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 Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:19 am
 ~::Abandoned Yatagarasu Hideout::~Before the Endgame Crisis this was a hideout for members of the Yatagarasu and a certain family to rest and relax in the Sapporo Area. A small estate in the hills of Northern Sapporo, its seals and barriers were mostly destroyed during the overrun of the city by the devils that now inhabit it. Now it is mostly undefended, remoteness the best defense it has against the others in the Holy Grail War.
It is a snow-capped abode over a frozen-over lake in the hills, perhaps unseasonably cold despite its northern location in the city. There is a long staircase leading up to the home, however, upon which a guard or enchantment could easily be placed to notify those who live there of any coming intruders.
...
It is rumored that this home is defended by a powerful Servant. A swordsman of peerless skill. But whether or not those are simply rumors remains to be seen.
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 7:40 pm
Nonito Nekata, aka Jakken the [False] Kuzunoha
"Ho...huh? Get ready to witness the power of a true summoner elite!""That...could have gone better."
Mist filled the air at the center of the cabin as the orchid-haired summoner looked up at the Servant that he had called into the world, taking stock of his flowing violet hair and noble countenance as he stepped out of the building and out towards the long staircase that lead to the former Crow base that they were currently calling their headquarters. It wasn't much of a base, just a small one-room building with a gorgeous view and a lake for fresh water to sustain them for as long as they should need to hide out there. However it suited their purposes, resting among the hills to make it hard to access; anyone who wanted to fight them only had one path to reach them, which meant that they could manage the number of challengers that stepped forth. Of course, that wouldn't have been the way that he wanted it...scouting, finding out what the enemies were doing, and then going out to challenge them was far more his own style. But...well, the ritual to summon the Servant of his choice hadn't been entirely successful. Or rather, he had completely botched it. Really he should have listened when Nia told him that line in the summoning seal should have been curved instead of straight. And that the rune should have been an emblem, and...well, none of that mattered because they'd summoned a Servant anyway!
Even if it wasn't the one they intended, but...well, he certainly looked powerful, didn't he?
...Right?
"Well proper servant or not, the War's begun now," the wayward summoner mused calmly, stepping up to the sliding door and looking out onto the staircase where his summoned ally seemed to have vanished into the night, "Either we should wait for them to come to us...or we'll need to go find them. Nia...Nia don't look at me like that! I know, I should have listened to you, but...we've summoned a Servant, haven't we? Isn't that enough? ...Though if I could call Sir Grumpsalot I'm certain my defenses would be much more effective..."
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:26 pm
 Nia Ueda
Green eyes followed the figure as it walked out of the building, her head slightly tilted to the side. The expression on her face was thoughtful, perhaps even a little annoyed, almost as if by looking at the result of the summoning from another angle would help her feel any better about the whole thing. Yep. That could have gone better indeed. Her gaze turned back to her companion as he began speaking again, her lips pursed into a thin line, her eyebrows furrowed. "But Niiiiiiiiiiiito..." She finally spoke up the moment the Kuzunoha noticed her expression, the green haired girl crossing her arms, worried. "What if this goes completely wrong? We are not sure what..." she trailed off, a sigh escaping her lips. Well, it was no use complaining now, was there? The Servant was summoned, and they couldn't change it. And...well, he did look strong, she had to admit that.
"Well... I guess...it could work." Nia sighed in defeat, a tiny smile curling at the corner of her lips despite the situation. Nito was always like that...and despite it all...they had always been able to keep afloat, right? This time would be no different. They were a good team...and they would get through. "Good thing Sir Grumpsalot can't be summoned here...That cat would kill us in our sleep if it could." the girl answered with a pout, a hand moving to rub her nose lightly, an unconscious act whenever she thought of the cats. The demonic cat could kill her at least...if anything because of her allergies. Of course she didn't believe the summon would do as such, but...considering the scratches and wounds Nito had received in several occasions...it was no surprise the dislike she had for them. "So...we just wait for now, right? We'll be ready..." the girl sobered up, her gaze turning back to Nito, searching for the courage she sure needed at the moment. This was a dangerous place...it was a dangerous situation they got themselves into, but... she shouldn't be thinking about the worst...right?
