Shanghai, China, 2040
It didn't matter how many times I'd been. When it came to Shanghai's Pudong Airport, I don't think I'd ever managed a single time not having difficulty navigating it. It probably didn't help that it'd been a good… seven or so years since I'd last been in here. Nor did the fact that trying to get into a country like China with fake ID was very dodgy business, to say the least.
But all that was far from the hardest battles I'd ever faced, and I'd be damned to let something minor like this be the thing that stopped me. Not when I was this close to finally kicking it all off.
A let out a slight sigh of relief once I grabbed my bag from the luggage carousel. So far, so good. But all this had been the easy part. The part I could control, at least to some degree. Now came the hard part. The part where I'd, hopefully, find an old acquaintance waiting for me.
"Let's hope he actually showed up" I muttered to myself under my breath as I made my way towards the exit of the terminal.
At first, it wasn't looking good. Much as I strained and tried to find him, I couldn't locate him through the sea of people walking every which way. Of course, I hadn't seen the man in person in twenty years now. Honestly, I actually didn't even really know what I was supposed to be looking for.
It was fortunate for me, then, that not only did he show up, but he also brought a sign with my name on it in bold letters.
TRISTAN
…Well, it did make it so I could find him in the first place, but a part of me did die inside when I saw my actual name on the sign. Getting caught in a country like the United Kingdom, Canada or the United States would have been bad enough. Like hell I wanted to get caught in a country like China.
"Johnathan" I smiled once I managed to push my way through the crowds and get over to him. "Damn, you've grown over the years. Far cry from the kid I used to know."
"You look far different yourself" Johnathan laughed slightly. "Suppose that's what happens when you go some twenty years without seeing someone."
"Twenty for you, perhaps. I saw you up on stage there, Mr. World Champion."
"That was over a decade ago now" he sighed, a tinge of embarrassment in his voice. "And you actually watched those games?!"
"Hey, my ability to play the game may have left me, but my love for the game never did" I grinned. "Man do I miss it."
"Yes, well, I'm sure you didn't ask for me to come all the way here just to reminisce about WotH in the airport" Johnathan commented as he took the lead and we made our way out of the airport. "Honestly, hearing from you after all these years, even if it was by e-mail of all things, was quite the shock. I was nearly convinced this was some kind of set-up by a wild, tech savvy mage."
"What can I say" I sighed as we finally stepped out of the terminal and I got my first breath of outdoor air in hours. "Life got busy after what happened in Virginia. For all of us, really."
"That's an understatement. …You speak to Sortiara recently?"
"Not in twenty years" I laughed. "Hopefully it remains that way for a couple more."
"…Take it you'll explain that last bit later?"
"If by later you mean once we get to a more secluded place, then yes. But you, uh… you are aware that isn't her real name, right?"
"Of course, I know that. I went to school with her, remember?"
Dated for a good few years too.
"Right, right. Of course. Take it you have an idea where we're going?"
"I know a place, yeah" Johnathan nodded as we reached a car I could only assume was his. "Private enough to discuss… those kinds of matters… But what I don't get is why you need to talk to me about anything involving that kind of stuff? You're not one of us, so what-"
"Wow. Racist much" I joked as we got in the car.
"Not what I meant" he sighed. "Also, since when could you use your hands again?"
"It's all related, but for now let's just say that 2030 was a… miraculous year. That said, they're not real hands."
To prove the point, I banged my two hands together, producing a light, metallic clanging sound.
"Robotic" Johnathan sounded a bit surprised as he looked at my hands again for a moment, before starting the car. "Damn impressive for robotic. Didn't realize they came that real looking, or that functional, nowadays, yet alone back ten years ago."
"Oh, they don't" I grinned. "At least, not on Earth they don't."
That made Johnathan pause.
"Ok, what is that supposed to mean?"
"As I said, it's all related. Get us to your secluded place, and everything will be explained."
"Full of half-truths and lies, more like."
"Nah, not for this" I laughed slightly. "No need to lie for something like this."
"I don't know if you saying that makes it all better, or worse."
"But I have your curiosity, and that's all that matters for the moment."
