"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."
Malvolio, Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, Act 2, Scene 5
Monday, July 21st.
Michael half-walked, half-jogged down the street. He was running late (again). He hadn't liked having to be up early back in his own world, and nothing had changed when he came to this one. He'd made something of a reputation for it at Homurahara Gakuen; the professors loved his personality and grades, but they hated his untidiness and tardiness more.
He sighed as he came to a crosswalk. Red light. "Great. Now I'm going to be even later." Michael let out another exasperated sigh, running a hand through his hair. The light turned green, and he turned towards the street he always took. It was empty.
Michael checked his watch: 6:20. If he didn't get there soon, he'd be late for practice. He was still about a mile, maybe more, from the school. He glanced around quickly; no one in sight. Michael shrugged. "Why not, no ones around."
He dove into his inner mind, quickly summoning up the now familiar image of a hidden blade. It activated, and he felt a slight surge as his magic circuits activated. Running over the process in his head, Michael Reinforced his body, and sped off towards the school. He was glad it made him fast; anybody who happened to look would see a blur as he went past, or felt the wind.
Within another minute or so, Michael was at the school. He checked his watch again: 6:22. He smiled. Being a magus never got old.
By lunchtime, Michael was tired and exhausted. Between everything he did at the school, studying for both school and Magecraft, working, and playing video games competitively, he was beat. He guessed it didn't matter, not for long anyways. Tomorrow marked the start of summer vacation, and he was looking forwards to both rest and the chance to focus more on his Magecraft. He had his feet up on the table and was munching on some fries he'd brought from the school cafeteria. The air in the school today had a generally relaxed feel; everyone, teachers included, was looking forwards to the break.
Michael looked up from his book (one about the various mechanisms and theories concerning Wind Magecraft), to see Kaito and Yamato going at it. He smiled; those two always seemed to be in another argument. They were the best the Chess Club had to offer, and were the only ones who'd beaten him, not just at chess, but numerous card games. He enjoyed their company immensely; they reminded him of two of his friends back home.
He tuned back into the conversation just as Kaito yelled, "Gah! Baka! That's not how that card is played!"
"Don't you call me an idiot, you demon! You know perfectly well that's how it's played, you just don't want to admit you lost!" Yamato responded with a retort of his own.
Michael chuckled. Before he knew it, they'd completely switched games; it seemed they'd both brought their entire arsenal today. He was certainly in for a show.
"Or not," he thought, as Miyu came into the room. Miyu was a childhood friend of both Kaito and Yamato, though she didn't play chess or any other games. She was an athlete, but to the never-ending despair of her friends, she doted on both of them. They, quite obviously, were both madly in love with her, though she either didn't realize it or chose to ignore it (Michael wasn't sure, Miyu was... Odd, to say the least).
As soon as she strolled in, it looked like neither of the two had ever played a card game in their lives at all. Miyu giggled as she sat down at the head of the table. Where there had just been two young men passionately yelling at each before, now sat two seemingly well-mannered young men eating lunch. Michael chuckled and took his feet off the table.
"So, Miyu-san," Kaito said. "How's your day been?"
Miyu began giggling, and soon, all 4 of them were laughing. Michael was truly glad; of all the people he'd met here, he was most comfortable with these 3.
A group of people passed by, and one of them, Aoi, held back. She stuck her head inside the room, saying, "Michael-sama! The whole track team is going out tonight. Would you like to come with us?" She giggled and batted her eyelashes.
"Sure Aoi-san! I've got work after school, but I'd love to go out with everyone afterwords. Where are we going?" Michael asked.
Aoi giggled again, "I'm not sure, Michael-sama! I'll call you later and tell you when, so be sure to answer!" She smiled and backed out.
While Kaito was busily flirting with Miyu, Yamato took the opportunity to edge toward Michael.
"So, Michael-kun... Aoi-san seems to have a bit of a crush on you, eh?" He winked, elbowing Michael's side as he did so.
Michael felt his face flush. "Shut up, you idiot, we're just friends."
Yamato's eyes narrowed. "Sure, Michael-kun. A pretty girl like that, and you're 'just friends.'" He air quoted "just friends," his eyes and face clearly showing he doubted it. Kaito and Miyu, having paused in their banter, heard his words, and they joined in the conversation, Miyu attempting to give advice, and Kaito and Yamato expressing their doubts about him.
Michael covered his face with his hands and laughed helplessly under their commotion. Every day, it seemed that he was more and more at home. In the middle of their banter, he looked out the door; at that moment, Rin Tohsaka passed by.
She briefly looked into the room as she passed, and their eyes met. Michael felt his breath catch in his throat. She was beautiful, more so than he had expected since arriving more than a year ago, every time he saw her. She continued walking by.
Not for the first time, he thought, "Yup, just like home..."
Michael had met both Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka before, multiple times. He wasn't friends with either, certainly not with Tohsaka (who was, without a doubt, the coldest woman he'd ever met), but perhaps he and Shirou could be considered "acquaintances." Michael was actually in Shirou's class; this is where most of Shirou's knowledge concerning Michael came from.
Michael reflected on this during his next few classes. He'd hoped to meet, and perhaps become close friends with, either of them during his time at the school. Shirou and he had met and discussed some things, nothing major; after all, Shirou was eager to help anyone and everyone, and thus the clubs tended to abuse that. Michael was in many clubs, and saw this happen often. He didn't like it.
The first time Michael met Rin Tohsaka, she completely ignored him - though it was nothing personal, she ignored everyone. While walking down the hallway to his classes, she passed by. He greeted her politely, knowing that her reputation would've preceded her to him and she shouldn't have been surprised he knew her, but he got no response. Not surprised, he continued to his classes.
Michael hadn't had many chances to get to know either; he was somewhat shy and had only come to know the few friends he had through the clubs he'd joined. That being said, he had something of a growing reputation at the school. His grades and test scores were among the best of the best, and he'd led the track and field club to doing very well at the National High School Ekiden Championship in the first year he'd been attending school at Homurahara Gakuen (although, to his personal annoyance, foreigners weren't allowed to compete in the longest leg of the relay - forcing him to run the shorter distance leg).
Michael wasn't much of a social person; he never had been, and never would be. He hoped he'd be able to help either of them (or convince them to not kill him) when the Holy Grail War finally began.
