I know I kept you all waiting. I had writer's block and decided to use our vacation to Tennessee from August 6-August 9 to clear my head. Then I got ideas for some other scenes in this story and I ended up typing them instead. Most of the vacation went fine, but I wanna kill the person responsible for what happened on the night of August 7 at the Pigeon Forge suite we were staying at. Here's what happened...

It was like 11:30 at night and I was finally falling asleep when there was a sound like "DAAAAAAAAAAAAAA." Kind of like a door buzzer. No, it sounded exactly like one. And it was a deafeningly loud sound that droned on and on and on. It scared the shit outta me and I almost jumped out of my skin. At first, I thought it was something I did. Then I looked around and saw the strobe light. From the fire alarm. It was making the most irritating sound EVER. I swear that even an air-raid alarm wouldn't be nearly as loud!

I hopped into my wheelchair as fast as I could, but the strobe light was confusing me, and I ended up slamming the side of my right thigh into the brake. It hurt like hell. A moment later, my brother woke up and less than a minute later, our parents came out of the bedroom. There was a bed that folded out of the couch in the living room that I slept in. My brother slept on the couch cushions on the floor next to it so he wouldn't be kicked by my legs (strengthened from doing rehab every night on the treadmill and recumbent bike. Mom calls them "horse legs"). And our parents slept in the only real bed in the room we were in.

We made our way to the 1st floor from the 2nd (that was where most everyone was living. It was a small suite. Only two floors) and out the door with pretty much everyone else at the suite. At least no one else used the elevator. With my inability to balance enough to walk, we were the only ones who had to use it. But we didn't smell smoke at all in the halls. A few minutes later, a firetruck pulled up and a fireman went inside. Several minutes later, he came out and propped the door open, grumbling so quietly even I barely heard him, "You guys can go in."

The next day, Mom found out what had happened. Someone was cooking in their room and smoke filled the kitchen, setting off the fire alarm and waking everyone up. Great. It took me FOREVER to go back to sleep! Thanks a lot, whoever did it! And thanks for the large, painful bruise on my thigh!

And even though the setting in Fate/stay night has a different climate than the one I'm used to (humid continental, I live in Illinois.) the climate in my area will be the one I use in this story.

Images were flashing quickly.

A knife glinted.

Blood splattered.

A severed tongue went flying.

Then the alarm clock went off. Akiko woke up and sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes, yawning.

[Tender Scenery]

"What a weird dream..." she mumbled. "Anyway, thank God it's finally Friday!" she exclaimed. Lancer chuckled from the couch in the room where he slept. Akiko had kept offering for him to use the bed and she'll sleep on the couch. But he told her that she's the one going to school, and so she needs to be more rested than him. He had woken up when Akiko did.

"I though ya were a fan of school."

"Not exactly. I just try to make it there each day so I don't have to make up any homework I missed. But it's nice not having to go every single day on the weekends, even if it's only for two days." She looked at Lancer. "I can't wait for college, when I can do more subjects that I enjoy."

"What ones do ya enjoy?"

"The career I want is game design," she replied. "So I enjoy more graphic design classes or ones dealing with making computer images or using things like Photoshop."

Lancer grinned and leaned back against the back cushion of the couch, grinning with pretty much all of his teeth showing. "I'm pretty sure you can guess what my interests are."

"Spear fighting, am I right?"

"Spear fightin', fightin' competitions, whatever."

"There's a kendo tournament next month, though I don't know if you'll vanish before then."

Lancer sat forward, still grinning. "If not, I'm so there!"

Akiko sighed. "If you do get to go, don't get so carried away that you'll arouse everyone's suspicion of the existence of super human beings."

Lancer barked a single laugh. "Of course I know that! How stupid do ya think I am?!"

"I'm not saying you are, but I have a feeling that if I don't tell you what to do in a situation like that, you'll end up doing something idiotic."

Lancer ignored what she said. "Well, ya should be gettin' ready to go. I take it ya want me to keep watch? Well, I'd do it even is ya disapprove."

