Melancholy of One (A Grail Works. LTD. Story)

[burningclaw2]

The battle between Acruied and Gawain shall last so 27 days and 27 nights until Shiki comes.

[pureauthor]

Father Kotomine: Ahem. In the event the elimination match lasts for a duration of longer than 30 minutes, the contestants shall be asked to decide the victor on the basis of a match of Rock-Paper-Scissors.

[burningclaw2]

Same results by some random miracale(sp?)

[Larekko12]

Actually it would depend if her upkeep count his Solar boost as part his actual power and if they fought into his power times. Like They are brawling and she's just the little bit faster and stronger but he's better and hanging on and then it nine and he burst up in power for burst damge to put her down before she adjusts.

[ItsaRandomUsername]

Father Kotomine: Ahem. In the event the elimination match lasts for a duration of longer than 30 minutes, the contestants shall be asked to decide the victor on the basis of a match of Rock-Paper-Scissors.

How is this any different from how the battles are normally fought?

:3

Teehee.

[burningclaw2]

???:However kills the Father Kotomine npc will gain3 extra command seals...that is all.

[Delcer]

Your work is great as usual. I didn't mind the info dump, it was interesting to see, especially since I've not played Extra; the interactions/bonding with Aoko and Saber were nice as well.

[Ergast]

Damnit I was hoping to see Shinji(Matou) get carved upon by Shiki for being an annoying pissant!

Dunno, personally I grew fond of Shinji's shenanigans. Yep, he was a brat, but he didn't mean bad. I felt a bit bad after beating him

Nothing wrong with an infodump - helps us poor, deprived souls unable to play the game ourselves . . . And ignites our desire to do so.

Besides, as someone who runs across them every now and again for things I have seen or played, I often find it interesting to see what the change in perspective does to alter the canon scene. I'll wager Aoko's little spiel is different in the game, for example.

Well, Touko is as arrogant as they come in the game, and Aoko is certainly hateful against her (and Touko agrees in her hate). I still wonder how the chapel still exists in SE.RA.PH.

Also, you can't access the chapel so soon, so it seems that Shiki has the upper hand against the MC. And until the moment, and letting the prologue and when we saw her in the summoning aside, Saber is behaving the same as in the game. I'm pretty fond of her calling you Praetor *laught*

How do you get all EX rank stats in Extra anyway, I'm playing a ng+ but got no stat boosts.

Also Archer will die in a blaze of glory, either by MEoDP or Audience/Thunderous Applause.

I have to ask. What's the difference between Audience and Thunderous Applause besides Thunderous costing 60 mp? Because I directly get Audience, and I know it was because I used 200 items in the Arena.

Father Kotomine: Ahem. In the event the elimination match lasts for a duration of longer than 30 minutes, the contestants shall be asked to decide the victor on the basis of a match of Rock-Paper-Scissors.

They keep drawing until Shiki comes?

???:However kills the Father Kotomine npc will gain3 extra command seals...that is all.

Oh, come on, KotoNPC isn't... that... *pfff* bad... *breaks into a fit of laughter* Okay, okay, he is still a creepy priest *chuckles*

Also, wasn't Arcueid nerfed pretty hard in Moon Cell, thanks to Gotoi botching her summoning? Taking into account that if you fight her, you fight her pretty early (I won't say exactly when, but I already passed the chose between Rin and Rani). IIRC, in Extra she is weaker than Lu Bu (that monster makes you use a command seal to just survive your first encounter with him, and it only last a turn >_<)

[pureauthor]

Well yes, the skill descriptions in Arcueid's F/E bio go on and on about how she wasn't even fighting at a fraction of her real power thanks to Monji Gatou's incompetence.

[Ergast]

Again, I felt that in Extra every Servant is way weaker than the FSN Servants. In FSN they can level cities (or at least fortress) with their NPs. In Extra they didn't count even as limit breaks, they are just powerful attacks.

In normal Nasuverse, while not many Servants can actually hope to beat Arc, they can at least fight against her while she is way stronger than in Extra.

[burningclaw2]

You try taking Galentine(sp?) to the face -.- I had to reuse Thrice-setting Sun almost every time Gawain used that blasted sword.

As for Thunderous Applause I think it is at least a little stronger then Audience.

I will also say Saber's Blossom of Court is powerful and two rounds of it can take down any boss ^^ I spammed that attack on Savior when I got my NP out and he was already weakened to the point I could see the numbers of his health after that.

[pureauthor]

Hm. Okay, guys, I'm sorry (and I know I contributed a little to these too), but I must request that from here on out, any mention of F/E stuff that goes roughly beyond whatever I've covered in the story itself be in spoiler tags.

[Spinach]

Huzzah, I don't think I've spoiled anything, so I'm good so far!

