Chapter 2: A Busy Morning
AN: Hey guys back with the next chapter aka the chapter where our protagonist figures out just how much deep shit he's in and even a few more important things. Also, I decided to change the chapter title to a more fitting one and save the old one for another chapter. Nothing else to say so let's get into the chapter.
Bold=Author
Italics=Thinking
Regular=Speaking
Disclaimer: I don't own anything in this fic except my OC and the story behind it. Everything else belongs to their respective creators and companies.
"So…" Jaden said as the three sat at the table Jaden on one side with Saber and Archer sitting in chairs in front of him. He had washed off the blood and removed his jacket revealing the bandages on his arm. "...Um first off what exactly are you?"
"Wow rude." Saber commented, giving a playful glare.
"Wait, I didn't mean it like that." Jaden apologized and upon getting a giggle from the girl he realized she was messing with him before continuing. "What I mean is you guys aren't familiars right?"
"We are but we are of the highest rank." Archer said. "More specifically we are Servants or rather Heroic Spirits"
"Heroic Spirits?" Jaden asked.
"We're basically manifestations of heroes or famous people in legends and stuff real or not so long as they're famous really." Saber explained.
"Wait, so people like King Arthur and Hercules?" Jaden asked.
"Yes. We're summoned via the Holy Grail to fight in the Holy Grail War." Archer said.
"Wait as in THE Holy Grail?" Jaden asked, stunned.
"Yep. We're fighting for it so it can grant us a wish." Saber explained.
"Wait a wish?" Jaden asked in shock.
"Yep. Any wish. In other words, enough motivation for pretty much anybody to fight in it." Saber said and he was stunned. This Grail could grant any wish? He considered it but then remembered something Saber said shortly after the ninja woman ran off.
"Wait...Didn't you say something about a battle to the death earlier?" Jaden asked.
"That is the case. In order for a Master and their Servants to acquire the Grail, all other Servants must be killed." Archer explained.
"Wait, just Servants?" Jaden asked, a little relieved.
"Yes, however, one method to eliminate Servants is to kill their Master which cuts off the supply of mana you provide for us which will cause us to disappear unless we find a way to gather it or find a new Master to replace you. This can also be done in the event an enemy Servant is too strong for your Servant to defeat." Archer explained. "Even if the Master's Servants were defeated it's likely they will still be killed as they could potentially get a new Servant."
"In other words, Masters are all in serious danger as they are massive targets and can't hope to stop a Servant." Saber explained.
"Oh...That's...Unsettling." Jaden muttered feeling uncomfortable at what she was spelling out clearly. He was at serious risk of dying, in fact, he already came close today. He was only alive tonight due to that woman's Master letting their hatred of him surpass basic strategy or eliminating a Master before they could even summon a Servant. "So, um...Let's move past that for now so I can process that for a bit...So, you two are famous figures in myths and stuff right?"
"Yep." Saber answered and Archer nodded.
"So, um...Who exactly?" Jaden asked and the two fell silent. Archer with a stern look on her face and Saber's being more apologetic. "What?"
"Servants like to keep their identities hidden because if our enemies find out our legends it could reveal our abilities and weaknesses. We also prefer to reveal our identities to Masters we can...Trust." Archer explained and Jaden fell silent understanding what they meant.
"Sorry it's just you don't exactly seem to be a very...Experienced mage and you don't seem capable of protecting your mind against probing or something like that." Saber said.
"That's pretty air. I've been practicing for about five years now but I still need to improve." Jaden admitted. "Fine. I won't push that at all. I'll just wait till you guys decide to tell me."
"Thanks for being understanding about this." Saber said with a happy smile. Archer also looked rather pleased with that.
"Seems he's capable of respecting others wishes." She thought to herself but decided to just be forward with something because while she didn't dislike him she was aware he damaged her chances at securing the Grail due to his clear inexperience. "Master."
"Huh? Oh what is it Archer?" He asked.
"Do you truly wish to serve as a Master during all this? If not then you should consider ending your contract with us." Archer said.
"Why are you asking that?" Saber asked, confused.
"If he feels participating in something as dangerous as this is too much for him to handle then it's best he exits this war before he gets himself too involved." Archer stated.
"How would I even just drop out of this?" Jaden asked.
"Simple. Find the mediator for this war and they'll find another Master to take us, take your seals and provide shelter for you until this is all over...Or you can simply use your Command Seals on us instead of allowing another Master to take us." She said gesturing to the red marks on his hand which he looked at seeing what appeared to be a red tattoo. There were six markings and they appeared to form a katana and bow crossed against each other.
"Those markings give you the ability to give six absolute orders to us that we must follow. Typically you only get three but double the Servants equals double the seals." Saber said. "They can even be used to make us stronger for a short amount of time or to bring us to you should you be separated from us." Saber looked reluctant but added one last thing. "Or can be used to make us kill ourselves." That caused Jaden to look shocked.
