1,200Author's Notes: I apologize for the delay in this chapter. Not only did the pacing feel clunky, especially with all the scattered viewpoints I was trying to include, but I also lacked stable internet for a solid year and got a new full-time job some months back that had sapped my energy. Money is also an issue. I'm more used to it now, but it's still a drain on me.
A few edits to previous chapters have been made. Souji, for her long and meaningful service to the Empire of Japan, carries the rank of koushaku within the Imperial Court. While it translates to 'Prince', it is equivalent to a European Duke. Some former samurai and personnel were granted such ranks as part of the re-organization of the Japanese nobility as a consequence of the Meiji Restoration for various reasons including blood, merit, and politics.
Also, due to complications in the whole 'isolating the kids from contacting the adults' aspect of the current arc of the story, I am removing the existence of the Tohsaka Phone from the story for now. It might pop up later. Chapters 25, 27, and 28 have been amended to reflect this change.
Lastly, I have replaced Assassin hiding in Luvia's room to eavesdrop in Chapter 28 to simply having Rani hack her laptop and eavesdrop through the built-in microphone. It's more fitting for her and less likely to be noticed by Luvia's defenses or, coincidentally, Rin's Mystic Eye Emulators.
Chapter 29: Plans and Early Derailments
Flashback
January 15, 1906
Kyoto Ryozen Gokoku-jinja Shrine
Kyoto, Japan
8:18 PM
The 62-year-old Okita Souji gave a sigh. The winter chill pierced the January air much like it had on that day in 1868 so many years ago now. Everyone else had left the funeral service by now and the sun had already set...but one person remained standing before the grave. Souji knew the wrinkles on the woman's face to be a lie, chosen so as to appear in keeping with the man at whose fresh grave she now stood. For almost four decades they had supported each other, helping the Emperor to shape Japan's future and shielding him and the people from threats. Now all that was left of their comrade was a grave, a legacy, and the spear—a Divine Construct that the bereaved clutched tightly in her hands.
Souji understood loss. She had lost children and grandchildren. Friends and comrades...but this widow's whole world revolved around the one they had just lost. The hatamoto walked to the grave, soon standing by the seemingly elderly lady as the silence stretched on.
"This is...a beautiful place to rest, isn't it? It was kind of the Emperor to place him with the other samurai who fought for the Restoration. I wouldn't dare to seek rest here, though...I saw the truth too late to be in good standing with many of the others honored in this place. Some even fell to my blade. You two knew better than I did back then." Souji said, trying to make conversation. The woman's red eyes, now so devoid of life, kept staring at the name on the grave without indicating having heard a word.
"I...won't lecture you on how you should feel. We all feel differently when things like this happen. But no matter what the afterlife looks like...we know he's not truly gone. Everything we have done for these people, the generations afterward who all know and will know happiness because of what he set out to do...surely, he has reached the Throne of Heroes and attained immortality through his legacy. Standing ready for the day he will be called on again."
That drew the eyes of the woman toward her. She remained silent but considered Souji's words. The aged samurai pressed on. "Do you still intend to sleep?"
A nod was the widow's only response. Souji, accepting this, gently approached and hugged the grieving entity—a being that most would not dare to impose upon if they valued their lives had they known her true nature. "Then this is probably goodbye until we meet in the Throne or in the world beyond...I will miss you both dearly."
The widow gave a shuddering exhale and waited several tense moments. Tears fell onto Souji's shoulder and one arm moved, wrapping firmly around Souji's back to return the embrace.
"...Sayonara, Souji...Ryouma..."
With those final words, the widow Souji was embracing discarded human form and fell apart into a black, inky, liquid mass. She them vanished, spear and all, leaving nothing behind but a friend and a grave. A sad smile crossed Souji's face as she acknowledged her comrade's departure before she turned to the grave and read it one more time.
Here lies Sakamoto Ryouma
Koushaku of the Imperial Court
Hatamoto to the Meiji Emperor
Father of the Imperial Japanese Navy
Hero of the Meiji Restoration
Beloved Husband
Tenpo 6 (1836), January 3 Sunday — Meiji 39 (1906), January 3 Wednesday
Souji bowed to Ryouma's grave. "Sayonara...until we all meet again." She then rose and walked away as two more friends entered into the pages of history—one returning to the earth and the other exiling herself to the depths of the sea...
December 26, 1999
Imperial Palace
1-1 Chiyoda, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, Japan
10:23 PM
"What is that, Grandmother?" Rin asked, breaking Souji from her thoughts.
The once-ancient woman gave a sad smile to the girl as she looked away from a granite wall with names carved onto it. "This? This is a memorial to the many samurai who helped reclaim the nation in the Emperor's name. When I see it, I am reminded of the lives and deaths of friends and foes gone by." Indeed, Okita Souji's own name was etched into the stone as well if one cared to search.
"I see..." Rin said in a slight tone of insecurity. The girl was uncomfortable in her attire, but Souji couldn't be more pleased to see her descendant in the haori of the Shinsengumi.
"None of that, Rin. I am not comparing you to them or feeling you to be inadequate. I have full faith in your abilities and have long wished to see one of my descendants working by my side while wearing the colors of the Shinsengumi. Were it not for the danger, I might call Sakura here as well," Souji said, enjoying the arrangement to a degree even if things were a bit dire. Normally, Rin's affiliation with the Clock Tower might interfere with such a thing. Taiga might have been a good choice, but there was her affiliation with the yakuza to consider.
The pair were interrupted by the approach of a man who wore the same pale blue-green haori with a white triangle pattern on the bottom and sleeves. He carried a katana on one hip and a holstered M1911J1 sidearm on the other, the weapon a .38 caliber version of the M1911A1 with a smaller grip for Japanese hands. This man was a member of the Imperial Guard, a role the Shinsengumi took on in the later parts of the Meiji Restoration.
"Okita-dono. Tohsaka-san. The Emperor awaits you both." The man said, making Rin inwardly tense. Souji knew that only Rin's training as an heiress kept the girl from reacting visibly.
"Very well, Ishimori-san. Please lead us," Souji said, giving a suitably measured bow of formality to her subordinate. Rin also bowed, more deeply than her grandmother to reflect the fact that she had far less rank. With that, the man led them to a complex of buildings that were interconnected. Rin knew from school that this was called the Kyuujou, the Palace Castle, and it had been rebuilt in the Meiji era. In most Worldlines, this was destroyed in the Second World War by American bombs and replaced in the 1960s with the Kyuuden...but in this version of history, the site had been preserved.
On first seeing the Heisei era's Emperor, once called Akihito, Rin had expected a man in a classical kimono on the Chrysanthemum Throne as pictured during his ascension in 1989. Instead, the 'everyday' throne was a slightly more modest affair and the man wore a high-quality European suit with a golden pin modeled after a chrysanthemum. It was somehow both more Western and less ostentatious than she expected.
"Okita," the Emperor said to his hatamoto. "As worrying as it is to hear that there is another Grail War and another Goddess in Tokyo, at the very least you are here for it this time. I can think of no one better equipped to help with this crisis." The Emperor then glanced at Rin. "I understand that this is your descendant, who holds rank in the Mage's Association. Will you act here on their behalf, Tohsaka-san?"
Rin was puzzled by the mention of another goddess but did not speak on the point. She answered, "I'm too low a rank to normally be assigned to deal with something like this and instead stumbled into this matter while on vacation. The current representative of the Mage's Association assigned to these lands is the likely instigator of this War and is certainly a participant, so we can't rely on her. I received no relevant orders or communication from the Clock Tower, which was a bit unusual. I tried to contact my father, mother, and some other allies, but any phone calls I have made outside of the Shinjuku-Chiyoda area have been blocked. But honestly...that may be for the best regardless of what it might imply. I have an excuse to act without their oversight."
