Fate/Stay Night: Umbra Bello
Sorry if this one might seem a bit lower in quality. My computer went and died, so I've been doing all this on my phone. It's a bit more of a pain in the ass, but it gets the job done while I wait for my computer to either be fixed, or replaced.
Anyway, let's get goi-...
…
You guys hear rumbling?
Chapter XVI- Duel of the Devils
Date: 02/05/2004
Time: 5:25 pm
Location: Miyama, Department Store Parking Lot
ThemeSong- ENGLISH "Brave Shine" Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works (Akane Sasu Sora)
CRASH!
CLANG!
"Master! Orders!?" Okita requested.
Once again caught unprepared, I have to think quickly.
Seeing as what tried to skewer me is a sword that dissolved into blue particles, I made the assumption that Archer was the one taking potshots at me. Not Gilgamesh, thank God.
Okita can at least deal with Archer.
Question is, is he attacking us independently, or is this Rin's idea?
"Do you see him?" I inquire.
"nega-"
CLANG!
"-tive! I can't track him!" Okita's Mind's Eye must be what's allowing her to detect the incoming projectiles.
"If I give him something else to shoot at, can you track the arrow!?" I formulate an idea.
"What are you-!?"
clang!
Clang!
CLANG!
"Argh, DO IT!"
Miyama Skyscraper...
"Getting a really strange feeling I should be somewhere else right now…" Archer thought as he fired another nameless blade at the Saber look-alike from the top of a nearby building.
And despite how he'd learned her true name from her blade, he still felt inclined to refer to the manslayer as such. That, and he refused to use the title Rin had come up with.
Regardless, his Master believed otherwise.
"This is no time for "feelings" Satan! Operation "Baeber Saver" is a-go!" Rin's voice echoed in his mind. "(Soon… with this guy out of our way, sweet Baeber will be all mine!)"
Being aware of the attacks in the city, Archer couldn't help but question her priorities.
Of course, he tried voicing his objection to this, but… well… Once Rin has set her mind to something, getting her to admit she's wrong becomes a war unto itself.
Not that he particularly cared for the Master she wanted dead at the moment. In the end, by allying with his younger counterpart, he's just another obstacle for EMIYA's ultimate goal.
But, if Caster is really drinking bystanders dry, if she's not dealt with quickly, it could grow into something truly troublesome.
And that's another thing. None of what's happening matches his recollection of how Caster acts.
Spying on Shirou's little alliance last night, he saw what they did, and started to become… concerned.
Which loops him back here. As much as he wants his goal achieved, he believed Rin's tunnel vision in regards to trying to take Saber was only going to allow Caster to bite them both in the ass sooner rather than later.
Speaking of tunnel vision, he found a new target in his.
The Master of Assassin was Hussain Bolting from his position behind vehicular cover, and seemed to be planning on retreating into the closed up department store. Having his Servant provide cover.
"Trace On."
Almost on instinct, he adjusted his aim, prepared to punish the Master for his recklessness.
Fwooosh!
Another nameless blade flew over a mile in a split second. So far from his Servant, the Master never stood a chance.
However, it was in that time Archer realized something.
The Master should have known that too-
Aaaaand he's dead.
…
Yup. Definitely dead.
With the location of the blade protruding from his chest, it was guaranteed his heart was destroyed.
Even if that wasn't so, and Archer's aim was slightly off, the blood sprayed over the parking lot indicated it did the damage it needed to. The force of the blow having knocked him well over 6 meters, as his body slumped over, body twitching.
Assassin was saying something, and though he couldn't hear from where he was, he could tell she was clearly distraught.
The swordswoman ignored him, and rushed over to her dead, or dying Master, and held his bloody hand. Seeming to try and comfort him during the end.
"... wow. This… is actually kinda morbid." Rin actually paused at something.
"... he... ran out of cover, in the presence of an enemy Archer Servant. He had this coming." Archer cleaned his, and Rin's hands of this mess.
Someone like that had no business in the Grail War.
He sighed. Apparently this had gone nowhere.
"Let's go. The Assassin will die off on her own soon." Archer hoped to get them onto the business of dealing with Caster. That, and get Rin's mind off this.
"... fine. (I'm coming Baeber…)" she found the silver lining.
Archer gave the scene one last look, and watched the Assassin dissolve into particles of blue Mana as the Master's hand fell limply while he bled out into the streets, and turned away.
That was his first mistake.
His Mind's Eye warned him just in time to summon Kanshou-
CLANG!
"Damnit!" Falchion met Katana as a cold wind picked up that could have knocked a human off their feet.
In the seconds it took for him to turn away, Assassin had cut down a mile's worth of distance between them.
