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The following is a fan-based
FICTION
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Chapter 2: Familiarity
Hello Ria.
These two words were not what I expected to think about when I 'woke up' in this situation. It took a moment for the Grail to finalize the implementation of its knowledge regarding the overall situation and what I was dealing with. 2004, Fuyuki Town- Japan. I never expected to become part of an Anime... where Ria was supposedly the heroine.
Not Ria. Not my Ria, at least.
Despite the similarities the young blonde shared with the individual I was thinking about, she was not her. And I was not the same King Joseph of Britannia... as I was supposed. I felt slightly younger- in my 'prime' so to speak and with most of my war-related knowledge deeply entrenched compared to the rest. I was Saber, and this Ria was my Master. And the red-haired lance-wielding troublemaker trying to kill her was my foe from the looks of it.
"I didn't expect the Grail to provide this girl with a Servant," The woman remarked, impressed by the development. "Yet, I see no reason to back down from this challenge. I hope you understand that, Saber."
I smiled, readying Aurea Mors. "I am not one that would ask people to kindly back off... but kindly back off before I kill you for good, Lancer."
Her lips twitched in brief amusement, with her posture showing the inner unease that my words raised as it tensed up in a defensive fashion. I could tell that she was strong, but this Lancer was not going to be enough to bring me down in a one-on-one fight. And yet she struck first. Rushing forward, readying her weapon and trying to probe my defense to see how bad her current circumstance was.
I didn't hesitate to hit her back hard as soon as my blade stopped hers, the words from Scathach about showing no mercy to foes like that hardening my step and allowing me to push past the restrained strength used by my opponent. Lancer tried to step back and allow her body to flex in a manner that would allow her to keep up some space between us.
A wrong move, especially when my sword was quicker than her lance. She managed to stop the weapon from stabbing into her defenseless self by kicking her lance and forcing it to reach between me and her. The loud 'clang'-like noise turned into a screech once both put strength into the clash.
She pushed back, trying to retaliate for the outright defensive posture she had been forced to, but Lancer was in no position to do much due to a very simple reason: the current divide between us was one that favored a sword, and now a lance. Especially not one like Lancer's. I struck thrice while she recoiled from her effort, but the three hits didn't land. A fourth one did, but I carefully shifted such an attack to not be lethal as it chipped at her shoulder and created just a negligible wound there.
Still, the pain was enough to trigger her adrenaline from the looks of it as she started to return pace with pace. I speeded up and so she did, with our attacks colliding and causing sparks to unfold while the two of us tried to weaken the other, to find a weakness in our stances and... then it all came to a full halt.
I expected Lancer to resume her attacks right as she pushed away from me for the umpteenth time, but the redhead seemed distracted as her gaze went elsewhere... aimed in the distance. I paused, taking this moment to regain full control of my bearings and be ready for any potential continuation.
That didn't seem to be the case as Lancer gritted her teeth in visible frustration, turning and leaving. "I will let you have this, Saber."
She retreated, causing me to frown and wonder what really could have caused her to back away. Could it be that her Master had been attacked? Maybe. Still, I remained vigilant for a while, expecting some surprises but... it was clear we were now free from any hostile issues. I eased my posture, my gaze shifting on the side... right to Master as Ria was now standing quite close to where I was, her ahoge twitching in excitement and her posture showing a degree of fangirling I never thought a Pendragon capable of displaying.
"So cool~!"
I held back a snort. "As a strong Servant, coolness is secondary but expected."
"But what is a Servant?" The blonde inquired and... she didn't know what was going on.
I sighed, taking a moment to think on what to do with this piece of information and asked her to escort me inside her house so I could explain this properly. She did so earnestly, almost too trustingly so as she paced quickly into the compound and led me straight to the living room. She sat down, patting the pillow beside her in a gesture which I identified as her asking me to sit. So I did so.
To say that Ria knew little to nothing about what was going on would be an understatement. The girl was utterly clueless of how she ended up in this mess, why she was now stuck with this and why she had to be on her guard for any potential issues tied to this Holy Grail War. She listened closely to my words, the blonde taken by the narration as she didn't expect for... well, magic to be a thing.
"I wouldn't say it's real magic," I argued at that mistaken view. "It's similar to what alchemy tried to be- a scientific take on what one expects magic to be."
