Fandom Fate/Bad Joke

[Iskandar]

Rider​

Rider looked up at the sign of the diner before looking down at her master, raising one eyebrow, "Master, is this the best the modern world has to offer..." Rider was rather disappointed now. The exterior of this establishment looked rather poor and dingy. Nothing wrong with that mind you, but Rider want to try the best food first. Add on the fact that Lenka informed them to only get the burgers made the previously energetic Rider skeptical and apprehensive.

Rider followed her master into the establishment and sat down next to her. Before she could get a chance to look at the menu, her master had already ordered for her. Rider let out a heavy sigh and frowned before shaking her head multiple times. It seemed Rider was going through a rollercoaster of emotions. From disappointed to apprehensive to disappointed again and then to happy once more.

The servant remained silent, merely sipping away at the 'House Blend' that her master had order. It tasted fine enough, not something Rider would have very often. Rider looked at Lenka before shifting her eyes back and forth, looking at the workers of the diner. Rider remembered that the girl mentioned her favorite pub being closed, and Rider felt that every meal should be accompanied by the best beverages; Alcohol! Rider offered a smile and summoned a golden pitcher filled to the brim with a reddish-purple liquid, "During a feast we should only drink the best wine known to man!" Rider huffed as she poured the wine into golden cups. It was clear Rider had no real intentions on doing any of the talking or negotiating. She was there to fight and protect, her master would do all the talking.

As Rider downed her cup of wine she could hear her master speak to her through their bond, "Fear not, my prothymos! I shall protect you. I will keep an eye out for any suspicious things. As for gut feelings, be careful around that one." Rider eyed Alexandria before downing another cup of her wine. One of the employees noticed Rider drinking the wine and came over to berate the woman. Rider bowed her head and apologized, letting the woman take the golden pitcher and cups. As the waitress turned her back and walked away, Rider merely summoned the golden vase once more, pouring another cup of wine with a playful smirk on her face.

SCSaya06 Rantos Girouette BearBearBear Misuteeku

 

[The One Eyed Bandit]

My my, how vigorous.

As Saber flooded into the catacomb, Jaune only heaved himself from his position and approved of her hunt with a wave over his shoulder. This was, in fact, not a safe ground or haven. Good on her for taking advantage for it. Though, he'd personally have recommended staking out the other Master's identities, but he wasn't one to backseat drive. Either way, the crypts were about to start looking like a World War battlefield, so it was time for him to split. With the ease of someone who knew the area like the back of his hands, he navigated his way out of the catacombs and back out into the sunlight.

Maybe he'd go looking for the other pairings. There were a couple that sounded like they'd be a right riot to hang out around.

Or he could just wait outside and do as he was told.

 

[BearBearBear]

There was a certain charm to their destination, a certain atmosphere that could only be captured by a clandestine meeting at a greasy spoon. Granted, Alexandria would have preferred a tea house or a cafe if they were to convene, she wouldn't deny the uniqueness of the situation; if she was not mistaken, meetings involving those within secret societies often did so within the privacy of large, often historic, landmarks where security was all but ensured -like the Clock Tower itself- or in this case, the occasional pub where those who would overhear would either be made to forget or permanently dealt with. Normally she would be a bit more cautious but given the company she usually kept, she was sure that they would kill everyone in the vicinity at worst.

Given how that happened once a month, Alexandria wasn't as fazed as most would be. And if she wasn't afraid of a pair of masters and their servants...

"A full breakfast with black tea for me, thank you." Alexandria addressed the server with the confidence of someone who's obviously never eaten there before. Still, a bit of bad food wasn't something that would spoil her day. She lived in Atlas after all, a literal hole in the desert. A wealthy magus she might have been, but one doesn't survive long in their world if she didn't eat whenever she could. She sent the poor woman away with a disarming smile, equal parts beatific and apologetic on behalf of the apparently alcoholic servant, before immediately setting up a bounded field, that ensured they had an additional layer of privacy along other hidden functions. "Now on to business, if you lovely ladies don't mind of course."

She paused, allowing herself a moment to observe the pair one last time before they began this war of words in earnest. The shorter of the pair, the one with the rambunctious, though at the very least protective, servant, seemed a bit more hesitant when it came to dealing with Alexandria. It was flattering, if it wasn't absolutely unnecessary, and it really didn't hurt her standing as a prospective ally. The taller, more carefree of the two, was slightly less cautious, though she had confidence that could not be denied and a servant that -if the Clock Tower Records were accurate- even she would have trouble dealing with.

"I'm sure that I don't need to tell either of you that whoever's behind this entire mess is mad, though I do have to appreciate the skill required to cause such an incident, in Barty's back yard no less." Alexandria's tone was even and her expression was cheerful but one would have to be blind to miss how cold her gaze was. "Though I am of the opinion that to assume that we don't know the true value of Command Seals is the height of arrogance."


Iskandar Girouette Rantos SCSaya06 Misuteeku

 

[Girouette]

The Chivalrous Beserker Zinnia Quixote.
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​

"Zinnia...Zinnia.... Quixote..."

As the girl was spun around with a suprising ease that would perhaps shock anyone to see a human spin a servant on their toes. Something seemed to click in her mind, and if it was any more hollow you'd most likely have heard the clicking noise bouncing around a multitude of times. She was still unaware of the situation, of course, but it seems the bemusement of her identity had been entirely ferreted out, and she was suddenly wholly understanding of who she was...Or at least, she was content in the knowledge she had a name.

It was quite a fast resolution to something that would normally constitute an entire character arc, but food was probably more important.

She glanced headlong at her newly found compatriots...Or...At least, accompaniment to lunch, they were rather odd looking to her, but she couldn't quite tell why, and specifically the larger, muscular looking woman had a certain air about her...That she most certainly couldn't recognize or even fathom what it could be about.

Eventually, she had mused to herself about the situation once more that she lost herself to thoughts of what was going on once more, she had ascertained her identity, but she still had the matters of "Fighting" "War" "Heroic Spirits" "Grail" and other things to work out. Certainly that explanation had been already given to both her and her Master, but she was clearly not paying enough attention to understand it in the slightest. Nor did she even briefly consider anything about them from this point onward, as it seems she had entirely convinced herself of a chain of events so incredibly unlike the truth by the time they had sat down.
​

Oh well.
​

"Haaaaaah! Right! Right! So we're all sitting together here now! Ah! Perfect! What a perfect start to my story!"
"So I guess you're all my sidekicks, right? Is that how that's working out? That makes sense to me, what kind of chance meeting like this doesn't form a heroic bond? Makes one hundred percent sense to me!"
"Oh, right. Names and stuff! A hero has to introduce herself, I'm Zinnia...Uh...Quixote! And this is some random girl I woke up in front of after dying or however I got here, so she's probably important..."
"Have we already done introductions? I feel like I missed something, but I was busy thinking, you know? I only JUST Realized what was going on, haha! Isn't that funny? That's hilarious, right? What kind of origin story is that? 'Wandered around confused for an hour'..."
"Hey, can I get some food? I'm absolutely starving, can I get everything? I'm seriously feeling a hero's appetite right now..."
"You know, maybe you're all heroes too...Ah, that'd be more like that one show...Show? What's even a show? Hah! I know all this stuff and don't even know what it means, isn't that crazy? Anyway, like that one show..."
"Did you say only get the burgers, or everything but the burgers?"
"Do they serve coffee here?"
"Does anyone else feel this weeeeeeeeeird tingling when they raise their left hand?"
"Oh, crap. What's a burger?"

