---

"Thank you. This is probably the last real moment of rest I'll have for a while, so I appreciate it." Making sure the door was shut behind her, Fiore sighed, taking a seat and tilting her head at the tea set. Even though Caster was working alone here, he had..? "Ah, it seems like you have plenty of useful attributes."

Adding a bit of sugar, the magus took a cup. The ability to calculate the future was something that could be crucially useful in its own way. "Even if I had summoned some legend like Achilles, there's nothing he would be able to do except go head-to-head with the enemy. The direct approach won't always work, especially against monsters like the Three Families of Fuyuki."

The tea was good... Of the various leaves brought from Trifas, he had even calculated which brand she most liked to drink on days preceding stressful undertakings. Yeah, this was a Servant she could work well with, even if he was a little odd at times. Of course, if his mind was that sharp... "Can you tell I'm trying to praise you?" Fiore let out a quiet, awkward laugh, and tried to smile. "Sorry. It's because next I'm going to start working you as hard as possible. That 'Enchant' ability of yours is only as strong as the man-hours you put into it, right?"

Resting her feet but not her mind had definitely been the best way to put it. Since the moment she had confirmed Carroll possessed the same sort of ability that Shakespeare was known for winning subspecies wars with, her mind had been at work trying to figure out the best way to apply it. While over half the shelves in the room were filled with literature of Caster's choice, two short cabinets near the window had been filled by Fiore personally--and every book inside was completely blank. An author needed somewhere to write, after all.

"I have to focus on my own craft, so I can't hold your hand through this part. The items in question will be sent up here individually." Fiore was the sort of person who often came off as inexperienced and overly kind, but if Caster was so good at calculating, he damn well better have been able to calculate that she wasn't about to let him slack off.

---

---

There was really no time for slacking off, apparently.

It would have been pleasant to walk through Japanese streets on his own two feet again after nearly 200 years, but Lancer wasn't in material form. He followed his Master as the wind, passing through buildings and cars, focusing primarily on detecting the presence of any nearby Servants while giving a half-thought to the mage's mutterings about Japanese culture.

His Master was obviously prepared to fight in the Grail War itself, but Lancer couldn't help but feel that he wasn't particularly ready to operate in this country. "We like them because they kill bugs and ward away sickness. If people knew there were mages peeping through the little critters' eyes, they might think twice." It must have truly appeared to any outsider that the foreigner was talking to himself, because Raiden's voice was only audible inside his Master's own mind. He was still unsure exactly what sort of man he was dealing with, so he actually put a bit of energy into explaining this. "Finding a gecko in your home's a sign of good fortune, and you should never ever kill one or drive it away. If you don't know stuff like that, Master, then I should be doing the shopping in your stead!"

The Lancer's invisible presence followed Berzinsky as he moved away from the small businesses and into the housing section of Miyama town. Even in the hour since they had first started pet-shopping, the energy of the city had changed and grown stronger. Most of them weren't close enough to be fully made out, but more Masters had definitely summoned their Servants during that time. The tournament would be starting soon.

"...We have a lot of matches ahead of us."

He wasn't exactly groaning. Judging by his tone, Raiden was looking forward to them.

"Before the evening rush starts, tell me something, boss." He continued, not sure if this was some kind of sore spot for the man. "Why lizards? No matter how you look at it, you're even more into them than we are."

Some people just had their weird obsessions, right?

"Oh, do not worry, Lancer. The reason I pursue an alliance with the other two founding families has little to do with bolstering our offensive power."

Brimming confidence, that was one thing the two women had in common. With more than a couple of subspecies grail wars under her belt, you'd expect the young heir to understand exactly what Apollo is talking about. Whereas humanity shines bright against a foreign enemy, when it comes to fighting one another, all of its ugliness surfaces without reservation. As such, claiming victory after drawing a single strong card is nothing more than wishful thinking; a delusion of grandeur. And yet, the blonde magus raised no objection to Lancer's declaration. On the contrary, if her answer was anything to go by, she saw no real need for additional military force.

What she sought was something else entirely.

"My goal is to restore this ritual to what it once was: A duel between three families for the chance to claim the single seat that connects to the root. To me, igniting a revival of its former glory, helping it recover its true identity... Is just as important as victory itself. To jump at each other's throats from the very start would be counterproductive. After all, if such a fateful match took place at the very beginning of this tale... Then whatever battles follow would surely not be as exciting, don't you think so...?"

A real traditionalist, that was who Tohsaka Kyoko was.

Approaching the Servant with gentle steps, there was something in her motion that denoted outstanding grace. It could never compare to Lancer's regal splendor, but it spoke of a beauty that had not yet been entirely lost in modern times. There was no hesitation or unnatural movement. In essence, she did not fear Lancer, not because of her sword loyalty, but rather because of all the lessons that had brought her to this point. Placing her tender hands over Lancer's arms, the heir politely reminded the Heroic Spirit of just how strong her grip was on the poor sheep held in her embrace. It was only a moment, and then Kyoko moved on.

That was as much as she could do to help Apollo, who had most likely dug a grave of his own, both during the present and at some point in the past.

"An outcome where all three families get to the very last stage... I can't imagine our ancestors wanting it to be any other way."

A few moments later, picking up the presence of two guests, the magus decided to put the rest of the conversation on hold in order to greet their visitors. Surprise was not the expression she wore when she opened the doors of her mansion to them. Rather...

"Idalisviel, Liesa. Come on in, make yourselves at home."

Rather, she looked rather pleased, as if thinking to herself 'some things never change'. Instead of questioning Idalisviel condition or their Master's whereabouts and motives as many would have done, she quickly accepted things as facts with a smile before moving on. To a common bystander such behavior might appear to be either remarkable or outright terrifying. However, there was no ill-intent in words nor actions. This was merely Kyoko's strength as a Magus.

"I am sure we have a great deal to discuss."

@Cu Chulainn@Turboshitter@SSW

---

The tea Rider shared with her master was of the sort that was only just mild, only just comforting. For what the tea was, its invention left it with an age little more than even a century. But, for her, who was a thousand years too early to experience it, something like the Hōjicha she was quietly sipping could only be called an oddity.

Of course, that categorization was where any of its value to Rider abruptly ceased. The only reason it had even graced her lips was because Kiyo had purchased it for her. She had certainly not come from a timeless place where the graveyards of legends were stored over mere tea. Her master had called, and she had came. The curiosities of the modern world didn't interest Rider in the slightest, at least not in regard to herself.

But if that girl appreciated something, then so would she. Rider would never deny her Masters earnest feelings.

Ever.

It was really that simple to her. Like, the breathing thing those sacks of ape meat calling themselves humans did every waking moment. Ah, her Master was indeed something special. Rider couldn't take her eyes off of her for even a single moment as she fiddled with her notes and papers.

What an earnest person.

While her master was in thought, Rider did nothing more than occasionally sip from her tea, nursing it as if it was something precious. Although being among the sky piercing buildings which were of a decidedly barbarian design had been disconcerting at first, she was honestly pretty relaxed. Everything so far was going as it should, so there really was no reason to worry.

However, Kiyomi's attention seemed to return to focusing on Rider after the girl wrapped up examining her various papers and notes.

"The aftertaste has the tinniest hint of iron. But then again, you want our next drink to be of blood instead of tea, right? I won't object to something like that."

Her shrug gave off airs of exasperation, but her eyes betrayed the sort of excitement only a monster could have in this sort of situation. In the end, birds of a feather flocked together. Right? Speaking of birds. . . .

Rider went about giving those familiars 'blessing', as requested. Enhancing their overall force of existence which itself was a sort of curse would be nothing for her, whose very being was sufficed with a truly ancient one.

"Really, now. For someone who is my Nyoin, you should really treat me to a proper meal before the night. Perhaps the Taizan? I hear their spicy entrees are a special treat. Ah, if only."

The implications of her words meaning were too obvious to be even stated here. With that much stated, she stood up and began to follow her master to the Fuyuki Civic Center. The business there held priority for the moment; the local Chieftain had to be subjugated, after all. That was only to be expected, but. . .

In the end, Rider wasn't someone who distinguished between playtime and the chaos of the war, after all. Although, perhaps what would happen to their tongues after visiting that cursed Chinese food shop would be worse than any result of this Holy Grail War.

That's what her divinations had told her, at least.

. . .Really, this Heisei Era had too much ape-meat fumbling about on the surface. This provincial backwater situated in Kyushu was itself already larger than the Capital of her time. That, certainly, was not a good thing.

Another product of barbarian influences, to be certain. Everything had been subsumed by cities of stone and metal and unnecessary conveniences.

Of course, even if she was taking things casually right now, she was still the Great Witch of Togakushi-Yama. Divination to ensure the safety of their tongues was merely just the start.

