Fate/Twin Roses Chapter 1: The Mage Of Fire
By Bluestar076
Hello everyone! Bluestar here with the first chapter of this new story about Fate! Now that all of the characters have been selected, we can officially start! I once again thank everyone who participated to this project by giving their OC! I promise to do my best to give your characters the fair space they deserve! And I hope you'll like what's coming out!
Now, sit tight, relax and as always…enjoy!
Note: I do not own Fate. All rights and characters belong to Kinoko Nasu and TYPE-MOON.
Chapter 1: The Mage of Fire
…Deus dormit…et liberi ignem faciunt…numquam extinguunt…ne expergisci possit…omnia dividit…tragoedia coram…amandam…quae…
A simple chant…was the sensation that guided a young…lost…and melancholic boy...inside an oneiric and surrealistic dream.
This guy…had 19 years old in that moment. He used to wear a sleeveless white t-shirt with a red tie under a black vest with white buttons, black trousers…and white sneakers. But the most interesting fact of him when it came to his appearance…were his eyes and hair, which were divided into two different colors…from one side it had a green eye and white hair, but from the other side, he had a red eye and black hair. His hair were spiky and he even had an ahoge.
The guy was walking…he kept walking…on a floor made of water, as if he was walking under it. There was nothing around him, only an empty road to walk…to follow the chant. The sky around him was of a deep blue…and full of stars. It was a gently night that surrounded that dream.
The guy kept walking…but he seemed tired…off…he didn't know why he was walking…but he kept on doing so…following the chant. "…Who…who are…you?" He asked with a low voice. By his surprise…he received an answer.
"How strange hearing that from you…after all the time you spent on training just to find me…have you forgotten?"
The boy opened a little bit more his eyes after hearing that. "I…I know you?" He asked. "The moment is at hand, young one. The moment you have been trained so much for. You must take your place…in what comes next."
"What comes…next? I…I'm confused…I've been…isolated from the rest of the world for so long…i…thought that I could have lost all senses…all memories…being alone…in that place…made me almost forgot who I am…" The boy continued.
"Yet…you didn't forget, did you? I'm calling you to remind you this. And you're not the only one. Many like you had answered the call. Now it's your turn…mage."
Suddenly…a ring started to sound on the boy's head after that word…'Mage'. Lights…memories…remnants of his past…passed through his eyes, remembering what he had learned, what he had gained, what he had lost. Friendships, Loves, Laughs, cries…hope….and despair. Now everything was more clear to him. He had rediscovered his identity. "That's…that's right! I…I remember now! I know who you are…and if it's you…"
"It is time to wake up. And go back to that world you haven't seen for so long. It's time to descend into reality…and struggle to claim your wish."
Suddenly…the boy could see a light in the distance, and from it…appeared what looked like a giant pillar with some points at the top. With the sight of that column…the boy's expression became more serious. He knew what was that…and he knew what destiny had planned for him. It was time for him to turn back. Turn back…to reality.
"The Holy…Grail…"
After that…a light surrounded everything…and the dream ended.
The young boy opened his eyes and looked at a ceiling. "That dream ended…" He said as he stood up from the bed and looked at the window. He could see the gentle waves of the sea that accompanied the starry sky of the night. When he looked behind, he could see some cells, blocking the room where he was standing. This made him sigh. "Life goes on…but I'm still here."
The young boy, was held into a prison that stood in the middle of the sea, due to a crime he committed in the past. Since the policemen considered him a more dangerous individual than the others, they decided to put him on an isolation cell. This…was the 4th year he spent on that prison. That isolation made him almost forget what the rest of the world was like. The experience was a mix between loneliness and emptiness. If it wasn't for that dream, he probably wouldn't have been different from a walking zombie.
And then…in that moment…he could hear some footsteps coming closer. "Hm?" For curiosity, the boy came closer. By doing so…he could see a light coming closer, and even some voices.
"Are you sure this is the right choice, mister?" A voice asked. "Yes. The sole reason I came here is for him." Another one replied. "That guy killed over 800 people all alone! Is it really right to let him out?" A third voice asked almost bewildered. "Enough! Me and him are much closer than you think, and I know exactly what he's capable off. I won't hear any more objections. I'll take him with me!" The second voice exclaimed.
This made the boy confused, but curious as well. "Take me…? Is someone…getting me out of here?" He said. The boy didn't know how to feel. From a side he didn't know what to say. For all that time, all that he could see of the outside world was a simple sight of the sea from a window, so he didn't know how much the world had changed without him. But…on the other head…he felt…a nice sensation. Could it be? Was it hope? Joy? The news that he could have gotten out of there…made him feel better.
And then…the three figures finally arrived. Two of them were simple policemen, who looked at the boy while sweating, showing that they were still afraid of him. The third figure on the other head seemed to be more prominent. He looked like a man around his twenties. He had a white skin and a height around 6'0" ft. His face was triangular and he had short, curly light brown hair and sharp, dark blue eyes. He also had a light beard and was wearing what looked like an uniform, it remembered the one worn by the military commanders.
The boy and the man looked at each other in silence for some seconds…in order to understand each other better. After that…the man scratched his chin and talked. "Hmmm…judging by the description they've given to me…I imagined you much bigger and scarier. But there's no doubt that it's you the one I'm looking for." He said before making a more serious expression. "The 14th Master of this War, Kazuto Tohsaka."
That simple description made the boy named Kazuto realize everything. Now…he was definitely sure that he was about to get out of that prison. And the reason was the pillar he had seen on that dream. "You said Master…so…is it what I'm thinking right?" He asked.
The man nodded. "Yes. It's time…for a new Holy Grail War."
The sun…was about to set. A dawn of a new day was approaching. Even for Kazuto. After the encounter, the bearded man paid a notable sum of money to release the boy and take him. They took a motorboat and landed…at the bay of Tokyo, the great city known as the capital of Japan. With over 13 millions of inhabitants, Tokyo is known to be one of the most populated metropolis in the world with tons of various places to visit like Shibuya, Shinjuku and Nakano.
Before going to jail, Kazuto used to live in this giant capital, but even so, the sight of it every day surprised him. "Tokyo…after so long…" He said. "Surely it's good to be back at home after so long, huh?" The man with the beard asked. "Y-Yeah…i…I almost forgot how it felt to walk free…oh right, I suppose I have to thank you…mister…?" Kazuto then answered, wanting to know the name of the man. This question made the man quite happy, as he made a long smirk. "Glad to hear that. What you see in front of you is the pride of the modern magecraft! A genius when it comes to strategy and a fierce warrior! My name is Marcus Graint Yggdmillenia! And I'm the leader of the Red Rose faction in this Holy Grail War." He answered, feeling very proud of what he just said.
