Fate/RE:Iteration (F/SN)

[Irksome Dude]

Through all the myriad worlds of the Kaleidoscope, much remains consistent between the incarnations of Shirou Emiya. The fire that burned his life away leaves behind an empty vessel that seeks to fill itself with a beautiful dream. That impossible dream draws him into the Fifth Fuyuki Grail War, and should that dream and the world survive the war intact, Shirou Emiya is doomed to have his wish granted.

The variances in his Kaleidoscopic lives start with a single inflection point. However, his nature is such that even small differences can have an outsize impact on his life leading up to, and past, the Fifth Holy Grail War.

This is not one of those worlds. This world has been changed in ways great and small. Superficial similarities remain, and the persons living these events bear familiar names and faces. The paths their lives, and the path that Shirou Emiya’s life, have taken to reach this point cannot simply be called “different”.

No, this iteration is far more warped than that.

****

The First Night- Saturday, 4/16


The shed crackled with light as lance and sword clashed, silver and crimson against the night sky.

The scene before me was baffling — a hooded man in crimson and a beautiful blonde woman in armor, locking blade against polearm and trading glares at one another.

"Saber, I presume?" The woman says, eying the red-clad man before her as she braces her spear against his sword. "You, boy, behind me. I am Lancer. I've a question for you, but it shall hold until I have dispatched this villain."

She pushes and there's a screech of metal. The man breaks off, leaping backwards and landing on my porch roof.

"Dammit. I told her I should have eliminated you sooner..." He spits, pointing his blade down. "But indeed, my lady! El Cid, at your service."

"You sought his life before he summoned me?" The woman says, stance shifting and guard rising, lance aimed to welcome any attack. "A craven tactic, unbefitting a knight."

"Do you know what that boy has done? He stole something precious to my Master." The red man — El Cid? — shakes his head. "She and I both wish for his head for his treachery."

Wait-

I stole something? What did I...?

"But enough talk. You can burn with him, Lancer." The man seems to have made up his mind.

"Tch." The blonde woman's stance changes again, not to guard, but to-

The night air turns hot and dry, and the crimson sword in the man's hand blazes alight.

"Shirou Emiya! By the fire of my Tizona, I judge you... Unworthy! Be seared from this earth!" The man calling himself El Cid yells, leaping into the sky.

And then the world turns to flames.

****

My vision returns as the heat dissipates. My shed — my workshop — is gone, and I'm propped up against the walls of the estate. The wall is only slightly warm, but seems undamaged. I’m lucky the fire didn’t spread.

The crimson man is nowhere to be seen, but the blonde woman — whose plate armor does little to hide her ample... tracts of land — is standing in the yard and brandishing her spear at the sky.

"Craven! Blackguard!" Her voice is livid, and her head is futilely tracking back and forth.

"Um... Ma'am?" I ask, shaking my head and trying to sit up, "What just happened? Who are you? Who was he?"

She turns, and her ire melts away.

"Ah. To answer one of your questions, I am Servant Lancer. And as tradition dictates, I must ask you—" She steps forward, and her spear disappears as she stretches her right hand towards me. "Are you my Master?"

****

WISE UP!

Servant Lancer
True Name: [UNKNOWN]
Master: Shirou Emiya
Alignment: Lawful Good

Strength: C
Mana: C
Endurance: B
Luck: D
Agility: B
Noble Phantasm: A

Class Skills:

Magic Resistance- A
Riding- A
Battle Continuation- B-


Personal Skills:

Charisma- B
[UNKNOWN]- A
[UNKNOWN]- EX

Noble Phantasms:

[UNKNOWN]- A+ (Anti-Fortress)

[UNKNOWN]- C (Anti-Unit)


A busty blonde summoned to your aid. She doesn't quite seem used to her body for some reason. You're still unsure as to her true identity but you can tell she should be more powerful than she is.

****

Servant Saber (?)
True Name: El Cid(?)
Master: [UNKNOWN]

Alignment: True Neutral

Strength: B
Mana: D
Endurance: B
Luck: E+
Agility: B
Noble Phantasm: B?


Class Skills:
Magic Resistance- ?
Riding- ?
[UNKNOWN]- UNDEF
[UNKNOWN]- E-A++

Personal Skills:

Eye of the Mind (True)- B+
[UNKNOWN]- ?
[UNKNOWN]- ?


Noble Phantasms:
Tizona, The Firebrand- B (Anti-Unit)
A crimson sword said to burn with the power of the sun. By activating it, El Cid can unleash a powerful blast of flame, capable of striking fear into the hearts of the unworthy and then incinerating them.

