Chapter 3: Calm Before The Storm
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The execution of Assassin had been witnessed by one more pair of eyes: those belonging to the master of the Tohsaka residence itself.
"Excellent," Tokiomi murmured pleased, eyes lingering through his office window on the area of his garden that now looked like someone had been dancing in a minefield. He lightly moved the wine glass in his hand, the red liquid swirling within, as his thoughts drifted around the displays of the powerful Servants at his disposal.
"A pitiful trifle to concern me with, Tokiomi." A proud voice sneered from behind him while green sparks danced in front of him.
Speak of the devil. The Master rose from his chair but kept his glass, looking between the Heroic Spirit duo fully materializing inside his office. To his left, Lancer X stood in front of a bookcase, left hand resting against her hip. To his right, Archer leaned with his arms crossed against the glass. Neither displayed any signs of even the slightest fatigue from their battle with the other Servant.
Tokiomi bowed with a smile towards the golden-armored Servant. "Forgive my bothering you, King of all kings," he spoke in his most deferential tone possible. Other Servants like Lancer X could be addressed casually, even ordered around with lesser worry of repercussion.
Not this one, though. "Gilgamesh, King of Heroes." Crimson eyes opened and peered towards the one that had summoned him.
"If I must be bothered with these farces of a battle," the eyes travelled past the one that summoned him and towards his ally, "then you would do well not to interfere, green mongrel."
"You needn't have bothered at all," Lancer X replied with nary a tremor in her voice or posture. She sauntered around to the other side of the desk, braid swaying against her back with each step, so both men could see her clearly. "I alone was sufficient for disabling Assassin. There was no need to risk exposure of your identity. And you didn't seem to have interest in stepping in, for that matter."
Archer frowned. "Do not presume you know my thoughts, woman. I do as I please, and watching you draw out that ridiculously one-sided battle was tedious." The frown turned to a half-smirk. "Though I suppose if you would dance so exquisitely for the worm, you might entertain me yet."
Her right hand drifted to where her weapon hung. "I would have believed one so illustriously famed as the 'King of Heroes' would have higher standards than such… earthly desires." His eyebrows furrowed but she didn't waver. "Life truly is full of disappointments."
Tokiomi lifted a hand and spoke quickly while maintaining his bow. "That is quite enough, Lancer X. It is not our place to question the true King's actions."
Her eyes narrowed at the outstretched left hand and the ornate red yin-yang symbol that adorned it: her Command Seals. The underlying message was clear. The Servant of the Spear took a step back and bowed her head in accordance with her Master's will. The Servant of the Bow scoffed in turn, his interest beginning to fade.
Tokiomi continued before an argument could break out. "Your performances tonight will prevent any fools from attacking this residence. And in time, we shall learn where our enemies are and hunt them down with the supreme lion among us."
Lancer X restrained herself from rolling her eyes at the obvious fawning while Archer simply huffed. "Very well. Then for now, I shall stave my boredom with a little walking around. This age interests me quite a bit."
"The modern world pleases you, then?"
"It disgusts me beyond words." Gilgamesh answered without hesitation.
Lancer X tilted her head towards him. "Already such a condemnation despite having walked on a single portion of it for a mere four days?"
"What I have seen and listened of its people suffices for my judgement." The Servant stepped away from the window. "The dogs today shame the proud people that served me simply by calling themselves of the same species." Something resembling fondness slipped into his tone. Both of the others started at the unexpected emotion from the haughty king, a tiny smile for a fraction of a moment as he recalled the citizens of his kingdom.
Then it was gone again, leaving only prideful detachment in its wake. "There are still ways for me to amuse myself, though." He cast a cold gaze towards his partner. "What matters most is determining if any treasures exist here worthy of joining my collection." The gaze shifted to their Master. "Should nothing in this world be found that I deem worthy, then there will be severe consequences for wasting my time with summoning me, Tokiomi."
"Do not worry," the confident human assured him. "The Holy Grail will most definitely match your standards, King of Heroes."
"I shall be the judge of that," Archer retorted as he began to walk away, armor clanking with each step. "I shall play along with your little games for now. Anything of value in this world is mine. Regardless of how magnificent this precious Grail of yours truly is, I won't let a pack of mongrels fight for it without my approval." He eyed Lancer X from the side with a sneer. "Even if some of them have stumbled here from gardens not the one I call mine."
Lancer X narrowed her hazel eyes at him but chose to keep quiet. She already knew that in a battle of sheer power, she wouldn't have a chance normally. And the arrogance wasn't quite like that of the brutish emperor she had known in life, full of hot bluster and self-assurance. It was much more… matter-of-fact. Like the things he said were solid rules of the universe. Like he wasn't interested in taking whatever he wanted whenever he pleased because it already belonged to him. It was unnerving, to say the least. But then, she understood how this sort of arrogance was reinforced. This was the second time she had witnessed his almighty Noble Phantasm, Gate of Babylon.
The tyrant king of Uruk, ancient Mesopotamia, the very first recorded hero in the history of this world's humanity. Thereby the greatest among the Throne of Heroes. The number of individuals that could rival him could be counted on the fingers of one hand, and whether or not they could actually surpass him was a completely different story.
Of course, these rules might only apply if one narrowed the criteria to Heroic Spirits originating from this world. But this was still the early stages of the War. Much is uncertain.
"You and the outlander can handle the remaining details, Tokiomi." The golden king began to dissipate into sparkles. But before he fully turned into spirit form, Gilgamesh gave them one last order with a visible frown. "Should you encounter that metallic cur first, remind him that he is to hold his tongue in my presence." And he was gone.
