She does have an important role, and while I don't want to spoil too much about specific events, suffice it to say that Shirou, Sakura and Rin continue to be involved in each others' lives, and have influenced each other in the time between wars. That aside, I'm curious if you have any actual commentary.
She does have an important role, and while I don't want to spoil too much about specific events, suffice it to say that Shirou, Sakura and Rin continue to be involved in each others' lives, and have influenced each other in the time between wars.
OK, well, that's all I need to know, really. I can see her getting involved in the Grail War, since she is an extremely powerful magus (even if she's not trained) and thus can summon a powerful servant and provide them with plenty of prana (and, I assume that she's now worm-free, so she won't have the same lack of prana that she has in HF).
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That aside, I'm curious if you have any actual commentary.
Well, I can't really say much yet, because I don't really know what is going on with the main characters, but in general it seems pretty good, and I like the set-up (with Shirou becoming a real hero). However, I do wonder how the hell someone has managed to set up a new Grail War in Rin's city. According to the Side Material books, the Great Grail was dismantled by Waver Velvet six months after the end of the war, and it is highly unlikely that Rin would allow another one to be constructed.
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Originally Posted by RadiantBeam
Well, I already have a pretty good idea of how things get better for him. Though of course, it's going to get worse before it gets better.
Well, if he confesses to Sakura in the remotely near future, then she would probably still go for him, because even if she's falling for Rin she still clearly has feelings for Shirou, and since Rin is her sister she can probably quite easily slip back into a platonic relationship if Shirou wanted her. However, I would say that it is definitely highly plausible that he'll end up with both sisters. I mean, if they're comfortable with having sex with each other and, indeed, love each other, then there is no reason why they can't form a fully equal threesome. All three members are in love with the other two members of the group and all three possible pairings from that group could exist as a stand-alone relationship so there is no issue with awkwardness and it is unlikely that one of them will end up feeling like a third wheel. The only question is how it would be set up. Most likely, Sakura will end up having to choose between him and Rin, and Rin will (in her usual matter-of-fact way) point out that she can, in fact, have both....
But, yeah, he's in for a rocky few days as he sees the girl that he loves (and who previously idolised him) appearing to get more and more distant as she falls for her own sister instead. That's going to be a real kick in the teeth, and Shirou is too dense (and too unaware of the feelings that both girls have for him) to see how that could actually turn out really well....
Well, I can't really say much yet, because I don't really know what is going on with the main characters, but in general it seems pretty good, and I like the set-up (with Shirou becoming a real hero). However, I do wonder how the hell someone has managed to set up a new Grail War in Rin's city. According to the Side Material books, the Great Grail was dismantled by Waver Velvet six months after the end of the war, and it is highly unlikely that Rin would allow another one to be constructed.
I'm rolling a little loose with the canon content outside of the visual novel itself. The end of UBW is the point at which this fic's context and the canon diverge, so as a caveat, if Hollow Ataraxia and/or other supplemental material are essential for you, then you'll find this fic frustrating. That's not to slight the value of that material, I'm just consciously choosing to focus on the core 'text', as it were.
I'm rolling a little loose with the canon content outside of the visual novel itself. The end of UBW is the point at which this fic's context and the canon diverge, so as a caveat, if Hollow Ataraxia and/or other supplemental material are essential for you, then you'll find this fic frustrating. That's not to slight the value of that material, I'm just consciously choosing to focus on the core 'text', as it were.
Ah, OK.
Well, honestly, that doesn't really bother me, although it seems somewhat unlikely to me that Rin would allow another Grail War to happen in Fuyuki after the mess that the last one made regardless of whether you're considering the contents of the Side/Material books etc.
Well, honestly, that doesn't really bother me, although it seems somewhat unlikely to me that Rin would allow another Grail War to happen in Fuyuki after the mess that the last one made regardless of whether you're considering the contents of the Side/Material books etc.
Oh, undoubtedly a fair observation. There is a reason it happens in Fuyuki again, but it's another one of those 'can't really explain it without spoiling stuff' things.
Oh, undoubtedly a fair observation. There is a reason it happens in Fuyuki again, but it's another one of those 'can't really explain it without spoiling stuff' things.
Ah, OK. Well, I guess I'll have to wait and see, then....
One moment Saber was on the verge of an easy win and they were one step closer to saving that woman, the next his blood ran cold in his veins and the world seemed to fall into slow motion. He could see it.
The sword, glittering in the moonlight. The red knight, smiling coldly as he prepared to fire. He knew there was no way he could be able to see this, see Archer taking aim from so far away, but he could as plain as day. He heard something, yet didn't hear it at the same time, and knew that whatever it was he'd... heard? Not heard? He didn't even know his own thoughts anymore... he knew that whatever it was, it was dangerous. Very, very dangerous.
I... ... ... my sword...
It sounded like gibberish, and yet for some reason...
"Saber!" he shouted. "Get back!"
Saber didn't know what had Shirou so worried, but her Master sounded openly terrified and he had been rather good at maintaining his cool until now, so she decided ignoring him was not wise. Shifting the angle of what had been meant to be her killing stroke, she forced mana into her legs, and instead smashed her sword into the portion of Rider's weapon that the other Servant was still holding, using her entire body to push herself backwards as hard as she could. If there was something dangerous approaching her current, position, then she needed to not only move but get Shirou out of the way quickly. The violet-haired Servant, recognizing that something was wrong, followed suit, retreating towards Shinji and grabbing him at a greater speed than Saber herself could manage. Still, they both managed to scoop up their respective Masters and begin dragging them away from the central battlefield, and...
They very nearly made all the way out of the blast radius before Archer's attack detonated.
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Ilya breathed a sigh of relief. As she looked at the blast through the eyes of a nearby tree. He was alive, his Servant having gotten him mostly to safety and absorbing what damage she couldn't avoid.
Er... not that she cared, really. She'd probably kill him herself! It was just that... well... she didn't want to do it yet. She was curious, that was all. He hadn't been anything like what she expected, and so she didn't want to kill him until she found out why that was.
Ilya was, to put it mildly, a naive girl. She believed people when they spoke to her; all people, really. She simply took it as fact that nobody would say anything that wasn't the truth, because it was just common sense to only say things that were true. If it wasn't true, why say it? That was why Kiritsugu had hurt her so deeply... when he'd told her that he would come back to her, she had believed, totally and without the slightest reservation. And then he hadn't come back. Grandpapa had told her why; he had found another child, one he cared for more than her. He had abandoned her because he was coldhearted and evil, and he had realized that the Einzbern family would not allow him to corrupt Ilya after his betrayal in the Fourth Grail War, so he had simply left her behind like trash so he could mold some other child into his twisted image. And she had believed that too, because Kiritsugu... papa... wasn't there. If he were a good person, if he loved her, wouldn't he have been there?
Now, though, she was starting to wonder. She knew that someone involved in the Kiritsugu situation had deceived her, but she was starting to wonder who, exactly, it was. The boy had smiled at her even when she wasn't doing anything at all, and his eyes were warm and gentle. Papa's eyes had been like that sometimes; mostly they looked empty, or sad, but sometimes they'd been gentle when he played with her, or when he looked at mama. It made her feel warm inside, and did not really match what her family had told her about him... about either of them.
Grandpapa only smiled when he spoke of the Holy Grail, and his eyes were like the pictures she'd seen of sharks. When he spoke to her, it was to instruct her in her training or to preach the philosophy of the Einzbern family. He was cold, as cold as the forests around the old castle. Even in the summer the chill hung in the air...
She hadn't known the boy long, but the more she learned of the outside world, the more she was getting the impression that even if he was evil, he was probably still less evil than Grandpapa.
It required further observation. So she wouldn't kill him, and she wouldn't let him die. Not until she knew for sure what he was truly like. The truth was very, very important to Ilyasviel; she always told it, and she expected everyone else to do the same. If she found out that Kiritsugu had been the one telling the truth, and that Grandpapa had been lying to her, she would be very cross indeed.
But now this. She had wanted to follow him, observe him, maybe even talk to him if she could work up the courage. And when he'd gone into battle, she had held back despite the overwhelming urge to involve herself because she didn't want him to know she was a Master, not yet. Masters fought Masters, always. To really know what he was like, she needed to see how he reacted to her, not the Master of Berserker. She would never get to know him if he was on guard against her (And no, that wasn't lying to him! She wasn't going to tell him she wasn't a Master! She just... wouldn't bring the subject up! That might have been cheating a little, but it was still okay, she was pretty sure!). Fortunately, even an idiot could tell that Saber would defeat Rider; Rider's Master was possibly the lowliest, most pathetic human being she had ever seen, a perfect example of how thoroughly the Makiri had rotted over the years.
