Author's Note: Now that I changed the category of this story into the "Fate/SN - Anime Xover" category, I found some stories with the same concepts as mine... Well, I didn't expect myself to be the first at doing these kind of stories, but at least I have a different cast than the others out there :D
I will try to include both humorous and serious elements in this parody. Also remember this is a story set where the Fate series never exist, so I will have the characters learn about the "Holy Grail War" system again (which is what this chapter is, next will be more on my style).
You also don't need any prior knowledges about these other characters from other anime (just like you don't need to know the Servant's identity to watch the Fate series). I will explain everything you need to know :)
Keep in mind that some lines from the MC felt like he's saying it and I forgot the quotation marks. I assured you it's not! These lines are his thoughts, a style commonly found in the Haruhi Suzumiya light novels :)
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own nothing except my original characters!
"I am the arrow of hope
A flash upon the blood-red sky.
Revived to this world I abandoned
A place I never exist in.
Companion of the dark spades
Fighting on countless tiles of chess.
In the endless horizon before me
Awaits the restart of everything that ends."
The Internet is full of rumors.
Such rumors can be so well-known, they become facts or even 『urban legends』.
One of these so-called 『urban legends』 is very popular among the otaku masses.
"If you get a hold of the Dimensional Cup, a wish of yours will be granted.
To do so, you must win the Granimic War, where seven players are chosen randomly, called Masters
And accompanying them, seven powerful Servants from the anime world."
Many had look for it; none had succeed.
People also disregarded this as a joke, since this world called "reality" doesn't permit such things to happen.
But they never know that this world still have many mysteries unsolved
And some of those are found when least expected.
I awoke to the sound of birds chirping in the distance, creating a peaceful and quiet moment. Sitting up and stretching out my arms, I remembered that it was a Sunday and school wasn't a problem today.
No, the real problem is what my little sister Kaori requested yesterday...
-o-O-o-
She had barged into my room, without knocking, and yelled out, "I need you to do me a favor!"
Seriously, I'm not a siscon, but where is the sweet sister I always see in the 2D world? I mean the caring, sweet type who behaves, respects her brother, and actually knocked on the door before entering. I don't want a reenactment of Oreimo[1] in any way, but I thought her deep understanding of anime would make her understand how to treat her brother!
"I want you to keep these anime figurines in your room for a while," she said, extending her hands to show a few in her palms.
I grimaced. Really, where is a "please"?! Or at least an "onii-chan" at the beginning!
"Don't scowl at me," she snapped, giving me a death glare. "You better not mess up or break these. One speck of dust, and I will make your life a living Hell!"
Do I have to explain that we are constantly surrounded by dust? Which leads to things getting dusty? Still, one look at her face and I kept my thoughts silent.
"Wait, why do I have do this?" I complained as Kaori closed her eyes in defeat and let out a sigh. Hey! It's not like I forgot this or something! This is the first time I've heard of it!
"Look, my friends are coming over tomorrow and I need to hide these or they will cause problems."
"Why? You aren't a closet otaku; everyone in your class knows you openly love the 2D world!", I said, looking at her in confusion. You know, this situation sounds similar to a certain anime... Are you actually trying to live like a show? You're not Kirino-chan[1]!
She sighed again. "My friends, especially Shion, are even more obsessed I am. When they see these, they'll definitely ask about it. These figurines are my favorites, and I would like to be the only one touching them."
There it is, her true purpose. "Don't you hate me more than the pile of harem anime DVDs you toss in the trash though? Besides, I'm going to be touching them. Don't you have a problem with that?"
"That's a little exaggerating! A-And... w-well, you're a... different case!," Kaori huffed, turning around and storming out my door, looking even angrier than before. "Remember: keep them safe with your life!" she shouted back to me.
She slammed the door with a BANG!, the only sound left was her footsteps echoing in the hall. Geez, what's her problem? Maybe I should be stricter with her... ah never mind, it wouldn't work anyway.
I looked at these figurines in my hand and placed them on my desk. Of course I'll keep them safe, but with my life? Hahahaha... hahaha... haha... ha.
