Author's Note: Hello people, thanks for selecting my story to read, now, before you start, I would like to apologize. I went ahead and posted the first draft of this chapter, just because I knew that if I didn't post something on this site, I never would. I haven't really sat down to write anything in a couple of years, so I am a bit rusty, but part of the point of this story is to improve my own abilities, so comments and criticisms are both welcome. Anyway, that's enough jibber jabber out of me, please, enjoy, Fate/New Cycle.
September 22, 2022
It was cold, thought Desmond Wilds as he waited in his office for a certain guest. At the age of 27, Desmond was a stunningly good looking man, with wavy black hair that reached just above his shoulders, dark, deep blue eyes, and healthy tanned skin. He was certainly dressed for a special occasion it seemed, wearing a black blazer with a gray undershirt, tucked into black pants, with leather loafers to finish the outfit. As he was idly typing on his computer's holographic keyboard, a light dinging sound went off, accompanied by his office door sliding open to reveal another man. This man slightly taller than the 6' Desmond, and appeared to be in his late 40's. The hazel suited man approached Desmond's ebony desk, and lightly tossed a thick envelop onto it.
"You know, you could be disqualified for this under the rules your own family helped establish" warned the older man as he looked upon Desmond with his stern, grey eyes.
Already flipping through the envelope's contents, Desmond let replied in a bored tone, "Yes yes, I know, as a member of the church, you're supposed to be an impartial mediator in this war" he paused, picking up one paper in particular, before finishing, "But the more than generous donations my company has made to the church should well compensate for one small bending of the rules".
"Of course" the man replied, nervousness in his voice, for he would be punished as well if anyone figured out he was giving illegal aid to a specific participant.
A brief smile crossed the young billionaire's lips as he read the sheet of paper he pulled, "So this is the last master to be chosen eh? Well, with only two servants left to be summoned… I think I'll help this young man out".
A startled look crossed the priests face, "You mean, he's the one you're going to use?"
Desmond simply smirked in response.
September 29, 2022
Lilliana Darkholme was quite comfortable in her velvet sheeted, king sized bed, tangled in between two strapping young men. The voluptuous, red haired beauty sat up from her bed and stretched, exposing her perk breasts covered with only a skimpy black bra.
"I can tell you have news, Rider, what did the prow say?"
Suddenly, a disembodied male voice that she knew only she could hear replied, "It appears that Saber will be summoned tonight, and the Grail War shall truly begin at sundown".
"Very good, you may go back to your prophecies" replied the red haired beauty.
At this, the male voice let known a concern, "Master, even with those two… ahem, consorts of yours replenishing your prana nightly, constant use of my Noble Phantasm must be putting a strain on you".
"Watch that tongue of yours, Servant" Lilliana spat, "I am no mere average magus, my blue blood circuits could even maintain your full Noble Phantasm for hours without worry".
Rider merely sighed at her obvious over exaggeration, "Yes mistress, I apologize for stepping out of line, I will go back to hear what else the prow has to say" and like that, the other presence in the room was gone.
Lilliana flung herself back onto the bed, she hadn't expected much from her servant when she first summoned him, but him being so boring had never crossed her mind.
It was midafternoon and classes were just about to end at Arcadia's secret school for Magus'. Like most schools, Arcadia's school focused on honing the mind and body, and as such, had a gym class, and as it happened to be, it had just ended. The boys and girls went to their separate dressing rooms.
Mary LeFollet, a voluptuous blonde bombshell was chatting with her friend Tina Pierce, a petite brunette, in the showers about various rumors, gossiping about boys, etc, not aware that they in particular were being watched. For from the boy's dressing room, hid 17 year old Tidus Howards. He had spikey black hair, and bright, expressive grey eyes, one of which was covered by a magical monocle which allowed him to see through walls. Tidus was from a relatively new magus family, being a third generation magus. Due to his lack of circuits, and general laziness, he wasn't talented at much. However, he was obnoxiously skilled at making such devices.
Suddenly, the door to the stall was kicked in, leaving a very stunned Tidus under the gaze of who was arguably the most beautiful girl in the school. Standing at 5' 4", she had pale skin, long silvery blonde hiar tied into two pigtails, and had emerald green eyes. She was wearing the standard girls uniform, a red undershirt, with a black and red checkered over coat with a matching skirt.
The girl was practically steaming, her dainty little hands clenched into fists, "T…Tidus… this time I'm going to KILL YOU!" she shouted, even her rage filled voice sounding angelic.
Tidus cowered in the corner, trying to squeeze behind the toilet to create another degree of separation between the two of them. "B-Blaire…. This isn't what it looks like, I was just…-"
"Agni!"
"OW!" cried Tidus as he was blasted by a small explosive ball of flame that fired from the palm of the girl's hand.
Just as it appeared she was about to cast another spell, a large, firm hand was placed on her shoulder.
"That's enough Miss Connoway" came a stern, male voice.
Both students looked up to see a man in his late 30's, with short, ginger colored hair with sideburns reaching down the sides of his face, wearing a green suit.
"But Mr. O'Conneeeerrr" Blaire whined, "he was peeping agai-"
"Now, I don't want to hear another word out of you two until we reach the principal's office, come with me", the Irishman retorted.
As the two students were dragged out of the changing room, several of the boys shook their heads at the sight, while some of the more juvenile boys clapped and cheered their idol, "The Peeping King". Blaire was visibly disgruntled as the trio walked down the various corridors to the principal's office. She hated Tidus ever since the beginning of the year, the first time he used one of those damn inventions to see her… well, everything. Luckily, she was the paranoid type, and set up a barrier which detected a magical object being used, which allowed her to catch him after the first time. After about five minutes of walking, the three finally reached their destination, an elegant set of wooden double doors. O'Conner, who had been walking behind the two younger ones, stepped up and opened the door. What was inside looked much more like a miniature library than an office, however, near the back wall of the grand room was a mahogany desk, which had an elderly, yet energetic looking man sitting behind it. As soon as the man saw who had entered his little sanctuary, he began to chuckle, "Confiscated another one of ' inventions eh O'Conner?"