Lancer X's gaze remained on the spot where her tentative partner had been. "With respect, Master, I don't trust him."
Once he sensed that the other Servant wasn't anywhere near them, Tokiomi finally straightened with an exhausted sigh, placed his wine on the table, and sat down with less properness than he may've preferred. "With respect…" he chuckled, closing his eyes with a tired smile. "I'm not surprised. Of all the possibilities, Gilgamesh had to be summoned in the Archer class."
"Which naturally comes with the Independent Action Skill," the female Servant added as she moved to the table's right side. "Granting him too much freedom is a risk, especially with the power at his disposal. He might attempt to wipe this entire city off the face of this world to alleviate his… boredom."
Tokiomi opened an eye to glance at her amused. "Do you fear him, Lancer X? Your own partner, chosen by the Grail?" He teased, retrieving his wine for a sip.
Lancer X returned the look, hand at her hip. "Ah, so in your eyes, I stand on equal ground with the King of Heroes himself? You certainly have a gift for flattery, Tokiomi." They shared a brief laugh (silently grateful You-Know-Who wasn't around), then she turned serious. "I served one bloodthirsty emperor in my old life. I am not keen to repeat the experience."
Tokiomi leaned back in his chair to digest the information. Bloodthirsty emperor? Were it not for the Holy Grail War, he would've been interested in learning more about this foreign Heroic Spirit. He still remembered the shock of when that Rider X, the oddly disconcerting familiar Kirei had summoned, told him of how there would be seven additional Servants to this Grail War, of how they would all answer the calls from worlds different from the one the Tohsaka head knew. He already knew of the existence of alternate realities due to his family's ties with the Kaleidoscope, but for inhabitants of such places to actually be here, walk on the same ground as he did, it was as incredible as…
Well, as incredible as the heroes from different legends arriving to this time period to go to war with one another.
Yet here one stood, in front of his desk. And Lancer X was almost certainly from a completely different world than Rider X, one could tell when comparing the former's lean, elegant yet deadly poise to the latter's massive, trepidation-inducing silhouette. She hadn't told more than her True Name yet, but her combat prowess was without question, and she had so far proven herself to be a loyal, intelligent (if rather dry-witted) subordinate.
The first moments following the summoning had been tense, and with good reason: just as Kirei had described hissummoning to him, neither Servant appeared to be aware initially of the Fourth Grail War's system. Lancer X assumed that an enemy was present, Archer deemed her a "harlot" attempting to curry favor with "the one, true king." Tokiomi and the Kotomine's attempts to calm them down were all but ignored.
And Rider X's snide contributions had decidedly not helped the situation.
Needless to say, Tokiomi Toshaka had feared that restoring the bottom parts of his house would be the least of his concerns when golden portals emerged to bathe the room in light.
Both "X" Servants actually managed to withstand a volley from the fabled Gate of Babylon (an impressive feat itself) before the newcomers received the special notification from the Grail. Archer had sneered at the time, declaring her and her "X" colleagues a "pack of mongrels frolicking about in his kingdom," and Lancer X wasn't all too pleased either with the current arrangements, but at least Rider X finally stopped antagonizing the former and they hadn't continued attacking each other. Thus, the Tohsaka mansion remained thankfully intact.
But to say the partnership was tentative would be an understatement.
Tokiomi drummed his right fingers against his desk. "…Regardless of his demeanor or my gift for flattery," he shared a mirthful look with the Servant of the Staff, "I still retain control over Archer. And once we have the Grail, we can all go our separate ways without worry." A lie, of course, considering what the requirements for the wish of the Tohsaka line was, but she didn't need to know that.
And thankfully, she was considering something else. "What if I were to shadow Archer while he is out on his little jaunts?" Lancer X offered. "It may allow us to intervene should he find or cause trouble."
That suggestion… wasn't completely without merit. Tokiomi stroked his goatee in consideration; among this Servant's particular skillset was the rare Double Summon, a trait that allowed a Heroic Spirit to operate with the boons of two different classes. In her case, she was both a Lancer and an Assassin of equal prowess. The trouncing of Kirei's Assassin minutes ago being clear proof of that fact.
Though the special nature of Kirei's Servant made having another possible spy at his disposal seem redundant, Tokiomi appreciated that Lancer X was a far better combatant. And perhaps she could keep an eye on the King…
He shook his head, then gave his answer. "No. You're good, Lancer X, but Archer has access to innumerous Noble Phantasms, no doubt one or two of them allowing him to sense when he is being stalked or the like. And you're no match for him in terms of raw destructive force. One slipup, one misstep on your part," she had the pride to look vaguely insulted at that but let him continue without protest, "and we may find ourselves facing the retribution of an irate King of Heroes." Tokiomi finished his wine to steady his nerves at the possibility. Like there isn't enough friction already between him and Rider X…
"Besides, it would be a waste of your abilities. Gilgamesh remains our ally for the time being, Lancer X. We simply need to tolerate his… eccentricities while ensuring he dispatches our adversaries." Tokiomi gestured ahead. "You are to continue guarding the residence, just in case some Masters didn't get the message." And it didn't hurt to have a more manageable Servant on standby in case of something unexpected.
Lord knows that seemed to be the norm with this Holy Grail War.
Lancer X's gaze drifted to the side, towards one of the bookshelves. For a brief moment, Tokiomi thought he may have misjudged her obedience before she asked, "What of your family?"
He felt his face turn blank. "Excuse me?" Tohsaka followed her line of sight towards a picture of him, Aoi and Rin. It was one his wife had convinced him to have a professional take not long after his giving… He breathed to steady himself. It had to be done.
