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EdwardSunnyDisposition

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About EdwardSunnyDisposition

  • Birthday 11/06/1996

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    New Mystery of the Emblem

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  1. "Uhhhh...excuse me! I still don't think wearing shades at night is weirder than a woman stepping out of a portal! But fair point. I'm Joseph, a cosplay enthusiast and geek. I happened to run into this lady while looking for rare 5* creatures on my app, see?" Mark showed his screen facing Saber almost like a toddler showing off a toy. "The shades, were part of the cosplay, I clearly lost track of time after the event and just started looking for creatures, so don't shame me!" He said indignantly, but then smiled. "Calm and laidback, that's the image I wanna portray. A kinda, well dumb civilian" mused Mark, and then turned his head in the direction Saber indicated. "Old man's with her. Don't know what the deal is." He then turned to Svanhild almost worriedly. "Ya know I didn't ask this before, but does he have like, dementia? Sorry to assume! My aunt is similar you see. She's a good heart though" Mark resumed cheerfully. This is so odd...why are we casually chatting with a Servant while another Servant stands right nearby. Is this some unholy trinity of an alliance? Is there a Master laying in wait...A trap to spring? Mark was puzzled but, nevertheless, awaited the response from either lady.
  2. Mark was surprised, which suited his fake personality well. "HOLY SHIT, WHAT JUST HAPPENED!?" he jumped back and exclaimed in English, visibly unhinged. Svanhild leapt back as well, showing slight but genuine concern due to the surprise being too much to form a sound. Her landing wasn't quite as smooth as Mark's, so she skidded back a couple of paces. So she's showing some sense. Mark mused, then directed his attention to the Chinese woman. "Seriously...what the hell are you? No offence meant, you're very pretty but...I mean was that a portal?" Mark quickly directed his attention back at Svanhild, "Er, not as pretty as you!". I should wait quietly. Play the innocent civilian. Staying quiet and gathering her composure, Svanhild simply listened for a short while, and decided to just play dumb for a bit. Ignoring 'Joseph's' remark, she asked "There's a zoo in this city?" with a quizzical look on her face. Berserker was ready to attack now, but Svanhild prohibited him from making the first move. Let's try diplomacy first. Hopefully I can at least buy enough time to figure out if this guy's worth anything as a hostage. She's playing it cool huh? Good. Mark wondered if this Servant would think him a civilian, hostage or someone important. Meanwhile, through shared perception, he saw Assassin's view. Assassin had shifted to be standing directly next to Saber. No weapons, no malicious intent. His red beacons for eyes were staring directly at her, almost analyzing her like a curious child. As long as he made no attempts to influence her, he would remain hidden in the shadows. Are there others? Is her Master at hand? Lots of questions, variables, not enough answers. The best they could do was await the mysterious maiden's response.
