A/N: Yeah, I'm starting this up while I have 'Why Me' going because IT WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!
I love Fate and Shin Megami Tensei, so I'm doing this.
Similar as last time, in the endnotes I'll have the specifics.
For now, let's knock this Prologue out.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fate or TYPE-MOON, and I also do not own Shin Megami Tensei IV: Apocalypse. Well, I own a copy of the game, but that's the extent.
...
…
Inhale. Count to four.
One, two, three, four…
Exhale.
...I have no idea where I am, and all I see is white.
At first I thought it was a dream, but dreams are hazy and fleeting. This was solid, real. I even gave myself a few pinches, and a slap to check.
...An endless sea of white.
I'm sitting in a chair, a comfortable one. And in front of me is a table, and spread out is a deck of cards.
I try to remember how I may have gotten here. All I remember is...the convention, yeah, the convention.
And...that's all.
I don't recall anything else.
Hahhh….that gave me a shiver. I picked my head up to look around again, and spotted something new.
There was a chair set across from me, and in it sat a man.
He was...old... I would guess he's around, or probably in his forties or fifties, and was dressed in an old English-styled suit with a black cape around his shoulders connected by a gold chain, possessed spiky gray hair and beard. He stared at me with a smirk on his face and eerie crimson red eyes, holding a cane pressed against the floor.
And because of his sudden appearance, I flew back in the chair and landed on my back, then scrambled up to hold myself up.
"Heh, that's a bit different. Silent surprise, compared to the usual outright yelling or cursing." The Old Man said with a chuckle, his smirk still present as he studied me with his crimson eyes.
"W-Who...who are you?" I asked, gulping a bit from nervousness, "A-And where am I…?"
"Ah, a polite one!" The Old Man said, and looked me directly in the eyes. "My name is one you have heard before, boy. And that name is Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. I've also been called the Wizard Marshall, and a couple other nicknames."
Kischur...Zelretch...Schweinorg…
Yeah, I knew that name alright. I was a lover of the Fate series, and avidly read about it when I couldn't experience things like the VN's or certain games.
And Zelretch...I knew plenty about him. He was a Dead Apostle Ancestor, the Nasuverse vampires, and is noted to be one of the strongest and also oversaw the formation of the Fuyuki Holy Grail System,
Topping off anything else I could list about him, he was a master of the Second Magic, Kaleidoscope.
In simple terms, dimensional travel.
...but there was no way.
"No way...there's no way your Zelretch, the actual Wizard Marshall." I stood up, and looked straight at him. "Y-You're just a cosplayer or something, I was just at a convention, so there. Stop joking around, whoever you actually are."
Though I said that, my voice was still laced with nervousness…
"Well..." Zelretch mused, still showing nothing but amusement at my reaction "When you say it like that, it does sound like it could just be a joke, but boy... I'm not in the mood of making introductions or pleasantries since you already know me, and since I've already dealt with you before, so..."
And suddenly without a cue, I was yanked up. By some force or anything else, I was up, and dropped into my previously fallen chair, that was now upright.
As this just happened, my mind frantically trying to process just what happen, my previous nervousness now evolved into fear and panic, the emotions starting to grow.
He...he couldn't actually be real...This isn't happening, it can't be.
He can't be real! This whole scenario couldn't be real! Th-This is probably just some sick joke or something my friends wer-
"Yeesh, calm down would ya, boy."
Calm.
Like someone controlling my emotions directly, my panic and fear faded.
One second my mind was mess but suddenly I feel...calm, collected. Just poof, fine.
"Well... you certainly more polite than the others so far, but you're one of the first ones that almost collapse just because I showed some proof.." Zelretch spoke, his voice still laced with amusement as he grinned at me and..oh lord, I can see his fangs!
"I don't know I should feel flattered, or maybe offended, but... I guess I will take the first option." He chuckled and continued, "But for now, I have an offer for you."
