God dammit do I wish I had another logo.
In the previous season:http://pastebin.com/JiL4TqwN
In the previous episode: Lancer and Shizune have attacked Misha and Berserker, branding them as traitor. Despite Berserker getting the upper hand, Lancer defeated him, and he's now trying to "dispose" of you as well.
=============
A stony silence fell on the battlefield. Misha's sadness has now turned into genuine fear for her life. Your right hand is clenched around your left wrist, ready to summon Ananke if necessary.
Shizune is still looking distraught, while Lancer looks at you sardonically.
Then, Shizune takes a step forward. Showing you the back of her hand with the Command Seals, she touches the tattoo and you can see one of the figures composing it disappear. She must be using a Command Spell.
Lancer turns around to look at her with his only good eye, then he squints at you.
"It will be for another day, sniveling coward. Until then".
Both Shizune and Lancer take their leave, as you bend over trying to help Misha get up.
She's sitting in the dust, holding her legs with her arms.
She is not even looking at you, and she seem to have no desire to get up either, her head resting on her knees sidewise.
"I have no more tears to cry, John. I have cried my eyes out, all in vain. I was the reason Berserker was defeated. I was the reason you were defeated. And I lost Shizune too, on the top of it. Wouldn't it be better if just disappeared?"
You put an hand on her shoulder.
"Don't say things like that, Misha".
"Who's going to miss me?"
"I am, for sure"
She smiles to you sadly. "You're the only one by now, John".
You shake your head vigorously. "Shizune hasn't forgotten you, she's just confused by her own actions. When this war will be over you will get your friend back. Besides, think of your family".
(1/2)
>>44130426
Misha laughs bitterly. "My family? John, have you forgotten where you are? Families dump their 'special' kids at Yamaku when they don't want them around anymore. No exceptions".
You stop and think. You don't even have a family to begin with.
You are probably not fit to cheer Misha up, but you have to say something.
>"Do you remember what Berserker told you?"
>"Do you remember what I told you?"
>>44130461
>"Do you remember what Berserker told you?"FRIENDS FOREVER~
>"So now you feel you've lost everything. But that just means you have everything to gain, and you have nothing to lose by fighting for it with your absolute all. What is the one thing you truly want most right now, Misha?"
>>44130603
"have you forgotten what Berserker said?"
Your words seem to have piqued her interest.
"She said that when all seems lost, your friends got your back. I have your back. And Berserker too. He promised you'd be friends forever".
She smiles, this time a little bit more brightly.
"You are very lonely, John. Aren't you? This is why you always try to help people".
Her words take you by surprise. You never realized how lonely you were up to this point. Is she saying this because she can relate?
All the girls you now call friends ignored you until you came around and helped them.
"I helped them because I thought it was the right thing to do"
"Why do you think so?"
You shrug."What is the point of crushing somebody who is down, Misha?I didn't help you because I wanted your friendship in return. It just felt right. When I came here, everybody treated me poorly or avoided me. That hurt, I didn't want anybody to feel the same. Maybe it's idealistic or crazy,but I never had to give up on anything to make people around me happy, so far".
She smiles, looking at the ground. She probably gave up on a lot to make Shizune happy. "Your happiness is important too,Misha. At least for me".
She turns her gaze to you once more.
"Thank you John. You deserve happiness too. Don't place other people's happiness before your own,like I did".
"I will never", you claim confidently.
She stretches her hand towards you, and it takes you a while to catch the hint.Then you finally help her up, and you both laugh.
"I can't wait for this whole war business to be over", you claim.
"What do you want to do afterwards?"
"Hm...I want to visit a certain friend of mine. I don't know for the rest. And what about you?"
Misha looks at the sky, thinking intensely.
"I want to improve my curriculum. I would like to study abroad, you know?"
As you're entering the school, something comes to your mind instantly. Emi wasn't at the track. Maybe something happened to her.
>Bring Misha to class
>Check out on Emi.
>>44130913
>Check out on Emi.
'A certain friend'? W-which friend is that?I bet it's Kenji.
>>44130968dude, remember Ex-classmate-chan?
"Misha, I would like to go check up on Emi. She didn't show up today at the running track, and I am worried about her. Do you mind?"
