A/N: Hello readers PsychoJack here giving you another potential story I may want to partake in. Being that Fate is an intensive character driven tale for the sake of this story the main character is an OC since I can't really imagine Shirou or other MC's in this lemon side of the Fate multiverse. This is an alternate universe so the events of the animes will be bent as needed. For now this is only testing the waters, feedback will allow me to see just how far I can go with the story. Anyway, onto the tale.
--Fuyuki City Night--
"Tonight's the night."
Two lone figures overlook the late night city on top of one of the many overlooking skyscrapers which touched the starlit sky above. Both are on the rooftops mainly to maintain a modicum of stealth from prying eyes. The darkness enveloped them like a shroud, it's obvious they want this meeting private.
The figure on the left resides behind the figure on the right, both taking a glance at the location of their soon to be battlefield, basking in a final peaceful view of what may be a crater depending on the upcoming days, weeks, or months ahead.
The figure on the left looked to the one on the right as he spoke. His voice was well refined, obviously of a nobleman or a man of status. He seemed not melancholic however, as this event was what he's expected for years. As a magus this was a destiny he's been training for his whole life, what many have wished to be a part of but couldn't, to participate in a battle that if won would grant access to powers to potentially bend the very fabrics of the world.
The figure on the right laughed in his throat to himself.
"The final master has finally been chosen."
--Elsewhere--
Below in the streets of the night lit city, where traffic ran rampant to and fro as it's denizens work and feed the cogwheels of modern industries, a small group of people seem to gravitate towards the middle of a lone lane. Despite the technological advancements and many distractions that would normally sway one's attention this lane alone held their eyes captive. Many types, male and female, the young and the old huddled over one another to take a gander at the festivity occurring here in this lone corner of society.
A boy was running, quickly scampering past the much broader figures obscuring his path in excitement. He held a big bright grin that shone through the night life of Fuyuki. "Aika you're gonna be late he's about to start!" In the background past the boy currently squeezing through the many older and taller figures, another voice responds.
"Suzuki, are you sure you're not pulling my leg? I mean c'mon you gotta admit this is crazy!" A girl squeezes through the adults, hastily trying to catch up to her friend."
"Shhh!! He's coming!" Suzuki whispered to Aika, the girl bearing a bored unimpressed look on his face. "Yeah I'm sooo excited to see some idiot try to play a circus clown, they come and go every week since they get picked up for disturbing the peace!"
The boy responded "Nah this isn't just anyone it's Honda! The Honda!"
The girls' expression turned bright as she shoved Suzuki out of the way "What! Move outta the way!" People who were passing by seemed to gravitate towards where the children were from the name alone, almost rushing to catch a view.
Clearly this was an audience, waiting with baited breath for a local celebrity of sorts.
What the audience was currently fixated on was a small wooden stand that served as a stage, clearly hastily made and small to the point that it was merely good for standing on. Many old fashioned candles were placed surrounding the stand granting a form of orange light that glew brightly in these dark streets. No one was on the stage however. A sign was placed next to the stand in intricate old fashioned curved lettering, bold and attention grabbing stating 'Honda the Warlock'.
The girl spoke "How do you know when the show starts?"
Just when the girl finished, all noise among the crowd vanished as the candle light was immediately extinguished. A collective gasp emanated throughout the crowd as they stared into an abyss. After a tense 5 seconds the candles reignited in an inferno, causing the crowd to immediately take two steps back. The flames continued to shoot out spewing embers everywhere, lighting the street ablaze in an orange blanket of light. The flames began to sway like water and surround the stand like a maelstrom of flame.
Within the flames a shadowed figure slowly took shape. The flames no longer spewed, only smoke and ember surrounded the figure. To the people, it was like he was a being summoned from the candles themselves. Past the smoke the figure was revealed to be a man, dressed in what may be considered a modified magicians garb.
The figure wore a black and red raiment. It was posh and suave, adorned in crimson accents running throughout the suit. A shoulder cape shrouded the figure, though it seemed big enough to potentially cover the figures' entire body. This figure wore white gloves with black accents that seemed to skillfully connect to the black suit. His shoes were shiny, classical dress shoes, shining ebony and reflecting all light from toe to heel.
As for the man's face, well currently he wore no hat, as his face was obscured in a mask. It was similar to a porcelain mask, however it was stylized to completely cover his face. Gold curved accents stretched from the eye holes to the bottom of his chin. His mask seems to have no visible holes from which to breathe from the mouth or nose. The only means of deciphering any identity was through the eye holes, which in this lighting were completely encompassed in shadow.
The only light was from the iris of his eyes, which to the already spooked and yet fascinated crowd was clearly nocturnal, like a beast of the night.
