Dark Side of the Moon

Type Moon => Fanfiction => Topic started by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:08:23 AM

Title: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:08:23 AM
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-cf4CLN_Bzgs/USxu0Xi3QVI/AAAAAAAATXQ/BT87M5VTVow/s800/sample-53d98e1aed32f5ea5398127077d542e9.jpg) (http://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/1085913)
Click on image to view danbooru sauce (http://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/1085913)

Come then, hear the tale of that ancient house,
build with blood, upon a foundation of water and the worms that squirm.
Hear the tale of one of the scions of the house Matou,
Of his trials and tribulations.
Of the monstrous hero summoned,
to claim the most holy of relics.
Come, hear the tale of the Forth Holy Grail War.
Come, hear the tale of Heaven's Feel, once more.

It is time, Matou Kariya.
Your quest awaits,
Your servant to be awaits.
Your rivals and enemies stand against you,
What legends will they tell of you as you stand against fate?

- - -

Kariya Kwest
A retelling of the Fourth Holy Grail War

- - -


Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:08:53 AM
Time               : Day 4
Name               : Matou Kariya
Type               : The Worm That Walks As A Man / Magus
Command Seals      : 3
Servant            : Saver

Servant/Master Status
Saber              : Arthuria Pendragon   / Irisviel Von Einzbern, Emiya Kiritsugu (killed by Sakura)
Lancer             : Diarmuid Ua Duibhne  / Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi
Assassin           : Unknown Hassan       / Kotomine Kirei (servant NOT killed by Archer)
Archer             : Gilgamesh       
     / Tohsaka Tokiomi
Rider              : Iskander             / Waver Velvet
Saver              : MATOU Sakura 
       / Matou Kariya
Unknown Servant    : ------               / ------

Servant
Name               :
M̹̮̣̣͚̮̏͊̒̄̚a͗̇̌t̀̒ͮ̐o̰̼̻̤ủ̟̎̈́ͦ ̬͎̦͔̳͈ͯ͊ͦͅS̠̞̝̳͉̘͗a̜͓̭͙̱̜̺ͪk̭̤͉̞̥̮̂̋ͥu̬̹̳̜̗̖̥̇ͯͫr̳̙͍͚à̮̝͚̱̩̳̔̒̚
Class              : Saver
Also Known as      : Savior of Gaia, The All Devouring Shadow
Alignment          : Chaotic Neutral      N. Phantasm   : EX
Strength           : C                    Agility       : C
Mana               : EX                   Luck          : D
Endurance          : C

Class Skills:
N/A

Personal Skills:
Independent Action : A+
Magecraft          : C
Magic Resistance   : B
Mental Pollution   : C
Monstrous Strength : B

Noble Phantasms:
Cursed Boundary Layer                                   A+
Anti-Army
The Cursed Boundary Layer utilized by Sakura Matou makes a cursed shadow expand itself around her and uses it for teleporting herself, repairing physical damage, restraining and consuming others, tentacle attacks and generating her Shadow Giants. Created by the combination of her Shadow Element, the Magecraft of Matou line and Angra Mainyu’s power.
Confirmed/Verified Ability
- Teleportation   : Can transport self and other objects/beings, also momentum is maintained
- Flight          : Can create wings, much like the Blade Wing Worms to fly.
- Regeneration    : Can regrow limbs in literally moments, unknown limits.
- Storage         : Objects/people captured by her shadows can be stored in them. Unknown duration.
- Shadow Giants   : creation of shadow giants, each are not a match for a servant, but they're not alone.

Birth of the End                                        EX
Anti-World
By this crystalized mystery was the world saved. Everything ends in its time, thus did the world as humanity know turn upon them as The All Devouring Shadow rose from the ruins of Fuyuki and grew... devouring humans, monsters, spirits and counter guardians alike to fuel itself and its growth across the world. Leaving behind nothing but pristine nature itself and ruins where once humanity dwelled.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:10:03 AM
Helpful Links
None so far

~ Index ~
001 - Night 1 / Summoning (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1434.html#msg1434)
002 - Night 1 / Unity (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1435.html#msg1435)
003 - Night 1 / Sakura (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1436.html#msg1436)
004 - Day 2 / Dreams and Breakfast (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1437.html#msg1437)
005 - Day 2 / Ships passing in the night (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1438.html#msg1438)
006 - Night 2 / Across the Kaleidoscope Bridge (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1439.html#msg1439)
007 - Day 3 / The Tohsaka Gambit (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1442.html#msg1442)
008 - Night 3 / Encounter at the Wharf (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1443.html#msg1443)
009 - Night 3 / A Gathering of Heroes (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1444.html#msg1444)
010 - Night 3 / Flight of the Cherry Blossom (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1446.html#msg1446)
011 - Night 3 / Binding (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1447.html#msg1447)
012 - Night 3 / Gate of Babylon (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1449.html#msg1449)
013 - Night 3 / Familiars (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1450.html#msg1450)
014 - Night 3 / Discourse with a King (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1451.html#msg1451)
015 - Night 3 / Mastery of the Skies (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1452.html#msg1452)
016 - Night 3 / Mercy (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1453.html#msg1453)
017 - Day 4 / Sisters and a Day Out (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1454.html#msg1454)
018 - Day 4 / Man with a mission from YHWH. (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1455.html#msg1455)
019 - Night 4 / Daughter of the Dragon (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1456.html#msg1456)
020 - Night 4 / Dodgy Housewife (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1457.html#msg1457)
021 - Day 5 / Clone Wars (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1458.html#msg1458)
022 - Day 5 / Idols and Worms (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1699.html#msg1699)
023 - Day 5 / Dreams of Darkness (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg1975.html#msg1975)
024 - Day 5 / Choices (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg2164.html#msg2164)
025 - Day 5 / Infinite Shadows Works (http://darksidemoon.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,41.msg2204.html#msg2204)
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:10:37 AM
Ye first, O silver, O iron.

You breath in and focus on the array set before you, inscribed into the stone floor of the 'basement' located beneath the Matou mansion.

O stone of the foundation, O Archduke of the Contract.

You chanted, feeling the warmth of the prana within you as they burned along your magical circuits.

Hear me in the name of our great teacher, the Archmagus Schweinorg.

The worms within your body twitched.

Pain... ah... so much pain... you endure.

Let the descending winds be as a wall.
Let the gates in all directions be shut, rising above the crown, and let the three-forked roads to the Kingdom revolve.

The array inscribed in the ground glows with power.

Here, it has power.

Here, it is not opposed by the will of the world.

Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut. Shut.

You repeat the words. Careful to intone as your will sharpened.

Five perfections for each repetition.

And the net of prana spreads wide and far, enhanced by the leylines of Fuyuki city.

And now, let the filled sigils be annihilated in my stead!

The regents used in the ritual burn.

Blood carefully harvested.

Flesh and blood from your body.

Sacrifice.

Set.

You feel interest and attention now, from beyond the world.

Outside of reality.

Let thy body rest under my dominion, let my fate rest in thy blade.

Your invocation is as a beacon to those who have passed from life and now dwell in the realm beyond.

Known only in fullness to the Akashic Records.

The root of all reality.

If thou submit to the call of the Holy Grail, and if thou wilt obey this mind, this reason, then thou shalt respond.

You call to them.

I make my oath here.

Heroes, Villains, Monsters, and Gods alike.

They were something more than mortal men and women.

I am that person who is become the virtue of all Heaven.

You speak to their nature.

I am that person who is covered with the evil of all Hades.

The prana that you had hoarded carefully, that house Matou had carefully collected...

Spent in an instant in the ritual.

Amplifed by the leylines and the greater reserves that the Heaven's Feel ritual had stored over the last sixty years since the last Holy Grail War.

Thou seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words,

You speak to the heroes that were.

That could be.

That will be.

Of the need you bore.

And more, of how they would be manifested in the world once more.

And of the possible boon, of the wish that they could avail upon, if but you and it succeeded.

come past thy restraining rings, and be thou the hands that protect the balance-!

A flare of brilliance and...
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 1
 - - -

Notes
- so, this is Kariya Kwest.

Main character is Kariya Matou. But this is an AU set in the kaleidoscope, across the rainbow barrier of worlds.

Your vote choices for this post is to determine what kind of a Kariya and Servent summoned. The servant class will be rolled. Please select the catalyst used.

Kariya Selection
[X] Prodigal Son
- - This is the canon Kariya. The one who ran away and was only lured back to do the grail war for PLOT purposes.
[X] Prodigy Son
- - This is the Kariya who stayed and studied to be a magus beneath Zouken. He is in the grail war for his father's sake.
[X] The Wyrm that Walks as a Man
- - This is the Kariya who inherited the mantle of Zouken. He stands with the full might of the Matou. He leads the Matou family as the magus and inheritor of everything Zouken had. He is in the grail war for formality or perhaps, he has a wish of his own...

Servent Select
[X] No Catalyst / "Happiness" Worms / Matou Mansion
- - This servent has HIGH power and affirmity with you.
- - Classes Available : Assassin, Berserker, Caster, and Saver

[X] Maiden's Hankerchief (canon selection)
- - This servant is Lancelot, affirmity varies depending on version selected.
- - Classes Available : Assassin, Berserker, and Saber

[X] Hand Mirror
- - This servant is Medusa, affirmity varies depending on version selected.
- - Classes Available : Berserker and Rider
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:16:52 AM
[X] A year ago...

"So, you would give yourself up to spare the girl," He laughed at you. The old man, that monster in the guise of a human, laughed. "You would return and suffer in her place?"

His words were mocking, and yet... you had no choice.

He had Sakura, he held all the cards.

"Very well, in place of little Sakura here, you shall be the heir, Kariya," His eyes were pitiless, you realize. This was no boon. This was... this was a trap.

He had likely approached that fool Tohsaka for an heir, just to bait you... to get YOU here begging for everything you had rejected.

And yet, there was no other path, you had no regrets.

If this was to save Aoi's daughter, Sakura... you would do it.

"You will regret coming back, but I think less than Sakura here would," He cackled once more. "You will suffer. And in the end, you will die for the legacy of the Matou. But Sakura will not go back to the Tohsaka."

"What? But..." You glared at him.

"If she does, it will be by YOUR will and not mine," That old monster smiled, a tight widening of lips. So, that was game. You would be the next head of the Matou. There was no escape. "But I am not unmoved by your words."

You looked at him uncertainly as he continued to sit in that chair, a hand on Sakura's head.

"I will no longer dye her in the colors of the Matou magic. But in exchange, once you have succeeded me, you will uphold the pride of the Matou as a true magus."

And with that, the agreement was sealed as you pledged yourself to your father.

And he brought you once more into that crypt.

That place of darkness, moist and earthy, buried in the depths beneath the Matou mansion.

You had been down here once before... and you had suffered as your circuits had been aligned to that of the Crest Worms.

The soft green luminous glow from soft glittering lamps that moved in the shifting darkness. Darkness and green filled your world.

This was no glamorous moonlit world.

This was slick, moist and squirming darkness, where things were consumed by worms.

Like you.

The process had been filled with pain as the worms within your body were revitalized by prana, and the introduction of new worms into your bloodstream. Into your soul as they consumed parts of it and filled the holes with their forms.

Burrowed into your mind and you were... are... will be...

Matou Kariya.

Makiri Zolgen.

Matou Zouken.

And as your father dies.

You can feel him in the back of your mind.

Countless voices, of all the dead Matou, of all the dead Zolgens... of those who had held the worms within them, who had wielded the thaumaturgy of your line.

You were one with them. And they were you.

You are.

You are.

You are.

You and your father/son had entered the catacombs together.

You walked out.

More than human.

Less than human.

You are Matou Kariya, Magus. And you had a duty to your line. A duty to your adopted daughter, Sakura.

You ache for a woman you can never have. Aoi. Justeaze.

You also had a grail war to win, you mused as you looked at the crimson command spells inscripted upon your hand.
- - -
[X] The First Night of the Forth Holy Grail War

As the brilliant flare of the summoning and the strong wind from the summoning died down, you can see endless shadows within the summoning circle.

The ritual had summoned something, you can feel it.

That was when she rose from the fog of the prana given solid form.

You are not unfamiliar with the female form, as Kariya, as Zouken, as the countless dead that rested within your mind. Both male and female magus had been in the Matou and Zolgen lines...

Your first impression of the Heroic Spirit summoned was... female.

Lush and generous. Without a shred of clothes or armor or anything to denote who or what she was.

Curves that shifted in a pleasing manner as she rose from where she lay on the ground with a yawn. Rising to all fours before standing up.

Purple hair as of the hue of plums flowed like a river down her back, before being blowing back and away from you. Familiar purple eyes grew crimson, and her hair changed... paled to immaculate white.

Darkness beyond comprehension crawled up her body from her feet to form a body suit. Ribbons edged with crimson. Exploded from her back to wrap her arms and formed sleeves with cruel looking claws.

The female, you knew her... her essence sang to you. The command of her magic, the mysteries that she bore.

This...

This.

This was a Matou. But there had been none old enough to possibly be a Heroic Spirit.

She looked at you, and smiled at your shocked expression.

"I ask of you, are you my master?"
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 1 / Unity
 - - -
What Do?
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:17:14 AM
[X] Introductions...

You hold up your hand to reveal the crimson command seals upon it. A trio of many angled curved lines that spiraled inwards. "By these command seals, I am your master, yes."

Soft pink lips curved upwards ever so slightly, in a teasing manner. You find your lips going dry... the familiarity of her features, that presence she extruded. "Excellent, in that case, I shall serve you. Kariya-ojiisan."

No...

What did she just say?

Even if the ritual could and inplant knowledge into the minds of the Servants summoned, it shouldn't... couldn't...

You mind refuses to contemplate WHY she would call you Kariya-ojiisan. There were but two who called you that.

Two innocent girls.

One of whom had been adopted by your father to serve as bait and potential heir to the family.

Sakura.

This... this couldn't be Sakura.

But she looked so much like Aoi, even with the ivory white hair and crimson eyes. The hue of her hair matched yours, more... it matched your adopted daughter's before its transformation.

Oh, what could have happened?

"H.... how? You can't be her. You can't be..." You shake your head as you refuse to contemplate just HOW this could be. Still, this was Sakura as an adult, a woman... but... she was a child in the here and now.

"I. am Matou Sakura. And my class is... odd... it appears to be a new one, Saver," She tilted her head and raised a single black talon to her lips. "I suppose it IS appropriate given my history."

At her name, you clutch your head in pain as you SEE what she is. You know her for what she is... and it worries you.

This savior of the world.

From what had she saved Gaia? You dare not ask. The answer all too evident in what lay before you.

You collapse to your knees, were you that horrible a father?

Or were you simply doomed to failure.

A pair of warm arms encircle you, and softness squished against you.

Oh.

You KNOW objectively that you shouldn't feel this way, and yet... it was comforting this hug of hers... the scent of sakura blossoms hang around the two of you.

"There, there, Kariya-ojiisan. I'll make sure you'll win this grail war. That way, you can free the me of this time, right? And go far away from here with Aoi and Rin..."

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 1 / Sakura
 - - -
What Do?
[X]Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:18:16 AM
[X] The connections forged between You and Me, Master and Servant, Kariya and Sakura...

You find yourself slowly relaxing into the hug offered by this Sakura.

That warmth.

That comfortable softness. It really did feel like she wasn't wearing anything, that the darkness that wrapped her body existed only as a shadow.

That scent of sakura blossoms hung redolent around the two of you as a mantle that protected you.

And as she cradled you, you find yourself wanting to give into your urges. Aoi. Justeaze. And more names are uttered in the back of your mind, that connection that you held with all the Matou and Zolgens who had passed on. Who had loved and lose or perhaps had only loved from afar.

But you resist.

It wasn't proper.

It wasn't right. This was Sakura.

A traitorous part of your mind murmured that Sakura wasn't related to you by blood. That this was someone that was a could be, a might be, a potential future Sakura, that it wasn't Sakura... really.

You sigh and slowly snuggle the servant you had summoned and rested your head on her shoulder as she hummmed softly.

You slowly relax and fade away into the soft darkness.

- - -

"Hey, Sakura-chan. Did I surprise you?"

"No, but your face..."

"Well, you know... I kind of lost to the worms inside me a little. I guess ojiisan isn't as strong as Sakura-chan is."

"Kariya-ojiisan, you're turning into another person, aren't you?"

"Maybe."

"I don't have to go to the bug room tonight. Grandfather said there's going to be a more important ceremony."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm going to the basement tonight instead."

"Kariya-ojiisan, are you going away?"

"I'll be busy with an important task for a while. I probably won't have much time to talk to you, Sakura-chan."

"I see."

"Ne, Sakura-chan. When ojiisan is done with his job, why don't we go somewhere and have fun? With your mother and sister?"

"I don't have a mother or sister. Grandfather said I should think that they never even existed."

"I see."

"Ojiisan?"

"Let's take Aoi-san and Rin-chan from the Tohsaka, and go far away. We can play together again, like we used to."

"Can I really see them again?"

"Yes, you will. I promise you that."

"Well, ojiisan has to get going."

