The Grail Works Mission Dossier (Discussion & Ideas)

[Arbitrarity]

Double response, I see I am blessed.

I will gladly take this backstory narration via the "shared dream" mechanism. I'm a tad surprised about the "All the while wondering who the hell Lancelot was, and remembering lives where Lancelot lived, along with lives where Lancelot never existed." part, unless that's more a result of the region becoming a Singularity, so being more unmoored from history. That might make sense, I guess. Still subtle about the emotional effects, but it works between that and the discussion in the thread.

Magical girl Artoria is horrifying. There are so many alternatives to draw power from, it frightens me.

It's strange that the Wolfen can "get closer to the singularity" though I suppose if it's "in Fuyuki" there is a literal place on the planet that you can be near. For some reason I was always visualizing it as being distant in a more metaphysical sense, but I suppose you can still be near in some ways.

Decent chapter, it's mostly dominated by the flashback, but I can see why this was a "plot bunny".

Switch...

As it was explained to her, Sion was sent to this world in a manner that would cause her existence to adapt to its physical laws and metaphysical properties. In essence, doing so would “cure” her vampirism because the realised concept of the condition did not exist here

Ah, setting paradigm shields to 50%. That seems like a potentially useful tactic for empowering operatives, if you can have them adapted into a stronger version of themselves, and return and retain those abilities for the future. Godafrid seems to get the short end of the stick with this all the time, though.

but apparently Sion had vastly overestimated the degree of hyperbole which and had been involved in that statement.

Yeeep. That Sion has been sent here, but Godafrid has been here for a few years is interesting. You previously mentioned that the Works is not especially anchored in time relative to other dimensions, so you could "skip around" to relevant points in time over a 50 year period easily. This means Godafrid has not necessarily been away for a long time, from Ilya's perspective. That Sion is a client of the Works is an interesting take, so there's still a degree of separation... Oh, Ilya spotted him. I guess that does not at all surprise me.

Ah, the time difference isn't a necessarily controllable thing, but a inherent difference between worlds. Interesting. You made it... 1400-1, so there should be an hour passing over the course of 2 seconds? Unless actively monitoring brings reduces that difference, which seems like the sort of convenient thing you'd need for the plot. That also means Godafrid has been missing for about 2 and a half days, from their perspective, I guess.

Primula is actually from the future, relative to their position, so we're getting some serious time travel effects here. She apparently does have time manipulation in her abilities though, and a dimensional gate probably adds some extra spice to that. The number of space cops I've seen taking vacation with no notice is shockingly high, since I watched Nyaruko-san, add MHXX and this, and I start to wonder if this is a really specific yet common trope.

[RanmaBushiko]

Double response, I see I am blessed.

I will gladly take this backstory narration via the "shared dream" mechanism. I'm a tad surprised about the "All the while wondering who the hell Lancelot was, and remembering lives where Lancelot lived, along with lives where Lancelot never existed." part, unless that's more a result of the region becoming a Singularity, so being more unmoored from history. That might make sense, I guess. Still subtle about the emotional effects, but it works between that and the discussion in the thread.

Magical girl Artoria is horrifying. There are so many alternatives to draw power from, it frightens me.

It's strange that the Wolfen can "get closer to the singularity" though I suppose if it's "in Fuyuki" there is a literal place on the planet that you can be near. For some reason I was always visualizing it as being distant in a more metaphysical sense, but I suppose you can still be near in some ways.

Decent chapter, it's mostly dominated by the flashback, but I can see why this was a "plot bunny".

Switch...

Ah, setting paradigm shields to 50%. That seems like a potentially useful tactic for empowering operatives, if you can have them adapted into a stronger version of themselves, and return and retain those abilities for the future. Godafrid seems to get the short end of the stick with this all the time, though.

Yeeep. That Sion has been sent here, but Godafrid has been here for a few years is interesting. You previously mentioned that the Works is not especially anchored in time relative to other dimensions, so you could "skip around" to relevant points in time over a 50 year period easily. This means Godafrid has not necessarily been away for a long time, from Ilya's perspective. That Sion is a client of the Works is an interesting take, so there's still a degree of separation... Oh, Ilya spotted him. I guess that does not at all surprise me.

Ah, the time difference isn't a necessarily controllable thing, but a inherent difference between worlds. Interesting. You made it... 1400-1, so there should be an hour passing over the course of 2 seconds? Unless actively monitoring brings reduces that difference, which seems like the sort of convenient thing you'd need for the plot. That also means Godafrid has been missing for about 2 and a half days, from their perspective, I guess.

Primula is actually from the future, relative to their position, so we're getting some serious time travel effects here. She apparently does have time manipulation in her abilities though, and a dimensional gate probably adds some extra spice to that. The number of space cops I've seen taking vacation with no notice is shockingly high, since I watched Nyaruko-san, add MHXX and this, and I start to wonder if this is a really specific yet common trope.

Yeah, Lancelot... is interesting if you actually look into stuff involved with him in history. In a "Did he really exist?!" sort of fashion. Mainly that some historians consider him to be the ancient equivalent of a fanfiction character, added in later, and giving a lot of deeds that Mordred, and other knights had done, and attributed it to him instead. By Legend, and as a Servant/Counter Guardian, Arturia should well remember having a knight named Lancelot.

As a still living person, however... it's a little more iffy. Mordred hits the same points somewhere in Fate/Anarchy, as well. I mean, what with one story having Mordred supposedly married to Guinevere's sister, and having kids with her sometime before the fall of Camelot... (And boy. That gives me a headache to think about it. Don't you agree? Was it Merlin fucking with Mordred, too? Or is/was Mordred possibly a hermaphrodite? Who knows! I don't.)

So I attribute him as someone that may or may not exist, depending on Arturia's own version of history, as well as Mordred's.

Unmoored history is also making it more visible that Lancelot's existence might be a little odd with her own past, due to the whole "may or may not have existed", and lets her realize the conundrum.

Magical Girl Arturia Alter is very much a possible option for resolving the singularity. Not exactly a good one, or a nice one, but it's still an option. And Erik is staying far and away from Magical Girl Erik as an option.

The Wolfen Mark 2, as of this story, is in transit between universes. Going in would require some time before it could leave, so that's outright not an option. But getting closer, and having the option of sending power faster to Erik? That one's doable.

And yeah, you can see why it's still a plot bunny. This does need more work before publishing except as plot bunny snippets, all in all.

Though there's some hints to stuff for later chapters of this, if you read carefully enough into some of Erik's insights...

As for Kieran's stuff, it's quite interesting, isn't it? Especially with Nyaruko-san as you said, MHXX... likely Zelretch as well... *chuckles* Likely every person with access to alternate universes, other planets, or have time travel, takes lots of vacation like this.

[Kieran]

Double response, I see I am blessed.

What can I say? He's a chronic insomniac, and on my end, this practically writes itself . . .

Switch...

Oops - I'll fix that, thank you . . .

Ah, setting paradigm shields to 50%. That seems like a potentially useful tactic for empowering operatives, if you can have them adapted into a stronger version of themselves, and return and retain those abilities for the future. Godafrid seems to get the short end of the stick with this all the time, though.

Just my luck, really - and yes, it's a way for them to pick up new abilities beyond the scope of the TYPE-MOON universe, without needing to be born there, or spend a lifetime training. It's way too easily abused if I leave the explanation at that, however; so I'll clarify a bit (and hope I'm coherent, since I just got up and I'm only starting my coffee intake) . . .


In this case, however, it worked much more easily than it should've,because Sion didn't have a native analogue running around that the World insisted was "her." Had that been the case, the full override would have been attempted: biology, memories, the works (no pun intended). And if she ever came into contact with her analogue, it still might happen - but whether that resulted in a full-on merger, annihilating one another as they cancelled out, or something weirder . . .

She's also overestimating the degree to which it actually influenced her; half-Devils can have magical abilities (of the two shown in-series, Mayumi has none and Asa has lots . . .), and Sion has a prodigy's intellect. From there, the rest is leverage - all it really did was change her species.

As to nobody "questioning her existence," that's a trick Ilya tried in tuning the paradigm shield based on Godafrid's Charm to be "recognised by Fate" as a particular identity; she's still an orphan with no background, in-setting, but nobody thinks she's an illegal immigrant, or spends much time wondering how she set up her bank account, or makes her bill payments, etc. It's kind of like Ciel's "Mystic Eyes of Whisper" trick for setting up her undercover identities, just on a broader scale.

Yeeep. That Sion has been sent here, but Godafrid has been here for a few years is interesting. You previously mentioned that the Works is not especially anchored in time relative to other dimensions, so you could "skip around" to relevant points in time over a 50 year period easily. This means Godafrid has not necessarily been away for a long time, from Ilya's perspective. That Sion is a client of the Works is an interesting take, so there's still a degree of separation... Oh, Ilya spotted him. I guess that does not at all surprise me.

Well, if it's to be a Works story, they had to be involved somehow . . . Otherwise, why write the story this way, at all?

. . . Sion's being a client, though, was a way I considered to get her into the Works - as such, the Tsukihime side version of Sion is easiest; though while it says the Fate side version isn't a vampire, the dialogue I've seen hints that that just means "not a Dead Apostle" - so depending on how people want to play it, she could end up being whichever version they prefer, in the end.

(I will, however, note that as an exile from Atlas, the heroine of Melty Blood is the easiest to work with in terms of avoiding magus politics.)

Ah, the time difference isn't a necessarily controllable thing, but a inherent difference between worlds. Interesting. You made it... 1400-1, so there should be an hour passing over the course of 2 seconds? Unless actively monitoring brings reduces that difference, which seems like the sort of convenient thing you'd need for the plot. That also means Godafrid has been missing for about 2 and a half days, from their perspective, I guess.

Ilya can adjust the ratio for viewing purposes, obviously; it's part of how she opens Doors in the first place. But yes, that's why they weren't too concerned, despite having lost track of him for "so long" - he's been missing for longer, after all.

Primula is actually from the future, relative to their position, so we're getting some serious time travel effects here.

Which is getting to be a running theme, where Godafrid's concerned - if he knew about this, he'd be so irritated . . .

She apparently does have time manipulation in her abilities though, and a dimensional gate probably adds some extra spice to that.

I expect that's why she has the "Gatekeeper" position to start with, myself. It's also worth noting that, while Episode 2 follows a particular route of Shuffle! to form its backstory, Primula does acknowledge the existence of other worlds where Rin got involved with the other girls.

But yeah, Primula is not only noted for being the most powerful being in the three worlds, by design - such that the Kings of the Gods and Devils submit to her will - but the widest-displayed range of magical abilities in-series. Interestingly, this includes prescience, but with the same caveat that the Kaleidoscope apparently possesses (according to Prisma Ilya and Strange Fake, anyway): if she views the future, she locks that future in place.

The number of space cops I've seen taking vacation with no notice is shockingly high, since I watched Nyaruko-san, add MHXX and this, and I start to wonder if this is a really specific yet common trope.

I blame Mihoshi.




One more piece of this left, I think - after that, I get into the game's plot proper, and I really will have to write it as a full story. Best to finish Fate/Anarchy first, I think.

. . . That said, is this one something anybody would like to see . . .?

[Arbitrarity]

Yeah, Lancelot... is interesting if you actually look into stuff involved with him in history. In a "Did he really exist?!" sort of fashion. Mainly that some historians consider him to be the ancient equivalent of a fanfiction character, added in later, and giving a lot of deeds that Mordred, and other knights had done, and attributed it to him instead. By Legend, and as a Servant/Counter Guardian, Arturia should well remember having a knight named Lancelot.

I have heard this before, yes. The more interesting part to me is why she'd be aware of this when facing down Mash. Furthermore, Galahad was himself a Knight of the Round Table, so I'm not sure why she'd be referring to him as "Lancelot's child" anyways, except that we've seen a lot of Lancelot, and very little of Galahad. Since Galahad's existence is dependent on Lancelot's (that is, he doesn't exist in stories outside of that context) I suppose Galahad's existence is even more fan-fiction-y.

The Wolfen Mark 2, as of this story, is in transit between universes. Going in would require some time before it could leave, so that's outright not an option. But getting closer, and having the option of sending power faster to Erik? That one's doable.

Ahhh, okay. I did think that was a possibility, since the Wolfen does have that ability, but I wasn't clear on where it was. That makes total sense, then.

Though there's some hints to stuff for later chapters of this, if you read carefully enough into some of Erik's insights...