Kazuto didn't know what to say. That description was…pompous, and gave to him an impression that this person was quite eccentric. "You…seem to be very proud of yourself…" He said. "Eheh. Of course I am. It's hard to find someone as strong and intelligent as me! You should feel lucky to have me as a leader." Marcus replied, making the other magus more confused, while a drop of sweat came down from his head. "O-Ok…but…wait…did you say…Red Rose faction? What do you mean?" He then asked. Kazuto knew well of the rules of the Holy Grail War, but hearing a name like that was the first time for him. "Hmmm…it seems that you've missed a lot since you've been put in that jail. In that case, I'll have to explain you the situation. But…it's around 7:00 A.M. And I don't know you, but my stomach is tumbling. I suggest to speak over a great meal and a nice cup of coffee." Marcus explained. "It's…not a bad idea actually…I feel a disturbance on my stomach too…" Kazuto said, feeling embarrassed.
After some minutes of walk, the two Magus came to a bakery near Shiodome. They sat on a table in the outside and ordered some big sweets. Marcus ordered a large sundae ice cream with strawberry and chocolate, while Kazuto ordered a giant waffle with cream and a strawberry cut in pieces. By the sight of that dessert, Kazuto was in awe, charmed like he had seen a golden mountain. "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" He exclaimed as he started to eat real fast. "Have a bit of modesty! You're not giving a good impression to the other costumers!" Marcus complained. "You can't understand! It's been so long since I was able to eat something like this! The only thing they served back in that jail were bread and spinach or mashed potatoes…" Kazuto answered. "Eugh, seriously? I couldn't live in a place like that…" Marcus commented.
Once they ended up their meal, they started their discussion over a cup of coffee. "So…we meet at least, Kazuto Tohsaka, 19 years old, a height of 5'9" ft, and the descendant of the Tohsaka family in this era. You were born the 7th of July, and your father was a mage named Gon Tohsaka, and it was him who taught you the arts of the magic, but he died in unknown circumstances when you were 12 years old. While your mother, Hinobu Tohsaka, is still alive and currently lives here in Tokyo." Marcus then started to read a paper with all information about Kazuto.
"Yes. That's me. Uhm…do you know how is my mother?" the other magus asked. "Beats me. But she should be ok. She lives in the residence of the family. Once we're done, you're free to go to her." Marcus replied. Kazuto could have a sigh of relief. "I'll surely do. I…need to see her."
"Hmmm…surely situations had evolved in a strange manner, I never thought I would have been able to meet with a member of one of the most important families when It comes to magecraft and the Holy Grail War. Heh, surely not as big as me, but still an important reputation. I'm sure you know what your family is known for." Marcus then continued.
"Yes. Centuries ago, the forefather of my family, along with the Makiri one and a member of the Einzbern family, created the system that would have brought to the summoning of the Holy Grail throughout the decades. Since then, the Tohsaka started to cover an important role in the various wars, participating in most of them and having a strong alliance with the Makiri family, which it is now known as Matou." Kazuto answered.
"Eheheh, good! You seem to have studied. Then I suppose you surely know about my family, the Yggdmillenia." Marcus said, seeming satisfied. "I do. The Yggdmillenia are another lineage of magi that act in a different way compared to other families. You usually select mages from other families instead of following a single lineage with the same name, and this brought you to have various experiences when it comes to magecraft. When it comes to succession, you prefer to pass the experiences of the past to various members of the family, instead of just one, like my family for example, and just like us, you fought various time through in the Holy Grail Wars. If I'm correct, your predecessors were quite notable during the Third Holy Grail War." Kazuto answered.
"Absolutely! We showed the pride and power that our family had! It was really a shame that war ended up with no winner. Anyways, what you said was correct. Our families had struggled against each other in the past to obtain the item known as the Holy Grail War. But now…the circumstances are different, and brought us to fight together." Marcus continued. "Yeah…I was confused about this, can you explain better?" Kazuto asked.
"As you know, the Holy Grail War is a conflict that usually gets seven mages fight against each other along with powerful warriors from the past known as Servants. Servants are notable people from the various ages that appear in modern era as heroic spirits that can get a body by the Grail. Each Servant fights alongside their Masters against the other to assure victory and ask a wish as well, from the Holy Grail. I'm sure you know the various classes, right?" Marcus started to explain.
"Yes. They are Saber, Lancer, Archer, Rider, Berserker, Caster and Assassin." Kazuto simply replied. "Yes. That's it. Each of them has their own style of war and they can count on special weapons and attacks known as Noble Phantasms. A Master summons a Servant through a catalyst or simply by a summoning circle and by doing so, they forge a contract with that Servant that is represented by the Command Seals. There are three of them, and the Master can use them to give orders to their Servant. Once the Master had used all of them, the contract with that Servant ends. The Holy Grail War ends when only one mage remains and all the other ones have been defeated. The winner gets the honor to ask a wish to the Holy Grail." Marcus continued.
"These are the basic rules of every Holy Grail War…so what changed exactly?" Kazuto asked. "What changed is the Holy Grail itself. The first change that was noticed was that the Holy Grail did not appear in the city of Fuyuki but right here in Tokyo. But the mages that are participating in this war still don't know its exact location. Only the supervisor knows of it. And the second thing, is that this time, a Greater Grail appeared, instead of a regular one." Marcus replied.
"Greater?" "Yes. A Grail that contains a bigger amount of magical energy inside of it and it seems to be without a container. Both the Association of Mages and the church confirmed that this is the first time something like this happened." Marcus continued.
"Bizarre indeed…and…I suppose that this changed the rules of the war itself, right?" Kazuto asked. "That's right. The intense amount of magical energy changed a lot of things like…the number of Servants. This time, the number of Servants summoned is…14." The Yggdmillenia member finally said the first truth, which shocked Kazuto. "W-What!? 14 Servants fighting against each other!? That's incredulous!" He exclaimed.
"If I were you I would lower my voice." Marcus suggested, indicating that the other costumers were hearing him. "O-Oh…s-sorry…" Kazuto said with red cheeks. "But…are we really all going to fight?" He asked.
