GUNS OF FATE
BY
SHINSOU808
CHAPTER I
Soldiers of Fate
DISCLAIMER: All trademarks belong to their respective owners, including Fate/Stay Night to TYPE-MOON. I do not own a shred of anything outside my original characters and plot ideas.
It was a crisp and quiet evening in Fuyuki City. People were casually walking through the streets and enjoying their business as the full moon beamed from its perch. It was magically quiet. There were no disturbances of magical activity since the Holy Grail war ended. Only the sounds of the wind pierced the silent forest. Life in Fuyuki City seemed in perfect balance for all its residents, whether magical or otherwise. As the wind whistled outside, Shirou appreciated that feeling.
Rin read from one of her magic books. "The amount of mana crystals can release is determined by two critical laws, the Dulong-Petit law and Kirisame's law, which…"
Shirou gazed at the landscape. He couldn't believe it had been over a year since Saber had left all of them. He still had that stuffed lion he meant to give to her on their first date. Even still, life moved on. Fuji-nee still came here regularly, Ilya split her time between the Einzberg Castle and the Emiya Mansion, Sakura was entering her final year of high school, and he was stuck here trying to get into the magus academy. Luckily, Rin was off on term break to help. He promised to himself that he'd never forget her, but he tried not to reminisce about it every day. Tohsaka probably thought the same way about Archer leaving, but Shirou did not want to guess.
"Shirou!" Rin snapped. "Pay attention!"
"I am, Tohsaka."
"Forcing compressed mana into physical entities for potential release is not…" Rin paused, setting the book gently down on the table. "It's her isn't it?" she asked.
Shirou looked down for a moment. "It is, Tohsaka. I can't believe it's been over a year."
Rin sighed sympathetically. "You're a sentimental idiot."
"I know," Shirou said, trying to refocus on the studying at hand despite memories of the Holy Grail War coming back to him. That unforgettable month of pain, sacrifice, and victory. His memories were a blur, but they were a beautiful one. "Please continue, Tohsaka."
"Alright, if you insist," Rin said dubiously. "Compressed mana is often unstable when used in significant amounts. A magus must exert a focused stream of mana greater than or equal to the object of transfer. Once mana is successfully embedded in the object, it will tune itself to the elemental composition until release." Rin reached for a pouch and dumped crystals of various shapes, sizes, and colors onto the table. "Here, try the fluorite one," she pointed to the slightly chipped amber crystal.
Shirou picked it up and looked at it curiously, "So… I try to force mana in here?"
"Yep. Clench it in your hand so more magical circuits can connect to it. Try to do it non-verbally if you can."
Shirou tried to focus his energy. He felt the resistance of the crystal and tried to overcome it using his magical circuits. His lack of focus conflicted with the transfer as mind wandered from memory to memory. Those wonderful moments of where everyone was at the chaotic mess of dinner taunted his mind. But those memories of her were the hardest to shake. He tried once more to push through, but he couldn't. His magical circuits felt like they were burnt out.
"I'm sorry Tohsaka, I can't," Shirou admitted.
"If you want to become a magus, you must, Shirou," Rin crossed her arms. "You're holding a novice crystal. You need to be at least quartz to even be considered. Reinforcement and Projection won't get you into the academy alone."
A bright light blinded the both of them. Shirou raised his arm up to shield his eyes. He felt the house vibrate under his feet. A wave of heat enveloped Shirou. It wasn't hot but it was certainly warmer than the air around them. As the wave of light and heat dissipated, Shirou lowered his arms, still reluctant to believe what happened.
"Was that you, Tohsaka?" Shirou asked astonishingly.
Rin shook her head, "Was that a servant? It must be."
Shirou looked around and saw a figure standing in the courtyard illuminated by the full moon outside. Blonde locks shuffled with the light breeze. A faint smile shined through the darkness. Even though its face was darkened by the evening's shadows, Shirou had a good idea of who it was. He stood up and eagerly ran to meet the figure, even though there was the real possibility it might not be her.