  3. Mark showed signs of fake shock and then embarrassment. He then began speaking in English, hoping Svanhild understood. She better bloody understand, he mused. "Ah... you don't speak Japanese? I shouldn't have assumed to be honest, after all not all foreigners would know it, if anything I'm struggling with the language too!" He moved ever so slightly closer, but not by a significant amount and continued with "Anyway, I was saying that my name is Joseph, and I'm a foreigner just like you. You can forget all that other stuff if you understood any of it. I much prefer to play the game as is". Mark sighed, and then turned his attention to what was most likely a Berserker class servant given his appearance. "Who is this guy then? Boyfriend? Husband? Father? Bodyguard? He's got some pretty cool fashion sense huh...don't tell me he's into cosplay too?" Mark asked quizzically. He had not expected the response he had gotten. There was no fun to be had without something to work with, and her being off guard had actually managed to unnerve him. Is she faking? If not...is she truly prepared? Mark recalled how he had been berated by the old man at the Clock Tower, and then sardonically thought I suppose I'm not one to talk... All the while he was talking like this, it seems Assassin had appeared in the vicinity. Using his abilities, Mark realised that Assassin was perched on streetlamp just a few meters from the two humans, poised and ready, alert and watching, focused. Mark had his shared perception on all the way on his walk to the mansion and subsequent encounter with Svanhild, and as such had witnessed second hand the metamorphosis of Archer. This is valuable knowledge no doubt, and hey, it might give me an advantage, Hell knows I need one. Mark also had a good view of the seemingly black hole which was the Gate of Skye, and the sheer magnitude of its power. For the first time, he was afraid. He had no idea how he could have combated Archer if it had come to it, let alone Scatach. Perhaps the situation he had entered into now was of good fortune. "So, what's your business in Miyama? Sightseeing?" he spoke, before suddenly obtaining a sense of dread. Assassin affirmed his doubt "Something formidable approaches" was all he said, but Mark reckoned he was tensing up all the same. Gonna have to keep a level head...maybe they'll think I'm a civilian too? There was still plenty of room for doubt. Mark had on him a Luger Model 1906 (Neuer Modell) with a fair few 7.65×21 mm Parabellum (.30 Luger) ammo pouches lining the inner pockets of his coat, as well as 3 Two-Tone Black Throwing Knives, with three under each sleeve. With a flick of the wrist, these could be brought to his hands. He also carried a Fairbairn-Sykes commando knife, sheathed with an internal holder in his coat. And last but not least, he had his gauntlet and loyal Servant. It would have to do. Mark wondered how to get this woman on his side for the coming battle, whether she sensed it too, and if either of them were ready.
  4. Fuyuki Bridge / January 20th, 02:56 Assassin had spent his time watching the man fight off animals with relative style and grace, but what happened next astounded even him. In what seemed like a mere instant a beam of light shot down onto the man, and he could be seen to writhe in agony. Assassin remained silent and out of tangible reach. The light disappeared, and the man plummeted head first from the apex of the bridge, down into the water. From his position, Assassin knew not of his Fate. But he had caught that this was a...different presence. The man looked and more importantly felt different. "What a lucky soul...he achieved it." Assassin wallowed, "All I want is to be accepted. I want to transform into a different person...a person who would be accepted and not judged. I'm no monster...I am as human as the rest of you." This self pitying train of thought soon came to a head. Assassin switched tracks. "What to do now? The commander ordered me to perform recon..." he thought, before uttering aloud "THE BULLIES MUST SUFFER". It was in no way related to his thought, but rather a sordid drudged up memory. Assassin was still afraid of the Gate, and rightfully so. He instead turned his attention to a mana signature radiating warmly from the shopping district in Miyama. This signature seemed innocent, curious, warm, and yet...clearly powerful. Intrigued, Assassin started to make his way towards the gently emanating signal with his signature subtelty. There was more yet to observe.
  5. January 19th, 2:50 AM Tohsaka Mansion Mark had lied to Assassin when he said he was going to stay put. As he walked through the streets, with his phone in one hand and in-ear headphones plugged in, one might assume him as just a regular civilian. An odd guy for sure, after all who walks down dark alleyways and wide streets at the dawn of the witching hour, the dimly lit street lights flickering from ongoing use. But this was just a ruse. Mark had ordered some blue hairspray through secure channels earlier, and he was also wearing tinted shades that blocked out his eyes. His command seals were covered by thick but finger-less gloves, on the normal hand too for good measure. He had applied the hairspray earlier at the shrine building, it was an azure blue; and he had also spiked his hair with gel. The authenticity is commendable, well done me! he mused as he stepped out of the corner of an alleyway. The mana signatures he had sensed on his little night walk were just around here. After reaching a wider road, Mark was in the vicinity of a gated residence. Mark at first, saw only one person. A fair, young