>>4591534
>I am of the lesser families, come to prove myself.

>I am a nobody, one with talent but no ties to the mage society.

>>4591534
>>I am of the lesser families, come to prove myself.

>>4591534
>Lesser family
I hope we get an interesting servant.

>>4591534
>>I am a nobody, one with talent but no ties to the mage society.

>>4591534
>I am of the lesser families, come to prove myself.

>>4591534
>>I am of the lesser families, come to prove myself.

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>>4591538
>>4591542
>>4591553
>>4591544

Ah, you're that contender. Well, far be it from me to intrude any further on your story. Perhaps we shall meet again. I wish you naught but fortune in the coming war.

- - - - -

My name is Edward Bartleby, and I'm an Archivist.

Well, little more than a glorified librarian, really. I gather books and tomes on magical lore and theory and store them, care for them, and preserve them. That's the thing, preservation. Mages the world over have sought the same secrets my small family has perfected over the years. The preservation of the inanimate without loss of structure or information - the arts related to Time and its various vagaries - are the focus of my family's crest.

It's... not a very good crest, regrettably. We're only good at one thing, and my contribution isn't very helpful either. I have mastered only a few spells. There's the two from my crest, and the one I've developed myself. My family has taken the standard reinforcement spell and reworked it - the real purpose of the spell is to make something durable enough for transport, say a few hours, and then to use other spells to prevent the inherent backlash of the Empowered Reinforcement from destroying the item. There are several volumes we own that would otherwise still be in the possession of... some very bad people without this spell.

However...

If one were to, say, cast it upon someone else's equipment, make the duration very, very short, and know when to strike, you can essentially render any object into a lump of clay. It can't be used on people, or living things, but it works on pretty much anything - the one rule being, that as long as the spell's first half lasts, the longer the second half lasts. Reinforce something for a few seconds, and it'll be vulnerable just as long.

The second spell my family pioneered is to copy any text perfectly from one medium to another, so long as both mediums are physical. The spell works even on closed books! Its practical applications are pretty limited though, but... Well, ah, when you can tweak the spell to accept anything "written" as "text"... Let's just say I'm not exactly hard up for money so long as I keep moving around and I'm careful.

(Continued...)

>>4591586


My own spells were mastered for self defense and are pretty limited. I can flood the air around me with energies similar to Empowered Reinforcement, causing items not held or carried by myself to be either powerfully reinforced or not in various patches for a short period of time. It makes stuff fall apart really fast. And I can make technology degrade very fast with a simple spell I've built. Mostly it's useful for turning small batteries into flashbangs, but I've never tried it with a larger battery before.

So, uh... what am I doing now? I suppose you could say I'm doing what a fair number of mages in America are doing: Planning, panicking, and making a lot of calls. I've been chosen for a Master. As in, just this morning.

>I should find and prepare a Catalyst to summon an ideal Servant.
>I should prepare a Ritual to summon a Servant aligned to me.
>I should look through the family Archive, perhaps there's some other way.
>Perhaps there's some other method I've forgotten...

>>4591587
>I should look through the family Archive, perhaps there's some other way.

>>4591586
>Catalyst
If we're an archivist this is the most logical choice, since we'll be able to weigh the odds in favour of getting a servant that'll play nice with our philosophy/skills, based of their legends. No reason to risk getting a servant who we can't work with outside of command seals when we can use our knowledge to try and get one we'll get along with

>>4591587
>I should find and prepare a Catalyst to summon an ideal Servant.

>>4591587
>I should look through the family Archive, perhaps there's some other way.

>>4591587
>I should look through the family Archive, perhaps there's some other way.
On the one hand using a catalyst more or less guarantees us a Servant we know about (unless it has ties to multiple heroes) but on the other if we can pull up an alternate way to summon we might be able to tweak our Servant to give us an advantage.

>>4591587
>I should look through the family Archive, perhaps there's some other way.

>>4591587
>>I should prepare a Ritual to summon a Servant aligned to me.
Gotta spin the gacha

>>4591587
>I should look through the family Archive, perhaps there's some other way.

>>4591587
>I should find and prepare a Catalyst to summon an ideal Servant.
Time to duel.

>>4591534
> I am a nobody, one with talent but no ties to the mage society.

>>4591587
>I should find and prepare a Catalyst to summon an ideal Servant
Please don't die. Please let this quest live and properly end

>>4591534
Well look at that, a new Fate Quest.
As a tip from one QM to another, use a secure tripcode and not an insecure trip. The only difference is using ## instead of # to divide your name and passcode.
We've had a few instances of QM impersonation in the past on this board, and it's only a matter of time till another shitter rises to terrorize the board.
>>4591587
>>I should prepare a Ritual to summon a Servant aligned to me.
That in mind, let's spin the gacha,

>>4591837
>>4591741
>>4591696
>>4591648
>>4591596
>>4592393
Trust me, I'm an old hat at this.

Looking through the Archives yields little but the standard methods of summoning - Either a ritual or a catalyst. However, there is a package from the one who had sent a letter about this particular Grail. It's unusual for those running it to be so formal - to actually know who is participating is somewhat rare. Apparently there's new incantations that can be slotted into the ritual proper, and that some catalysts that have failed in the past may work presently.


With the new information in hand, as well as some more searching in the Archive's relic depository - I mutter an apology to my great-grandfather as I open old seals - I have the following.

>I can summon with a ritual from the Grail of...
>History
>Fiction
>or Lore
>I can use what might be a catalyst from the Archive: A paper with a crossed out circle, taped to an old camcorder
>I can hunt a catalyst down at the local museum - There's several exhibits moving through, and security may be lax.
>Something else?

>>4592412
>>I can summon with a ritual from the Grail of
>>Fiction
Bit of a confusing voting selection.

>>4592412
>I can summon with a ritual from the Grail of...
>Fiction

>>4592412
>Something else?
Perhaps we might find another catalyst within the Archive. We have gathered tomes of magical lore, perhaps one of them (or even several of them combined by our copying magic) might serve as a catalyst for a caster (or something else).

>>4592454
Support.

>>4592412
The camera one is Slenderman I think. Isn't the crossed out circle his thing?

>>4592490
I was gonna say the Zodiac killer

>>4592412
>>I can summon with a ritual from the Grail of
>>Fiction

>>4592503
How does summoning Ted Cruz help?

>>4592412
>>I can use what might be a catalyst from the Archive: A paper with a crossed out circle, taped to an old camcorder
let's summon slenderman ,seems like a fun thin to do

>>4592512
>>4592429
>>4592420
It's narrow, but I'm calling the vote now.

Runner-ups:
>>4592542

>>4592454
>>4592470

Nonvotes:
>>4592528
>>4592503
>>4592490


Typing update.

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>>4592573
Contrary to popular opinion, magic ritual is not complicated. It's easier and simpler than actual magic, which requires one to balance various energies and formulae. It's the difference between having a shortcut on your computer desktop and running things through the command prompts, I guess? Or even writing programs. Point is, the patterns I need to draw and the chant I need to make are all very simple. Rote memorizations, really. Not wills of effort to balance several elements and avoid backlash. It's why rituals are highly valued among Mages - it saves a lot of work.

The moon is in the right place. The clocks are properly set. The incantation goes off without a hitch, and the circle shimmers with power, a ghostly image of it rising from the ground. A symbol blurs into being in the center - a horse's head, a sword, a bow, it zips through many variations as the rising circle spins, faster and faster. Finally it settles on the bow and arrow and the circle comes to a sudden stop, slamming back down with arcing power shearing and rending into the space above the circle. Energy slams out from the circle in shockwaves, making me raise my hands to keep dust from my eyes as power rumbles out.

I can hear the sounds of an ancient forest. Whispering winds and the smell of woodsmoke - the scent of mushrooms. Something about it is nostalgic. Ruffling pages.

The power passes, shivering tension in the air lessening. I've summoned my servant!

A girl about five and a half feet tall. Golden hair and eyes. A wide black hat, black and white dress. A broom in one hand, and some device - octagonal - in the other. A confident, cocksure smirk, the stance of someone ready for a fight. When she speaks, it's in Japanese, though I can clearly understand her.

"I am Archer, your capable Servant! Are you my Master?"

>Answer in the affirmative
>Check Status card
>[Silence]
>Something else?

>>4592590
Well, this is going to be a wild ride.

>Answer in the affirmative
>Check Status card

>>4592590

>Answer in the affirmative
>Check Status card
https://youtu.be/v8ZXID1tPXs

>>4592590
>Answer in the affirmative
>Check Status card
Oh hello Marisa.

>>4592590
>Answer in the affirmative
>Check Status card

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>>4592593
>>4592597
>>4592605
>>4592607
For some reason, I can't access her Noble Phantasm page.

"Yes. I am your Master. We've got a lot of work to do."
"That's what I like to hear, ze." She steps out of the circle and looks around, her hat bouncing as she walks. "This is a big library! Almost as good as Patchy's, ze. You must have a lot of special magic!"

"I do, but not much of it is of use in combat, I'm afraid. Mostly old magic that has been replaced by technology."
"Oh, like... freezing food and moving fast on the ground, right?"
"Yes, things like that." I end up walking behind her as she looks at the spines of the books. "Why can't I access your Noble Phantasm, Archer?"
"That's a secret, ze. Not even my Master can know exactly how it works! It's my own, very special spell, the one thing I didn't steal!" she spins the wooden device on one finger. "...The spell itself, anyway." she flicks the device into the air, catching it. "This is just a focus. Wait, hold on." She's clearly thinking hard, I can almost hear the gears ticking. "I'm an Archer?"

"Yes, you called yourself by it when you came in."

"Yes, but..." she makes a groaning sound, throwing up her arms in disgust. "Fine! I suppose I'm an 'Archer' then! Anyway. What is the plan, Master?"

