EPIC Academy Chapter 2: Masters and Servants: FateStay Night, a code geass fanfic

Chapter 2: Masters and Servants (Code Geass w/ Fate/Stay Night & Vampire Knight)

I said earlier that I had no idea why the powers that be decided to form EPIC. That does not, however, mean I do not know the circumstances that made it possible. Though to explain it all, the events of fifteen years ago are necessary: Second Impact, an incredible accident which melted most of the Antarctic and threw the world into chaos. The Rise of Britannia in response to the turmoil was to be expected, being organized and with a strong authoritative structure in the Britannia Royal Family. This ushered in a period of dominance by Britannia. The countries it conquered were reduced to numbered Areas, where the indigenous people lost cultural identity and even the right to call themselves by their country's name. Japan fell seven years ago and was renamed Area 11. Seven years we endured being the dogs of Britannia and the hateful title of Elevens. Flash forward to the events of the present: Zero, the enigmatic hero of justice, rose in Area 11 to re-establish equal humanity for all. Zero, commanding his Black Knights, succeeded in throwing Area 11 Britannian forces into considerable disarray following the assassination of Prince Clovis, by brilliant tactics and would have re-established Japan in its own right if all had gone as expected. However, an unexpected political move was made by the Britannia government: Third Princess Euphemia proposed a new Japan, where all citizens would be equal. The people would be Japanese again. Accepting an offer of peace, Zero agreed and ended his resistance movement, putting all effort into a peaceful transition and establishment of Japan. But that was not the end of the story.

One month into the establishment of Japan, an extreme terrorist group attacked many of the schools in Area 11, holding the Britannian and Eleven students hostage. Their aim: a Japan free from all ties to Britannia. They rebuked Zero for settling but Zero re-appeared with his group to save the students. Despite their best efforts, they could not save the schools themselves, leaving thousands of students without a place to continue their studies. Princess Euphemia, along with Lord Ashford, Kaien Cross, the Suoh Family, L, NERV, B.A.B.E.L., Nebula Co. and Shibusen decided to launch EPIC, the school that would help spearhead the effort to integrate the cultures. However, this move was too bold for Euphemia. She was blamed for the terrorist attack on the students and, though she kept her title, she was removed from the line of succession and also as co-viceroy of Area 11. However, this was acceptable to Euphemia, for she was allowed to proceed with the school. Strangely enough, Euphemia herself wanted to go back to school, which she never finished, and now was one of the most beloved people on campus. Euphemia's motive was clear as was Ashford's and the Suoh's, to re-establish schools, but why the major corporations and defense programs? We'll see.

But right now, I have the good fortune of starting the day with our teacher, Taiga Fujimura-Sensei, who has the horrible habit of nearly being late on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday… well, everyday. And today is no exception. "Waaa!" Slam! Fwoosh! and the green-dress with striped long sleeves is inside and to the desk as the student body president comes on over the intercom after the bell. School political structure is a bit complicated because of the massive size of the student body but here is a rough outline:

Student Body President and Council

Student Safety Council | Disciplinary Council

Class Presidents and Councils

Class Representatives

The Student Safety Council and the Disciplinary Council are two councils that are chosen by faculty, though have a surprisingly small number of members. The Student Safety Council, also called Guardians, has only two enforcers: Yuuki Cross and Zero Kiryuu. Before you ask, this Zero is not Zero, the knight of justice. As far as most people can tell, he is anything but, being ill-tempered and largely absent from his duties. Yuuki, on the other hand, tries to carry out her duty as best as possible: ensuring proper safety at EPIC during the night and proper treatment of the Night Class, but I will come to my evening classes later. As for the Disciplinary Council… no one really knows. It might just be rumor, but one can never know at this school.

The Student Body President, Milly Ashford, daughter of Lord Ashford, announces the events coming. Nothing I am particularly interested in though it will probably be fun when I am dragged into it, though I have to groan at one particular announcement: someone who catches Lelouch Lamperouge, Student Body Vice-President, will get their club funding increased. Palm slap! Poor Lelouch. He never gets a break, but thankfully Suzaku Kururugi helps cover for him. Yes, I just said Suzaku Kururugi, Knight of Euphemia and ace pilot of Area 11 Britannia KnightMare forces. Roll with it. However, I meet them later in my day so patience.

Announcements end and Fujimuri-Sensei begins our English lesson. It is third-year English, but being half-American, I already understand where the lecture is going and take a breather from note-taking and just listen. Lecture finishes in due time and work time begins. Most students work quietly. Among these is Shirou Emiya, a red-haired young man who has seemed to taken a more serious outlook on life in the last few days. Despite this, he still doesn't button the collar on his uniform.