Michael strolled home, one hand in his pocket and the other holding his suitcase. School had ended not too long ago, and everyone had rushed out, eager for summer break to truly begin.
He headed home. He had to work in little over an hour, and wasn't exactly looking forward to it. "Great, first day of break, and I'm stuck working."
Sighing, he reached his house. It wasn't huge; it certainly wasn't anything like he remembered Tohsaka's or Shirou's homes being, but it was his and he was proud of it.
Michael unlocked the front door and walked into the first room. It was a split room, much like the main room of Shirou's home. There was a small table on one side of the room, with 2 chairs. A couch and a coffee table were in the center of that half of the room. An entertainment center was situated against the opposite wall, a medium-sized television sitting atop it. The kitchen side of the room contained a permanent island, with storage below it for pans, as well as a stove/oven combo, a small double-door refrigerator, and sink. There was a spice rack on the wall, and a cupboard underneath that, offering storage for any dry foods and products he had.
The hallway leading out from the living room side ended in one room at the end of the hall. Two rooms were on the left side of the hallway; two more were on the right. The two rooms on the right were largely identical, although one's walls were unadorned. That was the guest bedroom, the first being his own. The first room on the right was a bathroom, containing a washer and dryer, a sink, and a shower. It wasn't large by any means, but that suited Michael. The second room on the right was his second favorite room in the house. It contained various equipment for training, and had a padded floor to match. Weightlifting and running equipment was situated sparsely and practice targets were lined up against one wall. Racks on either side of the room's window contained various practice weapons, swords, bows, and the like.
The room at the end of the hall was his favorite, by far. It was the biggest room in the house, and had two windows. Three of the walls were completely covered by bookshelves, packed full of books of various sorts, nonfictional, fictional, and also those containing information on Magecraft. The fourth wall had nothing on it, but under the window was a large desk, with a large computer on it. It was Michael's pride and joy, crafted over the years by his own hands. The best part was that it was connected to speakers located throughout the house, allowing him to play all of his favorite music in any room.
Truthfully, Michael loved the house. It was his little piece of a heaven, a home that was truly his in a world that he didn't belong in.
Some of his friends thought it was odd, though. Being Japanese, they were not accustomed to the various furniture he had, such as a couch, the chairs, and the table that admittedly wasn't like anything any of them had at home.
He chuckled at the thought. It never ceased to amaze him that as much alike as they were, there were still fundamental differences. Shrugging the thought away, Michael placed his suitcase inside his room, and quickly changed into his work uniform.
Michael had some time before he had to leave, so he decided to check the news. Turning the television on, the first report was of various artifacts being stolen from museums around the city and surrounding area. He shook his head; more and more robberies had been taking place, which was odd. What was more odd was that the robbers either left the entire museum alone, or they took things that weren't very valuable (comparatively), like a shroud archaeologists had excavated from Italy, or a ball they'd found inside an underwater temple.
A few minutes later, he turned off the television and headed out the door to work.
Michael woke up the next day on his couch. He'd worked until about 9 o'clock the night before, and had been out with friends until almost 12 (only three of them; Aoi had been a bit misleading about "the entire team" going). Exhausted, he looked up; the clock above the television read "12:28."
He sat up and stretched. He had to start planning; the Holy Grail War was going to begin soon, and his Command Spells had already appeared on the back of his left hand. According to the books, he had to have certain ingredients for the ritual to succeed. He already had a catalyst. He just needed some blood, a summoning circle, and somewhere to summon his Servant.
Michael had had an idea some time ago: he remembered Waver Velvet had summoned Rider over a leyline in the forest outside the city. If he used the leyline, it might make the summoning easier on him. It seemed a sound idea. He'd never done a summoning before, so he wanted to make it as good as possible.
Michael remembered something he'd read; Saber, the Servant Shirou would end up summoning, was a fantastic Servant under a good Master, someone like Rin. But under someone like Shirou, with a poor summoning to boot, her abilities were greatly weakened. He did not wish for that to happen, so he intended to take extra precautions to prevent it.
He packed a bag with books on rituals, another fictional book for pleasure reading, and some food, along with the catalyst and paper, to track his progress. Michael didn't know exactly where the leyline was, so he had to plan in case he couldn't find it, or accidentally found it earlier than expected.
With that in mind, he took a shower, dressed in his most comfortable outfit, grabbed his wallet and bike, and headed out.
Two weeks later, he was in the forest surrounding Fuyuki City. It stretched for miles in every direction, and though he'd been out here almost every day for the first two weeks of summer break, he'd had yet to find a clue as to the whereabouts of the clearing.
After the first day, he'd decided to look through his books for a way to locate it using his Magecraft. He hadn't been able to find anything, so he supposed he would just have to find it the old fashioned way.
Michael had debated going to Tohsaka Rin for help, but had quickly thrown that idea out. For one, they didn't know each other all that well. Secondly, he'd wanted the keep his identity as a magus secret; asking for help wouldn't have been good for his plans for the War. Finally, asking for help, to find the location of a leyline no less, would've been very suspicious. Nope, it'd have to be the old fashioned way.
After what seemed like a long while, he stopped in a clearing. He sighed, and checked his watch. It read "6:47 p.m.". Michael groaned. He thought of just going home for the rest of the day. He sat down against a tree and opened his backpack, taking out some food. Michael idly looked around the clearing. It was beautiful, the sun was shining through the canopy above, with a little space through it. Some of the sunlight shown clear through this, and in the late evening light, Michael noticed something: the ground had a little groove in it.
He brightened; this might be the place. He searched with his mind, and to his delight, found some traces of prana in the air and ground. Michael smiled; this was certainly the place. Happy he'd stumbled across it, he set out, clearing the space from debris and leaves. Most of the summoning circle Waver had used was gone, and only bits and pieces of it remained. Not surprising - it had been 10 years, after all.
Michael took out the book on rituals and began to work, carving into the ground with a pocket knife.
3 hours later, Michael stood before the finished summoning circle. The ground was carved with a myriad of symbols and shapes, and he'd spent the better part of two hours checking and rechecking it. A small altar stood opposite him, the catalyst sitting atop it. With the moon low in the twilight sky, he judged it was time to start the summoning. Michael had already killed the chickens; he placed their blood over the circle. He opened the book to the pages he'd marked beforehand; on them were inscribed the words of power he intended to use to summon his Servant.