>We should survey the area and see what sort of battleground we're looking at.
>We should set up defenses and traps around the home base.
>We should seek out the other Masters and strike quickly.
>Something else?

>>4592631
>Something else
Does this war have an overseer? If so, we ought to check in.

Then (or if not applicable),
>We should survey the area and see what sort of battleground we're looking at.
We have an Archer, so recon will be key.

>>4592631
>We should survey the area and see what sort of battleground we're looking at.
New life goals.
Disregard Grail War.
Go live in Gensokyo.

>>4592631
Seconding
>Disregard Grail War.
>Go live in Gensokyo.

Also, I hope the Berserker is Broly and needs more Chen.

>>4592636
seconding this

>>4592631
>We should survey the area and see what sort of battleground we're looking at.
Probably for the best that we do this. If we can see what kind of grounds we are gonna be fighting on, its possible for us to see places where Archer can be of use (like for example a rooftop).

Also as a side note was not expecting us to summon Marisa. Let alone any 2hu. I wonder if any other 2hus will be summoned.

>>4592666
Nice try, Satan.
Wish to take our archive with us and go live in Gensokyo if we win?

>>4592671
Damn, we should have summoned from a volume of DBZ or a Superman comic.

>>4592671
>Berserker Broly
Oh god. That’d be a fucking nightmare to deal with. Honestly I’m hoping our Berserker is Dimitri from Fire Emblem Three Houses

>>4592631
>We should set up defenses and traps around the home base.

>>4592671
I'm wondering If Rider will be a Masked Rider

>>4592686
Just hope nobody summons somebody like Medaka.
Or a Final Fantasy character.

>>4592678
>we should have summoned from Superman comic.
We should have summoned from Dark Knights Death Metal - The Secret Origin

>>4592686
>Oh god. That’d be a fucking nightmare to deal with.
He's not human either, so no stat limitation and Berserker is literally perfect for him, just slap a variation of Mad Enhancement on him that makes him stronger the longer he's got it active and becomes more berserk as he goes up in forms.

>>4592696
>Kamen Rider
That'd be cool.

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1.69 MB JPG

>>4592698
PRIME TIME

>>4592701
>>4592698

Leave Prime alone. He got his happy ending.

>>4592672
>>4592673
>>4592636

"Two things need doing: We need to meet with the officiator, now that you're summoned. And we need to see what the battleground looks like." I slide my glasses up my nose. "The Officiator is Solomon King, a servant who won a different war. He should be in his company's high-rise in the city. He runs some big stock thing, I don't pay attention to things like that."

The fact that fictional characters can serve as Servants opens a huge can of worms. About the only saving grace is that any Magus worth their salt doesn't even drive a car, let alone watch television or keep up with modern pop trends. Granted, I'm a bit odd when it comes to this, and it feels especially odd that the system chose Marisa of all characters for me. ...I'll just wipe the computer when I get home. Nothing to worry about.

"So we're going for a trip, then, ze." she strides confidently out the door of my Archive - into the deep woods my grandparents bought so very long ago. Archer nods in approval, her hat bouncing as she takes my hand and forcefully pulls me onto her broom. "Let's get started then!"

I grasp the broom with both hands, watching my knuckles go white as the earth falls away, the trees fall away, like gravity had reversed and we were in free-fall. And then - not falling up, but sideways, and not just falling but accelerating. The world is wind and sound, until suddenly we come to a stop over the city.

The city is big. Solomon had taken up residence in what was a flyover state and built his own little empire there. The center of the city is older, but his tower looms over it like a...

Well...

"It's certainly one hell of a statement, ze." Archer says as we hover in the air. " 'Look at my money! It's so biiiig~" she laughs at the husky tone she affects, then sighs. "I hate people like that. How can anyone make that much and still be a good person? Nope. Not possible."

"Regardless, he's the one in charge of this contest."

"Right, right. Let's go land."

She chooses a side alley out of sight, landing with a smile. Then we both feel it.
An oppressive force, like a heavy weighted blanket over our heads and shoulders.

"A Servant already!" I whisper. Archer only grins even wider, eyes glimmering with excitement. What should we do? The Servant might be right out in the street!

>Ambush! Alpha strike with everything we have, right away!
>Introduce ourselves peacefully. Surely they're here for the same reason as us.
>Flee immediately. We can't handle this without any info!
>Wait and see who it might be.
>Something else...

>>4592757
>>Wait and see who it might be.
>Wait and see who it might be.
Remember that the overseer is a servant. It might be his presence we are feeling.

>>4592757
>Wait and see who it might be.
I for one am looking forward to a potential fight with Caster Accelerator.

>>4592696
>Kamen Rider
That’d be kino as fuck. Imagine
>We finally see Rider
>Its fucking Kuuga
>He kicks our ass in the coolest way possible
Holy shit I want this

>>4592757
>Wait and see who it might be.
Pretty much what >>4592759 said. It might not be an enemy so best to be patient.

However I also vote for >Introduce ourselves peacefully. Surely they're here for the same reason as us.
In the off chance it ISN’T Solomon.

>>4592757
>Introduce ourselves peacefully. Surely they're here for the same reason as us.
Oh excellent we didn't just summon a waifu, we summoned OUR waifu.
Gensokyo wish here we come.

>>4592760
>Accelerator
Assassin, obviously.
He's an albino weakling with a busted ability.

>>4592775
I am just hoping that we don't get something like Assassin Homura or Dio. Someone who can stop time would be a hard counter to Uncanny Dodge, if I am understanding the checkmate clause correctly.

Clearly we need to take pictures of Marisa and shitpost on /jp/

>>4592793
This lmao

>>4592757
>>Introduce ourselves peacefully. Surely they're here for the same reason as us.

>>4592759
>>4592760
>>4592772
>>4592773
"Let's wait a moment." I say, taking a deep breath. "We might be sensing Solomon, or someone like that. Not necessarily an enemy."

The next pair to walk across our sight is totally normal, for the most part. A young man and what might easily be mistaken for an older brother. The young man is energetic, bright-eyed, with a large backpack and long gloves covering both hands. He's well-dressed, in the style of the Clock Tower, and his straight brown hair is kept short. He eyes me with obvious condescension.
"Oh." he says, as if one had seen a particularly interesting bug, "It's the librarian." he smiles a smile that lacks mirth or kindness. The man behind him looks like a warrior of some sort. A powerful build, scars on his face, a well-trimmed beard and mustache with black hair. He's the one the aura's coming from, without a doubt, and the air about him forces a realization:

That Servant is from one of the other two categories of Servant. He's not from Fiction. His aura is more oppressive, deeper. His eyes narrow at Archer.

She smiles back, confident.
"Lancer, these two aren't worth our time." the boy says, "We still need to meet with Solomon."
"My liege. Of course." the man bows. "Are you not worried they will strike us anyway?"
"That librarian wouldn't dare." the boy says. "He knows what he's about. It's about the only real wisdom he has. Rejected even from the relic chasers and rebel snuffers."
That riles me. He's referring to those who hunt Sealing Designations. It's an incredibly dangerous - and important job. To recieve a Sealing Designation is a great honor - it means your magecraft is worthy of being archived and studied - but to dismiss those who do the work to enforce those designations is a grave insult. He pauses and looks over his shoulder, as if daring me.

"Ah well, this isn't the time or the place." I find myself saying, rubbing the back of my head. The boy smiles, his eyes piercing me like lances to the core.
"See, Lancer? Harmless."
His Lancer watches me, then shrugs. But there's an apology in his eyes.

"Tch. I want to punch that smarmy kid's face. Or kick it. It's right at good kicking height." Archer crosses her arms as we watch them go.
"Nothing to be done for it right now. We'll wait a moment then head into the tower ourselves."


(More...)

>>4592867

After a moment we cross the streets and into the tower proper. The place has an odd quietude to it, and I realize that while I'm here, I cannot access my Crest. It's like it's not gone, just subdued. A lingering tension in the air is easily felt as a warning against violence. Some sort of trap, no doubt, for those who want to use this place to assassinate others. Or Solomon, probably.

We ride the elevator, coming only halfway up, finding ourselves in a room with three other servant-master pairs. Lancer of... not-Fiction, whatever he is, hangs with the kid in the corner. A young woman stands with a man with short, spiked grey hair and a long jacket - metal braces cover one arm. And the last one is a wallflower-like girl with brown hair and a skittish disposition, and the most jacked man I've ever seen - his head almost like a cube with a military cut. A green tee barely covers his torso and his jackhammer-like arms, and brown jeans are eventually swallowed by combat boots. One meaty hand rests on the girl's shoulder, my mind immediately comparing her to a rabbit.

"Looks like we weren't the only ones, ze?"

>Wait against a wall.
>Strike up conversation with...
>>The grey-haired man
>>The jacked man
>Talk with Archer (Write in)
>Something else?

>>4592870
>>The jacked man
>Edward wonders why he hears https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGw8DWctAts in the distance

>>4592870
>Talk with Archer (Loudly start mocking the Master of Lancer of Non-Fiction's overconfidence with Marisa. See if you can get a rise out of him or his Servant.)

>>4592870
>Strike up conversation with...
>The grey-haired man

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>>4592870
>spiked grey hair and a long jacket - metal braces cover one arm.
Gene?

>>4592870
>>>The jacked man

>>4592870
>>The grey-haired man

>>4592901
Oh. Oooooh shiiiiit

>>4592870
Backing this >>4592888
I wasn't expecting us to pull Marisa, this is going to be interesting indeed!

>>4592935
>>4592901
>>4592894
Myself and Archer make our way over to the Servant with short grey hair, who looks over at us and nods. His Master, a severe but short woman with black hair, looks up at us.

