I have the right to Disclaim.
The Nasuverse is under direct ownership of Type-Moon
Halo is property of 343 Industries (not Guilty Spark)
All other franchises fall under their respective ownerships (spoiler reasons)
Hey, Here is another chapter, now, we can begin with the reveal of… Lancer… as you read!
One thing I have come to realize that this story is not exactly in a spot most people would notice, so, I will not delay any further. On with the story!
Comment Acknowledgement:
Teckbears1: Honestly, my only excuse for that is that it seemed natural when I first wrote it, and when I read it over. In hindsight, yeah, this does seem a little forced, and I could've done it a lot better. I also probably could've delayed that little tidbit about Caster to later down the line in this story. However, I will refute that there will be character importance for this later. Don't get me wrong I regret writing that in such a forceful way, but I will not change or remove it, as it is important to Caster's story.
Criticism is welcome, so long as it is constructive. If you do not like my story, don't make some overly long explanation simply to make yourself look intelligent, just say "it sucks" and move on.
Hope you enjoy the story, that is why it exists.
Chapter 3: Saber and… Lancer?
Servant Saber, true name, King Arthur of Camelot was not having the best of days. Not only has she been subjected to Irisviel's… indulgent driving, she also met a strange man that made her instincts conflict with one another.
The King of Knights first met the man at a cafe Irisviel wanted to try. At first, there seemed to be no seats available, inside, or out, and it seemed like they'd have to return later. That is, until a young man called out to them, and offered them to sit with him.
Her initial impression of the man was suspicion. Despite his almost lazy grin that seemed molded into his face, everything else about him practically screamed "warrior." His position had his back facing the brick wall behind him, and his posture came off as "lax, yet ready," as if he was prepared to strike at a moment's notice.
His appearance only solidified her assessment. His face had two distinctive scars, one on the left, near the edge of his lips, and another that went over his right eye. The latter spoke of either his luck, skill, or both. Speaking of which, his eyes burned with burden and experience, honed by many battles, victory and defeat. Her conclusion: this man was dangerous, and she had a right to be careful around him, if only for Irisviel's safety.
Irisviel however, did not share her sentiment, as her "Master" practically dragged her to the man, filled with gratitude. Upon getting up close, her first instinct was to grab Irisviel and leave without taking her eyes off him, however, those very same instincts was telling her that this man was the most trustworthy person in the city right now, which made little sense to her. These conflicting thoughts resulted in her simply staring at the man where he sat, daring him to make her an enemy.
In hindsight, she probably should've been a bit more subtle when doing so, as his abrupt question of whether she and Irisviel were courting each other was definitely used as a means to catch her off guard and momentarily forget her earlier suspicion, which, to her silent shame, worked for the most part.
However, it seems her response had offended him in some way, as her answer caused a several minute long tension of him glaring at the Knight with such intensity, that Saber was ready to act at the slightest provocation or aggression. When she later asked Irisviel about it, she was as clueless as the King of Knights.
Saber then considered asking her Master or Maiya about it, but decided against it. They probably wouldn't even answer, and that's under the presumption they'd let her even explain the situation unrelated to the war.
Luckily, things got better after their orders arrived. The method however, left much to be desired to her. As shameful it is to admit, her initial reaction to her cold drink was undignified. In her defense, she did not expect the man to subject himself to the same thing, and keep a straight face afterwards. The only things that kept her from retaliating against the man-who later introduced himself as Hunter- was her pride as a knight, and the fact he proceeded to not only drink all three cups of the cold black coffee, but he also offered to pay for those cups and let them order something else.
After that, it was mostly small talk between Hunter and Irisviel. Honestly Hunter's kind but playful nature reminded the King of Camelot of Merlin, and part of her wanted to get Irisviel away from such a man who reminded her of her former teacher. Merlin, for as good a friend he was, was much too "expressive" when it came to alleviating his boredom, and Saber did not want to see if Hunter shared this trait with the Magus of Flowers.
However, the sight of her friend, laughing, smiling, having fun, made her stay her hand. Irisviel was about to enter a war, one that could cause her great sorrow and tragedy, and Saber wanted her friend to enjoy life as much as she could, before those events could take root. So, for the first time she could remember, the Servant of the Sword ignored her conflicting instincts, and let her "Master" enjoy herself.
Luckily, to Saber's internal relief, when they finished their drinks, Hunter announced he had to leave, though she wishes he didn't do it in such a flagrant manner.
Flashback:
The Café
"Sorry, I gotta go. I told my cousin I'd be back by noon." Hunter apologized. Checking a nearby clock showed it was almost 2PM.
"That's okay, I hope we can meet you again someday." Irisviel replied with a smile, though Saber silently disagreed.
"Me too, maybe then you and Saber over there could go on an official date." He said, as he pointed at the King of Knights, causing both of them to go red in the face, one of embarrassment, the other of indignation.