A skill, he'd realized too late.
"How are you alive!?" Archer demanded as his enemy came into focus.
Okita Souji did not have Independent Action as a skill, of that he had felt confident at first.
He'd briefly thought her being an Assassin might grant that ability, but her legend didn't support the theory that she was the kind of person that would receive such a skill. She barely qualified for the class to begin with!
Once her Master had died, she should not have had the Mana for a skill that would allow her to move this quickly. Her Spirit Origin would have dissipated in the process!
"Fuck you, that's how!" Assassin briefly responded before continuing her attack.
Clang!
"Satan, where are you!?"
Clang!
The speed, and ferocity of the Assassin's attack put Archer on the backfoot.
"'gah'! Assassin isn't dead yet!"
CLANG!
SHATTER!
"I am the bone of-
-body and fire-
-never hold-"
Kanshou shattered under the barrage, forcing EMIYA to trace its twin, Bakuya.
He barely finished tracing in time to block his opponents overhead strike.
"What!? But you killed the Master dead- wait a second…"
Due to a brief lull in the fighting, Archer's eyes returned to the scene across the city, and noticed the same thing Rin did.
He saw the body, and blood of the Master disappear into a flurry of violet particles.
Archer grimaced. Realizing he'd made a rookie mistake.
"So he can do illusions..."
Abandoned Department Store...
"Since when can you do illusions Master?" My Servant asked from her battle across the city.
"Oh… 'bout now-ish. Figured out the basics a couple hours ago. Kinda surprised Archer fell for it to be honest." I responded from my hiding place in the abandoned Department Store.
Truthfully, it's pretty easy when you think about it. An illusion is just a projection without form. Against an unsuspecting opponent, it's dangerous, and cost effective.
After the shooting stopped, I ran in here for some temporary cover. A bit surprised at my luck.
"Well, seemed pretty convincing to me! 'agh'!" She strained under some attack. "I think you got my thighs a little too big though."
"To be fair, it was my first time making an illusion that big. That, and I purposely avoid looking at your perfectly formed thighs."
"-what!?"
"What?"
…
"So, how're you holding up out there?" I ask as I round a corner in search of an exit.
"Wait-! Go back! What'd you say?"
"Something that sounded less creepy in my head..?" yeah, not sure what came over me there…
You're literally talking in your head though…
"What's going on out there?"
"No, I mean… you…!" she seemed to wrestle with continuing the subject "... 'sigh', knowing what to watch out for, I got him outgunned. What's the plan?"
Plan… right…
We still might have a use for EMIYA. Assuming Shirou is somehow killed, and Archer isn't removed from the space-time continuum due to a temporal paradox, I'll need someone that can deal with Gilgamesh, so killing him isn't preferable.
That means it's probably best just to escape and-
No, I still need to find Shirou. If Archer's attacking us now, he could be in danger elsewhere. I need to carry on the search, so retreating isn't an option.
"Get him to piss off! Be careful though, this bastard's a crafty one!" I warn her.
"Right! Watch out yourself Master! We don't know where his Master is."
Right… Rin… where is she?
She's a bit more direct than your average Mage, so one would suspect she was nearby…
Either by Archer or-
"One HUNDRED percent MAXIMUM-!"
"-Shit!"
PEW!
I ducked behind a service counter just in time to avoid a Gandr blast that asks mine- 'you even lift bra?'.
PEW!
POW!
PEW!
"NO CHILL!"
A familiar voice announced their attack before sending a barrage of curses my way!
"Okay, shit's 'goin down!" I stated before grabbing the nearest object, and reinforcing it as far as it could go.
"What's going on!?"
"Rin's here!" I toss the object, a corded phone, in the Magi's general direction, but-
SLAM!
creeeee…..
Stuck to the wall, it drops about halfway, and crashes into the floor.
riiiiiiiiiiiiiiing….
… wow.
Shut. Up.
"What!? I'm on my way-"
"Negative! Archer will tear us both a new one if we let him re-position, and he won't fall for the same trick twice! I'll lose her somehow!"
"... don't die." she warned before continuing her battle.
I rinse, and repeat with a new object- a fire extinguisher.
This hatches an idea.
As I yeet the pressurized C02 filled container over the counter, and in the other Master's general direction, I ready a Gandr shot, and peek out of cover-
PEW
CRACKA-BOOM!
Upon impact with the curse, the extinguisher violently explodes, dousing the area in a smokescreen. Obscuring an already dark area, as the lights in the building were out.
The smoke won't last long, so I think quick, and run for the nearest escalator.
The plan seemed to work, as I could run up the stairs unaccosted-
-would now be a bad time to point out you just ran upstairs? When the only escape would be back down through Rin?