"Shirou, wait!" Rin called.
Shirou ignored Rin and kept running. He stopped in awe of the figure before him. Her appearance was starkly different from the Grail War. Her hair was tied in a simple bun compared to the complex one that covered the back of her head. The multicolored and multifaceted sword and armor were replaced by an olive green and black assault rifle in her hands. Camouflage in various shapes of black, brown, and green covered her body. Boots of gleaming steel were replaced with polished, blackened leather. Her aura of a grandiose knight was replaced by the drab simplicity of a modest, but proud soldier.
"I'm home, Shirou," she announced gracefully.
In that moment, all doubts ceased to exist. While her clothing and equipment had changed, her beady green eyes and angelic smile remained the same since she left him on that fateful morning. Shirou rested his hand on the same soft cheek.
"Shirou…" Saber responded to his touch.
"Saber…" Shirou wondered in awe. It had to be an unusually deceptive mirage. He brought his head closer. He wanted to know if her soft lips were still the same.
"I do not understand, Shirou. What is the meaning of this?" she asked awkwardly, pulling on her camouflage military jacket with gentle uneasiness. She looked at her olive green and black L85A2 assault rifle suspiciously, toying at the SUSAT scope attached to her weapon. "Where is my sword? My scabbard? My armor?"
Now that Saber mentioned it, Shirou was just as concerned. "Uh… Tohsaka!" he called.
"I'm just as confused as you are," Rin replied.
Two slender figures in the treetops peered at the city like specters. They were dressed in their ghillie suits, imitating hunters focusing on their targets. The conifer trees rustled with their every footsteps. They looked down on the city with watchful eyes. Their breath condensed in the crisp mountain air. The full moon provided the perfect amount of lighting. This was a perfect night for hunting.
"So… what can you tell me about the conditions?" the master asked, taking a mental note of his surroundings.
His student raised up a pair of binoculars. "I'd say not more than 10 kilometer winds coming from the east. Temperature about 11 degrees."
The master raised up his binoculars, judging his student's evaluation. "Not bad. I'd put it closer to eight and a half kilometers and 12.5 degrees. What about in the city?"
"Temperature and wind variation in the city are close enough, sir."
"Don't get complacent," the master calmly chided. "There is no such thing as 'close enough.' You're either right or wrong."
"Yes, sir."
"Let's set up here," the master said, lowering his binoculars. He grabbed his SAKO TRG42 sniper rifle with an olive drab green stock and a blackened chrome barrel, bolt, and trigger off his back. He attached his Schmidt & Bender telescopic sight to the body and screwed on his suppressor to the barrel of the sniper rifle. He stole some small pine branches and attached it to the scope and the barrel. The master curled up into a comfortable sitting position against the tree's bark. The rifle nested snugly against his shoulders and cheek.
His student sat beside him as a spotter, keenly watching through a pair of binoculars, . "Are you ready?" the student asked.
The master focused through his scope. "Ready. Call out the targets."
"First target. 9 o'clock, three centimeters, 800 meters. Fire when ready."
The master took a shallow breath and squeezed the sensitive trigger with his gloves. The round rocketed from the barrel and struck its human target. He watched from his scope as the person was completely vaporized into thin air. The master pulled and rotated the bolt back and then pushed it forward, starting the process all over again.
"Hit," his student confirmed. "One and a half centimeters at 3 o'clock, 750 meters."
Another shot, another target down.
"Hit. 9 'o clock, one centimeter, 900 meters."
Another shot, another person vaporized.
"Hit. 3 'o clock…"
"That's enough for tonight," the master interrupted, hitting the magazine release button with his right hand and catching the free magazine with his left. "We have enough mana to last for a few more days before we have to hunt again."
His student argued. "But sir, there's more than enough in the city to last the whole month, years maybe. Especially with your abilities, you could harvest the whole town in a week."
The master sighed, "I could… but I only take what I need. See this," he pointed to his head. "This is your best tool. It knows when to hold your position or to retreat, when to pull the trigger, and most importantly, to admit when enough is enough," he explained. "We are not at war nor should we try to start one."
