Replies to my Reviewers

PixelGMS: As Shirou doesn't use much magecraft as Argonaut except to transform, Rin and the Matous aren't suspicious, especially as he flies with rocket boots, a clearly non magical item that several people around Rin and the Matous easily recognize, thus removing the possiblility of a Magus suspect. As for the Clocktower, they'd be confused as well except for two people in it.

: It's a theme I'm slowly festering among my Guide Protagonists. Jaune is the Knight/Warrior who's being trained among others to face a magical threat (Wonder Woman). Issei is a simple civilian who suddenly discovered that he had potentially god tier power and will end up the strongest of them all (Superman). Shirou is a Magus who was inspired to become a hero by his dead parent and uses tools- well, Mystic codes and Noble phantasms in this case (Batman).

ShadoWARmadaN: Just look at UBW or HF Taiga's chest. Also Jaguar Warrior's Mafia look. That's ditzy Tiger-sensei is STACKED. If she isn't, I want her to be as she's joining the harem.

Chapter 02: Recruitment

"I remember that face..."

T҉h҉e҉ ҉s҉t҉a҉r҉t҉i҉n҉g҉ ҉p҉e҉n҉a҉l҉t҉y҉ ҉i҉s҉ ҉f҉i҉v҉e҉.҉ ҉(҉D҉i҉e҉.҉)҉

"With tears in his eyes at finding someone alive."

L҉i҉f҉e҉ ҉p҉e҉n҉a҉l҉t҉y҉,҉ ҉b҉o҉d҉y҉ ҉p҉e҉n҉a҉l҉t҉y҉,҉ ҉f҉r҉e҉e҉d҉o҉m҉ ҉p҉e҉n҉a҉l҉t҉y҉,҉ ҉f҉a҉m҉e҉ ҉p҉e҉n҉a҉l҉t҉y҉,҉ ҉f҉o҉r҉t҉u҉n҉e҉ ҉p҉e҉n҉a҉l҉t҉y҉.҉ ҉(҉D҉i҉e҉!҉)҉

"A man filled with joy from the bottom of his heart."

G҉i҉v҉e҉ ҉t҉h҉e҉ ҉p҉e҉n҉a҉l҉t҉y҉ ҉t҉h҉a҉t҉ ҉e҉x҉t҉e҉n҉d҉s҉ ҉s҉o҉ ҉m҉u҉c҉h҉ ҉p҉u҉n҉i҉s҉h҉m҉e҉n҉t҉,҉ ҉m҉u҉d҉,҉ ҉d҉a҉r҉k҉n҉e҉s҉s҉ ҉a҉n҉d҉ ҉m҉a҉l҉i҉c҉e҉.҉ ҉(҉D҉I҉E҉!҉)҉

"He looked so happy, it was as though it had been him, not us, who had been saved."

E҉l҉i҉m҉i҉n҉a҉t҉i҉o҉n҉ ҉o҉f҉ ҉h҉u҉m҉a҉n҉ ҉r҉i҉g҉h҉t҉s҉ ҉b҉y҉ ҉c҉a҉s҉t҉r҉a҉t҉i҉o҉n҉,҉ ҉e҉x҉i҉l҉e҉,҉ ҉e҉x҉e҉c҉u҉t҉i҉o҉n҉.҉(҉D҉I҉E҉!҉ ҉D҉I҉E҉!҉)҉

"And then..."

T҉o҉r҉t҉u҉r҉e҉ ҉a҉n҉d҉ ҉s҉a҉d҉i҉s҉m҉ ҉u҉p҉o҉n҉ ҉t҉h҉e҉ ҉b҉o҉d҉y҉ ҉t҉h҉r҉o҉u҉g҉h҉ ҉d҉i҉g҉e҉s҉t҉i҉o҉n҉.҉ ҉(҉D҉I҉E҉!҉ ҉D҉I҉E҉!҉ ҉D҉I҉E҉!҉)҉

"So fervently that even on the brink of death, with my arms heavy from carrying this crying, heavy burden that I subconsciously wouldn't relieve myself of despite my chances of survival being affected by it, I was jealous as He thanked us."