She most certainly just intterupted whoever was speaking, and she most certainly didn't notice he or she was speaking in the first place. It was also obvious she once more was speaking in such a flurry that assumed others could both understand her, and shared a complete understanding of what she meant.

It was all very confusing once again.

She was, seemingly, going to always be very confusing.​

​

Iskandar SCSaya06 Misuteeku Rantos BearBearBear

 

[theunderwolf]

"And yet," Archer said coldly as she nimbly weaved through Saber's blows, "You're soo scared of little me getting to the surface." Saber was fast. But Archer had her completely outclassed in speed and reaction. She was stronger though was and if it was going to be a close quarters fight, well Archer could bring her down but she'd prefer Melvin and the overseer survive, "Please saber, I've been nothing but polite, so don't lie to me. I know exactly where your master is, and as for mine well, he seems to take care himself well enough."
Looking to the entrance to see Melvin's ice wall, she grinned. Knowingly or not, he gave her just what he needed. She breathed in and called on her power. The wall grew and reformed into hundreds of icicles, which oriented themselves and flew at saber, razor sharp tips shining. Archer would be incredibly disappointed if it worked but she was only feeling the saber out, not actually going for the kill just yet. But as the icicles flew at the saber she breathed again, ice cold breath slowly freezing the ground beneath them and the room plunged in temperature.

 

[Xel]

SaberLondon Catacombs​

"If I were to let you reach the surface you'd disappear with that presence concealment of yours. I am not about to let that happen." She responded to the jab, never letting up on her onslaught. As swift and powerful as her strikes were, her opponent danced around them, avoiding every swing she brought forth. It was obvious just after this initial exchange that if she ever wanted to actually land a hit on Assassin she'd have to actually get serious. But she knew better than to go full bore from the start. The comment regarding her master caused her to let out a small huff as she pulled back, pausing her attacks. "If you know where my Master is then you know I have said nothing but the truth. He is not here. And if you were to try and go for him you would fail." She leveled her sword, pointing it at the woman that stood before her. "Do not believe that I am so naive as to leave my Master undefended." Saber was about to continue her aggression when she caught wind of Assassin's change in tactics.

The wall of ice that Assassin's master had summoned had been reformed into a barrage of icicles, all of which were bearing down on her. She quickly spun to face the attack, her sword flowing through the air as she cut the missiles that would actually impact her. However, the sheer number of them quickly overwhelmed her defenses as many of the shards slipped past her sword to embed themselves within her. Saber grimaced as she fought past the pain until the barrage came to an end. It was quick, but devastating attack, or at least it would have been for anyone else. Saber turned to offer the woman a cocky grin as she reached down with her spare hand to rip the icicles from her body one by one. "Clever trick, but as I have already told you, no mere assassin can hope to best me." She emphasized this point by violently ripping out the last icicles from her abdomen. As the temperature dropped she once again raised her sword into an aggressive stance while continuing her provocation. "So if that is the best you have to offer you may as well save us both the time and surrender."

Gaius Danius Griinia theunderwolf ChazGhost The One Eyed Bandit

 

[simj26]

Lancer“On the contrary. I find myself lacking a certain enthusiasm to find the author of this letter. If it means, however, that we can come to a quicker end to these mysteries, I should be able to cast aside my doubts.” Lancer folded the letter and stuffed it into her pocket, but kept the map in her hand. “I don’t think you ought to worry. I should be fine with directions.” Lancer made her way towards the window, and peered outside, then glanced back at the map. Do people still get lost, even with such heavily detailed maps accessible? Though not every building was given detail, their placements and even distance were given much attention. Back in her age, there would have, at the very best, a very well-drawn house or two, and vague instructions past that. That was when they were lucky. There was just one issue with the map that was given to them, however.

The lines drawn on it were with some sort of pastel. She traced a finger on the crude lines, identifying it as crayon, and scowled. Whoever thought it was a bright idea to trace a path across the city with a piece of crayon was either a man of strange humor, or just plain weird. She was willing to bet it was both. Nonetheless, it seemed that their fastest route to the allotted venue was by what she understood was a bus, a multi-passenger carriage.

“I think I know the way. Come.” She glanced towards her Master, then paused to study her features. Her expression unreadable, she remained quiet for a moment, then took the girl’s hand, gazing straight into her eyes. “If you would think yourself a friend, then put all your trust in me. That is, after all, what friends are for, no? Now, let us away.” She tugged on the girl’s hand, leading her out of the room and the house. “We must first find what you would call a ‘bus stop’. There should be a direct transport straight to our destination,” she continued without pause as they exited the mansion, allowing the girl to make her final preparations. She, herself, had her own preparations. The thin stream of mana that connected herself to her Master snapped, and she immediately felt a weight press down on her shoulders. It wasn’t much to send her crumbling, but it was just so that she had to blink a few times to regain her bearing.

She was now, just simply a passerby, a traveling companion to her Master, and naught else. This won't last long, however...

@Lancelot[/h]

 

[Lucem]

Eli's eyes widened when the man's stick suddenly vanished without a trace. While he was also a bit surprised that the sphere was caught without a single flinch, the disappearance claimed most of his attention. It was like watching some sort of magic act.

He remained confused when the man kept bringing up more words that he didn't understand. Nonsense like mana and stuff that he only ever heard in video games. If not for the vanishing stick, he probably would've thought the guy was some crazy roleplayer. He was definitely dressed for the part.

Eli's thoughts came to a halt when the stranger suddenly stepped forward, extending an arm as he came closer. He already warned the guy, so there was no reason to hesitate. Eli was fully prepared to throw a haymaker at the guy's face, but held back when the long-haired cosplayer reached for the box at his feet. However, he never let down his guard, even as the letter was offered to him. Despite what the freak said, he still didn't trust him. In fact, being told that he wasn't an enemy just had the opposite effect.

Relaxing the muscles in his right arm, Eli quickly snatched the letter, carefully shifting his gaze between it and the person in front of him. Unsurprisingly, there were more words he didn't understand. Although, he felt like he got the gist of it. A fight for something called the Holy Grail. More fantasy stuff. As dumb as it sounded, the contents were enough to quell the fire inside of him, leaving Eli silent as he pulled the paper away from his face.

"Let me get this straight. The person who gets this thing-the Holy Grail, or whatever...They can wish for anything, right?" Despite asking a question, he really wasn't looking for an answer. The chance to have any wish come true. It was like something from a fairy tale. Lots of people dreamt about this stuff. Now, the chance was offered to him, delivered straight to his room in a little box. It was obvious what his answer would be.

After a brief silence, Eli crumpled the paper into a small ball and tossed it into the garbage can in the corner of his room. He did it without a second thought, his face showing no regret or hesitation. "Not interested."