"Why do you insist upon me and my Master dating?! In case you forget, she is already wedded to another!" Saber had lost her temper for a second in the defense of her friend. Why was this man ignoring the eternal vows made by lovers so easily?!
"Because I ship it." Was his reply, without an ounce of shame nor hesitation, and with a straight face. Unfamiliar with the term, Hunter continued unopposed.
"Besides, you two look so cute together!" He squealed, his voice rising a few pitches, his hands clenched to his chest, and he seemed to be trembling in excitement!
With that, he turned and ran off, leaving the red-faced Servant and Homunculus behind as he them waved farewell. It was only because the risk of ousting herself as a Servant and causing an unnecessary scene to occur, did the King of Knights not chase the man in an embarrassed, justified fueled rage.
Flashback End:
Fuyuki Beach
The mere memory of that moment brought equal amounts of anger and embarrassment to the Servant. His attitude reminded her so much of Merlin, that she feared that he was somehow a possible descendant of her lecherous mentor. The possibility only brought shivers down the usually stoic knight. She could only pity whoever willingly associates themselves with such a man.
After that, she seemed to sneeze for some reason, unknowingly synchronizing herself with another at Ryuudou Temple who also sneezed at the exact same time.
Currently the King of Knights and her "Master" were at a nearby beach, just outside of the city, viewing the moon. Irisviel was ankle deep in the water, enjoying herself, while Saber was behind her off to the side, not having changed out of her butler uniform. After an eventful day with Irisviel at the helm, it was good to have a moment of reprieve once in a while.
"Isn't the ocean beautiful Saber?" The Einzbern asked, staring at the vast ocean. Yes, the ocean was truly a beautiful sight, especially in the moonlight. Sadly, that beauty has been tainted in Saber's eyes by her past experiences.
"I don't know. To me, the sea was a source of conflict, as my enemies invaded my home, bent on conquering its riches and people. In truth, there are times where I grew to despise the sea." Was all she could say.
Irisviel looked at the moon. "I feel kinda bad. We're both girls, and yet you could not enjoy such simple things due to your time as King Arthur, right?"
Saber merely shook her head with a smile and dodged the question. "What about you? Would you not enjoy these moments even more if it was Kiritsugu who escorted you?"
"Yes, I would." The Homunculus admitted. "But such a thing would only cause Kiritsugu to suffer."
The answer confused the Servant. Kiritsugu would suffer spending time with his wife, what does that mean?
"Does Kiritsugu… not enjoy spending time with you?" Saber asked carefully, trying not to offend her friend or her Master.
"Happiness for some reason, causes Kiritsugu pain." Was all her "Master" said.
The two stood there in silent contemplation for a few moments. Then, Saber felt something. An enemy Servant was nearby.
Walking up to Irisviel, Saber tugged on her sleeve. "An enemy Servant is nearby; it seems he is challenging us."
"How thoughtful. And this challenge will allow him to choose the battlefield." Irisviel concluded. "So, shall we accept the challenge?" She offered.
Saber smiled. "It would be my pleasure, your majesty."
Later:
Fuyuki Docks
"About time! I thought my ass was going to fall off before she finally arrived." Caster mumbled quietly as Saber finally arrived to meet Lancer. The Servant was currently prone on a roof, just outside of Archibald's boundary field on the west side using a pair of binoculars to observe the situation. He was in his Servant attire, just with his hood down. He has been lying there, for the last two hours waiting for the two Knight Class Servants to arrive! His ass felt so numb right now!
"Alpha-Lion, this is Sierra-1, Target-1 and Target-3 have arrived. I repeat, Target-1 and Target-3 have arrived." Hunter reported to his Master.
"Roger Sierra-1, do you have a visual on Target-2 or Tango-2, over?" Artoria asked.
The Servant shuffled a few millimeters to the left to get a better look at the crane where Assassin and Kiritsugu should be, however, it was completely empty. That meant, at least for Kiritsugu, he hadn't arrived yet. As for Assassin, it either means the same thing, or he wasn't as stupid as that Hassan was.
The crane would normally be considered an ideal vantage point for overlooking the current battlefield. Good height, decent cover, and just out of the way enough, to not get caught up in any crossfire while being typically being ignored by the participating combatants. However, on the flipside, the crane was also an ideal target to potentially locate, monitor, or take out any enemy Masters and maybe even a few Servants as well, if one is patient enough.
Usually, such tactics would be overlooked by most Masters and Servants, as Magi as a whole typically have little to no training in regard to modern-day tactics and strategy, while most Servants, with possible exceptions of Archers and Assassins, were more used to straightforward battlefields and combat of their era. and unless the Servant was known for being unorthodox and adaptable, would typically fallback onto the older tactics and strategies of their time. In a free-for-all like a Holy Grail War, it was an oversight that could easily be exploited if done right, one Kiritsugu was obviously planning to do if Saber's experience was anything to go by.
