Tendou
Disclaimer: We do not own the rights to Type-moon's intellectual property, nor the "Tales of" Series. Otherwise Oscar would have never looked that good in the Zestiria the X anime.
Vanitas: This'll be refreshing. 'Arts' that aren't blue cards from Fate Grand/Order
Ch. 0-5: Magikazam!
/South District of Seihai City, 7:30 p.m. (Monday, Week 1)
"Young man, if you don't release your grip from my packet of drumsticks I will drown your face in mace!"
"Step off, hag! You have 4 packets already, I only need the one! Look, they're all bloody and this one even has a feather still on it! Leave it with me, damn it!"
"I'm having family over, you insolent welp! Not that it's any of your business! Get your hands off of my chicken legs!"
Firing off a kick to the young man's groin, the lady followed through on her threat and pulled out her can of mace, spraying her victim in the face to ensure her victory. Letting of the packet of chicken legs to grab at his face, Tendou was unable to keep the older woman from running off with his prize.
That miserable little crow of a woman! What is she feeding, a damn pack of wolves?! It was just one packet, would they have starved?! Damn her, god damn her!
It took a while for him to recover, though with the help of the supermarket's butcher he washed his face in their bathroom sink. Looking at himself in the mirror, the bespectacled Matou heir sighed to himself.
What are you doing, Tendou? The Holy Grail War is a fool's errand. The winner of the last 2 didn't even seriously wish for anything, they just had their Saber destroy it, with varying degrees of success. Why does Grandfather waste his time trying to make a grab for the-
"That had best not be the sound of quitter I hear, grandson."
Tendou froze up like a deer in headlights. There was no way he could be here…was there?
"…Grandfather?"
There was no response, and looking around he found that he was indeed alone in the bathroom. Sighing, he splashed his face one more time with tap water before moving to leave.
I'm letting that old man get to me. Just participate, win the Grail, and you'll never have to see that walking corpse again. Damn it, why does cousin Eiji have it so easy? He doesn't even have to compete, and yet I hear that he's here in the city anyway!
As the young man left, the mirror he was infront of began to shimmer, and out came the head of Zouken Matou, looking in his "Great-Grandson's" direction and smirking.
"If the boy is so truly against participating, I can just force his mother to compete again. If he's any sort of man, he would be happy to take his mother's place in such a dangerous venture."
Begging the store's butcher to give him something, any leftover or soon to be thrown out scrap of meat he could offer, Tendou managed to walk away with a partially eaten mutton chop. The butcher swore that it was probably just a dog that nibbled on it before being shooed away, but from the bit marks Tendou got the distinct impression that it was a rat. No, several rats had feasted on this poor excuse of meat.
Making his way ever so cautiously back to his rented room, at what was considered the second-worst motel in the area, Tendou flung open his door and dashed inside, locking it behind him with all available speed.
Please god if you're there, don't let it be that the owner saw me. I'm a week late on pay, but if I could just summon this damn Servant in time and can clear out and pay him back later.
Taking out the various ingredients he had bought and lining them up, he mentally went over his preparations as he pointed at each item to check them off his list.
This should do it. It's not ideal, but I should be able to make a satisfactory summoning circle with this. At least I managed to get a hold of some silver.
As quietly as he could, he moved the room's bed so that it lined up against the right side wall, opening more space in the room for him to lay out his summoning circle. Doing so, while sweeping away all the nasty dust left exposed from the moved bed and shooing away the smaller rats that came out (big ones weren't worth the risk), Tendou managed to complete it in a relatively short time.
Pulling out a stand one uses to read their music notes off of, the young man then placed a hefty spell book on it, and then raised up his hand while chanting from a page marked heavily with notes.
"Oh Master of the Craft, to whom my skills Pale,
Come Forth and Assist me in my Tale!
Beyond Selfish Good and Short-Sighted Evil,
Lend your Power to help me Rebel!
Whether we be Outlaws or Future Saints
Bow to no one and show no Restraint!
There's a war to be won, so heed my Call!
Agree to this contract, and be my Thra-"
Before he could finish the last word, bullets came flying through his wall, striking the book and hitting the lamp and various vases on top of desks and shelves. Ducking down and rolling under his bed, Tendou cursed his infernal luck.
God damn it, why do these fucking norms have to have a little shootout right now?! And in a motel, really? Don't you punks settle your shit in alleyways or each other's' clubs and other gangster nonsense?!