The Emperor didn't fully understand Rin's thought process. "And why would their oversight be bad? Is it an opportunity for you to advance if you act independently? Do you intend to use this situation for your own benefit?"
The girl pondered how best to parse it before giving a measured sigh. "How secure against eavesdropping and spies are we, your Majesty?"
The Emperor answered, "I trust these people with my life and Souji has vetted them to the utmost level by means both mundane and magical. No one else is allowed near and the area has been freshly swept for monitoring spells, transmitters, and listening devices."
Rin nodded, hoping that would be enough. At least her Mystic Eye Emulators didn't see any astralized Servants. "Your Majesty...it's important to understand that while some Magi are decent people, we're traditionally raised in a manner that focuses on research, results, and lineage without much consideration of ethics or morality. It's been that way in these families for hundreds and sometimes thousands of years. The official stance, rules, and priorities of the Clock Tower also reflect this. They're a research institution whose function is the study and secrecy of Magecraft and Magic...even at the cost of innocent bystanders. If someone else from the Clock Tower with that mentality was sent here to help manage things or give me orders, there is a chance that their solutions to certain problems would be something you would disapprove of on a legal and ethical level. I want to operate freely because I don't want someone from the Clock Tower simply coming in and casually deciding that some of Tokyo's people are expendable."
The room was silent for a moment before Souji nodded. The Emperor noted this and silently bade her to speak with a gesture. Souji responded to confirm Rin's words. "She's not wrong. The reason the Catholic Church had to get involved from the Third Fuyuki Grail War onward was because the Clock Tower couldn't be trusted to police its own during the Second. Of the traditional Magi, only the Tohsaka bothered to try reducing civilian casualties. The Fourth was the first time a larger group managed to successfully police themselves, but that's because they largely cast aside traditional Magus priorities...not that the Clock Tower is fully aware of that. Rin, her father, and the other Magi remaining in Fuyuki City and some from Misaki Town are essentially their own more ethical sub-faction. Strong enough to have representation in the Clock Tower, but far from strong enough to reveal themselves or control it."
"So the people who could have given Tohsaka-san orders or could replace her in a position of authority might be the same type of people who nearly destroyed the heart of Tokyo nine years ago. It sounds like a group run by sociopaths without any oversight." The Emperor summarized warily.
Rin pondered for a moment, parsing through memories of her father's lessons and her older alternate selves' experiences before finally giving a bit of a nod. "That's not a bad interpretation. You wouldn't be the first to call the system sociopathic. It's a 'the ends justify the means' sort of place. Change is coming, but it's slow and usually limited to my and my father's generations with a few notable exceptions."
The Emperor gave Rin an odd look, scrutinizing the child. "You speak like an adult, Tohsaka-san..."
The girl blushed slightly at the praise, trying to decide how to explain it. She couldn't exactly say that one of her friends had a world of his own where he could slow both the passing of time and aging to fit more into their studies. Or download knowledge into her mind. "Well...there are certain ways to magically improve one's ability to process and retain formation. It's not exactly common knowledge because the Atlas Institute in Egypt managed to mostly restrict access to it, but the Fuyuki kids were all taught how to use it through an information leak." This wasn't a lie...Merlin's Clairvoyance was the highest level of 'information leak' when he actually deigned to provide said information.
"Speaking of the Fuyuki children, Okita mentioned to Ishimori that one of them is involved in this matter. Can you elaborate?" The Emperor inquired of Rin.
The girl was hesitant, mainly because she was loyal to Shirou. He was one of her best friends. Still, it wasn't time to lie or overtly cover for him. That would do more harm than good for all involved, him included. She would have to navigate this with care. "My friend and co-apprentice Shirou Enjou was lured to Shinjuku under false pretenses when a branch of his family he'd never known found their terminally ill and mentally incapacitated heiress, Hakuno Kishinami, to have been chosen as a Master in this coming Grail War. The Kishinami family intended to have him fight in his cousin's stead and to wish for her to be healed...but Shirou learned that Tamamo-no-Mae had escaped the Killing Stone at Nasu in 1995 by forming a familiar contract with the girl as a child and disguising herself as a pet fox. It took all the power she had left to do, so she couldn't heal the girl or even fully communicate."
"Interesting. That family is descended from Muramasa...how did he learn of this fox's true nature?" The Emperor inquired.
Rin was hesitant again and this was noticed. Before she could be accused of hiding anything though, she spoke. "...Shirou knew because he has the ability to see the complete nature of whatever he looks at and willfully focuses on. History. Physical Condition. Abilities. Feelings. Thoughts. Shirou can read any entity's very existence like a book. It's the ultimate expression of Structural Grasping and he was secretly the first to accomplish it. He's taught us partly how he does it, but the few of us he taught his methods to get headaches and might suffer strokes if we tried to push it too far. We're hiding him from the Mage's Association for both ethical reasons and at the order of one of its most powerful people...one of the few altruistic ones, eccentricities aside."
"I see. That ability is a very politically sensitive one...and I gather that this isn't his upper limit." The Emperor said knowingly.
"He...is capable of more, your Majesty. But the full report would be beyond the scope of reason, invite dire political consequences, and make you doubt my sanity. Making it would also require me to break some very important promises of honor and friendship," Rin admitted.
The Emperor nodded and said, "Okita has told me much the same...but implied behind closed doors that he is responsible for her bodily resurrection." Rin tensed. "Tell me...did he do the same for the goddess? Is she...whole?"
Rin pondered carefully before putting together a response, "The official story, if the Mage's Association asks, is that she was summoned as a Caster. Then she allegedly managed to use Shirou's Command Seals in conjunction with the mirror she summoned to her to incarnate herself. Whether that story is accurate or not, Tamamo-no-Okami is alive as a living, full goddess whose power is drawn from the sun rather than from the World or its Reverse Side, and is heir to Japan in its entirety as a Divided Aspect of Amaterasu and a daughter of Izanami. Luckily, there is no sign that she has removed you from power yet. According to Shirou's ability, she is not vengeful, is innocent of the crime she was killed for, and truly loved the Emperor she was in a relationship with back then. And that love has transferred over to Kishinami-san. She used the magatama to heal the girl's physical and mental deterioration before she named Kishinami-san her wife, named Shirou her brother, and swore to use her powers to protect against threats to her new family."
Souji knew that the Emperor could read between the lines. Rin hadn't said Shirou was responsible but hadn't truly denied it either. Only that there was an official story and—by implication—also an unofficial one that was likely what the Emperor suspected. Without breaking her vows and with the necessary level of vagueness to avoid having it be declared an instance of True Magic, Rin had provided the information asked for. When she had something that she couldn't easily say, she also let him know that there was a secret rather than leaving him blind to it. There was also a distinct impression that she would speak more if pressed...but that loyalty made it so she hoped not to do so. Letting him know that the goddess had extended Shirou her favor by naming him 'brother' was also a nice touch. It carried the polite implication of 'mess with my friend and the goddess who can take away your authority may act', but this was done without coming across as a threat as much as a simple warning of events beyond her control. She also provided the Emperor with important context for the priorities of the Clock Tower, and in so doing better armed him for future discussions and interactions with said group.
It was easy to forget that this was a twelve-year-old girl packing all this nuance into the conversation.
"I see...and this Enjou-kun. Is he a typical Magus, or something else?" The Emperor asked. Souji had told him, but he wanted Rin's opinion—even if biased.
