KRENG! KRENG! KRENG!
Red siren blaring out all around the building, with smokes slowly filling up the floor and bodies all over the place.
A door opens up, now having a blue-haired female in sailor outfit slowly walks out of a room, glaring around the place with her yellow eyes, stopped when she sees a red-haired female in black leather suit approaches her.
The female raises her rapier, clearly ready for a fight.
The blue-haired female simply snickers, "I've told you before, simply deactivating me won't do you any good."
She then swings her axe around, calling out, "Asterius!"
The floor before her darken, and with that appears a huge bull-headed creature, so huge that the walls around them are immediately destroyed as the red-haired one jumps away from the oncoming appearance.
"If you please excuse me, I'll be joining the Holy Grail War."
She quickly turns around and runs away from there as the bull slowly disappears from the existence.
"Ms. Kirijo, are you hurt?" a black-haired maid quickly helps the one in leather suit standing up.
The redhead is clearly hurting, what with her left hand is already limping close to her.
But instead she responds with, "Call Aigis. We need her help for this matter. Only she can stop Unit #031."
"But…"
"Right now, we are at odd with the Clock Tower. Her involvement in the Holy Grail War will make things even worse than before."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sleeping…
This is what Aigis has decided to do to spend her time as a human.
No, she is not a human. She could never be one physically.
She is an Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon designed as a weapon against an enemy called Shadow.
But currently she is trying to enjoy what some humans enjoy; sleeping.
She has been trying so hard to live like one. It is a promise she made to someone dear to her after all.
"My child, wake up."
Hmm?
The blonde-haired female quickly pulls herself up.
This… this is not her room.
This is Gekkoukan High School's dorm room. This place is way back at Tatsumi Island.
She was inside her room in Tokyo. How did she get here?
She quickly turns around, now seeing a figure holding a shield and a spear.
She has no idea who or what she is, but she felt strange familiarity coming from her.
Is she…
"Pallas Athena?"
Her Persona? That's impossible. Her Persona doesn't look like-
The figure quickly interrupts her thought, "I am indeed Athena. You are correct, my child."
"A-Athena?" she pushes herself up from the couch, standing up as she now looking at this strange figure.
"That's impossible. What are you?"
"I am the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena. I am also known by many other titles, but as of now, wisdom is what humanity needs."
What is she talking about? What wisdom?
"My child, have you heard of the Holy Grail War?"
Holy Grail War? It is one of those thing SEES and Clock Tower discussed about in their previous meeting.
She was there. She remembers it well.
It was around a year ago when she had learned of the existence of people using magic in real life, calling themselves magi, practicing magecraft by drawing energy from themselves called mana.
It is also around the same time they learned of Persona and Shadow.
A meeting between representatives of both sides, the SEES and the Clock Tower happened not too long ago as they discussed on how they intended to keep each other's existence with secrecy.
Unfortunately, while the secrecy itself are agreed mutually, there are other matters that making both sides not liking each other very much.
SEES wish to learn more of magecraft, and essentially learning to use one, but Clock Tower doesn't seem too fond of having their work being used by "people tainted by technologies", especially seeing how her and the likes of her is already able to use magic thanks to Persona.
Clock Tower wishes for some of the Persona Users known by SEES to be turned over to them for education purpose, but not before their leader, Waver Velvet, who did agreed on Mitsuru-san's idea of learning magecraft, call out their bluff, saying some magi just want to cut them open.
Instead of being allies, the two sides settled with ceasefire only.
The Holy Grail War was mentioned and discussed as some of the magi compared Persona summoning with their own Heroic Spirit summoning.
But why is this… goddess suddenly mentioned of the grail war?
She slowly nods at her.
Athena gives a warm smile to her, "Then, there is no need for further explanation anymore. I was summoned into this world by my Master."
Summoned?
Aigis quickly opens up her mouth, "But I heard that gods and goddesses cannot be summoned into the war. Is it not true?"