An offer from Zelretch...this is nothing good. I've read a lotta stories with this Dead Apostle Troll, and his offers usually involve dragging people into other alternate worlds, and having them act as his entertainment.
So yeah...nothing good.
"Refusing is an option, right…?" I asked, looking the Marshall in the eyes.
"Hear me first, boy." Zelretch cleared his throat before giving me a look, "I have already traveled to many places, and have changed many things. However, I realize when I did that, all of them turn... A bit dull, you can say..." He said.
"Dull?" How something like world meddling becomes dull, don't ask me.
"Yes boy, dull. They are all amusing and fun, make no mistake. But...usually, they all have one common thing between them." Zelretch rising his index finger to me.
"To be a Hero." He stated, "And like what i said before, all of them are fun to see, but I want something different! Something new, if you will."
"And for that reason, you picked me?" I asked, pointing at myself.
"Correct, boy." The Marshall smirked at me and continued, "Michael French, son of a father with the same name, and Deanna Jabro. Born in 2002, now 15 and going to highschool, and aspiring to be a game designer."
Add another reason to be scared of this man. He knows my damn life.
"I could name a couple other things, but you get my point. My offer is this; I will send you to an alternate reality. One where all the world's mythologies hold true, and devils and angels roam! Where people hold the power to slay gods! But have no fear! I leave you to simply die! I will provide you with a means of surviving, and from there whatever path you take is up to you!"
Zelretch explained this to me, his eyes gaining an excited glint.
Any sane man would say no. I should say no. I know to say no.
But…
I'm probably dead already.
While some may say that's a jump, and some at this point wouldn't even believe him, but...with me referencing things I've read again, most of the protagonists of these things normally agree because otherwise...they're already dead.
If I am...I will accept.
I don't want to end up dead. Even if...even if I don't get to see them again, my family...I want to live.
"That look on your face says it all. You'll agree, and you know by now what's next, right?" Zelretch commented with a grin, and snapped his fingers.
The cards that were originally on the table, 9 cards, flashed and showed new imagery.
These were Class Cards, cards that contained the power, essence, and entire being's of Heroic Spirits. There were seven, each one for a normal Class.
Saber, Lancer, Archer, Rider, Caster, Assassin, and Berserker...wait, there's 2 more?
"As you know, these are Class Cards. Each one contains a Heroic Spirit, and you will gain one implanted into your body. In a sense, you will become a pseudo Demi-Servant, but one of a highest-tier, in a sense of saying." Zelretch explained, watching me examine the cards.
"What are the extra two?" I asked, looking at the Wizard Marshall.
"Other Classes," He simply answered, shrugging as I looked back at he cards.
Saber; One of the Three Knight classes, and considered the best Class. High stat Heroic Spirits who bare strong swordsmanship, high magic-resistance, and have are usually from the Age of Gods. That describes this Class. I have always preferred swords...and if I got a Spirit like Siegfried, or maybe even one of the King Arthur's, I'd be set.
Lancer; Second of the Three Knight Classes. Usually extremely fast and agile, they fight using spears and polearms, and excel in hit-and-run attacks. I could get someone like Vlad III, or even Enkidu.
Archer; Last of the Three Knight Classes. Knights of the bow, or in some cases just projectiles. They excel in possessing powerful Noble Phantasms, and have high magic-resistance like Sabers. This could be a second for me, since most Archers are incredible in terms of power, ones like Nikola Tesla or Oda Nobunaga.
Rider; First of the Four Cavalry Classes, and are known for their mounts, be they living beasts or even human constructs. These mounts have granted them multiple and powerful Noble Phantasms, making up for their lower attributes. This would be another great choice. There are multiple strong Riders, ones like Ozymandias, or Perseus.
Caster; Second of the Four Cavalry Classes, and Heroic Spirits of spells and sorcery. Casters, while possessing sorceries of the highest caliber, were regarded as the weakest do to their low combat abilities. They make up for this with other means, using magic that no longer exists in the current age and, no matter which Heroic Spirit is of which class, possessing many possible ploys to be used against enemies. I could get a powerful spellcaster like Tamamo no Mae or Cu Chulainn.