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Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2014 9:43 pm
Nonito Nekata, aka Jakken the [False] Kuzunoha
"Ho...huh? Get ready to witness the power of a true summoner elite!"It...was truly a miracle that the girl hadn't dumped him on the curb somewhere yet for the way that things always seemed to turn out for the worse when he was involved, but he supposed that the fact that they had actually managed to resolve several of those hopeless situations and come out on top in spite of all that was at least some reason why she was still around. The rest of it he was more than willing to attribute to her generous and caring nature, the fact that he needed her...and she wouldn't abandon him when he needed her as much as he did, right? Right! He didn't need to question it, really. She was as good a companion as a man could hope for! Better than good! She was fantastic! Yes, fantastic was a good word for it. For her. Where was he again? Oh, right! Cat! Wait, no, Servant! Theirs...hadn't turned out the way that it was intended, but they had at least managed to call one, which meant that their participation in this so-called Holy Grail War was now good and sealed! His arms crossed over his chest as he thought about what Nia had said, and a strange crinkle of his nose overcame him as though he had tasted something funny.
"I'll have you take that back, Nia! Sir Grumpsalot would never...!" he paused a moment thoughtfully, before correcting himself and adding, "Well now that you mention it, he certainly has been fussy lately...was it the cherry catnip we bought him? I didn't know they made catnip in cherry...the things you learn!" His meandering thoughts seemed to veer to and fro, never quite settling upon one line of thinking or another, and no real point ever came from his musings upon his faithful (?) feline servant. After all, it wasn't their armor-clad cat that was the thing of interest here, was it? It was their Servant! This war! They needed a plan, and...! "I...haven't got one." ...Joy.
"A plan, that is! Nia, I'm not entirely sure we should be the ones seeking out a fight under the circumstances," he suggested in a rare bout of clarity, scratching his chin as he idly walked circles around his bedraggled companion, "He certainly looks strong, but I can't say I'm entirely sure what he's capable of. It might be better to remain here and lay low, and...even if it's not like me at all, I'd rather not risk it all until I'm more sure what we're dealing...with..." He didn't want to say it, but he knew the risks inherent in this War...and the last thing he wanted to do was put Nia herself in any sort of unnecessary risk. After all, if he was in danger he could always use a Command Seal to call their Servant to his side, but if she was in danger and he wasn't near...well...it would be a lot different and he wasn't really willing to risk it. And so, he was playing it safe...for him, at least. Though how long he could stay in one place idle remained to be seen; his wanderlust, after all, was the most legendary thing about him. Thus far.
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Posted: Thu May 01, 2014 7:25 pm
Nia Ueda
Nia opened her mouth to retort, about to remind him about all those times Sir Grumpsalot...or any other of his cat summons had attack him, when his mention of the catnip completely derailed her train of thought. "Wait, what? Cherry...catnip? Wait, that doesn't matter!" The summoner shook her head, almost as if trying to make the thought disappear from her mind. "What I am saying is...we should- wha?" Oh! A plan! Of course. Once again, some seriousness returned to them, and if she was being honest, it came as a surprise to her. Nito was being more coherent than other times, making her stomach to twist into a knot. If he was being serious...then this situation was just as dangerous as she had imagined. Perhaps even more so. To have cheery, energetic Nito being thinking of a plan instead of rushing head on into the problem just seemed so strange. She'd just have to be more careful then.
"I agree..." Nia answered, her gaze lowering to her feet for a moment, fingers fidgeting with the long strand of green hair. "We should stay here...wait for things to become clearer for us. Right?" Her gaze rose to meet his, a little sympathetic smile curling at the corner of her lips. She knew he probably was itching to get out of here...as he said...this wasn't like him at all. "Nito, let's hang in there just a little longer, yeah?" Though, if she was being honest...she was just a little glad for it. This way... he could stay here with her...he wouldn't be out there...putting his life in unnecessary danger. More...than he already did, anyway. This way...they could go together... work together. They were a team right? They needed each other, right?
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Posted: Fri May 02, 2014 4:43 am
Nonito Nekata, aka Jakken the [False] Kuzunoha
"Ho...huh? Get ready to witness the power of a true summoner elite!"Tick, tock...is what the clock would have said if they had one. But this place was fairly bare-bones compared to some of the other safehouses that the Yatagarasu had set up around the country. It made sense, of course, given that the safehouse had been abandoned shortly after the end of all that Endgame nonsense, but did they really need to strip the wall of clocks? Honestly!
...Not that it made any different in the long run. All it would have done was add fuel to the fire of boredom that was already beginning to rage in the eyes and heart of the orchid-haired summoner. He paced around the room anxiously as if anticipating something that had yet to come to pass. Occasionally his eyes would flit towards the doorway and the stairs, to the South, where the spread of the city lights could almost be seen through the thicket of snow-capped trees that lead down the hill into the maze of buildings. Was something happening down there? Nia might wonder, but as the minutes rolled by, Nito didn't seem to be up to talking about it...which was probably a sign that things, whatever they were, were pretty serious somewhere down in the city. That didn't stop him from the pacing, though...or the occasional pause and squat-thrust session...or from propping himself up on his hands in the corner and idly seeing how long he could keep himself upright before he lost balance...or from fiddling with strings in his clothes, twirling in place now and then, fidgeting, twitching, or stealing the occasional glance at Nia that always seemed to end with a warm yet strained little smile that probably made her far more nervous than she needed to be. But he couldn't help it! He was booored! And yet he knew that this was the safest play right now, the safest for their hopes and the safest for her. After all, she didn't have any Command Seals to protect herself...he couldn't just go putting her at risk to soothe his own wanderlust.