Kiritsugu's boy was, from what she had seen, adorably helpless. A kitten without his Servant. The mischievous part of her had been fighting the urge for some time to sneak up and halt his motor functions with her magic, just to tease him a bit and giggle at how cute and hopeless he was. But even someone as weak as he was could deal with that slime so long as Saber was by his side.
Then Rin Tohsaka had to stick her big nose into Ilya's business, and her Archer was very, very strange, and Ilya was starting to get worried that someone might kill her boy before she decided if she wanted to kill him herself or not...
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His ears ringing, Shirou blinked a few times to clear his vision. Even with her armor, she didn't weigh all that much, but he was feeling awfully sore and Saber on top of him wasn't helping. He still felt a jab of relief when she opened her eyes to gaze into his, however.
"Are you all right?" The Master and Servant asked in unison.
"... you were between me and the blast." Shirou said.
"... I'm harder to hurt than you, and my armor took most of the shrapnel. What happened?" She asked, Rider largely forgotten.
"I... Archer. Tohsaka's Archer just tried to... he attacked us. I think he was firing from that building, over..." he said, scanning the skyline, "There. The office building... the only one in that row of buildings that doesn't have any lights on in any of the windows. Must have chosen it because it was vacant..."
Saber stood and helped her Master to his feet. "How did you know which building they are-" Before she finished the sentence, she suddenly spun in place, the wind howling as her sword snapped through the air to smash aside an incoming silver flash, then another, then another...
Shirou watched in awe. The arrows... and they were arrows, he could see when they hit the ground after she intercepted them... were moving like bullets, visible only because of their size and the way they reflected the streetlights. And yet Saber was deflecting them like they were nothing. And he could see... yes, amid the silver flashes on the other side of the park, a shadow was weaving as Rider dodged among the arrows, her speed not visibly affected by the fact that she had slung a clearly uncomfortable Shinji over her shoulder. And the arrows themselves were reason to be impressed, descending like a silver monsoon, far too fast and far too numerous to be the work of anything but a machine gun, yet they were arrows...
He wondered if he would ever stop being awed by Servants, he really did.
"I believe you were correct when you stated we were under attack by Archer, Master." Saber said conversationally as she batted aside another arrow. "At least, I don't believe any of the other Servants could manage a projectile attack of this caliber. Fortunately, projectile weaponry is largely useless against me if I can see the path of the missile. Still, another shot on the level of that first attack would be best avoided, so I should hunt him down."
"Er... yeah." Shirou said, trying to get his amazement back under control. "He's on the building I pointed out to you... I don't know, I just sort of saw him there. Don't ask me how."
And that smile... like he was looking me right in the eye from a mile away and laughing at the thought of my death. Shirou thought. Tohsaka... what kind of Servant did you call?
And are you there with him, looking over his shoulder while he tries to kill me?
"As you command." Saber said, spinning her sword in a wide arc to repel more of the incoming projectiles. "I shall not ask, although I am curious."
"Er, no, you can ask, it's just that I don't know."
"Ah, very well." Saber said, nodding. "Master, it would perhaps be prudent for you to take cover while I deal with the enemy? Archer will not be able to kill you if he is trying to slow my advance. I believe that large tree near the bench in the northwest corner of the park should provide an acceptable shield. I will cover your retreat."
"What about Rider?" Shirou asked.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAH-" Shinji said as he went flying through the air into a tangle of bushes, Rider 'depositing' him into cover before vanishing into the darkened streets to pursue Archer.
"I believe that, for the moment, she is closer to an ally than an enemy." Saber said. "Now take cover!"
As Saber disappeared in a burst of wind, charging down the enemy and striking aside projectiles as if she were swatting flies, Shirou hid behind a tree.
This... this is not acceptable. He thought in supreme humiliation. I should be out there with her, but I can't even stand in the open without getting killed! This is just... what kind of a useless Master am I?
I need to get stronger. I can't be like this, I can't be like...
Gasping for air and brushing thorns off his clothes, Shinji Matou dove behind the tree next to him.
... like him, basically.
"Gah... that bitch! I'm her Master, and she throws me around like a piece of trash? She'd better kill whoever is out to get me, or I swear I'll..." He snapped to the night air in general, only to have his voice trail off when he recognized who was sitting next to him. He snarled a curse, reaching inside his shirt for something...
Shirou, then, taught him the problems with trying to reach for a weapon in a point-blank fight by simply grabbing Shinji's head and slamming it into the tree.
"Ow..." Shinji said, his eyes going distinctly unfocused. It was a good thing he had already been sitting down, because his knees went very weak.
"I would tell you to give up your Command Seals and bow out of the war, now that I know you're having your Servant eat people." Shirou said, glad to have encountered a problem he could deal with. "But Rider is helping Saber, so I don't want her to disappear right now. But Shinji... I can't forgive your actions here easily. You're going to sit here, and you're not going to talk, and since we're in a war zone I won't take whatever weapon you have in there but if you try to pull it on me again I will hit you until you stop moving. And once we're safe, you are out of this war and you will pay for your crimes."
Shinji gave him a somewhat fuzzy look of pure loathing. It seemed deeply wrong on the face of someone he had until moments ago still considered at least a friend, if not a close one. "H-how... how dare..."
"I was completely serious about beating you unconscious, Shinji."
Shinji stopped talking.
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Archer sighed in annoyance, continuing his bombardment out of pure spite. The kid had seen it coming. Presumably he had sensed the projection somehow... this close together, he supposed their magic might be interacting in unexpected ways. Well, he'd remember that and compensate in the future. In the meantime, Rider was flitting in and out of his vision and Saber was charging straight down his throat and deflecting everything he threw at her; just nameless blades remade as arrows, certainly no match for her holy sword, but the fact that she could discern and deflect all of them was something special. She really was as amazing as he remembered.
"They're on their way, Rin." He said, sending off another volley. "I can only slow them down like this. We will have company very soon."
"H... how do you fire so many?" Rin asked in a hushed tone, honestly confused. It was like he was not only moving more quickly than humanly possible, but also that many of the arrows were not even being fired from his bow, they were just appearing in the air in front of him...
"That's not what matters right now, Rin. What matters is that two Servants are converging on our position and I can't defeat them both if I have to protect you."
"Oh, of c... if you have to protect me?!" Rin snapped. "You can't defeat them both at all! Saber would have killed you if Emiya hadn't stopped her the first time we..."
"Rin! Focus, please!" Archer said sharply. "If I fight defensively, I can at least hold them both for some time. And they won't be fighting as a team, not really, which will make things easier. But if you're there, they'll force me to protect you and we'll both end up dead."
Rin nodded. "Right. I see. So you don't want me to... oh. Oh-ho. Archer, I think I have a plan. Make sure that Saber and Rider both come after you, okay? I need you to keep them off my back for a bit!" She said, running for the stairs.
Archer considered the situation and what she was most likely planning... and smiled wickedly. "Clever girl."
Well then, it was time to be a distraction then. Casting aside his rain of weak arrows, he centered his will into a greater projection. A jagged, black blade appeared in his hands, and he drew back the bowstring.
"Hrunting." He said under his breath.
The blade was solid black, a twisted, serrated, jagged piece of work. But while it might be ugly, it served Archer's purpose as a missile better than nearly any sword imaginable. Lacking the raw destructive power of Caladbolg as artillery, Hrunting, one of the Noble Phantasms of the hero Beowulf, instead possessed a certain quality that made it an ideal tool for sniping. As Saber would soon be learning...
He took aim at the silver knight, Broke the Phantasm, and fired. As the arrow flew, it took on red highlights, swiftly becoming a brilliant red bullet that lit up the sky as it streaked towards Saber. With contemptuous ease, she simply leapt over the blast and continued her charge... only to have her eyes widen in shock at the realization that the arrow had shifted its course to follow her jump. Archer couldn't help but admire her grace as she twisted in midair, slamming her invisible sword into the streak of red that ignored all rules of inertia to change its direction in flight. The red streak shattered upon connecting with Saber's peerless sword, finally halting its flight permanently, but the immense energy released still sent her flying to slam painfully into the side of nearby apartment building. Those tenants would be having an amusing morning...
Archer smiled, and projected another copy of the black sword. Hrunting's value as a weapon was that once it chose a target, it would not stop until it hit or it was destroyed, so long as the swordsman kept his aim on that chosen target. For a swordsman in melee, this had some value; Beowulf had found it quite nice for killing slippery, water-dwelling monsters. For an archer using the sword as a projectile, an arrow that would ceaselessly pursue the target of his choice, changing directions in midair and drilling through obstacles... the applications were far, far more interesting.
