-102:00:00

Tokiomi sat in his workshop, drumming his fingers over his crossed knees. Next to him stood Lancer X who had returned just now. So much fresh information; he needed time to digest it all before he could come up with an appropriate response. And there were a few more details. "Kirei," he addressed the enchanted gramophone, "how powerful is Rider's Noble Phantasm?" Lancer X had been the only Servant not pulled into the Reality Marble, leaving her -and by extension him- unable to witness its might.

A Reality Marble… to think a Servant could utilize magic like that…

"Equal to Gilgamesh's Gate of Babylon," his student reported dutifully. "EX-rank." His usual emotionless tone did little to diminish the scope of the threat. An ability that could not be quantified by the regular measuring of Servant stats…

Tokiomi stroked his goatee while mumbling, "At least our plan was successful in revealing the King of Conquerors' strength."

Lancer X appeared relaxed, but her Master knew her well enough by now to recognize hints of worry in her posture. "It's a shame Assassin is gone, but if we had confronted Rider's group without this foreknowledge, our chances would have been slim. A Noble Phantasm like that, coupled with his partners' own contributions?" She shook her head. "I'd be wiped out in an instant, and even our illustrious King of Heroes mightn't survive."

Tokiomi leaned back with a hum in agreement. His Servant had once again brought up another distressing point: Rider wasn't alone. Between his sword's multiple forms and erratic luck-altering Noble Phantasm, Saber X would make for a tricky opponent in direct combat. Still manageable, though. Berserker X, on the other hand, brought monstrous raw power and worryingly little insanity for one of his class to the table. If they were to fight together, with Rider's army backing them up, no other team in this Grail War might be able to match them.

The other teams, on that note, couldn't be ignored. Saber and Assassin X, like Jade had noted before, had displayed superb teamwork both at the docks and confronting Caster in the forest. That strange Berserker that had parried Gilgamesh's onslaught seemed to have little interest in cooperation, but his partner, that curious Caster X, was at least capable of reining him in. Lancer stood alone currently, but he was on friendly terms with all of these teams.

And now it seemed like Archer X and Caster were in an alliance. With Rider X, perhaps.

Tokiomi frowned towards the ceiling. He had underestimated the scope of that tyrannical machine's aspirations and his cunning. If Megatron truly had been arranging deals with other rogue Servants under his and Kirei's noses, then he would need to be stopped. Tokiomi wasn't about to let some extraterrestrial megalomaniac ruin his chance to fulfil what his family had spent generations preparing for.

Unfortunately, Rider X continued to remain on the move. Sometimes, he'd be in Shinto, others in Miyama. They would have to trap him somehow. Kirei's Command Seals could force him to stay still and let Lancer X or Archer finish him off.

But if the other Masters caught wind of this, they could learn of Kirei's deception and Tokiomi's plans. It was still too early to risk the secrecy falling apart. Maybe he shouldn't have been so quick to sacrifice Assassin, it would've been a simple matter (and amusingly poetic) for Rider X to fall at the blade of his own partner.

The Tohsaka magus closed his eyes. Stop that, you fool. Assassin's sacrifice was not in vain. And you still have other cards to play. They opened again to peer towards one of said cards.

Lancer X stood there, graceful as ever. Then she spoke. "If I may, Master, there are other matters to worry about besides defeating Rider. Caster, Archer X and Rider X are still out there, possibly working together." His lip quirked just a bit; they were on the same page. "And we have formed a truce with the other teams. They shouldn't cause us any trouble while the rogues are out there, so long as we do not antagonize them."

"So you're saying, hold off on confronting Rider or the rest until those three are dealt with?"

"It seems to be our best option. The less wild cards are in play, the better we can counter our enemies." The Servant extended an arm outward. "Otherwise, we risk all-out chaos, and even if the best-case scenario plays out and Archer defeats Rider and his entourage, it could leave his strength depleted. Making him easier pickings for another Servant or team."

"She has a point, teacher." Kirei chimed in. "Letting the rest hound the rogues will surely result in at least one of their number falling. But not before killing Caster or his possible allies. All the better if Rider X were to perish." Tokiomi's nerves relaxed; he detected no trace of regret or loyalty towards that familiar in the priest's last statement.

He rose to his feet and snatched up his cane, a tool symbolizing his lifelong dedication to magecraft. The red crystal which crowned its top housed a lifetime of mana. His turquoise eyes focused on it for a moment before locking gazes with Lancer X's hazel ones. "I agree with both of you," he declared his final verdict. "We will honor Caster X's truce for now, at least until the immediate threat is handled. Meanwhile, we continue to observe the others and make more concrete plans for dealing with them. Then we will proceed to the next stage and mobilize Archer against our enemies. There surely ought to be a way to defeat Rider and his partners in all the information we've gathered."

Kirei gave his affirmation. "Understood."

"Lancer X," the female faced him attentively, "you will take up Assassin's duty now. Search every last corner of Fuyuki until Caster and Archer X have been found."

"May I exchange information with the other Servants if I or they find anything?"

Tokiomi paused to think about this before replying, "Only if it pertains to our mutual targets. Otherwise, keep your distance from them. Let the rest wear themselves out in dispatching those renegades."

She answered with a professional nod; honorable though she was, she understood that at the end of the day, the other Servants were enemies in this War.

Pleased with her practicality, he turned to the gramophone. "And Kirei, if you see Rider X, do not let him know of our intentions with him. Place a tracking charm or the like to keep an eye on him. Keep his Command Seals ready, I'm not taking any more chances with that Servant."

"Of course." Once again, no sign of any hesitation. Kirei saw Rider X as an enemy, Tokiomi could be sure of that.

And with Assassin's mission fulfilled, he saw no point in taxing his student any more than he already had. "You've done a fine job, Kirei. Once Rider X is gone, you needn't be a Master anymore. Thank you." Tokiomi then deactivated the gramophone when no answer came; the man was surely relieved of his responsibilities soon ending. The Tohsaka Master then walked past Lancer X for the workshop table. "I'll be preparing for when I enter the front, Lancer X. Let me know if you find anything."

"I will, Master." He didn't sense her leaving yet, though. Rather, the Edenian remained where she was, conflict in her voice when she spoke again. "Before I go… there was something I wished to ask you about. A… name Kariya Matou and Rin mentioned.

"Who is Sakura?"

For a while, she received no answer. Her Master simply stood with his back turned to her, straight and stiff as an oak tree. Just as she made to repeat her question, Tokiomi Tohsaka finally said, "She was my and Aoi's daughter. Rin's younger sister." He slowly turned to face her with a (mostly) neutral expression. "I entrusted her to the Matou family over a year ago."

"You mean you put her up for adoption." Her fingers twitched, one step from closing into a fist. "You gave your daughter away."

Anger sparked for the fraction of an instant in those turquoise eyes, surprising her. Then they shut before opening again, returned to their usual collected state. "It was for her sake, Jade. Do not think for a second I made that decision lightly." Tokiomi drew in a breath through his nostrils and released it to remove the edge in his tone. "Even if she is no longer my daughter, Sakura is in the care of the Matous, a magus family of once great prestige." She sensed no lie in his words, which helped her keep her cool as he changed the subject. "You know your mission. If we have time afterwards, I can tell you more about her situation. On that, I give you my word as a magus."

Lancer X noted the conviction in that final statement and suppressed her reluctance. "Very well, Master. You shall hear from me when I have news." Then with a nod, she faded into spirit form.

Tokiomi stared at the spot she'd occupied a little longer before sighing. Just as I'd suspected, he mused while turning back to the table. As excellent a warrior and assassin Jade was, she was also a sentimental one. Witnessing her memories in his dreams told Tokiomi of the Edenian's staunch devotion to her childhood friend Kitana, her lost lover Kotal, and her true home. Her reaction to his revelation hadn't surprised him; all it took was recalling the circumstances of Jade and her mother. Another situation she hoped to change with the Holy Grail's power. Loyalty was a core part of her being.

To be honest, Tokiomi had grown to appreciate that quality of hers. I doubt Archer would've put the same effort into rescuing Rin like Jade did. He eyed her Command Seals with sincere respect. She might even be the most reliable accessory I have in this Grail War.

He closed his eyes; such a thought was unfair to Kirei. The priest had performed all of his tasks with distinction, all the more commendable considering he had no personal stake in this.

Besides, Tokiomi would ultimately have to betray Lancer X's loyalty with her sacrifice.

The anticipation of that time coming brought him no joy, but like with Sakura, it would have to be done. Such was the life of a magus.

"Ow! Damnit, is there really no other way for you to patch me up?"

"No, but it is the quickest way." The expression Archer X received made her "skin" crawl even more than the goddamn worms all over the interior of her armor. "And the most amusing."

"You hear me -Terk!- laughing, you scraggly -Ngh!- cockroach?"

"It amuses me." Zouken Matou shot his very useful (if exceedingly profane) tool a different kind of grin. "I'd advise you to hold still." One that was an unmistakable threat. "The more you move, the longer the process will take. And while watching you squirm is a fine show, I do have other matters to attend to."

Both of his hands rested atop his wooden cane, a finger tapping completely idly the Command Seals on his left appendage. "You wouldn't want me to insist now, would you?"

Despite the persisting unpleasantness of her situation, Archer X didn't back down. "As if you'd waste one of those two to hold me down, old man." She got up from the floor to loom over him. "And don't ever forget: I chose you as my Master."

Rather than be intimidated, Zouken only leered back at her. "Yes, you did. You'd do well to remember that yourself, Archer X." His black, soulless eyes narrowed. Right on cue, the Crest Worms currently restoring the Servant's body bit down simultaneously on key spots. She dropped involuntarily to one knee with a hiss of pain. "Just as you'd do well to remember I'm not so careless as your former Master," the Matou patriarch added, his tone cold as the winter winds blowing outside. "The Seals are a useful benefit to our alliance, but I can think of plenty alternatives to deal with you."

His mirth returned as she lifted with effort her head, the once-again repaired visor glaring at him despite the agony. "Well… I've got… one down now," she spat out. "Wanna… show me… the rest… or are we… gonna win this… fucking… War?"

The two stared each other down, probing for the slightest hint of weakness, before Zouken Matou cackled, the eerie sound bouncing through his home. Archer X settled for a grumble as she felt the Worms inside her cease their assault. The old magus ceased his laughing fit with a relaxed sigh. "You've certainly got a spine, Archer X. A quality I wished would be more prevalent in my family. So, yes, let's clear away the rest before worrying which of us kills the other first."

"Sounds good to me." The Freelancer rolled her shoulders experimentally after the last of the Worms crawled free of her armor. Much as she despised those creepy-crawlies, they'd at least done good on restoring her strength. She then nodded towards a table not far from them. "How's it going with the magic science project?"

Zouken walked slowly over to the table, cane thunking against the wooden floor. "The initial studies are… promising." He eyed the lantern-like device before him with great curiosity. "But I have honestly never come across such an advanced creation of magecraft and technology in all my life." And I'm more than five hundred years old, he added to himself with a hint of incredulity. "I'm not even sure if magecraft is what's inside this… Reactor."

"What, you mean there's some other kind of magic making it tick?"

"Maybe." Zouken scratched his chin in thought before sending a few of his smallest Crest Worms to maneuver inside the Prismatrix Reactor. Ridiculous though that name was, it originated from Lord Zeltretch. A man not to be taken lightly. Though he'd proven to be a pathetic Master, El-Melloi had at least not been foolish enough to treat such a device carelessly. And from what Zouken had already discerned through Archer X's brief explanation and his own analysis, he had likely not exaggerated its capabilities. Hence his postponing the activation.

While watching his creations investigate more of the Reactor's inner workings (very carefully), he addressed her again. "Are you certain you weren't tailed on your way here?"

"Positive. I covered my tracks thoroughly while slipping away from that psycho of a Berserker, and he was the only one following me while I made my 'delivery.' I didn't sense any other Servants around during our fight."

"That means little where Assassins are concerned," Zouken reminded her. "But so long as you're within these grounds' Bounded Field, others cannot detect your presence. And seeing as we have yet to receive any unwelcome visitors, I'd say our partnership remains a secret."

"But that state is not permanent." Both turned at a familiar set of heavy footprints growing closer. Rider X strode into the room with a contemplative frown. "The other Servants may have already begun to put the pieces together. We should prepare ourselves for the next stage."

Archer X crossed her arms. "Is Caster on board, then?" That green bimbo and her magic stick had blown the body of the lunatic who'd summoned him to tiny chunks, and with it, Caster's Command Seals. Any attempts to reacquire them from the Holy Grail, Zouken had said, would be risky and too time-consuming. That meant they had to persuade the psycho through other means.

"His insanity makes him difficult to negotiate with, but I have made headway with him." Those crimson orbs turned with amusement towards Zouken. "As I understand, he is quite grateful to your courtesy."

The senior bowed his head with a cruel smirk. "Let no one say the Matou family does not know hospitality."

Archer X kept herself from adding a snide remark about the wrinkly bastard's "hospitality." Like it or not, she'd agreed to Rider X's offer, and these two were a lot warier around her than Lancer or Archie had been. Sicker, too. Just wait it out. I'll let the others deal with this metal asshole and human worm pit, then snag the Grail when the dust is cleared. Hell, I might even kill them myself. But she'd have to pick her moment.

And this wasn't it. "So, what's next?"

Rider X sobered from his mirth and stepped further towards them. "For now, we discuss our more immediate plans. Though his numbers have severe depleted, Assassin remains a source of surveillance and intelligence. Caster will make a fine weapon once he has been swayed to our side. A deranged missile we will drop on our enemies, after which you, Archer X, and I shall fall upon the rest." Then his smile returned. "I trust you remember my preferences."

"Yeah, yeah," Archer X scoffed in annoyance. "You can have the blowhard, Goldilocks, and that Saber doll for all I care, big guy. Just remember, Lancer is mine."

"Of course." Megatron quickly traded an amused look with Zouken before adding, "Just so you know, Lancer himself is very insistent on claiming your life personally."

The armored Servant stiffened at the words before sputtering. "R-really?" Then she shook herself violently and tried to regain her composure. "W-well of course! That's the way it's gonna be… me and that stick-in-the-mud dumbass, settling things once and for all…"

Zouken had to keep himself from laughing at how Archer X almost sounded lovestruck in the way she was contemplating a mutual kill with that Celtic knight. That Love Spot has really sunk its claws into her… Even back when they had first met, Archer X had been all calm and collected while negotiating terms for their partnership. Especially when it came to the science project she had commandeered.

