Sunlight filtered through the window, waking Akiko up the next morning. She sat up in bed and yawned, stretching her arms out all the way.
"Yer finally up."
Lancer was sitting on the end of the bed, watching his Master. Akiko rubbed her eyes.
"Oh, good morning."
"I didn't know when ya'd wake up, so sorry to say I didn't make anythin' fer breakfast."
Akiko had her legs over the edge of the bed, the pale blue fabric of the bottom of her night gown fluttering around her ankles. "Oh, don't worry about that." She checked the time on her digital clock. It was almost noon. "I'll fix up something quick, and then we'll head out."
Akiko went into the kitchen, making herself a sandwich, having potato chips with it, and drinking a can of lemonade. After that, she went to her room to get changed and then she and Lancer put on their jackets and went out the front door.
The shopping district in Fuyuki was full of people like always. The two almost tripped on or ran into several. None of them seemed to take notice that the aura Lancer was emitting didn't seem human. After working their way through the crowd of people, the two made it into the first clothing shop, to their right.
Lancer followed Akiko to the back of the store, where the men's clothing were. She went to a line of shirts on hangers on a rod on two stands. She held up a white t-shirt that looked to be too big for her to Lancer's chest.
"Hmm...Too small." She put the shirt back on the hanger and hung it back up on the rack with the others. She went through the clothes a size higher. Lancer sighed. A few minutes in, and he was already bored! Akiko took down a red long-sleeved shirt and held it up to Lancer. "Perfect!" He didn't expect a bunch of shirts ranging in color to start flying at him.
"Hey! Gimme some warnin' first!" he shouted as he struggled to catch them all.
"Oh, quit being a baby!" Akiko was at the pants now. Taking his shirt size into consideration, she could calculate what size pants to get him. She finally settled on about eight pairs, some white, blue, black, or grey. She and Lancer took them up to the front counter to pay. After they were bagged, the two left the store.
"What now?" Lancer asked Akiko as they walked home.
"There's still plenty of time left. Go get changed into some of the new clothes I bought you and then we'll go back into town."
"An' do what?"
"Whatever we want, as long as I can afford it. After my parents died, I inherited a lot of money to pay bills."
After Lancer changed, the two went into town again. They went into a bookstore first. Akiko wanted to see if they still had the book she had her eyes on. Once they started going past shelves of books on mythology on the way to the section the girl was heading for did Akiko feel the blood leave her face.
"Hey! This book is about me!"
Akiko facepalmed. Books about a Servant were guaranteed to raise their egos through the roof. And Lancer's was already big enough as it is. She turned around and grabbed his arm just as he began to reach for it.
"Time to go. Now!"
"Aw, but I just wanna take a look to see how accurate they got it."
"Nope! Next place!" Like he needed an ego-booster.
Their next stop was a video game store. One of Akiko's hobbies was to play video games, but the new game console that just came out was still pretty pricey. While Lancer was gazing at the rows and rows of video games that the store had available, Akiko knew immediately where to go. She had been in the store dozens, possibly hundreds of times. So she knew the layout of it by heart. She looked at the price tag for one of the new game systems. It was still expensive. After a bit more time had passed, she would check it again to see if the price had gone down. As she was leaving, she actually had to forcefully drag Lancer with her. He was too engrossed by the selection.
It was starting to get late, though the sun was still out. The two stopped at a restaurant and both ordered something to eat. A little later, both were chowing down. Lancer had ordered himself a cheeseburger and Akiko had soup.
"Except fer the one with Archer, we've gone five days without a fight," Lancer said.
Akiko swallowed the soup she had in her mouth. "What about the one with Saber?"
"It wasn't really a fight. More of a skirmish."
"But you had to use your Noble Phantasm."
"Even so, that could hardly be called a fight. I didn't go in expectin' to fight a Servant."
"In that case, we have been lucky."
"But I bet our luck won't hold out fer too much longer."
After they were done, they got up and left the establishment. Night had already fallen. There weren't too many people on the streets. Those that were were heading home.
"We should be headin' back too," Lancer said.
"Shit! I forgot an errand!" Akiko suddenly seethed. She'd have to settle for a 24-hour convenience store and see what she could find.
"We should make it quick. Somethin' doesn't feel quite right."
