A/N: After a long pause I am here with the next chapter. This story is about a scenario where Ayako manages to summon a Servant. I tried out a new kind of writing style. I might keep it if I get good replies(I've started a poll not long ago in a different site about it). But enough of the introduction...
Chapter 4: Accidental Addition
Mitsurugi Ayako is a normal girl, or so she thought of herself. She's cheerful, always helpful to others and loves competition along with martial arts. But contrary to her image she has quite quite an interest in the area of occult mysteries. Even herself don't know from when and why.
Her father introduced her to the world of martial arts with the intent of averting her unhealthy attention to those kind of things. In the end it was fairly successful, but Ayako time to time has the urge to slip either into the school's or the city's library in search for books with that kind of content.
That's what she's currently doing in one of the cold days of winter. She's wandering in Fuyuki City's public library.
Searching for stories and information about witches and else is a kind of hard, espeically for the ones contain something sensible. She's been walking for around a whole hour and she is close to giving up when she notices something interesting.A book with black cover. Nothing special, but it felt somehow out of place for her.
"Strange. It doesn't have any kind of title."
Precisely. The book's jacket is completely blank. She takes a look inside it.
"Aww...It's just a fictionous witch story. Nothing special."
She's dissapounted. She takes a look on her watch.
"Shi...I'm out of time. I think I should be contemt with this one for now."
She takes the book out and hurries for today's practice.
Nightime. Ayako is in her bedroom and ready to sleep. But something can't leave her mind. Her attention slips to the bag from the library. It has only one book. Irritation and curiousity suddenly assaults her. She puts her head under the pillow to literally drown it. Not much success.
"Arrg...Right. After all that much effort it's fair to 'throughly examine' it the very least."
She meant to read the first chapter with those.
She's done. It was good, but nothing special. The story focused on a witch cursed with immortality. She was interested in the other stories too so she takes a look on the index. The book has an unusually long one, about 30 pages from the nearly 500. She quickly runs through the titles, but she stopped at the last page. It had nothing, but pentagramma on it. She traced it's lines with her finger out of fun, but then something strange happened. The lines lit up with bright light and then the whole page, like a pillar of white bright light.. Ayako jumped back out of her surprise and the bookcontinued it's rampage of brightness and the pages started to flip like mad. After a couple of seconds the light vanished instantly and the book laid idle, closed.
"Wha-what was it?"
She looked around to confirm she wasn't hallucinating or dreaming. It's like a story of some kind of child's tale. But her curiosity overwhelmed her denial and surprise. Afterall if her eyes have seen the truth then this is the book she ever dreamed of. A real magical book!
She opened it and the contents were entirely changed. The title was about something like a 'Holy Grail War'. She's not sure, because it was in English. To be exact, the whole book's language changed to English.
"Aww...What should I do? English sin't my strong point. Damn, I am so close. Why they can't write it in Japanese?"
She knows the answer. Everything related to magic and sorcerers believed to be originated from the West. So the magic books suposed to be written in some kind of western language. Luckily it wasn't german or anything else...she would hardly can understand a word from it.
"Well, let's begin."
She started to read it. To be precise she jumped from title to title and looked on the pictures. She only plans to get a general picture of the book, she plans to properly read it later when she's prepared. She's sleepy and she needs a good dictonary anyways. She saw some similar symbols and terms like Gaia, Akasha, prana. She even foudn some strange terms she believed she may know, like Magic Circuits. But the whole thing was hard to read. It was written in a different kind of English she learned, maybe the English of older times.
"Right! I'm done!...*yawn* Now it's time to sleep."
Next day.