"Uhn."

"Bye bye, Kariya-ojiisan."

"Bye bye."

- - -

Morning comes.

And you find yourself on your bed, sunlight slowly creeping up upon your body from the window.

Had it been a dream?

A hallucination?

And what was that conversation you vaguely remembered from the dream?

You change from your pajamas into the simple kimono that you favored after your ascension into the position of the head of the Matou.

Simple, dark hues.

While you could wear something more western, you just had no inclination to do so. Not at the moment.

After all, such fashion brought to mind THAT MAN. The one who had married Aoi, who had abandoned Sakura to Zouken/You, to the Matou.

It was irrational, and yet... you were still human in that regard.

Stepping out into the house.

There was a certain feel in the air.

One that made it more... homely.

There was the scent of food.

And the sound of laughter.

Your eyes widened before narrowing and you walked to the kitchen.

Your worse fears are found to be true.

You had summoned a future version of Sakura and she was in your kitchen cooking, and teaching her younger self. Shinji, for his part, just seemed confused as he peered into the doorway.

Stepping into the kitchen, you are exposed to the mysteries of cooking. Something you hadn't had much skill with even when you had lived alone after leaving the Matou household.

It hadn't seemed important then. Your father was the one who handled that, his skills in such was peerless. And you have access to it now.

And yet, and yet... the skills of this Sakura was different. Where Zouken's mastery came from knowledge, hers came from experience and willingness to adapt. He cooked because he loved the act of cooking, she cooked because she cooked for someone she loved.

The slightest of differences, and yet... down different paths.

"Kariya-ojiisan." "Kariya-otousan."

"Sakura-chan here has been telling me some very interesting things," Your servant nodded at you. "That you took her place, ending her visits... down there after five nights."

There was a sense of approval from her words.

"But tell me... what happened to grandfather?" There was a sense of judgement in her tone of voice. As of waiting and watching.

You look down and sigh. "Can we have that discussion later?"

She paused and nodded in acceptance. The dress that she had found... somewhere fit her. A simple white blouse, a lavender skirt and a white apron lend her the presence and image of a housewife.

"Later."

You sigh and try out the breakfast she made.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 2 / Dreams and Breakfast
 - - -

What Do?
[X] Breakfast, followed by discussions and plans.
[X] Saver goes out and familiarizes herself with the Fuyuki of the now.
[X] You receive a phone call, the Einzbern master has arrived on a plane with her servant.
[X] You check on your familiars and more mundane spies.
[X] Write In.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:18:35 AM
[X]I have a plan so cunning... you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel.

Breakfast is... tense.

That's the right word to use as you, your servant, along with Sakura and Shinji part-take of the excellent meal made by your servant.

It was a good meal, but there was the unspoken expectation from your servant about what happened to Zouken, the sensation that if the wrong thing was said that there would be hell to pay if command seals were not used.

And even then, there would still be trouble.

Your adopted daughter and nephew are not sure what's going on, why the mysterious big sis was upset and why you were tense, but they could tell something was up.

Thus, breakfast was a quiet and tense affair.

With breakfast done, the two children went off to finish packing up for their trip to Canada with your brother, while you and your servant did the clean-up of the dishes.

It was also here that the delayed discussion was held.

"I am uncertain what happened to you in your past. But the Zouken that you knew died a year ago when I became head of the Matou house," You speak up eventually after mulling over what you should say.

"Really~ now," The slow drawl indicated that she didn't quite buy it... that she could in a way sense the connection you held to the crestworms.

"Indeed," You say with finality.

"The crest worms do preserve his memories, his soul, as they do for every one who has been properly connected to the worms." You speak up in response to her raised eyebrow.

"I could get rid of them for you, Kariya~ ojiisan," she eventually responded, almost as if offering something very intimate.

That offer... that notion of what she offered... that got a shudder from you as you looked at her. She open your mouth before closing and eventually let what you think of said offer out of your mouth.

In words, yes... but also in the countless multitude of voices, the unity of the Zolgens and Matou. "I would rather you didn't. Such a thing would end me."

Thankfully, this is when your phone interrupts the conversation.

Picking it up, you get confirmation from one of your hired private investigators that the Einzbern master had arrived by plane with her servant.

Well... that made it three for three, the founding families were now 'gathered' in Fuyuki for the fourth Heaven's Feel. To be sure, ther ewas also the magus from the clocktower, Lord El-Melloi, who was holded up in the Hyatt hotel.

That left three unknowns, admittedly, you suspect that the other three known masters had stacked the cards as much as possible in their favor, from Tokiomi and his alliance with the Church supervisor and his executor son, to the Einzbern master and her hired killer. You're not so sure about what Lord El-Melloi had in store, but it's likely to be something nasty.

You, on the other hand, didn't really have a wish, and didn't really want to win the holy grail war... not in truth and hadn't bothered to stack the deck. That in its own way, by acting contrary to the expectations of everyone... was a trump.

- - -

(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-GxnzHXp8FEU/UTLpJcgWkqI/AAAAAAAATdA/M1d9BfHQx4I/s800/tumblr_lpnwa1Uqf61r0posco1_500.jpg)

With their things packed, the children were ready to be shipped off to the distant and mysterious land of Canada where your brother has been acting in your interests in term of purchasing properties and businesses to help the growth of your wealth, one must spend money to gain money. And money translated to more temporal power.

With that, you enjoy one of the few luxuries that you hold from when you lived on your own... driving.

To be sure, it was an older car that you drove. A classic, as it were. Money was good for something, like being able to afford one off custom cars made in the old days, as it were.

And thus, you drove to the air port.

Along the way, you passed the Einzbern master and her servant Saber. You are certain that your servant and the servant of the sword had a good look at each other as you passed by in the opposite directions. But beyond that... did it matter?

They would meet once more on the battlefield.

It didn't take too long ere the children are safe on the plane and flying to Canada, where they would be picked by your brother.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 2 / Ships passing in the night
 - - -

What Do?
[X] Spend the day scouting / familiarizing with Saver with the city?
[X] Meet up with the more mundane resources you have available, such as the private investigators?
[X] Wait for night and have Saver broadcast her location to challenge curious servants?
[X] Wait for night and strike at another master? [pick one target]
- - [X] The Tohsaka!
- - [X] The Einzbern!
- - [X] Lord El-Melloi!
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:19:53 AM
[X] Spend the day familiarizing with Saver, we will not take the initiative in this War
[X] Chat about the events that are yet to happen.


Naturally, things being what they were, you find yourself driving Saver around town, taking in the sights...

Getting her familiar with the changes to the city of Fuyuki from the one of her time.

You are keenly aware of just how much knowledge was key in any conflict from your time as a journalist. With a passion for photography and a desire to go as far away from the Matou back then, it was only natural that you took the most distant of jobs no matter the danger...

And thus, you were exposed to war such as men waged it in the current day and age. Armed with nothing but your wits and camera, you toured the war-torn regions of the world as a photojournalist.

You knew exactly how much knowledge and information was worth in any conflict.

More so than any arm-chair tactician or magus hidden in the safety of his home.

You also had an appreciation for how much damage modern weaponry could do to fragile humans, not that you would go that far. But you suspect that the hired killer of the Einzbern would.

The departure of the children along with your brother was only sensible in that regard.

Finding out more of things to come from Saver. That was only reasonable, right?

Still, the information that she provides is... troubling and raises uncomfortable issues; such as Zouken alive in her time, and you supposedly dying during the grail war. And what came afterwards...

You can only speculate that Saver... no, Sakura was from a possible alternate future. An alternate timeline and reality as it were.

Which was complete science fiction... or implied the usage of the Second Magic by the Holy Grail.

Either of which was possible.

- - -

That night, you returned from the familiarization expedition... with delicious take out. The food was good at the Taishan chinese restaurant. You even ordered the specialty of the chef there, mapo tofu, at the recommendation of Sakura.

Dinner... was suffering, as you sweated and endured the mapo tofu that your servant clearly enjoys.

Was this the power of a heroic spirit?!?!

Your mouth burned, the burning heat from within your stomach had your face red with sweat... you sweated and wept and ate... because this was something recommended by Sakura.

You suspect that you're being punished for something.

What... you're not sure yet.

But you're certain that you had upset her in some manner. Surely, no sane being could enjoy something THIS spicy.

"Mmmmm... it's nice to be able to enjoy something this spicy," Or maybe not... you thought to yourself pass the agony of the meal. "Gives life a little flavor when you taste sharp contrasts... would you like some more beer, Kariya-ojiisan?"

You could only nod helplessly at the offer of beer.

The winter beer was light and fizzy, the contrast between the mild taste of the beer and the spicy mapo tofu.

That was something you hadn't thought possible, a difference between heaven and hell as it were.

You sigh in relief as you sip at the beer before returning your attention to the rice and mapo tofu.

Before you could resume eating, you paused at what your familiars was showing you...

Hidden amongst the trees outside of the Tohsaka estate, your familiars lurked, hidden amongst the tree leaves. Watching, observing...

And what they had to show was... interesting.

Assassin Impossible [Fate/Zero] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHD_woopPu4#ws)

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 2 / Across the Kaleidoscope Bridge
 - - -

What Do?
[X] Write In Action For Night 2 (if you do anything beyond dinner) OR Day/Night 3
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:25:03 AM
[X] Ask MATOU what she thinks about what you just saw. Continue to get to know her, but focus more on her capabilities.

You blink at the mental images that your familiars transmitted to you. To be sure, you know that in a straight up fight that Assassin would get slaughtered by one of the three knight classes. Which was exactly what you just witnessed.

The problem with this, of course, is... why would Assassin go to all the trouble of sneaking in by the front and be immediately spotted?

It was almost certainly a set up. The only questions were by who, the for who was easily worked out.

The only problem was that it WAS possible that it was an someone who was willing to attempt a stealth kill to take out Tohsaka, and he just happened to have a completely idiotic servant.

It was also possible that unless this was a ruse meant to dull the security of the skilled and unskilled alike in a fit of insane genius, the person behind this didn't know tactics viscerally.

You will need to watch and observe further.

Still, you make the phone calls to have those observing the Tohsaka residence to bring a video copy of the battle to you. Or at least to be dropped off where Saver could easily retrieve it.

The ability to simply teleport, instead of simply become immaterial... simply splendid.

- - -

"Gilgamesh." Saver declares with a frown as she watched the video with you at the appearance of the golden archer.

"Gilgamesh?" You had to look at her with surprise and a raised eyebrow.

"Gilgamesh." She nodded grimly.

Many were the things she had told you of her past, but the identities of the servants she had consumed in her Grail War hadn't seemed important. After all, what were the odds that they would appear in your Grail War?

Apparently, greater than expected.

Still, Gilgamesh. That was a powerful monster of a Heroic Spirit to simply have, if one went by the simple virtue of his age...

A nasty trump card. But still, he wasn't unbeatable.

He couldn't be.

You would need to research up on his myth and legend.

Still, this was a lucky break for you.

You had a lead on Tohsaka's servant.

- - -

That night, your hired private investigators phoned you and informed you that Kotomine Kirei had sought the sanctuary of the Mediator of the Grail War.

This was unexpected.

You had expected someone affiliated with the church as an executor to be much better at tactical planning. If Kotomine Kirei had wanted Tohsaka dead, he would be dead...

Which meant that the break-up between Tohsaka and Kotomine was a ploy to fool people.

Which meant that there had to be something more to the sacrifice of Assassin.

There was something going on, and you're not sure what... not yet.

For now, you and Saver spend the night at home upgrading the barriers and defenses of the Matou mansion against threads both mundane and supernatural.

The layered defenses on your home, as shown by the false assault on the Tohsaka mansion would need to be greater... after all, if Archer hadn't shown up as he had... it was quite possible that Assassin would have made it all the way in.

Shadows and familiars were the secondary defenses that your home now boasted apart from the assorted barriers and wards forged over the centuries.

And yet, you fear... it might not be enough.

Force overwhelming could bring everything down like a house of cards.

Late in the morning, you slumbered uneasily beneath the watchful gaze of Saver... no, Sakura.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 3 / The Tohsaka Gambit
 - - -

What Do?
[X] Venture out to the main library of Fuyuki and do research on Gilgamesh?
[X] Continue fortifying your mansion against every possible contingency, up to military strikes with jets and bombs?
[X] Wait for night and have Saver broadcast her location to challenge curious servants?
[X] Wait for night and strike at another master? [pick one target]
- - [X] The Tohsaka!
- - [X] The Einzbern!
- - [X] Lord El-Melloi!
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:25:27 AM
[X] That sound? That's the air raid siren...

Waking up, you feel refreshed...

It was as if you had spent the time sleeping... no, floating in an endless void where not even gravity wore out your body. It was easily the best rest you have had in years.

Saver, no, Sakura is there to greet you with a warm breakfast. She was still dressed in that house wife outfit of hers. Or at least a variant of what she had worn yesterday.

Which brought to mind what you saw on the video.

Of Gilgamesh's assault.

Of how he had simply shot Noble Phantasm after Noble Phantasm at Assassin.

Of the exploding earth, the crater that was all that remained of Assassin.

Such a thing... And you have no idea as to the capacity of the other five servants, or their masters.

Thus you find yourself working on the bounded fields, the wards, the runes, the deathtraps, well... not the deathtraps... But everything that prevented the entry of certain materials, fields that absorbed and spread kinetic energies outwards and away from the building...

All this and more...

The only time you took a break was for meals and quick washroom breaks. As you worked, the two of you spoke. Discussed what would come in the fifth war. Of the servants involved.

More importantly, she spoke of how each and every master save her fell... one by one, regular, irregular... of the desperate last stand of the Tohsaka, the Emiya and Rider... of their futile charge to slay her and in return their deaths.

She spoke freely of what came after when the Clock Tower came with the church to 'clean' up Fuyuki... only to find a wasteland that devoured them one by one.

Of the counter guardians who came and fed her with their bodies of prana...

As evening fell, you feel satisfied that it would take more than a jet shooting missiles at the house to even scratch the fields. Not that it was going to stop a truly determined Heroic Spirit, but it would be enough to delay them.

As the two of you enjoyed the lamb stew that your Servant had made in the slow cooker, you feel it.

The call of a servant... broadcasting its location in the docks.

Announcing where it was...

This was a challenge. You didn't think ANYONE would be that foolish to do so.

And yet, you were proven wrong.

A look was shared by you and Sakura...

"Should I?" Her question was more a hesitant statement than an actual request of permission.

"I don't want to sent you out there... but such a fight would be a valuable source of information," You shake your head. "Go. Just... come back safely."

There is a nod as her clothes vanished into motes of shadow.

Once more, you bear witness to the generous and lush form of your servant, as crimson lines crawled over her form heralding the twisting and creeping ebony shadows.

Ribbons of absolute darkness and crimson of blood flowed over her body and formed a skin-tight outfit. A twitch and her fingers were shrouded in talon'ed gauntlets.

"I will return," She nodded before simply dropping into her shadows and...

Never was.

At least, not here.

Sitting down, you peer out of her eyes, concealed in shadows... you can see Lancer wielding a pair of shrouded spears.

And a car approaching.

The elegant lady in white stepping out of it, with the help of a young... lady or perhaps a girlish boy.

Einzbern. Irisviel Von Einzbern from what your investigators informed you.

That little introduction as Saber was revealed, that armored dress, pristine steel upon blue... a quietly murmured Arthuria from Sakura and you KNOW who Saber was. You couldn't help but know.

Her parameters, her skills... her noble phantasms... oh. You're going to need far more fortification of your home.

And yet, the identity of Saber as King Arthuria... that was staggering, it appeared that everyone was putting on their A game for this grail war.

You try to ignore the fact that King Arthur was actually female, thus proving history, legend and myth wrong on her gender.

You also discover that lancer had some sort of beauty charm magic on his face as an inherent thing.

There was a pause as you observe the charge by the pair of heroic spirits at each other.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 3 / Encounter at the Wharf
- - -

What Do?
[X] Sakura observes the fight and keeps an eye open for shenanigans?
[X] Sakura keeps an eye out for an opportunity to win the fight? [Pick One]
- - [X] Strike at Lancer.
- - [X] Strike at Saber.
- - [X] Capture the Einzbern Master.
- - [X] Capture Lancer's Master?
[X] Write In.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:25:47 AM
[X] Snake? Snake?! SNAAAAAKE!!!!

While it was... tempting to take out enemy masters... you knew for a fact that there would be OTHERS also coming by to watch. To learn.

After all, Lancer had put forth an alluring bait. One that would draw servants, and familiars without question.

Still, there was the consideration that you had to put towards the Einzbern master coming in person. That was balls-up insanely brave, naive or... worse, she had trumps and aces planned. All of which was possible.

Or worse, she had absolute confidence in her servant, which was actually reasonable given Saber's identity.

Thus, your instructions were fairly simple, a low pitched voice transmitted by magic straight to Sakura's ears as a whisper. <<Look for a vantage point to observe the fight, I suspect that we are not the only ones here watching.>>

As she moved towards the crane in the wharf, you amended your instructions. <<Not there, it's too obvious at being the perfect observational point. Look for some place high, but concealed by shadows...>>

And with that, she moved once more at your behest, a perfect partnership. There was a certain trust you hadn't expected, not from Zouken's memories. That trust that you did know better... a trust you can only hope wasn't misplaced.