But what had sealed the deal was her demanding that they do not harm Lancer. Oh, she had dressed it up with half-arrogant stutters and murmurs of how she'd be the one to kill his ex-partner, but Zouken, Rider X and Assassin could all see the flashing "TSUNDERE" signs around her.

But right now, Archer X had fully recovered, and it was back to business. While the trio continued to discuss strategy, Zouken Matou absorbed it all with rapt glee, savoring the potential chaos. And his twisted mind drifted back to when a certain "Heroic" Spirit first approached him…

-131:23:03

He stood out at the front of his home, two steps before the Bounded Field. He scanned the area before him with rising impatience; an unusual characteristic of him, but then, these were unusual times.

Then his ears picked something up. A whine that grew more high-pitched with each passing second, similar to a motorcycle's engine. And it wasn't coming from in front… but above him.

The Matou patriarch glanced up just in time to see something hurtle down from the sky and suddenly transform into a humanoid figure. Humanoid, not human. The mechanical creature landed with nary a stumble just outside the Bounded Field and bared his teeth in a wolfish grin towards him.

"Zouken Matou…" That voice made the Crest Worms quiver inside of him, "how good of you to answer my request."

Zouken eyed this Servant with both caution and curiosity. His little ones had kept him thoroughly up to date on the players in this Grail War. "Rider X," he greeted back cordially, "I've heard quite a few things about you. And you certainly delivered your… request in an interesting manner."

Indeed, he hadn't expected a knife to pierce his office window last night and embed itself into the wall, a handwritten note tied to its hilt. Usually, the knife would've been aimed at his head.

The offer for a meeting hadn't intrigued Zouken so much as the fact that someone had been able to throw the knife into the mansion in the first place. His home should've barred all those with hostile intent and their armaments, magical or otherwise. Then again, no defense was truly impenetrable.

And Servants with certain talents could surely work around the Bounded Field. Like a Caster. Or… Zouken remembered the weapon that had delivered the message, cross-referenced it against the pairings of this Grail War's irregularities… and grinned at his "guest." "Curious how Assassin would do you any favors… considering, for one, he's supposed to be dead, and for another, you went separate ways with him and your Master."

Rather than be taken aback, Rider X only chuckled slowly at the observations. "I had been told that you were a cunning one."

Zouken returned the chuckle. "Ah, Tokiomi… as arrogant as his ancestors. I thought that little showing of his Servants looked a bit staged." He shifted slightly to eye the larger being from the side. "To be fair, though, it might've taken me longer to see through his ruse were it not for you."

"But you would've realized it eventually, wouldn't you?" Rider X shook his head with an irked leer. "His illusion was so pathetic, I suppose I couldn't help myself." He sobered. "But shattering it for my amusement wasn't the only reason I hoped we could meet, Lord Matou."

"Oh?" Drumming his fingers atop his cane, the old magus took on a bored look. "Is the revelation of Tokiomi Tohsaka and Kirei Kotomine's alliance supposed to be your buying into my favor? Do they wish to expand their forces by joining with the Matou's?" He faked a disappointed sigh. "I'd have expected more from your first impression."

All the while, he waited to see what this being would do.

The sudden, scornful bark of a laugh took him a little aback. "Is that what you think my plans are? Broker an alliance between your family and that pompous twit?" Now Zouken found himself being scrutinized with a side-eye. "Come now, Zouken Matou. I would expect more imagination from one of your age." The Heroic Spirit began to pace along the length of the Bounded Field, clearly knowing it was there. "I'll admit, your boy's Berserker has proven himself a fierce one against Archer and Assassin X, and what little I know of Caster X-"

An involuntary twitch went through Zouken at the mentioning of that man.

Rider X showed no sign of noticing it as he continued. "Intrigues me. But I care not for giving Tokiomi Tohsaka any more of an advantage to botch. And I am not interested in what poor, broken Kariya Matou can offer me." He leaned as close to the Field as he could without actually touching it, his massive form casting a shadow over Zouken. "Not when one of those who started the Holy Grail Wars in the first place… might be open for negotiation."

Zouken's amusement had faded. As had the spark of disinterest. He stared unblinking into those eyes like twin crimson flames, searching for something. What it was, even he couldn't be sure. And they gazed right back without hesitation. He hummed to himself, drawing out more time to think. "…An alliance?" he finally asked. "With you? Why would I try to claim the Grail through a Servant I do not know when I already have someone to claim it for me?"

"Because you do not actually seek the Grail."

That statement rattled his composure, enough that he had to fight to maintain it. A smirk drifted across that metallic face. "Or at least, you do not seek to claim it in this War. If you had, you would've put forth more effort than sending a crippled amateur with a rabid beast to fight six potentially full-fledged Masters and their Servants." Rider X began to pace again, pulling his wary gaze along. "If you truly had grown desperate, then you would've arranged for a more suitable champion as the Einzberns did or at least provided Kariya with better odds. Especially considering the presence of foreign Servants like me. Granted, no one could've predicted our involvement before our arrivals, but that should be all the more reason to change your plans for victory. Unless you have faith in Caster X being sufficient reinforcement for your son." Shaken as he was, Zouken couldn't hide the snarl that escaped him, drawing a laugh from his conversation partner. "No, I think not. You despise that wizard, don't you?"

"Despise" is too weak a word, Zouken growled internally. "Quite an amusing theory you have there, familiar. You've clearly been paying attention." Assassin must've been feeding him information all this time. "What else do you know?"

Rider X ceased pacing to watch him with a dark sort of mirth. One that drew him in for some reason. "Well, I don't claim to know your reasons for wanting your spawn to fail, but I do know that if you are half the cunning worm my Master and Tokiomi have described you at different times as…" he tapped idly against the Bounded Field, mana sparking from the steel knuckles, "then you ought to be willing to consider working with an interested party."

Zouken Matou actually spun away from the Servant in order to think. He was already riled up enough. Much as he was angry with himself for slipping up, the main source of his frustration was that unexpected and absolutely unwelcome wizard. He'd wanted Kariya to wallow in anguish and demented fury towards Tokiomi. He was supposed to tear himself apart while falling pathetically short of saving poor little Sakura. A painful, meaningless death… a fitting punishment for abandoning the Matou family to decline.

Then along came that archaic greybeard of another world, and all of a sudden, Kariya was much better off than before! The insectoid spies Zouken had following the trio showed that familiar healing him, nursing his and Berserker's rage, making that fool of a deserter smile again. Giving him hope. Real hope, worryingly enough. With those two Servants covering each other's weak points, Kariya stood an actual chance of winning the War. So, Zouken's next move would logically be to get rid of Caster X.

The problem was how to do that. As a Caster-class, that Servant was undoubtably well-versed in thaumaturgical arts. Ergo, confronting him in a duel of magecraft wouldn't bode well, even for Zouken. A physical confrontation even less so with that blasted sword. And sneak attacks would likewise prove ineffective, this "Gandalf" was a clever one. No doubt he sensed the presence of Zouken's familiars tailing them.

Most infuriatingly, he couldn't even count on the final solution in case Kariya might've gotten uppity: the Crest Worms inside Kariya's own body.

Zouken Matou possessed supreme command over all of the insects which constituted his family's Magic Crest. His little darlings were already eating away at Kariya to provide for his Servants' upkeep, but they also prevented that fool from physically defying him. All Zouken had to do was give the word, and they would rip him apart from the inside out.

At least… that was supposed to be the case. But Zouken sensed that the Worms weren't quite as voracious as they should be. Rather, they had consumed the bare minimum needed to sustain an average Servant, whereas one like Berserker should've required far more. At times, they were even completely idle, huddling together in… trepidation. Not even he could stir them into conflict or see what was going on through them.

And the reason for their odd behavior?

Caster X. Always Caster X.

That… creature and his magic wasn't merely rejuvenating Kariya's body, his mere proximity made the Worms still. As though they wished to escape his notice.

From the moment he had appeared in his basement, Zouken had sensed something very different about that spirit. Some sort of attribute or ability. Whatever it was, it made the Crest Worms fear Caster X. They simply couldn't stand being around him. His familiars hovered too far away to properly monitor him, he couldn't exert his will over Kariya's Worms…

Zouken had expressly forbidden Caster X from setting foot inside the Matou mansion with admittedly less subtle threats to Sakura's life. Who knows what that familiar might've done to her otherwise.

He knew the smart thing would be to let this play out. Even if Berserker truly learned to work in a team with his… partner, there were plenty other mighty adversaries in this Grail War. One such character stood smug before him. Kariya could likely fall before them. Who knows, he might've clashed with Tokiomi as he wanted, and the resulting confrontation would've annihilated both teams. Heck, if Kariya did somehow win the War, then he'd deliver the Holy Grail. Kariya would die within a year, immortality would finally be within Zouken's grasp, and all he'd have to give up was a little girl full of potential he wouldn't even need anymore.

…But no. He couldn't accept it.

Zouken Matou just couldn't accept cowering in the presence of a mere Servant.

He refused to accept his victory through the likes of Caster X!

"That old man is no ally of mine, either." He snapped his head up, losing his mask for once, to glare at Rider X in surprise. He only gave a snide smile back. "No, I am not a mind-reader. But I led a war for dominion of my world. A war that went on for millions of years." His smile widened. "If nothing else, it taught me that a good strategist is half psychologist… and half sadist."

Zouken's smile returned. "Well, that statement explains more than a few things about you. So tell me, my friend, what exactly do you want, and what have I to gain?"

"I want the same as any other participant." The titan lifted his right hand, fingers curled upwards as though to clutch something. "The Holy Grail. Not as some trophy for Tokiomi Tohsaka to claim, but for myself." He let the hand fall back to his side. "But I have also developed an… interest in certain other Servants. A desire to defeat them with my own hands.

"Aid me in this Holy Grail War, Zouken Matou, and Caster X shall fall." That smile widened. "And perhaps you needn't wait for the next War to acquire the Grail."

Both of these prospects sounded so delicious, so alluring to Zouken right now, he'd have pounced on the offer if he'd been a much younger man.

But he was not some reckless youth easily swayed by a Servant's Charisma. And he'd learned the hard way to never accept something that sounded too good to be true. "You make an intriguing offer," he finally answered. "Perhaps one I'd be willing to accept." Zouken stepped closer to the Bounded Field separating them. "But tell me something: would you cast aside your old Master and accept me as your new one?"

Those red eyes gazed into his black before their owner gave his answer. One word. "…No."

Zouken blinked in slight surprise. "No?" The inflection in that word had almost sounded… tender. "I thought you despised being under Tokiomi's thumb. And I know for sure now that Kirei Kotomine remains both your Master and his disciple. Why stay a Servant of a Servant?"

"My distaste for Tokiomi is a separate matter from my… relationship with Kirei Kotomine," Rider X clarified with a thoughtful expression. His eyes flickered to the side, slightly off-focus. "There is… something about him which fascinates me. At first glance, you may mistake him for a dull soul, one amongst many of humanity. But… he is simply empty within. Waiting to be filled." Low, dark laughter bubbled up from within him. "And he may have darker desires than he realizes."

The Matou patriarch made a mental note to keep an eye on the overseer's son.

Those eyes then refocused on Zouken's. "For now, I have no intentions of finding a new Master. Not while my current one continues to pique my curiosity. Besides," he flashed a cold smirk, "I am offering you a partnership. Not my fealty."

Zouken stared silently at the otherworldly Heroic Spirit a little longer, then he burst into full-throated laughter. This creature sought his assistance while simultaneously acknowledging neither could actually trust the other?! He hadn't encountered such a soul in… in… "Y-you continue to surpass my expectations," he finally gasped out. Once calm again, he gave his trademark smile. "But you realize that even if I agree to this… partnership, we remain competitors. I could be making plans to end you and your Master after the rest are gone."

"Naturally," Rider X agreed immediately and without losing his smirk. "I too could be preparing for the prospect of ending your unnaturally long life once the board has been cleared."

Excitement began to burn inside Zouken, a flame whose warmth he hadn't felt in a long time. "Many have tried before you, Servant, and yet I'm still here."

The broad smile he received only stoked the flame. "But I have yet to try, magus."

Zouken's smile grew ever broader as he found himself drawn closer to what this night offered him. But it flickered in light of one particular thing. "Caster X dies painfully."

"One way or another," the Servant assured him, "he will never see the Holy Grail, let alone touch it."

That quashed the last of his immediate doubts. The image of that old creature perishing and Kariya falling into despair afterwards warmed his black old heart. Let his hope grow all the more with his precious "savior" around. From the higher he's dropped, the harder he'll fall.

The ancient (debatable) human snapped his fingers with a commanding thought, opening part of the Bounded Field for Rider X. As the massive spirit stepped closer, he smiled upon remembering a line from a more recent favorite of his. "Rider X, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

An open metal hand extended towards him. "Then feel free to call me Megatron, Lord Matou."

He reached out to shake it. "Feel free to call me Zouken."

-95:28:46

The first rays of dawn were making their presence known through the window's curtains in Kiritsugu's room. He paid it little heed, though, focusing on affixing a handwritten note to the wall board before him. "We haven't detected any traces of survivors," Maiya reported via the cellphone he held to his ear. He'd sent her with Assassin X's Shadow Clone for reconnaissance once the original had returned. "I'm fairly certain all of Assassin's numbers were wiped out in the battle last night."

He took a step back from the wall, scratching his chin. He glanced to Assassin X, pinning up more intel, and said to both, "Be that as it may, stay on guard. Nothing's gone the way we expected in this Grail War." Upon receiving two confirmations to his warning, he changed the topic. "By the way, Maiya, have you prepared our new base of operations?"

"We'll be bringing Ma'am and Saber there first thing tomorrow."

"Good. That'll be all."

"Very well. Good night, Kiritsugu. Assassin X."

"Get some rest, Maiya," the Servant called to her. Kiritsugu ended the call and put the phone away while sitting down on the bed. The only other occupant of the hotel room eyed him carefully. He finally asked, "Where do you want to start?"

The Master huffed to himself before replying, "Might as well with the elephant in the room." His fists clenched against one another. "What the hell is Rider X planning?"

