Act 2: Scene 6
2 Days Remaining
Morning
"That's probably as good as it's going to get." Mihara said as he stood sideways, a hand by his Interface and the other outstretched towards a honey-coloured shield of hexagons. Around it, clouds of black noise slowly rose upwards, soon dissipating into the air.
"I think we can take a break now, Caster, thank you."
"No problem, goshujin-sama!" The foxgirl said from the opposite end of the small garden, a hand of hers full of various dining utensils. "If you need any help with training, you can always find me!"
"I don't really want to impose on either you or Saber too much though." He said as he closed his Interface, before walking over to the porch just outside his and Caster's room. "I'm sure you have your own things to practice on, just like Saber does."
"Hmm, well I'm not really into excessive body-building work like that Servant is." Caster said as she followed him. "She's up even today on the other side practicing. Given the choice, I'd rather spend time helping you practice!"
"I'm not sure if I should be happy or troubled by that." He said as he sat down on the wooden floor with a deep breath. "Well, I've been able to test that new Code Cast thanks to you though, so thank you again."
"No problem, Master!" She said with another beaming smile, the bushy tail behind her wagging energetically. "That's quite ingenious of you though, combining your shield program with whatever you did in the Coliseum Fight last week."
"The idea kind of hit me during Archer's ambush a few days ago, ironically." He said with a crooked smile. "With this, items with simple coding shouldn't be able to break past the shield anymore. More complex items are another matte though."
"Well, we can worry about that later." Caster said, waving a hand. "Oh, would you like me to get those fruits you prepared earlier? I think Saber already took her share."
"Yes please then, Caster." He said with a nod in response. "Thanks again."
"Oh, don't mention it!" She said, before walking into the house.
Mihara gave a smile as he watched Caster leave the area through her room, before his eyes slowly drifted to observe the layout of her oriental-style room.
The accessory program that Fujimura Taiga had given them yesterday turned out to code for potted plants. Much like last week when he used Taiga's programs to customise his Servant's rooms, there was a large variety of styles to choose from. Caster ended up going for a variety of bonsai trees scattered about the room.
'She did a little bit of rearranging since last night it seems.' He thought. 'Disregarding what she said earlier, I don't think I'd mind living in a house like this. But I guess that's only if I can get through the fight the day after tomorrow.'
At this he turned around to face the yard, his feet hanging off the edge as he activated his Terminal again, looking over the data he's gathered so far on his opponents.
'I'm not sure how close we are to finding out Lancer and Archer's True Name.' He thought. 'There's quite a bit of background information on their Masters instead though.'
"Yet even then, there's still a ridiculous gap between me and them." He whispered, before giving a sigh. "Even this mashed up Code Cast might not be enough to survive the two of them."
'And even if it's enough to let me live for more than a few minutes under their attacks...' He continued thinking. 'I'm not sure if my Servants can go toe-to-toe with theirs. We've closed the gap a bit, but it still might not be enough. And that doesn't even mention the ultimate fate waiting the defeated of the Holy Grail War.'
At that thought, the painful memory of what had happened at the culmination of last week's events resurfaced itself, having been buried for so long.
'Dammit.' He thought as he shook his head vigorously. 'I can't ignore what may await them this time. What may await me, and my Servants.
I don't want to die.
I don't want them to die.
But, inevitably, one of us must-
"Here we are, my dear Master!" Caster's voice cut his thoughts off as he jerked his head around to see Caster hopping over, easily balancing the tray of mixed fruits in her hands.
"Thank you, Caster." He said as he gave the foxgirl a smile, one she returned as she sat down on the platform near him, the tray placed between them.
"It's good to take a break like this once in a while, isn't it Mihara?" She asked as she picked up an orange and begun peeling it carefully, her fluffy tail wagging behind her gently. "At least here in our little love-nest we don't have to worry about any bad, bad people getting in the way! Well, there's that child to think about but we can just ignore her!"
"I don't think Saber would be happy hearing you say that about her." Mihara said, giving a twisted smile as he stared at his watermelon slice, before nibbling it. "Though, I guess even now she's still busy with her own practice right now."
"Well at least this way, the both of us can enjoy some quality together time, right?" Caster said, before eating several orange segments. "Still though, it seems like you're starting to get the hang of fighting now, isn't it?"
"Mmm, I'm not really sure about that." He said, rocking his head from side to side as his free hand flipped through his holographic Interface. "Well, at the very least I've been starting to enjoy exploring the Arena with you and Saber. Fighting itself however, well, I probably won't feel comfortable with it until the end of the whole tournament at minimum."
"Aww, don't say that!" Caster said, turning towards him. "As your Servant, I can tell that's not true at all! You're getting a lot more confident with your commands now, and you've started contributing a lot more to the fights nowadays with those pesky programs!"
"Really?" He asked, surprised at her declaration.
"Yep yep!" His Servant said as she nodded, a large smile on her face. "Just comparing how you were back then and now warms my heart, you know Master?
"Well, if you say so Caster, though I don't really feel that way myself." Mihara said as he gave a shrug.
"Boo." Caster pouted. "Why would I lie to you about something like this, Mihara?"
"It's not that you're lying about it, Caster." He said as he turned off his Interface, before he picked up another slice of fruit. "It's just the feeling I have really."
"Hrm." Caster mumbled as she drew back, a hand on her chin. "You really shouldn't be so hard on yourself, Master. I find being positive can help overcome even the worst situations you know!"
"Well, I can't deny that, though I've been leaving positive-ness to you quite a bit this week, haven't I?" Her Master said as he leaned back slightly, his gaze towards the digital sky. "Thanks for that, actually Caster."
"Eh?" The foxgirl asked, apparently taken off-guard.
"Thanks for always being so cheerful and encouraging me like this." Mihara continued, giving her a smile. "Saber's tactical advice is always helpful, but being able to hear you speak what's on your mind about things helps soothe my nerves."
"Master, please, you flatter me!" The foxgirl said as she turned to look at the wall across the yard, her two hands clasped beneath her chin. "Though, well, does hearing me speak my mind out so clearly help that much? Even I know sometimes it isn't conversation to keep for good company…"
"Well, as long as it's kept between us three, it doesn't really matter too much though, now does it?" He said as he continued to look upwards. "Well, thank you for being who you are right now, Caster. I'm not sure how well I'd have been able to handle everything in the Holy Grail War on my own."
"I see…" Caster said, her voice slowly quietening. "It's a bit embarrassing to hear that, but thank you, regardless."
'Hm?' Mihara thought as he looked at his Servant. 'That smile again… Like when we first talked with Lancer. Was there something wrong with what I said?'
"Well, anyway!" Caster said with her usual volume, hopping onto her feet before Mihara could continue his train of thought. "As a reward for all the hard work my dearest Master has been putting into improving his abilities, your lovely Servant would like to give you a treat! Just hold on for a minute, okay Master?"
Before he had a chance to reply, his Servant had jumped back into her room. As he turned around to look, he heard the sound of rummaging papers and a few clacks of stone coming from within, though he couldn't see her from this angle.
'Well, like before I guess I shouldn't pry too much.' He thought as he shook his head to clear his mind of those images, before finishing the rest of his watermelon slice. 'I should trust in her to tell me more on her own terms. Anyway, what's she looking for?'
After several more seconds his Servant hopped out of her room again, carrying several sheets of paper, two calligraphy brushes, an inkstone and a small cup of water with her.
"…Where did you get those?" He couldn't help but ask as she set up the items on the veranda between them.
"Oh, you know, there were a few stalls in town selling some calligraphy supplies." She said as she sat down, her Master turning to face her directly. Picking up and flourishing one of the calligraphy brushes, in elegant script she wrote down a single sentence on a piece of paper:
'Just one question, okay?'