Michael closed his eyes, and stretched his left arm towards the circle, reciting out loud the incantation, imagining the trigger to activate his magic circuits as he did so:
"Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Five perfections for each repetition.
And now, let the filled sigils be annihilated in my stead!"
Michael felt something shift in the air. He could feel the power building, taxing his strength.
"Ye first, O silver, O iron. O stone of the foundation, O Archduke of the Contract.
Hear me in the name of my great teacher, the Wizard Marshall Zelretch.
Hear me, thee who wishes peace, but deals of murder, who seeks to open minds, but demands obedience, who reveals the danger of blind faith, yet practices it thyself."
He saw the circle begin to glow, reacting to his words. A breeze began, slightly ruffling the grass, his clothes, and hair.
"Let the descending winds be as a wall.
Let the gates in all directions be shut, rising above the crown, and let the three-forked roads to the Kingdom revolve."
The breeze grew stronger, the circle glowing more brightly. He could feel the power in the air; it made his skin tingle. He went on:
"Set. Set.
Let thy body rest under my dominion, let my fate rest in thy shadowed blades.
If thou submitteth to the call of the Holy Grail, and if thou wilt obey this mind, this reason, then thou shalt respond."
The power surging through him began pulsating, reacting with the outside world. The breeze grew ever stronger. His clothes flapped, his air blew around wildly. He heard branches snap, and a sound, the whine of pure power flowing, gained in strength and grew louder.
"I make my oath here: I am that person who is to become the virtue of all Heaven.
I am that person who is covered with the evil of all Hades.
Thou seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words, come past they restraining rings, and be thou the hands that protect the balance!"
All the sounds grew louder, nearly deafening him. As he finished the last incantation, there was a loud bang, and mist grew seemingly out of nowhere. A bright, final flash of light caused him to shield his eyes, and he heard feet touch the ground softly.
Michael turned to look. Standing before him, knee deep in the mist, was a man cloaked in black and gold armor and robes. The metal portions of the armor were black, and appeared to have a gold tint, while the leather portions were completely black or dark brown. Unlike most chest plates, it appeared to be made up of several overlapping metal guards. A black cloak accompanied the armor, and the robes were made up of three layers. Each layer was longer than the one above it, and the longest, lower layer was segmented, giving the whole piece a look resembling an eagle's wings. A hood was pulled up over his head, concealing his features.
Knee-high leather boots adorned his feet, adorned with the same style of metal the protected the other parts of his body. He wore two bracers, the left appearing nearly the same as the catalyst, the one on his right smaller and less ornate in appearance. A belt circled his waist, with a buckle similar to the mark on the left bracer. Throwing knives were sheathed in it and other places on the robes. A knife was sheathed on his right hip, a sword to his left. He looked very, very dangerous.
Michael was exhausted from the summoning, and apparently didn't realize 3 things: first, he'd collapsed to his knees from the effort. Secondly, the man appeared to have said something. Thirdly, the man had walked towards him, and bent down on one knee, pulling back his hood as he did so. Michael's head hurt; the summoning had taken more out of him than he'd expected.
"I ask of you again: are you my Master?" Michael nodded weakly. "Then the Contract is complete." The man extended a hand, which Michael took, then stepped back and bowed in an extravagant fashion.
"I am of the Assassin-class," he said, "so I suppose you're best off calling me 'Assassin.' However, my real name is -"
"- Ezio Auditore de Firenze," Michael finished. He couldn't see the man's expression; he blacked out, and the ground rushed up to meet him.
Michael rode his bike back home, slowly. As best he figured, the meadow was a good 2 hours outside town. He'd marked the general area on a map, in case he needed it again.
He'd passed out after initially summoning Assassin; without the Grail fully supporting it, the summoning was difficult. When he'd come to, it was late morning, and there were the remains of a fire smoldering a few feet away. Michael guessed Assassin had built it and then gone into spirit form in order to conserve Michael's prana. The time was 12:37 p.m.; he'd been out for more than 13 hours.
As it was, though, he was happy with his Servant, though he still wasn't sure how Zelretch had managed to help him summon a "fictional" heroic spirit.
"I suppose it doesn't matter. After all, Magecraft and magic isn't supposed to exist either." Michael chuckled at the thought. Even after almost a year, Zelretch still didn't seem any less confusing; if anything, he was more confusing than when Michael had first met him.
"I guess this world's history is slightly different than mine. That makes sense, although... Will this effect the Holy Grail War at all? What about Caster's Assassin or Zouken's True Assassin?" The thoughts weighed heavily on Michael. He didn't want to change things up too bad, but he might've already done so by simply summoning his own Servant.
"I'm just going to have to wing it," he thought, or said rather, as he got a response from Assassin.
"Just going to have to wing what?" The question, voiced from behind him, startled Michael. He turned around He could see Assassin, though he had to remind himself that no one else could.
"I'll explain later, it's too open out here. Someone could hear us." Assassin nodded. They were just reaching the outskirts of Fuyuki City; another 20 minutes or so and they'd be home, depending on the morning traffic.
When he walked through the door, Michael said, "Alright Assassin, you can assume physical form now. We're safe - and alone - here." He wasn't joking; his home, on the opposite side if the river from the harbor, was the only building for a few minutes walk. Michael had put boundaries and the like up as well, so he'd know if there was anyone around the house.
Assassin came fully into view, still cloaked in his battle garb. Now that he was in the light, Michael was better able to admire the armor. He'd loved the piece when he'd played the game; seeing it up close and personal, in real life no less, was simply amazing.
"Feel free to walk around the house. There's a second bedroom; down the hall, second door to the left."
Michael turned around to prepare some food. He was ravenous. He hadn't eaten a proper meal since yesterday morning. A few minutes later, he looked around; Assassin was still standing there.
"If I need to use a Command Spell, I will Assassin," he joked. He thought about it for a moment. "Look, you're going to be fighting alongside me, not for me. I don't like the way that I've heard about other Masters treating Servants. You guys are Heroic Spirits; you should be respected and treated as equals, not tools to serve the magus's will to reach the Grail."
Assassin still stood there, seemingly unconvinced. He had his arms crossed, and his eyes were slightly narrowed.
Michael put the food in the oven and turned around to wash the dishes he'd used. "Listen dude, just go put on some casual clothes, we'll eat and I'll explain things. Then we'll go out around the city and scout around so you can get a feel for the place. My way of thinking will make more sense then."
