CHAPTER 13:
THE FIRST SHOTS
Archer wasn't sure what to make of Harry Tohsaka. Then again, he hadn't met him in person until now. He knew something of the reputation of Harry Potter through other iterations on the Throne of Heroes, though he knew that only because of his nature as a Counter-Guardian. Harry Potter, Rider, Caster, Assassin. The Master of Death.
And all this time, he was Rin's twin? Or maybe he was just in this iteration. In any case, Archer was somewhat disturbed. True, he actually liked Harry's common sense and cynicism. But on the other hand, Harry and Medea, along with Rin, made it clear they were only going to target Masters who didn't pass their personal morality litmus test…which meant that Archer's mission to deal with Shirou was already in trouble, especially as both Harry and Rin were aware of Shirou already.
Then again, Shirou might have diverged enough away from his ideals, or at least had them tempered enough, thanks to Harry relaying his own life story. So for now, Archer was going to take a wait-and-see approach to Shirou, see if Shirou had changed enough that he wouldn't make a deal with Alaya.
The problem was, Harry was Master of Caster, namely Medea. And Medea was very much a double-edged sword. Though he felt a little reassured when he listened to them discussing what to do with Sakura. Crest Worms. If only he'd known that in his original life, he would have put an end to Zouken himself.
He wasn't sure they bought his lie of not remembering his life due to a cocked-up summoning (then again, some of his memories, especially of this time, were truly a little scrambled). Certainly Harry and Medea looked sceptical, and their scrutiny was noticeable. Still, he had to admit that, if Harry did have Medea under his aegis, then they had a valuable ally instead of a potentially lethal enemy. The fact that she kept her hood down for most of the time was telling: she rarely had her hood down the few times he had seen her in life. While she clearly didn't trust Archer, she obviously felt comfortable enough around Rin and Harry.
Still, the time approached when his past self would be thrown into the Grail War. He was looking forward to giving Cú Chulame(1) a taste of his own medicine. Though something told him that Harry and Rin were going to help Shirou: apparently Shirou already knew about the Grail War this time, though Rin seemed more worried about Shirou being an enemy than Harry.
First, he was taken on a tour of the city by Rin, who uncharacteristically played hooky from school, while Medea and Harry stayed home. Then, came school the next day, and the discovery of the Bounded Field. Set by Medusa on the orders of that blue-haired shit Shinji. But this time, things went differently. Rin called up Harry and told him to meet her after school…
Harry didn't know what to make of Archer, only that he made Harry's instincts scream. Not because he was dangerous: all Servants were. But there was something about Archer that made him suspicious, suspicions Medea shared. They didn't buy his story of his memories being lost during the summoning. For now, they intended to keep an eye on him. They knew he was keeping an eye on them in turn.
After Rin gave Archer a tour of the city one day, the usually straitlaced Rin playing hooky for once, the next day, Rin called up Harry with a mobile he insisted she carry. Apparently someone had set up a Bounded Field at the school, and she wanted to investigate later that night. She wanted a second opinion from Medea.
Which was why, late at night, they had headed to the roof of the school, Harry donning a special battlesuit Medea had formed using her Item Creation. It was pretty much little more than a spandex bodysuit he could hide under clothing, but it helped boost his abilities a little, including his strength and magic power. Medea was Deastralized, peering at the arcane, complex sigil in floor of the roof. She pursed her lips. "Well, I have good news and bad news," she said quietly. "The bad news is, it's definitely a Noble Phantasm, and I'm not sure what sort of Servant would create it. And you were right, Rin. If it activates, it will convert the students and staff en masse into mana. The good news is, it's far from being ready…and I vaguely recognise it. It's definitely from the Age of the Gods, and the lettering is familiar to me, so the Servant responsible may be from Greek myth, or at least the Mediterranean. However, the sigils are self-regenerating due to it being a Noble Phantasm, so we can only slow whoever's done this down."
"Well, let's get started," Rin said, reaching down to it, only to be interrupted.
"Now then, why'd you be doing a thing like that?"
The voice had an Irish lilt, and Harry, Rin, and Medea whirled to find someone perched on the water tank…dressed in a blue figure-hugging suit, a red spear draped over his shoulders. His blue hair was drawn back into a ponytail, and his red eyes peered at them, his lips curled in a lazy smirk. "Lancer…" hissed Medea.