woman. She had blonde hair and ocean blue eyes, and Mark immediately noticed a red flower clip in her hair. She also wore red tinted glasses (very fashionable thought Mark) and from this distance, Mark could barely make out some sort of jewelry adorning her neck. She was quite the stunner indeed. Foreign just like him. The description fit what he had been expecting like a glove. Now you must know by now that Mark isn't the first thing you think of when you envision the image of a mage. His command seals were covered, he wore tinted glasses, he had dyed his hair and spiked it up something fierce, and he really didn't have a very imposing mana signature. Calling it subtle would be an understatement. Maybe it's fitting I summoned Assassin after all...he thought bemusedly, It's time to have some fun. He slightly quickened his walking pace, and started speaking in purposefully bad Japanese: "Argh, it says it's around here, where is it!?" He scratched his head comically, before continuing "This is a rare encounter damnit...we won't see this monster again, and even if we do it'll be a 4*, not a 5*!" He purposefully stopped about 20 metres short of the woman, and looked up with fake shock. "Ah! I didn't see you there....woah now." He silenced himself with thick hyperbole. He had only now seen the large , muscular man a few feet from her. He was also caucasian, though not as pale as the woman, wearing chain mail armour covered in dirt, as well as an iron helmet. He had long hair and a thick beard. "Oh snap...and as luck would have it, I see a beautiful woman, and then right after a big macho man is standing next to her...gacha god, why must you be so cruel!? Even his cosplay is better than mine!" Mark moaned emphatically, before turning around even more comically and saying to himself loud enough for the woman to hear "No Joseph, you still have a chance! Charm beats brawn and brutish strength anyday...right?" The name was a throwaway alias...man I bet she's chuckling at the irony of me chucking the word charm in there. Mark turned around and cleared his throat theatrically, then gave a warm smile, before bowing with his hand to his chest. "Oh fair lady...the gacha game doth given me no end of low luck, but your good graces have given me the strength to go on. Neither Shakespeare nor Poe could envision the rherotic I do when gazing upon you, and I vie for your attention; I shall prove that the pen is mightier than the (looks at the muscular man)....uh, chain mail". Mark finished his mini speech, then returned from his bow and grinned at the woman. It looks like he had something to keep him preoccupied for the time being; watching a man standing and shooting arrows, and then killing some animals just wasn't his cup of tea. The shared perception is useful, but doing stuff like this is even better. He awaited her response.
  6. Fuyuki Bridge, supporting column "What's that Assassin? You found something? Oh that? Well blimey mate, you found a familiar!" The mass of shadow was replaying the scene in his mind, over and over again. His master it seems had genuinely not noticed the magical presence that haunted him, but of course, Mark had asked Assassin to watch the roofs, and this is indeed what he had done dutifully. Assassin had a keen instinct, but he only hoped his Master possessed the same. "WEIRD MAN..." was what he thought. Incidentally, Assassin's thoughts while still cryptic, were a bit more defined than the abstractnesses of his speech. His mind betrayed the fact that he almost wished he could live like his seemingly cheerful and carefree Master. Assassin had never had what one could call a happy life. Family, friends and even justice were not meant for this man. What could one do, when despite existing in the same plane as the rest of individualistic society, their mind belonged elsewhere? "Hmm...Assassin, tell you what. Go scout Fuyuki City and shadow a servant. I don't care which one...whichever you desire. Do not under any circumstances reveal yourself or even attempt to engage in combat." "Me? I still don't think it's wise for me to go out and become a key player in this game. The King shouldn't be moving about on the board in an errant manner...if anyone wants to attack, they step within our territory. Now hop along, you've got scouting to do!" And just like that, Assassin had been sent on his way. He had at first noticed an entirely overwhelming presence, not too soon after leaving the Temple. A presence filled with unbridled anger and also fearsome power. Assassin instinctively knew not to look for this presence, located near the Semina apartment complex. But moments later, he sensed a faint but equally resolute presence at the Fuyuki Bridge. This presence was calm, and calculated. Back when he was among the living, being calm and calculated was a vital part of Assassin's job, and the best method of survival in his mind. Assassin, seemingly drawn to this existence, carefully made his way towards the bridge, and eventually managed to rest himself on one of the structural supports near the apex of the bridge. Assassin felt like he was in the presence of a King. This man exuded a royal aura...yet there was something...foul surrounding him. Assassin didn't feel the same charisma he often felt oozed from his Master. This man was no leader. Yet he was a royal presence... Assassin mulled all of this over in his head, as he stood silently and just watched as the man drew a bow and made several shots towards the darkness of the night. As long as he didn't make any attempts to engage, it was likely this man would never even notice he was being watched from 20 meters away...
