Chapter 4
Vote of No Confidence
-:-
Fear is an emotion induced by a perceived threat which causes entities to quickly pull far away from it and usually hide. It is a basic survival mechanism occurring in response to a specific stimulus which is perceived as a risk of significant loss of health, wealth, status, power, security or of anything held valuable.
In short, fear is a motivating force arising from the ability to recognize danger leading to an urge to confront it or flee from it (also known as the fight-or-flight response) but in extreme cases of fear (horror and terror) a freeze or paralysis response is possible
And right now, a certain golden haired girl is experiencing fear for the first time in her life.
Gilgamesh Uruk had always believed that she stands above everyone. Wether it's money, influence, brains, beauty or power, she rules them all. The only reason why the invincible Gawain ranks #1 among the school is that he never faced Gil nor her Ea before.
Then again, Gawain normally participates in Full Team battles while Gil's team only has 2 (Her and Enkidu). Since Enkidu is already a college student, Gil is pretty much alone and she likes it that way.
Unfortunately there have been cases that even the lowest of animals can make her tremble on her knees. And the thing that is displayed on the screen is exactly just one of those.
As of the moment, Gil is observing the Collaring Ceremony of Fujin Akiko with the Faker, Emiya Shiro.
Initially, the stronger and faster Oni Akiko dominated the battle. That soon changed when Shiro became part what is popularly called the MONSTER class.
The MONSTER class is similar to the famed MAGICIANS. It is not a class perse, but a label to the abilities of one person, irregardless of his/her class. Both are an anomaly in the greater scheme of things, and its all thanks to their overwhelming power. This power steps outside the norms, breaks the rules set by the world, and in most cases, completely destroys the hand of fate that binds the individual.
The people called Monsters are stands on a league of their own and no one can rival theme on their field. Monsters are exactly what they are... Monstrosities.
And Gil has the honor of witnessing such a being.
While looking at the monitor, Gil cant help but feel a very cold chill run down her spine... and from the looks of it, everyone in the control room is feeling the same.
The Fujin staff worked frantically to try and figure out what the hell is happening.
Zayd and David kept their eyes on the screen while whispering as if they had some clue onto the situation.
Jack looks at the screen emotionlessly, making it hard for Gil to actually guess what's she thinking.
But the most absurd (and most disturbing) reaction of all was Masamune AKA Amu. The girl is currently leaning on a nearby wall with a flushed expression. Her breathing is short and ragged while her body is trembling in what seems to be ecstasy.
"...Masochistic pig...
Gil turns her attention back on the screen which was focused on the panic stricken Akiko. Well, if you consider how gruesome her left arm was hacked off, its only natural that she'd react as such.
When a battle is being fought in a GW arena, the combatants will never get physically hurt no matter how much they hack each other to death. Normally, the heavily damaged part goes limp until their natural regeneration patches them up.
But this battle doesnt follow that rule, and its all thanks to that unfamiliar white long sword that Shiro is holding. It is a sword made out of pure white marble... No that is inaccurate. It is a white marble that that was chipped to make it look like a sword. Its edge so dull that it has to rip through the enemy instead of cut. It was unrefined, artless, ugly yet it radiated with danger far beyond anything Gil has ever seen.
Just by looking at it, Gil could tell that it's a weapon not made of this world.
It actually reminded her of Ea.
"Emiya Shiro... What are you?"
-:-
A weapon is any device used in order to inflict damage or harm to living beings, structures, or systems.
Naturally, a sword is considered a weapon as well. Over the course of Shiro's over extended life, he has accepted the fact that weapons are incapable of protecting. While it CAN save people, it is only done by eliminating the source of the problem.
The stone cold truth is simple: Swords can only destroy.
And what of the boy who's made of swords?
His limbs are heavy.
His senses are dull.
His heart is cold.
His remorse is nearly non existent.
If anything, Shiro is no different from a sword.
But his human soul burns like a thousand suns, as he desperately places sanity on the otherwise insane power.
"I have to finish this and FAST"
At the moment, the heavily upgraded UBW is partially open and its effects are fairly radical. For one, the current battlefield is being overwritten by UBW. While it still looks the same, the rules have been drastically altered. At this point in time, the partially opened reality marble has more or less the same strength as Shiro's UBW during the 5th Fuyuki Grail Wars.
Shiro takes a lesson from his father's Time Alter and suppresses UBW's ability to produced blades within his body. This way, Shiro increases his durability by a hundred folds while matching the Gate of Babylon's speed in sword creation.
But the most interesting feature of this is his ability to do some down right insane moves.
Shiro senses the panic stricken Akiko about 1 kilometer away. Like an animal running from a forest fire, the young oni puts as much distance as she can from Emiya Shiro.
"Dont make this harder than it's suppose to be."
Like many of his projections, Shiro's body shatters into a million pieces and fades from existence. A second later, his body recreates itself in front of Akiko, much to the oni's horror.
Emiya Shiro's body is made of swords, or more specifically, blades that are supplied by UBW. It's only natural that he can create, manipulate, position and destroy it whenever he feels like it. This is his own version of instant teleportation, which can only be used when the UBW is partially open.
When faced with a difficult situation, people experience the Fight or Flight response. And as you'd expect from an Oni, Akiko blows Shiro's head off with an extra large serving of knuckle sandwich.
"Ha... Ha hahahahahaha! How do you like that Emiya Shiro?! That's what yo-" Akiko gasps in horror as she watched Shiro's suppose-to-be-destroyed head reassembles right before her eyes.