"Yes, that's my name. Don't go wearing it out, or I'll make you buy me a new one," Lancer said. "I remember you, the witch I was sent to introduce my spear to. Found a new Master, one more to your liking, it seems. I'll be honest, I'm actually a little happy for you. My own Master is a big dick."
"So's your spear," Harry snarked.
"Ha! I've heard that one before, but, well, it's still funny."
"Are you the one who set this up?" Rin demanded.
"Nope. And frankly, that tends to fall under the purview of Magi. We tend to leave the dirty tricks to Masters…and we have two working together. Still, my Master wants you to stop fiddling around with something interesting. Sorry, ladies and gentlemen…but I'm going to have to deal with you. Besides, I was ordered to kill Caster. Call it professional pride."
"Rin! Archer! Caster! Grab on!" With that, Harry, as soon as Archer Deastralized and held onto him, Apparated to the sport field below. Lancer soon followed, leaping down.
"Well, interesting trick you've got there," Lancer said. "So, what'll it be? Stand or fight?"
Archer just stepped forward, a short saber materialising in his hand. "You want to see what I can do, Rin," he said. "Well, here it is. Harry, Caster, watch out for Rin."
Harry nodded, but he sent through his link to Medea, "Medea, check to see if anyone's in the area. If Lancer's behind the killings, it might be that his Master is overzealous about silencing witnesses."
"Understood. I'm erecting a Bounded Field as we speak. Hmm…I am detecting someone in the Archery Dojo."
"Well, check on who it is, please."
"Of course."
At that point, Archer and Lancer began clashing. The term 'clash of the titans' was a somewhat overused one, and yet, it was wholly appropriate here. They moved with a sheer speed and power that was beyond human. Hell, Archer, despite his class, was holding his own using that sword, and when Lancer knocked it out of his hand, destroying it, Archer Projected another, along with a second sword. Though he noticed Archer muttering something under his breath as he did so.
"Harry, the straggler is Shirou," Medea sent. "He's currently cleaning the Archery Dojo, but he's almost finished."
"What the hell is he doing cleaning the Archery Dojo at this time of night?!" Harry yelped mentally. "I thought he left that club after a falling out with that creep Shinji. Okay, Medea? Get him back home, please. He's lucky Lancer hasn't noticed him."
"Understood."
As Medea disappeared in a swirl of robes, Lancer scowled as he circled Archer warily. "Hey, where's the witch gone?"
"None of your business, Danny Boy," Harry snarked.
Lancer blinked, before he scowled. He rushed past Archer, and out of the Bounded Field, in time to see Medea disappear, Shirou in tow. "Hey, what gives? He's a witness!"
"He's a Magus who knows about the Grail War. He's not your problem," Harry said.
"I'd love to agree with you, but my Master begs to differ," Lancer said. "Hope you ain't attached to your Caster, boyo. She's long overdue a date with my spear." And with that, he kicked out at Harry and Rin, sending them sprawling into a nearby wall, knocking them out.
By the time they came to, Archer was helping them up. "How long have we been out?" Rin demanded.
"About five minutes," Archer said. "I stayed with you two to protect you."
Harry's eyes widened. "Medea!" he yelled through their link. "Are you two okay?"
"Yes. I found you in the viewing crystal, knocked out, with Archer watching over you. Where's Lancer?"
"On his way to kill you and Shirou! Get him out of there!"
"Gah! No time, Harry, he's here! He's come through the front door! Get here with Archer as soon as you can!"
"Rin, Archer, hold onto my hands!" Harry yelled. He noted that Archer took his hand a little hesitantly, oddly enough. Then, he Apparated to the outside of the Emiya house…
Once they had made it to the backyard, Medea had Shirou run into the shed he used as his Workshop, while she faced Lancer alone. Using Atlas in conjunction with her Rain of Light was tricky, and the latter spell had a bad tendency to cause collateral damage. Taking to the skies was not an option, as Lancer could either have free rein to go after Shirou, or else use his Noble Phantasm to knock her from the skies. Using Rule Breaker wasn't out of the question, but she might not be able to use it in the window between releasing Atlas and using it on him, and besides, she had the feeling he would be too unruly to control. And there was always the possibility that Lancer had another trick up his sleeve, or that his Master would use a Command Seal to empower him long enough to break free.