Monitoring the atmosphere, the theoretical element, and the beat of the pulse beneath their feet. Not only that, but additional countermeasures against detection through magical energy and metaphysical transliners through providence, as well. It could be called the basics of the basics in terms of avoiding detection by a Ghost Liner, but in the case of a modern Magus, their jaw would probably drop.

. . .And not even because Momiji beat their head in for seeing her craft, even if that would still probably occur. Much simpler things such as self-mnemonic suppression to avoid notice by not only normal people, but also familiars as well were being employed. In the end, the greatest countermeasure against the likes of Assassins or Casters was not allowing one to become their target in the first place.

By employing her Shapeshift skill to blend in among the native ape-meat, she could even fool the likes of visual recognition.

Even so, her mood soured a little bit, and it would become a little apparent that was indeed the case. Her smile slowly dissipated, and she adjusted the glasses of the rather plain looking Japanese woman she now appeared as.

After all, it would be hard to select visual markers and features her Master preferred right now, since she hadn't asked yet.

How troublesome. How annoying. How useless.

What was even the point if her Master wouldn't be pleased?

"It's simply a logical deduction." The length of the stride of her step, the length of each corridor, arranging to have tea for both Servant and Master, the exact kind of tea she would require to improve her mood, and even what he was anticipating to be the topic of her meeting with him was predicted after analyzing her. Yes, he had some powerful skills that offered some benefit to his summoner and yet, even he thought that she could have summoned someone who could have offered more combat ability, someone with far more history than what he could offer.

It was no question that he was the most likely candidate of being the youngest Servant taking part of the war, but he was most definitely the weakest. Lewis was able to admit that in a fight he stood no chance of winning so his Master must fight in his stead, something that weighed on his mind heavily. If she were to die, it would be because of his incompetence and yet, she was placing all of her faith on him. "In a roundabout way you were. Rather, you were praising the enemy, but I understood the intent." Caster chuckled and returned a smile although a bit more comforting and self-assured when compared to her feeble attempt."You are correct. It is only as strong as the amount of time and mana I put into it. Of course, I plan on making your weapons the strongest they can be if you are going to be fighting in my stead."

Of course, she was going to need to prepare her part of the war as well so of course she would not be able to watch over him, but he was certain that even without her input she was going to make him work like hell. He would not have been needed to be told anyway as it is his duty as a servant to help her win the war and more importantly, get her out of there alive. "I have expected that, which is why I am glad that we get to speak to each other in peace before the chaos erupts. That will be a luxury soon." He added grimly.

There was a brief moment of pause on his part, ruminating on the thought that this young woman was putting her head in the mouth of the lion. "If you were lacking in resolve, I would have told you to walk away from this, but it still needs to be said. You are young, intelligent, talented, and beautiful, Master. You could live a long, happy life free of this conflict, but you decided to risk it all for a glorified monkey's paw though I suppose it isn't the Grail that you truly seek." The author sighed and shook his head. "I only wonder if it is what you truly want or if you are living for the sake of everyone else."

It didn't matter anymore what her reasons were; what's done was done and now they were in the thick of it now. "Either way, I choose to support you. If you believe in me then I shall believe in you." He placed his tea cup down on its plate and stood up, walking over to the shelve of blank paged books supplied by Fiore. "You can begin to send the items to my study. I will begin immediately."

There was a monster in Fuyuki.

Well, there were actually many monsters in Fuyuki. Both literal inhuman beings and magi that bordered on the threshold. The city attracted them like flies to honey, and now they were all gathered. The stench of them, mortals and spirits, evil and heroic, filled the air.

This particular monster was stationed at a particular manor in a particular district of Fuyuki. If she were on the street she might have been mistaken for a homeless vagrant with her disheveled hair and clothes, were it not for the pair of horns that curled up from her skull. But, she was on the roof of the building - stretched out on her stomach with her elbows and hands propping her head up. A plain cloth mask covered her face, with the strings holding it up tied to each horn. It was hard to tell if she was awake with the covering, as she'd been there for a few hours already, unmoving. Initially, the monster had ventured up there after being told off by a particular someone within the manor. Apparently, there was something important going on inside called "cooking." Less than impressed, the monster had gone to soak in the sun of the world above.

Yes... the world that existed on the surface. This was the first time she'd ever been outside of Yomi. She had no desire to travel here in the first place, but she'd been summoned as a servant, and now she might as well make the most of it.

There were so many things that she'd learned within her first moments. Knowledge of the world granted to her so that she would be able to function top side. Complex things, like the language of modern people and what electricity was. Basic things, like what the sun was.

The air was warm. The "sun" was bright. The above-world was noisy. There were a lot of strange sights, sounds and smells. Rather than being intriguing, it was actually kind of annoying... she wasn't here to learn stuff, she was here to fight and eat. Actually the more she thought about it, the more pissed off she started to get. She was a "servant" in the Berserker class, with a "master" who was spending way too much time "cooking" and not enough feeding. Stupid man. Irritating man. She considered how long she would be able to survive in the above-world if she ate him. The thought was fleeting.

She might not have asked to be summoned here, but she'd already decided to accomplish what she could. A magic wish granting device sounded interesting. She could run, battle, and consume all kinds of top side food - and then at the end she would get that cup and... think of some kind of wish. Maybe she could use it for...?

Berserker was beginning to nod off and her head slipped, bobbing sharply. She slowly lifted it and shook it like an animal dusting off it's fur, her hair flying. She peeled herself off of the roof limb by limb, and when she was standing she began sinking through the tile until she was back inside.

What did that man say his name was? Shun...? Shin...? Like hell she was going to call some human "master," even if their fates were tied together. For now.

Berserker padded through the halls and down stairwells until she found the way back to where the Matou that had summoned her was. She threw open the door with one clawed hand, the other in a fist resting at her hip.

"Hey, Chin... Chini...?" Her dynamic entrance was softened by the name fumble, and the fact even with her horns she was much shorter than most humans. She regrouped quickly, and the smirk in her voice was easy to hear. "Ochinchin! Hurry up! If you aren't done soon I'm going without you!"

@Yukitamas

Caster's near zealous enthusiasm for the venture made Khairi chuckle with some slight apprehension, already preparing himself to take a notable hit to his funds today. Still, considering the things to come in the future, it was only fair he give some offering for asking her to help him. The modern world was nothing like what she knew, and before all the blood and death that was to be the coming weeks, he wanted to let her enjoy at least one day of her time on earth.

"Let's try to avoid that much spending, shall we? While I'm not hurting for funds, but I'd rather not be destitute by the war's end." Khairi raised a brow at her blessing of luck, wondering if he should ask about it before just shaking his head. He wasn't going to question anything that improved their fortunes on this trip, that's for sure. "Also, let's not extort innocents for more spending money? Life's likely to get pretty rough for the people here, depending on the temperament of the other masters. I'd like to not add financial burdens on top of that."

Placing the Conga-scepter in its holder at his waist, the young Diviner motions for Caster to follow as he makes his way to town.

"I think I saw a souvenir shop in the Commerce district that might catch your interest. A bit of a tourist trap, but I'm sure you'll find a lot of interesting baubles to place around the castle."

"Gahahaha! Come on, bring more liquor, we have to celebrate!"

Loud and bright eyed, with hair dyed with blue highlights like a common delinquent and putting out beers like there was no tomorrow, the girl that was doubtlessly everything wrong with foreigners laughed from her belly without reservation.

Of course, upon being summoned, there were some matters that needed to be addressed.

The first was, of course, some proper clothing for the times, even if she had just haphazardly scrambled together something she thought looked fine from the bargain bins.

She absolutely refused to spend her vacation confined as a spirit. Nu-uh. No way. This was a damn fine chance to stretch her legs, and she was going to grab a hold of it with both hands.

The second was, of course—

“C’mon, you drink too, kid! Not much of a proper way to affirm our alliance if I’m the only one doing it.”

—to properly forge a contract (friendship) with the one that had called her to the modern era.

The ritual was both so stuffy and yet so small, really. Just one question and it’s done? What kind of partnership can be born from such a thing?

Well, mages will be mages.

However, she was still herself, and that’s why she had to rectify such travesty as soon as possible. So, with an annoyingly earnest smile, Saber had taken her Master for a spin around town, and now here they were, talking over alcohol as they ought to have been from the start.

“This whole summoning business is still pretty amazing, though,” She said, looking at her hand and flexing her fingers with childlike wonder at the simple movement. “Never imagined I’d end up like this after the end of my last run, but I guess the world has a way to surprise you no matter who you are.”

Leaning back relaxedly and still wearing a smile on her face, she looked at the man sitting across from her.

“So, I get that you wanted to bring me in for this Ritual thing, and don’t get me wrong — I’m thankful for that. Sounds like the most fun I’ll have had in a while if reality matches up to even half my expectations, but I figure we should at least have a working relationship for that, and you know what they say,” She raised her mug. “No way to get to know someone better than drinking together, at least until you get to fight together.”