… fuck.
Congratulations! You played yourself!
… maybe she assumed I did the smart thing and ran for an exi-
"GET BACK HERE CLAM-JAMMER!"
"Well, double fuck."
She's on your tail! What's the plan Bats?
Oh, don't you start.
Seriously, you're outgunned, and outmaneuvered. What's next?
I'll… improvise?
That does not inspire confidence.
Low on ideas, I decided to just run for it.
I wasn't that high up… so if I found the nearest window, and reinforced myself, I might survive just jumping out.
I'll escape into a crowd. Tohsaka won't chase me if it might reveal magic. She'll have to call Archer off, and we can get back to business.
Based on stats alone, this battle isn't about whether Okita can beat Archer. That much is a given.
It's about if I can survive Rin.
Miyama Skyscraper...
CLANG!
CLANG!
Archer could only fall back.
The Assassin Servant had him overpowered, and outmaneuvered. A situation he had been very familiar with while he was alive.
Back then, the usual response to the scenario would be either retreating until he could find a way around the problem, or keeping at it until his tenacity won the day.
Assassin allowed for neither.
CLANG!
Pushed to the edge, Archer leapt off his perch to another building while the Assassin kept pace by running along an electric cable connecting the buildings.
As a matter of stats, she clearly had him beat in the categories that mattered.
He couldn't fully retreat. Beyond being faster than him, she could cut down the distance between them almost instantly. So he couldn't really perform as an Archer.
Turning around, he fired off three new blades, forcing the pursuing Assassin to roll out of the way.
She wasn't slowed down for long though, and thrusted her katana towards his heart.
Kanshou redirected the blow, and Bakuya exploited the short opening.
Assassin was watching though, and retracted her sword in time to clash with his.
Swords locked, the Servants stared each other down, each seeing cold steel in the other. As if their eyes were blades themselves. For this wasn't a battle between humans. In more levels than the physical, this was a clash of swords.
In a storm of sharpened steel that lasted exactly 60 seconds, her strength pushed him back to the edge, and she followed up with a punishing barrage.
Slash!
The Assassin made a successful strike to his abdomen. Luckily, it was mainly a flesh wound. Damaging his mantle more than anything else.
This attack of hers was overextended, so she fell back to avoid his counter.
Archer exploited her retreat through a backflip that landed him on the higher building behind him.
"Don't try it Assassin! I've got the highground!" He warned the Assassin.
If she felt threatened by him, she didn't let it show as she raced to the edge of her building to challenge him.
"Don't underestimate me Archer!" she warned back.
Assassin didn't leave him on his lonesome for long, and leapt from her skyscraper to his.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as she approached.
By the time she was halfway across the gap, Archer had projected a sword, and his bow.
In the miliseconds it took for him to notch his sword, she was just three feet away.
"Claíomh Solais" his sword of light was loosed.
BVVVVVVVVV
And with a heavily vibrating hum, a ray of light beamed from his bow, enveloping his range of vision like a flashbang.
When his vision cleared, he could see Okita Souji had been blown off the building. The force of the mythological Irish sword having knocked her back to her starting position.
On top of that, the intensity of the light had set her haori ablaze. Forcing her to fumble quickly to take it off, and try to stomp out the flames to little avail.
"No-no-no-no-no-nooo!" By the time it was out, it was in tatters.
"Aw-d-damnit! My coat! I only had the one-Argh! (Hijikata's gonna kill me…)... you'll pay for that Archer!" she threatened him over the damage to her uniform.
"Bill the damages to my ass. He's the only one that gives a crap." he dismissed her.
Assassin glared with newfound intensity. And before Archer could ready another copied Noble Phantasm-
"Rrrrraaaaagh!"
She appeared almost instantly before him using her skill-
BAM!
And knocked him back with a well place kick.
Crrrrraaaaaack!
Which slammed him against a wall behind him, cracking it.
Archer barely had time to duck under a stab that penetrated his previous position.
While her sword was jammed in the building, he repaid her with a kick of his own, knocking her to the edge.
With distance between them, he shot at her again with some generic blades.
She blocked, but the force knocked her over the edge.
SHHHHRRrrr
This didn't slow her for long, as she stabbed her blade into the building to slow her fall, letting her adjust, and relentlessly run back up the building, back up to him, avoiding his every shot.
He tried to think of something quickly.
The only thing in his arsenal that could be of much help is his Noble Phantasm, but that would be of only so much help. Summoning it would put him in a vulnerable position the Assassin would exploit. And besides that, his Reality Marble counted on him being able to keep his opponents at a certain distance so he could overwhelm them in a swarm of blades. But the manslayer wouldn't allow him to gain that distance.