"This can't be everyone." she says, "So I don't think our organizer plans to be able to speak to everyone at once."
"There'd be forty-two people, at least." The Servant says, "Way too many for a room this big, right? Hey there. I'm Brawler."
"A nonsense class for a nonsense war." his master agrees. "Call me Silva."
"Archer, Bartleby." I hold out my hand. Gene grins and shakes it eagerly, bt Silva's glare makes him laugh nervously and stop.
"It's bizarre that we're introducing ourselves. At some point we'll either be dead or killing each other."
"Not necessarily, ze." Archer chimes in. "You could always surrender."

Silva lets out a bark of a laugh.
"In any case, you're the only ones who seem to be able to hold human conversation anyway." she says, "The less said about the brat the better," she nods towards Lancer's master, "And the bunny should go back to hiding in her hole. Her Servant doesn't talk either. Just stared at us and growled like an animal."
"Think he's Berserker?" Gene asks, and we all shrug.

"I apologize for making you all wait." says a new voice, tone cutting through the chatter and the ambience like a sword. I don't know what I was expecting, but Solomon is tall, bronze-sinned, and white-haired. He dresses in robes that shimmer like gold, fingers covered in rings. It almost looks like he wears gauntlets, the rings click against each other as he speaks. "I wasn't sure who would come. But I'll get to everyone in time, if I can. We all know how chaotic these events can be. But essentially for this war, there are, in a way, three categories of Servant, and seven classes per category. Note that some classes will be unconventional - or that sometimes, the rules will be... bent." he crosses his arms. "That is a fault only of the nature of this contest - a Grail War with many combatants, and many who have never seen the war." he grins. "And indeed, might never see it again. The wager, again, is a single wish. But..." he raises a finger, "There is also a cash prize. One hundred million dollars."

(More...)

>>4593084

That makes everyone look up. Even mages need to worry a little about money - but what he offers is a lifetime free of feduciary concerns. Anyone would be interested, but any mage would happily snap at the chance to never have to involve themselves with the affairs of normal society again.
"We will have an armistice between all of you until the next morning. However, I cannot speak for the ones not in attendance today."

"And how are you going to enforce that, old man?" Brawler asks. Everyone in the room looks his way, except Solomon.

The old Servant smiles.
"Let's just say I've picked up a few more contracts in my time that you wouldn't want to fool about with." he says. "With that said, there is one other matter. This war is taking place in my town. Any damages done to it will be removed from the cash prize pool." a groan, but an understanding: That much destruction so as to eliminate the pool would likely end the winner in dealing with both the Association and the Church. "Any questions?"

>(Write in only)

>>4593088
Ask about what happens to Masters who lose their Servants and whether or not protection is offered or if they are simply left to fend for themselves. Not that we don't have absolute confidence in our own Servant, of course.

>>4592784
I mean, Marisa has fought and defeated Sakuya before, so time stop shouldn't really be that much of a difficulty for her.

Oh, and
>Gene confirmed
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

>>4593093
I'm just going to say that he's so unlucky that casual thoughts about his identity are enough to reveal it, but it's not going to give you his stat page. :V V: I need to be more careful with my typing.

>>4593088
>>4593093
Yeah, I'll back asking about protection for Masters.

>Gene's in
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFSen7DRQWU
I'm hyped, I'll lose it if we see him try to take on an actual Heroic Spirit and end up grovelling when he hits Level Die.

>>4593088
Backing the protection questions >>4593093

>>4593102
>>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFSen7DRQWU [Open]
I can't believe I've never heard of this until now lol. Brawler's gonna be a riot.

>>4593102
I hope he dick punches gil

>>4593088
Backing asking about the protection of master. This is very important >>4593093

>>4593088
>Supporting the master question. Also ask what is to stop someone who realizes they're about to lose to cause as much damage as possible out of spite

>>4593088
Support >>4593093

>>4593093
We have to remember that Servants won't be using spellcard rules. I'm not a touhou expert though, so if you think we can pull it off then I will trust you. Might be worth suggesting that kind of fight if confronted by another touhou though, if only to limit the collateral.

>>4592901
How the fuck did you even guess this?

"I have a question."

"Ask away, Master of Archer." Solomon nods towards me.

"Assume that someone decides to give up and bow out. What is the process? Are they protected? How are they protected?"

"That's three questions. But..." Solomon turns back to look over the whole room. "I have some safehouses scattered across the state. When you surrender, you will be placed in one, at random, and teleported there. Entrance and exit is only possible through magic, and only I am capable of locating them. Once the war is over, you will be returned to my offices, no worse for wear." He looks around the room, "Any other questions?"

Silence fills the room.
"Ten of the twenty one servants have been summoned. Four of them are in this room." he says. "I advise caution on your return to your workshops and hideaways, competitors. Who knows what waits in shadow? I look forward to seeing your competition, and I wish you all the greatest of luck. May you be as fortuitous as me." he laughs, and something turns off - he vanishes.

Brawler rubs his fist into his palm, looking annoyed, while his Master displays naked hostility at what was apparently a hologram.
"Can't even come to see us off." she growls, and Brawler sighs. The other Servants mill out of the room - the jacked fellow has to go out sideways after a failed attempt - leaving you and Archer with Brawler and Silva, who clicks her tongue as she turns away from the stage. "Good luck, Bartleby." she says.
"Hey, if you want to teach that kid a lesson some time, maybe we can meet up later?"

To your shock, Silva doesn't go off on him.
"You may be right." she says. "We should meet up after the armistice. We'll be patrolling the park, in downtown, if you're interested in a temporary alliance so we can kick the shit out of that snot-nosed little punk."
"I'll think about it." I say, "But it's tempting."
"Maybe I'll be able to punt that brat myself, ze! Teaching lessons to stupid, overconfident kids is a specialty." Archer lets out a laugh, it reminds you of bells.

As you and Archer exit, you're faced with the rest of the day. What do you do?

>Continue scouting.
>Grab a bite to eat - something simple and cheap.
>Drop by the local magecraft supplier and prep for some trap work.
>Chat with Marisa (Write in, what about?)
>Something else?

>>4593875
>>Grab a bite to eat - something simple and cheap.
Based Gene.

>>4593875
>Drop by the local magecraft supplier and prep for some trap work.

>>4593875
>Drop by the local magecraft supplier and prep for some trap work.
Why do I have this horrible feeling that Gene's going to end up like every single Lancer Servant?

>>4593875
>Grab a bite to eat - something simple and cheap.
As nice as it would be to start working, doing so on a empty stomach is just silly.
>Chat with Marisa (Determine Shot-type)
Considering each incident (game) starts with picking a weapon set and her being determined as a Archer, shouldn't we at least know if she's more Marisa A or Marisa B?

Do we know in character that the grail should only need 6/7 Servants to function?

>>4593985
I'm not too familiar with the Fate series what happens to every single Lancer?

>>4593985
seconding this

>>4594050
Servants all have stats, one of those stats being 'Luck'. It's something of a meme in the Fate franchise that most Lancers have absolutely abysmal Luck. No matter how strong/honorable they are or how close they come to victory, they usually emd up getting screwed over in the end.

>>4594050
Lancer's for the most part are based as fuck and end up getting absolutely shafted in the story ie:

>Cu gets killed by Gilgamesh in a several hour long battle in Fate
>Cu is forced to kill himself by Kirei, survives and then kills Kirei in a mutual kill in UBW
>Cu's eaten by the Shadow in HF
>Cu goes fishing in HA for some peace and quiet, EMIYA and Gilgamesh turn it into a dick measuring competition
>Diarmuid wants to have an honourable battle with Saber, Kiritsugu forces his Master to tell him to kill himself in Zero
>Karna's stuck with Jinako as his Master in CCC
>Vlad's forced to turn into Dracula against his will in Apocrypha

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>>4594050
>>4594057
Lancers are universally bros, good, decent people, and always, always end up dying terribly in the main canons of Fate Zero and Stay Night.


>>4594046
Reflecting on the usual Grail war, this is definitely the case - however, this is a ritual that's been modified and reconstructed by perhaps the single greatest wizard to ever live. Perhaps even greater than Merlin, who knows. There's no way to be sure on the specific workings of this particular Grail.

>>4594002
>>4593917
>>4594057
"We should get something to eat."
"I could make a potion that would make us full, no problem, ze!" Archer says with confidence as she marches along the sidewalk. "...What's with that look? Mushrooms are perfectly delicious!"
"And dangerous, apparently. No, we're going to get some proper food. There's got to be a decent cafe or something around here." I grumble. The problem with being a mage is that the world of magic is very anti-technology. I have an internet connection and a somewhat modern PC at home, but no smartphone. By sheer good fortune, we happen across a cafe and bakery combo, where we both get some muffins, toast, and coffee.

"This is going to be an odd question, but... You're an archer, right? Aside from your noble phantasm, how do you attack your enemies?"

Archer looks at me over her coffee cup, thoughtful. She's attracting looks, she's stating to notice, and so she holds up a finger and heads off to the ostensibly use the bathroom. As she's returning, she's putting something in her pocket - and is wearing a well-oversized black sweater and black jeans, with white hairpins. She looks a lot shorter without the hat.
"Sorry. I realized my getup was kind of... Out of place, ze." the sweater falls to midthigh, but she's wearing a white tee or tank under it. "Anyway. I can attack in a number of ways." she says, "But I mostly use a single powerful blast of magic and my 'friends'." she sips from her coffee as small green orbs appear between us, fizzing with potential energy. A lot of potential energy. "I can arrange them and set ambushes and all sorts of things." she pokes one and it drifts in the air, ignoring gravity.

"I'm also very fast. Outside of my home, like this, I might just be the very fastest. And I can dodge anything, ze!" something about her seems a little toned down - ratcheted lower than before.

>Something wrong, Archer?
>Away from home? Where were you from?
>I can't manage much myself. I suppose a trap and ambush style will be our go-to?
>Something else?