"What?! That's messed up!" Jaden exclaimed, surprising the two. "There's no way I can just make someone kill themselves especially when it's thanks to them I'm still alive."
"Then if you wish to drop out it's best you find the mediator." Archer said, hiding her surprise at the idea of a mage with morals.
"...So if I did they'd keep me safe?" Jaden asked.
"They should." Saber answered a bit nervously.
"...I don't think I'm gonna do that." Jaden said surprising them yet again. "I don't like the idea of trusting some random person to protect me against a bunch of superhumans especially when there are two of them with me." Jaden said. "Plus I have responsibilities. Most notably my little sister."
"Little sister? How old is she?" Archer asked, curious.
"She turns eight today." Jaden answered and Archer fell silent.
"He's responsible for someone so young." Archer thought to herself and studied him.
"So, yeah. I can't get stuck somewhere else and leave my sister with my neighbor or other family members." Jaden said. Plus there was something else bothering him about this. His parents must have known what this ritual did...Why did they want him to participate in a situation like this?
"Where is this sister?" Archer asked and snapped him out of his thinking.
"With a friend of hers. She wanted to stay the night but she'll be back in the afternoon. I'm taking her out with a couple of visiting family members for her birthday." Jaden answered.
"Well I look forward to meeting her." Saber said cheerfully.
"Indeed." Archer said with a smile which and he noticed that was the first smile he'd seen from her and it was rather cute.
"Alright, so is there anything else I need to know about?" Jaden asked. "Like is there something I should know about you guys?"
"Yes. As Servants, we need a steady supply of mana to fight that you provide for us, however, supporting two Servants would be impossible for the average mage and even for above-average ones so the Grail is providing extra mana to us to make these special rules possible." Archer explained. "However, this merely keeps us from draining you of all your mana."
"That's good. From what I know that'd kill you." Jaden said.
"Yep but that doesn't mean you're safe. When we use our stronger abilities it'll drain you for sure." Saber said. "It won't like drain you to death more like to the point you'd have to stay in bed to recover."
"Thanks for the heads up." Jaden said a bit unnerved. "Now, what about this whole name thing? Archer and Saber aren't your real names right?"
"No. Those are our class names." Archer said. "There are seven standard ones. You've already seen three so far. There are three knight classes: Saber, Archer, and Lancer. Saber's are master swordsmen, Archer's are those skilled in projectile weapons not just limited to bows, and Lancers specialize in spears or lancers."
"Then there are the cavalry classes. Rider, Caster, Assassin, and Berserker. Riders are those who specialize in mounts like horses, Caster's are those who were powerful mages, sorcerers or summoners. Then there's Assassin which you encountered. They're typically those who specialized in assassination like poisoning. Then there are Berserkers who are typically Heroic Spirits who went insane or lashed out in blind fury." Saber explained. "There's a lot more to it but it's pretty late and you look tired."
"Yeah I am." He said in agreement biting back a yawn as they stood up from their chairs. "Do you guys need sleep?" Jaden asked.
"No, but sleeping can reduce energy consumption so it wouldn't be a bad idea especially as we're unable to enter our spirit forms." Archer said and seeing Jaden's confused face elaborated. "Ordinarily we'd be able to dematerialize at will to avoid attention and conserve mana. One of the drawbacks of you having more than one Servant is that we're unable to do that."
"So, getting you guys some regular clothes to blend in wouldn't be a bad idea?" Jaden asked.
"Nope." Saber said a little excited at the idea of going shopping for clothes.
"I suppose it'd be a good idea." Archer said though she was not particularly interested.
"Although…" Jaden trailed off staring at Archer's ears and tail. She noticed his stare and understood what he was referring to.
"I am unable to cause these to disappear. Hiding my tail is easy but we'll need to find something for my ears." Archer explained. "Do they bother you?" She asked her tone a little dangerous.
"Not at all. They look cute, to be honest." Jaden answered and Archer nodded shrugging off the compliment. Saber narrowed her eyes at that in jealousy before speaking up.
"Hey Master do you think I'd look cute with animal ears and a tail?" Saber asked drawing his attention and he looked at her imagining her with animal ears and a tail.
"Yeah, I'd say so." Jaden answered and then to his surprise, with an almost comical popping sound a pair of fox ears appeared on her head along with a tail both the same color as her hair. "What?"
"Ah there we go." Saber said as she pulled a small handheld mirror out of her purse and checked herself out before nodding with a grin. "Yep, I look totes cute. I thought about going cat girl too but fox girls are better."
"Um, what?" Jaden asked in confusion.
"Hmm? Oh, this is one of my skills. I can alter my appearance." Saber explained before walking closer to him until she was a few inches away. "So, how about it Master? Do I look cute?" She asked with a teasing smile that was quite effective as he was blushing. She also leaned forward giving him a view of her cleavage which also deepened his blush as he noticed her chest was on the larger side.
"Y-Yeah you look really cute." Jaden answered, causing Saber to smile.
