"Rider, the Arena is open. Today, there are a few rules that must be observed. Namely, Servants are not to fight each other or target Masters."
"Understood, Master."
"What should I do?"
"I'm going to be honest, I haven't thought that far ahead. However, I'm sure we can come up with something."
An hour, a hearty breakfast, and information gathering session from Caster later, I made my way to the main building. To the Arena.
"So, Shinji Matou got an easy opponent, eh? For his sake, I hope he doesn't get cocky afterwards." So, Shinji is relatively well-known? Interesting. No point in researching right now, I wouldn't know where to start.
Is that Shinji? It is. He's about to enter the Arena. Good timing.
Time to get to work.
The First Chimeric Lunar Sea. Interesting name. Rider appears next to me as we stalk our opponents. The distinctive blue hair of Shinji and… a carbon-copy of Caster? "Rider, find us a place to hide." Let' see…
Class: Assassin
Master: Shinji Matou
True name: Cinder Fall
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Parameters:
Strength: D+
Endurance: E+
Agility: C+
Magic: B++
Luck: C
Noble Phantasm: A+
Class Skills:
Presence Concealment: D
Suitable for spying. Cinder was highly successful at disguising herself for various covert operations, but lacks the ability to conceal her presence when she intends to fight in the operation as her personality is unsuited for it.
Personal Skills:
Espionage: B
Does not conceal one's presence, but rather makes it fail to register as hostile. This skill causes others to misunderstand one's status, including a kind neighbor, a harmless pebble, or the most beloved person. This skill fails the moment she begins her attack, but she may prepare to attack without fear.
Eye of the Mind (True): B
Capable of calm analysis of battle conditions even when in danger and deduce the appropriate course of action after considering all possibilities of escape from a predicament. So long as there is even a 1% chance of a comeback, this ability greatly improves the chances of winning.
Planning: A
Tactical thinking meant for assassinating a target. Unlike Military Tactics, this is constricted only to assassination missions in which few people are involved.
Noble Phantasms:
Fall Maiden: Incarnation of the Autumnal Equinox
Rank: A+
Type: Anti-Unit (Self)/Anti-Army
Range: 1-100
Maximum number of targets: 300
The power of a Maiden of the Seasons. This Noble Phantasm doubles all of Cinder's Parameters with the exception of Luck and Magic. In the instance of Magic, the parameter is tripled. Granting power similar to a Marble Phantasm, this ability is the result of Cinder lusting for the power of a Maiden and attaining it. Cinder is stronger during the Season of Autumn and at her peak during the Autumnal Equinox, when she may use her power without restriction. During Spring, her parameters are all lowered by one Rank and is incapable of activating this Noble Phantasm During the Vernal Equinox.
Well, that's interesting. If I read the calendar right, tomorrow is the Vernal Equinox. That would be the best time to kill her.
"Rider, we're leaving." Shinji and Assassin are long gone.
"Understood."
"Cinder, he sent me the information of the enemy Servant. It's your alternate self."
"I see."
"We're back."
"Welcome back." He gets right down to business.
"I know Assassin's weakness. Tomorrow, I plan to kill her. Cinder, do you have any objection with this?"
"I want to kill her." Cinder doesn't hesitate.
"I understand."
Cinder Fall, the Fall Maiden, is weakest during the Spring, but Caster, the Spring Maiden, is at her strongest. But this is more important to Caster than just an advantage in abilities.
"Please take her into the Arena."
"I will, don't worry." What's wrong with us? We want to make one person happy by giving her the chance to kill two others.
"Assassin has low parameters but is still potentially dangerous. She is a Servant and is more than capable of killing me." He sits next to me. "There's no point in going back out today-to the Arena. There's a town nearby where all combat is forbidden, if you want to go with me. Beats sticking around here, at least."
"Are you asking me out?" I smile gently at the boy. It would be a good distraction.
"In a very literal way." A few minutes later, I swear Rider is laughing at me. I didn't know that the girl's had been to the town in the time I was gone. Now, they used me as their personal life-size dress-up doll and stuck me in this monkey suit. I convinced them to let me wear my old uniform and next thing I knew, I was been dragged along to their new favorite places. Rider, the bastard, found a casino and bar and abandoned his poor master.
Traitor.
A nice dinner, a movie, and one shopping spree (not necessarily in that order) later we found ourselves back in our room. Rider and his Golden Rule helped us by winning a lot of cash. I took great pleasure in confiscating enough to cover expenses. We spent the rest of the day just messing around, watching Caster get frustrated with Dwarf Fortress. She was so frustrated when her little Urists were stomped by a forgotten beast, she actually activated her Noble Phantasm.
Then came the HFS… That shit was hilarious.
Then Rider had a shot at it. He had lots of Fun, but kept on keeping on. He found the Candy and then made masterwork weapons out of it. Then came the armor. Then he unleashed the clowns. It. Was. Glorious. He had his Rocs and soldiers fight back, and won.
Caster gave him the finger.
Of course, all good things must come to an end, and so too did the Dwarf Fortress shenanigans. We would need our sleep for the next day.
