Fate/Liminality (Quest) [M]

[Rhomeo]

You decide to spend the majority of your day making dolls. It's… well, you find it exciting, but you imagine anyone else would find it extremely boring. Lots of sewing, creation of cloth and imbuing with prana. Most of the process is easy to expedite with this new type of magic, much to your joy. You manage to make a few dozen dolls in the end, with most of them of a particularly high quality. You've got enough to set up a platoon now, which means you'll have to make a platoon leader!

You decide to name her Marisa, after your… friend. You think you did pretty well!

Unique Doll gained!
Marisa – A golden-haired platoon leader, modelled after your 'friend'. Has a huge lance!

After you finish with the dolls for the day, you decide to head out into the city while it's still light. Rather than fade into spirit form, you skip through the residential district towards the biggest pinprick of mana in the area. Eventually you make it to a giant staircase, which you take a short breath before ascending. It takes far longer than it might otherwise, due to your short stature, but you're determined!

By the time you make it to the top, the sun has noticeably shifted in the sky. If you could be panting, you would, but instead all you do is clutch your book closer to your chest. With a skip in your step, you make your way into the temple proper. A huge weight seems to bear down on your shoulders as you make your way through the gate, and right through it-

A Servant, clad in red, staring at you.

“Reihai!” you greet him with a broad smile.

“That's a strange way to greet someone,” a voice says from behind you, causing you to shift your head back. Behind you is a girl clad in red, just like her Servant. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking at the sights!”

“Well, that's as good a reason as any. I'd ask why you're so blatant in your exploration, but… it is still daytime. Considering your stature I'd have to guess you're Caster, but looks can be deceiving.”

You merely smile back at her, prompting her to continue after a smile of her own.

“You seem friendly enough, so I'll ask you; do you have any idea what may have caused that wave of prana last evening?”

Uh oh.

“Um… that was me.”

The girl's eyes blaze with fury for all but a second before you bow deeply, avoiding eye contact.

“I'm so sorry! I… there was something I was trying and… it just went wrong, I'm sorry!”

As you right yourself again, you note that the flame is gone. The girl merely shakes her head, smiling.

“No, it's fine,” she smiles, brushing the fringe away from her eyes. “I imagine I'm the only person it inconvenienced. In return, however, I want to ask a favour of you.”

A… favour?

“Maybe, it depends,” you respond cautiously.

“Oh, it's quite simple. I just want to have you agree to a cease fire until a certain… element is dealt with.”

“Which element?” you prod.

“One of the enemy Servants, Berserker, is too big a threat at the moment. Until he's gone, I'd like to avoid fighting any other enemy Servants.”

“That seems fair, consider us under a ceasefire until then.”

The girl smiles and extends a hand to you. In the background you notice the man in red tense as you take her hand with your free one, shaking it up and down.

“I'm Tohsaka Rin, for the record,” she smiles, hand on her hip.

“I'm Caster, of course.”

“I guessed. This was… interesting, thank you, Servant Caster.”

After giving the red-clad girl a quick nod, you make a quick escape of the Temple and straight back down the stairs. It doesn't take all that long to return home, but when you do-

“What did you do?” George groans as soon as you open the door, surprising you.

“What do you mean?” you frown, cocking your head to the side.

“The ceasefire! You didn't even consult me.”

“I knew you'd be okay with it, so I didn't bother asking!”

He seems stunned for a few seconds before smiling and shaking his head.

“Well, you're not wrong. Fine, but at least ask in future, please?”

You smile and nod, which is enough to let you disappear back up to your workshop. Looking over the piles of dolls reminds you of something rather important.

Ambition gained!
Create Life
One of your life's ambitions is to create a doll that can act independently of you… maybe this world can allow you to do so? Rewards: 50 Destiny Points, gain unique Doll.

Night is closing in, what do?

You have 2 action points to spend!

[] Make dolls!
- [] Quantity!
- [] Quality!
- [] Mixed!
[] Scout!
- [] Where?
[] Interact with George!
[] Go to meet with the golden-haired man at the Church?

[Rhomeo]

Just like you had during the day, you start your evening making dolls. It's a boring process for anyone other than you, as always, but you find some peace in it. It gives you some time to think over what you might say when meeting the golden-haired man again, so it's not even worthless in that aspect. After darkness has totally fallen over Fuyuki, you make your way down to the front door. On the way, however…

“Where are you heading off to?” George questions as you move down the hall.

“The Golden Servant, he wanted me to meet him,” you admit, turning your head to the side.

“Ah, I see. That's...”

You turn back to look at him and he gives you a smile.

“I'll be coming with you.”

“But- he'll kill you!” you exclaim, worried.

“Not if you do your job,” he smiles.

Okay, that was a good point, but… you were far stronger at your Workshop than away. This was going to be…

…

Problematic.

