The Loli Grail War

[Twelveseal]

Head-desk Festival

Archery had been hell. It was one thing to work your muscles over and over, tightening, holding, releasing. It was another to do it when you could sport a brand new pair of nipple rings. Damn, they still stung. Every time she moved, it hurt. Bandaids only helped so much. And all that pain, not to mention the bandaids, and the constant movement… ugh. They were sensitive as hell. She had tried to spend most of the club assisting the kohai, but things hadn’t gone as well as she’d liked, and she’d had to do enough demonstrations for the new members to make her want to scream.

The only saving grace was not having to deal with that loud-mouthed idiot, Matou-kun. It wasn’t odd for him to skip club, and normally she’d be pissed, but today… Today she praised the gods for giving her mercy. She couldn’t handle his stupidity today. She’d have killed him outright. Ugh. Whatever happened to the days when he was actually tolerable?

Dragging herself into homeroom, she sat in her desk with a heavy thud. Maybe she should be more worried about her figure? She was gaining weight in muscle mass, and she didn’t want to end up looking masculine. She’d lose her bet with Tohsaka if that happened.

And that was really not something she wanted to do.

But that was in the future. Right now, she knew how she felt. Honestly. From the depths of her heart and soul. It was a truth beyond words.

Those girls were evil.

She was weak, she was tired, she hurt in ways that she had never hurt before. And she was scared. In all her life, she had never felt so truly helpless. Those… those things were so far beyond the scope of humanity that she couldn’t even begin to compare. The way that one, Euryale, moved, dancing from rooftop to rooftop like a ballerina, rolls and flips and pirouettes to make the greatest of Olympic Gymnasts give up the art. And Stheno, her strength was mind-boggling. To watch a little girl rip a slab of concrete out of the ground and throw it like a discus… Reason had left her at that.

She had fled in the face of that madness. She had hidden inside the school as those three monsters had tried to rip that little girl to pieces. She was ashamed, but…

She was glad she did. Because the moment she heard the first howl, she knew. She could never have stood out there. She would have died the moment she saw that thing, whatever it was. She had actually… leaked. Uuuuuuggggh. And it had only been the beginning. The smallest one, that tiny Medusa, who had bounced and leapt and cartwheeled with that ridiculous chain and daggers like a circus performer, had become something that went beyond reason or understanding. Just seeing her from behind, she knew with absolute certainty. This was real. None of it was a dream. The clash of steel, that glimpse of black blade and bronze meeting in the night. The sparks of metal on metal and the crush of great impacts.

War had come to Fuyuki, and she had witnessed it.

Heaving a sigh, Mitsuzuri Ayako let her head slump to her desk. Glancing over to where her eternal rival Tohsaka sat, she noticed something funny. Tohsaka-chan was doing the exact same thing. She looked pale, anemic really. And dead tired. Yeah. That was funny. There was no way she was putting up with something insane like this. What reason did she have to be that tired? A bit surprised, she looked around the room a bit, only to find the phenomenon there, too.

Makidera was just as enthusiastic about the love affair between her face and her desk as they were. And Himuro? And Saegusa? Was there something going around? This wasn’t normal. But…

She was too tired to care. Kuzuki-sensei would not be happy, but he was a disciplined man, so it was ok. He would understand if she said she was feeling sick. Though with this many…

She heard a bell for a moment. Not the normal school bell, but a faint chiming. Glancing around from her desk, she noticed a cute kitten on the windowsill, looking into the room. It looked well-cared for, with its big bow and little bell. But it was gone almost as soon as she saw it.

At which point Kuzuki-sensei entered the room. He asked for roll, and the class rep handled it perfectly fine, as usual. At which point he went on, in that hypnotic monotone of his, to explain something unusual.

“Beginning today, your class will have a new student. Please give her the same respect you give each other.”

“Thank you, Sensei.” Looking up from her desk, Ayako saw something truly…

She had hair like a croissant. Huge, dangling ringlets. It was just so ridiculous. How much time did it take to make your hair stand out like that!? Even simple care could take a lot of time, if you were thorough. Mitsuzuri did have her pride as a woman, after all. She wasn’t going to abandon her appearance totally in favor of her athletic development. She knew about good hair care. But something like that would need to be carefully styled and prepared, and it would need help.

Then there was that vivid blue dress. And those heeled boots… She was like something out of one of those eroge things some of the boys in the club played. She was too over-the-top. It was surreal. And to top it all off, there was one more thing.

She was beautiful.

If she had been only a little attractive, she couldn’t have managed that look. But she had it. Curves in all the right places. That regal bearing of status, and clear signs of wealth. It was like she was looking at someone who would fit that title Ojousama. Someone who would conquer the school with her good looks, charisma, and wealth.

They were going to have one of those relationships. She could tell.

They were only going to be friends if they went at each other with everything they had.

This woman was just like Tohsaka-san.

Speaking of which, Tohsaka looked like she had already reached a similar conclusion, but… Was that recognition in her eyes? Did they know each other? Nah. Couldn’t be. I mean, why would Tohsaka know this foreigner? As far as she knew, Rin had never left the city, let alone the country.

“Introduce yourself to the class.” It was a straightforward command. “Of course, Sensei.” She turned to face them all. Wait. Was she staring at Tohsaka? “Hello, my dear classmates. Please, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Luviagelita Edelfelt. I would be most grateful if you would welcome me into your class.” It was elegant, refined, and rehearsed. It wasn’t natural at all. But she bet she, Tohsaka, and maybe the Track Squad were the only ones aware of it.

Luviagelita Edelfelt. This one was going to be trouble.

With disturbing unity, the heads of five worn girls returned to their desks. The thump was stereo.

[ItsaRandomUsername]

Then I can expect the quality of this story to keep? AWESOME. The multiple subplots going on is one of the reasons I like this story so much.That and the lolis and sex-goddess Archerko.

Don't forget the background shorts with those other characters as well, wouldn't wanna miss those! You will be posting everything you have written thus far, right?

EDIT: I see that the Crimson Moon one has already been posted. Excellent~
Broken link is broken D: ...

[Twelveseal]

Other Side
His head hurt like a bitch. Did anyone get the number of that Type? Oooh. He wanted to puke. Hell, it felt like he’d been cooked on the inside, and frozen on the out. It sucked. And the sad thing was, he knew exactly what that feeling meant.

Something had interfered with his Magic.

There wasn’t a lot that could do that. Another Magic. A Type. A handful of Servants. Gods. Terrors. Planets getting pissy. Most of the above had learned not to mess with Zelretch. Anybody who can punch out a Type can handle himself. Hell, he had even beaten Chuck Norris once.

What? He asked for it.

But that was beside the point. He felt like he’d been binging Dwarvish Ale all night. Hell, he might have been. You don’t remember shit after that. It’s some good shit.