But she needed to just delay him until Archer got here. Harry would Apparate here with Rin and Archer, she was certain of it.
Decision made, she snarled, "Atlas." Lancer was suddenly held in place by frozen space, a grimace twisting at his features. "I don't appreciate you trying to skewer me like I am a sow in an abattoir, Lancer," she added. "Twice, you have affronted me in such a manner, and I will ensure there isn't a third time."
"You're only delaying the inevitable, witch," Lancer said, the only thing he really could do. "Unless that Master of yours has already woken up and using that cute teleport trick…how the hell did he do that?"
"As I believe the vulgar phrase goes, Fuck you, that's how," Medea retorted(2). But then, her concentration lapsed when she felt a surge of mana from within the shed, and she whirled to find a flare of light belching out of the door. Atlas dropped, but Lancer didn't attack.
"You know what, witch?" Lancer asked. "I think you screwed up badly. That felt very much like the boy summoning a Servant. Care to lay bets as to who they attack first?"
Harry, Archer and Rin rushed through the house in time to stop and stare at the door to the shed, as a figure emerged. A magnificent regal figure, like something out of a fairy tale. Only, this apparition was very real indeed.
She was clad in a blue, armoured dress, complete with gauntlets. Her features were beautiful, if somewhat androgynous, and regal. Golden hair was tied up in a bun. Her right hand seemed to be clutching something, the only signs to a weapon's existence being ripples of air, like a mirage. She seemed to be in her late teens at the oldest.
But it was her eyes that Harry noticed most of all. Emerald eyes, so much like his own, staring out at them all sternly, assessing each of them as threats. And with a start, Harry realised he knew who this was, even without finding it out for himself.
The young woman looked over at Medea. "Take your leave for now, Caster. My Master told me to assist you," she declared in a regal tone, her voice sounding British, with a slight Welsh accent.
"As you wish, Saber," Medea said, striding over to Harry and the others.
"Wait, what?!" Rin yelped. "How did that happen?! How did Shirou summon a damned Saber?!"
"I don't know. I only sent him into the shed to shelter while I delayed Lancer," Medea said.
"Joy, another complication," Harry muttered as Saber and Lancer began clashing.
After some time clashing, Lancer snarled, "So, you're a Saber? I do have to wonder, is that really a sword you're concealing like a craven coward?!"
"Maybe, or maybe it's a staff, or an axe, or perhaps a bow?" Saber snarked.
"Ooh, gonna need magecraft to heal that one," Harry remarked.
"And I find myself wanting popcorn again," Medea mused.
"Oi! Hecklers aren't allowed!" Lancer snapped at them, before turning back to Saber. "If you're going to be coy, then fine. Call it a draw?"
"I think not. You know that I will vanquish you, Lancer."
"Well, that's scuppered things. I was meant to observe only. But still…I will take your heart, and with it, your life," Lancer said, shifting his spear, causing a red, flame-like aura to purl around it. "Ready or not, here I come! GÁE BOLG!"
The spearhead suddenly thrust out as a tendril of blood-coloured light, snaking its way towards Saber, who deflected it with her sword…only, reality seemed to judder, and suddenly, Saber was being hurled around on the tendril, impaled through her shoulder. As she landed right near Harry, he hurried over to her. "What the hell just happened?!" Harry yelped. "She managed to deflect the blow away from her! How did you get her?!"
"Oh? You noticed, did you?" Lancer asked, looking annoyed that his attack didn't kill Saber. "My spear rewrites causality so that it always hits the heart…and only some Servant with a high amount of luck can avoid a fatal blow. You must have felt time skipping a track(3)."
"I know the Gáe Bolg…it belongs to Ireland's Child of Light," Saber muttered, as she clutched her wounded shoulder. "Cú Chulainn…"
The blue-haired warrior grimaced. "Dammit, I screwed it up. I needed to make sure that move was fatal. And my Master, who's a complete coward, now wants me back in my kennel. If you want to follow me, that's fine…but I will kill you. In any case, it seems you have some negotiations to go through, Saber." With that, he leapt out of the backyard.