"Hm?" Her Master asked as he read, before turning to look at her. "One question?"
"Yep!" Caster said. "As this is one of those rare times for a one-to-one bonding session, I thought I'd let you ask anything you want about me, and I'll guarantee an answer!"
"One question is it?" He asked, cocking his head to the side as he picked up the other calligraphy brush in his hand.
'Still, what should I ask?' He thought as he wet the brush on the inkstone. '…I said I shouldn't pry too much just a minute or two ago. So what else should I ask?' At this he looked up at his Servant, who tilted her head before giving him another one of her beaming smiles.
"Alright…" He murmured afterwards, before turning down to the piece of paper and writing out his question:
'Why do you like using your mirror as a blunt weapon?'
"Eeh?!" Caster gasped as she drew back. "Is that what's been on your mind this whole time?! Even for my prude of a Master, that's the last thing I could have expected!"
"Well, I mean, you're supposed to be a Caster, aren't you?" He asked at her sudden outburst. "I wouldn't normally associate bashing people over the head with Casters."
"Well, sometimes reality can't really live up to expectations either, you know Master?" She said, turning her face away as her ears and tail stood erect.
'Ah, she got angry.' Her Master thought as he watched. 'Well, I guess I should have seen that coming, since Caster herself knows just how mismatched her skillset is.'
"Fine, I admit, I'm supposed to be an alluring, mystical, physically-weak and good-for-nothing Caster!" The foxgirl continued her rant.
"So if I can't depend on my spells in close-range, how else am I supposed to defend myself against those stupid Knight-Class Servants when they get up close?! I'm relegated to beating them over the head with something, that's what! If I actually had a choice in my Class, I'd be a Saber!"
'Replace that Sword with a Mace and then we might be able to talk.' He thought, before shaking his head.
"Well, I can't really deny that getting into close-range combat would be troublesome for someone like you." Mihara said quickly. "But, that mirror must be important to you to keep it so close all the time right? Using it as a blunt weapon is a bit-"
"Hmph, if you knew how bad I was at close-range and that the only thing I have on hand for close-range defence was this mirror then at least show me some sympathy!" Caster snapped.
"We're not even good against other Casters, since our fighting styles all rely on similar basic principles! Yes, without exception, we're all doomed to be the first ones eliminated! Yes, without a doubt, Casters are doomed to play second-fiddle in the Holy Grail War, just like that shrimp said last week!"
'Caster feels really strongly about this.' He thought as he recovered from the sudden noise. 'Though, her complaints don't really match up with what I've seen in the field; she's more than pulled her weight during the last two weeks of Arena exploration.'
"…Well, I guess there's really no point to me complaining." Caster continued as she gave a sigh, turning to face the garden wall across them with a frown. "I'm not made for close-combat anyway; seeing the broader picture's where it's at. So at the end I didn't really have much of a choice about what class-container I was put in, what with that sort of skill-set."
"Your skill-set's served us well all the way until now though, Caster." Her Master said as he followed her gaze. "Sorry, I didn't mean anything negative by that question."
"I guess I could forgive you, as long as you can understand how things are from my viewpoint." Caster said after a pause, turning to look at her Master with a pout.
"I promise to try and not be so insensitive in the future." Mihara said as he raised a hand with his head bowed.
"Then I'll forgive you, just this once." Caster said after a sigh, before turning away.
"Thank you, Caster."
"Well, if you want to know I can at least say I have one thing going for me." She continued.
"Care to share?" Her Master asked after a pause.
"Hmm, if you were to look at it in a certain way, all of Japan's spirits are clones, or offshoots of me in some way or another." The foxgirl explained, her Master's eyes widening at her declaration. "I'd like to think I'm the equivalent of eight million soldiers, or one invincible entity against humans!" She declared, raising her fist for emphasis.
'That's a pretty significant bonus for being a Caster.' He thought as he looked at her, a smile crossing his lips despite himself. 'I suppose it's true when she said she was only using a fraction of her power some time ago.'
"…Though, at the same time I guess that's another reason why I'm so weak against those hero-types who end up in those Knight-Class containers." Caster continued after a pause, her voice quietening as her form shrank back.
"Hm?" He mumbled, tilting his head at his Servant's sudden change in tone.
"Has anyone ever told you about the deadlock between heroes, humans, and monsters, Mihara?" Caster asked.
"Well, I remember hearing about deadlocks like that, but only between snakes, frogs and slugs in fables." Her Master said after a pause, hand to his chin. "Snakes eat frogs, frogs eat slugs, and slugs eat snakes. A bit like rock-paper-scissors."
"Well, it's a similar case with different names." Caster said, her voice still contained as she folded her arms while looking across the yard. "Humans can't beat monsters. Monsters can't beat heroes. And heroes can't beat humans."
'Hm?' He thought as he heard Casters statement, a pause in the conversation accompanying it. 'Humans can't beat monsters. An'invincible entity' against humans. Does that mean… That Lancer's statement earlier in the week was at least partially true? Maybe that's why-'
"Oops, sorry!" Caster said, the energy returning to her voice returning as she slapped her cheeks lightly. "I got a bit off-track there. Going back to the issue at hand, Casters like me don't really have much to use when in close-combat, so we're just forced to make due.
"And anyway." She continued, turning to her Master with her usual bright smile, her tail wagging energetically behind her. "Even if our opponent was Susanoo himself, none of his attacks would matter if you dodge them!"
'Tch, what am I thinking.' He thought, a smile spreading over his own face as he saw Caster's energy return. 'Monster or Hero, Caster is still my Servant. There isn't any reason to doubt her at this point, not after what all three of us have been through. I just hope that I'll be able to keep up-'
"The volume of your quarrel is enough to echo to the other side of our residence." Saber said, the sound of her booted feet reverberating against the wooden porch indicating her presence as both Mihara and Caster turned to look at her.
"Good morning, Saber." Her Master greeted first. "And, sorry for being so loud."
"Well knowing you, you probably needed something to distract you, just to see how good your concentration is." Caster said.
"Hmph, do not worry, Caster." The swordswoman said as she leaned onto a pillar. "I am more than capable of ignoring incessant droning, should it not be involved with the matter at hand."
'Then what about that sound of breaking stone…?'
"Still, Praetor, as our morning warmups appear to be complete for the day." Saber continued. "What are our intentions for today?"
"Yeah, that's a good point." He said as he activated his Interface again. "We'd better go to the Chapel first today, before something else decides interrupts us. Afterwards, we may want to look at delivering all those things we picked up yesterday."
"While I do enjoy a challenging fight, the knowledge that the fight was only challenging because of my own limited power does tend to create a sour aftertaste." Saber said, nodding.
"Speak for yourself." Caster said, pulling a face. "Bleh, I'd prefer to just stomp on those bugs and get everything done with. Less time wasted, more time for exploration! It's a win-win situation! Well, except for those eight-bit programs, but who cares about them."
"On the note of exploration, we have many things to take care of regarding the items we have found in the Arena today, do we not, Praetor?"
"Yeah, you're right Saber." Mihara nodded as his hands reached out to touch his Interface, bringing up his Inventory screen. "I guess I should say we were fortunate that we did manage to collect everything we wanted to yesterday, what with the jump in strength of the Arena Programs.
"We'll probably want to visit Rani afterwards." He continued, a screen splitting into two to display the still-intact arrow they had found in the Arena from Archer, as well as the red Rosary bead given to them by Shane. "For the time being, there is no guarantee that the bead is from Zhang's Servant though."
"There should be little harm in asking that dark-skinned woman for her analysis of the object." Saber said, giving another nod. "Just as long as we ourselves ensure that the information extracted by her is in line with what we ourselves know."