  7. Ryuudou Temple, Miyama Outskirts, Fuyuki Mark sipped his tea on the steps of the shrine building with a calm disposition. He had decided to try to switch from coffee to tea, as there was less caffeine and well, it was supposedly healthier. This particular tea was imported from China; a fruit tea, popular among students there. I almost feel, well...British he mused to himself quietly, but then a hushed but noticeable humming interrupted his thought. The red lines which Assassin had materialized upon their arrival started glowing and pulsated mildly. Mark did not move. Slowly and stealthily, a pair of flashing eyes, appeared out of the darkness, edging from the forest just beside the shrine gate. Two seconds later, another pair of eyes accompanied them. While Mark did not have night vision, the shrine lamps were well lit enough for him to make out two mongrel-like figures edging slowly closer towards his end of the shrine entrance, in an almost prowling manner. Both sets of eyes shone with a yellow tinge, but neither figure made a sound. Mark viewed the figures curiously. "Yo. I'm guessing...this is meant to be an attack on me? I think it's hardly coincidence that two large dog like creatures would appear at my doorstep right as the War is to commence". The creatures were, as expected, silent. I don't know what I was expecting to be honest. It's not as if talking animals is outside of the realm of possibility... Mark's thoughts trailed off as the two figures had edged close enough into the light to be discernible. They were wolves. They didn't seem rabid or maddened; instead they were collected and poised, edging a paw closer towards him every so often, never averting their eyes from the target. Like a professional killer. Mark smiled wryly. "You two are very good at this stealth business. Probably can't hold a candle to my new buddy, but still very impressive. But the fact remains that you wandered into my territory. HIS territory. It was nice meeting you, at the least." And then Mark promptly turned his back to these beasts and continued sipping his tea in silence. The wolves both inched a bit closer until they were merely 50 metres from Mark, and then they couldn't contain themselves. They had judged the distance, and within 7 paces or 3 seconds, they would have him in their respective jaws. The wolves got ready to pounce when... There was a sudden flash of red light, coming from the veins in the ground. They pulsated quicker and quicker. One of the wolves tried to make a break for Mark, but a vein in front of it flashed brightly and caused it to jump back dizzily. The other wolf started snarling. But this was not aggression. This was fear. Then, it stopped snarling. Both wolfs stopped dead in their tracks. They both suddenly and slowly, averted their gaze away from Mark, and towards their left (or Mark's right if he were facing them). Something there had caught their attention. In fact, it had them petrified. But two seconds later, the attack came from the other side. It was silent and quick; one could not capture this attack with the keenest photography. But a keen mage could, if they focused, catch a red blip enter the side of one wolf's skull, exit there and do the same with the other wolf. But this occurred in the space of nanoseconds. The angle of attack was sublime. Both wolves stood there, for at least 1.5 seconds, before they collapsed. They also immediately disappeared. Mark had finished his tea. He turned back around, amused to notice the disappearance of the wolves. "You sure clean up quick Assassin...anyone who would be foolish to enter this place when it augments your abilities the way it does, is simply foolish". But who ordered this attack I wonder? As he pondered the recent events, Mark heard screaming coming from somewhere in the distance. It was muffled due to distance, but definitive. "Are there other animals? Maybe a pair of Servants are clashing?" Just what is going on here?" Mark wondered if it this was an opportunity or something to avoid. Assassin. "YES COMMANDER" blared the Servant, and upon materialization it was of note that the area around his hands and arms were freed of fog. Assassin's true arms were likened to a lean but muscular male, and they were fair in complexion. They seemed normal otherwise. Mark made a mental note of this, and started to decide whether to venture out into the night...
