To my favorite Cousin
Hey bro, how’s it hangin? I’m doing pretty great! You’ll never believe the amazing things that happened to me! You remember that book thing I found a while back? Turns out I’m something called a magus! Cool right? I know I had a hard time believing it at first, but when that demon guy came out of the portal it was hard not to believe it. Well it looks like time is up, Caster wants to go run some errands and I gotta test out all these cool new inventions of his so I’ll talk to you later!
With Love
You Know Who
(P.S. Remember! Don’t tell anyone about me, it’ll be our little secret ; )
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To my favorite Cousin
Hey dude, sorry about the late response. After we moved locations getting your replies were quite bothersome, but don’t worry! Big bro’s on the case! To be honest, I’m not really sure what all this magic nonsense really means but that’s alright ain’t it? Caster’s handling all the boring stuff and he’s even cool enough to show me some of the cooler things he can do! Some day I’ll have to bring you over and demonstrate, perhaps after this Grail thingy is done. Anyways, talk to ya later.
With Love
You Know Who
(P.S. Remember! Don’t tell anyone about me, it’ll be our little secret ; )
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To my favorite Cousin
Hey bro, how’s it hangin? I’m doing pretty good myself, the invention pool has started to run a little dry if you know what I mean but I’m optimistic that Caster’ll find a way, he always does! It seems tomorrow he wants to plan some sorta big raid or something which’ll bring this war to an end or something like that. I never really understood it but so long as he handles all the boring stuff I’m alright with that. Anyways, after all that is said and done I think I’ll have to pay you a visit, I know it’s been years since we’ve met face to face so it’ll be a blast! I’ve already started drawing up some fun activities we can do! Just wait and see, I’m sure you’ll love em! Anyways, talk to you later, Caster’s heading out now so I’m gonna grab a bite to eat.
With Love
You Know Who
(P.S. Remember! Don’t tell anyone about me, it’ll be our little secret ; )
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“But you never did reply, did you?”
Taking the greatly aged papers, he carefully folded them and set them back into the small safe before closing the lid and resetting the lock. Those letters, the ones from his cousin, he knew they held some great secret but whatever it was he still had little idea of what it could be.
He did his best to keep that promise, even as the letters began to get more and more scarce and days turned to months which became years, he never said a word to anyone. Yet here he was fifteen years later, still looking at those pages.
“Just what did Uryuu want?”
Perhaps it was about time he discovered the truth.
“Oy, Shirou, you gonna be ready soon? I can’t keep waiting here forever ya know.”
There was a knock on his bedroom door before it quickly opened and his roommate walked in. He wore his favorite white jacket with the puffy collar while his pants were pitch black. Yet even with that perhaps the most noticeable feature was the wavy blue hair that fell across his face.
“Yeah Shinji, just a sec lemme grab my stuff.”
Returning the lockbox to it’s position on the shelf he grabbed the large backpack and followed his friend out of the room.
“You got everything?”
The roommate had a bag of his own strapped on his back and with a smirk on his face he was getting tired of waiting.
“I think so, we’ve waited long enough, there shouldn’t be many people there at such a late time, shall we go?”
“Sure sure.”
With a final confirmation they left the small apartment and onto the streets of Fuyuki’s downtown district. In the cold night air there were very few people roaming the streets at this time of night. Yet the two men were careful nonetheless, sticking to back streets and taking alleyways so as to avoid any unwanted attention, they talked as they went.
“So remind me again, Nosuke. Those renovations to the failing sewer infrastructure found some sort of relic?”
“That’s what the report said, apparently a rare type or European sheath was found beneath what appeared to be a cave in to the place at least ten years old. The sheath itself however is dated to be hundreds of years old yet surprisingly for it’s age it’s still in remarkable condition, they could eve-”
Before he could continue he was met with a slap on his back as Shinji stopped him before he could go on any further.
“Alright alright, I swear Nosuke you get a little too obsessed over old weapons and other ancient junk like that, you’re gonna turn into a sword or something if you keep at it ya know. But in the end what matters is the price, is this gonna be worth it?”