"Well, little harm or not, I admit I don't really feel comfortable asking another Master for help like this though." Her Master said, rocking his head side-to-side. "Nevermind. Afterwards, we should probably go and check with the Librarian."
"Hopefully he's got something else that can help out with our fight at the end of the week." Caster said, leaning forward slightly as an image of a compact disk appeared on the Interface screen, the three letters 'F-G.O' written on its surface.
"To think the NPCs are busy playing MMOs on the side." Mihara muttered as he shook his head slowly. "Anyway, I don't know if we can find Ms. Fujimura before the end of the day, but it sounded like she urgently needed these… Glasses."
"Ugh, well, 'glasses' is kind of mundane, isn't it?" Caster asked as the image on the screen switched to display a set of square-rimmed glasses. "The thing's called 'Demonic Eye-blockers'! What sort of intimidating thing is that supposed to be?!"
"Are you not supposed to be the expert in such enchanted items, oh mystical Caster?" Saber asked, turning to look at the Servant.
"Weell, I can't say some Casters are good at making enchanted items, since I've known a few directly actually." Caster began as she fiddled with her fingers. "But then again there's this really, really big difference between 'their' focus, and 'my' focus, y'know?"
"Oh ho." Saber said, raising her eyebrows as a smile crossed her face. "Then it is no wonder a third-rate Legendary Soul like yourself, who cannot even fashion enhanced items, ended up in the Caster container. You're even worse than the majority of your class, who are already doomed to play little more than back-stage extras!"
"Buh!" Caster grunted, as though she had been hit, before leaping up onto her feet with a finger pointed at the crimson swordswoman. "You were eavesdropping again! No, no, that's not the point here-! I won't suffer an insult like that again! And for that matter, what are you supposed to be yourself, Saber?!"
"Hmph, I am but an exemplary member of what is otherwise the best class in the Holy Grail War." Saber said, giving a smirk as she puffed her chest. "I said so last week, and I shall reaffirm it again: My Praetor should not bother himself with second-string Servants like you whilst I am by his side."
"Huh, says the little plankton who just swings her oversized sword around like a club!" Caster said with a huff, folding her arms just as Saber glared at her. "Here I thought all you Knights-of-the-Sword with your holier-than-thou attitudes would be much more elegant in a fight. In fact, you should go talk to that Priest guy and get your class changed from 'Saber' to 'Berserker'!"
"I think I'd better let the two of them shout it out." Their Master said to himself as he slowly slid himself back from the edge of the porch.
"Come to think of it, apart from yesterday they haven't been arguing as much as last week. I guess that's a good sign. Though, with how harsh some of their insults are, I hope I don't end up having to use a Command Seal to stop their fighting like Dan did two days ago."
Noon
"Well, that should tide you over until the Elimination Battle this week, Mihara." Aoko Aozaki said as her Interface closed, the pillars of light surrounding the Master and his two Servants dissipating. "You brought quite a bit of scrap data for me this time, though then again you haven't visited me for a while now."
"Yeah, we've had several, 'incidences' over the last few days." The Master said as he rubbed his forehead, closing his eyes as he checked the newly-strengthened connection with his Servants.
"Ah, I heard some of the Masters were starting to get a bit rowdy this week." The fiery-haired Magus said as she nodded. "Must be tough for the NPCs, running around trying to douse all the fires. I take it you ended up being a target?"
"Our Master was targeted several times over, Aoko Aozaki." Saber said, clenching her fist as she brought it up to her chest. "A select few of our opponents have no sense of battlefield decorum. It is only fortunate that the .PH's NPCs were on watch, as were I and Caster for our Master's safety."
"Hmm, I see you've got it quite rough this week Mihara." Aoko Aozaki said as she stood up from her seat near the Chapel's altar. "Though at the same time, you're quite fortunate to have two capable Servants on hand."
"Yes, on both counts I agree." The Master said, looking at both Servants next to him with a smile, a gesture that both returned.
"Well, if that's all for today I've got something to look at." Aoko said as she looked at the wooden table next to her seat for a moment, the blue cube still spinning endlessly above it. "Don't be a stranger now, alright? If you need another Alteration, feel free to come by."
"I will, thank you again Aoko." Mihara said as he gave a nod. Waving her hand goodbye in response, the Aozaki sister turned around and walked to the back of the Chapel, soon disappearing behind a heavy wooden door.
"Uwah, I feel alive again!" Caster said as she twirled several times on one foot. "I think our connection's just progressed to a completely new level!"
"Indeed, that Aozaki sister does good work." Saber said, giving a nod before she folded her arms. "Although, I am curious as to where the blue sister went- she was not here on our arrival. Perhaps she has something else to take care of, like the red sister?"
"Finding out would probably be a bit complicated for us though." Mihara said as he shook his head, before turning around to leave.
"Yeah, and we have our own things to worry about anyway." Caster said, following suit as did Saber. "Not to mention that you have enough women in your life already…" She added quietly.
But before her Master had a chance to retort however, a bright beam of light cut through the Chapel's dark interior. Blinded for several seconds, Mihara's eyes clenched shut automatically, before slowly opening to see that the Chapel doors were open.
And standing between the two solid wood pieces, was a familiar wizened old man.
"Dan Blackmore." Mihara whispered, just as the old man closed the doors behind him, plunging the Chapel into darkness once again.
"Mihara Hakuno." The Knight said after several seconds of silence. "My apologies for not recognising you there; the change in ambient light is quite abrupt, especially for one as old as I."
"Oh, no, don't worry about that." He answered awkwardly. "Even I have problems at my age adjusting to the change."
"You are too kind." Dan Blackmore said as the two Masters met at the centre of the Church, the old Knight bowing his head slightly. "Yet despite that, I must again apologise for the other day, Mihara Hakuno. The only saving grace of the entire debacle was the Caretaker NPC's quick response in treating your wound, as well as your Servant's more than competent response to the situation."
"Admittedly, I can't really say 'don't worry about it'." The young Master said slowly. "But at the very least, I'm still standing. And despite that incident, well, I can at least guarantee you that you will get the fair fight that you seem to wish for at the end of this week."
"My sincerest thanks." Dan said as he bowed his head again. "I only wish that my Servant would share the same mentality."
"Sir Knight." Saber said as she gave the Master a brief nod. "I care little for the actions of your Servant, but you yourself have shown great strength of character that I find difficult to remember equal."
'This is a first…' Mihara thought. 'Saber's actually praising our opponent.'
"Yet even chivalry must have its limits." Saber continued. "Essentially throwing away one of your most powerful tools in this War to help an enemy… What is it that makes you feel such a drastic decision is warranted?"
'The Command Seals.' Mihara remembered, thinking back to the Infirmary, and the bright red light he saw from Dan's hand as he gently rubbed one of his own. 'Three irrefutable commands given to all Masters in the Holy Grail War, each guaranteeing an action will be performed, as long as it obeys the .PH's rules.'
"You are correct, Servant Saber." Dan Blackmore said, bowing his own head. "To use one of the three Command Spells given to me, to help my enemy, of all things would be the definition of drastic. And even I myself have been questioning that act throughout the whole of yesterday."
At this, the old Knight looked up to the altar, to the wall beyond the pulpit at the raised platform.
"Ultimately however, I believe that it was the right thing to do." He continued speaking as Mihara turned sideways to look at the large wooden cross, hung across the entirety of the wall that Dan Blackmore gazed at.
"I had been called to this battlefield by her Majesty, the Queen. Having said that, it has been a long time… No, this is the only time I can remember responding to such summons due wholly to my own personal reasons behind it.