Saber blocked that one a bit too easily; let's try refining the projection a bit more. Trace, on. Analyzing basic composition, reconfiguring elements to enhance aerodynamics and piercing capabilities. Increasing mana infusion by 20%. He thought, the blade taking on a violent red aura with the strengthening magic. He adjusted his aim to take in the brief flash of violet that marked Rider's passing through a spot of light and released the arrow. If she thought she could evade his eyes by sticking to the shadows, she was about to be unpleasantly surprised.
Rider tried a different tactic than the one she'd seen Saber fail at, accelerating past the arrow and dodging to the side more quickly than it could adjust. She was not amused to discover it turning to follow her, nor happy to find that it was extremely fast. It would catch her rather quickly, unless...
Rider did not smile as the idea struck her, but only because she was by nature a rather stoic woman.
She veered sharply, weaving in and out of multiple alleys with the arrow on her tail until she found what she was looking for: Saber, only just having climbed out of the impact crater she'd made. Rider charged her as she oriented herself, and Saber instantly dropped into a defensive stance. She was caught slightly off-guard, then, when Rider did not attack her but jumped over her, so closely Saber could feel the other woman's body graze her hair.
Her attention was then caught more strongly by the red bullet following in Rider's footsteps and preparing to go through her in order to get there. She brought her sword into the path of the arrow, Invisible Air screaming as the red bolt collided with the raging wind, the conflicting energies kicking up a small hurricane. This arrow was stronger than the last... she could feel the asphalt beneath her boots cracking from the pressure.
But she was not in the air, this time. And with her feet planted and her blade held firmly, she was a different foe altogether. Pouring mana into her arms and her sword, with a cry of exertion she swung her blade with all her might. For just a second, her wind scabbard parted to reveal the golden blade beneath, and the greatest of holy swords sliced the offending projectile in half. The pieces of the shattered black sword struck the street on either side of the knight with enough force to pierce into it until they totally disappeared from view. The force of the blast did little more than ruffle her hair and dress, her blade and mana absorbed the blast so thoroughly.
She turned to rebuke Rider for using her as a human shield, only to find that the black Servant was already long gone.
Archer stepped back from the edge of the building, his bow disappearing to be replaced by the twin swords Kanshou and Bakuya. The extra charge he'd given to that second arrow meant it would take him at least twenty seconds to bring up another of that caliber, and he didn't have that much-
Rider leapt up over the edge of the building, having crossed the remaining distance and scaled the structure before those twenty seconds were up. Apparently she was even quicker when she could just sprint in a straight line without dodging, and she'd correctly deduced that the increased power of the second shot had come at a price. Still, her Master was Shinji, which had to hold her back a good margin. If it had been one-on-one, he was absolutely certain he could defeat her despite her talents as a Servant.
The problem was, Saber was also on her way, and two Servants was a tall order if he wanted to actually have some prayer of winning. In particular, going into melee with Saber was just asking for death unless she was the only thing he had to worry about; she'd cut him to pieces if he also had to deal with keeping Rider's spikes out of his neck. So he needed to at least immobilize Rider before Saber arrived, and that was difficult since he probably had less than a minute.
Leaping backwards to avoid the chain spike that impaled itself in the roof where he had been standing, Archer landed in a crouch, dug his blades into the roof, and spun in a quick circle. His cape whirling around him, he fell through onto the top floor of the empty office building, throwing Kanshou up through the newly created hole before he even landed. Rider dove for the opening, only to pull back abruptly as the black blade came whirling out of it.
A transparent ploy to buy a few seconds, she thought. He didn't want to engage her in melee, apparently; appropriate for an Archer. She dove down through the hole, to see something strange... the other sword, the white one, was planted in the floor at the bottom of the hole she'd dropped into.
She heard something cutting the air behind her. The black sword was coming back, far more quickly than gravity should have allowed, being pulled toward the white...!
She snapped her chain into a nearby wall, using it to pull herself out of her descent and away from the area between the two blades before she was sliced in half. She caught a glimpse of Archer, smiling, with an arrow knocked, but he wouldn't hit her by aiming where he was, she was too quick for...
Oh no. He knew he wasn't going to hit her, didn't he?
Archer hurled another pair of Kanshou and Bakuya, this set Broken, to collide with the flying black sword in midair... and explode very, very close to Rider.
He decided with not-inconsiderable satisfaction that blasting her out the window of a thirty-story building was a decent way to immobilize her for a few minutes. It probably wouldn't kill her, since the final impact at the bottom was mundane, of little value against a Servant, but she would not be going anywhere for a bit.
His satisfaction was dampened as Saber leapt in through the window shattered by Rider's fall, the wind howling as she crossed the space to him in less than a second and took a nasty chunk out of his chest as his dodge was not quite fast enough. Fighting to maintain his footing and composure, he brought new copies of his favored swords into existence and parried her second blow, feeling the shock up his arms from her power and the strength of her sword. Amazing as ever... these weapons really are no match...
Oddly enough, when he jumped back and over an overturned desk to get some space, she did not follow, merely kept him within dashing distance so he could not begin using projectiles again. She looked... cautious?
"Where..." She asked in a worried tone, "... is Rin?"
Archer smiled. "You missed her? She was headed right past you, I believe."
Saber's eyes widened. "Shirou...!"
"Good plan, no? I was actually somewhat proud when Rin came up with it. Why bother with you when your Master is such an easy target, right? She'll probably do something fluffy like try to make him give up his Command Seals before she turns to violence, but at least she spotted a sensible path to victory and took it. She's growing, don't you think? And when she has to kill those two because they won't give in, she'll grow even more." Archer said calmly. "She's not ruthless enough, not willing to make all the necessary sacrifices. Even if you have to kill one, dozen, a hundred people to win this war, isn't that better than letting people like Shinji Matou and his blood-drinker get their hands on a power like the Holy Grail? Maybe seeing real combat and bloodying her hands a bit will drive that point home."
"Archer, you...!" Saber said, bristling both at the threat to her Master and at his frank admission of his satisfaction at the thought of the honestly likable girl she'd met the previous night turning into a coldhearted killer. She fully intended to defeat Rin for the Holy Grail, but she had wanted it to be a fair and genuine contest in deference to the girl's pleasant personality. Now...
"Don't waste your venom on me. Whatever my thoughts on her development, it's still a solid tactic to focus on the Master first. Shirou Emiya and Shinji Matou are no match for a genuine Magus like Rin. And if you try to go stop her, you can know for a fact that I'll shoot you in the back at the first opportunity." Archer said calmly. "So now that you finally understand what's going on, tell me, Saber... you can probably defeat me, but do you think you can do it before Rin finishes your worthless Master off?"
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Shirou and Shinji sat in awkward silence.
"So... you're a Master?" Shirou asked.
"... don't talk to me." Shinji said. His head still hurt. A lot.
Shirou fell silent. Honestly, he'd just found out his friend, who he would have called 'an okay guy with some rough spots' yesterday at this time, was going around feeding people to his summoned monster.
... What do I do if she dies? Or if there have been other victims? He wondered. If she was the first, and she survives, I could maybe still redeem Shinji. Let him off with just being removed from this War. But if she dies, or if she wasn't the first, if he's... if he's a murderer...
What should he do? Shinji couldn't be prosecuted by human law for crimes committed by a Servant. Should he... should he just kill Shinji? Just... just grab a rock or something and bash his head in? Order Saber to cut him down where he stood? Eye for an eye justice?
A hero stops the villain, doesn't he? He was standing over that woman and watching her die like it was funny, does he deserve mercy? Shirou asked silently. God, he's Shinji, I've known him for years, he's Sakura's brother! I can't just kill him, but I can't just let him go either...!
And then something slammed into the ground next to the tree, invisible but with a pressure he could still feel somehow. He silently thanked whatever it was for giving him a problem he could understand more easily.
"I know where you are, boys. Come out, surrender peacefully, and you can both leave with nothing but the Command Seals ripped out of your nerves. Losing use of an arm is pretty merciful compared to what some Masters would do to you." Rin Tohsaka's voice commanded. "Don't play nice, and the next shot punches that tree in half."
Shinji's eyes widened in panic. "Wh-where did she... damn! I'm calling Rider, we need to..."
"No! I don't think either of our Servants should fight Archer alone!" Shirou said.
"Who cares about them? They're supposed to die anyway, I just want to get out of here alive!" Shinji countered.
Shirou stared at him for several seconds. "All right, I have a plan. That spell was called 'Gandr'. I learned about it from my father... it causes a virus in the target for a few days. It won't kill you."
"... it won't kill me?"
"Yeah. Because I'm using you as a shield until I can find some kind of weapon." Shirou said.
"What?"