“Definitely, because the discovery was very recent, information was hard to come by, but anything with that kind of age will fetch quite a nice price regardless. And it’s best we make our move tonight, the longer we wait the higher the chance they’ll move it out of the city.”
“Whatever you say dude.”
“You should at least express a little more interest you know, after all this money’s gonna be going to those who need it most.”
“Your money you mean, mine is going into my pocket.”
“Don’t you mean into the pockets of all those girls you go out with? I don’t even know how much you must’ve spent by now, surely your job and inheritance are enough?”
“You just don’t understand, Nosuke. Women are complicated things, and thanks to this money I can make them just a little less complicated. Speaking of women, how’s that little sister of yours? She get any cuter?”
“Please Shinji, you’re the last person I’d share that with, how would you feel if you had a sister and I tried hitting on her?”
The smirk on Shinji’s face faded for an instant before quickly returning yet again. Sensing the break in conversation Shirou caught it even if it lasted only an instance. Had he touched a nerve by accident?
Eager to change the conversation Shinji changed the topic to Shirou’s other line of work.
“So how’s that nurse gig going for you? You meet anyone yet?”
“Nah, that’s not really my thing you know. I’m sure when I find the right person I’ll know it.”
“Ha! If only it were that easy, but it’s not like some cute blonde girl is gonna fall out of the sky for you. If you wait too long all the cute ones will be gone, better get moving Nosuke. Anyways…”
The two continued to talk about more meaningless things, from the cute girl’s at their workplaces to the recent sports games. Until finally, the small ornately decorated museum came into view. In large gold letters the name; Fuyuki Museum of Natural History could be easily read from their location.
With a glance from both of them they quickly disappeared into the shadows. Infiltrating the museum would be easy enough, finding the artifact would be a little more difficult.
After changing into pitch black clothing far more suited to the nature of their work and quickly scaled the large iron fence before making their way to one of the great concrete walls that held the building up.
Retrieving a pair of strange looking plastic devices they each attached them to their hands before scaling the wall of the building.
When they reached the roof they approached the great glass windows that decorated the various rooms of the museum. If Shirou’s information was anything to go by they would need to find one of the small offices in the back that should be where it was currently kept.
Quietly undoing the latch on the window, Shinji quietly checked the rooms below him before giving the signal and allowing Shirou to climb down.
The security in the museum was nothing out of the ordinary, it had cameras and few nightguards that regularly patrolled the halls. Before he had arrived Shirou made sure to memorize the hot spots where these patrols might wander or where the cameras tended to watch.
Luckily for him, his goal was not the artifacts carefully under display in the main rooms. As he quietly scuttled along he came across a back door marked ‘Employees Only’ this was where he needed to go.
If the reports he gathered were correct one of the back offices was where he needed to go. Though the darkened halls he went going through the blind spots of the occasional camera as he sneaked through.
Until he finally came across the correct door.
‘This should be it’Carefully, he retrieved from his back a small electronic machine and attached it to the electronic lock on the door. From there, he pressed a few buttons and after a few seconds the lock clicked open, he then quickly made his way inside removing the device and closing the door yet again.
Inside the room he quickly set to work, searching around for any signs of where they might keep such a rare artifact, until he came across a picture that decorated one of the sides of the rooms.
‘Behind here?’Removing the picture he found a large safe behind it. If it was going to be anywhere, this was it.
Using his years of experience at picking a lock Shirou set to work doing his best to listen to the locks and tumblers as he turned the knob. And after ten minutes had passed he finally got it open.
Making sure to quietly open the door to the safe he glanced inside using his small flashlight to illuminate the way, and there he saw it.
Carefully wrapped in brown paper the sheath that he was looking for was safely held. Quickly, he took it and stashed it in his bag but just before he closed the safe, something caught his eye. A small book shaped package with the words “Found near the wreckage” scribbled on it. Was it related to the sheath? Not thinking much about he he also grabbed the book before closing the safe and quietly making his way out of the office.
Sneaking back out was all to easy for him and after quietly confirming he was safe the rope was lowered yet again and Shirou made his way out of that museum and into safety.