"Were I fighting for 'King, Queen and Country' as a mere soldier, I would have praised Archer's actions. Yet as a Knight… And, as a human, I must condemn them. As I did, for the first time in so many years I remembered the day I received notification of my nomination for Knighthood, as well as the silhouette of my wife's form, watching me with pride. Haha, I'd like to think her spirit looked upon me with the same face and approval in that moment."
At this, the young Master heard a soft gasp from beside him, and saw Caster place a hand over her chest out of the corner of his eye.
'Come to think of it, she's been very quiet so far actually.' He thought, just as he saw Dan give a sad chuckle, before shaking his head and turning to look at the young Master and his Servants.
"It's the same story every old man has." He continued, before holding up his hand and gazing at it. "It has been so long since that day I last saw her. The sound of her voice…. the features of her face, all lost to me in the sands of time. The only thing I can remember vividly was the warmth of her hand, before her soul departed to the Lord above."
At this the old Knight paused for several long seconds, before he clenched his hand for a brief moment, eyes closed. Quickly opening them again however, he let it fall to his side, before resuming his explanation.
"But so are the responsibilities of a soldier, and our only truth. At all times we are required to abide by military regulations, and no allowances are made for even one such as myself to overstep my bounds. That sort of resolve has outlasted everything else in my life, and is the one torch I carry to light the way through the remainder of my life."
'So, even after he's lost his wife, his resolve to fight is still as strong as ever.' Mihara thought as his eyes turned downwards in the face of the soldier that stood before him. 'Yet here I am, my own 'resolve' crippled after just one fight.'
"It is clear to me that you are still lost, though." Dan said, Mihara looking up just as the old man caught his gaze. "Though reflection on the past is good, you should not let that distract you from deciding on how you wish to live for the future."
"For the future…?" The young Master asked, just as the old Knight nodded.
"For you, for me, for everyone that fights in this Holy Grail War, and for everyone who lives in the world, regrets for the past are an insidious thing." Dan continued. "Observing it can help to build new paths into an uncertain future. But if you let it, it will also lead you astray, and blind you to what that very future holds."
'Regret…' Mihara thought, his eyes turning downwards again. 'What sorts of regrets do I have, when I cannot even remember why I entered this entire ordeal in the first place? The one and only regret I could have right now is joining this entire thing in the first place.'
"Seeing you reminds me of another man I had met." Dan said after a pause, the two exchanging gazes once more. "He was a man just as lost as you were, a doctor lost in the ravages of war."
'You would expect medics in a warzone at the very least.' Mihara thought as he quietly listened, his gaze never leaving the old Knight's.
"To friends that were brought to his operating table, the man would quietly stitch or repair whatever wounds that had been inflicted on them. To foes that he found bleeding to death on the roadside, he would quietly stitch or repair their wounds even as they screamed, shouted, and poured their hatred upon him. And, for those on both sides who didn't survive the countless battles, he would grieve and mourn their passing."
"The man's excessive dedication to his duties is impressive." Saber said, through the mental connection as her Master gave a slight nod in response.
"I had met him several times on different battlefields throughout my career, and each time I met him, his actions puzzled me even more." Dan continued. "So one day, I asked him: 'Why is a man like you in this hellhole?' I remember, he paused at my question, busy as he were with something. Eventually, he answered - 'Perhaps, to better understand that 'why' myself.'
"'The reason 'why' I'm here is linked to the reason 'why' War itself is here. Despite knowing the tragedies that War causes, humanity is stuck in an endless cycle of conflict. What does war steal away from people? What does War give to people that this endless cycle is perpetuated? To not understand the basic nature of War is to deny the very existence of War. Hence, that why, I must know.'"
At this, Dan stopped recounting his story to look the young Master before him over.
"It was a conversation I had many years ago, but when I see you I can somehow remember those words he spoke very clearly." He continued with a sigh. "I know not what had become of him; I believe that conversation was the last time I saw him on the battlefield. Perhaps he found his answer on another field of conflict, or he had joined the many he once mourned over. But just like him, you too will need to understand the nature of this War, and come to terms with it."
"Come to terms with killing other Masters? The fact that 'only one' wish can be granted?" Mihara asked quietly as he remembered the words emblazoned upon that red firewall in the Elimination Battle.
"Exactly." Dan said as he nodded. "This wilted path that we all take here will be harsh, no matter how we choose to walk it. But no matter what happens, you mustn't feel shame nor regret in what you have had to do to come this far. Instead, carry on with your head held high for the future, so that those which you will have walked over to get here will not have died forgotten.
"And with all that said, Servant Saber." He continued, turning to look at the crimson swordswoman by Mihara's side. "To answer your question earlier finally. For a fight that I engage in for personal reasons… I cannot, and will not, condone any conduct that would stain my conscience."
'To fight in a way so one won't have any regrets, in memory of those who've passed on.' Mihara thought as silence slowly covered the cavernous Church hall. 'That's the way this Knight fights. For me though, who fights just to live… With such a simplistic reason like that, how can I not regret taking the lives of others? How can I not regret breaking livelihoods apart in the palm of my hand? '
"Haha, well this isn't like me." Dan said with a chuckle, breaking Mihara's train of thought. "Maintaining such an uninteresting conversation... I wouldn't blame you if you were laughing at the musings of this old man."
"No, Dan Blackmore." Mihara said automatically, giving a bow from the hip. "Thank you very much for your advice, and telling me your story."
At this, the old Knight looked at the bowed Master for several seconds, before giving a nod.
"Then I hope by this time two days hence, I will see you with unclouded eyes upon the field of battle, Mihara Hakuno." Dan said with a nod of his head, before stepping past the young Master and his two Servants.
Turning around to watch him move, Mihara saw the old Knight walk into the pews of the Church, before sitting down and clasping his hands together.
'Even something like that is a pretty big ask though.' Mihara thought as he kept silent, diverting his gaze for a moment before shaking his head. Giving one final bow towards the old Knight, he turned around and left the Church building, his silent Servants following suit.
"Greetings, Mihara Hakuno." The Master known as Rani the Eighth greeted as he approached her at the end of the corridor, his two Servants in their invisible form following behind him. "I trust that your presence here means that you have been able to acquire something of your opponent, as I had requested."
"Yes, for both actually, Rani." Mihara replied as he took out his Terminal, activating his Interface as he cast a glance behind him.
"Please do not worry about others appearing here on the Third Floor." Rani said, tilting her head slightly as she watched him with her impassive eyes. "Rarely anyone climbs to the top of the School Building during normal occasions; there is a statistically insignificant chance of there someone doing so today."
"Well, I can't really deny that." He replied as he turned back to face her, his fingers running along his Interface to bring up the two items in his Inventory. "But, after seeing how the School Grounds have become this week, I can't help but feel a bit uneasy…"
'Asking another Master to help me feels as though it goes against the very basics of the Holy Grail War's system, after all.'
"Your worries are not unfounded." Rani said, nodding her head at his half-finished sentence. "But I must again reiterate that you have little to fear from me."
At this, she placed a hand over her bare chest, her eyes closed as she paused for a short while, before speaking again.
"My Professor's words are my guide. Her instructions specifically told me to learn about humans as and how I can. Given the very short period we are given to learn about our adversaries, I find that reading a person's star is the most direct way of learning about their past, and the driving force behind their actions.
"So please, I ask you to put your mind at ease." She continued, opening her eyes to look at the Master before her. "My objective is to carry out my Professor's wish only; the information I gather from today would in no way hinder your cause. Rather, they would help it, is that not correct?"
"Admittedly, I can see no reason to contradict that." Mihara answered, bobbing his head side-to-side as he held his hands outstretched, two columns of light appearing from them as his Interface closed down.
