Hey there. Cybertramon here. Haven't been on for ages, but this story kept rattling round in my head. I don't expect many viewers, but I will appreciate it. Rest assured that I will finish this story, no matter what.
Finally, I do not own Fate/Zero, Type Moon, or any of the games and characters that are in this story. I will try to stay in character, but I am using my interpretations of them.
Normal – Normal text
"Bold" – Noble Phantasms
Italics – Flashback
"Italics" - Thoughts
Chapter 1: Day of the Servants
(3 years ago, an empty warehouse)
Kirei Kotomine was feeling very confused. He had done the ritual perfectly, intent on summoning the Old Man of the Mountains. He hadn't needed a catalyst, as the word Assassin was enough. But something had clearly gone wrong.
Standing in the summoning circle was a tall man in a black bodysuit, with a patchwork of grey and white on the chest, legs and arms. Pouches hanged just below a thick belt and armour jutted out at the legs and shoulders. He had only four fingers on each hand and his helmet was a curved featureless black mask. Strangely, a red zero projected from the mask and was painted on his chest right over the heart.
"Maybe I should've found a catalyst beforehand." Kirei thought as he looked the servant over. It was impossible to tell what he thought behind that mask, except that the zero on his helmet had changed to say WTF.
"Sir, I ask of you. /Because I am Assassin /are you my master?" The servant asked in haiku with an electronic male voice.
Perplexed, but pleased he was still an Assassin, Kirei replied. "I am. If you will follow me, we can start preparing."
A smiley face was projected. "I strike from shadows. /Killing all who in my path. /The Grail is yours."
(===I=)
(1 week ago, Tohsaka Mansion)
Though Tokiomi Tohsaka looked calm, inside he was reeling. When his apprentice Kirei contacted him about the strange Assassin, Tohsaka thought it had been a 'glitch' with the ritual. But even with all the preparations he had done, he also failed to summon the servant he wanted.
In front of him was an armoured individual that looked strangely enough like a walking cat. A thin tail waved behind him as armoured ears twitched in surprise. The armour was black as well, with red detailing and large red jewels on the knees, lower arms, shoulders and chest. Red lines glowed on the chest and ears, and a red visor gazed at them ominously. Behind him were strange glowing green wings extending past his ears.
"Whoa. Guess we're not in Polaris anymore Clank." The cat said as he looked up at the masters. His voice sounded like he was a young adult.
"Indeed Rat… Archer." A voice replied behind the servant. "My nav-unit say we are not in any known galaxy, but it does say that we have gone back by several decades."
"Great. That won't be good for the Time-Space continuum." He looked back at the masters. "Okay. So I'm guessing that one of you two is my 'master' then?"
Tokiomi stepped forward. "I am your master, Archer. But I must ask if you know what has happened to Gilgamesh."
The servant looked confused with his head tilt. "Gilgawho? I have no clue who that is. I was just minding my own business when I wound up here."
Tokiomi sighed. "Do you at least understand your mission?"
"Yeah. Fight the other servants, win and get the Grail."
"Well that's something to be thankful for."
(===I=)
(Same time, Fuyuki Hyatt Hotel)
Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi was very frustrated. No scratch that, furious. Some arrogant upstart had the gall to steal his first catalyst belonging to Alexander the Great. Fortunately he had a second for if that happened, an item belonging to Dairmuid Ua Duibhne. But it seemed that fate absolutely despised him, because it was clear that the woman in front of him was not who he wanted.
She was a tall bronze-skinned lady, with dark wavy hair braided at the very end. Her clothing comprised of a blue sari over a black singlet, with gold bands and tattoos adorning her arms and black sleeves covering the lower arms. Her feet were clad in tall open-toed sandals and two fur pelts hanged from her belt. On her back was a tall staff, adorned on either head by large curved spikes.
"You are not Dairmuid." He said, keeping his tone cordial. He may be angry, but if this was a servant then she would still be stronger than him and his betrothed.
"Never heard of anyone with that name." She replied in an Australian accent. "But I am the Lancer of this war. Now, which one of you is my master?"
"I am your master." Kayneth said arrogantly, displaying the command seals on his hand. "But my beloved, Sola, with be providing you with mana during this war." He pointed to Sola, standing next to him and gazing with surprise at this strange servant. Wearing a normal white shirt and black pants combo, her red hair hanging low around her face, Kayneth saw her in all her beauty.