"Thanks Master." She said with a bright smile that he found hard to look at due to how bright it seemed. Archer rolled her eyes at the exchange
"R-Right so come on." Jaden said calming himself before leading them up the stairs and down the hallway until he reached the end. He gestured to two rooms opposite each other. "These are our two guest rooms. You guys pick which ones you want. I'm gonna get to bed." He said stifling a yawn before walking back down the hall into his room and entering it. The two looked at each other as the door closed before Saber spoke.
"So, what do you think of him?" Saber asked.
"He seems rather incompetent but more remains to be seen from him. I will admit I do appreciate him respecting our desire to hide our identity." Archer said.
"Well, I like him. He's nice and pretty cute." Saber said with a smile. "Plus he seems to be smart as well."
"As I said more remains to be seen. Keep in mind being nice or cute won't help us achieve victory in this war. A good heart could easily be manipulated by the wicked. I'll be on the roof to keep an eye out." Archer said before turning around and walking to a window she opened and hopped out of to get on the roof of the house. Saber walked over and shut the window contemplating her words.
"You're not wrong but this guy has something special to him." Saber muttered glancing at his door before entering the guest room.
A Few Hours Later: 9 AM
RING RING RING
"Shut up." Jaden muttered, turning off the alarm and he sat up and stretched. He got up from the bed and yawned as he walked to the dresser and got some clothes before heading to his bathroom to shower.
Several Minutes Later
"Oh, morning Master." Saber said as Jaden came down the stairs dressed in a red shirt under a black jacket with sleeves that went up to his fingers to hide his Seals and jeans with white shoes. She was watching the TV in the living room and he noticed it was a high school drama thing. Honestly, it was rather weird to him that Saber seemed like a modern girl. Archer gave off this almost noble like aura but Saber just seemed like a normal girl. Apart from the fact she can change how she wants to look at will but that's beside the point.
"Morning. Where's Archer?" Jaden asked.
"Roof. She took a couple apples from the fridge and went up there to keep an eye out." Saber answered.
"Do you guys need to eat?" Jaden asked.
"It's the same thing as sleep. We don't need to but it helps out." Saber said. "Of course it doesn't mean we can't eat to enjoy it."
"Alright. I'm not a particularly good cook but I can make something." Jaden said. "Or we can grab some stuff to eat later. I was thinking of taking you guys out to get some clothes to wear." This caused Saber's eyes to sparkle.
"Really when?" Saber asked.
"Soon if you two are willing to go." Jaden asked before they heard the sounds of footsteps and Archer came walking down the stairs. "Morning Archer."
"Good morning." Archer answered as she tossed two apple cores into a trash can. "I heard what you said. I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea. Plus we could grow familiar with the area."
"Alright." Jaden said before pausing as he looked at the two. "Actually this could be rough. Archer's outfit will draw a lot of attention on top of her ears and tail. Saber could get by if she makes her ears and tail disappear and while her clothes would draw some attention they'll ultimately dismiss it."
"That's a good point." Saber said, nodding her head. "Hmm...Archer, you can keep up with a car right?"
"I find it insulting that you considered the possibility I couldn't." Archer said, glaring at the girl who raised her hands in an apologetic manner.
"Sorry just checking no need to get mad." Saber apologized. "Anyways, how about you follow us along rooftops and stuff? That way you can keep watch in case a Master decides to get reckless and have their Servant attack us."
"Very well. I could get a better view around the city this way." Archer said.
"Perfect. Now come on." Saber said, grabbing Archer by the hand.
"What for?" She asked as she was dragged away.
"Check your size duh. Unless you'd prefer Master see you without clothes on." Saber said and Archer glanced at Jaden before nodding in agreement and entered the bathroom.
"Saber's...Enthusiastic." Jaden muttered as he switched off the TV.
A Few Minutes Later
"Kay we're done Master." Saber said exiting the bathroom with Archer who looked a tad uncomfortable and shifted her clothes a tad leaving him curious about what Saber did exactly. "We gonna leave now?"
"Yeah. I want to get this done before my sister comes back." Jaden said as he led them outside and locked the door behind them with Saber's ears and tail disappearing with a pop.
"I'll be watching from above." Archer said and sprinted off before hopping onto a house where she waited in barely two seconds.
"Wow she's fast...And why do I get the feeling that wasn't as fast as she can go." Jaden muttered as he and Saber entered the car.
"Servants can go way faster than that." Saber confirmed as he started the car and put his seatbelt on with her doing the same. Jaden backed up and drove down the street with Archer following the car. "So, where are we heading?"
"The mall. It's early so not many people will be there. Still gonna be a lot though." Jaden answered and Saber once again looked excited. "You seem really excited."
"Yeah, I mean…" She gave him a smile. "This is pretty much a date after all." That caused him to fall silent. A guy and a girl heading to the mall, the guy getting her clothes, and grabbing something to eat together did sound like a date. Thinking back on it he did have a similar date like that in the past.