As quickly as they appeared, the two columns disappeared into pixels, leaving behind a snapped arrow in one hand, and a small red bead in the other.
"This arrow comes from Dan Blackmore's Servant, Archer." He said, putting the hand forward as Rani carefully took it from him, her slender, tanned fingers brushing it softly. "This bead, apparently, is from Zhang Zhaobang's Servant, Lancer. I'm not sure if this is what you need; I'm not sure how knowing about their Servant would help you know about the person in question."
"Please do not worry about that." Rani said calmly, closing her eyes as she turned her face towards the window, up to the clear blue sky. "Just as a tapestry is woven from many threads intertwined together, reading the story of one star will ultimately lead to many more afterwards."
'I see…' He nodded his head as he turned to look up towards the sky himself, though at this time of the day none of those faint, white spots could be seen.
"Astrology, is it?" Saber's voice echoed in his mind. "The night views of my villa were truly spectacular. The many stars dotting the night's sky could be a painting unto themselves, with a deep meaning behind each and every one. Or at least, that' what scholars of my time tell me: I personally could not see any rhyme or reason behind any of their tall tales."
"Well, that's only to be expected though, coming from a meathead like you." Caster said, chuckling.
"I dare you to say that again, you faux fox."
"Well, this' coming from another Astrology expert though, so you shouldn't feel too bad." Caster continued, her tone darkening for a moment. "Not really boasting, but I'm pretty good at it. Though, looking at this dark-skinned girl I'd say she's in a completely different league from me!
"Well, her knowledge of Astrology aside, I'm kind of curious about her Professor that she keeps talking about."
"I shall give that you are not the only one curious about her mentor." Saber said after a huff. "Yet such questions shall have to be ignored for the time being, in favour of the information she can give us."
"I find myself…" Rani spoke finally, interrupting his Servant's conversation. "In a forest? Someplace deep… And equally as dark."
Her eyes still closed and faced towards the clear sky, her fingers slowly ran along Archer's arrow as she spoke in a quiet voice, as though even the sound alone could break her concentration.
"A canopy so thick that no light may pierce through. A harbinger of tyranny, striking out from the shadows. Protecting those wrongfully persecuted, yet shunned by them, all the same. A solitary path, green like the forest he lives within."
"…A man who always hid in the shadows as he attacks his enemies from afar." Mihara said softly, seeing Rani turn away from the window, though her eyes remained closed. "It's no wonder he and Dan Backmore, a man who insists on fighting with dignity, always seem at loggerheads with each other."
"That is to be expected, yes." Rani spoke, opening her eyes to look at him as she kept her hand on her chest. "Yet at the same time, I feel a deep sense of longing, of a desire left unfulfilled. Perhaps, the Servant too wishes that he could walk with his head held high, out in the full light and warmth of the sun."
"Hmm." Caster mumbled. "Well, strictly speaking I'm not really a hero either. A diabolically cute and perfect wife though, definitely! Though, despite all he's put us through this week, I can't help but feel a bit bad for him..."
"Ignoring the mad ramblings of this spinster fox-" Saber began.
"S-Spinster?!"
"I believe I understand what drives our rat of an Archer. A man who hid in the shadows, while dreaming of a role he could never achieve. Yet like a fool, he dons a fake mantle, and proceeds to imitate said role with all his might until the day he died. Hmph, what a sobering tale."
'…This is curious.' Mihara thought, after hearing his Servant's comments. 'That hint of melancholy… as well as our discussion earlier this week. It's the same with Caster earlier too- could both of them share similarities with Archer?'
"A Servant who was active in a forested area, and whose actions may not necessarily what one considered 'heroic'." The Master said out loud, a hand to his chin as he thought. "I'm not really sure what to think about that. There's a fair number that come to mind, and I'm certain a bit more research would reveal even more names."
"Perhaps, this is not the one whom my Professor spoke of." Rani murmured, placing a lock of her violet hair behind her ear as she adjusted her glasses. "Though, I'm not completely certain. A sense of longing is the cause of the gap that spans between Master and Servant: An intrinsic part of human nature that my Professor had told me about, and something that I already understand well."
"I guess that means this information wasn't particularly helpful for you, Rani?" Mihara asked.
"No, everything that I can gain would be helpful to my cause here." She said as she nodded her head, before handing the broken arrow back to him. "Now, if you please, I would like to take a look at the item belonging to Zhang Zhaobang's Servant. Lancer, was it?"
"Yes, he is, and thank you." He said, carefully placing the red bead into her outstretched hand as he placed the arrow back into his inventory with a flash of white pixels.
"I see…" The astrologer said softly as she stared at the item, a finger rolling the bead around the palm of her hand slowly for several seconds.
Once done, she closed her eyes and turned her face skywards once again, her finger still gently rolling the bead around the palm of her hand, never once coming close to falling off.
"I find myself…" She began, her voice barely audible once again. "On a bridge? The sound of flowing water roars beneath me, like a torrential rain. And the thunder that accompanies it… Is the sound of steel striking upon steel.
"Yet after this… I can see various landscapes passing me by. All at different places, during different seasons, and always accompanied by the same figure. A duo of outcasts, discarded by former companions, brought together during a time of war, and separated only by their deaths."
"…A Servant who spent most of his life travelling?" Mihara asked, just after Rani turned towards him and opened her eyes. "And with a companion throughout the entirety of that trip?"
"I believe so." Rani said at her normal volume as she gave a brief nod. "Although, the first image seemed particularly vivid in my mind, I would not recommend ignoring it completely. Why that is I don't know, but perhaps, something about that memory could contribute to the Servant's ultimate strength."
"Hmm, so the astrologer believes that the bridge in her vision is in some way tied to Lancer's strength?" Saber asked. "Perhaps she is implying that it is related to his Noble Phantasm in some way, shape or form?"
"Well she herself doesn't really sound so sure." Caster said. "Well, it's a good an idea as any other though. I'm a bit more interested in his 'companion' though. If I had a name for him I'd definitely be able to nail down that oversized snail's True Name."
"I do not believe something so important would be obtained so easily, Caster." Saber said. "While this astrologer' words have been enlightening, there have been very little in the way of specifics about our opponents. Something as important as a name would likely have escaped her too."
"That is, if she's actually telling us the whole truth." Caster said. "Though, as she said before, there's no real reason for her not to tell us everything. And, well, at least for Archer, most of what she's said seems to be related to what we know. Kind of anyway."
"Alright, thank you, Rani." Mihara said, as he listened to his Servant's analysis. "Though, I guess I can see why both he and Zhang have difficulty seeing eye to eye, vaguely at least. I hope that this was a bit more helpful than the last one, Rani?"
"The core behind this star, is a need for companionship." Rani began after a pause, her eyes downcast. "Again, another intrinsic part of human nature that my Professor had taught me about before I came here. Unfortunately, like before, I do not believe that he is the one I am searching for."
"Ah, umm, that's a shame." He said, scratching his head. "Um, I'm sorry that this event wasn't really helpful for you."
"Please do not apologise." She said, holding out the red bead in her hand as Mihara took it. "As I said before, everything I learn will help my cause. Although, with your statement before... I feel as though both Master and Servant, have more in common with each other than what may appear on the surface."
"Is that so?" He said.
"Yes, although, what that might be exactly, I do not know." Rani replied, before bowing her head. "Regardless, thank you very much for your time in collecting these items for me. I am quite certain that the knowledge you have gained during this exchange will help your cause, just as it has helped mine."
"No, thank you very much for sharing this with me, Rani." Mihara said, returning the gesture. In the place of a reply, Rani closed her eyes for a moment in acknowledgement, before she turned her eyes skywards once again.