Standard of Black, The Hidden Knight- C (Barrier)
While not a true Noble Phantasm, the Standard of Black is an enchantment used by many a knight over the years when their identity would prove troublesome. This prevents their skills and true strength of their Noble Phantasms from being identified, as well as guarding their appearance from view. If one knows the True Name of the user, they will be able to pierce the barrier.

[UNKNOWN]- ?-?

This red dressed asshole tried to gouge your heart out with a flaming sword. Despite looking him straight in eye, you find yourself unable to remember anything about his appearance except his favorite color. He repeatedly referred to himself as "El Cid" the whole time he was pursuing you.

[RoydGolden]

So... is Lancer still Arturia in a different Class or somebody else entirely? Other then that (and apparently El Cid as Saber), this is short enough that there's not really very much to comment on. If the Shirou in this story is "twisted" in some way, it's not at all obvious from the outset. Not a bad opening per-se, but I think you'll need a little more to draw in an audience.

[Irksome Dude]

So... is Lancer still Arturia in a different Class or somebody else entirely? Other then that (and apparently El Cid as Saber), this is short enough that there's not really very much to comment on. If the Shirou in this story is "twisted" in some way, it's not at all obvious from the outset. Not a bad opening per-se, but I think you'll need a little more to draw in an audience.

Lancer... Is a Lancer.

Until Shirou figures it out, that's all you're getting from me. Blatantly stating the identities of Servants, when it doesn't make sense, is a peeve of mine, that I'll not use here. It feels cheap, imo.

It's ... Not quite Shirou that is twisted, but the world itself. There are multiple points of divergence from the canon, and the canon's backstory, some stretching back to the /Zero of this world, others further.

I've got a bit more written that I'll post tonight. I just wanted to get this prologue out here, to motivate myself to keep at it.

[Siege]

Seems interesting, ¿Will there be any servants/masters that already appeared in Stay Night, or is it 100% original (Except for Shirou)?

The only thing I can complain about is the fact that El Cid has a NP designed to obscure his identity (A huge advantage), yet he blatantly says his true name once Lancer asks him.

As per Lancer identity: Probably a Servant from the 16th or 17th century, a knightess of high birth I suppose. Maybe a genderbender?

[RoydGolden]

The only thing I can complain about is the fact that El Cid has a NP designed to obscure his identity (A huge advantage), yet he blatantly says his true name once Lancer asks him.

To be honest, going by the question mark next to his True Name I wouldn't be surprised if this Saber turned out to be not El Cid at all but some kind of impersonator.

[Irksome Dude]

Seems interesting, ¿Will there be any servants/masters that already appeared in Stay Night, or is it 100% original (Except for Shirou)?

Actually, every Master who is in this originates from Fate/Stay Night in some manner. The few who do not are from spinoffs, with one being tweaked enough to fit in this HGW given his original world's differences.

The only thing I can complain about is the fact that El Cid has a NP designed to obscure his identity (A huge advantage), yet he blatantly says his true name once Lancer asks him.

As per Lancer identity: Probably a Servant from the 16th or 17th century, a knightess of high birth I suppose. Maybe a genderbender?

'El Cid' has a reason, and that NP he's using is still in effect despite his actions. Draw your own conclusion.

Lancer, well... more should be clear after the next snippet gets posted tonight. Right now, I'm at work, so I can't really toss it up or format it.

[Siege]

Nice then, let's see what happens then. Guess that he's either other wielder of the Tizona, or a Servant capable of replicating NP.

In fact, it seemed kinda weird that he wasn't dual-wielding Colada.

[Irksome Dude]

Enhanced some things in the prologue. Tweaked some stats.

And this got given a proper look over by my beta friend, too, so.

Enjoy seeing things spiral further out of expectations!


****

The First Night— Saturday, 4/16


I stare dumbly, too filled with thoughts to stand all the way, much less respond. My eyes drift down before I can stop myself.

She stands before me. "I ask again. Are you my Master?" She says, gesturing with her outstretched hand.

The slight edge in the question restarts my brain. "Ma'am. I don't even know what just happened." I say, reaching for her hand.

Her gaze sharpens, and she roughly turns my hand over. I wince, and look at my right hand again. That's right. The mark that appeared earlier this week...

"...Your Command Seals are proof. You are my Master, and I am Servant Lancer, kin- Knight of the Spear." She nods after a moment, helping me to my feet.

There is a pattern on the back of my hand, and this time I can see it is made of three pieces. A broad winglike shape, colored black. That part I was almost used to. The lightly glowing red spikes that jutted into either side as though piercing the great wing, were new.

"These?" I ask, showing the woman before me.