Thus, she moved about the rooftops as the sounds of battle rang forth below.

You or rather she finds a trio of rather suspicious individuals.

Not together, no. But one of them was El-Melloi.

And the other two... with their guns and fancy toys, why you believe them to be the hired dogs of the Einzbern. So, she was prepared and likely intented to have the master of Lancer... dealt with.

How cold blooded of her. Certainly, not what you expected from an artificial master.

It appeared that the hired killer was about to take out El-Melloi from range, when a new intruder was noticed by Sakura, this Magus Killer... Assassin.

You knew he had been killed.

And yet, here he was once more.

An interesting trick this, an assassin that everyone had assumed killed was one that everyone wouldn't expect to find.

Truly a cunning plan. And yet... he croached upon that oh so obvious spot to observe the battle. This seemed rather like Tokiomi, elegant and yet so obvious and unsubtle.

It looked as if there was an alliance between Tohsaka and Kotomine still, and it was Tokiomi who ran things. Well, this DID put things in an interesting light.

And so, you had Sakura moved back to the safety of the shadows.

You had to think.

And as you thought, you had to blink as the pair of knights dueling broke apart and introduced themselves...

This... this was where things fell apart.

The weight of events spiraled beyond your or anyone's control.

The arrival of the King of Conquerors, his declaration of his identity. His taunting of El-Melloi, and the revelation of Rider's master and his connection to the master of Lancer.

More... there was the matter of his proposition.

It was tempting, you can see how easy it would be simple for a group of Heroic Spirits to conquer the world in its current state. After all, you had Sakura who could end the world, if she or you choose to.

<<Sakura...>> You whisper. Join, attack, or perhaps... show herself.

Choices.

And yet... even that choice was taken from you, as the King of Conquerors himself called out to those hidden in the shadows. That had the unfortunate result of Gilgamesh manifesting.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 3 / A Gathering of Heroes
- - -

What Do?
[X] Maintain the course and not show your hand or Sakura.
[X] Have Sakura MAKE an entrance... [Pick One]
- - [X] Walk out of the shadows...
- - [X] Teleport into the sky and fly/glide and look down on Gilgamesh.
- - [X] Teleport and take out Assassin as part of entrance.
- - [X] Teleport and take out the Einzbern hired killers as part of entrance.
- - [X] Teleport and take out El-Melloi.
- - [X] Teleport and take out the Einzbern.
[X] Write In

- - -

Writer's Notes : Yes, I'm going with the Kariya is ASSUMING that Irisviel is some kind of insane tactical genius with a hired gun...
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:26:23 AM
[X] Like a bat out of hell...

Your instructions were simple.

Given how tense the atmosphere was at the presence of Gilgamesh, it was clear that it would devolve into combat and when THAT happened, no one would be able to say what could happen, or how much damage would be done to the environment with THIS many heroic spirits in a free for all.

No, it was clear that you would need to break the atmosphere.

Your path was clear, and while you were intrigued by the proposition of Iskander, there were risks involved for all. Still, it was better than just 'surviving' the grail war to give your Sakura, both of them salvation.

<<Sakura. Make an entrance. Flashy, but conceal your power to the best of your ability.>> You pause and thought about it. There were a variety of targets, but choosing the wrong one would be disastrous and would upset the current power balance.

So, it came down to Assassin or the hired killers of the Einzbern. They were after all, just some hired guns. And their removal from the battlefield would remove an ace up the Einzbern's sleeves.

You had after all done some research on Emiya Kiritsugu, the so-called Magus Killer... he was dangerous, a modern day assassin with access to thaumaturgy.

This was a man whose skillset revolved entirely around killing people like you, and he was very, very successful at it. Best to remove him, it wasn't as if he would be missed much and would remove an out of context problem for the other magus in the grail war.

She could always hire more killers, but it would take time and money. This would give you an advantage once more and allows for an easier time in removing the Einzbern before she gets her feet under herself again and starts palming aces in addition to the King of Knights.

Contrast with the assassin of Kotomine, he had already been killed once already. There was no certainty that striking and killing him would result in his actual removal.

<<Also, see what you can do about removing the Einzbern's hired killers.>>

"As you wish..." There was a cheerfulness in her voice before darkness engulfed your sight, the shadow ribbons wrapping her face.

And there was the sound of whistling wind. <<Sakura?>>

"Trust me..." There was a playfulness in her voice as she counted softly in sharp contrast to the whistling wind. And now, there was the sound, a vibration.

You KNEW this vibrating hum, it was louder... sharper, more crisp... but this... this was the sound of your Blade Wing Worms as they flew.

Shaking your head, you activated the connection you had to one of your familiars in the wharf that had been carried along by Sakura.

You couldn't see her.

"Terminal velocity," You had to blink at her words, why would she.... oh, so that was what the whistling sound was.

Darkness lifted from the connection between you and Sakura and... you saw the hard surface of the sea reflecting the moon above and behind her as she fell.

Crimson eyes shone in a sleek dark form.

And there was a blink of darkness.

And you saw the wharf once more and the city.

Twisting... angling.

She was flying...

You used your familiar to catch sight of her. She truly was flying upon glittering crimson wings. An arrow of the darkest shadow with a banner of white.

There was a pause as the instincts of the hired killer flared in response to the approach to the approach of Sakura. But it was too little, too late.

There was a shock wave as she caught hold of him with a wicked talon'ed gauntlets. You wince at seeing the way he was dragged like a rag doll, accelerating from motion-less to something slightly below a hundred and fifty meters per second or something like that, you can't recall what the exact maximum was...

You can see the heroic spirits react to the sudden assault, prepared to repeal a swift flyer.

You can see the shocked look on El-Melloi's face as Sakura dragged the magus killer past him, the slight quirk of her lips reflecting in his eyes.

And then she was past him, and upon the other hired killer.

With a pair of rag dolls in her clutch, she descended upon the wharf with a crescendo of her wings, the very image of a fey fairy.

<<Involving outsiders in the Holy Grail War. Really, I'm ashamed of you, Einzbern~...>> You used your familiars to echo your voice in the wharf much like lord El-Melloi had.

There was a pause as immaculate crimson and azuure eyes widened. "Kiritsugu!"

Oh, it appeared that he wasn't just a hired killer. This was when you and Sakura noticed the crimson markings upon the head of the Magus Killer.

<<This... this is the Einzbern master? Now my disappointment only grows.>> You grimaced and channeled every inch of how smarmy Tokiomi could be. <<To imagine the King of Knights serving a craven assassin.>>

"You... you.... give, give me back Kiritsugu," The shrill cry of the Einzbern was surprising.

Given how... shattered his body was, the master of Saber wasn't going to be of use to anyone. Even if she was skilled at healing, there was only so much healing that could be done and that required time.

There was no harm in allowing her this 'small' mercy.

<<Saver...>> Your usage of her class title received a nod from Sakura as she stepped to the side.

Still, it appeared that despite your generosity, that the damage sustained from a sudden acceleration and then an even more sudden stop was too much for the human body.

Truly, physics was a deadly killer.

And thus, the pair of killers expired before your eyes. Or rather, Sakura's eyes.

The wail of despair from the Einzbern marked the first casualty of the Fourth Heaven's Feel.

"Irisviel..." There was a grimace from the King of Knights.

"Lancer... finish her! Quickly!" And there, Lord El-Melloi started things once more.


---
Kariya Kwest : Night 3 / Flight of the Cherry Blossom
---


What Do?
[X] Allow Lancer to finish off Saber and Einzbern, use Sakura to stop Rider or the others.
[X] Stand aside and watch Lancer get killed by Rider when he attempts to kill Saber.
[X] Chivalry! Lancer verses Saver and Rider.
[X] Write In.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:26:49 AM
[X] Black Queen takes White Knight and then White King

A thought occurs to you as you heard Lord El-Melloi's command, it wasn't one backed by the command seals. Not yet, at any rate.

But you suspect it might become necessary soon, given the chivalrous nature of Lancer, knights tended to be rather full of honor and pride. Diarmuid Ua Duibhne of the love spot, first warrior of the knights of Fianna would be no different, you wager.

Even in the modern day, you have encountered men who would have been knights in ages past if not by skill, then by their codes of chivalry.

"My lord!" He turned upwards to where you had last saw the master of Lancer. "This isn't necessary."

"What are you doing, Lancer?" That voice cut in once more. Sharped and annoyed and demanding. "This is your chance to defeat Saber."

"Saber, I will defeat her. I swear on my honor! But it doesn't have to be like this. Not while her master is grieving. Please, my master." Honor and chivalry, it appeared wasn't quite dead here. Just bound by magic.

"With my command seal, I order you..." ah, here it came. Perhaps, it would be a good idea to give Sakura your own commands.

Thus your whispered words into her ears and nowhere else. <<Sakura, can you deal with Saber and Lancer?>>

"I hereby propose." The words from the homunculus was soft... heard only by the servants. You can tell by the quirked lips of Gilgamesh that he had certainly heard and was amused. You know you're only hearing this because you are sharing the senses of Sakura.

"My lord." There was desperation in Lancer's voice.

"You shall come under my command, and your sword shalt control my fate."

A slight nod and you continue on. <<Then do so, and recover the Einzbern.>>

There was a lull, you suspect that El-Melloi was removing his glove, posing to look cool before he spoke and used his command seal. The fool. "Kill Saber with your full skill and power!"

"Abiding by the summons of the Holy Grail, if you accede to this will and reason, answer me."

With that, Lancer moved. And you get to appreciate the full speed available to a lancer class servant. There was a single clash of blades as Saber was pushed back.

"Lancer." A fell look of outrage and despair colored Diarmuid's face as he turned to look at Saber.

"I swear, I am all that is good in this eternal world."

The way her hands trembled, wasn't a good indicator for Saber in this fight... with her source of prana removed, her anchor to the current world destroyed. She wasn't going to last long.

"I am the disposer of evil in this eternal world."

Still, she fought on in a desperate attempt to keep Lancer away from her companion. This was where Saver interrupted, interposing an arm that was sliced off by a crimson spear, while the shadow ribbons prevented the golden spear from piercing the side of your servant.

"Saver." A look of gratitude is directed at your servant from Lancer, and yet shock.

"You, of the seven heavens, clad in a trinity of words, come forth from the circle of constrain."

She really was trying for it now. It looked as if the three family would get proper representation after the hiccup of the previous master of Saber's death.

The Einzbern homunculus might even have a wish of her own now.

"Guardian of the Heavens, accede to me, and my fate shall become your sword!"

"I accept this pact under the name of Saber!" There was a pulse of prana and the Einzbern flared with power. And in counterpoint, so did Saber glow radiant as she accepted the contract.

The silence that filled the wharf as the contract between Saber and the Einzbern was formalized was staggering as the prana flow was connected between the servant of the sword and a well of magical energy that is staggering.

This presence was something that exceeded what Saber had earlier.

In the moment that the connection was made, Saver has already regrown her arm.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 3 / Binding
 - - -


What Do?
[X] Continue gunning for Einzbern and Saber, in competition with Lancer?
[X] Continue helping Saber against Lancer?
[X] Hang back and watch the fight?
[X] Target Archer?
[X] Target Rider?
[X] Target Assassin?
[X] Target Lord El-Melloi?
[X] Write In.

Writer's Note - My appologies for the delay and shortness of this post.

But given what just happened, I felt it would be fair if you got to redecide your objectives, given the changes.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:27:20 AM
[X] Switching targets with the best bait and switches~

"It's more fair now, isn't it... Lancer~?" Your servant purred out to Diarmuid as she stepped out of the way of both knightly servants.

The Irish heroic spirit nodded in gratitude. "My thanks, Saver."

"I trust your honor will now allow you to fight at full power and strength," With that she moved to stand by the Einzbern, and supported her into a standing position. "You should cheer on your cute little king of knights."

"How amusing, a doll being supported by a filthy worm," the arrogant voice of Archer cut across the sound of battle as a pair of knights danced and battled.

"I suppose it would be amusing to you, king of heroes, Gilgamesh," Saver's voice left no mistakes to those in the wharf as to the identity of the golden Archer.

You can sense Tohsaka gritting his teeth at the identity of his servant revealed thus. It looked like in the information war front, you were the only one who kept the identity and abilities of your servant a secret.

"I suppose for a mongrel worm as lowly as you, gazing up upon the heavens, it doesn't take much to know what I am," the smile directed at Saver was a dangerous one.

It was arrogant, full of pride, and yet... and yet... it was also dangerous. That the golden one was... temperamental, more fickle than an insane cat. That if one was not careful... perhaps the golden aura behind him would prove that one's death.

"Oh come on, you don't need to so full of yourself," You find yourself unable to speak as Saver... no, your Sakura turned to look back at him with a smirk of her own. "As you were the First. So was I the Last."

There was a pause as everyone bar Saber and Lancer looked speculatively at Saver. The last Heroic Spirit... such descriptive and yet, twisting of words.

"The first and the Last, the King of Knights, the King of Conquerors, the Knight of Seduction, and a faceless assassin that looks down on us," She gestures at where Assassin crouched upon the crane.

Those who had seen the death of assassin blinked at the sight.

"Tell me, King of Heroes, is standing there all you can do? Are you nothing more than the golden vanity of a lap dog call forth by Tohsaka?" There was a teasing note in her voice, as of laughter restrained. A feyish joy that delighted in what she was facing.

The insult was apparently too much for golden Archer. The golden shimmer behind him flared brilliantly and weapons emerged from it.

Noble phantasms one and all... you can sense the weight of the ancient king's anger. The worms within you quell in horror and fear at such a thing.

Sakura only laughs. "Yes, yes... King of Heroes, but all you can do is stick your little swords into women, isn't it? That's the limit of your strength, isn't it?"

The screaming of metal with the speed and power of rockets impacts your servant and all you can sense/see is smoke from the explosion.

That and the sense of... satisfaction.

When the smoke clears, the Einzbern master is nowhere to be seen.

Just your little, not so little your traitorous mind whispers, Sakura seated upon the weapons that had been launched at her. A throne of swords and spears...

She is... unharmed. Unscathed by the weapons.

Surrounding her were figures of shadow. Absolute darkness. Giants with seven purple white 'eyes' arrayed in the pattern of an eight, with a single dot beneath said eight.

Leaning back upon the seat, she smirked. "I had thought that you might have proved more vigorous. I guess age must have robbed you of your virility. Or perhaps, it's because I don't have a dick to stick in you like your master does."

She had to be mad. Truly insane to taunt the King of Heroes thus, this could not be the absolute limits of his Noble Phantasm.

"Woman... mind your words, for you have offended my sight with your existence. Your words are as the baying of a mongrel bitch, which is fitting, for that is all you are..."

There was a light fluttering hum from her wings twitching, and the giants of shadow moved towards where the golden king stood, the golden aura behind him growing wider. Crimson lines forming, as if to herald the growth of the portal. "Impudence!"

With that, battle was joined between Saver and Archer... an endless sea of noble phantasms launched without care. Used as artillery.

And against that, giants of shadow that clawed their way into existence to march upon the King of Heroes.

Amidst the sound of battle, was of Saver laughing...
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 3 / Gate of Babylon
- - -

What Do?
[X] Use a command seal! [Pick One]
- - [X] Retrieve Saver
- - [X] Defeat the Gilgamesh
- - [X] Write In (bear in mind that battle is going on)
[X] Send more of your familiars to the wharf to help Saver.
[X] Keep feeding her prana, even if she doesn't appear to be straining and calling on your prana reserves
[X] Talk to Saver [Write In]
[X] Write In.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:28:05 AM
[X] Keep feeding her prana, even if she doesn't appear to be straining and calling on your prana reserves

Despite the rain of noble phantasms upon her, the creation of the endless tides of giants of shadows that marched upon the golden star that rained death upon them.... Saver laughed and her prana requirements did not surge to cripple you.

It was as if she was fueling her Cursed Boundary Layer with prana from elsewhere or perhaps fueling it with her own reserves.

This was... unacceptable. You, or the Matou and the Zolgens before, had accumulated prana, knowledge and mysteries over the ages and for her to bear the burden of the combat all upon herself...

Such a thing... such a thing...

You can only admit that you felt rage.

Anger and concern.

Still, you kept a careful eye on the battles... such as they were, upon Saber and Lancer, upon Rider and his master, upon Assassin and upon Saver and Archer.

So many things to watch, so little familiars.

Were not the fate of the Matou entwined with the Crest Worms? With Zouken's "Happiness Worms"? You had to groan at the pet name that your predecessor had given them.

Seated in the heart of your domain, you grasp the filaments of power and pull. Prana flowed from the pustule sacs that held liquified prana into the proscribed pathways...

And a number of your familiars evolve, and transformed... once worms that could but crawl upon the earth, they bore wings, a bladed tail and an ever eternal hunger that could strip the flash from a man's bones in moments.