He released a blade from his bow that impacted where the Assassin was to move next-
It had an effect. Her feet found no purchase, causing her to fall several meters.
In mid-air, she could not dodge.
EMIYA sent a volley of swords raining down on the Assassin, who found no means to avoid his projectiles.
However, her instincts proved strong, as she was able to deflect sword, after sword.
However, while she survived, she was knocked back several before she could land, and climb back up.
Considering this strategy a failure, EMIYA thought of something that could help in this situation.
His main issue was actually landing a meaningful blow. As a result, any heavy hitting blades wouldn't be worth the prana. So Hrunting wasn't worth it.
Anything explosive in nature might cause unacceptable collateral damage. So Caliburn and Caladbolg were out.
His best homing projectile would be Gae Bolg, but since it's technically not a sword, projecting it in a way that would maintain its heart seeking ability in any meaningful capacity would take considerable time and mana.
Although… he did have one tracking weapon that could do the job…
Trace On
In searching his Unlimited Blade Works, he found an appropriate tool for the job.
A short, ornate, crimson blade projected into his hand.
"Lævateinn!" The weapon was let loose.
Though it was no guaranteed kill like Gae Bolg, it hunted down the Assassin Servant like a hornet chased an invader to its hive.
Okita backflipped to avoid it at first, losing more ground.
She seemed confident that she had him this time, but this confidence didn't last long.
Because Lævateinn came back.
Her instincts saved her again as the Norse blade turned back and chased her.
Ducking just in time, the short sword overshot her, but not by much.
Between Lævateinn, and a new hail of nameless blades raining down on her, Souji changed tactics.
SHATTER!
Leaping off the glass panel she was running up, she crashed through the window of another nearby Skyscraper, with Fjölsviðr's sword in hot pursuit.
Losing track of her in there, he momentarily changed focus, and looked back to Rin's quarry.
The Masters were on top of the department store now, with Assassin's Master backed to the edge, appeared to be bleeding from his shoulder, and at risk of being knocked off the second Rin fired her Gandr.
Wait.
"RIN DON-" but he was too late.
She rushed him.
He jumped.
5 minutes earlier…
I'm not going to survive Rin.
"God…. damned… stairs…"
Running up thirty flights of goddamned stairs had me out of breath.
For the love of-! This place isn't even 10 floors high, quit yer bitching!
I didn't have long, she couldn't be more than two flights down.
Thinking fast, I ran out of the stairwell into the store proper.
A board declared the floor number, and its services
FL 10
Hardware Appliances/Consumer Electric Goods
… that'll work.
Whatcha got Rob?
C'mon, it's hardware! There's gotta be some bludgeon I can use to narrow the power gap between us!
For example, there are a bunch of hammers to choose from.
So, it's hammer time is it?
"Hey! Are you in here!? You gotta tell me if you are! It's Murder-Death-Kill rules!"
… oh yeah, it's hammer time.
And I take it you're taking a stand?
Not exactly. I'm too high up to jump for it, and if I fight her she'll kick my ass.
But, maybe if I can pull off a charge, I can push past her, or knock her over and make it back downstairs.
It's a good thing I played all that Madden!
Stop lying. You hate sports games!
… also, you know playing a video game doesn't train you, right?
Picking out a tool with a hickory handle-
Don't ignore me Rob!
-I ready myself to rush her.
She isn't too far from the stairwell, aware that it's my main means of escape.
Having not noticed me yet, I was able to move into a more optimal position in the darkness.
Wow, this all sounds terrible out of context.
You shut up.
Anyway, Rin was spending a lot of attention trash talking me, but I tuned it out.
"-oh well, scorched earth it is~"
She reached into her pocket to grab something. Gems most likely.
This is it!
"RRRRRRAAAAAARRRRGGGHHH!"
"Gotch- ya!?"
SLAM!
A plan well executed.
Indeed. However reinforced she might've been, I had nearly 80 pounds on her, and I had her off balance. Magecraft gave way to physics. Taken by a shoulder tackle to the legs, she was lifted off, and grappled to the ground.
While she was winded, I rolled away, rose to my feet, and made a run for the open exit-
Screee!
SLAM!
But I wasn't free just yet.
Tohsaka grabbed me by the ankle, and yanked me back down.
"Nice try nerd!" she brags, fumbling to get me into a hold.
Aware of her plan, I threw my weight around to throw her off.
Pain
But she was strong. It wasn't long before she had me in a chokehold.
Unfortunately for her, I've spent 3 months training with a special police officer. These things came up.
Reaching for my trusty hammer, I magic it up.