She nods. "These are the proof of a Master," She traces a finger along the wing. I shudder and hope she doesn’t notice. "But my understanding was that they were all to be of a single color, and fade only when used. How odd."

"Ma'am... Lancer... This whole thing is odd." I manage after a few moments of silence. “I have no idea what is going on." She grimaces, but I continue. "But... if that El Cid guy ran because you came, then I owe you my life. How can I repay you for that?"

Lancer's expression softens, and takes my hands in both of hers, leaning forward as the start of what I know must be the most beautiful smile in the world starts to form, and she says—

"Blast. Another Servant!" She drops my hands and steps back, the spear coming to hand like magic. “Can you run? You were able to evade Saber well enough. I shall hold them off, and let you escape."

She crouches to leap over the estate wall and all at once it strikes me that this innocuous moment could completely change my fate.

...If that Saber really is after me, he could just be waiting for his moment to strike. Plus we have no idea if the new Servant is our enemy, or the enemy of our enemy.

"Lancer, hold on." I say, shaking my head. "El Cid... He could just be waiting for this. We don't know who that Servant is. Hell, I still don't know what's going on.

"So, let’s try and get answers. Maybe they're enemies, but maybe we can do something with them, strike a bargain or something." I continue, tightening my fist at my side. "Either way, we're talking before we fight."

"Master, you..." Lancer seems taken aback, but her expression firms quickly. "So be it. I shall be your shield and spear in this War. I will not fail you."

I feel as though something’s been left unsaid, but... This takes priority. We head to the gate, quickly.


****

"Emiya?!" The voice that greets as I step outside the gates of my house is familiar. It also belongs to one of the people I'd least like to see at a time like this: the magus in charge of watching over the city and surrounding lands, dressed in her usual red sweater and miniskirt. The heart-shaped gemstone pendant, however, is new. It does look good on her, though.

"Tohsaka! Are you involved in this mess, too?" I blurt out, shaking my head. Lancer steps out behind me and I can see Rin Tohsaka’s double take at the glowing spear. "Can you explain what's going on?"

She sighs, and begins to rub her nose as she looks to the side.

"Praetor, we are in luck! The boy is as ignorant as you hoped!"

The girl who materializes from empty space makes ME jump and Lancer’s spear comes up to defend us against the new Servant.

Hm. She's a bit shorter than Tohsaka. Blonde hair of a color similar to Lancer's, though one look at her green eyes is enough to set them apart, dressed in an ornate red dress that—

I avert my eyes hastily. Who on Earth could be that shameless?

"Saber, please don't." Rin says, seemingly exasperated with her Servant's flippant attitude. "Now, Emiya, I should be asking you that question. I had no idea you were a magus yourself."

"Ah, nothing like that, Tohsaka. I know how to use some magecraft, but nothing special." I say, waving it off and hoping that nothing shows in my expression. "Lancer appeared and—"

"Master, one moment." Lancer interrupts, eyes narrowing. "Girl, you claim your Servant is the Saber in this war?"

Rin looks a bit surprised at the question, but nods.

"Of course! One of my bloodline obviously must summon the most prestigious of Servants, in the strongest class!"

"Indeed! My Praetor is blessed to have my blade working for her!" The red Saber says, crossing her arms and smiling like a child whose teacher had just given them a gold star. "For I stand at the apex of all arts, including those of war!"

Lancer and I share a look, hers far more concerned than mine.

I allow the two of them to bask in their smug superiority for a moment. "...That's well and good, but... explanations please?" I say. "Like, ten minutes ago there was this lunatic in red who kept trying to kill me, and I’m only alive now because Lancer saved me.”

"...Perhaps we should go inside so I can explain things to you." Rin says, eyes widening a bit as she realizes the depths of my ignorance.

****

The explanation takes thirty minutes. Only Saber drank the tea I set out, knocking back her own cup and Tohsaka’s before getting bored and leaving to explore the house. Lancer stood by the door, one eye on Tohsaka and one ear listening to Saber’s wandering. Tohsaka looks at me expectantly.

"So," I start, rubbing my temples, not for the first time in this conversation. "Lancer, Saber, and that 'El Cid' are all legendary heroes summoned by a magic ritual."

"That's correct." Rin nods, taking the nearest teacup and drinking. I decide not to mention it was mine.

"And we're fighting for the sake of a Holy Grail that grants the winner a wish." I continue, glancing behind Rin, to where Saber was investigating the contents of my bookcase. "And no matter what there can be only one survivor?"

Rin hesitates. "Well. One Servant. Masters don't need to die, but they're easier to kill than Servants, and killing them tends to kill the Servant." She says that with a sad look on her face. Hm.