In to the heavens, they ascended as a dark cloud. Still, it was a pittance that you could call upon. It would be enough.

While their speed wasn't the most impressive, the blade wing worms were swift enough that they arrived upon the wharf with the battles still in progress.

Still, with things the way they were, it could only end in a dead lock or someone falling as defenses just failed in the face of an assault.

You gathered a small amount of your familiars and had them form a 'clone' or duplicate of your true body and walked out of the shadows. Every bit the distinguished gentleman of yesterday's japan in a fine kimono.

You keep your familiars flying above "you" and walked up to where Rider had parked his chariot in the middle of the open space.

"Oh ho! So, the puppet master shows his face," Rider smiled at you. "I'm surprised that you would show up. Why I would have thought you would be as cowardly as the master of Lancer skulking in shadows."

You do not correct his misconceptions on where you were. "The King of Conquerors. The pleasure and honor is mine..."

The nod you direct at Rider is polite. "I fear my Saver is far more mobile than I. Thus..."

You gesture, implying things or at least your presence.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 3 / Familiars
- - -

What Do?
[X] Talk to Iskander or Waver [Write In Subjects and Topics]
[X] Encourage Sakura
- - [X] Use a command seal so that she can defeat Gilgamesh quicker.
[X] Retreat and possibly use a command seal to pull back Sakura Hahahaha... can't happen, Gil is really pissed.
[X] Observe the Saver and Archer fight with Rider and Waver.
[X] Observe the Saber and Lancer fight with Rider and Waver.
[Write In]
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:28:36 AM
[X] Talk to Iskander or Waver.

You had to admit there was something within you that wanted the world to be a better place. One with brighter colors, heroism, where saving the world was more than just petitioning people or go on protests.

Still, as you looked at Rider, the sound if explosions ringing from the battle between a possible future version of your daughter and the embodied spirit of an ancient heroic king, while nearby a female King Arthur was fending off a long dead irish knight....

You have to wonder just what happened to the common sense world you had once believed in? That you had left your family to pursue?

That beautiful common sense world where things made sense?

How had things simply change...

Still, as they said... in for a penny, in for a pound, or something like that.

You can see that young magus looking at you with worry, and trying not to hide or cower. Which after the psychological shock from El-Melloi's speech about a proper Magus training... it was commendable.

Taking a look at the fight that Sakur... no, Saver is having with Archer, it's clear that Archer is trapped in a battle at her pace and thus unable to simply disengage without experiencing some loss, nor could he overwhelm her without changing tactics or using a noble phantasm designed to overwhelm the non-existance of her cursed boundary layer.

It wasn't inconceivable for such to have. But, to use it and not be overwhelmed, that was the trick, wasn't it?

Could Archer.. no, Gilgamesh find the opening needed to deploy such a noble phantasm to proper effect.

With the way he was swearing at Saver, calling her a mongrel bitch of a worm, and thief... it's clear that he couldn't find such an opening yet. That she was not letting him get a chance, and with each moment... with each moment, her giants of shadows drew closer to the golden servant.

Which was perfectly fine with you. In fact, it was an ideal situation as you watched Tohsaka's servant be slowly ground down. A fitting fate for That Annoying Man's status and token in this event.

You look at Rider, no, the King of Conquerors with a pondering gaze. One that he returns with a cocksure grin.

"So... how serious were you about that proposition of yours earlier?"

His look of surprise was amusing.

"Hoooou! So, even in this day and age, there are people who would march against the world?" He seemed pleased at your question before rubbing his beard. "Deadly serious, master of Saver."

You shook your head. "It goes against all common sense, against logic to declare war upon the entire world."

At this, you can see Waver Velvet nod in agreement at you, while Rider frowned.

"But... I can not deny that there is some attraction to what you speak of. To make a mark upon the world, that can not be denied, that will be recorded in history for prosperity or infamy..."

Now, the young magus frowned, and the heroic spirit nodded in consideration.

"There is also the knowledge that unless things change, the world will remain as it is..." You glance at Saver. "And some things... some things should never come about."

"Oh ho, so she was being truthful about being the Last?" Iskander looked at you with consideration.

"Indeed," You nod back. "Still, this quest of yours... to conquer the world, it will not be easy. More than just the weapons of this day and age, there are other things to consider. The supernatural... such as represented by myself and your master. Those of the Clocktower, the alchemists of Atlas, the twenty seven Ancestors of the Dead Apostles... and so many more."

The look of excitement on Iskander's face as you listed out the possible opponents that would be faced... it truly was a magnificent thing. While he didn't radiate the golden aloofness of Gilgamesh, nor the hard radiance of King Arthur, Iskander bore a presence... one that made you want to believe in his vision and follow.

And that presence was only magnified by his excitement to test himself. To push against the boundaries of the world.

"And yet, you would do it?"

"Indeed, how could I not?" He gazed down upon from his chariot.

There was a squark and a tumble sound of metal upon road... and the form of Saber, King Arthur rolled to your feet. Still alive, wounded dreadfully by the skilled spears of Diarmuid... but alive.


- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 3 / Discourse with a King
 - - -


What Do?
[X] Watch as Saber was dispatched by Lancer
[X] Aid Saber...
[X] Write In.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:29:03 AM
[X] Noblesse oblige.
- - [X] And to the victor, the spoils.


There was a whimper and not quite gasp as the King of Knights attempted to struggle to her feet. The sound of metal upon tarmac... it is clear that while she isn't out, she can't last long. Not against Lancer who was being healed of his injuries by his master.

Rejuvenation from a new master and enhancement of prana flow only went so far, without a command seal order, she couldn't last. Could not win. The gap was insurmountable.

And there would be no command seal orders to aid Saber.

Not in the here and now.

Not when the Einzbern had been captured by Saver.

It is clear to you that the same principle used to capture the weapons of Archer had been used to capture and bind the Einzbern.

It was abundantly clear to you the precepts of Sakura's technique. It was the crystallization of the Matou mystery and enhanced with her element of Imaginary Numbers... you feel that there is a third component, but what it is... you can not tell, not in the here and now.

At the slow approach of Lancer, you can tell that she is desperate. That she is inwardly cursing her earlier carelessness and the price she was paying even now. Her pride would kill her as she would not, could not, never would ask for mercy or help.

That look of helpless desperation, it is one that you find... familiar. You had seen soldiers gunned down, their bodies shattered and dying on them. And yet, they wanted another chance.

There was a certain nobility there, not one born of kingship, but of a warrior who wanted to do more and yet was cut down before her time.

You know at Lancer and can see regret on his face, regret and enjoyment. He truly enjoyed the fight. It was one of equals and yet it would end, and would never be again be.

"Master of lancer," You speak after a moment's thought, amplifying your voice. "Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi, nineth inheritor and head of the El-Melloi, call off Lancer. Saber is now under my protection."

You smile at the outrage on Saber's face at the undesired help and protection. That she was yours to protect, as if a belonging.

"Do you imagine that a no name magus of the Matou family is going to frighten me into submission? I shall..." The arrogance voice of the magus hidden in shadows filled you with disdain and thus you interrupt him.

"I imagine you're going to natter on about teaching me how magus battle," you snort. "In a futile attempt to frighten me as you did the boy who was your student. Rather, you seem to be operating under the misunderstanding that it was a request from me to you, it is not. It is a statement, you will call off Lancer or you and he shall be made... irrelevant."

"You dare think you can threaten me?" The shock and surprise in his voice had you shake your head before you gesture to the heavens, and channel the tiniest bit of prana into a single one of your familiar blade wing worms.

The internal chemistry of the worms used by the Matou had over the centuries been adapted and worked over with thaumaturgy that it responded instantly to your desires.

There was a flare of explosion in the night sky, small and silent as your familiar spent its life and body to craft what you need. And a line of light and fire flashed down to explode beside El-Melloi, rending the roof with the force of a rocket propelled missile.

"I won't bore you with the math, but that was a single one of my familiars converting itself into a weapon to fire something relatively small and very, very fast at you," You continued on, and tilted your head at what you saw Kayneth do, bringing forth his mystic code. "Perhaps, you believe that your mercury blob Volumen Hydragyrum can protect you. It will not."

"Not when the very night sky above belongs to me..." With that you mentally order your familiars to glow briefly... to appear as countless new stars above. For a moment, before fading once more and moving from their current position.

Intimidation without overshowing one's hand was a good way to go about things. Especially when one was successful.

"Withdraw, lancer," You smile as your familiar observed El-Melloi gritting his teeth at the reality of how things were. "That's enough for tonight."

With that, you kept a careful eye as master and servant withdrew from the field.

"M... master of Saver, what is your intention upon coming here," The blonde king glared at you.

There was a gasp and a shout from the shadows near where Saver had subsumed the Einzbern. You had to blink at the sight.

Somehow, impossibly, the Einzbern homunculus was pulling herself free from the cursed boundary layer. Clawing her way free of the shadows as if it was an endless black muck.

It was quite likely that the battle with Gilgamesh was occupying Sakura's concentration and thus, the Einzbern could attempt her escape.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 3 / Mastery of the Skies
 - - -

What Do?
[X] Write in
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:29:25 AM
[X] Mercy is a quality that the virtuous should strive for.

You gaze down upon the noble figure, wounded but not dead, at your feet as she attempted to struggle to her feet. Wounded as she was, it would be... easy for you to deal with both Saber and the Einzbern.

Easy and simple.

Easy enough to paralyze the Einzbern and push her back into the shadows with a foot to her face. You silence the whispering from Zouken for his Justeaze, you did not need distractions in the here and now.

Killing or even capturing Saber would be easy, as wounded as she was, and you even had her master to harvest the command seals from.

To be sure, you hadn't secured an alliance with Rider yet. But with Saver keeping Archer busy, there wasn't anyone who could stop you.

You could even expand a single command seal to deal with Archer.

It was all laid out before you... it wouldn't take much to secure yourself as the primary contender for the grail.

And as you ponder this, not yet ready to make your thoughts into actions, you find yourself standing mentally before the doors of a dojo.

"The Einzbern Dojo?" You blinked... the fuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuing laughter from within as the dojo doors opened to revealed shadows... that didn't inspire confidence at all.

You shake your head, certain that doom only awaited you, and that mental image of the dojo doors faded.

What were you thinking? Going after either Archer or Saber at this point was a sure method to get the others to agree that you were the true danger of the grail war and had to be dealt with immediately.

No, much better to let a weakened Saber run. It wasn't as if the other masters or servants wouldn't smell blood and go after her and the Einzbern themselves.

"Saber, take your master and go," You eventually speak up with a sigh. While you could do things now, it wasn't truly advantageous. Not when it was out in the open, and as it was you and Saver had revealed some of the tricks you could do.

That Saver was able to match Archer pound for pound, shot for shot... that wasn't going to end well.

Still, as the blonde king of knights staggered to where her master struggled, you quietly requested Sakura to release the Einzbern master. It wasn't much of a sign, but the homunculus did seem to escape easier with that request...

"So... so dark, S... saber..." It's clear from the way that the Einzbern clung to her servant that she wouldn't be an issue at this point. And with the way the two stumbled, they had come out for the worse this night.

There was a flare of prana from where Gilgamesh stood upon the containers, gazing down upon the shambling horde of shadow giants that flickered and died to his rain of noble phantasms.

A rain of stars that hammered the earth.

Careless.

Ceaseless.

And yet, what hadn't been dealt with by Saver faded into motes of golden prana.

"Consider yourself lucky, thieving worm and mongrels," You can see the rage upon his face, being forced down.

With that, the golden king of heroes vanished. Clearly, Tohsaka had recalled his servant rather than continue a pointless battle.

At a cost of a command seal.

You would have to take that as a win here and now. While, you had revealed some of your secrets, it could be said that the other two of the founding families were much worse off.

That just left you and Waver Velvet, with your respective servants Saver and Rider standing amidst the ruined wharf, the soft roaring of the sea as it surged against concrete the only sound now.

A silence from the roar of explosions, of noble phantasms launched as rockets, of the clashing of blades. Shattered tarmac, destroyed metal containers formed the backdrop as the cool breeze came in from the sea.

"Master of Saver, we will have to continue our conversation later," Rider nodded at you from within his chariot. "Perhaps our negotiations might work out, perhaps we might have to face each other on opposite sides of the battlefield. But there will be no regrets, will there?"

He laughed, and you find yourself smiling. There is a certain something to being present at the heart of a conflict, where death awaited you, uncaring of your pedigree. Or the camera you carried.

It hadn't been that long ago when you were a young fool who roamed battlefields for photos.

And you had enjoyed it. Living life one step at a time, savoring its every moment.

That Rider could see that in you, he might play the part of a fool, but there was wisdom and perceptive skills there too.

"I hope to enjoy our next meeting as much as I did this one. It was invigorating," He smiled and turned to look down at his master. "Hey boy, don't you have anything nice to say?"

There was a blink, a look down before Waver Velvet was lifted up. Shocked beyond words, mentally stunned by the battle that had raged around him. "Ahhh... I wish he'd man up a bit."

The smile directed at you and Saver was friendly. You had known men like Rider in your youth... bros, as some called them. This was a bro who looked at you now with a smile.

You find yourself smiling back at him.

"Farewell." With a crack of his reins, and the cries of his bulls, the King of Conquerors rode off into the night skies.

You can only gaze at the sight of the flying chariot and sigh at yet another of your common sense notions being attacked.

Looking about at the wreckage and ruins of the wharf, you sigh. "So, this is the grail war."

"Yes... and it's only the first night of the battles that will come," Sav... no Sakura sighed and leaned on your back, her soft mounts pressing into your back, as her arms encircled over your shoulders.

"It won't get easier," you enjoy the sensation transmitted by the puppet body of her warmth.

"No, but as long as you stay true and lead, I will follow," There is a scent of Sakura redolent around you as you close your eyes. The soft roar of the surf and coupled with the soft breeze, it makes you want to just go out for a walk with her.

But you can't...

To go out in your true body, especially at night, would be to place yourself at risk. After all, witness what had happened to the assassin master of Saber.

But for now, you just enjoy the sensations transmitted by your puppet body.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 3 / Mercy
- - -

As a fyi, next post will be day 4 or night 4 depending on what is chosen or written in.

What Do?
[X] Spend the day and try to upgrade the defenses of your home. You are, however, near the point of diminishing returns.
[X] Spend the day in the Fuyuki library, you've got research to do on Gilgamesh, Iskander and King Arthur.
[X] Spend the day out with Saver/Sakura, it's scouting and not a date!
[X] Spend the day on breeding more familiar worms, and designing new specialized breeds [Write In].
[X] Spend the day on working on a mystic code [Write In].
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:30:42 AM
[X] Spend the day out with Saver/Sakura, it's scouting and not a date!

Sleep comes once more and you find yourself submerged within a dreamless darkness.

The voices of the dead muted as if a vast sea [of shadows and endless darkness] separated you from the Matou worms and the souls that dwelled within them [and you].

You float within that darkness... a warm feeling of caring protection enfolding you.

There was a vague sense of danger, but it was far away... a pseudo primordial sea that you floated in, while you enemies and predators stalked beyond. Outside in the cold, beneath a stark and relentless ball of nuclear energies that irradiated all beneath it.

Here, you floated without concern. Without stress. Without the weight of the world pulling you down. Without the enmity of the world crushing your works.

Here... you simply were.

Beloved.

Clad in silence.

Surrounded.

And you float.

There is a vague memory.

Of words.

A sense of power overwhelming.

Rage.

Fear.

Lust.

All the darkness within a man's heart, no all of humanity, frothing within a dark sun that ascends behind you.

"I'm glad, Nee-san. That you came instead of running away," 'you' speak... no, this was Sakura. This was Saver's memories, you knew this instinctively even as you spoke.

You can feel the prana pulsing within you.

Ba Bump...

You can feel the limitless r̯̣̖̯̘͙̔̒ͅā͖̪̝͒͂͋̐̒͑͡gè͎̲͍̭͉͎͂̍ͦ͛͆ ̺͇̙͕͖̪̰͘l̹͕ͨͫ̉̀̕u̵̺̹̜͉̘͎͂͗s̉͗̑͢t̬̪̳̟̠̹̮ ͍̣͖̄ͬ̽f̺̟̻̋ͭ͆̊ͅî̜͇̭̪̦̝͉̅̂̎̎̈́ͬ͠l̬̹ͭͫͤ́ẗ̲̽ͫh̭͈͈̥̑̎ͪ̋̀̓ within you pulse in time to the beat of your heart.

No further words were uttered as you gazed down upon her.

Tohsaka Rin.

Nor did she speak as she brought forth a jeweled sword. Gazing upon it, you can feel a Mystery beyond normal comprehension. A TRUTH of the world and that which lies beyond.

Ahhh... you can see how that sparkling sword that glimmered with the countless hews of the rainbow shake ever so slightly.

"What's wrong, why are you trembling, nee-san?" There is a smile and then a soft laughter from you/Sakura. "Don't tell me you've lost your nerve? All of a sudden, here and now?"

".... Well said. Where's the old man? You're a coward. Doesn't it bother you that he's not there for you to hide behind?" The older girl retorts back at you.