"I believe that this is our time to leave, Praetor." Saber said. He gave a nod, both in acknowledgement of Saber's words and as a last farewell to Rani, before he returned don the corridor, to the centre of the school building.
"Well, that was certainly a lot more information than what I was expecting to get!" Caster said as he reached the main staircase. "Though, for the time being it's all speculative."
"Indeed." Saber agreed. "For Lancer in particular, we cannot be certain that that red bead belongs to him- the Astrologer's deductions from his item seem to be segregated from what we know. That slippery man from yesterday might have given us a trinket completely unrelated to him, hence throwing us off in our investigations."
"I suppose the simplest way would be to talk to them directly?" Mihara said softly. "A few weighted questions might let them slip something important."
"As expected of my Master!" Caster said, her voice as energetic as always. "You're really starting to get the hang of information gathering as well it seems!"
"I would be more surprised if you were unable to think of such a simple solution." Saber said. "But regardless, following that train of thought, we should make every attempt to find them before the end of this week. The sooner, the better."
"I guess that's true, but there's still a couple more things I'd like to take care of today too if possible though." Their Master said.
"Then we had best make haste with the remainder of today's chores, so that we may interrogate them on the specifics."
"Well well, ain't yous a sight fer sore eyes." The Librarian said with a grin as he saw Mihara slide the doors to the library open. "Kinda shocked yous came back so quick. Got lucky down in the Arena then I take it?"
"Yeah, I managed to find your profile in my Arena yesterday while I was exploring." Mihara said, looking around the library as he slid the door closed behind him. He couldn't help but notice the comparative lack of Masters today: He was the only one there today.
"Most 'o the other Masters I'm guessing already scampered off to the Arena." The Librarian said, noticing his gaze. "Well, none too surprising that, only two more days after all!"
"Yeah, I need to get down to the Arena myself after this." Mihara said, giving a tired smile as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Aye, that yous need to do if yous thinkin' 'o staying alive." The NPC continued as he stood up from his workstation. "That bein' said, am deeply grateful for yous picking that file up for me at such short notice."
"Don't mention it." The Master said as he brought out his Terminal and activated his Interface. The NPC leaned forward on his desk, his eyes watching the transparent digital screen closely as a single file was brought up, labelled 'F-G.O'.
"Here it is, as promised." He continued as he stopped at the screen.
"Beautiful." The NPC said with a wide grin as he reached out a hand to touch the transparent screen from behind.
At the point of contact, several ripples began to emanate outwards on the screen, as the words 'Data Transfer in Progress…' appeared. For several seconds this continued, before the NPC sat down at his desk and brought out his game console.
Mihara couldn't help but peer over the edge of the counter, just in time to see the Librarian clear a login screen, and a woman in white appearing on the screen.
"Excellent!" The Librarian shouted, punching the air as he jumped to his feet. "Jeezus, I nearly thought I'd lost my game profile for good there!"
"I'm glad you're satisfied with what you see." The Master said with a smile, though he couldn't help but notice the other NPCs in the room glaring at them.
"'Satisfied' would be putting it mildly!" He continued "Man, I've been watchin' the news feeds 'bout this game ever since it came out a few years back, 'n losing my pre-register rewards would've made me pissed enough to make me set my core to overload!"
"…Your games mean a lot to you I see." Mihara said as he gave a sigh.
'Is it really safe for the .PH to entrust its functions to NPCs like this?' He thought, remembering how at least one other NPC thought it was a good idea to bet on the outcome of Coliseum Fights.
"Oy, oy, don't lookit me like that!" The Librarian said. "Gaming's just somethin' I do on the side after all. S'not like the .PH's got a job fer me to do every wakin' second after all. Though, I gotta admit that this Holy Grail War's been a smidge more crazy than the last few. Well, not like that's a bad thing though.
"Oh, before I forget, yous probably looking fer compensation fer this." He said as he waved his console for emphasis.
Before Mihara had a chance to reply, the NPC had already activated his Interface, several screens flipping by as the Master watched. After several moments the Librarian stopped on one screen, before his free hand tapped several points on it.
And in response, a small chip solidified at the centre of the screen, falling down into the Librarian's open hand.
"And this…?" The Master asked.
"It's a special somethin' I cooked up in one 'o the earlier Holy Grail Wars." The Librarian said, stretching his hand forward as his Interface closed. "Was custom-built fer a good Master friend 'o mine."
"Really?" Mihara asked, blinking several times as he looked at the small chip in the NPC's hand.
"Yeppers." The NPC said as he nodded his head, giving a tired smile as he looked the chip over himself. "Only Lord Almighty knows what'd happened to him though: This chip 'o mine I gave to him just before his last Battle. Never did manage to find out if he won or not."
"I see." The Master said slowly, before pausing for several seconds. "And, you want to give this to me then, is it?"
"Heh, call it nostalgia." The Librarian said. "Yous reminds me 'o him quite a bit, y'know? Started up lost like a country boy in the big 'ol city, though it's been some several decades since that War happened. 'N if my instincts are right, this ought to help yous 'n yer battle tactics by leaps 'n bouds. Besides, 'm not sure if I'll get another chance to give it to yous after this."
"…What does that mean?" Mihara asked as he slowly took the item into his own hands.
"I'd install it fer you 'n give yous some instructions myself, but unfortunately I've gotta jet soon to handle some patrol work." He continued speaking, ignoring the Master's question. "That, 'n you'd prolly want someplace private to tinker a bit. I've left an instruction manual fer yous in the file though, you oughtta have no probems using it yourself."
"Alright then, thank you very much for this." The Master said, looking the item over one last time before storing it in his inventory. "I'll make sure to treasure this relic of yours, and use it wisely."
"Hah, don't stand on ceremony with it." The NPC said as he waved a hand, before he pocketed his gaming console and walked around the counter. "Just use it as yous see fit. I heard yer Servant's are in a bit of a predicament anyways, this ought to help alleviate that problem a teensy bit."
"Still, thank you for giving me something like this." He continued. "The Master you made this for must have been a good friend of yours."
"A good friend…" The NPC said softly, a confused smile crossing his lips for a moment. "Yeah, he was a good friend. A good man too, though, in his own way a bit twisted as well."
"Hm?" Mihara asked, just as the Librarian shook his head and looked at the Master, a hand reaching out to pat his shoulder as he walked by.
"Anyways, I'm wishing yous good luck in your Coliseum Fight this week." He said. "Gotta go now, and thanks fer getting my pre-registration reward back fer me!"
Before Mihara could give any reply however, the NPC had already slid the door to the library open and left, the sound of sliding wood the only indicator of his passing.
"Hmm hmm, that was interesting." Caster said, having stayed quiet until now. "I wonder what is it that he got for us? He said he made it for a friend of his from a while ago, so it ought to be something good…"
"Are you able to ascertain its function, Praetor?" Saber asked.
"Not really." He answered through the mental link. "We'd probably want to have a look at it when we enter the Arena, rather than out here on the School Grounds."
"A wise course of action." Saber said.
"I have to admit I'm a bit curious as to who his 'old friend was…" Caster said, her voice trailing off.
"Indeed, I am curious as well." Saber said. "'Tis be the first Holy Grail War I have participated in, though I have let pass many Masters before this during prior Preliminary Rounds. If this NPC is a good a judge of character as I believe him to be, I doubt it was any of those plebeians."
"One has to wonder where did he get that sort of information from though." Her Master said, before he gave a shrug. "Then again, NPCs can probably watch a few more things than we can normally."
"Regardless, such information we will not be able to obtain without asking him directly." Saber continued. "Instead, let us continue with today's chores, so that we may attempt to confront our enemies directly."