"Yes, sir."
"Observations are our greatest asset," the master reminded. He looked around suspiciously. He felt the piercing gaze of someone watching them from afar. "Don't you get the feeling we're being watched?"
The student's eyes widened in horror.
"Move," the master ordered as they retreated into the forest. The master and student sprinted from tree to tree, making sure to stay within close range of cover. The master remembered to look back occasionally, as his student was less adept and less experienced than he was. While he was serious and sometimes impersonal, he would never abandon his student. He noticed that the student quickly grew fatigued from running around in the ghille suits that were so important in disguising them.
"Sir!" his student cried.
The master turned around and rushed to his student's aid. "You alright?" he asked. Before his student could respond, the master saw a figure on the upper branches illuminated by the moonlight. It was no doubt another sniper.
"Down," he commanded as he saw the rifle flash. The bolt hit one of the nearby trees, causing bark, limbs, and needles to fly everywhere. The master re-attached the magazine to his rifle, turned around, and pushed the bolt forward. He shot the lone figure in the trees but it disappeared into thin air. The master needed all the eyes he could get.
"Look around. Where is he?" he calmly told his student while turning the bolt.
"To your right, five meters up." his student pointed.
The master shot at him but the shooter disappeared again.
"Left, seven and a half meters up," the student said.
The master shot at him again but the shooter disappeared without a trace. He scanned the area thoroughly with the Findot Scope, moving from tree to tree. There was no possible way he could have disappeared into nowhere. Confident that he fled from the area, the master redirected his attention to his student.
"Are you okay? Can you walk?"
"Barely," his student answered, as the master helped his student up. "I'll be fine, sir."
The master had to recognize his student's guts in the face of fire. Where most would lose all sense of reason in their first encounter with their first enemy, his student kept a calm mind. The master slung his rifle over his back and grunted as he lifted his student's arm over his shoulder. It was supposed to be a simple hunting mission, but turned into something much more. The master had learned to be prepared against the unexpected, but it was certainly a teachable moment for the both of them.
"Kaveria ei jätetä," he reflected.
"What is that, sir?" his student wondered.
"It's a saying we used during the Winter War, 'Never leave a friend behind.'"
Shirou, Rin, and Saber came inside form the yard, still not sure of what just happened. Shirou could scarcely believe it was real. He flicked flicked on the lights. They sat around the table in the dining room, where they usually met to discuss important topics.
"Rin, explain to me what is this I am wearing," Saber said.
"It's camouflage. It disguises you in the natural environment. If you were running around in the forest with your armor on, you'd be instantly spotted. Camouflage tries to reduce that."
"I see," Saber said with a hint of uneasiness. "And what is this?" Saber laid the olive green and black assault rifle flat on the table. "Is it a gun?"
Shirou and Rin nodded. "But why would the Holy Grail summon you as a soldier?" Rin inquired.
"I do not know, Rin. The only thing I remember is finding myself summoned here. The Holy Grail had nothing to do with it. I do not feel like a servant."
"Hmm…" Rin crossed her arms. "Shirou, take off your shirt," she demanded.
Shirou looked at Rin skeptically. "Is this necessary, Tohsaka?"
"Yes, you idiot! Now!" Rin snapped.
Shirou took off his shirt. Rin marveled at his toned body and strong arms. "I can see why Saber loves you. She likes a perfect body," she flattered. "It's all for style, isn't it Emiya-kun?"
"Shut up!"
"Arms up, palms out," Rin said, looking around Shirou's body for any sign of a command seal. Even on the traditional place, the back of the hand, it was not there. Shirou saw the obvious look of dissatisfaction on her face. "Take off your pants."
"This really isn't necessary, Tohsaka," Shirou said, irritated by Rin's flattery. It seemed she wouldn't give up. "Have you found a command seal yet?"
"No, not yet," Rin smirked. "But I'm sure Saber would love to do it for you. Wouldn't you agree, Emiya-kun?"