"You seem to know a lot of stuff about it."
"That's because I studied a lot about it," I replied happily. "Plus, back in my dimension, I had the chance to restore magic to some degree and I can tell you it is indeed incredible."
Ria frowned. "Your... dimension?"
"The Grail doesn't just claim the Heroes from the past or the future, but can at times claim those that are from different pasts and different futures. One could say its reach is dimensionally ample."
"...So, in a way, I could easily summon one of those anime characters if I wanted?" The blonde inquired, once again I could perceive the inner fangirl in her trying to come out.
"Not truly. Once again, there are elements and factors that limit its reach, and while it can reach quite far, it will still remain within the prime timeline's ramifications where its core essence attains its power from."
Ria nodded, frowning once again and looking thoughtfully. I had seen that expression already, and I didn't let her reply as I knew what she was going to say.
"It's too complicated, perhaps?"
A surprised glint appeared through her eyes, and she nodded in embarrassment.
"It's alright. You are not expected to know the fine details of the Grail. Only that it can grant a wish to those that win this competition," I reasoned. "And people will be killed for that. So, you better keep your eyes on anyone worthy of suspicion. No hesitation."
Her lips twitched. "No... hesitation. Yes. Also... can it revive people?"
Surprise entered my mind at that question. "Depends on how you word the wish, I suppose. I am willing to say it's possible, but understand it's a 'genie-in-a-bottle' situation. The less clear a wish is-"
"The more dreadful the results would be," She muttered, lowering her gaze. "I just... someone died today while defending me. He is a bit of a jerk at times but..."
"You think he didn't deserve to die for you, right?"
She nodded. "He... he is not a bad person. A jerk, yes, but not someone that deserves this much."
I sighed, glancing at the table for a moment. "Maybe. Maybe it can be done. Once again, it's a matter of phrasing for the Grail. If you spell it properly, then there's a chance it will work."
A smile cracked on her sad display, and the rest of the day disappeared in a blur. Due to her inexperience in house chores, I allowed Ria to take a bath to relax and wash away the grime and dirt that had been left on her due to her clash with Lancer before I was summoned while I took care of preparing dinner and then wash the dishes once she was done with those.
Turns out that this version of Ria was as voracious as her other counterpart, devouring a large quantity of food with ease and yet remaining quite fit with her frame. She clearly trained a lot despite not being a knight or a warrior, but that could just be ruled out as her passion for combat. She had looked so giddy to see the fight and then approach me as the winner of that.
And as she went to sleep and I kept an eye on her from the corner with the promise of not 'ogling her' despite the fact I told her I had wives and kids, I quietly stood as a guard for the entire night, thinking at what could have potentially caused Lancer's retreat and if this could have been the last time I was going to see her if her Master had been indeed killed.
If only I knew that the situation was much more complicated than just that.
Setanta Cuhullin was not having fun. The blue-haired man with red eyes that hailed from Ireland was hardly in a good mood due to recent events.
One moment he thought that he was actually going to help a friend to win this damn Holy Grail War, then said 'friend' decided to sicc her Servant onto him and almost had him killed. If it hadn't been for Lancer, shit would have hit the fan harder. Groaning in pain, he sat down in his little hideout, a small shack near the docks that he had looked to buy without saying anything to that damn bastard of a friend he got. It was a nice place to have his usual fishing equipment sent to so he could enjoy his favorite hobby even here, and he could now use it as a means to just sit down, patch himself and plan how to screw the crazy bitch herself before she screwed him into an early grave.
"Master," Manannán hummed questioningly, the beautiful red-haired woman which was being used to channel his divine ancestor's soul sounding nervous. "Are you sure we should really contemplate an alliance?"
He snorted. "Lone wolves get eaten in this War, Lancer. And if that idiot Ninsuna wants you as her Servant too, then she knows that creepy priest she got isn't going to win her the Grail."
"So... you think that a single Servant can't win the war?"
"It's possible," Setanta conceded. "But we are talking about the chance of having Berserker and other dangerous Servants killed off early on. And this whole War- I don't feel I need to win it."
"Your wish-" Lancer argued, but her Master scoffed.