The first and last ones are the most obvious. We also have

Ruby insisted that there’s nothing that can be done for Shirou or Illyasviel

contradicting the latter to some degree. Erik noticing something amiss there implies that Illya may not be actually dead, or that the cause of her death is not the obvious one. She does have blood, so that's not contradictory (reduced estimate for body doubles). She may be proficient in healing, since Irisviel was, though that's never been shown to be one of her strengths (moderate chance of just not being dead by virtue of self-healing). Her heart is the Lesser Grail, and absorbs the power of dead Servants... (though this can be diverted by the existence of the Black Grail, but Sakura is dead), there were 4 dead servants by the time she died, and Caster is gone now, bringing it to 5, potentially. If it wasn't outright destroyed, that might be a win condition or usable resource, though I doubt Erik wants to go grave-robbing.

In this case, however, it worked much more easily than it should've,because Sion didn't have a native analogue running around that the World insisted was "her." Had that been the case, the full override would have been attempted: biology, memories, the works (no pun intended). And if she ever came into contact with her analogue, it still might happen - but whether that resulted in a full-on merger, annihilating one another as they cancelled out, or something weirder . . .

This still seems fairly exploitable in the general case, since the Works gets involved with very disparate universes, and the existence of such analogues sounds like it's predictable enough to be exploited in this case without an undue amount of risk. The flip side is that it might not be entirely predictable, I guess. I'm suddenly imagining sending EMIYA to the RWBY universe and getting Qrow back.

that's a trick Ilya tried in tuning the paradigm shield based on Godafrid's Charm to be "recognised by Fate" as a particular identity

being inspired by a sometime-colleague

Yep, I think I got that part.

Ilya can adjust the ratio for viewing purposes, obviously; it's part of how she opens Doors in the first place.

Yeah, though having varying time flow between dimensions feels extremely exploitable. I remember Dal Quor Planar Shepherd entirely too well. I guess opening Doors is expensive enough that you can't do that on a whim, though. The other weird part is just that I would expect opportunities to help to be passing the Works by very quickly in some worlds... unless the alignment of any particular world so that their times are even comparable is more of a function of the Works' purpose/founding wish, and so any place they haven't contacted yet is just sort of timelessly existing. That would fit with your mention of the Kaleidoscope "locking things in place". It would also possibly explain why time passes faster in Shuffle!-verse, since it's convenient for their interactions with it.

I blame Mihoshi.

IT KEEPS HAPPENING

[Kieran]

This still seems fairly exploitable in the general case, since the Works gets involved with very disparate universes, and the existence of such analogues sounds like it's predictable enough to be exploited in this case without an undue amount of risk. The flip side is that it might not be entirely predictable, I guess. I'm suddenly imagining sending EMIYA to the RWBY universe and getting Qrow back.

And, more importantly, the changes can't necessarily be undone; it's why they use the paradigm shields in the first place . . .

At the moment, if she goes back as she is now, Sion is likely to be interpreted by Gaia as a demon hybrid; while this is hardly ideal, it is an improvement over being a full-on Dead Apostle, as the idiosyncrasies of hybrids are at least (theoretically) manageable, with sufficient resources. If she can figure out how to maintain a paradigm shield over herself, she'd remain a half-Devil as she is in the Shuffle!verse - something Ilya can do, for Akiha, which is why it was considered in the first place.

. . . And this is a relatively mild transformation, all things considered.

Yep, I think I got that part.

Just making sure - I have been told I'm too subtle, on occasion.

Yeah, though having varying time flow between dimensions feels extremely exploitable. I remember Dal Quor Planar Shepherd entirely too well. I guess opening Doors is expensive enough that you can't do that on a whim, though. The other weird part is just that I would expect opportunities to help to be passing the Works by very quickly in some worlds... unless the alignment of any particular world so that their times are even comparable is more of a function of the Works' purpose/founding wish, and so any place they haven't contacted yet is just sort of timelessly existing. That would fit with your mention of the Kaleidoscope "locking things in place". It would also possibly explain why time passes faster in Shuffle!-verse, since it's convenient for their interactions with it.

It's bound up in the way Shirou's wish was worded: he wants (a chance) to save everyone, which means that by definition, as Kirei says, someone must be in danger - but by the same token, he must be there in time. In a sense, it's not the worlds existing timelessly, it's the Works. They can, and will, be anywhere and anywhen that they're needed, because they have to be.

IT KEEPS HAPPENING

Like I said, I blame Mihoshi Kuramitsu - she's the first I can recall doing it, and her luck's bizarre enough to create a trope without trying or being aware of it.

[Kieran]

Koyo Town, Japan
December 28, 2003








“Repeating the day’s top story,” the newscaster announced, “For the first time since the Gate was sealed in 1997, it will be reopened in time to celebrate the New Year, following the stable creation of a permanent linkage between all three worlds . . .”

Rin sipped his hot chocolate, with marshmallows—the perfect drink after a hard morning of shovelling sidewalks and driveways for neighbours, and he’d thanked Kaede for it profusely. Ironically, he’d spent a lifetime avoiding chores like that, but it was the easiest way to grab pocket money outside of what Kaede’s father gave them for household expenses when he was away on trips.

And, just as important, it let him help Kaede out such that she wouldn’t protest about it.

She didn’t seem to have turned into the slavishly-devoted girl of canon, but she was still domestic, and had her pride. For this Kaede, so far as he could tell, her issues over such were less about “not burdening Rin” and “needing to ask for help at all, because I should be capable of this”—anything else was just because she was a genuinely sweet and nice girl. Thus, he handled the outdoor work, and left the interior to her; with compromises like playing pack mule when she needed to go shopping—or just grabbing minor things on the way home, if needed. Kaede was the only one in the house that didn’t drink coffee, for example, so he tended to keep an eye on their supply of grounds and filters himself, if his “uncle” didn’t.

Now, one might reasonably wonder why Rin was contemplating his relationship with Kaede almost immediately after hearing that announcement . . . Unless, of course, they knew that it portended the fact that the “main plot” was going forward, after all—and how Kaede might end up reacting when it did.

Again, he reminded himself, she doesn’t seem that badly off, this time around; not since she got therapy, and the fact that we did actually talk about things, eventually, rather than letting the guilt and misunderstandings pile up.

It was not an experience he wanted to go through again, but it did seem to have helped—and yet, that nagging little pessimist in the corner of his mind pointed out that for all that effort, and her popularity at school, Kaede had yet to express an interest in dating (and more specifically, anyone who wasn’t him), either . . .

Of course, if I’m to go by what’s implied by that side-credit scene in the anime, then it’s likely because aside from Rin, Kaede is more interested in girls . . .

If so, more power to her, and he fully intended to encourage her in all ways possible. But there was no concrete evidence of that, and likewise nothing to disprove that canon was not in full effect, here—meaning that Kaede was set on him as a love interest. Which would be complicated for several reasons, both practical and psychological—but given the fact that her fan club had shown up, he had to assume that the anime’s version of events had precedence here. And that meant that Kaede was capable of suffering a full-on psychotic break when confronted with evidence of the possibility that he would leave her . . .

Rin was resigned to the idea that, one way or another, he’d probably end up breaking Kaede’s heart, and a number of others; but accepting that did not mean that he was willing to utterly destroy her. He’d been trying to avoid exactly that for some time now, in fact—and he thought he’d managed it—but it appeared that now, the clock was really ticking.

“. . . Do you suppose they’ll go back, now that they can?” he said carefully to her, looking up from the TV screen. “Mayumi-chan, or Kareha-sempai, I mean?”

Rin did not mention Asa, as the girl was passing for human; and more to the point, her mother had no reason to go back. But both the half-Devil and the God had only lived in the “Human World,” as it was called, for the last decade—the other realms were their childhood homes. Mayumi might not care so much, as she was more human than Devil—but the bubbly blonde God who was Asa’s best friend was old enough to nearly be out of school. And with the Gate open again, a God with in-depth knowledge of the Human World would likely be quite valuable . . .

And as Kaede was close to Mayumi and Kareha (by extension, through Asa), it was a relevant and relatively innocuous question to gauge how she might handle sudden and sweeping changes in her life.

Kaede tilted her head in thought, her auburn hair shifting with the movement, admitting, “I don’t think so, but I don’t know.” A small grin flashed across her face. “I’d be more worried about Sion-sempai, really . . .”

“Yeah, she probably would go, for a chance to do more in-depth magical studies,” Rin agreed. After all, it wasn’t like the Works couldn’t keep track of her if she did—and hadn’t finding that out been fun . . .?

He tilted his head towards the nearest window, given Ilya’s new propensity for using reflective surfaces as communication hubs. And I still say you could’ve mentioned it before she had me strapped down, by the way . . .!

Rin had forgiven her for that . . . Well, mostly, anyways. Given what she’d known and suspected at the time, Sion’s paranoia was understandable—and to her credit, the senior student was apparently still embarrassed, going by the blushing looks he occasionally caught from her . . . And on the plus side, that particular alchemical concoction wouldn’t work again, thanks to Scorpion and Toad Immunity; who knew that being the test subject for Tori and Ecchan’s attempts at “home cooking” would eventually reap such benefits?

Not that he’d believed that at the time, mind you . . .

“. . . Would you go with her?” Kaede asked quietly, breaking his train of thought.

“And not finish high school?” Rin protested mock-incredulously, shaking his head. “Sorry, Kaede—you’re stuck with me for at least another year. Besides, Sion-sempai is the kind of prodigy that earns grants and scholarships for that kind of thing; I’m not nearly that impressive, so it’s unlikely that even if I followed her, I’d be able to get access to the same kind of opportunities.”

The redhead’s response to that was kind of funny to watch: she went from tense as she asked the question, to being so relaxed that she nearly sagged in place, before suddenly bolting to attention once more.

“That’s not true!” she protested. “Your grades are—!”

“Excellent,” he filled in agreeably, before clarifying, “for a human. I can’t do magic to the degree that Sempai can, or any other God or Devil, which makes my employability in anything related to that field limited, if it goes beyond the academic or theoretical field. And given that the Gods and Devils seem to rely on magic in their societies the way we do technology . . .” He shrugged. “It’s just a fact of life that Sion-sempai is better-suited to living and working there than I am.”

After so many years, Rin knew Kaede’s “conflicted face,” even if he didn’t always understand the reason behind it. In this case, though, he expected that it was relief that he likely wasn’t looking to go haring off—even as she was disappointed that he wasn’t likely able to do something he probably wanted to. Or that he was being so self-deprecating; she’d gotten after him more than once for getting on her case about doing it, when he was “just as bad” . . .

What could he say? Old habits die hard—and his were much older than she was.

“In any case,” he said, changing the subject, “the world is likely to get much more interesting, if the Gate is really open permanently, now.”

Kaede hummed in acknowledgment, clearly thinking deeply. Just before he was about to ask what about, however, she spoke unprompted.

“. . . Do you”—she hesitated, then, with a touch of anxiety—“do you suppose they’ll come back?”

“The princesses, you mean?” he asked rhetorically—not that Kaede had found that out until after the Gate had closed. It had come as a shock, in junior high, to come across pictures of the two worlds’ royal families in class; the resulting outburst had been one of the few times she’d earned a detention.

She nodded.

“I imagine they’ll make appearances here for functions, and such,” he mused aloud. “How common that would be, though, I’ve no idea; they only popped up twice in the three years the Gate was open the last time—”

“That’s—not what I meant,” the redhead said cautiously. “I wondered if you thought, maybe . . .”

Rin blinked, abruptly realising that Kaede was trying to be delicate, given his previous apparent reaction to being cut off from them—she had no way of knowing that it was because Lycoris had been absolutely doomed to die as a result. After all, how would he have explained it to her in a way she could’ve believed . . .? What she did know was that the Gate’s closure had caused him to do pretty much what she had, when her mother was killed; and it had scared the life out of her. So she really didn’t want to bring this up—but at the same time, she had to know, in case he did relapse.

“They might try to get in touch again,” he decided aloud. “I remember them as very friendly and sweet-natured—which is one reason, I’m sure, that you and Sia-chan got along so well,” he suddenly added, in a teasing tone.

Which, given what I know, is hilariously ironic for several reasons, he concluded mentally, savouring Kaede’s blush for a moment before continuing aloud.