"I mean, I guess you could call it that if you want but it's not really one plus Archer's gonna be watching." Jaden said, trying to hide his embarrassment.
"But she isn't here. What are you complaining about the idea of being on a date with a cute girl?" Saber asked with a saddened tone.
"N-No, it's just I don't really know you all that well." Jaden muttered. To be honest, in any other situation he'd be excited to be on a date with someone as attractive as Saber. Unfortunately, the idea that he was in a life or death game kind of hurt that.
"Well, you can use this as your chance to get to know me more." Saber said.
"Fair point but let's just call what we're two new friends hanging out okay?" He asked.
"Fine." She said with a pout. "By the way you have family coming for your sister's birthday right?"
"Yeah." Jaden asked.
"How will you explain us? I mean we'll be living with you." Saber questioned.
"Easy. You guys are friends of mine who were roommates but you guys needed a place to live for the time being due to complications in your apartment so I offered to let you guys stay with us." Jaden explained.
"Not bad. Despite you not knowing about the war you seem pretty quick thinking." Saber said complimenting the teen.
"I do know about magecraft stuff and the whole secrecy behind it plus I'd like to think I'm smart." Jaden replied as they continued to drive along talking. Archer kept pace with the car trying not to completely outpace them. She also made sure to keep an eye out though she doubted anybody would attack them as they were in broad daylight and entering a crowded part of the city.
Several Minutes Later
"Wow, this mall is big." Saber said her eyes sparkling as the two entered the mall which had quite the amount of people. Her outfit was gaining a few looks every now and then but people paid her no mind at least until a few people around Jaden's age started to stare at Saber realizing she was quite attractive and some even giving the Master jealous looks.
"Let's get going. There's a lot of places to check out around here." Jaden said and she followed him glancing around at clothing stores trying to find one she liked.
On the Roof
"If they head into a store I won't be able to keep an eye on them." Archer muttered looking in from the glass ceiling. Her ears then perked up and she spun around pulling an arrow back aiming at seemingly nothing until a voice spoke up.
"Fear not devout follower of Artemis." A kind warm voice said and a woman appeared as if fading into existence. She had blue eyes and long purple hair, reaching below her waist, with a white, golden-frilled, short veil around her head. She also wore a pair of blue earrings on each ear. A short, blue cloak was draped over her shoulders and was connected to a red collar. She wore a one-piece, white dress with red trimmings, with wide sleeves, revealing its interior gray colors and rose-vine pattern. The dress was low cut, with an exposed trim-like section down the middle all the way down to her navel. The skirt was split apart in two points, exposing her legs. A black belt was tied around her waist, connected to a golden ornament by the right hip, which drapes over the remainder of the belt all the way down to her ankles. She also wore blue stockings, a set of green and golden gauntlets and grieves, and high-heeled sandals. She also wielded a large staff with a golden pole that had pink stripes and a purple and silver cross on top.
"You know of my identity?" Archer said not lowering her bow in the slightest.
"I am the Ruler Class Servant after all. Saint Martha." She said curtseying in an elegant manner. "Please, lower your weapon. I am merely here to speak." Archer stared the woman down before lowering her bow. "Thank you. I am here to give a message to you for your Master nothing more."
"Very well." Archer said.
"I wish for him to come to the Central Christian Church to confirm his status as Master and answer any questions he may have." Martha said and Archer stared her down trying to discern deceit but her words were honest and genuine.
"Very well. I will inform him when he is finished with his business." Archer said.
"Thank you very much. I will take my leave." She said curtseying once more before disappearing.
"...She certainly gives the feeling of a saint." Archer muttered before looking back down to see the two enter a clothing store or rather Saber dragging Jaden into it. "Why does he seem embarrassed?" She wondered.
Back With The Pair
"Come on Ma-Jaden." Saber corrected herself quickly as there were other people around.
"You don't have to pull me Saber." Jaden said a little embarrassed as they were getting a lot of stares.
"Maybe so but I want to." Saber said, giving him a wink. "Besides, you think I'm cute right? You must be a little happy to hold my hand."
"...I can't deny that." He muttered causing her to grin as they entered a store which he immediately noticed was full of women who immediately glanced at him. "Um, you sure you want to come here?"
"Totes sure. The clothes here are cute." Saber said letting go of his hand to browse through the clothes. Jaden took a sneaking glance at the price tags while Saber checked over clothes.
"Not particularly expensive. This should be fine." Jaden thought to himself and looked at Saber who seemed pretty happy as she looked over the clothes. Again it struck him as weird that someone who's supposed to be a famous figure from the past was acting like a normal girl and speaking fluent English. Though he figured it'd be much harder to talk to her if she acted all dignified and stuff like that.
"Alright, I'm gonna go try a few things on Ma-Jaden." She said, correcting herself holding a few sets of clothes.