Before Shiro could even think, his body moves in for the kill. The pure white sword makes a beeline for Akiko's head with every intention of giving her a new hole to breath in.
"NO!"
Shiro regains himself at the last second and alters the course of the sword, ending up scratching Akiko's right cheek.
Akiko instinctively counters with a straight punch, sending Shiro back 10 feet. She then takes the opportunity to run away.
"... This thing is dangerous. If only I could unsummon it... *sigh*"
The pristine white sword on his right hand is similar to Ea in a sense. It does not exist in this world, thus cannot be traced. It has no history, nor fame, nor large scale special ability.
It is called SHIRO: The Origin of Swords.
As the name states, it's functions are the bare bone basics of every sword in existence: to kill. It is a conceptual weapon that bestows the user the ability to permanently damage anyone, irregardless of immortality, regeneration, or reincarnation abilities. In a sense, it is a downgraded Mystic Eyes of Death Perception that can only be used on living things.
"Well, since this thing has the range a normal sword, it should be fine if I keep my distance."
Shiro raises the white sword up high, and like a leader of a firring squad, he swings it down. Out of nowhere, endless amounts of weapons fire at Akiko. Unlike the past, the blades doesnt need to be projected near Shiro. The weapon can appear as far as a kilometer away from Shiro and can be launched from any angle imaginable, thus constantly keeping his opponents flatfooted. The good thing about this strategy is the fact that none of the weapons being launched is capable of overwriting the GW boundary field, hence, Akiko will not die even if she gets skewered by hundreds of them (but it'll hurt like hell.)
Even without seeing directly, Shiro could sense that Akiko was having a miserable time dodging the blades. It didnt take long till every limb in her body ceased to function from extensive damage.
"Well then, its time to end this."
Once again, Shiro's body shatters into a million pieces, then reconstructs itself at the very edge of the battlefield half a kilometer away from the school complex. From there, he could see the tired Akiko on the second floor of the elementary building.
"Hold on... Weren't we fighting on the highschool building a couple of seconds ago? How the hell did she get all the way there?! And she's limping!? Now that's just fast"
Well, it's not like that really matters right now. It is a food for thought though. If Shiro's predictions are correct, that near godlike speed could be useful in future engagements.
"But for now, time to end this... Fabulously"
Shiro impales the pure white sword on the ground and summons his ever trusty bow in its place. On his other hand, he summons a massive two hand sword made of fire. The sword twisted, turned, and morphed until it's shape resembles that of an arrow with a square head.
He takes aim...
"Broken Phantasm: SURTR!"
... and fires
The ground shakes.
Sound disappears.
Everything is bathed in light.
For a few seconds, there was nothing.
Even in Shiro's pure armored state, he could feel his metallic skin melt from the sheer heat.
"...That's just how powerful Surtr is as a broken phantasm..."
At this state, Shiro can easily summon and overload any noble phantasm in existence. The one that he used is Surtr: The Blazing Sword of Ragnarok, which was named after the god who wields it. Shiro can proudly say that it is a few leagues above a fully charged Broken Phantasm Excalibur in terms of raw firepower.
As a testament to that, the school that once stood here disappeared without a trace. In addition to that, the ground where it stood melted from the sheer heat, thus forming a 10 meter deep whole.
"But then again, this is exactly the reason why I dislike this form so much"
Once in this form, Shiro becomes too powerful and too dangerous for this peaceful world. It's as if the world becomes made out of glass. It becomes way too easy to break anything... anyone.
There is no fun in that.
This world's Shiro desires happiness that can't be attained by force. That's why the Old Shiro holds back with all of his might.
There is simply no place for a God in this world.
-:-
27 hours later
"Huh? When did I fall asleep?"
Fujin Akiko's awakening is as peaceful as her ever so calm persona. Around her is the room that she grew accustomed to over the years.
"When did I get to my room?"
Still confused, she racks her brain on what happed prior to her loss of consciousness. It didnt take long for the memories to hit her like a dump truck.
"THE COLLARING!" Akiko suddenly sits up, but crippling pain shoots through her body.
"Do not strain yourself child. You are still injured" said a strong yet kind voice beside her.
This voice belonged to her father, Fujin Tohma, who has been sitting beside her this entire time. He gently forces her back to bed.
"Papa? What happened?" asked Akiko
Tohma makes a difficult face and sits down beside her.
"Papa?... Is there something wrong?... D-did the Collaring failed?"
"... *sigh*... No... It was a success..." her father rubs his head in rare frustration. "I know Zelretch promised someone powerful as your partner... But I didnt expect him to be THAT strong! He nearly killed you a couple of time there!"
Memories came flooding back... and they weren't exactly pleasant. She remembers the intense fear that went through her mind as the skeleton made of swords hounded her. Especially the part where her left hand was brutally chopped off by the white sword.
She raises her left arm and spots a grotesque looking scar where her arm was mangled. Upon closer inspection, there seems to be a slight discoloration of her arm from the rest of her body
"... I am truly sorry my love." said her father with a face full of regret. " That sword that he used had some special property that literally kills whatever it touched. The healers actually had to amputate most of your arm and replaced it with something else. I'm not entirely sure what it is, but they say that it's as good as your original arm."
For a person who prides herself as a beautiful creature, such blemish is downright unacceptable... Ofcourse that was then, and this is now. All she needed to do was reach for her neck and feel the leather collar to reassure herself.