She woke up earlier than usual. It must be her excitement. She quickly finished her breakfast and rushed to the library. She quickly borrowed a professional dictonary and a regualr one, for just to be sure. Then shut herself in her own room and begin to translate. She mainly focuses on one exact part of the book. It's about a ritual. It can summon a spiritual being, called Servant. It says something about Heroic Spirits, so it should be a good one, not some kind of evil demon from Hell. The reason of her focus was is because that part seemed the easiest to understand. It may has the most comlpicated symbols and motifs, but Ayako has pretty good memory for those kind of things. The part about the ritual covered about 30 pages. She managed to translate about 10 of them till lunch.
"Ayako-chan, lunch!"
She looked on her clock.
"Time flies really fast."
She walked down to eat. She needs some time to rest.
Luckily her afternoon practice is cancelled today and she have more time with the book. She knows it will take her entire day.
...
Late at night. Past midnight. Ayako unusually stayed at home the whole day. She's done with the part interested her the most and she even translated some other interesting topics. Now she knows she can only do the ritual at a special place. Luckily it mentions not only one, but five of them at Fuyuki City. They have some kind of special thing called Ley Line running through them. She reads the instructions very carefully.
"Alright. If everything goes well I can do it tomorrow evening."
She can't wait. The strange happening with the book was exciting, but she wants to see a miracle with her own eyes...preformed by herself. And now she has the means to do it. She hardly can hold her exciment in. Tomorrow evening is going to be special.
...
Sunday. Ayako got up early. She's decided to investigate 4 of the 5 special places for the means every place except Ryoudo Temple since she knew there really is no place for her to perform such a thing in secret.
...
In the end it seems th best place is near Rin's house. To be exact the backyard of her house.
"No problem. If it's successful I wanted to show it to her anyway."
But with that the surprise factor may vanish. That's why she is a bit relucant. But now she has to eat. She has an afternoon practice in a hour.
...
Nightime. Ayako is awake. She packs up everything needed for the ritual silently. Luckily it hardly has any kind of special requirement. The most problematic part was a thing originating from Ayako herself. Blood. Apparently the summoning circle must be written by the performer's own blood. Ayako actually has a bit knownledge about nursery and prepared everything to make sure she stays concious despite the blood loss.
She sneaks out of the house silently. Her heart beats a bit faster than usual, but nothing extreme. It wasn't her first time. She had the tendency of sneaking out late at night. Afterall this is the only time when she can conduct her "magic experiments". So she had a bit of experience in the way doing it. Now, after she's out the next worry is to avoid meeting with any of her aquantiances. Afteral her deed must be kept secret.
...
Luckily she successfully reached her destination without any problems. Now it's time to set up the summoning circle. It wasn't simple pentagramma or anything like we see in the movies. It's a difficult and detailed, contains more than a dozen of various symbols. The circle's size, the placement of the symbols or even the angle relative too the sun is precisely detailed and mentioned in the book. Luckily Ayako have already tried to draw various supposed 'magic circles', even if they were much simpler. But still, using blood means you have to do it properly at the first try. That's why she tries to draw it by simple crete to practice and to give a basic shematic to follow.
...
It's done. Now the real thing begins. She isn't as silly to simply make a wound on herself and draw by it using her finger. It's simple, but really silly for such a complicated and big thing. She had already extracted some of her blood into a container similar to a huge actually was a thing used at constructions to spray filler matterial. She carefully cleaned it and now it's full of her blood. The amount is about half a litre. It's sure going to effect her tomorrow, but it's nothing she can't cope up with. The container's nose has a brush attached to help in the painting. Her self-manufactured apparatus looks somehow bizzare, but Ayako feels herself proud in it.
"I hope it's enough. Afterall, I don't have time to prepare another."
Says to herself with a bit of worry.
She begins it slowly starting with the grand circle, consantly checking it with the image of the illustration. Lukcily the book even had advices to ensure the perfect and precise completetion. She had to examine it throughly after every big step in the work. The whole work took 2 hours.
By some luck the amount of blood barely but was enough. Ayako stares at her work with feeling of accomplishment.
"Wow! Looks much better than in the illustration!... Now, let's begin!"