Lancer nodded. "Right then. Can't wait to get started."
(===I=)
(Fuyuki Forest)
Waver Velvet managed to sit up after the blast of wind from the summoning. His heart was fit to bursting in excitement as he waited for the mist to dispel.
"I've done it!" He kept thinking over and over again. "I completed a summoning." It had not been easy. After Lord El-Melloi ridiculed his thesis in class, Waver wanted to get back at him so much. Fortune smiled on him when a mailer asked him to hand a parcel to Melloi. Instead of heading back, he found a private area to open it. Inside was a tattered red cloak, which he learned was a catalyst to summon the great Alexander. Wasting no time, and not stopping in case reason returned to him, he booked a flight over to the Fuyuki City, where the Grail War will begin. He acquired all the necessary components for the ritual. Finally here he was, a master in the War. He will win this and prove to everyone that he is as good as the rest of those jerks.
As the mist cleared though, his heart plummeted.
It was clearly not Alexander. For starters, Alexander was short, whereas this servant towered over him at about 7 feet. Alexander was said to wear standard Greek armour and a red cape, when this servant was covered head-to-toe in olive form-fitting sci-fi armour. The only splash of colour was an orange visor for a face. He looked down at Waver for a few seconds, before saluting him.
"Rider reporting for duty." He said in a deep voice. "Given that you are the only person here you must be my commanding officer."
"Ye-Yes." Waver said as he got up.
Rider nodded. "I am Master Chief Petty Officer John 117 of the UNSC SPARTAN project."
Waver sighed. This guy was definitely not Alexander. His musings were interrupted when Rider suddenly spoke to thin air. "Cortana, access the information depositories of our current location."
"Who are you talking to?" Waver asked. Could his servant have some kind of familiar or ghost? Was this 'Cortana' his phantasmal beast?
"Analysing." Rider said in a female voice, surprising Waver. "Oh, and Chief? It's called 'The Internet'. As for our current location, we are currently in Fuyuki City, Japan in the year 1993."
"Understood." Rider said in his deep voice. He looked to Waver again. "Do you have a base of operations, sir?"
"Yeah" Waver answered, almost making it sound like a question. He gave Rider the address of the Mackenzie house.
"Got it. Placing Nav Points leading to the address." The female voice said again.
Rider nodded again. "Forward unto Dawn: Mongoose." A wireframe of a four-wheeled motorcycle glowed for a moment before becoming solid. Rider got onto the vehicle before grabbing Waver. Ignoring his cry of outburst, Rider planted Waver right behind him before gunning the cycle. Waver quickly grabbed hold of the armoured soldier before he fell off, screaming as they picked up speed.
"Why did I think this was a good idea?" Waver thought as they bounced over the hills.
(===I=)
(Matou Manor Basement)
"I must say Kariya I am impressed." Zouken Matou said to his son. Kariya settled for merely glaring at the old man. He grimaced as the crest worms writhed with in him, devouring his insides to convert into mana. "To have lasted for a year is quite an achievement, especially for one as weak as you." Inside the summoning circle was a black pauldron, clearly meant to be the catalyst. "To make up for your weak magic circuits I have taken the liberty of choosing a very powerful servant for you. Lancelot of the Round Table. And I changed the incantation to summon the berserker class. This should ensure you don't fall in the first few minutes at least."
Kariya sighed as he dragged himself to stand before the summoning circle. "For Sakura," he repeated to himself over and over again. "I must win for her freedom." He spoke the words of the summons, making sure to include the two new verses that Zouken included. He felt the pull on his mana as something came through from the other side. As the mist cleared, his heart sank.
Instead of the knight he was expecting there was merely a large puddle of blood, as though his servant had been run over by a steamroller. It quivered every now and then but it did not move. Zouken laughed.
"Well Kariya, it seems you're even more inept than I thought. Only you could've…" But whatever Zouken was about to say was ignored as the puddle spread with alarming speed. The crest worms scurrying around the edge of the room were swamped by the puddle as it move in unnatural directions. It stopped just shy of Kariya, as though he was surrounded by a barrier, but it continued to Zouken. The old man threw fireballs at the puddle, but it kept moving closer. Zouken reverted into the worms that made up his body, scurrying for the ventilation shaft. But the puddle was faster, jumping up like a wave and drowning the worms. Kariya thought he heard the old man screaming in fear and pain. Looking back at the circle as the puddle retreated, he saw it getting taller. Bones formed red from the puddle as organs and muscles grew. Black tendrils swirled around it as flesh covered his insides and cloth flowed over him. After a few moments the puddle was gone, and standing before him was a man.