Define Real
Reinforcing it to its limits-
"Kyd-n-ney sh-ot!"
jab
"Kydney shot!"
Jab!
"KYDNEY SHOT!""
JAB!
With the last elbow to the kydneys hitting as hard as a jackhammer, I finally got a reaction.
"G-gach!" The magi just barely loosened her boa constrictor like hold.
Try as she might, as anyone who's played surgeon simulator would tell you, the hammer is the ribcage's kryptonite.
"KYDNEY SHOT-!"
"Ow-! my ribs!"
"Aaaaand pause-"
Now more free to move, I was able to judo-throw her off my neck, and onto the ground.
"Cranial Cave-in!"
I tried applying my hammer directly to the forehead, but-
BAM!
PAIN
In a reinforced kick that probably broke a rib of my own, she knocked me across the room-
SLAM!
CRASH!
-and into one of the shelves, knocking it, and its product all over.
...so, that worked out.
I held on to the fallen shelf for support
pain
Yup, definitely broke something…
"You done getting your shit together over there?"
I turned to see the current 'Guardian of the stairs™' mocking me.
Tell me you've got a plan B.
Yeah, but it's kinda a longshot.
If it doesn't work… I wish I could say it's been a pleasure...
...no, Rob! I see what you're planning! She's not dumb enough to fall for that! Nobody is!
Fine. Plan C it is.
"That's my secret Tohsaka. My shit's never together!" I declare.
"..."
"... I'm not great with banter." I admit.
"... you… want another minute to think of better last words? You're kinda killing my vibe dude." she offers.
"A... kind offer, but I'd rather take that minute to ask you something."
"Trying my patience…"
"Why me? There's a serial killer on the loose now, as well as Berserker. I know your Servant was watching the battle at the church, as well as the incident at the temple. There are bigger fish to fry. If anything we should be cooperating! So- why me!?"
"Besides the fact that we're in a heckin' war right now, in which we're, y'know, enemies? Your dumbass self was just in the wrong place, and the wrong time. Because Rin Tohsaka is on the Mother Effin' WARPATH! And so help her, if she doesn't kill something in this war,
She's gonna LOSE IT!"
"... is… speaking in the third person also something Warpath Rin does?"
"That is one of her character traits, yes." she stated in a 'matter of fact' manner.
Great. Back against the wall, fighting a lunatic.
"... I don't believe you." I stated.
"Huh?"
"You're gonna kill me because what? Because you're bored? You're a Magus. Having survived so long in the moonlit world, you're incapable of that level of recklessness! You wouldn't do this unless you gained something by it. And if you're goal tonight truly is to kill me, it's because I stand in the way of a larger goal. In this case? Your clearing an obstacle to either Saber."
"... shit you're good…" she sounded surprised.
"...thank you?"
"You're Actually Batman!"
…
"...(why does everyone say that..?)"
I mean, with the angst levels I'd argue you're Actually Spiderman.
"So what is it Tohsaka? Satan not enough for you?"
"Actually Satan!" She exclaimed.
"..."
"I think the "Actually" part is important."
"Hm."
"And come on~! You've hung around Baeber how long, and you're telling me you wouldn't hit that?" she asks rhetorically. "If you're telling me you wouldn't hit that, destroying you will leave me with the moral highground."
"... So you wanna sex her basically?" I ask, incredulously.
At this point, that club should have T-Shirts.
"Basically, yes."
"... look, if I can get you a date with "Baeber", will you stop trying to kill us?" I ask, pinching the bridge of my nose.
"... you be my wingman on this?" she seemed to consider it for a moment.
"...yes. I will be your wingman. Me and Saber are… acquaintances. I can hook you up."
Well… if it stops Rin from fighting us, Shirou can probably convince Saber to give it a chance.
… I dunno. I feel kinda dirty. And not in a good way. Feels like we're selling out a friend.
Rin seemed to think about it for a minute.
"Think Rin. Is taking her by force going to get you what you want?" I ask rhetorically.
"..." she thinks, before her features harden, "You're playing me."
Oh shit.
… plan B then?
"You're right. If I'm being honest, I just need to say- WHAT THE HELL IS THAT!?" I frantically point behind her.
Startled, she instinctively looked.
SHE FELL FOR IT!?
HOW!?
Once more I run at my enemy, and instead of a tackle-
SLAM!
I knock her to the ground!
"Bitch!" she exclaimed as she hit the floor again.
My way free I-!
PEW!
BZZZT-BZZZZT
pain
… what was that?
Ignore it, just run upstairs! I got an idea.
Oh, since it's your plan, running upstairs is o-
BZZZT-BZZZZT
pain
Okay, going.