"Are you sensing something?"
"I don't know. But whatever it is gives me the creeps."
"Maybe we should wait until morning to go to the store."
"It could just be my imagination. An' even if it isn't, I'm with ya to protect ya."
"Fine. I'll be counting on you." The two went past the shopping district and down the road. They were passing less and less people before they stopped seeing others entirely. That wouldn't worry them too much, but even the sounds of crickets died down.
Akiko stopped and looked around. "What's going on?" It was way too quiet. There wasn't even any wind to rustle the trees. The air felt still, like something was about to happen. A high-pitched voice broke through the silence.
"Oh! Looks like we get to fight another Servant!"
Akiko and Lancer turned around to see who the voice belonged to. It was a girl with silver hair and red eyes. She wore a purple dress with matching boots and hat. Behind her was a beast with brown-grey skin. He was gigantic and covered in muscles. It had black hair and two eyes that matched his skin. In his right hand was a large club with one side bladed.
The girl giggled and bowed. "Hello. My name is Illyasveil von Einzbern. Illya for short. This is my Servant. His name is Hercules, a Berserker-class Servant." She cocked her head. "Your Servant doesn't look very strong. I wonder how much fun he'll be?" She turned to her Servant. "I'll give you both time to come up with a plan before he rips you apart."
Akiko grit her teeth. Her ability as a Master allowed her to see the parameters of any Servant. "Jeez, his stats are crazy! Tohsaka didn't mention he was this strong!"
Lancer growled and switch to his battle uniform, Gae Bolg in both hands and at the ready. "Looks like it's too late fer regrets now, so we have to fight him."
"Now I see why Saber and Archer had such a tough time with him. Are you sure you can do this?" Berserker's hand looked like it could easily crush Lancer's head.
"Honestly, I'm not sure. It'll be tough fer me to just stop him from chargin'."
The girl looked back at the two. "Are you done making a strategy? Now Berserker's going to kill you both. Okay?"
The giant roared and charged. Lancer scooped up his Master and jumped to the side, getting her out of the way in time. As soon as he set her down, the beast charged again. Lancer jumped to a spot several meters to the right of Akiko, making the Servant head away from her. The ax was swung down. Lancer stepped to his right, hitting the top of the ax with his spear and making it smash into the ground. Lancer swung the other end of his spear at Berserker's head, aiming to smash it. Berserker, who was still holding onto his ax, let go of it and bent backwards, the spear's end sailing over his head. He quickly kicked Lancer into a tree, shattering the trunk and making the man hit the ground, dust flying up into a large cloud. Gae Bolg was still clutched in his right hand and he groaned. He recovered fast enough to roll to his left as Berserker appeared over him, coming down hard. Earth and dust flew everywhere as the giant's left knee smashed into the ground. Both Servants attacked each other, sparks flying off their weapons as they ground against each other.
Berserker overpowered Lancer, causing the spearman's right arm, which held the spear, to fly back behind him. In an instant, the behemoth punched the defenseless man in the gut and made him fly to the other side of the road. He hit the concrete once, smashing it and creating a crater. He finally stopped, his back creating a massive hole in a small hill and he hit the ground after his body fell off it.
Illya, who was watching the scene behind the guard rail of another street, looked to be enjoying herself. She chuckled as if she was seeing something funny, like a video of someone doing something stupid while drunk. "That's right! Kill this useless Servant, Berserker!"
Lancer grunted as he slowly got up. "I'm...not done yet!"
As soon as Berserker came at the man again, stabbing his ax forward. Lancer ducked down and moved to the right so the ax would get stuck in the hill behind him. Lancer grinned and swung his spear at Berserker's neck. The spear hit, but didn't break the skin. This took the demigod by surprise, so he didn't react fast enough to avoid the backhand from Berserker's left hand. The knight went flying through the air, smashing through the trunk of a tree before hitting the ground hard, skidding back into stones along the sides of a stream behind him, tearing up the grass as he slid over it. He was on his right side and coughed once, expelling some blood. He shakily held up his left hand and the red spear went back in it, him having dropped it when Berserker hit him. He used it a support as he tried to stand up, blood streaking down the side of his face.