D҉e҉n҉i҉a҉l҉ ҉b҉y҉ ҉c҉o҉n҉s҉e҉n҉s҉u҉s҉ ҉o҉f҉ ҉t҉h҉e҉ ҉c҉o҉l҉o҉n҉y҉ ҉t҉h҉a҉t҉ ҉e҉l҉i҉m҉i҉n҉a҉t҉e҉s҉ ҉a҉l҉l҉ ҉h҉o҉n҉o҉r҉.҉ ҉(҉D҉I҉E҉!҉ ҉D҉I҉E҉!҉ ҉D҉I҉E҉!҉ ҉D҉I҉E҉!҉)҉

"That he was glad he had found others."

S҉c҉o҉r҉n҉ ҉f҉r҉o҉m҉ ҉j҉u҉d҉g҉m҉e҉n҉t҉ ҉a҉n҉d҉ ҉s҉e҉l҉f҉i҉s҉h҉n҉e҉s҉s҉ ҉t҉h҉a҉t҉ ҉t҉a҉k҉e҉s҉ ҉a҉w҉a҉y҉ ҉m҉e҉n҉'҉s҉ ҉f҉o҉r҉t҉u҉n҉e҉s҉.҉ ҉(҉D҉I҉E҉!҉ ҉D҉I҉E҉!҉ ҉D҉I҉E҉!҉ ҉D҉I҉E҉!҉ ҉D҉I҉E҉!҉)҉

"That by saving even two people, He Himself had been saved as well."

T҉h҉e҉r҉e҉ ҉a҉r҉e҉ ҉f҉i҉v҉e҉ ҉s҉t҉a҉r҉t҉i҉n҉g҉ ҉p҉e҉n҉a҉l҉t҉i҉e҉s҉.҉.҉.҉

In a hospital after the disaster of the Fuyuki Hellfire Night, which was named due to the horrible crimson flames and liquid which burned, melted or consumed whatever reached, a red haired boy around 7 years of age laid in bed in a large room with other children. He had a blank expression as he gazed out the window, idly stroking the black hair of the baby girl sleeping on him.

"Ah. I see... Thank you."

Shirou turned to look, sighting a nurse and the man who saved them. After the nurse left, the man walked up to them.

"Hello. You must be Shirou," He then motioned the baby. "And this is Miyu, I believe."

"...I think so." Shirou(?) replied. "I don't... remember anything but names were sewn into our clothes. Plus it doesn't feel weird to say 'Miyu' or 'Shirou' so I think the names are accurate at least."

"I understand." The man replied before bending forward slightly. "I'll come right out and ask which you prefer; being sent off to an orphanage with your sister or being adopted by a man you've just met?"

Shirou went through a plethora of emotions; surprise, then suspicion, then serious consideration, before acceptance as he pointed a finger at the man.

"I'm glad." The man smiled in relief before kneeling down to get his new children's clothes. "Then let's get you two dressed right away. You need to get acclimated to your new home as soon as possible."

"Oh, I forgot to mention something important." The man turned to face them, as the wind blew the curtain and sunlight shone on the man's face for the first time in Shirou's memory. The man had scruffy black hair and vacant black eyes. "There is something extremely important that you must know. My name is Kiritsugu Emiya and I am a Magus."

"Wake up, Emiya-de gozaru!"

Shirou Emiya woke up from his dream to see Gai Gotou, Issei Ryuudou and Shinji Matou surrounding his chair.

"You've been sleeping through out the entire free period, Emiya-de gozaru." Gai was a member of Shirou's class. He had brown hair, brown eyes, slightly dark skin and was well known to be an airhead. That's all.

"Oi! Don't describe me so haphazardly!" The 'airhead' yelled for some reason.

"School's over, Emiya." Shinji swept a hand through his curly blue hair as he spoke while staring at some passing girls at the class door. "Tell Sakura to come home early today."