"So, if I get killed, Lancer dies with me." I say, and she nods. "But if Lancer dies I could keep going. I'm guessing that, if I still have Command Seals—" I raise my right hand to indicate the marks there, "— I can form a contract with another Servant. Is that right?"

There's a crash from my DVD shelf. I glance over and see Saber looking innocent next to a pile of plastic cases on the floor.

"Pretty much." Rin sighs. I notice she doesn’t bother turning. "Now that you have the gist of it you should decide for yourself whether you're going to participate or not. I know you were kind of forced into this by that fake Saber."

I stare blankly, then nod.

"Unfortunately, I don't think I can withdraw, even if I wanted to." I say, shaking my head. "'El Cid', whoever he really is, only ran because I summoned Lancer. I'm going to participate — not for the Grail, and not for just for my own safety, but..."

Out of the corner of my eye I see Lancer’s approving nod.

"Well, what kind of superhero would I be if I let some villain get their wish when I could stop them?" I ask. Tohsaka seems taken aback, and I realize I’ve cross a line. "I'm not saying you’re... I mean, I want to… I can’t just—"

"No, Emiya, I think I understand. You can't give up Lancer, and you don't want the wish to be used for something evil, right?" Tohsaka stands, and I can’t see her face. Is she... Angry? Or something? "Fine. A truce until dawn, then? And I'll pass word to the Overseer that you've summoned and are participating."

"Tohsaka..." I start to stand, but she glares back at me.

"No, no. I get it. You just want to keep the scary magi from getting the Grail, and be a stupid hero, don't you?" She says.

Yep. Definitely angry.

"Saber. We're leaving." With that Tohsaka’s Servant is at her side, and both move towards the door. "Emiya, consider that information my thanks for your hospitality."

The door rattles as she slams it behind her and I hear footsteps stomping away. Lancer lets out a chuckle.

"I suggest you at least see her to the gate." She says, pointing to the door. "I'll clean the mess her Saber made."

I nod and rush for the door, but by the time I get outside Rin and her Servant are midway down the street. The end of their discussion comes back to me across the evening.

"But Praetor, I know of a sure way to secure his aid!" Saber says excitedly.

"Oh?" I can still hear the angry edge in her voice, gentled by a note of curiosity.

"Indeed! He was bereft of the reading materials typical for boys of his age, and none of the 'discs' he owned were any form of entertainment at all! Surely, he must be aching!"

"...Saber, what do you mean?"

"Your womanly charms, supplemented greatly by mine own of course, can win us an unbreakable alliance! No man could resist we two, especially if we both—"

I hear Rin squeal indignantly and Saber’s laughter before they get too far away for me to properly eavesdrop. I wonder what all that was about.

****

Once inside, I find myself sitting across the table from Lancer. She’s holding last cup of tea but has yet to drink.

"So, Master. You intend to compete in this war to deprive those who would abuse the power their chance?" She sips the tea and waits for my response.

"Yes. Of course, I'm more than willing to give you the wish. I can’t imagine you’d do anything awful with it."

The room is quiet while Lancer decides how to respond. "I wish to correct the mistakes of my life and bring peace to those I wronged." She sighs. "Many people suffered for my failings."

I can feel the smile on my face. "Fixing your mistakes is more than noble. That's a wish I'm proud to help you reach, Lancer." Her expression becomes relieved. "By the way, I have to ask. Is something making you uncomfortable? When you were fighting El Cid you seemed off balance and..."

She smiles prettily and looks down at her teacup before looking back at me. She opens her mouth to speak... and then looks down again at her teacup.

Or. Well. She tries.

"I. What. This. Huh? What? Eh? Ehhhh?” She hesitates for a long moment and finally reaches up to poke her armor.

She's on her feet faster than I can blink, and before I can speak she's rushed from the room. I’m in pursuit immediately. Whatever she found obviously shocked her greatly. Ahead of me I can hear doors sliding open and footsteps charging up and down the halls, as she hurriedly searches my house for… something. I hope she's okay.

I catch up to her nearly a whole minute after she stops moving. She’s found one of the guest bedrooms, a ways away from the places my visitors usually go. The door is open and I step inside. There I see her staring intently at herself in the mirror, poking and prodding at her… at her...

I hastily look away.

She’s muttering. "This.... This was not part of the deal..."

I turn my head back to ask what's the matter, and stop dead as I see her chest armor fall and disappear, baring what are possibly the greatest tracts of land the world has ever seen. Wars have been fought for less. Poets have tortured themselves trying to describe mountains half as majestic. I can only stare open mouthed. And then her hands...