Getting out of the airport took a while. Never seemed to matter what airport you were at; traffic around it was always a right bitch. Though when it came to traffic, China was truly something else. I could confidently say that I'd never gone anywhere else in the world where eight whole lanes were stuck at a god damn crawl. Eight whole lanes! It was madness! Fortunately, I wasn't the one driving, so I didn't have to really deal with the actual pain of trying to navigate it all.
"Least you have a nice car for this" I joked as Johnathan grew more and more frustrated with each passing minute we were stuck in this mess.
"Thanks, but not mine" Johnathan muttered bitterly. "Rental."
"Rental? You don't live nearby?"
"Like hell I'm choosing to live in Shanghai as a mage" Johnathan laughed in what was clearly a coping mechanism manner. "Nor do I want to put up with this disaster every day of my life. No, we live in Ningxiang. Well, actually, live in Huangcai, but-"
"I get the picture. China and it's subdivisions and all that. Still, didn't realize you were even further west than Changsha. You made quite the trip to meet me then."
"Well, look at that. You actually know a bit of local geography."
"What can I say. I do like to travel" I grinned slightly. "Good to know where you are and where you're going."
"As well as who you are" Johnathan added with a slight grin of his own.
"Yes, that too" I laughed. "Thankfully, that hasn't been an issue for quite a long while now. What is an issue, though, is that you haven't mentioned what you meant by we?"
"Yes, yes, I'm happily married" he sure didn't sound happy, but I put that down to the traffic slowing again rather than an actual gripe with his marriage. "I'm also thirty-seven, so is it really that surprising?"
"Got a kid?"
"Two. Twins, in fact."
"Oh, that must have been so much fun" I laughed.
"It was… interesting, that's for sure. Don't regret it at all though."
"Well, I'd hope not!"
"I'd introduce you, but you said you weren't looking to stay long?"
"Just a couple days, yeah. Busy, busy, busy, y'know?"
Partially true, but really, the only reason I wasn't leaving immediately after my talks with Johnathan on the next plane out was because I didn't want to arouse too much suspicion. Had to play the part of the tourist a bit.
"I get that, unfortunately…"
"Busy with mage stuff?"
"Every year it only gets worse."
"Care to share?"
"No" Johnathan laughed, and I couldn't help but laugh with him. "Not something you need to know."
Good thing I can already hazard a very accurate guess at what you meant.
"Take it your wife knows about… you."
"She is a mage herself, so yes."
"Teaching your kid magecraft as well?"
"Both of them, yes."
"Both of them? Well, ain't that just something. Two spell slinging gremlins running around the house!"
"Don't remind me…" Johnathan sounded exhausted.
We were only in the car for about an hour, but it felt like ages had passed when Johnathan finally parked the thing and I was able to get out and stretch my legs. As to where he'd brought us, it was some kind of restaurant. Far from fancy, but I'd argue that was actually far better. For one, it was definitely a local place, rather than a tourist trap. Two, the fancier places generally stood out more, and therefor had far more eyes on them. All kinds of eyes.
"First time seeing each other again, and this is where you take me" I teased.
"Only the best will do, after all" Johnathan joked back. "But in all seriousness, this is the best option."
"Hey, I don't doubt you" I shook my head. "If you think it's safe-"
"It's definitely safe. Personal friend runs the place, and I've held quite a few meetings here without issue."
"Then by all means" I indicated for him to take the lead. "After you."
The inside was noticeably darker than outside. It was narrow, cramped, and rather hot, thanks to the lack of separation from what I could only assume was the dining space, considering the limited tables there were, and the kitchen. Still, it was clean, and the few people working were whipping up something damn good, judging by the smell.
"Shao" Johnathan shouted in mandarin to be heard over the sound of clattering cookware and flaring fires. "Taking a private room upstairs."
"Use room six" one of the men in the middle of the kitchen shouted back. "Room four is a bit of a mess. Find somewhere else to host your damn meetings while you're at it! Getting tired of you just walking on in here and demanding-"
The conversation came to a stop as the man called Shao finally turned and saw the two of us.
"Well this is new. Since when did you deal with foreigners" Shao asked, giving me a quick look over before turning his attention back to Johnathan.
"It's like you forget I lived in America for half my life."
"Haa, American! What could an American want with you of all people?!"