He tried opening his eyes. And regretted it. It fucking hurt. He wondered if this was what a migraine felt like, all blinding light and pressure. It felt like his head was going to pop. He took some deep breaths. He tried to calm down some. He’d need to get his bearings and figure out how the hell to handle this shit. Damn. He still couldn’t remember anything.

Whooooo. Time to get up. He pushed himself up slowly, his body feeling weird. It was a lot lighter than he remembered. And he felt really dizzy. That didn’t help any. Still, he managed to get to his feet. Wobbly, sure, but on his feet.

He wasn’t really doing too bad at all, all things considered. He was the only person he knew who could survive fucking up inter-reality gating. Except maybe those Witches. And they were no fun really. Their games were always predictable. Still, they knew how to relax in style, at least. Maybe they should hang out again. Some of them were pretty cute. Ahh, what was it about the lolis?

Oh well. He had work to do. Shielding his eyes, he took a good look around. Well damn. Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore. Let alone Hawaii. This isn’t Japan, either, is it? This is… Is this even part of the Earth?

The scene before him was like some trippy 60’s dream sequence. Seems like he should lay of the Beatles for a while, at least. There was running color, half-melted buildings, like some distorted cityscape. There was the beach he had been sitting on, and a huge expanse of water. That was way more than he had brought. Taking a good luck, there were odd patches of black ooze that looked like some sort of solidified curse seeping through the scenery in places. It was like everything was bleeding black blood. All around it were the accoutrements of modern society, ancient society, and things in between. Heh. Was that a British Phone Box over there? That big blue clunky thing. Damn. It was, wasn’t it?

Hmm? It was moving. Ok. It’s not like this is a weird or even remotely dangerous situation. Time to stick his nose where it didn’t belong. He sensed Troll potential.

Walking up to the thing took longer than he expected… About halfway there, he realized something. Why hadn’t he noticed before, actually? His skin, once tough like old leather, had smoothed out and softened. And he was a lot shorter. What the hell? He’d need a mirror, but he’d get around to it later. Everything seemed to be intact, at least. It’s not like he had turned into a little girl or anything. I mean, that’s just absurd. He knew he was way to awesome for that.

He started back up the beach, and before long hit the abandoned board walk. The Phone booth was tilted, leaning on a fence, and something was moving around inside. Heh. Alright. Let’s do this. He reached up, put both hands on the raised edge, and heaved down, flipping the thing all the way upright.

The sudden movement dislodged whatever had been rummaging around inside. That just happened to be a little cherry redhead girl who looked like she should be in middle school. And who also looked really pissed. But that didn’t matter. It was funny watching her pick herself up off her cute little ass. Damn, what was it about the loli’s? Heh. A blue eyed red head. And cute. Wonder if she’s a tsundere.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing, punk? You’re supposed to be working on the Gate Crystal. Get your shota ass over there and get that thing set up, or I’ll kick your ass.” Hellooooo. What the hell was this? He wasn’t used to hearing somebody talk to him like that. It was kind of refreshing, really. He could get to like the little firecracker. But wait. Did she say shota…

He took another look at himself, and… Well damn. He’d been turned into a kid. Heh. This was… different. Not really bad, but different. He hadn’t been a kid in a long time. Not since before he’d been a teenager, really. Hardy har har.

Okay. This wasn’t bad at all, actually. Now that he thought about it, if this was real, it could add damn near another fifteen centuries to his life. Not to mention it’d be easier to get the old Kaleidoscope going. Hmm. There was something he was forgetting though. Hmm. What was it?

Eh. He couldn’t remember. It must not be that important. It was odd though. This girl seemed to think he was someone else. Well, time to burst some bubbles.

“Sorry kid, but I have no idea who you are. So why don’t you tell me where exactly I am, ok?” Ok. Odd reaction… She looked hurt for a sec, but now she just looked really pissed. “Soooo. Even after we did that, you still… Ooh. Oooh. You may not have turned into a girl the way that other guy did, but I’m gonna do it for you!” Her leg flashed out with crazy speed, aiming a shot for his crotch that would have crushed a couple bricks with ease. It had to be that strong at least just to hurt his monster balls. But he was already gone, a good two meters back by the time it passed where his body had been. Heh, pretty spry, for a white guy. Great. One bad joke and he had a song stuck in his head.

And that’s when shit went nuts. The girl’s foot exploded in blue light, some monster circuit in her body rolling out so much power he couldn’t even begin to understand where it was coming from. A beam of searing blue light flashed down at his head like an executioner’s axe, melting everything in its path. Concrete boiled, wood vaporized, and sand turned to glass where the beam hit. He dodged nimbly to the left, the arc missing him by a hair as it scorched the edges of his Hawaiian shirt.

But that wasn’t the end. The girl kept that foot going, slamming it down into the planks beneath her, it detonated like a bomb. A tremendous shockwave of raw Prana roared outwards, shoving the phone booth back over like it had been, causing the ground to buck like a wild animal. Only the swift cut of his jeweled sword saved him, its edge drawing on the sharpness of countless possibilities. As the land heaved, though, so did the girl. She used the force of the blast to hurl herself at him, turning in mid-air to bring her other leg around. It, too was wreathed in a nimbus of blue Prana.

He lunged forward to dodge the tremendous arc of her leg as it cut a horizontal swath of ruin amidst the already ravaged place. The tremendous heat singed of some of his hair, the smoking smell of it lost amidst the growing scents of ruination. But… this was his chance!

As he passed under her, he started to pivot, heaving his now small frame to the side, aiming for the fulcrum of her turn… her ass! In the epic tradition of all lecherous old men, Kischua Zelretch Schweinorg palmed both of those little cheeks and grabbed, yanking on her blue jeans, and slamming her into the ground. She landed with a yelp, turning and pointing. Butt, uh… I mean, but… What exactly was this crazy girl pointing a… Oh. Shit.

Countless tiny sphere were floating in the air. Clusters of them surrounded him, each one a pulsing blue bomb, just the same as those beams. She took the time to rub her ass where it had hit the ground. It would probably bruise, assuming she lived through this mess. He had held back, but still, he was a strong old ma, er, young kid. Too bad. Maybe he should have slammed her head instead. Then he wouldn’t be in this situation. A storm of death was waiting. Not that he couldn’t survive it, but still, it would probably hurt a little.

“I’m going to kill you. I’m going to flatten you like a pancake.”

“Hey, Aoko! What are you doing blowing stuff up again! At least tell me you found Gil. I’ve already finished the Crystal, so we need to find that Goldie for the damn Vimana. Once we’ve got that, it’s just you, so hurry up with the Tard… uhhh. What?” That’s exactly what he’d like to know. Did this guy just say Aoko? As in Aozaki? Nice. That explained a lot. But who the hell was this handsome little kid.

Wait. Now he was starting to remember. The reason he had come here in the first place, wherever the hell here was. The damn surf contest! So that meant…

“Let me guess. Wizard Marshal Zelretch, right?” It was said in stereo by the same person.

[Twelveseal]

Broken links? There was a broken link somewhere? Or do you mean the old board?