"Emiya." Issei said as they walked later towards Homurahara Elementary. "While I understand that being a vigilante and going around saving others is all well and good, especially as you possess powers that you're actually responsible with, you should really learn some restraint."

"What are you talking about?" Shirou rebutted. "You just said it yourself. Helping others is a good deed. The heir to a temple shouldn't make a fuss over that of all things."

"I'm just saying you take it too far, Emiya." Issei raised his arms placatingly. "If you keep going like this, it'll burn you out. Maybe literally as you came to school smelling like ash from last night."

"Duly noted." Shirou sighed. "Besides, fire doesn't hurt me anymore."

"You only knew that when you ran into one to save Matou." Issei rebutted. "And before that, you were still traumatized by any fire bigger than a campfire."

Shirou only growled at himself in response before mumbling. "Well, I'm not anymore."

As they reached Miyu's school, Shirou saw her already at the gate, waiting with some friends.

"Come on, Miyu-kichi!" A blonde girl said excitedly, patting Miyu Emiya over the head. "Let's go!"

"Huh?" Miyu swiftly blocked the arm from hitting her further. "Why do I have to go along with you?"

Shirou sighed good-naturedly. The previous year, some child kidnappers had tried to kidnap Miyu Emiya, Mimi Katsura, Tatsuko Gakumazawa, Nanaki Moriyama and Suzuka Kurihara for some ransoms. He especially remembered how Nanaki's elder sister, Nanami, was very torn up about it.

He had instantly excused himself, and gone searching as Argonaut to go brutalize the fools into corpses for even attempting to take his sister. Oh, and the other girls as well. Thankfully, Shirou had been giving Miyu some Magecraft training as she grew so when he found them, the child kidnappers had already been beaten, with Miyu; with her wakizashi sword in hand, Nanaki and Tatsuko; in identical martial art stances, standing over their smoking, unconscious bodies while Mimi and Suzuka had fainted.

Naturally, he altered their memories, barring Miyu's of course, and made it look to the police that he called that Argonaut was the one responsible.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately given Miyu's friendlessness, the memory altering spells only changed their mental history but not emotional history as even though they couldn't remember, the four girls had constantly followed after Miyu, hailing her as if they were still aware that Miyu had been the one to save them.

Taiga had found it adorable that for all of her standoffishness and 'Kuudere' traits, Miyu could be like her brother; fiercely protective of her frien- sorry, tagalongs.

"Miyu."

Miyu turned in relief at seeing him, smiling softly.

"Ah!" Tatsuko suddenly yelled. "Look at that smile! Suzuka, you were right! Miyu-kichi's secretly a Broco-"

Tatsuko's words were cut off as Miyu suddenly buried her fist into her stomach.

As Tatsuko slumped to the ground, Mimi silently shrieked while Suzuka and Nanaki stared in dull surprise.

"Ah, Tatsuko died again." Suzuka intoned.

"Miyu isn't human." Nanaki intoned.

Shirou and Issei idly watched as the two girls received fists to the stomach as well, with Suzuka receiving a second for 'educating' Tatsuko.

Afterwards, they had all separated, with Shirou and Miyu picking up groceries for Sakura who would be waiting home for them.

"I think we've got everything for tonight's Pork Cutlets." Shirou said.

"Can we get some Mizu Youkan?" Miyu asked excitedly, already fantasizing about it. "It's color is a deep darkness that swallows all. It's soft constitution is a study in contradiction, a unification of the very concepts of solid and liquid..."

"...it's just jelly." Shirou deadpanned. "Well anyway, we should hurry up before-"

Shirou suddenly stopped before noticing that his sister had stopped walking alongside him. He looked around, finding her squatting while staring at something in the alleyway.

"Miyu..." Shirou sighed before walking over. "Did you find another stray pet or something?"

"Well..." Miyu said before holding an unconscious woman's arm. "Not exactly, Nii-chan."

Shirou gasped before he rushed forward and grabbed her arm to pull her up. As he did so, he suddenly had to stop a gloved hand from crushing his throat!