[2ndsly]

I personally don't care about spoilers, but the past 1-3 pages need them edited in.
I found out more about F/E then I've seen even in the 7th.

[burningclaw2]

Kay, though I'm pretty sure the classes were already revealed so as long as we don't over do it with unnamed(yet) servants we should be okay.

[pureauthor]

Chapter Four: Sudd/En/Counter

*~*

So I suddenly decided to try adding a soundtrack for this story. I mean, might as well give it a shot, right?

Let me know what you guys think about it, if anything.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

*~*

Moon Cell, 1^st Chimeric Lunar Sea, 1^st Level

Exploring the 1^st Chimeric Lunar Sea

“So, this is the Arena,” Shiki muttered as he looked around him.

“Indeed,” coming up beside him, Saber nodded once. “What do you think, Praetor? A splendid sight, is it not?”

Shiki didn’t respond immediately as he looked around. Truth be told, it looked a little plain to him.

Then again, they weren’t here for a sightseeing mission.

“So, this is where the Trigger Keys are generated?”

“Indeed. I am given to understanding that there is one on each floor. Furthermore, they are hidden from the eyes of other participants, so that they cannot cheat by stealing the Keys that do not belong to them. A rather orderly process.”

“Quite,” Shiki muttered. “All right, if it’s just wandering around a maze, why would collecting the Trigger Keys be an obstacle at all?”

“Because of those,” raising a hand, Saber pointed down the digital hallway at what appeared to be a flying insect.

“An enemy?” Shiki moved into a battle ready position.

“Of a sort,” Saber replied as she stared at the creature’s movements through the air. “Digital beings created by the Moon Cell with the given job of guarding the hallways of the Arena.”

“…” Shiki pushed the glasses up the bridge of his nose.

“Well, Praetor?”

“Hm?”

“I’d have thought that you would be eager to see my prowess in combat,” a confident smile flashed across her face. “Now appears as good a time as any to give you a demonstration.”

Pausing, Shiki considered it for a brief moment before he nodded. “All right, Saber. Let’s see what you can do.”

“As you command, Master,” stepping forward, Saber took a deep breath and raised one hand in front of her, and with an actinic flash, a red sword with a twisted edge came into being.

Responding to the threat, the insectoid creature zipped closer to Saber, before halting a meter and a half away, hovering back and forth as it stared at her as Saber settled herself into a battle stance.

A brief moment of stillness, and then Saber struck in a blur of motion.

Whirling, her crimson blade flashed through the air, slashing down on her foe. It ducked back, seeking to evade her attack, but Saber had already anticipated that manoeuvre and stepping forward she slashed again, her blade striking home.

A single hit had not been enough to fell the creature, and so Saber continued her assault, three slashes in a row splitting the creature into multiple pieces that faded into nothing.

Stepping back, Saber lowered her weapon and nodded. “That went well…” she drew in a deep breath of air. “As expected, of course.”

Shiki remained silent.

“Praetor?” she turned back to him.

“No, it’s nothing,” he smiled briefly at her. “Good work, Saber. Let’s continue further in.”

“As you wish,” she nodded and, taking the lead, she stepped further into the Arena, leaving Shiki to trail behind her and to ponder a very important question.

Well, I can’t deny that Saber knew what she was doing…

But if that’s the case, why was she so nervous when preparing for the battle to begin?

The signs were all there for anyone sharp eyed enough to pick up on them. The tension that vibrated the air around her, the reflexive changing of her grip on her weapon, her quickened breathing…

Shouldn’t a warrior who had earned enough fame to be considered a legend be calm and relaxed when it was time for battle? Or at the least, have a hardened enough resolve to display outward calmness? He knew that held true for himself, at any rate.

It was odd. Odd enough to be worth paying more attention to.

And so, as he followed his Servant deeper into the Arena, he continued to observe her.

*~*

As they progressed through the Arena, defeating foes that they came across, Shiki continued to note that the more Saber fought, the more she appeared to relax as she got into the rhythm of battle.

Maybe it was just the fact that it’s been so long since she last fought? Shiki shook his head as Saber dealt the finishing blow to yet another floating cube-like object. Speaking of which, I sort of wish I could help Saber by fighting alongside her.

Honestly, I feel pretty useless like this.

“Don’t be absurd, Praetor!” Saber shook her head indignantly when Shiki had brought up the subject with her. “Your presence here is already a far greater aid than you know!”

“Sorry, I’m just really not used to hanging back and doing nothing,” even when the people I fought alongside were a lot stronger than me, I could still feel like I was helping. Halting midstep, Shiki turned and looked over his shoulder. “By the way…”

“What is it, Praetor?”

“The people who entered the Arena behind us…”

Saber’s eyes widened. “People have been-“ she whirled to face Shiki. “Praetor, you sensed it when I could not? But that’s-“

He shrugged, lifted one shoulder. “Well, to be honest, I can’t sense anything about the Servant. But the man following us was noticeable enough, yes,” he paused. “I am surprised you couldn’t tell, though.”