I’m backing out of the room so fast I only notice when my right hand cracks against the doorframe and barely strangle the scream. I’m certain Lancer would kill me if she knew I’d seen this. I’m equally certain my face is redder than Tohsaka’s sweater. I hurry through my bedtime preparations, hoping that they’ll calm my mind, and settle myself to sleep.

It works: my dreams that night are once again filled with dragons and knights.

****


WISE UP!


Servant Saber (True)
True Name: [UNKNOWN]
Master: Rin Tohsaka
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Strength: C
Mana: B
Endurance: C
Luck: A+
Agility: A+
Noble Phantasm: B+

Class Skills:
Magic Resistance- C+
Riding- B

Personal Skills:
Migraine- B-
Chronic headaches. Reduces the success rate of mental skills. Due to the proficiency of her Master, Saber's rank in this skill is reduced, relieving the pain somewhat.
[UNKNOWN]- EX

Noble Phantasms:
[UNKNOWN]- B (Anti-Team)
[UNKNOWN]- B+ (Anti-Team)

The Saber summoned by Rin Tohsaka. Flamboyant, red-clad, and without an ounce of shame. Given how she rummaged through your books and movies you suspect she was looking for something in your house, but you refuse to believe the suggestion your initial instinct makes.

[RoydGolden]

I may be forgetting something, but did Shirou know Rin was a Mage in the original VN? Because if not, this might just mark one of the first prior divergences... Also interesting how Lancer, unlike most of the genderbends seen in canon (with the exception of Da Vinci, who did it to him/herself on purpose), seems to have actually been a male from her original life who ended up in a female body as a Heroic Spirit for some reason.

[Prix with a Silent X]

In the original VN, Shirou learns that Rin is a mage fairly early on in the HGW.

[RoydGolden]

In the original VN, Shirou learns that Rin is a mage fairly early on in the HGW.

True, but here he recognizes her as one from the moment he hears her voice. Meaning he clearly knew it before even getting involved in the Grail War...

[Irksome Dude]

Some more edits for cleanliness and accuracy have been done in the earlier parts. Also, wait, what's that, is it-

****

The First Day— Sunday, 4/17


I pull myself up out of my futon as light cracks through my bedroom window Letting my routine take over, I dress and head to the kitchen. Everyone will be here for breakfast soon, and I wouldn't want to disappoint them.

Eying the ingredients in my refrigerator, I try to come up with a meal for five with what I have on hand, but… Something nags at the back of my mind. I can't quite tell—

"Good morning, Master." says Lancer from behind me.

Oh. OH.

Last night rushes back, and I hurry to the sliding doors to my home’s garden. Sure enough, my shed/workshop is a burnt ruin and that half of the garden is covered in ash. With the morning light I can see scorch marks along the wall where the shed once stood. Strangely enough, there’s no scent of flame or char.

Surveying the damage, the only thing I feel is annoyance at how long it’s going to take to replace the tools.

Well whatever I can deal with it later. Breakfast comes first. Taiga I know will be hungry as always. Then there're Sakura and Shinji. Occasionally they even bring even bring someone else, so...

After taking stock of the food in my kitchen, and Lancer’s European features, I settle on a Western style breakfast. Tohsaka assured me that the Grail prepares Servants to live in the modern era, but I know traditional Japanese breakfasts can be difficult for Europeans.

Today’s simple breakfast just calls for frying eggs, cooking ham, and waiting for the toaster, leaving me lots of time to go over the rest of what I learned last night.

****

I set the platters on the table not a moment too soon. My teacher/caretaker/big-sister, one Taiga Fujimura, is already through the door, wide-eyed and drooling at the smell. Without saying a word she sits next to Lancer and starts devouring her breakfast with a flattering gusto.

A few minutes pass, and I hear a buzz from the hallway intercom. Lancer pauses between bites to look at me, and I nod reassuringly as I stand up to answer it.

"Hey, Shirou," says a familiar cocky voice. Shinji taking the lead again, huh? "Uh... Uncle got sick again, and Sakura is staying home to take care of him."

Again? It's getting more frequent now, like father’s illness before...

"But, uh... Look, a cousin of ours showed up. Not sure how we're related, Uncle knows more. I know you're already cooking something for breakfast, so do you mind us joining you?" His tone at the end there is almost pleading, which is really unusual for him. Then again, if Sakura's as worried this time as the last few times this happened she probably isn't in any state to think straight, much less cook.

"Sure," I say toward the speaker. "The two of should come on in. Taiga’s already here, and I actually have a guest of my own." A moment later I hear the door open, and I go to greet my guests.

"Thanks for having us over, Shirou." Shinji says, giving a polite bow that just doesn't work for him. "You know how bad I am at this stuff."