“So I suppose we’ll have to watch for letters—but at the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if they didn’t, either; it has been a long time, and they’re undoubtedly very busy with royal duties now, in a way they wouldn’t have been as children. Still,” he offered, “I don’t mean to discourage you if you want to write to them, Kaede. I could be wrong, after all, and there’s no harm in trying—if you don’t still have their addresses, I’ll be happy to dig them out of my scrapbook for you.”

Kaede went a funny colour at that; like she couldn’t decide whether to blush harder, or go pale.

“That wasn’t what I—I mean . . .!” she sputtered. Kaede trembled in place for a moment, and then asked, very quietly. “. . . You’re not going to write them, Rin-kun?”

That would be the obvious thing to do, if he wanted confirmation that the plot was occurring as he thought it was—and it was natural to expect it. But Rin still wasn’t sure that he wanted the plot to continue, given that its obvious conclusion had him dating—and possibly marrying—someone a lot younger than he was. His prior romantic history (what there was of it) indicated that neither activity would ultimately end well . . . Nor was he sure that he could handle confirmation that yes, Lycoris was gone.

If the plot did continue on its rails, finding out was inevitable, of course; but in this case, he was content to put it off a while longer.

“Even assuming those addresses are still accurate, it was a long time ago,” he repeated heavily, “and I highly doubt that a letter from a human teenager—and more specifically, a boy—will make it past whatever security surrounds them. Even then, what would I say? ‘Hi—we met a couple of times as kids, and I’d like to see how you’ve grown up . . .?’ I’m not Itsuki, Kaede.”

Kaede sighed. “No, you’re not, Rin-kun. And I wouldn’t want you to be—”

Rin nodded. “Exactly—”

“Most of the time . . .” she muttered under her breath.

“—and there’s very few ways not to come across as creepy in this sort of thing,” he concluded. “If they write me, it’s a different story—and you can get away with being an old ‘pen pal,’ as a girl—but as royalty, this kind of correspondence is . . .”

“I understand your point,” Kaede concluded.

“And besides,” Rin concluded, utterly aware of the ludicrousness of his next words, given what he knew. “It was all nearly half our lifetimes ago—what are the odds, really, that they even remember, much less care to get in touch with me . . .?”








March 7, 2004








. . . Apparently, those odds were longer than he’d thought.

True, the whole “no contact” thing had occurred in canon. Not even in the lead-up weeks where all eight of Rin and Kaede’s surrounding neighbours had been bought out, their lots cleared, and two ridiculously-sized manors (for Japan; though they were pretty respectably-sized homes elsewhere, too) built on either side of their house. As the setup to a visual novel or anime, it was forgivable, but in the real world, it was awfully stupid.

How believable was it, really, that neither girl had thought to try and contact the boy they were moving to see until the day they transferred to school . . .?

Now granted, canon actually provided some evidence which rendered this plausible. First, their fathers were, by and large, idiots—not as dumb as they seemed, but impulsive, brash and/or foolish enough that they could quite probably overlook the logical flaws in such plans. Sia’s mother, from Rin's understanding, was like an unholy (literally, being Nerine’s biological aunt) combination of Asa-sempai, Sia, and Mayumi in terms of personality; she was more likely to enable the stupidity than put a stop to it. Nerine’s mother was, he’d heard, more sensible—but she’d be the Only Sane Woman in the group, and easily overridden . . . Assuming, of course, that she tried to play devil’s advocate in the first place—she had married Nerine’s dad, after all.

Moving on to the girls themselves, neither one was stupid. Sia was an energetic “genki girl” with bad grades, but not an airhead; her primary problem with academics was that she was still learning the language the subjects were taught in, never mind the actual subjects themselves—until moving to Japan, she’d relied on “translation magic” that was akin to telepathy. And Japanese wasn’t the easiest language to learn in the first place.

(And Rin believed this, while fully knowing that his own native tongue, English, was renowned for cornering other languages in dark alleys and brutally mugging them for loose vocabulary.)

Regardless, the anime had Sia acknowledge that she’d had to study really hard to pass Verbena’s entrance exams—no doubt, she’d spent the intervening months closeted with books, trusting her family to enact the more infrastructure-based elements of the plan. She’d be frantic enough over needing to pass, without worrying about other potential pitfalls of the idea.

Nerine, on the other hand, was academically gifted (as long as the subjects in question weren’t home economics or physical education); no doubt she’d worried over her studies, but she was persistent and intelligent enough to have managed without the level of immersion Sia had likely sunk into. However, she was shy by nature, and also guilty; the love she had, she’d inherited from Lycoris (stolen, to her own mind), and she was no doubt as hesitant to confront him as she was eager to see him again. Maybe even more so, if she was still trying to convince herself that she should “live as Lycoris” in the first place . . .

So in that sense, it was plausible, if not entirely logical, that the girls and their families ambushed Rin Tsuchimi in the canon plot; for himself, Rin found it disheartening—because it meant that his efforts to do better, via almost a year’s worth of correspondence, hadn’t changed a damned thing. And that prospect irked him like nothing else, given what was going to happen if nothing did change . . .

But by Valentine’s Day, he had to concede that it was likely—after all, if they were going to get in contact, then that had seemed the day, of all days, to do it. Given that the girls were studying Japanese language and customs, to say nothing of their ambitions and personalities, Valentine’s Day seemed like the sort of thing they wouldn’t miss a chance at—and even a “secret admirer” gift would’ve seemed worth doing, wouldn’t it . . .?

But there’d been nothing, so he had to presume there would continue to be nothing, until two transfer students showed up at once, in the middle of the school year, somewhere—the anime never had been very precise about dates.

. . . And no, Rin wasn’t disgruntled about missing out on chocolate; yes, he was a chocoholic, but using it as a social scorecard defeated the purpose of the custom, in his mind. The girls in class who handed out giri-choco to everyone, he thanked; Mayumi, Kaede and Sion were nice enough to give him their giri-choco personally—and he reciprocated in kind. Store-bought white chocolates for the former, more personal gifts for the girls who were actually part of his life—either chocolate if they wanted it or something else if they didn’t. If chocolate, he was willing to buy higher-end stuff for his friends, or make something, just so they had a claim to a “homemade” chocolate among their peers.

Admittedly, the first few times, it had been brownies with white icing, but he had improved, over the years—even if white chocolate was a bitch to get right . . .

The one gift he never gave, however, was a heart-shaped chocolate—he would give someone a heart only if and when he meant it.

Rin paused in mid-order, for a moment, pondering which moulds to use this year; the leaves, the stars, the snowflakes—or maybe the bunny rabbit one? Mayumi had liked it, though Kaede had claimed the result was too cute to eat . . .

Shaking his head, the Exalt returned his attention to the task in front of him.

Given the choice, Rin would’ve preferred to do something like this with birthday cards—it was a bit more subtle. However, given when the Gate had reopened, the game would presumably begin before either princess’ birthday rolled around again, so White Day it was; if only so his actions didn’t draw too much attention, with so many other boys doing similar things.

For this, he went with flowers over chocolate, and there were several reasons. First, they could be delivered; this was important, as Rin Tsuchimi in no way had the resources to cross worlds on his own (so many issues could’ve been solved if he had). Second, they weren’t the traditional gift, and might attract more notice amidst any other White Day gifts the girls did get on March the fourteenth because of that. The other worlds might celebrate the holiday, after all, given the Gods’ apparent Japanese bent and the Devil King’s seeming interest (going by the fetish costumes he had on hand to dress Nerine up in, at least).

(Of course, Rin expected that, had he sent a letter with his home address, it would have gotten through, but store-delivered gifts were a bit more iffy—best to do what he could to pique curiosity.)

Lastly, he picked flowers because he could send a message through them which should hopefully provoke a response, one way or another. And though he’d had to remind himself to use Japanese floriography (which was a pain to research), he had found the makings of bouquets that would communicate what he wanted them to know (he hoped), all in white flowers.

A ring of asters (specifically, Aster tartaricus, Sion’s Japanese namesake flower) for remembrance, enclosing camellias (waiting, for white ones), which likewise encircled a single poppy (rejoice).

Just the thing, Rin thought, to celebrate the opportunity to reunite with old friends.

At the very least, he was looking forward to that—they were nice girls, after all, and pleasant company. As for anything beyond that, well . . . The jury was still out.

Rin glanced at the cost of the order and winced, but clicked “Send” anyway—it wasn’t the store’s fault he needed to order four bouquets, after all.

Two bouquets sent to the World of the Devils, for Nerine and for Lycoris—because I shouldn’t know that Lycoris is dead. And two to the World of the Gods, for Sia and her sister Kikyou—though apparently only Sia knows that Kikyou isn’t dead . . .

In retrospect, it might’ve been a mistake to “pretend” that since little Sia “has enough energy for two girls, I thought I should say hello to the other one”—but being stuck in her twin’s body like Kikyou was had to suck, even if it was better than being dead. If it brought her a little bit of comfort to have someone talk to her, even if it was by talking to Sia’s reflection in the manner of an imaginary friend . . .

Screw it—he’d done it, he’d do it again, and he’d continue with that tradition until or unless Sia (or Kikyou, through Sia) asked him to stop. The poor girl deserved something—hence, she was getting her own bouquet, and the cost be damned.

It would be nice, though, if this led to some kind of tangible results . . .








The World of the Gods
March 14, 2004








It was a day that would forever live in infamy in the annals of the Royal Palace’s history—that black day, when a high-pitched shrieking erupted without warning, echoing through the corridors and floors; causing the kitchen staff to frantically check every heating element and teakettle, and the cleaning staff to be dispatched, in order to sweep up the many, many, many bits of shattered glassware it left in its wake.

Lisianthus was forever after nicknamed “Princess Banshee” amongst them—but even such an embarrassment couldn’t dim her appreciation of what she considered, in retrospect, to be the second-greatest day of her life . . .

[RanmaBushiko]

Chapter 9: A Slow Recovery


In the distance, I can hear the fighting growing louder again. I stay still, carefully listening in case Herakles comes closer.

Then the fighting stops.

“So, you refuse to leave your Master’s corpse behind, then? I suppose I’ll let you bury him and mourn for a few hours before I return and finish you off.” Herakles rumbles.

“I suppose I should thank you for that kindness, then.” Arturia states, coldly. I can hear the exhaustion in her voice, from here. Not a good sign, that. “But do you think I’m really going to let you go without punishment?!”

Arturia screams as she rushes after Herakles. A voice of wrath, and anger. Hatred, rage and sorrow all mixed in.

Then a sound of prana erupting around her blade, much like Clarent makes when it’s releasing Clarent Blood Arthur.

“EXCALIBUR MORGAN!” The scream is eclipsed by the sound of power being released, as reality itself shudders. And for one long moment, my legs buckle as I listen in, prana draining from me like water as I force myself to remain standing.

“Tell me when he’s gone, please.” I limp out of the room, slowly, taking care to not be near any windows.


“Trust me, Erik. He’s gone. The coward refused to face the might of my blade.” Arturia’s voice is confident, even if she sounds exhausted, even mentally through telepathy.

Everything still hurts, but I can feel my body slowly knitting itself back together, the closer Arturia is.

I hear Ruby, first, talking in the distance with Arturia.

Then I see them both. Ruby looks as pristine as ever, but is definitely tired out. Arturia looks like she’s half asleep, though.

“Ruby. Scan for a bed for Arturia, will you?” I speak up, forcing my body to work and move over to them both.

Ruby’s top piece bobs, slightly, as she starts scanning.

“Erik. You need to rest.” Arturia stares at me, studying me.

“I’m still a mess, I’ll admit. But while you sleep, I can search with Ruby for food here. Avalon will do the trick as long as I stay relatively close, for healing.” I retort. With my words, any fight in her dies.

Yeah, she’s exhausted. I slowly move over and pull her arm over my shoulder, helping her stand.

“What did you want to talk about, Erik?” She’s grumpy. It’s honestly adorable.

“Clear the air a bit, explain my side of things, after the dream cycle I had while you fought.” I glance over at her staring at me with confusion, and no little curiosity.

“A bedroom’s right up ahead, Erik.” Ruby admits, leading me to help guidel Arturia towards there.

Arturia struggles to move, her exhaustion evident. But we arrive soon enough, and it’s simple to help her onto the bed.

“Talk, Erik.” I nod, and do so, sitting beside her lying back form.

“Mordred never hated you the way you thought your child did in the end.” Arturia stills, blinking at me in confusion, before she frowns.

“And how exactly do you know that? Is this some sort of ‘former God’ thing?” I shake my head at her reply.