"Not really. It appears that the Grail had stated that this war between 14 mages and 14 Servants…will be fought in two different factions, each one with seven Servants at their disposal. We both are in the same faction, which means that we are allies and that we must help each other." Marcus replied.
"So…it's seven against seven. I see…" Kazuto said. "The factions are divided in the Red Rose and the White Rose, that is why this war has been officially called the 'Rose Grail War'. Have you ever heard of the War of Roses?" Marcus then asked.
"Yes, I think I've studied it. It's a conflict that happened during the 15th century. During that war, too noble English families, the York and the Lancaster, fought against each other in England." The Tohsaka guy answered. "Correct. This Holy Grail War takes its name by that conflict since all the participating mages have a mark on the back of their neck, resembling a rose." Marcus answered. The descendant of the Tohsaka family touched his neck and could feel something. To help him Marcus stood up and recognized it. "Yes. I can clearly see the mark on it. It's a red rose." He said before going back to his seat. "As I said, there are seven mages for each faction that are guided by a leader, which in this case…is me!" He said.
"You're the leader?" Kazuto asked. "Of course! There's no one else as strong and smart as me! I'll assure you, as long as I'm the one guiding you, the victory for the Red Rose is ensured!" The Yggdmillenia magus answered, full of himself. At this point, Kazuto really didn't know what to say. This guy was more than just proud. "Anyways…do we know something about the Masters of the White Rose?" He then asked.
"Not at the moment. What we do know is that there are a lot of notable names when it comes to mages. I've heard that some of them come directly from the clock tower, the headquarter of magecraft back in London, and this fact could be quite troublesome. Also…a notable fact is that between the three main families, the Tohsaka is the only one participating in this war." Marcus answered, making Kazuto curious. "Really? Then…the Matou and the Einzbern families won't participate?" He asked. "Yes. The Matou still don't know who can take the lead of family. For generations they had been guided by Zouken Matou, who got killed in a previous Holy Grail War. As such, the family ended up with no prepared Master and so they haven't been chosen by the Grail. As for the Einzbern, after they've discovered that the Grail had appeared on its own, without one of their homunculus working as its vessel, they tried to find a mage that could work for them, but with no results." The other magus replied.
Kazuto put his hand on his chin and thought of the situation. "Everything is so different from what I've learned during my studies…" He said. "Indeed. I didn't expect all these changes either. But it doesn't matter, a magus is still a magus! And we need to do our duty! I'll guide our faction to victory if it's the last thing I do!" Marcus exclaimed.
"You can count on me too. I've waited years not only for this moment, but also for my freedom. You can say that…I'm in debt with you. And as repayment…I'll give my best to win this war." Kazuto answered, showing resolute in his eyes. "Ahahah! That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Very well then! With this we have done here. We need to bring you to the church where the supervisor of this war lives. We need to confirm your participation to the war to make it officially begin and make him give you your catalyst." Marcus said, standing up again.
"Really? They don't know of me?" Kazuto asked. "Well, he does know about you, but he couldn't know that you would have participated yet. The other mages already have their own Servant, you are the only one left. Some even doubted if you were to participate, since you were in jail. Now that you're here, we have to let him know of your presence. We should go." With this Marcus ended their chat and was ready to leave, but then he was stopped by Kazuto, who remembered him something. "Hey, wait! What about your coffee?" He asked.
Marcus stood silent…and looked at the coffee before touching it. "CRAP! I'VE TALKED SO MUCH THAT THE COFFEE GOT COLDER! OH MY GOOOOD!" He shouted. The Tohsaka magus remained there, watching the scene with another drop of sweat coming down from his head.
Once Marcus drank his coffee they left the bakery. Kazuto just got out of prison just a few moments earlier, and now his head was already filled with lots of thought for the upcoming future. A different Holy Grail War, two different factions, 14 mages and 14 Servants fighting. He knew how important this war was, but if he had to be honest with someone, he thought that this would have been so much easier. But either way, he couldn't not hesitate or get distracted by anything. Sure, he still was confused, but he knew what was his purpose. If he had to take part in this, he would have done so.
And so, Kazuto and Marcus reached a church that was much distant and isolated from the zone they had been before. This church had average dimensions and it was quite simple when it came to decorations. It was built in a white marble and the three windows of the front side were of a cobalt blue, and had a nice illumination. The visual effect made it look like there was water inside of them. On the top of the church there was the bell tower with a cross on its tip.
"Wow…I have to say that this church surely has its charm…I would have never thought they would have given so much attention to churches even here in Japan…" Kazuto commented. "It's not surprising. Even if it isn't the main religion, Catholic Christianity still has a large piece of population in Japan, counting over 126 millions of people that stay in this community." Marcus replied before turning on Kazuto. "Have you ever believed in something?" He then asked.
"Well, I did studied the story of Christianity and Jesus in the past, but much like other Japanese…I've been grown up to be a Taoist. But…we can say that Christianity had been there. Plus, the Holy Grail is supposed to be the relic that contains the blood of Christ, right?" He asked.
"Correct. This is also the reason why the holy church had already been present during the various Holy Grail War. As an holy item, the Holy Grail is considered to be property of the church. That is why usually, a member of the church is chosen to be the supervisor of the war." Marcus replied.
"If I'm not wrong…the supervisor has the duty to observe the war and make sure that everything goes according to the rules. He can even give extra Command Spells, right?" Kazuto asked. "Yes! You are well informed about this, you could become one of our most important assets! All you need is a Servant, we should head inside." Marcus answered, before entering inside. Kazuto nodded and followed him.
The inside of the church was more majestic than the outside. The road was covered with a long blue carpet. The seats were quite long, they could have held place for at least four people. The walls, the ceiling and the floor were all of a clear and pure white color and showed no damages. On the right and on the left of the church, there were various glass windows that showed various episode of the New Testament, with some candles off. And then there was the altar, where there was a golden cup, and behind that, there was a statue of Christ on the cross, the symbol of the Christian religion.
Kazute was bewitched by such sight. He thought that he just entered in a place that didn't belong to him…but that was just…beautiful. "O-Oh dear…" He simply said with a lower voice. "Amazing right? Sometimes even I am surprised of the work that can come out from simple hands." Marcus said before pointing at someone in the distance. "There he is. The priest, and the supervisor of this war."