Even if he did believe in this war thing, there was no way he'd waste his time fighting over a stupid cup. Getting involved with a bunch of crazy people just wasn't his thing, especially since he had work in the morning. The only reason he even listened for this long was because he thought it had something to do with the person who sent him a gift years ago, but that didn't seem to be the case. Despite living with his curse, he didn't accept what was being presented to him as truth, even if the stick man had managed to do some sort of fancy trick. Sure, it was possible that a bunch of wackjobs could be fighting to the death and all that good stuff, but everything else just didn't sit right with him. The most unbelievable was the prize.

"Wishes aren't granted that easily..." Not for a second did he think something like that was possible. It was a concept he rejected in every way. The very idea of it being a reality conflicted with his entire existence. Nobody got what they wanted just by asking for it. The world didn't work that way.

Rubbing his hands together, Eli ran both through his hair before moving to the small closet in the corner of his room, ignoring the person he had been so intent on punching earlier. Quickly slipping on a pair of jeans, he reached for a faded black jacket, being one of the few things that were actually inside. As he put his arms through the sleeves, now covering a plain white shirt, Eli was glad that he took a shower before passing out last night. He wouldn't have been able to take one now.

Without a word, Eli grabbed a bottle of mouthwash before opening the door that led to what little was left of his living space. It only took a few small steps before he was standing in what served as both his kitchen and living room, the sound of his footsteps drowned out by a loud gargle. Spitting into the kitchen sink, Eli grabbed the plastic bag overflowing with old food containers, and a small envelope before moving to the front door.

Doing a quick check for his wallet and keys, Eli finally acknowledged the stranger's existence once again as he slipped on a pair of worn shoes that looked a few sizes too small. "I don't have time to deal with you. It's my day off." He had a bunch of errands to run and couldn't afford to waste his rare day of freedom. "If you're still here when I come back, I'll seriously kick your ass." Leaving the house while a stranger was still inside was pretty odd, but it wasn't like there was anything he could steal.

He didn't trust this guy that called himself Caster at all. That threat he made when it came to the cops made it clear that he wasn't a good person. Well, it wasn't like he thought of himself as one either, but if was pretty much established that that guy was a real piece of shit psychopath. If that whole war thing turned out to be true, then he could just find someone else and leave him out of it.

Without saying anything else, Eli walked out the door, leisurely tossing the garbage over the railing and into the container on the lower floor. He didn't get as much sleep as he wanted, but he could at least use that lost time to get things done earlier. First stop was the bank.

QuirkyAngel

 

[theunderwolf]

Archer shrugged. Honestly she hadn't expected the icicles to work as well they did and yet Saber insisted on the bravado. The woman was ignoring the fact that Archer had said that she knew exactly where her master was. The blue haired woman was honestly tempted to just go shoot him to prove her point. Saber was prickly and overconfident, so sure of her victory. A 'mere' assassin? She felt rightly insulted on her supposed classes behalf. Ugh, she had dealt with the ladies type far to many times in her own type. "Hrm," She said sarcastically considered, tapping her knife to her lip and tasting the cold metal, staring deep into saber's eyes, "That actually sounds fair enough, I do want to save both of us time. On what terms would you want this surrender?" At this point Archer honestly didn't care if Saber wanted her life or not, but for as long as the Servant kept talking, more of the ground froze. Archer was a hunter and she was ever so fond of traps. As they spoke she manipulated the ground beneath them, sending coils of ice through the ground and slowly, the walls. It made no sign but the temperature was quickly dropping. The Icicles that "missed" helped, as they sunk into the ground like saplings in her ice trap.

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Caster ​

"...It would seem you don't have much faith," Caster commented mildly as he watched the crumpled ball land into a garbage can. The not-so-mage-like mage didn't seem to understand the significance of the Holy Grail War. Barely even read the letter from the sender, at least at an in-depth level, before he was quick to dismiss it. As Caster suspected, the young man didn't hail from any mage lineage. A first generation magus. Or possibly a re-emerging rarity from a declining line. Either way, he was the one who bore the command seals that indicated him as Caster's Master. He had enough mana to support Caster's existence in the world. He also bore a unique pair of eyes where most of his mana seemed to be concentrated in. Mystic Eyes. A rare gift from God. Therefore it wasn't as if the aggressive young mage was an entirely hopeless case for a Master. Magic--or was it Magecraft?-- could be taught. Even if it wasn't, and his Master had completely horrendous aptitude, explaining the Holy Grail War to a Master unfamiliar with it wasn't unprecedented. It happened sometimes...and Caster wasn't one to question God's judgement.

Still. Having a Master who didn't know what a thing about magic made things difficult.

The dark-skinned man didn't even realize the situation he was in. How was he suppose to glean the same information that Caster gleaned from reading the mysterious letter? The rules of the Holy War had changed from what he was familiar with. Mages were being indirectly told to not let each other get off 'scott free'. The Masters Market. It wasn't something he saw the Mages Association or the Church implementing...given what he knew of them from previous wars. Yet it wasn't as if he knew the enough about the organizations to say so with absolute certainty that they wouldn't suddenly add amendments to to the war. Humans changed with time. People changed. Caster didn't know enough about the current era to explain why the rules of this war felt different. Why his summoning felt different. It would've been nice to speak to speak to a Master who knew about the ongoings of magic society in this era. Who could explain to him what was going on. However, this time, it would seem that Caster was saddled with a Master who didn't know anything about magic. One who apparently had no desire to even participate the Holy Fight for the Grail.

Was there nothing that the human wanted?

Caster frowned. He didn't say much else while his Master went about with his daily routine, simply observing the man with the pretty eyes in his habitat. It was clear that the human lived closer to the poverty side. Small, cramped house. Faded Jacket. Old shoes. There was probably much he wanted for. He just didn't believe he could obtain it. Or rather, he believed 'wishes weren't granted so easily'--meaning he didn't believe in miracles.

Vanishing the orb, just as he did his staff, Caster remained near the mattress, checking the rest of the box since his Master didn't seem interested in it. There were two more items gifted to him. A ticket to some place called the London Tombs and a map. Caster studied the image on the map, committing it to memory in the event that his Master decided to throw this piece of information away as well. It wasn't until his Master made a move to leave the apartment did Caster act. "Wait."

The word came out sounding like a command rather than a request. Truth be told, Caster was more familiar with giving commands than receiving them. Summoning his staff back to his hand, Caster willed the weapon to become what Caster needed create his Holy Scripts. A pen. Strange. Caster was more familiar with a quills. Shrugging, the Servant took the map from the bottom of the box and began to write on the back of the map:

'Dear God,

In your infinite mercy, please protect this Child of Earth from any who may do him harm. In your compassion, shield him from the arrows of his foes and the malevolence of his enemies' blades. So that no foulness may befall him. No wickedness may touch him. And no danger come near him. Of this, I beseech thee, Our Father who art in Heaven.

Prestor John.'

Signing the script with a flourish, the paper glowed a brilliant light, before the magic embedded itself into the item and luminescence diminished. It was crudder than he would've liked, but it would have to do for now. Taking the map, and the ticket, Caster caught up to the bronze-skinned man who'd stopped to toss the garbage over the rail. He gave his master the two items. Forced them into his hands really. The friendly smile on his face contrasted with the threat he'd given before.