"You are not wrong, my child. The grail war can only be participated by magi and heroes of the old. But in some instance, it is possible to summon one, either without our divinity or forcing us to possess a body suitable for human interaction."
Possession?
"Is that why you are here?"
The goddess nods, "True, I am here needing your body, but for us to simply pick one is factored by our compatibility. I simply appear before you due to your ability to summon your Persona with my appearance. But that's not all. My master, who summoned me here, seems to have a deep connection with you."
Deep connection with her? Who is that person? Who has such connection with her?
"Do not worry about me using your body. I do not wish to be part of this sickening war of greed nor should I interfere with humanity's own decision. I am merely present you with the opportunity to be part of something greater."
The figure now raises her spear forward toward her, muttering one last word, "As of now, you shall be my replacement, Archer. Together, with the one you owed your life to, go and free humanity from our sins."
"Aigis… wake up…"
Hearing this one feminine voice, the blonde slowly opens up her eyes, moving her head to her right.
Her eyes are now staring at a figure in school uniform, smiling at her with her brown haired tied up on the back of her head, "Aigis, let's go. We have a world to save."
"K-Kotone… Shiomi…"
Wha- It can't be! She… this person… she is… long gone…
Kotone mutters once more, "We should go to Kyushu now. But let's not tell anybody about us, okay?"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[PRESENT]
Akira appears back into the living room, now serving both Sakura and Jeanne tea.
Just now, right after finishing Shinji's Palace, Ruler appeared before them, demanding for a meeting with him.
That is why she is here as of this moment.
But just now… Sakura insisted on following him home, even though that's pretty much what she is about to tell her.
The change of heart will take some time. It may happen tomorrow, it may happen in the later date. It's definitely not now, not when Shinji is obviously fainted as of this moment.
So why is she acting like a kid arguing over a toy?
…
Hmm…
Nope. There is no way…
Owh, god…
The Valentine's Day trauma is back once again…
Snapped back to reality, Akira quickly springs up a question, " So… what do you want to talk about?"
Jeanne puts the tea back onto the table, and her eyes move toward him, showing how serious whatever is inside her mind right now, "I want to know what your role is in this war."
"My… role?"
Sakura turns toward Akira, before standing up and turns to look at her, "What do you mean, his role? You are a Ruler, right? You should know very well Kurusu-senpai is a civilian and should never be part of the grail."
Akira quickly speaks up to her, "Sorry, Sakura. But I didn't tell you one thing about myself."
"Wha-" her head turns toward him, "Senpai…"
"Right now, I am a Servant."
"Ser-Wha- Se-senpai, what are you talking about!?"
The purple-haired girl is clearly confused by his words, "But… you are a transfer student in our school… There's no way a Servant can just enroll into a school without a proper document…"
"That's because I am possessing a student with the same name."
"Same…?"
"My True Name is Akira Kurusu, and in order to be summoned into this world, I possessed another version of me."
"I… I don't get it…"
Nope, his senior is still confused, "Who are your Master then?"
Igor.
"Holy Grail," is his answer instead, "I've been employed by the Holy Grail for a mission of my own, different from Ruler's mission of spectating the grail war. Instead, I am here to investigate an anomaly happens in this world."
Akira turns toward Ruler, "Didn't I told you that before?"
She nods, "But, you have been bringing along another Master into whatever you are doing before."
"You… saw that?" he questions her, receiving a nod.
The blonde mutters, "Yes. I not only saw you and her entering a Reality Marble, but also you fighting that… vulgar… thing…"
She blushes.
"Em… Ruler? You look unwell…"
Akira actually knows why exactly she's acting like that.
It seems she has been secretly following them before, probably the day where they have gone to fight Shinji-Mara and taking the Treasure away from him.
She quickly coughs out loud before muttering, "I would like to know what kind of place that is. Why do you have such… peculiar Reality Marble?"