"It's starting," his voice pierced the silence finally, eyes settling on the window to the South and looking out into the trees as though he could see the city itself that lay beyond, "I can't tell you exactly which Servants are out there, but something is certainly happening right now. Battle for the Holy Grail has commenced, Nia...all the chickens we've put into this pot are about to come to boil."
...
"...Is that the expression? Chickens in one pot? Nia, help me out here...while I might be a more lyrical wordsmith, you always seem to catch the things I let slip. I can't be making ominous proclamations and sounding like a fool at the same time, can I?" Good luck with that...
...
...Still, at least it was a bit more like him. Perhaps the shock of beginnings and the anticipation of battle was getting his blood pumping properly now. They had only to wait and see what the night brought to the city below. Patience would be their greatest virtue.
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 2:25 am
Nonito Nekata, aka Jakken the [False] Kuzunoha
"Ho...huh? Get ready to witness the power of a true summoner elite!"[Day 2 - Dusk]
...The First Day had come and gone already; they had been lucky so far, something that Nia was surely grateful for. Nito's restless energy had him nearly bouncing off of the walls the night before as he followed the action out in the city as best he could from their remote hideaway. It had been...a struggle to say the least. And yet cooler heads had prevailed and they had stuck to their theory for now, survived through the first night, and the second night was now upon them. Their Servant remained where he had been sent the night before, though he had returned at one point during the day to report all that he had seen and observed during the night's events prior. Strange or not, he was certainly a useful ally to have in battle. All of his information had been given directly to Nia, and would eventually have to be passed on to his other, true Master. Of course, she'd have done that a while ago most likely if she could have, and yet she was still here waiting. Not because he had gone outside to scout for enemies, or because he was engaged in a battle. Not because he was in the midst of some sort of summoning or ritual, or even checking up on his beloved GrumpyCats in his spare time.
...
"...Another eggnog..." the summoner mumbled, rolling his head gently to the side as he splayed himself out wide along the floor of the mostly-empty hideaway, head bumping precariously against the soft, squishy pillow that he had found for himself in his...yes...in his sleep. That pillow, however, was no pillow at all. It was Nia's flat tummy, poor girl...some time after she had fallen asleep in the morning to get herself a little rest, he had managed to drain himself entirely of energy and passed out on the floor right beside her. Or, rather, right beside her...except for his beanie-clad head that settled itself perfectly against her and had yet to extract itself from that location for the duration of the night. Just looking at them you might have said it was even...cute...if not for the girl's distress...and the tiny line of drool that threatened to leak out of the corner of the sleeping summoner's lips at a moment's notice. "Nia, dear...*YAWN*...get...the catnip...and the box of Legos..."
...Uh, what was he dreaming about, exactly?!
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 3:06 am
Nia Ueda
"Nito...Niiiiiiiiiito!" her hushed whispers went unheard, one more failed attempt to wake the orchid-haired summoner that was now using her as a pillow. A squeak escaped her lips as he rustled in his sleep, his head nuzzling closer into her stomach, making her shoulders to tense and for the girl to hold her breath. It was a slightly awkward situation...though, if the situation had been different, perhaps she could have even found it pleasant. She could even let herself relax...and let him rest for as long as he wanted. Maybe. B-but...! That was...if the situation had been different. Right now though...they had to start moving...thinking of plans for their second night in this war. They had been lucky last night, and for that she was eternally grateful...but nothing reassured her that tonight would be the same. Something was already going on outside, their Servant had already told her as much and she could feel the change on the air...they were already raiding homes and little shops; and somehow, she couldn't just hope that some other Servant wouldn't find their hiding place.
"Sheesh...how can you sleep this soundly at such a time... I could barely sleep for a few hours, and wouldn't call it a good rest." No, she was too nervous for that. Too on edge. And yet...Nito seemed so peaceful...or well...not exactly peaceful. He thrashed way too much on his sleep. That was what had waken her up on the first place... And whatever was he dreaming about?! "Huh... " Her gaze fell on her companion's sleeping face, and she couldn't help the little shake of her head and chuckle...her fingers brushing away a lock of hair from his eyes. "Yes, Nito...I got them." At least, for a little while...she could play along, right? "There's only cherry catnip, though...Is that okay?" Without warning, though...she had slipped off from under him, the sudden movement hopefully enough to wake him up. She didn't want to startle him, but...it was just impoooooossible to snap him out of his dreaming state. "Niiiiiiiiiiiito...!"