She didn’t even need to be holding her sword to feel the thrum of agreement coming from twelve other people.

“Now then, mind telling me about yourself too? I get you want the cup — I will at least bring it to you as thanks for the opportunity, don’t you worry, but I figure the “why” and the “who” are more important than the “what” right now.”

A wish-granter is useless without a wish, and a wish cannot exist without the person formulating it, after all.

Even so...did she have to be so casual when prying into such topics? She made it sound so easy, to share such things with others.

Still, one supposed it could only come from her apparently boundless confidence.

After all, there was no denying the words she had spoken upon being summoned, the first she had said since her own era in the world of the living.

Those were—

A cheerful smile and a laugh.

“Now, listen. I’m great. Maybe the best there ever was.”

---

“This is a bit...”

The plan had been simple: go to a place recommended by Father Kotomine, have an economical lunch and perhaps discuss some details regarding future approaches to fights in the Ritual.

Easy. Straightforward. No fuss.

Just the kind of thing she liked, really, and she had thought it at least fitting that, since they were in the East, she should at least try some Eastern dishes. Not to mention, even with the funds she possessed, using them on frivolous things was not really her style and it felt a bit irresponsible besides.

So how had they ended up in this—this fancy Western restaurant?!

She had only followed Assassin into the shopping center because she’d mentioned wanting to go there, and the girl had figured it better to indulge her now and go have lunch afterward rather than retrace their steps completely.

How had they wasted so much time in there that they did not simply have enough to walk to Miyama and make it to the restaurant?!

No, more than that, how had Assassin managed to fit so many outfits in so little time?!

It wasn’t like she had just been picking randomly either, the other woman must’ve had an exceptional sense — it felt like every article of clothing she picked was a deliberate, well-thought out choice rather than simply a piece for their consideration.

Elexis once again threw a glance at the many, many bags filled with nothing but tops, jeans, dresses and shoes (Assassin had assured her the shades of each color were quite noticeably different, but frankly she still could not see it) and once again blushed in mortification, remembering that not only had she spent the Church’s money on this, but that she’d had to model for Assassin for hours despite being convinced that the clothes themselves fit perfectly fine.

Of course, it went without saying they’d bought all of them, too, at the Empress’ insistence.

What was wrong with her usual way of dressing anyway?!

She silently resolved to donate them all to charity once this matter was resolved and Assassin could no longer come and haunt her for it.

But that was then, this was now.

“S-so…” She fought down the embarrassment and eyed the other woman. “I wanted to discuss, you know, strategy and all, but I figure that what we should do is relatively obvious considering our combined skillsets.”

That much was true, at least at a glance. Having gotten a rough understanding of Assassin’s methods, the way to utilize them complementary to her own fell into place rather quickly. She would be willing to bet that the Empress thought the same, so there was no real need to discuss a general plan so much as specific intricacies for each team of enemies.

Enemies which they still did not know, so it’d all be meaningless talk and hypotheticals.

There was a more important matter to be addressed though. One that had less to do with technical abilities and more something upon which their chemistry would hinge.

“...I’m pretty sure it was obvious, but my first choice was Justinian. In fact, I hadn’t even made plans to call upon you.”

So, naturally, she breached the matter with finesse not unlike a jackhammer’s.

“I figure it’s just best to put it out there and clear the air. Does knowing this bother you?”

Assassin was a fine Servant in her own right — perhaps their combined strengths would work better as a team than what she could have achieved with her first choice — she wouldn’t know.

But she wouldn’t lie to Assassin’s face and say she had aimed for her from the start, or that she hadn’t been a little disappointed.

If nothing else, Empress Theodora deserved that simple sincerity.

@Sakaki Chizuru @Undyingregret

Archer stood close to his Master, in spirit form, his eyes drawn towards a plethora of distractions. A city as modern as Shinto was almost too overwhelming for the likes of Archer, who was far too used to the trappings of the wild. Such distractions were so much for Archer, he almost couldn't sense the disturbance within the land itself... At least, until his Master had mentioned such.

"The land's harmony seems to be shifting." Archer stated, sniffing the air as he slowly materialized from a mist of blue energy. "Today wouldn't happen to be a holy day, would it?" Such a thing was only a logical conclusion to Archer. Not that he would bother really explaining why. Whatever it was, it did not concern Archer too much, as its scent was rather faint. And if it was of any real concern, then Archer would simply pinpoint the threat and eliminate it. Simple.

"Understood." Archer nodded at his Master's orders, gazing above at the tall building. In his mind, he envisioned a vast fortress from a bygone age. The walls weren't quite as tall as Shinto's Center Building, but it looked just as insurmountable from below. A blue-haired man, familiar to Archer, had prepared to scale the fortress's walls not by simply climbing them, but by simply stepping back, crouching low, and taking a deep breath. Archer emulated these movements from his memory...

... Before making a great leap upward, propelled to the sky like a salmon swooping through the deadly rapids of a fast-flowing river.

As Archer was making his ascension to the building, he briefly heard of the conversation of clothes between his Master and tomorrow's lunch. Archer never really thought about what he wore, so long as the furs on his back kept him warm during the colder nights. Of course, wearing darker colors to blend in with one's surroundings was also something a hunter should be wary of, to stand out less. That said, he didn't see much of an issue with his current outfit, as it stands, much less his Master's. Everyone in this city was wearing a colorful assortment of attire, after all! What is so odd about a boy in bare furs?

Of course, the horns might be a point of contention, no matter the case.

Reaching the top of Center Building, Archer would perch himself up rather seamlessly on one of the building's corner edges like a gargoyle. His eyes, honed with years of hunting through the thick forests of his homeland, would scan the many streets of Shinto. The boy could hardly keep his mouth from opening in mere wonder at the sight of contemporary Fuyuki. Of course, he did make sure to scan every bit of the city he could within his sights.

As a matter of course, Archer was also able to spot quite a few suitable targets within Shinto alone.

Is there anyone here you wish to hunt, Master?

---

The simple statement of monsters in Fuyuki was no mere conjecture. It is true that there are quite a few monsters that have found themselves in Fuyuki. A surprising amount have turned up, really. Of course, to assume that monsters were not always in Fuyuki even during an event such as the Prime Holy Grail War would be incorrect.

Monsters have always been a part of the city in many different forms. Some have sequestered themselves far off from the city, their existence not to be interfered with the likes of mortals, while others have hidden in plain sight, becoming notable members of their own community. One such monster stood within a grand estate in the heart of Miyama's Foreign District. This monster took the shape of a rather young-looking man with dark purple hair, wearing a colorful suit underneath an... apron?

Well, it seemed that this monster was in the middle of cooking.

The young man watched his pan carefully as he seared his steak to perfection. Procuring a long and narrow wormlike creature from his sleeve, he would poke it through the meat gently before waiting a few moments.

"... Ah, there we go. Perfect internal temperature!"

Retracting the worm from the meat, the young man would transfer the portion of meat onto a cutting board. His right hand would shape itself into a sharpened, almost metallic edge, as he started to cut the meat into even, perfect slices. It was an expensive piece of meat, Kobe beef ordered straight from Hyogo. More importantly, it was meat that would be served to very important people. It was paramount that this beef was to be prepared with utmost perfection.

Such devotion to perfection was indeed a notable characteristic of Shinichi Matou, a man whose own journey to perfection had cost him much of his humanity.

Shinichi laid the beautifully marbled cuts of wagyu ribeye within a portable bento, packed and garnished neatly within the box. Pulling out a Sharpie, he began to write the name "Tohsaka" onto the box with beautiful calligra-

"Ochinchin! Hurry up! If you aren't done soon I'm going without you!"

Startled and perturbed, Shinichi looked towards his Servant with a furrowed brow. The smile on his face became strained as he glared at Berserker, her rude interruption messing up his handwriting. Shinichi wondered to himself just how he got himself stuck to such a cantankerous Servant in the first place. This was not the first Berserker Shinichi had summoned after all, and surely not the first Grail War he had participated in. In the past, it was simply a matter of summoning a Berserker and 'assimilating' it, and it should have been as simple as it was before, even more so with the fact the Matou heir had used his new body as a catalyst.

Shinichi knew something was wrong the moment Berserker would try eating him as soon as she was summoned.

"No need to be in a hurry, Berserker. I'm just about done~" Shinichi said, with a friendly smile, as if his irritation had disappeared all at once. He slid off his apron and wrapped the bento up nicely before grabbing a bottle of Chardonnay off the counter. "The banquet's just a few blocks down, after all. Just stay in spirit form and don't eat anyone we see. This includes any stray animals we see on the way."

To coexist with such an uncouth Servant was a challenge, to say the least. Throughout the many Subspecies Grail Wars that Shinichi had participated in, he did not have to worry about interactions with his partner. Of course, this also wasn't the first time Shinichi was forced to coexist with those he had once seen as beneath him. The Hyenas to the south and the Dolls to the west would surely come to mind. And to coexist involves some level of compromise, however dire it may seem.