---

You and George return to the dark Church, noting the overwhelming presence of the golden Servant as you walk up the hill. He's standing a dozen or so feet from the Church's doors and, rather than you, talks to your Master.

“I don't recall inviting you, mongrel.”

“I wanted to come, but I have to keep my Master safe. Is that okay?” you smile innocently.

Through some small miracle, the tense atmosphere eases up. George, on the other hand, seems totally calm despite the monster standing in front of him.

“Very well then, so, you know why I've asked you here?”

You go to respond, but he cuts you off.

“It's because you're not mine, and I'm going to change that.”

… eh?

EH?!

For some reason, you aren't able to contain the massive blush that spreads across your cheeks. The golden man's grin is enough to tell you that it's very noticeable.

“You see,” he starts to explain, a small smile curling at his lips. “I own every manner of wonder, from people to relics. All except for you, my little Caster. You're not from this world, aren't you? And so, I will take you for my own.”

You only manage to stammer cutely, the blush continuing to spread across your face. The man seems to find it humorous, but decides to continue.

“Of course, you are still a Servant, which means you are trying to claim the Holy Grail. This means that I will have to participate in this Grail War, achieve victory, and take you for my own when all is said and done. Until then, you will fight by my side.”

“Y-yes, I'd like that-”

“Hold on a moment,” George cuts in, eyes narrowed. “I haven't said I'll approve of this quite yet.”

Goldy's eyes narrow as well, but it's only after a few terse moments of total silence that George starts laughing.

“But of course, I will, I'd be a fool to deny an opportunity like this.”

“Good, because the other choice was to kill you and install someone competent as her Master,” Goldy smirks.

“It doesn't matter now, does it? Everything worked out!”

“In a manner of speaking,” Gold-man mutters, still watching George.

“That it did,” George nods sagely. “Although I still expect you to explain what this 'other world' business means.”

Ah yes, about that.

“I guess I don't know all that much about it, in the end,” you frown, clutching the tome up against your chest. “My world is… different from this one. Magic exists more freely and spirits are well-known. As Caster I received a lot of knowledge relating directly to the system, but… a lot of it is blurry. Memories that I can't quite seem to tap into.”

“A side-effect of not existing in this world in the first place,” the golden man cuts in.

“And because of that,” you continue smoothly. “I'm missing certain memories of my own life too. Simply put, I shouldn't be here. Bar drinking from the Grail, I'll never be a proper member of this world.”

“So you're telling me you didn't explain anything or tell me your name because… you're from another world entirely? Another timeline?” George confirms.

“Something like that!”

“That complicates things, there's… so much wrong with that, from a magical perspective. The Grail truly is a dangerous device.”

Silence prevails over the three of you for what feels like far too long.

“We should return to the Workshop for tonight, Caster. There's a lot I need to think over and prepare for, now.”

“I'll meet you by your quarters tomorrow evening, Caster,” the gold-haired man smiles as he turns from you.

Well.

“My name is Alice, by the way.”

George looks at you with surprise, but it doesn't take long for him to break out into a grin.

Master-Servant Synergy increased!

---

By the time you return home with George in tow, the sun is starting to rise. Another day, another bunch of stuff to do!

You have 4 action points to spend!

[] Build dolls!
- [] Quantity!
- [] Quality!
- [] Mixed!
[] Go and visit Gil?
[] Go find and visit Rin! (2)
[] Explore the city!
- [] Take George?
- [] Take Gil?
[] Set up a new workshop somewhere on the Leyline, you don't have enough mana to work with! (2)

Spoiler: Tutorial – Multiple AP choices 

Some choices take more than one Action Point, signified by (?) where ? is the number of AP needed to enact that choice. These are usually one-off choices, so consider picking them!

[Rhomeo]

Quite similar to the day before, you end up spending some time in your workshop slaving away over your dolls. In fact, you get so caught up in your creation process that you entirely lose track of the time. The sun makes its way through the sky as you carefully stitch and decorate every doll with a precision that's totally inhuman. By the time you finally decide to stop, you've made enough to form another platoon! This one, unlike the first, is made up entirely of Hourai dolls. Whereas before, they'd been Shanghai dolls.

You end up naming the platoon leader Reimu, after another of your… 'friends'. She seems pretty cute, enough so that you give her a pat on the head before leaving.

Now, it's time for you to get out and find a new place for your Workshop! You'd already mentioned it to George and he seemed fine with the concept, so long as you did all the work of finding a suitable location. Some would call him lazy, but it did make sense. A normal Magi forming an entire Workshop over the course of a few hours would normally be impossible.

It takes all of a few minutes for you to quite literally stumble through an abandoned house's wobbly gate. It's not much of a looker from the outside, but the positioning couldn't be more perfect. Everything is set up just so on the Leyline, and you briefly note that you somehow ended up wandering quite far from the rest of the city. So a remote location, on top of a leyline, that's totally up for grabs?

Score!