Apparently sated, Assassin nodded slightly, then turned for the hallway. When he came back, Michael had seated himself on the couch, and was watching the news. More news coverage of the museum thefts, a segment on some new stuff at the harbor, and the coverage for the preparations for the ceremony honoring those killed in the fire ten years ago.
Michael looked up and greeted him. He was wearing leather boots, white jeans, and a white collared dress shirt, with a light brown leather vest worn over it. The outfit reminded Michael of how he looked when Ezio had been just a Noble, not an assassin.
Michael nodded at him. "A look befitting a Florentine noble." Assassin's head tilted a bit. "I know more than you think. Like I said, let me explain." Assassin nodded again and sat on the couch. Michael got up and retrieved the pizza rolls from the oven (he loved these, though he didn't get them often).
He set them on a plate and asked, "Would you like something to drink?" Assassin shook his head, and Michael shrugged. He went back to the living room.
Before he sat back down, he said, "Alright, first off, let me properly introduce myself. My name is Michael Williams. I'm 18 years old and I'm a magus, although admittedly not the best." He extended a hand.
Assassin took it and shook. "You obviously know this already, but... I am Ezio Auditore de Firenze, though that name likely no longer means anything, even in Italy." He bowed.
Michael nodded and took a seat. "First off, let me explain... I'm sure you know something of magic and magecraft already." Assassin nodded. "Well, true magic doesn't really exist anymore, not really widespread. To begin with, there's about... 5?... Or so instances of true magic left in the world, unique to certain individuals. Magecraft, what I and the other Masters use, is something that's different, though I could probably talk all day about it.
"Long story short, there's this dude who is able to use the Second Magic, the operation of parallel worlds. His name is Zelretch. On the night of my 17th birthday, he took me away from my world, and brought me to this one. I'm not really sure why; he just kinda does things like that."
Assassin nodded. Michael couldn't tell if he believed him or not, but went on anyways. "There are differences between my own world and this one. For one, magic and Magecraft, so far as I knew, didn't exist. I didn't gain my abilities until Zelretch brought me to this world and gave them to me. For another... Zelretch and the people I know in this world were fictional." Assassin nodded again, more slowly this time. Michael cleared his throat.
"That's not all... You were fictional too. That's why I know things about you and your legends that no one else does. Most people in this world would believe you were just an assassin out for revenge, yes?" Assassin nodded again, albeit more slowly this time. He seemed to be deep in thoughT. "Well, I know, for one, you guys, the Assassins I mean, fought against, and probably still do, if they still exist, against the Templars. I know things that wouldn't have been written down - like what happened down under the Vatican in Rome. About the Assassins, Templars, the artifacts of Eden... Everything."
Assassin nodded again. Michael wasn't sure if Assassin believed him or not. He probably wouldn't, that's for sure. It was a weird thing to say. "Anyways, I'll explain my feelings on the bond between Master and Servant. To put it simply, you guys are Heroic Spirits. You've all shaped the modern world through your actions. You're known worldwide, and are, well, godly compared to the rest of us. Other than that, you aren't just spirits, or tools to be used by the Masters. You're people too, and should be treated as such.
"I'd hate to be treated as nothing more than a tool. I hate that Zelretch brought me here without my permission, and I hate that I've heard stories and seen other masters treating their Servants that way.
"Well, that's that. I'm not going to treat you as a tool. As an Assassin and a hero, you deserve more than that. I'm not going to command you to do things unless absolutely necessary. I'd like to fight with you as an equal, not your Master."
Finished, Michael grabbed a pizza roll and ate it. When he looked back, Assassin was smiling at him. "What?" Michael asked, mouth still full of pizza rolls. Assassin laughed.
"You're insane, my friend. But I can tell by your eyes that you're sincere. Leonardo had that same look - But then, he was insane as well!" He began laughing again.
"Leonardo? Da Vinci?" Michael chuckled as well. "So you believe me?"
"Eh. Maybe, maybe not. We shall see. The important thing is that we'll need to prepare for the War. And judging by the television, the Templars as well." He pointed at the television.
"What do you mean?" Michael asked. He turned the television up a bit. "That's just the museum thefts. It's a bit weird, but they're probably just selling the stuff on the black market or something."
"Not quite. You said you've seen my memories. What does that orb look like?" Assassin said it with a sort of grim acceptance, like he was prepared for what was coming.
Michael examined it more closely. It had some markings on it, but otherwise the picture just looked like a regular orb. Realization dawned on him after a few minutes of thought. "I'm not sure... It can't be an... An Apple, can it?"
Assassin held out his hand, cupping his palm. A golden orb materialized on it. "You tell me."
Michael felt his mouth drop. "Is that a...? How? What? I didn't know you had one as well! This is great, that has to be the most versatile Noble Phantasm that'll be in this War!"
Assassin thought about it for a moment. "You're probably right... You said you knew most of what would happen in this War, no?" Michael nodded. "Well, the Grail brings us back for a wish. I have no wish, other than to fight against the other Servants. Please, do not spoil anything for me, unless it is necessary."
Michael thought of it. "Alright," he agreed. "I'm actually not completely sure how things will turn out this time around; my existence here and your summoning has likely already changed events. However, I still will know everyone's identities and powers, so that shouldn't change anything in that regard."
Assassin nodded. "I assume you have a plan then?"
"Yes," Michael said. "A basic one, depending on what happens, but it should work for the first few days of the War. After that, it depends on what the others will do. First things first though, we have about a month, maybe two, until it begins. That'll give us some time for you to adjust to the city and for us to get to some training done."
"About that..." Assassin grinned, a slight twinkle in his eye. "I actually might be able to do something to help. Are you trained in physical combat?"
"Slightly, I guess. I'd be okay in a fist fight, able to hold my own, but I haven't had training in years. I'm an athlete at school though, if that changes anything."
Assassin crossed his arms, thinking. "If we're going to be fighting alongside each other, you'll need to be able to handle yourself in a fight capably. Your Magecraft won't last forever, no?"
"Right. My energy will replenish little by little as time passes, but there's pretty much a set limit on how much I can do per day." Michael shrugged. "I'm able to cast a little more than the average magus, but it's nothing compared to the best."
Assassin stood. "That's fine. I saw the training room across from the room you gave me. I'd like to see it."