"Worry not, Berserker... we shall find ourselves an even grander feast after we finish our business with the Tohsakas."

As far as that business was concerned, Shinichi was more than happy to call a truce with the other families of Fuyuki. This was, after all, a ritual of their making. At the same time, he was not interested in forming any sort of lasting alliance. In the past, allying with the Tohsakas and Einzberns was merely a means to an end, to make up for past mistakes and return the Greater Grail to its rightful place. The other families were great allies then, but now it is different. The threat of the Three Families together would easily be identified by the other members of the war, and a coalition may be formed against them. Shinichi will honor their kinship with a non-aggression pact, but anything else would simply paint a target on their backs.

After all, it is the very nature of the weak to work together and eliminate the strong.

Wild Bill Rivera had an interesting partner for the war. Almost as soon as the ritual was over, she had dragged him away to party and "forge a contract." He didn't mind so much, it was just a surprise to be dragged out to get clothing and then a hole in the wall bar, like this.

That isn't to say that Bill let that get in the way of the merriment. He probably couldn't keep up with a heroic spirit drink for drink, but he would damn well try.

Just as he knocked back the last of his beer, he heard Saber call for more liquor. It couldn't be helped, this was going to be an expensive bill, might as well splurge on himself as well.

"A couple bottles of whiskey too!"

After making certain he was heard, Bill turned back to his partner and assessed her, certainly a strong hero and a free spirit. Things were shaping up to be a fun war.

When Saber stopped long enough to ask about him, Bill couldn't help a dumb smirk as he picked up his hat and sat it on his head before offering a sort of stage bow from his sitting position, holding the hat in place with one hand.

"You can call me Bill, Wild Bill if you prefer. Just a desperado, a gunslinger, in an age that has no need of them anymore, it seems."

He paused long enough to sit back, tilt his hat back, and take one of the whiskey bottles that had been brought out. As a sort of brag, bill brought the bottle to his lips and took a rather sizable swig, before setting it on the table coughing lightly over the fact some of it went down wrong, choking him up.

Clearing his throat, he continued, "Y'see I'm just a man with too much money, and just enough magical talent, to get involved in this throw down. Between you, me, and my six-shooters, I'm hoping to save people from themselves. Society and Government, I don't mind them on principle, but in action they have been choking the life out of people. Puttin'em in smaller and smaller boxes as time goes on. That needs to change, and I want to create a world where those people will have the freedom to do anything they want, even if that means their protection also becomes their own responsibility."

Finally done, he takes the hat off again, at least aware that its the "proper" thing to do, even if he doesn't normally care.

Leaning forward, he looks at his partner, smirk becoming a grin, and says, "So that's my angle in this war. Your turn to share, partner."

@Breo

The song of the cicadas slowly faded into the wind as the sun began its descent past Fuyuki's horizon. The first night of the Prime Holy Grail War would commence, and the war would begin in earnest. Those heroes of the past who have been drawn to the call of the Grail would soon cross blades with one another for the sake of a mere wish, for themselves and for those Masters who bind their spirits to this world. A battle to the death until there is only one left standing, one worthy of a miracle granted by the Holy Grail... or does it have to happen as so?

Rather than the Greater and Lesser Grail, the Prime Holy Grail is made up of many inferior Grails salvaged from the vast Subspecies Grail Wars that have been won in the past. It was this foundation, after all, that allowed a surge of Servants to be summoned far greater than the ritual would entail. Perhaps with these circumstances in mind, those who wish to minimize bloodshed could work together while also all obtaining their own wish. Or perhaps the miracles of the Grail require that more sacrifices must be made in order for a wish to actualize. Originally, only seven Servants were needed to sacrifice to the Grail in order to obtain a wish, but what about now?

There were many uncertainties with this ritual, things even the Three Great Families weren't entirely sure of. But such uncertainties should not stop one from achieving victory. Hesitation, after all, is death. It is why the first night of these Grail Wars is usually dedicated to gathering information over truly spilling blood. In other words, an "extended grace period." Of course, such beliefs are not held true by all participants in this war, so the risk of one's life should still be kept in mind. Indeed, those who wish to break the unspoken rules of the Grail War are among this ritual's participants. While there is no way to police such rulebreakers, there have been foundations set within the Fuyuki Grail System to ensure that this ritual shall proceed smoothly and that those who wish to undermine the sanctity of this holiest of rituals shall be duly punished.

A red-haired youth stood atop one of Shinto's many buildings, overlooking the city as its lights began to fill the dimming sky. He clenched his fists, his hands wrapped with red... fingerless gloves. How tacky. Stood beside him was a behemoth of metal, more than twice his size.

"It's an awfully quiet night, isn't it, Ruler?" The teenaged boy asked, looking at the night sky. The armored giant did not reply.

"Well, it won't be quiet for long. We'll sit and watch, for now. It seems the priest at the church is handling oversight of this war. Still, even his reach cannot extend too far." The youth stated once more, a shimmering golden light coalesced within his hand as he began to conjure something.

"If it comes to it, we will have to save this city together."

Adam Kenneth Yearling - Fuyuki Park.

A.K. Yearling gave a faint smile as he felt Esfandiyar actually care about him, even though he knew that these feelings were mixed in with pity for how such a person as himself could even qualify as a 'Magus' and how someone as caring as him would get himself killed trying to save relative innocents from the destruction which was to come. Well, to be honest, if that's how his story was going to end... Let it. What started out as a desire to not be the villain in this story had become a sincere wish to save those whom he is able to save. For did not great power come with great responsibility?

He got up from his bench, from where he'd been writing about Elexis Cristoforou. Then the young man, barely out of boyhood, said, "Rider, let's seek out the Holy Church's Enforcer. I know you don't much like her kind, but she's more likely to listen to someone seeking to save civilians than that Kiyomi lady is. Of course, I could be wrong, but in that case, I have the Invisibility Cloak and Seven-League Boots to use for my getaway." He then smiled faintly, "Besides, I already wrote the story about us meeting. So, shall we go? If we don't find her, we might meet up with someone else - I feel the winds of narrative coincidence weaving webs around us..."

And with that, the young man picked up his backpack which had his Mystic Codes inside it, put it on his back, and then prepared to walk towards Miyama Town.

Moving from Fuyuki Park to Miyama Town

The shopping was pleasant to say the least. It was wasteful, but not ruinous, it was refreshing even as they were enveloped by a foreign and strange community. At his concerns she had laughed, after all they weren’t something to worry about.

“Magic isn’t something to be used frivolously, you know that most of all surely. I can tell that you’re not some random child that’s picked up some traits, there’s an air to you that shows that you’re a practitioner somewhere in your heart.”

She stuck out her tongue out playfully as she put on some rather gaudy looking sunglasses.She was in a pair of ripped jeans, wearing plasticy cheap bracelets instead of the druidic wear and jewelry she had came in. All over that was a casual summer jacket that only covered half her torso.

Well, she certainly was having her fun..

What was impressive perhaps was her ability to sniff out deals, and manage to work out some deals. The flow of fortune, the growing change in the land, and the surprising combination of shrewdness and a foreigner that could speak Japanese quite fluently led to an onslaught that left her with various good deals and lucky moments!

“To scam people with magic just for a bit of extra money is a waste… Although making sure you run into good opportunities and don’t lose things is fine I’d say.”

The lives of people and magic both had their value, and it wasn’t right to steal away the value of normal life with magic. Magic was something that would defend against the mysteries and distortions in the world, or something that one devoted themselves to. It wasn’t that magic served people, but rather than people served their ideals and magic with their lives.

“I’m a scholar in a sense, or an adventurer. But the main thing is I wanted to see all sorts of lands and people, all sorts of magic. I wanted to collect wisdom, simple as that. But there are a lot of mages and magicians who wanted to accomplish great things, to change order, to challenge the laws of the world… But doing something as great as that requires multiple lives, multiple generations.”

She smiled.

“I’m sure you know of it already. But I need to remind you of it in another way. All the people we’ll be fighting, defeating and killing… Even if the individual has deviated from that path or dream, even if they’ve rejected it or become a person who only lives for themselves chasing a small and pathetic little individual desire..”

As night fell she drew runes upon her clothes, and brought with a spell a synchronization of the flow of mana from the two to match the air of the city to help protect against detection.

“Each one of them is a magic user who inherited the tools and magic in service to that. Make sure you have the perspective to understand the weight of your own magic’s history, and make sure you have the resolve to crush those other paths for the sake of your own wish and history.”

Only one would be accepted by the grail. But more than that, was he really ready for all of this?

“Do not hate them, for they are the same as you. Do not hate yourself, for it is the natural way to live.’