You pause and smiled. And the warm air freezes at the look you deliver to her before you sigh and spoke once more. "Grandfather is gone now. He was a bother. So I crushed him and his assassin."

"I see. So you're free of the bindings laid upon you by Zouken," Your sister spoke after a moment. "There's nothing left for you to fear now that he's dead."

You had to shake your head at the error made by your sister. "Not quite. Not yet. Nee-san. Killing grandfather isn't enough. I'm strong and I can do anything I want. But I'm still bound."

There is a look of confusion on her face at your statement.

"You see, no matter what I do. No matter how... insignificant you are," You raised a delicate hand to your face, covering an eye. "You still won't disappear. You still torment me. In My Mind."

"So... so... as long as you live, I will remain bound," You glared at her with a single crimson eye. The energy within you, without you, nearly flares at the emotion of your words. "I can not be free."

Words held power.

Truths held power.

And you are power incarnate.

Your words are light. And yet... they held the weight of truth.

The words she offers in response do not bear the weight of yours. And yet, they were light delicate jabs. Thrusts at your psyche.

In return, you offer up the truths of the world.

"I'm strong. Everything is forgiven if you bear unrelenting strength," You breath and let the words flow. "Yes, I'm strong and no one can defeat me. Everything I've done will be forgiven. If... If I'm not myself. Everything I've done couldn't be helped..."

You calm yourself and allowed the soothing r̯̣̖̯̘͙̔̒ͅā͖̪̝͒͂͋̐̒͑͡gè͎̲͍̭͉͎͂̍ͦ͛͆ and  ̺͇̙͕͖̪̰͘l̹͕ͨͫ̉̀̕u̵̺̹̜͉̘͎͂͗s̉͗̑͢t̬̪̳̟̠̹̮ to simmer once more, to calm your thoughts. "Do you understand, Nee-san? I'm changing. This is what I'm going to become. This is why I can kill anyone and everyone. It is simply natural for me."

"Because I'm no longer human." Your words shine with truth now.

The words of your sister. The mention of S̝̥͇ͨ̈́̀̈́͢h̰͔͙̭̠ͅì̼̹͌r̼̞͍ͪ̄̏͌̀o̤ͩ̏͐ú̋̾. It calms your excitement, and in that calmness, serenity. And in that serenity, you see the truth, you desire him. You will kill him. Quickly. To devour him. To make him YOURS.

At your response, she smiles and swings that sword of hers.

Brilliance.

Infinite Brilliance.

All the colors of reality within and without.

Prana drawn from across the countless worlds of the Kaleidoscope.

A paltry drop against infinity.

You ponder retaliating with a counterstrike of your own with the might of A͚̜̓n̖̘̭̟ġ͙͍̠̫̮̺̗̆̌̇̆ͦͭrͬ͑̔́ȧ̂͆̕ ̼͕̫̼̬̱͌̀ͫ͛̒̚M͖͉̺͆̊̌̒̇ạͥ̐ͭͯͫḯ̱̤ͧͨ̊̏ǹ̷̙̗̟͇̥̥͒͑̚y͖̙̞͍͈̥͛û̈́ and the grail.

Instead... you allowed you to come at you... that wave of infinity.

You can see the look of surprise on your sister's face.

The surprise. The triumph.

The HORROR as you opened your mouth and ate the wave of endless prana. Infinity was added to infinity.

You smiled at her... "That was delicious, nee-san."

And woke up.

The sun was shining in your eyes from where you lay in bed. The dream slowly fading, and yet... you knew it wasn't 'just' a dream. Echoes of memories forged from the Master and Servant bond?

You blink and shifted beneath the blanket.

You don't recall changing and going to bed... perhaps, you are getting old and forgetful. Or the excitement of the battles last night such that it distracted you and you did things on automatic.

The scent of sakura blossoms fill your nose, and there is a warmth softness pressed against your body. A delightful curved softness.

You look down and see Saver... no, Sakura sleeping on top of you.

"Morning," She softly murmured at you.

"Morning, Sakura," You replied with a sigh. This was going to be troublesome, you can tell. This version of Sakura held some... feelings for you. Feelings that were very much unfilial.

You could reject her.

But that would mean hurting her.

And you simply couldn't do that.

Not to Sakura.

Not to any Sakura.

Especially, not to a Sakura who you had failed to save.

 - - -

Breakfast was a simple affair, with just the two of you.

Since she had cooked, it was only natural that you wash the dishes. And as you washed the dishes, you can't help but look out the kitchen window and into a perfect winter day.

No ill weather such as snow, blue skies and white puffy clouds. A strong breeze that rustled leaves and grass alike.

This was a day where one went out and enjoyed themselves.

And given that the others would be busy recovering, or attempting to, as well as analyzing the information gathered from the free for all last night... it made sense for you to relax and enjoy yourself.

After all, this was a lull and one took one's rest where one could.

Especially in a war.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 4 / Sisters and a Day Out
- - -

What Do?
[X] A trip to the library... what kind of woman doesn't like books?
[X] A trip to the seaside...
[X] A hiking trip to the mountains, best remember to bring some mystic codes and prepare for trouble.
[X] A trip to the shopping center of Fuyuki with stop overs in stores and cafes...
[X] Go driving with Sakura...
[X] Write In like a baus worm man!
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:31:15 AM
[X] A trip to the shopping center of Fuyuki with stop overs in stores and cafes...

It is a nice winter morning if late, the sun shone in a blue sky, a gentle breeze made it just a touch nippy and drove the white clouds across the heavens.

In the distance, you can hear the cries of seagulls as they wheeled above in the heavens, and as you wonder the streets en route to the Fuyuki library, you can hear the whisperings of people.

Simple sheep. That bleat on about the havoc in the port, proclaiming it a gas leak, with some claiming it was a battle between gangsters, that someone should do something about it.

Simple blind sheep, wandering through life without knowing of the darkness that walked amongst them, of the monsters that did more than just go 'bump' in the night.

And yet, for all their simpleness, there was something to be said to be one of their guardians. Indeed, you even find some measure of pleasure in being an Enforcer, why you were permitted to save people, to be a hero. Was that not a commendable thing?

Of course, you never really spoke of what you found pleasure in, that to be a hero who saved people, there had to be people suffering and in need of your help. And it was their suffering that gave you pleasure. It wasn't nice nor good... and yet, it was one of life's simple pleasures for you.

The other being something that you had in your hand in a metal take out container. God's single respite to you. Mapo Tofu from the kitchen of Koushuuensaikan Taizan. The burning sensation of the sheer spiciness was something you hadn't encountered, and it filled you like no other food could. Truly, Batsu-san was a miracle worker.

Ever since your discovery of Koushuuensaikan Taizan, you have had take out as well as lunches there.

Still, you had a mission this fine day. While you could assign this to one of your Assassins, it was best if you did the research yourself.

After all, you had a few names and books to read up on, namely with regards to King Arthur, Iskander the Conqueror, and Diarmuid Ua Duibhne. You suspect that the other masters were also in the midst of researching what they could...

Or... not.

You had to blink at the sight of the Matou master, Kiriya, and his servant, Saver... walking with their arms linked. Looking for all the world as if they were on a date.

Such a thing, to be so... carefree.

Laughing and feeding each other warm snacks with their free hands, or rather, she fed him snacks. The two did present the image of a loving couple. Even if immaculate ivory hair and crimson eyes were not what one would consider normal.

You know that there might be an effect on those two to make them appear normal, given that you had to blink for a moment to truly see them as they were. And it hadn't exactly been strong if you were able to break free of that momentary image. One of a dark haired man and a lady with hair that was the hue of plums, and natural dark eyes.

You contemplate following them before you see the nominal master blush as he was dragged into a store that specialized in garments for ladies, lacy undergarments for ladies... ahhh... you can sense his mortification, even this far away from the store across the street.

And really, if he wished to waste his time pandering to the wants of his servant, you can not deny that a happy servant was a productive servant, and a productive servant was one you didn't need to waste your command seals on.

You will have to see about what you can do about improving the moral of your Assassin.

You shake your head and focused.

That Emiya Kiritsugu had been taken out of the Holy Grail War before you could pose your question to him frustrated you, but there was no point in attempting to go after the ones responsible. After all, if he had acted like a hired gun for the Einzbern, should he not have been treated as one by his enemies?

For now, you had a date with the library.

And you continue walking, a light song on your lips. Something you had heard as a child, where you can not remember, and yet the song remained...

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 4 / Man with a mission from YHWH.
- - -

What Do?
[X] Kotomine Kirei in the Library.
[X] The adventures of Velvet Waver and the man with no pants.
[X] An analysis by Kayneth Archibald, Scion of House El-Melloi.
[X] Tohsaka Tokiomi's elegance in the face of the King's Wrath.
[X] An alliance between a princess and her knight with a master of magic.
[X] Ryuunosuke Uryuu's COOL adventures with his new girlfriend.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:32:59 AM
[X] Ryuunosuke Uryuu's COOL adventures with his new girlfriend.

You had met with disappointment the other day, when you had attempted to summon up a fierce demon with the sacrifice of a family.

It was as you walked home or rather to your hide out that you thought of a possibility. It was perhaps quality that had ruined the summoning, and what better quality than virgin girls? Like those five school girls he he was walking behind... as they giggled in scandal at the oldest amongst them being so daring to steal a kiss from a boy.

Thus you followed them, stalked them... sisters all.

Delightful.

And thus you walked... observed further before striking after the departure of their parents to their night jobs.
- - -
The only difference this time aside from having extra blood from the four girls to paint summoning circles on the floor and walls was that... it worked.

At the end of the chanting of those phrases that made no sense to you, there was a flash of crimson light accompanied by a sharp pain on the back of your right hand. Ruby red of neon blood that faded to a dark stigmatic scar reministic of curves and broken circles.

One by one, the four painted circles with their contained pentagrams glowed and flared with lightning.

The room that you had been standing in shifted and changed as a strong breeze blew about the room. The corpses remain even if now they hung from chains, the youngest girl remain, you remain... but for a moment, an ever so brief moment, everything else changes.

You stood in a throne room within the court of a castle, where the throne would be is a bathtub. One covered in shadows, but still filled with a liquid familiar to you.

Blood.

A figure clad in shadows stepped out of the tub to dry herself towels while humming before clothing simply formed on her body and the room returned to what it was.

As the world returned to normal, you stumble and fell backwards to land in a sitting position.

There is the slightest of moments as the heating unit turns off and the curtain before the window moved and the light of the brilliant moon shone into the room.

The painting of crimson was revealed in its full glorious artistic vision, and you see her. A girl. And yet, she was no ordinary person. You instinctively knew this, the presence that she bore... there was a purity there not seen in normal females. A greatness within her slender form.

You find yourself without words, your thoughts of praises or cheers at your unexpected success die in your mouth as you gaze at her, not because of a fierce appearance, rather... it was the opposite. Her radiant and overwhelming beauty is such that you have no words.

She stood tall, straight as a spear raised against the heavens. Nobility radiated from her very stance and essence. An otherworldly nobility. One scented in that metallic fragrance of blood.

She gazed down impartially at you before speak with aquamarine hue eyes. "I ask of you. Are you my master?"

The horns upon her head rising up, the wagging tail that was split in two at the end, and even the jaunty fangs in her mouth. They all could have been from a beast, or a demon, or perhaps even a vampire... but you instinctively knew with absolute certainty... this was a dragon.

One that had to have come a distant otherworldly realm in the form of a young maiden, but a dragon nonetheless.

"Huh.... master?" She smiled and nodded at you, a noble mien on her face. You realized that only one... no, two words fit her perfectly from her pettanko sizes, that crimson hair, to that frilly dress with its flaring skirt.

She was like a magical girl come to life, only sensual and dark. You had to shake your head to concentrate and say exactly the thought that raged in your head. Moe. Youkai moe.

"Indeed, at your summons, at your call, at your most pleasing of offerings... I have responded and come at your behest, being manifested under the class of Berserker," She curtsied at you, perhaps not realizing that you had caught a glimpse of... crimson lavender stripes amidst a triangle of white. "I must ask for your name. Indeed... who are you?"

At her curious look, you had to blush as you stood up and rubbed the back of your head. You never were good with dealing with pretty girls, or direct questions, or successfully summoning something and thus proving magic WAS real. You shook your head once more. "Uh... well... I'm Uryuu Ryuunosuke. I'm a NEET, that is to say I'm currently not in school, unemployed, and not in training."

"I like killing people, a lot, like really a lot. Especially children and young women." At your declaration of what you were, she nodded as if barely accepting you before walking around you to give you a visual once over.

"Very well, the contract is made," She noted with solemness and finality. "I desire the Holy Grail, as you too must. And it'll belong to us."

"Grail?" At your question, she blinked. You continued on, remembering your manners as a host. "Well... I don't know about the grail, but... how about a sacrifice? You want the girl?"

You turn and indicated the last survivor, the captive, still bound and lying on the floor. She looked about and counted the corpses before looking at the still living offering. At this, the girl started to struggle as Berserker looked at her and then at you.

There was a soft sigh and a tch. "I see, so this is why I got summoned. A perfect catalyst as it were."

You looked eagerly as she walked over to the girl before gently patting her on the head before... woah! That... that was a pretty damn big spear to just pull out of nowhere.

A spinning action later, the spear slammed into the ground and cut the girl loose. "Shhh... don't worry. You're going to be fine... all you need to do is run out the door and get outside. But I think that your fear and natural carelessness will doom you. So, relax and just go..."

With that... the girl was released. What?

What the... why would Berserker even do this?

You were about to speak up, but she held a finger up to her lips. Covered in a pink finger covering it matched her lips. As the girl started to run towards the open door, she spoke once more.

"Ah... there is a puddle of blood that you'll slip on." And it was there, you didn't recall spill blood there, but you had to... didn't you? "You better be careful, because I don't think you're quick enough to catch yourself... but your attempts results in a broken wrist."

You could only watch bemused as the girl DID slip on the puddle of blood and broke her wrist. "Quick, get up... but watch out that loose rug, you'll trip."

And so it went... each footstep forward by the girl was heralded by disaster after disaster, accident after accident. All foretold entirely and accurately by Berserker. Til eventually, the bloody figure stood at the door and struggled with the doorknob. The broken hands didn't help her any. Berserker smiled sadly, well... as sadly as someone gleefully enjoying what she was seeing. "Ah, it's a shame, but it looks like your parents didn't keep certain things in good shape, which is why that overhead light falls on your head with enough force to snap your neck."

You can only watch in fascination as her declaration occurs exactly as described, and the not quite horrified cry filled with despair as the girl looked up and it fell on her.

"Life is like that, one can't escape their fate," She looked at you now. And you realized that it had been entirely a game. An awesome game where Berserker hadn't physically killed the girl but somehow arranged things to just slowly pile up on her. "And isn't it better this way, after all... terror, pain, despair, they all have a certain quality to the emotion when you watch. That quality savored can be enhanced and made more intense by giving them a sliver of hope. Hope kills."

She turned to look at you now. "Emotions are kind of cool that way. I bet you enjoyed that, didn't you? When her hope turned to terror and despair?"

This.

This...

This was so... before you could speak up, she turned and looked at the corpse before leaning down to wipe the blood from the girl's face with a finger and licked it. "Ahhhh..."

You found yourself blushing even more. Before she had just been moe and cool. Now she was... sexy. But, you found yourself unable to stop from asking the question that came to mind as you saw her skirt flip up to reveal her striped panties and the tail. "Just how far up does the scales go from your tail?"

She paused to look at you with a mortified blush on her face. "... y... y... y.... you saw?"

The nod from you got a cry of despair from her as she blushed. The sight of her face going red once more brought another involuntary word from you. "Cute."

"You... you better take responsibility," You blinked at the fuming, not quite pouting face of Berserker. "So. Will you marry me? Or will you be killed by me?"

This was horribly cute. It was like she was the distillation of tsundere, or something. "Well... I don't want to just be killed. But I can't just marry you, just like that... it's not right, you gotta do it step by step, right?"

She nodded slowly, giving you a chance to continue. "Now, I don't know about the grail thing, but if you'll have me... I'll be your boyfriend and we can get married later."

You smiled and ruffled her hair, that blush on her face. She... really wasn't used to being around men, or being touched by one. Totally a virgin. You could do worse, but that wasn't likely.

"But for now, I'll happily follow you. Let's kill some more. Let's make killing cool and artistic," She beamed at your words. Clearly, your enthusiasm was infectious. "Show me all the coooool ways of killing."

"You... you said you were Ryuunosuke, right?" You nodded at her question. "It seems like this is going to be a fun relationship. I'll be happy to show you what I can do... it feels like things are going right for me, and maybe... this time I'll achieve my dream."

"Your dream?" You tilted your head at her.

"But of course," She smiled widely with pleasure. "To become a world famous idol, what else?"

You blinked. That was adorable. "Ah... I forgot to ask you, what is your name?"

"Fuhuhuhuhuhu, my name is Elizabeth Bathory, the dragon's daughter," As she said her name, you could see stats and numbers just form when you look at her.