Ah yes, I forgot to mention uniforms… it is amalgam. To explain, each homeroom teacher decides on the uniform for their students. As a result, most of the teachers carried over the uniform design from their old school, however, one teacher complained vigorously that he was not given a homeroom class. Himura-sensei I think was his name. But anyway, my uniform, like Emiya's, is a tan-color, standard uniform: long sleeves and matching slacks with no other embellishments. The girls have white long sleeves with a tan vest set off by a black skirt. They also have an option of wearing a long sleeve jacket, red in color. Rin Tohsaka is one of these girls who prefer the jacket. She is my rival, being a prodigy, but, due to recent events that I will eventually divulge, I have come to admire Rin as more than a rival. Rin, like me, is taking scope of the classroom, having understood the lecture and completed the assignment during that time. Occasionally, I'll see her whisper something under her breath. There is a reason for this: she is speaking to her Servant.

Now you are wondering, "But there is no one there!" That is not true. There is someone there in spirit form, a hero in fact. It was a late night and I was wandering around after a reading session early in the year and saw the unbelievable: Tohsaka was flying! At that moment she looked down at me in shock. "Damn it! Archer!" With lightning speed, she dropped from the sky, kicking up a large dust cloud. When the air cleared, she was standing with a muscled, armored figure next to her. It was a hero, the kind you read about only in manga, stories or fairy tales: white hair standing on edge, eagle eyes that could pierce you at fifty feet, black, skin-tight, synthetic armor with a red over coat. Rin bared her teeth and stalked toward me. I was paralyzed, from both fear and exhilaration. She placed her hand on my forehead and spoke in German, "Vergessenheit!"*

Black. "Hanashimoto-kun?" I opened my eyes to a blurred face. I blinked a couple times. Rin Tohsaka was kneeling over me. She wasn't wearing her school uniform, I realized, but instead was wearing a red, long sleeved blouse with a cross in yellow. I sat up and looked around. "Um, Rin?" She sighed from exasperation. "Archer, I guess it's useless. This guy has a perfectly permanent memory." Archer materialized out of thin air then materialized a black sword. "So do we kill him?" Rin clenched her teeth, conflicted. It was clear she did not want to go that far but apparently I had stumbled onto a great secret. Though I had died a long time ago so… "Well, I guess it can't be helped," I said resignedly. For some reason, I am always at peace whenever I look death sincerely in the face. Rin looked at me shocked. "I am a liability," I continued, "And whatever is going on is probably more important than one life." "I'm glad you understand," Archer replied pragmatically and emotionless. "I'll make this as painless as possible." "Wait!" Rin put her arm before the descending blade. "Master?" She opened her eyes, staring me down with all her force. "I have class with him enough that surveillance will not be a problem. And if he knows that his life is secondary to what is going on, then he knows enough to keep this secret." "Understood." The black blade disappeared, followed shortly by Archer himself. "One thing you should keep in mind, Hanashimoto-kun," Rin was staring me down again. "I and Emiya Shirou are the people you should trust should anyone mention Masters, Servants or the Holy Grail War. Do not breathe a word to anyone and you should live through this with little problem."

I nodded and then she helped pull me to my feet. "Ouch! Pain." Tohsaka smiled wryly. "Let me fix that." She put her hand on the back of my head. "Weiss Heil."** The pain in the back of my head was gone. I looked back at her and she smiled again, but it was a sincere smile that said, "I'm glad you are alright and I hope something like this doesn't happen to you again." "Hey, can I ask you one thing more before I am resigned to secrecy?" "What?" "How much are you risking in this Grail War?" She opened her eyes again and looked toward the moon. "Everything." That is all I needed to hear for I knew that she would not act to endanger people if she could help it. She was taking up the mantle of hero.

But the bell sounds and the classes change, and the heroes that would come to be step out of class together talking, Emiya and Tohsaka. I do not know what kind of harsh trials are ahead of them but I hope that their Servants watch over them, Archer and Saber. Hmm? Oh yes, I found out about Saber around the same time but that happened in the dojo during kendo training. She walked in wearing a blue skirt and a white dress blouse and offered to teach me a few things. Ten seconds later I was decked. Twenty seconds later, I was back on my feet. Twenty-five seconds later, I was decked again. Thirty seconds later, Shirou Emiya opens the door and sees me sprawled on the ground. Forty seconds later, I make the connection. "Saber is your servant, Emiya?" They both looked at me with shock. Shinai.

I woke up to Emiya kneeling over me. "Are you alright?" I saw a few people come in so I whispered in his ear, "I know about Tohsaka. Don't worry, your secret is safe." Then I took his hand and stood up. Shishou moved in with the health kit and I was surrounded by a group of fellow students as Saber and Shirou stepped out the back door.

I still wonder, as I walk to class, side-stepping the third-year council club chair and Shirou's friend, Issei Ryudo, how did I find myself in such a remarkable place, a remarkable place where heroes walk among us, magic is real, and I somehow can get knocked out five times in the course of one evening.

* Vergessenheit – oblivion

** Weiss heil – white heal