"I have yet to see them ever since we were summoned." Lancer X watched him carefully, her training helping her scrutinize his actions. "And a family is an easy target in wartime. If they're not in this residence, will you send me to guard them as well?" This was both an honest query and a test. If she were to serve this man, she had to have a better understanding of his true nature. She'd already allowed herself to be deceived by a superior once.
And it had nearly cost the Edenian warrior her friendship with Kitana.
The patriarch of the Tohsaka family regained his relaxed smile. "My wife and daughter are currently residing with some good friends. No one other than those in my group are aware of their current location. They are safe, Lancer X." The mask made it difficult to read her expressions, but she seemed to accept the information.
A part of him appreciated the logic behind the question, but he thought he had detected a hint of concern in tone. Like she had honestly been worried for Aoi and Rin. Unexpected.
Nevertheless, Tokiomi kept his thoughts to himself while speaking. "That is all for tonight, Lancer X. You are dismissed."
The Servant continued to watch him, noting his confidence bordered on arrogance. So certain everyone is convinced of tonight's proceedings. Or that no trouble may come now. With that attitude, he may've been able to summon Archer without the snakeskin.
But she also noticed a light softening of the eyes when he spoke of his family, as well as how he had mentioned them. There was genuine affection there. I may not have a completely unreasonable Master after all.
With that in mind, Lancer X bowed her head towards her Master and shifted into spirit form.
Tokiomi finally allowed himself to relax. Kirei's Servants had been playing their parts to perfection up till now, despite Rider X's bluster. His apprentice had them well under control. History's first hero had admittedly proven to be a bigger handful than he had anticipated, but he had confidence he could manage Gilgamesh. He also had exceedingly little to complain about with Lancer X. She may not have been part of his original plan and had voiced some objections to the strategy they would use, but her contributions more than compensated for the initial tension. The emerald-robed staff-wielder was frankly easier to communicate with than Gilgamesh. And she understood her place while he had his eyes on the prize.
All in all, a reliable collection of pawns in his game. He could easily tolerate a little snark, some sentimentalism and a pair of colossal egos.
Tokiomi took one last satisfied look at the battered grounds outside his window. "I'll let Kirei handle the details from here. Everything is going just as I had planned."
Another Master, having witnessed the events, grew pleased as well at the turn of the night.
"Assassin's gone?!" Waver Velvet's mood brightened considerably as he absorbed what his mouse familiar had seen and heard. Safe inside the Mackenzie house, he shifted happily about on the bed that wasn't his towards its other occupant. "Hey, Rider! Great news," the Master proclaimed, "One Servant's already gone."
But the only answer was the crunching of rice crackers and a disinterested grunt. The large Servant had nonchalantly spread himself in only his undergarments and chest armor out on the floor, surrounded by a collection of snacks, literature of varying sizes about varying planes and military stuff, and a small TV currently showing footage of helicopters shooting at something. All stuff he had collected over the last few days.
"Hey," Waver tried again to get his attention, but nothing. So he threw his arms and upped the volume. "Hey, will you pay attention? Assassin just got killed! The Holy Grail War's started for real now!"
But Rider just scratched his butt while watching the film. His Master's patience finally reached its breaking point. "These last couple of days I've working like a dog to collect intel while you just chomp down on snacks and watch movies. All of which I have to pay for!"
"I could easily claim these materials myself…" the thick lump of meat rumbled, not even bothering to look.
"Sure, by tearing up the places and stealing them! That wouldn't draw any attention at all!" Waver's arms swung through the air like a pair of crazy propellers before slapping against his cheeks. "At least Saber X only spends half his time drinking liquor like a fish, but you!" He slashed his hand at the biggest freeloader in the house. "And how many times do I have to tell you to stay in spirit form when I don't need you? You're burning through my mana and myfinances, you big couch potato!"
Rider finally looked over his shoulder to say, "Oh, relax," and wave his hand lazily. "No one is ever worried about an Assassin, the lot of them are just a group of sneaky weaklings. He could've never troubled me." He focused back on the screen, hopping onto the tips of his toes. "Anyways, that right there, boy," Waver followed his pointing finger at a fighter plane being displayed, "that contraption called a B2. A thing of beauty! I'm considering getting about ten of them."
Waver sighed. Why do I even bother? "For that much money, you could just as well buy an entire country," he grumbled half-seriously.
"Oh?" His sitting back on his rump made everything in the room shake. Waver thought he could hear something crash in the house. The King of Conquerors crossed his arms. "The funds are indeed a concern." He always got a little grumpy when his conquest plans collided with practical parts. "If only there were some city with capital like Persepolis close by, we could just raid it and get all we needed." His eyes narrowed at the scene change to a certain man. "This Clinton fellow could be a hindrance for us down the line. He might be even more difficult to defeat than Darius III."
"For, I don't know, the fiftieth time," a familiar rasp made both look towards the bedroom door, "quit saying 'we' whenever you make your plans for taking over the world, muahahaha, all that bunk."
Waver finally asked, "…How did you get into the house?"
Saber X was leaning against the door, arms crossed and one leg propped up. "This isn't a fortress, kid. Plus, you left the kitchen window open, and with all the noise you made I could've probably brought a whole band through here. Keep it up and you'll wake the Mackenzie's."
Waver winced in slight guilt over that before remembering his priorities. "A-anyway, good that you're here. Assassin-"
"Came up short at the Tohsaka house, I know." Saber X cut him off. "I saw."
