This fic operates on the view that a wish has been made to enable the heroic spirits to remain as flesh and blood mortals once again rather than relying on mana to remain corporeal, and whilst they retain their powers the trade off for using them is to put strain on their physical being which affects their health.
These are a few short stories I've devised and I am open to pitches or requests, but no flames! I try not to go OOC but we must remember that sometimes we all do things that are against our characters depending on the situation, which these kind of explore.
Whilst much of this is set in FATE ZERO, I'm not averse to any of the other FATE story arcs but I'm sticking to the one I know best for now. Kay?
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Never had she met one so persistent as this one, this giant of a man whom history glorified as 'the greatest of generals'.
Never had he been bested, never had he been humbled, never had he known in his brief but brilliant life a single moment of hesitation… but by God the man was insufferably clueless at taking a hint!
For a solid hour now since he'd spotted and approached her in the park and engaged her in conversation he'd refused to take her subtle hints that she wished for him to leave for alone and now it was at midday she'd ceased being subtle about it and simply left him herself by walking away. However he'd stood there grinning that large stupid smile of his and then summoned and hopped atop his chariot, carefree as a child and happy as a gourmand at a feast whilst he followed her and continued to pressure her.
"No Rider." she replied coldly and walk away faster.
The clopping of his oxen's hooves and the grinding rumble of the iron studded wheels against the pavement and cobbles followed her faster till he was alongside her and slowing down the great beasts to remain level with her pace. He smiled down at her "Come now! We should all be in a merry mood! Did we not both receive our wishes by this happy chance? We should celebrate!"
She rolled her eyes and glared at him irritably as he laughed in merriment.
"Come on Sabre, it's not like I'm asking anything out of the ordinary! Come and drink with us! You're not the first spirit I've encountered since I got back and it'll be far more entertaining with you there at the festivities!"
"I have given my answer King of Conquerors. I am in no mood for merriment," she growled "nor am I going to be persuaded by your inane attempts to convince me and especially not if you're stalking me through the streets on a chariot! I intend to purchase some goods at one of this towns outlets, return to the home I've been loaned and make plans for whatever I wish to do on the morrow."
"Oh? But I spoke with Lancer earlier and he said you were free this evening." The King pondered.
She was quiet and wondered which Lancer he was talking about for a moment. "Well Lancer is neither master nor in any position to dictate to me how my leisure time may be spent. Now excuse me." She turned on her heel and headed towards a large mall down the road, hoping the people and traffic might dissuade Rider from further pursuit.
As she came closer she realised that the sound of his oxen and chariot were no less further than before and realised the error of assumption with a man as untactful and loud as the King of Conquerors.
"Make way there people!" he yelled out "Make way for me!" people parted in a hurry and pulled out phones to record the unusual sight as the man dressed in Greek armour atop his chariot conducting people out of his way as his chariot crossed the street.
Sabre groaned "Rider, you can't just do this! You're going to cause an accident!" she yelled at him.
"Well they seem to be alright with it." He replied cheerily as he pointed to the incredulous and amused crowd who were all busy recording them. He waved grandiosely as though he were on parade and Sabre groaned as she realised she was likely to be in some of these videos now – God she hated being recorded without consent!
"Look! Just park your chariot over there if you must follow me to the mall." She directed him to the cark parking area to the side of the shopping Mall "I'll buy you a drink if it'll stop you talking for a bit."
"Ah, I wondered where they parked their vehicles… I hope I can find a good spot for these two."
Sabre sighed in relief as the King wheeled his chariot away and took full reins to guide his chariot over to the parking area and she hurried inside the mall.
The King looked with appreciation over the many different colours and types of cars in the bays as he meandered around the area on his search for a good shaded spot to leave his mounts.
Suddenly there was an aggressive honking and the oxen reared up for a moment in startled panic as Iskandar heaved upon the reins and commanded them with his firmest tone "Whoa! Steady there!" he waited for them to calm before turning his attention to the source of the commotion; a man pressing hard on his horn who'd been forced to stop to make way for the King to cross.
"Hey! Ya stupid idiot – get ya filthy cows outta the road – your blocking my car here!" the driver of what looked to be an expensive Porsche yelled from out of his window.
Iskandar frowned at his tone, on one hand the man did have a point; he was indeed impeding the car by his actions, but on the other hand was such a commotion really called for? Perhaps this man was of some importance, he'd known such representatives or diplomats in his time to behave in this manner.
As King he of course held seniority in this situation, but the King of Conquerors prided himself on being a bigger man (and not just in stature) within these types of situations and as such he dismounted as to talk with this other driver and settle this fairly.
"Hey! Are ya deaf or something?" the man yelled angrily as the large figure of Iskandar walked up to his car and leaned down to look inside at him.