His friend and accomplice was waiting for him when he climbed out.
“Any problems?”
“None at all.”
Just then a small pain shot through his right hand, perhaps because of the way he grabbed the window on his way out he might have bruised it in some way. Either way it didn’t hurt all that much so for now Shirou would ignore it. Hiding his wincing from Shinji he kept silent.
“Good, now let’s get out of here.”
Just as quickly as they had arrived did the disappear yet again without leaving so much as a trace of their mission.
As they made their way back to their apartment, Shirou couldn’t help but be excited to take a look at their artifact, he still had a few days before they’d need to get rid of it and he intended to use that time to see just what secrets it might hide.
His friend could care less. “So, Nosuke, remember how I mentioned my pa wanted me to run a few errands? Doesn’t look like I’ll be able to wait any longer so I’ll be splitting up here.”
“Oh right, I’d almost forgotten, it’s good that you’re visiting your family again, I’m sure they’ll welcome you back.”
“Ha! You wish. Those old geezers could care less about what I did, I bet they were happy just to get me out of the house. Unlike you Nosuke, how’s your sister and the rest of em doing?”
“Doing just fine I’m sure, you know I don’t like to involve them in my own affairs, I visit them whenever I have the time.”
“Whatever you say Shirou. Well see ya later, enjoy your precious alone time with that sheath, heh.”
After their parting Shirou made his way back to the apartment alone but with the treasure safely kept in his bag.
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When he returned home he quickly stashed his equipment safely away and looked at the treasures he had managed to knab. He had almost forgotten after the long walk home but he as he took out the sheath he also grabbed the carefully wrapped book with it.
“Near the collapse huh? I wonder what it is?”
His schedule was clear for tomorrow so after grabbing a soda from the fridge, Shirou set down at his desk and carefully unwrapped the packaging.
“Just what do we have here?”
It was a pile of papers bound together, but the entire thing was a mess. Perhaps due to being out in the elements for so long the papers were barely holding themselves together. Most of it was completely unreadable in fact, but there were a few areas that could still be read. However it was two words that caught Shirou’s attention more than anything else.
“Holy Grail?”
Could it be? Was this book somehow related to Uryuu’s disappearance? He continued his reading perhaps hoping to discover more.
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He wasn’t sure how much time had passed since he began to decipher the text but from what he could tell it seemed to be some sort of summoning ritual.
There was no way he could sleep now, with the chance to discover his cousin’s past he immediately delved into its creation.
“Uh, let’s see. I need a liquid of some sort, so that I could draw that circle thing.”
He considered a marker at first but realized that was just stupid for a ritual like this, perhaps then some blood might work better?
With his work as a nurse aid blood was nothing out of the ordinary, and just a little should go a long way. Taking a small knife he carefully cut himself and allowed the blood to pour into a container. After making sure he had enough he bandaged the cut, but he still needed a place to put the circle.
“Uh the bathroom perhaps?” If it didn’t work it would be easier to clean up, yeah perhaps that was the best place to do it in.
After making his way to the bathroom he took the crumpled pages of the book and set to work on creating that circle the best he could.
“Like this?”
There were errors here and there but he thought it was close enough to what the book said to do. At least from what he could tell through all the faded words.
“So then what?”
The bruise on his hand itched yet again, did it get infected somehow? Perhaps it was best he was more careful in the future.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. Quickly followed by a loud explosion as the door crumpled inwards from the force.
“Come out with your hands up! You’ve taken something that did not belong to you, if you wish to feel the full force of the association.”
“What the hell!?” Did he get too arrogant in his thievery? To already be caught this soon, something was terribly wrong.
“A set up!?”
He needed time, whoever was out there would make his way here eventually, but what could Shirou do?
If only he had the knife from before but that was still in the other room, he needed to think quickly but the damn bruise on his hand was beginning to get worse and worse. Like an itch that wouldn’t go away no matter how much he scratched he was having trouble focusing. What was going on?
“Here?” Another explosion the man made his way through the apartment, blasting through room after room. He didn’t seem like the police, his methods were too crude, too threatening, was he related to one of the crime groups then?