Maybe I should. Knowing my sister, she'll make me pay in one way or another. She is merciless when it comes to payback.
I examined the figurines sitting innocently on my desk. These are really top-notch quality stuff you can't find everywhere, probably limited-editions too. These things must be really expensive to buy, and what's more... really fragile. The figurines I sometimes bought are only worth one third of my breakfast, but one of these must cost almost a week of me working at my job. Seriously, where did my sister get all these money?
Anyway, the important thing is not breaking them. Maybe I should clean them before giving them back. I'm careful enough around valuable things, so this should be a piece of cake. It should, but the universe loves to prove me wrong.
-o-O-o-
I checked on the figurines again and they seem to be in perfect condition. Not feeling in a mood for an all-nighter of procrastination, I took out my homework. The door opens and closes out in the hallway, and I hear my sister and her friends' voices. Listening closely, I could hear their conversation from the other side of the wall in my sister's room. She probably had her friends come over early today.
I went into the kitchen to grab a snack before getting started and snuck back into my room, closing the door as quietly as I can. Looking my homework, I decided to finish it all in one go so I can start my new anime later.
Minutes passed by without much distraction. I can focus well when needed, which has saved me from many nights of lost sleep and making up assignments. Despite not being into anime too much, it sometimes distracts me. Ah, one of the many obstacles I endure in the high school life...
I reached for the water bottle I left on the desk to take a drink when disaster struck: I accidentally knocked one of the figurines off my desk. I hurriedly reached out to catch it, but things only became worse as I hit my desk, and all the little 3D models came crashing down on the hard, wooden floor. Most fell with a THUD! and seemed mostly fine, but the sound of one breaking confirms my fear.
"NOOOOOOOOOO!", I laid there as I see my life passing before me. I fearfully opened my palm to see the figurine of Shiro[2] unharmed, but laying on the floor is her brother in colorful pieces, decorating the floor with a sense of horror. Some of the other figurines suffered some damages, but Sora has the worst. Unless I buy my sister another one with the money I don't have, there's no way I can get this thing fixed or replaced.
As I mentally vented about the unfairness of it all, someone knocked on my door. I stumbled for a few moments before standing up and opened the door slightly, careful not to leave the mess visible. I expected a suspicious-looking sister who can punch a high school junior with no problem, but I was instead met with...
"Oh! Good morning, Kyouta-nii-san!"
I come face-to-face with Shion-chan, one of Kaori's classmates and a childhood friend of ours who has come over today. We all grew up in the same neighborhood, and Shion back then always pulled us to her house to watch her favorite anime airing. Her obsession as an otaku puts Kaori's and mine to shame, really. Still, I'm surprise that she hasn't gone through any cases of chuunibyou, despite almost finishing middle school.
"O-Oh, he...hey!," I tried to regain somewhat of my composure. "So..., what do you need, Shion-chan?"
"I came by to ask for some more anime recommendations!," she answered with a bright smile. Oh Kaori, why can't you be sweet like this?
"Ah, right! Well, let's go into the living room, and I'll show you some of the new one I'm watching."
"Eh? Can't we just stay in your room?" she gave me a confused look as sweat began to roll off my forehead. A reason! I need a legit reason!
"Er... w-well... you see, I haven't clean my room properly, and there's all kind of stuff lying around, so you might trip on it," I said lamely.
"Stuff?" Shion tilted her head to the side, then a spark lit her eyes. "Oh! Is that the rumored 'boys' treasures' that my classmates always talk about?! Can I see it?!"
"No, no! I'm sorry, Shion-chan. Today's just not the day my room is available," another lame excuse. I clapped my hand and bowed a little, hoping she would stop the questioning. Fortunately, she bought it.
"Okay, next time then!" she exclaimed as I gave a small sigh. I'm really sorry, Shion-chan! Next time I will treat you to your favorite cake! If I have enough allowance money, that is...
"Also, I'm collecting some figurines."