But first she took a few minutes of rest. Drawing the circle was exhausting, especially mentally. It drained her concentration rather good.
Perhaps drawing the circle was only the preparation. The ritual itself can now begin. Ayako steps in the middle and starts the chant she memorised.
"..."
The chant wasn't on English. If Ayako has to guess then it's probably ancient Latin. So Ayako memorised it word to word, not even caring much about pronounciation and else. Afterall she hardly understand it anyways. Suddenly pain starts to attack her. It's like numerous little nails piercing her fingers. It was sudden, but Ayako continues her chant. She knew it won't be easy.
"..."
The pain is going more and more intense. The light piercing pains replaced by heavy stabs. She feels it even on her wirsts and lower legs. She shrudders, but continues the chant.
"..."
Other than the incereasing pain it seems she starts hallucinate. She sees various pictures flipping before her eyes like crazy despite she already closed them from the pain. Her skin feels like she has scales and she doesn't even remember she's floating or standing on the ground. Her throat aches like it's full rough sand. Ayako continues the chant like a preprogramed machine. It's not herself who finishes the chant. It's the chant that makes her finish itself.
"..."
And this is the end of it. The pain suddenly jumps into unmeasurable levels then suddenly ceases altogether.
"Thank goodes..."
She couldn't finish it. She fainted instantly.
"Awh...Where I am?"
It was a valid question. She wakes up inside a pleasant, but unknown room, lying on a bed. She doesn't remember whoose it is, it shouldn't be hers. She doesn't even remember how she got there. The only thing she remembers that she suddenly fainted after the ritual. Thinking back it was a miracle she managed to finish it. Or did she succeed? Afterall she fainted before she can see the result.
"...Maybe I failed."
She says it regretfully. Thinking clearly, the whole thing happened recently to her is like a ridiculous fairy tale. The heroine through luck suddenly reveals the world of magic. Truly ridiculous.
"Right, that was only a dream of mine...hah-ha..."
"It seems you're awake, Master."
"Wha-....Huh?"
Suddenly a man in traditional japanese cloth appeared before her. He is young, about in his twenties and holds a incredibily long sword. Ayako had little interest in weapons and alike so she can't determine what kind of sword, but an obviouslys Japanese one.
"Servant Assassin, at your service."
He slightly bowed. His reaction was surprising and Ayako felt herself a bit awkward.
"Hi...Nice to meet you."
Suddenly she remembers something from the book. The beings summoned by the ritual called Servants.
"You're a Servant? That means..."
"Right, I came to your call. I am your Servant and you're my Master."
Suddenly Ayako had a somehow inproper thought as she remembers something she read a few days before. It even makes her blush.
"Something is wrong, Master? It seems you still need some rest."
"...No, it's nothing!...But you seem to look like a human. Wait, no it's not that. Ha-ha...It's just I've always imagined you look like something more..."
"Exciting? You mean something more fabulous, Master?"
"Stop calling me Master! It's somehow strange for me called like that. And no, I expected something much more strange. Like you're having angel-like wings, horns, multipe heads, cat-ears..."
To tell the truth she thought she would summon something like a shining angel clad in beutifull silver armor with white wings. But instead a Japanese samurai stands before her. It's a bit dissapointing even if he seems handsome she has to admit.
"Cat ears?... You seem to have a bit of misconception, Miss. We, Servants are originally Heroic Spirits. People of the past accomplished impossible deeds and earned to ascend to the Throne of Heroes. So because we're actually human it's natural for us look like human."
"Well, it makes sense..."
Suddenly the door opens. It's Rin. She emmits an aura of emnity even if she tries her best to hide it.
"You seem alright, Mitsurugi-san."
She says indifferently. Ayako knows the feeling. Something is bugging Rin. And Ayako can bet all her fortune on that she herself is the cause. And she may know the reason too...
"Ha-ha...Rin I can explain it..."
"I REALLY HOPE THAT!"