The man was wearing blue jeans and a black sweatshirt over a white dress shirt. He had a relaxed pose with his hands in his pockets as he gazed at Kariya with icy blue eyes. Finally, he spoke.
"So." He said in a gravelly voice. "Zouken tells me you are my Master. You're mana was pitiful so he had increased it with crest worms and that you're entering to save young Sakura from his foul work."
Kariya stared in surprise. "How did you…?"
The servant smiled a predator's smile. "When I consume the living, I learn everything they know. Their wishes, their skills, their fears." Black tendrils swirled around him as Zouken stood in his place. "You might even say I become them." He said in Zouken's voice. "Or rather, they become me." He turned back to normal and stepped closer to Kariya. "If you'd like, I could modify your body. Remove the worms, fix the damage, make you stronger, faster, better at magic. I could even remove the worms from Sakura."
Kariya didn't hesitate. Even with Zouken dead, he will follow by the end of the war. Sakura needed the healing, and someone to care for her. Anyone other than Tohsaka. "Do it."
Berserker nodded, before forming a needle in his hand. He stabbed Kariya in the thigh before moving to the stairs. "It'll take until tomorrow for the changes to finish. I make it faster, but you'd most likely not survive the cure."
They were now in the main hallway of the manor, heading down to Sakura's room. Luckily, she had decided to meet them halfway. "Uncle Kariya?" she asked sleepily. "Who's that man with you?"
"Hey Sakura." Kariya said gently. "This is my servant Berserker. He killed Zouken for us, and he has a way of curing you of the worms."
"Really?" she asked, her face brightening up now that the old man couldn't hurt her anymore. "Can you really do that Mr Berserker?"
He nodded. "Call me Dr Mercer." He had the needle in his hand again, but it was shorter than the one he used on Kariya. "Just stand still and hold out your arm." He said gently. He placed the needle against her arm and injected her. "You'll feel better by tomorrow, Miss. Sorry I don't have a lollipop for you."
"Sakura hugged Berserker. "Thank you Dr Mercer." With that, she headed back to bed.
"Don't worry Sakura." Kariya thought. "I win this War, and then you, me, Aoi and Rin can be a family."
(===I=)
(Einzbern Family Church)
A chill came over Kiritsugu Emiya as the summoning commenced. Ice formed over the altar and crosses. Only Avalon remained normal, as though its holy power made it immune. The breath of everyone came out in plumes of steam as the temperature lowered. Clearly they hadn't summoned the King of Knights, King Arthur.
As the light dissipated, Emiya got a better look at his servant. He was tall. Taller than him even. He wore strange plate armour made to look like it was decorated with bones and skulls. His right shoulder was covered by a massive pauldron made to look like a giant's skull and the left was as large and covered in spikes. He had fur covering his boots with a skull below the knees and a cloth hanging from his belt. A black tattered cape hanged from the shoulder plate. On his head he wore a tall spikey helmet that reminded Emiya of Sauron from Lord of the Rings and long white hair hanged over his chest. In his right hand he held a large sword. It had a curved guard with another skull on the pommel, runes on the blade and frost forming around it.
Cold glowing blue eyes stared at them before he spoke. "Which of you calls themselves my master?" His voice was young, yet old, and a deeper voice echoed.
"I am your master, as recognised by the Holy Grail." Emiya said as he showed his command seals. "Irisviel here will pretend to be to be your master for the duration of this war. Guard her with your life."
Emiya could tell Saber was smirking behind his mask. "Meaning the other masters won't be looking for you, you protect your… companion, and when she dies they won't expect me to still be around. Very ingenious and very deceiving." He laughed a creepy chuckle. "I approve."
Emiya frowned. "I am not interested in your approval. I merely expect you to operate at your best and win the Grail."
"I understand Master…?" Saber said as he awaited his master's name.
"Kiritsugu Emiya."
Well, that's the first chapter. If you're reading this, please give a review. No flaming or trolling please. Constructive words preferred.
Also, I'm experimenting with different story breaks to smooth out the narrative. So all those weird symbols you see will be my attempts until something works and looks good.
Until next time.