"Nothing" I jumped in, clearly catching the both of them off guard by speaking in mandarin myself, "considering I'm Canadian. And yes, the difference does matter to us from Canada."
"Don't know if that makes it better or worse" Shao spat, recovering quick. "At least you speak the language. Remember, room six, not four!"
With that, Shao returned to cooking, and Johnathan led the way to the back of the building, where behind a door was a staircase that went up.
"Friendly guy" I mused to Johnathan quietly.
"Don't mind Shao; just stressed recently" Johnathan defended his friend. "Business has slowed for him. More importantly, since when could you speak mandarin? Or is that also related?"
"Related" I nodded as we reached the top of the stairs and entered a narrow corridor with doors on both sides. "Uh, which room is room six?"
"This one here" Johnathan opened a room closer to the far end of the corridor.
"Hmm, not bad" I mindlessly commented as I entered the room.
All things considered with the rest of the building, the room was fairly big. Chairs and table actually looked rather nice. Even had a window with a decent view of the street below.
"Soundproof too" Johnathan confirmed as he locked the door behind us. "Or now it is, at least."
I watched as a hexagonal pattern of greenish light formed along the walls, floor and ceiling of the room. A brief flash later, and they were gone, the room back to looking as if nothing had happened at all.
"Well, if you can do that now, then we could have gone anywhere" I laughed as I took a seat in the closest chair.
"Not for free we couldn't have" Johnathan sighed, taking a seat on the opposite side of the table. "Trip cost me enough as is. Now, business. Why am I here and, more importantly, why are you here?"
"Straight to business, eh" I smirked. "Very well. I'll be up front with you: I'm starting a Holy Grail War."
Johnathan remained quiet at that, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard me say. That, or he was expecting me to say it was a joke, or something. Yet, after a few moments of silence, he must have realized I was being serious, and his eyes shot wide open.
"You're lying" he immediately dismissed. "No way you're starting a Holy Grail War! You can't start a Holy Grail War! You're not even a mage to begin with!"
"And if I said I got the Mage's Association to assist me with this endeavor?"
"Bullshit! No way the Association would help an outsider! Hell, you'd be dead and we wouldn't be having this conversation now if you'd ever tried such a thing!"
"Oh, I wouldn't be so certain about that" I grinned. "Not nowadays, at any rate. Not with all the leylines drying up."
That caught his attention. Johnathan stopped for a moment, swallowed whatever he had been planning to say, and asked a very different question.
"How do you know about that" he practically hissed, shocked.
"Oh, I know many things" I smirked. "But you're right, I'm not working with the Association. Or the Church. Or the Spiral Manor."
"Obviously the Spiral Manor wouldn't help you! I'm not even going to bother asking how you know about the Spiral Manor either. But if not any of them, then that means-"
"If you think I'm working with the American Institute of Magecraft, you're still mistaken" I sighed, cutting off his accusation. "As I said, I haven't spoken to Sortiara since the war in Virginia. Don't plan on speaking to her for a good while either."
"Then start talking! The best magi in the world are in a panic about magecraft finally dying out and you're sitting here, telling me you're going to start a Holy Grail War all on your own! You, an outsider! It's not possible!"
"Eh, amend your statement to say that, on Earth, it's not possible, and yeah, you'd be correct. It's a good thing, then, that the Earth was never a requirement for a Holy Grail War, isn't it?"
"…"
"…"
"…Enough games. Enough with your cryptic bullshit. How are you starting a Holy Grail War?"
"Well, this will require quite a bit of explaining" I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "Also going to require you to believe that I'm telling you the truth."
"Fine. Whatever. I believe you're telling the truth. Now start. Talking."
"Alright then, Johnny boy" I smiled. "Think back to the late 10s, early 20s, and tell me: what do you know about the second space race? How much do you know about the race back to the moon?"
It was hard to tell how much time had passed since I'd finish talking. Ten minutes, perhaps? Likely closer to fifteen now, if not at that point yet. The entire time, the room remained perfectly silent. Johnathan just sat there, mulling over everything I'd just told him over the past however many hours I'd been talking.
To his credit, not once had he interjected. Not once did he interrupt. The entire time he'd simply sat and listened, his facial expressions and body language constantly shifting as I told him what was effectively the short version of the past nigh twenty years of my life.