"Alright. It's not the best, but it works for what I need it for."
The two of them went to the training room. Michael went to the far side; racks on either side of the window contained various practice and training weapons. Assassin examined everything.
"Interesting..." he said. "Do you have any actual weapons?"
Michael shook his head. "Aside from the throwing knives and the bow, I don't have anything. I could pick something up, but it'd be a long while before I'd be of use with them."
"But you said you had some training in fist fighting?"
"Yeah, I trained in a little bit of jeet kun do, though I stopped shortly before coming to this world. I still practice a little, mostly to keep in shape better. It's a style of martial arts created by Bruce Lee, and the basic aim is to fight with minimal movement for maximum effect, with extreme speed. It's a reactionary fighting style, using fists, legs, trapping techniques, and grappling techniques, among other things."
"So you fight by reacting to your enemies? With counters and such?" Assassin seemed intrigued.
"Yeah. It's a good self-defense combat style." Michael shrugged. "I'm a bit slower than I used to be, but if worst comes to worst, I can just use some Reinforcement Magecraft to amplify my abilities."
Assassin settled into a combat stance on the padded floor. "Show me, without using your Magecraft."
Michael just stared at him. "Are you serious? You want me to fight you, a Heroic Spirit? Even if I was at peak physical condition, I couldn't fight you." He chuckled.
Assassin smiled. "I'll go easy on you. Promise." Michael sighed. "I'm a bit more tired than I should be... But sleeping as I did, I should be okay for a quick spar."
"Alright. My funeral." He relaxed, and cleared his mind, before settling into his own ready stance, right foot slightly forward, left foot behind, right arm forward and palm up, left arm coiled near his waist, fist closed. He took a deep breath. "Ready."
For a moment, neither moved. Michael focused, searching for any hint of movement. Assassin moved suddenly, speeding forward, right fist leading. Michael tensed, then lightly grabbed it with his left, lifting his knee to knock the second blow that was coming from Assassin's left fist.
Michael turned to the side, then shot his right fist forward, through the opening on Assassin's left ribs. Not surprisingly, Assassin saw it coming and shifted, Michael's fist moving wide. Michael sensed a kick coming, and leaned to his right, and Assassin's left leg kicked out over his body, barely missing.
Within a few minutes, he was sweating, attempting to keep his breathing light and under control. Assassin was breathing lightly as well; Michael couldn't tell if he was was working hard at all. He didn't think so; he was surprised he'd been able to counter any of his moves at all.
After a few more rounds, Michael was dead tired. The workouts and the summoning had done him a good one. He sat down against the wall, trying to catch his breath. He hadn't worked that hard in a while. He'd been hit more than a few times, but he'd gotten in a few shots himself as well.
Assassin smiled. "Not bad. It's a good fighting style. I don't think you could stand against a Heroic Spirit for long, but you'd keep them off balance with it for a few seconds, at least."
Michael smiled tiredly. "Well, that's good to hear. Do I pass?"
"With flying colors, my friend." Assassin came over and clapped him on the back. "I suppose we're going to have to get you weapons to go along with that." He thought for a minute. "Where's the catalyst you used to summon me?"
"It's just an old hidden blade. Do you want to see it?" Assassin nodded. "Alright, let me go get it."
Michael returned a few minutes later, the old bracer in tow. He handed it to Assassin as he walked in. Assassin examined it.
"Hmm... This is old. I might be able to restore it though, depending on the materials we can get." Assassin looked at him, with an inquisitive look. "So, do you think you're up for it?"
"What?" Michael was confused. "Why would you restore that?"
"So you can use it, of course. If we're fighting as equals, it's only right that you become an Assassin as well." He said it so nonchalantly, it took a minute for Michael to register it.
Michael was stunned. He'd been excited to be part of the Holy Grail War. He'd been ecstatic to find out he could be a magus. Being an Assassin would be... Well, awesome! He loved playing the Assassin's Creed series back in his world. To actually be a part of that would be a dream come true.
Assassin continued. "Tell me, my young friend. Would you like to become an assassin?" Michael nodded. "Good. Then we shall begin your training immediately."
By the end of the summer vacation, Michael was more tired than he was before. On top of continuing to study and practice his Magecraft, he and Assassin were out most nights, either practicing assassin skills like hiding, free running, and the like, or in the house practicing weapon skills. Assassin was impressed with his dedication; by the end of the first week, his abilities had improved significantly, though no where close to Assassin's own.
He was able to partly make up for his inferior skills by using his Magecraft. He could use the wind to help shield himself from prying eyes, as well as push him farther than he could physically go himself. Reinforcement was able to push his body to and past it's limits; he could run faster, jump higher, and fall from higher heights than normal. His earth Magecraft was also able to help in this effect; cushioning the ground to absorb his fall.
Using these methods, he was able to keep up with Assassin, who was still evidently far better than he (Michael insisted Assassin held back to allow Michael to keep up). Aside from his physical skills, Assassin had made true to his word and fixed the hidden blade that had been his catalyst, using bits and pieces gathered around town and the knowledge of the Apple of Eden. Michael liked it; it felt good on his wrist.
Assassin insisted that Michael wear it everywhere, for his own protection. It didn't matter to him either way; Assassin was with him, whether in physical or spirit form, and he had both his own skills and his Magecraft to protect himself.
When they weren't training or out running, Michael was reading up on Magecraft or resting. He didn't know what Assassin was doing at those times; Assassin disappeared, whether physically or spiritually. He often heard sounds, pops, flashes, and bangs, coming from Assassin's room, but he decided it was best not to ask.
The two began stocking up on various supplies as well. Medical supplies, throwing knives, arrows and bullets, and the like. Using the Apple, Assassin and Michael had added various upgrades to Michael's gear. They added a gun armament to Michael's hidden blade, similar to Assassin's own, as well as another hidden blade to accompany his first, equipped with a hook blade as well. Michael wore both everywhere; when asked, he simply told his friends or whomever asked that they were ceremonial bracers given to him by his parents.
Michael decided to forego using any primary weapons other than the hidden blades. He couldn't carry them at school, and the blades would accompany him everywhere, so he and Assassin figured it'd be best for him to focus solely on using them. He practiced with the throwing knives and bow, as well as further improving his free running skills, which were aided by the hook blade attachment they'd created to go with his secondary hidden blade.