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Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 7:59 pm
Nonito Nekata, aka Jakken the [False] Kuzunoha
"Ho...huh? Get ready to witness the power of a true summoner elite!"Comfy...yes, even if he was thrashing about in his sleep, he couldn't say that his makeshift pillow wasn't exceptionally comfortable. It was almost as though it had an internal heater in it, and...why was it so snuggly, anyway? He nuzzled closer, hair ruffling cutely as he mumbled something in response to the comment about cherry catnip...a little smile curling the corner of his lips, and then...whump! His head cracked faintly against the wooden floor and in an instant his eyes flashed open, his legs kicked up towards his head before he curled, unwound, and jumped to his feet in a single bound. Rubbing his head dramatically, his sleepy-eyed expression found the green-haired girl and his finger pointed accusingly! "What is the meaning of this, Nia? Do you attack me in my sleep?!" his eyes shifted this way and that, as if trying to assess why he had been awakened by his head bouncing off the floor like that...little knowing that it had been his own use as the girl as his pillow that had brought it upon himself. Stupid war, interrupting cute sleeping times...what was it's deal, anyway?!
"Hm? Nothing to say, huh? Guilty! I pass judgment," he turned his back to her and glanced out of the window, eyes twitching for a moment as he did...before he let out a deep breath and glanced back over his shoulder petulantly...clearly scheming something that would get her to make amends, "Breakfast! You're making it, then. That is your sentence. It should be something tasty...sweet. What do you like, Nia?" Was this...what they should be talking about at a time like this? Though they DID say that breakfast was the most important meal, and they hadn't eaten since the morning. Still, there were battles out there to be fought, some that might be going on right now. Err...but, it didn't seem like he was going to back down, either. Maybe just a little breakfast?
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 4:48 pm
Nia Ueda
The look on the green haired girl was one of pure innocence...which quickly changed to one of indignation at the suggestion. Her cheeks puffed and stomped her foot to the floor. "Attack you? What? Noooo, Nito! You were sleeping on m- Huh?! Breakfast? But-!" Bickering over little things that probably weren't important at the moment...that was them. And even if the girl tried to be the more level-headed one of the two, there were times that his antics would just make her forget about her worries and ...perhaps...important things that needed discussed. "It is the middle of the night, though..." she mumbled under her breath, a pout on her lips. "Besides, we don't have much where to choose from..." There wasn't time for cooking, or at least, to her, making dinner wasn't in her list of things to do. So, taking her bag and searching inside, the green haired summoner took out two wrapped packages, throwing one over to her companion; a little something she had made before coming to Sapporo. Provisions... yeah. Somewhat.
"Now..." her expression turned serious, almost as if now only remembering they weren't in some kind of vacation...and that they needed to think of their next move. "I have news of what is going on outside..." her gaze looked for some kind of indication she could continue, a little worried frown curling at the corner of her lips. "Nito... there have been some confrontations...and some raids as well..." What were they to do? Wait until the enemy came to them? It seemed like a safe idea, but... was it really?
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Posted: Mon May 05, 2014 8:02 pm
Nonito Nekata, aka Jakken the [False] Kuzunoha
"Ho...huh? Get ready to witness the power of a true summoner elite!""Mutiny! Nia, darling, breakfast isn't something you pull out of a bag...that's lunch! School children eat their meals out of a bag! Breakfast is meant for pancakes and syrup and delicious Belgian Waffles, and BACON! And..." it seemed as though his loquacious illumination of the merits of a full breakfast might go on for the rest of the evening...until he finally set eyes upon the food and, in a fit of hunger, found himself digging into the 'provisions' that his companion had packed to bring with her to Sapporo before the two of them had left for the War. He didn't know for sure if she had cooked it, but whatever it was she had packed tasted relatively delicious! Not relatively, relatively wasn't the right word...it was delicious! Or at the very least it did wonders to sate his hunger. Sure, he still longed for a big bite of pancakes and bacon, particularly if his charming companion was the one who was going to cook it, but before he could launch back into another speech he noticed that her mood had gone a little dark with the remembrance that there was something they were doing here. There was news about the goings on out and in the city below them. Sapporo was filled with fighting since the moon had dawned, eh? No doubt their servant had told her all that had been gathered some time while he had been dozed off on his comfortable pillow. Raids, confrontations, fighting between Master and Servant...such things were to be expected, weren't they? "Nia, was there anything else that you learned? Locations of the attacks? Which Servants were involved...Masters? Any bit of information might hint at...a pattern, you see. Tell us where the next one is likely to occur. We need to follow every thread, every strand, give them a tug so that we can understand the mystery of..."