[Twelveseal]

Curse of Lorelei I

Fujimura-sensei hadn’t come. It was like a sign She had called only a few minutes after she had asked Senpai about his “imouto.” There had been some sort of emergency in the immediate family, and she had been forced to take the day off from work. Not to mention she hadn’t been able to make it for the rest of her normal routine. She hoped everything was all right, but she wished Sensei were here right now. She wouldn’t have stood for this fake sister. Muuuuu…

It wasn’t just jealousy, or anger, or a sense of loss. No, really, it wasn’t. It was that girl. She knew that girl was lying.

She trusted Senpai. She knew him, and knew how honest he was. And she trusted her Servant. That girl had the same… feel, to her as Senpai. Both were very honest people. She could trust them both. Have faith in them both. So she believed her Servant when she said her class was Archer. This girl could not also be Archer. There was only ever one member of each class. Well, except for that one time with the Edelfelts, but that was a unique circumstance.

This girl was lying to Senpai.

But why?

That’s what really worried her. She couldn’t let Senpai stay with something like that. What would happen if they were attacked, and she couldn’t fight the way she said? What if she was using Senpai? She had heard of cases where a Servant had turned on its Master before, though they were very rare. She had never heard of a Servant lying to its Master though. She had to make sure Senpai stayed as far away from that girl as she could. For his own protection.

Maybe… Maybe she could ask… No. They wouldn’t help her. Just because she asked, they wouldn’t. Well… Grandfather might. But he’d use it against her. He’d make her “pay” for it. And Shinji, would he help? No. He’d be even worse. Plus, without a Servant…

She’d have no reason to come here anymore.

Spying on Senpai, as much as she hated it, was the only reason Grandfather allowed her to come here. No matter how much… ooh. She was a selfish girl. She couldn’t just walk away from him. Even if it hurt him. Could she? I-if his life was really in danger…

Senpai was more important. She didn’t deserve his kindness. She was just a lying pervert. She should just do it. She should ask them for help. Even if it meant even more time in the basement. Even if it meant never coming here again. So long as she kept Senpai safe… That was all that mattered. But she needed to get those two apart. The longer that Servant was close to him, the stronger her control would be, sooo…

“Umm. Senpai? W-would you like to go to school together?” It wasn’t something she had a right to ask. She knew it wasn’t. He was too good for her, but maybe he would. Ohhh. She had never wanted to walk with him so much as now!

Please, please, Senpai, just say yes!

“I’m sorry Sakura.” He looked surprised, and sad. “I really need to finish getting Archer settled in before I go. She just arrived last night, and things aren’t really set up for her just yet.” He looked upset, but she couldn’t tell why. Was it because she had asked him for something? Was it what she had asked? Was it because he couldn’t do it?

Or was it because she had annoyed him?

She thought back to what she had seen that morning, what she had walked in on. Had that been… No. It couldn’t have been. Could it? Had he really wanted that Servant to… Had she actually walked in on them trying to have s-sex?

Maybe… Maybe he was just trying to make her feel better. Senpai was kind like that, wasn’t he? Maybe he had really wanted that girl. Maybe he had chosen that girl. Maybe he l-loved that girl. And maybe she was in the way of his happiness.

Was she in Senpai’s way?

She felt something crack inside her again. “O-okay, Senpai. I’m sorry I bothered you with it.” He looked really surprised. “It’s not a problem at all, Sakura! Any other time, I’d love to. It’s just that right now, I really need to take care of some things around the house. I’m really sorry!”

He felt as honest as always. But maybe he was just looking out for her, trying to make her feel better. She didn’t deserve his kindness. No, here she was, making him go out of his way to make her feel better. Maybe he knew? Maybe he had known, all this time. Maybe he knew how she felt about him? And he didn’t feel the same. She knew it, deep down. She had never had a chance. Who would want an impure woman like herself? Someone who was so… so… unclean.

No. She was like his little sister, too. Just like that Servant claimed to be. And now she was getting in the way of his love with that girl. He was trying to make her feel better when she had… But, but wait! She could be jumping to conclusions. After all, Senpai wouldn’t lie to her, would he? She knew it was a selfish thing, but please, let her ask just one more thing. Please, Senpai!

“S-senpai, could we, maybe…” She was blushing. She had blushed before, with her last question, but asking another only made it worse. She lowered her head to hide her face. Her hand clamped down on her wrist where her other arm hung in front of her, tightening until the fingers dug into the underside, where Senpai couldn’t see. She deserved the pain for imposing on him. It was part of her punishment for asking for too much.

“Would Senpai like to eat lunch with me?” It was a meek little voice. “The Archery Dojo is always empty at lunch.” Please say yes! Please say yes! Please say yes!

At some point, it had become more to her than just a mission, than just his safety. It had become a sign of his care for her. Please say yes!

He brightened at that, a big smile on his face. “Sure. We’ll meet up outside the dojo at lunch, ok?” She just nodded, so happy she felt like she was going to tear up.

And so she had headed out. She would put her faith in Senpai, just like always. He would meet her for lunch, and she would find some way to save him from this deceitful little… Ahem. This deceitful Servant. She headed out into the morning, prepared to face the day as best she could.

But like the horizon, slowly hinting at a coming storm, there was a shadow of doubt in her.

Was she in Senpai’s way?

[ItsaRandomUsername]

The link that says "Ultimate" is broken.

And the "Curse of Lorelei" sub-plot begins - a personal favorite of mine.

[Twelveseal]

Oops. My bad. That wasn't supposed to be a link. I accidently wrote the wrong tag.

[Grant]

This is good. I have no idea how it's happening or even what's going on, but it's good.

[ItsaRandomUsername]

You'll find out eventually why these fair maidens have been called to do battle for the Waltz soon enough.

Whoops, wrong eroge.

[Twelveseal]

Ahhhhh. I feel Princess Waltz should have had a sequel, myself. Especially with that open ending.

[Twelveseal]

Coffee Run
“No. Seriously. Just no.”

What was this brat’s…

“WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN WE DON’T HAVE ANY COFFEE!!!!???”

Gaaaah! Shit! That freakin’ hurt. Ok, so he got the idea. They were out of coffee, and little SHI-chan wanted some. Big deal. It wasn’t exactly something they were going to die from.

Besides, the entire reason they were out was because the little caffeine junkie had already drunk it all. Just how the hell she did that without ever using the bathroom, he could only guess. They had had half a can left in the pantry.

“Look! Just go get me some damn coffee, already. And not the canned shit, either. Good beans, you hear! That canned crap only tastes good if the company’s good.” He wondered if that was some sort of thinly-veiled insult. Alright. So he didn’t wonder. He was just being nice.

Shit. He wasn’t going to get any peace if this kept up. And he couldn’t send the brat out to get her own. She may look like a kid, but damn, there was a limit on just how weird you get and still go out in public! It wouldn’t have been a big deal for somebody his age to go around with a red tattoo all over on side of his face and neck, or with bleached white hair and red contacts, or pointed fingernails like claws. I mean sure, he’d stand out, but there were people like that, especially in bigger cities.