"I can only do reinforcement magic. So unless I can find a... a stick, or something to use as a weapon, I can't beat her. So I need a shield to block at least her first shot until I can find one."
"So? You can't use me!" Rider! Rider get your ass back here right n-
"You have a weapon in your chest pocket, right? You can maybe hold her off for a few seconds." Shirou said reassuringly. "I'll help as soon as I can, and she won't kill you, I know her."
"She's a Master! Of course she'll kill m-" Shinji began. He didn't finish because Shirou picked that moment to grab him by the shirt-front, spin him around the tree, and physically chuck him at Rin.
He then, you know, went off to find a stick or something to use as a weapon.
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Saber was becoming frustrated.
No matter how her invisible blade moved, Archer seemed to know precisely what weak point she was aiming at and just barely manage a defense. And he didn't allow her to retreat, either, despite the fact that his Archer class should be trying to get to higher ground for sniping purposes. Whatever else could be said about him, two things were obvious. First, he was a highly skilled and intelligent opponent to keep up with her blade, even as weakened as she was by Shirou's inability to supply her with power.
Second... he knew.
He knew who she was! There was simply no other explanation. He knew the precise size and shape of her sword, or he couldn't have defended so perfectly. And while that could be explained away by saying that he could see through illusions or had analyzed Invisible Air in her fight with Rider, he was also staying close to her. He knew that with them so near the rooftops, he shouldn't get too far away from her or she would be able to use her Noble Phantasm without fear of hitting innocent bystanders. Somehow, he knew who she was.
Saber stopped her attack, her sword held cautiously at her side. "You... I don't know you, so how...?"
Archer smirked, holding Kanshou slightly behind and below Bakuya in a defensive posture that should allow him to get at least one sword into the path of any attack. "Maybe I was in your army, your majesty. Do you remember every knight under your command?"
"Of course not, no king can know every soldier in their army. But a warrior of your caliber would have had an honored seat at my table, and since you did not, I can say that I did not know you in my life." She said frankly.
"HA! Well, I guess it's a shame I wasn't born in your kingdom, then... some recognition would have been nice." Archer said, his smirk remaining firmly in place. "On the other hand, considering how your kingdom ended up..."
Her next attack slashed completely through Kanshou and halfway through Bakuya before his guard managed to stop it. He saw the promise of death in her pretty eyes. He pulled back, inviting her to continue her lunge, and she obliged, once again with a vicious two-handed chop that ruined another pair of newly-projected swords.
Razor-sharp... lightning fast... he thought, fighting to keep his expression worried so that she wouldn't comprehend what he was really trying to do. ... and blessedly predictable.
A part of him felt bad, honestly. He knew how sensitive she was about the subject of her kingdom, and knew that anger would dull her reactions, make her strokes more obvious. And stronger, granted, but he could get new swords easily enough. Better to project a new weapon with each exchange than deal with Saber at her best. She was stronger than him, had a better weapon, and was a more talented natural swordswoman; his hope for victory lie in making her fight with emotion and cloud her instincts so she was easy to read and he knew exactly where those powerful blows would land.
The sword dance continued like that, shards of metal from shattered sword after shattered sword being hurled through the building only to vanish as old projections ended and new began. Saber's anger made her attacks lack the finesse they should have had, and her wild swings would eventually leave...
There. An opening. Her next step forward would take her onto uneven ground, a piece of rubble that would throw off her footing and make her already in-progress swing lose its killing edge. He would hook her unbalanced sword on Kanshou, letting him hold her just enough to give him the second he needed to flick Bakuya into her throat. It wouldn't take her head off, so she wouldn't die, but not even Saber could just keep fighting with her neck slashed open. He could finish her off at will.
She lunged, exactly as planned. Tripped, exactly as planned. He caught the sword, prepared to make the tiny flick of his wrist needed to end the fight...
She snapped one hand off her sword and in front of her face. She winced in pain as his blade slashed through armor and into flesh, but not so much pain that she wasn't able to disengage her sword and leap backward, eyes wide.
"Damn... I thought I had you for a moment there." Archer said. "Should have known you weren't as angry as I thought you were. Still, I came close, and one of your arms isn't such a bad consolation prize."
"Archer..." Saber said, her eyes still wide with shock and fear as she looked around the shadows, searching for something. "Where is Rider?"
Archer considered this for a moment. He was certain he hadn't killed her, just wounded. And he'd been so caught up in the duel that he hadn't even considered that Rider hadn't made any sort of a reappearance, despite the fact that she would have had a considerable advantage in this darkness...
"Damn!" He said, breaking into a sprint and preparing to leap out the window to get to the park more quickly, Saber following on his heels.
Dammit, Rin, this is what Command Seals are for! He screamed mentally. Call me, call me, call me!
-------------------------------
Rin's eyes widened in surprise as something warm and soft slammed into her midsection. The wind knocked out of her, she, elegantly and with the dignity appropriate the Tohsaka heir, fell on her ass.
She looked down in confusion to see what, exactly, had come whipping around the tree at that unusual speed, and saw Shinji Matou's familiar blue mop. He had his face buried in her stomach, and he had reflexively grabbed onto her legs.
So she, elegantly and with the dignity appropriate the Tohsaka heir, said, "Who the Hell do you think you're touching?!" And punched him in the side of the head as hard as she could.
That was a mistake. Bone on bone hurt her hand as much as his head.
"Ow... ow... ow..." Shinji said, raising his head. Rin's eyes widened slightly at the look on his face. He didn't seem 'angry' so much as... inhuman. "I... am so sick... of you people treating me like your punching bag!"
She leveled her palm in his direction, the Tohsaka Magic Crest gleaming upon her forearm. "Then you shouldn't be so good at getting hit. Surrender, or..."
He threw his hand inside his shirt, extended his other, and something dark, cold, and sharp roared towards her.
Fortunately, Rin Tohsaka was actually pretty good at this. Her physical training was flawless, and her instincts were sound. She might not have been very experienced, but experience was the only thing she was lacking, and dodging such a simplistic magic as this blade of darkness was no problem. Still, she could admit to a certain amount of surprise that Shinji was capable of even that much.
"Not bad, Matou." She said. "A Servant, some low-grade battle spells... considering you're not even a Magus, you've put together a passable defensive package. I wouldn't say I'm impressed, but at least I'm... amused."
Shinji stood facing her, a small book clenched in his hands. "See if you're still amused in a second, bitch." He spat, his face contorted in frankly unsettling fury. She'd known Matou was a weasel, but she was suspecting now that he was legitimately unstable. And the book...
Rin was an excellent Magus. She knew a magic like that by sight. Ah. Ah-ha. So that's how a no-count like this managed to take control of Rider. She put on her best smirk. "Shinji, Shinji, Shinji. I know your family tree is a bit withered, but depending on charity? Did grandpa decide he couldn't be bothered to get up this week, but wanted into the War anyway?"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Shinji growled, more of the same blades of darkness slicing through the night air towards her. She did not even bother to dodge, merely held her Magic Crest in front of her and willed a counter blast. The blades were shredded by her own spell, hurling Shinji to his knees once again. She hoped he enjoyed the pain to go on top of his new virus, she'd put in the extra effort for a physical blow. "Do you really think your bargain-bin sorcery and stolen mana can handle a real magus, Shinji?"
He smiled horribly and wiped blood from his nose, his skin already looking pale. "Not really. Bet she can, though." He hissed.
Rin never even saw Rider hit her. One moment she was in control of the situation, the next she was pinned to the ground with her Crest arm twisted painfully behind her... and a soft hand pushing her hair away from her neck.
"What have we here?" Rider purred. "Lunch?"
Eyes wide in horror, Rin tried to pour mana into her crest, simply make a burst to blast the Servant away... and cried out as Rider twisted the arm harder. She heard tendons pop.
"There, there. It will only hurt for a second, and then it feels rather good." Rider chided her, leaning towards her bared neck.
She made it about halfway there before something heavy and blunt smashed into the back of her skull. It didn't really hurt, but it was enough to be a nuisance, so she slammed the captive Mage's head into the dirt once to dizzy her and leapt into a defensive stance. The Servant nearly laughed out loud at the sight of the red-haired boy, brandishing a stick with a frankly pitiful aura of magic about it as though it were a sword.
"E... Emiya...?" The dazed Magus said. Her head was heavy and her arm hurt like Hell, but she thought she could focus enough to see...
"Emiya, whose side are you on?! She was going to kill us both! I'm just returning the favor!" Shinji protested.
"She wasn't. And even if she were, I wouldn't let you just feed her to that thing! She's a person, not food!" Shirou said firmly.
Rider sighed in annoyance. "Master, I had a head start, but their Servants will be here shortly..."