“George, I managed to find a good spot, and it's not even that far!”

“Understood, I'll be there in a few minutes, then.”

True to his word, it doesn't take your bespectacled Master long to arrive, and you quickly decide that he'll work on setting up some early Bounded Fields while you build your Workshop. Entry to the mansion is… breathtaking, even despite the rundown state of the building. You trudge through the grand entry hall and end up going down some stairs rather than up, leading you to a huge basement. Just like that, you know you needed this place. A grin plays at your lips.

After a few hours have passed, you've more or less recreated your Workshop back at home, with far more capabilities to expand than before. Happy with your progress, you ascend back up to ground level, where you notice that there's a distinct lack of Bounded Fields surrounding the house. After a quick mental check, you find George standing out on the second floor balcony, staring out into the city.

… he looks lonely.

Without so much as a second thought, you tackle hug him from behind. You end up pushing him against the balcony because of it, pushing the air from his lungs, but the fact that he doesn't try to throw you off makes you think it's fine. After a few seconds, you take a step back.

“What's wrong, Master? I don't think it'd be like you to mess up like this,” you frown at him with a serious look.

“It's...” he trails off, a very distinct hurt in his eyes. “Tell me, Caster, what's your wish for the Grail?”

Your wish?

“I want to create life,” you respond simply, moving past him to lean against the railing. “It's been my wish for as long as I've been making puppets. I want… to make something, that's a part of me, I suppose? I don't know how to explain it, but that's my wish.”

“Creating life… that's a worthy goal. Mine is a little more selfish, I'm afraid.”

“Tell me.”

You turn your head to look at him just in time for him to smile and shake his head.

“I should have expected that. It's my wife, I want to bring her back.”

Oh.

… oh.

“I'm sor-”

“Don't be,” he cuts you off, turning away from the railing. “You're helping me win this War for her sake, so I think accommodating both of our wishes is more than feasible. Come on Alice, we've got a lot of work to do.”

Master-Servant Synergy increased!

And so you do!

You have 2 action points to spend!

[] Gil said he was going to show up…
[] Go back to the other house and gather your things!
[] Make dolls!
- [] Quantity!
- [] Quality!
- [] Mixed!
[] Go scouting!
- [] Where?

[MatrixOne]

This Is Canon - Rho Certified

Long ago.

...

There was a string of pipes, plastic and metal, arranged in a spiral like a bunch of snakes thrown into a basket, each of the pipes following a neat path straight to the patient's throat.

"Doctor?" One of the surgical technicians asked, to check if he was still there.

George gave a faint nod in response, his eyes still closed as he had two fingers pressed to the back of the patient's hand.

Another pulse of prana painted a new image in George's mind. It was as he feared - this patient wasn't a normal human. He could sense the pathways in her nervous system, akin to a forest burnt down in an instant, without warning.

Her Magic Circuits are destroyed.

This is what happens when someone poorly taught and inexperienced tries their luck with Magecraft. None of the medical staff had any idea, of course. They'd just say there was nothing they could have done, and the girl would never have control of her body below her neck again.

"Wait there." George said, turning his gaze to the rest of the staff. Light manipulation of the mind was something every Magus had to know, to avoid involving others in his work.

No, he was about to involve someone.

Another pulse, like a sonar, revealed the inner workings of the girl's nervous system. He timed the pulses with the beeping of the heart monitor, keeping it steady as his own magical influence recreated the damage within himself, a tiny bit at a time, before fixing it and imprinting it back on the patient. One wrong move, and what happened to her would happen to him.

One done...

He switched off the surgical lamp, which always irritated his eyes much like the sun itself.

This was going to take time.

***

***

Later.

Another knock on the door, and then a muffled voice from behind it.

"George?"

"Hm?" He answered absent-mindedly, not opening.

"Just checking in. They said the surgery lasted thirty hours."

Thirty two, actually.

"I'm fine, just need to rest a while. Keep me updated."

***

***

Later that week.

He held the clipboard sideways as he jotted down the notes, and the girl watched him from the hospital bed.

Once he was finished, he nodded to her.

"Very well, I am George Alanai, your doctor. May I have your name, too?" He asked with a kindly smile, adjusting his glasses.

"..." She kept quiet, not even attempting to hide her mischievous grin.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Very well. I'd considered that I might get a disobedient patient, but disobeying certain rules of the world didn't do you much good in the past, did it?" He tapped the clipboard with his pen in mild annoyance, and with that said, he left the room.

After that, he only came for daily routine checkups, to write down her condition and leave. But one of those days...

"Hey, doc?"

He looked up, surprised.

"Yes. What is it?" He said, not raising his gaze from his clipboard.

"Just wanted to say... Sorry. You really came through for me, and it's not like I didn't wanna tell you my name, all right? You know how it is."

"Yes, I know." He finally looked at her. "But I don't think you know much of it, yourself."