It’d never work for a little girl that looked like she was twelve.

Can you say Child-Welfare?

Tohno wasn’t much help in that. From what Arihiko could tell, he couldn’t see anything more than a meter in front of him as anything but a blob. Except for those lines he was talking about. He said those were clearer than ever before. He said they looked like they glowed… Still, it wasn’t like he could just go walking outside like that. Especially not in place this big that neither of them knew.

And Sacchin wasn’t any help, either. She had spent most of the morning, locked away in the deepest, darkest closet they could find. Apparently, she didn’t tan well. Sucks to be her.

That just left the horse.

No.

Just no.

So he was the only one who could go get the groceries, and SHI-chan’s damn coffee. And don’t forget the filters, blah blah blah. Shut up!

He heaved a sigh of resignation. “Yo, Shiki. I’m heading out to get some stuff. You need anything? Snacks, Eyedrops for the Blind condition?” He laughed a little. Too bad it was dry. “Sorry to burst your bubble, Arihiko, but last time I checked, this wasn’t a video game.” Oh really? “And last I heard, summoning spirits from beyond the grave was something you only did in video games. I guess you’re probably right, though. If your life was a video game, knowing you, it’d be an eroge.” He stopped for a second and looked at the closet. Maybe he should… Just in case. Yeah. “Speaking of which, dude. Should I get some condoms, or what?”

“Nah. Don’t bother. It’s not like I have anyone to use them with.” Really? You serious?

Huh? He could swear he could hear crying coming from the closet. Eh, must be imagining it. Vampires sleep during the day, right?

“Later then, dude.” He started to head out when…

“Arihiiiiko-san!!! Take me with you!”
Hell.
No.
Why should he go walking around with the freakiest of the freakshows in this house. She didn’t even have hands, man! Just hooves! How the hell do you explain that to people? ‘I’m sorry, my sister was born deformed.’ No. Not happening.

“You can stay here and keep SHI-chan company, right? Right! Then it’s settled!” He gave her his best ‘elder-brother’ look, which really wasn’t that good considering he was a younger brother, and patted her head.

“Just shut up and take her with you. You don’t need to go off on your own and get yourself massacred until after you bring me some coffee. Then you can go die. She should be able to enter Astral form, so no one will see her but you, and people with weird eyes like that guy. And don’t call me SHI-chan. If you have to talk to me, call me SHIKI-sama, or Goshujinsama, or Kami.”

Riiiiiiiiight.

“Alright, watch it around these freaks, bro. Later Sacchin,” Damn, it still sounded like someone was crying in that closet. Must be the sea noises. Yeah. Just don’t think about it. “Later, SHI-kun!” “Don’t call me that either, dumbass!” What the… He nimbly dodged a flying boot from the next room. Just where the hell had she found a boot? Nobody wore boots here. Looks like there still might be hidden spots in this old house.

“C’mon horse. Giddyup!” “That’s not very funny, Onii-chan! I’m a well-respected holy book, remember?”
Yeah, right. Whatever. You’re a horse. A dead horse.

Wait, didn’t that add a new fetish to his list of… nevermind.

But damn! This town was huge! He had been comparing it to Misaki, but really, there wasn’t much of a comparison at all. This place was a big port town, with great beaches, lots of businesses, and big residential areas. They had toured the city before, but it was just a general look-around. Nothing detailed. There was really a lot here. That said, he should get started, especially with those clouds coming in. It looked pretty nasty out over the sea.

All in all, the whole trip took a couple of hours. He had stopped at a few places along the way, done some window shopping and stuff. He had picked up a three small hoodies for the “kids.” Nanako and SHI-kun really needed them, what with the weird marks and the odd ears and things. He picked up a couple of flashlights, too. That storm looked nasty, and he really didn’t want to be caught without light in a strange house. Especially with Shiki nearly blind already. He also picked up some bath-sets and some spare clothes for the kiddies. They couldn’t run around in freak-gear all the time, right?

All the while, Nanako oohed and aahed over his shoulder like an idiot. Apparently, she wasn’t normally allowed out of the house. He could understand why. She could get really annoying if you let her just run around. Still, she was kind of cute like that… Damnit. There he went again. Oh, hell with it. If you discounted the freaky parts, she was pretty cute. Give her a few years, and she’d really be worth going after. Sad thing was, when she wasn’t talking, SHI-kun was the same way.

He really didn’t know how to feel about that.

Well. He had bought all the basic stuff he needed. A lot of the bare necessities were already in the house to begin with. Hell, the pantry had even had some canned food and coffee and stuff that was still good.

At least until the horse had demolished it all.

The groceries were next. Fresh vegetables, fruit. Lean meat. Milk and eggs. Good fish. Bread. Butter. Lots of rice. Soy sauce. Vegetable Oil. He lucked out. Carrots were on sale. He bought a whole damn box. Juice, of several kinds. Some salt, pepper, seasonings, and flour. And yes, a shit-load of coffee. The good stuff that crazy brat kept asking for. Not to mention some tea, and hell, even some hot chocolate. Hell, the only reason he had been able to get all that was that the grocer worked with a delivery service. It would all be dropped off by bike by the time he had managed to walk back. Now that was a convenience store! By that time, it was starting to get dark. Which was odd. It was too early.

Oh shit. That storm from earlier was really moving in. They really needed to get home if they didn’t want to get soaked. He could hear thunder in the distance.

He could feel the temperature dropping as he headed out, the air pressure going with it. It was coming. The wind was starting to pick up now, fluttering his white shirt and ruffling his hair.

It took him a lot less time to get home. No. Really. He moved pretty fast. But even so, pretty fast wasn’t fast enough.

The bottom dropped out when he was just in sight of the house. Why had he tried to dodge traffic along the beach. The surf was pounding hard a little too close for comfort. Visibility was pretty low, with sheets of cold, stinging rain falling fast.

This was the kind of weather to make a guy sick. He felt sorry for anyone caught out in it.

Self included.

“Oniichan.” Hmm? What?

“O-oniichan! Look!” What now!?

He looked. And he saw.

He dropped the few bags he had carried with him.

He had to hurry.

[Twelveseal]

Curse of Lorelei II

She had been shocked when she reached the school.

Not only had Nii-chan not made it on time to the Dojo, he hadn’t made it at all. It wasn’t that unusual for him to miss club, but he usually let her know when he was going to skip. It worked out though. Mitsuzuri-senpai looked very tired, and her movements were stiff, awkward. She seemed off her game, too. She was usually much more accurate when she shot, and she didn’t normally spend as much time coaching the other members.

It must have been hard on her, with Fujimura-sensei gone as well.

The hard work in club, the strenuous activity and the help she had to provide to Mitsuzuri-senpai helped keep her mind off what had transpired that morning. She just kept telling herself over and over that she would be eating lunch here in a few hours with Senpai. That was enough to make her blush and smile. She wondered if anyone noticed.