She shouted it in full volume. It seems Rin's really mad. Ayako have to calm things down and explain it to her. It seems her 'magic eperiment' was too big of a surprise to Rin.
"It seems I have to clear a few thing."
"Absolutely."
"So...he's Assassin-san and a...uhm he's a Servant...Ah not that way...ha-ha..."
She hardly know what to say, because even herself is confused about the recent happenings.
"I know, I know. I want a different kind of explanation..."
"Huh? Rin I don't really understand you..."
"I mean how the holy heavens and hells you managed to summon a Servant? Are you a Magus? Do you know anything about the Holy Grail War? Damn...just how many magi goes to my school beside me? First that idiot and now you. It's some kind of new dissaese or what?"
She snapped. She finally gave out everything bothered her. But it leaves Ayako even more confused.
"I can't understand what you said well, but in short...Are you a magician?"
And at that moment Rin realises she did a grave mistake. It's like a freezing shower. Ayako doesn't know a thing about the world of magi. She's a rookie like the guy she mentioned before or even less. Because of the magnitude of prana concentrated at the site and it's suddenness Rin automatically chased away the idea that Ayako is someone who knows absolutely nothing about the Holy Grail War or even worse, a complete normal person. While actually that was the case. Rin was furious at her because she thought Ayako hid the truth about herself the whole time and tried to deciever her. She even tried to recognise her as an enemy, but the situation was rather difficult.
"Rin? Something is wrong?"
"Huh? Nothing, nothing at all. I was just thinking..."
"Then, you're a magician? Or witch? You said something about 'magus beside you'. "
Ayako is sharp at the worst times. Now she's half-supicious and half-excited. Just after she found a book about real magic at last, she finds out her best friend is actually a mage. It's kind of frustrating too. Afterall, she should've told it to her before. It might've made things much easier that way.
Meanwhile Rin was in trouble. Normally, when her identity is revealed she should erease the memories of the witness about her identity, but now Ayako has a Servant near her. She can't grab her and use magic without being sliced in half by that big sword before it happens. Challenging a Servant head-on is equals suicide for any mortal. Be it magus or not.
"Well, how should I say..."
"She is. She is a Master too and the one healed you after your collapse, Miss."
Assassin cuts in Rin's speech and says the things out bluntly which Rin tried her hardest to explain properly.
"You...Why are you..."
"Oh?It makes ! So you're a real magician? Or more like a witch on broom? The later suits you much better...kuh-huh"
Ayako hardly can contain her laughter. Imagining Rin wearing a pointy hat riding on a broom with a black cat behind her is rather ridiculous. But well, who knows. Afterall she is new to magic and didn't even know about Rin's secret a few minutes ago.
"What? You're making fun of me?"
"Ha-ha...Sorry, Rin I can't help it. Magic is something I've only dreamed of and now I know you're a magician. Of course I have weird ideas about it...But it also accompanied with some sour feeling."
"What do you mean."
"You're already a magician while I hardly know anything about it."
she takes a deep sigh.
"Magic seems like a thing I have no chance to beat you. The though of my instant defeat is kinda frustrating."
" - "
Rin should've quessed. Their relationship was always based on the constant clashings and competitions. They're best enemies as friends. For Ayako losing a battle before it even starts against Rin is something hard to diggest.
"Well, as a compensation I might give you some instructions and else later, but now we have a much more important matter to discuss."
Rin is almost sure she's going to regret her offer to Ayako, guessing from those sparkling eyes at the instant as she finished speaking.
"Alright. I am all ears."
She ceases her questions and listens to Rin. Afterall she's got more than she wanted. And the thing Rin's going to say is probably going to be very important.
They've begun a long talk. The topic was about the Holy Grail War Ayako read bit from the book. It's like a battle royale and deathmatch between seven magicians and their Servants with demi-god level power. The price is the mentioned Holy Grail which grants any kind of wish. And perhaps Rin had interest about the thing about her mentioned book. Rin couldn't believe she's just followed the instructions of some book.