I refocused on her face as something changed in her eyes. I'm not sure what it is, but it's giving of hints of seriousness. It doesn't go well with the usual energetic Shion-chan, but since she is a hardcore otaku, she might just be pretty serious about her collection. Still, somewhere I had a nagging feeling that there might be another reason.
"I'm collecting lots and lots of figurines! So if you have some, please consider donating!," she said with her bright smile again, her hands behind her back. I guess what I saw must be a mistake on my own part then.
"Ah, sorry again Shion-chan. I do have some, but there buried somewhere in my room," I replied more calmly. "I will give them to you next time!"
"Ohh-kay, thank you Kyouta-nii-chan! I guess I'll go now," she bowed then walked back to my sister's room.
I closed the door quietly and fall on my bed. I looked up on the ceiling, sighing out loudly. A storm just passed by, huh? I glanced at the pile of broken figurines again, hoping some magic has fixed them but to no avail. They lay there exactly the way I left them. Guess I should clean it up at least...
As I was doing the disheartening job, I picked up the pieces of the Sora figurine and examined it, my thoughts in another place. Why did Shion look so serious? Is it really only for collecting, or... something else?
I looked at the broken pieces again, unsure of how should I tell my sister. "Maybe apologizing will work if I explain what happened?"
"Probably. These look expensive though."
"You're right. Seemed like I will had to- huh?"
I spun around in the direction of the voice and see him lying on the bed that was empty seconds ago. Dark maroon spiky hair, a yellow T-shirt with the letters "I [heart] Humanity," long pants, and red eyes with dark bags from sleep deprivation. In front of me is a human-size figurine of Sora. Well, I thought he was a figurine until he sat up and stretched.
"Ahh, the morning feel great," he yawned, looking around the room. "Seems like I'm back in Japan."
I pointed at him, slowly moving away. My mouth is opened, but no words came. My mind was blank before I registered what was going on.
A character from an anime is in front of me.
He is Sora from No Game No Life.
He is talking and acting like anyone in this world.
What...?
"WHAT?!" I screamed before falling to my side and fainted, but the guy caught me first and shook me a little.
"Hey hey, stay awake. Don't cause a commotion, we don't know who's here!"
I sat up again and scooted back little farther from this realistic-looking fictional character, "W-Who are y-you? You're n-not supposed to be... real..."
"Ha, I would never thought someone will be scared just looking at me!," he laughed and glanced at me again. "Seems like I'm a respected character in this world."
I still stared at him, waiting for a reply until he took the hint.
"Oh, sorry. I'm still adjusting to what happen on my side too! Now, the introduction! My name is-"
"STOP BEING SO LOUD!"
Slamming the door opened is Kaori with a look that screams death. I panicked, knowing she'll kill me if she found out about her broken treasures. But wait... where did the human-sized Sora go? I glanced around but all I see is empty space at my bed once more.
"All of my friends left because of you shouting and making all that noises! What are you even-"
She froze looking at the pile of broken pieces on the floor next to me. Her eyes widened as if she saw me murder someone. To her, I may as well have.
"Are those... my figurines?"
"N-No!... Yes."
"Did you break them?"
"I only accidentally..." I looked at her glare and all the planning of how should I tell her disappeared. "Yes."
"Do you know how much I saved to buy all of it?"
"A-Actually no, since you never tell me..."
Kaori slowly advanced to me, showing a smile that might have means she would forgive poor me and said, "It's alright!" It would have fooled anyone else, but not me. I knew better after the hundredth time.
"Hmm? Is that your little sister? She looks really angry."
"Of course she is! No one in their happy mood would give off that much of a dark aura!" I retorted mentally.
Great. Now I'm hearing voices in my head. Did I go mad because of the danger in front of me? Maybe meeting Sora earlier was a hallucination too...
"Wanna trade places? I'm not a sadistic person, but if it's a little sister it's fine by me."
"Shut up you siscon!" I yelled out loud.