Shirou glared at the now conscious woman who glared back and struggled before a horrible rattle came from her stomach and she fainted in unconsciousness again.

"Nii-chan, what do we do?" Miyu asked.

"...look around for things that might belong to her." Shirou said, putting her into a piggyback carry. "I'll interrogate her at home."

Bazett Fraga McRemitz daintily wiped her mouth after just devouring three peoples worth of food.

"I thank you, Mr. Emiya." Bazett said, bowing in respect and gratitude as she had learnt of the country's customs. Bazett was a demure looking woman with short magenta hair and brown eyes. She was dressed in a black, two piece suit with a violet necktie and two oval earrings that seemed Irish in origin. "Despite my earlier actions, you went through sincere effort to help me regardless."

"It's fine." Shirou replied, ignoring Miyu and Sakura's blatant stares. "From what I deduced, you were actually starving and really likely to die had we not found you."

Bazett suddenly gained a depressed air around her. "Yes. Due to a recent string of misfortune, my finances are almost nonexistent right now."

"However," Bazett's depression disappeared as she faced him. "It seems that my misfortune has taken a break, seeming as you were the one I came here for. I bear a message from the Wizard Marshall."

Shirou blinked and then straightened. "Sakura, please head home. Miyu, go do your homework."

While Miyu just sighed and left, Sakura hesitantly looked at Bazett before bowing to Shirou. "A-Alright. Goodnight, Senpai."

"Goodnight, Sakura." Shirou escorted her to the gate, before returning to the Magus in his home. "Now then, what does that shitty vampire want?"

Bazett reached into her suit, unintentionally squishing up her breasts much to Shirou's embarrassed notice before pulling out a letter.

The moment he touched the letter, it exploded into a flash of bright rainbow lights that sped around the room before revealing itself to be the man himself, laughing at their shocked faces.

"Well done, Ms. McRemitz." Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg congratulated. "How have you been doing so far, Argonaut?"

Shirou had met him a year ago when he'd just started out as Argonaut and decided that for the boy's sake and the vampire's enjoyment, he needed to be trained up, essentially kidnapping him to some floating archipelago filled with monsters. Plus, as a True Magician over the Second Magic, Shirou had easily compressed weeks of training into days.

Then at the Clock Tower, he had run into Waver Velvet, who was shocked to learn that his identity or rather, his father's identity. They remained good friends at least, both being members of the very small amount of Magi who had still possessed a strong hold on their humanity.

"What?!" Bazett jumped out of her seat in shock. "The Fuyuki Anomaly?!"

"You sure don't have a problem, outing me like that, huh?" Shirou deadpanned. "Is this one of your entertainment escapades again or is it a serious matter this time?"

"Relax, boy." Zelretch chuckled, taking Shirou's tea for himself. "Why can't it ever be both? The problem deals with the Fuyuki Hellfire Night incident."

Bazett watched as an instant change came over the boy, his eyes becoming a bit deader due to muted hatred.

"I see that I've gotten your attention." Zelretch said. "The burn site in which the incident occurred has slowly been amplifying it's curses. I have reason to believe that a spirit is there is gathering up to commence materialization."

"Pardon me for speaking out of turn, Sir." Bazett cut in. "Why is the Fuyuki's Second Owner not involved in this?"

"Simple. Because she has no life or death combat experience against humans." Zelretch replied. "If she has no experience fighting even humans other than her teacher, she most certainly die in this scenario. And we," He motioned to Shirou then himself. "don't want that."

"On the other hand," Zelretch waved an arm to refer to them. "Not only do you two have experience fighting inhuman creatures but also have strong grips on your humanity rather than ditching it to become Magi. Those types are likely to capture the spirit then fuck it up into destroying the world or something."

"Still," Bazett continued. "I was called here on your private instruction. What makes you believe I won't report to the Association as their Enforcer, not to even mention the Fuyuki Anomaly."

Zelretch simply smirked and drew out a check from his coat and gave it to her. After looking at it, Bazett's eyes popped out with her jaw dropping. Shirou looked over to see and had his jaw drop as well. Well he didn't know the exact currency, but there were seven zeroes on it.