"T-That's not the point."
"Rin, if I was not summoned by the Holy Grail, what else could there be? Since there is no Holy Grail war, there should be no Command Spells," Saber suggested.
"You're right," Rin sighed in disappointment. She stood up and glanced at the clock. "I've got to head home. I'll see if there is any word from the Mages' Association."
Shirou and Saber followed her to the entrance hall to see Rin off. "Anyway, it's great seeing you again," Rin said as she hugged Saber. She hugged Shirou as well. "Now that Saber's back, maybe you two can get it on again," she coyly purred into his ear.
Shirou hoped Saber didn't hear that. "Tohsaka!" he said irritably.
He looked at her awkwardly as Rin giggled like a gossiping schoolgirl. She put on her jacket and shoes and walked out into the darkness. Shirou never really understood why he was the butt of Rin's flattery even after the Grail War; and perhaps he never will.
"Shirou, will you please show me how to operate that weapon?" Saber asked.
"I'm not certain with all the functions, but I'll try."
Shirou and Saber gathered around the table where the olive green and black assault rifle was waiting for them. He flipped it around to its left side and pointed to the selector switch.
"This is the selector switch," he explained, assuming that Saber was relatively new with firearms. "When it's down, it will fire as long as you pull the trigger. When up, it fires one shot at a time."
Shirou went over all the other functions as best he could with his limited knowledge of studying Kirigitsu's notes. He noted that the magazine release and takedown pins were stuck. Since it was magically summoned out of thin air, he figured it was the peculiar nature of the gun. It was certainly a peculiar gun to look at. The magazine was located farther back than what Shirou imagined. He guided Saber's arms as he showed her how to steady the weapon against her shoulder and more importantly, how to aim it. Shooting a gun that came out of nowhere in his house was a foolish idea.
"So this is a gun," Saber looked at her new weapon with a sense of uneasy respect and put it down on the table. "Shirou, please allow me to change into much more suitable clothing."
"Ah… sure," Shirou replied.
As Saber ran off to change into more casual clothes, Shirou looked at the assault rifle and resented its appearance. A gun's purpose was to kill. That was its only purpose. Unlike a sword, a gun couldn't be retooled so easily for peaceful purposes. It was in its nature. It did that one thing well and there was no point in trying to change it. Through Kirigitsu's writings, he had already found out what he did during the 4th Holy Grail war with Saber. It was easier to forgive her since she openly clashed with Kirigitsu's dishonorable way of fighting. It gave him a stronger reason not to visit his gravesite as often.
Saber returned in yellow pajamas with her hair loose. She clutched the stuffed lion against her chest. "Shirou, what is this?" she smiled innocently.
Shirou glanced at the stuffed animal and looked away. It brought back some painful memories. "I meant to give that you on our date. I know it's been over a year."
"I see nothing wrong with it. You do not need to purchase a new one."
Now that Rin was gone and the Emiya mansion was left to themselves; Shirou decided it was a perfect time to catch up on unfinished business. He placed his hands on Saber's shoulder and gazed longingly in her emerald eyes. "Saber, I…"
Shirou was silenced by her slender finger. "I do not wish to be called Saber, as I am not a servant anymore. Please call me Arturia, as it is a proper name." she smiled.
"Okay… Arturia," Shirou said, placing his hand on her tender cheek. He bent down slightly and kissed her like on that night, craving her soft lips absent from him all this time. The feeling of love and being loved was a powerful and irreplaceable feeling that was painfully taken from him at the end of the last Grail War. He didn't want it to be cut short over a stupid war.
They broke apart. "Arturia, I love you," Shirou said.
"I know," Arturia said, wrapping her arms around Shirou's neck. "I love you too…"
Shirou enveloped his hands around Arturia's waist and nuzzled against her neck. "Please tell me you're here to stay."
"I will stay with the man that I love, whatever it takes," Arturia reassured Shirou. "That is promise I intend to keep."