The firing stopped, and while it wasn't clear Tendou could make out a bit of the conversation happening in his neighbors room, something about not needing to share the cut 3 ways and possible infidelity. He didn't care, but it sounded like maybe there would be no further shooting, at least from that end.
Moving to get out from under his bed (which was pre-occupied by an interrupted rat couple), Tendou saw that the room was being engulfed by blue flames, firing out of the damaged book that was hit moments ago.
"Oh gods damn it!"
Rolling out quickly and grabbing his bed sheets, the young man tried to snuff out the flames by beating them down, only to catch his sheets on fire as well.
"Why does this shit keep happening to me?! I'm sure Eiji doesn't have to deal with this garbage, great freaking prodigy that he is! No no, Tendou has to be the one to have his room set on fire, Tendou has to be the fool to stuck in the crime-ridden part of the city, Tendou-"
"Tendou has to get all worked up and refer to himself in the third person."
Startled by the new voice, the agitated young man looked over his shoulder to see a young woman standing there.
With an impish expression on her face, she cupped her hands in front of her mouth like she was trying to hush what she was about to say, though made no real effort to quiet down.
"Oh, are we not complaining anymore? Or is that just a weird solo thing you do?"
"Who…are you?"
"What? You mean you've forgotten already?"
The young woman dropped down and cradled herself, becoming suddenly very miserable and sniffling.
"After you go and summon me to this place, and you don't even have the decency to remember why."
Tendou was taken aback by her sudden mood swing, throwing his bed sheets aside and completely forgetting about the fire around them as he tried to comfort the girl.
"Sorry, I'm so sorry. Obviously you're my Servant. I'm sorry about our current surroundings, but do to unfortunate circumstances I had to-"
"Servant? Is that what the kids call their girlfriends these days? Or just the folks in this world?"
The girl rocketed back up, her facing returning to its previously impish grin like nothing had happened, and she stretched her arms out behind her head as she swayed back on forth on both legs.
"I mean what other reason does a guy have to bring a girl to a seedy little spot like this, if he doesn't intend to bed? And to use magic for such purpose, I'm shocked. Shocked, I say. And to be reduced in title to something as demeaning as a 'servant'."
Her mood swing caught Tendou off guard again, but this time he was much more annoyed by it.
"Huh, what? No no, you're my Servant. You know, a Heroic Spirit contracted to fight alongside me? Who would want to bed you?!"
Turning away so he couldn't see her face, she dropped her smile for a moment, before it returned with a vengeance as she replied.
"Oh? Me, a Heroic Spirit? Clearly you haven't heard of me before. And furthermore, you want a girl to do your battling for you? Just want kind of man are you? First you summon innocent little old me to satisfy your beastly appetite, then you plan to toss me to the wolves and sing tales of my heroic demise? Truly, this world is a cruel stage, but I Magilou, am no green horn to adversity. I accept your challenge boy!"
Having had just about enough of the day's nonsense, whatever patience Tendou had left just died.
"Now listen here, wench! I know not who you are, but let's get some things straight. I am you Master, not 'boy' or 'beast', and I did not summon you to fuck you. You're here to fight in the Holy Grail War, which you should clearly know about as the Throne of Heroes sent you and gives all Servants the information they need prior to summoning. Enough of this nonsense, state your class and true name, before I get truly tired of you!"
Feigning shock and a hurt expression, Magilou put on a display of that would fit a child's attempt at acting innocent, after just being caught knocking over a vase to grab a cookie jar.
"I've been forcibly summoned all this way, and how this Master of mine claims me to be unattractive, and lets his room burn around him. Not only that, but I'm meant to die for him in some war I have no say in. Have I any complaints with the other forces, could I not form friendships with those rogues or achieve loves that defy decency? Alas, it seems not to be, for Master has no patience you see. Had I known that I'd be insulted and abused in such a way, on this Throne of Heroes surely would I stay."
"…just who are you, woman."
As if on cue, whimsical music like that found in some fairy's play started playing out of nowhere, and Magilou started posing in various stances as she answered.
"Hooray, you asked! I'm thrilled to introduce to you, the wise sorceress who travels the eleven seas, who scoffs at the might of dragons…"
Tendou cupped his head and sighed, not believing the way this day had turned out.
"-None other than the acclaimed, the illustrious Mazhigigika Miludin do Din Nolurun Dou! Magilou for short."