Rin contemplated briefly before saying, "Shirou is about as far from a normal Magus as you can get. Despite having levels of power that would be the envy of any Magus family, he grew up in an orphanage helping raise, tutor, and cook for the other kids. He was shy about standing out in our classes at school to the point where he hid his abilities unless tricked into showing them by the teachers, but he never shied away from helping someone. My father realized his intelligence when he was eight, told him to stop holding back, and Shirou tested into high school within six months. He was done with high school within another year and started attending Tokyo University where he has several degrees and major accomplishments under his belt...all while secretly learning Magecraft with the rest of us as one of the strongest of our group. Grandmother calls me a genius, but it's hard to see myself as one when I keep that kind of company. And yet...he never forgot to be kind. When a Master attacked my home during the Fourth Fuyuki Grail War and maimed my father in front of me with the intent to kill us all, Shirou picked up a dagger and protected us. When my little sister truly needed someone, he was her friend. And when he learned that his dying cousin was stuck in a Grail War...he didn't turn away, even though he knew what fighting in one meant. He hates it when innocent people are put in danger, and actively defends them where he can. We should hope that there are more Masters like him in this War, though they're usually a minority."
After several tense moments, during which the Emperor stared at Rin with a look of consideration, he spoke once more. "When Okita mentioned the level of your knowledge and mental development, I had wondered how much of that was the bias of a proud grandmother and how much was the truth. Now I see that those are not mutually exclusive things." Rin appeared a bit surprised by the sudden praise, though she held her tongue while the man continued to speak. "You are right in that I would not desire the less ethical members of the Mage's Association—as you, Okita, and others have framed them—to hold any influence in this matter. The Catholic Church is also an entity I would prefer not to bring into this conflict if possible."
The Emperor then took a form and wrote on it before stamping it with his seal, his hanko. "Rin Tohsaka. I recognize your temporary deputization into the Shinsengumi as a Gochou(Corporal) under Okita's direct command. Your mutual mission is to help monitor and—if possible—administrate the Second Tokyo Holy Grail War as Overseers. Though you appear competent, the reason you have been chosen for this is mainly political—to keep the Mage's Association from being as likely to demand someone less ethical be given a position of authority in this matter by granting them a restricted role through you from the start. The daughter of one of their lords, who happens to be the descendant of one of the three who invented the Grail War system in the first place, should be an adequate representative in their eyes. Do remember that though your role has a political aspect, it is still important and is meant to protect our people. As I expect your 'overseeing' of the war to include policing as needed, you also now have the privilege to employ a sword and sidearm along with appropriate magical weaponry. This comes with the understanding that you may be held to account for any excessive damage or loss of life caused by your use of such armaments should there not be an acceptable reason for such events."
Rin's surprise and mild confusion must have shown because the Emperor then added, "I recognize that this is a surprise, but it is an emergency. Consider it the responsibility and legacy carried by the Tohsaka for helping to invent this War in the first place. Your connection to this boy, and indirectly the goddess, is also a factor in my decision." The Emperor's words weren't an apology, Souji noticed, but it was an acknowledgment of the strangeness of the matter and why.
"I...understand, your Majesty," Rin said, Souji seeing small signs of disappointment. "I suppose I do have to take responsibility for that. My cousin clearly failed to do that when she started this War."
The Emperor nodded, apparently accepting this sentiment and moving on. "In addition to attempting to administrate the War and providing me regular updates on its development, you will both approach the goddess and her Masters to establish contact and directly ascertain her intentions. Show her the respect due to her and remember that you speak on my behalf."
"Understood, your Majesty. We accept these missions," Souji said while giving a bow. Rin gave one as well, still reeling slightly from these events.
"Very well. I will see to it that what connections to the Clock Tower we have are informed of your roles and the communications issue. Ishimori, arm Tohsaka-san after you guide them out. Dismissed." The Emperor then returned to work while Souji and Rin were shown out by Ishimori. They stopped and picked up a sword and an M1911J1 with ammunition from the armory, all of which the girl thankfully already knew how to use thanks to Souji's training. Rin looked at the weapons in her hands, clearly contemplating the weight of the responsibilities placed on her.
Souji smiled at Rin gently. "Rin...I know that you are a bit surprised by all this responsibility. But to be one of the Overseers...it is truly an opportunity, you know?"
Rin gave a light sigh before she started to place the weapons at their proper places on her haori. "Maybe, but it's so...political! Yes, my Fes rank had political parts to it, but at least the Clock Tower did it over something I accomplished! This is pure status, bloodlines, and being potentially competent. In that order!" The girl sighed. "It's not only something I haven't earned, it's something I didn't even ask for. But the Emperor is right about the Tohsaka taking responsibility for this mess. Maybe we can teach those spoiled cousins of mine a lesson by the end of everything."
"And Shirou?" Souji asked in mild amusement.
Rin's expression got complicated before she sighed and said, "I doubt he'd ever learn to avoid trouble, but it's on me to try to get it through his skull, isn't it?" Souji almost said something to that, but simply smiled and held her tongue. Rin would be just fine.
Instead of heading to the 1947 Bentley they arrived in, the pair were led to a pool of vehicles. The samurai smiled as she said, "One of the perks of the job is that we get to use nice cars. We don't have magical enhancements on them so I'm pretty sure Senpai's Volkswagen Golf Mk.I GTI could probably beat most of what's here...but it's still pretty fun!" Souji led Rin to a 1999 Nissan Skyline GT-R. It was derived from a police car variant but was a solid light blue except for white triangles for trim on the front of the hood and the rear hatch. Souji practically shoved Rin into the passenger side door before getting into the vehicle and eagerly speeding off into the night.
Kishinami Estate
Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
11:31 PM
"Stop the car, Grandmother," Rin instructed Souji as she drove up the wooded hill. The GT-R stopped just before a point about halfway up to the Kishinami Estate that had less cover than other places—a choke point if Rin had to guess. The young Magus got out and walked up to a certain place in the road as she started looking over something invisible with her glasses. "...There's a Bounded Field here. Multi-layered. After the standard privacy and non-intrusion layers is a part that drains the electronics of entities who don't have permission to move inside it. Cars would have their batteries, alternators, and spark plugs lose charge instantly. The engine would immediately die and strand them here." Rin checked her cell phone, on a hunch. "...I thought so. I'm not getting any reception. These defenses are even interfering with the ambient radio waves."
"That's odd...how is Tamamo-no-Mae that knowledgeable about vehicles and technology?" Souji inquired.
Rin shook her head. "She doesn't have to be very knowledgeable to just drain the energy. Ghosts, sufficiently powerful Bounded Fields, and some other ritual Thaumaturgy could always drain electricity or interfere with radio waves as a side effect. Magic is drawing energy from outside to run spells after all, and turning lightning into magical power is nothing new. Now the intent-based aspect that will respond to a driver's intent to kill by sending that electrical energy straight into every part of the fuel and EVAP systems as a series of sparks? That's a little more inspired. She must have gotten the Grail's info dump to figure that one out."
Souji nodded in understanding. After a century spent around the Tohsaka, she wasn't completely ignorant of Magecraft. She hadn't needed Magic Circuits in her previous life to learn about and use disciplines that drew from external sources of power. Formalcraft and Runecraft both counted and were the basis for most Bounded Fields. "Well...we don't want to be disrespectful and break it down, and we want them to stay defended anyway. Let's find out if there's a place we can knock on the door."
Mere moments after this, Rin took notice of movement in the bushes. She blinked as her eyes met those of a trio of foxes that were staring intently at her and Souji. Foxes carrying a tiny bit of Divinity. The girl had a suspicion that was based on Tamamo-no-Mae's link to foxes and what her glasses were telling her. Were these familiars or messengers of sorts? The girl felt a bit silly about what she was about to do...but she stooped down and looked at the creatures that stared at her regardless. "Hello. I'm Rin Tohsaka and this is my ancestor and resurrected Servant Okita Souji. We're with the Shinsengumi and are friends of Shirou Enjou. We're worried about him and have also been asked by the current Emperor to find out what the goddess wants. He also wants us to act as Overseers for this Grail War. Might we have an audience with them?"
The foxes glanced at each other as if in silent communication before they ultimately circled her and Souji. A small yip from the one in front and a gesture of its neck inclining in the direction of the hilltop was enough for Rin and Souji to get the idea to start walking. The trio of foxes stayed out of reach. Two at the rear and sides of the Shinsengumi diplomats watched them carefully for any funny business. Souji simply smiled and moved with Rin, seemingly content with letting Rin handle everything she could to give her much-needed experience in this role. Rin knew she'd be there if help was truly needed.