"~Ara Ara. No need to fret papa. Such a little wound no longer bothers me" replied Akiko which earns a shocked look from her father. " If anything, I like to think of it as my first gift from Shiro."
"I-I see... If that is the case, then I congratulate you for finally taking the first step into adulthood"
"Thank you father. You have given me such a splendid partner"
Akiko once again observes her left hand in glee.
"~Fu fu fu. My highschool life is going to be full of surprises. I cant wait!"
-:-
2 DAYS LATER
AFTER SCHOOL
CENTRAL GARDEN
Life is a long series of cause and effects. That is a fact. Every action is a catalyst for another reaction which also serves as a catalyst for another. The chain of events ends only when the world ends.
Shiro's new life in this world has been nothing but a testament to the cause-effect theory.
His current situation is something he had predicted ever since he went to school. By exposing himself to the Grail Wars, Shiro's life is on a one way ticket straight to pain and agony.
At the middle of the massive Tsukumihara Academy lies 512 4 meter monoliths. Each monolith has the name of a Ruler and those whom belongs to said Ruler's group. While standard GW rules limits only 8 participants, this rule is normally broken on a regular basis just for the heck of it. With that said, Rulers are encourage to gather as many comrades as they can.
"*sigh*... Show boating at the Class Assignment is finally come back to bite me uh... What a pain..."
In front of Shiro is a clean obelisk with nothing but his name on it.
"RULER: EMIYA SHIRO ... That sounds so wrong..."
For a person who prefers to dwell within the depths of the shadows, being forced into the spot light makes Shiro uneasy. While he was deep in thought, a familiar presence approaches him from behind.
"Welcome to the realm of the gods Emiya Shiro." said the pale faced Vlad Tepes in an exaggerated manner. " How does it feel to be in a place above the lesser beings?"
"Wow... I'm impressed how utterly disgusting you made it sound V" Shiro replied sarcastically.
"Fu fu fu. Such is the ways of the Ruler. We make the unpleasant decisions that no one would dare to make."
"*sigh* I think you missed the point, but what the hell." Shiro replies. "By the way, why are you here V?"
"Why, it's to introduce a good friend of mine to the world beyond the common rabbles reach." Vlad lightly pats Shiro on the shoulder, then he suddenly grips it tightly. "If you ever call me V again, I will burn every otaku store in the city. Do I make myself clear worm?"
"N-now now. No need to blow things out of proportions Vlad" Shiro can do nothing but shrink back under pressure.
"DO. I . MAKE. MYSELF . CLEAR?" Vlad grabs Shiro by the collar and pulls him near
"Yes! Yes! Crystal clear! Now will you let go of me?! Being this close to a guy is the stuff BL doujins are made of!"
With a satisfied snort, Vlad lets go of Shiro. "There you go again with your plebeian language. Would it do you harm to talk like a civilized individual?"
"Right back at you. Would it kill you to speak like there was no pole up your hole?"
"Me? Speak like a commoner? Perish the thought! We are RULERS Emiya Shiro! We are the ideal that many dreams to become but few can actually reach. As role models to the masses, we must always carry ourselves as good examples to society at large." Vlad puffs his chest with pride. "Besides, you are clearly missing the appeal of being a ruler"
"And that would be?"
Vlad dramatically points at Shiro's obelisk.
"That obelisk is the seed that could give birth to your one true desire... A HAREM!"
Shiro is dumbfounded on Vlad's preposterous declaration. He silently stares at the nobleman as if expecting him to take back those blasphemous words... He did not.
Yes, even the ambitious Emiya Shiro was not stupid enough to believe that a modern day harem is truly possible. Deep in his heart lies the common sense of a 40 year old man, and even he could not foresee the path that leads to haremtopia.
"D-dude... Are you serious?" Shiro asks
"A Nobleman never lies"
"... Now that statement is pure bull. The nobility is all about lying, cheating, stealing and backstabbing"
"HAHAHAHA! Right you are my perverted friend!" Vlad replied. "However, I have no reason to lie at this very moment."
Shiro descends into deep thought.
"Then again, the manga world has shown us many times that the trials of fire tends to solidify bonds... Maybe it is possible... hmm..."
Vlad interrupts Shiro's thought process with a light pat on the shoulders.
"I can deduce what thoughts you are currently having, but a live demonstration is a much reliable source of information." Vlad then points to 2 girls that are approaching their location.
"No freaking way! Francesca Drake and Bonnie The Kid?! " roared Shiro in disbelief
"Please spare me the theatrics Shiro." Said the cowgirl with the messy brown hair. " I'm trying to protect what little pride I have left"
"I understand your reaction Emiya, but we cant help it." added the red haired pirate. "Me and Bonnie here got whipped by Mr. Vampire there"
Shiro's jaws hits the floor. The 2 girls in front of him are well known for their extensive greed. Many times have they switched sides simply because the other side pays better. Out of curiosity, Shiro drops the ultimate question on to the greedy duo.
"Dont tell me... Your working for FREE?!"
Bonnie drops to her knees and begins to sob uncontrollably. "NOOOOOOOOO! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO SAY IT OUT LOUD!?"
On the other hand, Francesca looks longingly at the distant sky. "It's like my entire being was torn to shreds. I guess that's what it means to fall in love "
"... They're broken... Now I dont really like them that much, but I do feel sorry for them." thought Shiro
"Do you understand, Emiya Shiro? Being in a position of power attracts all sorts of people, women included." said Vlad. "If you tread carefully and play your cards right, it is not an impossibility that you can achieve what you desire."