She lets out her typical cheerful laughter.
"I am not sure how to feel now, John! Are you just a good friend or a playboy?"
'Why does everyone here have a thing for dirty jokes?'
"Misha, I will never grasp this odd fantasy of yours to pair me with every girl I meet. That should be *my* job, right?"
This time you both laugh, then she waves you goodbye as you leave for Emi's dormitory.
The school is practically deserted at this time of the day. You feel like the last man alive on Earth, wandering through empty corridors in the early morning to avoid getting caught by zombies. Only two Servants are still alive, and they belong to two girls who don't seem to be quite fond of each other. The thought of blood being spilled in this feud makes you wince.
You're halfway there, when you recognize a familiar sound of a metal stick against the floor.
You turn around to see Lily accompanied by Hanako.
"H-hello", murmurs the shy girl.
"Who is there, Hanako?" asks Lily.
"It's me, it's just John."
"Oh, good morning John. I didn't think you were such a morning person"
"I am not! I was hoping to do some exercise, but things, err... did not go as planned".
Lily seems to get suspicious.
"Maybe we should discuss this at the tea room. What do you think?"
>Follow Lily
>Go on your own way
>>44131115
>Go on your own way
"Sorry, but I'm actually looking for Emi right now. She's not at her usual spot, and that has me a little worried. But as a heads-up before I go, you'll probably end up fighting Lancer quite soon. ...Don't kill Shizune, okay?"
>>44131257
"I am in a hurry right now. If you want we will discuss the details later. Do you mind?"
She smiles imperceptibly. "Of course not. See you later".
The rest of the walk is just as uneventful. You arrive at Emi's door and knock on it. No response.
You try knocking once more, and obtain the same result.
You wait for a couple of minutes, and as you're about to give up, Rin gets out of her room.
"What are you doing here?"
"Oh yes Rin, good morning to you too. I am fine thanks. And how are you?"
She looks quizzically at you. Then she proceeds as if social conventions never existed.
"Emi's sick. She's got her medicines and the Nurse said she has to rest. I will tell her you came by."
"That settles it then. See you around".
She ignores you completely and just wanders off, probably to the art room.
You look at her with apprehension. This is a place where physically handicapped people can be taken of, but there's nothing to help their shattered hearts. If the most cheerful girls have such a dark story, then what of the saddest?
Lost in your thoughts, you wander through the school aimlessly. You stop by a vending machine and get yourself a soda before moving on in your solitary promenade.
A classmate of yours notices you and waves at you, as you wave back at him. It's odd how most guys here don't socialize with each other, with the significant exception of Kenji. Girls seem to be much more extroverted. It must be that Kenji has befriended every guy, and now they do their best to avoid each other not to bump into him again.
The noise of something heavy falling on the ground reaches your hear from a nearby room.
It is the library. Yuuko must surely be struggling with her work
>Go help her
>Head for class
>>44131563
>Go help her
>>44131563
>Go help herinb4 late4class
>>44131563
>Go help her
>>44131563
By the way, is the spartan Aristodemus?
>>44131787Can't say that now
You open the library door to see Yuuko handling large boxes. You rush in to help her carry them, and chances are she didn't recognize you, as your face is covered by the large cartons.
As you lay them down and finally reveal yourself, Yuuko bends over at breackneck speed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
You back off, a bit embarrassed by Yuuko's excessive thankfulness. "It's ok Yuuko, don't mention it".
She smiles uneasily at you. "What can I do for you today?"
You didn't really come there with a purpose, you just happened to wander there to help her. However there's something you wanted to check.
"Can I see the book I brought back?"
Yuuko nods, and retrieves your book from the desk. The sword is still etched on the front page. You touch it slowly. Somehow, it reminds you of Ananke.
You see Yuuko looking inquisitively at you. Handing back her book, you tell her "I have been meaning to ask this since our last encounter. Could you tell me more about your ex boyfriend?"
She frowns "Oh, he was younger than me. I didn't realize until we were already dating. His eyesight was really poor but he was always reading about strange conspiracy theories and..."
The shock is such that you choke on your spit. You start coughing for air and Yuuko moves in to help you. Few seconds later, you've regained control but you can't still wrap your head around the fact that Yuuko and Kenji were dating.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I am. I guess I should be more careful. I have to go now, or I will be late for class"
"See you, John"
"See you, Yuuko".