“No. I know it because she wound up being friends with me, in a previous grail war I’d gotten stuck in. Friends, then after her Master lost his Command Spells, and my own had died… my second Servant.” Arturia blinks at me, her eyes widening for one long moment, as she works it out.

“Thus the Geas Contract. Wait… she? I thought…” Arturia trails off, and frowns.

“She’s as male as you are, but she insists she’s male, so I suspect something’s going on there somehow. Perhaps it’s Merlin having fucked with her, or Morgan ensuring that Mordred would be as beautiful as her father… I’ll be damned if I know. She doesn’t know, as far as I can tell, either. But she insists on being called a son, and a man, so I’ll respect that in most cases.” I admit, studying her carefully.

Then I take her hand, gently. “But, we’re off topic. Mordred wanted to help you recover from all the stress, not to hurt you.”

Arturia thinks, her eyes open. This close, I can see faint flecks of green in her eyes… as well as how her brain is working, as she works through what I mean, before she slowly starts to wince.

“And I spat on it, unknowingly…” She whispers.

“She wanted you to look at her, as she died, and you couldn’t bear to look at her, as she died… then Morgan’s little magic spell took hold, and she stabbed you due to it.” I admit, quietly.

Arturia outright flinches. Through the pain in her eyes, I can see her look at me, as she understands why I’m talking with her about this.

“I failed, then… even my own child.” Arturia whispers, quietly. “Even…”

“And once this is over, you’ll have a chance to make this right.” I interrupt her, quietly.

Arturia stares at me, and smiles weakly. Then the smile widens a bit. Her eyes are glassy, wet with unshed tears right now. The green flecks are bigger, too…?

“To reunite with Mordred… and have a second chance? Even as twisted as I’ve become? I think I’d like that.” She whispers, quietly.

I pull her close, and give her a gentle hug. “It’s okay to cry over such things, Arturia Pendragon. You did your damned hardest, in that life of yours. Far more than anyone else would have.”

She breathes out with a smile, nodding. I can see her eyes momentarily flicker green, before she closes her eyes.

“Rest, Arturia. I’ll look for food, and keep watch for Berserker. When he starts getting close, I’ll wake you up, okay?” To that, she nods, studying me carefully. Her eyes slowly fading back to yellow as she does so, before she closes her eyes to rest. Moments later, she’s fast asleep, her exhausted body getting the sleep that she so desperately needs.

I close my eyes, breathing out, then get up slowly, grabbing Ruby and taking her with me.

“What’s your prana reserves at, Ruby?” I whisper, as I walk out the door.

“25… no, 26 percent? Wait, how am I gaining prana? Oh, right. Prototype Cosmoreactor, huh?” To her words, I nod.

“Scan the castle, see if there are any survivors.” I order Ruby.

“Eh?” Ruby almost yelps, before she whispers. “Why would there be survivors?”

“Illyasviel had two handmaidens. Leysritt and Sella. They might still be holed up somewhere. As for Illyasviel and Shirou, what was the damage to them both?” I ask, slowly making my way to a staircase, thinking.

“Ah. Got it. Illyasviel… doesn’t have the blood for her body’s major functions to work. She’s part homunculus, though, so perhaps she’s still somewhat able to be saved, if we had a donor. Someone did a good job of stopping her blood loss with magic, but the injuries still looked… unpleasant. To the point where it’s a miracle if she has survived somehow. But during my entire 30 second scan, her heart wasn’t beating. Shirou, on the other hand… Avalon kept bringing him back, while his grave was filled with the Mud. He showed signs of drowning repeatedly, until he stayed dead.”

I wince at Ruby’s statement, as I arrive to the ground floor, and move to start searching, before I pause, and head outside instead, slowly.

Illyasviel’s corpse is ahead. I slowly move to it, then kneel in front of her.

Her injuries look terrible. I can see spots where she was sewn up, to stop bleeding, but the bulk of it is just horrible to look at.

Sadness hits me, as I study her.

“Sad. She never realized what the truth of things was.” I admit, after a moment.

I flinch, then move, adjusting myself to sit and let myself rest. As I do so, my hand pushes against her arm, as I push down to sit and check her body. Strange, her wounds haven’t started rotting yet, like they should have-

Ba-dump

For a moment, I pause at the feeling of a heartbeat in her.

Then I just adjust myself, and wait to see if I can’t feel it again, mentally counting seconds off in my head.

Ba-dump

About a minute later, her heart beats again.

“She’s not dead yet, Ruby.” Ruby jolts, staff top piece rapidly looking between me and Illyasviel. “EHHH?!”

Slowly, I pick her up, and start carrying Illyasviel von Einzbern to the castle, ignoring my still healing body’s protests.

“Check for life, and for any medical kits of any kind, Ruby. She has to be bad off, and in a coma.”

“Got it! I’ll do so immediately!” Ruby yelps, and starts to get to work, as I slowly bring Illyasviel inside, and start checking her wounds.

She’s bad off. As far as I can tell, one lung collapsed for her, and she’s lucky to not have stomach acid everywhere in her gut. I’m not a doctor, either. I just know enough battlefield medicine to make do, and my wife has drilled me ever since I stopped being a God to ensure I wouldn’t die if I got injured without her being close.

But… one look at her, and I just can’t ignore her injuries, either. If there’s a chance of saving someone in this hellhole, I should take it.

Heh. Does this make me like her dad, in this situation? I’ll be damned if I know.

“No sign of medicine, on this floor, Erik. At least, nothing I can recognize as magical medicine. Could be mundane, but I don’t have the ability to scan for that stuff as easily. But there’s a magically sealed basement below us in the room to the right. The ground penetrating radar that the Mark 1 Kaleidosticks gained from you is helping in this instance.” I nod at her words, then move towards the room slowly. There’s a staircase, and a doorway.

“Hello?” I call in.

“A… A...? A person?!”

“Trying to save a little girl in a coma here, by the name of Illyasviel von Einzbern. Her heart’s beating about once a minute. We’re also taking shelter here from the crazy Berserker running around, who’s nearly killed me repeatedly. Think you can help?”

I stick my head in, only to look eye to eye with one Sella, wearing the Dress of Heaven. She looks exhausted, with sweat rolling down her body in quite a few spots.

“She lives… then I succeeded at reviving her?! Wait. Coma?! She shouldn’t be in a coma…” Sella whispers, shaking.

“She’s been without food, or surgery, or blood transfusion. And since the options for blood transfusion are either you or me, Miss…” I trail off, pointedly. “I can probably sew her injuries shut, or do something for them, but she needs blood badly.”

“And if I move, then what I’m doing is likely to fail to hold. I wasn’t made for this, and it’s hurting so bad, I can barely put it into words.” Sella whispers as she studies me carefully, the sweat dripping off her body the only signs of her exhaustion. She’s clearly ready for battle, but not attacking me… yet.

“An alliance until I save her, then?” I ask, calmly.

Hesitantly, she nods.

[Arbitrarity]

I suppose I should refer to Rin as Rin, though that does make things confusing. He's been that way for 10ish years, so it works.

thanks to Scorpion and Toad Immunity

This seems somewhat like a Noodle Incident, because I don't know WHAT that concoction was, but it does sound interesting. Sounds like most likely some sort of truth serum-y thing, though.

I notice that Rin leads conversation with

“. . . Do you suppose they’ll go back, now that they can?” he said carefully to her, looking up from the TV screen. “Mayumi-chan, or Kareha-sempai, I mean?”

and then Kaede asks

“. . . Do you”—she hesitated, then, with a touch of anxiety—“do you suppose they’ll come back?”

which confused me, but then I realized that Mayumi and Kareha are going BACK to their respective realms, while the princesses are coming TO the human one.

which is one reason, I’m sure, that you and Sia-chan got along so well [...] Which, given what I know, is hilariously ironic for several reasons

then it’s likely because aside from Rin, Kaede is more interested in girls . . .

A ring of asters (specifically, Aster tartaricus, Sion’s Japanese namesake flower) for remembrance, enclosing camellias (waiting, for white ones), which likewise encircled a single poppy (rejoice).

First, Japanese floriography is a nice touch for the setting. I fondly remember the peach buds from Trinity. Second, this feels like ANOTHER strong case of "Overwhelming Charisma", though possibly with some other stat.

Lisianthus being the "Sia" being referenced through the entire chapter is slightly confusing if you don't either know Shuffle! or check a wiki. That end-of-chapter narration might have benefitted from an aside indicating that.


Again, doubles here.

Nice to get some proxy reconciliation with Mordred. It feels vaguely weird that even Arturia was unaware of Mordred's physical sex, but I guess Secret of Pedigree was in effect basically forever, when I think about it more. "Flecks of green" is a nice visual cue for emoting stuff.
Illya not being dead was alluded to last chapter, but it does seem weird, since I would usually expect brain death by this point.
Good attention to detail having Sella wearing the Dress, since Leysritt... is the Dress. Nice use of a usually-forgotten artifact available in the environs.

And if I move, then what I’m doing is likely to fail to hold

Oh, she's USING the Dress. That's one way to keep Ilya embodied, and I suppose it effectively counters concerns about brain death. Neat. This does seem like the thing you'd rather present to Herc as a fait accompli, though.

[Kieran]

I suppose I should refer to Rin as Rin, though that does make things confusing. He's been that way for 10ish years, so it works.

It is, I know - so you'll be happy, I expect, to learn that I have no intention whatsoever to adopt Shuffle!'s pattern of nicknames - or we'd also be dealing with "Rin-chan (Nerine)" and "Rimu-chan (Primula)." And it's also further confused by the fact that Nerine's dad uses "-chan" to refer to Rin . . .

So, no. Just no.

This seems somewhat like a Noodle Incident, because I don't know WHAT that concoction was, but it does sound interesting. Sounds like most likely some sort of truth serum-y thing, though.

In the event that this does become a full fic, I am attempting to leave places that I can expand on, rather than just reposting a lot of chapters wholesale - this is one of them.

I notice that Rin leads conversation with
and then Kaede asks

which confused me, but then I realized that Mayumi and Kareha are going BACK to their respective realms, while the princesses are coming TO the human one.

Yes.

Well, given the scene in question, some argument can be made as to whether or not that was Kikyou . . . But yes - between that and the fact that Sia is the canon ending according to Shuffle! Episode 2, there's a lot of irony in Sia and Kaede becoming close childhood friends.

First, Japanese floriography is a nice touch for the setting.

I certainly thought so.

I fondly remember the peach buds from Trinity.

Thank you kindly.

Second, this feels like ANOTHER strong case of "Overwhelming Charisma", though possibly with some other stat.

And the funny part is that, in that sense, he's not actually trying . . .

Lisianthus being the "Sia" being referenced through the entire chapter is slightly confusing if you don't either know Shuffle! or check a wiki. That end-of-chapter narration might have benefitted from an aside indicating that.

And I will counter that with the reminder that her full name was referenced, albeit briefly, in her introduction in the last chapter. . . . Though I take your point, all the same.

Again, doubles here.

As I said, these things are practically writing themselves . . .

[Arbitrarity]

In the event that this does become a full fic, I am attempting to leave places that I can expand on, rather than just reposting a lot of chapters wholesale - this is one of them.

More directed Noodle Incident then.

And the funny part is that, in that sense, he's not actually trying . . .

Truly a terrifying harem protagonist.

And I will counter that with the reminder that her full name was referenced, albeit briefly, in her introduction in the last chapter. . . . Though I take your point, all the same.

I looked it up, it was referenced in her introduction in chapter (?post?) 2, and not again. This is #5. I will agree that doing an aside like you did in chapter 2 a second time here would feel redundant, though, so I can see why you avoided it. I basically got a sense of incongruity, had to go back over the chapter, noticed "Sia" and then decided I should check if that's a nickname by searching up the character. At the same time, in the narrative context, the formal name was better, and maybe since I'm dealing with this as serial fiction, again, I'm going to miss references like that if I'm not pre-prepared for them, unless I go back and read things in one go.

As I said, these things are practically writing themselves . . .

It's nice to see you enthusiastic about a plot idea. These mini-series are good at filling out the more... innocent? promise of standalone snippets, since it has a bit more time for world-building and plot development.

[Kieran]

More directed Noodle Incident then.

Yes - and if you look back, you can probably spot a few more that I intend, and maybe one or two that I don't which you think I ought to . . .

(In which case, do let me know. )

Truly a terrifying harem protagonist.