With one last pat on the shoulder, Vlad leaves hand in hand with his 2 greedy vixens.
"The Grail War proper is still ways away, so time is not an issue." Shiro thought. " The real question is can I pull off the harem route? Or do will my rampant flag raising lead to internal conflict. "
In every group, no matter the size, there will always be conflict of interest. Even if he does gather the vixens of his dreams, will they be able to coexist with one another? Are they fine with him monopolizing all of them?
"I guess there's only one way to find out."
-:-
After gathering up his things, Shiro heads home alone. Normally Zayd and David are with him until they go their different ways, but that doesnt seem the case today.
Zayd is currently updating his Book of Bishoujo with his usual observing/stalking. How he does that is anyones guess, but he does it well.
And David is... Well... Who knows. The guy's fate varies on 2 extremes.
On one side, he be could have fallen into some random hole after either getting shot, stabbed, beaten, bashed or burned by a woman he accidentally insulted. There are many breast sizes in this world, and many of them are on the small size.
On the other hand, he could be on a rendezvous with a girl. Despite his perversion, David is a gentleman to the very core of his being. There have been many cases of women falling in love with him despite his perverted nature.
"Either way, I'm flying solo for now. Might as well do something I havent done in a looooooooooooong while."
Shiro wondered massive and chaotic streets of Moon Cell City for 30 minutes until he reached a small Chinese restaurant with a name that could break a jaw. He heads in and after gathering his resolve, orders the most demented food on the menu...
"Old Man, I'm going for it today." said Shiro to the familiar Chinese man on the counter
"Are you sure kid? Last time you took my challenge, you were went into a 2 hour coma" replied the old Chinese man.
"Fu fu fu. I am no longer the man I once was... Today I am Shiro v6! I am invincible!"
"That's what you said the last 4 times" The old man sighs. "But then again, I appreciate the business so I'll have to consent"
"That's what I'm talking about! I'll show to you the ability to endure is nothing to be scoffed about!"
Unfortunately, that confidence only lasts until ungodly dish arrives on Shiro's table.
"Here ya go! My grandfather's special Extra Hot Mapo Tofu" happily said a girl with long brown hair tied into a ponytail."Try not to faint this time around okay?"
"T-thanks Xiao..." Shiro gulps hard.
"Hahahaha! I'm glad to see someone is still up for the challenge. But remember, you're not gonna hold my hand that easily!" Like a hurricane, the brown haired girl zooms back into the counter.
The Extra Hot Mapo Tofu challenge is simple. Finish the dish without collapsing and the Old Chinese guy will allow you to date one of his granddaughters for a day. These petite granddaughters are named Xiao Qiao and Da Qiao, or more commonly known as the Qiao Sisters.
On the other hand, Shiro simply wants to finish the challenge without fainting. He has no interest in the Qiao Sisters...
Seriously, he does not have any ulterior motives other than completing the unbeatable challenge...
Really! Its not a lie!
Its absolutely 100% not about the babes!
...
"... But then again... Holding hand in hand with one of those cuties doesnt seem to be worth this much suffering."
As if to make sure that no one wins the challenge, the Extra Hot Mapo Tofu was specially designed to burn through your stomach like a hot knife through butter. There were even rumors that it has the potency capable of knocking out a fire breathing dragon.
"Seriously... Calling thishellspawn as Extra Hot is a damn understatement"
Even the devil himself would be kicking and screaming if forced to eat the hellish dish.
He takes a spoon full of the hellfire and slowly draws it near his mouth.
His hand begins to shake.
His throat is as dry as the Sahara
His resolve begins to falter
While his determination is rock solid, his body remembers all to well the suffering the mapo tofu has inflicted. It trembles with fear and perspires like a broken faucet.
"I'm already at the point of no return ... DOWN THE HATCH!"
Before Shiro could force the red hot magma down his throat, a young tanned skin girl wearing a white Sunday dress suddenly stands on top of his table. The girl sports a short violet hair and equally violet eyes. She rudely points at the confused Shiro and with a loud voice, she says...
"The oppression has gone long enough! Stand by me Shiro, and together, we shall topple the corrupt system that is the student council!"
The entire restaurant froze as all eyes focused on the brown skinned girl.
"... Well... That was random..." was the only words that Shiro could squeeze out.
"This is a serious matter! This is no time to be eating!" The little girl slams her foot on the table. "The freedom of the entire student body is under threat of being bound under the chains of THE MAN!"
"Very inspirational speech..." replied Shiro. "Care to introduce your own brand of crazy?"
"HA?! Its me! Zayd!"
.
.
.
.
.
.
"Le WHAT?!" Shiro roared in horror " How in gods name can you be Zayd?! You're a loli!"
"I'm not called the Hundred Faced Hassan for nothing you know?" Zayd puffs his/her chest in pride.
While still confused, Shiro could piece one very important info about Zayd.
"Shape Shifting huh?... So that's how you get so much info on so many people without raising suspicion..."
With nearly hundreds of thousands of students concentrated in one school, it would be impossible to memorize all of the students faces. All Zayd needs to do is to use the appropriate form to incorporate himself/herself to any group. In a sense, this ability change his/her size, shape and gender is much more powerful than the Presence Concealment of Assassins.
"Fu fu fu. I know what you're thinking Shiro. While you're not exactly wrong, you're not entirely correct either." said Zayd. "But that's not the topic we should be focusing on."