You head for the class still astounded by the revelation. You've been through an awful war between Heroic Spirits and yet the fact that those two were dating is still more astounding than whatever happened in war until now.
As you sit down at your desk and Mutou hands out assignments, you notice that Hanako and Misha are in class, but Shizune is nowhere to be seen.
(1/2)
>>44132155
(2/2)
The lunch bell takes an eternity to ring. You have to endure the worst class so far, and the sound of it ending is almost liberating.
No sooner had you gotten up that Hanako rushed at you clumsily.
"L-Lily says she wants to talk, i-it's imp-important".
She tries to sound concerned and imperious, but her stutter prevented it.
You try to look for Misha, and see she's busy talking with Mutou
>Wait for her
>Join Hanako
>>44132236
>Join Hanako
It's going to be an alliance, isn't it?
>>44132236
>Just tell misha where we are going and join hanako.
>>44132258not necessarily
It is safe to assume that she's asking for advice about her career. It's probably the right time to talk with Lily.
You follow Hanako to the tea room, where Lily is sitting reading a book in braille.
"Hello Hanako, is John with you?"
"He is", you say with a hint of jest in your voice.
"Take a seat then. I think we have to talk".
You sit at the table in front of Lily, as Hanako pours some tea in everyone's cup.
You take a sip of it. French Vanilla, Lily's favorite.
"I am all ears", you say, as you notice that Lily is not speaking up yet.
"This morning, you were at the running track, right?"
No point in lying to her, you think she probably dispatched Archer to watch over what happened.
"I was. I went there to start my training with Emi, to be honest, but as I think I told you, things turned out differently"
"I am aware. There was a fight, isn't that so?"
"Yes. Lancer and Berserker fought. It was rather sad to see friends turn against each other"
"I believe, John, that it wasn't as mutual as you make it to be. Shizune can be merciless even towards former friends who she now considers spokes in her wheel. I should know, of all people".She frowns.
"Poor Misha, it must have been hard for her. I assume it was Shizune who came out on top of the struggle. Misha simply lacks the willpower to win such a struggle". She takes one more sip. "She's always just been Shizune's lackey and endured her diktat just to please her. It must hurt her to know that all she did was in vain. After all this is what happens when you grow dependent on an abusive person"
You're filled with rage. What Lily says is true, but that doesn't make it right.
"Misha is stronger than you think! She has just selected her priorities poorly. What gives you the right to judge her so harshly? I thought you were better than that, Lily. I always thought you were more understanding and more moderate compared to Shizune. But you're just as heartless."
(1/2)
>>44132649
(2/2)
You get up abruptly. "Misha is my friend, too. And I won't stay here listening to you bad mouth her. Have a nice day".
"Wait, John..."
You don't give her a chance to reply
You get out, slamming the door shut.
The rest of the day goes on uneventfully.
Afternoon classes are over and you can finally breath free for a while. You head for your room, and, having changed your clothes into something more comfortable, you take out your books to start studying.
You notice you have a hard time focusing, and think that maybe taking a nap would be a good idea.
>Nap
>Study
>>44132728
Lily didn't say/do anything too bad John, I mean you forgave someone for cutting off your arm, and forgave someone for killing Saber
priorities negro
>Nap
>>44132728
>Nap
Fuck yeah procrastinating!
>What Lily says is true, but that doesn't make it right.
>mfwAre we a little on edge right now or something?
>>44132880
You throw the books aside, and fall asleep on your bed.
In your dream, you're sitting in a field of dandelions. Rin is front of you.
You feel an hand on your shoulder.
You turn around to see Hisao with a disapproving look on his face.
"Just what happened between you and Lily?"
"Nothing worth discussing, Saber. Nothing worth spoiling this good memory for".
He shakes his head. "No, really, tell me".
"Well, I was upset. Why do they think it's ok to treat that girl like if it were a piece of furniture?"
"Oh, so are you her white knight protector in shining armor?"
"It's not that, I guess that after witnessing what Shizune did to her Lily's comments rubbed me the wrong way".
"John, you have a good heart. Lily was the first to notice this. Consider that you might have overreacted".