Assassin taught Michael various techniques using them. Counters, grapples, assassination techniques, etc. Michael was able to come up with some of his own using the aid of his own jeet kun do and his Magecraft. Reinforcement did wonders to help as well; if he timed it right, he could use Reinforcement to increase his speed and strength suddenly for a surprise strike, or constantly to aid in prolonged combat.
Practice sessions slowed during school, and Michael grew stronger as the year came to a close, through both the training and the Grail coming close to materializing, lessening the burden of Assassin's presence. Weekends were full of intense sessions of practice combat, or running around Fuyuki, searching for evidence of Templar activity. Using his knowledge of the Assassin's Creed universe and clever use of the internet, Michael was able to determine Abstergo, the face of the modern Templars, had several facilities in and around the Fuyuki area. Their night sessions often involved scouting and infiltrating these buildings, removing Templar operatives, objectives, and generally being hindrances. Michael excelled at removing technological barriers like security devices and systems.
Assassin gifted Michael with something Michael considered nearly priceless one night before such an infiltration mission: his very own assassin robes. Assassin told him this was the project he'd been working on when they weren't out.
The outfit itself was very much like what Assassin himself had worn during his time as the Mentor of the Roman Brotherhood, albeit the robes were mostly black with tinges of white, suiting Michael's aesthetic style. The armor was like Assassin's own, crafted using the knowledge gained from the Apple, and the cloth itself was durable. It was lightweight, but exceptionally durable.
Michael was speechless, and happy; he'd gone through many hoodies and pants, having been shot at, only surviving through using Reinforcement to protect himself. His clothes usually didn't survive such encounters. The robes would act as a further precaution to protect his identity and his body. Michael cherished them.
Saturday, December 27th.
It was the middle of winter break. Assassin had gone out to do something while Michael stayed home to rest. Assassin had agreed to stay in his spirit form; although the strain of summoning and maintaining him had taken less of a toll over time, it was still somewhat difficult and Assassin stayed in spirit form most of the time to lessen the burden.
Michael lay on the couch, flipping through the television channels. Nothing on the t.v. was particularly interesting on Saturday nights. He yawned, eventually dosing off.
When he awoke the next morning, there was a note on the coffee table. Assassin had written it, and left some instructions. Judging by the words, Michael guessed he wouldn't see the assassin, even in spirit form, until the meeting that evening.
Michael spent the day preparing, making sure his robes were in good condition and were well stocked with equipment, like medical supplies, throwing knives, and the like. The robes contained pockets and compartments, allowing for concealment and storage of many things.
When the time came, Michael donned the garments and headed out, seeking the meeting place.
When he arrived at the warehouse, there was another note, and well as a picture. Michael and Assassin had killed Templars before, but Michael had never done it alone. He was anxious.
The note contained pieces of information. A high-ranking bank executive was using her ties and abilities to siphon funds from the bank to feed the Templars efforts in the area. Assassin wanted this stopped, but noted he couldn't help Michael that night, for whatever reason (none was given). He detailed the target's description, office, and habits. Michael had a small window to get into the bank, and get out. If he succeeded, he was to meet Assassin on top of a large building near the river.
Nervous, Michael began his journey to the bank. It lay across the river; he'd have to cross the bridge without being seen. He did so using a combination of his hook blade and Magecraft to traverse the underside of the bridge itself. A bit difficult, as the moon's light was concealed by dark clouds.
Getting into the bank itself was a different matter entirely. The building was larger than those around it, much larger; he'd have to climb to the top and find a way in on the roof.
Michael took a running start and leaped out over the edge. He made the leap easily, and softened his impact using Magecraft. He didn't have much time, so he sped his ascent using Magecraft once again, climbing hand over hand up windowsills and small handholds in the brick.
On the rooftop, he had two choices; he could either go through the ventilation shafts, or break through the door and make his way down. He decided the latter route; the security room was close to the roof. If he headed there first, he could incapacitate the guards there and remove any likelihood of video recordings of him existing.
Michael picked the lock and made his way down, proceeding in a toe-heel step fashion to soften his footsteps. For the moment, he chanted a quick incantation of Wind Magecraft, making himself largely concealed. He reached the security office and readied his poison blade attachment; he'd have to put the guards asleep quickly, and move as fast as possible.
He quietly opened the door; inside where 2 guards. Neither was standing close to the alarm. Michael mentally steadied himself, then rushed through the door. He quickly jabbed the first guard in the abdomen and swept her legs out from under her; the poison began taking effect immediately, and she was soon asleep.
The second guard took a bit longer; Michael had to wrestle with him for a few minutes before he was unconscious from lack of air. He injected him with the sleeping poison as well, for extra security.
Michael quickly scanned the video screens. His target was still at her desk, apparently filing paperwork. He noted that the window was open behind her, and faced the riverfront. A good chance for few witnesses, especially in the dark night. "Excellent," he thought. "A perfect route of attack."
The Templar herself was on the 24th floor; Michael was now on the 30th. He'd have to move quickly.
Michael arranged the sleeping guards so that it would seem they had turned off the video equipment accidentally in their sleep. The male was more difficult than the woman; he was bigger than Michael by quite a bit.
He left the room, proceeding as quickly and as silently as he possibly could. He trained his ears, listening for any sounds around him. This high up, guards weren't likely to be on high alert. He intended to take advantage of that.
Michael turned of lights were he could, concealing himself better. The video cameras remained off; that was a good sign. Within 20 minutes, he was inside the room above his target's, having incapacitated 3 more guards. He quietly opened a window and carefully made his way down the side of the building.
Michael peeked over the lip of the window. She still sat at her desk, unaware of the assassin behind her. Michael lifted himself up onto the edge as quietly as he could, keeping his eye on the woman. He gently lowered himself inside. She still seemed unaware.
He crept up behind her. Michael tensed; she had stopped writing. He dived towards her, Reinforcing himself, as she stood up and turned around, pointing a gun at him. He easily caught her halfway through the motion, and put her in a headlock.
She was no match for him; his Reinforced limbs restrained her completely. She stiffened as he jabbed her with the poison blade on her wrist; by the time the poison had done it's work, the mark would be gone and she would be dead. Michael kept her in a headlock for the time being; she was soon unconscious and he could then set up the scene to make it look like she had died suddenly of a heart attack.