This place is only like ten floors, so what's the idea brain?
Head for the roof.
Opening the final door, I look around.
Find the water tower.
Water tower?
I saw it had one. Look around.
Sure enough there was a big old water tower.
Okay, what now?
… oh I see…
Preparing a rune for the job, I set myself u-
SLAM-CRACK
I step back closer to the edge.
"Nice try Mcfly! But you've got to get up real heckin' early to get one over on me!" The Japanese Magus mocked me. As she slammed the door to the rooftop open.
The strong cold wind of the rooftop threatened to knock me off the edge.
I looked down below.
This was a twelve story building. If I jumped, I'd be lucky to escape with just broken bones even if I tried Self-Reinforcement. Without it?
I looked back to my opponent.
Rin Tohsaka had me at Gandr point. And if I tried charging her like before, it would be fatal.
It's wrong...
Pain pain pain pain….
Cold cold cold….
It's wrong...
Her Gandr from earlier was starting to make me feel sick. Fragile.
The effects of the illness curse.
"Killing me… won't give you a path to Saber Rin. Even if you kill Shirou as well, she won't accept you as Master. Whatever it is you like about her in the first place will stop her from serving you." I target the core of the issue.
Rin seems taken aback by this analysis for the briefest of moments before reaffirming something with herself.
"EH! WRONG! The only person that's going to die here is your Servant after you order her suicide." she responded, confidently, walking forward.
"And if I don't?" I back up, and into the railing.
"Look kid, we can do this the easy way, or the Tohsaka way." she warned, gesturing that she'd remove my Command Seal hand.
"...and I take the "Tohsaka way" to be the... violent option?"
"That's the implication, yeah."
I stare at my hand, holding the seals.
Okita was occupied with Archer. Keeping him off us. The second I'd call her here, he'd bury us in swords.
A small, instinctual part of me considered Rin's offer(threat).
But only for a second.
Because I made a promise.
And what promise was that?
I turn back to Rin.
"No. I'm afraid I'm doing this my way." I say, resigned.
"The implication being?" She asked in turn.
"..." I step on to the edge. "The stupid option."
"...oh... I can see that." she thinks she sees the plan.
"Shooting me with a low-level Gandr will knock me over, clearly killing me. Any attempt to capture me, and I'll jump. Same result. Either way, I'll spend two of my Command Seals to get Assassin to kill your Servant. Taking you out of the war. And the last will go to telling my truth of what happened here. Shirou isn't the greatest Mage in the world, but with Saber by his side, you won't get so much as within thirty feet of them without a sword through the chest if they believe you killed me. And between the bombs you planted at the school, you throwing him at a trap at Ryuudou, the countless other traps you yourself have doubtlessly tried to murder him with, as well as my last Command Seal ordering Assassin to tell them my version of events, well… this situation does look rather incriminating on you, no? Even he's not stupid enough to believe the innocent "Always Elegant" persona you put on anymore." And that's how it is.
If she tries to force me out of the war, she'd lose everything she'd hope to gain. If she tries to wait this out, Assassin will kill Archer, and she'll be the one on the backfoot.
Blade Works be damned. Archer's no good to me if he's threatening my part in the war. I'll make do with the younger one.
"... you're bluffing." she tries me.
"No! I'm! Not! Because I'm not playing a fucking game Tohsaka! This is war."
"Murder-Death-Kill." she... tries to correct me?
"(...are you serious right now?)" I mutter, dangerously.
"Yeah. "Holy Grail War" doesn't really fit for what we're doing. The Grail itself isn't exactly "Holy". "Holy Grail" is B.S, aaaaand I'm... getting the strangest feeling you don't care?"
"... not particularly at the moment…" I nearly growl at the end of the sentence, but take a breath, and calm myself. "But let's not get off topic. Call off your Servant. Fight another day."
"You really expect me to believe that you'd kill yourself, just so I couldn't get a shot at Baeber?" she seemed to insist on drawing this out.
"If I am to lose here, I shall see to it your "victory" tastes like ash, as the loss of my Servant would mean more to me than just a loss in this war. But that, I do not expect you to understand. What I do expect you to know, is that you don't know me. You don't know my goals, or the lengths I'll go to to see them through. I could be bluffing, but how could you tell? Oh, but by all means, if you're feeling lucky- Flip. That. Coin."
You said you made a promise? What was it again?
"So, I guess we've got ourselves a Japanese standoff! The third most racist standoff of them all!" Rin adds, seemingly frustrated at being unexpectedly cornered.
"So, are you just going to stand there and bluster at me until Assassin punts "Satan" back to hell? Or are you ready to call this off?"
"... I'm calling!"