The student stopped in shock. H-h-he was there? How? I know there were other familiars present, but that was it. No other souls around, just a-
He blinked, then realized it right as he noticed the little smirk playing along the older man's stubble-bordered lips. …Crow.
Right, this Saber was a very irregular one. But, Waver had to admit sheepishly, he had proven to be an excellent asset these last couple days. While Rider had stocked up on entertainment and snacks, Saber X periodically went out for reconnaissance. Thanks in no small part to him, Waver had already determined the residences of the Tohsaka and Matou families, learned that a large mansion by the city's outskirts had been purchased by the Einzberns, and had at least some idea where two more Masters could be hiding.
Now, if only he didn't keep swiping whiskey and other types of booze that he would share with Rider those few times he dropped in…
Waver still felt relief well up in him, closing his eyes. "But yes, one Assassin is now gone. Good thing, too," he proclaimed proudly to his Servants, "you both prefer to go head-on against our enemies, I imagine. So if one of the Servants that would most likely use tricks and surprises is gone, that can only work to our favor." He was proud of determining the strategic movements, that had to earn their respect-
A rustle made him crack one eye open. "I could use this Tomahawk thing as well!" Rider had grabbed the TV and was staring at the screen up close. "Hey, Qrow, have a look at this magnificent machine!"
Eyebrow twitching, the beleaguered Master snapped his gaze to the side, where Qrow Branwen was knocking back a green bottle without a care in the world.
(Saber X had revealed his True Name to Iskandar two nights ago, when Waver screamed at him why he only told it now, he answered with a careless shrug, "He asked.")
He stopped drinking long enough to eye the tank onscreen and mutter, "Awesome," then the bottle was back at his mouth.
Rider merely grinned, unperturbed by the lack of enthusiasm. His partner may be reluctant now, but in time, he was certain they would fight together across the lands. Just like some many others in his time!
Sadly, his Master seemed to be more focused on the immediate battles. "Saber, Lancer, Archer, the three mighty knight classes," he slapped his hands against the bed to get this on track, "and the Berserkers, a bunch of mindless brutes: they're all no match for Saber X's skill and Rider's Noble Phantasm!" He believed this with all his heart. "What we need to do instead of messing around now is find the Casters-"
"No way it's that simple, pipsqueak," Waver's words staggered to a stop as Saber X interrupted him with a stern look. Despite the liquor he had been guzzling a second ago, those red eyes remained sharp as a knife. "Weren't you paying attention to the fight?"
"Wh-b-o-of course, I was, I know Assassin's dead-"
"And just how was he killed?" Rider's voice too had grown serious. Though his gaze remained locked on the tank footage, there was no sign of his usual exuberance. "Which Servant did it, boy? You saw it happen, right?"
"I… guess it was Tohsaka's Servants, both of them." Waver's brow scrunched up as he tried to recall. "First, this green one showed up out of nowhere, beat him up, then there was another guy. All sparkly and gold… it was all a blur, I couldn't really-"
"Idiot!"
Puick!
Waver yelped as he fell back onto the bed, a fresh bruise on his forehead. Courtesy of Rider's middle finger.
Saber X nodded by his spot. "You deserved that. Giving us a load of half-assed information."
"If we are to fight, then we fight to win and survive," Rider agreed, retracting his mighty hand. He then looked to his ally. "I hope you at least knew to observe correctly."
Waver's head stung, but not nearly as much as his pride. More so because Rider was absolutely right. He should've paid attention, but he'd gone and gotten caught up in just the result. Stupid. Sloppy.
Saber X used his leg to push off the wall, took one more drink from his bottle, then glanced towards a teary-eyed Master cradling his forehead. "Pay attention this time, pipsqueak. We're gonna walk it through together. First, Assassin showed up at the manor. He danced all over the security system." Waver blinked away the liquid in pain and slight confusion. The drunkard almost sounded like one of his professors now, stern, matter-of-fact, but also… expectant. "What happened next?" Like he wanted to… help the boy.
The two stared wordlessly at Waver and Waver just stared back for all of three seconds before he realized they were waiting for an answer. So he spoke quickly to avoid another flick. "W-well, let me think…" he sifted through his memories despite the pain, trying to recall the exact details. "…Right as Assassin made to disable the main barrier spell, the green guy attacked out of nowhere-"
"Stop." He shut up quickly at Saber X's command. "First of all, it wasn't a green guy, it was a green girl." He shot a sly look towards Rider. "A fine-built one, too."
"Oh?" Rider grinned even as Waver blushed.
Saber X's eyebrows wiggled before he sobered up again. "Anyways, this chick just popped up, right? And she beat the crap out of Assassin. Remember what she was using?"
Waver's eyes narrowed in thought. The fight had been a blur, but there was at least one moment where she had stood still. "A staff… a staff as long as her, glowing green…"
Saber X shared a nod with Rider, the latter mumbling, "A Lancer most likely then."
"B-but she also had some kind of throwing weapon, I think. And…" Waver replayed Saber X's words. She just popped up. "Where did she come from?" He asked out loud.
"Exactly," Saber X praised him slightly. "I'm pretty sure she's a Lancer, but she's also got some way of hiding herself. Presence Concealment or something like that." He scratched his chin, now looking at an equally pensive Rider. "Still, the way she fought, she's got to be of a knight class. She was in control the whole time, it was like she was dancing with that pole."
Rider hummed in thought. "And Assassin was alone?" A nod in answer made him frown.
Waver frowned at the question. "Wait, why does that matter-"
Puick!