You nod in agreement.
"I will look for Lily and apologize. I don't know what I was thinking"
Hisao smiles. "I am sure she will understand. Be more careful next time."
He stands up and stares right into the sun.
"I guess you'll have to run".
You wake up suddenly. The sun has set and the room is dark around you.
You stretch your arms and get out of the bed slowly, waiting for your eyes to focus.
You change into the school uniform and you get out of your dorm.
>Head for the running track
>head for the library
>>44132810sorry if it felt forced, I kinda needed that to advance the plot. I also noticed that there's a whole day missing, namely sunday. I guess it happened over the change from a season to another
>>44133073
>Head for the running track
Nah mate, people aren't rational, at least not all the time, you didn't force/overdo it. I just had to comment on it!
>>44133073
>Head for the running track
>>44133197
>>44133453
On your way to the running track, you start rehearsing the apology you prepared.
You were tired, you were rubbed the wrong way, you were just too impulsive. The pleasant thought of Lily smiling forgivingly makes the whole thing more bearable.
Once in the main hallway, you start thinking of where Lily could be. She's fond of reading, so it wouldn't be strange to find her in the library. On the other hand, you remember Hisao saying "Then I guess you'll have to run".
Was he hinting that you could find Lily at the running track?
More out of curiosity than anything, you head in that direction. Could it be that the final showdown between the bitterest rivals in the school is already taking place?
You find Lily sitting on the bleachers in front of the running track. Maybe she just came here for a walk, since she's standing well outside of the Reality Marble.
"Hello, Lily"
"John? Is that you?"
"Yes. I would like to apologize. I've been a jerk. I didn't mean what I said, I guess the way Shizune treated Misha irked me, and then I flipped at your comments. I shouldn't have. I should have known better. Forgive me".
She smiles happily. "Don't worry John. We all have our bad days. Your intentions were noble after all"
"I think I remember reading somewhere that the road to Hell is paved with good intentions".
She laughs softly. Then she turns serious for a moment.
"John, there's something else. I..."
Lily's speech is cut off by the noise of metal pressing against metal.
Lancer is coming closer, with Shizune following. "Come out, Archer. Let's settle this like men, shall we?"
"I didn't expect you so early", Lily says. "Even better, we'll be done sooner"
"Did you scheduled a clash with Shizune?"
"Yes I have. This war has been going on for too long. It's been taking a toll on all of us, and it's time to end it for good".
"Wise words, wise words", claims Lancer boisterously. "Let's head into the Reality Marble".
(1/2)
>>44133595
(2/2)
In that instant, Archer materializes.
It's the first time you see him. He's wearing a Roman-style armor, a short sword hanging from his side, a quiver on his back and a longbow in his hands. His hair is dirt blonde, and his eyes are hazel.
"Bring it on, Lancer", he says coldly.
The four of them head to the Marble.
Just before entering, Lily turns to you.
"Stay out of this, John. I don't want you to get injured. It's not your war. Not anymore".
>Follow her
>Stay out
>>44133657
>Follow her
Can't back down now!
>>44133657
>Follow her
>>44133657
>Follow her
It's my war for as long as I care about the people fighting it. I have to see this through to the end.
>>44133709
>>44133744
>>44133775
One by one, you see them all disappearing the walls of the Reality Marble. Is it really acceptable to wait out until the war is over?
This isn't what Saber would want. This is not what YOU want. It's your war as long as you care about the about the people fighting it.
You head for the running track. You've witnessed the beginning of this, now it's time to witness the end. After taking a few steps, you fall over and start coughing violently. Your head feels light and heavy at the same time, as if you had fever. You pull yourself up with a struggle, and walk slowly to the Reality Marble.
Inside, Archer and Lancer are fighting. No one seems to be clearly on top of the other.
Archer is firing his arrows as quickly as he can, sometimes even in melee range, helping himself with his gladius. Lancer is using his shield optimally, blocking Archer's arrow before they can hurt him. None of the Servants seem to be fighting at their maximum power, probably waiting out to play their trump cards until they've clearly identified the enemy's weaknesses.
Your vision is foggy and standing up is taking an enormous effort. You cough again, spitting something dark shortly after.