I'd nearly zoned out completely, looking out at the busy street below with the multitude of bright lights illuminating the darkness of the night when he finally managed to speak.
"…You're telling me" Johnathan started, breathing slowly. "That the moon is a supercomputer."
"Is, houses... Still not entirely sure about that myself yet" I shrugged, turning my focus back to him.
"That you hold sole control over it."
"In all fairness, I do have an administrator to take care of things when I'm not there."
"And that it can be used to run a Holy Grail War?"
"Well, that is how I gained control over it. Rather, it was how the fight for control over it was supposed to go. It still was a Holy Grail War, in a way, in that there were a fuck ton of Heroic Spirits running about. But it was a mess from the start, went to absolute shit real quick, and I wasn't really a participant proper. Was more of a… rogue element? Disruptor? Usurper? Something more along those lines. Also, there was no Holy Grail. We, by which I mean me and the people I directly worked with at the time, all ended up calling it a Holy Grail War because I didn't see what other kind of name would really fit it better, but the only thing there was to win was control over the Moon Cell itself."
"The moon what now?"
"The Moon Cell. Basically, the computer bit of the supercomputer moon. It's what holds all the information and records and shit. A real marvel of technology, that thing is. Far beyond anything humanity has produced, that's for sure."
"You're telling me aliens created this thing?!"
"Well, us humans certainly didn't make it" I laughed. "So either the greatest supercomputer to ever exist just happened to form naturally, or someone else made it! Call them aliens if you wish; technically wouldn't be wrong."
"Ok, sure… this is fine" Johnathan let out a shaky laugh. "Yeah, aliens just created a massive supercomputer and left it orbiting our planet in a dormant state-"
"Mostly dormant state" I amended. "It was still recording everything on Earth. Just wasn't doing anything beyond that."
"Mostly dormant state" Johnathan amended. "A mostly dormant state so well-hidden humanity didn't even notice it was recording us all until, what, 2018?! 2019?!"
"Something like that" I grinned. "Even then though, we didn't know it was scanning us. The thing that kicked off the race back to the moon was the discovery that the moon was made of photonic crystals, and we can thank China for that. They were the first to probe the dark side of the moon, and it was there that the discovery was first made as it went digging for other, at the time more practical, rocks and minerals and shit. That got the Chinese government to raise their eyebrows and really ramp up their space program."
"Well, I can understand why!"
"But as I said, after a couple years head start, America did finally find out themselves, even if it was through spying. Thus did the official reason of setting up a base to then launch Mars expeditions came into existence for both governments, and the race to establish a permanent presence on the moon truly began."
"…That's insane" Johnathan muttered. "The second space race started at roughly the same time-"
"We were doing the war in Virginia" I nodded in confirmation. "Amazing what technology enables, eh? The Association was always so worried outsiders would learn about magecraft from other magi fucking up, but even during that shitshow of a war humanity was less than a decade away from learning about its existence on their own."
"Then people already know about magecraft?!"
"Well, most, if not all, big governments do. …To an extent. Have for a good while now. As to how many people within the governments, I couldn't say. I know that when I was working for the Canadian government, working alongside the Americans, it was a combined hundred people, tops, that knew the truth of the moon. Even then, it was mostly secret service tech people, not space program people. Having a base on the moon proved to be fairly useless at the end of the day. Hacking into the moon from Earth was the real challenge, and where the real progress was made. Only thing the space program people were needed for was to bring back more photonic crystals to beef up our computing back on Earth. But with all that said, I find it highly unlikely anyone outside of governments know of the Moon Cell, nor do I think that even people in governments know magecraft is actively in use on Earth. I won the Moon Cell, after all. I alone have had access to its records. But if you want to call knowing about Heroic Spirits and the Moon Cell itself as magecraft, then yes, they've known for quite a while now."
"…Would explain why even magi are unaware about any of this" Johnathan sighed. "Must be a pain in the ass for you though."
"Ha, they're not getting the Moon Cell from me" I laughed. "Not by hacking in, at any rate. It'll take millennia for humanity to even come close to getting through my administrator's security measures."