"Tch!" Qrow's flick wasn't as powerful as Iskandar's, but he went straight for the sore spot.
"It matters," the Servant of the Sword scolded the boy covering his forehead again, "because we have to ask ourselves, why was Assassin alone?"
Waver's eyes widened, letting a few tears trickle out, as he understood. "Where was his partner?" he asked out loud. In this Grail War, every Master theoretically had access to two Servants, not just one. The Servant of the Shadows had indeed been torn to shreds by the duo most likely under the Tohsaka Master's command, but he had been alone the whole time. Why hadn't another Servant stepped in to save him or fight the others? Had they known it was a lost cause? Had there been a schism between that team? Why?
Rider finally shrugged. "Whatever, we'll worry about that another time," he dismissed before casting an inquisitive eye at Waver. "Now then, Lancer trounced Assassin, then that's where the sparkly gold one joined in, yes? Was there anything particular about him, then?"
"F-from there, it was all over in an instant." Waver looked away embarrassed. "And it all happened at night, I couldn't tell with all the color and mana…" He flinched away at that finger being pulled back, desperately trying to protect his injury.
Saber X pushed down his partner's arm with a sigh. "He's been punished enough for one night, Kandy Bar." He shrugged. "And to be fair, it wasn't easy to make out details of Goldenboy for me either. He just stepped out of spirit form on the roof, then there's just a stream of weapons turning Assassin into mincemeat. Real full of himself too. Barely acknowledged Greenlee even though she definitely didn't need his help to win." A frown and pause came before Saber X's next words. "Hold on… the weapons came from portals. Goldenboy never lifted a finger or moved so much as an inch, but they were launched like missiles or something."
"Then he sounds like an Archer," Rider concluded. "An unusual one, like the green woman, but the other alternative would be a Caster. And Goldenboy doesn't sound like one of those."
Waver perked up, recalling the scene as well. "Hey, guys," he asked while still shielding his forehead, "each Servant usually has just one Noble Phantasm, right?"
Rider's eyebrow rose. "Technically yes. But there are those like me who can command two, and those who have three. But the quantity of Noble Phantasms isn't the right way to understand them. After all, they are the physical forms of the stories and facts told about us." The hero patiently reminded him, casting a hand towards Saber X. "A Noble Phantasm doesn't necessarily have to be a weapon like Qrow's Harbinger. Sometimes, it's a certain attack or event."
Waver thought about this, then asked, "Then there could be Noble Phantasms where multiple swords are launched at a target?"
"A sword splitting into more than one? Yes, that's possible."
"I can think of a few guys back from my world with abilities like that. And it could count as a single Noble Phantasm, too." Saber X added. Then he watched his Master closely. "Something on your mind, kid?"
Waver looked up from his ponderings; the foreign Servant was smirking at him, but not in a bad way. He was reminded of his studies again, for some reason. "It's just…" he began, eager to prove himself, "there weren't just swords being shot, right?"
"No," the Huntsman-turned-Heroic Sprit agreed with a hint of pride, "they weren't." Not bad. Kid's a little stuck up, but he's got a good eye. To Rider, he elaborated, "Swords, spears, halberds, axes, a dagger or two, I think. And they all came from separate portals."
"And the designs were different, too." Waver added with increasing confidence. Much to the silent delight of his Servants. "I'm not sure, but… no two of them looked alike, really." But that raised another worrisome thought: did that mean they were all Noble Phantasms? But how did that work? He looked up in hope towards the other observer of the "battle".
But all Saber X said was, "I don't have a clue either, right now. All I can say is that those are two unusual and seriously strong Servants Tohsaka's got."
"Could you… recognize either of them?" A shake of the head was the only response Waver received, making him sigh.
He had expected that, though. On one hand, the "X" Servants were Heroic Spirits from alternate worlds, which meant that the regular Servants were incapable of recognizing them via knowledge granted by the Throne of Heroes. But Saber X had warned him that this conversely meant that he and his otherworldly competition only had access to information on Heroic Spirits from the worlds they originated. "I could give you a full list of all the people that would qualify for Heroic Spirits and what they ought to be capable of," the alcoholic Servant had said at the time, "but that's if we were talking about Remnant exclusively. For Servants that don't come from Remnant like the ones of this world, I'd have to do it the old-fashioned way."
Frustrating though that was, it only made sense that the foreign familiars were limited this way. It would otherwise give them too much an advantage over the ones that called this world home.
But while both Master and Servant were mulling over what to do with all these open questions…
"Eh, never mind. We'll learn their true identities once we engage them in open battle." Two right eyebrows twitched at this straightforward answer, but before either could say anything to Rider's declaration, they received simultaneous slaps on the back that left Qrow stumbling and Waver almost sprawling off the bed.
Waver gasped for breath; a painful action. At least it wasn't meant to humiliate him. "And… you're okay with all this?"
"Naturally!" The King of Conquerors flashed them a delighted grin. "This just increases my excitement." He pulled the other males in close with his massive arms to whisper, "Food, sex, sleep, and war. Whatever you do, enjoy every single moment of it. That's the secret to living." He laughed heartily to Waver's utter confusion.
Saber X meanwhile smirked. "Well, I can say I'm comfortable with three of those things…" he barked a laugh at the boy's increasingly reddening face. "Hey now, Uncle Qrow didn't die no virgin." The Servants chuckled together while he continued to glow from the embarrassment. "Maybe we can help you get started on that kind of stuff while we're here-"
"SH-SHUT UP, YOU ASSHOLES!"
Finally recovering from his laughing fit, Iskandar released them and rolled his shoulders. "Right, then. Let's go find some excitement outside. We're moving to battle, my friends. Get ready!"