  8. I suppose this should be moved to chat? Not for just participants but for everyone, although you can critique the quality here too
  9. Hi, This is the creator of this RP, to any lovely spectators: 1) Are you enjoying this RP 2) Are you rooting for a particular character/who is your favorite character 3) Would you watch a ufotable adaptation of this :p 4) Wanna place bets on who a certain servant who hasn't been revealed yet is etc. 5) Who do you think will win the War? Just so you guys know this RP is very much meta, we as role players only know as much as our characters, to keep it as authentic as possible Ah well, signing off! :)
  10. ACT 01: The Meeting of the Minds Shinto, Fuyuki City Mark sipped his coffee, and looked out of the window at the bustling crowds of people on the panoramic walkways that formed the crossroads of shops and restaurants in Fuyuki. Black, one sugar, no cream. He smiled to himself, and then cleared his throat, before standing up and addressing everyone inside the cafe. "Hey everyone! Pay absolutely no attention to me. I was never here. You also can't hear anything I say, and won't disturb me for the duration of my visit here. Oh, and forget about the weird saiyan things you saw the other night too." Mark stated assertively. The crowd of customers and servers looked at Mark, nonplussed, and then continued on with their daily affairs. While Mark's memory manipulation would have done little to nothing to an experienced magus, these civilians were easy to influence. Great, no disturbances, and you've wiped a section of the incident damage, albeit not much. Mark removed his phone from his pocket, and waited for the call. Shortly after, the phone buzzed, and Mark picked it up. "Are you ready Mark?" asked the familiar voice, to which Mark responded "I'm patching in, with your permission." All of a sudden, Mark blacked out, and then his view showed a fancy metal lift door, with an outer wall sliding up besides it. The lift was going down. Mark had shared perception with his benefactor; he was seeing what the old man was seeing. The lift eventually came to a halting grind, and the doors opened. Down a small hallway was an enclosed glass cubical, with no entrances apart from a small circular hole near the top, with a height of 20 meters from the base. In the middle, sitting on the floor was an emotionless looking old man, pale as can be, wearing rags which were hidden by a large white beard and long slender silver hair. Even in rags, the man looked regal. This was Jubstacheit von Einzbern, the eight head of the Einzbern family. He had been with the family since the Second Grail War, but now he simply sat in this castle of glass, head hanging low in his personal prison. While it is true that publicly the three founding families of the War had been wiped out, a Magus expedition to the Einzbern castle in Germany found a secret room deep underground. Housed in it was a collapsed Jubstacheit. Technically this "thing" was artificial intelligence, research had shown, being fundamentally linked to the nature of the castle and homunculus within. The old man tried to ask questions in interrogation regarding the nature of the the Fifth Grail War, but the relic of a man stayed silent, unresponsive. "This is boring...let me guess, there's some evil braniac mastermind who directly controls it? That would be so cliche...but still awesome" Mark thought to himself, and almost in reaction, Acht (named for being the 8th generation model of his kind) snapped his neck up, with cold dilated eyes, staring at the old man/Mark. The old man froze in place, and Mark felt a deep chill within him. This was a first. "ThE hOmunCulus LiVes. ThE swEet, iNnoCenT sOul, mY cReaTIon, the UltImAte cReaTIon. AwAitIng tHe nEw WaR, hIdDen aWay iN ThE eVeRpreSeNt CiTY." And then the man was silent. Mark was shocked enough to lose concentration. He briefly blacked out, and then returned to himself in the cafe. He looked around, and no one had bothered him or acted like he was even there, as planned. Immediately Mark received a call, which he picked immediately. "A homunculus? That's what I gathered from that short outburst. Mark. If