They crossed the Bounded Field and were verified as non-hostile before arriving at the residential part of the estate. Rin knocked on the door only for it to be opened by an animated suit of Samurai armor. The slight oddity gestured Rin and Souji inside and had them leave their weapons and shoes in the foyer. The armor was clearly intended to guard and intimidate, but being accustomed to homunculi and automata like Trimmau made these autonomous armors seem quaint to Rin.
The scene that met them was not within the realm of expectation. Oh, Shirou providing everyone with an expertly cooked meal made sense. Saber eating her food with an immensely satisfied expression was also within reason. No, the oddity was the depressed goddess who was face-down on the table in front of a now-empty plate, her tail drooping behind her. A stoic-faced teenage girl in a simple yukata with eyes similar to Shirou's—albeit a darker shade—was patting her shoulder. "I lost..." the fox goddess whined. With a grumble, she sat up and her tail started waving animatedly. "It's bad enough that he's better at cleaning, but I also lost at cooking?! Brother can't be a better wife than I am! This isn't possible!"
Artoria spoke calmly after finishing her latest plate. "Please don't dwell on it, Lady Tamamo. Shirou is a cook worthy of the greatest of Kings. If there were a greater chef in the world, it would only serve as motivation for Shirou to do better. Perhaps he would hold back less."
An old man who Rin and Souji suspected to be Ryouta Kishinami spoke up. "Wait, this meal was with him holding back?"
Artoria pondered how best to answer...this group was aware enough of the supernatural and Hakuno had seen and heard about his eyes, so she could say a little. "Shirou's powers allow him to analyze an object's properties and nature in real time to an alarming degree. Such as the inside and outside of a target as well as thermal and chemical reactions. It is immensely useful for cooking, though he sees it as a crutch rather than a skill at times. As such, Shirou typically restricts himself to cooking within human limits."
Ryouta's eyes widened in awe. "That power...was made for forging swords..."
"I'm doing better lately, Saber." Shirou brought out some tofu for the foxes who had guided Rin and Souji inside while he spoke. They yipped and happily partook when he set a large plate on the floor. "I had trouble having pride in something made with those abilities for a long time, but I learned that it's still something I have to know how to use effectively. So long as I'm making something new rather than just copying something else, I can afford to have a little pride in it. I still hold back when cooking, though. I don't want to spoil normal food for everyone I cook for. My best food is for special occasions. This would normally count, but I don't want to ruin Hakuno or Tamamo's taste buds right off the bat."
Tamamo's eyebrow twitched. "So you are even capable of cooking food beyond the scope of human limit?"
Artoria smiled warmly at a memory. "You have not lived until you have had a Shirou-baked Golden Apple Galette made with grain and Golden Apples from Avalon. You could use ones from Elysium as well, but Avalon's are just a bit better since Avalon is the very heart of the planet. Boudica and I wept that day."
"I remember that...Senpai, stop making me remember that! Now I want some too!" Souji said with a groan, drawing attention to them for the first time.
Ryouta's eyes widened. "Those haori...wait, you're this era's Okita Souji? You're here a bit early. The competition and kenjutsu demonstrations don't start until tomorrow, but it is good to see you! My word, you look just like a younger version of your ancestor! To finally see the cloak of the Shinsengumi on the shoulders of a descendant of that woman...I'm reminded of how old I truly am..."
Souji laughed a little. "Oh, forgive me, but that is merely a cover. You see, I am the original Okita Souji, having been summoned by a different Holy Grail and given a new body in the aftermath much like the goddess. The Emperor and his government simply declared me as my own descendant for the sake of appearances and returned me to my former duties plus some expansions. So if you truly wish to lament about age...I'm old enough to be your grandmother, young man!" Souji smiled good-naturedly as she said this. "This girl with me, Rin Tohsaka, truly is my descendant though. Not only was she deputized into the Shinsengumi to help manage this Grail War and to verify the intentions of the goddess, but she is also one of Shirou's closest friends and a co-apprentice with him under her father."
Souji smiled and gave a deep bow to Tamamo-no-Mae, one which Rin matched. "We are honored by the return of an aspect of Amaterasu and were told of your innocence. The Emperor regrets the sins of his ancestors against you and sent us to inquire about your intentions—as well as to try and oversee this Grail War. Of course, we would have come regardless for Shirou and Senpai's sakes."
"Okita Souji..." Tamamo-no-Mae pondered, having collected herself to adopt a regal appearance as if her first impression were easily forgotten. Eyes as gold as Shirou's own Mystic Eyes of Clairvoyance regarded the pair as she recalled what the Grail revealed about Souji. "I had hoped to meet you when Artoria mentioned your presence in the world. You are one who briefly fought against the Emperor when he withdrew his support from the Tokugawa Shogunate, but quickly came to your senses and fell in line. You then stood as a shield to the Emperor and the people of the nation in various capacities for over a hundred years."
Souji agreed. "Yes. I was blind to the proper path for a time...though what this Tokyo Grail might not tell you is that I was a Master in Fuyuki's Second Holy Grail War of 1868 and was reminded by both Rin's ancestor and my Servant of where my loyalties should truly lie. That Servant sits at the table with you right now, in Shirou's service."
Tamamo glanced at Artoria with mild surprise. "Really? It is a small world." With that, she looked back at Souji and Rin. "Feel free to rise." As the Shinsengumi stood from their bow, Tamamo considered things. "As for my intentions...naturally, I will protect my wife and her family during this conflict. I claimed my Three Sacred Treasures to better do so. I must also see to the death of Rider's Master. There is no negotiation there. They cornered and threatened my dear, helpless wife and her family for a sadistic pleasure that clearly shows in the letter they sent. But answering the questions your Emperor is truly asking? I don't blame anyone alive for what happened then, nor do I plan to take revenge. I see no immediate reason to remove him from the throne, but my wife is certainly worthy of being the Empress of Japan! Can you imagine Hakunon dressed in formal wear while on the Chrysanthemum Throne, her adorable, doll-like face being admired by the masses? But do I want to share that or keep it for myself?" Tamamo muttered this last part as she studied her love's face. The fox girl slowly smiled widely and exclaimed "Mikoooon~" as she suddenly and firmly hugged an ever-so-slightly blushing Hakuno and nuzzled her cheek to cheek for a solid fifteen seconds. No one wanted to call a literal goddess out on her priorities or abandonment of poise...and Hakuno didn't seem distressed as much as slightly embarrassed.
Rin was thankfully experienced enough in dealing with Artemis' eccentricities to force herself to move on to the next point without comment. "I heard about that letter. Could I read it, please?" Ryouta handed over the letter that he had already read to his daughter and later his family and Artoria. Rin read it with Souji looking over her shoulder...
To the Kishinami Family,
Your heiress has been chosen to participate in the Second Tokyo Holy Grail War, a sequel to the First that happened in January 1991. The red marks on her hand are proof of this. A summary of the conflict is that a group of competing Magi known as Masters each summons a spirit from history called a Servant to engage in lethal combat for them, and the winning(surviving) team obtains a wish.
Do not try to run away.
Even if she were to successfully escape Shinjuku, Hakuno-san and your whole family would be hunted down like animals and slaughtered by the supernatural forces involved. Scrying and other precautions ensure that you can be found no matter where you go. Her only chances of survival are victory(an impossibility in her condition), mercy(of which the other competitors are in short supply), or the rare instance of a champion appearing in her stead.
Fortunately for you, a lost member of your clan from Fuyuki City named Shirou Enjou has already survived his own Holy Grail War in November 1994 and can be manipulated to fight in her place or alongside her. Even if he knows he is being manipulated, parading your disabled and innocent descendant will make it so that he won't be able to avoid helping no matter how much he may resent you. His previous Servant whom he has retained, King Artoria Pendragon, is the same way. Whatever preparations you make, the War will take place during the final week of 1999.