At a point she picked up her master as the moon rose, and the two took to the air. The still contemporary dressed lady humming as she looked for some sort of target, runes of clairvoyance helping her see through the city.

“We should start however… with a playdate, a little bit of fun.”

The moment she found a fun seeming target a stone and a rune made for a good baseball pitch to get attention and frighten them a little bit. How will they react she wondered with a little bit of a trick?



They managed to procure some sort of clothing for another day. But at this time, it was operational hours. It had spent with the operator and the familiar known as Archer the day, after handling the strange need to buy normal clothing of some sort… (It was a quick affair really as it bought what fit best, was functional and what was fast to find. There was no time to waste on such frivolities after all.) A dissemination of the information and knowledge that had been collected by former operations and units. Discussion of various anti-servant tactics devised, of all sorts of magecraft, and discussion of possibilities with the capabilities of Archer.

It also spoke of the operating parameters and directives.

Namely that of the threat evaluation levels.

Black, Green, Violet, Orange, Yellow. Categorized by the noble colors.

If Black was something that could only called the level of a hoodlum with a pistol.

Then green was a prepared magus that had knowledge of what they were doing, and some form of magecraft meant for combat that could defeat a trained person with a gun. Often Greens were rather rare, after all magi were primarily researchers.

Violets were those who could take on groups, who would be at a level that they could be called a proper threat. Something that could be called a danger that would be able to fight and engage with a combat focused Freelancer or familiar.

Orange was an evaluation where one was considered to be getting close to the levels of an anti-magus specialist like an Executor.

In other words, it was only at this level that the unit was expected to fight with full lethal intent and no restriction on the usage of weapons.

Yellow... The lowest of the primaries, yet a shining jewel among the Noble Colors still.

There was no expectation for any Yellows. If there were, then it’d likely require the assistance of Archer to survive.

The expectation was that the Einzberns would be able to send and create combat units on the level of high oranges. Victory would be difficult. But victory was the purpose of the unit, even failing and perishing so long as victory was claimed was acceptable.

To rampage until the operations and the objective of the visit to Fuyuki was accomplished. To prove one’s abilities and bring honor to the family.

“Archer, send it in.”

It was an order to swing a firework, an attention grabbing flare with one obvious meaning to be had in a park that had few people there at this time of night. Even less, that is to say, no one once they were scared off by the sudden burst of noise and light, the grounds sanctified as a battlefield by the combined magics of the two.

Come and fight.

It was time to visit the old battlefield.

Rottweil Berzinsky, Master of Lancer

Walkabouts, Commercial District

---

“Huh? What kinda stupid question is that?” Rottweil laughed. “Why’s the sky blue? Why’s anything the way it is? Grass grows, birds fly, the sun shines- my family likes lizards.”

Seeing the obvious disappointment with this answer, Rottweil sighed at his Servant.

“Alright, fine. You want my answer, or the answer my ancestors woulda given ya? Because I’m sure there was a reason at some point but if you ask me, it’s all just history now. Just the same old bullshit.”

Another gecko crawled out of his sleeve and onto the back of his hand. Rottweil held it up to appreciate it.

“Me? I like ‘em because they’re pure. You strip something down to the bare necessities, everything you need to survive, and whaddya get? A lizard. Nature’s perfect survival machine.”

The admiration in his voice was plain as day. This was a man who not only tolerated, but celebrated the inhuman. Was it just a harmless quirk? There were a lot of dedicated animal lovers out there who liked to exaggerate and emboss the merits of their preferred species. Or was there more to it than that?

The hours passed by. The winding, roundabout route Rottweil was taking, if you could call it one at all, snaked through Miyama Town, down the Riverside, then back to the Commerce District through the Native District. More miles walked, more geckos dropped. Until finally…

”Okay Mr. Lightning Bolt, sun’s gettin’ real low. I think we’ve done our due diligence for the day, what do you say we go hunting?”

---

Rider

Abandoned Warehouse, Harbor

---

“Hah! You magi certainly like to stick your noses up at danger, don’t you?”

The tacit threat came from above Kāi Chū, from a woman leaning against the catwalk. How she’d gotten there would’ve been unclear to the average person, nevermind how she avoided injuring herself when she hoisted herself over the railing and landed gracefully in front of the other woman. To Kāi Chū however, this was normal. Rider was, after all, her Servant.

“I would’ve had anyone else in the ring for saying that,” Rider elaborated, grinning. “It’s true though, I won’t deny it. We were defeated here without ever setting foot on shore. Though those were my uncle’s men, so it’s no surprise to me that they lacked the spirit of a true Mongol warrior,” she said, half-laughing and half-scoffing. “Those who forsake our ways forsake the blessing of the Eternal Blue Sky. I trust you won’t make the same mistakes, Master?”

She crossed her arms. Rider’s bearing was ferocious, yet regal. The aura around her was almost that of a tiger, something so comfortable in its unquestioned superiority that it didn’t bother with watching what it said or changing itself to appease others.

“As for your ‘works’… I’ve never seen dolls behave so much like men. It’s unnatural.” Rider looked around the workshop, her eyes following the not-quite-right movements of the dolls. Their posture was rigid but also relaxed, the movement of their joints smooth and seamless. Were any of the dockworkers to stumble upon the scene, she had no doubt they would all stop what they were doing and offer them a hearty, wholly convincing “hello”. They were an utterly perfect imitation of humanity, and it was that perfection that gave them away. She resisted the sudden urge to shudder. “But the unnatural is itself is the nature of magi, so I’ll make the best that I can out of it.”

Rider gazed out at the horizon, the city awash in hues of orange and red and the shadows of a setting sun. It was nearly time. The curtains were about to open on the theater of war, and the first act promised the introduction of some of this battle’s major players. It was a good time to go out and gather intel, but also a good time to keep their heads down, lest they attract the attention of someone they couldn’t afford to be enemies with just yet.

That left a question for them to answer: who did they want to be, the main characters or a third act surprise?

Rider set aside her discomfort regarding the dolls and turned to face her Master. “It is time we settle on our battle plans. I trust you have something in mind? Walk me through it and I’ll do my best to fill in any gaps.”

@Yukitamas

Caster's words brought forth. . . a conflicted look to master's face. An expression part-way between distaste and resolution as he instinctively fingers the scepter at his waist. In his mind's eye, he can see the charred body of the man who took his father from him, still smelling the acrid mix of ozone and lightning-charred flesh.

In his travels abroad, he had become much more familiar with the ways magic could be used to directly harm and maim one's foes, and it brought bile to rise in his throat to imagine himself using his family's magic for such a purpose. It was not the way his father had wanted, not for him. Even his more war-like ancestors had left behind feelings of disapproval for his course when he divined for this path.

But he had already come this far. With a silent prayer to the Lord of the skies, he places a mask over his head, telling to himself a story of an ancestor who bore the winds as his weapon. As he finished the incantation, the eyes of the mask took on an eerie glow. For a moment the look of an older man, dressed in ceremonial garb, imposes itself onto him before fading away.

"I'm ready now, Caster." His voice was altered, overlapped with that of another. "And don't worry. . . I am prepared for what I may have to do, though I don't take much joy in it. But the bloody business needn't start tonight. I suggest we try and take it a bit slow. . . unless you really believe a golden opportunity will make itself known to us."

"That being said. . . being so high up on naught but a broomstick. . . still a little stomach-churning, I must admit."

When the two were up in the skies above Fuyuki, the young master would (after making another prayer to Nkuba for safe passage through his domain) focus on the mask he wore. Through low muttering chants, he'd support Caster's magical attempts to conceal their presence in the cloud, making use of the knowledge granted to him by the mask and the attribute of his family's magic to better allow them to simply become like the air above the city.

Perched atop a tree, Archer spun his sling nonchalantly, awaiting the promised time to come. It seems that his Master's current strategy would be to let their prey come to them. Archer had no qualms about such a tactic. A hunt was a hunt, either way. Should their targets be weak, they will simply be let loose as chaff for the rest to cut down. It was not Archer's job to thin the herd, after all. Should they be strong, however, then Archer will have a new quarry to hunt down.

Hopefully a quarry that isn't as troublesome as that hag...

“Archer, send it in.”

"... Understood, Master."

Archer opened his empty hand, revealing stones inscribed with runes held between his fingers. He filled his sling with those stones, standing upright on the branch he stood on as he began to swing his sling. As the momentum built up, Archer took a deep breath.

"Sowilo!"

The Sun. Guidance. Confidence. Most importantly, Victory.

The flare that Archer had fired glowed brilliantly, like the rays of the Sun that had just set moments ago. To most others, they would merely see lights of celebration, fireworks for no real reason but to uplift. To those of the moonlit world, however, a different meaning would be interpreted. It was a flare that had signaled victory, that the battle was complete and that they were the victors. That everyone else should go home knowing that they were defeated.

A declaration that there was no more war to fight, for they have already won.