...Was he starting to actually make sense for once? In a weird, Nito sort of way...
"CREPES! Nia, Nia, why didn't we get any crepes? Those little French pancakes filled with cream and covered in powdered sugar or syrup and OH! I wish we had some of those right now!"
...Nevermind.
...
And yet even as he went on about the virtues of a French breakfast, his eyes seemed to stray towards the window...his feet carrying him idly in that direction until he was standing in front of it, pacing back and forth and stealing little glances in the direction of the fighting. If raids were happening around the city, then it meant Servants were out there searching for other Masters...which meant that one day, even if they kept themselves hidden as they were now, they would eventually have to come face-to-face with someone. Perhaps later...but more than likely, sooner. What would he do if Nia was still here when the fight came to their door? Should he risk going out and looking for a fight instead just to keep her safe? How strong was their Servant, anyway? He didn't know these things...and if it troubled him he was doing his best not to let it show on the surface. Nia needed to believe in him right now; he had dragged her all the way up here to pursue this crazy dream of obtaining the Holy Grail and now they were both in danger. And while he knew she probably didn't think he thought everything he did through...and was probably right about that...he did always try to make sure that she would be safe in the end.
Perhaps somewhere deep inside he knew the risk that they were taking now...and while he couldn't pass up the opportunity, maybe...just a little...he was regretting putting her at this level of risk as well. Maybe that explained the pensiveness creeping into his carefree expression as he watched the sky and talked out loud about this thing or that...
...
Or maybe he just really wanted that breakfast.
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 12:28 am
 ❝ A I K O - H i g u c h i ❞
Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free;
and I shall care for them all.
▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄
A set of footsteps could be heard trekking across the snow as the owner of them moved throughout the bitter cold weather that was present in this part of the battlefield. Soon after the initial footsteps came more, though they were delayed and silent enough for many to have trouble distinguishing if they truly belonged to anyone. The owner of the first few footsteps wore a pretty acceptable type of clothing for in the cold weather here, but without a type of jacket or anything, it would be pretty freezing getting to wherever it was she wished to go. Why does it be so cold? I would prefer anything else, but why winter weather? She thought to herself, her breath visible as she and the near invisible squad behind her moved on ahead.
While unfamiliar with the terrain and opponents, the woman needed to go somewhere safe and think of a plan of sorts if she were to survive this whole ordeal. Her plan after summoning her servant sounded pretty simple upon conception, but would turn out to be even more difficult as time went on by. She needed a quiet place to discover more about her servant before she found herself in a fight. That would result in a pretty quick death, hopefully painless. But she did not plan on dying soon, and she would try to keep it that was for as long as she could. Next was to try and make allies so that she was not instantly ganged up in a situation where she would be hopelessly outnumbered, including her servant.
The female continued along before finally spotting a household, the sight of which caused her to take a brief moment to pause. So far, her plan had not deviated too far from her intended route. But then came the thought of whether or not somebody had beaten the girl here, which she hoped that was not the case. It had been a pain in the a** to come all the way here out of the city. If somebody was here, she had a feeling that it meant she was going to be sleeping in a tree or something. Or, maybe if she was lucky, somebody would kill her before that and end the exhaustion that was taking its toll on her now. That and hunger.
On her way down to the household, the brown haired woman stopped when she managed to spot a figured standing guard in front of the house. So her suspicions were correct after all. "D-D-Damn it. S-So much for that plan..." She mumbled, the many near silent footsteps behind her coming to a rest as well. The master looked over her shoulder, wondering if there was another to find a good safe place for the time being while she collected her bearings. Maybe there was, but she had already wasted time and energy coming here. Her stomach let out a growl as she grunted in slight discomfort from the feeling of it. Conflicted a it what she should do, the woman continued walking down her path towards the small house as the many sounds followed suit.
She was going to brave this and ask whoever if she could take refuge for a few hours at the very least. At the very least, an hour to rest from being in the cold for many hours. Once a good amount of distance from the figure who was standing guard in front of the home, she came to a halt again, looking at the thing standing guard as as held out her hand to her servant, trying to keep it from attacking it or anyone in case they threw the first strike. She was still a bit skeptical about the large figure in front of her, but decided to go see whoever was inside. After in clearing her throat, she managed to yell so that anyone inside the home would be alerted to her presence. "Is a-anyone home?" She asked, warming her ice cold hands inside of her sweater as she then added, "I d-do not wish t-to fight. I am in n-n-need of shelter from the weather. I-If you attack, I w-will be able to d-defend myself. I am o-only trying to be diplom-matic." She then would wait for a response if any came. Should they try and attack her, they would be in for a fight. It was courtesy to at least give whoever was here a chance to not get their hands dirty and give a wanderer a chance to warm up from this cold weather.
▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄ ▀ ▄
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 4:43 am
Nonito Nekata, aka Jakken the [False] Kuzunoha and Assassin
"Ho...huh? Get ready to witness the power of a true summoner elite!"It was getting chaotic in the city; from the window he could see in the distance the ember and glow at the top of the Sapporo Tower from some chaos he sensed there...two Servants were battling though he was far too distant to know exactly what type they were...even less capable of sensing which Masters were involved in the match. At times like this he wished he could command one of his GrumpyCats, even if it was just to use them for surveillance like a familiar, but alas, the rules strictly forbid him from summoning one of his own, unique creatures. It was just he, Nia, and their servant here...nobody else.
...That changed in an instant. He could feel the weight of the air shift beyond as any master could, the sign of a presence in possession of the power of a Servant making their way at long last up the long, snow-covered stairs that lead to their little remote hideaway in the hills. His motormouth stopped all at once when he began to notice them...and that alone would be enough to alert his lovely companion to the potential danger that was soon approaching. Too soon...it was much too soon for somebody to have found them here and come looking for a fight! He had hoped to last for a few days longer before the trouble came to them, really, and if he had that much time, perhaps he would have come up with another plan for attack that didn't simply rely on using what terrain they had available to them to their advantage. This wasn't...good. And yet, as the person drew even closer...close enough that Assassin's blade might have cut her down if he had so willed it...she didn't exactly seem as though she was aiming to be hostile. She didn't feel hostile, at least, and...there was something about her, the energy that surrounded her, that felt...familiar? He really wished he had paid attention in classes more back in the Kuzunoha Village. Too late to regret it, anyway. All that mattered now was safety, keeping Nia secure and protecting their temporary base if things should turn out for the worst. This girl might not feel dangerous, and looking out the window at her, she certainly didn't look hostile. However anyone who had the power...and the desire...to summon a Servant and fight for the Holy Grail had to be considered a threat, someone capable of harming them if they so willed it. Even if she was a fellow summoner, he had to be careful. He had to...
...
Meanwhile, the approach of uninvited visitors hadn't gone unnoticed by the watchful Servant; his body concealed perfectly behind the trees near the top of the stairs and the growing dark of the night sky, he waited patiently and silently for the person to make their way closer until he could at last make out just exactly what type of Servant and Master were approaching...and what he saw certainly raised a few questions in the unique Servant's mind. She was...definitely a Master, as denoted by the seals upon her hand and the energy about her...and her Servant was an Assassin, plain as day. Why didn't she have him concealed? Assassins could move almost completely undetected by anyone, and yet she had approached so carelessly, allowing her Servant to walk openly behind her? This was unusual...or perhaps, she wasn't here looking for a fight at all? He wouldn't take the liberty of guessing that much, but the Assassin defending the home certainly knew that an encounter like this was one that was out of the ordinary. He had to be cautious; under the circumstances, though, he felt it would have been rude not to reveal himself. And besides, his blade was his master's shield. No Servant would reach the home beyond the stairs without first besting him. None.
"Halt," the Servant spoke in a voice that was silky, handsome, and even enough so as not to reveal any intentions that he might have already had as he stepped out from behind the trees and stood atop the third step from the top, placing himself securely between the girl and her Assassin and his own masters. His eyes shimmered beneath the moonlight as he looked down at her, his soft hair trailing down his back in a ponytail over clothes that could be instantly recognized as Japanese. Just who, exactly, was this Servant? She might wonder, but he wouldn't be telling her the truth himself so easily. "I cannot allow any Servant to advance beyond these stairs. ...If you wish to converse with my Master beyond me, identify yourself." The blade at his hip was sheathed and long, but his fingers resting upon the handle suggested he could draw the weapon in an instant to respond to any provocation. Even if the girl was a summoner like his Master, it would be difficult to trust anyone given the circumstances surrounding the war. This level of precaution was only prudent. And...
...
"Is that you?"
...
Assassin blinked, hearing his Master's voice coming from the top of the stairs behind him. Did he...know this person? But why had he revealed himself in the first place? Didn't he know that a Servant was out here?! Such a troublesome master...
...