Jeanne glares at him, "Reality Marble sometime reflects the user's heart and soul. Are you perhaps…"
"I'm not!" he quickly screams out, "That's my Noble Phantasm! I can pull out someone else's distortion view of this world and if I steal the Treasure of that person, I can change that person's heart and turn them good."
In an effort of not being called a pervert, he subsequently revealed what he is capable of…
"I see…" Ruler is now giving a thought of her own, "You can bring out someone else's Reality Marble. That is a skill all magus will surely desire. I've seen how you summon various Servants inside them and even using magecraft of different elements… You are certainly no ordinary magus in your life time."
Yeah… magus… that's definitely him.
"But why are you involving a Master with your work?"
Sakura quickly responds, "I… I'm the one who accidentally got involved with this. I ended up summoning a Persona in there."
"I was just going to help her away from her brother. He has been sexually assaulting her for a long time, apparently."
!?
Jeanne's eyes suddenly widen. Her muscle seems stiff as she quickly looks away, "Persona?"
Akira replies, "Those are not Servants I summoned. They are Persona. Consider them familiars instead. Almost everyone can have them."
"Familiars?" she looks confused, "But with the name of gods…"
"Consider them familiars with the name of gods."
"That… would make some sense…"
Jeanne takes a deep breath before muttering, "Forgive me for my rudeness. With the Masters of Blue are now in one place, the Masters of Red can attack them in any time. A war will erupt between them and I am merely wishing for to not complicate things up."
"But…" she turns to look at him, now giving him a smile, "As fellow Servants of the Holy Grail, as long as it did not contradict my role as Ruler, you can ask for my assistance any time."
She bows at them before walking out from there, "If you excuse me…"
The two simply look at how she walks away from there, as Sakura turns toward him, "Senpai, if you are a Servant, what is your class?"
"Fool."
"I'm sorry?"
"My class is Fool."
"Like the tarot?"
"Like the tarot."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[NEXT MORNING]
"Are… you okay?"
That day, Shinji's change of heart kicks in and he screams out to everyone what he has been doing.
Nothing particular, really. People just learned that instead of the cool student persona he showed to everyone, he sees them as nothing but annoyance.
But one thing he said that makes people paid an attention; what he did to his sister daily.
The reaction that Rin shows of her beating him in front of everyone right then and there is priceless. Pretty sure someone managed to record that.
Right now, during the lunch break, the two are hiding from all eyes inside the archery club as they are eating the breakfast Ayaha made for them, silently just to make sure nobody is looking.
Sakura mutters, answering his concern, "It's going to take some time to get used to. So many people are asking for forgiveness as if they already know about that this whole time."
"Shouldn't you be glad? At least they didn't question your situation like you are the true culprit and he is just a victim. I know some people would love to be in your place."
"Yeah…" she suddenly forms a smile, "Thank you, senpai…"
Akira sees her eyes staring at him, and proceeds to give her his own smile, "Just think of this as a job the Phantom Thieves took."
Something comes into his mind, "But what about his Servant? Didn't that Servant of his is originally yours?"
"I don't know… Maybe I'll take her as my bodyguard? I can't do whatever I did in the Metaverse. I can't just give away my Command Spells without killing Lancer or giving her to what could be a worse Master. That feels so wrong to me…"
"Then…"
"I'm not gonna join the war. I'm just going to stay away from it and lay low for now."
Staying away from the war… That sounds so impossible yet possible at the same time. But it is also quite risky since other Servants can sense each other and just attack her if they want to.
Another factor is that the Servant may not like taking their wishes away from them.
"Have you considered Lancer's wish for the grail?"
She shakes her head, "Her True Name is Medusa. She is like my Persona, but before Gorgon consumed her sisters, Euryale and Stheno. She loses control of her monstrosity nature after being cursed by Athena thanks to the goddess's rage after learning that Medusa was raped by Poseidon."
Hmm…
"That makes no sense. Why would Medusa is the one taking the punishment instead of Poseidon?"