Once the trap was released, Archer leapt out of the tree he was in, landing on the ground like a feral animal. He knelt to the ground, feeling the land beneath him. It was as if he was becoming one with the Park, in harmony with the natural land he and his Master have chosen as their battlefield. Opening his eyes once more, Archer exclaimed once more.
The land would remain undisturbed. However, Archer would seem to have become "one" with it. The entire park had been designated as a place to hunt, yet it was not different to what it was before. It was only common sense, after all. If the hunting grounds were any different from the rest of the forest, what would stop the hunter's prey from just avoiding it?

Of course, it should also go without saying that those not within the park would notice any change in the world whatsoever.

@Red Alice

---

“Rider, I do not wish for the blood of others to spill quite yet. While I am in the mood to gorge on it, we can’t let any of the pieces on this board fall so soon. They’re important pieces in overthrowing the rulers of this game. Our efforts will be in putting everything we need into motion.”

“...Though, a small treat may be in order if any get too close. It isn’t our fault they moved too close to the spider’s den, right?”

Was it the instincts of an Oni or a Killer that moved her in that direction? Did it even matter? Regardless, she would stick to her plan. For now, every piece on the board was too important to throw away just yet. The more chaotic things were, the better. Still, that didn’t mean fighting and maiming was off the table. A little taste of blood was allowed if the situation occurred. It was in her nature to revel in the most sacred of liquids.

With the familiars out and about, Kioymi made sure to check up on them for any updates on the areas observed. The conditions of these places need to be monitored in order to ensure her plan was moving smoothly. Thankfully, the blessings of her Servant would stop any sort of interference.

“Hmm? You want to go on a date or something? We’ll probably be a bit too busy tonight. Some fancy places in town are open past Noon, so we could go in the afternoon tomorrow? They’re in Shinto, so we can remain close. I’m hesitant to spend too much time in Miyama. That side of the Mion is a deathtrap.”

It was a deathtrap she was going to visit soon enough, but the less time spent there the better. She mentioned everything there in a rather casual tone, spending no extra time or thought in regards to the specific words used. In other words, the word “date” was used in the most neutral terms possible.

Her servant’s language was completely archaic. Nyoin? She had nearly forgotten what that meant. Still, Kiyomi wasn’t really in a position to judge. When dealing with her immediate family, she spoke in a similar way. Her rough tongue as a yakuza was probably an outlet for her childhood of proper speech. At least, that was how she justified it.

The civic center was one of the last places she wanted to set up. It was far too Western, even for what she was willing to put up with. However, it was ideal for her purposes. Namely, it had a leyline and wasn’t on the other side of the river. Besides, whoever claimed the mountain was asking to be killed. The civic center wasn’t an ideal place to hold in regards to combat. No, it was ideal because of the amount of shields present within it. Who would be rotten enough to kill so many civilians to get close? And a person that monstrous should be praised and rewarded with an alliance. It was a win-win situation for Kiyomi.

As the magus entered the civic center, the corner of her eye caught the change in her Servant’s appearance. It caught her off guard, though it had nothing to do with the appearance itself. Why didn’t her Servant just….go ethereal? There was no reason to be seen in the first place. In fact, why did her Servant even want to go out to eat? They didn’t need nutrition. What a peculiar card she had drawn…

The new appearance was pleasant, though a bit too plain for her taste. There was one part she liked though.

“Nice glasses, Rider. Did you pick those from the magazine Taiga had? I think they look really nice.”

She smiled with the compliment, not that she thought much of it. It was probably for the best she did as well, considering gaining access to the mayor would distort her personality. Well, it would have, if she wasn’t able to send all distortions like that to her sister.

Kiyomi moved through the town hall like she had exclusive access, considering she simply enchanted whoever tried to stop her from entering the mayor’s office. Of course, she made sure all sorts of security footage was destroyed after this. She had made that mistake once, and her lawyers really didn’t want to get involved in a case like that again. Personally, she didn’t see why they were so annoyed about it, but it was best to keep them at least somewhat pleased.

The mayor himself was….well, he was definitely given a much rougher treatment before the enchantment. It was a bit personal to Kiyo, something about how he deserved it after giving her a fine a few years back? Regardless, he would be in her pocket for the time being. She ensured to not harm anyone though, hurting civilians was wrong. Not that she cared much about right and wrong, but she saw no reason to harm the unrelated for the time being.

Well, with the civic center and town hall under her control, Kiyomi and her Servant began to set up their base.

---

Nighttime came swiftly upon Camp Oni. They were busy redecorating the area as well as setting up their bounded fields. A place modeled after her cities back home in Chūbu would do lovely. Those who visited the civic center would feel otherwise, but that was more of a “them” problem.

The information provided by her familiars was enough to dictate their plans. The information in the Foreign District was truly most interesting. What a cursed place it was becoming. The information at the Mountain provided the obvious, that someone had taken the best location in the war. The South Moor introduced her to a hidden rat of sorts, one that Kiyo had considered dead, but they’d be someone worth communicating with. The Miyama familiar was...disappointing.

Work harder, Miyama familiar!

In Shinto, there seemed to have been a flare for combat. What a meaningless affair. What were these pawns? Why fight others now, of all times? Were they too dense to understand the war’s true nature? Pawns fighting Pawns was what the controllers of this war truly desired. What sort of idiot would willingly play into that? Truly, Kiyo was the smartest participant in this war.

For now, considering everything seemed a bit too...hot at the moment, Kiyomi would spend her time relaxing with her Servant. Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi was on the TV they were watching, the Korean food they ordered was on their table, the lights were dimmed, and both shared the couch they were sitting on. While making progress is how Kiyomi would have wanted to spend the night, this was a fine substitute.

"Modern day Japanese animation is the greatest, can't you tell? We could never be defeated by those barbarians!"

---

---

---

@Breo

---

Her Master really was cute. She got to do all sorts of “dress ups” in life, but never on a girl. It was a fun way to spend the day and she hoped her Master enjoyed herself, even if it was something so far out of her comfort zone. Getting out of one’s comfort zone was important in development.

And also towards removing one’s mask, but that wasn’t why Assassin did this. There was no point in forcing something that would naturally come in time.

Now, of course, her Master did have to come and kill the nice vibe that was going on. The Executor just had to mention she had no intention of summoning Theodora. Tears would begin to fall from Assassin’s eyes, her hand being slightly too slow to catch the first few which dropped onto the table below. With a voice on the verge of bursting into tears, Assassin spoke to her Master.

“I see...you don’t want me. I thought we were getting along fine, yet you never wanted me. You probably hate me...I know it! I’m sorry I can’t be Justin- Kihihihihihihih!!!!!”

A shrill laughter broke the previous facade, with her previous whimsical face returning. She was the Greatest Actress in Rome, was she not? Putting on crocodile tears was one of the easiest tricks for her. She just hoped that didn’t upset her Master too much, it was all just in good fun!

“Of course you wanted to summon Justinian, he’s the greatest! I can’t fault you for that. And who would want to summon someone like me? I’m a problematic person who only follows their hedonistic desire. Why, I’d probably reject the person that actively tried to summon me. You can never know with those types, right?”

She was seemingly speaking earnestly. Of course, with the display she put up earlier, how genuine it was was up to interpretation.

“However...you weren’t going to get Justinian. What sort of wife would I be if I let another get their hands on him?"

Her lips began to curl into a dark smile, though the words coming out of her mouth didn’t make much sense. A Servant couldn’t stop another from being summoned or anything.

And yet. . . .

“Let us not worry what may or may not have been. We’re bound by the hip for now, right? Let us embrace one another during this partnership, regardless of what the past held. Glory can only be achieved with the hand dealt by fate! Let us, with the blessings of the divine, achieve victory in this bloodstained ritual! If not for glory, then for the Lord.”

The Servant raised her glass of wine, the generic sign of a toast to her Master.

@Sakaki Chizuru

Scary, scary.

Then again, she supposed it was something that should be expected from one such as Empress Theodora to be a terrifying woman.

Still, someone could be scary and speak sense nonetheless.

The Executor looked at her own glass for all of a second, hesitantly raising it to clink against Assassin’s. As it was expected from someone of her upbringing, while she was aware of the general signs and protocols in this sort of affair, her motions were uncertain and somewhat stilted.

It seemed that the big, bad heretic hunter could just not handle something as simple as social situations.

“...Yeah, I’d like that,” She murmured, taking a sip from the glass. “Heretical this ritual might be, the Command Mantra appearing on my hand were surely providence at work. After all, if we can win it—”

Yes, the Holy Grail this war is fought over was a tool crafted by magi, but those of the special divisions had no fear of involving themselves in heretical affairs.

If the Command Mantra hadn’t appeared, she’d have not spared the thing a single thought beyond what she had been originally dispatched for, but considering present circumstances, she chose to interpret it as a genuine message.