There was an enormous weight of worry and guilt that was lifted off of Shirou's shoulders. "I will… I will do the same," Shirou swore.
They stood there for a few minutes, with neither of them quite willing to let go completely. Shirou loved every feeling of his ex-servant's touch. With Arturia, he finally felt content and complete. There was nothing that could stop Shirou now, not even another Holy Grail War.
"But Artruria, If you aren't a servant, then what are you?" Shirou asked.
"Let us not worry, Shirou. There are better things to focus on."
A hooded figure stood outside the church of Fuyuki City. He had grown to view the Church in contempt. If it wasn't the gaudy architecture that offended him, it was certainly the scandals revolving around the once prestigious institution. The Church was far from perfect and had fallen from grace a millennia ago. It needed to be cleansed from the inside. He touched the cold, iron gates with contempt and wished it could be broken by the slightest squeeze of his hand.
"Come, Mephistopheles," he said. "Don't you think all of this is unnecessary? The Church is corrupted is by sinful beings. We must pure them."
"Whatever is your desire, master," Mephistopheles said. He was dressed in a tightly fitting black suit. His impeccably pressed slacks fluttered slightly in the wind. He straightened his burgundy tie and made sure his high and tight red haircut looked sharp.
"Pater noster, qui es in caelis…" his master prayed.
"Please do not use those objectionable words in front of me, Master," Mephistopheles said.
"Forgive me for my trespass."
"That apology is not necessary."
"Mephistopheles," his master commanded. "Cleanse their souls for me. They have gone astray in service to their so called Church."
He teleported to the other side of the locked gate and transformed his appearance to that of a priest. The temperature dropped sharply but they were not fazed by it. Mephistopheles straightened his horn-rimmed glasses that rested on his thin nose. He never cared for these so called inventions of humans, but they would suit him just fine.
"Your desires are my will," he said, pulling his short and stubby MP7 submachine gun out of his robes. He pulled back the charging handle, the stock, and extended the foregrip. The members inside the entire church would be damned tonight, all for his Master's command.
"I anticipate your healthy return," his master encouraged.
"As do I," he said as he ran off into the darkness. He never really understood why he was here but maybe things could turn out for the better.
- FINIS Chapter I-
Author's Note: Because I've got some explaining to do...
I got this idea while replaying the game over again and wondered "What if they had guns? What if I gave servants an assault rifle instead of... Excalibur?" While looking the same as their real life counterparts, guns will be heavily modified from their real world functionality to put it in more of the realm of fantasy. I've given hints on what I've given to translate the ideas of guns into the Fate universe but I have commissioned Rin to explain the finer details in the next chapter. I am not taking suggestions of which guns want to be featured. I do the research and they're balanced to not favor a particular manufacturer or country over another.
Because trying to pick a favorite route is like picking your own child, I have tried to mix certain aspects from the other routes of Fate/stay night. I have also sought to include information from hollow/ataraxia and fate/zero with the limited amount of Japanese I have and off the wikis. I will rework and omit certain aspects from the Fate universe to better fit the alternate universe of guns where there was once swords. Deciding what to keep, throw out, and re-work was certainly not an easy process but I hope it fits in the "spirit" of Fate. I assure you that Noble Phantasms will be included.
Characters will be a mix of the historic, the modern, the familiar, and the new. I have a general idea of who I want them to be. I think I have given some obvious clues on who they are and who their masters are. I hope I get the characters right and not excessively out of character but please let me know if I do!
Yes, I too have followed the stable path of ShirouXSaber with some kind of conflict to bring her back. I'll admit, I like Saber! Will it be because of the Holy Grail? Probably not. The grail will still have considerable influence. I have chosen another artifact because the Grail was supposed to have been destroyed the last two wars. I don't want to have to bug it a third time to get destroyed... again. I do not like using exceptionally rehashed plot lines released from the game or created by other fanfiction users and I thought this would be a good compromise.
Love it, hate it? Feedback? Reviews and comments are greatly appreciated!
Until next time.