The driver wasn't especially impressive nor imposing to look at, unlike himself. But his suit was of a nice quality and he seemed in good health for his age - which seemed indeterminable to Iskandar; he was either old and aging well, or young and leading a stressful life - but either way it seemed a confrontation would not be too unseemly if it came to blows, though he hoped it would not for he did have a reputation to maintain.
"What seems to be the problem?" he asked the man.
"I'm trying to get back home and your stupid cows have just blocked off the road – that's my problem! Now move 'em!"
"Well one, they are oxen and not cows, and far more stubborn as a result. But I shall move them just as soon as I am able. Perhaps if you hadn't startled them with that noise this wouldn't have been a problem." Iskandar reprimanded the man gently.
"Hey, I'm not the jackass riding a frigging cart around a parking area! You see this car buddy? It's worth more than a dumb street performer like you makes in a year! Now get outta my way!"
The King of Conquerors was starting to feel annoyed at this man's tone and so he smiled and cocked an eyebrow "Oh? I see you're as stubborn as my Oxen! But what if I don't…?"
"What!?" The man demanded incredulously.
"I asked you what you'll do if I don't move my chariot immediately."
The man gnashed his teeth "If you don't move that dumb thing, I'm gonna just have to move it for ya!"
Iskandar laughed at the absurdity of such a notion "Go ahead if you're in such a hurry!" he offered with a wave of his hand.
Eyeing up the King suspiciously the man started up his car only to have Iskandar step in the way of him determinedly "If you damage my chariot I will be very angry." He warned the man who wisely heeded that warning and began to lay on the horn again this time only to have Iskandar snatch his hand away from it "and If I have to explain that using that horn will only upset them to you one more time then I'm going to get cross."
Noting how much larger the man's hand was than his own the driver huffed and got out of his car. Walking over to the oxen he started to yell and push them from behind only to have one of them take a dump upon his expensive looking shoes and then go back to completely ignoring him.
"Ugh! YOU DUMB COW!" the man snarled and kicked the oxen angrily only to have it turn and roar in anger at him before Iskandar put a warning hand over its snout and glared at the ox before turning his gaze to the man.
"Well, I'd say this calls for my intervention if that's how you think you get an Ox to move." He opened a palm and stretched out his hand to the other man.
"Huh?" the driver looked at him in confusion.
"You've just kicked one of my mounts. I'd say it's only fair you pay for any damage you might have done to him."
"Oh get outta here you dumb idiot! I ain't paying for squat!" the man snarled angrily.
Iskandar huffed irritably and shrugged "I have tried to be reasonable with you, but if that is how you think you can treat my animals and then not so much as apologise to me then so be it." Iskandar said threateningly as he pushed the man aside and walked over to his car as he drew his sword out.
A few moments later the King mounted his vehicle and slipped the reins back into his hands before he walked his oxen onward at a careful pace, leaving behind a speechless man crying over his expensive porsche which now boasted a smashed window, two slashed tires down one side and a good amount of dung left in the driver's seat.
Sabre was initially displeased to see Iskandar find her once again, but oddly enough his good cheer seemed lessened and so she felt the need to know why. This was very out of character for the large man.
So she sat with a milkshake and listened to what Iskandar had to say about the men of this age who seemed to have more money than brains and no amount of manners left in them towards anything but their own needs.
Sabre considered that and shrugged slightly "Well Rider, all I can say is that all men with lots of money have always seemed the same to me no matter what time they come from. But as to chivalry, you are right – it truly seems it is dead in this era." She remarked sadly.
"Come now. At least there are some who respect the old ways. If no one else, then there will be you and Lancer and that Beserker fellow who understand the need for it, provided he's sane enough to recall what it entails, I mean."
Her brow furrowed at the mention of one of her own knights being slighted but then recalled that Rider had no clue as to "Beserker's" true identity.
"He would set a fine example for all if he were the man he once was." She stated.
"Oh? Then you knew him once?" Iskander asked curiously.
"He was, I mean… he is a very honorable man who once served me as a Knight of my kingdom back in my time."
"Oh!" Iskandar looked quite surprised at that titbit of information before he asked "Has he always been so unruly towards you?"
"No! He was… he is a very chivalrous man! Whatever has been done to him before now has done much harm to his mind."
"In your time, or in this time?" Iskandar asked curiously.
Arturia took a long moment to decide upon what to say to that, but that the truth was better than speculation, "Both, though I only know a part of it. It's a sad tale and one I don't wish to share." She answered quietly.
"Nor did I ask you to." Iskandar replied evenly "But all this sad talk makes for a poor conversation! What we need is to relax a little more! So Sabre, I shall ask once again – will you not join us later for revelry and merriment? I can assure you it will be a spectacular party!"
Sabre ground her teeth and suppressed her urge to scream – the King of Conquerors was relentless!
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Well that's the first short, more will likely follow soon. Feedback would be appreciated one this one; critique, approvals, questions, whatever.
Some further ideas or requests wouldn't be unappreciated either.
Thanks for reading!