"How about YOU shut up instead?," Kaori said as she Falcon Punched my stomach, knocking me back into my desk. Before the pain registered in my brain, she took all her figurines and the broken pieces and walked to the door. She stopped for a while then turned her head.
"I won't make you repay me this time, b-but you owe me now, got that? Next time, y-you will do whatever I say!"
Without the energy to reply or process why she keep stumbling on her words, my eyes slowly drifted closed. I heard another door slam and Kaori's footsteps before fainting.
-o-O-o-
"Having a good nap?" I opened my eyes and saw Sora sitting on my bed, exactly where he is before he disappeared.
I scratched my head as I started to fully wake up. "Why are you still here? Aren't you just an illusion?"
"To call me an illusion, how rude..." he replied and crossed his arms. "Well, your sister hit you hard enough to make you fall into a deep long sleep, have to give some kudos for that. You were dreaming about her, weren't you?"
"No I wasn't! And it hurts like hell!" I rubbed my stomach as the pain is still there. "Anyway, is it just me or did I hear your voice in my mind earlier?"
"Ah, I will get to that later. First, why don't I introduce myself? I am Sora from the anime your world calls 'No Game No Life!' And as a Servant, I am here to help you win the Granimic War!"
A few things ran through my head, none of them making sense. Did he just call himself a servant? "Back up a bit. Why would someone from an anime exist? And what is this Gran-something War?"
"Huh? Don't you read anything online?"
"No, I'm not really into that. I watch anime and play games in my free time."
"I see, then I have to explain it to you huh?" he sighed, putting his hand to his forehead. "Okay, the official explanation is really long, but here is my shortened version: There is this war that if you win by being the last to survive, you will be granted one wish."
"That's... all? I think that's too short..."
"It's the main point you need to understand," he waved his hand to dismissed any problems with it. "Here are the most important things: this war has seven players in it called Masters. They're chosen randomly, or should I say, by fate. We Servants from the anime world will help their Masters in the war, since we have powers and we can fight other Servants."
"So... you're actually 'real' right now?"
"Yes, as least until this war ended, or," he showed an evil grin, "until I am killed."
Killing isn't too common in an average person's life. It happens all the time in anime and manga, but for a regular high school student like me, murder almost seems unreal. My hands shook a little as I realized I'm heading toward something unknown even to the logic of this world.
"Do these people... these Masters, do they lose their lives in this war?"
"Usually, no," Sora replied. "When they're killed by a Servants, before they're completely dead, the power of the Cup will heal them to their original state. But that means they are already eliminated, and their memory of the war will also be replaced with something else that fits his or her reasoning."
"That sounds... painful but safe, I guess..."
"Keep in mind though," the sly grin he usually keep on his face disappeared, "if a Masters is killed by other Masters, they will die. Only Servants have no effects on people's death in this war, but anyone else can."
"Does that mean if I'm a player in this war," I asked nervously, "the other six are automatically... my enemies?"
"Yes! Exactly that!"
"Don't say it with a grin!"
"Oh well, I'm glad it doesn't take more than it needs to explain stuff to you," Sora lied on my bed again, still looking at me. "So Master, what do you want me to do?"
"Ugh, don't call me Master, it feels weird," I said. It does feel strange when you're dealing with anime characters existing in front of you. Or anyone calling you Master just because you're selected for something. "I'm Nakashima Kyouta. Kyouta is just fine. Also, how on earth was I even chosen?"
"Well, you broke one of the figurines that contain my spirit, so you're my Master."
"Just like that? Even though my sister is the owner of them?"
"Yes, only the one breaking it matters. My spirit is enclosed in one of these figurines of me. If someone breaks it, they are sort of making a contract with me. But to ensure the war will start soon, after the first Servant is released, the other Servants will be released automatically when the right time come."
"What a complicated system," I sighed as I took a closer look at him. "Still, I couldn't believe anime characters can actually exist. You also have quite a different voice from the voice actor, but close."
"When we materialized in this world, we also use some of the beliefs most people have on us to complete our characteristics."