Shizune seems to have acknowledged your presence, but doesn't pay you much attention.
Lily on the other hand seems to focus on the fight as much as she can, using her superior hearing.
When you cough again, Lily turns in your direction.
"John? Are you here?"
>Tell the truth
>keep quiet
>>44134000
>Tell the truth
Would you expect me not to be?
>>44134000
>Tell the truth
"Yes now focus on the battle"
Jeez we're getting rekt in here, nothing we can use from Sabers' that would help out?
>>44134065
>>44134000
by the waynice tripsmight want to repeat some of that stuff he thought on your first few lines: This isn't what Saber would want. This is not what YOU want. It's your war as long as you care about the about the people fighting it.
>>44134025
>>44134065
>>44134090
"It's me. Focus on the battle now".
You can hear your heart pumping. You fall backward and you faint.
As you open your eyes, you're in a night club. Lily and a person you can't recognize are drinking together. You're not sure if it's a girl or a boy.
In front of you, Hanako, in casual outfit, is playing Pool.
Hisao is behind her, with a billiard cue in his hands. He gives you a nod, waits for Hanako to be done and then takes his turn.
"What brings you here, John?"
"I don't know. I was in the Reality Marble. Archer and Lancer were fighting. Then I fainted"
Hisao gets worried suddenly. "You weren't fighting, were you?"
"No, although I must admit that I considered it for a second. I suddenly became weak, somehow. What is going on with me?"
He shurgs. "I have no idea. So this is it. The final confrontation. Who do you hope will win?"
You consider the matter for a while. Lily is your friend, much more so than Shizune. And yet you'd really like Hisao to come back to life.
"Tough call?"
"I think so. I think they're both fighting for something important. Picking a side here is difficult"
"Maybe you can avoid picking a side altogether. After all there is nothing you can do. If both scenarios have their upsides, focus on them."
"It's probably the best way to handle this, I think"
Hisao takes aim with care, then shoots. The white ball hits the black one, which ends up in a hole.
Hisao mocks disappointment at his defeat, then congratulates Hanako with a shake of hand.
"How do I get out of this, Saber?"
He turns to face you. "What do you mean?"
"At one point I usually wake up. Now I can't"
"Well, do you want to go back John?"
This is a rather difficult question. You think you wouldn't mind living inside Saber's memories.
Surely it'd be more comfortable.
>"Can the rest of the people here see me, or hear me?"
>"No, I have to go back"
>>44134394
>"No, I have to go back"
>"I want to fix things, no matter how impossible it may seem. If I would sit here I wouldn't only be betraying everyone out there, but I would be betraying you and the sacrifices you've made"
>>44134394
>"No, I have to go back"
It's STILL OUR WAR DAMMIT.
>>44134535
>>44134639
"There is no other option for me, Saber. I have promises I have made".
"You can't win this war anymore, Johnathan. What do you plan to do?"
"Even if I can't win, even if I can't keep my promise to you, there are other people waiting for me out there. One of them is fighting right now, and I'd put my life on the line to prevent her from getting injured. I have to go there".
Hisao looks into your eyes, then starts chanting
"The stream flows, and the birds sing..."
"...the wind blows, and the rain pours..."
"...the clouds fleet, and the sun shines..."
"..and this wicked heart beats, one more time!"
As soon as you finish the ryhme, you wake up.
You're laying on the cold floor of the running track. You gasp for air, as you feel something sticky over your mouth, and quickly wipe it away.
You stand up easily, at once devoid of the weakness you felt a few minutes before.
The battle is raging on as intensely as before, with the Servants still in their prime. As you watch the battle unfold, it seems that Archer is slowly gaining an advantage over Lancer.
He's not clearly overpowering him, but it appears more and more evident that if the fight goes on like this, Shizune will lose.
Shizune seems to have noticed too, as she starts fidgeting nervously with her glasses.
She's looking at her Command Seals. Does she have a plan?
You try to focus on the four people standing in the Marble with you. You can't see their bonds with the same clarity as before, but you can sort of guess where they are and how strong they are. In particular, a thick red string is connecting Shizune's and Lily's head. Rivarly?
Hate? Loathing?