Sakura replies, "Her excuse was that since Poseidon is her uncle and a fellow deity, Medusa will have to take the blame instead."
"Sounds like slut shaming to me."
The purple-haired girl suddenly sighs, "You're right. I should consider Lancer's wish. What if she wants to see her sisters back? What if she wants retribution? I should ask her tonight…"
"Tonight…" another thought appears in his brain, "Where are you sleeping tonight?"
"I guess… I'll be going home tonight. You said that once nii-san has reformed, he won't even dare to think of doing that again, right?"
"What about your grandfather?"
The girl is now thinking of something, "I have a feeling I'm going to be fine."
Kurusu chuckles, "If anything, you should call me. I'll be around the corner."
Sakura seems to have finished with her food, closing the box as she stands up, giving him a bright smile, "If anything, I am always welcomed to your home, right?"
"No, you're staying with me!"
The door now opens up, with Sakura, Shirou and four other girls entering the clubhouse.
One of the four girls is Ayako Mitsuzuri. She seems to be a close friend of Shirou, though that guy seems to be friends with everyone. Issei, on the other hand, doesn't seem to share the same opinion about her.
The girl is now speaking out to her, "Now I know where you are during lunches. Is this where you hang out all this time?"
Now the youngest one loses her words in shock, "I… uh…"
Ayako notices of Kurusu beside her, "You seem to have been close with Sakura lately…"
Sakura quickly responds to her, "He's just… He helped me out a lot!"
"I've heard of it," the other non-black haired girl of the bunch mutters, "Tsubasa told me just now that Sakura was staying two nights in a row at her home."
The dark skinned girl seems to be in shock, "Really? But Kurusu is Tsubasa's cousin, right? Then…"
Akira stands up, speaking up to them all, "Yes, I told her to stay with us for a while. Shinji was trying to threaten her with something and I didn't want her to get hurt. I didn't know he didn't just hit her."
Ayako wonders, "When did you know about her then?"
"She told me about it that night."
All eyes are now at him.
Mitsuzuri now moves close to Shirou, hitting him on the shoulder, "Look at what you have done. You should feel a lot of regret by now."
The redheaded nods, "You're right. I'm sorry, Sakura. I didn't know he did that to you before. As a friend, I should have known about it."
As a friend…
Ayako sighs, facepalming herself, "Emiya, you really are dense…"
But she and other girls seem startled when Sakura chuckles suddenly, "Don't worry, Shirou-senpai. You did nothing wrong. I just happen to have decided to tell Akira-senpai about it that night. I could have told all of you before."
"You're right," he nods, turning toward Kurusu, "Thank you, Akira. You are indeed a hero."
Not a hero. He's a thief.
The one girl that still did not speak anything finally opens up her mouth, "Still, how come Shinji just told everyone about it? Did something happened to him before?"
The glasses girl mutters, "Someone named Phantom Thief posted notes on the board yesterday, talking about knowing Shinji's crime and wanting to steal his heart or something like that."
"Phantom Thief…" Rin mumbles, "Could he really be a real person then? Stealing a heart and… making someone confess…"
Spot on.
This girl is dangerous. Not many people can just guess what Phantom Thieves did during their first debut.
But she seems really interested on this matter, looking at how she seems to be in a deep thought over something.
One of the girls wonders, "But doesn't that sounds like an occult?"
Ayako shrugs, "Maybe it's just something like blackmail or something. Or maybe it is an attempt to make another urban legend, like that story about that bloody apartment room with the scary child in the elevator."
What… kind of urban legend is that?
!?
Owh…
He just realized that Rin is glaring straight toward him.
She must have been suspecting him or something.
Let's take her attention away from him.
Kurusu opens up his mouth, "By the way, Tohsaka. Didn't you just said something about having Sakura staying with you?"
All eyes are now onto her.
"Yeah, what about it?" she stares at them all.