Assassin X fixed his gaze on the map of Fuyuki affixed to the wall. "A simple answer would be 'nothing good,' but that doesn't help us much either. Sadly, all we really have on him is speculation. Archer X has definitely crossed paths with him, and we now know that she saved Caster from Lancer X, Caster X and Berserker only a few hours before Rider showed up at the mansion. Then Rider X barges into the banquet, exchanges stories and barbs with us (more of the latter than the former), then leaves after Rider wiped out his partner."

"So we think," Kiritsugu countered briefly. That Servant had faked his death once already. Using the same trick twice seemed a little far-fetched, but… he focused on the real topic. "Could the Reality Marble have scared him off?"

He received a shake of Assassin X's head as his answer. "Rider X is a deceitful, ambitious bastard," the name "Decepticon" echoed in their minds, "but he doesn't strike me as a coward. He wouldn't just rile up other rulers, then scamper off after a rival calls his bluff. No, he's up to something, I'm sure of it."

The Mage Killer nodded to himself. "And it's somehow connected to the other two rogues. Caster and his Master had continued kidnapping children prior to the latter's death and the former being taken by Archer X. Roughly a dozen of them have been collected by the authorities and subsequently tended to by the church's staff." The benefits of tapping police radios proved themselves yet again. "But no other abductions or sightings of Caster have occurred since then."

Assassin X crossed his arms, fingers drumming against his sleeves. "Archer X deposited him somewhere in Miyama Town, then tore up a construction site while fighting Berserker. Both left in one piece that place from what Pakkun and Bull could tell, but they couldn't pin her trail down." One hand lifted to hover over the map's rural district. "She must still be somewhere in this area, Caster too, but it's still a fair bit of ground to cover. Worst case, they don't have a solid base of operations and are mobile."

"I don't think so. At least, not in Caster's case. His Territory Creation gives him an advantage, but it would force him to remain stationary." Kiritsugu rose from the bed and crossed the distance to the room's desk in two swift strides. Pushing aside a few other pieces of gear, he retrieved a certain something and held it towards the light from the window.

Assassin X eyed the contents of the plastic bag carefully. "The worm remains Ūhei found yesterday?"

His Master nodded while adding, "Back where we investigated Rider X and Archer X's meeting point. I'm not a master magus, but I ran a few tests, and you were right. This was definitely a creature made by magecraft." He tossed it back onto the desk and glared towards a certain spot on the map. Unpleasant memories began to surface, but he shot them down. "I've seen similar forms of magecraft before. And I've heard of one magus family in Fuyuki that has practiced such arts for generations."

Assassin X followed his cold gaze to one residency. "The Matous. But… neither Caster X nor his Master, the Matou boy, showed anything like camaraderie towards Rider X. Their animosity couldn't have been faked."

Any other person to say that, and Kiritsugu would've dismissed it as naïve idiocy. But he'd come to trust Assassin X's judgement. So instead, he said, "Then maybe the old man Zouken is operating separately from his son. Or maybe the worm's presence at that spot had nothing to do with Rider X gathering allies." Neither looked like they'd buy the latter idea.

"Either way, we need to make sure." Kiritsugu sat back on his bed, clasping his hands in thought. "I'll send a familiar or one of the pack to keep an eye on the Matou mansion." He hadn't done so before due to Kariya Matou keeping his distance from that place. A mistake on the Mage Killer's part, from the looks of it. "We need to learn more about the nature of Rider X's affiliations before jumping into anything." Including his standing with his Master, he added to himself. "Let's move on to the other teams."

Assassin X nodded before tapping the map with his knuckle. "This is all the data we've acquired ever since arriving here. Masters, Servants, their movements, and anything else that could be relevant."

He suppressed a weary sigh at their upcoming discussion; Kiritsugu may've voiced no objections to the ceasefire Gandalf had formed, but he'd silently continued to compile information on all the other teams the entire night. The shinobi also had suspicions that he would want to re-implement his original strategy: take out the other Masters while they're focused on the big prize.

Kakashi Hatake wasn't naïve, he knew that they would eventually come to blows with the rest if they wanted to win the Grail. Hence his holding his tongue about the ruthlessly pragmatic ways his Master was a little too quick to fall back on. For now.

Said Master nodded as his left hand reached into a paper bag on his bed and withdrew a hamburger. Assassin X eyed it with a twinkle of humor. "That doesn't look very healthy."

"You're a Servant, not a diet counselor," Kiritsugu snarked back, one corner of his lips twitching upwards. "This is sufficient nourishment for now." Besides, he'd grown sick of the extravagant cuisine he'd had to endure with the Einzberns. It had been too long since he'd eaten a simple burger.

Taking a bite from it, he scanned the various threads on the map in deep thought. The combat situation seemed much more chaotic than he'd hoped for, but he'd also seen worse. His eyes settled onto one particular target. "Little activity from the Tohsaka residence," he noted. "Tokiomi left it briefly last night to drive just outside the outskirts, most likely with one Servant in tow, but returned within the hour. Otherwise, he hasn't done anything since his Servants killed that Assassin. It's as though he wants to wait out the storm."

"That might be well within his ability," Assassin X added his two cents. He pointed up to an image of a certain green-wearing Servant. "The pack has reported Lancer X patrolling the grounds like a hawk. She only left once three nights ago in an attempt to kill the Master of Rider, Saber X and subsequently Berserker X. It failed, but not for lack of trying on her part."

Kiritsugu nodded after another bite. "Based on Akino's report, she combines typical staff prowess of her class with martial arts and use of magic. Not to mention she was spying on the banquet," his lip curled in distaste at that ridiculous event Rider had instigated, "indicating skill in stealth."

"I only caught a flicker of activity every now and then," Assassin X agreed, "she hid her presence well enough that I might've thought myself mistaken if she hadn't revealed herself."

"Could she have some secret weapon besides that staff and tri-bladed weapon?"

"I don't think so. Based on what I could tell about her when she talked with the rest, Lancer X seems like a warrior of honor and skill, not a powerhouse. She'd make a tricky opponent, especially if she has the element of surprise, but not undefeatable." He sighed quietly while eyeing an image of her gold-armored partner. "It's Archer I'm less enthusiastic about confronting. Especially if your theory about his identity is correct."

Kiritsugu hummed in agreement. They'd replayed ad nauseam every word that Servant had uttered during the banquet, every part of his body language. All the riches of this world belonging to him, unshakeable belief in his own established law, mentioning of certain animals in superstitious context, one title in particular: "The King of Heroes."

The evidence pointed to Archer being a very old Heroic Spirit, the oldest, in fact. The very first hero stories had ever told of in this world's history. Ergo, the strongest one this world had to offer…

It was just a theory for now, though. And both Master and Servant found parts of themselves wishing that this theory would prove incorrect. But when have I ever been that lucky? The Mage Killer grumbled to himself.

Nevertheless, he concentrated on another set of photos. "Kariya Matou and his Servants continue to avoid his family residence. Between his frail constitution and making simple alleys as his base of operations, he should be an easy target." His eyes narrowed at a familiar pointy hat. "But Caster X's presence would muddy a surprise attack."

While he bit off more of his burger, his Servant tilted his head. "He's definitely a skilled fighter. Even Saber wouldn't have an easy time beating him in a straight duel, though her Magic Resistance should shield her from most of his powers. My lacking that skill would swing the odds in his favor if we fought, but I might be able to kill Caster X. If I struck hard and fast."

Kiritsugu's eyebrow rose. "Here I thought you liked him." His words weren't accusing, though. Truth be told, even the Mage Killer had found himself… slightly hesitant in considering methods to dispatch that foreigner.

"I do," Assassin X admitted bluntly, raising a hand to forestall any follow-ups. "But before you start, I haven't forgotten which side I'm on. I may eventually have to fight Gandalf if either of us hasn't died before then. I don't like it, but I've accepted it. And I promise you, Kiritsugu, I won't hold back against any of my opponents. No matter how much I like or respect them."

Emiya noted the choice in words, the tone behind them: regret, a hint of apprehension but solid determination. Just like a veteran assassin. He truly was willing to take lives for the sake of his goal. Not for the first time, the Mage Killer was satisfied with the unexpected Servant the Grail had provided him.

"However," he perked up as Assassin X continued, "I'd argue for not picking a fight with Caster X. Personal feelings aside, there doesn't seem to be anyone else who can calm his partner down when his blood's up. Not even their Master."

"…Good point." Kiritsugu conceded, eyeing the dark shape on one picture. "Besides, Berserker's abnormal special power makes him an ideal counter to Archer's Noble Phantasm." Both remembered that brilliant display of weapons mastery three nights ago.

"If it weren't for his fixation on Saber, we could just leave Berserker alone as a deterrent against Tohsaka's forces." Assassin X rubbed the right side of his head subconsciously. "I chopped off his arm at the dockyards, and he still put up one hell of a fight. If it hadn't been for Caster X's intervention, he'd have definitely pressed his attack even if it killed him. And he'd have taken me or Saber down with him."

Kiritsugu frowned in agreement with the assessment. The battle at the docks, the chaos in the Einzbern forest; both times, Berserker had appeared out of nowhere to give an impressive showing of his martial prowess, and both times, he had only retreated because of the wizard talking him down. Kiritsugu and his team had also grown to suspect that the black knight had developed a protective streak for his partner. Targeting Gandalf the Gray would almost guarantee Berserker unleashing his full wrath. And as Assassin X had pointed out, he already had Saber in his sights for some reason.

That thought made him briefly switch tracks. "Have you or Maiya made any progress with discerning Berserker's identity?"

He received a shrug in response. "I drew up a picture of his armor to help Maiya cross-reference -sorry for not running the idea through you before talking with her, by the way." Kiritsugu waved it off; it hadn't compromised his plans or undermined his authority, after all. If anything, he appreciated the ninja's initiative. "She's been combing through legends with help from my clone, but I haven't heard anything from them yet. You?"

The Master shook his head. A bit frustrating, but it wasn't that crucial yet. "We'll avoid Kariya's team for now," he concluded. "Picking a fight with them presently would yield little benefit, and it looks like they have other targets in mind." Nearly finished with his burger, he moved back on track. "Lancer and his new Master are currently the most vulnerable team. No secondary Servant, his True Name and abilities known to everyone, and taking him down would solve the issue of Saber's injury." He rolled his eyes at the pointed look he was getting. "Yes, I know that Saber wants to settle the fight with him personally." Typical chivalric nonsense… he muttered internally.

"Just checking," Assassin X drawled with a snarky undertone. The calculating gleam in his Master's eye hadn't escaped his notice, but he didn't want to start another fight this early. "We've already discussed Lancer's former partner, let's talk about Rider's team. They'll most likely be the biggest headache after we solve the current Caster crisis."

If we're all still alive by then. He couldn't help but add to himself.

"Agreed." Finishing his meal, Kiritsugu crumpled up the leftover paper and tossed it into the bin. "The team continues to be mobile thanks to Rider's flying chariot, making tracking them difficult even for your boys. A rowdy bunch, but extremely dangerous." He scanned the trio of pictures for a long time before asking, "Assassin X, how would you rank them in terms of power?"

The Heroic Spirit of Assassination leaned against the wall, mask hiding his contemplative frown. "If we're going from bottom to top, I'd start with Saber X. He's similar to the Lancers: technique over brute force. His best assets are his weapon and that Aura he showed us, but Misfortune could throw any plans we make for a loop."

The Mage Killer couldn't argue with that (in fact, he was making a conscious effort not to dwell on having to live with a power like that). In all his jobs across the world, he'd always tried to plan for every possible detail, but one he had little control over was luck. "That alcoholic Servant may not be as overpowered as his partners," he thought out loud, "but his tendency to cause bad luck could be trouble. Do you think he might've been lying about not having any control over it?"

"With the way he was guzzling wine and growing more melancholic by the second? I doubt it."

"Then it's a double-edged sword." Kiritsugu didn't like fluid variables like that. "Moreover, his lack of massive power and Independent Action make Saber X the least consumptive for that boy they call Master. It's probably how he can juggle three Servants with two of them being Berserker X and Rider."

Assassin X scratched his head. "On that note, Berserker X is physically the strongest of the three. Maybe of all the Servants in this War. His mana reserves must be enormous considering what he released last night." He shuddered a bit while remembering that surge of power. "There's a Servant who can fight Noble Phantasms without having one himself." He shrugged. "But on the flipside, he doesn't show much technique."

"I only know the basics of Kendō myself, and I still make a better-trained swordsman," Kiritsugu muttered in accord with that assessment. "Berserker X's brutish love for combat actually stifles his own talent. With the way he keeps piling handicaps on himself, we have a better chance of taking him down." He scratched the stubble on his chin. "Maybe we can even exploit them."

"Like dealing a mortal blow while he's still got that eyepatch on?"

"Exactly. That thing is his biggest restraint. Without it, he could blast an entire city block clean off the map." A slightly predatory smirk drifted across his face. "And it's not like he doesn't want his handicaps to be exploited."

"True, but even then, killing Berserker X isn't going to be easy," his ally reminded him. "He held out two whole nights on his own power and still fought evenly with Rider X. And doesn't he have Battle Continuation?"

"He does. Likely part of how he lasted that long without a Master." That smirk was already gone. "I'm not underestimating Berserker X's threat level, Assassin X. No more than I would his 'leader'."

Assassin X nodded solemnly. "The King of Conquerors…" he murmured, still a bit in awe from what his Shadow Clone had experienced alongside Saber and Iri. "Even with a title like that, I couldn't have imagined him having such a Noble Phantasm."

The sudden change from night to eternal day, hot winds over an endless desert, thousands of soldiers standing at the ready… So, this is the power of a "Reality Marble?" He wondered to himself. He couldn't think of many shinobi in his world's history that might've been capable of such a magnificent technique. Certainly none who had lived during Kakashi's time.

The "champion" of the Einzberns himself had never been assigned a target that could've commanded such magecraft. No, magecraft was almost too small a word for that feat. That didn't mean he was about to give up, though. "This Noble Phantasm is powerful, but it doesn't make Rider unbeatable." He began to consider battle possibilities.

Assassin X was doing the exact same thing. "Maybe not unbeatable, but definitely hard to beat. Ionioi Hetairoi gives him not just the numerical advantage, but the terrain to put them to best use. Even Saber can't defeat an entire army charging at her from all sides. Not without a lot of effort."