"Huh? What are you saying?" She pursed her lips, pretending not to understand.

"I'm saying," He sighed, his kindly smile returning to him. "That someone should teach you."

...

The look in his eyes told her that his offer was, indeed, a serious one.

As realization came over her, she gave him the happiest grin in response.

***

***

Long after.

Without giving her actions a single thought, she tackled him in a hug from behind, pressing him up against the railing, making him exhale from squeezing his chest.

He didn't try to slip out of it, content with only smiling, as though he was waiting for it to happen.

She pushed her face into his back. "Hey, you really screwed up with that Bounded Field, didn't you? Do I have to fix everything?" After one final squeeze, she hopped back, pulling him by the sleeve of his coat.

"I'm not very good with those." He admitted.

"You don't ever apply yourself to anything!" She teased. "Shameful for a Magus, really."

"I wonder who I got that from."

The fact that she was able to move around and cast, wearing a ring just like his, was proof that he applied himself at least once.

"Come oooon," She tugged at his sleeve. "Or I'll put snow in your shirt again."

"...It's not even snowing." He shook his head, letting himself be pulled back to the Workshop with exaggerated reluctance.

[Rhomeo]

It doesn't take long for you to arrive back at your old home. George had seemingly already settled into the new manor, but that didn't help you all too much. Upon entry back into your old Workshop, you have to decide how to take your puppets to the new one.

… hah, just kidding.

You attach strings of prana to each puppet and have them follow you as you return back to the manor, taking them all straight down to the basement and livening the place up a little. So, with your dolls at your new Workshop and a whole night left, you walk up to the ground level and-

“I don't remember giving you permission to move,” Gilgamesh states, yawning. “It took me a whole ten minutes to find you, you realise?”

“I was going to come and tell you!” you apologise, bowing deeply. “We had to move because my Workshop wasn't on a leyline, so… we moved!”

“… understandable,” he nods. “I'll allow it. Now, are you ready?”

“For what?”

“The War's just started, of course, so it's time to begin patrolling. I'll be accompanying you.”

“Ah, let me just ask George first-”

“You would defer to your Master when your King stands before you?” he glares, voice shaking ever so slightly.

“It doesn't sound like you should defy him,” a familiar voice rings through your head.

“Understood~!”

“You're right,” you smile at him sweetly. “Let's go, then!”

The pair of you leave the manor, winding your way down the winding road that leads up the hill and down into the Residential District. No words pass between you as you move past the extravagant buildings and straight through the abandoned market. It doesn't take all that long to make it to the Fuyuki Bridge, where Gilgamesh actually sparks up a conversation.

“I noticed you didn't bring any of your dolls with you,” he comments, looking sidelong at you. “Why?”

“Ufufu~, I did though!” you exclaim as a small copy of you peaks out through your hair.

“… I see.”

He doesn't seem all that impressed.

As you step off the bridge and into the Shinto District, you follow Gilgamesh's lead as he starts to make his way into the city proper. You've hardly spent any time making your way downtown, when-

A huge presence pings on your inner radar.

“My King? There's another Servant nearby.”

“Where?”

“Over there,” you point confidently.

“Very well, we'll meet them on our terms.”

As confident as ever, Goldy walks forward with you by his side. Barely a minute has passed before the presence seems to notice you and hone in straight to your location. The closer it gets, the bigger it gets in the back of your head. Standing next to Gilgamesh makes it seem small in comparison, but compared to you…

… and there it is.

A small girl walks around the corner, hands clasped behind her back. She looks alone, but you can 'see' the presence behind her. Following her.

“Oho, what's this?” the white-haired girl grins, turning her gaze to the two of you. “A pair of Servants wandering through the city on a date?”

“N-no!” you look away, blushing.

Gilgamesh beside you merely sighs and shakes his head. Across from you, the girl looks incredibly amused.

“My name is Alice, and you?” you ask, trying to keep the conversation neutral.

“Illyasviel von Einzbern,” she curtsies, smiling. “It's rare to meet as polite and honest a Servant as you. What are you doing dragging this man around with you?”

“Don't even think about it, vessel,” Gilgamesh interrupts, stepping forward.

“Oh? And what are you going to do about it, hmm?” Ilya turns her smile on him.

“Hey! No fighting,” you glare at the two of them.

Through some small miracle, the both of them seem to take a figurative step back.

“Very well,” Gil concedes, folding his arms.

“And you look out for your friends; you're a rare one. I wish you good fortune in the coming War, I hope you survive long enough for us to fight.”

With a light wave, the white-haired girl turns back around and disappears from your view. The overwhelming presence of her Servant leaves with her, much to your relief.

Well.

What d-

“This is where I must leave you I'm afraid, dear Caster,” your gold-haired companion cuts into your train of thought. “Kirei seems intent on boring me to death regarding my blatant actions in this War. I'll see you again tomorrow night; and bring more dolls.”