With that in mind, he set her back at her desk, then scanned the room, looking for clues to Templar plans.
The first thing he found was the most obvious; she was wearing a ring that bore the Templar mark. Michael pocketed this as proof of her death for Assassin. Next, he rummaged through her desk, looking for any papers describing activities. He doubted he'd find much, if anything, but he struck gold a few minutes later when he found a hidden compartment in her desk drawer; a false bottom.
Inside, she'd stashed a few files. One contained various descriptions of possible artifacts of Eden contained at museums and households worldwide. Michael pocketed that as well. The second file contained what he believed was a coded message. He didn't know what it was, but as it was also in the hidden compartment, it was bound to be important. He slipped that into a pocket as well.
Michael rearranged the room to make it as he had found it, then slipped out. He was certain he'd made it in and out without being recognized or seen; the guards wouldn't remember anything either, due to the type of poison he'd used. He made a mental note to keep track of the news for a few days, to make sure the story wasn't extensively covered or investigated.
About an hour later, he'd scaled the top of the building Assassin had marked. It looked ordinary enough, except for one thing: a small, smokeless fire burned in a brazier at a corner. Assassin stood near it, facing him.
Michael made his way towards him. As he approached, Assassin said, "Laa shay'a waqi'un moutlaq bale kouloun moumkine. The wisdom of our Creed is revealed through these words."
"Where other men blindly follow the truth, remember..."
"Nothing is true."
"Where other men are limited by morality or law, remember..."
"Everything is permitted." Michael finished.
"We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins." Assassin spoke the last words, finishing the ceremony. He gestured towards the brazier, and Michael stepped closer.
"Are you ready, Michael?" Michael nodded. "Hold out your hand. This will only hurt a moment."
Michael did as asked. Assassin pulled something from the flames, and Michael felt a sting on his left ring finger. He looked down; the Assassin insignia was branded on it. He felt pride swell inside him; he was fully an Assassin now, by edict of the greatest of their order himself.
He looked up. Assassin stood on the lip of the building, pointing out towards the river. Michael knew what came next. He climbed up next to his mentor and kept out, completing the last part of the ceremony; a leap of faith.
Hey all! Hoped you guys liked this chapter! Anyone excited to finally meet Michael's Servant?
This chapter was about 9,000 words without the AN; you can expect most to be about as long as, or longer than, this chapter, depending on events that happen within them. The story and action will speed up a bit, now that we're about a month from the Holy Grail War itself.
I'll provide more explanations for everything, just like I promised, in this chapter's AN. More of Michael's and Assassin's abilities will be revealed (not all of them though!), and other things as well!
First, the characters that were in the beginning, Michael's friends and teammates, were created entirely by me. I didn't want some foreign guy showing up and making friends with everyone, especially the main characters of Fate; the story requires some suspension of disbelief as it is. Michael's somewhat shy, and has only made friends and acquaintances with those he interacts with daily, mainly those on the teams and clubs he takes part in.
These characters won't just disappear; they will reappear from time to time throughout the rest of Fate/Creed, and they might receive some character development as well. Their main purpose is obviously comedy, so when they do appear, it will likely be to lighten the mood, be it the characters' or the overall story atmosphere, similar to Taiga's role in both F/SN and her Dojo in the VN.
Secondly, Assassin himself. This will impact the overall storyline of Fate in a meaningful way; feel free to speculate why and how! Thirdly, Michael was able to summon Assassin through two means: 1. Assassin's overall prana usage and costs are much lower than someone like Berserker's; this is what allowed Michael to keep Assassin in the world without much help from the Grail. The other reason is that this version of the Fate world is slightly different than the one we're familiar with. It includes all the events of the AC universe as well, which is why Assassin is able to be summoned as a Heroic Spirit.
As a Servant, he's much different than other Assassins. Whereas they're largely faceless beings, Ezio was semi-renowned for who he was, especially in Florence, allowing him to be summoned as himself, rather than a faceless entity. Due to the way he was, he's also able to be summoned under the Saber or Archer classes, though these classes obviously are inferior to his Assassin class capabilities.
Compared to other Servants, he's weaker in head-on combat, but through clever use of tactics and his abilities, he's able to fight toe-to-toe with Heroic Spirits through his unorthodox fighting style, much like the Archer of F/SN (whom fights by use of the use of the personal skill Eye of the Mind (False), essentially built up combat experience, allowing him to counter stronger spirits like Saber or Lancer).
Here are his parameters, equipment, skills, etc:
Equipment: Throwing knives, daggers, sword (Altair's from AC2), hidden blades (poison blade, gun, hookblade). Poison darts, smoke bombs, bombs, crossbow, parachutes.
Parameters:
Strength: B
Endurance:B
Agility: A
Magical Power: C++
Luck: A
Noble Phantasm: B
Class Skills:
Presence Concealment: A+
Independent Action: B-
Personal Skills:
Battle Continuation: A
Clairvoyance: C
Disengage: C
Eye of the Mind (True): B
Presence Detection: A
Projectile (Daggers): B
Free running (Parkour): A+
Assassin has four Noble Phantasms: Altair's Armor, the special unlockable set from Assassin's Creed 2; Eagle Sense, the upgraded form of Eagle Vision from using the E. Vision for years; the hidden blades, the versatile and iconic weapons of the Assassins; and the Apple of Eden, a mysterious artifact from the First Civilization.
The Armor behaves much as it did in the game. It's an indestructible armor set that protects Ezio from harm, though only in areas the metal covers; places like his arms or parts of his leg are still prone to injury, though the robes are strengthened as well and provide some protection. They're an unclassified, C ranked ultimate defense Noble Phantasm that is similar in a sense to Archer's and Shirou's Rho Aias. It has no prana cost and is a passive one, so it's abilities are active so long as Assassin is wearing his battle garb.
Eagle Sense is a Noble Phantasm that is perhaps the most useful Ezio has. It also behaves much like in the game, manifesting as a glow around people and objects that only Ezio can see. It can tell Ezio almost anything about the person or object in question; strengths, weaknesses, techniques, etc. It heightens Ezios senses, and he can track a target through the path they've taken, or even the one they will take. He can use it to pick up cold trails, or identify disguised enemies, though he has to concentrate harder for the latter function. It effectively makes Assassin an even better "magus hunter" than he would be already. It's an unclassified, B ranked Noble Phantasm. It's prana cost is very low, allowing Assassin to make extensive use of it.