"Hoooooh...."
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 4 / Daughter of the Dragon
- - -

What Do?
[X] A worm's PoV.
[X] A brash boy who is struggling with THE IDIOT! who doesn't know of pants OR underwear!
[X] A princess and her knight
[X] A knight and his lord.
[X] Write In [within reason please]

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cOxCo08cEW8/UXW4SYH4NjI/AAAAAAAAUDU/oIPdhPJ1_ZE/s400/sample-f13703366cdec86c999211024e2008d6.jpg) (http://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/1400930)

Servant
Name               : Elizabeth Bathory
Master             : Uryuu Ryuunosuke
Class              : Berserker
Also Known as      : The Blood Countress, Countess Dracula, Daughter of the Dragon
Alignment          : Chaotic Neutral      N. Phantasm   : A
Strength           : C                    Agility       : E
Mana               : D                    Luck          : B
Endurance          : D

Class Skills:
Mad Enhancement    : E-

Berserker's Mad Enhancement is very low, allowing her to retain her reason. There is not much benefit to the skill, turning her Strength and Endurance into a state that is more "don't care about pain" than anything else. She instead has Mental Disorder, a state of the mind falling ill and a mental "super armor" ability. Rather than the common madness added to a Berserker, she becomes incapable of feeling the pain of others and unable to sense the mood in the surroundings.

Personal Skills:
Dragon's Breath    : E
Charisma           : C
Innocent Monster   : A
Magic Resistance   : A
Mental Disorder    : A
Territory Creation : B

Berserker has been demonized by the Innocent Monster skill that uses the image produced from one's deeds in life to distort their past and way of being, which ends up transforming their abilities and appearance. Her form is due to the deeds she practiced in life Though she looks like a demon, her horns and tail are those of a dragon, and though her fangs look like those of a vampire, they are also those of a dragon. Her lungs have been turned into a spirit world, attaining tremendous lung capacity and a Dragon Breath attack through the means of ultrasonic waves. Although turned into a dragon by the Skill "Innocent Monster", maybe she is forcing herself somehow for its power is low.

The form is not a forgery caused solely through the means of Innocent Monster, but rather brought about from the dragon's blood mixed within her. The source is crest of the Báthory family, a shield coat of arms patterned after a red fang that represented the dragon's gallantry, vigorousness, and the brutality of never letting the enemy live. It grants her Magic Resistance of the same grade as King Arthur, another with dragon blood.

Her Territory Creation allows her to build up a prison-castle and that is mainly used in confining girls. According to the records, the master of he castle would capture five virgins a day, execute three for the sake of bathing in blood, and torture to death one as if a pet. She gave the last remaining the right of challenging various fates. This has translated into a manipulation of fate noble phantasm.

Noble Phantasms:
Bathory Erzsebet: Fresh Blood Demoness                  A
Anti-Fortress
This is a Noble Phantasm that summons the castle within she reigned during her lifetime and uses it as a stage to make herself prominent. The castle is the Prison Castle Csejte, a demonic castle where hundreds of young girls were tortured to death, and by being soaked in the fresh blood of girls that she used to fill her bloodbath, a bathtub of blood, she maintains an enormous magical power and charm power.

Utilizing her singing talent to contest for the top position on the planet and the castle that has been remolded into a giant amplifier, they bring about a tune that is certainly something that can be called hell on earth. Her lungs, having gained tremendous capacity from her dragon blood, allows her to amplify her voice through the Noble Phantasm enough to resound off of a section of the Tokyo Dome and turn it into a noise capable of making it crumble.

Kilenc Sárkány: Dragon Cry Thundering Voice             B
Anti-Unit
The ability is the majesty of a roaring dragon by the name of Sárkány converted into a Noble Phantasm by weather spirits according to ancient legends in Hungary. The ability works by amplifying sounds and vibrations to invoke wind and rain by means of that resonance.

This spear allows Berserker to amplify sound and vibration, using the resulting resonance to call forth wind and rain. It utilizes the charisma, soothing effects, and ability to fill others with dread that reside in the wielder's voice. It can also be said that it simply increases the voice's volume by eighty-one times. It is a demonic singing voice that destroys and tramples not only the body of any listener, but also their mind. Growing wings and standing atop her spear, she lets out a sound wave that assaults the opponent.

Eastern Wonderland Magic: Manipulation of Fate          D
Anti-Unit
It is said that in the distant future, there is a tale of the daughter of Dracula that calls her the Scarlet Devil. The scarlet devil is such that she could manipulate the fate of those around her. This tale has propagated across the world within the tales of an Eastern Wonderland.

Because she was summoned in Japan, Berserker resonates with the tale of the Scarlet Devil and has the ability to manipulate fate. Allowing her to make declarations that will come true.

While the rank of this noble phantasm is D, and its effects can be negated by anyone with a rank of D in Luck. Under certain conditions, the power of this noble phantasm can be increased by the power and history of the Blood Countess' fondness for "playing" games with the last virgin girl that she has captured out of every five. For each of the following conditions fulfilled, the rank of the noble phantasm increases by one level, and it takes an equal rank of Luck to resist the effects of the manipulation of fate.

1) If the target is female. 2) If she is a virgin. 3) If she was a captive. 4) If she was captured and held prisoner with four other females, who have since died.

While, the curse effect of Manipulation of Fate can't outright kill, it can be used to set up conditions whereby the target dies. Much like Zabaniya: Delusional Heartbeat, physical defense is impossible, but resistance to curses or a high level of luck may permit evasion.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:33:26 AM
[X] A princess and her knight...

"I do not trust her," Saber spoke softly as she looked out the window. Her displeasure could be felt in the quiet and dignified words.

You could only sigh and shake your head. If only Kiritsugu was still alive. But you couldn't bring him back now, only the third magic could. So in the end, you would be forced to choose between the ambition of the Einzbern and recovering Kiritsugu or the dream of your beloved, and bringing peace to the world. This was a conundrum that you wished you weren't experiencing, but were. "I agree that the timing is suspicious, but..."

You look helplessly at the immaculate form of your servant. The wounds inflicted by Lancer were all gone, all save one. The one that rendered Saber less than optimal in a fight; her left hand. Without that hand, she would be unable to fight with her full strength, without that hand, her Noble Phantasm was sealed.

"A gesture of good will, but I fear that wound will have to wait until later." Their departed guest hadn't exactly made her intentions a secret there. Just sufficient skills at removal of curses and healing to demonstrate that the curse of Gae Buidhe was as nothing to her, but not enough to permit Saber or you to simply say no to the offer of an alliance now that your servant was healed.

You mentally reviewed what you knew of the so-called "normal housewife" who had just left. She was no servant, you instinctively knew this and confirmed with the so-called Master's sight. And yet, that you had to check against this was due to the presence she had, she felt like Saber; ancient, absurdly powerful, overflowing with a certain majesty despite her normal everyday clothes.

"But what can we do, Saber?" You sighed and looked down. "I fear that I will be a poor Master for you. I do not have the experience or skill to serve you beyond healing you and providing you with prana... if only..."

"Irisviel, enough." The voice of Saber is firm, and brooked no disagreement. For a moment, you can see her standing tall and proud and speaking as only a king could. "What happened has happened, nothing more or less. We must move on and adapt."

"I will say this again, I do not trust that woman. But as my master, it is your decision if you trust her enough to form an alliance with her," You look at the back of Saber as she stood ramrod straight and looked out into the dark night of the Einzbern mansion's grounds. "That Kiritsugu was lost in battle, it is... a regrettable thing. But not an insurmountable thing. And as long as we meet our objectives, any and all collateral damage is acceptable."

You paused and looked at your servant. "But..."

"It is better to lose a single village and save ten, than to lose all eleven," Her voice is now... so... cold. So resolute. This... this was the King of Britannia. It's as if you were speaking to Kiritsugu when you were first introduced to him. The Kiritsugu who thought of people as... numbers. No wonder Saber rubbed your husband wrong, he could sense in her the same metal that was within him.

You could only sigh. "Very well, then... Saber. Tell me, in your opinion. Could you defeat Lancer as you are?"

"As I am? I can not say," She shook her head. "Perhaps if I still possessed Avalon or had my hand healed, I might be able to defeat him now that I have his measure. But as it is..."

"Avalon," You paused and felt the noble phantasm within you pulsed once more at the presence of Saber, its master. It would be a simple thing to return it, but hadn't Kiritsugu told you to not tell Saber of its presence and to keep it within your body?


- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 4 / Dodgy Housewife
- - -


What Do?
About Avalon~
[X] Tell Saber of where Avalon is, and return it to her.
[X] Keep quiet about Avalon and adhere to Kiritsugu's wishes.

About certain dodgy housewife and her offer
[X] Accept the alliance, make the phone call.
[X] Do not accept the alliance for now.

Next Day Activity
[X] Research up about the other servants.
[X] Search for one of the other masters, and see about an alliance or perhaps a truce?
[X] Wait at the airport for the arrival of additional back-up homunculi from the Einzbern.
[X] Write In.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 02:34:03 AM
[X] Keep quiet about Avalon and adhere to Kiritsugu's wishes.
[X] Do not accept the alliance for now.
[X] Wait at the airport for the arrival of additional back-up homunculi from the Einzbern.


You look long and hard at the sleek black plastic thing on the table that had been left by the so-called "normal housewife". You instinctive knew that this was far too advance to be an ordinary cellphone. For one, you had seen cellphones used by Kiritsugu and Maiya. They were not sleek plastic that resembled black glass devices with glowing numbers on one surface when one side was touched.

"It's set to call me if you press the green phone symbol twice," that "housewife" had said it. And yet, such a device seemed beyond this world.

If you didn't know better, you would have sworn what sat on the table was a mystic code. And yet... and yet... you sensed no prana from it. A simple test using reinforcement to feel its structure only got you back an impression of glass, copper, and plastic. There was no sense of age that said this was a noble phantasm.

This was, as far as you could tell, an absolutely mundane device that shouldn't, no, couldn't exist. And yet, it did.

You breathed in and tried to think like how Kiritsugu would. Yes, he would refuse. For now, and look for the drawbacks or perhaps other possibilities first. "To accept now, would be to appear weak. No, desperate. And that... that would be bad."

There was the vague thought of telling Saber about Avalon, but that thought was quashed. Kiritsugu had asked you to not tell Saber about it, and he had to have a reason. You would adhere to that unspoken of reason, for now as well. Unless it was absolutely necessary.

And so the night passed, and you woke up and drove into town with Saber. Or rather, more specifically, to the airport at Fuyuki.

The weight of that device that the "housewife" had given you sits heavily in your pocket. You are sorely tempted to make that phone call, but don't.

Once there, you sit with Saber and wait. You had gotten a call from Jubstacheit Einzbern regarding reinforcements after, in his words, the... disappointing showing by the Magus Killer and his death so early at the hands of a Servant.

Thus, you were being sent a number of Einzbern combat homunculi to help give you an edge, after all... nothing said one couldn't stack the hand that you were dealt. You recall reading up on the last Grail War, of the German Nazi and Japanese Imperial Army being used as weapons to support servants and masters. Of the desperate battle that had left Jubstacheit with a dead servant in mere days, despite him fielding an army of homunculi.

But that was then and this is now, there were no armies expected. Save that deployed by servants as part of their noble phantasms such as witnessed being done by that Saver.

You sighed and relaxed on the hood of your car, parked next to the car was the small bus that had been purchased for the duration of the Fourth Grail War.

The landing of the private jet was almost understated. Not so much the battle hardened homunculi. They stepped forth out of the jet one by one, clad in the traditional battle maid uniforms. Their weapons packed away in their luggage.

A 'small' army was now at your command, with sufficient fighting ability to rival any servant not of the Three Knight classes. Their lifespans were going to be short even without active combat. But they were, like you were (suppose to be), loyal to the cause of the Einzberns.

They stood before you, in squads of three, with seven squads in total. While not identical, it would have been easy to mistake them and you for close sisters; crimson eyes and white hair concealed beneath their cowls. "Lady Irisviel."

The ripple of synchronized nods directed at you was enough to make you blink, as were the voices spoken to you. Had you sounded like this before Kiritsugu? "Sisters. As you have been made aware, the Magus Killer was killed not long ago and our ability to contest for the Holy Grail has been reduced. Thus, you were sent here."

Another silent nod. You can see how such a sight might be disconcerting.

"You will head to the Einzbern mansion in the forests outside of Fuyuki," you swallowed drily. "Once there, you are to fortify the mansion and its barriers further."

Another nod. "Saber and I shall return later in the evening."

With that, the maids boarded the bus and put away their luggage and assorted weaponry.

You watch the bus back out of the parking lot, being driven by one of the homunculi. Your skills and knowledge of how to drive, of learning to drive had clearly been implemented within the new generation of homunculi.

"They will be lucky to see the end of the Grail War, won't they?" You swallow at the notion of those homunculi marching off to their deaths. They like you were not going to survive the war.

"Perhaps," An arm awkwardly reached around your shoulder to hug you. "Perhaps, they will survive. Perhaps, they won't. I shall seen the impossible happen before. And they are rather well disciplined. They might still have a chance."

 
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 5 / Clone Wars
- - -
 
 
What Do?
[X] Drive about Fuyuki for reconnaissance?
[X] Research up about the other servants.
[X] Search for one of the other masters, and see about an alliance or perhaps a truce?
[X] PoV Switch [Which of the Masters now? Note I hold the right of Veto]
[X] Write In


OOC~
(9:05:47 PM) Bii_Witch: Someone wanna roll me a 2d6?
(9:06:58 PM) Bii_Witch: and a 1d100 M even= yes, odd = no
(9:07:09 PM) qqdice: Latewave rolled 1d100: [55] = 55
(9:07:22 PM) qqdice: Latewave rolled 2d6: [2,5] = 7
(9:08:13 PM) Bii_Witch: 21 Combat Homuculi have shown up to reinforce Irisviel[/center]
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Cherry Lover on May 10, 2013, 02:58:52 AM
Nice, it's good that you could post this here too.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 10, 2013, 03:00:27 AM
Nice, it's good that you could post this here too.

Figured might as well... :3
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Cherry Lover on May 10, 2013, 03:10:39 AM
Yeah, definitely.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 14, 2013, 09:00:54 AM
[X] I have no pants and I must laugh.

You are an extremely frustrated magus. That you were.

It had taken a fair amount of work for you, mister third generation magus of house Velvet, to get the concept of underwear and pants into the stupid block head of a servant you have.

You can even now remember the LOOK on your host's faces when Iskander came down and introduced himself to them WITHOUT pants or underwear.

The comments about how it didn't matter what kind of tastes that you had in men, but my... Alex was a nice strapping young man, wasn't he?

That the idiot had then managed to connect with the McKenzie in a way that you didn't quite manage... that was upsetting. After all, the old man and your servant had proceeded to spend the night drinking and sharing war stories... with Rider's sanitize for the modern era.

You could only shake your head.

Didn't the fool realize of the absolute danger you and he were in? There was the overpowered freaks of nature summoned by the Tohsaka and Matou.

Shadow giants and an endless array of noble phantasms that could be used as disposable missiles. How could he not see the absolute danger there?

And the Matou master had already killed one of the masters in the war and had threatened your teacher. Sure, you hated him. But that the Matou saw nothing wrong with eliminating masters... you shuddered. You could be next.

The way that the Matou servant had declared herself the Last Heroic Spirit spoke of the difficulty of identifying her. She had either be someone from the future, an impossibility unless one involved one of the True Magics... or that meant that she was the last heroic spirit. The last one ever before modern day made it impossible for such to exist.

Tricky.

You sighed into the scarf that Martha had given you before headed out.

"Hear my song~" Right, just when you thought your day couldn't get worse. The natives were holding some sort of public popularity or singing contest in front of the main library in Fuyuki.

The voice was perky and high pitched as the young... girl shrieked into the microphone to the cheers of those gathered before the stage. This was not singing, you will grant that she had an acceptable voice.

And yet, the audience ate it up. You suppose that didn't say much about the tastes of the people of Japan. Shaking your head, you attempted to walk around the crowd.

"Boy," a heavy hand rested upon your shoulder. You blinked and looked back up at Rider.

"What's wrong, Rider?" The big lummox shook his head and pointed at the stage.

An eyebrow rose now, as you looked at what he was poin... wait, did that girl have horns and a tail? No matter how you looked at it, that girl was not normal. Certainly, even if one took those items as prosthetics, it still wasn't normal. But the way that tail swayed left and right said that it couldn't be natural.

You looked back at Rider. "Servant?"

His response was a simple nod and a smile. It looked like you wouldn't be doing your research. As Rider was going to do that stupid thing he kept doing EVERY time he met an interesting servant.

"Come on, let's find out when the show ends..."

- - -

Your name is Matou Kariya, you are the inheritor of the Matou crest worms. You are the sum and summary of the Matou magic, of its advances towards the root, as every magus should. Really.

You weren't doing it because it's what everyone expects of you as a magus. Including the dead magi INSIDE your mind murmuring away. Oh, the old man, your predecessor wasn't interested in THAT. He and a few others within your mind were content with things as they were. There was a form of immortality here, after all.