Akira mutters, "Why would you be so generous to her?"
"Why not? Sakura is a nice girl. I just don't want her to stay with that sorry excuse of a sushi ingredient anymore! She deserves a better brother."
Or a sister…
But Akira has something else to say, "You could've just asked her out if you want to."
!?
Now everyone felt confused.
Ayako is the first one that questions his words, "Kurusu, what are you-"
"You know, I have a feeling that you have been stalking her a lot recently," he ignores the girl's words, still having his eyes toward the twin-tailed one, "Yesterday you even told me to stay away from Sakura. When I asked if you loved her, you turn into a tsundere all of the sudden."
Rin's face is now red; red as if she is going to explode any time soon.
But what's worse is that the four girls are now closing their mouth, unable to comprehend what he just said.
"Tsundere… Rin…"
"Rin and Sakura…"
"I didn't… know…"
"STOP IT!" hearing those words, she can help herself anymore.
Her eyes now glaring at Akira, pulling him away from there, "What is wrong with you!?"
"Me? I'm just supporting Rin x Sakura pairing that may happen later. Don't worry, I won't do anything bad toward Sakura for you."
"Idiot! I told you to stop, didn't I!?"
"Also, I am not a Master of Red, if you are still wondering that."
Rin quickly grab on his words, glaring at her with her eyes still under effect of the previous tease (translation: almost crying), "What are you-"
"Just think of me as an outsider. I am on the same side of Ruler. The only time I'll interfere is when things get too dangerous around here."
Kurusu is now walking away, not before turning toward her, "Take care of your sister. With Shinji is out of commission, Sakura is back as the true Master of Lancer. She isn't exactly good with magecraft, so she will need help defending herself."
"Sakura is…?"
"Also, this will be your chance to get to know her. Don't worry, incest may have been bad, but yuri is nice."
!
"B-B-B…"
Red is her face's color once again.
"B-BAKA!"
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
A bag is seen being pulled around by a man in red jacket as his flame-like red hair is ruffled up as the man mumbles, looking around the place, "So, this is Fuyuki? Not a bad place for a vacation."
"Vacation? You said we are here for the war?" a pink-haired person in blue sweater appears behind him, also having his eyes looking around the place, "But you're right, Master! This place feels really good!"
"I-I've told you before! Call me by my name! It's weird when you call me like that!"
"Alright-y, Touma-san!" the pink-haired being chuckles, "What about you call me by my name as well?"
The red-haired man sighs, "Are you an idiot, Rider? Using your True Name outright is forbidden, okay?"
He suddenly stretches out his arms, mumbling as he pushes himself forward, "Now, let's go and meet Ayaha-san first!"
The two now moving away from there, walking toward a taxi.
Somewhere near, a pale blonde-haired female in blue sailor outfit walks out from there, noticing the two as she turns to look at her hand.
Command Seals.
She quickly closes the hands off, before pulling her bag off from there.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Touma!"
Touma Akagi and Rider enter a building, whereas Tsubasa and Ayaha quickly greeting them with the four now joining up with each other.
Rider salutes at both of the ladies, "Hello~, I am Astolfo, also known as Rider of Red! I am pleased to meet all of you!"
The two seems to be in shock, with the younger girl mumbles in confusion, "Touma, I didn't know one of the Paladins of Chalamagne is a girl…"
The red-haired one sighs, "You see, he's not a girl…"
"He?"
Astolfo chuckles, now shaking his Master's shoulder, "Master~, don't go and telling people my gender that easily~! It's embarrassing!"
"You are the one who is not supposed to tell people your name that easily…"
Ayaha chuckles, now speaking up to him, "At least Fortuna has their own representative for the war. I am actually quite surprised that you are the one being chosen for the war."
He nods, "I was sure it is going to be Kiria, Tsurugi or even Itsuki. Those three are like, the most fitted for the war."
The man suddenly turns toward Tsubasa, "By the way, Tsubasa. Itsuki is in America right now."