"Are you serious now? So you had no idea what were you doing?"
"To tell the truth, not followed the instructions and hoped for something to happen. I said, this is my first time."
"Impossible."
"What?"
For a non-magus to summon a Servant is impossible. Ayako surely has a some kind of magic potencial hidden in her. Having Magic Circuits is a rare gift, but not the sole privelige of magus bloodlines. Someone can possess them without having scarcly any connection with mages. But there's an even more bothersome managed to successfully accomplish do the preparations and accomplish a magic ritual. Precisely drawing a summoning circle, mantaining the proper size and proportions...It's hard enough, but they additionally have a bunch other special conditions. it's close to a miracle if someone without the basic knownledge of magic and years worth of training manages even a basic summoning circle, not to mention the one Ayako drawn was exceptionally complicated for summoning a 's seemingly has a talent in it and perhaps was lucky.
"Oh...Nevermind."
Rin sighs and shakes her head.
Perhaps, Rin realised she would get nowhere with explaining how ridiculous the thing Ayako did. She has to accept it. Afterall just a while ago an amatour magus managed to summon the strongest Servant without him even knowing. The present Grail War has already totally turned upside down. The thing happened with Ayako is the 'normal' in this mess. Rin herself is the odd one for being a proper magus, summoning her Servant regulary. But now if she thinks about it her case wasn't that much different too...
"Rin, something is wrong?"
"Huh...nothing. Let's continue..."
...
Rin ends her explanation about the War. the rules sounded simple. It was like a backstory of a manga, but actually it's a serious matter. Ayako was sure about she still can't comprehend well all it's seriousness. EverÃthing is so distant to she tried to think as little as possible about it and brings up a completely different topic.
"Rin, this is your room?"
"Of course, who else's can it be? But Why are you ask?"
Ayako gives out a mysterious smirk.
"Oh? It means Assassin-kun is the first man ever being in your room."
Rin doesn't get it at first. Then she quickly gives out an emberassed expression.
"Wha...How come? Why did you bring this up?"
Ayako has a wide smirk on her face.
"You know Assassin-kun, Rin is rather uninterested in men. She did't even have a boyfriend. So for her this is like a private sanctuary, you know?"
"Hey! Cut it out Ayako! Anyways it's not as if I'm..."
"I am honored, Miss. I try not to dissapoint you."
He says it with a serious and honorful tone.
"No...What are you talking about?"
The situation turned really awkward for Rin. Assassin seems to be thinking.
"Miss I think you're wrong. I am sure her own Servant was here before me."
Assassin says simply and calmly, but with a little revealing smirk. It seems he tells everything regardless how awkward situation he forces Rin. Or it might be even enjoyable to him. It must be!
"Oh, you're right. Are you saying Rin's Servant is a guy?"
"I am sure of it, Miss. Afterall I had the chance to fight with him."
"Fight? You sure is more savage than your looks, Assassin-kun... Is he hurt? And please stop calling me Miss. My name is Mitsusuri Ayako. Just call me Ayako."
She certainly not seem to be really worried about Archer's condition. Like Assassin and Rin's Servant just only had something like a drinking contest. Rin feels it like they're actually playing a prank on her. But she tries to keep her anger contained.
"To your information Miss, he was the one who attacked me. Just a minute after my summon that Servant ambushed me. He was of the Archer class. He attacked from a bit of distance. He failed and I defeated him with the first strike. But I didn't managed to land a clear hit. I spared his life with the cost forcing his master healing you."
Rin starts to remember again to those humilliating minutes. Her servant was defeated then the next second a huge katana points at her throat. Checkmate. She hardly had the time to react.
" I said, call me Ayako, though the Mitsusurugi-sama might be even better. But Assassin-kun, I think Rin isn't like that. She sure looks cold, but she's more warm-heearted that I am. Even if you didn't do a thing to her I am sure she would've helped me. but in a way I am grateful to your help, Assassin-kun. Without that she would brag about it all day"
"Hey, you know the best I am not like that!"