"Alright." Jaden said and Saber nodded before heading off to a changing room and he followed and paused outside of it as she entered and shut the door behind her. He sat down on a bench and began to wait and he heard humming to herself and the shifting of clothes as he did. He was aware of people occasionally glancing his way but he ignored them. "Alright...You're in the middle of a real-life Battle Royale game and you're currently shopping for clothes for two famous figures in history...God this is weird." He thought to himself before he heard the door open. "That was quick." He thought to himself and Saber exited the room. She was dressed in a red mini skirt similar to before but there were no slits and had a white top that was slightly low cut. Over the shirt she wore a red jacket. She still wore the socks and shoes from the previous outfit and she kept the band on her right arm. She looked pretty cute in it.
"What do ya think? This is a more Western spin on my other outfit." Saber asked.
"You look really good in it." Jaden answered.
"Thank you. I knew I looked good but it's nice to hear you say it." Saber said with a smile. "Now I have a couple more things to try. You don't mind waiting a little longer?"
"No. We still got a few hours before we need to head back." Jaden answered.
"Great." Saber said with a large grin and entered the changing room again.
Half An Hour Later
"You sure went through a lot of outfits and shoes." Jaden commented as they exited a shoe store with Saber wearing the first outfit she tried on and a few bags with clothes and shoes. Saber had tried on and went through almost fifteen different outfits and eventually settled on three and picked some clothes for Archer along with a couple of hats.
"Well, a girl's gotta look good." Saber said, smiling. "Now, what else should we do? We still have a while before we need to head back right?"
"Well, I skipped breakfast so grabbing some food sounds nice." Jaden replied. "Though we should take into consideration that Archer might not want to wait long."
"Hey, she was fine with keeping watch." Saber said with a pout.
"Yeah, for us to grab some clothes for you two. I doubt she'd want to wait too long watching us mess around the mall." Jaden said and Saber sighed. She saw his point but she wanted to spend more time with him.
"Fine. Let's go eat and we'll leave." Saber said and Jaden.
"Oh, by the way I was curious about something." Jaden said.
"What is it?" She asked.
"How are you able to speak English?" Jaden asked. "You're from the past right?"
"You can thank the Grail for that. It gives us what we need to be able to blend in with others. Like the main language of the place we're in." Saber explained.
"That's good. If you two spoke Japanese or any other language there'd be some problems for sure." Jaden said.
"Yeah, that'd be more than a bit annoying." Saber said in agreement.
"Is there anything else you guys can do?" Jaden asked.
"Hmm...Well there's our Noble Phantasms." Saber said and he looked confused.
"Your what?" He asked.
"Noble Phantasms. Think of them like a special move in a fighting game. They can be a powerful technique, weapon or object in general or even an ultra-powerful attack." Suzuka explained. "There's more to it but that sums it up in a simple manner."
"I get it. Do you have just one?" Jaden asked.
"Nope. Some Servants can have multiple. For the record I'm one of those Servants." She said with a smug smile.
"From the sounds of it I got lucky to summon you then huh? I'm looking forward to seeing what you can do Saber." He said, giving her a smile that caused her cheek to redden and she began to look a little bashful. That caused Jaden to almost smirk. "So, she's all offense but little defense when it comes to teasing."
"Oh, thank you. I look forward to showing you what I can do, Master." She said hiding her embarrassment with a smile as they arrived at the food court. "Do you like anything in particular here?"
"I just grab what I'm feeling at the time." Jaden answered. "You can pick."
"Really?" Saber exclaimed before looking around. "Hmm...That panda place looks good."
"Oh, yeah it's pretty good. Wanna try it out?" Jaden asked.
"Yep. Let's go." Saber said leading the way.
Meanwhile
"I thought they were only getting clothes." Archer said with a sigh as they walked to the place. "I suppose he did skip breakfast so it's understandable." She admitted and sighed as she watched them exit the place with their meals and the two began to eat. After several minutes of watching them pricked up this time sensing hostility and she flipped backward avoiding a spear thrust that nearly stabbed through her chest and landed on top of a small roof. She glanced over and saw a tall man dressed in a navy and brown gi with white cloth covering his face. He wielded a very long spear with a black staff and a large three-pointed spear point that glinted in the sun.
"Very good reactions." He commented.
"I am not foolish enough to not be on guard." She answered, drawing her bow back. She was at a disadvantage. While she wasn't weak up close she could hardly fight against like this. She needed to gain some distance.
"At ease. I merely wished to test you. My Master wishes to extend an invitation. They wish to meet them tomorrow in the park closest to your Master's home." The man explained. Archer narrowed her eyes at this completely untrusting of him and was preparing to fire an arrow when he shrugged. "Of course you don't have to. Merely an offering." He said before disappearing out of thin air and she felt his presence disappear.
"Is anybody else gonna ask me to deliver a message?" Archer grumbled in annoyance and looked back down to see the two throwing their food away. "Looks like they're ready to go."
Jaden and Saber
"You enjoy it?" Jaden asked.
"Yeah. It was pretty good." Saber replied as they exited the mall and walked to the car. She then noticed Archer on the roof making gestures to a small alley of sorts. "Master, Archer's signaling us."