The boy and I were waiting inside of the Arena, waiting for my other self. How very different we are, both of us with the same name. Opposing seasons, wishes, methods, dreams.
"Caster, they're coming. Get ready." I draw my bow and ready myself. I have one shot. The enemy Master and his Servant turn the corner of this vast forest. The boy places his hand on my shoulder and whispers. "Go." My arrow flies, striking true, piercing Assassin's heart. A critical hit, a crippling hit. If it were any other day, it wouldn't have been so dangerous to her. I step out of hiding, approaching my downed enemy.
Assassin makes for a sorry sight. The proud woman is on her hands and knees, unable to muster the strength to remove the arrow. I place my hand on her shoulder and bring her up. Assassin glares, her eyes full of hate. I am nothing like this monster. I move my left hand from her shoulder to her temple and activate my Noble Phantasm. "I am the Maiden of Spring."
She heard me, no way she couldn't. It doesn't matter. "This… is for Pyrrah." I feel her begin to burn, burning into ash. And that ash… floats away ever so gently. No disturbance, no wind to carry it away. "Tell me, do you believe in destiny?" She doesn't answer. I can hear her Master panicking as he is deleted, but I pay it no mind.
"Caster…" The boy reaches up and gently brushes away my tears. Why am I crying? Ah… "It's alright, Caster. Just let it out." I don't sob, I just cry. His shirt is soaked, but he doesn't mind. "Rider, get us out of here."
"Understood." I don't pay attention to what's happening, I just know that I'm back in our room. Master is there to greet us.
"Caster…" My gentle Master.
"Rider, we need to go find the priest. I have some questions for him."
"Understood."
"Kotomine, I have some questions."
"It is your right to ask." There are plenty of other Masters around us, many of them listening in.
"To put it simply, my opponent has suffered an unfortunate accident. Am I safe to assume that I am clear for this week, barring other Masters attempting to kill me?"
"You will have to gather the Triggers, but beyond that, you are safe for the week."
"Thank you." I notice that the man doesn't elaborate.
"You're welcome."
Servant Parameters and skills
Class: Assassin
Master: Shinji Matou
True name: Cinder Fall
Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Parameters:
Strength: D+
Endurance: E+
Agility: C+
Magic: B++
Luck: C
Noble Phantasm: A+
Class Skills:
Presence Concealment: D
Suitable for spying. Cinder was highly successful at disguising herself for various covert operations, but lacks the ability to conceal her presence when she intends to fight in the operation as her personality is unsuited for it.
Personal Skills:
Espionage: B
Does not conceal one's presence, but rather makes it fail to register as hostile. This skill causes others to misunderstand one's status, including a kind neighbor, a harmless pebble, or the most beloved person. This skill fails the moment she begins her attack, but she may prepare to attack without fear.
Eye of the Mind (True): B
Capable of calm analysis of battle conditions even when in danger and deduce the appropriate course of action after considering all possibilities of escape from a predicament. So long as there is even a 1% chance of a comeback, this ability greatly improves the chances of winning.
Planning: A
Tactical thinking meant for assassinating a target. Unlike Military Tactics, this is constricted only to assassination missions in which few people are involved.
Noble Phantasms:
Fall Maiden: Incarnation of the Autumnal Equinox
Rank: A+
Type: Anti-Unit (Self)/Anti-Unit
Range: 1-10
Maximum number of targets: 10
The power of a Maiden of the Seasons. This Noble Phantasm doubles all of Cinder's Parameters with the exception of Luck and Magic. In the instance of Magic, the parameter is tripled. Granting power similar to a Marble Phantasm, this ability is the result of Cinder lusting for the power of a Maiden and attaining it. Cinder is stronger during the Season of Autumn and at her peak during the Autumnal Equinox, when she may use her power without restriction. During Spring, her parameters are all lowered by one Rank and is incapable of activating this Noble Phantasm During the Vernal Equinox.
The Dragon: A Grimm Ceremony
Rank: A++
Type: Anit-Army
Range: 1-100
Maximum number of targets: 300
A Divine Beast of currently unknown origin, connected to the Creatures of Grimm. A massive black dragon with the traits typical of the monsters known as 'Creatures of Grimm', it is on a completely different scale. The Dragon is capable of spawning more Creatures by merely existing, independent of the prana of Cinder. Cinder is unable to use this Noble Phantasm without first using Fall Maiden, as she simply lacks the power as an Assassin-Class Servant. If she were to be summoned as a Caster, she would be able to use this Noble Phantasm any time at night, but still needs to activate Fall Maiden to use it during the day.
Yep, I just did that. Introduced a Servant, only to kill them off in the same chapter. And yes, I chose to kill her like that on purpose. Was it disappointing? I don't doubt it for a second. This chapter wasn't about Shinji, it was about something I haven't seen in a Fate/Extra fanfic. The MC kills their opponent early. I decided to be the one that did that. Anyway, I do hope that you enjoy, I'm working on chapter 2 of Mordhau now.