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« on: July 21, 2013, 07:27:27 AM »
Damn.
He had forgotten to account for the muzzle flash and the noise. It had been far too long since he had fought Servants or creatures equivalent to it.
Rider had noticed the loud noise produced by his weapon, and reacted with inhuman speed, twisting the girl away from the path of the bullet an instant before it struck. The other woman was instantly on the alert, eyes scanning in his general direction, evidently tracing out the path of the bullet, as well as keeping a lookout for further muzzle flashes. Her hands were clenching as if preparing to reach for her weapon. Rider had also stood, checking over the condition of the girl. There were definitely no more opportunities to euthanize the girl. He would have to change to Plan B.
Quickly ejecting the round from the chamber, sliding the bolt of the rifle in a well-practised motion, Shirou regained his composure, flushing away his hot-headed indignation and worry for the victim, and replacing it with the cold indifference and resolve he had come to associate as his 'Mind of Steel', his resolve to sacrifice the few to save many. He prepared to fire on the two now-standing women, intending to lure them away from the area. as he aimed at the vampire's head, their eyes met for a split second. Suddenly, an unfamiliar sensation filled his head.
It was difficult to describe. It was so incredibly vast, complex and above all, ancient, an entity far beyond that of a normal human. He was an ant standing before a giant, powerless to fo anything. The sheer volume of information from the mental link threatened to bury him completely, leaving only a husk behind. As he reeled from the intrusion, he felt, no, heard a distinctly female voice echo within his head, clipped and undoubtedly filled with anger: "You sodding coward. If you have a pair, then come down and face us like a real man, or I'll let the Walking Sex Offense gleefully murder you."
The vampire then. Medusa would never label people like that. As the presence withdrew, he considered his options. Firing Caladbolg was definitely out of the question, they would definitely dodge or stop it from causing damage. On one hand he could continue with his original plan, but considering the new circumstances, this would cause much more harm than good, as the two could end up fighting over who would go, and who got the girl. Not to mention the chance that only one would rise to the bait, judging by the message, leaving the other free to roam the city.
The other option, do as the vampire asked, was equally bad. To face a Servant and a mind reading vampire alone without the element of surprise, was akin to suicide. Whilst he wasn't particularly concerned at the notion of death, the thought if leaving the city vulnerable was anathema to him. But at the same time, there was a chance he could negotiate for the girl's life if nothing else. Few deserved being left to the whims of a vampire and a Gorgon. The vampire, based on his glimpse, was an not unreasonable person, afar cry from his usual encounters with Dead apostles. And there was a chance he could win. It wouldn't be the first time. He ignored the small voice in his head which said that he was curious about Rider.
Tracing out his bow and Caladbolg, Shirou leaped down from the building, reinforcing his legs to take the impact. As he approached the area, he began preparing himself for combat, bringing the images of Kanshou and Bakuya to the forefront if his mind, ready to trace out. Time to begin the next phase
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