Assassin; Third of the Four Cavalry Classes. Silent killers, and the Heroic Spirit of Assassinations. Covert and stealthy, this Class mainly sticks to the shadows for quick and silent kills. Some are exceptions to this, in a few ways. It's one of my favorite Classes besides the next, and would hope for Yan Qing or Jack The Ripper.
Berserker; The Fourth of the Four Cavalry Classes. Mad Warrior and Heroic Spirits of Berserker Rage, these are Heroic Spirits that have at some point in their legends gone berserk. They have Mad Enhancement, a skill that trades sanity and thought for a boost in power. This was a second favorite Class of mine, and had powerful Heroic Spirits the likes of Heracles and Lu Bu.
Next was...Ruler? The Ruler Class was something of a mediator, and was mainly seen in Fate/Apocrypha. It's meant to protect the concept of the Holy Grail War itself, and there's only two actual Servants of it. Joan of Arc, and Amakusa Shirou Tokisada. ...I don't count swimsuit Martha.
And, finally, after that was...Avenger, the Heroic Spirit of Vengeance and another non-standard Class. It was...definitely an interesting choice. It had a lot more Servants than Ruler, and had...again, interesting choices in it, to say the least.
"Now pick, and chose your power, boy." Zelretch gave me a smirk, as I blinked and closed my eyes. "And pick wisely. This world I plan on putting you in...it isn't to be taken lightly."
…
…
…
Inhale. Count to four.
One, two, three, four…
Exhale.
…
…
…
I was...asleep, I think. I was comfortable, wrapped in a blanket but on the floor.
And...I didn't wake myself up.
"Hey, Nanashi, ****! Wake up!"
...oh god, please no.
I slowly opened my eyes, blinking as I remained lying down.
In front of my were two people, one just sitting up from a nap like me.
One was a youthful teenager with half-shaved medium length greenish brown hair and brown eyes. He was wearing a dark green jumpsuit with the right sleeves halved and half of his left leg exposed, one grayish green glove on his right hand, and grayish green boots with orange socks, with a red stud earring on one ear.
The other was a young woman with long black hair a white cap with goggles and gray eyes, wearing a blue outfit with an open collar and a zipped up zipper running up to the collar. There was a white belt around her waist, white gloves on her hands, black sleeve-things where her forearm met the rest of her arms, and black socks and blue boots.
...well, these two were definitely Nanashi and Asahi all right.
Apocalypse, huh?
...fuck me.
A/N: And just like last time, no Class Card till the first starting chapter! But unlike last time, I added Ruler and Avenger caused it seemed fun :3
Now, instead of three like DxD, I will only have 2, the top voted Class and Spirit. Ruler and Avenger have two options each, while the rest have three this time aroun.
And, they are:
Saber: Altera (Attila the Hun), Artoria Alter, and Okita Souji.
Archer: Oda Nobunaga, EMIYA, and Atalanta.
Lancer: Elizabeth Bathory, Cu Chulainn (/stay night), and Fionn Mac Cumhail.
Rider: Iskander, Anne Bonny and Mary Read, and Francis Drake.
Caster: Medea, Helena Blavatsky, and Archimedes.
Assassin: Mysterious Heroine X, Yan Qing, and Jack The Ripper.
Berserker: Lu Bu, Hijikata Toshizo, and Hercules.
Ruler: Jeanne d'Arc and Amakusa Shiro Tokisada.
Avenger: Jeanne Alter and Edmond Dantes.
Okay, and that's all the choices! Voting is just like last time, no poll on my profile tho, and please if you can explain your reasoning behind your picks! I love seeing reasoning :3!
And remember, faster you vote, faster next chapter is out!
SO IF YOU LIKED THIS, FAVORITE, FOLLOW, AND REVIEW~!
See ya'll next time~