“—After all, if we can attain it, I might yet be able to save even more.”

When one attempts to save people as a human, they ultimately find themselves face to face with a simple truth: ultimately, one can only save the people in front of them.

Regardless of the method, that was an unavoidable reality — a reality that came with “being human”.

Even someone as her, as willing and able to cram as much as she could in the limited time she’d been allotted on this Earth, was bound by that one rule

However, if one possessed that sort of artifact, if its powers were within their grasp, then that rule would change. After all, if nothing else, if there was something that could be likened to “miraculous” when it was used in that kind of manner, it would be its scope.

She had the way. She had the will. She only lacked the means.

Turning her head to the side, lost in thought, she stared at the darkened sky, idly noting that they should get ready to move out and see what came of tonight. And then, for just one second—

“...Did someone throw a flare? Well, that’s...one way to call attention to yourself, I guess. Maybe we can get the night started with some sightseeing, Assassin.”

Scoping out the competition was only natural, after all, especially considering both their specialties.

---

---

Sláine backed away from the circle, an expression of surprise lining his face as he stared at the armored figure standing before him. Sláine knew that servants used to be humans, and he had expected the raw power that one possessed... but the presence was like nothing he could have anticipated.

There was no question. The figure standing before him, clad in armor, was a Saber-class Servant. His servant.

"I have heard your summons, and so I have answered. I ask of you, shall I fight at your side?"

"Oh thank god..."

Sláine couldn't help himself - the relief he felt upon seeing the form of his servant was palpable. Despite being stalled until the last minute before the war began, he had managed to land a Saber class Servant. Those were supposed to be the strongest class in the war! Sláine's patience with his summoning ritual must have been the key to this success.

Or it was pure luck, but the former made Sláine feel better about taking so long.

Sláine quickly regained his composure when he noticed the armored figure still present, adopting a more neutral expression.

"Erm, yes. Yes, I have summoned you to fight with me, Saber."

Now that he had a chance to fully appreciate his summoned Servant, Sláine only grew more assured in his prospects in the war. The man's silver armor seemed to radiate power, and his very presence and posture seemed to bear a noble flair.

The only problem was his eyes... They had such a familiar look, but Sláine couldn't put a name to the feeling he saw from them.

That didn't matter. All servants had their problems, right? And if eyes that made Sláine feel weird were the only price he had to pay for a Saber, then he was even luckier than he thought. Sláine tried to avoid looking people in the eyes anyway, so it wasn't that bad.

"I should introduce myself, considering we will be working together. My name is Sláine Druiminn, and I specialize in Plant Magecraft, with a focus on healing and support. My wish for the grail is to grant my creator access to the root - I put my faith in you to help me see this wish through."

The speech was cold, callous, almost mechanical in tone. Sláine's face didn't betray his emotions, but internally he was beaming with pride. He had rehearsed his introduction nearly a dozen times, attempting to mimic the uncaring monotone of the Druiminn family elders. They were true mages, so copying them would lead to the best outcome in a war of mages.

When introductions were finished Sláine quickly discovered that he had no idea what to talk about. Was asking about a Servant's stats considered impolite? What about their past? What orders are appropriate with a Command Seal?

...How the hell did you use a Command Seal?

"...Now might not be the best time, but this is my first time participating in a Holy Grail War. If there is any proper decorum or rules that you're aware of, I'd appreciate you letting me know."

Sláine was aware that Servants received knowledge from the grail on summoning - it was the first thing he asked about. After all, Sláine was petrified when he had first ridden in a car. He couldn't imagine how a monstrously strong servant would react in a similar situation. However, the breadth of knowledge that Servants gained was unknown to the homunculus. If they got even a small amount of information about the war itself, then it couldn't hurt to ask.

The pair continued to chat for a few minutes before Sláine noticed the time.

My lunch break...

Sláine shook the thought away. Skipping a meal was worth summoning Saber.

"I have to head back to work, Saber - Batsu-san will be furious if I am late. I'll finish in a few hours, so ."

Sláine quickly went back downstairs, leaving his Servant alone. The thought of using Suggestion magecract to skip work came to mind, but it wasn't worth it. Sláine needed to minimize its usage if he wanted to last to the end of the war. Besides, working during the day shouldn't matter too much - the possibility of an attack in a crowded restaurant in the middle of the day was next to nothing. No, even if an enemy detected Saber while Sláine was working, the enemy wouldn't attack out of fear of leaving witnesses.

Because of that, Sláine felt more than comfortable giving his Servant a longer leash. Maybe he'd find something interesting while Sláine was working - or he'd just stalk Sláine in spirit form. Either way, it didn't harm them very much.

If Dom Pedro looked around the room, he would notice that the room was absolutely covered in various herbs and saplings, to the point that plant life dominated the living space. More interesting, a cursory glance would reveal that Sláine had left his wallet on his bed.

---

Finally, the workday was over. The dinner rush, like usual, was incredibly draining. Sláine's grasp on Japanese was better than some of the masters in this war, facilitated by the Druiminn's tampering and constant use in the restaurant, but even with that, it was hard to understand the more inebriated patrons of Koushuuensaikan Taizan. Thankfully, it didn't seem to be as busy tonight as it initially appeared - the restaurant was quite small, so it cleared out quickly.

Batsu slapped Sláine's back roughly as the last customer left.

"Good thing we didn't need an ambulance this time around, yeah?"

"Yes, Batsu-san..."

Sláine rubbed his back as he responded. While it was probably a fairly light blow for someone like Batsu, Sláine's skin was stinging in the area around the hit. Pushing it to the side, Sláine spoke up as his manager began washing the last customer's dishes.

"I'm going to be headed out, Batsu-san. Do you know anywhere I can... anywhere I can hang out?"

Sláine needed to gather information on the other Masters, and while familiars could do the trick, he had no idea what he would be looking for. From his limited knowledge on grail wars, Sláine knew that Servants could detect one another - that would be the best method of finding his opponents. Instead of rituals, dead animals, and magical energy, all this method required was walking around and getting lucky.

"You're headed out? Wow, I was starting to think I'd have to deal with you staying here every night."

Batsu slid the freshly washed plate onto the pile next to the sink as she spoke.

"Maybe you could try OS Cinema in the Commerce district? I think they're showing that new Spider-Man movie. There's a mall near there, so you can get something to eat while you're out."

Sláine nodded, already climbing the stairs as Batsu finished speaking. As soon as he made it to his room and established another bounded field, Sláine addressed his invisible companion.

"Saber, tonight we're going to gather some information on the other Masters. If things turn ugly, please prepare to escape - fighting will be a last resort."

The first night of the war was far too early to reveal Saber's abilities to the other Masters. Big players like the Matou and Tohsaka would surely be looking at any fights that occur, and as the creators of the war, they'd be the most difficult opponents. Even if anonymity is a small benefit, any advantage possible would be needed to win against them.

Besides, Sláine felt that allowing the others to tire themselves out fighting would be much more effective than actively participating.

Sláine quickly got changed into his casual attire as he spoke, a white button-up shirt and black dress pants.

"If you have any suggestions or other plans, please let me know."

Servants, like Homunculi, were tools. But unlike the latter, Servants were at one point human - and as a result, they could be quite easy to upset. Sláine needed to refrain from ordering Saber around as much as possible, and treat their relationship more akin to a partnership. If the Saber rebelled or became too difficult, then Amelia would never reach the Root.

Saber probably knew a lot more about strategy and fighting a war than Sláine did anyways. If he had another plan, it was almost certainly a better one.

Sláine nearly left but paused at the door. He raced back to the closet, pulling on a green hoodie and a pair of white gloves. The Command Seals on Sláine's hand would be a dead giveaway that he was a master, and his unnatural pallor drew attention even from the mundane. Satisfied with his undercover attire, Sláine left Koushuuensaikan Taizan.

---

---

Assassin frowned slightly from her Master's remarks - particularly the 'pipsqueak' comment. This guy should have summoned the 4th Hassan if he wanted to call someone a pipsqueak... Her frown only deepened when Constantine mentioned that he had stolen their current summoning location. Assassin had met many people like that during her life, and killed quite a few of them. Thievery was certainly not the problem, but if someone was so willing to bust heads to get what they wanted, then he'd probably work Assassin hard during the war...

"Well, you can kill as much as you want, but I'm not here to win. Who needs a cup anyway? I can drink just as well from my hands."

This comment gave Assassin pause from her pessimistic thoughts. He... didn't care about winning? Why the hell would he willingly enter into a battle to the death if he didn't have any plans on winning? Did he really just want to meet heroes?

Then again, if you weren't trying to win the grail, there really wouldn't be a need to fight to the death...

Assassin's lips curled into a strange grin.

"Sorry if I'm not up to your standards for a hero. If it makes you feel better, we Assassins are also pretty low maintenance, so your pitiful circuits won't be too taxed."