Harry noticed Shirou watching from the shed entrance, and then healed Saber. When she looked at him in confusion, he said, "You saved my friend's life. We came to back him up, but…it seems rather redundant now."
Saber peered into his eyes, searching for any sign of deception, before nodding, getting to her feet. "I thank you for your assistance all the same, Master of Caster."
"Harry Tohsaka, at your service," Harry said, holding out his hand, which the Saber Servant shook after a moment's trepidation. "You've met Caster, the guy with the spray-on tan is Archer, and that's Rin, my sister."
Archer snorted in amusement. "Spray-on tan…" he muttered.
"And that guy is Shirou Emiya, probably your Master now," Harry added.
"Emiya?" Saber gasped, wheeling to face Shirou. If nothing else, the reaction was telling enough. She searched his face, before her expression calmed.
"Rin, Archer…head on back," Harry said. "I'll handle filling these two in."
"On your own?" Rin asked.
"I just healed Saber, and she doesn't seem like the sort to turn on me unless we turn on her first. And be careful. Head straight home. Do you want a Portkey?"
After a moment, Rin nodded, and Harry tossed her one, already programmed for Tohsaka Manor. Rin and Archer soon disappeared, leaving Harry and Caster with Shirou and Saber. "Look, I didn't know this was going to happen!" Shirou protested. "I mean, I saw some old magic circle in the shed, but I didn't think it would be…"
"It's fine, Shirou. I stayed here because of Saber." He looked over at the female knight, who looked at them warily. "You're the same Saber the Magus Killer summoned, aren't you?"
As Saber started, Medea frowned. "Servants who return to the Throne of Heroes and are re-summoned should have no more memories of the previous Grail War. And yet, you remember?"
Saber didn't seem to want to answer them. But it was Shirou who approached her. "Did you…did you really fight alongside my father?"
"Your father?" Saber asked. "But the Grail War only occurs but once every six decades!"
"This one started early," Harry said. "And I was hoping you could shed some light on why…Arturia Pendragon…"
CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:
So, Arturia's been summoned. Shit just got complicated.
Review-answering time! I have to admit, I was gratified at the response to Harry and Medea coupling in the last chapter. I was actually worried that I had done it too soon, and it stuck out a little like the proverbial sore thumb. I'm glad that none of you thought this to be the case.
AznPuffyHair: Harry's probably being cautious and courteous (plus, knowing his luck, he would knock up Medea anyway), and Gabriel Herrol put it in a few of their challenges, canon to the Nasuverse or not, that a pregnant Servant could potentially stay in modern times. Also, it won't be Harry who figures it out first about Archer. And maybe there will be some Shirou/Rin/Sakura action…though Shirou/Sakura/Arturia action is more likely.
OBSERVER01: Well, he did get some of that WTF expression in the prologue, but he managed to play it off, albeit a little unsuccessfully, at surprise at another Servant being present.
1. This is derived from a joke in BlazingAzureCrow's Fate/Stay Night: Unlimited Blade Works Abridged, where Archer and Lancer exchange insults and 'names'. Archer calls himself 'Bite Me', and demands Lancer's name, who calls himself 'Mario Mario'. Archer retorts, "Funny, I took you for the great Italian spearman Cú Chulame", to which Lancer snarks, "Bite me, Bite Me!"
2. Derived from a joke from the first episode of Hellsing Ultimate Abridged.
3. I wanted to have Harry somehow know of how the Gáe Bolg rewrites causality. I had this idea that it'd be a bit like how the Doctor and Romana can sense time skipping tracks in the classic Doctor Who story City of Death, which I wholeheartedly recommend by the way. It's got location filming in Paris, an alien who looks like a literal can of worms played by Julian Glover (aka Pycelle from Game of Thrones, Donovan from Indiana Jones at the Last Crusade, and Kristatos from For Your Eyes Only), a heist involving the Mona Lisa, and, while originally based on a story by David Fisher, it was mostly rewritten by Douglas Adams. Yep, really, albeit under a pseudonym because of BBC rules at the time.