"Knowing you, you'd be right by her side, Assassin X." The Servant blinked at the words and how his Master had said them, but Kiritsugu continued without missing a beat. "But no Noble Phantasm, no matter how great, can exist without its owner. Kill Rider, and Ionioi Hetairoi will fall apart." He hummed in thought. "Perhaps a sneak attack while he's off guard…"

"That tactic is limited here." Now Kiritsugu was the one blinking, prompting Assassin X to elaborate. "Remember back when Rider first invoked it? He pulled the Assassins and everyone sitting with him at the banquet into the Marble, including my clone, but Lancer X and the real me were left behind." Understanding began to creep into his expression while the Copy Ninja continued. "I think Ionioi Hetairoi can only be accessed by those who Rider draws in consciously. Those he's not aware of, he can't take with him." He sighed. "Besides, those plains are not exactly suitable for stealth missions."

The Mage Killer accepted this reasoning while reconsidering the plan. "Then we'd have to eliminate him before he invokes that Noble Phantasm. Or failing that, somehow outlast the onslaught until he runs out of mana. Iskandar was a crusading monarch, not a magus. He can't possibly maintain something as vast as a Reality Marble and its contents indefinitely."

Assassin X nodded to that. "That strategy is geared towards confronting Rider alone. What if Saber X and Berserker X decide to join in?"

"Then we'll definitely need a new plan." Kiritsugu's brow furrowed. "By the way, wasn't there a disturbance earlier tonight where that team was somehow involved?" (*)

His question received no answer, prompting him to turn with a frown to the Servant. The Servant who was standing stiff as a board, hands shoved as deep in his pockets as possible, and a forcedly neutral (nearly haunted) look in his eye. "…That incident should have no greater effect on the Grail War," Assassin X finally said in a clipped tone. "And for the sake of both our sanities, Master, I advise you not to question that topic further."

Kiritsugu Emiya eyed the Heroic Spirit carefully, scrutinized his words or posture for any deception, recalled that before him stood a veteran shinobi who had seen and braved many dangers in his life, some of which he'd seen for himself… and wisely decided to let the matter slide.

Unfortunately, now came the topic he had honestly been procrastinating… Kiritsugu placed a cigarette into his mouth, something to steady his nerves. "Even if we might be sure Assassin was completely destroyed by Rider, what does that mean about his Master?"

That man…

His Assassin, knowing exactly who they were talking about, spoke up while the Master lit his cigarette, ruminating over the possibilities. "Assuming we were right about him working for Tohsaka, having Assassin spy on the rest and Rider X cause general mayhem, then he should've hidden away in Fuyuki Church the entire time. The first Assassin's death was a ruse for the rest. To keep it up, he'd have to lay low."

Kiritsugu exhaled some smoke. "But he didn't do that." He got up and paced towards the desk. "Lying in ambush at the Hyatt, appearing near the Einzbern castle… neither action makes any sense." He suspected the answer, but something prevented him from voicing it.

"…Only if we consider Irisviel and Saber his targets." He glanced back towards an obviously apprehensive Assassin X. "But back at the Hyatt, he questioned Maiya about your whereabouts, not theirs. Kirei Kotomine's hunting you, Kiritsugu."

Once again, the shinobi had perfectly voiced his own thoughts. And that didn't unnerve Kiritsugu nearly as much as what they both knew. He tapped out some ashes into a beer can he'd been using as an impromptu ashtray. "But we still don't know why. He couldn't have known that I was your and Saber's Master before then." His voice remained level even as his thoughts raced.

Both men eyed the picture of that dark-eyed Executor pinned to the wall. "…Could he be somehow related to a past mission of yours?" Assassin X finally offered. "Did you ever work in any capacity with the church?"

"No," Kiritsugu said immediately. "The Eighth Sacrament's Executors fulfill tasks similar to what I used to do as the Mage Killer; offering my services would've been redundant. And the church's general opinion of me wasn't much more flattering than what I was known as to the rest of the Moonlit World. They wouldn't have bothered hiring a 'heretic' like me, not when they have their batch of sanctimonious thugs." He took a long drag from his cigarette before continuing. "And I didn't deal with any who'd strayed off the path or the like, the church is very particular about dealing with internal matters themselves."

"Then could he be targeting you due to a personal connection, then? A dear friend, family member, bitter rival he had sworn to crush with his own hands, but you killed, stealing his chance?"

Kiritsugu stared silently at his ally for a while. "…I dread to ask if that last one was a common occurrence on your world." He only received a flat look in response. "But to answer your question, none of my old missions could be connected in any way to Kirei Kotomine. We grew up under different circumstances, operated in completely different circles… there's no point in his life or mine where we could've met prior to the Holy Grail War."

He crushed his cigarette in his "ashtray" with mounting frustration. The only thing he knew for sure about that Master was that he was actively hunting him. And that he was able to discern Kiritsugu's tactics. That fear he had confessed to Iri atop the castle grew the more he thought about that man. All the magi he had hunted and killed, all the other Masters, he had an idea what they wanted and how to deal with them. But now, the answers eluded him.

Then a new voice broke through his increasingly worried pondering. "Maybe he's targeting you for the same reason you're so cautious around him, Kiritsugu." Assassin X's Master turned to him in surprise (and some relief, he noted). He indicated the picture. "You consider Kirei Kotomine the most dangerous obstacle in the War because you can't predict his actions or be sure what he wants. Kotomine has clearly heard about you, and you've described him as an 'empty' man. Maybe he views you with that same kind of caution."

Assassin X's words made the gears slowly turn inside Kiritsugu's mind. He could see the logic behind that theory, grow to recognize the interest behind the other man's actions. But for some reason, this budding understanding brought him little comfort. If anything, his apprehension continued to grow. "If he truly wants something from me… and if we are anything alike… he won't stop hounding me until I give him whatever that something is."

"And he wouldn't come after you alone." Another fact; even if Assassin was truly out of the picture, that left Rider X. Technically, that Servant made an easy read for Kiritsugu. Blatant lust for power, plans of conquest, nothing he hadn't seen before in one form or another.

But what scared him about that one was the sheer scope behind these traits. Megatron truly desired to claim of existence, and Kiritsugu didn't doubt he had the aggression, the cunning, the determination to achieve his… ambitions. He was already amassing a force with other Servants that should've been targets, and what his next step could be, the Mage Killer couldn't be sure.

And every action Rider X took made the man who wished to save the world wonder: how much is that Servant following his Master's will? Is he acting completely of his own interests? Does he have any loyalty? Or has Kirei Kotomine been planning this with him the entire time?

A frighteningly fitting pair; the most dangerous Master to Kiritsugu Emiya and the most dangerous Servant in this Grail War, period. "Perhaps it's already time to head down for the garage I've acquisitioned. The armaments there were meant for a siege on the Tohsakas or Matous, but I could set that oil tanker loose as a cruise missile towards the-"

A hand clapped down on his shoulder, startling him out of his unwitting ramblings. "Before we take measures drastic enough to go down in history as Japan's #1 terrorists," Assassin X drawled in such a manner that even his stoic ally couldn't stop himself from snorting, "maybe you should get some sleep. We've worked through the night, and you were operating under minimum rest before." Kiritsugu made to say something, but a hand shot in front of his face. "Take a bit to get your strength back, Master. You're going to need it. If not for your sake, then…" He let the implication hang in the air.

The Master stared at him for a bit before shaking his head with an exhausted laugh. "You do not play fair, Assassin X."

"Sneakiness comes with my class." That familiar eye-smile looked so infuriating right now Kiritsugu almost wanted to punch it. But he didn't. Assassin X was right; he could feel the fatigue, both physical and mental. Trying to plan anything in his current state would only be a futile effort.

So, the Mage Killer resigned himself to a brief trip to the bathroom and subsequently lying atop the bed. He prepared a self-hypnosis spell that would diffuse his self-consciousness, an efficient way to replenish his mental faculties quickly. This left his body vulnerable, but hidden in this spot, with a Servant he'd (sincerely) grown to trust watching him, he should be fine. "If I don't wake in two hours or something else happens," he gave his final instruction, "then do as we discussed."

Assassin X nodded in comprehension; his Master had explained the full ramifications behind this spell and how to rouse him in such a state. "I'm not going anywhere."

Kiritsugu Emiya now knew for certain he needed to rest; there could be no other reason he felt such relief from that statement… right?

Sleep claimed him before he could discern the answer.

(Despite the workings behind this self-hypnosis, Kiritsugu did sometimes dream. Nothing concise or organized, of course, but every now and then, the images were particularly clear.

Two hours later, he catapulted himself into a sitting position, sweat pouring from his face, hand over his crying left eye, and mistakenly calling a concerned Assassin X "Minato-sensei.")

-91:45:56

He slammed the miniscule, yellow body against a jagged pillar. The pained wince that escaped from his captive would've lightened his mood were it not for the fury burning within him. "I grow impatient," he snarled, tightening his grip around the tiny torso so much the scout's armor was beginning to warp.

Yet those optics, bright and blue like searchlights, glared back at him in foolish defiance. "R-really?" He wheezed out in foolish defiance. "H-hadn't… noticed…"

Fires blazed all around him, but their collective heat was pitiful in comparison to the one swelling within his Spark. Tyger Pax nearly razed to the ground, two of his best air fleets lost thanks to that bumbling defect of a sky commander, all to find it wasn't here! This entire campaign, just one big diversion to keep him from his prize.

The Allspark, one of the greatest treasures to have ever existed on Cybertron, long hoarded by Optimus and that old fool he called mentor. Now so close to within his grasp he could taste it!

And all that stood between it and him was this little black-and-gold whelp. Another youth likely lulled in by Optimus' idealistic babbling and believing himself destined to be a great hero.

Time to wake him up. "This is your final chance, scout." He pulled his quarry closer so they were practically face-to-face. He could feel his face radiating the aggression continuing to build within him. No one with any sense would defy him like this. "Where. Is. My. Allspark!?"

Those big optics flickered for just a moment, and he felt himself one step closer.

Then they hardened like tritanium as their owner said three little words. "I'll never talk."

He could feel his denta grinding together. His servos clenched so tightly his energon was beginning to dribble between them. This whelp's words fanned the flames inside him, their heat blazing through every part of his body, straight up to his mind…

And then they condensed themselves into a pinpoint beam. Very well. The Allspark was beyond his grasp for now. But he would claim it. More of Cybertron was becoming Decepticon territory with each passing cycle. Soundwave had notified him of a certain legend he'd uncovered. One about a terrifying weapon that could cement his power for eons to come. This… setback, could not, would not keep him from winning the War.

And a delicious idea had just come to him.

His mouth curled into a vicious smile. "…Is that right?" While his right hand continued to clutch this young fool (Bumblebee, he'd heard of this troublesome scout before) in an unbreakable vise…

His left hand lifted to the same height as his head, fingertips scraping against one another. Sharpening.

"Then let's make it official."

Oh, how he would relish this moment for cycles to come… the fear flashing in those optics as his fingers drove into the throat-

Kirei sprang up from his bed, gasping heavily at the image before. He'd been experiencing such dreams for a while now and long since deduced that they belonged to Rider X. But sometimes, the details proved quite… vivid. Like right now. Kirei could still feel every last sensation of that horrific moment as though he had been the one there. Blue "blood" splashing onto him, crushed metal drifting from his fingers, watching as that broken metallic being tumbled down a hill of corpses and molten alloys, turning his attention to the mangled device, no, organ still in his grip…

The priest wondered why his cheeks felt so odd. Patting them and discerning his mouth's current position only raised further questions. Questions part of him feared to ask.

Yet another irritation he'd have to deal with. One of many since he'd become involved in this Grail War. Kirei stepped into the bathroom and splashed some water on his face while thinking, his eyes catching by chance the back of his right hand. It looked so bare right now without Assassin's Command Seals.

Amazing what a little makeup could do.

Kirei slipped on fresh robes and walked slowly towards his office, replaying all of the events from last night. All the stories he had listened to, some boringly predictable, others garnering little interest, a few that drew his attention. Then Tokiomi had praised him, told him that his part in this little event would soon be coming to a close.

So, why didn't that thought instill relief in him? Was it because of guilt, knowing that neither Tokiomi nor Lancer X were any the wiser about the trick Kirei had pulled? Or… was it something else?

He opened his study's door and was greeted with a familiar sight: Archer lounging about, drinking his way through Kirei's wine collection. This time, though, he had assembled a chessboard onto the table before the couch, pieces which depicted Masters and the different Servant classes. Interestingly, there was twice the amount of the latter kind.

The King of Heroes took a long drink from his glass and saluted him with a light chuckle. "You look like you've been having a good time, Archer," Kirei greeted him warily.

That smile he carried usually meant nothing good. But Gilgamesh simply said, "I have yet to discern if the Holy Grail has any real worth, but even if it proves to be worthless, I no longer mind." He picked up one of the Saber pieces to inspect it more closely while speaking. "I've discovered a few other objects of interest."

"Didn't you say that this world was filled with nothing but imitations and disgusting things? Has one of the visitors intrigued you?"

"I have not changed my judgement of this world, and most of the intruders are no better than the mongrels attempting to contend with me." He placed the figure back down and let his fingers drift a bit over both pieces which symbolized Rider. "But… a few have caught my eye slightly." One Berserker was flicked.

Kirei noticed his finger hovering slightly more over a Caster, but he continued smoothly as ever."And now I'm curious to witness this Grail War straight to its bitter end." He indicated the piece at the center of the board, a gold-painted chalice. "I enjoy having arrogant opponents. Those who have pushed beyond their humility and chase ambitions. Simply watching someone like that tickles me."

His conversation partner reviewed the pieces Archer had interacted with, pondering their implications. Saber, the Riders, Berserker X… are they the ones he's taken an interest in? But the hesitation over the Caster was puzzling.

"But arrogance tends to come in two forms:" Kirei's train of thought relinked to Gilgamesh's words, "one is where the carrier is too weak," he lifted his wine glass before lowering it in favor of a bottle, "and one where the goal is too great." He poured wine from the bottle into his glass. "The first is commonplace for fools… but the second is far rarer." He stopped the red liquid's progression from one container to the next with a graceful flick.

"But in the end, they're both the same kind of foolishness, aren't they?"

Archer placed the bottle on the table. "The rare foolishness is more desirable than what's commonplace, no? To be born human," his eyes flickered down to the Rider piece before correcting himself, "or whatever passes for average in a species, and yet strive for a dream no average being could hope to realize, and break free of the shackles of normality in pursuit of it…" He swirled the wine in his glass, his smile never diminishing. "It never ceases to amuse me. That pain and despair."