As he walks off, you find yourself taking a deep breath of relief. But now you're alone.

[] Continue patrolling? (Major Action! Takes 2 AP from tomorrow, or costs 3 DP for no AP cost)
[] Go back home!

[Rhomeo]

Despite the loss of your partner, you make the decision to continue patrolling without him. Unfortunately, or fortunately depending on your point of view, you don't end up coming across anyone else on your travels. Disappointed, you begin the trek back home. It's only after you've resigned yourself to going home that you sense a presence.

No… two presences.

You think you recognise one of them, but you're not sure. With that in mind, you flit through the city streets to attempt to meet them as they depart from the bridge. It seems you're in luck, as just as you turn a last corner-

“Stop.”

The red-clad Archer is staring you down from a dozen feet, with his Master and another boy beside her. Then beside him… is…

A Servant.

Oh boy.

“Stand down, Archer, it's just Caster,” Rin waves her hand, giving you an odd look. “I didn't think you'd be the type to go on patrol, if I'm going to be honest.”

“Ufufu, good to see you again, Archer,” you greet the Servant, who gives you a blank stare. “Who is this you've got with you, Miss Tohsaka?”

“This is Emiya Shirou, he… summoned by accident, I guess you could say. I'm taking him to the Church so that Kirei can explain a few things to him.”

“Should you really be telling an enemy all this?” the woman in the raincoat cuts in, eyes shooting daggers at you.

“Caster and I are under a ceasefire, Saber.”

“Oh? So perhaps I should take Shirou and return home, so you can enjoy your ceasefire?”

“Do you trust me, Miss Tohsaka?” you state, seemingly out of nowhere.

Rin turns her eyes on you, evidently battling with the repercussions of saying 'yes'.

“… I do,” she eventually manages, folding her arms.

“Good. Because I've been in contact with the survivor of the Fourth War.”

Rin tosses her hair aside, as if that's only common sense.

“Well, of course I knew that Kirei was a survivor of the Forth-”

“No, the Servant.”

From your point, you notice that both Saber and Rin look surprised by that. Interesting.

“Who?”

“A golden-haired man, with an enormous presence. Even as a human, I mistook him for a spirit the first time we met. It's why I found out.”

“And so… you're saying he belongs to...”

“Yes, the Priest.”

Rin takes a step back, shocked. Saber looks aside, clenching her fists. Archer is as passive as ever, of course, and then the red-haired boy…

“So what, the man I'm supposed to be getting help from is someone I can't trust? Then what am I supposed to do now?” he complains, his face going sour.

“If you wish, since I'm the bearer of bad news, I could teach you about the War instead? As Caster, I have access to information other Servants don't,” you mention offhandedly with a smile.

“That's true,” Rin confirms. “And I… need some time to think all this over.”

“Master?”

“Mm, yes Caster?”

“I ran into the Master I brokered a ceasefire with, who was taking another Master to the Fuyuki Church to meet with the Mediator. Fortunately, I managed to tell them about his possession of a Servant from the last War. Unfortunately, that means I was pulled aside to explain the War for him. Do you approve?”

“Understood, I'll be there in a moment.”

Wait.

No, that's probably bad.

“Master-”

“I'll find you, just follow the lad back home.”

“So, Caster...” the boy starts, the Servant beside him remaining silent. “Should we-”

“My Master is offering to explain things to you in my stead, would that be okay with you?”

The boy's eyes seem to glow with annoyance for a while before he sighs and shakes his head.

“… fine, I'll take you back to my house.”

“Is that really a good idea, Shirou?” the Servant mutters to him.

“I just want to go home.”

---

Emiya Shirou's house isn't quite as grand as your own, but it has its own Eastern Charm to it. In fact, that probably means more to you than that Western look your own manor has. Still, it's all lost on you due to the intense stare of Saber. You'd both been left outside at the behest of the blonde Servant, who now fills the silence with measured breathing.

It's… kind of creepy.

In an attempt to break the tension, you pull your lone doll from its hiding spot amidst your hair and place it down on the ground. Then, with a quick flourish, you have it stare back for you, then add your own stare for good measure. Saber, now forced to switch her stare between two individuals, gets annoyed and ends up frowning at you.

“I'm Alice, a pleasure to meet you,” you greet her with a smile, your little doll waving for you.

She seems stunned for a moment before bowing in response.

“I am Servant Saber, but you may call me Arturia.”

Arturia, huh? It doesn't ring any bells, but you'll have to run it by George at a later date, then.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Artruria.”

“You as well, Alice,” Saber even manages a quiet smile.

“So, about that golden-haired Servant...”

“What about him?”

“He called himself a King,” you start, leaning up against the outer wall of the Emiya residence. “Not to mention I'm pretty sure he only sees me as an item, the way he talks about me. You look like you know him personally, so...”

“I do. He and I were participants in the last Grail War.”