Waver was trying to get his face back under control, but this confused him. As usual. "T-to battle? What battle? Where?"
"Wherever it is." His neck popped.
While the young one protested, his partner just rolled his eyes in good nature. He's as restless as Ruby with a brand-new weapons catalogue or Yang when she gets into a brawl, he thought before something thumped against his heart. He took a breath and kept his relaxed smile despite the slight pain. You'll see them again when you pull through this nuthouse.
"Do you think you and Qrow were the only ones to witness the scene at the Tohsakas?" Rider asked the boy, cutting off his complaints. "Assassin's death will make the rounds soon enough. That means all the other teams will be readying themselves." He sauntered towards the window and peeked through the blinds; maybe there was already an enemy waiting for them. "All we have to do is find them and crush them."
"Easier said than done, Kandy Bar," Saber X replied while hoisting up his bottle; not much left. Honestly, this kind of charge-in-all-guns-blazing strategy sounded too much like what Jimmy would usually pull.
"I am a Rider," Iskandar reminded him while facing him again. "Only one other Servant can match me in mobility in this War."
…But for some reason, Qrow was a little excited, too. Maybe he was just itching for a fight. Or maybe Rider was rubbing off on him a bit. Guy's charismatic, I'll give 'em that much. He glanced over at Waver, who looked like he just wanted to crawl into his bed.
…Maybe this'll be fun after all.
Then Rider went and pulled out the Sword of the Kupriotes, its blade glowing with mana. Four eyes widened in apprehension while two voices yelled out simultaneously, "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Not in here!" "Are you trying to blow the roof off, stupid?!"
…Yeah, there were a few rough edges that needed smoothing out with this team too.
Meanwhile, a certain man partaking in the Grail War now stood in front of Fuyuki Church, where the overseer of this great event awaited him.
"I have lost one Servant," Kirei Kotomine announced in his usual monotone, "and the other rejected me as his Master. Where he's gone, I don't know. Thus, I relinquish my right as Master and can no longer participate in the Holy Grail War. Under the rules of Heaven's Feel, I, Kirei Kotomine, request shelter and safety under the Church."
Standing in front of the doorway of the sacred (Tohsaka-owned) structure, his father put on a grave face and answered, "Your request is accepted. In accordance to my responsibility as judge, I, Risei Kotomine, promise you shall be safe. You may enter."
Once the "former" Master was inside, the older man smiled in pride at his accomplishments. "Well done, Kirei." Even while receiving no answer, he believed his son had every right to be satisfied with completing the first stage. They walked together into the main room, through the many wooden pews, where the altar lay.
In front of it stood Rider X, clasping his iron hands behind his back, seemingly admiring the stained glass at the back. The candlelight reflected off his silver frame, making it seem as though the foreign Heroic Spirit was bathing in fire. "So," he rumbled, "I am officially no longer your Servant, then." Rider X tilted his domed head back to smirk at them.
The overseer forced himself not to shudder at that tone, those unnerving crimson orbs gazing down at them. Archer, the King of Heroes, possessed as well red eyes and a dismissive attitude towards everyone around him, but he at least gave off the impression of being human. Rider X offered no such comfort.
A glance to the side showed Kirei stiffening as well, but he simply said, "What are you doing here?" Fortunately, his contract with the strange "Heroic" Spirit was still very much intact despite what he had said two minutes ago. "I hope no one saw you enter the Church at least."
"I only descended from the upper atmosphere to the roof once it was within range. Most people, even magi, rarely bother to look up. Especially in a modern world full of aircraft."
Risei nodded in slightly reluctant agreement. "It's true, Rider X returned to his usual form and slipped through the roof access inside. Even if monitoring this place were allowed, and that is strictly forbidden due to it being inviolably neutral ground," both nodded at the reminder that breaking such accords would risk censure for any Master (usually anyways), "not a single soul should have recognized him appearing."
"And this is merely a visit." The titan added in a bored tone. "I have no intention of spending my entire time in these dusty halls of groveling and prostration." He noticed amused how the trained muscles of the father flared from this blatant dismissal of his faith.
As did Kirei; provoking others seemed to be a hobby for Rider X. Even the legendary Gilgamesh was not above snide comments about "false sheen" and the like, the result almost leading to a full-scale fight between the two. He'd already been forced to expend one Command Seal in making his unexpected familiar kneel in apology to Archer.
And it didn't help that every time he witnessed such interactions, a strange sensation bubbled within him. What was it, though…?
"As for Rider X ceasing to be your Servant," Kirei's thoughts shifted from his inner thoughts to his father's forcedly calm words, "It's the simplest solution. With him supposedly having gone rogue, the others won't suspect us of being affiliated with him, and he would be a sort of wild card to their plans like Berserker X."
As the Church was responsible for covering up any Grail-related incidents from the general public, Risei had handled the aftermath of the final two Servants' summoning. He himself had gently probed a traumatized young boy that had been seen fleeing from the general direction of the house. Through the use of certain herbs mixed into a sweet tea, the poor lad had told him of the serial killer butchering his family, painting the Magic Circle like at the other crime scenes, only this time, it had worked, and two powerful beings appearing, one of which tried to kill him with some monster while the other killed it and let him go. After he had cleansed the boy of the terrible experiences and left him in the care of an orphanage (the police wouldn't learn anything damning from him), Risei first confirmed the Servants' movements with the Spirit Board, then informed his master and son of the developments. From there, they determined Berserker X was now operating free of the killer and Caster.