Akiko let an evil grin grace her lips. "You're forgetting I still have all three of my Command Seals. I could use one to force you to stay here."

"Ya wouldn't be dumb enough to waste one fer that!"

"Wouldn't I?"

A chill ran down Lancer's spine and he shivered. She was serious. She would really do it. But probably not until he pissed her off so much that she didn't want to be near him. Best to stay on her good side, then.

Her smirk dropped and she glanced at Lancer. "But I do need you to keep an eye out for one more thing while I'm at school."

Lancer could tell by her face and tone she was serious. "Sure. What is it?"

"It's about those two murders near the school."

Lancer crossed his arms. "Do ya think it has somethin' to do with the Grail War?"

Akiko looked away from him, to the area to his left and her right. "I'm not sure. It could be some random person doing this. But I do think it's strange that the first murder happened the same night I summoned you. If there is a connection, our school could be next. After all, me, Emiya, and Tohsaka are Masters. And who knows how many others at the school are too? Their goal may be to get rid of us. And the locations could be a way to scare us. But then again, I still don't know enough to tell if the locations were coincidences or not. Even if it turns out they are, I want you to keep watch for suspicious activity going on campus or near the school."

"Sure thing! If anyone tries to hurt ya, they'll taste my spear!"

A small smile appeared on Akiko as she got out of bed. The two had some toast, bacon, and orange juice for breakfast. After Akiko got the remainder of herself ready, like brushing her teeth and combing her hair, the two went out the door, walking along the sidewalk to school. Once they were nearly there, Lancer broke off from his Master to hide in the trees. Akiko went into the school building and up the stairs, going into her classroom.

[End OST]

[Gentle Everyday]

"Hashimoto!" Ayako called as Akiko sat down at her desk. Ayako came over to the taller teen.

"What is it, Mitsuzuri?" Akiko asked. "Do we have another half day?"

Ayako shook her head. "No. But now there's information on who the killer may be."

"They find a clue or did they get a tip?"

[End OST]

[Whirlpool of Fate]

"No, a clue. Near the scene of the crime, detectives found a single strand of magenta hair. It didn't belong to the couple where it was found. They ran a DNA test on it and that's where it gets strange."

"Strange?"

"Yeah, strange. The test revealed it to belong to an animal never seen before. Have you ever heard of chimeras?" Akiko nodded. "Well, they think it may be some type of chimera. But completely different from the traditional ones. And other DNA taken from the scene of the first murder didn't show who or what did it, but it matches the DNA of this creature."

"A chimera?! Okay, I gotta know what the investigators have been smoking."

"This isn't a joke. The evidence from the DNA test proves it. I'm doubtful too, but I highly doubt they would release that information if they weren't 100% sure of the results."

[End OST]

[Gentle Everyday]

The bell for the beginning of class rang. "Well, I still think it's a load of crap," Akiko said. "I'm not gonna believe it until they have more evidence to back it up."

"Well, whatever," Ayako said. She walked to her desk just as Mr. Kuzuki came in the room to take attendance. Akiko still kept in mind of what she and Lancer had to do after school. The bad feeling as she entered the school grounds reminded her of that. They had to find what was creating the bounded field and shut it off before the field is activated. If it was, everyone in the school would be drained of their life force and would all eventually die.

Oh shit! That's right! Akiko forgot to let her boss know she wouldn't be able to come in today. But he wouldn't fire her. He couldn't afford to. After all, she and Eguchi were the only waitresses at Ahnenerbe. Instead, he would decrease her next paycheck.

Later in class, when Mr. Kuzuki switched with Ms. Fujimura, everybody was looking in their textbooks. But Akiko was only pretending to like everyone else. She was actually using it to whisper, communicating with her Servant.

'Any suspicious activity going on, Cu Chulainn?'

'Nope, everythin's goin' smoothly over here.'

'Good. By the way, remember what we need to do after school?'