"You should treat the presents given to you a little more graciously, Master." Caster was referring to the crumpled letter the mage threw away. "Even if you don't intend to accept the invitation, or use the ticket yourself, you could always pawn it off for a bit of cash." Seemed like his destitute Master needed it. It was good manners for a Master, once chosen, to greet the Overseer of the war - at least in the Grail Wars he was used to. Not strictly necessary, but it proved advantageous when the Master was new to the war or the rules needed to be clarified. Like now. Caster hadn't a clue as to how the 'Master's Market' was going to work. Caster didn't care two ways about it, since more command seals didn't necessarily help him with his goals, but it would likely increase his Master's chance of survival.

"It's good that you aren't swayed by temptation - a truly impressive feat for a human. However, others aren't likely to see things the way you do. Mages with powers greater than your own will come for your life. If not for the command seals on your hand, it's to claim the Holy Grail for themselves. I only say this because you don't seem to understand the severity of the situation you--no we--have found ourselves in. You have been chosen as a Master of the Grail War. It not as easy as to say 'I'm not participating' and walk away. War isn't so simple. That's why, if you insist on going out, I've made the map you've been given into a holy script endued with the Lord's blessing. Please keep it with you at all times. Should you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation you cannot handle on your own, simply read the words on the back--excluding the signature--and it should provide you with protection against most human mages. Even some Servants may be stalled. Though I'll warn you to be wary of the Knight Classes, since they generally have high magic resistance." His holy scripts weren't so fragile they could be broken by modern magecraft, but he couldn't say how durable they'd be against a high class Servant. The downside of his scripts was that they risked his identity being exposed...though, to be honest, having his true name known wasn't that big of a deal to Caster. "Also, if you have to activate the Holy Script, I will know you are in danger and make my way to your side. If necessary, you can even use your command seals to call me directly to you. You only have three if you don't intend to eliminate the other Masters, so use them wisely" Caster traced the human's command seals even as he spoke of them, just in case his Master still had no idea what he was talking about.

"I know this is a lot to take in," Especially since his Master didn't seem much a reader. "But I want to keep you alive. It may be difficult for you to believe, but magic is real. The danger you are in is real. Therefore I cannot comply with your request. "

Caster could go on and on getting into specific details about Servants and the Holy Grail War, but he had a feeling his Master wouldn't be able to absorb it all. It wasn't necessary if his Master had no intention of fighting anyway. Masters choosing to hide away while Servants did the fighting wasn't uncommon. Caster could deal with the war solo if he had to, as long as his mana source was alive. It wasn't as if the bronze-skinned man with the mystic eyes, who knew nothing of magecraft, seemed like he would be much help. Most Masters he met either revered him or acted as if they owned him. Pretty Eyes was the first to try to get him to leave, not asking or demanding his protection. Therefore he intrigued Caster a little--even if he was somewhat crude. Caster might have insisted on keeping him company, just to see what the human did in his free time, but that might've seemed a bit intrusive since they only just met and the human didn't seem happy with his presence. That wasn't how Caster operated anyway. He worked better on his own, and if his Master could survive the war without Caster always being by his side, all the better.

"However, if it makes it more bearable, I shan't intrude into your personal space unless you call for my assistance, it pertains to the war, or it's absolutely necessary. I hope you have a nice day off, Master."

That said, Caster vanished into his spirit form and left his master to do whatever he wanted. The arrangement worked for him just fine. Just as the human had things to do, he had things to do too. He could familiarize himself with the city chosen for the war on his own. Find a good spot to drop some of his scripts. Search for the identities of other Masters or Servants. Fortify the shabby building with holy scripts. Maybe he could even find some curtains for his Master's drab apartment. If he was going to be living there, some things were absolutely necessary, after all.

Lucem

 

[Xel]

SaberLondon Catacombs​

Saber held her gaze firmly on the woman standing before her. The temperature had now dropped substantially to the point that every breath she took created a small puff of mist. Whatever her enemy's identity was it was clear they enjoyed the cold. What she expected to happen next was the complete opposite of what actually happened. The surprise was evident on her face as Assassin actually entertained the idea of surrendering. That surprise was quickly replaced by a look of suspicion as Saber narrowed her eyes. No heroic spirit eligible for this war would so willing give up their chance for the grail. Nevertheless she knew how far above her enemy she stood so it wouldn't hurt to humor her. As such she lowered her sword and spoke in a commanding voice. "If you surrender you will forfeit your life, and thus right to the grail. But I give you my word I will not harm your Master should you choose this path."

Obviously surrender among servants could only result in one thing. The grail demanded six victims. Prisoners were not an option. But the least she could do is ensure the woman's Master survived the war. Of course that was only if Assassin was actually willing. Obviously she wasn't. The continuously dropping temperature alone proved the woman was planning something. The abnormal shift in temperature could only be caused by Assassin. So while having this fight end with a surrender would be nice, she knew better than to expect that outcome. Jun could feel an increased draw in mana being pulled from him into Saber as she tightened her grip on the hilt of her blade. She made no outward motion to continue the fight, waiting to see Assassin's response. But should that response be what she expected, she would be prepared.

Gaius Danius Griinia theunderwolf ChazGhost The One Eyed Bandit

 

[theunderwolf]

Archer.​

"Ha! He is my summoner only, you talk as if he is in any way necessary to my victory, no Saber," Archer said enjoying the moment of true hubris from her foe, "You are blinded by your own ideals and your word to me rings hollow. I know you Saber, I've known hundreds like you. I speak to you of a fair fight on even ground out of these catacombs and you refuse my gesture of good faith, yet now you give me your word as if it should mean more then mine." She spat on the ground, watching as the spittle froze against the dirt. "Trust must be given to be returned and you returned my overture with derision." Finally, the roots of ice had reached all around the room. "I will retract my offer as you grant no mutual benefit to my withdrawal. Know that I utterly loathe your hypocrisy and the hubris," Archer finished as she curled her hand into a fist, sending hundreds if not thousands of massive spikes made of hard, freezing cold ice towards sabers body, blowing the ceiling open as she did, revealing another tunnel above them. Jumping up, Archer elegantly landed in the tunnel above, looking down at saber's trapped form, though she couldn't tell how injured she was. Unconcerned with that, she knew the Saber would at least take a few minutes to free herself, giving her time to disengage. Not wasting any of it, Archer reverted to spirit form and ran towards where she sensed Melvin.

 

[Xel]

SaberLondon Catacombs​

Well that certainly revealed what kind of person Assassin was. True to the nature one would expect from a cold blooded murderer the woman seemed to hold no sympathy or loyalty for her Master. Sure, it wasn't like she really knew or cared about Jun but they were still partners. It was still her duty to keep him safeguarded against threats. Short of it being necessary to attain her wish she couldn't see herself just casting him aside. The mention of a 'fair fight', however, caused her eyes to narrow slightly. Such a lecture coming from an Assassin? This woman wouldn't know the meaning of the word fair if it came up and bit her in the backside. Nevertheless Saber remained stationary, allowing her opponent to carry on and have her fill. Just as expected, the moment Assassin finished she sprung her attack as the entirety of the room seemed to explode inward as thousands of spikes sought to impale her, or at least trap her.