"And what could possibly be more important than a gender bending loli?" replied Shiro
"... Well... Technically none... But right now our brethren are suffering greatly under the Student Council!... Though lolis are still on a higher priority... However! If we dont do something, all moe could be banned in our school! ... Then again, lolis are considered as world heritage sites... But-!"
"WILL YOU PLEASE TAKE A SEAT AND MAKE UP YOUR DAMN MIND!?" Shiro slams his fist into the table, effectively earning himself the sharp glare of the store owner.
As instructed, the loli Zayd hops down the table and takes the seat opposite to Shiro. The two stared at each other silently until the uneasy Zayd speaks up first
"W-what? If you got something to say then say it..."
"You're cute. Lets get married." replied the serious faced Shiro
"Wha- whawhawhawhawhawhawha WHAT?!" loli Zayd's face puffs red like the setting sun. "D-D-D-D-Dont just go spouting stuff that's easy to misunderstand!"
"Oi! What's with that reaction? You know I'm joking right?" said the confused Shiro.
Knowing it was Zayd, Shiro was confident enough that they could do their usual comedic skits. He did not expect the loli Zayd to react in a way that would make his heart skip a beat.
"I cant help it... When taking a different form, I also end up taking a different psyche." loli Zayd blushes profusely. " Right now, my heart is beating like crazy you know? "
"I-I see..."
An awkward silence descend between the two, much to the two's annoyance. Both of them knows that the tan skin loli is a major turn on to the 2, which is also the main reason why both are being careful with their words. One small mishap might lead to god-knows-what situation.
"First a Trap Enkidu, now a Gender Bent Zayd... It's scary how many questionable genres are on my fetish list..."
The silence persisted a few more seconds until an unexpected person decided to make her presence known.
"Shiro... You bastard..." said the furious yet teary eyed Xiao Qiao. " And here I thought that you seriously wanted to date me... But then you started flirting the second another girl shows up!"
"Oh crap... This wont end well."
In one fluid movement, Xiao takes the plate of Mapo Tofu and slams it full force into Shiro's face.
"Shiro you idiot!" The teary eyed Qiao runs into the restaurant, leaving everyone else in a state of shock.
"Er... Were you in the process of raising flags on that girl?" Zayd asks
"Yeah... I've been going at it for 3 months now... I've also fainted from eating half of that cursed thing 5 times now..." replied Shiro with the plate of Mapo Tofu still stuck to his face.
"... I see... " Zayd replies " ...Your face is painful right?"
"Yeah... But it's nothing compared to the pain in my heart..."
"... I see... Sorry about that..."
-:-
A few minutes later
Outside a Convenience Store
With his spirits at an all time low, Shiro rests on a side walk barrier with his head down.
He wasnt depressed on the fact that he accidentally raised the route breaking flag on Xiao Qiao... Or maybe he was... But it's a very small contributing factor to his overall depression.
What really ticks him off is his arrogance. Thanks to his pride on his 40 years of experience, he became confident that all his targets will fall one by one. The event with Xiao Qiao is a good reminder that the girls also have feelings of their own.
"This isnt like Inf*nite St*tos... The girls wont just accept that they'll be part of a collectors set... *Sigh*"
For the moment, Shiro can see 2 possible endings in the Xiao Route.
First is the most likely outcome: Xiao will sever all ties with Shiro. As much as it pains him, he has no choice but to accept such a reaction. Such is the price of his arrogance.
The second and most unlikely outcome: Xiao will act all tsundere for a while, then she'll try to approach him. Maybe he was able to plant a small seed of affection in Xiao's heart... But after that incident with Zayd, he doubts that seed will grow.
"Either way, I have no choice but to wait and see..."
As he wallows in his self pity, a tall (an inch or so taller than him) brown skin woman casually occupies the space next to him. The woman sports a very long purple hair tied into a pony tail along with a black male business attire. All in all, she gives off a no nonsense air around her.
"Cease that unsightly face yours Emiya. While all of us have different thoughts on your predicament, all of us feel equally guilty." said the woman.
"... Er... Do I know you?" asked the confused Shiro, however, it only took him a couple of seconds to connect the dots. "Wait... Dont tell me... Zayd?!"
"Affirmative"
"B-but-!" Shiro turns his attention back to the convenience store and spots the loli Zayd still paying for the drinks.
"Was there a time when I stated that Shape Shifting was my ability?" replied the adult looking Zayd.
"Come on Shiro. You're a smart guy right?" said the loli Zayd in timely fashion
" Surely it takes little time for you to decipher the meaning of this peculiar situation." the older Zayd follows without missing a beat.
Yes... It didnt really take Shiro that long to figure it all out.
" More than 1 body + Shared Memory + Abnormal Intel Gathering Capabilities= One Soul with Multiple Bodies" thought Shiro. " So that's how he gathers so much info so fast... Though dealing with multiple personally sounds like a pain..."
"Well... whatever" said Shiro. "Anyways, what's with the threat against the moe you've been spouting earlier."
"Ah that... This might take some time so we better talk while we move" said the loli Zayd. Shiro and the Older Zayd woman follows suite
"... Its Adonis. It seems like he didnt take that loss at the cultural center too easily" said loli Zayd. "He's been trying to pass an amendment to the school rules which bands otaku related stuff from school. It's like he's treating otaku as if it was a harmful drug or something"
Shiro face palms at the news.
"Seriously? I kinda guessed him as a prideful type of person but this is just stupid, you know?"
"Hahahaha! I know! Funny thing is, that's not really the reason why hates your guts so much!"