Berserker ripped his weapon free and ran at Lancer before the warrior could try anything. The ax came down. Lancer held his spear up over his head to block, but it was forced down, the ax slicing though the muscle and some of the bone in his upper right arm, crimson liquid gushing out and dripping onto the grass, making it curl under the red fluid's weight. Before it could attack again, Lancer jumped to the side, back on the street. He turned around to see Berserker in the spot behind him, where he was. His eyes widened to see the giant right behind him, swinging its ax. Blood flew through the air as the beast sliced the man's abdomen. He hit the ground, his body shattering the earth and causing crimson splatters to appear all around him on the concrete. Dust that had flown up concealed Lancer's stab towards Berserker's chest. It hit the skin, but clanged against it and didn't break it.
Berserker growled and kicked Lancer up into the air. A moment later, the giant appeared over the man, kicking him back down and making him hit the road hard enough to create a large crater. When the behemoth landed, Lancer stabbed at it rapidly. None of them broke the skin, however. Illya just sighed. Berserker hit the man back a few meters before red covered his body, his eyes red as well. The ax was lifted over its head and it came down on the road's surface, smashing it and causing a trail of ruined earth to head for Lancer. It hit the man hard and caused him to fly back, landing a few hundred meters away on his hands and knees. Akiko ran over and clutched the demigod to her body as he tried to get up.
"Akiko..." he rasped, blood filling his mouth. "Just...run..."
"I won't let that thing kill you!" the mage cried. Berserker charged at the both of them. Lancer pushed her away and jumped back, avoiding the beast's downward ax swing. He turned and ran, disappearing in the trees right before him, where the hill near Illya was. It must have been to get more cover from Berserker and to have more places to ambush the Servant. Berserker roared and ran through the trees after the knight. Akiko glanced over at Illya and saw the Master go into the forest after the two.
"You aren't about to get away from me!" Akiko growled and ran after her. She caught sight of Illya again as the small girl was going to another spot where she could view the battle. Her back was facing the teen. Akiko whipped her right hand out, a ball of fire shooting at the girl. But the flame burst right behind the Master, Akiko seeing a flash of green as it did.
Illya giggled and turned to face Akiko. "Now that wasn't very nice, attacking someone when their back is turned." Two little birds made up of glowing white lines appeared next to Illya. "It looks like you need to learn some manners."
A ball of fast magic was fired at the teen from each of the birds. She countered both with balls of lightning and fire, creating a smokescreen when they burst. She had to take several steps back when a ball of magic suddenly shot out at her. She was forced to jump all over to avoid a volley of magical balls fired from each bird. She ran behind a tree to avoid a ball shooting right at her. The explosion burst the tree trunk and she had to run again to avoid the birds. She tried firing a ball of fire again, but the birds used their magic attacks to block it. Akiko ran behind another tree, panting as if she had just ran a marathon.
"They seem to be familiars that generate their own mana, like some kind of mage."
The trunk she was hiding behind burst, splinters of wood flying all over. The birds were right behind her. She launched balls of fire and lightning to block several attacks before making a break for it again.
Illya chuckled. "It's no use trying to escape from Zelle and Degen."
"I'm not trying to escape, you munchkin!"
She had circled around Illya, avoiding the numerous attacks from the birds. She stopped right in the clearing right in front of the Einzbern. The birds moved to the little girl's sides to protect her. Akiko held out her right hand, a giant ball of fire forming.
"You're dead!"
Akiko suddenly shifted to her left as a giant sword made up of the same glowing white lines as the birds had flown at her. It landed in the dirt behind the Master, drawing up some blood as it cut her hand.
"No way! It changed shape?!"
Illya giggled as the bird to her right changed into a sword as well, aiming for Akiko.
"It looks like this is the end for you. And Berserker should be almost done killing your Servant."
At that moment, Lancer flew back-first at Illya, bowling her over. The sword fired, but due to Illya's surprise, it landed in the trunk of a tree far above Akiko's head. Berserker came into the clearing next, picking Lancer off Illya and throwing him like a rag doll into Akiko, both crashing through a few tree trunks. Akiko recovered first, seeing as how the smokscreen would allow for both to escape. Lancer was breathing heavily, covered in blood and struggling to keep his eyes open. She helped him up, having his left arm around the back of her neck and her right arm around his waist, and took off through the trees.