Do try to provide me with enough entertainment to make my attention worthwhile.
Master of Rider
The girl's expression darkened. "Sadists. We get them in every Grail War. And this one is disturbingly well-informed, implying a connection to the Mage's Association or the Fuyuki Grail War. It's hard to say if this is really from Rider's Master or an enemy of Rider's Master who wants you both to destroy each other. We can't trust the signature, but we have to assume everything else is accurate enough. Scrying on you may be more difficult with a goddess around. Especially one in a Caster role that can make Bounded Fields like the one outside."
Tamamo seemed irritated at the notion that Rider's Master might not have even written the letter, but at least she didn't seem to blame Rin for merely voicing the possibility. Shirou chose to serve Souji and Rin some of the meal he had just cooked, ignoring the McDonald's that was resting in Artoria's Black Opal Watch for them. His healthy, good food always took priority over fast food.
Artoria gave Ryouta a displeased look. "It is only because of that letter and the urgency of Hakuno's situation that I do not demand justice for dragging Shirou into this conflict. I am still immensely displeased at your deception, Mister Kishinami."
"And I take sole responsibility for that, Watson-dono," the ancient man spoke. "It was a move of desperation for Hakuno's sake."
The King of Knights was not satisfied with this, though her glance at Hakuno indicated that she did not wish to escalate the matter where she could hear. There was no reason to make the innocent girl feel like a burden for being protected.
"Do you have a plan for the War?" Rin asked, not expecting much since Shirou and Artoria were ambushed into this matter.
"Crush all opposition!" Tamamo's response was simple and had no real plan behind it, though the silence from all others showed that they had no better ideas just yet. Rin gave a sigh.
"Don't be too overconfident," Rin said to the group. "Edelfelt summoned Siegfried as a Saber, which means he probably has a conceptual advantage against Dragons and those with Magic Cores. And then there's the Reiroukan's Lancer-class Servant Cu Chulainn, who isn't a slouch either."
Shirou was a bit surprised. Cu Chulainn? Lancer may have gotten a bad deal in the various Worldlines Shirou remembered, but he was still a top-class Servant. "Are you supposed to tell us that?" he asked.
Souji spoke up. "Officially? Probably not. But Shirou, have you ever known an Overseer who wasn't biased? The Kotomine family supported the Tohsaka family in the Third and Fourth Grail Wars because they didn't want to hurt the populace, no one would get hurt by their wish, and they had a good relationship with the Church. Rin outright told the Emperor that you had her friendship and loyalty, but he still chose to make her an Overseer after she confirmed for him that you were a good person who wouldn't abuse your or your Servant's power to hurt people or make an evil wish. I told him that already and their research on you pointed to the same, but it was Rin's words that ultimately convinced him. And I highly doubt your cousin will waste her second chance doing something evil." Rin gave a slight blush at Souji's comment, not expecting her words in that private conversation with the Emperor to get back to Shirou. Souji kept speaking, however. "I think the Emperor wants us to support you and the goddess as long as we don't get caught. He simply didn't say so in as many words, for the sake of plausible deniability with the Mage's Association."
Tamamo nodded in understanding. "Politics. It's complicated, but good to know that the Emperor has no intention of standing against us."
Rin pointedly avoided looking at Shirou for the moment. "Now that you understand that, we should probably try to get a few contingencies and plans in place. Not just in how to fight those specific Servants, but also how to fit all of this into your existing schedule."
"Shouldn't we cancel the blacksmith competition?" Hanami asked. "I know that it's sudden, but..."
The Tohsaka heiress shook her head. "No. Not only would that be an announcement to anyone watching that something was strange and out you as a possible participant in the War, but it would also prevent me and Grandmother from having a justifiable reason to visit and give you information. Okita Souji's swordplay demonstrations are already scheduled as part of this and give us an excuse to meet in person, which is lucky because I don't trust my phone. Someone's selectively jamming any phone Grandmother and I use if we call outside of Tokyo, meaning they're likely monitoring all of my communications."
Shirou nodded. "I managed to get a hold of Maiya and tell her about what was happening."
Rin sighed in relief. "At least there's that...now...I'm going to finally eat this food that you have graciously provided, answer your questions while I eat, and then I'm going back to the hotel to get some sleep." With a glare at Shirou for getting himself in trouble again, decorum was dropped and the pair of Shinsengumi were able to enjoy a meal which doubled as an impromptu introduction to Magecraft and Grail War history for the Kishinami family.
By the time Rin and Souji left for the hotel with a promise to return tomorrow, the group had a rough plan in mind...though they also carried a full awareness that such plans rarely survived contact with the enemy.
Shinjuku City Streets
Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
11:52 PM
Taiga Fujimura beamed as she walked away from the latest casino. She'd won big again, indulging herself in a way that she dared not back home. Most of the casinos in Fuyuki were run by the Fujimura family, so she would essentially be hurting her own family's bottom line if she indulged and won. She'd also been banned from all the casinos around Tokyo University's campuses as well as the casino back at the hotel she was staying at now.
The other casinos in Shinjuku, however, were fair game.
The future English teacher's saving grace in the next few moments was her awareness to stay out of arm's reach from the entrances of alleys or other dark nooks and crannies on the street. When five men in black suits pounced from an alley to drag her into it, Torashinai was called into her hand from her Black Opal watch in an instant. The alley was narrow enough for the attackers to have trouble dodging or taking full advantage of their numbers, so the first two fell rapidly to a single strike each. The third man was carrying a stun gun, so Taiga went for style points and struck his arm. The arm holding the stun gun snapped and veered wide off target. His weapon was pressed into the fourth man as a result, making that one seize up and spasm tensely as he fell to the ground.
"Damn it…this one's not helpless at all! Get the reinforcements down here!" The fifth man said into a radio, the third stumbling backward and nursing a broken arm.
Men started to emerge from other alleyways and storefronts nearby, causing passersby to flee the area to safety. Taiga's eyes narrowed as she was quickly surrounded.
"Gotta say, that's not bad. I didn't expect some card counting cheat to be able to fight back." The man said, his eyes narrowed. "You managed to win millions of yen in one night from our boss, and you're going to give back every yen with interest."
Taiga understood now. The Yakuza casino she had just been to had several high rollers, and it seemed that at least one of them wasn't keen on being forced to pay a fortune to a girl in her twenties. He'd done so on the surface to avoid losing face, but now he wanted to steal her winnings.
Taiga had spent years training under some of humanity's best. As such, she wasn't intimidated at all. She instead glared at the apparent leader and his cocky smile before saying, "Counting cards? Your boss is really stretching for an excuse to discard his honor, isn't he? You really think this is enough men to make me give that money back? I feel like I'm being taken lightly." The woman growled this last part as she gripped Torashinai harder and released a pressure that even the magically unaware felt, their bodies tensing as the cursed bamboo sword suddenly felt like the deadliest of steel.
"Boss..." The one with the broken arm groaned in a mix of pain and fear, but the leader was able to keep himself under control. Narrowly.
"That's some pretty potent killing intent, lady," Someone said from above. Taiga and the various Yakuza present noticed a blue-haired man in a Hawaiian t-shirt as he jumped down from a rooftop and landed effortlessly in the street. "Looks like you're having a fun night. Hope you don't mind if I join in."
"You!" The boss exclaimed in anger, promptly drawing a gun and aiming at the blue-haired man. "He's the one who beat down Murayama's team! Kill that gaijin!"
A few of the infuriated Yakuza drew guns—something relatively rare and even avoided by criminal groups in Japan outside of necessity—and fired at the blue-haired menace. However, he wasn't worried at all. He spun a two-meter-long metal pipe of all things around in his hand in a gray blur and deflected the bullets...which then hit some of the other yakuza in non-lethal spots like arms and legs. The newcomer smirked. "Shooting at me when I'm surrounded just means you'll be hitting your men. You need to get nice and close to have a chance at doing anything."