In fact, this sparked an idea for Tokiomi on how they could let Kirei claim he was Servant-less while still retaining the use of both Servants.
"Yes, yes," Rider X rolled his optics, "the Lord Tohsaka went into great detail on how I am supposed to act." The Servant of the Mount was secretly grateful that he lacked a human's filthy anatomy. The transparency behind that little red buffoon's plans up till now would've long since made him regurgitate. Repeatedly. There were so many loose ends with Assassin's supposed death alone that any witness with half-decent common sense would be at least a little suspicious.
Then again, if the other Masters are anything like him, they might fall for that farce after all. Aristocrats had always made pitiful tacticians on Cybertron. The same rule appeared to apply for the magic community of this mudball as well.
Oh well. Let them keep thinking that Tohsaka is the cleverest among us for now. A hidden sneer played along Rider X's "lips." As long as he continues to underestimate me as a prideful brute full of bluster, I shall have free reign for my own plans.
Besides, watching that fleshbag stumble about when his plans are derailed will be quite the treat.
It was then that he noticed his Master observing him. Those blank eyes remained locked on the massive body of otherworldly metal, as though they were trying to peer through to the black soul within. So empty, like they await being filled by something. Inwardly, Rider X chuckled. Another curiosity to pass the time. You may prove to be interesting yet, Kirei Kotomine.
Seconds passed as the duo quietly accessed each other, then Kirei glanced to the side, seemingly at nothing. "Either way, we can't afford to be careless. Make sure one of you is always monitoring this Church."
"Understood," a slim dark-skinned woman replied, appearing from a swirl of black mist. Aside from the long purple hair, two large golden earrings and the twin knives strapped to her hip, she was almost exactly clothed like the recently departed Assassin. Right down to the skull-shaped mask covering her upper face.
"Who else had been observing the battle?" Kirei asked.
"I was able to sense four different familiars within the mansion's vicinity." Asako, also Assassin, looked to the side slightly. "Also… there may have been a Servant watching. But I'm not sure."
Father and son frowned in thought. "Berserker X's rebellion aside, all of the Servants have been summoned." The former pointed out. "So there ought to be at least five other Masters."
"But one wasn't there." Kirei concluded with a relatively heavy expression. "I had hoped that all of them would've watched the show."
Rider X stepped next to him, tilting his head. "The one that called forth the last two Servants for this War was a witless serial killer that appears to have stumbled upon a ritual and lost control of one of them almost immediately. It's doubtful that he even knew what is happening here."
"And at any rate," another voice chimed in, this belonging to yet another male Assassin, this one far larger and in black robes, "monitoring the headquarters of the Three Families is something any decent Master would do."
One more spirit appeared sitting in a pew, gnawing on his thumb. "If the last Master is really that dumb, then he wouldn't even consider keeping an eye out of an Assassin." He giggled lightly.
Rider X chuckled right back, watching the hall slowly grow fuller. "So assured in your abilities, even though one of your own is gone?"
"Losing that Hassan was like chopping off a finger to escape captivity," replied a short skull-faced spirit. "Thanks to his sacrifice, the other Masters believe that one of the two Assassins in this War is no longer a concern. We have escaped their sight."
By now, Kirei faced an entire room full of Assassins. "Indeed, he did not die in vain."
"Normally Heroic Spirits of the shadows, now we become the shadows themselves," As one, they intoned. Though many, they were all one of the Servants Kirei Kotomine had summoned long ago.
Nineteen different people had taken on the name Hassan-i-Sabbah over the years in the Middle East, and this one also carried the appellation, "Hassan of the Hundred Faces." A trait others would deem a terrible mental illness had become a powerful asset in life, moreso upon ascension to the Throne of Heroes. Zabaniya: "Delusional Illusion."
Rider X swept his gaze over the group, silently pleased. A Servant capable of dividing itself and becoming a high-stealth intelligence network; this was at least one part of the strategy he had absolutely no issues with. Even Soundwave may've killed for such an ability.
With that, he strode down the aisle, every Hassan in his path quickly shuffling to the side. Zayd had not been alone in his apprehension towards their "partner." But the extraterrestrial conqueror had no interest of crushing such useful black ants now. He had other things in mind. "I shall be taking my leave." He flicked his fingers behind him in dismissal. "If the need arises, you can contact me via the mental link we forged or through one of them. Otherwise, do not disturb me." Most such as Risei would be more than happy to see the arrogant, provocative Servant gone.
Kirei was not most of them. He just had this feeling that there was more to the arrogance and provocations than met the eye. Like Rider X was testing the waters around him in every moment. He had asked multiple questions about the other Masters and the history of the Grail Wars before, each time with a thoughtful gleam in those red optics.
The priest called out, "Don't cause too much of a ruckus out there. You wouldn't want to bite off more than you can chew…" his eyes narrowed as he uttered his Servant's True Name, "Megatron."
The onetime founder and tyrant of the Decepticon army turned around to see the Master one last time, teeth bared in an eager grin. Interesting indeed. Out loud, he said, "Have some faith, Kirei Kotomine. Isn't that the reason you carry that little trinket?" A single finger pointed like a spike at the cross around his neck.
Risei's eyebrows arched in anger but Rider X simply dispersed into silver wisps glittering with purple, a final chuckle echoing in the chamber.
Hassan of the Hundred Faces collectively breathed a mental sigh in relief. Never before had they called forth such a… powerful personality within their ranks. It seemed impossible.
Kirei felt no sting from the jab towards his faith. Rather, it piqued his interest because the veiled mockery appeared to be both a sort of probe and simple amusement.