Bazett snapped out of her trance and stored it into her suit. "I accept this job, sir. No one beyond all three present will know of it."

Zelretch downed the teacup and handed them each a marble. "Take these marbles to the burn site. Once you're there, it will alert the entity there to face you. Defeat him and he'll be driven off and al the gathered up curse will start to dissipate."

"Here we are."

A camouflaged Argonaut landed in the burn site with Bazett in bridal carry, reappearing as Bazett disembarked.

"I now understand how the Association is confused on how to classify you." Bazett wheezed while silently patting the ground. She didn't enjoy the experience much.

Argonaut didn't listen. As his camouflage deactivated, he stared at the burned surroundings, with whispers of that horrible night in his ear.

The flames were long gone, but he could still feel the heat, the painful caress as he trudged through the cursed mud, clutching baby Miyu like his life depended on it.

"Argonaut?" Argonaut snapped out of his daze, staring into Bazett's concerned face. She stepped back to look around them. "I see. You have horrible memories of this place."

"Yes." Argonaut started to walk forward, causing Bazett to follow. "Nine years ago, maybe by the hand of some sick Magus or a total accident, a huge amount of manifested curses poured down into the city. Miyu, I and thirty four others are the only survivors of a calamity that claimed three thousand lives. Maybe it was the trauma or the cursed flames' fault, but I lost all memory of beyond that day. Thankfully Dad adopted us back then and I've slowly recovered."

Bazett couldn't say anything, especially as she had learnt his surname. Kiritsugu Emiya. The Magus Killer. To think that the rumors that he had gotten children were true after all.

Considering that there was also a rumor that The Magus Killer had participated in the Fourth Holy Grail War, which was then turned from rumor to fact by Holy Grail War veteran Lord El-Melloi II, essentially meant that he might have had a hand in the Fuyuki Hellfire Night and felt guilty enough to adopt them.

Of course she wasn't tactless enough to speak about this to him. There was also the fact that she'd been struggling to breathe for a while now.

"Easy." Argonaut gently rubbed Bazett's back. "This place is heavy with enough malice to manifest into curses."

"Ho- How is this possible?" Bazett groaned after walking forward. "Are my runes are lacking in effectiveness?"

"Not really." Argonaut replied, moving with her until she adjusted and walked on her own again. "What's happening here is a phenomenon. A mass of hatred and malevolence so potent it distorts reality. Your runes aren't protecting you because there's almost nothing magical to protect from. That subtle, primal fear that's slowly rising up? It's spiritual, not physical or magical... I think."

"I think this is a good spot." Argonaut said as they went deep into the site, far enough that other than skyscrapers, no unburnt part of the city could be seen.

The Vigilante and the Enforcer brought out the coins and then smashed them into the ground. The result was instantaneous as a great impact shook the earth.

Argonaut and Bazett panicked as a great black mud suddenly manifested beneath their feet, sucking the duo into it. In thirty seconds, the mud disappeared back into the round, leaving no trace of itself or the humans.

Bazett fell through the mud, choking and grappling as several phantom hands grabbed and pulled at her, a strange unholy light glowing unto her earrings, until she felt the ground beneath her.

She quickly stood up, trying the comms that she had set up earlier, but it was no good. As she looked around, she noticed her surroundings to be the city but with two huge differences.

First, there were no people other than herself.

Second, Everything, and she meant everything, was ablaze with hellish crimson flames.

Bazett promptly realized that this must be a Reality Marble, recreating the event of the Fuyuki Hellfire Night.

A scraping noise reached her ears, causing Bazett to shift into combat readiness.

A hooded figure with his face obscured, stalked towards her, dressed in black and red body suit which left his chest exposed. His skin seemed to be tanned while having a tattoo on his chest. The stranger's most notable feature was a long, spiked tail lazily swinging about.

"So you're the one I gotta kill?" The man spoke, a gravely yet cold voice reaching Bazett's ears. "All right then."