Finally, Shizune makes a decisive move with her hand on her command seals. You see the red string pulsating and generating a wave that goes from Shizune's head to Lily's head.
(1/2)
>>44135272
Lancer is still fighting with Archer, short sword against short sword. Then, with a quick movement, he disarms him and throws him to the ground. He reaches for his lance, and with all the strength in his body, he throws it at Lily.
Archer gets up in the blink of an eye, and reloads his bow, aiming for the lance.
It is now your choice to try and get involved, or simply hope for the best.
>>44135325
fugg, forgot options
>get involved
>stay out
>>44135325
>get involved
Don't let Lily get hurt?
>>44135325
>get involved
Lancer please. If you can't win honorably, you don't deserve to win at all.
>>44135432
>>44135430I am sorry for the shitposting guys, I just forgot the options honestly
Archer's aim is steady and true, and it saved you once in the past already. Regardless, your impulsivity and your sense of duty kick in inside you, pushing you towards Lily, conjuring Ananke in you hand and attempting to use it to stop Lancer's spear.
Archer's arrow, your sword, and the lance treacherously thrown by Shizune's servant all collide at the same time.
A deflagration of magic energy occurs, which throws you and Lily in opposite directions.
You get up with nothing but a few bruises. You rush towards Lily.
"Lily! Are you ok?"
"I think so", she whsipers. "I think my legs are broken, however".
You help her sit, and she winces in pain.
You turn towards the fight. Lancer is holding one more lance in his hands, but he's looking down in shame. Archer reloaded his bow, but he's not yet shooting on Lancer.
'What are you waiting for, Archer? Just finish him!'
Slowly, Lancer turns around, to look into his Master's eyes. They're probably communicating telepathically just like you and Saber used to, given Shizune's disability.
Lancer seems devastated, even if it's unclear if he's ashamed for failing or for his cowardly act.
You can see the bond between Master and Servant falter and glitch, as if it were in the process to disappear.
Slowly, the connection grows fainter and fainter, until it disappears.
Both you and Archer are looking at Lancer, who's not moving by an inch, probably spending his final words with his Master.
Then, with the golden haze surrounding him, he starts talking.
(1/2)
>>44135764
(2/2)
"Young lady, I am sorry for what my Master forced me to do. It was a dirty trick. I, Aristodemus of the Spartans, have always lived with rectitude. When my King ordered me to withdraw because of my sickness, I obeyed him, only to be shunned by my countrymen.
When the occasion to fight presented itself once more, I fought with all my forces, perishing in the battle. Not even in death did I find the approval of the Spartans. Thus I learned that the path my Master is walking is wrong. She came into this war crushed by what she felt was her responsibility, just like I faced my last battle crushed by dishonor. But there's no virtue in zealotry. I severed my contract with her at once, and I shall not be bothering you anymore. Farewell".
As Lancer disappears, Shizune sits on the ground, with a sad expression on her face. 'There will be time to talk with her later', you think, as you approach Lily.
"Congratulations, to you and to Archer. You've won the Grail. You can finally banish it."
However, neither Lily nor Archer seem to be happy.
"What's wrong, Lily?"
"Archer, can you see the Grail?"
"No, Master, I cannot".
Lily frowns. "It's as I suspected".
You notice that Archer hasn't unloaded his bow. He's now pointing it at you.
"I am sorry John. I am afraid there's no other way".
==========
See you guys, sorry for the short quest today, tomorrow will be more interesting!
>>44135956
"Wait wait wait, can't you just cut off my arm?"
>>44136011
Maybe, maybe not. For now I wanted to finish with a cliffhanger :^)
>>44136011
>>44136045
>>44135956
Well so this means we
CAN WIN
>>44135956
Also, I KNEW IT WAS HIM!
It just fits so well, it's like *pottery*
>>44136114
Goddamit Anon, I bet you're the one who guessed Roland correctly too.
>>44136133
Roland's was way harder to be honest, but this one is still cool and fits the theme really well.
>>44136171Do you have guesses about archer too?
>>44136207
To be honest?not really, I know very little about romans
>>44136337
FINALLY.
You won't see this one coming, I can assure you.do you want a small hint
>>44136377
S-sure, pls
>>44136445Lily is catholic
>>44136512
Ooh interesting
