She didn't know if that's what this was, but she got the gist of what he meant more or less. It was true, he couldn't speak. Most likely he couldn't even talk to her through their bond, or he would have done so already. She nodded to herself as he turned away from her, thinking of what could be done. In truth, they didn't need to speak to each other. Archer was a great hero of the past, more than likely he was a hunter, he could function perfectly fine on his own and he'd already demonstrated that he was attentive and willing to work with her. Mercedes, likewise, was more than used to fighting solo, but... they were partners now. She had no doubt that if she came up with a plan and Archer had his problems with it, he'd let her know somehow. However, if things went wrong while they were separated, it would be a lot harder for him to fill her in on the situation.

A small smirk came to her lips. 'This will be an interesting challenge,' she thought, her eyes finding Archer's form once more as he waved his hand. She felt a pull of her mana before three dogs materialized before her. Curious, she moved closer to them, but didn't dare reach out the touch them. They were big, and looked well trained. Hunting dogs, familiars of her own familiar. She looked back at Archer, and after just a beat her eyes shined with understanding as he gestured to the map of the city.

"These pups here are probably some of the best scouts a girl could have in this situation - am I right, Archer?" Mercedes said, glancing back at the hounds. "If you trust them, I trust them. By all means, let them hunt down the enemies and bring back any information they can. We can rework our map after that. No doubt there will be some eager masters looking to test their new servant's strength tonight."

The woman magus moved around to the room then, digging through some desk drawers and drawing out a few items. Walking back to the table, she placed a journal and a deck of cards down on it. The journal was not personal in nature, instead it was filled with theories, strategies, and experiments. She flipped to a blank page and quickly scribbled some things into it. 'An archer, a hunter, can summon hounds, mute...'

"Would you have enjoyed card games in life, I wonder?" she addressed Archer somewhat randomly without looking at him. She reached for the deck of cards, shuffling them elaborately, letting the cards waterfall from one hand to the other. "I love card games, but there are a lot more uses for them. For example..." Mercedes finished her shuffle, and in a flash pulled a card from the middle of the deck and slapped it onto the table. It was the four of spades: a card of stability. Mercedes smiled lightly and, seemingly satisfied, she circled an entry in the journal and ripped the page out. She held the paper out for Archer to read.

It was a list of names, and the one circled upon it was Actaeon.

"Cards can give you certain prophecies. This one told me we'll be just fine together," she mused, and as soon as she could tell Archer had read it, set the page ablaze with a flick of her wrist. "That is if you believe in that stuff, of course."