He sipped eagerly from his wine while the room's other occupant pondered, then changed the subject. "You appear to be in a good mood yourself, Kirei."

"I'm simply relieved," the priest answered smoothly as he walked to his desk. "With Assassin gone, all I need to do is wait for Rider X to get himself killed, and I will finally be free of this irksome burden." Once again, he found himself surprised at how easily the lies drifted from his mouth. His body gave no indication of his deception almost naturally.

But Archer's eyes followed him with an odd sort of amusement. "Since you no longer have Assassin's Command Seals, where have they gone now? They couldn't have simply vanished."

Kirei drew his chair to him and sat before his desk. He propped his elbows on the wood and steepled his fingers, weighing his verbal options. He settled for deflection. "In theory, the Command Seals should be back within the Grail. It's where they originate from, and it automatically reclaims their Seals of those who've lost the right as Masters because their Servants have fallen. But if a Servant becomes contract-less due to the loss of their Master, then the Grail should bestow that one's unused Seals to a new contractor. Once the War ends, the remaining Command Seals which weren't expended are entrusted to the overseer."

Archer had been moving the pieces on the board during Kirei's explanation. The Master piece in front of a Caster and Berserker had been removed, and said Berserker was now part of a lineup with a Rider and Saber. Another Master, this one before a Lancer and an Archer, had been knocked over, and the Archer resided in a random spot. "This War has already depicted some Servants terminating their contracts themselves and forging new ones," he noted. "But aren't you saying that an entirely unrelated Master may appear?"

That interest in something not connected in any way to Archer perplexed Kirei, but he humored the Servant. Better than him realizing the truth. "True, but the Holy Grail would not choose just anyone as a candidate. Its search for a Master usually falls back on those who had already been selected before. The Three Founding Families especially enjoy that privilege. It's in fact happened often that one among their number who had expended all their Command Seals would continue to exercise authority over the Servants allied with them."

Kirei paused in his explanation; something about the way the Heroic Spirit kept eyeing him was unsettling. "Well?" He hadn't lost that smile either. "Do continue, Kirei."

He drew in a quick breath to steady himself, then obliged the King of Heroes. Better that than offering himself up as target practice. "Anyway, what I said just now is part of the reason the church offers sanctuary to all Masters who have lost their Servants. When a new spot for a Master opens up, then the most probable outcome would be Command Seals being passed to a former candidate."

Gilgamesh tilted his head in a quizzical manner. "Then why did no new Master emerge when that black bitch soiling my class with her existence killed hers?"

Kirei mulled over the question before shrugging in actual honesty. "If I had to guess, because there was no immediate replacement for Lord El-Melloi. I hadn't actually forsaken my right as Master, so that disqualified me. Archer X had taken the hand holding her Command Seals, so she likely searched for a new Master herself. It's anyone's guess who that might be now."

He decided not to add his hypothesis on that new Master's identity in favor of shifting the conversation back on track. "But participants generally aim to kill enemy Masters rather than merely incapacitate them for reasons like this. That way, they'll cause less trouble in the future."

Once he was finished, Archer gave him a brief chuckle. "If those are the circumstances, isn't there a chance you would regain the Seals for Assassin, Kirei," his smirk widened, "if you had truly sacrificed your Servant?"

Only then did the Master realize that in all the playing around the King of Heroes had done with the board, he had never moved or even touched the one which would represent Assassin.

He chuckled again at the blank stare he received. "My, how tense you appear so suddenly! I praise you for having the audacity to lie to my face, and you certainly show talent in deception, but I suspected something was off, and your reaction just now, however subtle you made it, confirms my suspicions. Painting over the final Seal, eh?" He leaned back with a smug gleam in his eyes. "Nothing escapes the King of Heroes when he takes an interest in it."

Kirei simply sat in his chair, eyes staring straight ahead. What else could he do? He was completely at the Servant's mercy. "So…" he asked evenly, "what happens to me now?"

"Such dignity when faced with possible doom… most would be groveling on their knees or threatening me with false bravado in the hopes such nonsense could sway me. You truly are a curious one!" But Gilgamesh waved his hand with a laugh. "Oh, relax, Kirei. I'm far too delighted with your trick to tell Tokiomi about it. If he were to hear, he would probably punish you, strip you of the Command Seals, perhaps kill you if angry enough, and who would I then have to chat with?" He sipped more wine. "Rather, I wonder just what could have compelled you to disobey your leader."

Kirei shoved aside the strange relief which flickered within him and asked, "How do you know Rider X didn't simply threaten me into preserving his Servant?" With the truth out now, there was no longer need for subterfuge. His father was too busy with keeping the Grail War under wraps, and Tokiomi wouldn't think to have Lancer X or a familiar show up at the church. He trusted Kirei too much for that. And look where that got him…

Archer pointed right at Kirei's face, surprising him. "There's your answer. You wouldn't show nearly as much grief if that upstart had coerced you than if you'd defied Tokiomi of your own free will. Rather, it would be overweighed by anger at him for putting you in that position."

The priest glared at him but couldn't deny the truth. Much as he'd have liked to blame Rider X for sparing a fraction of the Assassins and hiding it from Tokiomi, he knew that it was a hollow excuse. True, the Servant had obviously nudged him towards disobeying, but Kirei had felt doubt upon hearing the tactic, Kirei had contacted Rider X in the first place under the pretense of notifying him of what would happen, Kirei had taken the nudges to heart and spontaneously chosen to issue the second Command for ten Hassan's to remain hidden, and Kirei had repeatedly dodged any opportunity to confess his misdeeds.

A decision that weighed heavily on his soul. Up till last night, he'd dutifully followed his teacher's instructions to the letter, with only a few minor actions in self-interest that could be excused as restlessness. But now, he had disobeyed a direct order and covered it up. "This duty," he mumbled while staring at the backs of his hands, "if Tokiomi is correct, the Grail chose me to support the Tohsakas in this Heaven's Feel. Tokiomi has nearly completed fool-proof strategies for defeating all the other Masters and Servants through the information my Assassin provided him. That is the extent of my being here, and now I've corrupted it."

He sat there, hanging his head in shame, when a new voice spoke up. "Do you actually believe that tripe?" He snapped his head up to find Rider X stepping out of spirit form with a chiding sound emanating from his mouth. "I know you to be a lost soul, Master, but do not bring yourself down through Tokiomi's pretentions. I will not stand for that."

Kirei glared up at the dark spirit in surprise and fury, but it was Archer who spoke first. "How brazen of you, upstart, to show your face here of all places. The only way you could've surpassed such a feat were if you strode through the front door of Tokiomi's manor."

Megatron barked a laugh. "I am, as you say, brazen, King of Heroes. Not an imbecile. As for my being here, this is one of the last places Tokiomi would ever think to look for me." The grin he sported reeked of self-satisfaction. "Never underestimate the potency of hiding in plain sight."

As Gilgamesh acknowledged this wisdom with a toast of his glass, the larger Servant turned to his Master. "Besides, I wished to see how your own journey was progressing."

Kirei Kotomine shook in his seat, trying to keep his emotions in check. His treacherous Servant had just waltzed right in front of him (no doubt as a way to mock Tokiomi), and what's worse, he could've sworn what the Cybertronian had just said was only half a joke. He truly was invested in Kirei for some reason, and Kirei didn't like that prospect. Not when his last memory before waking up had been of this same being crippling another of his kind for "life" out of frustration and sheer cruelty.

I should just command Megatron to appear in front of Tokiomi, let Lancer X or Archer chop off his head and be done with this insane event, he told himself. I should. It is the right thing to do.

But instead, he simply sat and watched Rider X accept a glass of freshly poured wine from Archer.

The latter of course didn't look like he was about to sound any alarms himself. "Now then, the upstart made a good point during his arrival." He settled back into the couch. "I too have my doubts about Tokiomi's plans, and I know my… partner carries them as well. But whereas she may think she can salvage his blunders, I know for a fact he could never be worthy of the Grail's blessing."

Amusement rose in Kirei despite the tension within him. "Such a cruel thing to say of your Master." This earned him another laugh from Rider X.

Archer paused in drinking his wine to fix both of them with an icy gaze. "Let me correct your mutual misunderstanding of the hierarchy between me and Tokiomi. He grants me due fealty and mana as tribute from a vassal to his King. Such is our contract and the only reason I agreed to his summoning me. Do not think of me as a lackey like Lancer X or the other Servants."

"So, you do not consider your partner an equal?" Kirei asked rhetorically.

He earned a derisive scoff as a response. "Of course not. She certainly has an alluring figure and a sharp tongue," Archer's smirk half-reappeared, "and I would nearly commend her bravery towards me," then his mouth shifted into a disappointed frown, "were it not for her being so subservient to Tokiomi. What a waste of her talent and loyalty."

"One could say the same about her male counterpart," Rider X noted while sipping from his glass. "Perhaps that is a common trait for Lancers." The Servants cackled over the joke before he sobered. "And how do Tokiomi's Command Seals over you apply to this hierarchy?"

"A necessary evil. Tokiomi has learned after that little debacle not to waste them on trivialities. If he wants a page to handle trifles too difficult for him, then he should look to Lancer X.. Like last night, when his child had scurried off and needed to be recovered." Archer peered into his wine thoughtfully. "If a subject has proven himself worthy, then he may have the right to offer the King his words from time to time."

Rider X conceded with a nod. "A fair point. Advisors are useful tools when ruling, but a strong ruler never doubts his own judgement."

Neither noticed Kirei suppressing a smirk at their expense. Neither had yet any idea of the true purpose for the Tohsaka family's participation in the Holy Grail War. Archer probably wouldn't be so dismissive of the Command Seals if he knew of Tokiomi's intended use for them. Or Lancer X so loyal. He considered briefly the prospect of telling them before stopping himself. Such an action would spell utter disaster for Tokiomi. What am I even thinking?!

He decided to return to the Servants before him rather than pursue that path. "Mind telling your Master what you've been up to, Rider X?"

The addressed eyed him playfully. "In the presence of an opponent?" He inclined his head towards a smirking Archer. "Hardly a good idea, Master. But rest assured, I have been busy."

"Busy aiding the rogue Servants? Forging alliances with them and… other individuals?"

This time, Kirei did smirk openly at the looks he received. Only Archer didn't recognize Zouken Matou's indirect mentioning. "I may be a 'lost soul,' Megatron, but I, too, am not an imbecile. And Assassin reports first and foremost to me. Not to you."

If he'd expected the silver-armored Servant to show rage or distress at his plans, he'd have been disappointed. Instead, Rider X smirkingly swirled his wine about before taking a relaxed drink from it. Followed by an obviously delighted sigh. "You do not disappoint, Kirei Kotomine. And you learn quickly." He shifted about to face his Master completely. "It's still a bit early for you to see the fruits of my labor, though. If either one of you does not wish to see what I have in store…" he shrugged self-assuredly, "now is the best time to stop me."

He watched with muted pleasure at how Kirei's smirk evaporated. Those eyes with the color of unpolished metal drifted towards the Decepticon emblem on his left hand: his Command Seals.

Megatron knew he was taking a risk. Tokiomi wouldn't waste time in seeing him destroyed like these two. And there was always the possibility that he had misjudged this man's hidden appetites, his true nature disguised by a religious veil. Or maybe Archer wasn't too lazy to be a little proactive.

But as that old wizard had said last night, sometimes a little faith made all the difference.

Before him, his Master's eyes left the Seals and stared so intently at his desk they might've bored a hole into it. The conflict within was nearly a tangible aura surrounding him. But ultimately, Kirei did not rush out the door to warn his teacher. He simply sat there glaring.

Behind him, the King of Heroes didn't show a single sign of worry. He merely smirked; a wordless challenge. Just try and do your worst. Try to take my kingdom from me, upstart.

As for Rider X, he held nonchalantly his wine glass in his left hand and relaxed his right fist. His fusion cannon powered down, he stepped away from the secret weapon hidden within his being. Fortune favored the prepared, after all. And Megatron never took a gamble without being prepared for the… less favorable outcome.

He spoke up again. "Seeing as you mentioned Assassin just now, Kirei, what results do you have for our little side project? Did he succeed before his numbers were," his smile twitched, "reduced?" Archer straightened ever so slightly in his seat, himself interested.

Inwardly, the priest was grateful for his Servant's inquiry. Anything to distract him from the unsettling war within himself. He sighed, resigning himself to the fact he (for some inexplicable reason) wouldn't be handing Rider X over to Tokiomi today, and recalled his other Servant's assignment. "Learn why the other Masters pursue the Holy Grail? Assassin did indeed fulfill his investigations." He pushed himself out of his seat. "He should've delivered the report to you both last night. That would've been simplest-"

"But we prefer something else," Rider X interrupted him while offering him the seat opposite from where Archer sat.

Kirei stared perplexed at the armchair as Archer took over. "Hearing this from a shade does not interest me or the upstart, Kirei. This information's true value can only be realized if you are the one to speak of it."

He eyed first one, then the other warily, before conceding with a sigh. "If I must…" He sat wearily down into the offered chair. These two and their games are so exhausting… what is even the point behind all of this?

Kirei cleared his throat and began his summarization of Assassin's findings. "The Master of Rider, Saber X and Berserker X isn't actually invested in attaining the Grail itself, nor was the now late Master of Lancer and Archer X. They merely saw the Grail War as a chance to attain martial acclaim among the magus community." Rider X gave a strange sound but didn't interrupt otherwise. Neither did Archer, so Kirei continued. "Lancer's new Master, Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, has no interest in the Grail, either, she simply seeks Lancer himself. The Servant's Love Spot has captivated her affection so thoroughly he has become the most important thing for her. Yet he shares none of her interest." A mirthless chuckle escaped him. "I wouldn't be surprised if Archer X has also fallen prey to the spell. It's probably the only reason she hasn't killed Lancer or the girl yet."

"Caster's Master didn't even comprehend what is at stake, he simply used the greater War around him as a chance to perform more of his murderous fantasies."

The priest crossed his arms. "Berserker and Caster X's Master seeks, I believe, both revenge and redemption. His running away from the Matou house had led to the second daughter of Tokiomi Tohsaka to be adopted as their heir." And sacrifice, he left unsaid. "He seeks to save her by trading her for the Grail if he wins it." The Servants were replenishing their drinks while he continued. "Besides, he seems to have a history with Tokiomi's wife. Even with Caster X counseling him," Kirei's tongue clicked briefly, "that Master has the most vulgarly ordinary wish of the five."