Evening
"Hmph, I wish all the Arenas sported as inspiring a landscape like as this." Saber said, a smile crossing her face as the white pixels surrounding their entry to the Arena faded out. "Though we have already explored much of this 'second' floor yesterday, I know not if I would ever get tired of seeing such scenery."
"I suppose it reminds you of your home somewhat?" Mihara asked.
"Umu!" She nodded vigorously as she swept a hand over the view. "The remnants of a Roman Metropolis submerged under the sea, its ruins still standing proudly despite the chaotic waters that swirl around it. Is there no more a beautiful sight than this? And there in the distance- a solidly-built Amphitheatre that stands proudly overlooking the city, the definitive centrepiece of any Roman city."
"It looks a little bit odd from here though, floating in mid-air just above everything else like that." Her Master continued, before looking the landscape over. "Well, it isn't really that odd when we consider how the city's been broken into pieces and floating about randomly."
"Well I guess beauty's only in the eye of the beholder though." Caster said, a hand to her hips as she looked the scene over. "It all just seems like a creepy ghost town to me from here."
"Why should I not take pride over such a thing?" The swordswoman asked, her chest swelling as she nodded with pride. "It is but a testament to the enduring legacy of an Empire that I was responsible for, in no small part."
"Ah well, I suppose that's just how Westerners see it." The foxgirl shrugged. "Well, I could make ten more different additions to that statement if I wanted to, but there's a few other things I'd like to take care of first."
"Indeed." Saber said. "Though it is unfortunate we did not manage to find that 'Ms. Fujimura' of yours Mihara, to claim our reward. A pity, but it appears that our rush to the Arena has yielded a similar dearth of results: I do not sense our opponents in the Arena."
"Seriously?" Mihara asked. "This is going to make putting Rani's divinations to use a lot more difficult."
"We didn't have any luck finding them outside either while looking for that teacher." Caster continued. "Though, I suppose that old man might be busy praying at the Chapel even now..."
As her voice trailed off, her Master notice the foxgirl quickly wipe her eye and shake her head, as though trying to forget about something.
"I shall admit that I, too, am moved by his devotion to his late marital partner." Saber said as she crossed her arms, nodding several times. "Yet even now without our opponents being physically here, this is not the time for sentimentality."
"Yeah, let's not focus on something so depressing for the time being." Caster said. "Anyway, Mihara, what do you think we should do for the time being then?"
"Unfortunately, we don't have an idea of where Dan and Zhang are now." He said, a hand to his chin. "They're definitely somewhere in the city, but searching for them blindly, even with all three of us split up, probably won't yield much results."
"Do not forget also, that both sides have at least one member who had sought to take your life at least once, against the system's rulings." Saber said. "Splitting up, even while mingling with a crowd, is a very dangerous proposition."
"That too." He said with a deep breath. "Rightfully, they should end up coming to the Arena to train at some point today, unless they already have. We can probably work off the assumption that they will, and just stay here as per our usual schedule for the day."
"That plan is sound." Saber said, nodding. "Though there is always a possibility that they will not come today."
"Then I guess we still have tomorrow to try and catch them again at least." He continued. "It's probably not a good idea to wait until so late, but we don't have much of a choice in the matter."
"Well, even if we can't find them today there's still a lot of training that we could do to toughen you up a bit, isn't there Master?" Caster asked.
"Yeah, that's true as well." Mihara said as he pulled out his Terminal. "First being that new program the Librarian gave me today."
"Yes, I am curious to see what he has given to you as well." Saber said. "He mentioned that this was made specifically for a good companion of his, long ago. If this is so, it ought not to be something half-heartedly made."
"The earlier program he gave us was quite helpful already." Caster said, leaning forward as her Master activated his Interface. "I'm fairly confident he'll give us something good again."
"The fact that he's giving me something so important for such a simple job as picking something up from the Arena still throws me for a loop though." Their Master said as he shook his head.
"Well, what's it they say?" Caster asked. "Don't look a present in the mouth! Although… if you didn't, you wouldn't exactly know what the present is though, would you?"
"I think you missed out a part of that saying." Mihara said as he sifted through his Interface's Inventory. "Well, I won't be ungrateful anyway. He said something about leaving an instruction file in this though… Here we are."
At this he selected the chip that the Librarian had given him, which promptly opened up a small window with the words 'Extracting Program Files…' written on it, a thin bar below it slowly filling up.
'I keep forgetting that there's a computer behind all of this at the end of the day.' Mihara thought as he watched the bar fill. 'An amalgamation of technology and magic… It's the same with these Code Casts as well isn't it?'
The bar that occupied his screen filled out before he had a chance to delve further however. And replacing it, was a large number of empty windows that filled his holographic Interface screen. And at the same time, the Terminal in his hands began to vibrate.
Instinctively he held it flat aloft, just as the pixels on its screen burst upwards a short distance like a fountain. And over several moments, the shower of pixels solidified into a familiar looking person, barely a foot tall standing atop his Terminal.
"Yo, Mihara." A holographic version of the Librarian said as it waved a hand. "If you's seeing this, it means you'dve gotten my profile file for me- thanks fer that again."
"The Librarian?" The Master asked, leaning closer. "I thought you were off on patrol duty or something?"
"First things first, this 'er hologram's just a very bare-bones AI with basic instructions on how to use this here program." The avatar continued. "It's also dumber than a rock, so don't go expectin' it to answer any questions now!"
"Ah, that explains things." He said with a sigh.
"Praetor, it would be wise to pay more attention to the NPC's words." Saber said, looking the avatar once over, before returning to her vigil of the area.
"N'yways, 'm not sure how much I'dve told yous but what this program does, but basically, it's a buildin' kit that'll let yous do some fancy stuff with your Servant that ain't possible otherwise." The avatar continued. "As yous ought to know by now, Code Casts're the stuff that Masters like yerself use in the .PH while participatin' in the Moon Cell's Holy Grail War.
"The Code Casts this program specializes is in forcing some extra prana down through the connection between yous 'n your Servant. One prime example'd be augmenting their Parameters slightly. Think 'o it like a hot fixup 'Alteration of the Soul', or somethin' like those Aozaki Sisters do back in the Chapel."
"Wait, something like that's possible without asking them?" Mihara asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Weeell, it isn't exactly impossible." Caster said as she rocked her head side-to-side. "It's normally kind of complicated to do though, and an inexperienced Master risks making some pretty big 'uh-ohs' if they screw up. That, and it's only a temporary measure without their specialised equipment. Well, that's my guess anyway."
"That's not really comforting…" Her Master said as he remembered the conversation the Aozaki Sisters had when he first met them.
"Now now, I know whatcher thinkin'." The avatar said as he put up both hands. "It's about as risky as insultin' an omnipotent, idiotic AI who's drunk on power to the face 'n throwin' a pile 'o slime at 'em afterwards fer good measure.
"But! That's only if yous got no idea what the fuck yous' doing." The avatar finished as he jabbed his finger directly forwards towards the Master.
"So I'm assuming that this program will at least prevent me from making those supposed blunders then?" Mihara asked as he drew back slightly from the avatar's actions, before looking at the holographic screen behind it.
"Well, now that's 'nuff fer the intro; time to get to the juicy bits." The avatar continued, rubbing its hands. "Now, we'll be needin' a volunteer to run this thing. Oh, don't worry: You 'n your Servants have my solemn promise that this ain't gonna screwup their internal systems. At least, not too badly. If something goes wrong."
"Did you have to add the last two sentences?" Mihara asked as he rubbed his forehead, before he looked over at Caster and Saber.
For a moment the two Servants looked at each other, their faces impassive as though they were silently conversing as to who was to take up the challenge. And for a moment, their Master half expected them to start playing rock-paper-scissors to decide that.