Giving the young woman a proper look over now, Tendou came to realize he had summoned quite the oddball of a Servant. She had on a pink and blue leotard, in a playing card like style which was rather mix-matched in design. Detached sleeves of either color covered her arms, and leggings matched the sleeves color choice, while having straps that connected to her leotard's belt. Most strikingly, her belt had a "skirt" made up of various large tomes, though while Tendou stared at it he found himself lingering on her waist, and pulled his gaze away before he felt she would catch him. Finally, this woman had on something close to those stereotypical witches' hats norms think female spell casters wore, though hers had two spire tops and one was longer than the other and bent. And her hair was rather long and blonde, and strikingly well kept…
"…Magilou, is it?"
"Yes indeed, rude boy. And if I'm to restrict myself to the funny little rules that Throne of yours has, I would be of the Caster class. Though truly, had there been a Thespian class I alone would warrant the position."
Suddenly the door to their room was kicked open, and two rough looking fellows came in, the one in front pointing his gun at Tendou.
"What's all the noise for?! You two been listening in on us?"
Tendou raised up his arms in fright, though his tongue would follow what the rest of his brains was suggesting.
"What the hell is with you?!"
"What did you just say to me, you little shit?"
Regretting his choice to blurt that out, Tendou frantically scoured his brain for a response that may deescalate the situation. Unfortunately for him…
"I believe my Master is wondering whether or not you're intolerable because your mother beat you as a child, or if you're just naturally a boar of a man. Personally I'm betting you're just a boar."
Caster spoke up before he could.
"Little lady, if you knew who you were dealing with you'd watch your tongue!"
Caster, what in the frigid hell are you doing?! It's one thing for me to slip and run my mouth, but you're deliberately making things worse!
Looking back at him as if she could read his thoughts, Caster gave another one of her impish grins before returning her gaze to the two thugs barring the doorway. Pointing a finger at the two, she continued speaking.
"Lady? Silly man, you're addressing a witch, a no good spell-weaver, why the Mistress of all Evil herself! So it would be you who need mind their tongue, lest they find it turned to a Pengyon."
The men in the room went quiet, mentally agreeing that this woman had to be loose a few marbles. They were then snapped out of their daze by the sound of fire sirens, as the room was still on fire and the motel owner must have called some over that. Or the shooting from earlier, at the very least. The thug who'd remained quiet this whole time stepped forward, his rifle lifted to come directly in front of Caster's head.
"We ain't got time to waste on this broad. Nighty night, crazy lady."
Leaning back just before the man pulled the trigger, Caster limboed out of danger and popped up right in front of the man, giving him a playful push out. Being that she was a Servant, the man went hurtling outside and got knocked off the railing, landing on a car in the parking lot below.
Looking down at her hands, Caster was amazed by how much force she was physically capable of using.
"Whoa ho, I'm even more magnificent here than I could of thought. All that power and not a bit of my petite form changed. I bet I could even out muscle Eizen like this. Not that I'd care for such a macho display, that's more Rokurou's thing."
Surprised by what had happened to his partner, but quick to react, the remaining thug swung at her with his gun hand, but she weaved and dodged his blows before jump backwards to the railing and landing on. Grinning at the man, she gave a little twirl around and upon facing him again launched and orb of water.
"Aqua Split!"
The orb struck the man and knocked him into the back of Tendou's room, splitting as they struck the wall and splashing all over the remained of the room. A lot of the fire was put out by this, though some shelves remained torched. The thug was looking rather sickly after the impact, and Tendou noticed a purplish haze around him.
"My god."
"I know, I dazzle the mind. Honestly, it's a burden being this good."
Knowing that he's basically lost the room, and not wanting to risk that the thug was still conscious or healthy enough to still shoot him, Tendou grabbed his rucksack filled with essentials and rushed out of the room, grabbing Caster's hand and running with her towards the south exit of the Motel.
"My oh my, are we eloping so soon?"
"Will you be quiet, you banshee? It's stressful enough knowing I just wasted a third of my funds on this place, and it's on fire, but I don't need your tasteless jokes to pollute the air as we run!"
"Honestly boy, we're going to need to do something about that temper of yours."
"I said be qu-"
Caster waved her free hand, and as they ran Tendou found a ring of light circle his neck, before rushing towards it and clutching tightly. He stopped and dropped to his knees, clutching at the physical light chocking him in desperation. Thankfully, its grip lessened, though as he let go of it in relief, he found that he felt something now resting firming around his neck. Feeling at it with a hand, the light now felt like material, and as he moved his hand around it he felt a lock on the front of the necklace. No, rather it was more like a chocker.