"Huh?" He glanced up and saw her gestures. "Let's go then. Must be important if she's signaling us." Saber nodded and the two walked over and entered the alley and Archer hopped down landing gracefully in front of them.
"I was contacted by two Servants." Archer said and the two tensed. "The first we have no need to worry. It was the Ruler Class Servant and she merely wishes to confirm your entry." Saber looked relieved but Jaden was naturally confused.
"Ruler?" Jaden asked.
"A very special class. They can act as basically a referee and their job is to keep the Grail War on track and will step in if someone goes rogue. Rulers are Heroic Spirits who have no desire for the Grail. They are mostly Saint like figures like Jeanne D'Arc." Saber explained and Archer scowled feeling negative emotions towards that name for some reason before she spoke up to explain a bit more.
"They are also entirely neutral however if necessary they will engage and eliminate any who break the rules or risk exposing Magic to the world." Archer explained. "She wishes for you to head to a church called Central Christian Church."
"Ah I know the one." Jaden said nodding. "Alright, we can go. It shouldn't take long to get there."
"Also, an enemy Servant informed me their Master wishes to speak with you tomorrow at the park closest to your home." Archer said. "I personally don't recommend doing this."
"Yeah, that is totally suspicious." Saber said in agreement.
"Why would they want to see me anyway?" Jaden asked confused.
"Possibly to form an alliance. Having access to another ally to assist against enemies is a good advantage and it allows you a chance to view the capabilities of your allies and if you can beat them." Archer explained.
"Well, I'll think that over but first let's head over to the church. I'm pretty curious about this Ruler person." Jaden said.
"Alright, this time why don't you ride with us? More people are starting to come out and it'll be easier for you to get spotted." Saber suggested.
"I'll be fine. I'll simply speed up faster than they can process." Archer said and to prove her point she jumped up onto the roof so fast it looked like she straight up disappeared into thin air.
"The hell? Where'd she go?" Jaden exclaimed and Saber lightly pulled on his sleeve and pointed up. He looked up to see Archer sitting on the ledge with a small smirk. "...I am so in over my head with this aren't I?"
"Pretty much." Saber said, nodding before she patted his shoulder. "You'll be fine so long as you have us so don't worry."
"I guess. Let's get going." Jaden said and the two walked back to the car and soon were driving off with Archer following quickly.
1 Hour Later
"And we are here." Jaden muttered as he parked and turned off his car. He glanced over and saw Archer land gracefully on the roof of the large church. "God she is quick." He said as he and Saber exited the car and shut their door behind him. He locked it and the two began to walk towards it.
"Yep, I definitely can sense a Servant in there. Pretty strong too." Saber said as they arrived outside the door and he opened it and walked in but Saber didn't follow.
"Aren't you coming with?" Jaden asked.
"No. I'm gonna talk with Archer about something. You'll be fine. I doubt Ruler will let you get attacked on holy grounds like this." Saber said and jumped up quickly and landed on the roof and he nodded before walking in. He had been here before. It looked like a pretty standard church with rows of seats and a large place for the priest or whatever to speak. However, instead of a priest, he saw a woman that seemed to be waiting for him. She looked beautiful and gave off a calming aura.
"Hello, Jaden Riley. I am Saint Martha." She said, giving him an almost motherly smile. That stunned him as he recognized her but got over it upon remembering Archer and Saber's explanation about the class and it made sense that she'd fit the requirements.
"How do you know my name?" Jaden asked.
"When I spoke with your Archer I saw her connection with you. Something special for a Ruler Class Servant." She explained. "Your Saber and Archer are waiting outside?"
"Yes. She had to discuss something with Archer." Jaden said. "So, you wanted to confirm my status as a Master right?"
"Indeed. Show me the hand that was imprinted with the seals." She said and he raised his right hand. "Thank you. Now I ask, do you truly wish to participate in this war? You are aware of the potential consequences?"
"Death? Yeah, I'm aware. An assassin tried to kill me last night but thankfully I summoned my Servants before she could kill me." Jaden answered. "Besides, I want to participate for reasons of my own...One of which I think you can answer."
"How so?" She asked in a curious tone.
"Was there a previous war in this city?" Jaden asked.
"Yes, almost six years ago." She answered.
"...Did it have anything to do with that explosion that took 500 lives?" Jaden asked.
"...I'm afraid so." The woman answered. Jaden was completely silent and stayed like that for what felt like hours to him but in actuality, it was only a few seconds.
"Thank you for answering that." Jaden said respectfully, feeling almost sick. "I've gotta get going to prepare for my sister's birthday."
"Very well. Stay safe young Master." She said still giving off that warm motherly feeling he'd almost forgotten and just a bit it eased the sick feeling he had. He nodded and turned around walking to the door to leave.