"So, what happened if you stay in public now?" I asked, remembering all those episodes when he felt completely immobilized every time he's dealing with people outside. Sora is, after all, a very unsociable NEET. Emphasis on the "very."
"I can... withstand it," he said, maintaining a sly smile, but drops of sweat started rolling off his head, probably from remembering the experiences. "The Dimensional Cup helped balance out the Servants' advantages and disadvantages, but I'm still no good with crowds and groups of people. It's one of my weaknesses."
"What do you mean, a cup helping you out?" My head felt like it was going to burst. I couldn't take in any more information, but I tried pushing myself.
"The Dimensional Cup is what the victor will get. It holds the power of this war and grants the victors their wish."
"I see... Still, will we be able to win if you have weaknesses like that?"
"Of course we will! There's a path to victory for any game!"
"So the reason you can stay... er... alive without Shiro by your side is also because of the Cup?" Another episode from the anime popped up in my mind, where he was again suffering almost to death when Shiro was separated from him.
"No! Nothing can ever heal me from not being near my dear little sister," Sora wiped his fake tears and pointed to one of the corner with my room. "You see, that's the reason."
"That... um...," in that corner is a poster of No Game No Life I bought at an anime-signing event, with Sora and Shiro clearly in view. "You meant that you can stay here because... Shiro is in that poster?"
"Yes, as long as I can see her, I'm fine. Oh, Shiro~," he stood up and touched the Shiro-poster slightly. Please stop that, it's gross and ridiculous. I never thought you were this much of a siscon.
"Anyway, I still have more questions," he looked back at me and nodded for me to continue. "Earlier you talked to me inside my head. How did you do that? And where are you when you did it?"
"You mean this?," Sora spoke without moving his mouth, his voice still clearly heard. "While this is not possible for Masters, I can detect your commands and actions from a certain distance."
"That's... kind of creepy."
"As for where am I, I can disappear if needed," he switched back to talking normally. "Most Servants use mana, which they get from getting a good night's sleep like a human or from their Masters. So the more I stay hidden, the more I need to rest."
To show me, his form slowly vanished into thin air, until nothing was left onto the bed. He reappeared again, this time sitting on the floor in front of me. "Most Servants use this outside of their home base to protect their Masters."
"Hmm, this is a lot to digest in one day..."
"There's more though," he raised one finger then pointed it at my hand. "Over there is your Command Seals. It gives you three times to command me to do whatever you want, even when I don't want to. Use them all, and your memory will be wiped, restoring you to a normal human with no collection of this war."
I looked at my left hand. On it is a red mark of three arrows, each head pointing a different direction. In the middle is a plus sign, as for why it is there I never know. "Do these symbols has any meaning?"
"I don't know, but they are to represent a class, and each Master has a different-looking Command Seals."
"There are classes to the Servants?" I imagined all these strong characters with Rank S and those weaker with Rank D or E...
"Not the letter system that most anime shows used," like reading my thoughts, he intercepted. "But as far as I know, the top three strongest are Saber, Lancer, and Archer, followed by Rider, Berserker, Caster, and Assassin. Each Servant is classified based on their history in the anime storyline they're in and their abilities."
I look at the arrows on my hand again, but they still confuse me. No Game No Life is one of my favorite anime, so I haven't forgot Sora's abilities and characteristics. I remembered Sora as a manipulative NEET and... nothing else. He got no super powers and isn't good at fighting. His advantages are playing games and making strategies, but...
"So which class are you?," I asked finally, clueless about how he fits into any of those classes. There's no Gamer class, after a-
"I belong to the Archer class. Isn't it obvious?"
Huh?
What?
I sat there and stared at him, confusion covering my face.
[1] - From the show and short for "Ore no Imouto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai".
[2] - Siblings and main characters from "No Game No Life".
I know it is a little bit rushed at the end, since I wrote this chapter in two separate day (now that is a lame excuse). Next chapter is kind of where the story actually start (this one is kind of like a prologue), and hopefully it will be better as I wanted it to...
Also, fighting will happen, just wait for the right time :D
~keyboard113