"Of course he is…" the girl now looks away.
She seems to be sulking over something as she can be heard whispering, "It must be so nice to be so popular with the ladies…"
"Well… that's just so like him," she puffs herself up, muttering out, "It's Itsuki-kun after all…"
Touma chuckles awkwardly before speaking to the older one, "Ayaha-san, how is the investigation with the abnormalities?"
Ayaha shrugs, "So far we couldn't find anything. We were so sure something close to Idolasphere happens here. At least that's what SEES told us about. We can't even be so sure if it's not something like Tartarus or the TV World."
"Man… to think there are other Mirage Masters like us…"
"It's not Mirage Masters, Touma. They are Persona users."
"That's what they called us too."
Ayaha explains, "You are not even close to them. They are empowered by their own façade turn into gods and goddess from the myth. You two are sharing the powers of heroes from other dimension."
Astolfo seems really excited, "I've seen what Touma-san can do! That Cain guy is soo cool! In my life as a Servant, I have never seen a hero like that!"
"You too, Touma-san!" he turns toward him, "You are also a hero for the kids! You might as well be a Heroic Spirit if you were to die."
"A hero even after death, huh?" Touma seems to be agreeing to his Servant, "Not too bad, Rider! I like that idea!"
Tsubasa is now chuckling, whispering at Ayaha, "Those two are really getting closer to each other."
"Well, Waver-san did told us that bonds between Masters and Servants will be important in order to survive the war."
The girl seems to have something in her mind, tilting her head as she questions, "Nee-san, why is Waver-san told us that? Shouldn't he be helping his side of the war?"
"I don't know. I asked him of that, but then he said that he wishes for fair matches between both sides."
"Still, making both Persona users and the magi community fighting each other just to settle a dispute… who's idea is this?"
Ayaha simply shrugs, turning her attention toward Touma.
She suddenly thinks of something, "Hey, Tsubasa. How about you bring those two around town this evening? It would be a good idea for them to know this place early on, especially when all Masters of Red did not meet together yet."
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It is now evening, with Akira decided it is finally time for him to have a time for himself.
As of today, Sakura is now busy with her own life, as she seems to be sorting out on how she is going to live her life.
He was at her home just now, and Shinji is too afraid to even meet his sister in person.
Probably his guilt is too strong for social interaction. It's like he is the one that suffered the violation.
What a weird guy.
Well, he never sees the life of reformed person until today, so who is he to judge him?
With that, he can finally has a time of his own, exploring the town, meeting new people, finding places for items and stuff. Who know, maybe he can find new Confidants?
Probably not that last part. He should have all of the Arcana's ultimate Personas at this point already. Not to mention, he has Satanael, who he is still waiting to arrive from the other side of the world.
For now he should just waste some of his time in the evening, see if he can find a clue for what he is supposed to be doing.
He may have thought that his ability to open up Palaces is vital for this mission, but that ability is useless without having knowledge of its own existence.
"Um… can I… ask you a question or two?"
A female voice?
Akira turns his head around, now seeing a blonde female in blue sailor outfit is looking at him through her glasses, muttering at him, "If you don't mind, I would like to ask for a direction…"
Akira's head pops a question in it.
A foreigner? What is she doing here? Why is she holding that pole thing behind her back that suspiciously looks like a sword hiding in clothes; something you see in anime?
But the way she speaks, it is as if she found a really good Japanese class that also teaches their students how to speak Japanese with a proper accent.
"What kind of direction?" Kurusu wonders, shrugging his head off from all of those thought.
"I would like to know a direction for this place," she shows him a piece of paper with writings on it.
He shakes his head, "I'm sorry. I am also new here."
"I see. Never mind, then."
"If you want to, we can go and take a look around the place. It may be a good thing for me to know this place as well."
He sees the girl staring at him, before giving off a faint smile, "Sure."