Outside
"Oh, he's done talking with her." Saber said and hopped down landing next to her Master with Archer doing the same. She was about to speak with him but she felt an almost negative feeling from him. "Master, you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get to the house so I can get ready for my sister's birthday." Jaden said and walked off to the car. The two looked at each other curious about what seemed to be bothering him and Saber simply shrugged and walked after their Master while Archer jumped back onto the Church ready to follow the car.
1 And A Half Hours Later
"Master! Come look at Archer!" Saber called out from upstairs while Jaden was in the kitchen checking over arrangements.
"Coming." He called out and got up from the chair he was in and went upstairs to Saber's room. He knocked and the door opened revealing Saber who had her ears and tail back.
"Hey Master. Check her out." Saber said, gesturing to Archer. She was dressed in a verdant green sweater with a hood that was unzipped a bit revealing a matching top. She wore a black skirt that went to a little above her knees with her tail swaying slowly underneath the skirt. She also wore black tights with matching shoes. He had to admit she looked really good in the outfit and almost comfy looking and spoke up.
"Wow, that looks good on you Archer." Jaden commented.
"Thank you." She said simply.
"So, you like it Archer?" Saber asked.
"It's rather comfortable I suppose." She answered.
"How will you hide your tail by the way?" Jaden asked.
"I can simply wrap it around my leg." Archer answered and he took a small glance down.
"Not gonna lie she has nice legs." Jaden thought to himself but was snapped out of his slightly depraved thoughts when they heard knocking. "Who could be here?"
"I doubt it's the enemy.." Saber said and the three exited her room and walked downstairs with Archer pulling her hood up and wrapping her tail around her leg to conceal it while Saber's disappeared with a popping sound. The three walked downstairs with the two Servants heading into the kitchen to hide and Jaden unlocked the door and opened it and was immediately hugged around his knees by his sister.
"Hey sis welcome back." He said patting her on the head and looked up seeing Patricia. "Did she behave?"
"Yep. She was a little angel." Patricia said. "Well, I gotta get going. Maybe I'll see you soon." She said and walked away but not without a subtle glance at his hand. Jaden shut the door behind her and Mona stopped hugging his legs.
"You enjoy your time over there?" Jaden asked.
"Uh-huh. Me and Mari watched movies and their mom made Lasagna and it was so good." She said with a bright smile.
"Well, hope you're ready for more later." He said kneeling down and hugging her. "Happy Birthday Mona." Jaden said.
"Thank you." She said giggling. Meanwhile, in the kitchen the two Servants watched the exchange with both having a smile on their face.
"Aww, she's such a cutie." Saber cooed.
"Indeed." Archer said with a bright smile, surprising the girl.
"Wow, that's the most I've seen you smile." Saber commented.
"Seeing a happy child makes me happy." Archer said simply and the two turned their attention when Jaden spoke up.
"Alright, I need to introduce you to two people who will be staying with us for the time being." He said and led her into the kitchen.
"Who are they?" She asked, cocking her head to the side in curiosity.
"Hello, I'm Saber." Saber spoke up giving her a kind smile.
"I'm Archer." Archer said with a kind and warm tone.
"They're friends of mine. An accident happened in their apartment so they're staying with us for the time being." Jaden explained and she nodded.
"Okay. Hi, I'm Mona, it's nice to meet you." She said with an innocent smile. "You're both really pretty."
"Aww thank you." Saber said, resisting the urge to hug the small girl.
"Thank you for the compliment." Archer said feeling happy at the words. Jaden's phone rang and he glanced at it.
"I gotta take this really quick." Jaden said and walked off to the living room to answer it.
"So...Does one of you love my brother?" She asked and the two blinked in surprise.
"W-Why are you asking that Mona?" Archer asked a little flustered at the surprising question.
"Sometimes I see him with a really sad look on his face when he's alone and he thinks I'm not there. I think he's lonely so I want him to find someone he likes to not make him lonely. Plus he's like my dad at times so if he got a girlfriend it'd be like having a mom." Mona explained and the two Servants glanced at each other unsure how to answer this. Saber didn't particularly mind the idea at all but she wasn't sure if Jaden would be fine with it. Archer was in a particular predicament because while she didn't dislike him she was far from having feelings for him especially nowhere near enough to give up her chastity but she didn't want to say that because that would more than likely sadden Mona which she didn't want.
"Mona. Bad news." Jaden said walking over almost causing the two to let out sighs of relief. "Uncle Lars and Aunt Jasmine aren't gonna be able to make it. Their car broke down and they'll have to wait until it's fixed which'll take a couple of days apparently."
"What? I really wanted to see them." She said disappointed.
"I know, I'm sorry but they won't be able to make it." He apologized and looked over at the two Servants. "Hey since we still have two places to fill would you be fine with them coming along?"
"Really?" She asked looking at the two.
"Yeah, it'd be a shame to let those two reserved seats go to waste." Jaden said.
"I'm fine with that. I still wanna talk with them." Mona said brightly and looked at the two Servants. "Do you want to come along?"
"Of course. It'll be way more fun that staying here." Saber said.