Even so, there were times when that nagging doubt came back. She couldn’t help but worry about it. Could she possibly be in the way of Senpai’s happiness?

It was like that through all of the first half of the day. The only thing that caught her attention was the absence of that foreign student, Rance-kun. It was the first time he had missed. Still, it was only a passing thought, and nothing more. Maybe she should feel bad, but she couldn’t bring herself to worry. She knew that one was a magus, after all.

As the time passed, she became more and more anxious. She really wanted to see Senpai! The more she thought about that morning, the more worried she became. But she couldn’t stop thinking about it!

And then the bell rang.

Lunch had begun.

It was something none of the other students had ever seen. Matou-chan? Running? Sure, it wasn’t flat out, but that was the fastest anyone had seen the normally sedate Matou Sakura move outside of gym. No one was hearing complaints from the male half of the student body. Or, for that matter, some of the female half.

She clutched the bentou close. She was in such a hurry, she nearly ran over a half-dead looking Tohsaka-senpai in the hallway. “Aahh! I’m sorry, Senpai!” She bowed profusely. It had been an accident, after all, but she had still bumped into Rin and… Was she all right. Now that she got a good look, Nee-san was very sick-looking. She was pale. Too pale. Even her lips were a lighter shade of pink than normal… And she wobbled a bit when Sakura had run into her.

What was wrong? Ohhh. B-but it was none of her business, right? Ohh. Senpai was waiting for her! But was Nee-chan alright like this? Muuuu. This wasn’t fair.

“U-umm. Tohsaka-senpai? Are you alright? Do… you need to go to the nurse’s office?” Her Nee-chan looked at her, surprised. Was if from the bump, or that someone had noticed how badly she looked? She knew the students well enough, even if she wasn’t really close to any of them. Not one person would acknowledge that Tohsaka Rin was anything but perfect, let alone sick. Well, except maybe that Senpai on the Student Council.

“I’m fine, Matou-chan. I’m just a little tired. I think I just need some fresh air. Be a little more careful next time, though.” And she headed up the stairs towards the roof. It seemed she had a lunch in hand, but it was really just something from one of the vending machines, so it couldn’t have been too good for her when she was sick. And it looked like it was going to rain, too. Was the roof really a good idea?

But she had no right to tell her sister what to do. And she had no right to keep Senpai waiting, either. She went more slowly now, but she still went.

The Archery Dojo was calling her name.

But Senpai wasn’t there.

She waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And the bell rang. She still wanted to wait. But she trudged back to class, late. Senpai had never come. Her bentou was untouched. The food Senpai had made that morning, had given her, had not even been uncovered. Her body was hungry. She wanted to eat. But right now, she didn’t feel like it. The food would not be eaten. Instead, a sick feeling was growing in her stomach.

She was in Senpai’s way, wasn’t she?

[ItsaRandomUsername]

Ahhhhh. I feel Princess Waltz should have had a sequel, myself. Especially with that open ending.

Yeah, with a big fantasy world that they live in, there is a good opportunity for a PW expaned universe. A fantasy eroge (with multiple routes, naturally)...might be fun.


And we have more Arihiko/Nanako goodness. Most excellent...

[Twelveseal]

Changes

A face was staring back at him. It was smooth featured, with large, expressive eyes. They were feminine eyes, childish eyes. They were a rich golden hazel color, somehow both strong and innocent. The hair of this person was long. Very long. It had a distinct reddish color to it, its length shining. It would be silky to the touch, he knew. The skin was oh so very pale, almost like porcelain, if it had veins like quartz in it. That skin was just as smooth as the hair.

This face would be the picture of a beautiful and exotic little girl. Except for one problem. The face was his. And he was definitely not a she anymore.

Archer stood, amazed at the change Avenger’s creations had produced. Gone were even the slightest hints that his body had ever been female, save for those smooth, childish features. And even then…

One could hardly mistake the rest of the changes. The second flask she had given him had granted him an adulthood that his female body could have never attained. Perfectly defined muscles, lean, strong, supple. His height, too, was excellent, or at least better than he had ever really hoped for. He had spent his whole adult life as a little girl. He had never heard of Alchemy that could do such things, with such ease.

Even if temporarily.

As if on cue, there was a groan behind him. Matou Shinji, looking very haggard, lay across the bed in his own room, face down. He was naked, except for a white towel hanging over his waist, as Avenger went to work rubbing some kind of concoction into his skin. A couple of hours ago, he had reverted back to his original state.

Except now he was hosting those… things.

It wasn’t Archer’s area of expertise, really, but someone he knew very well, someone he would die for, had once told him that those worms would kill a man. Or close to it, at least. They devoured the spine, part of the brain in men, rendering them paralyzed. In women, it was a different kind of hell, but…

How was he still healthy? Sure, he had been a woman when she had forced him into the hole. He would have stopped her, had he known what was going on. Shinji was… He deserved a lot worse than what he had gotten, but even angry, that wasn’t something Archer would have forced on anyone. He had seen what kind of torment that was.

But now he was here, out of that pit, looking very, very sick. But still very much alive, and very capable of moving. So how had the strange girl done it? Just what were those weird mixtures she was using? Just what had she convinced him to drink? He had an ominous premonition… Something told him to be very careful around this Servant. She was weak, at least physically, but… That mind, that spirit.

She was dangerous in a way that was all too much like that old man.

Still, she deserved his thanks for this. With this, he could protect Sakura better. An adult body, a strong body, his reach and mobility improved. The vestiges of its circuits still intact, and the sheath of bone and muscle both sword and shield under his will. He flexed, testing its limits, stretching as far as it would go. He could hear the sinew cracking.

Maybe it was that faint noise that drew her attention, but Avenger glanced up from her work. “So, Archer-kun. Or is it Archer-san? Do you like Amber-chan’s work?”

“Yeah. It’s perfect!” And it was. Really. Even with the time limit, it was more than he could have dreamed of.

“That’s great! Ah, but just remember. It’ll run out eventually. When that happens, just come back here, and I’ll have some more ready.” The little Avenger giggled, hiding her mouth behind a sleeve. Somehow, though, he didn’t feel comforted by her happiness. And that was something truly strange, for him. Maybe it was just because he had to rely on someone else? He had never been too comfortable with that, after all.

“Thank you, Avenger-san.” It was honest. After all, he was the type of person who would be honest to a fault. Wait, did she just blush? “It’s nothing, Archer-san. You remind me of someone I used to know, though, so I couldn’t help it.”

Really? He wondered who. Maybe he could get away with asking?

“And who was that?” A past lover, maybe, or someone who had saved her life? Maybe even a childhood friend?

“My sister! She was sooo good at cleaning. I always envied her.” Oh. She was giggling again, this time it seemed, at some far off memory. Or at him.

Well, on to other matters. He really should see how Shinji was doing. He was a dick, but Archer had been his friend a long time. He at least owed him a little concern. Maybe.