You were currently in a Holy Grail War that allowed you to claim a "shortcut" to a True Magic.

The heroic spirit you had summoned was an alternate version of your adopted daughter, and it's clear from yesterday's activities as you scouted the territories of Fuyuki that she was... interested in you that way.

But it felt wrong. Because no matter how things were, she was Sakura. Your adopted daughter. The child of Aoi. You couldn't just do anything like that with her.

While yesterday had been a nice day where you had relaxed, today... you had things to do. That had to be done. You shouldn't be relaxing in bed being snuggled by Saver. You knew she hadn't been in your bed last night.

And there had been that odd dream again.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 5 / Idols and Worms
- - -

What Do?
[X] Ahhh... forget it, iet's enjoy ourselves with Saver, another day out in Fuyuki. The other masters would still be recovering.
[X] What was up with those dreams anyhow?
[X] Let's go to the main library in Fuyuki and research those servants.
[X] Let's talk to your spies and see what the other masters had been up to?
[X] Work on your home's defenses... you're not sure HOW you could even upgrade them further.
[X] Work on a mystic code, there were several left incomplete... okay, there were numerous incomplete projects that those within you had worked on, but had put aside and things just happened.
[X] Check on your familiars and make sure that they were breeding properly, or perhaps, you could work on creating a new variant strain?
[X] Write In.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 21, 2013, 11:23:19 AM
[X] What was up with those dreams anyhow?

Let it not be said that you are unobservant. You weren't.

Nor let it be said that you weren't slow. You had to admit that by the standards of magus or other people, you might be considered slow. But that was because you took the time to think things through instead of just scream and leap like a Kzinti. Wait... where did that thought come from?

You traced that odd statement to one of the recently deceased minds in the mass of voices with the back of your mind. How... scandalous that a magus would enjoy science fiction novels. Still, fiction was fiction and there was no overt shame in a magus reading a science fiction book like a scientist enjoying a fantasy novel.

Still, it didn't mean you hadn't come to the realization that recently, something was happening to your dreams. At least, far more than could be explained than the bond and connection between... a master and his servant.

Yes, that was a safe way to describe the relationship of mutual symbiosis between you and Sakura... no, Saver.

You had made allowances for the dreams of her and... Rin, of the fall out. Of that 'sempai' of hers. Of the Shinji of hers... he had behaved the same in her dreams as he did here, Shinji adored Sakura. But that would change in  time when the subject of magic came up.

More, there was the way that her 'Zouken' had treated her. You can see the echoes there in the memories of the previous head of the Matou. He could have done it if he needed to. Might have done it in a different circumstance. If there wasn't a way to propagate memories and souls into the Crest Worms, if things were just slightly different.

Worse, you could see how you would have, could have, might have died in a different world. Your body a shambling wreck.

You would die alone in the darkness, with nothing but determination that Berserker would give you victory. That Sakura would be saved.

You would die a failure.

No honor.

No glory.

No salvation.

Not for you, for Sakura.

Your body consumed by the worms where you died in the crypt beneath the Matou mansion.

That version of you was an absolute failure. Because he was you. And you were he. His actions were comprehensible to you and yet he was destined to fail.

You had vowed not to.

Thus, as might be imagined, the dreams of the endless dark sea in which you floated were... quite disconcerting. You could not see how your... Servant might have experienced this.

It felt too real to be a dream, and ironically, not real enough to be reality.

Perhaps, it was an echo of her existence within the Throne of Heroes? Did it not exist outside of time? Did it not, theoretically, exist in a state of permanence?

Or perhaps, this was the darkness within which your adopted... no, Servant, slept and existed in? The realm of imaginary numbers? She did, after all, spend some time in there after saving Gaia.

The most unsatisfying possibility was that it was just a set of rather memorable nightmares. Of floating in darkness, blind, unseeing and unseen while nearby a pane of glass existed. A mirror gate to sanity and light, a realm of angles and curves and soft sacs of liquid chemicals that sparked and twitched with chemically created impulses of electricity.

You could ask her, but there was the feeling that she might not tell you the answer or give you one that you would like. Was there not something to mysteries unsolved? Simply leaving things as they were? Or would you pit your intellect and all the wisdom of the collected dead within you against this mystery and determine what it was before speaking to Saver?

 - - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 5 / Dreams of Darkness
 - - -

What Do?
[X] Talk to Saver, and question her about the dreams?
[X] Pit your intellect and that of the countless within you against this puzzle.
[X] Perhaps, it is merely a dream, you have been overwrought as of late with the 4th Holy Grail War
[X] You had, other things to worry about, than some silly dreams, such as; [pick one]
- - [X] What the other masters have been up to.
- - [X] Some of your spies have simply failed to check in, most worrying.
- - [X] The identities of various servants and their weaknesses and strengths.
- - [X] You'll have to deal with those murders that Tohsaka hasn't dealt with, too much attention is bad.
- - [X] The unresolved tensions you had with Saver.
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on June 04, 2013, 10:36:02 PM
[X] Talk to Saver, and question her about the dreams?
- - (1:12:13 PM) qqdice: Bii_defeated rolled 1d100: 12 = [12]

Really, it was clear that Saver had to have had something to do with your dreams of late. It was... staggeringly clear to any one with an ounce of sense.

The only questions, really, when it came to do it were the reason and the method.

You knew of the connection that a Servant had with its master, of the transmission of prana and certain base knowledge if the connection was strong enough. The only question was, was it that your connection with Sakura was too strong?

If so, you couldn't really say. But the other possibility was that this was a side effect of her noble phantasm, and your closeness to her.

Thus, you find yourself speaking to her when you felt her shifting on you and signifying that yes, she was awake. "I don't know how to say this or rather ask this?"

"Mmmmh?" A pair of crimson eyes looked down into yours, a lazy expression on her face.

You focus your thoughts. You would be distracted from this. Nope. "I've been having dreams lately."

"Isn't that normal?" Certainly, her response was reasonable. But in this unreasonable world where common sense had been long lost, you wouldn't be deterred.

"Perhaps, but I suspect you could shed some light on the dreams I've been having lately," You looked at your servant firmly, not brooking any backtalk.

She responded with a look of amusement, as if humoring you for now. "Is that so?"

"Yes," She was trying to get a rise out of you and divert the conversation. You just needed to stay the course. "Lately, I've been having dreams where nothing happens, where I just float in darkness and..."

She looked as if she was about to speak up, likely about how that was just psychological and stuff, but you push on. "And I'm no longer connected to the Matou... mysteries."

She nodded grudgingly, it appeared that you were on the right course. You just needed to find out more and get her to take it seriously.

"Now I could accept it as a dream from your past or some such, but... I've experienced your past in dreams. I know what it is like, and this... this is not the same." You continued, even as she looked away from you. "Please just tell me what's going on."

She paused as if thinking, and perhaps she was. A decision on informing you of what she was doing or happening could be seen as important.

Eventually, as she looked down at you in consideration, you see her lips twitch before curving just so. You remember Aoi smiling like that, that mischievous smile before she did something... naughty when the two of you were younger.

"Well... I could tell you or I could show you..."

And she left the choice in your hand. How delightful.

 - - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 5 / Choices
 - - -


What Do?
[X] Have her show you.
[X] Have her tell you.
[X] You'll need to think on this.
[X] Write In Magic~
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on June 12, 2013, 10:40:56 AM
[X] Have her show you.

You consider the choices she offered you. More importantly, the offered choices and the unoffered choices.

Show or tell.

But nothing about waiting or thinking.

There was the worrying smile directed at you. Some might deem it sultry. Others might call it teasing. But there was the hint of danger there. Absolute danger.

The gentle curve of soft peach hued lips, to you, spoke of mischief. But not malicious mischief, just one that was more amused. As if she knew something you didn't.

With her face hanging directly over yours, a veil of white hair concealed the world around you and gave a certain intimacy in your conversation. The warmth of her body was one shared by the bed and the blanket that covered the two of you.

That scent of sakura petals hung heavy in the air. Or rather the scent that you had associated with her. With Saver, no... Sakura.

You had to restrain your body to prevent it from acting on the urges from the sensations imposed upon you. It has been a very long time since anyone had this kind of an intimate moment with you.

While she could tell you, it wouldn't be the same as being shown. In much the same manner that various mysteries had to be experienced to gain an understanding of, you suspect that you would need to be shown to gain any true appreciation of what it was that had been done to you.

"Why don't you show me?" There was a patient air in your voice. It wasn't just because you had to flood your body with prana to keep it from reacting to the nearness of the very female body of Sakura.

That smile didn't slip from her face as you made your request. Rather, there was a slight nod as she pushed her body away from yours much like that of a push up.

With her arms by your sides, you were trapped. As it were.

"Very well, Kariya-ojiisan," there was a giggle.

And it felt as if you were lying upon a cold mirror, or perhaps a block of ice. Which was when there might might a sense of foreboding, just the slightest one, before you catch sight of something dark rising around the two of you...

And you were pushed.

Pulled.

Dragged under.

Slipped under.

Water that wasn't water.

Darkness, and yet you could see. You could sense.

The only problem was that you couldn't hear. The countless voices of the dead Matou and Zolgen were... silenced. And in that silence, you were once more alone within your mind and body.

Floating above you and between you and that slowly fading pane of light in the distance was Sakura. You could feel things twisted and moving against your body.

The primal urge from your lower brain to fight, to run, to do something rose... you could feel the disconnect from where you were and where you are.

This wasn't real.

This was wrong.

It was dark, infinitely dark. And yet, it was more than just dark. Darkness implied an absence of light, that light existed somewhere. Here, there was instead negative light. Here, light didn't just not exist, it never was, never could be, never would be.

To ease the primordial parts of your brain, you close your eyes and heard the racing beats of your heart. And alongside it, a soft lullaby.

Soft warm hands encircled your body.

Warm femaleness pressed against your body, and you found your head resting against generous female bountiful talent. Soft curves, warmth and tenderness.

Slowly, your heart calmed itself.

There was nothing to fear.

There was only the here and now. A oneness.

Your body relaxed. Yes, that was it. You could rest.

And you found yourself simply letting everything go. A soft voice sand wordlessly to you, asking you to trust it.

You did.

Your body reacted... differently, and yet... you felt it was natural. How could you resist your instincts? Why would you stop it? How could you stop it?

There was no mana here to channel.

Your od simply flowed in accordance to your body's needs and not to the demands of your mind.

Thus, there was no prana to be used. There was no mysteries here. Only oneness.

The needs of your body was fulfilled with warm wetness enfolding around it. While soft arms encircled you and yours around a female form.

Needs, wants, everything was met here in the eternal depths of the shadows.

Eventually, your eyes opened to meet another pair of crimson eyes.

Amusement and satisfaction could be found here. "This is my world. This is where I slumbered after saving the world. A world that wasn't a world. A dream within a dream."

You had to think about what she meant. "A reality marble?"

She really wasn't human, was she? After all, no human could create a reality marble. It required a mindset that wasn't human, that was alien to the world.

"No... but it is... close to one. This is the darkness that consumed the world, the darkness that was created in conjunction between my element of Imaginary Numbers, the matou mysteries, and that which lies within the Greater Grail," she spun above you, or was that in front of you, with arms stretched wide. "This, all of this, is the realm of quantum flux. The foam of infinite possibilities outside the normal space-time of Gaia's reality. Or you could call it my cursed boundary layer."

By focusing on the immaculate ivory figure of Sakura alone, you find yourself able to endure the shadows. Despite this, you could feel your psyche strain under the attempt to make sense of what you were perceiving.

"Do you want to stay here?" She spun once more to stand next to you, or perhaps float above you. "Or do you want to go back?"

There was the hint of a giggle in her voice, a hardness there that hinted the wrong answer might not be a pleasent thing and might require multiple command seals to escape.

 - - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 5 / Infinite Shadows Works
 - - -

What Do?
[X] Reply, saying you'd be willing to stay awhile if she wanted you to...
[X] Ask to go back to the real world.
[X] Ask why she's been taking you here while you sleep?
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on June 25, 2013, 04:23:48 AM
[X] Ask why she's been taking you here while you sleep?

"So...." You kept your eyes up. Yes, up was safe.... safer. Yes, safer to look at her face and not those soft generous curves that were only highlighted by the infinite primordial darkness. Or the... yes, much safer to look at her face.

"So." She smiled as she replied to your statement of taking where you were, and of your struggle to just look at her face and not look down at her feminine charms.

"Why?" An eyebrow rose at your question.

"Why?" And that smiled stayed, even as her crimson eyes closed somewhat, giving the impression of a lazy cat, even as she parroted your question.

"Yes. Why... this," You gestured around the two of you. "Why have you been bringing me here while I slept. Why bring me here at all in the first place?"

She nodded solemnly at your questions, with a not quite pout. "Those are very valid concerns."

You looked at her as she gave the appearance of thinking deeply.

"First, let me reassure you that it was for a very good reason," She smiled at your frown. "First, in the master and servant pairing, it's obvious that the master is the weak and squishy part of the relationship."

"And when one sleeps, one is vulnerable," She nodded at the obvious statement she just said. "So, it was only natural that we ended up in the same bed, and from there..."

She smiled and looked away, with one hand covering her mouth as she did a not quite laugh that you've SEEN Aoi do as a child. Especially when she was doing something evil or had done such and didn't want to laugh crassly. "Why, it was only perfectly normal for me to bring you to a safe place...."

"And this had absolutely nothing to do with the feelings you harbor for me and which you haven't exactly been hiding?" You sigh and forced the issue. Even if it wasn't the wisest of choices.

"Of course not, that would be ludicrous," She shook her head, hands on hips. "Why a master having carnal relationship with his servant... that would just be unthinkable and such."

"uh huh..." You raised an eyebrow at her now.

"Really," She beamed at you. "Besides, in such a relationship, it would imply that one wasn't a filthy filthy woman that used to be human."

You frowned now. What?

"Indeed... a filthy woman whose been soiled and stained by her very nature, driven beyond her wits and ending up not human and devouring all of humanity... that," She looked down now. "That would be the worse kind of thing to have a relationship with, wouldn't it?"

"Something insane and inhuman like that," She shook her head. "No one would want to associate with such a thing."

....

She was talking about herself, wasn't she?

You sigh at the way she averted her eyes from you. She was talking about herself.


 - - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 5 / Filth
 - - -


What Do?
[X] Comfort her.
[X] Disagree with what she was saying. You didn't mind what she was. After all, look at you... you're a Matou magus.
[X] Agree with what she was saying. Best to end any chances of her thinking she could get you. You wanted Aoi, after all.
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on July 04, 2013, 05:11:09 AM
[X] Gently hug her.
[X] Disagree with what she was saying. You didn't mind what she was. After all, look at you... you're a Matou magus.
[X] "Any reservations I have about such things stem not from the ludicrous reasons you stated, but from the fact that Sakura, the Sakura of this present, is my precious daughter. I am still wrestling with the idea that you are her, but not. That I would not be doing something wrong by caring about you in a different way than I do her. And I do care about you.."


You had known she had... issues from the dreams. Known, but kept quiet in the hopes that you wouldn't trip any mental landmines. Clearly, that wasn't going to help you in the here and now.

You sighed and pulled her into your arms, before enfolding her in them.

A hug.

One of the simplest ways to show affection, to give comfort. Her attempts to speak up in response to the hug was negated by the gentle stroking of hand down her back, and a soft not quite shhhing.

You can sense the self loathing, if not leaving, at least lessening with the hug. The stiffness in her shoulders slowly fading with time.

It appeared that human contact, human intimacy was your servant's weak spot.

"You know. You're wrong," You eventually spoke up, as you kept her in your hug. "You're not an inhuman monster. Or a filthy woman. You are you. And no matter what, I don't mind you for what you are. After all, look at me... I'm a Matou magus."

You smiled and tilted her face up with a single hand, so that she could look into your eyes. "I'm everything that I despised in my youth, but I endure because I'm me and if I can't bear myself, where would I be, huh?"

"It's not the same," She eventually murmured and looked down once more.

"Perhaps, perhaps not. Any reservations I have about such things stem not from the ludicrous reasons you stated, but from the fact that Sakura, the Sakura of this present, is my precious daughter." You continued on as you returned to hugging her gently. "I am still wrestling with the idea that you are her, but not. That I would not be doing something wrong by caring about you in a different way than I do her. And I do care about you..."

"So, you don't need to be a perfect servant, or play at being an inhuman thing," You closed your eyes. "Just be yourself. That's all I want. Could you do that? For me?"

"Uh huh..."

"That's a good girl," You sighed and continued your hug.

Fade to black as time passes.


- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 5 / Humanity
 - - -


What Do?
[X] Let's do some exploring, it's a new night and all that.
[X] Try and locate the last master and servant pair up. There are suppose to be seven partnerships, right?
[X] Investigate and try to stop the horrible serial murders, too much attention on Fuyuki is bad.
[X] Have dinner out with Saver, and along the way, let's provoke one of the other masters whose lair you know.
- - Team Archer [TOKIOMI! in his fancy house]
- - Team Assassin [Kotomine in his church]
- - Team Lancer [Lord El Melloi in his nice hotel]
- - Team Saber [Lady Einzbern in her castle]
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on July 31, 2013, 07:31:49 PM
[X] Investigate and try to stop the horrible serial murders, too much attention on Fuyuki is bad.
Kariya Event - 1d100=76 (http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4148717/)

That evening, you find yourself in an outfit you hadn't wore in... what felt like ages. A plain black long-sleeved turtle neck shirt, paired with a simple black slacks, and a sweater. Simple, dark, and unadorned.

Where you were going, it wouldn't do to be dressed too nicely.

After all, there was a dark underbelly to the city of Fuyuki, and it was there that you would be headed first with your companion. She too was dressed sensibly, a plain dress and blouse.

They were perfectly normal couple out enjoying the night, and really not even their unusual hair and eyes would draw anyone's attentions.

A simple mystic code would draw away the eyes of those who saw you, who might remark about the crimson eyes and the immaculate white hair. It wasn't strong enough to deter the eyes of those who had the ability to make use of prana, but then... for such a person, you had bigger worries, yes?

Or they had bigger problems if they had issue with you and Saver.

With that you wandered the mean streets of Fuyuki, stopping in for dinner at this little place you had heard good things of. It wasn't a proper restaurant, being more of a coffee shop. They did, however, have a pork curry to die for or so some have said. Others claimed it as a haven for hand-made pies.

The name hinted at exotic foreignness, even if its owner was just a perfectly normal japanese man by the name of George. The appearance gave the impression that it was a quiet little place, something for those in the know as it were.

You tried out the curry, while your servant seemed satisfied with the linguine covered generously with assorted mushroom, in a mushroom sauce. There was the sensation that you were missing out on something as she looked at your slyly while devouring her dinner.

That finely horned sense of danger that you had developed in those wartorn countries where you had struggled to survive as a photographer was pinging as if there was no tomorrow.

Still, you couldn't work out the source of said danger. It wasn't that blonde in a modest white outfit over there who resembled Saber, for one... she was on a date with someone who wasn't the Einzbern master. It might have been that other blonde with the crimson eyes... if she wasn't also on a date, and likely being stalked by that red head. It could have been the... you're not sure if they were twin girls one tanned the other as pristinely pale as the Einzbern master... if... wait... was that tanned girl... you're fairly certain that young teenagers should not be giving anyone that kind of sultry looks. Even if it was directed at her 'twin' who seemed quite aware of the look being directed at her and blushing.

Thankfully, dinner didn't last too long. And as you left Ahnenerbe, your sense of danger lowered even if Saver walked beside you with her arm entwined with yours. You had the feeling that you might have escaped certain doom.

As you ventured further into the dark underbelly of Fuyuki, you had a few choices of where to go...


 - - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 5 / Ahnenerbe
 - - -


Where to now?
[X] Visit the Church to speak to Father Kotomine about your concerns, regarding the murders?
[X] Visit your contacts in the Fujimura Group to get some information?
[X] Drop by one of your investigators who were keeping an eye on [Write In]?
[X] Visit the entertainment districts?
[X] Visit the business districts?
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on April 14, 2014, 07:55:05 PM
[X] Visit the entertainment districts?
(10:28:36 AM) qqdice: bii rolled 1d100: 51 = [51]

This wasn't a date. This was a reconnaissance mission by you and Saver.

You were patrolling the Entertainment district of Fuyuki, and Saver was not window shopping and dragging you into stores now and then to try on outfits and model for you.

Nor did you buy her takoyaki on a stick and take her to the park to walk slowly and enjoy the scenery.

No, you were patrolling. And that was that.

And really, you needed to investigate the inside of that movie theater. What if the serial murderer had set up a bounded feel inside the theater? And was draining the audience of their energy? There was that suspicious amount of people who went in and who didn't go out.

Thus, you bought tickets to the american movie Forrest Gump, you had heard good things about it.

And while the movie was subtitled, Saver was fluent enough with the english language that she understood it. Which was a relief as you didn't want to have to translate the occassional mistranslation.

The two of you enjoyed the movie, even if Saver had seen it before in her long ago youth.

Which left you enjoying a coffee and tea with delightful cakes after the movie that you fed each oth... okay, this was totally a date. There was only so much denial you could do, after all you weren't a Tohsaka.

Still, this was harmless, the two of you just enjoying a night out under the overt reason of patrolling for the serial killer.

And yet, despite all this... there was the skittering sensation of the two of you being watched. Of shadows shifting in dark alleys.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 5 / It's not like I li... like you or anything
 - - -

What Do?
[X] Look for an empty lot or abandoned warehouse and confront the watchers.
[X] Retreat to your home with its countless layers of defense?
[X] Beard the watchers in public, counting on the inherent secrecy of magi behaviour.
[X] Write In.
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on May 26, 2014, 01:49:37 AM
[X] Look for an empty lot or abandoned warehouse and confront the watchers.

It was clear to you that you were being observed.

Being herded out of the public eye.

It was so very obvious, really. Not just to you or Saver... but if any of the other Grail War masters were here, it would have been obvious to them. Even that young magus, Waver Velvet.

The shifting shadows,

The indistinct figures that hinted at flowing lines and far too inhuman motion.

The occasional slurping sound of wet flesh rubbing against itself, against concrete and the hard asphalt road.

You had a dark suspicion as to who or possibly what was being essayed against you.

An unknown servant, possibly Caster, or some one who could do summoning and binding magic. Which meant either Lord El-Melloi, Tokiomi, or well... you. It was possible that there was someone else looking to take out of the masters and "buying in" as it were. And that was always a danger with such events as the Holy Grail War.

And thus, you take your time to mender about, your connection to your familiars had an ever growing cloud of them in the heavens above you and Saver. More than that, she was ready for a fight.

Thus, you drew them off to an area where you could have privacy if it came down to a fight as you suspect it would.

It might surprise some that there were industrial areas in the city of Fuyuki where warehouses and buildings lay abandoned given how prosperous the city appeared. After all, the economy in Japan was booming at an unparalleled rate that some might call unsustainable.

And thus, the two of you wandered into the industrial area.

And from there, into a most disreputable region with run down buildings, overgrown empty lots.

Standing resolutely as you did in an empty street between abandoned warehouses and factories, you projected an image of a man who brooked no nonsense. "You can show yourself."

There was more of that disgusting moist flesh against flesh sound from the shadows.

Slithering and skittering.

That was when he walked out of the shadows.

A tall man, clad in a gray overcoat, with bulging fish eyes. The smile that he bore was insincere. The aura that hung around him was bloody and dangerous. More than that, he radiated the feel of inhumanity.

This was the master of those creatures hidden in the shadows.

This was a being that was... dangerous despite his not quite comical appearance.

"Greetings, Magus of the Matou." His voice was low pitched and sibilant. There was a sense of familiarity to him, as if somewhere in the memories of the countless Matou and Zolgen magi within your mind, he had been encountered before.
.
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 5 / An interloper
- - -
.
What Do?
[X] Fighto! [An actual battle plan would give bonuses, you have your familiars in the sky, Saver, and Magic based on control and sucking in magic]
[X] Diplomancy! [Please give an approach for conversation, aggressive, neutral, curiosity, etc]
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on September 24, 2014, 05:50:44 AM
[X] Diplomancy! [Neutral]
(8:44:44 PM) bii-sleeping: gentlemen... please roll for me 1d100
(8:44:56 PM) qqdice: gibbousmoons rolled 1d100: 75 = [75]

"Greetings, Magus of the Matou." The voice of the stranger was low pitched and sibilant. There was a sense of familiarity to him, as if somewhere in the memories of the countless Matou and Zolgen magi within your mind, he had been encountered before.

Certainly, ther appearance of that being was unique enough that he should have been remembered. Given his height, that being hunched over only gave him the impression that he was of a normal human height there was the way his eyes bulged like that of a fish or perhaps a frog. An impression made more overt due to his hairless brow that bulged like muscles.

The fact that you didn't recall him was just another layer of uncomfortable unease.

"It appears that you have the advantage of me," There is a smile from you and a polite incline of head as you stayed to the side of Saver. High above in the night skies, your familiars prepare to spend themselves to buy you time. "Perhaps, you could grace me with your name?"

"How cautious of you, Matou," The... man said before he laughed. "Still, you may call me Blue Beard."

That name does not inspire confidence in you. Still, it was a hint of who he was. Certainly, the name and that inhuman presence he bore... there is the suspicion that this was a servant as opposed to an intruder into the holy grail war.

And yet... a single glimpse with your master's vision reveals that this was no heroic spirit summoned by the holy grail. It was something more natural...

He might be a dead ancestor.

Or perhaps a demon or elemental.

Or perhaps a magus whose dabbled in certain forbidden arts...

That last one was the most likely one. After all, you are well aware of how inhuman certain magus can get with their obsessive focus on attaining the source of everything.

Which left you with a slight problem, namely... how to work out what this man wanted.
.
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 5 / Diplomatic Probing
- - -
.
What Do?
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on September 13, 2016, 09:28:18 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmhZ6FYoNEs (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmhZ6FYoNEs)

[X] What do you want from me?
(8:46:10 PM) qqbot: Fallenblades643 rolled 1d100: 17 = [17]
 
"What do you want from me?" The cool look you directed at the... man before you and Saver was calm, even and measured.
 
Certainly, that he held the knowledge advantage meant that you couldn't simply do as you pleased. Still, your familiars covered the heavens above, even if distance and ambient sound ensured that no normal human could hear the buzzing of their wings.
 
More than that, while Saver, no... while Sakura stood behind you to the side, she could protect you with her offensive abilities while you utilized the Matou mysteries.
 
And yet... and yet, that he knew who you were meant that he likely had an idea of what you could do, or at least the theories behind some of your mysteries.
 
It was... vexing, which was why you opened with with a direct question. It would throw him off. Perhaps, his reactions would allow you to see the things he had used to guide you to him.
 
"What I want?" There was a wide smile now. "So direct, so to the point... very unlike the other magus, hmmm?"
 
You settled for just giving him a lazy look as if to ask "so?".
 
Eventually, he sighed as if disappointed that his attempts to needle you had failed. "Very well... what I desire is to be able to set up a workshop here in Fuyuki."
 
"And you don't believe that the current second land owner won't give you permission." It wasn't very hard to work what he wanted, an alliance against Tohsaka Tokiomi.
 
"Just so." There was a nod from 'Blue Beard'.
 
At the silence from you, his lips slowly curved up. "I shall give you time to think on this, yes?"
 
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 6 / Offers in the Dark
- - -

"Kariya ojiisan, I don't trust him." You were once more ensconced within your home, deep within the basement. Sakura sat on your lap, her body leading against yours, warm and soft. The heady scent of cherry blossoms filled your nose.
 
The skittering sound of your familiars squirming against each other was comforting to you, helping to focus your thoughts... despite the sound once being something that you could not abide.
 
The countless voices within you murmured, the one thing that they did agree on was that this 'Blue Beard' had done his research. Which meant that there was a very dangerous reason for why Tohsaka wouldn't allow him into Fuyuki.
 
Always with research into Thaumaturgy, there were lines... boundaries that no magus should cross, but there were always those who did.
 
Was this 'Blue Beard' one of them? Or was he simply one whose research into the root one that did not appeal to the sensibilities of the Tohsaka?
 
What Do?
[X] Get in contact with 'Blue Beard' and accept his offer.
[X] Get in contact with 'Blue Heard' and reject his offer.
[X] Get in contact with Tohsaka, the enemy you know verses one you knew not...
[X] Take the day and night off from all of this nonsense?
-[X] Write In action for what you'll do?
[X] You will deal with this issue later, first... you had to win the Holy Grail War...
-[X] Write In action for the day.
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on September 17, 2016, 06:03:00 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9b399P-2WY (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9b399P-2WY)

[X] Write In : Investigate Bluebeard
(7:58:04 PM) qqbot: gibbousmoons rolled 1d100: 6 = [6]
 
It was only common sense that if one encountered an unknown variable, that one had to make it known. This was a known thing since time immemorial, the unknown was dangerous, always.
 
A fact that you had witnessed in the years while you traveled across the world as a photojournalist. A fact that you knew within your heart as the Matou Magus as you crawled beneath the earth, walked upon the world....
 
You knew this. You had always known this.
 
And so, to make that which was unknown known, you would need to get in contact with certain people in the Clock Tower. There were minor magi there beholden to the Matou lineage, branch members as it were. And the request was easily done.
 
But if you were this 'Blue Beard', then you wouldn't have just settled for contacting the rival and enemy of the second Land Owner. No, chances were that he had contacted the other Masters in the Holy Grail War.
 
After all, if he wanted to just set up shop... it wouldn't have taken much for him to simply set up a workshop without notifying Tohsaka.
 
Which mean... that he likely had a workshop as it was in Fuyuki already and that attention was potentially being directed at it.
 
And thus, you found yourself talking to the underground detectives... your requests for information on individuals that looked like 'Blue Beard' were made, but there was no promise on when you would acquire the information. Still, while it was unlikely that you would find more information on him via the mundane side of things... there was always a possibility that he had been careless.
 
And now, you just needed to wait and see what information would make its way to you.
 
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 7 / Investigation
- - -

It was almost an afternote... but it appeared that the Einzbern master had acquired back up. How distasteful... but there was no denying the effectiveness of the Einzbern Homunculus in a combat role.
 
More than that, it was almost a requirement given that Saber was crippled as she was by the effects of Lancer's cursed spear.
 
What Do?
[X] Target Tohsaka, he was the strongest player with Gilgamesh.
[X] Go after the Einzbern, nothing wrong with taking out an enemy, right?
[X] You had a nice target in the form of Lancer and El-Melloi.
[X] Search for the Waver boy, nothing personal... but war is war, right Iskander?
[X] Chase after Kirei and Assassin... after all, he specializes in dealing with supernatural beings.
[X] Continue to investigate the serial murderer?
[X] Write In
Title: Re: Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]
Post by: Biigoh on October 04, 2016, 09:09:56 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPMhpbCFPnM (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPMhpbCFPnM)

[X] Continue to investigate the serial murderer?
 
Investigation is not a simple thing, despite what some might claim. And it is nothing like what is shown on television or films, it is not simply a matter of things falling into the lap of the investigator or detective, who would at the end of the show go ah ha and show how everything had happened.
 
No, true investigation was dirty work. It required casting a wide net to acquire information, to chase after leads, to piece it together. All too often, one ended up with incorrect information, be it from tampering or things being not what one was expecting.
 
You were not like Tokiomi. For one, you believed in using mundane resources. True, it required an extra layer to confirm that there were no... supernatural influences on them, but that just required redundancies.
 
Directing your investigators, your detectives, your paid police officers... you studied the timeline of the murders and found things were not as simple as you had imagined it would be.
 
For one, the murders were not simply a case of 'random occult' scribbling that came from a deranged mind. Not when blood was used to paint thaumaturgical wards... or more accurately, it was a summoning circle painted in blooded.
 
Crude, disguised among random occult symbolism, but the fact was... it appeared that a magus was disguising their attempts to use the murders as a catalyst.
 
And the last known set of murders might have been successful. Four girls butchered, nothing surprising there. It was the fifth... the fifth had been freed before dying horribly as she attempted to escape.
 
It was unlikely for the murders to continue, given that the summoning was successful... and yet... it worried you, as to who or what was summoned.  The behavior and appetite of the Heroic Spirit might require that the murders continue.
 
Well... if you focused on that servant summoned, you would deal with the murderer and resolve the issue.
 
Based on the information collected, the murderer was male or a tall female with a matching upper body strength, as well as a propensity of using small and very sharp bladed weapons.
 
The other issue is that, the murders didn't explain the rash of disappearances. One might believe that the murderer was responsible for the disappearances of various  people who wouldn't be missed or easily missed, but there were holes here and there... the pattern of disappearances didn't fit with the murders.
 
Rather, it appeared that the disappearances was a result of someone taking advantage of the serial killer.
 
You had the suspicion that 'Blue Beard' might be responsible in part for either one or possibly both of these issues.
 
How vexing, which is why you're relaxing at home on the sofa as you listened to the radio play soft music while Sakura rested her head on your lap. You had been 'promoted' from a Matou magus to a lap pillow!
 
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 8 / Results
- - -

What Do?
[X] Get in contact with 'Blue Beard' and accept his offer.
[X] Get in contact with 'Blue Beard' and reject his offer.
[X] Get in contact with Tohsaka, the enemy you know verses one you knew not...
[X] Get in contact with the mediator of the Holy Grail War and [Write In]?
[X] Target Tohsaka, he was the strongest player with Gilgamesh.
[X] Go after the Einzbern, nothing wrong with taking out an enemy, right?
[X] You had a nice target in the form of Lancer and El-Melloi.
[X] Search for the Waver boy, nothing personal... but war is war, right Iskander?
[X] Chase after Kirei and Assassin... after all, he specializes in dealing with supernatural beings.
[X] Write In