"Really? Hm, I guess really not..."
The Servant called Assassin was a little bit irritated by the honorifics. Afterall it isn't his real name, but only the designation of his class. But the very least it isn't '-san' like before. He always called by that his whole life. He didn't even remember his name, but he still has that despicable memory. It was a way to honouring, but actually the real reason was to estrange him. His memories are all hazy and confused now. The name he remembers as his is 'Sasaki Kojiro', an alien name wherewith he feels no connection at all. It shouldn't be his real name, but he remembers himself as that now. Not knowing his real name makes the sound of those honorifics even worse. But he is quite contempt today. Afterall he got his first fight which also ended up in victory. Though he expected a much more exciting fight, he looks forward to the future. Epecially as he's got an interesting master.
"So where's your Servant, Rin?"
Ayako asks with a strange kind of smile. Something definietly is in her mind. Rin has no idea what she would want from that, but she have a bad feeling.
"I think he's resting, Ayako-dono. After the damage I've done to him it's possible he's out of condition for a few days."
Assassin interupts again. Rin can't stand that Servant now. He's starting to get more irritating than her own Archer.
"Is that so? ..."
"To tell the truth, I am starting to feel better."
Suddenly a man in red clothes appeared. His hair is white and he's tanned, but definietly looks asian.
"Archer? Why you haven't said a word? Is your wounds really are alright?"
"Archer? That Oji-san?"
Assassin can't help but releasea quiet laughter. Certainly with such whithered hair Archer should be around his fifties at least. But still calling him 'Old Man' is a bit of stretch. His facial features suggested less, about someone at his thirties. Archer naturally is surprised by the comment.
"...Oji-san!? You certainly state some interesting things."
"Anyways. Ayako, why wanted you to see my Servant?"
"Ah...Nothing."
"Nothing? You were almost excited to see my Servant and now you act like you aren't interested at all?"
"Well, I was excited. Afterall he's your Servant, but after seeing him I was relieved to know mine looks much better."
"What? What do you mean by that?"
"The thing just you imagine. I think you still remember our bet about getting a boyfriend right?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
Rin asked it but she already expected Ayako's answer.
"I am clearly the winner now."
"What? How can you..."
Ayako is strangely confident for a while. Rin's just noticed that. The Servants are just staying, uncertain about where their masters getting at.
"Win? I'm still confused about the whole thing, but in short Archer is your partner now isn't it?"
"Yeah...What?"
Rin blushes. Now she clearly get it where she's going.
"And so there's no way my Assassin loses to your Oji-san-like Archer in terms of looks. I won!"
"Wait...how come. He isn't looks that old."
"Ooh. Is it me or I really hit jackpot?"
Ayako's smirk is more revealing about where she aimed at than her words. Rin is in an awkward situation once again. She really don't understand why Ayako comes bringing it up over and over again recently.
"It really interests me too, as a subject of this."
Archer interupts the conversation. Even her own Servant is against Her? Rin can't help, but think so.
"No, I say it...you misunderstand!"
"If you say so.."
Ayako ends her teasing and says it in a lighthearted tone. Rin can calm down at last. Though the light smirk is still disturbs her.
"...Ayako, you can be scary sometimes."
"Really? Thank you, but I think I am still nothing compared to -hah..."
"-"
4th of January. Ayako's first night of the Grail two days have passed since that happening with a certain idiot. And Rin's perfect plans about the Grail War are messed up once again.
A/N: This is the end of the chapter. I hope you liked it. I am currently occuptied with the midterm tests and I can't write as often. The next one is going to be about Rin and Sakura again, this time as bitter rivals as Tokiomi(their father) though they would be. It's going to have a certain fight as an important part, as another part of my experiments on my writing skills. Look forward to it!