His cousin, a cutesy looking girl who stands beside and just a little behind him, mimics the gesture. I guess I can see the resemblance — the oddly colored hair Shinji and Sakura share isn't too far off from hers, though the girl's is even more pink than the Matou purple.

"Indeed! A great many thanks for your hospitality!" The girl says before skipping past me and toward the dining room.

By the time I arrive the table is nearly stripped of food. Lancer and Taiga are glaring at each other, while the new girl’s stacked her plate nearly as full as theirs.

"...Another big eater." I say, staring at the pink girl in awe.

"...And big... Something else." Shinji's eyes are locked on to where Lancer is leaning against the table. A smack to the back of his head gets his eyes back up.

"Ahem, yeah. We figured that out at dinner the other night." He says, pointedly looking away from the table. "Honestly, I'm on a grocery run, too, so...."

I nod. It's not that rare for him to visit when he's passing by on his way to the market.

“It’s alright, Shinji. I know how it is.” I say. “I already made sure to leave extra in the kitchen because of Taiga.”

He exhales with some relief, and I head to the counter where I’d left the rest of breakfast while Shinji seats himself safely from the voracious girls. A hungry Tiger of Fuyuki is not something I want to underestimate, or get in front of, ever again and the other new guests seem just as bad.

"Wait, who are you people...?" Taiga says as I reenter the dining room. I’d say I’m surprised that she’s just realizing that there are other people at the table, but....

"Hi, I'm Astolfo!" Shinji's cousin says cheerfully, between bites.

There's a sudden pain in my head. What the…? There’s new information in my brain, and an aside glance at Lancer shows that she's looking at Astolfo — Servant Rider — worriedly as well. Then must be what Tohsaka meant when she said that knowing a Servant’s True Name opened a path to victory.

"And what about you?" Taiga nearly yells, pointing at Lancer. "Who are you, and what did you do to my poor, sweet Shirou with those, those massive—”

Mercifully the intercom buzzes again, temporarily sparing me from the brewing storm. Mesmerized as he is, I leave Shinji behind.

“Who is it?” I’m near enough to the front to look out the window. I spy a black and white dress and feel a sudden, horrid premonition.

“Shirou dear, it’s me. And, unfortunately, I am here for business, not pleasure.” The sweetest voice I’ve ever heard answers me, almost untouched by the static. “My father sent me to discuss things with you, and confirm your decision to participate in the Holy Grail War.”

I sigh as I unlock the gate to let the devil’s own daughter into my home.


****

Servant Rider

True Name: Astolfo, Paladin of Charlemagne

Master: Shinji Matou
Alignment: Chaotic Good

Strength: D-
Mana: C
Endurance: D-
Luck: A
Agility: B+
Noble Phantasm: C-

Class Skills:
Magic Resistance- B (D)
Riding- A+

Personal Skills:
Evaporation of Sanity- D+
Monstrous Strength- B-
Independent Action- B

Noble Phantasms:
The Trap of Argalia- D (Anti-Unit)
A golden lance with the ability to knock down any that it touches, even slightly.

[UNKNOWN]- C

[UNKNOWN]- C

Rabicano- C+ (Anti-Army)
[DESCRIPTION UNKNOWN]

A Servant that Shinji brought over for breakfast. Appears to be a genuine idiot, but her optimism seems to be as unquenchable as her appetite. She also appears to be benign, at the moment. Best to see what's going on before taking any action.

[Irksome Dude]

And that's chapter 1 out of the way. Go ahead with any questions and comments you may have. We're getting to the fun part of all the changes, so I can't really promise to answer them directly right now, but I would like to at least cover them in the story.

Thanks for reading the first part- I'll be back soon with more.

[RoydGolden]

Astolfo: "her". Shirou's in for an interesting surprise... And is that Caren who just showed up at the end?

[Irksome Dude]

I immediately regret letting Caren Kotomine into my house. She stands in the entryway, appraising what little she can see from where she’s standing before turning her golden eyes on me.

Pale and soft hands envelop my right hand, turning it over to expose the Command Seal and a bruise from the door last night that I hadn’t noticed until now. Her face comes uncomfortably close to mine. She’s leaning forward just enough to make sure every curve is visible to me, dressed as she is in a tight outfit no real priestess would ever wear.

“You poor lost soul…” She looks toward the sky. “Father forgive this child for stooping to debauchery. It is tradition. And he knows not what he does.”

What.

I realize she’s looking past my head and I turn mine to follow her eyes. Yes, she’s observing the table where Lancer and Astolfo are demolishing my breakfast while Taiga tries to match their pace.

“I swear this isn’t—” I manage before giving up. I know exactly what she’s going to say.