Assassin finally climbed off her perch on the couch, sauntering after her master as he walked to the door. Before he left the penthouse, however, he paused a final time and spoke out again.

"Oh, by the way, I don't speak Japanese. If it comes down to it, I might need you to translate."

Assassin nodded, either not noticing the embarrassed tone or simply not expending the energy to comment on it.

"Very well, Master. Let me know when my services are needed."

As they left the tarnished penthouse, Assassin shifted into spirit form and smiled once more. Despite the insults, this Master definitely fulfilled Assassin's criteria. And if what he said about summoning her again was true, then he must have felt the same way about her - why else would he summon her a second time?

This war might not be too bad!

---

This war sucks!

Assassin was hidden in an alleyway, laying in a hammock of her own hair. A pair of spiders moved between her hands, spinning webs between Assassin's fingers like an unsettling game of Cat's Cradle.

Constantine wasn't joking around when he said that he 'didn't go for luxury'. Apparently, his definition of luxury was much different from Assassin's.

"How the hell do you not even have a tent!? What are we supposed to do, sleep outside?"

Assassin groaned and swung in her hammock, acting more like a child forced to eat their vegetables than a hardened killer.

"Maybe we should have risked the trap at that apartment..."

Assassin, despite not having left Constantine's side since being summoned, had already established quite the information network. She had already acquired a few hundred spider familiars without even trying, and had disseminated most in various parts of the city - everywhere except the Church and Mount Enzo. Of course, she wasn't able to detect Servants through them directly, so it mostly served as a means of navigating the layout of the Fuyuki and as a warning in case a large amount of Magical Energy was used nearby.

The most notable discovery of Assassins, however, was the positions of the four Leylines of Fuyuki. Leylines were of incredible importance to Magi - not only could they further reduce the cost needed to maintain a Servant, but they also served as an incredible 'battery' for rituals. And while one of the leylines was impossible to use thanks to its proximity to the church, the other 3 were prime spots for enemy Masters - they were almost certainly serving as a base for someone.

...Not that it really mattered, however. Assassin had already decided that she wasn't going to kill unless she was forced to, and considering her Master didn't want the grail, that really only left self-defense on the table. The Enemies who've claimed the leylines as their own would be safe from her stalking.

"I've gathered a few spiders to search for other Servants. What are we to do in the meantime, Master?"

Assassin paused, leaning over to give her master a snide remark.

"Other than loiter outside like homeless bums, I mean."

Maybe it was because she lacked a proper 'nesting area' to set up her territory, but Assassin seemed a bit more restless than usual - every minute or so she leaned out of her hammock to look around, almost as if she expected enemies to drop in instantly.

---

Oh. My hands aren't shaking anymore.

Thinking back, Fiore wasn't sure they had been shaking since she had arrived in Fuyuki, or even before that. She was sure they had used to, but that was a different time, now. Things were finally in motion. She and Caster had already made their opening moves, as small as they might have been.

Yggdmillennia's last fighter knelt in the yardspace behind the building she had appropriated for her base. Through the handful of trees that grew on this side of the river, she could vaguely see and hear rushing water. The stream that divided this battlefield in two. The division between Shinto and the area firmly controlled by them. In the air around her, she could faintly feel the presence of her Servant's magical energy permeating. That man wasn't a real magus, but he had still created a workshop for himself, in a manner of speaking. Her power, meanwhile, radiated in the ground beneath them. Burying spells into the ground and calling spirits to dwell there marked the beginnings of her fortifications.

It was better to be ready for anything. Now that the sun had set, anyone could pay them a visit. They had to be sure there was a solid welcome in store.

"Caster, please join me in the yard." She communicated through their mental link. Even though he was her Servant, it seemed she tended to be polite. He was older than her, after all. "That's enough writing for the moment. I'm really happy with the progress you've made so far."

While she waited for Carroll, Fiore unconsciously fingered the glasses in her breast pocket. It hadn't been long enough for any real new information to be recorded in them, but she wanted to wear them again. By the time she had found it, the spirit inside had already been past the point of communication, but it was still...

Something pointless to think about. There were things they needed to take care of. Once Caster was with her, they could start work on the yard. More pressing than that, in a way, was the other matter she needed to ask him.

"I have priorities in this war. There are people who need to pay for what they've done... But if we make it to the end and win for real." She hoped this was a tactful way to ask. "Well, what would you ask the Holy Grail for?"

---

---

By the time their circuit of the Eastern side of Fuyuki was finished, it was finally night. Raiden was someone who could respect rules and wait his turn, but all the same, he had been eager for things to finally get rolling.

"Perfect survival machine, huh? Not sure why you'd want to turn into something like that, but it's working for you style-wise." The ginger afro was another matter, but mentioning that now could throw off the energy of their whole night. Still invisible, he drifted alongside the magus and spoke noiselessly to him.

If nothing else, all that business about being an unkillable reptile meant Berzinsky was a Master who could watch his own back. That meant Lancer was free to, as ordered, 'hunt' for opponents in the surrounding area. There were the echoes of a few Servants' presences in the districts they had passed through...

But it seemed someone else had made the choice for them!

Raiden could feel the magical energy hurtling towards them. It was a long-range attack from someone he could barely see. A Heroic Spirit who was hiding herself in the distance. There was no telling what bizarre powers the projectile might have been harbouring, but it didn't exactly have the 'vibe' of a kill-shot.

Maybe whoever fired it wasn't so bad!

"Better stand back, boss!" Telepathically, he spoke once more. There was no telling if Berzinsky was aware of what was coming, but the Servant was the first to react. There was the electric shimmer of a Servant's body materializing on the sidewalk. A flawless body with tense, bent legs. Raiden jumped, leaving an explosion of shredded concrete in his wake.

He didn't finish materializing until he was already tearing into the sky. Golden hair whipped in the overwhelming wind as Lancer flew on a direct path to meet the projectile. Rather than just leaping, he was spinning. A thunderbolt had been let loose in the sky over Miyama.

As the distance between the two flying objects decreased, those eyes could properly make visual contact with it.

Oh! That's a--

Didn't people in the West have a name for this sort of thing? It was on the tip of his tongue.

Well, whatever.

An enormous length of platinum-white metal materialized in his hand, crackling with magical energy, its massive double-edged blade gleaming in the starlight. The feeling was new, but familiar. Raiden gripped his spear loosely as the distance between himself and the stone approached zero, preparing to swing.

Or rather, he had already swung.

Even if Caster's Clairvoyant eyes were watching with anticipation of the moment Lancer would collide with her ball, they may still have been surprised to find that a nigh-imperceptible strike from the spear had reached it while there were still more than two metres between them. Even if it couldn't be registered until after the fact, there was no mistaking that the spearman had released a first-rate attack, slamming the haft of the spear into the stone.

It wasn't as though Lancer was clueless when it came to this sort of magecraft. The runes on the rock could have meant anything--an explosion of fire, tendrils of mud, waves of ice. It could have been called foolish to face an unknown magical attack head-on, but if he knocked it hundreds of metres away before it had the chance to be triggered, then it wouldn't be a problem.

Like the clear ringing of a bell, a metallic sound echoed over Miyama. The rune-ball was sent flying back in the general direction of Shinto. There didn't seem to be much effort to aim it back at Caster specifically in this case. Rather, he was focused on knocking it out of the park.

Barring any surprising developments, Lancer let the rapid rotation of his body unwind, landing stylishly on a drug store rooftop a few blocks from the spot where he and Berzinsky had been standing. He twirled his polearm in one hand, letting it diffuse back into a transient blaze of magical energy before putting a palm on his hip and raising his other hand to shade his eyes a bit, squinting into the distant sky above Shinto town.

When under attack from an enemy with such power and range, the smart thing to do was try to close the distance and quickly and safely as possible, or, failing that, take cover and hope they lose interest. Raiden did neither, taking a stance on the roof where he had landed, tilting his head as if to say what was that all about? Really, he was inviting her to come over, or at least throw him something cooler.

If the enemy had attacked them from Shinto, they must have had great eyesight, right? If they could see his face, then they could see him winking.

@Yukitamas@ManyThings

"Well, it didn't take long for us to get a response." Khairi couldn't help but let out a low whistle as a blonde man appears in mid-air to send Caster's little test throw flying across the sky. Luckily, it wasn't anywhere close to their current position in the sky, tho given the nature of the weapon used, he already had a bit of a hint of the wielder's class. "So we've drawn a Lancer out into the open, and a pretty flashy one at that. How do you want to handle this?"

As he spoke, he focuses his senses to examine the figure as he landed on a nearby building, trying to use clairvoyance to get a better read on their abilities.

"I'll trust your judgement on this one, even though my gut is telling me we're opening ourselves to too much danger here. Just don't know how much of that is a solemn word of warning and how much of it is just jitters from my nerves."