Both were giving him odd looks while he caught his breath. "Do continue, Kirei," Archer beckoned him as before.

Only one Master was left. The one Kirei had a personal interest in. "Saber and Assassin X's Master…" he hesitated.

For one, gathering information on Kiritsugu Emiya had been nearly fruitless, even for the Assassins. The Mage Killer had kept his guard up at all times, and to make things even harder, he was always accompanied by his own Assassin or one of those strange hounds the Servant had at his beck and call. The Hassan's couldn't even get close for fear those dogs might've sniffed them out. Both Master and Servant proved elusive enough anyway so that Kirei hadn't actually learned anything new about Kiritsugu Emiya.

But even if he had, he wouldn't share this with the duo before him. Rider X was already a bit too prying about the matter for his tastes. And whatever games these tyrannical men-children would be playing, this was a personal matter for Kirei Kotomine. One he shared with no one.

All this zipped through his mind within a second, and he settled for saying, "The Einzberns have apparently paid him a large sum to realize their old dream of Heaven's Feel through the Holy Grail."

Sensing the end of the report, Archer huffed to himself. "So many differing reasons. But ultimately an unimaginative gaggle of mongrels. They all chase after my treasure for such boring desires. I have a fair bit of exterminating ahead of me."

Rider X stood next to him, an eyebrow arched. "Chores simply multiply. But I admit, I too am disappointed with their collective lack of imagination." He growled in disappointment. "Is there any magus on this disgusting mudball that has truly original, inspiring ambition?"

Kirei frowned at his audience. "All that hard work, and this is your ideas of gratitude? Why did you make me put so much effort for absolutely nothing?"

"Absolutely nothing?" His Servant repeated, his smile returning. "What ever could you mean?" He leered down at his fellow Heroic Spirit. "I think he still doesn't understand."

Archer returned the expression. "Perhaps he's not quite as quick a learner as we thought. But it's a pity considering the magnificent fruit his and Assassin's work have borne."

The only human in the room rose from his seat, glaring from one to the next in confused irritation. "I do not appreciate being made the butt of jokes, King of Heroes. Megatron."

They only traded another look at his subdued outrage. "We can forgive him for it, though," Gilgamesh conceded before fixing his piercing red eyes on the source of their entertainment. "He is a man who has not yet realized what pleasure means to him." Outrage gave way to confusion, and Kirei grew visibly more attentive. "All souls instinctively yearn for that which brings them enjoyment, consciously or otherwise. Animals chase overtly the scent of blood, but for those who are sentient, this yearning manifests outwardly in how they speak and act."

Rider X took over the explanation while walking over to his disciple. "Kirei, the reason we insisted on hearing of the other Masters from your lips was not simply to learn what they wanted." He began to slowly circle him, the human's eyes never leaving his form. "By recounting what you saw and listened to, you subconsciously began to filter it through your own perspective, and that which interested you the most was what you exposited the most." The Cybertronian was right behind him, but Kirei's eyes stared in rising comprehension straight ahead. "As we've said, to understand what pleasure means to you, you must see how others interpret pleasure. Your analysis of their souls provides insight to your own."

My… soul? Kirei barely registered the metallic fingers drumming on his shoulders. He let himself be guided into his seat without protest, thoughts racing within him. Archer began to speak again, and he listened to every word with more attention than ever before in his life.

"First we'll ignore the one you blatantly danced around describing. That kind of active interest is purely obsession." Part of Kirei registered that his deflection had not gone unnoticed, but the rest pushed it aside. "Now let's look at the rest. Which Masters were you most descriptive about?" Now anxiety trickled into him, like he partially didn't want to know the answer. But he made no move to stop them.

Rider X sauntered over to the table and tapped a fingertip on the knocked-over Master piece. "Lancer's second Master garnered a fair bit of attention from you, didn't she? You even mentioned Archer X briefly, deviating off-topic for a moment." The finger then drifted to a different Master. "But you spoke the longest of Caster X and Berserker's Master. Kariya, yes?" A sly gleam slithered its way into those optics. "Assassin mentioned you ordered paying additional attention to him."

Kirei's eyes looked away briefly before returning to them. "Because Kariya Matou's situation wasn't as simple as the others and warranted closer investigation. As for Sophia-Ri, her motivation is directly influenced by her Servant. I brought up Archer X as well because both women are affected by Lancer's curse. That's all."

"Heh, I think not," Archer countered. "You instructed Assassin to investigate these characters more thoroughly than the rest because they intrigued you the most. You weren't even aware of it, your instincts simply compelled you."

Thrown for a loop, Kirei unconsciously slid back into his seat, staring at nothing. Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri and Kariya Matou had indeed drawn his attention, he supposed; the former had become an unexpected Master, the latter's intentions and Servants made him a particular threat to Tokiomi. But ultimately, they couldn't be considered threats greater than the rest. Sophia-Ri was an average magus, her original purpose being to provide her fiancé with more resources. Besotted as she was with Lancer, she'd have lost the ability of clear thought by now. And the Matou Master had been rushed through his training and paired with an unstable, extremely demanding Servant. Without Caster X, those would be on the verge of burnout right about now.

Ultimately, he concluded, "Very well, I must have made an error in judgement. Those Masters would bring about their own dooms even without outside interference. I put too much effort into studying them, and you both misinterpreted my interests."

"Did we?" Rider X snorted before sipping his wine again. "Then humor us: try to imagine either of those Masters and the Servants contracted to them winning the Grail War through some inexplicable miracle. What do you suppose would happen then?"

They stared at him with such expectancy that he inadvertently began to imagine such scenarios. Sophia-Ri winning… it seemed so far-fetched. Even if Lancer could somehow manage to defeat all the other teams, these monsters before Kirei included, Archer X was afflicted with the same madness as Sophia-Ri. Those two would tear each other apart as wild beasts over a mate. The victor would then attempt to claim Lancer as their prize, perhaps even use the Holy Grail to make him love her in turn or otherwise bind them together somehow. It would be a hollow thing, and Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, already a victim of obsessive love in life, would find only misery down this path. Or maybe he would rebel against his "lover…"

As for Matou, well… he had much better odds in his current situation than Sophia-Ri. If Caster X could continue to temper Berserker's most uncontrollable moments, then the pair could possibly defeat Gilgamesh himself-

"Ah," As if he were reading his mind, Archer injected with a raised finger, "let's make it a bit more interesting in Kariya's case. Imagine that scenario take place without Caster X's presence." The other two stared at him while his smile briefly flickered away. "That apparition… tends to muddy things."

Kirei's puzzlement had transferred briefly to something else. "Why do you call Caster X an apparition and not a mongrel like you do everyone else?" That made Rider X shift his attention to the seated Servant. He too had certain questions about that withered fleshbag, especially with how a certain human associate of his seemed so… agitated about his presence in the Holy Grail War.

Gilgamesh stared into his wine. "You lot are all of muddied blood, pale imitations like the world around you of the one I knew in life. A time where humanity was at its greatest." He sounded blunter than insulting in this "reasoning" of his, helping Megatron restrain himself from incinerating his pompous head with one shot from his cannon. Besides, he hadn't finished. "That Servant, though… he may look and act like a mongrel, but I sense something in him. Something old… something beyond human."

Kirei tapped a finger against his armrest, trying to recall what he knew of Caster X. Powerful wizard, proficient in swordsmanship, wise counsellor considering how he kept Saber and Rider from killing each other, benevolent… "Could he be some sort of god from this Middle-Earth?" he offered. "I don't recall seeing Divinity among his stats like with Berserker, but he could have a similar power."

"He is no god." Archer scowled darkly for a moment. "I could recognize their stench from a country away. But he does not carry that, otherwise, I might have killed him by now." The scowl loosened into a frown. "Though you may be right, Kirei, this… presence of his may have a certain divine quality. One I'm not familiar with. How peculiar…"

Then he shrugged and nipped a little wine again. "But back to our original topic. You were considering victory for Kariya but without his wizard, Kirei?"

Kirei rolled his eyes at another complication but obliged. Fine, Caster X dies somewhere along the way to victory… but that would spell disaster for Kariya. The wizard had proven himself a consistently beneficial influence with both his partner and his Master; he was in fact the one reason that team had any stability. Without his magic and wisdom, nothing would stop Berserker from succumbing to Mad Enhancement's negative aspects. And Kariya would in turn embrace his rage, jealously blaming Tokiomi for the turn of events like he had for his needing to participating in the Grail War in the first place. Then if he killed Tokiomi, he would have won Sakura's freedom… and Aoi and Rin would be alone. Without Caster X to keep him in the light, Kariya might-

A conversational cough snapped the man out of his ruminations. "Well, Kirei?" Archer was smiling brightly at him, a terrifying expression Rider X shared. "Do you finally see why we've been asking you these questions?"

Kirei only stared at them in confusion. Had he done something wrong? "I give up," he finally stated. "What is so special about Sola-Ui or Kariya winning that I must imagine it?"

"Nothing," Rider X answered casually before drinking more wine. Once finished, he continued. "Their possible victories have no significance." He then chuckled quietly at the glare he received. "My, how fearsome you look, Master! You might've made a fine gladiator in the pits of Kaon."

Kirei forced down the many recollections of those gory arenas (and the revolted fascination that accompanied them) and made to berate his Servant, only to be cut off. "And I am not mocking you. Clear your mind and consider why you didn't realize the insignificance of our experiment. There ought to be an obvious answer for that, no?"

Kirei shifted about in his chair with his arms crossed. He'd grown tired of these two dancing verbal circles with him. "Explain."

Rider X bent down to refill his glass but obliged him all the same. "Had we asked you this question with one of the other Masters, you would've recognized it immediately as insignificant and dismissed it as a waste of your time."

"But Kariya and Sola-Ui were different." Archer picked up the pieces symbolizing the two and held them up. "You took the time to walk through the scenarios step-by-step, fully invested despite the exercise's futility. Despite the expended effort on your part."

"You entertained yourself even while wasting your time." Rider X set down the bottle, his glass full again, with a smile of… pride.

An expression shared yet again by Archer. "Congratulations, Kirei." He tossed over the two pieces, the Executor's reflexes allowing him to catch them easily. "You finally know what pleasure is!"

Kirei stared at the chesspieces in his hand, his brows furrowing. "…Entertained? Even… pleasure?"

"Precisely."

His fingers closed around the pieces as he glared back at them. No… this couldn't be the answer he had sought. "There is nothing about the fates of Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri orKariya Matou that could bring a man 'pleasure.' The choices they've made, the lives ahead of them, their pain and despair will only continue to grow. If not for beings like Caster X, the only salvation for those two would be a quick death." He got up from his seat and set the pieces back at their original positions on the board, a sense of finality in his actions.

As he angrily stepped away from the table, Archer asked with honest befuddlement, "Why view pleasure so one-sided, Kirei? Where should there be a contradiction between pain and despair and pleasure?"

Rider X sighed in disappointment at his back. "Pleasure can take many different forms. Your failure to recognize that is the source of your confusion, Master."

"That cannot be forgiven!" Kirei declared before whirling around to glower at them. "King of Heroes, Lord and Master of the Decepticons, inhumane creatures like you may find pleasure in the suffering of others." He thrusted an accusing finger, his left one, at the bigger tyrant. "I've witnessed your life, Megatron. I've seen the devastation and terror you've inflicted on not just one world, but two! The lives you took with your own claws, the orders you gave to slaughter even more!"

"…Did you now?" Those optics stared unashamedly back at him, brimming with curiosity. "And what exactly did you see?"

"Just this morning, I had to watch your actions at Tyger Pax!" Kirei nearly spat at the recognition that travelled across that metallic face, followed by delight. "You battered a young body around to vent your failure at claiming what you sought! You ripped out his voice box in pure sadism, then tossed him aside like he was rubbish! That poor soul would remain crippled for the rest of his life, forced to communicate in beeps and whistles like some ordinary computer!" He shook furiously where he stood.

Ah, he has yet to see my death, then? Good.

"But none of this would ever deter you from committing countless more atrocities, would it?" All the while, Kirei had noticed Archer fixing the one he referred to as "upstart" with no disgust, but entertainment. This made the servant of God clench his left fist before him. "This is the work of a sinner's soul! Evil that warrants punishment!" He swept the fist in front of him. "Definitely not something that should be on the path of faith I, Kirei Kotomine, walk!"

But they only drank their wine with aggravating indifference. "The upstart's hobbies aside, you've come to decree pleasure itself as a sin?" Gilgamesh laughed. "Such a critical bridge you've built for yourself." He glanced to the side. "You truly have an interesting Master."

"Don't I, though?" Megatron agreed slyly. Kirei was visibly winding up for another tirade, but his Servant spoke first. "You are at the very least right about me, Kirei. I carry the soul of a sinner. For me, inflicting pain and suffering are pleasures only second to attaining more. I am responsible for more death and destruction than perhaps anyone else in my world's history, and as you've seen, we Cybertronians are an old, long-lived race. This," he lifted his wine glass in his right hand and gestured to his fusion cannon with his left, "is what I am, and I take pride in that.

"You by contrast, Kirei Kotomine, follow a path of humble faith. You were taught from a young age to heed your conscience and avoid sin. Even now, these lessons are ingrained into your soul, making you feel shame at every little transgression you make." The Decepticon leader shrugged. "Surely, you and I must be as different as night and day.

"But let me ask you this." He leaned forward so far that his face nearly touched Kirei's, mouth set in a cold smile. "How did I come to be your Servant?"

Kirei froze. Every part of his verbal tirade had been about to unleash stumbled about in his mouth. "…What are you talking about?" He finally got out, but he knew what Rider X meant.

"Come now, Master." And judging by the way his smile widened, Rider X knew he knew. "Assassin's summoning is a simple matter: you used a catalyst to call forth a specific Heroic Spirit, same as Tokiomi did with Archer. Heh, with so many colorful individuals running about, it wouldn't surprise me if every Master had used that method to acquire their Servant." He paused. "With one exception, of course."