this is the case, you have information that other Master's do not. HOLD. ONTO. IT. We have to find the vessel. It gives us an immediately important advantage for the long term." Mark was the one to end the call, and he looked unusually serious and in the zone. "Time to REALLY get to work. Assassin. Take rooftop views and scout. Let's get on with the pleasantries, and then we'll get to looking" There was no response, but Mark had a gut feeling Assassin would obey this time. Before leaving the cafe (without paying because he could get away with that), Mark once again checked his phone, and he viewed the interesting email for what seemed like the umpteenth time. "Hi Mark, We managed to scrub the relic of corruption, finally. I think we have a good idea of who this could belong to but...it's just unexpected. What you described as Assassin's appearance really doesn't match with or make any sense to my hypothesis. I've attached a picture; I think with some minor research you can figure out who it is. Don't want comms getting comprimised and all that. It's been too long man...you should come see the team again. I think they could use it. Be well, Rutger Archaeological Excavation Manager Clock Tower Mark inquistively clicked the image file, and he saw an envelope with a certain item inside. The envelope had a name and surname on it, and through some quick research, Mark did indeed find the identity of his Servant. Mark thought long and hard, and then sighed. "Bloody hell...I don't think I can wrap my head around this kind of man. The mad enhancement...it actually kinda makes sense, to an extent. But really, getting a man so divisively debated as to whether he was in the right or not...I'm just lucky he looks nothing like himself currently. Although maybe there is a reason for that..." Mark realised there was work to be done instead of pondering, and left the dim lighting of the cafe for the bright sunny streets outside.
  11. Ryuudou Temple, Miyama Outskirts, Fuyuki “Assassin, how’s the watch?” pondered Mark. Silence, and then, “IT GOES WELL BOSS”. Through the last few days, Assassin had become a bit more talkative, although it was still limited to short phrases on rare occasion. Maybe this is the limit of his speech mused Mark, before turning his attention to his ringing phone. “Yes, how fares London old man?” he cheered into the phone. “So loud…there’s a clean up to be done Mark. I presume you heard about the skirmish that took place?” replied Mark’s mysterious benefactor. “Yep. Had a familiar in place. Assassin isn’t quite on the trust radar yet. That Lancer woman really had the Archer’s number. I searched Wikipedia for the things that the Lancer said to the Archer, and the identity that matches the most would be Paris from the Trojan War. The one in this war at least looks a little bit cooler than the one on the article” said Mark. The old man sighed and retorted with “While your means of discernment are…questionable, I admit that I came to the same conclusion. What of the Lancer?” “OH mate, she was smoking!” “…And what else?” “Oh, nothing. Her master seemed off her rocker though” “I don’t even know why I bother holding conversation…that’s my first and last mistake. Look. The association has ordered all mercenaries, disciples and others involved in the War to help clean up that shambles. What the fuck was that Othinus woman thinking? The mind trembles.” I can’t believe he referenced that? The old man might have some fun inside him after all thought Mark bemusedly. “Okay, so it’ll look good to the Association if I get there first compared to the others, and also it opens up potential for alliances?” “Finally you’re learning. Report back on your findings.” And then the line was abruptly cut short. Mark walked down towards the shrine entrance and without looking back called out “Mate I could really use someone watching my six, if you feel what I’m saying?” Assassin is very receptive to this kind of language. Him and that Michael character could probably get along thought Mark. Assassin jumped down to Mark’s level, then dematerialized. “TAKE POINT, I’ll FLANK”. “Time to get to work”. They departed for the streets.