“Two Servants before the first full day of the War is over? What a shameless cheat you are.” She continues, turning back to me. “Ah, if only God’s light could shine on you, you might find forgiveness for your philandering…”

I sigh. It won’t be the last time this conversation, it’s impossible to get used to her. “Kotomi—”

“Caren, dear Shirou. I’ve told you to call me Caren.” She interrupts, bringing a hand to my jaw. Her face is still too close to mine for comfort.

“Caren. I don’t have two Servants. I don’t know who Rider’s master is but she’s here for breakfast. She’s not working for me or anything like that.”

She steps back, and by her smile I can tell she’s enjoying my discomfort. At least I have room to breathe.

She laughs. “So you say,” and suddenly brushes by me to the table.

Yep. I sigh again, and follow her to my dining room to see if there’s any breakfast left for me.

****

Typically, Taiga is too too engrossed in her food to notice as Caren seats herself. By contrast, Astolfo and Lancer both nod respectfully before resuming their own meals. I’m privately relieved that Lancer and Taiga’s quarrel ended peacefully and with my table intact.

“So, Kotomine!” Shinji perks up as soon he sees her, hoping for gossip or some advantage over her. I’ll never understand Sakura’s deal with Caren, and I can’t handle Caren at all. “What’s one of Homurahara’s Three Queens doing visiting a boy over the weekend?”

“Since you asked Matou, my father has a message for this poor wayward wolf, and thought that a classmate made a better courier than he,” she replies, helping herself to a plate of food. My plate specifically. “You would do well to pray that my father shares his words with you.” She smiles at her little joke, leaning towards him suggestively. He sputters. Shinji’s never been good at taking what he dishes out.

And Caren wonders why I call her a fake priestess.

“I trust you both can restrain yourselves until a more fortuitous time, and perhaps a more… private... venue?” Shinji’s sputtering stops with a choked gasp and his face goes scarlet.

“Caren, please don’t kill him. He’s a friend of mine and it’d make Sakura sad.” I sigh for the third time. I know it won’t buy him much of a reprieve, but—

She smiles, satisfied for now. “Certainly. It doesn’t count if you murder a young man’s dignity without witnesses.” I silently pray for Shinji’s soul. After that, breakfast is quiet save for the clinking of dishes and utensils.

[Tuvarkz]

Well, I guess Shirou won't even have any peace of mind over breakfasts at this rate.

[Irksome Dude]

This took longer than expected.

****

Setting aside the last of the dishes to dry, I head back to the dining room.

Taiga’s gone to visit her grandfather, leaving two problems still sitting at my table: Astolfo and Caren.

The book in my head tells me that the former is an idiot with no ill intent, even if she is an enemy. I decide to focus on the latter to get her out of my house as fast as possible. I do not want her taking up residence here like some people I could name.

“Kotom-” I start, only to stop when Caren nails me with a glare. I sigh. Okay, that’s it, I’m not counting them anymore. “...Caren. Your father sent you to talk to me? Is it the Holy Grail War?”

Caren clasps her hands and looks to the sky. “Oh heavenly father, thank you for granting this poor fool insight into the obvious.”

Shinji jerks upright, fascination with Lancer gone, his expression something between worry and fear. Astolfo- Rider- isn’t phased at all.

“Yes Shirou,” Caren says with a beatific smile, “my father sent me to confirm your participation, and tell you that he wishes to speak with you personally.”

Her father. Kirei Kotomine, a fake priest with dead eyes. I’ve never met the man, but Kiristugu described him to me He always made clear I was never to seek him out, for any reason.

I shake my head, but Lancer perks up. “Your father is the mediator in this War?” She asks, cocking her head slightly. On a girl my age the gesture would be cute; on her it’s closer to comical. “By your words… do you work for the church?”

“Yes. You could indeed say that, Servant Lancer.” Caren looks at Lancer appraisingly, then back at me. “My father leads the Kotomine Church. It’s quite a demanding position, but not so much .”

From the corner of my eye, I see Lancer nod, apparently satisfied. Astolfo’s gone past relaxed and on to catnapping, while Shinji’s brain appears to have shut down completely.

...Do Servants even need to sleep? I’ll have to ask Lancer. After I get these two problems cleared out.

“So, was that all, Caren?” I ask, “Or was there something else you wanted to speak with me about?”

“Actually Shirou… there is one thing” Only someone who’s put up with her for years would hear the emphasis she put on “one”. “What’s this I hear about you seducing our schoolmates?” She means Rin. She has to mean Rin.

Doesn’t she?

“Caren, she heard a fight. We both know this.” I cut her off, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I was nearly killed by a Servant last night. Rin happened to be nearby, found me and Lancer, and stayed to explain the basics of the war.”