Saber flushed scarlet. “I – I must have been distracted,” she mumbled hastily. “In fact, now that I do not have other concerns, I believe I can sense the man too. And his Servant… it’s faint, but he’s definitely there as well,” Saber paused. “Praetor, he’s headed this way.”

“Maybe he has nothing to do with us, at least for this round?”

“I… do not think so. If I recall correctly, only people who will face each other in the Elimination Match can interact within the Arena,” Saber’s face was troubled. “His pace hasn’t slowed at all. I have the feeling he intends to meet with us.”

“Well, it would be rude to refuse to meet him, in that case,” Shiki replied as he walked over to the wall to lean against it, staring in the direction that the man was coming from. Saber shot him a quick look, but after a moment’s hesitation walked over to wait by is side.

Less than a minute later, an aged man rounded the corner of the Arena, coming face to face with Shiki and Saber.

Confrontation

There was a silence amongst the three – no, four – for a moment, until the man shifted his gaze, looking deep into Shiki’s eyes.

“You are Shiki Tohno?”

“... Yes, I am,” Shiki nodded. “I take it that you are Dan Blackmore, my opponent for the first round.”

An almost imperceptible nod from the man.

“Well, we’re all a polite bunch, aren’t we?” From behind Dan there was a flash of light, and suddenly a man clothed in green and brown was standing there, a sardonic smile on his face. “Considering we’re going to be killing each other pretty soon.”

“Praetor, get back!” Instantly Saber had placed herself between Shiki and the enemy Servant, her crimson blade raised in a defensive gesture.

“Easy there, princess,” the unknown Servant snorted, although he had drawn his cloak back slightly in response to Saber’s aggressive gesture. “No fighting today. Master’s orders and all that.”

“Speaking of which,” Shiki stepped forward, looking at Dan in the face. “I’d gotten the feeling that you were deliberately tracking us down today. Is there a reason you wanted to meet us on the very first day of the tournament?”

The old man heaved a brief sigh. “I’d wanted to meet my opponent. The one that I will engage in a battle to the death in a week’s time.”

“… I fail to see the reasoning behind such a meeting,” Saber spoke up, her expression hard. “Does it matter if you know the face of one you will attempt to kill anyway?”

“Heh, told you, Master,” the unknown Servant sighed and rubbed the back of his head. “No one shares the way you look at things, not even the princess here.”

Dan shook his head. “One can discern many things if one takes the time to do so,” he said in admonishment towards his Servant. “Any chance to meet an opponent is not one to be wasted.”

“I see,” Shiki’s voice was low. “I think I understand a bit more about you as well.”

“Do you?” a humourless smile graced the old man’s lips. “Then this meeting was not in vain. Farewell for now, young Master,” and with that, he turned and began to walk away.

The Servant remained for several seconds, before turning back to Shiki and Saber, his arms folded. “Well, you get off easy today, that’s for sure. Don’t forget to watch your backs tomorrow, though,” and with a smirk that never left his face, he vanished into light.

“Well, that was spectacularly pointless,” Saber muttered as she lowered her blade.

“Do you think so?” Shiki looked up, and he could feel a wave of curiousity from his Servant. “I felt like I learnt quite a bit.”

“What do you mean?”

Shiki scratched at his chin. “I’ll explain later. For now, let’s continue exploring,” and as he turned and headed deeper into the Arena, he could feel Saber’s questioning gaze on his back.

*~*

A Day in Tsukumihara

The digital sun was already low in the sky by the time Shiki and Saber emerged from the Arena, but there were still several students crowded around the lobby area, softly discussing various matters of interest. As Shiki stepped towards them, he could feel several questioning eyes alight from him.

As he tried to step past the crowd and into the commissary for a late dinner, he sensed one of the other Masters coming up behind him. Turning, he regarded the man who had approached him.

“Yes?”

“You’re the one facing Sir Blackmore in the first round, aren’t you?”

Well, unless there’s more than one Blackmore on the list, “Yes, I am. Why?”

The man shook his head. “Oh, we were just thinking that it was too bad for you. Getting taken out so early…”

“Yeah,” another Master, this one a female, chimed in. “Sir Dan’s one of the best this batch has to offer – there’s no way someone like you could beat him!”

Shiki could feel a pulse of irritation coming from Saber and he resisted the urge to smile at his Servant’s overprotectiveness.

“One step at a time,” he replied with a brief nod. “I’ll deal with what happens when it comes up. After all, I-“ he was interrupted by a brief shout from the other end of the lobby.

“- and that won’t matter, because I’ll win!” Shinji Matou was, as usual, all bluster and confidence. “I’ve got my hands on one hell of a Servant, and coupled with my abilities as a Master, we’ll steamroll this whole war, no problem!”

