AU for imperial_saga

[killed_shiki]

-1-


[Servant and Servant! You've crossed paths before, but with your Masters - this time it's just the two Servants.]

[Assassin smiles as she draws a small, plain kife. You'd expect someone of her class to be a bit stealthier, but it seems that a straightforward approach is more your style.]

No Masters this time. This is what I wanted from the start. Now we can put aside all worries aside from fighting to the death.

I hope you're ready.


-2-


[Servant and Master! The Grail War is complex, especially during times as tumultuous as these, and planning ahead for the upcoming battles is very important.]

[You've got all kinds of important plans up your sleeve, but Assassin is just leaning against the wall, eyes closed. She doesn't seem to be listening very hard. If you try to get her attention...]

Why should all this matter to me, one way or the other?

If I encounter a Servant, I'll kill the Servant. That's all I need to know. The rest is your problem.


-3-


[Servant and non-Servant! It's dangerous to go out into the woods alone at night, you know. Or at least, that's what they said... and maybe this is why.]

[You just stumbled upon two people. Only one of them has a head.]

[Blood sprays in various directions, making an almost beautiful pattern along the ground. As the freshly-made corpse collapses, the pale woman turns slowly, giving you a bloodstained smile.]

[She doesn't say anything, but you're not here to make small talk, are you?]


-4-


Ooh! What about that one?

[Servant and anyone! Do you know Assassin? Maybe, maybe not - but this appears to be her... but her personality is completely different now.]

[SHIKI bounces through whatever local festival is going on, looking like she doesn't have a care in the world, dragging you along by the hand.]

Hey, have you ever tried this? I hear it's a local specialty, but I've never had any.

You could stand to smile more. Has anyone ever told you that?

Comments

1

[idranel_the_damned]

Lancer spins her spear around to a ready position.

"It's definitely more satisfying without that fool getting in the way."

[killed_shiki]

Oh, good. She understands.

Assassin doesn't waste energy on further words. Instead, she crouches low and springs forward into a terrifyingly fast sprint, aiming to close into close range, where she'll have the advantage with her speed and flexibility.

[idranel_the_damned]

Yes Assassin found herself facing not one Lancer, but 5, each with brilliantly glowing eyes, all countering her death charge in different ways. Five glittering, humming speartips striking unerringly at the Servant from five different angles.

[killed_shiki]

Assassin turns on a dime, dodging the barrage of spears with an acrobatic flip - one of them cuts a few of her hairs a bit shorter, and another cuts narrowly through one of her sleeves, but she manages to escape unharmed.

Her mind races during the split second she has to react. Illusion magic? Duplication? Worry later, act now - as she falls back to earth, her arm lashes out as she stabs one of the five through the heart.

[idranel_the_damned]

Her knife goes directly through the Lancer duplicate as if it were air as the illusion vanishes like smoke. Two more Lancers make their attack, only they're now holding knives just like Assassin's. A third Lancer thrusts her spear of their heads while while the fourth fires blasts of lightning from her hands THROUGH the other three without slowing them down.

4

[bejustorbedead]

[He did promise Assassin's master to keep an eye on her, but honestly Ky didn't expect to be dragged out to a festival. In fact, Ky doesn't even know she's a servant in the grail war sense]

Uh...

[Yes SHIKI, Ky heard that. frequently]

Oh, those I believe are barbeque eel - I never had it before.

[killed_shiki]

Can I talk you into buying me one?

[bejustorbedead]

Let me check my pouch.

[He fishes out his pouch, pouring out some coins, buying the barbeque eel on a stick for her]

You seem to be enjoying yourself.

[killed_shiki]

[SHIKI gives Ky a very earnest smile.]

What's the point of coming to something like this if you aren't going to enjoy it?

[bejustorbedead]

...You have a point.

[He was feeling a little hungry and bought a Beignet for himself]

I haven't been to one myself in ages.

[As they walked, a bunch of kids ran between them, shoving Ky. He steps aside, half-laughing]

3

[armstronger]

[ ...at least she doesn't recognize the other, now headless person. It's not one of her men.

That said, someone is running around the woods decapitating people, and that's a very good reason to draw her sword and point it in the figure's direction. ]

State your name and allegiance, and drop your weapon.

[killed_shiki]

[She doesn't drop her weapon.]

I have no name, and I don't believe in allegiance.

[armstronger]

Then no one will miss you when you die!

[ Oh, she also has a gun - she draws the pistol, snapping off a shot before discarding it in favor of rushing forward with her sword. ]

[killed_shiki]

[ The dark-haired woman woman effortlessly deflects the bullet with her knife, before charging ahead, blade-first. If Olivier has any sort of combat instincts, she should know that if this first strike connects, it's not going to be a flesh wound - Shiki's knife radiates absolute death. ]

[armstronger]

[ There's something about this woman that Olivier immediately does not like one bit. She knows not to charge headfirst at a woman who can deflect bullets like that, sidestepping to momentarily focus on deflecting the knife away from her body. ]

3

[dowhatyoudecide]

*Sara is just gaping. She can barely reach for any of her weapons.*

You... Why!? Who was that? Who are you?

[killed_shiki]

I needed to kill. To remember what killing feels like.

And now you've seen me.

[dowhatyoudecide]

*And now she's got a handgun shakily pointed at her.* That's not even a reason at all! Why... are there still people like you who exist in this world!?

[killed_shiki]

[Ah, there's a question for the ages. Shiki looks thoughtful at that.]

I don't think it's odd that people like me still exist. If anything, it's odd that I exist already.

3

[smile_thatkills]

[Someone is smiling too, and has a hand on his sword's handle]

Heh. That's quite a mess there. What might you be? A demon? Or a very nasty rogue?

[killed_shiki]

I'm somebody who enjoys killing.

1

[nightskysword]

[Assassin vs. knight! You probably had to goad her into this, but when your class specialty is killing Masters, it's easy to goad Signum into wanting to kill you.]

You're a strange one, for an Assassin. If I'd known a duel was what you wanted from the beginning, I'd have gladly obliged.

[killed_shiki]

I don't care one way or the other about dueling. All I know is that when I saw you, I knew immediately that you were somebody I had to kill.

This way, I can enjoy it, too.

[nightskysword]

I suppose that's fair enough.

My Master would want me to talk you into surrendering. I take it we're both of the opinion that's not an option?

[killed_shiki]

What would be the point?