"Ok, but why tell me all this" Johnathan asked. "Aren't you worried I'm just going to inform the world of magecraft about this threat that we now know exist?"
"By all means, tell the world! Saves me the trouble of doing it in a few years, and it's not like magi are going to get in when even the best and brightest of humanity can't hack in! …All that assuming then even believe you in the first place, of course."
"Why would you ever tell them?"
"Why do you think? I can't run a Holy Grail War by myself! I need participants, and who better to ask than the group of people who already understand what a Holy Grail War is, and are very rapidly losing their way of life. For you magi, I represent your best chance to restore magecraft to its former glory. How could you all possibly say no to my invitation?"
"Invitation to what? Win this Moon Cell thing? What good does a supercomputer do for magi?"
"I'm not offering up the Moon Cell! I worked far too hard to get it, and I'm far from being done with it! But for the past ten years I've had the Moon Cell, my administrator and I have been experimenting with what it can do, and we've found a way to run a Holy Grail War proper using it. Albeit, it'll be a bigger war than the usual seven."
"…How many people you talking about?"
"Forty-nine is what we're thinking is the max we can do."
"Forty-nine?! You're running seven Holy Grail Wars at once?!"
"No, I'm running one Holy Grail War" I corrected. "Just one war with forty-nine masters, and forty-nine Heroic Spirits. Just think of the possibilities of a grail with forty-eight or forty-nine Heroic Spirits powering it. Should even be possible to restore the leylines, if I do say so myself."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…"
"Two questions."
"Ask away" I grinned.
"How long until you're ready for this Holy Grail War?"
"About four more years, sadly" I sighed. "Still got a bunch of systems to iron out, and have to make sure there are no bugs when we go to generate everything. Anyways, second question?"
"Why tell me about all this now?"
"So you can start preparing for it" I reached into the inside of my jacket and pulled out a thin binder.
"...What is that?"
"Your invitation" I pulled out one of the gold-colored pages and placed it on the table in front of him. "I'll be distributing forty-six of them about a year before so the magi who want to participate have ample time to prepare, but out of consideration for our past relationship, you and Sortiara are both getting a personal invitation from me. I just happen to like you more, so you're getting yours first."
"…Assuming both Sortiara and I accept" Johnathan spoke slowly as he grabbed the paper and gave it a look over. "That makes only forty-eight."
"You didn't think I wasn't participating in my own war, did you" I smirked.
"What's your wish" Johnathan scoffed.
"I have many wishes" I sighed. "None of which you need to know though, so they'll be remaining secret, for now."
"…And if Sortiara and I don't want to play your game?"
"Then by all means, give your spot to someone who does. Once the wave of invitations goes out, give it to one of your buddies in the Spiral Manor. Or shit, give your invite to someone from the Summit Court, because no way in hell am I giving them spots naturally! Though I do confess, I think it'd be rather fun having a Xian in the mix."
"How do you-"
"I control the Moon Cell" I sighed, cutting him off. "If something so much as existed for a microsecond on Earth, I know about it. Of course I know about the Summit Court. I'm just not willing to risk my life trying to approach them for the sake of having a Xian in my war. Though, that said, there is perhaps one Xian I could approach. Xian she may be, but far as the Moon Cell has recorded, she isn't a member of the Summit Court. Probably still wouldn't accept, but she just might not kill me outright, once she understands what I'm really offering her…"
"…Right… and if nobody wants to take part in your war here?"
"Well, if no one from the Mage's Association, Spiral Manor, the American Institute or the Church wants to participate, then I guess I'm inviting the world governments, because like fuck am I inviting Dead Apostles. Getting those bastards involved is just begging for shit to go completely off the rails."
"You would invite non-magi to a Holy Grail War?!"
"I need bodies, and if you magi folk won't take the spots even to restore the leylines, which I predict will be nearly completely used up by that point, then it's not like I got many other options. It's not like you need to be a magus for my war; Moon Cell can take care of the minor things like supplying magical energy to Heroic Spirits. At the end of the day, I don't care who takes the spots, so long as they're filled. Trust me though, if the magi don't come, the governments will, if for no other reason than to take the Moon Cell from me. And if they do end up beating me…"
"Then they'll learn all about the world of magecraft…"
"Yep" I nodded in confirmation. "Really, I'm doing you magi folks a service here! Y'all should be thanking me, if anything!"