'Check fer what's makin' the bounded field 'round here? Yeah, I remember. I was worried you didn't. After all, ya didn't call yer boss an' make an excuse fer why ya can't come into work today.'

'Yeah. On Monday, I'll just tell him I had a family emergency.'

'Ya sure that'll be enough to get ya off the hook?'

'Yeah. He'll just yell at me, reduce my pay for this month, give me a dirty look that entire day, and eventually forget about it.'

Lancer paused. Akiko imagined he was sweatdropping. '...Ya seem to know how he ticks.'

'Me and the other two. I don't know about the cook, though.'

'Well, anyway, can ya remove sigils? That's most likely what's makin' the bounded field.'

'Don't worry. I can handle it.' Ms. Fujimura began talking again and everyone put down their textbooks. 'Uh-oh. Looks like we need to save our talk for later.'

Lancer could guess what was happening. 'In a situation where you can't talk to me without someone noticin'? Alright, I'll just wait out here fer ya.'

Akiko cut off her communication with Lancer and looked around. Good. No one was looking at her strangely. So they didn't hear her.

Later, the lunch bell rang and Akiko got out her bagged lunch. She turned her head to the side to see Ayako walking over to her desk, also carrying a bagged lunch.

"Wanna eat together?" she asked. She didn't know if Akiko had other plans during lunch period. It didn't look like it, but better to make sure.

"Yeah, I don't have anything else going on right now," Akiko replied. She scooted her chair over slightly so Ayako could pull one up and sit next to her.

[End OST]

The two girls got out sandwiches and began eating. After a moment of silence, Ayako spoke up.

"You seem...different than usual."

Akiko swallowed her bite. "I do? How so?"

"I dunno. You seem...happier, ya know?"

"Oh. Yeah, I guess my mood has been better lately."

"Did something happen?"

"Not much. I met someone recently is all."

"A boy?"

[Troublemakers]

Akiko sputtered and snapped her head at Ayako. "I-I have no idea what you're talking about!"

Ayako faced Akiko and grinned like she just got someone to reveal to her a big secret. "Ah-ha! You're getting embarrassed! So it is a boy! And he must be a cute-looking one!"

Akiko's face went red, from a mixture of blushing and anger. "I'm not embarrassed! I only sound like I am because you asked that out of the blue!"

Ayako continued to grin. "You're in lo~ve!"

That was a little loud. Akiko looked around nervously. People were staring, but shrugged and went back to eating. "Be quiet, Mitsuzuri! You're drawing attention!"

"But I'm right, aren't I?"

Akiko went back to fuming at her. "I said that I'm not!"

Ayako's grin only got wider. "Denying it only shows that I'm right. You're an attractive girl! Any guy would be lucky to get your attention!"

Well, she was right about the attractive part. However, she was only second to Rin. Any guys who couldn't land a date with Rin hit on Akiko instead. The silver-haired teen took a drink from her can of lemonade to hide her embarrassment. "...F-Fine! I guess...I do like him...a little..."

Ayako giggled a bit. "Just a little? If someone is enough to get your attention, I highly doubt that you just 'like' him."

Akiko growled softly and blushed. "God, can't you leave me alone?!"

Ayako snickered. "What's his name? Or did you only meet him briefly on the streets?"

Akiko didn't know how to answer. There was no way she could tell Ayako her Servant's true name. On the other hand, even if she tried to dodge that question, Ayako wouldn't let up until she got an answer. She could tell the teen Lancer's class name, but what if she was also a Master? Then she'd not only know Akiko was also one, but that she had a Servant. Oh well. She was Akiko's friend. She was willing to take that risk.

"...Lancer," she mumbled. Now to see what Ayako's reaction would be. Thankfully, it wasn't one that Akiko was dreading, one that would hint at Ayako also being a Master. Instead, she scrunched up her face in a thoughtful way.

"Lancer, huh? That name sounds foreign."