As the spikes closed in she loosed her grip, flipping the sword before impaling it into the ground. As she did this the blade became wreathed in flame as the mana she had been drawing was pooled into her weapon. The blaze burst forth in all directions, racing across the floor and filling the the entire chamber with such a heat that even a servant would not be left unscathed. The wall of fire that expanded outward wiped away the spikes of ice, melting them almost instantaneously. In only a brief second the room had been reduced into a charred, puddle-filled sauna leaving Saber as it's only occupant. Saber pulled her sword from the ground, giving it a flick to the side to cast off the lingering flames that still clung to it's surface as she cast her gaze up towards the hole Assassin had created. "As expected of an Assassin, diplomacy is merely a means to ensnare their victim and secure their own escape." Her gaze was cold, as were her words. She truly was not a fan of cowardly assassins.

Not about to waste anymore time she leapt up through the hole, giving chase after the woman but as she feared her opponent's presence concealment meant she had lost track of her. After a brief sprint down the corridor she slid to a halt, realizing how futile such a chase would be against an undetectable foe. "Master, Assassin slipped away." The words rang out through Jun's head, the displeasure evident in her tone. "I am returning to your side." She spoke shortly, not wanting to give longevity to her failure in any capacity as she turned and began to make her way back towards her Master's location. Even if the outcome was anticipated, allowing her opponent to flee so readily still hurt her pride.

Gaius Danius Griinia theunderwolf ChazGhost The One Eyed Bandit

 

[Rantos]

Lenka
Tags: Iskandar Girouette BearBearBear SCSaya06 Misuteeku
The poor fools. Whether it was because of negligence or bravery, they all seemed to ignore Lenka's warning. There was once a time when Lenka too, full of vigor and confidence, tried to brave an item on the menu that was not a burger. The experience quickly humbled her, it was a night to remember. It was the night Lenka learned that some mountains would always be too high to scale. It was the night where she had come to finally realize her mortal limits. It was the longest night, wherein hours were spent in a water closet passing the pride she had swallowed.

They would come to realize their mistake. All Lenka could do now was support them through the long hours to come. Lenka put in an order for her and Zinnia who seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. The woman who would be Lenka's partner in this royal seemed a bit absentminded. She was quiet, almost aloof, except in the moments where she did indeed speak. Zinnia seemed to switch between episodic fits of silence and hyperactivity. Was she bipolar, or just a ditz? Lenka prayed for the latter, though any partner that knew how to throw a punch and could watch Lenka's back was more than enough.

As the two lovely ladies to either side began talking Lenka stayed quiet. She was content listening, as she did not have much to offer to the topic on hand. Through context clues and little hints dropped along the way Lenka was slowing coming to a better idea of the nature of this royal. Yet, many questions still persisted to prod her, demanding the answers she did not have. Surely, there would be time to ask all the questions she needed. Right at this moment did not feel like one of those times.

One of the women offered a golden cup to Lenka, there was no question as to what filled the cup. Lenka knew the smell of alcohol well. She took the cup and downed the contents in one swift motion. She didn't make a show of drinking her cup as to not interrupt the conversation. Though the speed and grace she employed to quickly drink her cup could have turned some heads.

The food came to the table, everyone's dish arrived at roughly the same time. And only a few moments after that, during a pause in the conversation, Zinnia opened her mouth again. Lenka found herself taken by this woman. How one person could speak so much and say nothing, it was an astonishing talent. Lenka found that all she could do was watch her lips, moving quickly to convey words as fast as Zinnia was thinking them. All Lenka could find herself doing was watch her lips, such wonderful things. She took note of how they moved to shape sound, how they opened wide to allow for the most amount of sound to pass through. Lenka analyzed those lips, and when the moment was right, when they were parted as far as they could be, Lenka struck.

In one fluid motion, she swiped Zinnia's burger from her plate and quite literally slammed it into her agape mouth. Stuffing as much burger into Zinnia's mouth as possible. It was a quick strike, one that came without warning and was finished just as quickly as it started. Once the burger was firmly planted in the woman's mouth Lenka scolded her. "It's rude to dominate a conversation without saying anything of importance. Don't do that. Just eat your food hun, you'll have your turn to talk soon." Directing her attention back to the other two, she spoke. "So, continue. If I recall correctly you two were talk'n about how this year's battle is a mess and I was about to get another drink." Lenka encouraged the two to continue while she poured herself another cup.

 

[ChazGhost]

Melvin heard the fighting in the distance as he continued his way deeper into the tombs. The tomb was dark, damp, and held even more bad props. ...How many props did the overseer load down here... Melvin thought to himself picking up a fake skeleton and look it over. He of course dropped it quick once he figured out it was a really skeleton. After rubbing his hand on his clothes he continued on his way. ...There got be at least some kind of secondary exit or something... Melvin thought as his surroundings started having less and less props. ...How much big is this place!... Melvin thought to himself as it seems the catacombs went on forever.

After that thought Archer arrived in her spirit form. "Archer my dear good to see you've returned." Melvin stated as he kept walking. "After we get out of here we can discuss how we should deal with Saber and her master. Their is a good chance we'll run into them again in the future" Melvin said as he reached what seemed to be a dead end. But with a closer look he saw a metal lader leading up to a trap door. With a smile Melvin climb the lander and opened the trap door. He was now in the employees only area of the building. "Well this is interesting" Melvin said looking around. Melvin then calmly walked over to the door and froze the lock over. The Melvin the broke the ice which in turn broke the lock, so Melvin could now open the door. Looking outside it seemed be in the back alley where some regular employees where smoking. Knowing the master of saber was most likely still around Melvin began making his way quickly pass the confused employees to the city streets....
theunderwolf The One Eyed Bandit

 

[Gaius Danius Griinia]

Having located the Master of Archer, Jun kept his distance. Luckily he had decent familiars to work with. Blending into the crowds, Jun stalked them like a yandere. Well more like an assassin but that name was taken in this war. Unfortunately, since Archer and Saber had stopped fighting, Archer was invisible. That meant he couldn't appreciate that fine physical form. If you asked Jun why he was so interested in Archer, you wouldn't get a clear answer. If he had to say it, Archer just had IT. The slender body, that cool expression, her natural style and grace. The fact she was willing to pull a knife on a SABER was a massive turn on. Yes she was another Masters Servant. Jun didn't care, she was still A Grade Wafer Material.

Jun waited for Saber to catch up as he popped from one hiding spot to the next. Since Archer was an Archer, she would notice his presence almost immediately. She hadn't pulled her bow out yet, so Saber was still convinced she was ASSASSIN. Jun knew better, them bowfingers spoke volumes of her true vocation. Jun wasn't jelly, however he did envy Archers Master a little. Taking a split second to grab some food, he continued his hunt...

Xel ChazGhost theunderwolf

 

[Lucem]

Eli kept his head to the ground as he walked down the familiar streets in the residential area. His body knew the way, so there was no need to move his eyes away from the concrete ground. His gaze refused to meet the people around him, ignoring the children at play and the busy adults. He simply continued walking past each house until finding the one that was most familiar to him.