When Kazuto looked towards that direction, he saw it. The priest. And was surprised by what he saw. At first, the young mage would have thought that it was someone around 40 years old, tall and with an imposing appearance. But what he had seen was the complete opposite.
The priest…was nothing more than a boy that had around his same age. He had long, flowing, smooth and blue hair that reached half of his legs. His skin was pale and he had red eyes. He was wearing the typical uniform of priests, a grey scarf around his neck and a golden cross near the scarf. The other boy turned around and looked at them. He seemed to be shy, but also conscious of what was going on. "O-Oh…it's you, leader of the Red Rose." He said with a gentle and low voice that showed a little bit of insecurity.
"Yes. I've finally found him. This is Kazuto Tohsaka, the last member of the Red Rose and the last Master of this war." Marcus said, indicating Kazuto, who saluted the priest. "Good morning."
"Good morning, mage. I'm…Kanashimi Kotomine. I'm…the supervisor of the war." The priest said, presenting himself. "N-Nice to meet you." Kazuto simply said, still don't knowing how to behave. Kanashimi seemed…interested by this type of reaction…and came closer to him, face to face and looked at him straight in the eyes. Kazuto was caught by surprise by this gest. He didn't know what this priest was going to do, but still…this scared him. For that moment…all that Kazuto did…was simply looking at him in the eyes. And somehow…he felt something from them.
They felt like…they were empty…devoid of any emotions. It reminded him of the expression he used to have when he was in jail. It seemed the same level of emptiness…but then…the priest made a light smile. Kazuto still didn't say nothing and started to sweat. "I'm sorry…did I scare you?" Kanashimi asked. "Uh, what? No…not at all." The Tohsaka magus said.
"Forgive me but…I'm used to observe others to better frame them. Eheheh…many people think I'm scary…but I assure you that I do not have evil intentions!" Kanashimi continued still with a kind tone. "I'm sure you don't have them…I was just caught by surprise…but maybe it was all my impression…sorry." Kazuto answered, making a little bow.
"Ehehehe! Hey, there's no need to be so formal! Maybe it's the fact that I'm young that surprised you. I can understand that…I wasn't even supposed to be the supervisor of this war after all." The young priest said. "Really?" The other boy answered.
"Yes. My father, Risei Kotomine, was supposed to be the supervisor…but he died a long time ago. And so the holy church decided to chose me as the overseer of this conflict. I…I may be not that strong or confident…but I know my stuff. I promise to do my best and to make sure that everything goes on as planned." Kanashimi answered.
"I intend to follow the rules as well." Kazuto said. "By the way, father Kanashimi, where is the catalyst?" Marcus then asked. "Eh? Oh right, the catalyst! F-Forgive me…I almost forgot about it…I'm going to take it!" Kanashimi said, showing a goofy tone before going behind the altar. "He is quite shy…he looks like a person on his first day of work. But…he seems nice." Kazuto commented.
"Yes, he is quite gentle even if weird. I've heard that some of the other mages found him…adorable." Marcus added. After a few seconds, Kanashimi returned with something wrapped up in a veil and gave it to Kazuto. "Here. This is the catalyst. With this, the last Servant can be summoned, and the war can begin." He said. "So we've arrived at this moment." Marcus spoke, making the priest nod. "I…would like to remember that the other Masters can move freely and can attack at any moment. I suggest to be careful."
"We'll do it. Thank you, father Kanashimi. We shall go now." Marcus said, heading towards the exit. "Bye…" Kazuto added, while following him. Kanashimi simply stayed there, looking at them opening the door…and exiting from the church. "…Good luck." He said before making a sigh and go behind the altar again.
Meanwhile, the two mages came back at the entrance of the church. Kazuto gave a better look at the catalyst by taking out the veil. It looked like a red crystal with a strange mark on it. It looked like a medal with three spheres on it. "What a strange mark…I wonder what it means…" He said. Marcus came closer and gave a look as well. "Hmmm…judging by the symbol…this could be the catalyst of a Servant belonging to the eastern lands. Who knows…maybe you'll be able to summon Musashi, Hijikata or maybe Qin Liangyu. The possibilities are many." He said.
"You seem pretty careful about this, as if the Servant was yours instead of mine." Kazuto said, noticing Marcus's behavior. "Of course I'm careful about this. If we want to get the Holy Grail, we'll need to be prepared when it comes to our forces. If I have to be honest…I'm quite satisfied with what we got. So I'd expect the last Servant to be as promising as the others." Marcus answered. "But…on the other hand, the strength of a Servant isn't enough to win a war like this. Because they're not complete without their Master, like a yin with its yang." He added, before looking at Kazuto straight in the eyes.
"And that's the reason why you need to do whatever it takes and be ready." He said. "Whatever it takes…and be ready?" Kazuto asked. "Yes. You may be prepared about the Holy Grail War and its rules thanks to your studies, but someone cannot know what a war truly is if they don't feel it on their own body and soul. You need to think…and to make the right act in the right moment and be ready for any inconvenience. Just because it involves magic and supernatural beings, it's still like other wars that occurred in history. And for last thing…remember that the unpredictable…is always around the corner. A war is not scripted. The participants and their skills are the ones who write its end. The ones who are ready to accept the unpredictable and the ones who can think right…can be the victorious ones. In short…do not take anything for granted just because you know what this war is like. The errors exist and will always exist, and if something wrong happens because of you…you have to take responsibility for the mistakes you made. Always be ready…both in mind…and in body. I make myself clear?" Marcus explained with a cold stare that could have put fear to anyone. Suddenly Kazuto felt the pressure all over his body. His head sweated again, and he could feel his back trembling. He could clearly see that Marcus wasn't a joker. He was a person who took it extremely seriously and that seemed to already have some experiences in war.
"I-I…I understand." Kazuto answered, still scared of the sudden mood change of his superior. But Marcus frowned even more. "I can't hear you." He simply said, keeping a cold and merciless tone. "I understand!" Kazuto exclaimed.
"Good." The Yggdmillenia mage answered, moving away from him, giving him space to breath. "With this, I think we have done here."