"It is. He's from a different country. Remember when I took that trip to Ireland? I met him there."

"But I thought you said you just met him! After all, you took that trip two years ago!"

"I just met him when he came here," Akiko corrected. "He's staying with me for now." Why did she have to add that in?! Well, she did feel like spilling more details about what's going on in her life when talking to Ayako.

Ayako giggled again. "In that case, I can't wait to meet him. Is he nice to others or just to you?"

Akiko sighed as she finished her sandwich. "He's nice to others. And since I can tell you won't leave it alone, I'll call and tell you when you can meet him."

Ayako winked. Like Akiko, she had finished eating. "I'll hold you to that! Now, the bell's about to ring. I'd better go back to my desk." She stood up and moved the chair back and went to her desk.

[End OST]

[Gentle Everyday]

While class was going on, there was a perfect chance for Akiko to commune with Lancer.

'Hey, Mr. Popular, one of my friends wants to meet you,' she whispered.

'I hope that person's not a Master. That could be a reason fer wantin' to see me.'

'No, I don't think she is.' Or maybe it's something Akiko didn't want to believe.

'Ooh, it's another girl, huh?'

Akiko sighed, but she remembered to keep it quiet. 'When she's there, just keep your pants on.'

Lancer laughed. 'Don't worry 'bout me cheatin' on ya fer another girl!'

Akiko blushed. 'Sh-Shut up. I-I'm not worried or anything.'

'Suuuure ya aren't.'

Akiko cut off her communication with him to show that she was angry now. But by the end of the day, she had calmed down. Because of the murders, even clubs were cancelled. So Akiko just hid in an empty room until everyone, even the teachers, had gone home.

[End OST]

When she was sure the entire school was empty, she talked to Lancer again.

'The school's clear now. Meet me at the first floor, next to the lockers.'

'Got it.'

Akiko came out of hiding and moments later, she joined up with her Servant.

"Remember: we're looking for sigils that will create the bounded field," she reminded him. "If possible, we are to erase them."

Lancer scratched the back of his head. "Are ya even able to do that? I don't even know yet how skilled ya are with magic."

"I can. And I have to be skilled. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been chosen as a Master."

Not true, Lancer thought. That Master, Shirou Emiya, he believes, wasn't all that skilled. Lancer could sense that a good majority of the lad's magic circuits were dormant from lack of use. And yet, he had been chosen for some reason. And at the worst possible time for Lancer, too. It just had to happen right as he was going to finish the lad off again!

The two began their search in a first-floor classroom. When they were near the teacher's desk, Lancer spoke up. "It's around here."

"Yeah, I can feel it nearby," Akiko replied. The two began searching the desk for the sigil. While Akiko was searching on top of the desk, Lancer was searching the underside of it.

"That must be it," Lancer said moments after he started looking.

Akiko was looking at the underside of various objects on top of the desk. She looked at him. "Where?"

Lancer pointed at the underside of the desk. "Right there."

Akiko squatted down to see the sigil. It was on the inner side of the right side of the desk. The red mark looked strange. It had an eight-pointed star in the middle of a circle. But strange writing was just inside the outline of the circle. "I've never seen or heard of writing like this before. This has to be the work of a Servant."

Lancer glanced at it. "I'd say the culprit is someone from ancient Greece, judgin' by the writin'."

Akiko glanced at him. "How do you know? After all, you're from Ireland. Did you learn it from the Grail?"

"No, from my teacher, Scathach," he replied. "When she was drillin' me an' Ferdiad in magecraft, she also went over what other countries at that time used fer castin' spells. Greece still used writin' like this fer magic only."

"Huh," Akiko said. Then she turned to the sigil again. "I won't be able to erase it completely. But I can mess with it."

She hovered her palm just over the sigil and the palm glowed with faint red light. Then a red triangle appeared on the sigil. Akiko drew her hand back and stood up.

"That makes one down."

"Who knows how many others there are?" Lancer said.

"I dunno," Akiko replied. "I guess we'll just have to find as many as we can."