"I don't need it to happen through the Grail. I was already good at digging what my ancestor had left behind of Scathach's gifts, so I think I am at a good point to know where to find the lance," The man lamented. "Still... this thing you said about Saber, how his sword reminded you of him... are you sure?"
"To a degree, he holds similar moves. He isn't outright a disciple of Scathach, but some of his pace is quite memorable and inspired from Scathach's own style."
Setanta grinned. "Then we could approach him and his Master. I am sure they will-"
"Master, I come from trying to kill the girl that was his Master. I doubt an alliance could be made."
"Bah! Don't be so pessimistic, Manannán!" Setanta rebuked. "I bet if I apologize nicely, bring them a nice fish and offer them a good recipe to cook it, we can make some peace. Trust me, I know what I am doing."
'Trust me, I know what I am doing.'
That sentence was something he used when she had first mentioned how suspicious this friend of his was and how it was best to not be too trusting of her. Then things came close to killing him and now he sought to make peace with a potential foe.
She could only shake her head, knowing that this moron... was indeed her son's descendant for sure.
-d-d-d-d-
AN
There's much to say, and much to think. Especially when I left a couple of hints about a specific character to worry about, and... next time there will be a school-related chapter. Two Servants will be introduced but... I will not tell you which one is which. Have fun deciphering the plotting unfolding within the war~.
P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c
Also, Saber Servant Card:
Name: Joseph (Bukharin) of Britannia
Type: Servant
AKA: The Eternal Roman Emperor, the King of Britannia, Bringer of Eternal Peace
Class: Saber
Alignment: Neutral
Master: Artoria 'Ria' Pendragon (Current);
Traits: Humanoid, Male, Guns, Death, Britannian, Roman, Christian. Weak to Magic Attacks.
Bio: King Joseph of Britannia, formerly Joseph Bukharin, is the king of a timeline similar to the standard Fate Stay Night one, but with major differences tied to the History of Britain or 'Britannia'. Summoned by a group of local Magi in Londinium before its fall, Joseph led the defense and the ensuing effort to destroy the Germanic invaders. Forging an alliance with King Arthur and capturing Morgan le Fay, King Joseph unified Britain and Ireland together with his 'brother' before turning his attention to Europe. With an alliance formed by numerous Christian Kings, Italy was freed by Odoacer's influence and a Roman Federation was created. His feats are incredible and many, but this version of him represents the warrior side of his legend. A man's mind and soul filled to the brim with experience and readiness for the most horrible of situations tied to the battlefield. A miracle-maker, a family man, he has an intimate tie with his current Master's counterpart.
Stats:
Strength: A
Endurance: B
Agility: B+
Mana: B
Luck: B+
Personal Skills:
Charisma: A (Leading most of the world through loyal allies and members of his family for centuries, Joseph is considered one of the most charismatic figures in medieval and modern history.)
Primordial Rune: - (Having studied under Scathach, Joseph received proper education and proper material to employ runes from Scandinavia, known to be powerful and considered Scandinavian Magical Crests due to their power hailing from the Age of Gods)
Imperial Privilege: A+ (Despite the context of the Roman Federation, Joseph was crowned by many, even his staunchest opponent as a true Roman Emperor. A true Crystallization of his Might as an Imperial Figure).
Class Skills:
Riding: A
Brynhildr's Beloved
Independent Action: B
Noble Phantasm:
Name: Aurea Mors, the Blade of Death that Shines of True Hope
Rank: A+
Classification: Anti-Army/Anti-Fortress
Description: A blade said to be close to rival Excalibur in might, Aurea Mors is the union between fragments of Gae Bolg, Caliburn, and Crocea Mors. An Imperial Sword and a Spear meant to kill absolutely, the finalization of Absolute Demand from an Imperial Will to succeed in battles, together with a blade meant to dignify a monarch's reign and legitimacy. Unleash a beam of light born from the concentration of its user's energy into a powerful concept of 'Death', 'Reclamation', and 'Unyielding Victory'.
REVIEW Q&A!
Guest (Chapter 1): Sakura's Servant is actually not what I would call a 'Pure Servant'.
Guest 2 (Chapter 1): Oh, I have something in mind about Caster and the two Assassins. It's going to be a bit of a stretch, but it's just to avoid any awkward OC-Servant making.