The figure who stood tall, slowly tilted his head in acknowledgment to the audience. The voice was well groomed and mannered. It was smooth and calm yet seemed to echo to the people in sight.
"Welcome my dearest ladies and gents to the realm of the unknown and beyond. For those who are new to this, allow me to introduce myself, I am Honda the Warlock!"
Everyone clapped, most in glee, others in caution because the figure was abnormal in appearance, the attire he wore and his appearance made him seem otherworldly.
"Tonight will be the start of a journey into the shadow world from whence I will impart it's wonders to you--
A person threw a tomato, a cliche if there ever was one, clearly trying to ruin the moment for the performer and the audience. However the tomato disappeared, out of thin air!
"Or suffer the inferno of my will should you refuse."
The tomato seemed to come out of the strange figures' torso, perfectly speeding towards the assailant right between the eyes as tomato juice filled his face.
"First I will need a volunteer." The figure spoke.
The people began raising their hands. They wanted to see up close. The figure did not move his face, he merely stood.
"You, child come forward!" The figure referred to the duo of children. The children looked at each other confused, which one did he refer to?
"Both of you will do…" The figure whispered, yet was heard prevalently despite the crowd.
The two kids hurried towards the stand, where the figure glided off causally, the crowd oohing as he did so floating off the ground and a solid 12 inches in the air before gently stepping into the concrete. The children were small enough to both fit on the stand at once, both were nervous from the many eyes on them.
"Now pay attention as what one may see may also vanish at the whim of fate…"
The figure took his shoulder cape off elegantly as he looked to the audience drawing them in, before tossing his shoulder cape behind himself towards the children. The cape was tossed yet seemed to engulf the children then laid perfectly flat on the stand, as if the children were never there.
Everyone gasped and awed. Clearly they were liking the abruptness and shock value as to how quickly the children disappeared.
"You may take the cape off, see for yourself the tides of destiny in action."
The audience slipped the cape off the stage looking for any sign of the children that were once there.
"Though destiny is in the realm of the deities that govern our world, we, humanity alone are the sole drivers of our eventual fates, all it takes..." the figure reached out his hand towards the crowd, whom gave him his shoulder cape. He held it in front of the crowd showing no sign of the children on the front or back of the cape.
"...is the power of defiance, of choice…"
Honda laid the cape flat on the ground near the stand.
"...and reality will follow"
He brought his hand on top of the cape on the ground and pulled.
A silhouette was brought upward before he pulled the shoulder cape off the two children now standing once again unscathed in the middle of the sidewalk. The two looked around shocked as to their return. The audience clapped resoundingly. Honda stood and basked in the applause. Many people chipped donations in a small cardboard box that seemed to appear out of nowhere on the stand whilst the audience wasn't looking. It was quite filled due to the ever growing audience as well as to how the audience were from the city and thus had ample money to spare.
As the people cheered, he patted the childrens' head affectionately. "Run along now." The boy and girl went back to the crowd. Someone from the crowd cheered.
"Do another! Another!" They seem to want an encore.
Honda chuckled and stretched his arms wide as he spoke, relishing in the passion of the crowd.
"Very well then...allow me to regale you with more wonder!"
Right before he could continue the ringing sound of an alarm echoed through the street, the blue and red blinking lights were clearly those of local authorities. It was an officer who clearly came to break up the crowd.
"But not today!" Honda yelled breaking character before bursting up in smoke, disappearing as if he were never there before the officer would cuff him for hosting a show without a permit. The audience booed the officer but were satisfied for now. If one were to look, you would be able to see a cloaked man running like hell in an alleyway.
--Later--
*Shing shing shing*
The crisp sound of coins dropping against one another.
"Here's your share from today guys. Ya earned it!" A voice spoke, this one youthful but clearly more imperfect, the one of someone who has spent more time in the streets, uninhibited by scholarly disciplines, restrictions to slang use or grammarly short cuts. The two children sat by a park bench, next to them was a pile of napkins with black stains, clearly a rushed job of makeup being removed. A water bottle was also there half full from repeated uses of rinsing.
The boy and girl from the show smiled from their role in the street performance. No one would really suspect a child capable of outright manipulation, especially since they acted like they were quite new to the viewing. It was a psychological means of drawing people in a short amount of time by letting the audience themselves be driven by their own curiosity rather than being forced.
"Thanks! Sorry about the crowd being small, we'll do better next time" The boy said.
"I'm retired now Suzuki, but all's good between us, considering how last minute that show was, it's a miracle we even came out with such a good haul. If I didn't know any better I would say it was fate tossing us a bone."
"There you go with your talk on fate again, Honda *giggle* I guess you are the character you play." The girl Aika said.