Which are the best kind, really - the truly hard part is in making them believably oblivious.

I looked it up, it was referenced in her introduction in chapter (?post?) 2, and not again. This is #5.

Apologies - I didn't realise it was that far back.

I will agree that doing an aside like you did in chapter 2 a second time here would feel redundant, though, so I can see why you avoided it. I basically got a sense of incongruity, had to go back over the chapter, noticed "Sia" and then decided I should check if that's a nickname by searching up the character. At the same time, in the narrative context, the formal name was better, and maybe since I'm dealing with this as serial fiction, again, I'm going to miss references like that if I'm not pre-prepared for them, unless I go back and read things in one go.

No doubt it will/would be easier in a separate thread, where they're all collated into closer proximity. Still, my apologies for the trouble.

It's nice to see you enthusiastic about a plot idea.

Thank you. For obvious reasons, I'm rather enjoying it, too . . .

Though it helps that Shuffle! is one my favourite anime, harem or otherwise, and that the (generally) more lighthearted tone is closer to what I had in mind for Works stories from the beginning . . .

These mini-series are good at filling out the more... innocent? promise of standalone snippets, since it has a bit more time for world-building and plot development.

Indeed. Though I never did get a direct answer from anyone - based on things thus far, is this a fic you'd like to see?

[RanmaBushiko]

While you're all thinking over what Kieran asked last... have a new chapter snippet!

Chapter 10: To Save a Little Girl...


“Where’s the medical equipment, and food.” I ask.

“Food is in the kitchen, main floor, five rooms to the right of this one. Medical equipment is in the next hall down, double doors.” Sella replies. “Ah, right. I’m Sella Einzbern…” She continues, quietly.

“Erik Ulricson.” I nod at her. “New master for Saber, after the sword that’s keeping the former Singularity we’re in the ruins of, summoned me to do repairs to it.”

Sella blinks. Then blinks again.

I can hear her whisper of “What is he talking about? A singularity?” from here.

“I’ll explain it later. First, Illyasviel. You keep on doing what you’re doing, and I’ll work on patching her up.” Sella blinks, then nods carefully, as I move upstairs, heading towards the places she talked about.

“Erik? Why are you doing this?” Ruby asks, quietly.

“She didn’t deserve to die like that. Saber hates herself for what she did to Irisviel’s child, even unknowingly.” I admit. “So giving her another chance to live is…”

“And if she uses Berserker on us?” Ruby presses.

“I think he’d be overjoyed at having her back. If I fuck up, then I fuck up. But I can’t stand here and do nothing, Kaleidostick Ruby.” I retort.

My body’s feeling better. Not quite 100%, but close enough… that this could work.

Still, my hands are shaking slightly from injury. Or perhaps stress and trauma?

Tch.

Slowly, I put her down on a bed, and then start getting to work.

It takes time. A lot more than I’m comfortable with. Sewing up the injuries, patching up injuries, before giving a long blood transfusion that Avalon is no doubt helping me counter blood loss.

Thankfully, even if my uses are sparse from lack of strength, I can still use the Mystic Eyes of Weakness Perception, to see where her injuries might get worse, and remedy that.

Thankfully, the training Scylla and Tamamo put me through for first aid is coming in handy.

On the Wolfen, Tamamo perks up, with a feeling of glee and vindication, that somehow her tricking her husband into thinking that a PHD equivalent in Medicine somehow was basic battlefield medicine, has finally paid off. And her smile of joy lights up the room like the sun.


But eventually, her heart is beating at a regular pace again. It’s a lot of work to fix up the lung with nothing more than a straw, and sewing the lung back together, but I somehow managed to make it work.

I lean back, close my eyes for a moment, just listen to her soft breathing. Then I get to work on making food for us all.

Soup for her, to help her recover from a lack of food. Plenty of nutrients in it, bone marrow added to it to ensure it’ll help her heal.

Burgers for Arturia and myself, from some leftover meat I found. Some tasty eggs for an Omelette for Sella, since there’s not much food left here. Then I lean back, breathe out, and start working on the laser rifle, to check if anything’s damaged that I missed, as well as slowly recharging the batteries for it.

It’s maybe 20 minutes, before I hear light breathing deepen.

“Se...lla?” A quiet whisper.

“Not quite. She’s in the basement, after things went to hell for the entire city. Wearing a dress she used to keep you in your body after death, or near death, at least.”

“Eh?” Illyasviel’s eyes snap open, and for a long moment, I can see her studying me.

“Erik Ulricson. Former Norse God of Mecha. And on the ashes of my divinity, I swear to you, I mean you no harm, Illyasviel von Einzbern, even if your… former or current Servant wishes me plenty.”

“I’d ask you to pinch me awake… but I’m not dreaming, am I?” She whispers, quietly. “I’m in far too much pain for that to be the case. And Berserker isn’t mine anymore.”

“No, you aren’t. Now, I’m going to feed you, okay?” After she nods in acceptance to that, I kneel, and gently spoon feed her some broth, smiling a bit at how her eyes light up at the taste.

“It might not be up to my wife’s standards, but it’s still nourishing, and helps give your body the nutrition it badly needs after being injured for so long. Especially considering how much surgery it took to get you fixed up to this point.” Illyasviel slowly nods at me, studying me carefully.

Then, after she’s done eating, I wheel her, and the food for Sella, to the basement, so they can see each other.

“Sella…?” A quiet whisper. “What have you… oh, Sella…”

“We’ve sacrificed ourselves both for you, Illyasviel.” Sella whispers, smiling up at Illya. “It worked… it worked! I can die in peace soon, knowing that it worked…” Sella trails off, coughing, before turning to look at me.

“Please. Mr. Ulricson. Save her from whatever is going on. Without the connection to her, I can feel myself slowly slipping away.”


I nod as I move, slowly bringing Illyasviel to Sella, so they can have their last moments together, before sitting and resting.

I keep an eye out, as Ruby watches.

“The food’s for you, Sella. You can at least eat a bit with Illyasviel. Consider it a last meal, maybe?” I admit, quietly.

“You’re too kind… but with how my body’s falling apart like this, I’m not sure…”

“Sella… thank you. For saving me...” A whisper from Illyasviel interrupts Sella, as they sit together.


In the distance, I can hear a large rumble erupting from the center of the singularity, subtly shifting some of the room in my sight.

“Erik… right?” Illyasviel looks at me. “What exactly is going on?”

“That’s… a complicated situation.” I admit. “Ruby, can you use some prana to show a map of the singularity as it is?”

“Roger that!” A moment later, a map of the singularity snaps into existence, showing the major islands that we could see a few hours ago.

Mount Enzo and it’s shrine, a single island, Shirou’s house nearby on another, with some roads still connecting between them. Several chunks of the city, reduced to islands.

The school, the forest, and Castle Einzbern, all on one massive island, with the remains of the Matou Home and Tohsaka manor on a similarly connected island.

And most of the Shinto district spread out between two well connected islands, via roads.

More importantly, the ocean and river is outright missing.

“Can you two see the barrier, or no?” Sella shakes her head at my words, while Illyasviel gapes.

“I’ll take that as a yes, then, Illyasviel. If you don’t mind me calling you that?” She slowly shakes her head at my words, then closes her eyes.

“What on earth happened, Mr. Erik?” Illyasviel quietly asks, staring at the map.

“...A man by the name of Lev Lainur Flouros, sometime in the next decade, in an alternate timeline, wound up being possessed by the Demon Flouros, or perhaps Flauros, of the Goetia. You may be familiar with that?” Illyasviel slowly nods at my words, while Sella looks confused and lost.


“Him, and the other demons of the Goetia, worked to… let’s say, alter history drastically, and in the process, made seven singularities, where time happened differently. History happened differently. I’m not sure if they rewrote things entirely, or if they simply altered them, but this is the ruins of one. Where after you about died, as well as your adoptive brother dying fully-” I pause for a moment, letting it sink in, as Illyasviel outright flinches at my words, before continuing, “He approached Saber, tainted by the Mud of the false holy grail, made of fragments from your mother’s own grail, that Sakura Matou had within her. By this time, Herakles had gotten a pretty nasty mud bath, and was driven even more insane as a result. Saber used the untainted new grail that Lev had given her to restart the Holy Grail War, reviving the Servants that had died, in an attempt to save the masters that had died, who she knew. Then the organization which Lev had betrayed broke through the Singularity, crushed pretty much everyone but Berserker, and went on to destroy the Corrupted Greater Grail.”


Illyasviel slowly parses over what I just said, before flinching and going white. Sella not far behind Illyasviel in that, as well.

“Lev Lainur Flouros… what did he look like, precisely?” Illyasviel asks, hesitantly.

“Ruby, can you get a picture of the bastard? I’ve had him described to me, but it’s been so long...” I glance at Ruby. It takes a couple of minutes, but eventually they stare at a picture of a man in green, with a green top hat, and eyes closed in a smile.

“Oh… it’s him. He…” Illyasviel trails off, wincing.

“What did he do?” I ask, almost reaching to her, to help comfort her, but pause, while Sella hugs her close in her weakened arms.

“He stole my Command Spells from me. Sella almost woke me up a long while ago, and I started getting feeling back in my body… then I vaguely saw him above me. He… did things to me. Ripped something out of me. Then I was in my body, aware, but… unable to move. Breathe. Do anything. It was like… being a doll.” At her whispered words, I breathe out slowly, trying to calm myself.

“Would you like me to hug you, since you went through that?” I ask, quietly.

Illyasviel von Einzbern blinks, staring at me with surprise. Sella stares, too. I close my eyes, for a moment, before admitting quietly. “I can’t stand you looking so sad, and hurt. Would you like me to hug you, and help you feel a bit better?”

Illyasviel quietly blinks up at me, before slowly nodding. At her assent, I gently move over, then give her a hug, doing my best to not injure her.

“If I can get you out of here, Illyasviel, to my ship, my wife and friends can likely fix you up. Heal your injuries. Would you like that?” It’s a quiet question from me, but both their eyes light up with surprise at my question.

“Why help me?” A quiet whisper from the small girl in my arms. I look down at her, looking her in the eyes, as I continue.

“If I could have a daughter, I would hope she’d be half as pretty as you are. You’ve been hurt. You’ve been abandoned. I know a version of yourself and Shirou that hit things off, rather than fighting as you two have. And you deserve a better life then the crapsack life you got, Illyasviel von Einzbern.” A quiet “Eh?” from Illyasviel, before I see her quietly cling to me, hugging me back.

A trail of tears is going down my shirt, I can feel it. I don’t care, either.

A louder rumble in the distance erupts from what likely is the center of the Singularity. Then I can feel things in the room move a few inches towards the singularity’s center, before stopping.

“Oh, that’s not good…” Ruby admits, then trails off. “What on earth is Berserker doing?!”

For a long moment, I don’t reply, just hugging the tiny girl in my arms. Giving her the warm hug she’s so desperately needed for who knows how many years.

“Can you tell us what happened after?” Sella asks, quietly.

I look up at her, quietly eating her food, while looking at me. Then I slowly nod, gently putting Illyasviel back on her bed, and sit.

“After Chaldea cleared through the Singularity, it started collapsing But, at the same time, a different version of Saber… or should I say, an alternate version of herself, tainted from something in the distant past, and leader of the Wild Hunt, came into the Singularity, along with a sword that I’d been hunting for quite a while myself. The Sword of Atli, from my own home reality. Or should I say, the divinely forged sword of Attila the Hun. At the time, the world itself was collapsing, as time itself was countering the existence of this false universe, rewriting things back to the way things should have been… but the sword countered that, it’s own legend forcing the collapsing singularity to stabilize itself enough to hold things together.” I trail off for a moment, looking around. Then I grab a water bottle, and sip from it, before continuing.


“However, both Saber and Berserker have been using the sword to force themself to stay alive, as well. And it’s having side effects… drastic ones. Herakles is somewhat sane, but likes to play with myself and Saber as if we were dinner, or lambs for his slaughtering. Arturia’s… emotional, but a massive powerhouse that I’ll fully admit is somewhat terrifying… especially since the mud turned her eyes a pale yellow, and somewhat bleached her hair, as well as turning her dresses and armor black.”

Illyasviel stills, wincing.

“If we could… get to Berserker, do you think I could get him to stop?” She asks, quietly.

“It’s a long shot. He wants me dead, and this place is set to destroy itself sooner or later… and there’s only barely enough legend in the sword to hold this place together, for one servant, as well as this place, at best. Not two.” At my words, Illyasviel closes her eyes, setting her head back into her pillow.