Thus, the two's adventure begins as they move all over the place, walking around the place as she seems to be searching for a hotel.
"Ah, I know that hotel," one of those people they asked mutters, "I've been living here for ten years now. Of course I do know that place. It was where the old hotel collapsed."
"Collapsed?" Akira wonders of this strange tale, "Like, falling down?"
The man nods, "I was nearby when I saw what happened. The building just explodes and boom! It isn't there anymore. Rumor said that it was a gas leak. To be honest, I think this place has way too many gas leaks that there's no way it is a coincidental."
Interesting…
"In fact, that fire that happened in the same year is also said to be caused by gas leaks. If you ask me, that's just bullshit."
The man points out to where the hotel is with the two now moving forward to where the place could be.
As they keep on moving on their adventure, Kurusu suddenly opens up his mouth, "Sorry if I being rude, but are you a foreigner?"
The female nods with no problem at all, "I am. Why do you ask?"
He isn't really has any particular reason. She just reminded him of Ann Takamaki, one of his best of friends.
"Just wondering. I am Akira Kurusu, by the way. I came from Tokyo."
"Tokyo, huh?" the girl tilts her head.
She seems curious by his words before responding to him, "My name is Altria, from England."
"All the way from England?"
She nods, "I'm here for a short… vacation."
"Vacation?" he questions her hesitation, "All by yourself?"
She smiles at him, "Yeah…"
Soon they eventually reach the hotel, where the sky is already darkens and the two move onto the separate ways.
Akira now moves on, deciding to go back home and stay for the night, but in just few steps someone else appear to pull his attention off from him.
Jeanne is seen running around, looking for something as she runs toward one specific direction; the nearby port.
She looks worried and tensed, hurrying herself and disappearing from his sight.
Hmm…
Right now, in his mind, he is thinking on how he should go home quickly tonight.
But…
Within the records given in his brain, he learned that most of the fights between Servants happened at night in order to not getting caught by potential witnesses.
Maybe… just maybe…
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Running in Metaverse and running in real life are never the same thing.
Not even a single member of the Phantom Thieves has ever felt tired running and jumping around various locations, not even someone like Futaba, who before joining them, pretty much lives out her life within her own room.
But none of them could do the same feat in real world, where their abilities are confined to their own limitations.
One time they able to do what they did in the Metaverse is when the world is merging with Mementos thanks to a certain grail.
Somehow the same logic applies to him as of now.
Thanks to his status as a Servant, he is able to run around without feeling tired as if he is inside the Metaverse, and so he runs forward, following Jeanne from behind and finding themselves reaching a port.
Wha!?
Reaching whatever Ruler's destination is, he can see clearly of a fight between a pink-haired Servant with a jousting lance in her hand fighting off against a blonde- wait, is that Altria?
Stopping on his track, Akira turns around to where he left the blonde girl, and is now utterly confused by the person he sees before him.
An impossibility.
Just now, he can feel that Altria is a normal person, but this person who looks like her is certainly a Servant.
Is there a way for Servant to hide their existence as one?
No, even if that's possible, there is no way she could just appear somewhere else far away.
But if a Master were to use their Command Spells, such feat is possible.
No, to think that one Master is foolish enough to use a Command Spell when the war barely begins…
Maybe it would be a good idea if he could just getting close toward the fight and investigate this himself.
From the side of the pink-haired Servant is a man with red hair that looks like as if his hair is made up of fire. He looks like he really is cheering on his Servant there.
Why is he calling his Servant with male pronoun? That Servant is clearly a female.
From the side of the blonde Servant is a white-haired female and… Shirou Emiya?
What on earth is he doing there?
Akira moves close to them, looking at the pink-haired Servant and Altria-look alike fighting against each other, with the clear indication that the former is losing.
That pink-haired Servant is really doing her best there, looking like she really does not want to just walk away and instead keeps on fighting.
Owh?
Someone just interfere the fight.
It's… it's that Lancer that fought him the first time he arrives here.