"Weeell, I guess I'll go for it." Caster said, promptly breaking her Master's expectations as she stepped forward. "I've kinda got a good idea how this ought to work anyway: Saber'll probably just end up walking right into problem after problem anyway."
"Hmph, do not think me so dense as to not understand how something of such nature works." The crimson swordswoman said as she crossed her arms. "Though, I must admit the NPC's words make me pause for thought. If you declare yourself as having some experience in such matters however, it is not my place to dissuade you from this."
"So long-winded as always." Caster said quietly, just enough for her Master to hear, as she hopped forward. "Alrighty then, my dear Master, is it time for us to play doctor now? Ehehe, though we're a bit too old to start the 'childhood friend' route, it's never too late right?!"
"Could you please focus for at least more than a few sentences, Caster?" Mihara asked.
"Well, I'm hoping yous gotten a volunteer by now Mihara." The avatar said, cutting the conversation. "It's completely painless for the Servant anyway. As long as yous followin' my instructions' all."
"Alright, Caster, are you ready?" Mihara asked.
"I'll always be ready for you, Mihara!" She shouted in reply, just as the avatar booted up a new screen on Mihara's interface.
"Code Cast: Gain Strength." Mihara said to himself as he typed the lines of code onto his Interface, before looking up and executing his program.
At his command, several strings of orange code began to emanate from his Interface, encircling and rapidly spinning around his clenched right hand as he raised it to shoulder level. After several seconds, he swung the hand forward, the strings of code reaching forward to encircle Caster, who stood still with her eyes closed several paces away.
Just before reaching her however, the lines of code hit an invisible wall. Like water flowing around an obstacle however, the lines of code began to form a column that surrounded the Servant.
Just as the circle was drawn it began to pulsate several times in quick succession, before it began to fade as the last of Mihara's code was absorbed into the circle.
"Right-o, looks like yous gotten the hang of it." The avatar said as the orange circle dissipated. "Yous ought to practice a bit on some unsuspectin' Arena Monster a few times today though. Hehe, 'm sure your Servant would enjoy showin' 'em there's a new Mafioso in town!"
"This system is a lot more tiring to use than I thought though…" Mihara said as he slowly sat down on the broken remains of a nearby pillar, a hand to his head. "Though, I suppose I'm basically channelling what little energy I normally have for a boost- I hope it doesn't take this long to execute every time I want to use it though."
In contrast to her Master however, Caster was busy hopping up and down energetically a few paces away.
"Wow!" She said with a large grin, her tail wagging just as vigorously behind her. "Those Aozaki Sisters did an amazing job earlier at getting my stats up to normal, but with your added extras Master, I feel like sprouting another tail already!"
"And here I only just managed to raise your strength stat to D." Mihara said, shaking his head. "That was probably more difficult than trying to get Shinji to keep quiet…"
"I get the feeling that there was a very carefully hidden insult somewhere there…"
"Remember though, the stat buffs 'o this thing's only temporary." The holographic avatar interrupted, looking off at the holographic screen arrayed before Mihara.
On it was a portrait of Caster, as well as an array of information about her physical condition, prana store, and her location in the Arena. There was also a list of her basic Servant parameters printed in a pale, neon-blue font. Apart, however, from her strength parameter which had been recolored in bright gold.
"It'll wear out after a couple 'o minutes, 'n you'll need to recast it, as one'd say." The avatar continued speaking. "Though, there're other modifications this program can do too, when yous get a bit more proficient at workin' the thing.
"So I suppose there's several tiers of experience to go through with this too then eh?" Mihara asked, shaking his head slowly as he looked the screen over several times.
"Havin' said that, with the preparatory stuff outta the way, this program'll already help yous augment your Servants faster than most Masters could normally already." The avatar said. "All that prep work helps that digital avatar 'o yous to assimilate the code some. This way, yous won't needs to startup your Interface each time to cast it."
"Hmm, that seems to be an interesting side-effect." Saber said as she stood beside him. "It might be worth analysing his instructions before, and try to adapt it to other aspects of your Interface Praetor. I understand that you have been having difficulty using it as proficiently as one would like."
"Yeah, I'll probably want to take a look at that when we get back home today." Mihara replied. "Not sure how well it'd help though."
"I went 'n saved a couple 'o templates in this program for yous to use Mihara." The avatar continued. "Practice a bit with 'em today, 'n later we can move on to a bit more complicated stuff. Though, for that stuff I ain't botherin' to put up instruction avatars like this: They take too damn long to make for your sorry ass!"
"Well I guess this much already's quite amazing." Mihara said, even as he reminded himself that this avatar was just a recording.
"Yous can probably figure out how to use 'em yourself anyway." The avatar continued, before raising his arm in a salute. "'N in the meantime, this guy's job's done now, so we'll be signin' off. Good luck, Mihara, 'n have fun watchin' yer Servants bash some skulls in!"
At this, the solid holographic avatar began to crumble out, like a tower of sand collapsing onto itself until all that remained was the flat screen of Mihara's Terminal.
"Our expectations of the NPC continue to do well it seems." Saber said, her Master turning to look up at her. "This will certainly augment our performance in future Coliseum battles. Quite significantly as well should you gather enough experience using it, if his words are to be believed."
"Yeah, it sounds quite promising, if tiring to use as well." Her Master said with a deep breath. "Still though, may as well follow his advice and practice with it a bit for the time being. Especially since Dan and Zhang haven't shown up yet, I'm guessing?"
"Yep, those two old geezers aren't anywhere to be found with their Servants, even now." Caster answered as she hopped towards him.
"Then I suppose the first thing we should do is get the prep work for you out of the way, Saber." Mihara said, his fingers tapping his Interface to clear all of the windows on it.
"Yes, I believe such procedures will be necessary for me to utilise the Code Casts this program should provide." Saber nodded as she stepped forward to Caster's former position. "After this, we may proceed to experiment with our newfound parameters on the tirones that wander this place."
'Well, that's all well and good.' Mihara thought as he waited for Saber to take position, before he began repeating the process the avatar instructed him on earlier.
'This would definitely boost the capabilities of my Servants so that they'd be a better match for Archer and Lancer. At the very least, this lets me sit on the sidelines buffing my Servants while they fight. But at the same time, the weak link between us three still remains…'
For a moment he looked up, switching several times between Saber and Caster.
'I'm supposed to wield my Servants as weapons to kill my opponents, to claim the final prize- The Holy Grail. For the whole of last week, I blinded myself to that truth. But this week, I can't hide from that. Not after what I've seen. And with the Coliseum Fight looming, the question begs itself heavily in my mind once again-
'Will I be able to survive their onslaught, and kill them just as I killed Shinji, and Shun? Two men with a lifetime's worth of memories, with nothing left to hold them back…'
"I don't know if I can do that." He muttered under his breath, just as he buried himself in the code that crossed his Interface screen once again. "Even with this augment, and that mashup of a Code Cast I finalised this morning, I don't know if I can bring myself to do that again…"
A/N
This chapter I've tried (and probably failed) at coming up with unique dialogue to bits and pieces of the story. All I'm hoping for now is that it makes sense to you as a reader. I'm also hoping that the sudden power-up provided by the Librarian doesn't come as a bit too abrupt either. Admittedly he's been needing the software upgrade for a while, all he's been equipped with are the bare-bones basics.
I've tried playing GrandOrder actually, but unfortunately I've been unable to roll any of my 'desired' Servants after the last few days, and that's probably the only thing that would make me play the game for any length of time considering I don't know Japanese. I think I'll just read a Let's Play whenever that comes out instead. And Unfortunately, I don't think that version of Tamamo will ever be able to make it in.
Also, who's Shirou Emirates? Never heard of the guy.
03/08/2015