  12. Mark awoke to the sounds of cicadas chirping. “I’m definitely in Japan” he mused comically, and slowly rose from his futon. These low, quilted mattresses were a lot more comfortable than they seemed, and Mark, who usually had a hard time sleeping, felt very refreshed. After a few minutes of sitting near the futon in a reverie, he found the willpower to slowly get up and amble to the main room of the temple shack. Placed on a table towards the end of the room was a metal box about the size of a shoebox. Mark snapped open the buckles holding the lid in place, and opened said box. Resting there was a gauntlet, about the size of the average Western man’s forearm. It was jet black with gold embroidery running down its length. 4 reddish jewels were placed in the four corners of the gauntlet, filled with a vast reservoir of mana. This mana was not Mark’s, in fact it belonged to the original owner of this ancient relic, a mana so rich and pure that Mark’s own paled heavily in comparison. The old man had explained when he handed it over that there was enough concentrated mana in this gauntlet to keep it functioning for several years of constant use. A quick spell of memory manipulation had dealt with the airport staff checking the luggage scans, and one could say it was instrumental to Mark’s survival. “The old man never clarified, but I posit that this belonged to some famous warrior who fought in a colosseum” Mark wondered, and then promptly slipped it onto his left wrist and forearm. His right arm was his shooting arm and while the gauntlet had surprisingly little density (there was most likely some enchantment in place for this effect), it wouldn’t feel right there. Feeling a lot more secure, Mark stepped out onto the temple grounds, and saw Assassin on the roof of the neighbouring cottage, sitting down and keeping what seemed to be a very vigilant watch. He had not moved an inch throughout the whole night. Mark attempted to make communication “Assassin! Anything happen in the night?” Silence. Mark stood unperturbed; he was used to this by now. As a last-ditch effort, Mark exclaimed “It won’t do you any good cooped up in here all the time…we could go to the town, do some recon, you know? How about it? Assassin?” Assassin’s beacon-like eyes swivelled to regard him, and then he heard “MOTHER WOULDN’T ALLOW IT”. And then silence. Mark merely shook his head, and then ducked back into the main building.
  13. "Wow". Mark was speechless. It was the only natural reaction as he made his way out of the woods and onto the stone path paved before him. The path led up to a rectangular shrine gate, which Mark knew was commonly referred to as a "torii", and beyond that lay an almost quaint shrine building. It looked almost like a shack or cottage, but Mark suspected it was of more import than that. "Well look at that Assassin, we may have just struck gold!" Mark exclaimed, turning to the red cloudy mass. Assassin did not respond, but merely walked up the stone path, without so much as a glance at the Master. Mark issued his trademark sigh, and followed after Assassin. Ryuudou Temple, Miyama Outskirts, Fuyuki "Wow the Wi-Fi here is pretty good Assassin!" exclaimed Mark, "They have crazy good Wi-Fi and no one lives here? Absolutely criminal." Through research, Mark had learnt that he was currently residing in Ryuudou Temple, although there were surprisingly few hits for it online of any relevance. "Not that popular is it? Maybe Shintoism isn't in anymore" Mark wondered. Although he was ignorant now, Mark would very soon discover just how many leylines of Fuyuki converged here, and that by chance he had stumbled upon a key strategic location for the War. His first hint was waiting for him outside. Mark suddenly felt a chilling pressure, coming from outside. Making his way to the sacred grounds, he saw Assassin kneeling to the ground, and all of a sudden red veiny lines shot out over the grounds, and on the walls of the building. Mark stood agape for a brief moment, then quickly collected himself. "The old man was lecturing me about things like this...was that like...you know, a Reality Marble? Or some form of territory creation?" Assassin's red beacon's that represented it's eyes darted round and fixated on Mark. "NEITHER." Then silence. Before Mark could open his mouth to retort, Assassin surprised him by speaking again "I LIVE TO SERVE, EVEN IF THE PEOPLE THINK I AM WRONG." Then once more silence. "O-oh, okay then." What more was there to say? Mark headed back inside and got back on his laptop. "Assassin, do you think they do delivery here? Haven't eaten in almost a day." No response. While one might think this man was a fool, he was anything but. Under this cheery and lackadaisical demeanor, Mark had begun plotting and formulating oh so many different plans and contingencies. If he had learnt anything, it was this saying. "Let the opponent think you are unwise. Knowing is half the battle, and in thinking you know nothing, they know less than nothing". Hmm, who said that again? Mark pondered this, as he searched for the best takeaway while simultaneously trying to figure out Assassin's identity.