Shinji smiled in triumph. "Well... it seems like I'm saying this more and more often these days. Kill them both, Rider."
-------------------------------
Ilya was no longer divided.
Rin had not been intending to kill onii-chan, so she had not intervened. The girl might talk big, but unlike Ilya, who had no problem with death unless it happened to someone she actually liked, Rin was squeamish. She didn't truly want to kill even the slimy Makiri thing, though the world would certainly be a lot less sleazy without him. She had just meant to take the boy's Servant, and Ilya could not care less about Saber.
But now, because Rin had not simply blown the Makiri Master's head off when she had the chance, his Servant was back. The two Masters might be able to hold Rider off for a time, as weakened as she was by her worthless Master, but the Servant would win in the end. Saber and Archer would not be there in time.
But she was closer, and she had someone faster...
She didn't know much about the boy, but she had come to one decision, after all of her thinking. Whatever else he was, he was hers. She had come to Japan solely for him, that much had not changed just because she was no longer certain what she wanted to do once she had him.
If he died, it would be when she wished him to die.
If she decided she did not wish for such a thing, then he would not die.
And until she made up her mind, nobody was allowed to harm a single hair on his head, because he. Belonged. To her! Not to Makiri, not to Tohsaka, and not even to Einzbern; he was Ilya's. Her own. And nobody took something that belonged to her.
"Go, Berserker."
And the black giant roared, free to enter the battle at last.
Spoiler for Author's Note::
Hmmm... well, I don't actually have anything to say, really. Need to work on some other stories, so it might be longer before the next update. Beyond that, as usual point out any genuine errors you spot, and hope you enjoy the chapter!
Whoa, I came here looking for RadiantBeam's Into the Rain and not only I found it (Nice fic like always, BTW RB ^^) But, I also found this gem. Must be my lucky day
Location: Pennsylvania. It's sort of like a real state.
Age: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by Argent Solbright
Whoa, I came here looking for RadiantBeam's Into the Rain and not only I found it (Nice fic like always, BTW RB ^^) But, I also found this gem. Must be my lucky day
Hee, hee... praise makes me feel warm and tingly. Welcome, new reader!
Location: Pennsylvania. It's sort of like a real state.
Age: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by RadiantBeam
Oh hey, I didn't know you were following Rain. ^^ I'm glad that you've enjoyed it so far! Thanks for commenting.
...
Now I feel inspired to work on chapter 4.
Oh, sure, this inspires you. But when I order pleasantly request you to start on Chapter 4 within minutes of finishing Chapter 3, that just makes me a slavedriver!
Oh hey, I didn't know you were following Rain. ^^ I'm glad that you've enjoyed it so far! Thanks for commenting.
...
Now I feel inspired to work on chapter 4.
I just start reading it today actually. Saw it on your ff.net profile as a fic that you didn't have posted there. I got curious and google it. I am very well pleased with the result
Oh, sure, this inspires you. But when I order pleasantly request you to start on Chapter 4 within minutes of finishing Chapter 3, that just makes me a slavedriver!
Slavedriver.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Argent Solbright
I just start reading it today actually. Saw it on your ff.net profile as a fic that you didn't have posted there. I got curious and google it. I am very well pleased with the result
I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far. I'd like to post it on FF.net at some point, but for now it's mainly going to stay here on the forum, if only because it's shaping up to be one of the most difficult fics I've handled so far. Heck, the whole aspect of developing a Rin/Sakura relationship is daunting!
At least now I know what I want to do with Shirou.
Location: Pennsylvania. It's sort of like a real state.
Age: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by RadiantBeam
Slavedriver.
But I'm a kind slavedriver! I was gonna let you have meals and everything! ... Because I'm in a different state than you and thus have no actual control over that, but still!
Location: Pennsylvania. It's sort of like a real state.
Age: 39
Wow. I leave for a few days and the FFT goes to such wonderful and amazing new heights of discussion and literary creativity!
Oh. Wait. No. It's the other thing... what was it? I go away for a few days and the FFT goes absolutely nowhere at all.
Ah, well, let's see what we can do about that.
Spoiler for Chaos Theory, Chapter Five:
Chapter 5: Hurricane
To call it a mismatch would have been a laughable understatement.
On one side, a Magus and a sorta-Magus. Of these two, Rin Tohsaka could barely even see straight and Shirou Emiya was armed with weaponry consisting of a harder-than-average stick.
On the other side, Rider. The scent of blood filled the air just from her presence. She seemed part of the darkness; like liquid night poured into a human skin. Her every motion held a graceful, deadly beauty like a hawk in flight. Anyone with eyes could tell that she was something that was simply beyond humanity. Perhaps not as deadly a combatant as Saber, but certainly far, far more than any mortal could face.
So yes, it might have seemed to the casual observer that perhaps one side held a slight advantage in this confrontation.
When Rider moved, Shirou could barely see her. As before, she seemed to blend with every single shadow she touched, almost becoming part of the background she so seamlessly vanished into them. And her speed was, of course, impossible. Unimaginable. Even with raw adrenaline gushing through his veins and his reaction time amped up to far greater than normal, Shirou very nearly died to her first strike.
She didn't come at him from the front; he had no idea how, but she looped around him in the space of a second and struck at the side of his neck, her hand held flat as if to spear him through the jugular. He snapped his improvised weapon into the path of her hand, and it snapped despite his reinforcement, but it held her back for just enough time for him to...
One of her twin nails, swung behind her charge and just now catching up, speared him in the side, lodging between two ribs. The shock and pain disoriented him, and he could taste blood in his mouth and realized that was a very bad sign. He had little time to ponder it, however, as Rider then proceeded to swing him directly into a tree with bone-crushing force. Literally. Shirou could hear the bone break inside him, and hoped it wasn't anything he needed to live...
Ha. Live? What am I worrying about that for? He wondered deliriously, watching Rider begin to walk . She was coming for him, and he could already see it, in his mind's eye, those teeth sinking into his throat. Shinji had no mana, after all, so she wouldn't waste even a talentless Magus when she needed energy so badly. I need to get out of here... He thought, still trying to focus his mind enough to actually accomplish this. His limbs felt like jelly, there was no way he could possibly stand up on his own power. He tried anyway, the edges of his broken bones and torn muscles sending fresh shocks of agony through him at the futile effort, and the Servant was only getting closer...
Rin Tohsaka watched this, and she wasn't thinking anything so silly as that. Her own mind was beginning to clear somewhat, and she saw Emiya clearly on his was to becoming the Servant's latest meal. He saved my life. Again. And... more to the point, I need his help to get out of this mess. She slid something small and brilliant from her sleeve, a tiny, magnificently cut gemstone that glowed with an inner fire. There was an A-rank spell held in there, and she doubted Rider had the kind of magic resistance that had allowed Saber to shrug off her gems. If she could land a direct hit on the head or heart, she might even be able to kill Rider here and now. Tensing her arm, she prepared to throw...
"Rider, behind you." Shinji said calmly.
Without looking, Rider threw the other end of her weapon at the downed Magus. Rin had enough presence of mind to roll, letting the weapon impale itself in the ground instead of in her face, but her shot was ruined and now Rider was focused directly on her. Dammit... Shinji really does ruin everything!
"Ah... unlike the other, this one actually has some magic worth being cautious of. But the other is a better target... I wonder which I should destroy first?" The violet-haired Servant asked.
"Either. Both. As long as they bleed." Shinji said with dark satisfaction, sweat running down his brow freely. She knew it was petty, but Rin felt a dark burst of glee. Well, at least the Gandr curse is taking hold. Enjoy spending tomorrow in bed throwing up blood, jackass...
Rider stood, one 'nail' in each hand. "As you command, Master." she said calmly.
Damn... Rin said. Rider was going to send one spike for each of their throats, and there was not much Rin could do about it. She wasn't sure she had the speed in her at the moment to dodge, and Emiya couldn't move, and a counterattack while Rider was prepared would do little but make the Servant focus only on her...!
Rider snapped her wrists, one blade flying toward each of the two humans at near-bullet speed...
And the world froze.
An aura descended upon the park, an all-consuming feeling of rage and blood-lust backed by a power as implacable and unyielding as a mountain. It was not only a matter of magical strength... beyond that. A sensation, primal and terrible, that flooded the consciousness of everyone in the area, even Rider; the feeling of a rabbit that has been cornered by a wolf and is about to be ripped apart, helpless and terrified.
Rider drew back in her chain blade before the attack had gone more than a foot from her hands and leapt for safety out of some primitive survival instinct. Something huge, dark, and horrible leapt into the space between her and Shirou Emiya, striking at her with enough force to leave the ground where she had been standing gouged five feet straight down.