‘What do I do? What do I do!?’But then he felt it, something was calling to him, inside his head he could hear it. If he wanted to be saved he only need say the words.
Quickly, Shirou grabbed the book sitting on the counter and flew through the torn pages until he came across one of the few phrases that was still displayed. And then quietly he began to chant what was left of the phrases.
‘Here goes nothing.’“Set, thy body rest under my dominion?”Another crash as the man outside began to get closer and closer.
“My fate submitteth to the call of the Holy Grail?”He knew that this was probably incorrect but he had to try something, it was either this or face that man outside.
“For this reason I make my oath here? Who will become the virtue of Heaven not the evil of all of Hades?”The circle began to dimly glow as the mark on his hand glowed even further. But the explosions outside stopped, was he about to go away?
“Seven heavens, come past thy restraining rings and protect the balance!”The light that filled the circle dispersed the instant the chant was finished. But nothing appeared. Or so he thought.
“Here you ar- Wait, who the hell are you? Are you going to stand in my way as well?”
“You… Are not my Master… Leave, or suffer under my blade.”
“What the hell do you think you’re doing? You think I’m gonna listen to you?”
“Then so be it.”
“Wh-”
There was a loud crash and then silence yet again, from outside the sound of footsteps could be heard coming closer and closer.
There was no escape, Shirou would be caught he had to prepare himself. Doing his best to hide behind the small excuse for a door he braced himself and waited as the footsteps approached.
When they arrived at the door, they stopped. The instant seemed like hours as Shirou did his best to conceal his breathing, the atmosphere was so strong he felt like he was going to faint at any instant.
He could hear as the man outside gripped the door, and promptly tore it from it’s hinges sending Shirou flying back in shock.
“W-what the hell man!”
Quickly rising to his feel Shirou came face to face with the face of his alleged invader. Contrary to his voice and movements he wore a huge set of silver and blue armor, his face was best described as beautiful and the thick black hair that was long enough to reach his face only helped to strengthen that thought.
Even from a distance Shirou could tell that this man who continued to silently stare at him held some strong aura of nobility about him. But what did he want?
“Well? Did you want something?”
Shirou couldn’t take it any longer, if he was going to die it might as well be quick.
“You… You are my Master are you not?”
“What? What in the world are you talking about?”
“Hmph. I ask of thee, and I repeat myself yet again, are you my Master?”
“Master? Are you some sort of Servant or something?”
He hadn’t realized it until now but the burning on his hand had mostly gone away, taking a glance towards his hand he saw the glowing red marks that covered it.
Taking a notice of the seals the man in the armor spoke up yet again.
“Yes. It appears that you are indeed my Master. Very well then, the foe who it seems intruded upon thoust residence has been dispatched with. A spy perhaps? Sent to interrupt you before the ritual completion? No matter, I arrived in time, and that is all that is required of our meeting.”
“Look I’m sorry dude, but I have no idea what you’re talking about. Care to explain?”
“Hmm? You mean you who are my Master, are not familiar with the rules and requirements of this Holy Grail War? Then perhaps I shall clarify for you.”
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“So let me get this straight. You’re one of these Servant things, Berserker not Caster, right?”
Some time had passed since the Servant had begun his explanation, the instant he mentioned that there were several different classes Shirou immediately went to the conclusion that he was a Caster. Something Berserker thought ridiculous, what Caster in their right mind would come in a full set of armor? Certainly not one such as himself.
“Yes, that is correct. But I am most displeased, the information I was hoping you possessed it rather lacking I fear. What you know will get you nowhere in this war I’m afraid, and because of this perhaps it is best I keep my own secrets as just that, a secret.”
‘Now wait just a minute.’ Shirou thought to himself. They had only just met and already this Berserker guy wanted to keep things from him? What in the world was he thinking? Perhaps it was better to try and just force him to spill the beans, or perhaps he could trick it out of him.
1. Force Berserker to tell him everything.
2. Attempt to trick Berserker into revealing his secrets.
3. Allow Berserker to keep his secrets.
4. Write in...