The boss growled, putting away his gun and drawing a metal sword. "Then we'll have to do just that. Your war on the Sumiyoshi-kai ends here, foreign dog!"
"Dog? People used to know better than to call me that as an insult. I guess I'll have to teach you kids some humility," The man took an aggressive stance with his pipe, and everyone knew instinctively that the nondescript metal pipe was a dangerous weapon. Taiga was able to see runes etched onto the surface of the weapon as well. He glanced at Taiga with a cocky smile. "Should we get to it, then?"
Taiga blushed ever so slightly but gave a nod. "Yeah! If they're sending me entertainment, might as well enjoy it!"
The man grinned widely. "That's the spirit! I've got the left. You've got the right. The one who takes out the most of them wins."
"Attack!" The yakuza boss yelled out, ordering the various men to close in on their two targets...like lambs to the slaughter. The yakuza weren't trained well enough to handle targets like these two, or to operate in such numbers. They grouped up, got in each other's way, and were little more than fodder for the Yakuza Heiress and the Servant.
Rarely did Taiga have an opportunity to cut loose or deal with multiple human opponents who were serious in their attacks. She may not have been a Master in any Grail War, but she still trained under Servants in a place beyond the World. One of her few human rivals was Shiki Ryougi, who was a similarly ridiculous existence. Her concept of 'human limitation' was thus appropriately skewed.
Many of these yakuza were probably ranked kenjutsu practitioners, but they may as well have been unarmed children.
A fair number fled—some carrying the injured with them—but even more were on the ground unconscious by the end. Taiga gave a sigh of relief and mild pleasure after venting her frustrations on these enemies. After this, the legend of Torashinai would probably grow even more. She couldn't help but smirk at the idea that the more enemies she beat with it, the stronger the sword became. Still...
"I can't believe you beat more of them than me. With just a rune-covered metal pipe! I wish I could add those to my sword, but I don't think it'd work well." Taiga grumbled a bit. "Well, I guess I'm off to the next casino."
"Casino? You're gambling?" the man asked, sounding interested.
Taiga beamed excitedly. "That's right! I've been going around, winning at casinos until they kick me out. I don't live around here, so they don't know to refuse me service yet! These thugs are from some sore loser who wanted to steal what I won. I've already won a lot, but I want to enjoy myself more. My goal is to win as much as I can before the whole city decides to ban me!"
The man speculated for a moment before saying, "A night of gambling and fighting, huh? Any drinking?"
Taiga shrugged. "Not this early, but only because I take my gambling seriously. There's usually booze around though. Drunk gamblers help the house win more. Might enjoy some once I've got my winnings safely tucked away."
The man smirked. "That sounds like a pretty good time. Mind if I tag along?"
Taiga thought for a moment, looking him over. "Well, it gives me a chance to get back in the lead if more of them have a problem with my winning so much..." She then made her decision and grinned back at the man. "You know what? Sure! You can tag along! What's your name?"
The blue-haired spear man hung that metal pipe from his back and smiled. "The name's Sétanta," he said, the name familiar to Taiga for some reason.
"I'm Taiga Fujimura..." The woman then got a speculative look as she found the name familiar somehow. 'Sétanta...that's Celtic, right? Maybe Irish?' Taiga said, switching to Irish.
The man was briefly surprised before smiling and changing languages as well, 'Very old Irish, from before they called it Irish. It's ancestral. I'm surprised you know it.'
Taiga gave a smug smile as they walked away from the consequences of their fight. 'Well, I'm training to become a teacher of the various British languages. Romantic, Scandinavian, and Celtic. I have friends from all over the place. Watching people scratching their heads when my Welsh friends and I use some old Celtic language from the early AD era is fun.'
The spearman then switched languages again, to the Primitive Irish he spoke in life. 'Something obscure like this?'
Taiga's eyes widened before she chuckled. 'Oh, I have a friend who speaks and teaches this along with proto-Gaelic! Constantly beats the tar out of another of my friends in spars and trains the kids in the spear. She's something.'
'She sounds like an amazing woman,' Sétanta said to the Japanese spitfire, a look of fond remembrance on his face as the pair headed off to terrorize the wallets and combat forces of the Shinjuku elite.
Neither noticed the Assassin-class Servant stalking them from afar...
December 27, 1999
Shinjuku City Streets
Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
12:09 AM
Rani III monitored the odd development with Taiga Fujimura through Assassin's eyes with interest. The distant cousin of Rin Tohsaka did not seem to realize that she was in the company of a Servant. The combat prowess shown by the man seemed to be common enough in her experience for her not to see anything amiss, at least at this level of performance. That in and of itself was telling.
She was distracted from her musings when she heard a powerful vehicle drive up only to park near her at the curbside. Glancing over, Rani noted a blonde woman in all black—sunglasses, a shirt and jacket, shorts inappropriate for the season, and thigh-high boots—straddling a black motorcycle. She was even carrying a bulky-looking handgun. Rani was able to determine that this woman was a Rider Servant with her Master's Perspective, the ability of a Master to discern a Servant's nature and general attributes on sight. She was a strong one, too.
"Master of Assassin," the Servant said, any surprise Rani felt at being readily identified not showing on her face. "My Master said I would find someone from Atlas here commanding that Servant. Your colors have not changed even since my time. Ostentatious as it may be for a non-royal to wear purple and gold."
Rani answered without any waver in her voice. "We in Atlas have worn these colors since before Kings even knew how to dye purple cloth. It is in emulating Atlas and coveting our power that royalty chose purple for themselves."
"So you say you have a right to wear such reserved colors because you wore them first?" The Servant inquired.
Rani answered by saying, "These are our colors, and always have been. It is that simple. What royalty has done in the millennia since is their business."
There was silence between the two for a time. Possibly because what Rani said was not arrogant as much as a simple fact, the Servant seemed to choose not to take offense. Rider spoke of another matter instead. "Why did you not claim the role of Overseer? You are clearly here to observe given your choice of Servant and actions. Why do Rin Tohsaka and Okita Souji carry that duty instead when the Mage's Association would surely agree to your holding that authority in place of the Church?"
The homunculus answered by saying, "We in Atlas wish to observe Rin Tohsaka's actions and abilities. The Mage's Association is also interested in observing her for its own reasons. Being an Overseer of this Grail War does not grant direct power over the Masters and Servants, so claiming the title does little but complicate matters. Managing information control and cleanup is something I would still help with should Miss Tohsaka fail."
"And your wish for the war?" Rider asked, looking at the homunculus with an odd expression.
"...Already granted," Rani admitted after a moment, to Rider's apparent surprise. "Simply participating in the War was sufficient to see it done...though I am not so unfaithful as to neglect my Servant's wish. Assassin answered my call and deserves my support just as they support me in my mission."
Rider seemed to consider this for a moment, though Rani suspected that she was also in communication with her Master. After a time, Rider spoke. "Perhaps not the complete truth, but your words ring true enough. Especially regarding your personal motivations. Had you lied and pretended not to be loyal to your Servant in hopes that I would stay my blade, I would have cut you down where you stand as a disloyal coward. As things stand...my Master sees you as a non-threat and potentially a source of amusement." Rider climbed onto her motorcycle once more and started the engine.
"Do try not to let your Servant die too quickly. My master believes that it would be a shame if her victory were improperly documented." Rider rode off into the night after saying those words without even waiting for a reply, leaving Rani III standing at the side of the street once more in a state of concealed relief.
Though no fewer than a dozen Assassins were waiting in the shadows to fight, Rani felt it unlikely that they would have been able to win that fight.