"I see…what…what I need to do know?" Kazuto asked. "For now, you should go home. You've been just released from prison, and you need to be free for at least today. Plus, I'm sure your mother wishes to see you." Marcus replied, giving to the Tohsaka mage a paper with an address written on it. "Tomorrow morning, you'll head here. It's the headquarter of the Red Rose Faction. There, you'll meet the other members of our faction, and we'll study the first moves to make. In a way, we can say that you are free now. Oh right, one last warning." Marcus replied. "It's fundamental that you summon your Servant this right day. As I told you…remember to be ready for the unpredictable. If the Masters of the enemy faction finds you without them, you can be considered dead. Very well. I shall leave you now. See you tomorrow." The leader of the Red Rose then started to leave, leaving Kazuto alone.
The Tohsaka boy looked at the church for a few moments in silence before making a deep sigh. "I've just been released…and still I have a lot of pressure…" He said to himself before leaving.
Now on his own, Kazuto walked through the streets of Tokyo…lost in his thoughts while looking down. He still thought of the last words Marcus said to him before leaving. It felt so strange to him. At first, he seemed gentle, just really egocentric. But after they left the church, his expression changed to a much colder one, and his words weren't reassuring at all…why the sudden change? The Tohsaka mage wanted badly to know.
"I…I know he's probably worried about me…and he wanted only to advise me but…it didn't really help me. This makes me wonder if I'm really capable of resisting in this war…the moment I've been waiting for so long now is so different. Two factions…a greater Grail…is it really fate? Or is it just a case? Gosh…I'm thinking so much that my head is starting to spin…" He thought while putting an hand on his front. He then gave another look at the catalyst he had received. A Servant from the eastern lands…who could possibly be? Which class were they? He didn't deny that he was curious. A figure that belonged to another time was about to become his partner. This also made him think other things that Marcus said.
"The Servant isn't enough to win a war like this. Because they're not complete without their master, like a yin with its yang." "It's fundamental that you summon your Servant this right day. As I told you…remember to be ready for the unpredictable. If the Masters of the enemy faction finds you without them, you can be considered dead."
The young mage didn't say anything…he just looked at the crystal. A stone that would have changed into something bigger. Something that would have saved him different times. But Marcus was right. A Servant needed also a Master to fight properly. Kazuto knew it well, but his new leader's works made him doubt. "Dammit! I'm…thinking too much…" He said. Suddenly he stopped walking, as he recognized a familiar inhabitation…
A two floor house of a brown color with a large blue window, standing in a small garden. Kazuto looked at it with surprise. He was so immersed in his thought that he didn't realize that he arrived at his destination. Soon…a small smile started to form in his face. "My home…" He said with a low voice. He was hesitant at first…but soon he couldn't resist at the happiness of being in his place again…after all these years of loneliness. He looked at the door and slowly raised his hand, ready to knock the door. He thought of what his mother would have done after seeing him. But he couldn't wait anymore…and knocked.
After some seconds…someone opened the door, the same person Kazuto hoped to see. A woman with long and black hair and red eyes. She was wearing a sleeveless red t-shirt, short white pants and of course, a pair of slippers, since she was home. She was around 40 years old, but she maintained the beauty of a young girl.
"Hel-" The woman was about to greet Kazuto as someone else, but stopped immediately when she saw him. She had her eyes wide open…and put a hand on her mouth. "…I-Is…is it really you?" She asked. Despite everything, Kazuto made another little smile. "Y-Yes…hi mom…I'm back…" He answered. Soon, fountains of tears came down from the faces of the two. The pain of a mother that lost her son is always been immense. The sadness and loneliness is hard to describe…but at the same time…a reunion after so long is able to heal this pain…and bring back some hope. That was how Hinobu Tohsaka, Kazuto's mother, was feeling right now. A woman that had seen her son after so long…was now filled with joy. "Oh, Kazuto…my precious Kazuto! Come here!" She said before holding him in a tight hug. Kazuto couldn't do much but to hug her back, while still crying. For over four years, Kazuto missed the presence of the person who put him in the world…and was almost forgetting about her. He was still under pressure for the upcoming future, but for now…he just needed his moment of happiness…now that he was together again with his mother.
"I…I've missed you so much…" Hinobu said. "Me too…" Kazuto added. Once the hug was over, Hinobu wiped away the tears and looked at him with a big smile. "Welcome back…I guess that you are tired…why don't you put your stuff in your room and then relax?" She asked. "Yes…I guess I'll do so." Her son answered before going upstairs.
Kazuto's room was the same as he left it…before going to the event that would have brought him to jail. His room was quite simple. A bed near a window, a desk where to put a chair, pencils, souvenirs, photos and other things, a circular carpet and a wardrobe where to put the clothes. "It may be weird but…I feel really nostalgic. At least it's better than the room I had in prison! Ehehe…" The Tohsaka mage said. The first thing he had done was to put the catalyst on the desk and look outside the window. Everything felt now different for him. Back in prison, all he could ever see were the sea and the sky. Now he could finally have a normal sight, with other houses, trees and birds flying. That, for him, was more enough to be defined as freedom and give him a smile on his face. After that, he went down.
Kazuto and his mother were sitting on the living room, drinking a cup of tea and simply relaxing. "It's so good to have you back home, Kazuto…i was starting to lose hope…" Hinobu said. "Me too…that prison was hell for me…and to think that it ended that way…" Her son answered, remembering something connected to his imprisonment.
"Don't worry…you can finally say that it's in the past now. What matters is that you are here…even if…I probably know the reason…" Hinobu continued. Kazuto looked down, understanding immediately what was going to happen, since her husband was a mage after all. "So you know…" He said.
"Yes…the Holy Grail War, isn't it?" Hinobu asked before turning to a photo showing a young man. "I know it well after I married your father. He was supposed to participate in it in your place, but…you know the rest…and just as I thought…the grail had chosen you as a Master of this war." She said. "Did you already get your Servant?" She then asked.
"I took their catalyst. All I need to do is to summon them." Kazuto replied. "That's already something! But I do hope you summon them as soon as possible! You know the risks of this war, right?" Hinobu then asked worried. "Y-Yes…I know…the leader of my faction told me before…" The boy said.
"Faction?" Hinobu asked confused. With that, Kazuto explained to her how this war was going to work. About the two different factions, the greater Holy Grail and the conflict between 14 Servants. "Oh dear…this is more complicated than I had expected…" She commented. "I know right? And…it's…starting to scare me…for most of my life I've studied about magecraft and the rules of the war, even if I originally wasn't supposed to participate…and now that the moment had come everything is so different, i…i don't know what to do at this point…I said that I was ready at the leader but…now I'm not so sure of it…" Kazuto said, showing some anxiety.