It is in the middle of the fight that the man decides to shove himself in, pointing his spear straight toward Alitra-like perso-
"Kurusu-kun?"
Akira quickly turns around, looking for whoever just called him by his name.
"Tsubasa? What are you doing here?" he asks his cousin, who is now standing behind him, looking at him with a confused face.
"I'm the one who is supposed to ask that question to you. You shouldn't be in here, the magi are going to kill you!"
She… she knows them?
She quickly grabs his hand, trying to pull him away from there, "Hurry up!"
He is not one to say decline someone's request, not when she is clearly wanting to pull him away judging by how much of a force she is using as of now.
Akira simply follows her lead and gets away from there…
… is what he is going to do…
What happens next is something he never thought would happen again.
The sky turns a bit darker than it is supposed to, and their surrounding has changed.
He and Tsubasa are supposed to be at the port, with some other characters alongside them.
Instead they are alone by themselves, standing on what appears to be a barren wasteland with so many swords sticking inside the earth around it.
This place… it feels like…
No, it IS a Palace! He can feel the similar air all Palaces give off.
Tsubasa is really shocked, looking all over the place as her mouth spills out, "This place… is this Idolasphere?"
The what now?
The girl seems to be really panic as she keeps on mumbling, "How do we get in here? Is there a door somewhere here? Or do we got kidnapped by a Mirage instead?"
What is she talking about?
"You…"
A voice pulls their attention away from each other, now making him turn to look at a man in torn up clothing, moving close to them.
"Are you here to get a help from the Great Hero?"
Both of them look at him with a confused look each.
Tsubasa speaks up first, "Great Hero? Who are you talking about?"
The man seems startled, "You… you didn't know who the Great Hero is? Did you even come here to ask for his help?"
"We don't even know who he is. I'm not sure I can ask for a help from a stranger."
"You…" the man looks down, looking disappointed with her words, "You heathen…"
!?
Akira steps forward, demanding an answer, "What did you just call us?"
"You heathen!" the man pulls his face up, "Everyone is in need of the Great Hero's help! If you don't need his help, then you are nothing more than a hindrance that should not be existed!"
His being suddenly pours out black goo, quickly turning into a group of floating flat creatures he knows as Kodama.
"M-Mirage!" Tsubasa calls out as she now steps in front of Akira, speaking out, "Don't worry, Kurusu-kun! I'm getting us out of here!"
"Caeda, Carnage Form!"
Appearing out from her body, a female knightly figure riding a mechanical Pegasus soars up in the sky before entering back into her body, slowly turning her appearance.
Tsubasa, having turquoise hair, is now wearing outfit that looks it comes straight out of fantasy land; a white and pink fairy-like dress with black shorts underneath. She even has headpieces with feather motif.
Kurusu just stares at her, "Tsubasa… you are…"
Shaking his head, he feels no need to let her fight alone, now stepping forward as he calls out, "Arsene!"
Arsene's appearance matches the timing of his clothing turns into his Phantom Thieves outfit, making the girl in shock even more.
Arsene dishes out some of them away, giving the two some space.
"Kurusu-kun…"
Akira stares at him, having his mask back on as he sees the girl closing her mouth, clearly shaken up by him.
"You are… a Mirage Master?"
What did she just called him?
End chapter.
Yes, I've decided that Tokyo Mirage Sessions will also be part of the merged world. Why? Because I like the game and Touma's stance of heroism is too god to be passed on, not when he could involved himself in the next Palace.
Yes, the next Palace is exactly what you think it is.
Now, let us play this game of "Guess the Keywords."
All Palaces has three keywords if one ever try to access it. The keywords are 'The name of the ruler', 'The location of the Palace' and 'The form of distortion'.
How about you try and guess those three keywords?
Also, I still need a Servant for Assassin and Caster of Red and their Masters.
Next: Akira will be joined by two idols from Fortuna, along with a trap.