  14. ???, Fuyuki "Man, where AM I?" bemused Mark as he stumbled over a pebble. He had been walking down a winding road, with a forest of trees to either side of him. It almost felt like a highway, but Mark couldn't say for sure. "Oh bloody hell. It'd be nice not to think I'm way over my head with this Grail War business, but right now I'm not exactly sure what to to or even where to go!" he thought, and grimaced after feeling some stomach pain. He hadn't eaten in about 12 hours, that having been at Narita International Airport, and in attempting to avoid any locals within Fuyuki had found himself lost. He was just thinking about what to have for dinner when a sharp but quiet humming emanated from his jacket pocket. Mark was trying to avoid having his phone on anything but vibrate if he could help it. Checking his cell, he was mildly surprised to see this particular caller ID so soon. "The old man is calling? I'm surprised he'd pay international fees to speak with lil old me!" chuckled Mark happily, as he accepted the call. The voice on the other end of the line had gravitas, and sounded measured to say the least. "Mr Gatling. You know I'm actually spending a lot just to call you from here, so be grateful." Mark sighed theatrically into the phone. "Oh you...I was actually thinking the exact same thing. You should get out of that dusty Clock Tower every so often; I'm surprised you aren't supervising me here. It's not like you to put any semblance of faith in me. Actually you may have been absolutely justified in that thought process to be fair". "That really doesn't bode well Mark", the voice said steadily, continuing on to say "What is the matter? Have you secured a base of operations?" "Yeahhhhhh no. I don't even know where I am, and that bloody Servant is like a mad dog without a leash! He keeps wandering off. Actually scratch that, I don't even know if it's a he or not." "You...cannot be serious. I stressed how important this was for the Clock Tower did I not? You're earning much more than you do for those normal jobs, and you may even be granted a wish if you actually survive. Put some more bloody thought into your strategy! Also, what's wrong with your servant? You didn't add anything extra to the summoning chant did you?" "No siree, I recited it plain as day, 100%" Mark replied, "I think it has something to do with this guy, or gal's past. That's my best guess anyway, and I don't have a second best." "For goodness sake...I need you to get your shit together. I will try and assist in anyway that doesn't violate the rules of the War, but you've got to throw me a bloody bone here. Secure a base of operations. Learn more about your Servant. Try to discern their identity if possible. And avoid contact with other Masters this early. In fact try to avoid all contact unless it's an alliance. Given your Servant's class, an alliance may be your best bet in the early stages." And with that the line was abruptly cut. Mark sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time, and called out into the woods. "Seriously mate...mate? Are you there? I'd like you to co-operate, it would make both of our lives easier!" Silence. I can't believe you're, bloody making me do this he thought, and he inhaled sharply, then closed his eyes. Within seconds, he was suddenly racing through the woods at an insanely high velocity. His vision was cloudy and red, and his thoughts felt distorted. It was so nauseating that Mark had to slip out of it almost immediately; but this seemed to have an effect on his Servant, who finally zipped out into the clearing. A red mass of shadow. That's what was in front of Mark currently. If one were to squint, they'd make out a somewhat broad, yet still slender figure in the middle of it. Red circular lights which Mark assumed were meant to be eyes drilled into his mind, and he winced. "Independent fucking action, and Mad Enhancement eh? That's my guess anyway. It's like the Grail is playing an elaborate game with me. Well I consider myself quite the gambler...you know I don't have much mana right? Making me use Shared Perception in hopes that you comply is quite draining, and I haven't eaten in a while". The mass of shadow spoke nothing for a few seconds, but then uttered a small phrase boldly. "THERE ARE NO CHAINS ON ME" And then more silence. "You spoke! Well...well yes there are indeed no chains on you. It looks like the Mad Enhancement isn't too severe, although you definitely aren't the most charismatic chap I've liaised with. Look mate, I really really hope we can communicate in some way. It may take some time, but that is in very short supply. Let's just look for a way out of these...woods, or whatever they are. Okay...Okay? More silence. And then the mass spoke "I'LL TAKE POINT" "Point? Hmm, that is an interesting way to put it...but very well!" Mark replied, relieved that they were going to get somewhere after all. And so the mass and the mortal slowly made their way down the winding road.
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