"I remember you...your father, err...your trainer? I can't remember which he was, mind you, but he brought you out to the Village once when you were small and still training! I don't know if you remember me, but I certainly recall having seen you before! It was...no, don't tell me...Aiya...Ayecarumba...ah! Ikki! No, wait...Aiki!" the summoner paced back and forth animatedly at the top of the steps, tapping his chin and twirling in place in the snow-covered path as if trying to recall from the depths of his mind something important, before at last clapping his hands together and pointing at her down over his Assassin's shoulder, "AIKO! ...Is that it? ...Right! It is! Nia! It's AIKO! ...Sorry about the yelling, Aiko, but Nia's a dear...sometimes doesn't always hear me right. ...Still on about the whole 'my cats are evil' thing...ridiculous, right? Anywho, it's lovely to see you after all this time! Terrible circumstances, though. Really quite bad, now that I think of it...you're not here to kill me, are you?"
...It was amazing that it took him this long to remember that part. After all this was a War, and if she was here with a Servant there was no doubt she was also a Master. Had she come looking for a fight? An alliance? Why was he treating this all so casually?!
"Come on then, out with it!" he continued after a beat, his swift talk barely giving her a moment edgewise as his servant looked on calmly, ready to fight or remain on guard if need be, "I'm sure you understand this is all quite serious, you know. I'd rather think of my fellow summoners as allies until the end, but there's someone precious to me in that cabin back there...I won't go easy on you, even you, if you intend to place her in harm's way." Quote: [Nito's Assassin] has revealed himself.
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 11:07 am
❝ A I K O - H i g u c h i ❞
Give me your tired, your poor
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free;
and I shall care for them all.
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It seems like AIko had gotten a response from somebody or something, though it did not seem to be coming from inside the building as she had hoped. From behind the tree came a large figure that towered over the girl as well as many of her servant's bodies. Looking up at the man, he could see that the female before him looked worn out and exhausted, shivering while having both hands inside of each other's arm holes. Upon the news of him not allowing any servant up the stairs, she wondered how she could play this out, not wanting to start an unnecessary fight for such an insignificant thing.
"I d-don't wish to start a fight. I just n-need to rest somewhere. DO you have a M-Master I can speak with?..." Aiko said while turning back to her own servant, the many bodies of them silently focusing on the lone man in front of their Master. She hoped that the two of them would not somehow make eye contact and then explode into a fight. With all of these things behind her, one may look just like some person that this man is pissed at and attack. When asked for the brown haired woman to identify herself, she sighed and then said, "Ai-", before she was cut off by another voice coming from up the stairs, Aiko tilting her head up to see who it was. Her servant follow her master's notion, tapping her foot in an impatient matter.
The man standing at the top began to speak about remembering Aiko's father, the girl's eyes lighting up at the mention of them while still wondering who this man could be. "You know my f-father? Who are you? I don't really remember seeing you..." She said, a frown on her face while she began to think about about her days of training in that village. Right about the time he remembered her name, Aiko's memory snapped as she remembered this man as well. "Wait...I do recall you now...When I would bake for everyone, I would go by the newer looking home and always spot you walking away!" She smiled at the somewhat familiar face, happy to ave somebody she partially knew in this war. It was better than nothing, but luckily she managed to stumble across this house in the first place. Then came the question of being asked if she was here to kill him, which Aiko immediate seemed panicked over. "Ah! No! I'm not here to kill you or whoever you're here with! Honest!" She said, trying to calm the situation down before anything happened as a result of it.
Aiko's servant, on the other hand seemed less polite and friendly than their master, the main two looking annoyed about not reaching their goal. "Unfortunately." The one known as Zayd said while the main female crossed her arms and peered over at the other servant standing guard. "As she said. We have no ill intentions. Unless your servant finds that we're an issue." The female spoke in a very venomous tone, sounding almost sick of detours towards their goal, which she pretty much was. This master of hers was getting to grow on her nerves.
"We wanted to find safe place and think of a plan." Aiko continued, ignoring her servant's instigating behavior. "I didn't know that you guys were here." She said, continuing to shake in the cold, now seeing a chance to get inside and warm up. "Can we talk inside? I'll leave my servant out here and you can search me. I promise that I won't hurt you or your friend." The young woman said while then showing her hands and stretching them so they could see she had no hidden weapons she was planning on using once inside. "If you have food, maybe I could make all of us something...You remember how I was called "Little Miss Baker" by all the elders, right?" The girl said, remembering how she used to cook meals and treats when she came into contact with cooking ingredients. One of her skills that was good for surviving was her ability to cook, which the Village seemed to not care for until the first day she went around with her cooking to share.