“So, Avenger-san? How’s he doing?” It was hard to tell if Shinji was conscious or not. His eyes were fluttering, but…

“He’ll be fine. Onii-chan may not look like it, but he’s pretty resilient. His body was suited to this kind of thing, after all. It just needed some outside help. He should be awake and moving again by the end of the day.” She seemed pretty happy about that. He should probably warn her about his… interests. “Though he might walk funny for a while.” Eheh. Ow.

“Umm. Avenger-san. You really shouldn’t stay too close to him, when that happens. He’s not exactly…”
“I know, Archer-san. He’s a rapist, an abusive, dishonest little boy who can’t even admit his own weaknesses, so he takes it out on everyone around him. Right?” How did she… Could she read his mind!? He wasn’t even going to be that blatant about it, but she knew exactly what he meant. He remembered the darkness that the Avenger of his own time had been. The cursed brand, the consuming nightmare. This girl showed no signs of it, but he felt there was something very wrong with her, anyway…

He glanced over at the clock, and noticed just how late it was getting. Sakura should have been home already. And it seemed like it was getting darker… He went over to the window and looked out. Night was coming early. A storm was coming in. It was a comfort that he knew Sakura wasn’t in any danger. His bond as her Servant would let him know if she was. But still, he was starting to worry. She didn’t normally stay out like that. Not unless she was going over to hi- uh, to Emiya’s house.

That had to be it, right? She felt awfully far away, but maybe it was just him imagining it. He had no idea how the bounded fields layered in this house would interfere with his perceptions.

It came softly. The gentle tapping of rain on the roof far above. Soon, it turned into a pounding. The storm cut loose, thunder echoing in the distance as it rolled in off the sea. He knew what these were like. They could be really bad. A squall beaching itself on Fuyuki. They came with the Spring and the Fall. He quietly hoped that Sakura was at her Senpai’s home, warm and dry, in a place that loved her. It didn’t bother him at all if she spent the night there, with Shirou and Fujinee and Saber. His bond had to be distorted, after all. This place could do it. Why would she be that far…

And then he felt it.

Sakura was in danger.

Avenger had glanced down to check on her Master, only to look up with shock.

Archer was already gone.

He himself didn’t even understand how he had managed it.

Outside, freed from the damping fields of the Matou house, he could see her, blazing like a torch. His senses had been right. She was nowhere near the Emiya house. “Trace On!” A bloody red sword formed in his hand, the hilt as long as the blade. Long ago, he had seen a weapon like it, but he had never been able to master it. So he had made his own. He drew on it, on the speed of the original’s wielder, and was gone into the storm.

Because Sakura wasn’t inside, safe and warm as the monstrous storm slammed into the shore.

She was on the beach.

[Twelveseal]

Curse of Lorelei III

She was sitting on the beach, thinking. They were not happy thoughts.

School had gone just the same as always. Empty. But Senpai hadn’t come.

He must have had something more important. She was definitely in his way. That was the way her thoughts had gone, a vicious circle that had continued throughout the day. Each repetition, each spiral, was like driving a nail into a coffin. It didn’t matter what it was that had drawn him away, really. It didn’t matter if it was that girl.

All that mattered was that she was in his way. Just by being there, she was in Senpai’s way. She was hurting him. She had no right to do that. She had never been good enough for him. She had always known that. But he had made her happy. Without even trying, he had made her happy. Maybe… maybe if she had been a little more forward…

No. No one could want something as broken as her.

And so the spiral had continued.

She knew she should have gone to Senpai’s house. He would expect her, right? She had to make him dinner. That’s what she had thought when she left school, but it wasn’t all. What if she got in the way of his love-making again? What if she interrupted him and that girl? What if, what if, what if…

Each question hurt. It was like someone were peeling back the layers of her skin to expose the wriggling worms beneath. She had walked. No. She had wandered. All through the streets of Fuyuki, careless of Masters and Servants and Grail Wars and death. What did it matter?

She had nothing to go back to.

Zouken and Shinji. They were waiting for her. It would be more of the same. More pain. More suffering. More mindless lust and humiliation. Her Servant couldn’t save her from that. She knew she couldn’t resist him. She felt sorry for Archer. That girl had wound up with such a pathetic Master, in such a worthless place. Why had that Servant even answered her? Pity?

She wanted to cry, but the tears wouldn’t come. So she had wandered. And she had stopped here.

She sat in the cooling sand, watching the lightning dance on the horizon, hearing the thunder’s primal rhythm. She wanted to scream at it, throw all of her anger, her sadness, all of this love that dug into her heart out at that storm. Somehow, it had become the symbol of everything that had gone wrong with her life. Had it really only been one day? Had all of it lost meaning in a single day? She lowered her head to her knees, but she still couldn’t cry.

The wind was starting to pick up, and she felt the first drops of rain. It made her think of the Matou’s. Of her twisted body, her distorted Affinities. They had made her into something unnatural. She hated them, deep down, but… It didn’t matter. She had never been the kind of person who would act on that, had she? She had always been too weak to fight them. After all, if she had seriously fought them, Zouken would have killed her, wouldn’t he? And then it would have ended. She had always been too scared, first for herself, and then for losing Senpai.

But now Senpai didn’t need her. He had someone else, didn’t he?

What did she have to lose? If Zouken reallywanted to, he could just stop her, right?

She stood up in the soft sand. And started walking towards the surf. Towards the storm.

She was in Senpai’s way. She was in Senpai’s way. She was in Senpai’s way.

“I’m in Senpai’s way. I’m in Senpai’s way. I’m in Senpai’s way…” It became a mantra, driving each step forward as the waves came up to greet her. She would end it, or Zouken would. One way or another.

She started to cry, finally, as the force of the sea drove her down, the sand swallowing her feet. The water stole her balance, and she toppled forward, sand and debris swirling around her. The surf blasted the air from her lungs, and her body jerked back in reflex, gasping for air. She absentmindedly wondered if she could be seen. The surf pulled back, dragging her forward, out towards the open waters. Only the grip of the wet, cloying sand held her to shore.

And then the water was back, pressing her down and pulling her out with the tide, digging furrows in the beach’s boundary, taking her breath with it. And this time, only water answered her lungs’ need. She stood looking into the border of two worlds, waiting for death. She choked, gagging, but it wouldn’t matter soon. How many waves would it take to pull her out? So long as she stayed here, it wouldn’t matter, would it?

Spots danced at the corners of her vision already, the edges blurred from the salt water. The sound of the surf and the sea filled her ears, along with the steadily rising beat of her own heart. She was getting dizzy, her body screaming for air already.

But there was only more water.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she wanted Senpai to prove her wrong, but he wouldn’t, would he? He didn’t even know where she was. It would be best for him if she just disappeared, right? Then she would be out of his way, and he could be happy. But still, she wanted him to save her.