That's… surprising.

“But I thought Servants didn't carry knowledge of Grail Wars between them?”

“Normally, no, but I'm a special case,” Saber acquiesces, looking somewhat uncomfortable. “The man you're talking about is Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes. He talked about me the same way, once, about how he wanted to take me for his own. He's not a particularly… good Heroic Spirit. Telling us about him just means we're going to have to deal with him later.”

“Oh, by the way, what are your thoughts on your Master? Oh, I'd like to state upfront, I have no intention of harming him. You might be Saber, but killing other Masters isn't how I want to go about this War. I know firsthand that getting along with your Master is important… and he seems like a genuine person, if a little clueless about the whole situation. I regret not being able to explain things to him myself, but I guess it's better that George do it in my place. Is that why you think he might not like me?”

“Shirou is...” Saber stops herself, as if gathering her thoughts. “He means well and has a good heart, but I feel he has a lot to learn as a Magi. Not to mention how much trouble he's already put us through tonight. I… apologise, that was likely far too personal.”

“No, it's fine,” you smile. “I understand things like this can be difficult.”

“Do you really?”

Your smile falters a bit, but remains steady.

“Thank you, that's all I wanted to know.”

“Any time, Caster,” the blonde nods.

Just in time for George to make his way through the gate, give Saber a nod and make his way down the road. Giving the woman a quick farewell, you step up to match pace with your Master. By this point, the sun is starting to raise in the East, with the lamp posts beginning to flicker out, their duty done.

“Ufufu, how was it?” you question, folding your arms behind your back.

“Problematic. The boy learned well enough, but I don't think he was in a good mood to begin with,” George mutters, frowning. “I'll have to return tomorrow night to finish up, will you accompany me?”

“Of course, Master!”

George gives you a warm smile.

Still, you had to think about what to do with the rest of your day! It's been a long night and even though you're a spirit, you somehow feel fatigued.

You have 3 action ponits to spend!

[] Build dolls!
- [] Quantity!
- [] Quality!
- [] Mixed!
[] Rin wants to talk to you… (2)
[] George wants to talk to you… (2)
[] Create a unique doll! (3)
[] Interact with:
- [] Who?

[Rhomeo]

After you return to your Workshop, you come to the decision that with what little time you have you should dedicate it all to creating the perfect doll. After locking the door, you fall into a trance of creation. Prana flows from your fingertips, forming the base for the figure. It takes a fair bit longer than you'd initially guessed, but you suppose that's the price you pay for 'perfection'. After you're done with the base, you mould its features almost entirely from memory.

…

It takes a long, long time.

---

Ambition fulfilled!
You've created life. (Check Character Sheet for details)

In front of you stands the form of your doll.

And it moves.

There are no strings to make it move, but it does. It reaches out for you, but instead brings her hand back to touch her own face.

“Who… am I?”

You want to answer her, to reassure her… comfort her.

Slowly, you reach out and embrace her. It's… more comfortable than you'd thought. She's not cold, like your puppets normally are. And this one even hugs you back.

It's…

…

You pass into the void.

---

By the time you come back to, the world is different. You'd not been in spirit form before, but you can understand why Servants would spend their time in it. It's comforting, as though you don't have to constantly maintain your body with prana. Feeling a lot better than you did before, you allow yourself to reappear, right in the heart of your workshop. Waiting dilligently is your doll-

No, not your doll, your friend.

“Alice!” the girl's face brightens. “I was so worried-”

“Ufufu, no need to worry about me!” you proclaim, grinning brightly. “I'm sorry to have worried you, are you okay?”

“Never better! I was waiting, because I… I wanted to thank you. For this. For my life.”

You have to admit, you're more than a little curious about how it must be like, being born into an adult's body. Still, first things first is to decide how to go about… how you're feeling right now.

You have 2 action points to spend!

[] Rest. (Limits you to interacting with Youmu/George, or creating dolls, costs no action points)
[] Build dolls!
- [] Quantity!
- [] Quality!
- [] Mixed!
[] Introduce Youmu to George.
[] Interact with:
- [] Who?
[] Scout!
- [] Where?

[Rhomeo]

Considering your current state, you decide staying near your Workshop for the evening is probably a good idea. The ambient mana from the leyline will make restoring all your lost reserves a simple enough affair, but to restock will take the entire night.

Which means you're stuck with what are likely the two most important people in the Grail War for you!

“Alright, Youmu, I guess it's a good idea for you to come and meet George,” you state, with an outstretched hand for emphasis. “So let's go!”

“If you say so,” she replies with a serious face, falling in line behind you.

Together, you leave the Workshop and make your way up the dark stairs. You note that the doll… no, Youmu behind you doesn't complain about the lack of light. Something to note for the future, you think. After a quick scan once you reach the top of the staircase, you quickly ascend the second one in the lobby and towards the living quarters. Considering how little you'd explored the mansion you pretty much knew the layout off by heart just from your time in your Workshop. Reading mana and how it flowed was pretty easy if you knew how.