"Wha-!?"
The Magus rushed me.
Bad move for both of us.
I fell back, middle fingers on both hands up-
And I fell.
But I wasn't afraid.
Because it was all part of the plan.
Because, even though I promised to fight to the bitter end, that end would not be today!
CRACKA-BOOOOOM!
The rune grenade set at the base of the water tower went off.
FWOOOOSH!
The water was set free from its container, and swept up an unsuspecting twintailed Magus-
"Oh, CRAPBASKEEEeee!"
Oh, she says that too?
-still, she could reinforce herself. She'll live, but you can bet it's gonna bruise.
Me? I can only hope I timed this right-!
"OKITA!"
I called on her halfway to the ground-
"I got you!"
THOOOM!
SWOOOSH!
I nearly got whiplashed by the sudden shift in direction.
But sure enough, Okita had caught me.
"Okita, thanks for the save!" I thanked her before-
SHATTER!
We tumbled through the window of a neighboring building.
Pain-Pain-Pain
The resulting roll, and shattered glass cutting my skin did not make it a perfect save though.
"...c-coulda stuck the landing better though…" I couldn't help the complaint.
"Y-yeah, sorry… I overestimated the strength of the glass…" she admits, standing back up, and offering me a hand back up. While an ornate crimson blade dissolved into blue particles while standing the drywall near the window. The fate of some projectile Archer threw at us.
I take it but-
PAIN PAIN PAIN
MAKE IT STOP
MAKE IT STOP
PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN PAIN
"Master!?" Okita expressed concern when I reacted poorly to using my bad arm.
"Arrrrrgggh! (Ssssshit…), S-sorry, try again, other arm this time…" I tried ignoring it by using my right arm.
Assassin stops me, and checks my injured shoulder.
Her reaction bodes poorly.
"... How does it look?" I brace myself.
"... probably how it feels." she admits.
"Well there's not much we can do about it right now." I stand back up, "We need to leave the area before Rin shows up wanting round 2. Emiya's in trouble. Call it Paranoia, but I know he can't keep himself out of it. Get us out of here." Just focusing on the objective makes ignoring the urge to vomit easier.
"Right." Okita supports me as we go for the exit, "where we looking next?"
"... Go for the park." It's either there, or the school at this point.
"Umm…hey!"
crash
"Ow…" I groaned as I was dropped by Okita, who turned to face… um…
Two small children.
"(Gudako!)" The black haired boy tried to stop his… I'm guessing sister?
Realizing it was just some kids, Assassin lowered her sword.
The redheaded girl boldly approached Okita, who picked me back up.
"So, are you guys superheroes!?" She asked, excitedly.
Me and Assassin looked at each other and blinked.
"... why yes little one. I'm told my friend here is like Batman." Assassin…
"Okita, we don't have time for thi-"
"Do you want to try and explain to two 5 year olds why we crashed through their window at night?"
…
"... Here, money for your parents to fix the window. Don't spend it all on candy or something." I gave a bunch of yen to the boy.
"Wha-Why me?" He asked.
"You seemed like the responsible one."
"You… figured right." he sounded exasperated.
"Wha- Ritsu!" The girl complained.
"Do you want to explain to Dad what happened?" he asked her.
"... so yeah, thank you Batma-! and he's gone."
The opened door creaked lightly.
"(... maybe he really was Batman…)" Ritsuka wondered aloud.
I finally started walking on my own again once we were back on the street.
"... Don't you know a spell to fix windows?" Okita asked.
"..." The pain in my wallet made me unwilling to answer that question.
We were about halfway to the park when the adrenaline started to die down, and I felt the Gandr's full effect.
It's Wrong It's Wrong
Cold Cold
Make it Stop
I stop, and move over to the side.
My body begins to reject the Gandr in its system, and I regurgitate revolting black and crimson bile, getting the curse out.
"There there…" Assassin supports me, at least verbally. "Let what's in out."
"Ugh… sorry." I apologise once I feel it's gone.
"Hey, I'd be throwing stones in a glass house if I complained here." she says before noticing something. "Hey, take your shirt off real quick."
Of course, me being a healthy male of my age, I took that to mean something a little out of place.
"Wow Okita, this is rather bold for you..."
"J-Just do it!" he blush matched mine before I complied.
PAIN PAIN
Taking it off, I only just then realized how bloody my now significantly skinnier body was.
So, I guess a months training didn't go completely to waste?
Well, I'm not exactly an Olympic athlete with just a month to prepare, but yes, training with Okita had yielded results I previously didn't believe possible for me.
Anyway, most of the shirt was ruined and I was probably gonna have to toss it at this point. Blood doesn't come out easy, and the hole would need to be stitched.