Underground Shinkansen Allocation Area
Shinjuku Station (400 meters south-southwest of Shinjuku Samurai Museum)
Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
12:28 AM
Rider's Motorcycle descended into the abandoned underground railway station, Bounded Fields preventing the vehicle from being noticed by outsiders as it did so. The site was well-ventilated with Rune Magecraft to the point where exhaust was not a concern. Rider descended into the somewhat cavernous area that had become Manaka's Workshop before she parked the motorcycle and stepped off of it. Pulling a brown bag out of the bike's left saddlebag, she went to greet her Master.
"Rider!" Manaka said happily to the darkly dressed Servant. "Welcome back! What did you think of the competition?"
"Hardly worth considering in Assassin's case," Rider commented while handing the bag to her Master. "Lancer might prove interesting. I have yet to meet the others, but Saber Siegfried must be assumed competent. My apologies for not obtaining more data, Master." The Servant would then return to her bike and open up its right saddlebag, pulling out several identical bags and setting them on a vintage wooden table next to a red couch. Magecraft had fixed trashed furniture into serviceable structures, though they still looked out of place in this wide-open area.
The twenty-year-old Master opened the bag and pulled out a hamburger from McDonald's. She opened its wrapper and started to eat while Rider got the drinks out next. The Servant had easily obtained a dozen bags of food or more, the bike holding it all due to Imaginary Number Space Magecraft applied to the saddlebags.
Manaka shook her head slightly. "Oh, none of that. If you go near the hotel or the Kishinami right now, you'll be spotted. Mystic Eyes are no joke, whether they're Enjou's real ones or Tohsaka's fakes. Spotting a Servant in astralized form is well within their abilities." These words made Rider pause ever so briefly before starting to eat. Knowing the Servant would ask for more details if she didn't go ahead and tell her, Manaka sighed and spoke. "The boy's here with his old Saber Servant. He helped Hakuno Kishinami summon a fox that was hanging around as a living goddess. I should have expected that one somehow."
The Servant said nothing initially, though her fist clenched slightly. She ultimately shook off whatever thought was on her mind and unpeeled a wrapper around one of her own burgers. "Why did you not anticipate this? Does your in-born connection to the Root not give you a form of Clairvoyance?" Rider inquired of her Master.
The woman handwaved it away. "Kind of, but that'd be boring. I'll use it if I have to or peek at other Worldlines, but doing it all the time wouldn't be fun at all! It's like that Ryougi woman hiding away asleep and letting her other 'self' stumble through life. We have to lock away our connections in different ways to make things interesting." Indeed, it was the same logic as Gilgamesh. Manaka was more than willing to use her ability to make her initial plans and set up starting conditions, but simply using it to guide her whole life wasn't something she was interested in. "Besides, I expected him to do something to derail things early on. The Fourth Holy Grail War was pretty much a train wreck. The goal I wanted to achieve by dragging him in was met either way."
"So the situation is as you hoped?" Rider asked.
Manaka nodded, finding herself halfway through her first burger while Rider finished hers. "Yeah, dragging him into the War let Reiroukan's Subcategory Grail tap into his Lesser Grail and that Reverse Side power tap thing he has going on. Now the War can support more than the six Servants it was meant to take and can theoretically be used for the big stuff like getting to the Root or something. We can probably summon as many Servants as we want. I just need to finish setting things up tomorrow."
Rider gave a nod of understanding before starting on her second burger. "So as long as others do not realize they can summon with impunity, we shall carry an advantage. Are we doing nothing more for tonight, then?"
The blonde Master regarded her Servant for a moment before smiling. "Not tonight. Let them have one more night of peace. I want my Servant to model that maid outfit again, anyway."
The Servant of the Motorcycle froze for a moment before giving a regal and minuscule sigh of mild resignation. "After my meal, Master."
"Mooouuuu~ Call me Manaka, Rider!" the woman answered with a wide smile.
Such an odd Master...
Manazuru Residence
Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
12:43 AM
The girl had been awoken a while ago from a sound sleep by an intense pulse of divine energy. She knew that feeling somehow. The child was hard-wired to know it, even if the last time she had felt it was as a newborn. It felt like her mama. She knew that her parents were gone, but her grandma said that the Holy Grail War was starting again. The older woman had even drawn a magic circle in the basement to summon a Servant a week ago, only to be upset when the marks never appeared on her hand. If the Grail War was back, then her mama might be summoned again! And her mama's domain was death, so maybe she could see her papa too!
Of course, it meant that things might be dangerous if she went looking for them. The girl then had a bright idea. Maybe she could get a Servant of her own to help protect her while she went to see her mama!
Thankful that her grandmother was out for the past few days and would be for a bit longer, the child went downstairs to where the circle was while clutching a Catalyst in her hand. Oh, she didn't know what a Catalyst was, just that it helped to summon a Servant and that a fancy one was best. She put the ornate spear she'd gotten from her mama when she was born into the Magic Circle and looked at a nearby book for the magic words. She didn't understand what it all meant but promising to win the Grail might be bad if her mama wanted it too, so she stood at the circle and started saying her own version of the spell.
"Elements of Silver and Iron. Foundation of Stone and the Archduke of Pacts.
The ancestor is my great master Manazuru.
A wall for descending wind. Close the four cardinal gates.
Come forth from the crown and follow the three-forked road leading from the Kingdom.
Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Fill. Let each be turned over five times, simply breaking asunder the fulfilled time.
Behold, my will creates your body and your sword my destiny!
If you'll help me find my mama, then answer me!
I hereby swear that I'll be a very good girl and that I'll share my sweets with you.
From the Seventh Heaven, clad in three great words of power,
Come forth now, Guardian of the Scales!"
A powerful pulse of light filled the room alongside a burst of wind, forcing the girl to close her eyes and give a scream of surprise. When the wind died down and she felt brave enough to open them again, she looked upon a man in an older military dress uniform with a white cape. He also carried a sword, though the child could feel something very familiar about it.
The black-haired man immediately noticed the spear and looked at it strangely. It didn't take long before he looked down at the child and smiled kindly, however. "Hello, little lady. I'm Lancer. Are you my Master?"
She nodded. "Yep! I'm Erice Utsumi. I feel Mama somewhere, and I summoned you to protect me from bad people while I find her. But...why does your sword feel like my spear, mister? Are you one of Mama's messengers?"
The man knelt down to the child's level and allowed his spear to change shape. "I don't know your mother's name, but I don't think I'm her messenger. My name is Sakamoto Ryouma, and I served the Emperor of Japan and the Japanese people in my life. This sword can change shape into a spear as well as other weapons and belonged to my wife. It's name is Ame-no-Sakahoko."
The little girl gasped in awe as the spear, while looking different from her own, grabbed her attention. "That's my spear's name! Mama made it for me when I was born before she went away!"
This made Ryouma even more confused. "Really? What's your mama's name, then?"
The little girl beamed and said a name that would probably make most doubt her sanity. "Izanami!"
Ryouma was not 'most', however. He took in the girl's appearance. A tuft of pink hair on her bangs reminded him of how Oryou could manifest red in her hair to contrast the black. Their expressions differed, but her facial structure...was this how Oryou would have looked as a child? The man patted Erice's head. "I see...if that's true, then I should be watching out for you regardless. My wife is another daughter of Izanami named Oryou, which is how she got a spear like yours. She and Izanami had a...falling out, but your big sister would adore you if you two ever met."
Erice's eyes widened. "Really? You're my big brother, then?"
The man's expression softened. "I guess I am, kid."
He wasn't quite prepared for the sudden firm hug from the girl, but he returned it with grace. Ryouma remembered that he and Oryou had always wanted a child, but Oryou had to settle for adopting his sister's daughter. How could he not reciprocate when Fate delivered her little sister into his care?
December 10, 1867
Flashback
Omiya Inn
Kyoto, Japan
9:20 PM
"The little lady is extra clingy tonight," The man, Nakaoka Shintarou, said with a smirk to his friend and associate Sakamoto Ryouma.