"Oh god... Not another one of those sudden revelations that will put more pain in my plater..." said Shiro as he dreads the next words that are about to leave the loli's mouth.
"Yup! It's exactly as you feared! This guy is threatened by your existence!" the loli twirls in delight
"... I know Im gonna regret this, but why is that Zayd? Aside from the Cultural Center Incident, I've never done anything to the bastard."
"He cant help it you know? He's the top dog of the school. A monstrous existence that he cant control will always be a threat. Lets face it, as of the moment, you are probably the most powerful being in school."
"So? What does this situation have to do with me?" said Shiro. "Well... Technically it has everything to do with me, but why come to me specifically?"
Truth be told, Shiro already had a rough idea what Zayd wanted from him, but decides to keep his silence jus to be sure.
" Emiya Shiro... Like the Cultural Center Incident, please lead us to victory!" Zayd bows low.
Shiro thinks for a bit, then answers.
"No"
Zayd double takes in shock. She stares blankly at Shiro, as if expecting him to callit off as a joke... He did not.
"Why?! This issue goes beyond you and me Shiro! Thousands of people could have their very soul ripped from there bodies! Do you not care about the future of The Moe?!"
Shiro gently pats the loli Zayd on the head, much to her surprise.
"It's because I care for The Moe that I declined" said Shiro in a gentle voice.
"W-what do you mean?" loli Zayd asks while blushing profusely
"We cant talk here" Shiro makes a serious face. " Tell me, how long does it take to gather the GOB leaders?"
"Tomorrow at lunch time. Why?"
"Good. I want you to set up a meeting while I start planning on what we can do. Got it?"
""Yes""
Like the ninjas that they are, the 2 Zayd disappears like a mist in the morning.
"Looks like it's gonna get busy... What a pain"
-:-
THE NEXT DAY
LUNCH
GREAT OTAKU BROTHERHOOD HEADQUARTERS
This is an occasion for the otaku history books. Never in history has the Brotherhood been driven into such a corner such as this... And it is ment on a literal sense.
"Question... Why are we in the janitorial storage room?" asked Shiro
"SILENCE! This is the sanctuary for us brave souls who fight the good fight!" their leader, Gilles de Rias, slams his fist into the wall.
"Come now Gilles. Did you seriously think that us 3 can fit here? Especially with HIM on board?" Shiro points to a massive red haired man with muscles of steel.
This larger than life of a man is Alexander D. Great, a famed sage of the gaming world and one of 2 leaders of the GOB along with Gilles De Rias. While Gilles is considered as the brain of the organization, Alexander is the face and voice.
"I agree with Shiro on this one Gilles." said Alexander. "Why should we hide like thieves in the night? We should be out there in the frontlines and battling the enemy head on!"
"As expected of Alexander... You completely missed the point." Shiro face palms. "What I'm saying is, we could occupy a bigger room"
"Trust me Shiro, I would love to use our original Sanctuary ( old abandoned female swimming team showers) but-" Gilles begins but was cut off by an unexpected voice.
"I advised him against that Shiro Oni-sama" said a cute emotionless lolita voice from above them.
"Jack? What the hell are you doing here?" asked Shiro to the white haired loli who was currently standing on the ceiling.
How exactly is she doing something so ninja-ish is something that piqued Shiro's interest, but decides to ask about it in another time.
"I am your shadow. Where you go, I go. I exist only to be with you." replied Jack with an incredibly small hint of affection in her voice
"Aww how sweet. Creepy but sweet" said Gilles with envy. "But she correct about this one Shiro."
"You sure you werent just seduced by her lolita goodness?" Shiro replied sarcastically
"Hmph! I will not deny those accusations with no basis" Gilles puffs his chest with pride." Why dont we have lady Jack explain to us the reason"
With all eyes on the lolita assassin, Jack begins to talk.
"The Student Council has sent their Assassins to monitor the GOB's movement. Initially, there was only a few of them, thus I could drive them off... But as time went by, the numbers increased to the point that I could do nothing but observe them."
Jack explains their monitoring strategy within school hours and their limited spying capabilities outside school. It took about 5 minutes to explain most of the technical jargon.
One thing is for sure though, if the Student Council is allocating that much manpower, then they 100% serious on this one.
" Okay... I understand why we need a bit of clock and dagger here, but why in the hell are we in a place where we're packed like sardines?! I mean, we dont even have room to take a seat here!" said Shiro with Alexander nodding in agreement.
"I cant help it you know... You suddenly called an emergency meeting out of the blue. I had to find a suitable location where wards are easy to instalL. " replied Gilles. " This room only took me 5 minutes to put up a couple of anti sound runes. The biggest plus though is that it's on allied territory."
Shiro looks at Gilles questioningly.
"Ah... I keep forgetting you're a low level member in the GOB." Gilles sighs" It's your fault though, seeing how you're getting more recognition than someone in your rank"
"Skip the melodramatics and get to the point already." replied Shiro. "What do you mean allied territory?"
"Alexander, will you do the honors?" said Gilles
"Naturally. Public relations is my department after all. " after clearing his throat, Alexander speaks.
At the moment, they have 3 types of allies:
The first ones are those who supported GOB for years. These people are normally GOB members with varying age, occupation ,social standing and power. In most cases, these people tend to hide their involvement with GOB due to various reasons (ex. Too weak to defend self or in a position that cant move freely.)
Among them are 2 teachers that are treated like walking thermonuclear bombs.