Landing nimbly on her feet, her weapon coiled around her like a python, Rider stared at the scene in open fear. That attack would have split her in half had it connected... and judging by the power of the being she saw before her, it had been little more than an offhanded gesture.
Shirou looked up at his savior. And up.
And up.
It was a Servant, there was no doubt about that much. But to call this thing merely a 'Servant' seemed the equivalent of calling a wolf just a 'dog' or a tiger just a 'cat'. There was no beauty, there; not Saber's holy purity, or Rider's deadly grace, or even the somber dignity of Archer. Two meters tall, at the very least... muscles so massive and corded they bordered on the grotesque... bronze skin and inhuman red eyes... all of these things were discomforting enough. But more than anything physical, this creature was horrifying because of the aura it exuded of sheer, mindless, impossible power. Like nothing Shirou had ever seen or even dreamed of in his blackest nightmares, like watching an earthquake or staring into an oncoming hurricane, frozen in fear and awe by the unimaginable destructive potential and the prospect of certain death.
Rider, seeming so deadly mere moments ago, was rooted to the spot in fear. She understood better than anyone else present the nature of the sensations she felt, the type of creature that stood before her: if she attacked, she would be crushed in a single stroke. Even if she took no offensive action and acted solely to preserve her own life, she would most likely not be leaving this park alive if that giant decided it wanted her dead. Rin, jewel still in hand, was shaking so hard she could not even consider actually using the muscle control needed to throw it. Even Shinji, who had all the magical instincts of a stump, seemed to be instinctively aware that his life was most likely about to end; his eyes were wide, his mouth frozen in a rictus grin of sheer horror.
A Servant? No. This was a destroyer. A being wholly specialized for the obliteration of life. It had no purpose but to choose a target and attack, attack, attack with relentless fury and unstoppable force until that target was nothing but wet meat on the ground, and then to choose another target, and another, and another, until there was nothing around it but death.
So why the Hell had something like that saved him, exactly?
He would not be learning the answer to this that night, however, as the black giant threw back its head and roared, a sound that shook the earth. Shirou could feel his broken bones vibrate painfully and winced. And with that roar, Berserker charged.
--------------------------------------------------------
Berserker was not a protector. He was a killer, and had no other purpose. He could protect, in a sense, as he protected Ilya; by destroying everything in the area with the slightest hostile intent towards her, until she gave him the order to stop. And so he would do such with the boy she had ordered him to defend. And as there was not one thing in this park that had not showed hostility towards the boy during the time Ilya and Berserker had been observing the battle, Berserker would kill, and kill, and kill, until there was not even one living thing standing to harm his protectorate. Ilya had not given him orders to the contrary; she cared only for the boy's safety, nothing else. There were three moving things within the field of his senses that had presented a threat to the boy. All three of those things would die here.
The greatest threat, the thing that stood out the most against the violent red mist that was Berserker's mind, was the Servant. So he attacked her first. She was quick, and agile, but Berserker's speed was a match for her. She leapt into the trees, but they shattered like toothpicks to the swings of Berserker's monstrous weapon. The only problem was his size... he needed to break those trees to move, but Rider did not. She could pass more quickly, gain distance. But she could not stop dodging, could not counter at all. Her attacks were less than fleabites, her defenses no more use than wet cloth. All Berserker needed to do was keep her in range long enough to land even a single blow. A single blow would be enough to end this 'battle', and it was only a matter of time until that blow landed. Berserker just needed to keep swinging. They would, eventually, run out of trees to get in the way...
Rin was not entirely sure what she should be doing.
The battle between the two Servants sounded like a lunatic woodchipper. The space among the trees was as black as pitch; the only way to tell where they were was by following the sounds of shattering wood and the occasional roar of the giant.
So what should she do about it? Archer was on his way, but... she was not confident in his ability to halt that monster. Perhaps she should just flee? But... Emiya had saved her life. She couldn't leave him here with that thing, right? She owed him. But using anything but her entire stockpile of gems against that thing would be pointless; her normal magic would be no more use than trying to browbeat it into submission with a severe scolding. Could she really afford to give up her best weapons just to help Emiya? Yes, he had saved her, but didn't she have her own life to consider too? There was a War going on, and...
Something limp and black was hurled out of the woods like a rag-doll, taking the choice out of her hands.
--------------------------------------------------------
The space between the trees had been too large.
This was a park, the trees were not all close together. It was simply Rider's poor luck that she chose a path that lead to a clearing large enough for Berserker's body to fit without smashing any. She took the wrong path, that was all. And when she did, Berserker closed the gap. It was really all over once that happened. Rider was still a Servant, of course, and knew she was about to be struck; she twisted her body out of the way in midair, and defended with her own weapon.
This kept her from being sliced completely in half at the waist, but not by much.
Sent flying, limp and broken, the Servant slammed into the ground with bruising force and skidded to a halt. She was still technically in one piece, still alive, but she would not stand again. It was not a question of power or mana, but of structure; her abdominal muscles had been completely shredded, the only thing holding her body together was her spine. Attempting to stand would cause her to break in half, Servant or no. Her legs flopped uselessly, and she coughed up blood.
She was still alive, and so Berserker's blood screamed at him to kill her even as her own Master screamed uselessly for her to stand and defend him. It would be simple to finish her. A single blow; just one more blow would finish her off.
But no. There were more important matters for him; his Master's command, the only thing that could overcome the Servant's natural blood-lust even temporarily.
'Protect the Boy'.
He had protected the boy from the Servant well enough, she was no longer a threat and would not heal any time soon. The priority, the closest thing to a thought he could have, was the impulse to deal with potential dangers, and the greatest danger now present was the girl with the shining magic jewel in her hand...
Rin saw Rider fall to earth like so much useless meat.
She heard Shinji panic, screaming at the woman to rise even though anyone with eyes could tell the wounds would not allow it.
And most of all, she saw the black giant turn its eyes towards her, and all other thought was torn away by the knowledge that she was about to die. Rider was a Servant, and even she had been helpless against that thing; how could Rin possibly have the slightest hope of success? Escape was impossible, victory was impossible...
Shinji continued to wail at his fallen Servant, berating her for her uselessness. The Command Seal caused her visible pain as she tried to obey despite the limitations of her broken body.
Well, that decides that, then. Rin thought. She planted her feet and flipped another pair of jewels to her hand, leaving her holding three. Maybe she could at least do some real damage before that thing took her apart. If she was going to die, she would go out with some dignity, not whimpering like a beaten dog. She was a Magus of Tohsaka, and if nothing else she could die well.
The giant charged; fast, impossibly fast, she probably wouldn't even have time to fire but maybe she could detonate the gems while it was on top of her and ripping her apart and...
Something red pushed leapt between her and the giant. It couldn't have been fast enough to react. It had to have simply been moving in that direction before the giant had even started its rush, assuming that she would be next. Archer...? She thought in dazed hope. But no, the wrong shade of red, and...
Shirou Emiya stood before her, his arms raised as if to use his own body as a shield.
Rin would have found it rather sweet if it weren't the single stupidest thing she'd ever seen in her life. For starters, that thing was just going to stomp over him, he was no shield at all. Also, how was even moving? Hadn't he been too hurt to stand? The incongruity of the situation nearly made her laugh out loud, if she weren't painfully aware that it had been almost half a second since the monster had charged and the axe-sword was already descending...
And stopping?
What the Hell?
The giant stopped in its tracks, its weapon halted roughly an inch away from Emiya's face.
Shirou's eyes widened in confusion. He had... well, sorta been expecting to be dead at this point.
"Um... huh?" Rin said. She couldn't help it.
Berserker, with the air of a gorilla lifting a kitten, placed its hand delicately around Shirou's waist, lifted him bodily as if he weighed no more than a feather, and softly deposited him several feet away. The scene was surreal beyond imagination; Shirou was so shocked he didn't even think to struggle. Even Shinji fell silent.
Then the giant turned back to Rin, and she was reminded that she really, really should have run away. The creature raised its arm...
And something long, silver, and sharp slammed home, impaling it through the chest.
"Get back, Rin!" Archer commanded, firing his next projection. The first had not hit the heart, it wouldn't have taken a life, but it at had at least pierced the skin and gotten the monster's attention. The next shot might... be batted aside uselessly. Ah, well, he'd known this wouldn't be easy. Saber rushed past him, to place herself between Berserker and her own Master, holding her sword at the ready and staring on the Destroyer with no fear.
Archer was confused by that. His eyes had seen things very well before he'd found a good position to attack, and he'd seen the way Berserker had been behaving around Shirou. Despite several opportunities, the giant Servant had not killed the boy. Why not? It was not as though he couldn't imagine Ilya sparing him... she had done so in his own life, after all. But it had been after they'd bonded somewhat. She'd seen him dive in front of Saber on that first night, and been so shaken by his selflessness that she had become interested and...