He lifted his wine glass up to between their faces, peering at Kirei through the liquid within. "But that only applies to the Servants who call this world home. For a foreign Servant like me, who had never interacted in any way with this world prior to this Holy Grail War, there was no catalyst, not even a mental image or a name, nothing specific to tie our fates to yours." Red as the wine was, its color paled in comparison to the crimson of that shining eye staring at him. "Caster and Berserker X's summoning was accidental in every way. Without any catalyst, the Holy Grail simply peered into Ryuunosuke Uryuu's soul and assigned him two Servants, one from this world, one from another, both who reflected his inner nature."

Kirei frowned again. "If they really are similar to Uryuu, then Berserker X wouldn't have rebelled."

"I said they reflected his inner nature," Rider X reminded him patiently. "And a reflection is not a perfect copy, Kirei. If you think about it, Kenpachi Zaraki is in his own way every bit as bloodthirsty and murderous as Gilles de Rais and Ryuunosuke Uryuu. He simply has more interest in how much of a fight his 'victims' can put up than in actually killing them. Besides Caster has a flair for the dramatic his Master lacked." He gave a little shrug. "None of us foreigners are exactly alike in personality to our Masters. You and I differ in a number of ways." The right index finger flicked between them.

"There is nothing but differences between us," Kirei shot back instinctively.

Internally, he found he could've put more strength in that declaration.

The glass was moved away, leaving there no filter between their gazes locked. "And yet, out of seven Masters in the Fourth Holy Grail War, when you called, I answered."

Kirei trembled with mounting rage where he stood but said nothing. He wanted to deny Rider X's implicit accusations, he wanted to denounce such wickedness, he wanted to prove he was a good man… but he said nothing. He couldn't articulate his thoughts for some reason.

Megatron, a seasoned combatant both on the physical and the rhetorical battlefield, knew an opening when he saw one. "Deny it if you wish, Kirei Kotomine. Say that my summoning was a fluke, a test of faith or the like. But let us recount some of your actions in this Grail War." He slowly straightened himself, raising one finger in the process. "You have fixated on and hounded an enemy Master, placing your personal interest above Tokiomi's orders in the process." Another joined it. "You are inadvertently drawn to the proceedings of those Masters who are the most miserable." Then came a third. "You saved one of your Servants from sacrificing himself and are conversing with the other, declared a rogue by Tokiomi. A direct betrayal of him, facilitated by hiding the truth."

Those fingers aligned with each other and gestured towards the Master. Specifically, the cross hanging by his neck. "Not exactly the actions of a good-hearted servant of faith. Or a devoted disciple." Rider X glanced for a second behind him. "Wouldn't you agree, Archer?"

"I would," the King of Heroes acknowledged with his usual smirk, "and I do." He had abstained from this part of the conversation because it was simply so diverting to watch. Truly, this otherworldly behemoth before him was far more than the brute Tokiomi had dismissed him as. If nothing else, he is articulate. Then he grew just a little more serious. "What was it you uttered last night, upstart, when you gave the name of the army you had led and the reason behind that name?" He trapped the poor, lost mongrel in the room with his gaze. "Were you paying attention then, Kirei?"

He had. Despite himself, his brain began to replay the events of the banquet: who said what, who performed this action… up to that moment. To that line. "Sometimes deception is necessary, when those who should listen to the truth will not, and will only understand once they have been lied to and forced to see their own lies."

Stop thinking about that nonsense, he scolded himself. I know who I am, Father and Tokiomi have never lied to me. I have never told myself any lies.

…Haven't I?

The opening from before was practically a gaping chasm now, Megatron noted. Time for one final push today. "While you're recalling things about our metal mongrel…"

He couldn't hold back the grunt he made in irritation. Leave it to Archer to steal his fun.

Gilgamesh flashed a superior smirk at him; the King always has the final word. "You were quite descriptive about the brutality he exhibited in life. The way he unleashed his wrath on another. Tell us, Kirei, was this disgusted fury you voiced so passionately your first reaction to this dream?"

Kirei's body trembled again but not from anger this time. Whatever strength the man had accumulated through instruction and bajiquan and his time as an Executor seemed to fail him now. His knees buckled, making him fall on all fours next to his chair.

He couldn't help it. That question made him retrace his actions during and after waking up. The moment he had deliberately avoided during this entire conversation.

The moment he had patted that wide smile stretched across his cheeks.

Horror swept over him as he knelt there. Then five metallic rods could be felt against his back. They weren't striking him or inflicting any pain, though; they tapped his clothed body with astounding gentleness. Like when Risei had patted his son in his youth. "Rejoice, Kirei Kotomine." Rider X's words washed over him. "I recognize you as worthy to be my Master."

He should've been disgusted. He should've seen this as a lie or a mockery towards his crisis in faith. But neither truly applied to those words.

In a rare moment of his being, Megatron had been absolutely sincere.

And then the King of Heroes made his decree. "Perhaps the Holy Grail sees something worthy in you as well, Kirei." That smile, human though it appeared, seemed even more malicious than what Rider X would give. "With so many having such high hopes in you, you simply must pursue the Grail. Not pretend to like what Tokiomi expects from you, but because you must have a reason to make a wish upon it."

"A wish?" Kirei whispered, finally taking his eyes off his Seals. He stared in a mixture of fury, horror and incomprehension. "Me?"

Archer played with his wine. "If the Holy Grail truly can grant any wish made upon it, then it ought to be capable of realizing what you yourself fail to see: your heart's true desire."

He returned his gaze to those damnable markings on his hands, the trials they symbolized. Yet he couldn't help but feel drawn in by what the Servant was suggesting. And Rider X was speaking now, too. "Kirei, you've proven that you will deny what we have surmised of you no matter how we present it. The ethics that have bored their ways into your skull warp your way of thinking. So, seek the Grail. Win it. Have it reveal your heart's wish so you can know once and for all why you were chosen a Master."

Kirei managed a weak scoff. "Don't pretend you're doing this for me, Megatron. You want the Grail to start your path of omni-galactic conquest."

"I do," the Servant agreed without shame, "but I have sworn to help you find your true self, remember?" Now he scoffed at the disbelieving look he received. "If you no longer interested me, Kirei, then why haven't I chopped off your hand and sought out a different Master like Berserker X and Archer X? It would certainly be less risky than meeting you while Tokiomi's not around." His face hardened. "Don't think you can confine me so easily with just the Seals. You couldn't match Assassin X in combat, and I am not nearly as soft as him."

Kirei held his gaze but knew he wasn't wrong. Phantom pain whispered from his shoulder where Assassin X had broken it, and Rider X was a far more malevolent Servant. He made no empty threat. "Haven't you already shown me what my true self is, Megatron?" He finally asked sardonically. "Isn't your duty to me fulfilled?"

That fearsome head shook from side to side. "Not yet." Rider X finished his wine and set it on the table. "Understanding your own nature is only the first step to self-discovery. Accepting it is the next. And I have every intention of helping you along your way."

That promise could've been just another deception from a master of them. But… as those crimson optics stared into his eyes, Kirei knew it to be true. And the instinctive way he knew it terrified him a little. "So, pursue the Grail in order to discover what my wish is and then fulfill it?" he thought out loud. He had to appreciate the irony of reversing means and ends like that a little. Even so, the Servants were right. This was the only way to be sure.

But… "To reach this goal, I will have to crush the wishes of six others. And if I seek the Grail for my own benefit, it would mean…" he turned uneasily to eye a particular Servant. "making an enemy of my teacher."

Archer only smiled back at him. "You're going to need mighty Servants for that." He thumbed at himself. "You'll be facing me, after all."

He leered to his side, where Rider X returned the expression. "I look forward to our imminent confrontation, King of Heroes. Preparations for that moment progress even as we speak." The Servant of the Mount glanced towards the board. "But who knows what Servants and what Masters will remain when that time comes, or who will stand with who."

"Yes, war is always so erratic." The Servant of the Bow picked up the piece which depicted his class. "But for now, you two are on your own."

Kirei found himself frozen in his kneeling position as both Servants turned to fix him with two pairs of glimmering crimson eyes. He remembered then where he had seen their likeness: in pictures of the Holy Bible, the ones that depicted the Servant of Eden.

"Act for the sake of your own desires. That is the true path to entertainment." Gilgamesh's words burrowed their way through his soul.

"And entertainment inevitably leads to pleasure, and pleasure to true joy." Megatron's words sent sparks through those tunnels, igniting into flames.

"The path lies before you, Kirei." The fires burned within him. "So clearly, you couldn't hope to mistake it."

-91:19:20

A presence drifted carefully through a recently reopened public library. Caster X understood from the chatter around him that someone had broken into it a week ago. Interestingly, though the shutters had been torn and warped beyond recognition, as though a gorilla had torn through the place (Or a Servant, the wizard mused), nothing of value had been stolen. At most, the employees had found a large mess of tossed books within and maybe one or two missing. Strange, but they nevertheless closed it long enough to repair the damage and investigate a little more.

Even with the library open now, the staff were all particularly attentive. They watched every single patron with the (also repaired) cameras and their own eyes as carefully as they without invading privacy. But Caster X had slipped in and out of far more heavily guarded facilities in his time. Once he'd reached the section he was looking for, he slipped out of spirit form and blew on a crystal he mounted atop his staff. It glowed with light, indicating that no one would notice his presence. Even a magus would have difficulty peering through his cover.

He took off his hat and willed it away; much as he liked it, the accessory tended to obstruct his old eyes while reading. Tracing a finger along the many books on the shelf before him, he stopped to pull out an aged specimen. Opening it revealed the pages had been written in the Japanese letters, but Gandalf the Gray had been familiar with every written form of Elves, Men, Dwarves, and even Orcs. Combine that with the Grail's gift of innate fluency in any language of this world, and he had no trouble understanding their meaning.

He combed through the stories of heroic knights in a land long since fallen, inadvertently comparing the people and setting to that of Middle-Earth. From there, his thoughts drifted to the night before, where he had been given a chance to meet Kings of different values. One of whom had given him another piece to a greater puzzle.

Caster X tried to focus on the tales, but he kept wondering if Kariya would listen to him. He'd advised his Master to remain within the alley and continue replenishing his strength through food, water, sleep or any other activity that didn't strain him. Kariya had agreed, but he'd sensed a restlessness in that broken body. Whether those foul creatures were acting up in him or whether it was simply general agitation, Kariya wished for them to be more active. Then again, both knew what was on the line.

Still, Gandalf had counselled patience and asked Berserker to stay with their Master while he did a little investigating. The knight had agreed with a (semi-coherent) grunt; battling Archer X last night seemed to have sated his eagerness for battle. But they all knew it would only be momentary. The madness within that armor compelled him.

And as he turned to a particular page, its partner depicting a picture of a certain hero, tears began to gather in Caster X's eyes. He finally began to understand the entire reason behind this madness.

The tragedy the both of them have suffered… they continue to suffer… He wept silently where he stood, only now realizing the full extent of his friend's grief. Then he dried his eyes and straightened. Yet another pain that he would strive to find a remedy for. His Master, his partner, the one his partner sought, and quite a few others, all suffering from their lots in life.

Caster X wondered temporarily if he shouldn't have left Kariya and Berserker behind. Those two could making ready to attack the ones they deemed responsible for their respective agonies. The tale he'd just read was a perfect example of the mistakes people could make by listening to the darkness within their hearts.

Then he felt ashamed for his distrusting them. Yes, their afflictions were great, but he believed them to be fundamentally good men, nonetheless. How could they prove able to brave their own darkness if no one showed any faith in them?

Regardless, he needed to act. Gandalf had a feeling that there wasn't much time. For him, for his friends… or for that little girl. The reason why he had been summoned. Time enough, the Istar hoped. He shut the book, satisfied with what he'd learned, and replaced it among the others which told of the Arthurian legend. Caster X then dissipated while cancelling his spell before silently vacating the library.

He came close to brushing with a woman in black who stopped to look around warily. He drew himself further out of perception, and after a couple of seconds, she continued towards the section he'd just left. Probably nothing, the Servant told himself while moving on.

His ears picked up an abnormal buzzing emanating from above him. Frowning, Caster X briefly stepped inside an alley and materialized to release a plume of flame upwards. It incinerated the reprehensible flies; not the first group Zouken Matou had sent to spy on him, and most likely not the last. Well, Gandalf disliked killing, but these things carried so much maliciousness he hardly felt guilty about destroying them.

He walked a steady pace from one part of the city to the next, considering what he had and what he would have to say to the right people. But he was not so caught up in his thoughts that he couldn't avoid bumping into passerby who couldn't detect his spirit form. Part of him marveled even now at the vehicles driving along the roads or the pieces of technology people spoke into to communicate long distances. Men truly had come far in this world. Then amidst his internal praising, he sensed a presence not far off from him. Trailing him.

So, Caster X changed course. He made for a small park further away from any large crowds. Once he was certain no bystanders were within the immediate vicinity, he appeared and called out, "The rules state Grail battles are not to be waged during the day, I believe."

He held his staff at the ready and gripped his sword's hilt with the other. The Gray Wizard didn't doubt the Servants he'd chatted with amiably last night would honor the rules and their ceasefire, but he'd made his share of enemies in the War. Any of the rogue Servants, that twisted soul masquerading as a man and calling itself Kariya's father…

But the one who stepped forward, he hadn't expected. "I haven't sought you out for battle, wizard," Lancer X greeted him with her hands raised. "I must speak with you urgently." She glanced around them. "Privately, if possible."

Caster X considered this request. The matter must be important if she sought me out in daylight. And I'm not certain her Master is aware of this. This doesn't seem like a trap; if she wished to strike, she wouldn't have shut off her Presence Concealment. She wanted me to notice her. That in mind, he summoned a small barrier that would hide them from prying eyes, natural or magical. "Very well, milady." He removed his hand from his sheathed sword. "If you wish to speak in piece, I am willing to aid you if I can. Within reason, of course."

Nodding, Jade walked closer to him, taking great care with each step. Her hand remained close to her collapsed staff. This Servant was quite powerful, after all, and though she'd grown to respect him, she didn't have many pleasant experiences with sorcerers in life.

Still, he was the one of his team she could most likely have a civil talk with. Berserker might've attacked her on sight, and she hadn't been blind to the glares Kariya Matou had sent her last night. And she'd needed a reliable answer since her talk with Tokiomi. "I've come to ask about the girl named Sakura," Lancer X finally explained, making Caster X focus on her. "Rin Tohsaka's sister. And I beseech you to tell me the truth, Gandalf the Gray."