>>4594087
>Away from home? Where were you from?

>>4594087
>>Away from home? Where were you from?

>>4594087
>Something wrong, Archer?
Not to tempt fate or anything Solomon but has Edward filled in his membership form for the dojo?

>>4594087
>Something wrong, Archer?

>>4594112
He does, but don't you dare make me attempt to write the best girl in the Nasuverse and her bro-con gremlin buddy by dying. There's no way I'll get it right.

>>4594063
I can only see Gene's luck being EX+α, dude is the Luckiest fucker alive on top of being able to throw down with demons and owning the God Hand. (Both God Hands by end of the game.)

>>4594087
>Something wrong, Archer?

>>4594087
>Something wrong, Archer?

>>4594161
>>4594144
>>4594116
>>4594112
"Is something wrong?"

"I shouldn't be an Archer, dammit!" she slams her fist into the table, almost spilling her coffee. "I'm a magician! I've stolen and remade and adapted so many spells, I've lost count!" she angriy rubs her scalp in frustration, growling. "Ugh, I wanna find whoever got picked for my class and beat him up, ze!"

"I didn't think you'd have so much pride in your magework."

"I do! It's a lot of work to take a spellcard and make it yours just by looking, ze! To make this broom nearly outrun a tengu!" she sighs, melting in her chair until her head rests on the table. "Izzn't fair, ze."

"I mean... Almost all of your spells do the same thing, Archer. They, uh. Shoot."

She looks up, still laying on the table somewhat, glaring. "I'm just saying, there's no shame in the title. It's reserved for legends who can destroy from afar. They're known for their artillery capabilities and are the best long-ranged Servants around. Any Caster would be hard pressed to out-damage your Noble Phantasm, whatever it may be."

"Hmph." she sits up, swallowing the rest of her coffee in one go. The octogon spins on her finger again as she scans the road. "There's something about that Lancer that bothers me." she says quietly. "We should be careful engaging him. Do it from far away as possible."

"What makes you say that?"
She narrows her eyes. "That heavy pressure is..." she frowns. "It's like... I know what I am. I'm not real. Technically." she looks over her shoulder at me, "I don't care, I get to be 'real' for this moment. That's fine. I know it. You know it. Everyone else knows it, right? But imagine someone like me, who didn't know it, but you did. Imagine that feeling. Isn't it the same as that pressure?"

"...Oh..." she's right. That feeling of 'if I tell them...' is the exact pressure I felt around the Lancer. "But he's not Fictional."

"No, he's not." Archer sighs, "He's something else. But I think we were feeling his Noble Phantasm. But I don't know what it is. It's gnawing at me, that there's some terrible truth there that'll ruin us if we engage up close."

>Guess Lancer's identity (Write in)
>Let's head to the local magic shop.
>Let's take another look at the town from above.
>Something else?

>>4594179
>Guess lancer's identiy
Guan Yu

>>4594181
Makes sense, the Romance of the Three Kingdoms effectively overwhelmed the true version of Guan Yu. Making him a weird mix of truth and fiction.
Hell he was even deified.

>>4594179
Hey Solomon, when do we get to Roll 9 and be the strongest?

>>4594179
>>4594181
Sure, let's go with that.

>Let's head to the local magic shop.
We'll need to buy some shit for our house traps, especially if the Fiction Assassin is going to target us.

>>4594228
Let's just keep an eye out for inconspicuous cardboard boxes.

>>4594234
The fiction assassin could also be Garret, the guy from dishonored, or one of the assassin creed lads

>>4594179
>>Let's take another look at the town from above.

>>4594181
seconding this

>>4592870
>And the last one is a wallflower-like girl with brown hair and a skittish disposition, and the most jacked man I've ever seen - his head almost like a cube with a military cut. A green tee barely covers his torso and his jackhammer-like arms, and brown jeans are eventually swallowed by combat boots. One meaty hand rests on the girl's shoulder, my mind immediately comparing her to a rabbit.

I can’t believe none of you recognized Doomguy. The rabbit thing is a dead giveaway.

>>4594500
see I thought it was either duke nukem or maybe a Guile-type.

>>4594500
>I can’t believe none of you recognized Doomguy. The rabbit thing is a dead giveaway.
Oh shit, you're right!!! Note to Bartleby: DON'T FUCK WITH THE RABBIT GIRL

>>4594500
Ah.
Yeah I was actually thinking it could be Doomguy or B.J. Blazkowicz earlier today so that's likely.
It's not Guile because Gene is already Brawler.
>>4594502
Duke would've been wearing sunglasses.
And quipping.

>>4594193
so kinda along the lines of Vlad Tepes from Apocrypha?

Lets use the wish to make Gensokyo real.

>>4594181
"Guan Yu, you think?"

"...Naw. Feels close, though. On the right path. Maybe upside-downish?" she rubs her hair in frustration.

>>4594500
"The big guy, though, in the meeting? Had to be someone I know. Doomguy."
"Oh, him." she sighs, "Never a big fan of guns."
"Probably wouldn't need one, in this incarnation." I say, rubbing my chin, "After all, he can't be Archer."
"What other class could he possibly qualify for?"
"Berserker stands out. And..." a blade of red, a hooked sword of crackling power. "Saber."
"Scary, ze. Maybe we can leverage Brawler for help on that one."
"Maybe." I admit. "And that's just the Fiction grail. I don't even know what Lore refers to."
"Oh, that's easy enough, ze. Fiction is recent - Lore isn't. Lore is... uhm. Old fiction. Sometimes they'd even get summoned for a real grail, ze! Folk legends, older modern myth, things like that along with very old classic stories." she explains, "One of my closest friends has an incarnation that falls into Lore, ze!"
"Really?"
She nods emphatically. "She hates it, though. Rider isn't her style."

>We should get going to the shop.
>We should get moving to scout.
>Return home, prep what traps we can for now.
>Stay on foot, check another part of town.
>Something else?

>>4595003
>We should get going to the shop.

>>4595003
>We should get going to the shop.

>>4595003
>We should get going to the shop.
Nice of a QM to pay attention to Marisa being smart.

>>4595003
>>We should get going to the shop.

>>4595003
>We should get going to the shop.

Probably for the best

>>4595003
>"She hates it, though. Rider isn't her style."
Chance for another 2hu to have been summoned? I wonder who it is. Since LORE is based off of legends and mythology...hmm. I doubt its Reimu or Alice. Sanae possibly? Doubt it but not impossible.

Which 2hu would fit into Lore?

>>4596267
Actually I didn’t even consider Mima. But then the question becomes what legend does Mima fit into.

>>4596267
Kaguya.

>>4596281
Yeah that’d make sense actually.

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>>4595014
>>4595022
>>4595073
>>4595108
>>4595160
Shops where mages can purchase all sorts of paraphernalia aren't exactly rare. There's mages in pretty much any American city, a few house multiple. I've always meant to visit New York, there's a place hidden within the subway system that apparently has just the most amazing crystal - not jewel, mind you, crystal, there is a difference - collections. But this place is different.

The feeling of the place is relaxation and focus. That feeling you get when you finally have everything in place and you can just work, late into the night, without even noticing time pass. The smell of coffee and woodsmoke. While I'm not native to the area, it feels familiar and homely, a sensation of belonging.

"Welcome." A young woman says from behind the counter. She is slim, of indeterminate age, and her chair is an ornate wooden wheelchair. I can sense magic from it, most likely it's used as some form of magical assist. A lot of older mages use their canes, wheelchairs, and so on as magical amps, I knew one advanced fellow in the archeological fields whose walker was so wildly reinforced it could (and apparently had) take vehicular impacts without moving an inch or breaking.

Her voice, too, is relaxing. "Is there something you need? I heard there's a Grail war on. Do you need protection? I have several powders that may be helpful for such a thing. If you're preparing circles, the purest of salts, as well..."

>I need to prepare for a land assault. Circles and foci are the order of the day.
>I need to prepare for an air assault. Familiar construction materials and similar materials might be needful.
>I need personal options - objects that can hold a lot of energy.
>I need tools - do you have any Mystic Codes?
>Something else?

>>4596267
Just going to cut in here to say this is PC98 Reimu on Genji being referred to, specifically. :V

There are a lot of touhous that can be Servant summoned in the Grand Grail specifically, but they are erratic in quality and the class containers aren't the best for them. Archers and Casters fare the best, but anyone who is focused on melee weapons or the like tends to lose a lot of power.

This is, of course, a gentle reminder that Danmaku is used to avoid nuking the fuck out of Gensokyo, so there is a limit placed on how many Touhou may be summoned at once and which ones.

>>4596345
>I need to prepare for a land assault. Circles and foci are the order of the day.

Most of 2hu battles are fought bullethell style so Archer is probably plenty strong in the air

>>4596345
>>I need to prepare for an air assault. Familiar construction materials and similar materials might be needful.

>>4596345
>I need tools - do you have any Mystic Codes?
Looking primarily for amplifiers here, as well as anything that might help with the creation or maintainance of a bounded field and any magecraft involved in such.

While it wouldn't necessarily prevent intrusions from Servants, which should be dealt with by our own Servant, I believe we might be able to use our own magic quite effectively to deter others. Specifically, I am talking about the spells mentioned in >>4591587.

>>4596356
How would Cirno and Chen fair and would their summoning be influenced by memes/bkub versions?
Honestly, [Playing F91] Chen would be fun.

How would Popuko and Pipimi fair?

>>4596345
>I need tools - do you have any Mystic Codes?

>>4596578
>>4596374
"Do you have any mystic codes?" I ask, keeping a second eye on Archer. I make a 'don't you touch anything!' motion with my hands, and she just gives me back an angelic grin. I can't believe I forgot her nature enough to bring her into a store full of shiny, magical objects.