Sadly, for the Magus Killer, his faction wasn't the only one that knew a thing or two about modern-day tactics and strategy, and Caster himself planned to exploit that gap in knowledge for as long as possible.
Turning his attention back on to the to-be battlefield, Caster finally got a good look at Lancer, as he walked out of the shadows to confront Saber, and the Servant of Magic grit his teeth as another monkey wrench had been thrown his way.
"Negative Alpha-Lion, no visuals on Tango-2 or Target-2. However, I do have a visual of Tango-1." Hunter reported, disgruntled.
"Report." His Master ordered.
"The bad news is that Tango-1 is not Diarmuid." Said the Servant. He could practically hear her cursing Alaya for another potential setback in their plans.
"And the good news?" Artoria asked. Hunter smiled humorously
"Good news, he looks just as fuckable, if a little… bizarre." For some reason "bizarre" was definitely the best word to describe the Servant of the Spear he was seeing right now.
"Keep your sexual fantasies to yourself Sierra-1." The former King ordered, exasperated.
"Negative Alpha-Lion, I do need my straight woman." Hunter refused without missing a beat, as he continued to monitor the situation from afar with his usual grin.
With Lancer and Saber
When Saber arrived at the docks, she was met with an unusual. She expected to see a knight or a warrior of old, adorned in armor and battle scars that spoke of their experience and legends, instead she is met with a young man dressed in casual, if bizarre clothing.
The Servant was a young man around average height and had a slim build. He had chin length black hair that had a braid atop his head and two clips on the sides of his bangs that covered his forehead. His eyes were a crisp blue and revealed to Saber that he has seen plenty of combat and should not be underestimated.
His attire however, conflicted with that notion. He wore a white suit covered with black dots(?), but for some reason left his chest bare. Underneath she could see a lace top that could've easily been mistaken for tattoos at first glance. However, the weirdest part of his outfit was the zippers. He had them all over his top, and seemed to serve little if any purpose beyond decoration. They were positioned in places that would neither help nor hinder the wearer from removing or putting on the shirt.
However, that was not the (surprisingly) weirdest thing about the Servant. No, the weirdest thing was the posing. Saber swore to Lady Vivian that this Servant was honest to Fae posing as if to get ready for a photo shoot. He currently leaning a little to the left and had his right arm wrapped around his abdomen, while his left arm was tucked into his chest with his left hand pressed to his face! His thumb was pointed at his ear, his index finger was curled over his eye, while his middle finger was under his eye and pointed at his mouth, and the rest of his fingers were touching the corner of his mouth.
If it wasn't for her senses telling her that this man was indeed a Servant, the King of Knights would've thought this was one of Merlin's pranks. Actually, scratch that it probably still is!
However, she was still a knight, and was honor bound to give a knight's courtesy. "I am Servant Saber of this Holy Grail War. Who is it that I shall have the honor of crossing blades with?"
"Servant Lancer." He replied, his face stoic and his posture unwavering.
Lancer? Saber did not see a spear or even a weapon on his person. Was this a deception, or was he being truthful?
The two Servants stood across from one another, Saber getting into a ready position, while "Lancer" continued to stand there in that bizarre pose, staring at her. This continued for almost a minute, until Lancer spoke up.
"Your eyes." He said.
"What?" The King of Knights asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Your eyes, they are burning with conviction, resolve. I respect people with eyes like that." The enemy Servant clarified.
"You do not even know my true name." Saber rebutted.
"One does not need to know an enemy's name to respect them, only their character, and yours is filled with resolve and conviction, something I respect." Was his argument.
Saber could not refute that. It seems Lancer had his own sense of honor, even if it was different from hers.
With nothing else to say, the two continued their standoff, just daring the other to make the first move.
However, in the shadows, another enemy laid, one that was currently grumbling about "his popcorn getting stale."
This was the true first battle of the Fourth Fuyuki Holy Grail War.
Chapter End
Chapter 3 has been completed!
What is this, two chapters in one week! Yes, it is.
I'll be honest, this chapter was mostly filler to introduce Lancer and be a segue into the first battle, but I tried to make it good filler. I mostly had it in Saber's POV, as I did label her as one of the main characters and Caster was doing nothing but laying around staring at some crates all night, and who would enjoy reading about that.
Also, Lancer. I want to say it, I want to say it so badly, but I will withhold, at least until the next chapter for any cultured person who wants to take the reins.
One more thing, the flashback; I wrote it for the SOLE purpose of putting in that quote Hunter says before he leaves. I was originally going to put it in the previous chapter, but forgot to. Besides, I skimmed over how the three went their separate ways, so I thought I'd be able to add this without sounding repetitive.
Anyway, criticism is welcome, but only if it's constructive. Don't just rant about how bad I am without telling how to improve, otherwise, you sound like you enjoy getting off on hating other people's work.