“I can probably use the rest of my strength to heal Illyasviel somewhat.” Sella admits, quietly. “However, with how weak I am, this food or not, I’m not going to last much longer. Too much of my body has shut down, with the steps I took.”

At her words, Illyasviel tenses, quietly reaching out to Sella with one hand. I close my eyes, for one long moment, before breathing out. “If you perish, I’ll make sure to protect Illyasviel for you.”

Sella blinks, her eyes going wide as she stares up at me in surprise. Then she smiles quietly. “Thank you… you’re not like the other Masters in this war, are you?”

“I wound up as one in a much different war, with very different stakes. And as scary as Saber and Herakles is, both of them don’t quite top the terror I felt from Semiramis as an Assassin and Caster hybrid from that war.” I trail off for a moment, while they both stare at me wide eyed.


“She has an attribute called double summon, meaning she has attributes of both classes. And her bit of bullshit involving the Hanging Gardens of Babylon was utter bullshit. Flying fortresses are MY Schtick, and I don’t like copycats! Especially copycats with an army of skeleton soldiers, damn it!” At those words, Illyasviel blinks, then giggles. Sella just stares at me for a long moment, then puts her face in one palm.

Another rumble from the distance hits my ears, before I flinch.

“Erik! The void’s pull is getting stronger!” Ruby yelps at me. Then I wince, as the entire room's contents starts sliding towards the direction the void in the center of the singularity is at for a few moments.


“Sella… I hate to ask this of you. Finish your food, and heal up Illyasviel, okay? I think Berserker, in his half sane insanity, has decided to somehow push us all faster towards the end of this place...” Sella blinks at me, then nods quickly.


At that, I glance up. “Is there a way to the roof, so I can get a good vantage point?”

“Oh! It’s up the nearest tower, Mr. Erik.” Illyasviel replies, quietly but quickly.

I nod, and run, grabbing Ruby and pulling her with.

It takes a couple minutes to get up there. I think Avalon’s been healing me more than I thought it has.

And in the center of the singularity, I can see Herakles, throwing chunks of islands from the Shinto section of Fuyuki city into the void.

“Oh, that madman, he’s breaking everything!” I can hear Ruby whisper, furiously.

“Ruby? How long do we have, if he keeps this up, before the singularity destabilizes?” I ask, quietly.

“I… that… maybe an hour. If he takes from every section equally. If he doesn’t… I think it’s going to start sucking from the other islands to compensate. It looks like, from what I’m seeing things? Each of the four strings of islands, (though the bulk of the Shinto region is mostly more of a super island instead) are rotating around the void in the center, balancing the others out. If he breaks enough of one of the chains, then either the singularity will force the other three to rotate faster to compensate…” She trails off, thinking, as I focus my eyes, for one long moment.

For one single moment, I can see the weakness lines shifting outright, as he moves another chunk of island close to the void. Then I release, and think over what I saw, before finishing what she saw. “Or, more likely, the other island chains will be shortened to the same length as the one he’s damaging. Am I right? And if he destroys one of the four islands completely…”

“Then they will all fall into the gravity well?” At Ruby’s words, I nod.


With this, Erik has a choice to make. And, as a function of future stories post Fate/Anarchy from me, I’ll let readers choose how things go.

Who will he strive to save most?

Easy Options:
Saving Arturia Alter: Leaving her with Avalon is pretty much an instant save, no matter what will happen. She might not necessarily go with Erik in the long run, but as a result of Avalon, she’s nearly guaranteed to survive the Singularity, as long as she has prana for it.


Using Kaleidostick Ruby to back her up will result in 5 charged shots being able to be used on Herakles, to ensure his weapons are useless.


Illyasviel likely will die from this.

Saving Illyasviel von Einzbern: Giving Illyasviel Kaleidostick Ruby, as well as Avalon will guarantee she can get to the Wolfen MK2 in time, without getting hurt, weak charge for Ruby or no.

Arturia won’t have Avalon for dealing with Herakles. Erik won’t have more than one guaranteed charge shot from the Laser Rifle, so will have to make it count. Arturia won’t mind this as much, since she fucked up with Illyasviel before, and she’d take it as atonement, if nothing else.

Arturia’s likely to die from this.

Hard Options:
Saving Both Arturia and Illyasviel: Much, much harder than you’d think. It’ll require insane timing, or a command Spell used on Mordred to use her Riding skill to get Illyasviel to go into one of the Wolfen’s airlocks without Illyasviel going splat as a result.

Arturia will have Avalon, true. But without multiple shots from the Laser Rifle to counter Herakles, or to destroy cover so Arturia will have better chances of finishing him off, Herakles will likely make things messy for them both.

Insane Options:
Saving all three: Herakles wants Arturia dead. Herakles wants Erik dead, but thinks Erik's already died. Showing up with Illyasviel in tow could get him to calm down. But is he rational enough to make a deal and stick with it?


Or will he just try to kill Erik once more, like before, because he didn't finish Erik off the last time?

You're pushing your luck with this.


Hell Run Options:
Saving Herakles and Illyasviel: Showing up with Illyasviel in tow, and abandoning Arturia in her sleep. What could ever go wrong with such a brilliant, well thought out plan?

Why would you ever pick this?!

Arturia likely will want you dead if she wakes up. Herakles still likely wants you dead. Illyasviel may think you're insane for picking this option. Why would you go this route?

[Xamusel]

Save both Arturia and Illyasviel. That's my choice.

[Vigilantia]

Mind of Steel: kill all 3 and sap Ruby for more power.

[RanmaBushiko]

Save both Arturia and Illyasviel. That's my choice.

One vote for that, I see!

Mind of Steel: kill all 3 and sap Ruby for more power.

Please try to keep to the list of options? If you'd like that as an Omake, I'll write a tiny one up for after the series is done, however. (And boy, if you thought the last two options were bad... yours takes the cake for bad shit happening...)

[Arbitrarity]

I'm inclined towards rescuing Arturia and Illya. I'd usually be inclined towards trying to get Herc friendly, but that seems somewhat improbable, given how erratic his behaviour has been, and he's dangerous enough that the risk associated with making overtures seems rather high.
Also, Illya is the ideal Ruby wielder, given that some of her alternates are already magical girls. I guess it sounds like even that flight might be insufficient for effectively getting her to the Wolfen, though.

[RanmaBushiko]

I'm inclined towards rescuing Arturia and Illya. I'd usually be inclined towards trying to get Herc friendly, but that seems somewhat improbable, given how erratic his behaviour has been, and he's dangerous enough that the risk associated with making overtures seems rather high.
Also, Illya is the ideal Ruby wielder, given that some of her alternates are already magical girls. I guess it sounds like even that flight might be insufficient for effectively getting her to the Wolfen, though.

In this case, yeah. Herakles is... a little too erratic to be safe. Thus why I listed trying to convince him as one rank higher in how hard it would be.

As for getting her to the Wolfen Mark 2? It's doable, but the risk is less reaching there and more not going splat on the side from sheer speed... because with how fast things are going outside, she'd have to get awfully fast to get away from the ever increasing black hole like suction at the center of the Singularity. To be more specific, she's got a 1 in 4 chance of not splatting herself on the outside of the Wolfen, unless she gets to an airlock. Kind of like the space jump scene from Star Trek Into Darkness. With Ruby posing as the space suit.

With the airlock, she'd have a nearly 100% chance of getting to the nearby pool, and using that to decelerate.

On the other hand, if she tried for the hangar, she'd have a better chance of getting in, but with the Wolfen's Mark 2 Renovations... the hangar's full of lots and lots of equipment, scrap metal, etc. So managing to dodge everything, decelerate, and hit the mesh to slow her down, rather than the mechs... is about 1 in 20, instead.

A command Spell would lead it up to a 60% for the first one, and 1 in 15 for the second, but it's still dangerous as hell. Two WILL give better odds, but with the Wolfen coming closer, Erik's command spells might regenerate slower.

Still! Vote called! Arturia and Illyasviel it is. And I finally got the mess of upgrades meant for Erik for everyone to choose from, done! Just some writing to go, and then I'll have Fate/Anarchy Chapter 66 up... maybe sunday? Depending.

[Kieran]

I: Grateful (Sia)




Royal Palace
The World of the Gods
June 6, 2004








Kikyou awoke from her dream with a start, as her “big sister” cried out in frustration.

“What is it now, Sia . . .?” Honestly—she was the younger twin, so why was Lisianthus the immature one . . .?

“‘World history,’” her living reflection groaned. “Meaning their world, and not ours—why would I be expected to know any of this?! And how am I supposed to remember it all . . .?”

Kikyou sighed. “Let me see—I can at least prompt you if you start forgetting things. We need to pass this entrance exam, after all.”

Her sister nodded. “Yeah—otherwise, we’ll only get to spend time with Rin-kun outside of school . . .”

And that would never do.

The sisters worked in silence for a while. They often did, given that Kikyou was most often asleep. It was only fair: ultimately, it was Sia’s body and life, after all, so she had the right to determine it. For all of their lives, Kikyou had been just a passenger; aware, but unnoticed. Oh, Sia did let her out, and often, at first—her sister had the biggest heart in any world—but even then, everyone expected Sia, and that’s who they saw her as.

Eventually, Kikyou hadn’t seen the point of coming out, because she couldn’t be Sia, and no one would ever acknowledge her . . .

Not until that day—that wonderful day, when they met that boy . . .

“Kikyou.” In Japanese, they’d since learned, it meant “spirit”—an appropriate name for her, if not especially original (or kind, if you interpreted it that way). But to Kikyou herself, it meant everything—because up until that point, neither of them had ever even thought to give her one. Sia knew who she was, of course, and so did she. And no one else even knew she existed—she’d never needed a name. But because of him, she had one; something—the only thing—that was hers alone. That was proof that she existed, separate from her sister . . .

Over the years, Kikyou had worried, had he really seen her, somehow . . .? He had acted like he had, certainly—but they were children, and imaginary friends weren’t uncommon, at that age. Was she imagining more to his imaginings, believing that he’d actually seen her, when it was all just a childish game . . .?

Sia, bless her heart, didn’t think that way. Partly because she fundamentally believed that “Rin-kun is much too kind to be so cruel,” but also because of logic (a rarity for Sia to employ, so the lesson had stuck with Kikyou)—why would someone making a new friend create an imaginary one right then and there? And why would he keep it up, for all the time they’d been in contact . . .?

No, in her sister’s mind, he had to have seen Kikyou, somehow. The gift of her name, the way he’d look a little off to the side of Sia—or speaking to Sia’s reflection as her (a trick they’d picked up for their own use)—it was just his acknowledgement of her presence. He knew that Kikyou was there, and he made sure that she knew it, too.

For that, Sia elevated Rin beyond “a special boy I like” to “the best.” But Kikyou thought she might love Rin even more than Sia did, if that was possible—and the flowers set that opinion in stone.

Neither of them had ever heard of “White Day” before, but it was now officially Kikyou’s favourite holiday, bar none. He had sent flowers to her; not just added her name to the bouquet sent to Sia, even if they were the same—she got her own, to do with as she pleased . . . Sure, her sister had gotten them, too, as had Nerine—and when they’d looked up the flowers for their significance, it wasn’t the sort of thing that declared undying love—but they did have meaning. They weren’t just a random arrangement of pretty blooms (though they were that); they were a statement that they’d been held in his heart, all this time. That he wanted to see them, and was waiting to.

Their mom thought it was “just so lovey-dovey,” and Sia had been understandably thrilled—but Kikyou had been touched in a way she’d never expected to be, and wasn’t quite sure how to articulate, even to her sister.

Rin-kun was waiting for her, not just Sia . . .

She would have to share, of course; as a passenger in Sia’s body, that would have been inevitable whether Sia or herself had fallen for someone—and had Sia been alone in her feelings, Kikyou still would’ve been prepared to like Rin for her sister’s sake, at least. As things stood now? The sisters were united as they’d never been before in this: marrying Rin Tsuchimi was their mission in life.

And if they ended up having to share him beyond that . . .?

Well, Sia wasn’t too bothered about the idea; polygamy was common in the World of the Gods—they’d grown up with three mothers, after all, not just their biological one. Kikyou felt a bit more selfish, but knew that she couldn’t really protest—and anyone she knew about that wanted Rin wasn’t a terrible addition. Nerine was family, after all, and very kind; and if Kaede and Sakura were still in his life—well, the princesses of the Gods only remembered them as children, but they were happy memories.