Not long ago, the mere sight of the building was enough to make him nauseous, unable to get close without succumbing to anxiety and guilt. While those feelings hadn't disappeared, he had managed to tame them somewhat. Unlike before, he was able to approach without trembling, the unbearable heat that threatened to burn his insides no longer present. Now, this was just part of his routine.

Reaching into his jacket, Eli removed the envelope that he had brought with him when leaving his apartment. However, its size was noticeably different. Stuffed full with an obscene amount of notes, it looked ready to burst as it was shoved through the mail slot. Like always, he made sure that nobody was watching as he made the usual deposit. While it was partly to make sure that his identity wouldn't be revealed, he also didn't want anybody trying to make a grab for the cash.

After making sure that the coast was clear, Eli walked down the small steps on the front porch and continued to the next stop on his to-do list. While everything that happened this morning was a major pain in the ass, there was a small bit of payoff in the form of the train ticket that was gifted to him. He sure as hell wasn't using it to meet with the crazy guy that set up the whole war thing, but it still proved useful by getting him to Southwark without having to spend any money on a ticket.

Pulling out the map that had been forced on him, Eli looked over lines that had been drawn with a crayon, leading to a tourist attraction of all places. No matter how he looked at it, the guy behind all this was insane. Although, the bigger freak was the person who had written on the back of the map. Did he honestly expect him to believe that a piece of paper would keep him safe? Even if he had seen the creep do some pretty weird stuff, this was just ridiculous. He kept talking about magic resistance and knight classes, but he still had no idea what all that RPG stuff meant. How was he supposed to be wary of something he didn't know about? And what was with the whole 'Prester John' thing? Didn't he say his name was Caster, or something? Well, Eli didn't really care what his name was. It seemed like he had gotten rid of him for now.

Even if Caster tried to tell him otherwise, he wouldn't be fighting over some cup. Despite his behavior, he was slowly starting to accept that parts of this war were real. His refusal to believe was owed more to his stubbornness than ignorance, but whether he took these events as truth had no bearing on his decision. He was firm in his refusal to participate. He had things that he needed to do. The importance of the obligations he had couldn't be overshadowed by anything. Not even by a magic cup.

Finally surfacing from his pool of thoughts, Eli continued to wander the streets of London. He had gotten a bit distracted, but the young man quickly shifted gears, focusing on his errands once again. The only thing left was to pick up groceries on the way back home. It would be a bit later than usual, but he'd still have enough time to get to the market and pick up the usual batch of items that were considered no good. While they didn't last very long, he couldn't complain about free stuff.

 

[SCSaya06]

"Oh I understand the value of these sigils well, thank you." The rough explanation provided by her own Servant is enough for Cassandra to recognize the worth of these 'Command Spells' as they were apparently called. "Aside from using it to earn favors from your partner, it seems you could also..exchange it for certain commodities. Don't know what those are though."

She decides to forego the alcohol offered by Rider. "It's still a bit too early to my liking. I drinking in places a little less...crowded~" Cassandra mentally communicated with a small smile. The food that arrived was a bit of a mixed bag. The white cheddar burgers were nicely done--just the right amount of gristle and temperature fit for 'comfort food'. On the other hand, the gumbo looked...off. It looked like a month's leftovers all mixed into one, liquid mush. Cassandra picks at a small portion of it and while the taste was passable, she didn't really feel like ingesting more of it so she quietly pushed it away to the side.

The third girl mentions something about an organizer behind this free-for-all but nothing more. An organizer she and Rider planned on meeting tomorrow.

"Yeah that. It takes a lot of skill of pull this off in London no less. A dangerous battle royal for a shot at a miracle. My question now is, will you two be playing?" Cassandra proceeds with the inquiry. "It's a high-risk, high-reward kind of gamble for something you may not be able to attain even if you work for a hundred years after all." She adds, maintaining eye contact with both.

"Think of it as something I haven't heard about this situation before." Cassandra reminded them, leaning back while maintaining a calm smile.

Iskandar Rantos Girouette BearBearBear

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Johnny (Caster)

'As the Son walked on Earth in the body of a man, so too all who worship the Lord must follow in his footsteps ~Prestor John.'​

With the holy script tied to the end of his single braid, Caster, now calling himself Johnny, walked among the masses like any other human. A script that gave him the 'Blessing of a Man', allowing him to become as masquerade a human while the script was active. It acted as a seal to limit his powers, gave him the all the properties of a normal human, and hid his Servant status. While doing so left him in precarious position should a Servant attack, it also allowed him to familiarize himself with the city and observe the humans living in London at a closer prospective. To truly understand humanity was to walk in their shoes, after all.

Truthfully, Caster just got bored of wandering around, observing others in his spirit form.

Stopping near a small news stand, Johnny picked up a copy, scanning the paper even as he dropped a couple of 20-pence pieces for human. Pence. Shillings. Pounds. While his summoning gave him knowledge of the city’s currency, the coins and coppers used to exchange goods in the current era still looked somewhat foreign to him. The concept of money was the same no matter the era, but familiarizing himself with the current economy would prove beneficial in the long run. Wars weren’t won without funds after all.

Gripping a brown briefcase in his other hand, Johnny settled in a small patio of a nearby restaurant while he read for any news of supernatural phenomenon. It might give him clues about the whereabouts of current Servants. Or at least why this Grail War felt strange to him.

In the time that he’d left his master, Johnny had managed to find a 50 pound note on ground, enter a shady-looking Bingo Hall, win big, and pawn off all his acquisitions for a large sum of money which he packed in the brief case. At least, that part of the war wasn’t different than usual. His personal skill allowed him obtain wealth no matter where he was summoned to. It usually occurred as a string of luck, sometimes random, sometimes not. Therefore, he had a hard time understanding the mindset of the poor—like his Master.

“Hmm, seven mysterious deaths…” Johnny hummed.

Perhaps he’d find some answers with the Mage’s Association, who were well known for keeping tabs on their mages and tracking the events of the war. Where were their Headquarters located again? Johnny was admittedly more familiar with the church whose members were, more often than not, his summoners for the Holy Grail War. From what he’d seen of the time period, they should still exist… Johnny sighed. Having a Master who refused to participate in the war, who didn’t even know about magic, was annoying. Though, he supposed there was some benefit in having an inactive Master, especially since his current class was Caster.

Lifting his gaze, Johnny’s green eyes landed on the marvelous structure that was St. Paul’s Cathedral. Beautiful. A wonderful house built in worship to the High One in the Heavens. It only made sense for the devout to assist in the building of the Kingdom of God. Churches were excellent places to hide his-mana draining scripts as well, since many Heroes summoned to the Grail War didn’t dare do battle on hallowed grounds. Of course, Johnny didn’t intend to sacrifice God’s creations or anything like that (even if their lives ought be meant further the goals of the Lord, than whatever other frivolities they waste it on). A steady drain of mana—one that was hardly noticeable, barely affected their vitality—except the one’s that were already on death’s bed—, and would allow their living bodies to reproduce more over time.

It would take time. However, a kingdom couldn’t be built in a day and Johnny was in no real rush. Rushing would only allow his actions to be noticed too quickly by the Servants and his scripts destroyed…like the last war.