In that point, Hinobu looked at him and grabbed his hand. "Hey…Kazuto…you know what you should do?" She asked. The boy looked at her in silence, not knowing the answer. "Take a deep breath…and calm down. I know this situation scares you, especially now that you have gotten out from prison. But remember that you won't go far if you have this kind of behavior…just like your leader said…focus on the war and on how to behave, and remember to maintain the calm…you will stay much better…we both know the risks of the war…but…I don't want to lose my son now that I have seen him again. So please…do your best…and don't lose." His mother explained.
With that, the Tohsaka mage started to feel better. His mother had always been there for help him in difficult situations, just like now, and he couldn't be more grateful for this. He still wasn't calm at all, but now he was feeling better. "Y-Yeah…thank you mom…" He said. With that, he thought well of that he had been told today. So he took a decision. "…I've decided. I'm going to summon my Servant now." He said.
"That's my boy! There isn't much space in this house, so it's better that you summon them somewhere else." Hinobu answered.
"Oh right…while I was away…did…did you know if someone was able to find her?" Kazuto then asked, mentioning someone. Hinobu made a sad face, and shook her head. "…Oh…I see…" The boy then said with a grim face and looking down.
After Kazuto went upstairs to take the catalyst, he was ready to leave, but he was stopped one last time by his mother. "Oh by the way, is there something you want for dinner when you return?" She asked. "I…would like those meatballs that you are so good to make!" The boy replied. "Coming right away!" Hinobu concluded going towards the kitchen. And thus, Kazuto left, ready to take his place in the war.
It was nighttime. The crickets started to be noisy, the sky was deep blue and full of stars, and the calm was starting to lie down the city, or at least where the Tohsaka mage was going to.
Kazuto was walking through the town, searching for a place he knew, he could summon his Servant. He actually knew one. "Ok…I've arrived…" He said after standing in front of an high school. This was the Atsushi Nishigori High School, a prestigious school where many students who graduated became famous, especially in the world of literature, since it was a school where literature was put in the first place and was advised for those who wanted to become writers. Many important writers were studied, especially those who were philosophers like Hegel, Kant and similar. The high school was a tall white building with at least three floors. On the top there was a clock, showing the hour and even the Japan flag. On the right of the building there was a soccer field which was large enough to put a summoning circle on it.
The mage overrode the school gate and entered. "There shouldn't be anyone at this hour…I hope everything will be ok." He said to himself while looking around. It didn't take much time before he arrived at the soccer field while holding a stick. "Now, all I have to do is to draw the summoning circle…and then proceed. It's time to-" He was ready to start the procedure but…
"GAH!" Kazuto…felt something hitting him on his arm. When he slowly turned on his arm…he could see something…a long cut, as if something sharp attacked him. "W-What the…!? W-What did it cut me…!?" He exclaimed while looking around. "That makes no sense…I thought to be the only one here…huh?" He then noticed something on the ground, the same cause of that cut in his arm.
A small knife. "A…penknife? It's this that cut me? But…who could have thrown it? It came from very high, no one could ever-" Kazuto was wondering who would have done that, but then…he remembered what Marcus told him…and turned pale. What he had told him…was true. "N-No…now I understand…that advise he gave me…this knife…it must be…another Master that attacked me!" He exclaimed. And as soon as he said it, he could see more knife coming from the building. "DAMMIT!" Kazuto started to run away from the trajectory of the knives, but he found out that with horror, the knives were following him and four of them managed to hit him at the elbows and knees, making him fall. "AGH! C-Crap…this mage must be using some sort of magic that makes his knives change direction to wherever they want…" He noticed before noticing more knives coming towards him. "I have no choice…I have to answer to the attacks…" He said before he prepared himself to attack. "Time to use the magic of fire I learnt from the books of alchemy! Eat this!" He exclaimed before snapping his fingers. By doing so, he generated a small sparkle that went against the knives and generated a small explosion that disposed of them. But the knives weren't finished, so Kazuto started to run around the field while snapping the fingers to cause more explosions. "I need to find the one who's attacking me…they're probably hiding in the building…" He thought before starting to run towards the building of the school.
Meanwhile, from the top of the construction, the responsible of the attack was looking at the scene with pleasure, a boy 5'9" high with the weight of 59 kg. He had light silver hair that reached his shoulders, and blue eyes. He was wearing a grey collar shirt with a black tie under a Navy Blue Trench Coat and baggy trousers business pants with brown sofa shoes.
"Just as I expected, the kid over there didn't summon his Servant yet. Quite thoughtless on his part, but I have to be grateful for that. This makes my work much easier." He said with a light smile. "Should I intervene, Master?" A voice asked to him. "Not yet…" The boy said before creating some strings that held tons of penknives. "First…I need to see if he can be considered a danger worthy of you, sweetheart…" He added with a large grin.
Kazuto on the other hand was starting to run though the building, trying to reach the top, where his enemy was waiting. "Dammit, they will probably attack me even inside the school, and in order to defend myself I need to use my magic and damage the school…DAMMIT! MARCUS TRIED TO ADVISE ME! IT'S ALL MY FAULT IF I'M IN THIS SITUATION!" He said. In that moment, more knives came down from above and Kazuto had to snap his finger to generate more explosions and destroy the knives, but one of them was able to give him a small cut in his face. "Tch…I need to run…"
The Tohsaka mage continued his run while the knives continued to chase him and he had to use more explosions. In the second floor, some knives went even from under him, making him force to jump and roll in order to dodge them. He dodged one knife with a minimal distance, and it was in that moment that Kazuto noticed that there was a string attached to the knife. "I see…they use strings to make the knives move everywhere…there's no doubt now…this must be a mage from the enemy faction!" He said while running.
And after a troublesome pursuit, Kazuto was able to reach the top where his attacker was waiting. "Anf…anf…I finally reached you." He said out of breath. The other mage turned around with the hands on his pocket and saw him. "Oh, so you finally arrived. Congratulations on getting here in one piece." He said with a chill tone, which annoyed Kazuto.
"I know who you are, since you probably followed me and waited the perfect chance to attack me. You must be a Master from the White Rose Faction, aren't you?" Kazuto asked. "Well thank you captain obvious! I've heard that you recently got out from prison and that you were the last Master of this war without a Servant. I must thank Cynthia for it later. Anyways, since you decided to wait, I just thought that the most convenient result was to kill you right now. And that's what's gonna happen after all. Without a Servant on your side, you stand no chance against me, Maximillian Icecolle!" The boy then presented himself, and his name rang a bell on Kazuto.