“I suddenly think that maybe trying to spring all this on Rin as a surprise might not have been the best idea,” Kikyou mused. “Maybe we should write Kaede-chan, at least . . .? Dad said they were still living together, so she’d be able to tell us about him and any other girls . . .”

“But we’d never get a reply back before we moved,” Sia pointed out reasonably, before frowning. “And none of that will matter if we can’t pass the entrance exams! Kikyou, quick—why is the United States important in Japanese history? I don’t understand . . .”

The younger twin sighed. She loved her sister, she truly did—but this was going to be a lot of work.

It would be worth it, though; they’d make sure of it.








II: Never to Meet Again (Nerine)




Royal Palace
The World of the Devils
June 7, 2004








He remembers.

She was bursting with joy.

He remembers.

She was drowning in grief.

He remembers.

It did not seem possible for a single heart to simultaneously overflow with such contradictory emotions. And yet, the Princess of the Devils was experiencing it just the same, as that single fact appeared again and again in her thoughts—and all of that, caused by the unexpected arrival of a relatively plain and simple floral arrangement . . . More specifically, by a pair of such arrangements, when there was only one girl to receive them.

Nerine in no way blamed Rin-sama for her reaction. He couldn’t know that Lycoris had died—much less in such an unforgivable way—and he had simply proved that, despite the passage of years, he remained the kind, sweet boy that had reached out to a lost little Devil girl. That the bouquet addressed to Lycoris brought Nerine’s guilt and grief over her death back as though it was fresh couldn’t be ascribed to him. Indeed, she dreaded inflicting it on him, even as she knew now that doing so was inevitable. That he remembered Lycoris was no surprise to her; such a bright, happy soul as she should be unforgettable—that he remembered Nerine, however . . .

They had met only once, in the depths of winter; she’d spent most of the visit under the “kotatsu” drinking tea or cocoa, too sickly to spend much time in the cold and damp, but too insistent on not being left behind. Why he would recall her, when Lycoris had been the one to play in the snow and sing “carols,” she didn’t understand—though the later stream of “postcards” and “photographs” of faraway places for the walls of her room proved that he did.

For someone who spent a great deal of time confined to a sickbed, the bright, colourful images might have been a torment; cruelly taunting her with visions of places and things she’d never see . . . And in those years when the Gate had been closed, she’d thought them such, more than once—but Nerine had been fascinated, just the same. There was just so much colour and variety, and when the four walls of her room had begun to close in on her, she’d liked to look at them, read what he’d written about them, and imagine she was there, instead—which, of course, had been Rin-sama’s intent.

No, Nerine had never had a problem understanding why Lycoris loved him so, even before she stole that love—but that very reason, that kindness, now meant that all her plans were in ruins . . .

“If he had just forgotten,” she whispered through the tears that were coming, again, as she recalled the true enormity of the task ahead of her. “Or if he had only remembered one . . .”

Nerine could’ve have worked under the handicap of Rin-sama having forgotten her, and Lycoris; it simply meant that she would’ve had to do what any girl who wanted to catch a boy’s attention did, without the benefit of childhood interactions to make her seem familiar. She was almost certainly going to have to do that anyways, since they were almost strangers to one another, after so long. It would be a harder road, but simpler, without the need to explain a “twin sister” who was no longer alive.

And even if he had only remembered one of them, Nerine could’ve handled it: she was prepared to colour her eyes to match Lycoris’ amethyst, if necessary—and her family would back whatever story was necessary to explain why there was and had only ever been one Devil girl he’d met . . .

(But he remembers—and the best part of him hasn’t changed . . .)

But instead, sweet, wonderful Rin-sama remembered both of them and the wrong one had survived: the sickly one who hadn’t loved him with all her heart since their first meeting, and couldn’t sing like an angel . . . But now, she wasn’t, she did, and she could—and there was no way to explain to him how that was possible without revealing the contemptible thing she’d done.

But at the same time, Nerine had to fulfill Lycoris’ dream; it was the only way she could ever possibly atone for stealing so much from her. It had to be Rin-sama’s choice, of course—it wouldn’t mean anything, otherwise—but Nerine was determined to find a way . . .

Somehow.

“Lycoris . . .” she whispered to the stars, “what do I do . . .?”

There was no answer forthcoming, but Nerine knew she had to find one. Lycoris deserved to have her wish come true, and she was determined to make it happen, no matter what she had to do—save for one thing. No matter what she ended up doing or having to do in order to fulfill Lycoris’ love, Nerine couldn’t be allowed to fall in love with him herself.

That would be the cruelest betrayal possible . . .








III: Gentle Strength and Endurance (Kaede Fuyou)




Fuyou Household
Koyo Town, Japan
June 8, 2004








When she was a little girl, Kaede Fuyou had lost her mother in a car accident. That loss had broken her, and a little boy who’d been her friend had put her back together by cutting himself on the pieces of her left behind until he nearly bled to death (in a very literal fashion, as opposed to the metaphoric nature of the rest of that statement). Though she’d been told that she didn’t have to think that way, Kaede still felt that she owed him for that—even though she believed she’d never fully be able to repay him. He’d saved her life and her sanity, and she’d nearly killed him . . .

Then, not long after that event (and the therapy she could admit, in hindsight, she’d needed), she’d met some new friends—Gods and Devils both—and the one who would set her on her path to atonement.

Sage-sama didn’t look like much, next to the other parents—she was pretty, like the other mothers, but comparatively tiny, and not nearly so loud or eye-catching. In one sense, she was just a maid, who had devoted her all to serving her Master, and took her pride in performing her duties conscientiously and well . . . And yet, such a petite, unremarkable-seeming figure had wed her true love, and risen from that humble state to become the Queen of the Devils.

Fairy tales could come true, and the impossible could be done, after all—Sage-sama’s existence was the proof of that.

It was on that day, almost eight years ago, that Kaede Fuyou found her inspiration—she would walk the path of the maid, as Sage-sama did, and make things up with Rin . . .

And to a point, it worked; they had a friendly, caring relationship again. He got in the way of her doing things, sometimes (and her therapist reminded her that that was good; that she shouldn’t consider herself responsible for everything), but he appreciated what she did do. And it was actually quite helpful in her path, in some ways: Rin’s interest in martial arts (and need for a regular sparring partner) had not only improved her overall health and fitness, it had allowed her to recreate (she thought) Sage-sama’s “Thunder Kick”—a move so powerful that it put the King of the Devils himself through a wall!

And while Kaede had long since admitted to herself that it was probably Devil magic that let it do that (so as a human, she never would), the ability to land a good, solid kick on someone was undoubtedly useful to a maid in enforcing discipline. The fact that it flashed her panties, on the other hand, meant that she could never use it on Itsuki-kun (no matter how much she might want to)—and it would just encourage the fan club, if it ever restarted . . .

. . . All right, so there actually wasn’t much use in her life for the Thunder Kick—but she could still do it!

In any case, Kaede had spent the last eight years developing and honing the skills of a top-class maid; and while she was certain she still had a lot to learn, only now had she reached the point where she could begin worrying about the details of the most important element . . . Her uniform.

Since first seeing Sage-sama in hers, Kaede had done a lot of research over the years on the nature and purpose of maid uniforms. They were the identifying mark of a maid; both her battle garb and declaration to the world that a woman was a maid and that she found her purpose in her devotion to her master. There were, she’d discovered, a number of styles of uniform (from “traditional French” to “totally fetishized”), and she’d spent several years experimenting with various styles and materials, while subtly trying to discern how to best appeal to Rin’s tastes (without spoiling the surprise, of course). And, naturally, she’d worked equally hard in trying to develop the kind of figure that would best show off a maid’s uniform—or was that “the kind of figure that a maid’s uniform would best show off . . .?”

Ideally, Kaede had been waiting for her eighteenth birthday, when she should be past the possibility of unexpected growth spurts that would throw off her presentation. A glance outside any of her home’s windows nowadays, however, was a reminder that she might not have that kind of time.

It had been odd when all their neighbours had suddenly moved away (more accurately, they’d been bought out, she’d been given to understand) leaving their house as the sole occupied one on the block. It became even more unusual when those empty homes had been cleared out to become empty lots—because why leave them alone, if some developer was looking to do something with the neighbourhood? Not, Kaede thought, that her father would have sold their property; it simply made no sense to miss one. Especially not when that one essentially lay in the centre of the bought-out area . . .

But when the two “magic houses,” as the rest of the area called them, had appeared on either side of her house one day after school—despite not having even signs of construction being undertaken that same morning—Kaede believed she understood. Despite the facetious nature of the name, actual magic was obviously involved; and given that one of the massive homes was a traditional Japanese design, and the other was done in Western architecture . . . She’d met people with a preference for those particular styles, once; people who had a great deal of power, influence, and resources—and who would (or at least, did) have an interest in this particular area.

Honestly, Kaede was only really surprised that it had taken six months, once she’d thought about it.

She reminded herself, daily, that there was no guarantee that it was the princesses’ doing; nor was it a given that they would even be interested in pursuing Rin-kun if it was them. But casually pulling these kinds of ridiculous things did seem like what she remembered their fathers being like, from that one get-together (and Sia-chan’s many, many stories in various letters)—and both of them were inclined to spoil their daughters. . .

Maybe they just wanted to renew old friendships; that would be nice. The princesses had been very friendly and cheerful, after all, and she’d had a lot of fun playing with them. But even if they weren’t interested in Rin, Kaede had little doubt that it wouldn’t take much to get them interested—and if they’d grown up to be as pretty as she thought they would’ve, then there was real trouble on the horizon in regards to her future plans.

But if Rin really wants it, Kaede reminded herself, then I’ll have to give in, for the sake of his happiness . . .

It was only fair and right, after all. She didn’t have the right to dictate his life or choices for him, and she wanted him to be happy.

With that reminder to herself, Kaede finished packing Rin’s lunch for the day, cast a quick glare in the direction of the kitchen window, and started laying out the preparations for her own lunch. Her lips thinned.

. . . But after all this time, there’s no way I’m going to just give up without a fight, either.

And with that thought in mind, she tried to remember the website for that one boutique with the more risqué maid outfits—and whether or not they were one of the ones who had offered delivery services . . .








IV: Willfulness (Asa Shigure)




Flora
Koyo Town, Japan
June 9, 2004








If you asked almost anyone who knew her, people would tell you that Asa Shigure didn’t like sitting still. For the most part, this was true; save for activities that needed her to stay in place, like cooking, she did prefer to be in motion, or doing things. Though almost none of those same people were aware of it, she’d spent far too much of her childhood bedridden and in pain—and she fully intended to get the most out of life, now that she actually could.

As such, they might be surprised to find her quietly sitting in a café, even a popular one like “Flora.” It might further be supposed that she had a weakness for some of the dishes served here—girls stereotypically liked sweets, after all—and they would be right, to a point. After all, Asa was in charge of Verbena Academy’s Cooking Club, and was rather renowned for her own kitchen skills. As such, she had higher standards than most high school girls . . .

No, the circumstances that found her sitting in a booth in a café after school boiled down to three reasons. First, and least important, was that it was occasionally fun to people-watch. It could be interesting to see what people were like when they didn’t think anyone was looking—

She started as a jogger suddenly darted past her window seat, waving to her as he went by. The feat was even more impressive considering that, from her viewing angle, she’d have sworn she couldn’t have been seen by him . . .

But then, she had learned by now that Rin Tsuchimi was nothing if not surprising.

Asa hadn’t thought much of him, at first—in fact, she’d been outright hostile when the Cooking Club’s newest member had appeared with him as a tagalong. At least half of that was concern for Kaede, who had to live with him; and in her defence, the only thing she’d heard about him was that he’d been involved in a fight that had sent over twenty people to the hospital . . .

And his offhanded way of remarking that he was only responsible for eight did nothing for her peace of mind!

Repeated exposure over time, however, did soothe her nerves. If nothing else, he was a lot more polite than a history of violent incidents—and a friendship with the school pervert, Midoriba—would suggest. True, Tsuchimi’s repeated threats to Midoriba were unsettling, but the latter's habit of over-the-top flirting and outright harassment of every pretty girl that walked into his line of sight did kind of ask for it . . . And sometimes, his ways of cutting Midoriba down to size were even funny.