Seltzer water and lemon for blood. That, or you can just wear red.
… thanks?
"Find what you're looking for?" I ask.
"... unfortunately." Okita remarked as she touched a spot that stung.
"... how bad is it?"
"It probably hurts worse than it is, but if we don't stop the bleeding, or get it stitched up Gandr will be the least of your concerns." She figured. "At least unlike the bullet wounds it looks like, there's nothing to dig out.
"Help me stop the bleeding for now. I got supplies that can help fix it back at Emiya's." I prioritized the mission before my health.
I left a powerful healing rune back home, as well as first aid supplies.
Note to self, carry a healing rune with me next time.
Post Scriptum, carry some supplies during the day too. I don't know why we expected we wouldn't run into trouble...
"Fine, hold on…" she ripped the clean part of my shirt as bandages to hold me together for a while. "I'll give you this much Master, you can be stubborn."
"Heh, I'll take that as a compliment."
"Meant it as one." She smirked back.
12 minutes later…
Miyama Park…
We wound up stumbling our way to the park.
Any time we ran into people hypnosis got them to leave us be. We didn't have time for 20 questions.
By the time we walked in here, we both felt it.
"... it's quiet." I note it.
"Yeah, too quiet." Assassin finishes the cliche. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
"That it's really cold, and you feel dizzy?"
"No… that's probably blood loss. I was thinking we're walking into a trap."
"Twice in one night? Shit, we're popular tonight…"
"You got a plan Master?" Okita refocused me.
"Yeah. Spring the trap."
…
…
It was him
She found him
…
…
…
die die die die
It hurt.
"leave… him…"
She was so hungry it hurt.
Consume.
He'll take him.
This dream… wasn't like the others. It was like she was drowning in sweetmurderlovepleasuredesirepainpain.
Don't let him take Shirou.
"leave… him…"
"...Die… die suffer drown scream die drown murder die die DieDIE dieidideidesufferdieDIE!"
Hate
Hate
Hate
Hate
She crusdied in that too.
"He hurt Shirou… he has to die…(?)"
He… he wha-?
N-no. He… he hasn't-
KillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillEatEatEatEatEatEatEatEatEatEatKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKillKill-
But it was too much, and she woke up.
ENGLISH "This Illusion" Fate/Stay Night (Akane Sasu Sora)
… jeeze. Sakura, calm down, eat a snickers.
No, but seriously, even abridged her situation is pretty fucked up.
So yeah. Rin's on the warpath, and Orso's pretty lucky to get awa-
'CRRRRRAAAAAACK!'
"Booooooriiiing!"
...the hell was that?
"In a world of narrator's who ain't got no swing, the strongest all knowing and beautiful English Teacher steps in to take things… TO THA MOOOOOOOOOON!"
Who is this lunatic woman and why is she-?
"Teacher! Teacher! Someone stole my Ber-zer-car and used it to break the fourth wall! This is bad!"
And now my room is being invaded by an "English Teacher", and an albino loli?
...oh no. I know what this is…
"Baka! Moron! Dunce! Negative F minus! The truth can't be constrained by mere walls of metaphor! Now I can move without the limits of some useless budget! Be free!" she began wiggling around.
What have I done!?
"But teacher! We're in fanfiction right now! We don't have a budget! And besides, Ufotable's animation is justice!"
"Justice can only exist in the heart…" the teacher remarked dramatically.
So… not to be that guy, but if you two wouldn't mind going back to where you came from, I got a chapter to wrap up here-
"NEVER! YOU MAY TAKE MY LIFE, BUT YOU WON'T TAKE MY ANIMATION!"
"...Sensei… you're being troublesome…" Student Number 1 helped me out.
Look, if I give you the end section, will you fix the 4th wall? I'm pretty sure horrible eight dimensional lovecraftian monstrosities are leaking in.
2020's pretty fucked as it is, so if you don't mind?
"No worries~! Teacher has a plan to save us all!" the tiny albino proclaimed.
"To destroy hate you must sacrifice what you love!" The teacher pulled a DVD case out of nowhere, and chucked it at the breach in reality.
The wormhole rippled, and stitched itself together.
"Sensei! You saved us from most of the monsters!"
And with everything going on, I doubt people will notice the handful of horrible creatures from the nightrealm that did manage to get in.
"But at what cost!? We lost season 4 Illya! Season 4!" Teacher named the sacrifice.
"Teacher… we can have our season 4! Right here! Right now!" Illya consoled her.
"My favorite student…" the English Teacher cried at this, "and so it is! Watch out Chapter 16! TAIGA DOJO 2 BEGINS!"
… What have I done?
.