"Wait, Icecolle!? It can't be, the mages family that are specialized in the dark arts!?" He exclaimed, making Maximillian getting annoyed. "I do wish if you don't say that again. But you probably won't. Now…shall we begin round two?" He then said with a grin, convinced he could win. He then created more strings with tons of knives attached to them, which started to run towards Kazuto, who defended himself by snapping his fingers and generating more explosions. This actually left Maximillian surprised. "What? Explosions? I've never seen this kind of magic before…" He said.
"I know your trick, it won't work again!" Kazuto exclaimed before generating another explosion that successfully hit Maximillian. "GAAAAH!" The other mage shouted out of pain. When the smoke came out, Kazuto could see that he was still standing, but with some burns on his body. "Darn…this jacket costed me a lot…" He commented. The Tohsaka mage didn't lose any time and started to run towards Maximillian by starting to attacking him with his fists. The Icecolle mage moved his body so that he could dodge them, before grabbing a knife on his own with the attempt of stabbing Kazuto. He was able to cut his arm, but Kazuto answered by attacking him with his elbows on his head. "It will take more than that to kill me!" Kazuto exclaimed, but Maximillian didn't seem angry. Rather, he was smiling, because he knew that he was in advantage. "Are you sure of it? Assassin! Attack!"
In that moment…Kazuto felt someone stabbing him on the chest, making him spill blood from the mouth. "BLARGH!" When he looked down…he saw her.
It was a woman. She was quite short and had a pale skin, purple hair and two horns on her head, that had a gold ornament with a green gem. She was wearing a purple kimono with red curved lines drawn throughout it and with some green ribbons were attached to it. The kimono was open, revealing her pale body with black and metallic parts that covered her breasts and her crotches. Other metallic parts covered her hands and her feet. Also, there were red ribbons on her ankles.
Kazuto felt a terrible pain, as he confirmed that attack couldn't be human. He also thought of what Maximillian said before. That meant only…one thing. "A-A Servant…!" He exclaimed. That was the truth. For the first time, Kazuto had seen a Servant, an heroic spirit from another era…summoned to participate to the Holy Grail War.
"Sorry…but I can't let you do as you please with my precious Master…" The girl said with a giggle. She stabbed him with her bare hand, but she wasn't done there, she only started. After that, she started to attack her repeatedly with her long nails. Kazuto couldn't do nothing against her. The power of a Servant was always superior to that of a normal human, and it was always been said during the various wars. Unless they had a special help…a master could never defeat a Servant.
Kazuto was thrown away and slammed to the ground, full of wounds and the floor getting colored of a crimson red, caused by the overflowing blood that the boy was loosing. He tried with all his strength to stand up, even if he was suffering. "Oooooh? Are you trying to fight? Impressive…how sad…I wouldn't want to kill such a cute boy…" Assassin of White said before licking her lips and summoning a plate. "But you gave me no choice…" She then threw it.
The plate cut Kazuto like a javelin, and he fell down from the building. He didn't release a shout or anything, the pain and the frustration were too strong to even say anything. There wasn't anything to say at this point, he was done for.
He fell down on the ground, with a dull look. "It's…it's over…right? And…it's all my fault…now I understand what Marcus wanted me to say…I took it lightly…i…I really thought it was all that easy right? Just because I knew the functions of the war…how…how stupid I was…and…my stupidity…will be the cause of my death…how sad…and cruel…just after I've being released from prison…I'm going to die…the freedom I've waited for so long…already ended…" He thought. Everything for him was ending. His heart was about to stop both physically and psychologically. Everything he had studied for, everything he wished for, everything he had hoped for…was all going to be wasted. Because of his anxiety and fears.
He turned around, only moving his head. And then…he saw something.
The catalyst.
The item that would have given a Servant on his side to him. The one the Kanashimi gave to him, the one both Marcus and his mother Hinobu recommended to summon in that day. Kazuto looked at his body which was bleeding…and then back at the catalyst. Without knowing it, now he had what he needed…to do the summoning. But he also had something he wanted.
A second chance.
It could be defined as a miracle if he was able to survive despite the wounds. "…T-That's right…everyone were right…GH…" He said while he tried to stand up. "I…I was a complete idiot…if it wasn't for this stupid fear I had…everything would have gone different…b-but…now…I have the opportunity to fix this…GRRR!" With all the strength he had, he was able to stand up and grab the catalyst. "I…I don't want to have this stupid fear of mine…i…I don't want to be chained by something before! I…I want courage! I want to be free! I want to live again breathing the air of freedom! There are many thing I want back! I won't be a burden anymore! I'LL TAKE COURAGE AND WIN THIS WAR, IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!" He spoke, remembering everyone that was counting on him at the moment. Marcus, to whom he promised to give his best in this war, to his mother, to whom he promised to stay calm, to the voice, who told him to struggle for this event…and to a girl…to whom he promised to bring her back.
"GRRR!" Kazuto held his teeth tightly and snapped his finger to release an explosion towards the sky. This caught the attention of Maximilian and his Servant. "What? That explosion…" Maximilian said. "He's still alive!? How!?" Assassin of White said. This made Maximilian get frustrated, as he created more knives that went down. "That brat is starting to annoy me! He can defect the knives! Let's finish him!"
Kazuto heard the knives coming and started to run despite the injuries to avoid the knives. The explosion he caused before was a diversive. He was certain that now his enemies were going to find him in the direction he used the explosion, while he went elsewhere.
The Tohsaka reached the soccer field again, and with his blood, he started quickly to create a circle with various symbols. This was what Masters used in order to summon Servants in occasion of the war: a summoning circle.
Once it was complete, Kazuto put the catalyst at the center of the circle, put a hand in front of him and started the chant…
"Silver and Iron is the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinhorg. The alighted wind becomes a wall. The gates in the four directions close, coming from the crown, the three-forked road that leads the kingdom circulate. Shut fill, shut fill, shut fill, shut fill, shut fill. Repeat every five times. Simply, shatter once filled. I announce! Your self is me, my fate, doom is in your sword! In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer! Here is my oath. I am the one who becomes all the good of the world of the dead, I am the one who lays out all the evil of the world of the death! YOU, SEVEN HEAVENS CLAD IN THREE WORDS OF POWER, ARRIVE FROM THE RING OF DETERRENCE, O KEEPER OF THE BALANCE!"