The owner taps the desk, once, twice, and a dozen rods emerge. They're pointed at one end, but otherwise look like ordinary copper rods, each about an inch wide and two feet long. Copper has in its nature the ability to conduct energies, but other than that...
"What do they do?"
"They're a set of rods that can each absorb a single spell. They're hollow, too. Find yourself some fuel, cast a spell, and they will mimic it until they run entirely out of fuel."

She swipes her hand over the desk, and the rods slide back in, replaced with a simple sphere. "I have, of course, simple viewing apparatuses, keyed to either stationary pearls, or mobile familiars, or unkeyed." another swipe, a package of small tubes. "Magical explosives. When near enough magical power, they detonate. They don't go off without an activation key. Be careful when using these around Servants or your Seals." she hems and haws for a moment, then, "This one is special, though."

It's a rough-looking iron blade. Its grey, unpolished surface has a smattering of imperfect runes I cannot read. "Can't get it to work. Can't read the runes or find anyone who can. Guy who gave it to me can't recall what it was even called."

There's a pause between us.
"Memory device?" I ask.
"Maybe." she replies. "Something tells me it's important and useful, though. I'm selling at a high price."

I can buy two items... or just the blade.

[SELECT TWO]
>Copy Rods
>Viewer system
>Explosives

[OR SELECT ONE]
>Blade

>Something else?

>>4597201
>Blade
...
I can't resist the symmetry.

>>4597201
>Copy Rods
Definitely want these. At best, we find ways of powering them for a sustained duration and of isolating certain things (our home, for example) from the effect of the spells we put on them. At worst, they will still work for more basic defenses, structural reinforcement and the destruction of items and technological defenses our enemies might be using. (causing items not held or carried by myself to be either powerfully reinforced or not in various patches for a short period of time, make technology degrade very fast with a simple spell). They could also be used for ambushes if we are able to lure an enemy master into the area of that effect.

QM, are we able to protect specific things from our spells? Specifically, will we end up inadvertently destroying whatever building we are in?

If we can use the rods to their maximum capacity,
>Something else?
Something to power them.

If not,
>Viewer system
or
>I need to prepare for a land assault. Circles and foci are the order of the day. (assuming we can go back to the previous options)

>>4597201
>Blade
Gonna have to with the mystery box

>>4597201
>blade
Cool.

>>4597201
>Blade
I look forward to a History/Lore Servant shitting themselves when they realise Edward's swinging around the magecraft equivalent of a nuke with no idea what it does.

>>4597223
>Blade
Mystery Box. Also because she said it was important and useful, perhaps Marisa might be able find a way to get it to work.

>>4597454
I just wanted to work with a known quantity for once rather than relying on a mystery item. I'm not entirely surprised at how the vote has gone.

>>4597515
Ah wait realized I you’d (YOU) and not the actual post. Oops.

>>4597454 meant for >>4597201

>The Blade.

I can't help myself. The magus in me is easily lured with the prospect of a new research project, and I buy it on the spot. It's about as long as my forearm, but is broken off at the top. Maybe it was far longer before, but it's reduced to this... And no magic about it.

No magic?

Wait, seriously, none at all?

Everything, and I do mean everything, has a little bit of magic in it. It's like radiation, or something, it permeates everything to some level. But this sword, it's absent of any magic at all. I'll need to experiment with it later, but I bid the woman farewell.

Archer won't meet my eyes.
"What did you steal?"
"Nnnnothing."
"No, seriously, what'd you take?"

She holds up a small wooden charm I recognize instantly. "Oh, an arrow charm. Handy."
"What's it do? The magic in this world is hard to read."
"Any single incoming attack is nullified or deflected, then the charm breaks. Pretty standard item."

>Let's head home.
>Let's look around town.
>Let's find the park now, so we can find it faster tomorrow.
>Something else?

>>4598911
>Let's head home.
Oh shit, we bought a fucking anti-magic blade.

>>4598911
>Let's find the park now, so we can find it faster tomorrow
Interesting blade.

>>4598911
>>Let's find the park now, so we can find it faster tomorrow

>>4598911
>Let's head home.
Set up what defenses we can and then start to study the blade.

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>4598980
>>4599084
1

>>4599017
>>4599080
2

Breaking the tie.

I'm not sure if it's anti-magic, or just a surreally mundane blade. It feels strange in my hands, even, and I decide to wrap it in some cloth for now, stowing it in my messenger bag.
"You should have the charm, Master." Archer states, handing it over. "I can dodge near anything anyway, but you can't." As I take the charm and put it in my pocket, we both look up at the feeling of a sudden and sharp power before us. Archer wilts, and I look up at yet another young boy in a brown suit. He is, without a doubt, a Servant. There's no mistaking that rippling power.

His Master, an older man with greying hair, looks up. These two weren't at the meeting. Likely they know instantly that Archer is a Servant. Instantly the both of us step back. I don't know what sort of aura Archer exudes, but I feel like my legs are ready to buckle. It's like hearing the hum of electricity moving along wires, but much much stronger and more pointed. The boy adjusts tiny glasses on his nose, looking up at the old man for guidance, who holds out a hand in a 'not yet' gesture.

I take it back, Master. If this is what a Caster looks like, I'm definitely an Archer.

>What do you do? (Write in only)

>>4599862
The only name I can come up with is Negima, with the tiny glasses. His suit's usually green, but he wears brown from time to time too.

Not sure how encounters like this usually go. Maybe we could try talking to them? If they wanted to strike at us, they would have done so already.

>>4599862
>"Don't know how much you know about this particular Grail War but a high enough property damage bill will have Solomon breathing down your neck. Plus I'm sure we'd all like to not accidentally blow up the building currently holding explosives."
Hopefully the old man was just paranoid about an ambush at the meeting instead of being the one on the hunt.

>>4599962
Guess we should try Diplomacy.

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>>4599959
>The only name I can come up with is Negima, with the tiny glasses. His suit's usually green, but he wears brown from time to time too.
Negi Springfield, yeah I think there's a good chance it's him. Fortunately he's not in his adult incarnation, but even so fighting him would be *very* dangerous.

>>4600873
>Now I'm starting to wonder if all Fiction Servants are from Japanese media or if we should look into Western ones too

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>>4600980
Doomguy, remember?

>Diplomacy
"Woah, woah." I hold up my hands. "Either you just summoned him or you missed the meeting earlier today, but there's an armistace right now."

"Really now." the old man says, hands in his pockets. "For a profession that relies on saying the right words, I've learned how honest magi can be."
His Servant looks up at him and the old man pats his head. "Some present company excluded." he adds. "How do I know you're not going to shoot me in the back?"

"Because I know who your Servant is. And I'm not in the mood to take him on right now, or ever, if I can avoid it."

"Smarter than I expected. Yes, let's have us a chat, shall we?" he gestures towards a set of street benches nearby, and we all sit down. "I'm not a magus." he says almost immediately when we sit down, "But I operate and have operated, shall we say, parallel to them in the past. I'm what you might call a cleaner." he leans back, leather-gloved hands clasped together on his lap. "If a magus gets too high on his power or starts some bullshit cult, there I am. Probably with three or four other like-minded individuals. I've hunted vampires, I've faced down rogue demons, I've even killed a werewolf. Not easy to do at all. I'm what they call a hunter."

"And you're here to..."

"I've got a very, very good wish." he says with a gentle, grandfatherly smile, "And if I have to kill twenty people to see it done, it'll be worth it." he says, looking my way. "So are you going to help me, or are you going to be in my way, son?"

"Depends on the wish."

"See, I can't tell you that." he sighs. "Tell you what. Let me in on the Servants you know about, the roster you're aware of, and we'll help you. Once." he says. "I guarantee you, there's one servant every War that puts the whole War on hold. Whether it's a Berserker or a Caster or whatever. If you know the boy, you know that he is a force to be reckoned with."

"Not so much without his girls." I state evenly, "And not so much when he has to worry about civilians." I smile and wave to a young lady across the street walking her dog. "He can't possibly unleash his full power here, and even if he could, my Archer can dodge it. But you have a point, I suppose."

"So what'll it be, boy?"

>Tell the Master everything you know in exchange for a favor.
>Refuse him.
>Try to bargain your information for something else.
>Something else.

>>4601058
>Tell the Master everything you know in exchange for a favor

He seems nice enough. Might as well tell him.

>>4601058
>Tell the Master everything you know in exchange for a favor.

>>4601058
>Tell the Master everything you know in exchange for a favor.
I mean I guess there are tripmines that they need to avoid.

>>4601070
>>4601130
>>4601155

"First of all, I'm not telling you about my Servant in this deal. So let's excise that from the deal." I lean forward, letting my elbows rest on my knees and my hands dangle. "Secondly, understand that I haven't confirmed most of my information - a lot of this is just assumption. I haven't seen any Noble Phantasms or the like, after all. With all that said, here's what I know so far.

"First of all, I haven't seen any History Servants yet. And I've only seen one of Lore. I don't know his class, he looks European and has this odd, tense aura about him. Something about not knowing he's fictional, or something?"
"Like a kid who thinks Santa is real." Archer pipes up. "Only with a lot more power."

The man nods, then frowns. "No, there's no way..."
"Don Quixote?" Caster asks, and the old man palms his face. "What?"
"Nothing." he grumbles. "As you were." he gestures to me.

"Secondly, Fiction is a weird class set. There's a Brawler. I don't know what he replaced. He's Gene from God Hand. ...Don't let him get the brace that's on his arm off, or get close. The big guy who looks like a cube of meat, whose master looks like a human rabbit? That's Doomguy, but a modern incarnation. Probably Saber class, if I'm guessing."