Wait.
First night. Shirou's... his... first night of the War, Berserker had not attacked!
He had not been entirely lying to Rin when he said his memories were clouded, though more by time and trauma than by anything she had done. He forgot the subtle things, the nuances... he remembered the War, the events, he just forgot how those things had made him feel. He could recall Saber's smile, just not the way he'd felt when he saw it. He remembered Rin blushing because he'd said something foolishly noble, just not how flustered that had made him in turn. All of the events were still there, but for all the emotional impact they had on him, he might as well have been watching a movie of someone else's life. All it did was make him feel even more bitter, like even the tiniest little joys were lost to him now.
But he remembered the events just fine. He remembered leaving the Church, though he couldn't recall why he'd been so rattled by Kotomine's pretentious yammering. He recalled the black giant and the white princess on the hill, though he could not remember the taste of the fear he'd felt at the sight. He could see the silver knight bleeding in the streetlights in his mind's eye and knew he had dived to save her, even though he couldn't recall why he'd felt the need to do so. And then so much blood...
How could he have not noticed when such a major event didn't occur? How could he have been so preoccupied with thoughts of the War and his real objective that he hadn't even considered the simple fact that Berserker had not attacked! So early, and yet this timeline had already shifted from what he remembered... had something happened between the boy and Ilya, without him noticing? This could be a problem, if it meant that girl was now between him and...
"RRRRRRRAAARRGH!"
Okay, now probably wasn't the time to worry about it.
He let the arrow fly, watched it dig into the giant's arm as Berserker charged, and projected a new weapon, a two-handed broadsword that gleamed with a sickly red light and projected an almost palpable aura of malice. Kanshou and Bakuya would be basically useless against this thing, so he'd have to dig deeper into his arsenal, pick out the worst of the worst; hitting Berserker was simple. Piercing that skin was the hard part. Okay... let's get the timing down perfectly, split second...
Luckily, what Berserker possessed in raw power and speed was made up for by it being generally as dumb as mud. The slash could not have been easier to anticipate, it just came so fast he almost mistimed his dodge anyway and felt a few particularly tall hairs get sliced off. Of course, since he brought his newly projected blade through and slashed out the tendons on the backs of both the giant's legs, he considered that a fair trade. He tossed aside his sword, now useless having pierced the thing's skin even once, and projected a new weapon, a shining golden blade as beautiful as the last weapon had been ominous, and brought it around in a ruthless stab through the thing's spine. Is that enough for one life? Can't be sure, but even if it is it won't slow him for...
The monster, his spine severed, somehow managed to twist his body, bringing that horrific axe around so fast Archer could barely even perceive it in time to abandon his stuck blade and project a new weapon for defense. He had no time for anything but Kanshou and Bakuya, and they were...
... useless. The weapons shattered, and Archer was sent flying by the impact, rolling uncontrollably several times before managing to find his feet. Berserker was standing too, Godhand having already repaired the damage to his spine. Archer, on the other hand, was painfully aware from the shooting agony up his left arm that his own wounds were not so well off. All I did was block, and the arm is broken... your Servant is just as much of a monster as I remember, Ilya. He thought grimly. "Rin!" He snapped. "I told you to get back!"
"E-eh?" Rin said. "R-right! Hold it here, Archer, and get away as soon as I'm clear!" Rin said, turning to clear the scene. Berserker, his attention thoroughly diverted at this point, did not follow.
Archer raised his remaining arm and projected the heaviest one-handed sword in his arsenal. He had one working arm, his vision was a little blurry, he was fighting Hercules, and the one person he actually wanted to kill was safely under his Servant's watchful eye where Archer couldn't get him without fighting Saber and Berserker two-on-one, suicide by anyone's standards.
Archer smiled. And yet, still not the worst situation I've ever been in.
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Shinji's world was falling apart.
He had been so certain. So secure in his superiority, and in the space of not even twenty minutes, he had been firmly disillusioned. His Servant, that worthless, useless thing, was lying on the ground dying. The monster that had bested her so effortlessly was being faced and even matched by Tohsaka's Servant, just Tohsaka herself had defeated him... he could feel the curse burning in his blood, making his skin pale and his muscles weak. Even Emiya... Emiya! That nothing that animal that meaningless insect!... was giving a better accounting than the heir of Makiri!
"Dammit, Rider!" He screamed, his throat beginning to burn from the constant shouts. "Get up! You're a dog, so obey your Master!"
Shocks ran through the near-lifeless thing as she tried to respond despite her inability to do so. She could not stand, but she was compelled to, and the contradiction was tearing her remaining life to tattered threads...
Observing through the eyes of another, the old Magus sighed. Useless. Zouken thought. Ah, well... if he cannot appreciate my gifts, I suppose he does not deserve them. Take it.
Responding to the old man's command, the insect familiar perched on the nearby tree took flight. Shinji watched in confusion as the thing landed on his book; he knew instantly that it was no natural creature, and for a moment was filled with hope that his Grandfather had actually come to his aid.
Then the shiny black beetle began to glow a pale blue, and burst into bluebottle flames that roared across the surface of Shinji's Tome. Screaming in shock and pain, Shinji dropped the book as insect and paper were consumed alike with shocking speed. Rider faded from sight with the disappearance of the Tome, returning to her spirit form to heal... with her other Master.
And Shinji understood that without ever saying a word, his grandfather had just sent him a very, very clear message.
Ilya watched the scene with satisfaction. Rider was down, and she had been the major concern. The boy was, safe, but... well, she should probably hunt Rin down too. Her Archer was confusing, and had openly tried to take onii-chan's life. Since he was strong and could wound Berserker, it was best to get rid of him right now, and then make sure his impressive summoner had no chance to make another contract. And the Makiri thing was still worth destroying, even without his ridiculous fake Command Seal. And... maybe onii-chan would be safer if she knocked him out of the war completely? Then maybe after she dealt with everyone else, she could send Berserker to remove Saber as well. Then Ilya could handle the boy's protection full-time, which would also give her plenty of time to study him. Yes, that made sense, she would...
Hearing something scuttling near her ankles, Ilya looked down to see, just for a second, something black and multi-limbed, a spider or some kind of insect. Casting her gaze around the small clearing she stood in, she saw many tiny shapes climbing along trees and buzzing through the air. Ah... so, another spectator.
"You know," She said to the night air in a tone far more mature than her appearance suggested, "I have not used a single Command Spell in this War. Berserker can be by my side with a thought. Attacking me would be unwise."
"You misunderstand my intentions, dear child." Said a voice that oozed poison. Zouken Makiri seemed to simply appear from the shadows, as if the night itself... or perhaps the rapidly growing swarm of insects within it... had simply brought him into existence on the spot. "I merely wished to gain your attention."
"What do you want here, worm?" She asked coldly. She knew, instinctively, that this thing was her enemy. Every memory she possessed from her illustrious forebears told her this; that she was not to trust it. That she should not touch it. That if the chance to kill it presented itself, that chance should be taken without hesitation because it was no longer a thing that belonged in this world. But that chance is not now. Ilya thought to the memories flooding through her unbidden. He would not have appeared before me if he did not have some escape route.
She prepared a Command Seal anyway, just in case. If he made any hostile move, Berserker would be by her side before the first worm opened its vile, sucking mouth. She imagined it would look a bit like stuffing maggots into a blender, when Hercules was through with him...
Zouken chuckled. "Such an imperious princess! Befitting the child of Einzbern."
"Answer the question."
Zouken chuckled again, seemingly amused by the ice in her tone. "Patience, doll, patience. Can not an old man care for his grandson? His Servant has been bested, and I do not wish to see him die."
"You are the one who destroyed his weapon."
"Just because he did not deserve the gifts I gave him does not mean I wish him dead. Just safely back at home where he can no longer embarrass me," Zouken said, almost warmly.
"Then you should not have given him a Servant in the first place. Anyone can tell he does not have the makings of a Master. You had to know his death was the most likely outcome of allowing him entry into the Holy Grail War." Ilya retorted.
"True. I had hoped the conflict would bring out some value in the boy, but all it did was definitively confirm what I'd already thought: he is altogether worthless, even more worthless than his father. Our family tree is rotten within, and each new generation is less than the one before." Zouken agreed. "Coming to this land was a mistake, at least for the clan."
"And for yourself? You know as well as I that Makiri has always been of less concern to you than your own ambitions. Even when you were a man..." Ilya said.
Zouken's smile only grew. "HA! My, my... your appearance had me a bit fooled. There's more of her in you than I thought, little puppet. Very well, then... let us say perhaps that Shinji is of some value to my ambitions, despite his utter lack of value to anything else. Would that make you more willing to believe that I wish him spared?"