Why does that resonate within me…? What is it about this being that both rankles me and fascinates me? He didn't know. And this provoked yet again a feeling in him he didn't recognize.
Risei for his part finally managed to regain control of his temper. Not for the first time did he wonder why God had burdened his devout son with such a Servant. …A test of his faith, perhaps. A quite grueling one, but those are written to be the most rewarding.
"The battle has come to us." The old priest smiled in satisfaction, unaware of his boy's misgivings. "The Fourth Holy Grail War is truly here. Perhaps these old eyes can bear witness to a miracle this time around."
But whatever enthusiasm Kirei might've felt, it wasn't towards the overseer's words.
-162:21:44
Kiritsugu took one last puff of smoke from the cigarette in his mouth, then put it out in a nearby trashcan on the streets of Shinto. He eyed the "24-hour HOTEL IN FUYUKI" that had taken him a while to find, then checked his watch. Iri and Saber ought to have landed at the airport by now. For a moment, he wondered how his wife would react to seeing the land that had birthed him for the first time in person. But such sentimentality was for another time, so he walked alone into the simple hotel without a single emotion inside himself.
The machine that is Kiritsugu Emiya confirmed his check-in and calmly took the elevator, briefly rolling his shoulders with a light wince as he slumped against the back wall. Twelve hours had passed since he had arrived in Fuyuki City ahead of half his team, after twelve more of flight (commercial no less), and before and during that time, he had spent nearly every waking moment crafting new tactics alongside his Servants and making preparations. Turns out, this addition of foreign Servants had opened a door to even more possibilities than he could've guessed. His whole body was sore from the combination of going over said preparations again and again, jetlag, and more strange dreams in what little sleep he gained.
But to say he wasn't pleased with the results would've been a lie. The Mage Killer's arsenal had expanded, and the other Masters might be in for a few surprises.
The elevator doors slid open with a ding, allowing the Master to step out onto the seventh floor. A little walking, and he was in front of room 703, where more tools for the War awaited him. Kiritsugu knocked a certain rhythm against the door while keeping his sight on the hall, then sent out a mental command.
Half a second later, the door opened partially, chain lock in place, for a young woman with short dark green hair and eyes to peek out. And in the second half, the air rippled as a familiar form materialized next to Kiritsugu. Assassin X nodded once, a sign that no enemies were nearby, to his Master, who in turn nodded to the woman whose only reaction to the Servant had been the raising of one eyebrow. She then closed the door, undid the lock, and reopened it to let them walk into the room. Both human and Servant did one last check, but the coast was clear.
Once inside, she refastened the locks and turned to look at first Assassin X, then Kiritsugu with economical movements. She was of average height, perhaps barely in her early twenties, the shinobi noted, dressed in simple black clothing, and had a face that was rather attractive even without a hint of artificial beauty. But the indifferent look would've scared away most Casanovas. And if that didn't work, the sidearm hidden in her jacket certainly would've.
"Maiya," their master said, "this is Assassin X, the other Servant I had told you about. Assassin X, this is Maiya Hisau. She's been my aide for over ten years now. You are both going to be assisting my mission until it's complete." The two sized each other up.
One stretched out an open hand. "Pleasure to be working with you," Assassin X said cordially.
Maiya eyed the hand for a moment before shaking it. "…Likewise." Her tone brokered no emotion, the grip was as firm as it needed to be. Overall, she gave off the air of a professional that had been on the battlefield so long she didn't remember a life off it. He'd seen souls like that before, fought them. But he thought he could sense loyalty in her. Strong loyalty.
As for Maiya, Kiritsugu had simply told her that this Servant was an unexpected, but versatile addition to his arsenal. The mask and headband kept her from distinguishing his face, but at least that single visible eye wasn't ogling her like that of most males. A fellow professional judging by his behavior otherwise. She could respect that.
Kiritsugu had already moved to do a preliminary survey of the gear lying on one of the two beds. "It's all the equipment he had requested," Maiya explained to the curious Servant. She kept her gaze on the man that had saved her, instructed her in the arts of killing and some magecraft, and become the single most important thing in her life. "Madame arrived with Saber a while ago." She walked further into the room, Assassin X following her. "The way they're traveling together, the other Masters are bound to think Saber's her Servant."
"Excellent." That was the plan that Iri, Kiritsugu and the Servants had agreed on, surprisingly unanimously. While Saber would accompany her as had been his original plan, giving off the illusion that she was the Master, Assassin X would primarily work with the Mage Killer and Maiya, operating in the shadows to dispatch the other Masters while they were focused on the "beautiful flowers," as a teasing Assassin X had called them. Poor Saber had been flustered by his and Iri's antics, but she had no problems with swearing to protect the homunculus' life with all her might.
Kiritsugu must've been crazy, but he had felt honestly appreciative of her conviction for a single instant before returning to other matters.
As for Assassin X, he would assist in hunting down the Masters but provide support if needed. For he had proven himself to be extremely proficient in nearly any scenario Kiritsugu could imagine. Expert of Many Specializations… the name of that Skill didn't seem enough to do Kakashi Hatake's abilities justice. Even someone like the Mage Killer could admit he had practically stumbled upon a goldmine of boons by summoning this Heroic Spirit.
Now, if only it hadn't been for that one little detail…
"There was a massive surge of mana a while ago," Maiya's report shook him out of his musings, "and something happened at the Tohsaka residence last night." She activated a video player on the floor next to the TV. The screen booted up to show a blurry black-and-white image of a dark Servant in front of a pedestal. "Here's what was recorded."