"I don't like guessing, but on the other hand, I'll take what I can get. A fictional grail. Did you know I had to look this fella up?" he gestures at Caster and sighs. "All this Japanese stuff." he grunts, then rises. "We had better be on our way, then. Have to get ready and all that. I get the feeling there's big things in store for this one, and if we're not careful, Ol' Solomon might have proven himself not quite as wise as he thinks. This grail could summon some real world-endin' shit. Introducing outside-context bullshit to this world? Fuckin' barmy as that old kaleidoscope fuck, may we never meet."

"Happy travels." I wave, as the kid Caster trots after the old man. I finally let the tension out of my body and relax. Depending on the point in his legend that the Grail drew from, that Caster is anything from an annoyance to a superweapon capable of moving at nearly the speed of light. Good god, and we almost fought him.
"Are you alright, Master?"
"I'm starting to feel a little overwhelmed." I admit, laughing nervously. "Two trump cards doesn't feel like enough. Let's just fly home so we don't run into Superman or something equally bad."

"Agreed." Archer takes me on her broom again once we find a proper blind alley to soar out of, rocketing back to the forest. We land next to my front door, and after a long, tense moment of checking for intruders, I can confirm it's safe. I work with Archer to set up a minor barrier that will alert us to any Master that enters our forest, and after all that, we have a moment to relax at last.

>Talk with Archer (about what?)
>Test the Sword (How?)
>Fuck all this nonsense, I need a nap.
>Something else?

>>4603179
>Talk with Archer (about what?)
Strategize, check for her opinion on what approach/preparations should be taken in terms of engagement with other servants and masters. Setting up traps, researching, observing etc.

>>4603179
>Test the Sword
We have that spell that copies text right? Copy the faded runes from the sword into a piece of paper and we can try to figure out what it says.

>>4603179
>>4603234
Seconding this actually.

>>4603179
>Test the Sword
Do the runes copying

>>4603234
Support

Welp. Like all Fate quests, seems like it was bound to die, just like Lancer.

Damn shame too since this one was actually interesting.

>>4607833
My schedule changed, and this update is a fuck.

Rest assured I'm working on it

>>4603695
>>4603234
>>4603502
Bringing the sword to my workstation - carefully! - I copy the runes using the spell from my Crest. The text couldn't be perfectly repaired, and the spell avoids assumptions as best it can, transferring lettering as perfectly as possible. I cross-reference the text with as many other books as I can find, and come up with nothing. Even Archer can't decode it, and we both spend a little time staring at the damn thing.

Until she picks it up, balances it carefully so the edge faces her, and then steps back, pointing a finger.
"No, w-"
Ignoring my warning, a tiny chunk of energy lashes from her finger, impacting the blade of the sword.

The energy splits cleanly in half - in fact, the spell holding the energy together itself splits, seperating into two entirely different spells which lance out with tiny, worthless curses in every direction as the energy bundle powers them. Tiny scorch lines scatter around the floor around my desk.
"Please do not shoot high-powered magical blasts at the unmagical blade in my workshop thank you!" I manage, checking for other destruction.
"It seemed like the logical conclusion, ze."
"Antimagic is really, really dangerous!" I say, "Did you not see what happened?"
"It split my bullet in half. So what. I know like three people who can do that-"
"In Gensokyo, maybe!" I bring myself to a calm. "Listen. This is... This is hard to explain, but... Magic is very complicated. There are rules and - Look. There's a legendary blade used by an ancient witch. It;s called Rule Breaker." I say, "And it works basically by returning all parts of a spell to its component parts. It can undo contracts and enchantments, so on and so forth - and allows the user, if they're sharp, to reuse those components to remake things."

I pick up the sword, "This thing, this, this monster, doesn't even do that. It cuts spells apart. It doesn't bother undoing the acting components, it doesn't sever energy linkages, it doesn't bother with unmaking any part of the spell except exactly what it touches. Which means that if I cut apart a spell with this, I don't undo the spell I cut. I destroy whatever spell the user intended by CUTTING IT INTO MORE SPELLS."
I don't realize it, but I'm panting.
"Well, sure master. But it's really strong, then, isn't it?" Archer asks.
I stare at the blade like it's a tiny atomic bomb, because it kind of is. "If you're that worried about it, I can carry it and find a use for it, ze!"

What the hell do I do with this monster of a blade?

>Seal it away. It can only cause trouble.
>Give it to Archer.
>Keep it on my person. It might come in handy later.
>Something else?

>>4608089
>Keep it on my person. It might come in handy later.
Take the warning about Rule Breaker and don't give this to our servant.

>>4608089
Well, glad the QM's curse didn't go for a cradle robery just yet.


>Keep it on my person. It might come in handy later.
I'm super tempted to give it to Archer, but I'm sure if she would use it that wisely and having some sort of anti-magic protection doesn't hurt. Worst case we can give it to her later if needed.

>>4608089
>>Keep it on my person. It might come in handy later.

>>4608089
>>Keep it on my person. It might come in handy later.
Damn this sword is sweet.

>>4608089
>Keep it on my person. It might come in handy later.
Man, I really want to stab the Grail now.

>>4608089
>Keep it on my person. It might come in handy later.

>>4608089
>Keep it on my person. It might come in handy later.

>>4608070
Ok good to know. Glad to know that this quest is still alive.

>>4608089
>Keep it on my person. It might come in handy later.

>>4608647
>>4608646
>>4608615
>>4608378
>>4608322
>>4608239
>>4608158
>>4608141
It's no trouble to find an old scabbard belt and carefully set it up next to my work desk. While the blade is a frightful construct - likely fallen in from some fictional universe or another thanks to Solomon fiddling with the Greater Grail - it's still useful in several ways. The problem is one of unpredictability, not efficaciousness. With that secured, I turn to the next matter and work with Archer on a Bounded Field.

The Field is a necessary part of building a workshop. I've moved a few things from my actual home here - a directory book that allows access to my actual library and lists the artefacts found there, some of my most pertinent spellbooks and lore books, my aging but shockingly sturdy computer, among a litany of other useful things. My family is one of hoarders, we are only properly organized when it comes to books. Point is, I've only just set up my workshop here. I still need to secure it.

The Bounded Field will encircle the entire building, but cannot reach much further.

What should I focus on? I can think of three 'standard' barriers, and two based on my own magic.

>My field should alert me to intruders with malicious intent.
>My field should make my home difficult to find.
>My field should make intruders ill at ease.
>My field should degrade opponent's equipment. (Note: This effect will not be very strong.)
>My field should copy all written objects that intruders carry onto a blank book kept handy for that purpose.

>>4609037
>My field should make my home difficult to find.

>>4609037
Actually wait, is this pick 1 only?

>>4609041
Yes. The Bounded Field may only have a single effect.

>>4609037
>>My field should make my home difficult to find.

>>4609037
>My field should copy all written objects that intruders carry onto a blank book kept handy for that purpose.

>>4609037
>My field should make my home difficult to find

>>4609037
>My field should make my home difficult to find.

>>4609037
>My field should alert me to intruders with malicious intent.

Isn't making it hard to find basically a "Hey, please try to find me!"?

>>4609037
>>My field should alert me to intruders with malicious intent.

>>4610280
Most bounded fields are very subtle. The one that makes you difficult to find will make it impossible for someone to simply stumble across you - and if they're seeking you out, you're in some deep-ass woods so it's quite efficacious at delaying the enemy.


I feel the boundary field take effect, layering over the home and the immediate area like a blanket. Archer stretches, and I feel it too, the heavy fatigue of the whole day rolling in with relative safety. So I decide it's high time I catch some sleep, an old bed for me and a hammock for Archer, her hat pulled over her face.

The dream I should have expected.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjjWdlPTWPc

Warm and soft wind brushes my face as I look out from the steps of a temple. There's an intense feeling of friendly calm, the taste of rice crackers and the smell of cherry blossoms. People are all over, of all shapes and sizes. Fairies fly just overhead, chasing each other like children, and a maid pours a well-appointed looking lady some wine as she laughs at a joke a red-haired woman tells.
"It's funny, isn't it?" I hear myself ask the person beside me. "...We've fought pretty much everyone here. Some of them were really determined, ze."
A shrug. She doesn't talk much. But I never minded that. "You got a talent for making friends." I say with a laugh, reaching for another snack.
Hands collide, and there's a sudden moment of awkwardness - both from the touch and the fact it is awkward. Then the both of you laugh, watching one of your guests take another swig from their flask and spin about in a drunken dance.

It's okay.

I have forever.

Right?

I gasp awake, feeling my face. It was so vivid! I get up with a groan, fumbling into my clothes and making a clumsy breakfast - for two, after I ask Archer. There's a few hours before we should go and meet up with Brawler.

>I should ask Archer about the dream.
>I should ask Archer if she's homesick.
>I should focus on and review the roster of Servants.
>Something else?

>>4611543
>>I should focus on and review the roster of Servants.

>>4611543
>I should ask Archer if she's homesick.
We will make 2hu real.

>>4611543
>I should focus on and review the roster of Servants.

>>4611543
>I should ask Archer if she's homesick.

>4611543
>I should focus on and review the roster of Servants.

>>4611543
>I should ask Archer if she's homesick.

>>4611543
>I should ask Archer if she's homesick.

>>4611543
>I should focus on and review the roster of Servants.

>>4611543
>I should ask Archer if she's homesick

>>4612949
>>4612432
>>4611969
>>4611711
>>4611574

"Archer, do you feel homesick at all?" I ask, cleaning up the plates.

She puts her chin in her hands, thoughtful.
"Home is hard to think about." she admits. "On some level, I know it isn't really real. But for me, it was. A place removed from here, from now - where things that no longer belonged, belonged. Magic and youkai and all of that, ze. And of course all of my friends are there. But I wouldn't be here if I didn't have a reason to, after all. There's something I simply have to do."

"And that is?"

"mrgh." she grunts, "I need to fulfill my wish. That's all there is to it. I can't let anything get in the way of that."

"Of course. I feel similarly." I wipe off my hands, "Shall we head out?"