A chuckle from said friend and a glare from said 'little lady' clinging protectively to his side was the immediate response. She wore a black dress and a red western-themed coat. Her long, smooth hair was black like ink and she had piercing red eyes which could unnerve the most resolute of men. The closeness with which she was wrapped around her partner could have been mistaken for intimacy if she weren't so obvious in her vigilance. "Oryou isn't leaving Ryouma's side. Not tonight."
The laid-back, black-haired man she clung to—who wore a dark samurai outfit but with western boots—jovially responded. "She had a dream about some flowery man telling her that something was going to happen tonight and even insisted that I don't forget to carry my gun wherever I go. I don't know if her premonition is true, but I'm not complaining. She kept me alive during the attack on the Teradaya Inn last year."
Shintaro laughed at the reminder. "You mean when she drew an assassin's attention while she was bathing, grabbed his sword, and proceeded to humble him and the rest of the group? Yeah, she did more than keep you alive. I'm pretty sure those assassins started calling her a dragon after that. You've got a winner there, Sakamoto. Treat her right."
Oryou's glare shifted into a pleased smile at the praise. "Ryouma treats Oryou to extra frogs every time she saves his life." From the look on her face, this counted in her eyes as 'treating her right'. By this point, Shintarou had simply come to accept the woman's eccentricities and dietary preferences as coming from foreign influence. French maybe. Few recognized the woman for the Phantasmal Species she was. Though she was not quite a dragon, the Black Orochi was no less a danger.
After this was said, a scrambling was heard from downstairs. Shintarou grumbled. "Is Yamada wrestling with a friend again? This is what happens when you hire a former sumo wrestler as a bodyguard." The man stood and started to walk to the door to open it and complain, but Oryou grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back with a light application of superhuman strength. He fell to the tatami mat on the floor. Shintarou glared at Oryou for only a moment before her expression registered in her eyes. It was an expression of quiet fury, aimed squarely at the door.
"Oryou smells blood," Oryou explained as she drew the aforementioned sword that she had taken from her previous foe, saying all that was needed. Shintaro's eyes widened in surprise but Ryouma did not waste time. The latter drew his Smith & Wesson No. 2 Army revolver and shot the first assassin as he tore through the paper door. This bought Shintaro the precious seconds needed to draw his sword while Oryou managed to slash and strike at the next two assassins who tried to barrel their way in. One had his neck slashed and the other had his dominant hand sliced to the point of non-function.
Ryouma wasn't necessarily the best of marksmen, but he was experienced and the number of foes crowding together to get in the room combined with Oryou's ability not to be wherever he happened to be aiming meant that he didn't need to be particularly skilled to hit someone. When he had finished firing the whole of his pistol's ammunition, he put it away and drew the spear disguised as a sword—the Ame-no-Sakahoko that once sealed Oryou—to assist in the fight. He joined the melee but Ryouma had scarcely slain two men in this manner before the light sources in the room were struck in hopes of the more numerous assassins more easily confusing and slaying their targets.
This was a horrible mistake.
Concealed by the dark and no longer needing to restrict herself to human form, the Black Orochi allowed herself to shed her disguise and cut loose upon her foes. The sounds of screaming and carnage soon yielded to silence, filling a darkness that was a little too black. A once-more humanoid Oryou ultimately re-lit the lights and Shintarou gawked on seeing no fewer than twenty corpses on the ground in and outside the room. Oryou—who had been at the vanguard and was currently covered in their blood—was obviously responsible for the majority. Shintarou only found his voice after several moments and said, "Sakamoto...treat that woman right."
Oryou's resultant grin might have been a bit unsettling, but no one noticed in the aftermath of the fight.
In normal history, the 'Omiya Incident' would have been the site of the deaths of the three men because Oryou had briefly stepped out and Ryouma had forgotten his gun with which to thin the enemy numbers. In this Worldline, however, that did not come to pass. Instead, a great many across Kyoto from the Mimawarigumi and Shinsengumi were killed for the trespass that night...
December 27, 1999
Offshore south of Cape Ashizuri
near Tosashimizu City, Kochi Prefecture(formerly Tosa Domain), Japan
12:31 AM
The Phantasmal Beast awakened from one of her favorite dreams, stirred by something familiar to which she attached unpleasant memories. She subconsciously did not want to wake up to such a thing and had subconsciously ignored it for as long as she could...she slept because it eased the pain. She could even dream that her mate was still with her. Was it a mistake to care for a human whose years were so fleeting? No...no, because her grief meant that those few years were worth so much to begin with. It was an era to treasure. Even if she slept for four thousand years, she would not regret the mere forty she had lived by his side.
She had stirred a few times over the years. Every time a Grail War happened in Fuyuki, less than 200 kilometers away from her husband's homeland of Tosa, the leylines were disturbed enough to awaken her. Of course, she did not know the reason for this or even that she was sleeping in roughly sixty-year intervals.
Sleep had become more difficult after the last time. Energy was pumped into the leylines to the point where it energized the Phantasmal. She had even woken fully for a time and hunted for food before returning to her slumber...a rather light slumber. And that sleep was disturbed once more.
The leylines were ringing again. It was a distant pulse to the east rather than one from Fuyuki, a wave of familiar divine energy that enraged her. She knew this power. It was power almost identical to that which she felt in the spear in her possession. The spear which had been used to seal her away until her husband had found and freed her.
Her fury was immediately tempered as if by ice water when she felt something else there. A feeling she knew intimately. A familiar connection...
The ink-black creature hurriedly detached herself from the leyline she had claimed as her own and began to race east across the sea floor at a disturbing speed with only one thought on her mind.
~Ryouma!~
Author's Notes: Another Dragon is en route like a wrecking ball. I never intended this before playing certain FGO content some months ago, but I have no regrets...other than the fact it utterly wrecked my already non-existent pacing maybe, but I needed to get this chapter out someday!
WEAPON DATA:
Name: Colt M1911J1
Owner: Many Police and Armed Forces from WWII Allies(including Japan in Recast), civilians
Type: Anti-Unit
Rank: Variable depending on ammunition
Range: 0-50(more with overpressure rounds or magical bullets)
Maximum number of targets: 1 person
In normal Japanese history, the Colt M1911A1 made in the United States was ultimately rejected or replaced by a domestic handgun made by Nanbu due largely to problems with weight, recoil, and the size of the grip being ill-suited for smaller Japanese hands. In the Recast Worldline, however, Japan's involvement in the Second World War on the side of the Allies led to a Japan-specific variant of the M1911A1 to be created by Colt for the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces in 1940 to resolve these issues—the M1911J1. Not only is the grip smaller and better-suited for Japanese hands, but the weapon is lighter and chambered in .38 Super caliber bullets instead of the typical .45 ACP caliber to make the recoil more manageable.
Though made for the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces, the weapon became popular with civilian hobbyists and female shooters within the United States and other Allied countries. As more women became members of the military and police forces of these various nations, the M1911J1 became an obvious choice to serve along the M1911A1 which was already in service with those branches. Japan also expanded the weapon's role into its Japanese National Police and Imperial Guard, allowing it to be used by its surviving Shinsengumi. Okita Souji notably carries this gun as a sidearm.
Mixing M1911A1 and M1911J1 parts was also common for making customized variants. An M1911A1 with an M1911J1 barrel could use a special double-stacked magazine to carry 15 of the smaller .38 Super rounds rather than 7 or 8 .45 ACP rounds. Shooters who had no problem with the weight or grip but disliked the recoil or wanted more rounds could use this option. Shooters who wanted .45 ACP rounds but an M1911J grip could have an M1911A1 barrel added to their weapon but would have to tolerate the magazine of the weapon sticking out from the bottom of their gun's J-type grip. Okita Souji opted for the latter modification, plus a strengthened barrel for overpressure rounds.