Seven more sigils later, they decided to check the other buildings. When they came out of the school, they saw a curious sight.

"Ah..." Akiko said.

[Footsteps of Destruction]

The two saw Rin, Shirou, and their two Servants coming out of the dojo. While the two Masters were still wearing their Homurahara Academy uniforms - Rin had a red jacket over her shirt - the enemy Servants looked different than before. They were wearing modern clothes, not their battle ones. Saber had on w white long-sleeved shirt with a blue ribbon tied into a bow around the collar and a blue skirt that went down to her knees. Archer was wearing a black button-up shirt over a red one and a black vest over the black shirt. He wore a pair of black pants and black shoes, ones that looked to be for a special occasion or for going out to a fancy restaurant. Saber turned her head and saw Akiko and Lancer.

"Lancer! What are you doing here?!" Saber hissed.

Lancer smirked as he and Akiko walked over to the four, stopping when there was only two meters between the two groups. Saber looked so angry. It was a little cute, what with that little piece of hair that stuck out bobbing around. It made her look like a teen that was pouting. "We're here to mess with those sigils placed 'round the school. What? Do ya have a problem with that?"

Saber continued to snarl at the man. "Of course I do! You are the enemy!"

"An enemy, huh? Don't all Servants see each other that way?" The demigod glanced at Archer. "So why are ya with another Servant?" Archer just crossed his arms, but didn't reply.

Saber tensed even more than she already was. "Our Masters have an alliance. So we will work together to defeat you!"

The three Servants went in front of their Masters, each still wearing modern clothes but brandishing their weapons. Akiko sighed. "Look, we aren't here to fight." Then Akiko held her right arm out, hand opened and palm facing the two Maters and their Servants. "However, if you four really wanna fight, Lancer and I will respond in kind. Jilg [1]."

A chain of lavender energy appeared in her right palm. Her fingers closed around it. She was holding onto one end of the chain. The rest was swirled below in a pile. The chain was long. It could wrap around a person seven times and still have plenty left for the mage to hold onto.

Shirou took a step forward, but was still behind Saber. "Whoa, whoa. We're checking for sigils too. Instead of fighting, let's just work together."

"Yeah right! As if I'd cooperate with an enemy, especially one that attacked us both!" Rin exclaimed.

"Shirou, please listen to her," Saber added. She was still facing Lancer, along with Archer. "She is right. We should not ally ourselves with Lancer of all people."

"I'm not talking about a full alliance," Shirou told both girls. "Just a ceasefire that lasts for just today."

Akiko looked to relax a little, but still held onto the chain. "We can work with that. But be aware that we will attack if we are first."

Shirou glanced at her. "I'm aware of that."

Saber lowered her invisible weapon slightly, but still looked to be on guard. "Very well, Shirou. Even though I don't completely agree with your proposition, I will abide by your desicion."

Archer glanced at his Master. "Well, Rin? What do you say?"

Rin breathed out loudly. "...Fine. But only if Lancer and Hashimoto keep away from us!"

Akiko released the mana making the chain appear. "Don't worry about that. But make sure you don't get in our way either."

Suddenly, there was a strange feeling, as if a bounded field had been set up. There was a giggle. It sounded high-pitched, like it was from a small child.

"It looks like we get to have some fun today!"

The six turned their heads to the entrance to the school campus. There was fog there, so a bounded field had been set up. There was another giggle and a little girl took a step out of the fog. She had silver hair, the same shade as Akiko's, and big red eyes. she had a purple hat over her hair, one that looked to be from Russia. She had a purple jacket over a purple dress and purple boots.

"It's Illyasviel von Einzbern!" Rin exclaimed. There was a silhouette of something behind her. Something huge. It took a step out of the fog and everyone saw what it was.

"_!"

It was her Servant, Berserker.

[End OST]

[1] Akiko chants the incantations for her spells in Draconian.

Jilg = Hold

Remember to review.