"Naturally. Oh, but Master." she stops me. "I need to tell you something, about my Noble Phantasm."

"...What about it?"

"...It's incomplete. Or, rather, under the rules of this war, I can't... quite use it at full power."

"And the reason for that, is...?"

Archer flushes, pulling down her massive hat a bit.
"Listen. My Noble Phantasm can fire off just like any other's! And it's still really strong! But for it to be really, truly, gamebreakingly strong, I need someone else with me. And Alice wasn't summoned for this war. So... If you want the greatest possible version of my biggest, strongest spell, I need a Command Seal. Okay?"

"Why tell me this now?"

"Because the cease-fire is over, officially. And there's a lot of Servants in this war!" she looks a bit nervous.
"It'll be fine. Fly high, we'll head right to the meeting spot." I say.

It isn't long before we're in the air over the town.

>Head for the park, where we're to meet Brawler.
>Head for the commercial district - the area around Solomon's Tower.
>Head for downtown.

>>4613888
>>Head for the park, where we're to meet Brawler.
Sup, Gene?

>>4613888
The Malice Cannon is an exploit anyway.
>Head for the park, where we're to meet Brawler.

>>4613888
>>Head for the park, where we're to meet Brawler.
I wonder. Does he still have the Kick Me sign?

>>4613888
>Head for the park, where we're to meet Brawler.

>>4613888
>>Head for the park, where we're to meet Brawler.

>>4613888
>Head for the park, where we're to meet Brawler
Fuck yeah. God Hand time.

>>4613888
>Head for the park, where we're to meet Brawler.

>>4613888
Huh, so the Malice Cannon exploit was probably caused by her Noble Phantasm.
Might also be the cause for Marisa B(roken) but can't exactly confirm that.
>Head for the park, where we're to meet Brawler.

"Let's go meet Brawler."

"Right away, Master!" she says, taking my hand as her broom appears from nowhere. Before I can muster another word of protest, there is a sound of rushing wind, thunderous in my ears. I'm vaguely aware of the city zipping by, nd I get the feeling that if my Servant weren't holding me, I'd be... probably dead. Something is shielding me from g-forces.

We come to an equally jarring stop in the midst of the park, and instantly, all my instincts are screaming at me.
I need to leave. I need to run, right now. Fear ripples up my legs, almost making me flee on the spot, so intense it gives itself away as supernatural almost immediately.
"A bounded field." I say, the words barely getting out of my mouth. "This strong!"
"A Servant. And not Gene." Archer states. "What do we do, Master?"

I need to know more before I can answer. I look around and feel about with my senses. I can smell blood. It's sharp, tainting the very air. But I'm not being sapped, myself, and Archer seems alert. This bounded field seems designed to either drive people out, or send them into a panic. And it's that latter effect that is making me stand my ground and think - if we flee haphazardly, we might end up in a trap.

"M-master... The trees..."

I look up.

People from the town have been strung up into the trees, cocooned in plant twine, and drained of blood. Their limbs have been torn apart, canine bites at the edge of every wound. No, wait... Canine and feline, here and there.

"M-master...!"
Panic is rising in Archer's voice.
I'm starting to feel it too. The sound of approaching predators in the dark. Wasn't it daytime when we got here?!

>Run away!
>Archer, blow away these trees!
>Archer, get me to the edge of this bounded field!
>Something else?

>>4615529
>Archer, try to locate where the bounded field originated from!
Let's see what happens when we try to cut it up.

>>4615589
Support. Hopefully this does not lead to a bad end.

>>4615529
>Archer, get me to the edge of this bounded field!

>>4615529
>Archer, get me to the edge of this bounded field!

Rolled 1 (1d6)

[??? Uses a Noble Phantasm. Archer attempts a Luck save: She must roll a 5 or 6.]

>>4616265
Oof.

Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>4616265
"Archer, get me to the edge of this bounded field!"

There's no response. Hands are reaching from the ground, all skin and bone and covered in blood, binding her legs and arms. She's shaking, shivering, incapable of moving, frozen by fear. Something emerges from her own shadow - a skull of some animal, split down the center, revealing another, split down the middle - staring into it is painful and horrible. The skulls begin to fuse back together with a series of clicks, like closing jaws, the skull rising on a series of spinal cords, all the bones covered in blood, bubbling like tar.

It's only as hands begin to close around Archer's neck that I realize the whole mess is a headdress made of bone and hair, eyes filled with fury but his face a mask of boredom. He had expected more, his face a mess of ritual scars. Archer looks to me, now nothing but a scared child.

It's as my hope begins to die, and those hands begin to grip, that I hear it.

"Hey! Ugly!"

The monster in the headdress turns his head with a rattle like a thousand dice.

[??? Uses a Noble Phantasm.]

[Brawler must roll a 1 to fail.]

https://youtu.be/TJ6Tl8EjVMc

>>4616280

And the monster's eyes go wide, he releases Archer and I catch her, coughing, in my arms. He manages to say something in a language I can't understand. The voice cuts through the dread and fear like a lance of light, shearing apart the effects of the bounded field. "Pick on someone your own size!"

Gene runs through the woods, dashing right through so many coyotes, wolves, and cougars like they're mist, revealing them to be illusions, and ratchets back his braced arm. "Let's dance, bone daddy!" he crows, fist slamming into the scarred and shocked face. The sound of dice again fills my ears as the fear aura evaporates entirely, the grinning face of Brawler seemingly searing it like a red-hot rod in water.

But Brawler doesn't hesitate, dashing forward and leaning low - under a scything blade of blood and hateful curses, laughing as he rocks the torso of the monster with a series of body blows. I'm getting a better look at it now, a headdress of animal skulls and a robe made of layered, whole, animal pelts, maybe dozens of them. Around his neck hang strings of teeth and claws, and the whole mess shakes under the impacts of Brawler's speedy blows.

But it's not enough, and the monster finally slams his palm into Brawler's face - a blast of some sort of foul magic throwing Brawler away from him and into a tree. A bony hand rises, points at Archer, and the eyes narrow - and suddenly the robes and skulls melt into the shape of a coyote, bounding away.

"Hold on!" Brawler shouts, rising unsteadily. His face is smoking. "Not done with you... woah- Not done with you yet! Get back here!" he shakes his head and the smoke scatters while his Mater arrives.
"Everyone okay?" she asks, and I sigh.

"Mostly fine, yeah." I help Archer stand on her own, though she's hiding her face in her hat. Whether it's fear or shame, I can't tell.

"What the hell was that?!" Brawler asks. "Anyone?"

>Try and guess the Servant's identity
>"Not important right now. Thanks for the save."
>"No idea. You got any?"
>"No clue. Thanks for the save, Brawler. Y'all want to chase, or we still gunning for Lancer?"
>Something else [Write in]

>>4616287
>Try and guess the Servant's identity

>>4616287
>Try and guess the Servant's identity
Though I'm relying on other anons to do it.

>>4616287
>"No clue. Thanks for the save, Brawler. Y'all want to chase, or we still gunning for Lancer?"
No idea who this could be, can't think of any bosses/enemies that it could be so chances are it's some sort of myth like Baba Yaga or something.

>>4616287
>Try and guess the Servant's identity

Some kind of shaman? The Nameless One has some hides and bone clothing as well as facial scarring, but iirc he isn’t necessarily a shaman-shapeshifter type. I haven’t played through Planescape: Torment myself though, so I could be wrong.

>>4616287
>"No idea. You got any?"

"So who-"
Gene holds up his hand. He's pale, sweating.
"No need to guess. But, uh..."
"It's better for you Masters not to know." Archer states. "The Noble Phantasm he used, it gave us his name."
"Oh, well, then we kn-"
"No, man, you don't get it." Brawler says, laughing nervously. "Archer's speaking literally. That Servant - that monster - his name is his Noble Phantasm. Don't think about it too hard or you might figure it out by accident."
"Don't even think about what language he spoke, Master." Archer says, still hiding her face. "If his name is his Phantasm, then he could strike from literally anywhere at any time, as soon as you realize who he is."

Brawler's Master takes a deep breath.
"That sounds more like Assassin than Caster, but the bounded field speaks for itself. A fear effect built upon his own body. A name so terrifying that it is its own Phantasm. And it-" she quiets herself, eyes going wide.

A man stands at the edge of the park, hands in his pockets. There's a smile on his face. Shining white teeth under a fur-lined hood. Skin the color of ruddy clay. His hands, when he pulls them from his pockets, are nearly skeletal. The command seal - some hideous symbol - is visible on the back of his hand.
"You're understanding how my wonderful Servant works already - what a shame." he says, laughing. "Bit like a sand pit, isn't it? It always works on mages." his accent is odd as he steps forward. "But I couldn't ask for a better Servant. I was hoping for Geronimo, but..." he rolls his shoulders. "Perhaps my soul's a little too dark." he takes a deep breath through the nose.

"I'm going to give you a chance, because I am a charitable man. Surrender your command spells to me." he draws a long knife. Archer goes stiff. "Walk away from this Grail. My Servant has given his name to two of you already. It is only a matter of time. So hard to not think about something, is it not?" he smiles wickedly. "The trap is set. The chains will tighten. Save yourself the effort. Even if you kill me -" he says, and Archer puts something back in her pocket, "- Caster has eaten enough souls to act without me."

"No way out. Nowhere to run. Just a surrender and a relocation. Ahhhh..." he takes another deep breath. "A little on the nose, but I like the irony."

I need to get away from here. Every word this man speaks is scraping at the minds of our Servants. If Caster's power works like it sounds it does, every reminder of him is going to cause them pain now that his Noble Phantasm has gone off.

>Archer. We're leaving.
>Archer. Grab the others and let's go.
>Sorry, weirdo. We're not surrendering. [Flee]
>Archer. Kill the enemy Master.
>[draw the Magic Buster, go for the command seals]
>Something else?