"Caster, what is the meaning of this?! What the hell do you think you'r-"
A light buzz came from the chocker, and Tendou's little rant was cut short by a slightly electrical shock. Caster stood over him waving a finger, acting like a saddened discipliner.
"Ah ah ah, temper temper. Is that any way to speak to a woman, let alone your partner? You said to lend you my power and show no restraint. Continue to treat me like some tool you can toss side and no restraint is exactly what you'll have coming. So behave, and do try to act gentlemanly."
Looking up at the strangely dressed Servant, Tendou tried thinking up some polite way of voicing his extreme disapproval of this situation, but before he could speak…
~ You up there! Stay where you are, you're coming in for questioning! ~
A firefighter holding up a megaphone was calling up to them. Magilou turned around to see them, and waved cheekily with her eyes closed. Tendou started to get up and grabbed onto her shoulders.
"No don't wave to them! Go into spirit form, turn invisible already. We can't have people seeing you!"
Looking at the frazzled young man, Caster's face seemed to blush, and she turned her face away from his while bringing a hand up in front her mouth, appearing so bashful.
"Master, are you so ashamed of me already? You change your mind so quickly, first wanting to run off with me but then telling me to hide because you don't wish to be seen with me? Oh my poor maiden heart…"
Growing ever so tired of Caster's games, Tendou tried to steady himself while his temper rose.
"I am not ashamed of you, there are just rules. Magic cannot be witnessed by normal people, it's the rules of my society. You are a magical being, so normal people should gaze upon you…magnificence."
Dropping the bashful maiden act and perking up at the compliment, Magilou forcefully hugged Tendou and swung him around, all the while firemen were coming up around them on both ends of the staircases.
"Oh Master, you charmer; how do you always know what to say?"
"Will you shut up and turn invisible already, wen-"
Another buzz, and Tendou was convulsing in Caster's grasp, to which she dropped him like a bad bag of chips with blank annoyed expression on her face.
"Jeez kid, loosen up a little. I'm just messing with yeah. If you get this bent out of shape with your own Servant needling you, how are you going to stand under pressure with actual enemy Masters and Servants gunning for you head?"
Calming down a bit and agreeing with the truth in her words, Tendou rubbed his neck as he saw the firemen drawing closer.
"…you have a point. But must you be so non-stop with your lessons?"
"I don't have to. But I like it more that way."
Glaring at her but keeping his language civil, Tendou addressed the next thing on his mind.
"Before when I was talking about the roles of Master and Servant, you acted like you didn't know about it, but just now you spoke with authority as if your familiar with the system. Was you're ignorance before an act too?"
"Nah, I honestly had no idea what was going on. It's coming to me slowly now, but you were coming on pretty hard for a guy your age."
More innuendo, and the firemen were within grabbing range.
"Can you please just turn invisible so we can make our escape, Caster?"
"Oh don't get your glasses in a bunch, there's no need for that."
Slipping out a ritual paper, she tossed it into the air over the railing. It expanded to the size of a fat surfboard, and grabbing Tendou's hand Caster tugged him with her onto the enlarged sheet. The firemen were aghast at the sight, and Tendou was freaking out and clutching to Caster's leg, who just looked down teasingly at him.
"No, absolutely not! I don't do heights!"
"I don't know, you look kind happy, clutching a girl's leg like that."
He opened his mouth to voice more venom, but quickly considered his situation I knew it better not to risk getting shocked so high of the ground.
Caster turned around (Tendou still clutched to her leg) to face the firefighters, waving enthusiastically like a sailor leaving on a boat.
"Sorry about the blaze, it's my Master's first time. I'm certain he won't leave such a mess the next time he tries, but we got interrupted by some unruly fellows over there. Really, this place should ensure better privacy safeguards for its customers."
Oh you are deliberately wording it weirdly to make me look like a freak!
Caster looked down at him so as to suggest 'So what if I am', her impish smile ever present. Giving one final wave and a theatrical bow to the still shocked firemen, Caster turned around and pointed towards the sky. The ritual paper rocketed off, to whatever next hideout Tendou Matou was forced to secure.
Why me, why me, why me?!
FRR: Because you're a "Matou", and I'm a cruel overlord. Mwa ha ha ha!