Illya grunted as she got up, dusting herself off. "Berserker! Why did you do that just then?! If you hadn't thrown Lancer into me, I could have killed his Master right then and there!" Berserker grunted with something that sounded like an apology. "No matter. We'll probably see them again." She hopped onto Berserker's right shoulder. "For now, let's go home."
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Akiko's chest was heaving. She had carried Lancer and ran as fast as she could behind a tree some ways from where the fight was. She peered around it, seeing if Berserker or Illya had followed them. When she was certain they hadn't been pursued, Akiko let out a sigh of relief. She moved away from the tree slightly and rested Lancer up against it.
"I take it you couldn't stand against him?" she asked. A large portion of her clothing was soaked with his blood.
"Gee, I wonder what tipped ya off. None of my attacks seemed to work."
- - -Flashback- - -
Lancer was hiding among the branches of one tree. Even though it barely had any leaves, clouds covered the moon. Hopefully, it was dark enough that he would be hidden anyway. The branches trembled as the ground shook, Berserker's heavy footsteps as he ran echoing throughout the trees. Soon, Berserker was directly under him.
"Ehwaz." He dropped down, his right fist pulled back. He punched down on Berserker's shoulder, but it didn't do anything, except to get the giant's attention. He quickly got his spear in front of him as the ax came at him from the side. The pressure made his feet dig into the ground as he was forced to skid back. The ax suddenly left the spear only to come down again right over Lancer. He quickly moved to the left, but that's when Berserker's foot met his gut. The man was sent flying through several trees, on his hands and knees as he struggled to get up. He rolled out of the way in time as Berserker tried to smash down on him, ax lowered in order to slice the beast's enemy. Lancer held onto the spear with both hands and lunged at Berserker, all in an instant. He began rapidly stabbing at the thing's chest, trying to wear away whatever protection it had over the skin.
Berserker let out a roar and swung his ax down at Lancer, at an angle so the man blocked it with his spear horizontal and the blade hitting the bottom of the shaft. The knight was knocked slightly up into the air before being punched straight down into the ground, large chunks of dirt flying up as Lancer's body made a crater in the earth. More blood began dripping off his chin. He reacted fast enough to hold his spear up, sparks flying as the shaft met the blade of the ax. It also gave him enough time to scoot back, away from the ax as it finally hit the ground. In that instant, he jumped at Berserker, swinging his spear at the beast's arm. It didn't matter now whether or not it would be a fatal wound. He just needed to find some kind of weakness in the skin. Was it only hard over vital areas?
Once again, the tip grated over the skin without leaving a scratch. He landed behind Berserker and spun around, ducking in an instant. The ax was swung sideways, going over the warrior's head and leaving a deep cut in the trunk's bark. He kicked at the Servant, but it didn't even budge the giant. It suddenly grabbed the demigod's leg and hurled him to the side, through several trees. That's when he hit Illya.
- - -End flashback- - -
Lancer tried to bark out a laugh, but it came out sounding like a wheeze. "Damn, that Servant was tough!"
"We'll most likely face him again during the War," Akiko said. "Hopefully by then, we'll know the weakness to his skin."
"He's quick, too. There were quite a few times I was gonna use my Noble Phantasm, but he was movin' too fast fer me to aim."
"I wonder how we can beat him...Wait! Tohsaka mentioned that she and the others thought Saber had killed him, meaning she was able to pierce his skin!"
"What are ya sayin'?"
"In order to take down Berserker, we may need to ally ourselves with Tohsaka and Emiya."
"But ya even said not to bother ourselves with teamin' up with 'em."
"I know I did, but right now, we don't stand a chance against Berserker."
"So ya'll talk to Archer's Master again? She may not be as welcomin' of ya since ya turned her down once."
"Maybe not. Even she knows her Servant won't be able to take down Berserker alone. By thinking strategically, she'll probably accept us."
"Then again, maybe not. An' then what?"
"If we get rejected, we'll have to search for another Master and Servant and ally ourselves with them."
"If that's the case, hopefully they've fought Berserker. That way, they'll know what a threat he is. But that'll also mean revealin' my fightin' secrets to 'em. Ya okay with that?"
"It's not ideal, but at this rate we have no other hope of winning against Berserker. Even if it means partnering with another Master, we need to take him down."