And Tsuchimi was, as it turned out, a lot more conscientious of his physicality (and also, a lot more physical) than he looked. Kaede had once asked him for help in moving some of the Cooking Club’s equipment when they’d gotten replacements; Asa had seen him pick up and carry the refrigerator out to the dumpster with apparently no effort. Oh, he’d made it seem hard (convincingly enough that he should have joined the Drama Club), but his breathing and the lack of sweat afterwards told her otherwise. As it was, his uniform hid his muscles, most of the time—to the point that most people forgot, until Sports Day came around, that he almost literally carried his class to victory in those events.

Though once the shirt came off, a lot of girls tried to burn the sight into their memories (Kareha, for example, spaced out even further than normal)—Asa did not envy Kaede the competition . . .

Though it was, she had to admit, hilarious to watch.

Even after all these years of watching the pair of them, Asa couldn’t say with absolute certainty that her two juniors were in love. That they were devoted to one another was obvious to anyone with eyes—and knowing Kaede better, she was pretty sure of things from that end, even if the girl was too shy to say it. Tsuchimi, on the other hand, was hard to read; he seemed almost deliberately uninterested in girls, a lot of the time—almost as though he already had a girlfriend . . .?

If so, though, no one knew anything about it, and Kaede certainly would—though it might also be because of his association with Midoriba and the incorrigible gossip that was Thyme-san. Heaven knew, Asa wouldn’t want to let anything slip around those two, and Tsuchimi was smarter than she was at that age, going by the test rankings.

(She conveniently ignored the fact that there was barely a year’s difference between them—and the fact that his scores were higher than hers now was ignored even harder.)

Even so, most of the time his affections towards Kaede almost seemed more like a big brother’s, or even paternal—or at least, that was what he seemed to be trying for, at least. Though there were moments where his hormones visibly overrode his head, and it was clear that he was aware that Kaede was very pretty—and other times when he was so charming (or flat-out hot) that it had to be deliberate . . .

Tsuchimi was a puzzle, Asa had to admit; but one that was fun to poke at, occasionally, just to see what would happen. He made for nice eye candy at times, too (she wasn’t blind, after all; she could appreciate the view just as well as the next girl)—and she occasionally thought that it would be nice if someone cared about her as much as he did about Kaede . . .

“Here’s your order, Asa-chan!” Kareha said brightly, sliding the serving tray onto the table, skirt flouncing as she did so. “Sorry for the wait!”

The action also had the effect of bringing Asa out of her thoughts, as she was abruptly reminded of the two other, more important reasons she came to this place. Her best friend worked here, for one—and it allowed her to eat her mother’s cooking, made with better ingredients than they could afford for their family kitchen.

Asa smiled brightly at the parfait in front of her, even as she gave Kareha the traditional reply.

“Thank you for the food!”








V: Desperate (Primula)




Project YGGDRASIL Research Lab
The World of the Devils
June 10, 2004








She touched the flowers delicately, before leaning forward to inhale their scent.

The green of their stems was the only colour they added to her surroundings—not that there was much colour in those surroundings to start with. Like the blooms themselves, her room was a solid white; though a bright, sterile one compared to the softer tones of the flowers.

“They were sent to Lycoris,” Nerine had said. “And I’ve already taken too much that belongs to her.”

Primula didn’t mind being given a gift second-hand; Lycoris had done the same, after all, and it was the most precious thing she had. It bothered her that Nerine had seemed so sad about it, though Primula understood why the Devil princess was. She didn’t know what to do about it, though. Not Nerine’s feelings or her own . . . She never did.

Primula continued looking at the flowers—the number of them, the pattern of their arrangement, the different shapes. They were all very strange flowers; she didn’t think they grew in the World of the Devils, only in the Human World. Nerine had told her what they meant.

“I remember you, I’m waiting for you, I’m so happy.” Happy that the Gate was open again, Nerine had said. Happy that he could see them again—all of that was the meaning of the flowers, and the meaning of the day they were sent was one where a boy’s “heart” was revealed . . .

Primula looked at the only other bit of colour in the room that she wasn’t wearing (if black even was a colour; she’d heard arguments both ways)—the stuffed tiger that Lycoris had given her.

“To me,” Lycoris had said, “this means ‘love.’”

Did everything in the Human World have a meaning?

Would she find one, if she went there . . .?

The idea startled her. It wasn’t quite right—she wasn’t really looking for “meaning”—but something about the Human World seemed . . . Attractive. Lycoris had seemed to like it well enough—maybe she would, too? Maybe she’d find . . . Something.

(It was hard to know what you wanted, when you couldn’t even describe it to yourself.)

. . . She wasn’t sure—not yet. Still, if she did decide to go . . . If she did, she had a place to start. It was a very special place. Primula understood; the same place that Nerine was going to—the place that Lycoris had gone. She would go to the source of these flowers, with their meanings, and her kitty that meant “love.”

“Rin . . .” Primula whispered to herself.








VI: I Will Not Forget (Sion)




Verbena National Academy
Koyo Town, Japan
June 11, 2004








She had to admit, she hadn’t been this excited about a project in a long time.

True, it was very similar to things that could be accomplished by a (very) skilled spiritual chiurgeon—but to use an entirely different form of methods to accomplish the results . . .?

As always with the “magic” of this world, the data promised to be fascinating.

Tsuchimi-san has the most interesting ideas . . .

It had been surprising to find out that he was actually a Grail Works operative, and not even one associated with her case, as might have been logical. Though she thought his description of being “on involuntary deep-cover assignment” was still annoyingly imprecise (and thus grating to her sensibilities), she couldn’t deny its overall accuracy, given the circumstances as they’d been relayed to her.

This seemed like a spectacularly inefficient use of resources and time, but Sion was forced to admit that, if interpreted broadly enough, “saving everyone” would force the Works to address such (to her mind) insignificant issues as heartbreak . . . And at least this specific instance mandated intervention because of the potentially catastrophic after-effects, so it wasn’t a completely ridiculous task.

Though personally, while Sion hoped to be long departed before the forty-year deadline was up (or any of the more immediate potential disasters came to fruition, either), she was hardly averse to helping, either. And this particular idea was fascinating on a number of levels—if it worked, she could certainly see the value in trying to recreate the results on her own world. True, it might not be replicable in this form under the laws of magecraft; but even with just the data available for comparison, at the furthest extreme, perhaps it would suggest a way to open a path to one of the lost True Sorceries . . .

Though she admitted to herself that few magi—alchemist or otherwise—would scruple to using such puissant representations of their craft for such . . . Charitable reasons. Still, as she formed her mental model of “Grail Works, Limited”—and of “Rin Tsuchimi” in particular—she found herself less surprised than she otherwise might be.

Over the last year and more, Sion had been given ample time and opportunities to observe the operative, despite the fact that they did not share classes. There was, of course, their mutual time in the school’s Alchemy Club, but she had also encountered him outside of it in various settings, either via random encounters or by direct invitation; for example, he was one of the few decent sparring partners she could find in this world. His overall knowledge and skills were less than hers, but his raw ability—and his capacity to augment that ability with magic, which exceeded hers—made him an interesting challenge.

And the fact that she could use force against him that would kill a normal human, and he would both shrug it off and recover rapidly from what injuries she did inflict, meant that she wasn’t losing her edge entirely, even with her reduced capabilities. She’d even managed to work out a couple of new techniques that weren’t reliant on things like Reinforcement or Etherlite. They wouldn’t necessarily be effective on, say, a Dead Apostle Ancestor, but it would prove a surprise to anyone who had prepared to fight her, believing that they knew the whole of her arsenal.

Sion was still curious as to how, exactly, he did what he did—and what the range and limitations of his abilities actually were. She was also more than a little curious as to Tsuchimi-san’s personal history, before this mission. She had never heard of anyone by any name he’d been willing to give her, but he clearly had come in knowing something about alchemy. Not simply the local version, either, but one which allowed him to create “moonsilver” and “orichalcum”; only one of which she’d ever heard of, and which had fascinating properties—and in the case of the latter, ones that didn’t match what she did know of it . . .

(Also, the fact that he kept joking “My super power is, I know stuff,” irked her on a professional level—because really, that was her job.)

Between those facts, and that he was the only one on this Earth who knew her origins, Sion thought it reasonable to say that she had made a friend—not an everyday occurrence for her. And in some ways, it was refreshing to her, to have such outside of the environment of Atlas and the general politics of magi. Going by Tsuchimi-san and the “Emiya” he spoke of, the mindset of the Works was, in many ways, alien to her lifestyle—and at worst, outright anathema . . .

But she would be hard-pressed to call it a bad thing.

And so, Sion helped with Tsuchimi-san’s project, because she thought that she would actually like to see it succeed for its own merits, as much as any potential advancements or discoveries she might make of it later. Just because it was “the right thing to do,” or to be “nice”—not things she generally had the opportunity for, much less could do with her actual capabilities without fear of receiving censure from one corner or another . . .

Though of course, that was not to say that she wasn’t getting her own prize for assisting in this venture, regardless.

Sion had overheard his last conversation with the Works’ representative, and agreed with his denial of the girl’s teasing insistence that she was part of his “harem.” She further agreed that he wasn’t her type—at least, not for the sort of long-term arrangement that was being implemented here, for multiple reasons. But she was intensely curious as to the identity of this “Shiki” person that he believed was.

Particularly to the point that Tsuchimi-san had insisted they make sure he was nowhere near the vicinity when she finally returned home . . .

June 12, 2004: GAME START

Writer's Notes: Help me - I can't seem to stop . . .


The vignette titles are based on (some) of the meanings of the various flowers the girls are named for.

[Arbitrarity]

I did not check the thread over the weekend. Wooo that's a lot.

I also don't really have much to say beyond "looks fun" at the moment. I really enjoy how each girl's perspective has a distinct narrative tone to it. It's rare that I get to directly contrast that many different character styles from you in close succession. It looks like Sion is doing something interesting. "skilled spiritual chiurgeon"... I was thinking something similar to soul transference re: Kikyou and Sia, but that seems possibly too obvious. That would relate to the Third magic, of course. I'm not sure what else I might be missing for ideas.

The Kikyou history is ADORABLE. So adorable. Eeeee.

[Kieran]

I did not check the thread over the weekend. Wooo that's a lot.

It surprised me, too - that's almost two full chapters, going by my normal standards. Granted, a lot of that is spacing, but . . .

I also don't really have much to say beyond "looks fun" at the moment.

Darn.

I really enjoy how each girl's perspective has a distinct narrative tone to it. It's rare that I get to directly contrast that many different character styles from you in close succession.

It does help that each of them is a distinct character, of course. A lot of their traits overlap - Nerine and Kaede are both shy, Sia and Kaede are both cheerful, etc. - but each girl tends to have different reactions to the same situations. For example, Rin's dating Asa in the anime: Sia and Nerine helped set it up, because they wanted him to know his own feelings; whereas Kaede initially tried to be supportive, but ultimately flipped out . . .

I will say that writing Primula is hard, from this perspective; she's supposed to have emotions, but not know how to express them, and conveying that from within her own head . . . It wasn't easy.

It looks like Sion is doing something interesting. "skilled spiritual chiurgeon"... I was thinking something similar to soul transference re: Kikyou and Sia, but that seems possibly too obvious. That would relate to the Third magic, of course. I'm not sure what else I might be missing for ideas.

Well, according to what little I've been able to find on Shuffle! Love Rainbow (the last "spinoff" game, with route extensions for Sia, Kaede and Primula), it's possible to use "Devil technology" to give Kikyou her own body - though apparently there's fallout over the King of the Gods having a Devil for a daughter . . .

The Kikyou history is ADORABLE. So adorable. Eeeee.

Yes. While Nerine is and remains my first choice, always (and I am ecstatic I managed to get my hands on Tick! Tack! for that reason), Sia and her sister are a close second . . .

A bit of context, though, for you to fully appreciate it: until I started watching a playthrough of Sia's story, I had no idea that Rin gave Kikyou her name, at its climax (up until then, she's referred to as "Reverse Sia") - to give her something of her own. The anime referred to her by name, so naturally, the Lunar would, as well . . . Not realising that he'd basically pre-emptively solved the big dramatic issue of the "Sia route" in the process.

(So, yeah - in a way, this is going to be a "New Game+" version of Shuffle!, since as far as those two are concerned . . . )

. . . On the other hand, if Sia's in a better mental position, I appear to have possibly made Nerine's issues a bit worse . . .