Chapter 4: First Contact
Written and Edited by: Ethorthebayleef and MSLMGamer
"You all better get stronger or else next time, you're all going to die by my hands before Aizen can even think about fighting you!" said Grimmjow
Tosen opened a Garganta behind them and both of them walked through it as soon as it was opened, only for it to close down upon them like a mouth swallowing food. Shirou runs to Archer as everyone else is in shock at what happened these past few minutes.
"Well, that was something huh Archer?" Lancer said as he smirked at the struggling servant.
"Can it Lancer," Archer said in contempt.
"Would anyone care to explain what the hell is going on?!" Rin asked.
"I would also like an explanation. Ichigo Kurosaki, was it? Tell me everything you know." Kirei says walking towards the fallen soul reaper.
Ichigo struggles to get up, hands over his face as if to hide something. Kirei and Rin notice a swelling energy around Ichigo just waiting to explode before a white-haired man appears behind Ichigo and puts his hand on his shoulder. The energy dissipates and Ichigo seems to be back to normal, at least normal to everyone else in the room.
"That was quite a spectacle wasn't it?" said the white-haired man as he helped Ichigo back on his feet.
"Who're you? You a friend of Ichigo's?" asks Shirou.
"I guess I should introduce myself. My name is Jushiro Ukitake, captain of squad 13 of the Gotei 13. I'm just here to pick up Ichigo and head on back to the Soul Society."
"Soul Society? What is a Soul Society?" Shirou asks, understandably confused.
Ukitake, thinking it through, decides to explain, "The Soul Society is the home of the soul reaper, that's what me and Kurosaki are. We are the souls of those who passed long ago that help other souls pass on. The monsters around this area are Hollows, souls who have not moved on and were sadly turned into hideous creatures solely bent on mass destruction. Our job is to take them out to ensure souls can pass on safely."
Shirou is inspired by this, seeing them as heroes of the underworld essentially. Archer notices this immediately and just sighs.
"So what exactly is that Grimmjow person? A rogue soul reaper?" Lancer asks.
Ukitake nods, "No, he is not one of us. He is a dangerous enemy that you all should stay away from."
"I'm sorry to say but we can't do that. Aizen has the grail and because of that we are forced to step in." says an unwavering Shirou.
Ukitake sternly looks toward Shirou and explains, "Look kid I get you want to help and I'd be happy if you could lend a hand but you saw what happened with Grimmjow. None of you stand a chance against him, I don't want any of you to die. I'm sorry but I can't allow you to get involved in this situation any further."
With that being said Ukitake and Ichigo make their leave, with everyone else in confusion and disbelief. Shirou clenches his fist, Kirei starts pondering the situation and what to do next, Rin goes to comfort Shirou and Archer, and Lancer and Saber just watch everyone ponder these past events.
"I don't like just sitting here as things progress further with the grail being misused," Saber said.
"I get ya but what are we supposed to do? We don't even know where they went or even where the grail is." Lancer responds.
Saber then realized something important. If the grail has been used up then why were they still around? Once the grail is used the war ends and the servants disappear, waiting to be summoned again yet they remain in the world. As she thinks about this further Kirei walks over to Shirou and Rin to explain to them his plan.
"I know I shouldn't have to say this but we need to form a truce to get the grail back."
Rin and Shirou both nod in agreement despite them not wanting to do anything involving him.
"So what exactly is your plan?" Rin asks angrily.
"We just have to find out where the grail and by extension, Sosuke Aizen are. The only problem is where would we even begin to look."
"Maybe we should get back in contact with that Ichigo person. He seems to be a teenager, around Shirou and Rin's age." Saber says.
"So you're suggesting he's a classmate of theirs?" Lancer asks.
Kirei shakes his head and says, "Not likely since they don't know him. However, your idea of him being their age is helpful. All we have to do is search the school records of every school until we find him."
"That would take a while but I don't see any other options," Archer said as he got enough strength to walk on his own.
"I'll contact Rin if I find anything. Good luck on your end." Kirei quickly said before leaving immediately to start his search.
"So Lancer, are you going to be following your master?" Rin asked as Lancer stayed behind.
"Nah I'm gonna stick around with you guys. He never said I needed to go with him to search." Lancer said, winking at Rin to Shirou's dismay.
Everyone decides to head back to Rin's house to come up with a plan of their own in the event Kirei double-crosses them. Shirou and Archer decide to head to his house to tell Taiga everything that's been going on. They open the door to see Taiga cooking and she happily greets them and offers them dinner. Archer looks around and notices a gun barrel pointed towards Shirou before blitzing and kicking the gunman through the wall. Shirou and Taiga run towards the hole in the wall to see Archer and a hooded figure square off. The figure wears a red hood that covers his eyes with wraps around his mouth and nose, gray body armor, and is armed with an older-looking pistol, a submachine gun, and a knife. The hooded man shoots Archer with the SMG but Archer dodges and tries to slash him but the man blocks the slash with his knife before both of them jump away from each other.