The pair of you come across George in one of the many studies, reading through an impossibly large stack of papers. He turns at your entry, parting his lips to greet you, but stops when he notices Youmu behind you. Even with her extreme strength she doesn't show up as a Servant, but that prana signature isn't something you can just ignore.

“Master, this is Youmu, she's my friend… I made her today,” you explain. Youmu, to her credit, makes a small bow and remains silent.

George stands up slowly and moves over to the pair of you, casting an appraising eye on her for a few moments. Eventually, he breaks out into a small smile as he turns to look at you.

“Well, I see you fulfilled your wish; I'm happy for you.”

“Now we can focus on your wish!” you exclaim, a shine in your eyes.

George doesn't reply, instead giving you a… sad look.

“Oh, by the way, I meant to ask you – I gave Saber my name and she gave me hers in return; Arturia. Does that ring any bells, mm~?”

“Arturia...” he scratches his cheek as he thinks it over. “Sounds like it's derived from the male name, Arthur, but other than that? I can't think of any blade-wielding Heroic Spirits that are female with that name. I'll do some research on it for you.”

You give him a quick bow and leave the room. Youmu trails after you, leading you back down to the basement where you focus on soaking up as much energy as you physically can.

It's more relaxing than you would have thought!

---

After a long evening of mostly rest, you awake to a new day feeling invigorated. You can do so much!

You have 6 action points to spend!

[] Go apologise to Gil for not showing up last night. (2)
[] Rin wants to talk to you… (2)
[] Saber wants to talk to you… (2)
[] Show Youmu around the city? (2)
- [] Invite someone else?
[] Build dolls!
- [] Quantity!
- [] Quality!
- [] Mixed!
[] Interact with:
- [] Who?
[] Explore the city!
- [] Take someone with you? (Youmu excluded)

[Liono]

This Is Canon - Rho Certified

"Well, hello there," Xelphen Delfria said to himself as he entered this new city. Walking down the streets, he noticed many things, ranging from a man with glasses with a blonde-headed girl to regular humans heading towards wherever they were going that day. He was looking for one person today, one lady by the name of Illyasviel von Einzbern. Xel always wanted to see the action of a Grail War, and he thought Illya would be the most... helpful in his endeavors.

"Oh, hello there, sir," a tiny girl's voice that came from behind said. Xelphen turned around.

"Oh, hi," Xel replied, "Hey, can you tell me where a person by the name of Illyasviel is?" There was something wrong with this girl, something about her was very creepy.

"Oh... You mean me, right~?" she replied in an ominous voice. "Also, you should welcome my Servant as well, say hello, Berserker."

"Oh! Yes, of course," Xel replied, caught a little off-guard, which is something he shouldn't ever do. "Hello, Berserker."

"Hahaha," Illya laughed, "What do you want...?" she asked in a low, quiet voice. "No, no, no, Berserker, you should hear him out, then we can kill him."

"I'm here to help you with the Grail War," Xelphen said bluntly. He really didn't know if he chose the right person, this Master seemed very... How should he put this...?

"And what could you do to help me? I've got Berserker right here, and I think I'm strong enough to kill them all, wouldn't you say?" A flash of red light shone through Illya's body, her Magic Circuits appearing before him, then disappearing again, her skin as pale as it was before.

"I have healing magic," Xel said to this tiny girl that stood in front of him, "It would be bad if Berserker or you were to just die due to injuries suffered on the field, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, it would be... Though, is it really that useful when I start cutting them into pieces or when Berserker smashes them into the ground?" Xel had started to answer when she slowly walked up to him and whispered in his ear. A shiver went down his spine as the uncomfortable space between him and the twelve-year old closed in, Berserker watching from a distance.

"If you can help me kill Emiya Shirou, I don't care. I only want to see him die, drenched and drowning in his own blood. I don't really care who you are. There are only two rules, you help me murder Shirou, and you don't betray me. I don't think you have a reason to be a traitor, right?"

"No, ma'am," Xel responded. He needed to be careful around her. She was dangerous, and most likely had ten times more power, definitely more, than he had. Though, if he could get a surprise on her...

With that answer, she leapt away. "Well then sir, we have a deal! I hope I enjoy playing with you~! Follow me!" She walked into a nearby house, loud giggling following in her footsteps.

[Rhomeo]

“That black-haired girl is here to see you,” George informs you, immediately bringing you to your feet.

“Okay! I'll be right up!”

You give Youmu a look before ascending from the Workshop, where Rin is waiting for you. She brushes her hair aside as you come into sight, giving you a surprisingly warm smile.

“Caster, it's good to see you. Would you care to take breakfast with me?”

“I'd love to, but can I bring my friend with us?” you ask as you reach up on tippy toes to pat Youmu on the head.