>>4617825
Now this is some proper Grail War fuckery. Nice job, QM.
>[draw the Magic Buster, go for the command seals]
My reasoning is that the enemy Master would've prepared for escape or attack attempts. We need to do something he doesn't expect.

I should mention now that if you do discover Caster's true identity, posting it - and getting majority vote for it - will have consequences. Suggest with care, Fearful Legend is not a Skill to be trifled with.

>>4617825
>>[draw the Magic Buster, go for the command seals]
Fuck this guy and the horse he rode on. His servant is some kind of memetic threat? Go for the fucking throat.

>>4617825
>[draw the Magic Buster, go for the command seals]
A move so retarded it loops back around to become genius.

>>4617862
>posting Caster's identity in the thread will have consequences
Figured it out, he's the mysterious hacker known as 4chan.

>>4617825
>[draw the Magic Buster, go for the command seals]
Probably one of the better ideas for what to do right now.

>>4617862
Hooooo boy. It’s some sort of Native American legend. I’m going to take a guess but I VERY MUCH doubt it is accurate. I think it MIGHT be a wendigo. Doubt its a skinwalker.

>>4618727
Dude, haven't you read >>4617862?

>>4617825
>[draw the Magic Buster, go for the command seals]

>>4618856
It should be fine to post as long as we don't trigger the qualifier
>Getting majority vote for it

>>4619196
Better not to risk it.

>>4618961
>>4618727
>>4617881
>>4617867

"No way in hell." I say, in chorus with Brawler's Master. "You want them, come on and take them." Somehow, I get the feeling that Gene's prescence is keeping us safe from this Caster showing up like that again.

A sigh from the man, shoulders rolling under his coat.
"White man always gotta make this shit hard." he grumbles, leaning down. Empowering magic fills his legs, making them glow a deep, ruddish red, and he launches forward - Only for Archer to leap up and intercept him, a sharp kick to his face. She's furious - the shame from before having fully transitioned to anger - and shoots after his tumbling body with a cracking of the air and a scream of fury.

Archer. Bring him around to me.

Why?

Killing him won't eliminate Caster. But I might have a way myself.

Fine. But don't go easy on him!

She gets behind him just as he rolls to a stop, getting up. He's covered in red spots of energy - More reinforcement applied carefully and specifically to remain efficient. Something about the magic feels different from the usual techniques. This man wasn't taught at the Clock Tower, that's for sure.
Not that it matters.
"Let's see you survive this!" Archer roars, raising the octogonal device she seemed to favor. He raises a shield between them - a thickening of the air designed to stop projectiles and energies - but the device heats the air itself. So rapidly it does so, that the shield becomes a wall of steam, and when he releases the spell in a panic, the condensed and heated air expands violently, sending him, screaming, back towards me.

"Today's just not your day!" I shout, drawing the broken blade. I'll only have one shot.

I swing with all my might.

He raises his arms to protect himself - the blade cleaving easily through his barriers and sending energy flying all over - and then connects with his command seals.

All goes white and silent.

Rolled 92 (1d100)

[Magic goes wild.]

>>4619265
Command seals are highly concentrated packets of Mana. So condensed, in fact, that they are capable of very nearly accomplishing not just magecraft, but Magic, capital M Magic, the stuff that mages chase like a drug user after their first high.

Something from Nothing.
Something from Nowhere.
Something from Someone.
Something into Nothing.
And an unknown miracle.

At least, that's how some people describe them. I feel that power - deep, dark, like the bottom of the ocean - press against my hands, tearing into them, taking them apart, putting them together, turning them inside out, righting them to normal, filling them, emptying them, a trilling things happening all at once. The world is still and also speeding by. I'm scattered to everywhere, crunched to a pin...

The whole experience isn't one I want to repeat. When the magic finally calms, I'm launched away from the point of impact, the Magic Buster flying off to god-knows-where, zipping off as I rocket back. My arms are absolutely broken. Fingers and hands are so saturated with magic I can't tell their state. Command seals are intact - somehow. Archer catches me before I collide with a tree.

What about the enemy Master, though? What about his Servant? A shape in shadows, steaming and hissing like cooling stone, hunched, lurks at the point of impact. I can make out a silhouette of that headdress - broken, but there - and the smell of animal hair burning. The shape shivers, roars like no man I have ever heard, then melts into the shape of some four-legged thing and flees.

>Look at your hands.
>Check the area - see if there's any other weirdness.
>Archer, can you tell where the sword went?
>Brawler, uh... Brawler's Master, you guys okay?
>Something else?

>>4619278
>Check the area - see if there's any other weirdness.
>Archer, can you tell where the sword went?

>>4619278
>>Archer, can you tell where the sword went?
Fuck losing this trump card so soon after getting it.

>>4619278
>Archer, can you tell where the sword went?
We'll have Archer tape it to broken arms if we have to, no way are we losing it.

>>4619278
>Archer, can you tell where the sword went?
Unless the damn thing broke, no way in hell are we getting rid of it. We should find it, and fast,

>>4619278
>Look at your hands.
Command seals are so complex that some weird shit could've happened to our hands

>>4619420
>>4619385
>>4619299
"Archer. The..." I wince as the pain in my arms finally starts to register. Oh, wow, that's some really bad pain. "The sword."

"On it, master!" she launches into the sky with a sound like a cracking whip.

Gene stares at me, then rubs the back of his head, looking at his Master.
"We had an agreement." she says, "I'm not about to kill him because he's such an idiot. What the hell were you thinking?!"

"Command Spells are tied to a Servant, right? I thought I could effect Caster through them."

"So you swing that... whatever the hell that was... at a packet of crystallized magic that can emulate some True Magic? You're lucky you escaped that with an upper body, let alone your arms. And..." she pauses. "What the hell...?"

I look at my hands.

They're not quite there. or rather, they're... fading. Or transparent? Ghostly. I stare at them, at the Command Spell on the back of my hand - a five-pointed star lashed into thirds and at the bizarre thing under the ghostly 'tissues' of my hands.

A ring of something that looks like magic circuits is at the center of each of my ghostly hands. I can see energies running through them. What the hell...? Archer reappears, holding Magic Buster in her arms. "Archer, thanks. You hold on to it for now. Archer, Brawler, is... Is he still in your head?"

There's a pause, and Archer shakes her head along with Brawler. "Worth it." I smile at Archer, "Now, uh..."

My arms are broken, it's hard to move me. But with Brawler and Archer working together, we get back to Brawler's Master's workshop - set up in a forgotten basement downtown. She sighs, her family crest blazing with a soft white light. It runs from her palm all the way to her shoulder. Several floating lights attend her at her workstation, while Archer sits on a chair next to my bed. Brawler stands next to the door, leaning on the wall with his arms crossed.

"There's two ways we can handle this." his Master says, "The fast and painful, or the slow and painless." she raises a brow. "You saved my fool of a Servant from a bad fate, so I owe you. I'll keep you safe either way. The fast way will knit your body together with a great deal of force. It'll feel like knives in your arms, but only last for a day."

She looks at the other bottle, "The slow way will simply accelerate your natural healing and numb pain. This way will take at least three days, but after the first you'll at least be able to move around."

>I need to be back in. Give me the pain.
>I'd prefer the slow way. It gives me time to figure out my hands.
>What would suggest?
>Something else?

>>4619790
>I need to be back in. Give me the pain.

>>4619790
>>I need to be back in. Give me the pain.

>>4619790
>I'd prefer the slow way. It gives me time to figure out my hands.
It's not like our hands are a combat asset anyway.

>>4619790
>I'd prefer the slow way. It gives me time to figure out my hands.
We've got the blade, now let's see what we can do with our hands

>>4619790
>I'd prefer the slow way. It gives me time to figure out my hands.

>>4619790
>What would suggest?

>>4619790
>I need to be back in. Give me the pain.
If they still act broken they're not gonna be of much use, let's not gamble too much on whatever's going on with them being useful.

>>4619790
>>I need to be back in. Give me the pain.

>>4619794
>>4619802
>>4620791
>>4620733


>>4619849
>>4619941
>>4620395


"Alright, then. Pain it is."
I open my mouth in protest, wait, hold-
She pours the fluid into my mouth and holds my nose, forcing me to swallow. I feel my body seize up, then, all goes white, and-

---

こんにちは、こんにちは、ご不便をおかけして申し訳ありません。

まもなく放送を再開します。

この休憩をお楽しみください!

---

My Master slumps back into the bed, expression pained. Mmmrgh. He doesn't have to show off like that. Standing up to that monster of a Master earlier had proven him to be just as brave as my friend had ever been. Am I stuck here while he's out of commission? What a pain, ze.

"Well, he won't be back for a bit."

"Wait, did you-"

"He put himself at my mercy. We have an agreement not to harm one another and work together to fight Lancer." she stoppers the bottle, "And if he just so happens to be knocked out for a little longer than I expected, well, who can possibly lay the blame on me?"

I feel anger begin to bubble in my gut. "Oh, calm down. I fully intend to defeat Lancer as agreed. With your help and the coordination of two Servants at once, what could possibly go wrong~?" she smiles devilishly, and Brawler sighs. Not disgust, more 'I knew it'.

>You betrayed my Master, ze! I'm not working with you!
>How can I possibly trust your direction after this?
>Can I at least gain a gaurentee of this location's safety?
>Something else, ze?

>>4621921
>How can I possibly trust your direction after this?

>>4621921
>>How can I possibly trust your direction after this, ze?

>>4621921
>We did agree to help you. Not me. We. And seeing as my Master is in no state to help you just now I'm afraid I can't either. You don't get one without the other.
Damn, Gene just can't catch a break with his handlers can he?

>>4621921
>How can I possibly trust your direction after this, ze?