"That's enough!" Taiga screams as the two are still going at it. "Fine then, I guess I'll use this."
She takes off her left oven mitt to reveal her command seals and is about to use one but the figure stops fighting so she won't use a seal.
"WAIT YOU HAVE COMMAND SEALS?!" screamed both Shirou and Archer in unison.
After everyone is calm Taiga explains everything she knows, she passed out on her way home, then woke up in her bed with the Assassin servant standing beside her. Shirou is still in a lot of shock that Taiga is a master while Archer and Assassin stare each other down, not looking away for a second. As they're talking a loud thunder-like sound is heard at the front door, Archer and Assassin pull out their ranged weapons in unison and jump up to the roof to investigate. Shirou and Taiga run to the front to see a chariot with two armored bulls, a giant hulking man with red hair, and a skinny man in a suit and a red coat.
"I'm sorry for the loud arrival but my name is Waver Velvet. I'm looking for Kiritsugu Emiya."
Taiga and Shirou look at each other with slight sadness before Shirou says, "Kiritsugu Emiya passed away years ago but I'm his son, Shirou Emiya. What do you want with my father?"
Velvet thinks for a bit then explains, "I was just coming to see if Kiritsugu had also summoned Saber again. It seems the grail wars are starting to happen more often than usual lately. I didn't even realize the fifth one ended."
"In all honesty neither did we. We've got some information but it'd probably be better if I got everyone else here as well." Shirou explained.
Velvet nods, "That'll be perfect, come on Iskandar. Let's wait for his comrades to arrive."
Iskandar gets out of his chariot and walks inside. "Sure is a nice little place you got here! A bit too small for my liking but it works!"
As Rin, Saber, and Lancer head over, Shirou explains everything he can to the two and they also explain who they are in further detail. Iskandar is the King of Conquerors and is classed as the Rider Servant and Waver Velvet, also known as Lord El-Melloi the Second, a well-known lecturer in the Clock Tower. When they arrived Rin was in awe, Saber was shocked and happy to see Rider and Velvet again, and Lancer focused on both Rider and Assassin before Archer explained everything to him.
"Ok I get what's going on now and we're in. I kinda owe your father for stopping the fourth war so that'll be our way of returning the favor." Velvet said as Rider laughed.
"Don't worry, we'll make sure everything goes according to the plan! With the great Iskandar leading us, VICTORY IS ASSURED!"
Saber chuckles as everyone else just stares at him in confusion. Shirou walks to his shed for a minute and the door closes behind him, revealing a cloaked man standing there. Shirou panics and projects Kanshou and Bakuya but the man calms him down and lowers his hood, revealing a scruffy man with a green and white striped hat.
"I know how you are so I'm gonna get straight to the point. My name is Kisuke Urahara and I can help you guys get your grail back."
"Who are you, are you another one of those soul reaper guys?" Shirou asks with his blades at the ready.
"Yes I'm a soul reaper and I don't have time to explain much but I can tell that you want to help. Meet me in Karakura Town within the next week and I'll help you. You'll be looking for an old candy shop."
"Wait, I've got some questions for you if you don't mind," Shirou says, calming down.
Urahara sighs, "Ok you get two."
"Why did Aizen want the Holy Grail in the first place?"
Urahara shrugs, "I've been keeping a lot of tabs on Aizen and even I don't know, I found out a few months ago but never knew the exact reason as to why."
Shirou sighs then asks, "Alright then what do you know about Aizen? What should we expect to fight?"
"I said two questions not three so I can't answer the last one but I know a lot about him. He's super powerful and cunning with a sword that can put anyone he wants in an almost unbreakable illusion. He'll do anything and sacrifice anyone and anything for his ambitions."
"Didn't you just answer both questions anyway?" Shirou asks.
Urahara sighs, "That's not important, kid. Here, take this card, it'll give you the direct address to my shop. Don't keep me waiting too long or I'll leave you all behind."
After saying that he vanishes and leaves a confused but determined Shirou. He walks back to everyone and explains everything he just experienced. Shirou and Rin decide to leave Kirei out of the loop in case he decides to betray them. They can't decide how to get there since Rider's chariot and Taiga's scooter can't fit all of them so Rin and Taiga go to a car dealership to buy some more vehicles. As everyone waits for their return they see a giant RV pull up to Shirou's house, Rin exits the vehicle looking pissed off and Taiga does a little dance.
"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, HERE'S OUR NEW SWEET RIDE!"