“Ahhh, no one understands the grandness of the task I must accomplish.” Eyes flickered over to a shop where a lovely shade of royal purple caught his attention. It would certainly add some color to his Master’s shabby apartment. Johnny’s thoughts wandered to his stubborn Master wandering somewhere in city—a troubled human to be sure. The script he’d given the boy didn’t require any mana to activate. Just reading the words aloud would be enough. Or at least, that was the case with his particular scripts. Even a regular human could utilize them since scriptures—when written by someone of holy stature—were originally meant to be read and heard by the masses. Magic, in its true essence, was the manifestation of miracles. And God’s miracles were meant for all humans, mages or otherwise.

Caster wasn’t a human. At least, not anymore. His only wish was to fulfill the divine edict he hadn’t been able to in life.

“But it’s not like God can’t wait…” Johnny murmured to himself, folding the paper and getting to his feet. He entered the furniture store across the streets and felt up the fabric that caught his eyes. He wasn’t getting but the best. “Curtains are necessary for privacy. An absolute must for any home. His apartment also needs chairs. How am I supposed to write my scripts without chairs? A personal desk would be nice was well. Really. He’s a terrible host. Didn’t even offer someone of my royal bearing a seat when I arrived.”

Not that Johnny knew enough about his Master to say for sure that was how he normally acted. Hadn’t even asked him for his name yet.

“How much to have these delivered to a certain address?” Johnny asked the store owner when he finally chose a color.

Lucem

 

[Misuteeku]

Assassin

Assassin could not wait no longer. The urge... it was overwhelming. That damned accursed fairy's curse was now going to force it into finding him. The spiritual form of the grotesque slime dog promptly left it's master. If she were to get slain by the other masters in the food joint, it would not matter to the dog. Being forced away from the presence of it's master, it started travel around to an unseen place, where no passerby could see it, and started to manifest on top of a building. If it's master didn't notice now she was gone, then the increase upkeep of mana would definitely notify her. It was also bad that, she was now revealed to any nearby servants. Though now it had now realized something. Somewhere around her. There were servants nearby... until one of them disappeared. It quickly disappeared into spirit form. It's presence would of been noticed, since it's presence concealment was almost non-existent. Meaning it was basically just as noticeable as the regular non-assassin.

The urge was slowly dissipating as the dog was going to make it's next strike. The master of those two servants could be nearby. "Master..." It thought back to it's master. Since telepathy did not use any form of vocal cords, it did not speak in a raspy hard to understand voice. "There are servants here... I do not know if they are fighting or getting into an alliance. What do you want me to do?" The spiritual form of the slime dog asked. It could only detect one of the servants moving away from the location. What would it's master order it to do in this current situation?

BearBearBear Gaius Danius Griinia Xel ChazGhost theunderwolf
​

 

[BearBearBear]

Alexandria couldn't help but smile at the byplay between servant and master. The dissonance was refreshing more than anything else; it was like they didn't know they had just entered a battle to the death, or more likely they couldn't bring themselves to care. She wouldn't be surprised if the taller woman thought herself as queen of the world, but such overbearing confidence, to face down something like a servant no less, was admirable sometimes. If only she would retain that confidence in the face of a noble phantasm, something like that would be entertaining to watch. Alexandria promised herself to treat the woman to a round from her own reserves assuming they both survive; it would be nice to hear the stories she could tell.

The food was... the less that could be said about it the better. True, it wasn't something a little bit of Reinforcement couldn't fix, but Alexandria made her bed and she'd be damned if she wouldn't lie in it. As far as consequences went, it wasn't actually that bad, and if enchanting bad food was the price she had to pay for a Noble's Pride the she would gladly do so again ten times over. Just shovel it in one spoonful at a time and it would be gone eventually. When the sorry excuse for food met her tongue, she was pleasantly surprised the find the fare mercifully bland, and so she began the arduous process of consuming her meal with a bittersweet smile on her face.

And that smile only widened when Alexandria heard the shorter of the two speak. She apparently knew only what was told to her, and while that wasn't exactly bad, it meant that she didn't know how to use the Command Seals the way the Makiri and the Church intended. It was either that or she was carefully hiding her intentions, which raised the her opinion on the less experienced Spellcaster to even greater heights if that was in fact the case. It mattered not what those commodities were, Command Seals were extremely valuable when handled properly. She would have created another Code if only they didn't require one to sacrifice so much to create them.

Alexandria was snapped out of her reverie by a foolish question.

"Why wouldn't I participate?" Alexandria's tone was wry as a soft titter escaped her lips; truly, she expected one to ask what she wanted rather than if she would join in. "I intended to watch a bunch of uptight little boys and girls kill each other before I was dragged into it myself. I guess you could say I'm... irked that a mysterious group beat me to it."

And then something at the edge of her bounded field rippled. Alexandria had no time to decide if something entered or exited as a moment later an almost imperceptible pull on her circuits told her everything she needed to know. When her servant spoke, and really spoke this time, she was torn between feeling indignant that she, for it was a she apparently, left her and relieved that she was at least willing to speak. Now to check if she'd listen to reason.

Assassin, fall back. I can't support you from half a city away. She spoke, or thought, through their link patiently and hoped that her servant would see reason this time. We can have a proper dialogue when I finish my business here, but for now, please adhere to the rules of engagement as they have yet to be broken. The time for battle is over; come to my side.


Iskandar Girouette Rantos SCSaya06 Misuteeku

 

[Xel]

SaberRooftops of London​

It did not take the servant long to return to her Master as he made his way through the streets. While the area directly around the tombs had been fairly void of activity, they now found themselves surrounded by crowds of people. She ensured she remained in spirit form, having no intention of revealing herself to the masses. It was fortunate that Jun had tracked down Assassin's master, but she ultimately found the stalking rather pointless. In such a sprawling metropolis such as this it would simply not be possible to take any meaningful actions during the day. Not without disregarding the rules engraved into her by the grail. Of course she began to wonder if she were even bound by such rules. The way the Overseer spoke, WHAT he spoke, the fact that he was not at the usual neutral grounds, the previous masters all being executed. Too much about this war already seemed wrong. If she were to disregard the rules would that man even see fit to attempt a punishment?

Her ethereal form came to a halt atop the rooftop overlooking Jun. Further along the same street was Assassin's master moving through the crowds. Such a vulnerable target to be sure. Indeed she could end his life right then and there, put an end to one of her competitors. Alas she restrained herself, to do so would cause too much of a scene. "Master, I have been thinking..." With their little game of tag she had little role to play, so now was as good a time as any to voice her observations. "Since my summoning something has felt off to me. You may or may not know, but we servants are imbued with knowledge by the grail. We instinctively know the rules of the war. We know about the modern era. The languages we need to speak, the cultures we need to interact with. The grail gifts us all of this information. And yet much of what I have learned since my arrival does not add up. Being summoned by some mysterious orb, having command seals used as currency from some unknown market."

She deftly moved to the next roof over, always keeping pace with the movements of those below as she spoke through their telepathic link. "It's clear that this this is not the proper war that was meant to happen. The Overseer made that much perfectly clear. So I am left wondering whether the rules of the Holy Grail War are still intact. It is entirely possible that everything I know might have been discarded by those in control." She once more looked down at Assassin's Master before continuing. "And if that were to be the case, it would free me up to conduct this war in a way befitting someone of my station. Rather than continue this pointless chase I suggest we return to the Overseer, gain access to the market he mentioned and get answers for these questions of mine."