"…"
"…"
"…You know, this takes me back…"
"Yeah? How so?"
"Because it reminds me that, while I respect the shit out of your abilities to do this kind of bullshit, I also fucking despise you as a person."
"Good" I laughed. "As it probably should be."
"Also, the hell is this Satanael, First of the Fallen crap" Johnathan burst into laughter of his own as he finished reading the bottom of the invitation.
"Well, I'm no longer Yaldabaoth, God of Control, and really, what better way to grab the attention of the Church than to piss them off by doing a stunt like that?"
"I suppose for your twisted mind, that would make sense."
"Glad you see it my way" I grinned as I stood up. "You good, or is there still more you-"
"I get the picture" Johnathan sighed. "Or I think I do, at least. Can't say if I'm going to participate or not though."
"No rush" I waved my hand. "The only thing you need to do is show up when the thing starts if you want in. The invitation has the instructions how, once I open the system up. If I see you registered then, great. If not, I have my answer as well."
"Will I see you again before it?"
"No, and you won't hear from me again either" I shook my head. "Too much to do, and not enough time."
"Right… I suppose that would make sense."
"Oh, and Johnathan" I quickly added before he cancelled his soundproofing spell.
"What?"
"This war will be different for one other reason."
"Go on…"
"The Virginia war was one of the longest, yeah?"
"If not the longest, yes. What about it?"
"This war I'm planning… it'll be a long war. I'm not talking weeks, or even months. I'm talking a good year and likely even more."
"What?!"
"I mean, I suppose it could end in weeks or months, but honestly, it's highly improbable. Assuming it wasn't only idiots that joined, that is. I know you said you have a family and all now, so think carefully before you join. You'll be gone a while, and could very well not come back at all. Consider this fair warning, is all."
"…You knew I was married, didn't you? That's why you came to me so early, isn't it?"
"I control the Moon Cell, man: I know everything" I sighed, growing slightly tired of having to repeat that. "This doesn't have to be your fight. I offer you this spot to fight for whatever wish you have, but you have to make the hard call of deciding if fighting for your wish is worth the lost time with your family. With your kids. If it's worth potentially never seeing your family or friends again. You don't owe the world of magecraft anything. You don't owe your mother anything. You don't owe Saber anything. Enter this war with no regrets, because if you step onto Satanael's stage, he's looking for Yaldabaoth, God of Control, and not Johnathan, the indecisive kid. Understood?"
"…Understood" Johnathan nodded with a slight glare, before a brief flash of green light signaled the end of his spell.
"Good, then I do believe business here is done" I grinned, stepping out of the room. "Um, but if I could get your assistance in one last matter?"
"What?"
"…Could you drop me off at my hotel" I smiled sheepishly as Johnathan sighed.
A/N
Well everyone, this kicks of my attempt at a massive work that I've been thinking about for around half a year now. And to think, I first thought my first FATE story would take me 3 months to write... and it's over a year now and still not done. I have absolutely no idea how long this will take to write; years, for sure. Who knows if I'll even finish it, honestly; I'm likely way out of my depth here, and it'll turn into a complete shitshow.
It's also going to be using aspects of the FATE IP that I, quite frankly, don't understand. And here I thought finding information on the rules for the systems of 'normal' Holy grail Wars within the 'main timeline' was tough! Trying to find information on every exact thing the Moon Cell can and can't do though? Yeah, that's a... that's a YIKES from me, guys.
I have never played any of the Extella or C.C.C games. I have never watched any of the Fate Extra animes. Never read a single manga, light novel- …you guys get the picture. My knowledge on the Moon Cell is what I can find searching it up on the internet, and let me tell you, it's not a lot, and it's not very specific in it's capabilities or limitations. If I get shit wrong, please correct me either via reviews or PMs. If you know of a good source, in English, that covers the Moon Cell in depth, please let me know as well.
Ultimately though, I'm using this as a test of concepts, so to speak. Hopefully, it's turns out great. If not, I wouldn't be surprised. Either way though, I hope you who read it find some way to derive some form of entertainment from it.
As always, I'll see you all in the next post o7