The world began to fade. She couldn’t tell how many times the water had crushed her down. She couldn’t even tell that the rain had started in earnest. She couldn’t feel how cold it was, how cold she was. She was just numb. Her eyes weren’t working right. Her lungs, her whole chest, ached.

She saw something white, flickering across her vision.

Something red.

Senpai…?

She reached out with the last of her strength, and kissed him.

And then there was only darkness.

[Twelveseal]

Longest Night I

“It’s getting pretty bad out there.” Tohno Shiki sat by the fire they had set in the fireplace. SHIKI had found some wood in the basement, along with a bunch of other things, when she had gone exploring.

Heh. He hadn’t even known there was a basement. Apparently, the house had been very well-made. It seemed it was situated on an outcropping of solid rock. The stone had been cut out to a natural cave system, and a foundation had been poured to even it out and stabilize it. The place had a huge basement, most of it actually just a lighted cave system that went on for who knows how far.

He wondered just who had built it, and how it had wound up as a time-share in the hands of one of Ichigo-san’s friends. Not for the first time, he wondered just who his friend’s sister really was…

The storm outside could have been heard easily for a long time, though it had been far away for most of it. Just the wind, and a few short bursts of rain up on the shore itself. Even without being able to see it, Shiki could hear the rain out there over the waves when the surf pulled back. That was one really big storm. You didn’t get stuff like that in Misaki.

And then it had bottomed-out. The downpour sounded like a thousand hammers on the roof. With the sun so thoroughly blocked, even Yumitsuka came out of hiding. SHIKI had started some coffee a while back, and she had been willing to share it, at least once she got her own cup anyway. So they had sat by the fire, absorbing the warmth while the storm played out.

He hoped Arihiko and Nanako-chan were alright out there. He knew that the shopping had gone well. After all, a guy about his age had delivered all those bags of groceries. SHIKI kept saying something about the man having some nice scars, but with his eyes the way they were, he couldn’t tell.

Heh. He couldn’t help but chuckle. That had reminded him. It seemed Arihiko really had bought eyedrops. Not to mention condoms, apparently. Just what was he hoping for, anyway? He couldn’t seriously be thinking about… Well, he supposed he wasn’t one to talk. There was Len, after all.

He wondered just how everyone was doing back home. Right now, this trip seemed like it was a bust. Sure, they had summoned the Servants Akiha had talked about, but these definitely weren’t mythic heroes of legend. All he had now were more questions, and the distinct sensation that the world had a sick sense of humor.

“Heh, looks like that idiot finally made it back.” Hmm? Arihiko was outside in this? Damn! He should have just stayed indoors. Then again, they say idiots never catch colds, so he should be alright. Still, sometimes he wondered just why he had become friends with an idiot like that.

“I’ll get it.” He stood to get the door, walking at what he felt was a safe pace. Until he tripped and fell on something.

“Gah!” What the hell! What was… Why was there a boot laying in the floor? No one wore boots here. Where the hell had it come from? And why was SHIKI laughing like that? It wasn’t that funny, was it?

At about that time, the door started to shake. Arihiko must be really pounding on it. But why? “Oopen uuup!!! Hurry!” Nanako-chan? She kept on yelling. What was going on? The pounding just got louder. It sounded like he was trying to kick the door in, almost. Shouldn’t he have been able to do that? Shiki had fought with him before, and he could attest, Arihiko was pretty damn strong for a normal person. Without relying on his Nanaya’s breeding or his Mystic Eyes, he’d actually be hard pressed to keep up with his friend. Especially in strength and endurance.

“I got it!” Sounded like Yumitsuka had made it to the door first. He didn’t think SHIKI had even moved from her chair. He heard the sound of the door unlocking, followed by…

“Kyaaaaah!?” Slam! Thud. It sounded almost like the door had been ripped off its hinges. Yumitsuka groaned from somewhere nearby as the fury of the storm outside blasted in. Cold air and water slanted in the doorway as Arihiko and Lancer rushed in. His clothes were soaked through and plastered to his body like a second skin. But that wasn’t important. What was important was slung over his back, just as soaked, and caked with sand.

Arihiko was carrying a girl.

[ItsaRandomUsername]

Kickass story arc starts...NOW

[Twelveseal]

Red Devil Under the Weather

He had managed to make it to school with only minor molestation. It seemed that his Servant, Archer, or Archerko as she insisted he call her, was a lot more… mature… than she looked. After Sakura had left, she had tried to take a bath with him. And then some.

Umm. Not that he wasn’t a healthy young man, far from it, but there was a bit of discomfort in the idea that this little girl wanted to jump his bones. Especially considering they had just met and, well, he just wasn’t… experienced with that kind of thing.

Besides, he really needed to get to school, and he had just promised Sakura he would eat lunch with her. He had seen how she looked at Archerko. There was a lot of disapproval there.

It hurt him to admit it, but he could see where she was coming from. What kind of little girl acted like that? Where had she learned those… things. His mind was starting to fog at the memory. Really not good. He wasn’t a pervert. He was not a pervert. He was not a pervert. But the memory of that bare, slender body coming at him… No! Be strong, Shirou!

He had gotten to class to find everything normal. The only odd thing was Shinji’s absence, but that wasn’t a big deal. Sometimes Shinji skipped, after all. And he could more than keep the grades needed to pass, so he usually got away with it. Come to think of it, though, Shirou had never actually seen him sick. Weird.

At one of the changes in class though, something weird did happen. Tohsaka-san, from one of the other classes, came and stood by the door.

And that made him remember last night. That crazy little black-haired girl with the sword that had followed Tohsaka, the monstrous blonde child and the girl that looked like Archerko. It had all been so surreal. The feeling of claws rending his flesh… He shuddered. And it wasn’t just the memory. Tohsaka was glaring at him. He could feel it digging into his skin like needles.

She had said something about wanting to talk last night, but circumstances had prevented it. Archerko had said she’d sent her away, whatever that meant. And now he was starting to worry about just what that did mean. Tohsaka did not look well, or happy.

If he valued his life, he’d really better see what she wanted. Now.

So he headed out into the hall. For some reason, Tohsaka had an eraser in her hand. Weird. Up close, she really looked bad. She was pale, and looked sick. Was she anemic?

“I need you to come to the roof at lunch. It’s about what happened last night.” There was something he was supposed to do at lunch. He had to see Sakura. But… Damn! He hoped she’d understand. Someone could die if he didn’t handle this Grail War thing carefully. He could never forgive himself if that happened. Maybe, if he could make it short…

“Alright. I’ll see you there.” He hoped he wouldn’t regret this…

Class went like normal, though for some reason Kuzuki sensei’s class was observed in its entirety by a small black cat at the window. He guessed he should add to that Fujinee’s absence, but he had already known about that.

When lunch had come around, he’d managed to dodge the students asking for bites of his lunch to sneak away to the roof. It surprised him just how dark it looked on the horizon. It seemed they were in for a big storm tonight.

By the time he had arrived, Tohsaka was already there, a vegetable juice in hand. One of this healthy mixed kinds with lots of vitamins and minerals. Actually, it looked like she had a couple of those. Did she like that kind of thing?