This was the chant that every Tohsaka member used to summon their Servant, and as an answer, a strong and red light started to shine around the circle, becoming so strong that it was impossible to see anything at all.
In that moment, Maximillian and the Assassin of White reached the field, and saw a giant light. "That light! Dammit! He must have summoned them in the end!" Maximillian exclaimed.
The light ended…leaving only a pile of smoke. From that smoke, Kazuto came out, still standing even if soaked in blood. "Now we will be equal." He simply said, as another figure came out of the smoke. The person Kazuto waited to meet for so long. The one who would have guided him for the rest of the war. The one who he would have given order to through his spell commands. His partner, his sword. His Servant.
From the smoke, another woman appeared. This girl had horns just like the Assassin of White, but was entirely different from her. She had long and white hair and red eyes. She was wearing a white dress…over what looked like a samurai armor colored in red with yellow stripes and she had sandals with socks. On her two hands, she was holding a sword and a scimitar. And finally, on her back there was a long bow with arrows.
"D-Dammit…" Maximillian said while sweating. "Don't worry, honey, I'll protect you…" Assassin of White answered while standing on guard. Even Kazuto's Servant started to stand on guard, before throwing herself against the enemy with her two sword. Assassin of White summoned two plates that clashed against the two swords, generating an impact that moved all the trees. Kazuto could feel from both of them a giant amount of magic as he never felt it before. "So this is…the power of a Servant…finally…now I know it as well." He said.
"Grrr…those two swords are powerful, don't tell me that you are a Saber Class Servant!" Assassin of white said while struggling with her two plates. "Saber? I don't think it's the case. I indeed wield these two blades of mine, but my specialty is another one. I'm an Archer Class Servant!" The other Servant answered, revealing her class while attacking repeatedly with the blades. "Archer…Archer of Red…I like it! Kazuto commented.
"Gh!" Assassin of White had to use the best of her skills to defend herself, but inevitably, Archer of Red was able to throw away the plates and attack with the sword, giving her enemy small cuts. "ACK! Now you've done it!" Assassin of White proclaimed as she summoned a long and giant dagger with a globe on its top. She started to fight the blades of Archer of Red with it, managing to attack her at the shoulder. "Gh!" Archer of Red then drove away the enemy with a kick, started to run and dived against Assassin of White, who blocked her with the dagger. The impact generated some sparkles before Archer of Red went down and started to attack repeatedly with her two blades while going around Assassin of White. "Heh, just as I'd expected from an oni like me! You better not bore me!" Maximillian's Servant said with a smile. "I don't intend to stop here!" Archer of Red answered before making the scimitar clash against the dagger, making Assassin of White recoil. In that occasion, Archer of Red made the blades disappear and grabbed her bow with an arrow, pointing at Assassin of White.
"Oh I don't think so!" Assassin of White exclaimed, After throwing her dagger to the enemy. The arrow burst in flames and Archer of Red shoot it. The two weapons clashed, but in the end, Archer's arrow was able to detect Assassin's dagger and attack the enemy, causing an explosion of fire.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Assassin of White yelled out in pain. "ASSASSIN!" Maximilian shouted while Kazuto simply remained silent while watching the scene.
When the smoke came out, Assassin of White was still standing but with burns all over her body, just like her master. "D-Don't worry, honey! I'm ok!" She said. But Maximilian thought carefully about the situation and took a decision. "At this point things could get worse, it's better for us to retreat." He said before coming closer to her Servant. "Well, Master of Red! You turned out to be a lot funnier than I expected! Next time we shall have the real fight." He then said. "We'll have another occasion for fun, Archer of Red! Just you wait!" Assassin of White added. After that, Maximilian generated a black smoke that made them escape.
Archer of Red looked around while standing on guard, but Kazuto stopped her. "It's alright, Archer. They're gone." He said. With that, Archer of Red took away her bow and turned around to her master. "Thank you…you saved my life." Kazuto then said.
"Don't worry about it. It's my duty. So…since you summoned me…I suppose that you are my Master." Archer of Red then said. Kazuto nodded. "Yes. We are going to fight together. I hope to be the best of support for you." He said, making his Servant smile. "I can say the same. As long as our contract is intact, I shall use my blades and bow for you, Master. I hope we'll get along." His Servant said, making a little bow.
Kazuto remained there, looking at her Servant with a smile. "After this battle…the war really had begun. But I decided to not get blocked by anxiety or pressure anymore. I too have a wish to ask to the Holy Grail, and I intend to give my all to get it. My freedom…my life…everything depends on me, and I have to take responsibilities for everything I'll do, just like Marcus said. I've decided…I'm done getting afraid. I want to become brave…for both me…and her. My new life…begins here." He thought.
And so…this is where it started all. A conflict between humans with magic powers…and figures from other times. A clash between ideals, thoughts, beliefs, wills, and wishes.
This is a story of love and hate, life and death, light and darkness, hope and despair.
This…is the story of a war…between two roses…one red…and one white.
And with this, the first chapter is done! I open this note for all the ones who wonder why a chapter takes so long after I made one. You see, I usually distribute my stories for each day of the weak, which means that in order to write in a better way for all of my stories, every day I write for a different story, instead of dedicating on only one (Even if sometimes I do not follow this scheme XD). And when I complete and upload a chapter of a specific story, I take a break of one weak from that story so that I can focus on other stories. Then, once the weak had passed, I can work again on that story on a regular scheme. I've seen that there are people who hope that this story can be abandoned or discontinued. And I'm here to say that you don't have to worry, my friends! Each of my stories are important projects to me, and I gave each one of them special space when I work on them. So I decided to give you this trivia to let you know how I work if you see if a chapter takes so long. After seeing so many people deciding to work and support this project, I cannot let them down, so I'll do my best to give this story the space it deserves as thanks.
With this said, I hope you liked this chapter! I'm really curious to hear your opinion on the reviews! Have I made a good work? Do you have suggestions on how should I improve? And for the ones whose OC have appeared, I hope I've been faithful to the descriptions you gave to me and for the other ones who are waiting for their OCs to appear, don't worry! In the next chapter everyone's OC is going to appear! Hoping to make everyone happy!
Once again, hope you liked the chapter and see you next time, everyone! From Bluestar, Arrivederci!