That was Bazett's only warning before a red spear with ominous designs on its length and plenty spikes around it's head, tried to gouge her head off.

Bazett ducked low before punching forward. The resultant blow sent him skidding backwards.

"You didn't die." The man stated in a monotonous voice. "I guess that deserves an introduction at least."

He rammed his spear into the ground and pointed at himself with his thumb. "I am the Heroic Spirit summoned by the catalyst of your earrings! Mad King of Savages, Cú Chulainn Alter! Defeat me if you wish to go onwards!"

Bazett was stunned. There were so many whats, hows and whys rocketing through her mind right now, but thankfully her professionalism took over.

Adjusting her Mystic Code, Bazett stood into a combat stance of her own. "In that case, I am a Sealing Designation Enforcer of the {Clock Tower} Faction of the Mages' Association! Bazett Fraga McRemitz! You're in the way!"

The two dashed towards each other with their fists and spear ready!

Argonaut fell through the mud, choking and grappling as several phantom hands grabbed and pulled at him, a strange unholy light glowing unto his entire body, until he felt the ground beneath him.

He quickly stood up, trying the comms, but it was no good. As he looked around, he noticed his surroundings to be his home city but with two huge differences.

First, there were no people other than himself.

Second, Everything was ablaze with hellish crimson flames.

A trauma that Shirou thought conquered, rose up with a terrible vengeance, forcing Argonaut to his knees in hysterical horror.

"Do your best not to struggle as I kill you."

Argonaut dodged out of the way as several bullets peppered where he just knelt seconds ago.

As Argonaut crouched to face his opponent, he felt something- A hill covered in swords -shudder as he took in his appearance.

He had dark skin, vacant golden eyes and shaved white hair. His outfit consisted of black sleeves with golden accents ending in thick metal manacles, black pants with a weave pattern, and white boots.

In his hands were a pair of bayoneted handguns, one white with the other black and red, which despite the fact they were just used to attack him, he considered them the coolest weapons he'd ever seen- Traced.

Argonaut shook his head as a headache passed through his head. He readied {Yukito} and steadied himself. "Who the hell are you?"

"I am the Heroic Spirit summoned by the catalyst of your very self." The man replied in a very machine-like tone. "I am the Counter Guardian. EMIYA Alter."

There were so many things that Shirou would have loved to ask at that moment but right now, Argonaut had a job to do.

"I am the Hero of Fuyuki! Argonaut!" Brandishing his weapon, which began to emanate chill off it's blade, the Vigilante charged forward. "I'm not gonna die even if you kill me!"

Let's Go Ahead

Stats

Alias: The Multi-Reverse Punch Master

True Name: Bazett Fraga McRemitz

Alignment: True Neutral

Sex: Female

Strength: B-

Endurance: C

Agility: C

Mana: C

Luck: E

NP: D

Personal Skills

Battle Continuation (Rank D): Bazett possesses the skill to continue combat despite taking mortal wounds. Thanks to her extensive Noble Phantasm class Runic Sorcery unto her suit, even a stopped heart will restart if proper conditions are met.

Mana Burst (Rune): Bazett is able to infuse Mana into Runes crafted into her sleeves, gloves and shoes to explosively increase her strength, impact and speed respectively.

Mystic Codes & Noble Phantasms

Runic Suit: Bazett's suit is a Mystic Code of hers which has been extensively altered with her Runic Sorcery with various combat functions.

Fragarach - Gouging Sword of the War God (Rank D~A: Anti-Unit): is a Noble Phantasm and Mystic Code with the ultimate form of counterattack. It is the "Sword of Retrograde" and an indefeasible weapon of the gods, divinely protected by some malicious will, that works by using a conceptual curse to warp destiny and a divine trick that uses time as its blade. It warps causality to always strike the opponent in the heart with a needle thin concentrated blast right before they unleash their ultimate attack. The condition for its use is that the opponent must use their strongest attack, and Fragarach must be used directly after the enemy's strike. It would normally be that Fragarach would kill the enemy, and the opponent's attack would also simultaneously destroy Bazett.