One of them is named Azazel, a chemistry teacher and an overall tech otaku. Known as a fairly laid back guy who has been known to create magical items with pure technological genius, Azazel is commonly regarded as a trouble maker by authorities.
The main reason why Gilles chose the janitorial storage room is it's right next to Azazel's office. While he cant provide direct aid to the GOB due to his status as a staff member, he does provide indirect assistance in the form of a machine that stealthily deploys a GW field 500 meters in diameter, thus allowing the GOB to perform preemptive strikes at approaching enemies.
The other GOB supporter is named Leviathan, a political science teacher with a passion for magical girl cosplay. Hidden beneath her childish personality and youthful appearance that has earned her an idol like status among the students, is a powerful magician that can turn the entire city into a frozen graveyard in a matter of seconds. Despite this, she is a peace loving individual... though a really pain to deal with.
Similar to Azazel, she has no means of directly helping the GOB, thus resorting to some underhanded tricks to show her support. When anyone is eliminated within Azazel's GW field, they are teleported to Leviathan's office ( on the college building and on the opposite side of the massive campus), where she has casted a very powerful spell that would put anyone into a 10 minute sleep. It may not seem much, but her strategy actually ensures atleast 30 minutes delay for any opponent that has been eliminated on the field ( 10 mins sleep + 20 mins travel time, though it could be an hour if you dont know the way back)
"All in all, we've got some helpful teachers on our side." Alexander beats his chest in pride.
"Indeed we do. The world could use more adults like them." replied Shiro.
"Anyway. Lets continue" said Alexander
The second type of ally they have are the ones that were drawn in due to connections. Friends, lovers, distant relatives, fans, classmates, etc all fit in this category. This time around, it seems that Shiro's acquaintances involved themselves into the matter at hand. The ones involved are Jack and, surprisingly, Vlad Tepes himself.
"How in gods name did you convince Vlad to join in?" Shiro asked Alexander. "I had him pegged for someone who doesnt really like socializing with our kind."
"It wasnt me that convinced him. This one is all on Jack" Alexander gives a thumbs up to the lolita assassin.
"And how did you do that?" Shiro asked in curiosity.
"I said that you were in a bit of trouble and asked if he could help." Jack replied emotionlessly "He didnt seem to mind. In fact, I think he was bored and wanted something fun to do."
"Ha ha... Cant believe we're counting on a bored noble for help" Shiro facepalms
Based on Jack, Vlad's Kazikli Bei has already skewered a fair bit of Student Council Assassins when they sneak into the GW field. The ability to detect invisible units makes Kazikli Bei the ideal weapon for this situation.
"*sigh*... Vlad is pilling up a fair bit of favors here... I got a bad feeling about it... Oh well, I'll deal with it when it comes."
Shiro turns his attention back to Alexanders explanation.
The last type of ally they have, and probably the most troublesome of all, are the battle maniacs. They dont share the GOB's ideologies nor they have any hate for the Student Council, thus they are uncertain factors. The only thing they want is to fight strong opponents, which luckily, the Student Council has in great numbers.
Leonidas, Cu Chulainn and Spartacus are among the few who couldnt resist their need for violence. They joined the GOB's resistance against the Student Council specifically because they want to make an enemy of the strongest faction in the school... Stupid battle crazed bastards
"Truth be told, I prefer not to rely on such loose cannons... however we are hard pressed for firepower, so I had to compromise" said Gilles with a sigh.
"I dont see the problem though" inserted Alexander. " Nothing like hot blooded men to do a hot blooded job."
"We're trying to stop a law, not start a war" Gilles snapped back. "Not everything is solved from beating it with a stick"
While the two bickered among themselves, Shiro's mind goes to overdrive. He takes into consideration their military might, overall sphere of influence, popularity among the masses, time limit and chances of winning. Truth be told, thanks to Alexander and Gilles' efforts on laying down the groundwork, the GOB actually is capable of butting heads with the Student Council and winning.
"Sure, we're still leagues away from winning this thing, but the conditions are so much better than the Cultural Center Incident." Shiro thought. "The problem now is HOW they want to proceed."
"Before you guys start killing each other, I would like to ask something" said Shiro, causing the two to stop their nag fest. "You've already got a good framework here, so what's course of action?"
"*Ahem*... For now, we'll be using your influence as our spearhead." said Gilles. " I want you to focus on building up your GW team in the flashiest way possible. Get as many people to look at you as possible and gain their interest. Build up a reputation as fast as possible, and hopefully, we could get enough support to veto the Anti-Moe rules in 2 weeks time. If we get past that one, we'll have to prepare for Adonis' next moves. We will go from there."
Shiro stares at Gilles for a couple of seconds, then facepalms.
"Oy... What's with that reaction?" said Alexander in a pissed off manner. "While I'm not good with the scheming stuff, Gilles outdid himself on this one. If you're gonna make fun of his plan, then you're gonna have-"
"Stop it Alexander." Gilles raises his hand.
"WHY?! WHY ARENT YOU PISSED OFF?!" Alexander slams his fist into the wall. " You've been working on this one for 1 freaking week, and you're gonna let him make fun of you?!"
"Calm down Alexander. Remember that Shiro is the brains behind the Cultural Center Incident." calmly replied Gilles. "It wouldnt really surprise me if he thought of a better plan than mine."
Gilles turns to Shiro. "So... Is there anything wrong with my plan?"
"You almost got a solid plan Gilles... However, there are 2 big kinks to an otherwise perfect plan" said Shiro
"And those are?"