O'Conner, who clearly wasn't as amused as the principal, cleared his throat before simply replying, "Yes sir, this makes the fifth one this year"
"Oh come on!" Tidus interjected, "I was just having a little fun… especially since today is my last day living a semi-normal life…" he tapered off, and began rubbing the back of his right hand, which was covered in strange red markings.
"Ha!" snickered Blaire, "That's right, tonight is the last night that the school agreed to protect you" she continued to chime, "Which means that you have to summon your servant tonight, unless you want me to slaughter you without a fight, which I must admit, would please me to no end"
"Heh, whatever Blaire, you'll see, I'll summon an awesome servant, win this war, and recruit you into my harem! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Children, that's enough" O'Conner boomed, putting an end to the two student's banter.
"Oh come now O'Conner, leave them be" chuckled the principal, "And yes, it is true, tonight the school will lift the ruling that you two can't go at each other, and that means that Tidus must summon his servant and start the first Arcadia Grail War"
"Right" Tidus sighed, trying to remain composed. Internally however, he was cursing the fates that pulled him into this stupid war. While in the open, he declared that he would win the grail and wish for a harem, he really didn't think that was a wish worth fighting to the death over. He thought back to a month ago, back when he had no clue about servants or wish granting machines. That all changed when a mysterious, "benefactor" sent him a book about the grail war, and a rusty Greek helmet of sorts. When he confronted Principal Pryce about it, he said that he and O'Conner where two of the select few people in Arcadia that had been debriefed about the war by a member of the church. It was then that he learned that his secret crush and school idol Blaire Connoway was also chosen for the war. While she had already summoned her servant a few days before, she has kept it a well-kept secret away from everyone.
"Well, anyway children, be on your way, and remember Tidus, tonight is your last chance, make it count" Principal Pryce advised before shifting his attention to a rather tall stack of papers on his desk.
'Yeah, make it count indeed' Tidus internally jeered, already making plans for his escape.
It was 11:35, two hours past lights out at the dorms, and less than thirty minutes until Blaire and whatever servant she had summoned come barging in his room to kill him. He had nowhere to go, his family living in New York, and having no other friends outside of the dorms, but he had to get away. Climbing out of the second story window of his dorm, carrying only a duffel bag of essentials, and some magical equipment, with him, opting to leave everything else behind, he landed on the ground with a thud, and proceeded to haul ass away from the school as fast as he could. While under normal circumstances, magical alarms would be blaring, but planning a week ahead, Tidus developed a refraction crystal which made him invisible to the school's barrier. With nothing else but the desire to live on his mind, he continued to run for a good several blocks, until he reached a small park. Deciding that it would be okay to take a small break, he sat down on a bench and began to pull a bottle of water out of his bag when he heard an oddly familiar voice.
"Nice night for a stroll, eh slacker?"
Tidus jumped before looking towards a nearby swing set, where an all too familiar Irish teacher stood.
"O'Conner?! But how di-"
"Did you honestly expect that an imbecile like you could fool the school's barrier by yourself lad?" O'Conner sneered.
It was at this point that Tidus realized that something was terribly wrong, the way he spoke, the way he carried himself… O'Conner wasn't just there to take him back to the school…
"Why did you shut down the barrier O'Conner?" he asked, already shuffling through his bag for something to defend himself with.
"Let me get right down to the point then lad" O'Conner chimed, "You don't deserve those command seals, or to be granted the honor of being in this war.. so I'm going to take them from you"
It was at this point that Tidus felt a sense of relief, "You want them, here, take'em" he replied, holding out his arm.
"Unfortunately it's not that simple lad… I'm gonna need that arm of yours"
Tidus then began to draw back, this was crazy! There was no way a third rate artificer like himself could take a magus like O'Conner. The Irishman began to take an offensive boxer's stance, "Well then lad, let's begin shall we?" was all the warning the schoolboy got before the older magus began to rush him.
Tidus barely had time to jump out of the way befor Liam closed the 30 foot back between then, delivering a punch which shattered the bench he was sitting on. 'Physical enhancement' Tidus thought, basic stuff for someone like Liam O'Conner, but something way beyond his own skills. Tidus knew that he could maybe dodge one or two more blows before Liam got him, one punch and he was gone.
Suddenly, time seemed to freeze for Tidus, his fear rocked brain operating in overtime, he suddenly felt so weak, so worthless… all the years he wasted, never making any real friends, never really appreciating his family… never falling in love.. and now here he was, going to die in something he wanted nothing to do with. Suddenly, he found himself thinking of the book the mysterious "benefactor" sent him, along with the helmet, how he wished he had brought it. He didn't want to be in this war, but if he had to partake in it to survive, he would, but it seems like he would never get that chance.
Liam's fist drew ever closer, the two of them were only about a yard away. Suddenly, Tidus remembered something he read, you could summon a servant without a catalyst, although the result would be a hero who fit the summoner's ideals and personality, and Tidus couldn't imagine any hero worth a damn being like him. Closing his eyes, he braced himself for the end.
"Gah!"
Tidus opened his eyes, and his view was obscured by the back of a old timey looking samurai, a samurai who had just impaled Liam with the tip of his blade. The samurai then looked back a the stunned Tidus with his scar ridden face, and smirked, "Yo, you my master?"