The fey light in her eye only shines brighter. “Oh, wicked scandal. Just how many young women do you send away from this house with the proof of their shame clear on their face? And my father’s ward, in the dead of night!” She’s laying it on a bit thick, even Lancer’s recognized by now that she’s trying to get a rise out of me. I wonder what she means by “ward”? I really don’t know anything about her family’s circumstances.

“Oh gracious lord, pray forgive this poor, ignorant wolf.” It appears I’m not getting a straight answer out of her, then. “He acts without knowledge, and only on instinct.”

All right, this conversation is over. “Well, Caren, now that you’ve passed on your father’s message I think it’s time for you to go. I have things to do.”

“Things.” It’s a statement instead of a question.

“Like… shopping,” I manage.

“And the war,” she suggests helpfully.

“And the war,” I agree.

“Very well then Shirou, if you have things to do then I would be rude to stay longer. I will pray for your success in your things.” She stops after putting on her shoes to deliver her parting strike. “What time can I tell my father to expect you? It’s very important that he meets you before we go to the next stage.” Something about the way she says it, even I can’t parse all the meaning there. Everyone else in the room seems to read too much into it, if the looks of the faces of Lancer, Astolfo and Shinji are anything to go by. Shinji looks impressed, even.

I decide at that moment that I’m never visiting that church, even if I meet the devil himself.

“Tell you what Caren, I’ll let you know tomorrow.” It’s abrupt and maybe a bit rude but I can’t help but feel it’s entirely justified. “See you at school.”

She accepts my dodge with grace. “Be careful, Shirou,” she says over her shoulder, and I almost hear real normal people emotion in her words. The door clicks closed behind her.

I breathe a long sigh of relief.

With Caren Kotomine out of my house I make my way toward the kitchen phone, where I dial the Matou residence. Sakura picks up on the second ring. After we exchange pleasantries I try to suggest she come over. She’s evasive--instead she talks about her uncle’s condition, her plans to take a week off from school, and why she has to be the one to take care of her uncle-- but I have to talk with her face to face. “What would you do if I told you ‘Lancer’ was sitting in my living room?” Her breath catches and there’s a clatter in my ear. She dropped the phone.

It takes a long moment for her to pick it back up. “I’ll… be right over, Senpai,” she says. “I need to make sure uncle takes his medicine.” Her voice sounds different, more calculating, less cheerful. I suspect Kiritsugu would say she sounded like a Magus. It was just a few words, but even I can tell that there’s a lot the Matou family heiress isn’t telling me. With nothing to do but wait I turn back to the living room where the Servants are talking

Upon entering the room I notice Shinji covering his face with a hand. “So,” Astolfo says, “Are you sure you’re not Jeanne d’Arc? She was born a looooooooong time after me, but she’s so famous that I still know everything about her! Well actually that’s the Grail filling me in on l'histoire de la France since I died, but you look so much like her! And I can tell you’re a lot alike, plus she could totally be Lancer with that banner.

“Now that I think about it though, you don’t quite feel like a Gaelic hero... but you’re still kinda familiar! So why don’t you tell me your name? It’s okay: since we’re friends now, I, Astolfo of the Twelve Paladins, will treat your secrets like they’re my own!”

There’s no describing the look on Lancer’s face. Shinji’s other hand joins the first with a despairing slap.

“No, Rider,” says Lancer, shaking her head. “Though we break our fast together today, we are enemies in the Holy Grail War. I shall not tell you my name, but know that I am no Hero of France.”

“...You still seem familiar. Are you from Iberia?”

“No.”

“Aw!” Astolfo’s face turns to a pout. “C’mon, gimme a hint! Roma?”

The two of them seem to be getting along despite everything. By contrast, Shinji’s hands haven’t moved off of his face. Even so, I notice his head tilting back and forth ever-so-slightly with every move Lancer’s upper body makes. I can feel my eyes narrow, but choose not to make a big deal out of just yet. It’s not long before I hear a buzz from the intercom, and Sakura letting herself in.

[RoydGolden]

So Caren's around but Kirei is still alive... Interesting. Mark that as another divergence from canon, I guess.

Now I'm left wondering if Astolfo is really a girl in this version or if Shirou and everyone else are awaiting a rather embarrassing surprise...

[Irksome Dude]

Edited, because... Editing.

[RoydGolden]

So why don’t you tell me your name? It’s okay: since we’re friends now, I, Astolfo of the Twelve Paladins, will treat your secrets like they’re my own!”

I have to say, this line is comedy gold. Still not a lot to comment on given the fairly slow pace things you're taking things at, but the characters and their various quirks at least are well done.