"Hey, are you really going to quit as a magician?" Suzuki asked.
The voice sighed. "Yeah, last call for me Suzuki, gotta build my life now beyond the stage and all that. But hey, you guys learned a few tricks to show off to your friends when you start middle school am I right?" The kids nodded, Aika seemed a bit disappointed but understanding all things considered.
"Well okay then, if you say so. So when will you be back in town so we can see you again, you could finally show me how to float in the air, c'mon you promised!" Aika asked, her eyes glistening in anticipation and excitement.
"I will have to take a temporary break to settle into my new place. Give me about a week and I'll come visit, promise." The voice spoke. The two kids nodded excitedly. "Well okay! Until then see ya Katashi!" Suzuki said as the duo ran, ready to spend their well earned dough.
Honda answered "Yeah...until next time." A gloved hand removing his face mask and nocturnal contact lenses. The person in question was currently removing his garb far from any person in sight. The shoulder cape and suit was already removed and piled on the bench. The mask was placed on top. Katashi Honda with his face out in the open was a blue eyed young man with a small grin as he placed his attire into a suitcase. He passed his hand past his spiky black hair, swayed back to prevent any stray locks from obscuring his vision as he placed his warlock outfit neatly away for the travels ahead. It was his last performance and putting the costume away was like saying goodbye to an old friend.
Katashi's normal wear consisted of a black sweater and a pair of navy blue paints. Under the sweater he wore a white shirt, on his neck was a gold lucky dice necklace. His attire wasn't necessarily fashionable but it served well for casual and was kept clean and thus was good enough for most occasions. On his person he held his suitcase, containing basic provisions including his money, soap, toothpaste, and his warlock costume. He also had his cell to make calls, at least till service ran out.
--Fuyuki Residential Apartment Complex--
Honda made it home. As he hopped through the stairs he took a right and passed two apartments. The number on his door read 667. He was so glad it never said three sixes for karma reasons. Currently however there was a slip of paper on his door, in bold letters he read it aloud "Eviction Notification."
"Ahhh man…" Honda hissed out. He really didn't need this right now. He went through hell orchestrating tonight so he could pay for his room for the month. He needed more time to find a place, just one more month, but it would seem that now he was forced out on his own.
This was Katashi Honda. Though on stage he was a Warlock it was merely in name only, for he was just a man. Honda the Warlock was an identity that served as a means of attaining some extra money on the side. Times are tough currently and making ends meet has been getting more and more harder. He once worked in a department store and was laid off. Without work Honda had to do whatever to make money. Without a college degree or necessary credentials for any fields other than retail, it was do or die, at least until he made enough money for travel expenses to search for work.
He looked to his left and saw a small cardboard box which contained some clothes and a few groom products. It was the rest of his stuff he kept in the apartment. Honda sighed. Seeing that notice filled him with dread.
Honda took the eviction notice, a means of solidifying his current reality as he took his stuff downstairs and into Fuyuki City. "The show must go on." Honda whispered to himself, psyching himself in order to not break down, as he was now homeless.
--Interior Car--
"Hmmm…" a voice can be heard in a jet black limousine. The voice was mature, yet definitely feminine. On closer inspection one would realize that this woman had pale skin almost white as snow. Currently while sitting, a well manicured hand fiddled with her long, almost white straight hair twirling a strand in her pointer finger on her left hand. The woman was currently being chauffeured by another woman with similar pale features. She wore a blue dress shirt and matching skirt, hardly concealing her curvaceous form. The driver wore a suit and had shoulder length, slightly unkempt hair.
"My lady, is he really the one you are looking for?" The driver asked, though her face bore very little if any emotion.
"Why yes, I believe so, in fact he is the definition of perfect." The woman in the back spoke, her face revealing glossy lips currently smiling gently as she clearly looked outside the window of the vehicle.
"He is not a magus, what makes him perfect?" The driver pondered, looking in Honda's direction.
"That is exactly why, Stria. No family, not many accomplishments, not even a picture in his high school yearbook. As far as the world's concerned he is a ghost. As for why him in particular, he is young physically, he is emotionally in need and untouched by the eccentricities and corruptions of both our world and his own. His is a vacant existence yet to be...filled." The woman turned to her driver revealing her bright blood red eyes. Her smile appeared more cruel with each word. She lifted one toned porcelain leg over the other as she spoke.
From far away through the window of the black car, the mysterious woman watched as Honda stumped and tripped with his personal effects as he wandered towards the neon lights of the city.
"No one would miss him even if he didn't pan out."
The driver could be seen looking at her master through the front view mirror.
"And for my needs, that's exactly why he's perfect."
CHAPTER END