The second she saw him, she started talking. Beginning with, “Close the door.” It turned out she wanted to make sure he understood what was really going on. The priest last night had been… difficult. The man seemed to enjoy twisting words and meanings, especially when they were important to his victi… uhh, listeners. He didn’t like that man. Yet he couldn’t quite place why. He had helped, after all. There was just something about him, though…

Something off.

Tohsaka went on to explain why he needed to keep his Servant by his side all the time. Easier said than done, there. The girl kept trying to do things to him.

“I really didn’t think you were like that, though, Emiya-san.” Hmm? What did she mean by that? Maybe she noticed his look of confusion, because she went on. “I didn’t think you liked little girls. No wonder you never, ahem, um, nevermind.” Huh!? Liked little girls!? Where did that come from? He had never had that particular… well, wait. He had that this morning, he supposed, but it was an entirely new thing. He had always liked women more like Tohsaka herself, or Sakura, though he hated to admit it. He really shouldn’t be looking at his best friend’s sister like that. Speaking of which…

She started to blush. “Well, she said that you needed to do a Prana Transference. Last night, I mean. In order to get your healing abilities working fully. She said you had done that before, so she didn’t need to worry about asking…” Prana Transference? What was that?

“Umm, Tohsaka? What are you talking about? What’s a Prana Transference?” He had a bad feeling…

She was blushing even more. “W-well. It’s where one person sends some of their Od to another, in order to give them more Prana to use for spells, or other stuff. Wait. How come you don’t know this?” This was the first he had heard about this kind of thing, and he said as much. At which point she blushed even further. She was starting to look like her sweater. It’d be really cute, but… She was starting to look mad, too.

“Umm. In order to do share Prana like that, the two parties need to share bodily fluids. Blood works, but… well, other things work better.” What exactly was she trying to say… He didn’t like where this was going…

“What do you mean, Tohsaka?”

“It means you had sex, you idiot!!! She had sex with you last night!!!”
…
…
Wut?

Saaaaaaaaaay Whaaaaaaat!!!!!????

He nearly dropped the bentou, which Tohsaka had been snacking out of for a while now.

He thought back to that morning, to the little girl half-naked in his futon. No. No. No.

Nonononononononononononononononononononononononono nonononononononononononononononononononononononono nonononononononononononononononononononononononono nonononononononononononononononononononononononono nonononononononononononononononononononononononono nonononononononononononononononononononononononono nonononononononononononononononononononononononono nononononononononononononononononono. No. Just no.

Somewhere in the conversation, not very far back, his mind had stopped working properly.

It seemed he had lost his virginity.

To a little girl.

And he didn’t even remember it.

Wait. There was a spark of clarity. She had said they had done th-that before, right? Hell no. He had only just met her moments before Tohsaka had arrived, so…

“She has to be lying. She only appeared a little before you showed up, so we couldn’t have done that before. Could she have really done that to me while… while I was unconscious like that?” Half-dead was more like it, really. He distinctly remembered the sound of his intestines splattering across the street.

“Uhh. I guess she could have, but you mean you didn’t summon her until then? So. Your Servant was lying, but why? What did she have to gain from getting me to leave?” Like he knew. What was that girl up to?

So, was he still a virgin, or not?

He passed the rest of lunch in a sort of daze as Tohsaka went on to explain what was going on and propose an alliance. It seemed strange things were going on with this war, if what Tohsaka had seen and the Priest had talked about were true. He had agreed, knowing it would help protect everyone if they worked together.

By the time he heard the bell ring for class, his confused mind had already forgotten that one important thing.

He had forgotten his promise.

[Twelveseal]

King

The storm outside raged, rattling the panes of the fine stained glass windows. Thunder followed the bright flashes of lightning as the wind howled like a savage beast. Sitting inside the church on the hill, one could truly appreciate the works of man and god alike. God’s creation, in all its power, roared without, while faith and the mercy of God protected those within. Such thoughts were worthy of this place.

But such were not the thoughts of Kotomine Kirei.

Things were not going well. Ignoring the injuries that had been inflicted on him that morning by his daughter’s Servant, things easily cured with simple Magecraft, the information Rin had brought him was nothing short of disturbing. And it made him better understand what was happening.

Last night, the spirit board had lit up. It had marked the appearance of several new Servants, much as it had ten years before. But there had been a troubling problem. Some of the lights had grown much brighter than normal. In fact, they had quite literally burned out, catching fire and smoldering like a burnt offering to a pagan god. Rider had been one such light.

In fact, it had been one already lit.

The only thing that made sense to him now was that there were somehow more Servants than the board could handle. Too many Servants. Too far beyond his control. Each and every light on the Spirit Board was black and charred, now. To him, that meant that there were at least two, if not more, Servants of each class.

Even more troublesome, at least three of those were things that should never be summoned by the Grail. A group of ancient Goddesses. A Dead Apostle. A True Ancestor. He couldn’t help but feel a little on edge. His wish to see the birth of the one in the Grail had hinged on his plans, and now…

Fraga was gone. Called away on some last minute mission before she could serve his purposes. His own Servant, Gilgamesh, had vanished over a month ago, with absolutely no idea where he went, only to return warped a few days ago, presence and power greatly diminished. His own daughter was not fully under his control, and her Servant…

And now, there were so many unknown factors. The filth in his veins even felt weaker, as if something were drawing on it. This was not normal. Not in the least. It was so strange that even the normally collected priest had misgivings. Not to mention his own ingrained discomfort at having vampires running around the city, even if they were Servants. If things got out of hand… The Burial Agency would ruin everything he had worked towards over the last decade. They would likely raze Fuyuki, and the Grail with it, just to keep the plague from spreading. It would be the perfect excuse to rob the Magi of their treasured Holy Grail.

And then there was that man. The one Tokiomi had bargained with. The man in black from Estray. The bounded fields that had covered his home had vanished last night. Even without venturing too close, Kotomine could feel it. That place had been the lair of a powerful vampire.

And now it was empty. He had absolutely no idea where that thing had gone, but he had felt a spike of power like nothing he had ever experienced in the moment that field fell. And then it vanished into thin air, as if it had never been there.

For once, as rare as it was, Kotomine Kirei was worried.

“What’s the matter, you fake priest?” The voice was distinct, carrying the bearing of absolute confidence and authority. It had faded some, it seemed, but it was still, unmistakably, the Archer. Gilgamesh.

“It doesn’t matter what’s summoned, or how many of them there are. They’re all just mongrels, after all. I’ll have my wish, and you’ll get to see what the Grail holds.” He turned to look at the golden king.

“No mongrel could ever claim what belongs to the King of Heroes.” It would have been more convincing if Gilgamesh had kept his former power. Or his height.

Or his gender.

[ItsaRandomUsername]

Oh you little minx, loli Archerko.

Fem!Gil.....LOLOL, still lulz worthy.