“… why?” Rin frowns, confused.

“Well… she's a doll. You can tell, right? I made her yesterday, took me all day too! I want to have her make new friends, and see the city. Plus, I… want to keep an eye on her, as her friend. Being so new to life is probably a pretty stressful experience and all, ufufu~”

“Mm, that seems fair to me. You don't seem the type to betray me during the day anyway.”

“Of course not! I haven't even fought in the War yet, after all.”

Rin merely shakes her head and makes her leave of the manor, forcing you and your companion to trail after her. A short glance at Youmu confirms that this was the right choice, with a look of almost giddy excitement you'd expect to see on a child's face, rather than a woman's. After a few minutes of silence, Rin starts talking aloud, engaging Youmu in what you can only call a normal conversation. Your friend seems to appreciate it, talking back with as much enthusiasm as she can muster.

It makes you feel warm inside, like you've succeeded at winning the lottery.

2 Destiny Points gained!

It doesn't take all too long to arrive in Shinto, where you immediately put the pressure of choosing a place on Rin. She doesn't seem to mind over much as you're dragged through the growingly busy streets. You're eventually dragged into a nice looking restaurant, all the signs pointing out that it's only open in the mornings. After you're showed to a seat and peruse the menu, you end up ordering a cinnamon roll. Since nutrition doesn't matter, you might as well just go for taste!

Rin, to her credit, seems rather modest with a Belgian waffle and a steaming cup of coffee. And then… Youmu…

“Will you really eat all of that?” Rin nearly giggles.

“I'm hungry,” Youmu blushes behind her mountain of food.

In the time it takes for you to make it through your cinnamon roll, Rin finishes her meal and drink, with Youmu… having a totally clean plate.

How in the world did she manage that?!

“So, I called you out today for a reason,” Rin starts, sipping on a new cup of coffee.

“And that's because…?” you ask, tapping your finger against your own cup, filled instead with green tea.

“I want you to help me ambush and kill that golden Servant.”

…!

What?!

“George?”

“Mm, yes, Alice?”

“Miss Tohsaka wants us to ambush that golden Servant.”

“… I see. Are you looking for my permission?”

“You know it!”

“Do what you have to,” the voice says assuringly.

“But… how could we pull it off and why would you want him dead?”

“I talked with Saber yesterday, and she mentioned that during the last Grail War he was… a problem,” Rin explains, tapping her fingernail against the porcelain cup. “I was going to ask Emiya today for his help to try and deal with him tomorrow evening. Can you try and lure him into an ambush for us?”

“It won't work,” you shake your head. “Gilgamesh has this… weird way of sensing things, I think. When we first met, he noticed I saw him while we were in the Church. He said things about me that he couldn't have known. It has to be a power of some kind.”

“Like some all-seeing eye? That's problematic, to say the least. Well, if we can't lure him into an ambush, we have to try and take him head on.”

“How about asking Saber, in that case? She seems to know more about him than I do,” you suggest, swirling the tea in your cup around a little. “I was planning on going to meet her later today, actually.”

“That sounds like a good idea,” Rin smiles at you. “Well then, I think that should do it for today. Did you want to ask me anything before we separate? I assume you already know where I live, or your Master does.”

“I'm not sure he does, actually. Might I accompany you home, my lady?” you smile, standing up and giving a short bow.

“Why, I'd be honoured,” Rin smirks. “I was going to go shopping, but I guess I'll show you to my home first.”

Rather out of nowhere, Rin comes around the table and links arms with you. You notice the spiritual presence behind her tense up at that, but otherwise he does nothing. Together, with Youmu tailing along, you make small talk and window shop a little as you leave the Shinto District. After crossing the bridge, you delve into the Residential District until eventually coming across a beautiful Western-style manor. Rin bows as you split, which leaves you to walk to the Emiya residence with Youmu.

As you're walking with Youmu, you take her arm in yours and pull her over towards you. Unfortunately, she's not expecting it in the slightest and practically falls on you. With your quick reflexes, you manage to catch her in your arms. She's… surprisingly light, actually, as she looks up at you with a massive blush creeping over her face.

“I-I'm sorry!” she stammers, still blushing. “I… I didn't think you were… going to do that…”

To show your appreciation, you pull her up into a warm hug. Youmu's breathing is quite loud next to your ear, and as you pull back you notice the quiet smile on her face.

“You're so cute, you know that?” you giggle, causing another blush to flush through her cheeks.

“I am not!”

Feeling successful with your hugs for the day, you continue to the Emiya residence with Youmu still in your arms. She complains for the first few minutes, but quickly gives in when you refuse to put her down. You realise just how awkward it is when a casually dressed Saber looks at you in confusion.

[] Greet her warmly!
[] Have Youmu greet her!
[] Throw Youmu at her? (Unlocks secret spinning Youmu Phantasm)