"... That does sound a bit more like you." Ilya said. "I simply fail to see why that means I should spare his life."
"Why, because you have no choice." Zouken said amicably. "As you noted, I cannot defeat your Servant, but I can force you to call him to your side for protection. In that case, Shinji will have ample time to escape. So would it not be simpler for everyone if you just returned to your castle, content with the night's achievements? Shinji is no longer any threat, and Tohsaka herself is in retreat from your display of power! Let us call this battle of the Holy Grail War your victory, and let it end here."
Ilya considered this. For starters, it couldn't really be called a victory. Rider was dying, but not dead; the Servant had disappeared, but Ilya had not felt the Servant's spirit enter her. Archer was wounded, and Rin Tohsaka was in retreat, but neither was out of the fight. Still, onii-chan had survived, and that had been her primary goal. "Very well. I will order Berserker to stop his attack." She agreed, and even as she spoke the words, the black giant abandoned his assault in the field below, leaving the wounded Archer and disappearing from sight to begin his astral journey to her side. Archer halted for a moment, staring at the boy and Saber, as if considering his options... and then vanished as well, seemingly deciding that he was not confident in his chances.
The Makiri was, as always, meaningless. He slithered off into the darkness, most likely to some very interesting nightmares.
"My thanks, lady of Einzbern." Zouken said.
"Don't thank me for a thing you left me no choice but to do." Ilya snapped.
"Ah... you have more bite to you than the last few models. Well, that's an interesting design choice, but not a bad one." Zouken chuckled. "Farewell, child."
As the old Magus began to disappear back into the cloud of fluttering and crawling things that blanketed the darkness outside Ilya's field of vision, he paused one final time. "Oh... and was it merely my imagination, or were you defending the heir of Emiya? Quite passionately, in fact? An odd choice for the Einzbern Master."
"I don't see how that is your business." Ilya said coldly.
"Of course, of course." Zouken said, once again with that infuriating dry chuckle. "Still... I suppose that could work out well, in the end. We shall meet again, daughter of Einzbern, I have little doubt of that..."
He walked into the darkness, and was gone.
Ilya shuddered. Berserker, take me home.
She hoped Sella or Leysritt had thought to draw her a hot bath. After speaking with that walking plague she felt the overwhelming urge to jump into scalding hot water and scrub the top layer of her skin off...
Emiya had saved her life. Again. So now she owed him. Again.
Owe him? HA! What on Earth could I give him that he doesn't already have? Rin thought bitterly, her fear and anger overwhelming her sense of fair exchange, for the moment. Because for once, the thought of having her life saved was by far her secondary concern compared to the implications of what else had happened.
He had saved her from Berserker. Not by actually helping, but because Berserker had refused to attack him. And the only reason Berserker would refuse to kill anyone would be because his Master had ordered him not to. Hell, given the track record for Masters of Berserker, usually not even then! This Berserker was incredibly powerful, and yet shockingly obedient, meaning his unknown Master had to be... Rin hated to admit it, but whoever had drawn the Berserker card for this War certainly outranked her in raw power, at the very least. And Emiya had... somehow... managed to forge a partnership with this person.
How? How did he do it? How could he have made an alliance like that so quickly? She thought desperately. He didn't even know what this War was two days ago, and now he's already made a move that almost guarantees him one of the final two spots?! He wouldn't win the Grail, of course, not with that thing as his final opponent, but... God, of course, he didn't even want the Holy Grail, he'd said so himself! Had he just gone to the most powerful Master he could locate and said, 'I'll help you win if you help me protect innocent people'? Or perhaps he did want the Grail after all, and he felt Saber's Noble Phantasm would be enough to overcome Berserker if needed?
It didn't really matter. What mattered was that Saber, the most skilled close combat Servant, and Berserker, the Servant with the highest raw power, were somehow on the same side. A virtually invincible team.
"Rin." Archer asked, appearing beside her, and easily matching her pace despite the arm still hanging limply at his side. "Are you all right?"
"No." She said, anger and humiliation at the thought of being outdone so quickly and so thoroughly by such an amateur making her voice tight. "No, I'm really, really not."
Shirou considered it. First that monster had saved him for no reason. Then he had felt his body improve enough to allow movement and had no idea why. Then he had leapt in to save Tohsaka... and the monster had spared him again, still for no reason he could see. And finally, when it was clear the thing had an overwhelming advantage, it had simply retreated.
Shirou blinked a few times, and said, "I have no idea."
Spoiler for Author's Note:
Yes, I know I said I would work on other stories first. I did. I stalled. I came back to this one.
So... no Tohsaka/Emiya alliance yet! I'm sure it will happen eventually, but I decided it might be more fun to play a bit with Solo Rin, see what she's like when she's really pushed into a corner.
Beyond that, the usual: spot any major errors, let me know.
Shirou blinked a few times, and said, "I have no idea."
Ah, the return of the Shirou we all know and love. I have a couple of minor issues.
1) Shinji managing to outwit Tohsaka and Rider thanking him? Well, I suppose this is another scenario, so thinks will happene that didn't in the other routes. Still...
2) Berserker seems to have a a lot more conciousness than I would've thought. And I would've liked it better if it were illustrated in the style of writing. Like short single sentences. Something like "Kill, kill kill. Servant Lady stronger. Attack her first. Attack. Attack. FUCKING TREES! Do not attack boy. Loli will be mad.". Or am I just talking out of my ass?
3) Does Ilya know/thinks the worm is Zoken? In that case, wouldn't she know it would be wise to kill him first and foremost and would be worth giving the command spell to do so?
Location: Pennsylvania. It's sort of like a real state.
Age: 39
Quote:
Originally Posted by Haak
Shirou blinked a few times, and said, "I have no idea."
Ah, the return of the Shirou we all know and love. I have a couple of minor issues.
1) Shinji managing to outwit Tohsaka and Rider thanking him? Well, I suppose this is another scenario, so thinks will happene that didn't in the other routes. Still...
2) Berserker seems to have a a lot more conciousness than I would've thought. And I would've liked it better if it were illustrated in the style of writing. Like short single sentences. Something like "Kill, kill kill. Servant Lady stronger. Attack her first. Attack. Attack. FUCKING TREES! Do not attack boy. Loli will be mad.". Or am I just talking out of my ass?
3) Does Ilya know/thinks the worm is Zoken? In that case, wouldn't she know it would be wise to kill him first and foremost and would be worth giving the command spell to do so?
I'm glad I made Shirou dumb enough for you?
1) Well... he didn't outwit her. He saw her getting a jewel out because she basically forgot he was there. He overcame her by virtue of his own meaninglessness! I may have to take out the Rider thing though... sometimes I forget she actually hates his guts. For 'Master' and Servant, they actually don't interact that much.
2) I... yeah, I may have made the sections that were meant to be Berserker too eloquent? You probably have a point. I mean, it's not really him thinking it's me narrating the basic instincts that are going through his mind in a thoughtful way? Does this make sense? I'm not sure.
3) I'm operating under the assumption she is at least aware the worms around are part of his body, just by comparing Justicia's memories to her own senses. She's just also aware that he's very old and very smart, and that since he knows Berserker could shred him in seconds he wouldn't actually come to speak to her unless he had some method of escaping with his life. She doesn't know it's because killing him involves performing open-heart surgery on a girl several miles away, but she at least knows that attacking him here would be a waste of time.
Loved it, though there were a few grammar/spelling mistakes here and there, and one line that I just outright couldn't understand. I should've marked the spot as I was reading it, because I can't find it again just by skimming it. But it didn't detract from the overall story, so it's not a huge deal.
I almost wish Lancer had been watching from the shadows somewhere, since his purpose is to "observe". Then we'd get awesome Lancer snark!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Haak
2) Berserker seems to have a a lot more conciousness than I would've thought. And I would've liked it better if it were illustrated in the style of writing. Like short single sentences. Something like "Kill, kill kill. Servant Lady stronger. Attack her first. Attack. Attack. FUCKING TREES! Do not attack boy. Loli will be mad.". Or am I just talking out of my ass?
If he's in a Berserker state, he's literally mindless. Like a computer program, merely running through its list of commands. If his Berserker state isn't active (though I'm not sure if it's possible to turn it off and on at will) he's actually quite articulate (see: when Saber kills him in Fate and he speaks quite clearly with her).
Quote:
3) Does Ilya know/thinks the worm is Zoken? In that case, wouldn't she know it would be wise to kill him first and foremost and would be worth giving the command spell to do so?
Like it says, she knows he'd have an escape route. Even if she doesn't know that route is to be hiding in Sakura's chest.