"Indeed. It could be fun." Archer said warmly.
"Alright. We'll be leaving in a couple of hours so go get ready alright?" Jaden said.
"Okay." Mona said.
"If you want I can help you." Saber volunteered. "I'm pretty good with stuff like that."
"Okay." She said excitedly before looking at Archer. "What about you Archer?"
"I'd be willing to help. I may not be much help but I'd be willing. First, I need to discuss something with your brother." Archer said looking at him which confused the teen.
"Okay. Let's go Saber." Mona said, grabbing her hand and pulling the taller girl along leaving the two alone. Jaden looked at Archer and couldn't help but be a tad nervous at the woman who was studying him carefully almost as if he was prey.
"What's this about Archer?" Jaden asked, breaking the silence.
"If this is too personal then you don't have to answer. Did something happen to your parents?" Archer asked and Jaden fell silent. He figured one of them would probably ask about that. Thankfully it was something he could easily talk about.
"...They're dead. Nearly six years at this point." Jaden answered. "I was thirteen and Mona had just turned two a little over a week before it."
"...I'm sorry." Archer said apologetically.
"It's fine. I've had time to move on. Mona barely remembers them so she's hardly been affected by it which is more important." Jaden said.
"Have you been raising her by yourself all this time?" She asked.
"No for the previous five years we lived with our grandparents...Three years into that, however, our grandmother suffered a fatal heart attack, and two years after that a stroke took our grandfather. Since I was 18 I received the inheritance our parents left us along with our grandparent's inheritance which in total is a pretty substantial amount of money that'll be more then enough to last us for years. Of course, I still work but mostly so I don't rely entirely on it ad waste it" Jaden answered.
"So, the past year you've been taking care of her yourself?" She asked.
"My neighbor helps out with stuff like cooking and taught me a few things but for the most part, I've been looking after her myself." Jaden said. "It was rough but I've managed to get the hang of it."
"I'd say you've been doing a good job." Archer said remembering the genuinely happy look on her face. "She looks quite happy." Jaden smiled at that.
"Thank you. It makes me happy to hear people say that." Jaden said before he decided on something. "...Hey Archer?"
"Yes?" She asked.
"In this war...I know I'm your Master but I want you to provide absolute protection to Mona even prioritizing her over me." Jaden said shocking her. "I know it's quite the thing to ask of you but I won't be able to protect her...Not from Servants at the least. It infuriates me to no end that I'm unable to but it's the truth." Jaden said, his tone frustrated. "Please can you do this for me?"
"Very well. You have my word that if it comes to it I will do all I can to protect her. However, that does not mean you shouldn't be careful with your life. She clearly needs you." Archer said with a stern glare.
"I won't. I assure you I intend on surviving this. Thank you for agreeing to this." Jaden said and glanced to the stairs hearing Mona giggling. "You should head up. I'm gonna go practice my Magecraft downstairs...I'm gonna need it." She watched him turn around and away to the door that led to the basement and she contemplated her view on him.
"...I think I might have been wrong about you Jaden Riley." Archer muttered with a small smile as she walked up the stairs. "Perhaps we will be able to work together."
AN: Well that was a happy note to end on. Sort of. Took a little longer than expected to finish this but hey it's done.
Thanks to everyone who submitted an OC. I really appreciate it. Chapter four at minimum will be where submitted OCs make appearances
The next chapter will feature a big fight and give you an idea of what Jaden can do in a fight.
Speaking of him, I want to address a few things: He will not be OP. He won't be fighting head to head with Servants, he won't be able to beat powerful mages with ease, and you won't see him learning advanced Magecraft out of nowhere and using them perfectly. Of course, that doesn't mean he won't be able to fight against other mages he'll just be up for quite the challenge. Also, I assure you he won't be oblivious when it comes to love and stuff if I decide to go that route. Unlike others, he's lived a rough but ultimately normal life and wasn't caught up on trying to achieve some big ideal so he pursued normal things and will naturally have his moments where he checks his Servants out.
By the way, am I portraying Suzuka and Atalanta okay? I feel as if I'm doing a competent job at the very least. I may be having Atalanta begin to trust Jaden a tad early but I feel him having a younger sister would make her more inclined to trust him especially if she's well taken care of and loved. As for Suzuka the only tough part for her really is her manner of speaking. I'm not too sure how I should be writing her at times.
By the way, if anyone's interested I do play FGO both JP and NA. If you want my friend code for either I can provide it to you via PM. Also, started a new alt account on JP and my god the new player rewards are incredible.
Nothing else to say so let's do that review thing.
Please leave a review or PM me with your thoughts, ideas, and favorite parts. If you have any suggestions that I should use in this story feel free to suggest it. Any constructive criticism is appreciated but flames are not. Also, you guys can follow me on Twitter which is simply named SSJCFF for a heads up on the next chapter should be coming out or if there will be a delay. You can also use it to send pictures for your OCs should you wish to submit one.
Next Chapter: The War Truly Begins