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Posted: Tue May 06, 2014 12:18 pm
Nonito Nekata, aka Jakken the [False] Kuzunoha and Assassin
"Ho...huh? Get ready to witness the power of a true summoner elite!"It was worth bearing in mind that it was most likely not chance that brought the girl all the way up to this specific location in the hills North of the city; they were in the middle of a dangerous war in which people could attack, betray, or otherwise put their competition in danger in order to get what they wanted from the Holy Grail. It was a powerful prize, the Grail, and it could drive even good people to do bad things in order to achieve it. Aiko didn't exactly feel or look like someone who would be particularly treacherous, but the fact that she had summoned a group of Assassin-class servants like the ones on her heels right now spoke to a competence that simply couldn't be ignored by any rational Master. They were amongst the very best of all Servants, even amongst Assassins, at passing through wherever they wished unseen or observing those that they hoped to learn about from a distance without being detected. For most Masters, unless their Servants were nearby to point them out or guard them when the Assassins broke their cover to attack, they would find themselves at the mercy of the Assassins in an instant. However, Nito had the good fortune, in terms of preparation for this sort of encounter, of being in possession of an Assassin-class Servant of his own...a unique one, even amongst their Class. It wouldn't be wise for the girl to try to betray him, would it?
...None of those things passed through the mind of the orchid-haired summoner as he tapped his chin thoughtfully, recounting days spent in the Kuzunoha Village with the other summoners and several occasions when a girl who he remembered as looking vaguely like this one (perhaps not quite as developed at the time) making some rather delicious pastries that he never got to try out very often. Ah, he remembered how each of them had trained and excelled in various areas, and how even amongst all the other children he had stood out (though others would remember him standing out for very different reasons than he himself might remember) from the others. Nito was...the type of person that you really couldn't forget if you tried. His mastery of combat as a summoner, unarmed and armed, was the greatest of all the apprentices in the village and often had him tabbed as a potential inheritor of the name of 'Kuzunoha' in the future. What was particularly infamous about him, however, was his peculiar choice in summoned devils...a proclivity to cats of a disagreeable nature. The other kids would often see him covered in scratches, smiling brilliantly and laughing like he hadn't a care in the world. He was eccentric and energetic and never seemed to lose his optimism even when he probably should have been a little more pessimistic about things. In short, he was...well, he was Nito! That was how Nia would usually describe it, anyway. And if Aiko remembered that much, then she'd know both how capable the person standing before her was...and just how strange (in an amusing, almost endearing way) he could be at the same time.
...Which probably explained why he wasn't taking this intrusion nearly as seriously as he should have, and certainly not as seriously as his stoic Assassin seemed to be, standing ready to strike...always vigilant...even despite his master's general lack of outward concern.
"Aiko, Aiko...Aiko of the Lemon Tart! I do remember...have you finally gone and graduated from the village now?" he smiled brilliantly, taking a look at his Servant before the Assassin returned a curt nod, stepping slightly to the side and motioning for the girl to pass him...the other hand still resting carefully on his blade's hilt, ever-observant for the irritable Assassins' treachery, "My master would allow you to pass. However, your Assassins are to remain outside with me. All eighteen of them...attempt any treachery and I will kill them before they reach my Master. My eyes are the sharpest at detection amongst all Heroic Spirits. That is all the warning I will offer," the swordsman spoke calmly in spite of the cold promise of retribution should his master's kindness be repaired poorly, perhaps surprising the girl that he knew so much about her Servant at a glance...but seeing the design of these famous Heroic Spirits and then counting up their numbers, he could out their true identity much more easily than most, "We heroic spirits do not feel cold, nor do we require sleep, either. I assure you it will be no inconvenience to either of us." He might have said more, but it was at that moment that the sword-bearing Assassin's master was already turned and half-skipping his way back to the cabin at the top of the staircase. The door slid open and inside he could already see his green-haired companion waiting for them, probably fretting away about him like she always did. Charming girl...she worried about him too much, really. He wasn't one to die so easily as all that!
"Come in, come in! I trust my friend out here will keep your allies there plenty entertained while we're sorting out the details of how you found us inside," the self-proclaimed Kuzunoha beamed over his shoulder, perhaps already picturing the famous pastries Aiko was known for making in her days of training...though if he seemed carefree one might note there was a sharpness beneath the glint in his eye that spoke to his awareness of the severity of the ongoing War...a reminder that even a born eccentric like him who might seem like he he hadn't a care in the world wasn't going to be taken entirely by surprise with his and his companion's life on the line, "It's not much, but it's got...well...I guess it's really not much at all, is it? But it's clean! And...water! We've got that...are you coming or aren't you?"
...
Or maybe he really was just an idiot? Quote: [Nito's Assassin] stands guard.
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