He stared at her for some time, the Edenian feeling like he was peering into her very soul, then he began to speak.

"-and she simply killed him! A young soul, so bright, so creative, so full of wondrous energy! Torn to shreds by that harlot and her blinding weapon!"

"What a despicable thing she is. And she wasn't alone, was she?" Zouken maintained his more trustworthy grin as he sat opposite from Caster in the living room. "I believe two others were also present during poor Ryuunosuke's killing."

"Yes!" Caster slammed his drinking glass against the seat's armrest, sending shards and wine droplets flying everywhere. "That wretched monk with his hideous beard and pious words… he called forth a pitch-black demon and assaulted me with it! No doubt he has instigated all this misfortune that had befallen us!" His teeth gnashed together so much, anymore and they'd become powder. "His machinations took the life of Ryuunosuke, my dear pupil, and would have taken mine had that curious knight of yours not come to my rescue." He paused temporarily in his frustrations to glance around. "Where is he, by the way? I haven't met him since he sent me here."

"I've asked Archer X to watch the grounds while we speak," Zouken answered quickly to curb his multifaceted amusement. For one, it tickled him to know there was another who shared his hatred for that abominable Caster X (if for slightly different reasons). For another, Archer X wouldn't likely appreciate being mistaken for male by the man sitting across from him. And Zouken had to admit, he could see where that misunderstanding would come from. "But he," he bit a little into his lip to stop a laugh, "will be happy to receive your thanks."

"How good of him…" Bluebeard, boogeyman to many children in Europe, slumped now into his chair, all the energy from before seemingly evaporated. "Ryuunosuke… he lifted my spirits with his enthusiasm when Jeanne refused my call again and again. And now he is gone as well. Taken from me like everything else. How God must be laughing."

Zouken's fingers tapped against the book he was holding, then he chose to lean sitting forward onto his cane. "So, why don't you laugh back, sir?" As those massive eyes blinked in curiosity, he continued. "If God seeks to punish you again and again, then you should punish him back. Jeanne will never break free of her bewitchments herself, that demon and his mutts you spoke of," yet another useful piece of information about Assassin X, "are with her every second of every day. Those other heretics, that filthy old trickster," he didn't need to fake any hate there, "they must face punishment for their transgressions. The group I am part of seeks the same thing as you do, Sir Gilles. Stand with us, and we will crush all these wrongdoers."

The previous painstaking work of trying to get through to the warped maze Caster had for a brain was finally starting to pay off. He was definitely growing interested. "Yes… taking my due for imagined slights would be poetic…" Then he grew hesitant. "But… what would Jeanne say? I have committed terrible acts… spilled the blood of many…" He withdrew his Noble Phantasm from his robes (making Zouken hastily call back the Crest Worms he'd sent to sample it). "This gift from Prelati… is this truly the best way to use it?"

"I think…" Zouken paused to draw the Demon Marshall in a little more before continuing, "I think you should put your Spellbook and your knowledge to use in a way that would make young Ryuunosuke happy. The boy who had given you such purpose while he lived would be delighted to know he continues to do so even after he is gone." He'd kept his tone soft and gentle, all the better to convince this childlike Servant. "Besides… in order to bring Jeanne salvation, you may have to do things she would not condone."

Something very tiny poked inside his chest for a brief moment, but he ignored it. Probably just one of his Worms brushing a sore spot. Meanwhile, Caster was gripping Prelati's Spellbook with new fervor. An excited smile crept along his face. "Yes…" He leaped to his feet. "For Ryuunosuke's memory, I shall put on a display which would've made him cry that 'cool' word to the top of his lungs! And I shall smite all those who doomed him. I shall bring forth the unholiest of acts to awaken Jeanne d'Arc from her nightmare!"

"Your vision sounds incredible." Zouken leaned back in his chair and picked up his wine to salute this proclamation. "Show us your best work, Marshall Gilles de Rais. In honor of Ryuunosuke Uryuu."

"That I promise you and him with all my heart and soul." Caster grabbed hold of Zouken's other hand with both of his own, cane clattering to the floor, and gripped it tightly. His massive eyes glistened while his lip quivered. "Thank you, my friend. Thank you so much."

Zouken accepted it all with a serene nod. "It's both a pleasure and an honor, my friend."

The Heroic Spirit of Sorcery turned towards the door but stopped halfway. "I couldn't help but notice a young darling roaming these halls. May you perhaps loan her to me for this work of mine? Her eyes simply dazzle me."

"I'm afraid my granddaughter is a very important part of my work, Caster. A special masterpiece in the making, I take personal pride in that. I'm sure you understand."

"Ah, of course. Thank you again." As the lunatic practically glided out of the room, he sank a bit more into his chair with a sigh. Insane people were both easy and hard to manipulate. It was a delicate sort of balance; one slip-up, and you'd be stuck with an unwanted bloodbath. But with Rider X's help, it seemed the next step of the plan was about to take care of itself.

'Archer X,' he told his Servant over their link, 'Caster is ready. He ought to be leaving soon.'

'Thank God,' she sighed. 'Any more of his blubbering and I'd have killed him. Need me to tail him?'

'Assassin can handle that part, and I gave him a concealment charm that'll make it hard to sense him until he starts his show.' He got up, finished his wine, retrieved the book and his cane, and made for the basement. 'Continue watching the perimeter for now and stay ready for then.'

'Will do. I think I saw something going about on the perimeter. Could just be a squirrel, but I'll check it out anyways.' She ended the link; a well-trained soldier despite her arrogance and temper, Zouken conceded. Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald must've been an utter idiot not to see her potential. For all their bickering, the Matou patriarch had yet to regret coming to her meeting with Rider X at the latter's behest and forging a contract with her then. It had netted them that fascinating Reactor as well, after all.

He descended down the stone staircase of his home deep in thought. The death of Caster's Master was less inconvenient than the loss of the Servant's Command Seals. That warranted a slight alteration of their plans. Fortunately, Zouken had devised a way to reacquire them from the Holy Grail. He was the one responsible for conceiving them when the Holy Grail War had first been conceptualized, after all. No one on this planet was more familiar with their nature.

He eyed the little tome in his hand with amusement. Functioning similarly to the Book of The False Attendant he had devised years ago, its pages held the two remaining Seals, plucked from the Grail not two hours ago. It had taken a fair bit of energy to craft, but not nearly as much as what Zouken's next action would be.

Not even he could rustle up new Command Seals out of thin air. The forty-two distributed at the beginning were the maximum. But the lovely thing about these Seals was that they didn't necessarily have to be used on Caster despite their origin.

Archer X was volatile enough without Lancer's curse scrambling her thoughts. Caster, well, Zouken and Megatron had needed to spend hours convincing him that they were not his enemies, and hours more getting him into this… semi-cooperative state. And Rider X? Well, he was such a deliciously ruthless being. And the twisted way his mind worked, goodness gracious… The Matou patriarch truly liked him, that Servant was probably the closest friend he'd had in years!

But that didn't mean Zouken trusted him for so much as a second.

Each was keeping secrets from the other. Megatron kept the nature his secret weapon(s) close to his chest, and there were undoubtably one or two other details he had yet to reveal. Likewise, Zouken may've told him about the Einzbern homunculus likely meant to be the vessel for the Lesser Grail, but he too had kept mum yet about some things. Like his current undertaking and the thought process behind it.

Both knew that if they succeeded in massacring the other Servants and Masters, it would only be a matter of time before one stabbed the other in the back. It wouldn't even have to be personal; deception was simply in their natures. And Zouken had decided he'd like an additional knife besides Archer X. Not just against Rider X, but better safe than sorry.

Hence the Magic Circle he had freshly drawn within the basement. The one he now stood before. "Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill." He began the incantation with a touch of nostalgia. How long has it been since I did this myself? "Repeat five times, but when each is filled…"

As he went through the verses (he could recite them in his sleep after so many decades), Zouken Matou considered again his reasoning behind his current undertaking. The appearance of the X-Servants had surprised everyone, him included, he wasn't ashamed to admit. But once the shock had worn off, all of those foolish youngsters fighting in this Grail War had simply accepted their presence and capitalized on the many advantages that could come from wielding a hero this world had never known before. They didn't put more effort in questioning how this came to be; the Holy Grail continued to be an alluring prize.

But Zouken had other thoughts. After all, fourteen Servants competing, even of the number of Masters remained seven, was a complete irregularity for a Grail War. And he had helped found the Grail Wars in the first place, he knew that a safeguard had been equipped to the Grail in case of irregularities.

So, where was Ruler?

If the Holy Grail sensed a challenge to its authority or any other transgression from the usual proceedings, then a Heroic Spirit of Arbitration would be summoned from the Throne of Heroes. Their task would be to investigate these crimes while maintaining absolute neutrality. The Ruler could make no wish upon the Grail itself, its only concern was ensuring everyone played by the rules.

But no Ruler had appeared, even with so many unexpected Servants, much less ones from other worlds running about or Caster and his ex-Master going on an overt killing spree that threatened the veil of secrecy. It was too strange for Zouken not to think about, even before Rider X had approached him.

He had wondered briefly if the reason for Ruler's absence was due to the Grail not having enough Magical Energy. After all, calling forth twice the usual amount of Servants for one single War should've been, if not impossible, then Brobdingnagian in expense. But then Rider X mentioned to him that the mana expenditure for each Servant had been reduced to half its usual amount, disproving that theory. Zouken didn't have a clue who or what had set all this up, but they seemed to have helped cover that part well. And at least it meant the Grail still ought to be serviceable and not just burnt out within a week.

That left only one other potentiality that he could think of: someone or something was actively preventing the Holy Grail from summoning Ruler. Perhaps it was the instigator for these unusual circumstances… or perhaps it was connected to rumors of another abnormal Servant appearing in the Third Grail War.

Either way, Zouken was consciously gambling on the possibility that his attempt to summon a fifteenth Servant here and now would provide him with a new ally. If it turned out to be Ruler he summoned, well…

I think Megatron's inspired me. I don't usually take such risks. Well, no risk, no reward.

"Seventh Heaven clad in the great words of power." The energy was at its peak now. One final verse, and then he would see if his theory was correct.

"Come forth from the circle of binding, Guardian of the Heavenly Scales!"

For the second time in a week, mana blazed brightly within the Matou basement. But Zouken kept his gaze on its apex, excitement rising at the presence he sensed.

When the smoke cleared, there was someone within the Magic Circle.

A man stood before him, clad in dark robes and about thirty centimeters taller than him, Zouken gauged. The tunic and pants were of the same shade, and metal armor pads gleamed dully over his calves and forearms. Some strange piece of metal hung by the belt, adorned with buttons and a large curve protruding close to one end. A large hood black as a starless night had been draped so far over little could be seen of his face. The only visible features were a narrow chin, mostly black but with crimson lines… and twin yellow eyes that glared out from the darkness. And yet it seemed as though he was part of the darkness.

Zouken had a very good feeling about his gamble now. "Welcome to the Holy Grail War," he greeted with a rather chipper smile. "Tell me, my friend… who are you?"

Hands reached up to slowly pull the hood off a head adorned in red and black markings. Little horns formed a sort of crown atop his brow. Those golden eyes could be seen much clearer now, their pupils bloodshot and brimming with barely contained fury. "I," a deep voice snarled out. Like the hiss of a feral beast. "I am Avenger X.

"And we have much to discuss, Zouken Matou."

…Dun dun dun.

Sorry for those of you who wanted to see Saber, Lancer, Waver and Rider, or other favorites who didn't appear in this chapter. It's partially due to size (Chapter 11 was an outlier, I'm not planning on writing another one that big so quickly), but also because I wanted to test myself in writing a "dark" chapter. Here, we see more of just how sinful certain individuals can be, subconsciously in one case. For Tokiomi and Kiritsugu, I don't consider them villains, but they have picked up "bad habits" that continue to influence their decisions, despite the positive influences their X-Servants have on them. Caster X is an exception, of course. A glimmer of light in the dark.

Zouken's reasoning why Ruler hasn't appeared (and won't appear) in this story is honestly my headcanon why there wasn't a Ruler present for any canon version of the Fifth Holy Grail War. Sure, Fate/Stay Night and Fate/Zero came out long before a Ruler class was conceived, but I've always imagined that a certain corruption of the Grail was keeping it from bringing a Ruler to the party. Y'know, despite Caster summoning Assassin and being his pseudo-Master or Gilgamesh, a Servant from the previous War, still hanging around.

I could be wrong, hell, I most likely AM wrong, and any diehard Fate fan will crucify me for this error. But hey, I make mistakes, too.

Oh, and seeing as Command Seals came up in this chapter, here's a refresher of currently which Servants retain how many unused Seals and who holds them:

*Saber: 3, Kiritsugu Emiya

*Saber X: 3, Waver Velvet

*Lancer: 2, Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri (Kayneth expended one to make him attack Berserker X)

*Lancer X: 3, Tokiomi Tohsaka (Tokiomi expended one to teleport her to Rin's location, but her killing Ryuunosuke allowed him to legitimately receive one new Command Seal for each of his Servants from Risei)

*Archer: 3, Tokiomi Tohsaka (Tokiomi expended one to make him withdraw from the dockyard battle, but Lancer X killing Ryuunosuke allowed him to legitimately receive one new Command Seal for each of his Servants from Risei)

*Archer X: 2, Zouken Matou (Kayneth expended one to make her attack Berserker X)

*Rider: 3, Waver Velvet

*Rider X: 2, Kirei Kotomine (Kirei expended one at Tokiomi's behest (off-screen) to make him bow in submission before Archer)

*Caster: ~2, Zouken Matou (Ryuunosuke Uryuu accidentally expended one to call him to his side while trying to catch Rin and Kotone)

*Caster X: 3, Kariya Matou

*Assassin: 1, Kirei Kotomine (Kirei expended one to make all of them attack the banquet, then expended a second subsequently to have ten disregard the previous Command)

*Assassin X: 3, Kiritsugu Emiya

*Berserker: 3, Kariya Matou

*Berserker X: 3, Waver Velvet

*Avenger X: ~2, Zouken Matou

Just in case there was any confusion. And no worries, more Seals will be used up when the War really gets started.

(*)I may write an omake showing this "disturbance" in its entirety at a later date, provided I have the time and energy. If not, I'm afraid all y'all will ever know was that a certain tiger was involved with stopping bank robbers… *evil cackle*