The hidden blades are his two main weapons. They are the iconic weapons of all Assassins in the brotherhood, and have many uses, ranging from poison application, to the performance of assassination techniques, to the freerunning and combat enhancing hookblade attachment. They're a Anti-Unit, B+++ ranked Noble Phantasm. Through the combination of the Assassin class skill, Presence Concealment, and his hidden blades, Assassin can get a boost to the first attack used from Presence Concealment should he attack with the hidden blades (thus, the B+++ rank).
The Apple of Eden is, without a doubt, the most powerful Noble Phantasm in Assassin's arsenal, and indeed, perhaps the entire Holy Grail War. The Apple has many uses, such as creating illusions of one's self, mind control, even outright killing of lesser enemies. As well, it contains knowledge from many eras and millennia, most prominently the mysterious First Civilization, which Assassin can use to create or manipulate items or people. The prana cost is low if Assassin accesses it for the knowledge contained therein, or very, very high should he use it for combat purposes. It's a powerful, Anti-Mind, A+ ranked Noble Phantasm, and is the cause of his C++ ranked Magical Power (he only gets a boost when using the Apple).
As an Assassin, his prana usage is generally lower than that compared to other Servants, especially powerful ones like Berserker or Saber. Here are the stats for his prana consumption and usage:
Prana Usage:
Amount regained per day: 10 units
Amount needed to maintain physical body: 8 units
Amount needed to maintain spiritual form: 4 units
Presence Concealment: 10 units
Eagle Sense: 25 units
Apple of Eden: 250 units
His facial features are the same as in the latter half of AC2, with his beard. He bears the scar over his lip, etc, and his voice is the same (imagine it!). He is the same character as in the series, the playful man who enjoys his life, but is deadly serious when it's time to get down to business. When he isn't in his Assassin robes or spiritual form, he wears modern clothes that resemble his noble appearance at the beginning of AC2, with a white dress shirt (top buttons undone, of course), a leather vest, white pants, and leather boots.
Michael's capabilities make him a suitable match for Assassin. Michael has slightly higher than average capabilities as a magus, allowing him to perform superbly in battle. This is counteracted by the fact that he has little magus training other than what he has remembered from watching and reading the Fate material from his own world, and his extensive studies on his own in this one. He is proficient in 3 Elements; Wind, Fire, and Earth. He primarily focuses on Wind Magecraft, with a mix of Fire and Earth to support it. As well, he is able to use Reinforcement Magecraft to amplify his physical abilities to make up for his lack of training.
After his training with Assassin, Michael is stronger than before, and is more physically capable in battle. His fighting style, jeet kun do, is a real fighting style created by Bruce Lee. It's a reactionary fighting style using fists, legs, hands, and grapples, and fits perfectly with the hidden blades. Due to the fact that he can't carry daggers and a sword with him everywhere, he has chosen to focus solely on the perfection of his hidden blade usage in combination with his jeet kun do, as he can take the hidden blades with him everywhere.
Michael is about 6'3" or 6'4", with a roughly thin, lanky appearance. Despite this, he has a toned, athletic body, which is contrary to the first impression he gives off. He tries to maintain a clean shaven appearance, though it doesn't always work out. He frequently appears tired, due to the combination of training, studying, and staying up late pursuing hobbies such as video games and watching anime (much like most of us, an in the cast of Carnival Phantasm, Caster, he is an otaku), and is heavily addicted to fantasy games such as World of Warcraft, the Final Fantasy series, the Elder Scrolls, and the like.
Michael has two "sets" of equipment. When he is out in public, such as school, or the market, he wears a white or black t-shirt under a white or black hoodie, with the sleeves pulled up or left down depending on the weather. He wears black jeans, and either white or black shoes. His combat set of equipment is much like Ezio's appearance from Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood, though it differs in protections and color. It's primarily black with white, with the metal being of the same material as Assassin's own, though not quite as strong. The robes are reinforced as well.
Michael's hidden blades are worn in both sets. Both the right and left contain the regular blades for combat and assassination. The left one also contains a poison blade and a dart launcher that is able to fire regular or poison darts. The right blade also contains a hookblade that folds in on itself when not in use, allowing Michael to disguise both bracers as merely ornamental clothing to pass undetected.
Michael's magic circuits and abilities in that regard were discussed in the last AN section. However, due to the year and a half that has passed since the prologue, he has gained much knowledge in use of that Magecraft. He isn't much of a magus, especially when compared to the likes of Rin Tohsaka, but he is capable enough to use his Magecraft in conjunction with his Assassin training For deadly effect in combat.
He is able to use Reinforcement to make himself both faster and stronger, making himself a better freerunner or combatant. His Wind magecraft can be used to make normally impossible leaps, or his Earth magecraft for large falls. As well, he can summon walls of fire or earth for protection, or use the Wind to cloak himself from view (Assassin can hide him using Presence Concealment as well). Due to his love of fantasy RPG games, he has created a fireball spell for use in combat, as well as his most powerful spell: by using the maximum amount of prana he can, as well as a lengthy incantation ritual, he can summon a Wind storm equal in power to an EF5 tornado. Through added incarnations or the help of another magus, this storm can then transform into a sandstorm, firestorm, or hurricane. Due to it's massive prana cost and the length of the incantation (about 10 lines, meaning it'd be about a minute to cast, give or take), it's not used often, will cause Assassin to either not use the full effects of the Apple (or choose to shoulder the prana cost on his own, like Rider during Fate/Zero), and will cause him to be unconscious after the spell has been channeled. The storm will rage on afterwards. It is the culmination of his efforts at studying magecraft.
Both of them get along very well, and both abide by the Creed. Their existence has already impacted the Holy Grail War as you know it, and I hope you'll like the surprises I have in store for you.
When I get the time, I will design both the interior of Michael's household, as well as Michael's 2 designs themselves, along with the appearance of his command for that map I've promised. The drawings will be done as soon as I get some more free time on my hands, and will likely end up on someplace like DeviantArt, Twitter, or someplace else.
Anyways, the next chapter will be completed sometime in the next two weeks, so keep an eye out! Our two protagonists will finally meet the rest of our cast, the Holy Grail War will start spectacularly! Remember: Everything is true, nothing is permitted!