"First: Your goal is too timid." said Shiro. "If we follow your initial plan, we'll have to constantly butt heads with the Student Council even after we veto the Anti-Moe law. If we want to put an end to this, we have to take down Adonis from his high horse"
"I've also considered that, but we have that simple problem of popularity." replied Gilles. " Our membership population may be large, but we're still a minority in the overall highschool population. If we want to use the Vote of No Confidence on him, we need the support atleast 65% of the population. I doubt we can get that much support with only 2 weeks left till the passing of the law"
"Thats actually the result of the second flaw of your plan, which happens to be using me as your spearhead" said Shiro. " While I do have a bit of fame thanks to my antics, Im still a newbie Ruler with no entourage. I'm also biased due to my GOB membership, thus making it harder for people to trust me."
"And do you propose to do?"
"What we need to do is to promote the Anti-Moe Law as an attack on our freedom of expression. With Moe outlawed, what's next? Rock music? Theatrical Arts?" said Shiro." We need someone that does not champion the GOB, but the entire student body as a whole. What we need is to replace Adonis with a fair and just leader."
"And you know someone like that?" Gilles asked in skepticism.
"Yes... Yes I do."
-:-
AFTER SCHOOL
OUTSIDE CLASSROOM 2-B
Shiro's day has been filled with activities that he'd rather not do.
For one thing, he has not been able to act like an idiot for the last 15 hours. He has set that he must act like a brain deficient monkey at least 10 times a day until it comes natural to him. Such a large deviation from his oath is putting him in a fairly bad mood.
"But then again, I cant exactly do that, especially with the crap that's been going down lately"
With the imminent clash with the Student Council just beyond the horizon, Shiro has 2 very important tasks that he must accomplish.
First priority is building up his hare-... I mean his GW Entourage. He's going to need a lot of capable hands to counter act the GOB's pitiful combat prowess.
"Me and Alexander are the only 2 Rulers in the GOB... This is gonna be an uphill battle, that's for sure."
To make matters worse (atleast for Shiro), there's the issue of the unwritten First Servant rule. That alone is enough to make Shiro regret ever showing his true powers to the public
"If I want to start up my harem, the First Servant rule is just one of the many hurdles... *sigh*... Im gonna have to deal with that blood bath tomorrow... *sigh*" thought the depressed Shiro. "For now, Priority # 2 takes precedence"
Priority #2 happens to force Shiro to do another thing that he hates doing: Standing Out.
It is already a well known fact that Shiro stands somewhere at the top of the GW heap. If he suddenly visits someone out of the blue, its only natural for people to be interested.
As of the moment, Shiro is enduring the countless stares that he has been receiving from the 2nd year students of Tsukumihara Academy.
"Hey, isnt that Emiya Shiro?"
"You mean the guy that went up against the Student Council?"
"Wow... He's kinda cute"
" You think he'll let me join his Entourage if I ask him?"
"Why is he here though?"
"Recruitement maybe?"
These are some of the whispers around him.
"*sigh* ... What a pain... So much for my minimum exposure policy..."
Suddenly, a bit of a ruckus ensues at 2-B's entrance.
From the looks of things, a bunch of girls are either arguing or teasing or pressuring someone to go out the room.
"He's really here?! I thought you guys were just teasing me!" said a young woman
"Like hell we can joke around about this!" voiced a tomboyish girl. "This could be your chance! Spring has finally come to our friend who is as pure as the holy spirit! I'm so happy for you!"
"B-but-!" the young girl replied
"Forehead flick" said a serious sounding girl, causing the young girl to yelp in surprise. "Use your common sense. There's only one reason why a Ruler would come here and ask for YOU specifically. He's obviously here to recruit you"
"That's what I dont understand!" replied the young girl. "I havent taken the Class Assignment yet! How can he even recruit me if he has no basis?"
Yes... Shiro actually came here to meet a certain girl without knowing any of her abilities.
Why?
His reason is simple. After living in this world for so long, Shiro could easily notice his old world's counterparts have a lot of similarity with this world's versions.
Examples:
King David of the old testament loved hot women. David of this world is exactly like that, but a little bit more perverted
Alexander the Great is a well known megalomaniac in his old world. This world's Alexander is just as arrogant, but in a good way.
Cu Chulainn in Irish mythology is well known to be extremely aggressive in combat. After witnessing the Fuyuki Grail Wars version and this worlds version, Shiro can say with confidence that they are similar in nearly every aspect.
"If this girl is exactly the same as the heroine that bares the same name, then her potential is too great to pass off." thought Shiro. "With her, saving the GOB is not impossible."
Suddenly, the tomboyish voice roars loudly, forcing Shiro back to reality.
"ARGH! STOP WITH YOUR OTOME MODE AND GET OUT THERE ALREADY!"
The young girl is thrown out her classroom and skids into a halt right in front of Shiro.
She is a girl of average height with dark blue eyes and a blond waist long hair that is tied into a braided ponytail. With her shy gestures and overall beauty, she's exactly what Shiro expected: An Angelic Beauty.
The girl nervously fidgets for a couple of seconds. After gathering her composure, she takes a deep breath and speaks.
"M-my name is Joan Arc...Er... May I ask what business you have with me?" the girl said nervously.
After a few seconds of silence, Shiro does something that shocked everyone present. He gets down on his knees, puts his hands on the floor and bows so low that his forehead is touching the pavement.
"Joan Arc. I beg of you. Please help me."
"... Eh?"