“Shinji,” another Master sighed. “You haven’t even checked the bulletin board yet – you don’t even know who you’ll be facing!”

“And I’m telling you, it doesn’t matter!” Shinji retorted. “It could be any one of you and I’d still win!”

“Oh?” apparently one of the people who’d been listening was getting fed up. “If you’re so sure, then why don’t we have ourselves a duel, right here, right now?”

Shinji folded his arms confidently. “Why not? I could use a warmup for my real fights-“

“Why not, you ask?” Kotomine’s voice was soft, but carried with it a chill that instantly quietened the entire area as the mediator stepped into view. “Allow me to tell you, then. First off, combat within the safe zone of the school area is strictly prohibited. Any attempts to circumvent or violate this rule will result in your Servant receiving a penalty in terms of their battle performance. If you wish to fight, take it to the Arena. Although,” Kotomine smiled thinly. “The only person you’d be able to face there would be your opponent. And while there is no penalty for fighting there, SE.RA.PH will instantly terminate any combat between Servants after a period of thirty seconds.”

His gaze swept through the assembled students. “Well, if there’s nothing else, I believe I shall be heading to the Commissary for supper,” and he left.

Slowly but surely, the complete silence gave way to a low murmuring.

“That guy gives me the creeps,” the Master who had originally accosted Shiki muttered.

Shiki found that he had to agree.

*~*

Shirou stepped out the office, one hand raised up to massage his forehead, a frown on his face.

“Senpai! Is everything all right? You’re looking pretty frazzled.”

He glanced up and saw Sakura standing there, a concerned expression on her face. At her side was Rin, a backpack slung over her shoulders.

“Sakura,” he nodded in greeting. “I’m fine, thanks for asking. Tohsaka, I’d thought you’d left for your next mission by now?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m going, I’m going,” she sighed and folded her arms. “But before I left, I just wanted to ask – how’s Ilya doing with getting into contact with Tohno-kun?”

Before Shirou could reply, a scream of frustration sounded from the office that Shirou had just vacated.

“WORK, DAMN YOU!”

“…”

“…”

“… Could be better,” Shirou mumbled.

*~*

Quiet Night – In The Room

In the privacy of their room, she sat on a chair and stewed.

Two big mistakes today. Two.

Her nervousness had been obvious to anyone who was paying any attention. She could tell that her Master had been surprised by that, and he’d paid extra attention to the rest of their battles within the Arena. At least she had quickly settled into a rhythm that would hopefully serve in throwing off any suspicions about her.

Far, far more drastic was that she had somehow managed to miss their opponent’s presence in the Arena. And worse yet, her Master had managed to pick up on it instead of her! How could she possibly consider herself worthy of Serving if such an obvious danger could simply fly right by her without her noticing?

Tap tap tap. Tap. Thump.

She had been able to sense that once she’d tried, it was just that she’d forgotten to expand her senses enough to remain aware of the presence of others rather than herself.

Just that? She thought bitterly. That was inexcusable.

Tap tap tap. Tap. Thump.

To be absolutely honest, when her Master had pointed out her mistake, she’d almost been frozen with shock and horror. To have let something like that slip…

Her Master should have been angry with her, shouldn’t he? But he had shrugged and dismissed the matter easily.

Tap tap tap. Tap. Thump.

She swallowed hard as she stared down at her body. The crimson dress, the pure white undersuit.

She would have to do better. For her Master’s sake, and her own.

Tap tap tap. Tap. Thump.

Roused by the constant sounds, she glanced up. “Mas…” the words died on her lips as she watched.

At the far end of the room, Shiki Tohno charged the wall, his legs pumping as kicked the ground, and then the wall, taking one, two, three steps vertically up the side of the wall.

Tap tap tap.

And then he kicked off, twisting his body in midair so that his foot could land on the ceiling, and push him off towards the ground.

Tap.

And as he dived, he made a downwards slashing motion with his hand, a motion perfectly suited for someone wielding a knife, and finally landed on the floor in a crouching position.

Thump.

After a moment of watching him, she closed her eyes, and tried to go to sleep.

Tap tap tap. Tap. Thump.

*~*

Chapter End

*~*

Tired ~.

I hope you liked it. If there are any problems or issues, please don’t hesitate to bring it up.

Thanks.

[Kieran]

Ilya's scene was hilarious. Thank you - I needed that.

[Spinach]

Shiki needs himself a knife.

[Megaolix]

A Servant with no glorious history that doesn't want to reveal its name... Mordred maybe? If Mordred truly wanted to become King, she would have to be used to act and dress like a man too. And the lack of glorious history or noble weapon would fit too.

[2ndsly]

This will be interesting.
Two master who are more perceptive then the Epic Heros.