Gaius Danius Griinia theunderwolf ChazGhost The One Eyed Bandit

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Johnny (Caster)​

Finished with all this purchases of the day, Johnny lounged in the back of a taxi, fingers dancing across his laptop as he pulled up articles of the past. Much more convenient than going to a library when researching what he wanted to know. Johnny had been on his way to hail a taxi when he passed some sort of technology store. Curious, the dark haired man entered and was greeted with a happy, yet aggressive salesperson. Needless to say, Johnny now owned a couple more modern technological appliances. While not skilled in the ways of magic, normal humans made up for their lack of circuits with ingenuity. It always impressed him how much humanity were capable of achieving for the sake of convenience. Now if only they would focus their ingenuity on the important things. Like God.

Arriving back at the poorer area of London, where his Master lived, Johnny checked his watch. His new purchases should arrive before the end of the day. A new curtain. A carpet. A desk. Some tables and chairs. Maybe now the young man's apartment would look like an actual home rather than a living space with a mattress and fridge. Naturally, Johnny would be directing the changes, since he didn't expect the humans not to break anything. And since his Master didn't want him intruding on his privacy, Johnny would have find his own place to live. It wasn't like the size of the young man's room was enough to support two beds anyway.

Not too close, but not too far.

Johnny looked up at the old apartment building and sighed. He supposed he could always rent a room in the shabby place. Renovations would be in order, but money wasn't something he had to worry about. Truthfully, Johnny didn't have to do any of this. If he remained as a spirit he wouldn't feel hunger. He wouldn't feel the need to sleep. He could remain a Servant protecting his Master in the shadows, only manifesting into physical form when needed for the war...

But that was dull.

Being summoned into another era was the equivalent of being given another chance at life. A short life, but still a life. While Johnny had every intention of winning the war and fulfilling the mission given to him, he also wasn't the type to waste the opportunities given to him either. Not then and not now.

Besides, having his own living space would further enhance his believability as a human. While exploring London, he'd managed to sense two other Servants. The most obvious of which was Assassin, whose presence suddenly appeared like a blunt force on a nearby rooftop. The intent to kill for that one had been so obvious, he didn't even need to notice their mana. The second was following a dark haired human...after another human. Johnny was willing to bet both were masters of the Holy Grail War. Johnny had no intention of picking a fight with either--not while he was still in the preparation phase of war--so he mostly ignored them, continuing his tasks as a regular human after first checking--through their connection--that his master was still alive and memorizing some potential enemy/ally faces. His master wasn't too close to where the potential enemies were, but hoped that, even if the young man didn't know how to produce magical energy from his circuits, he at least knew to run should he encounter them. Best would be that the human actually listened to his advice and read the holy script he'd given him.

No, best was that the Master didn't run into any enemies at all.

Running a gloved hand through his hair, Johnny closed his eyes, muttering a short passage from the bible. He'd given the human his warning. If his Master died, it would be on him. Caster would lose his chance for the grail, possibly wait another 100 or so years before the next time he was called again to fulfill his task, but the human would lose so much more.

God gave humans only one life after all.

When he opened his eyes, Johnny was graced with the sight of an older lady climbing down the steps of the old building. Laptop under one arm and briefcase in another Johnny approached her with the charm one would expect of someone who'd dealt with politics. It started with gentlemanly smile.

"I'm sorry to bother you, M'am, but I am new to this city and am looking to rent a room in this abode. Would you be so kind as to point me to the landowner?"

Lucem
(mentioned: Xel Misuteeku Gaius Danius Griinia , ChazGhost )

 

[Gaius Danius Griinia]

Jun looked at Saber while drinking his coffee. They were chasing Archer and Melvin so they could KILL them. This was not a pointless chase. However as a Saber, Jun guessed subterfuge wasn't her style. She most likely wanted to cut through her problems rather than work around them. Jun patted her back and showed her the device given to him by the Overseer. With it they could use the Masters Market. However Jun reminded her that he didn't NEED it because he would only use his command seals for summoning and her Noble Phantasm. Even the seals they would gain from killing other Masters would go towards more practical things. Jun was about to say something to Saber when he felt an odd presence. It must have been a Servant, although where they were eluded him. He pushed the thought aside and went for ice cream with Saber. Yes they could be toddling off to see the Overseer yet there was ice cream to have.

Finally he stretched the fatigue from his body and flew back to the catacombs. When he got there, he pushed past the people to get to the Overseer. Jun had all the answers he needed. He didn't trust this man at all. Saber was reminded that everything that this man said could be a lie. They could all be pawns in a game OTHER than the one they've already been playing. It also seemed as if Saber was trying to conduct herself with HONOR. Jun had no HONOR. What he had seen as an assassin had shown him that conflict was a bloody mess. Leaning against the wall, Jun started sipping his orange juice in the corner. He was still masked, armed and ready to kill the Overseer should something go wrong. Saber may not have been cool with that... Saber didn't have red marks on her hand...

Xel The One Eyed Bandit

 

[Iskandar]

Rider
​

Rider looked at her burger as it arrived. She would stare at it momentarily, blinking a few times, before lightly poking it. It looked edible and smelled somewhat edible, so Rider picked it up and held it in her hands. Rider brought it to her mouth and sniffed it before taking a large bite out of it. She chewed the meat thoroughly before swallowing it and raised an eyebrow. It had a weird taste, but it wasn't a bad one. The meat was cooked nicely and the cheese added a nice tinge to it. The bread was soft and fluffy and had sesame seeds on top which Rider particularly liked.

In what seemed like a flash Rider had consumed her burger and was now eyeing the Gumbo. It didn't look good, that was all Rider could think. Still, Rider wasn't a pushover! She grabbed the bowl and dunked her spoon in before taking it out with a large portion of gumbo clinging to it. She sniffed it, scowling slightly at how bad it smelled, but once more, Rider was no pushover! She stuffed the spoon into her mouth and quickly ate the gumbo. It wasn't the best tasting thing, but it wasn't the worst either. Rider quickly scarfed down her bowl, getting every last piece of food in the bowl.

With Gumbo on the corners of her lips, Rider looked over at her master, "Master, is this the best Modern Society has to offer? It was alright but I was expecting much more!" Rider looked around the building, "Okay, I wasn't expecting that much... But... Still! I want the best of the best! Next time we best be going somewhere with the best food. I must review this society's food." She sighed and grabbed the golden pitcher before Lenka could. Pouring herself a cup of wine to wash the taste of gumbo out of her mouth. She snapped her fingers, making the pitcher of wine and Lenka's cup both disappear.

"Prothymos..." Rider said after taking a sip of her wine, her tone serious, "Asking if someone is going to participate is quite the foolish question. Even a novice magus would give this thing a shot. It is the opportunity of a lifetime for most... Plus..." She looked at Alexandria, "Her kind enjoy this kind of stuff." Rider paused briefly and looked out the window, "Hmm." It was clear as day that something was happening. Something was going on out in the city of London...

SCSaya06 Rantos Girouette BearBearBear