[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/CuqIep0.png[/img][/center] [h3]Town Hall, Shinto Civic Center, Shinto City [/h3] [@Red Alice] [hr] [color=05EF00]“Rider, I do not wish for the blood of others to spill quite yet. While I am in the mood to gorge on it, we can’t let any of the pieces on this board fall so soon. They’re important pieces in overthrowing the rulers of this game. Our efforts will be in putting everything we need into motion.” “...Though, a small treat may be in order if any get too close. It isn’t our fault they moved too close to the spider’s den, right?”[/color] Was it the instincts of an Oni or a Killer that moved her in that direction? Did it even matter? Regardless, she would stick to her plan. For now, every piece on the board was too important to throw away just yet. The more chaotic things were, the better. Still, that didn’t mean fighting and maiming was off the table. A little taste of blood was allowed if the situation occurred. It was in her nature to revel in the most sacred of liquids. With the familiars out and about, Kioymi made sure to check up on them for any updates on the areas observed. The conditions of these places need to be monitored in order to ensure her plan was moving smoothly. Thankfully, the blessings of her Servant would stop any sort of interference. [color=05EF00]“Hmm? You want to go on a date or something? We’ll probably be a bit too busy tonight. Some fancy places in town are open past Noon, so we could go in the afternoon tomorrow? They’re in Shinto, so we can remain close. I’m hesitant to spend too much time in Miyama. That side of the Mion is a deathtrap.”[/color] It was a deathtrap she was going to visit soon enough, but the less time spent there the better. She mentioned everything there in a rather casual tone, spending no extra time or thought in regards to the specific words used. In other words, the word “date” was used in the most neutral terms possible. Her servant’s language was completely archaic. [i]Nyoin[/i]? She had nearly forgotten what that meant. Still, Kiyomi wasn’t really in a position to judge. When dealing with her immediate family, she spoke in a similar way. Her rough tongue as a yakuza was probably an outlet for her childhood of proper speech. At least, that was how she justified it. The civic center was one of the last places she wanted to set up. It was far too Western, even for what she was willing to put up with. However, it was ideal for her purposes. Namely, it had a leyline and wasn’t on the other side of the river. Besides, whoever claimed the mountain was asking to be killed. The civic center wasn’t an ideal place to hold in regards to combat. No, it was ideal because of the amount of shields present within it. Who would be rotten enough to kill so many civilians to get close? And a person that monstrous should be praised and rewarded with an alliance. It was a win-win situation for Kiyomi. As the magus entered the civic center, the corner of her eye caught the change in her Servant’s appearance. It caught her off guard, though it had nothing to do with the appearance itself. Why didn’t her Servant just….go ethereal? There was no reason to be seen in the first place. In fact, why did her Servant even want to go out to eat? They didn’t need nutrition. What a peculiar card she had drawn… The new appearance was pleasant, though a bit too plain for her taste. There was one part she liked though. [color=05EF00]“Nice glasses, Rider. Did you pick those from the magazine Taiga had? I think they look really nice.”[/color] She smiled with the compliment, not that she thought much of it. It was probably for the best she did as well, considering gaining access to the mayor would distort her personality. Well, it would have, if she wasn’t able to send all distortions like that to her sister. Kiyomi moved through the town hall like she had exclusive access, considering she simply enchanted whoever tried to stop her from entering the mayor’s office. Of course, she made sure all sorts of security footage was destroyed after this. She had made that mistake once, and her lawyers really didn’t want to get involved in a case like that again. Personally, she didn’t see why they were so annoyed about it, but it was best to keep them at least somewhat pleased. The mayor himself was….well, he was definitely given a much rougher treatment before the enchantment. It was a bit personal to Kiyo, something about how he deserved it after giving her a fine a few years back? Regardless, he would be in her pocket for the time being. She ensured to not harm anyone though, hurting civilians was wrong. Not that she cared much about right and wrong, but she saw no reason to harm the unrelated for the time being. Well, with the civic center and town hall under her control, Kiyomi and her Servant began to set up their base. [hr] Nighttime came swiftly upon Camp Oni. They were busy redecorating the area as well as setting up their bounded fields. A place modeled after her cities back home in Chūbu would do lovely. Those who visited the civic center would feel otherwise, but that was more of a “them” problem. The information provided by her familiars was enough to dictate their plans. The information in the Foreign District was truly most interesting. What a cursed place it was becoming. The information at the Mountain provided the obvious, that someone had taken the best location in the war. The South Moor introduced her to a hidden rat of sorts, one that Kiyo had considered dead, but they’d be someone worth communicating with. The Miyama familiar was...disappointing. Work harder, Miyama familiar! In Shinto, there seemed to have been a flare for combat. What a meaningless affair. What were these pawns? Why fight others now, of all times? Were they too dense to understand the war’s true nature? Pawns fighting Pawns was what the controllers of this war truly desired. What sort of idiot would willingly play into that? Truly, Kiyo was the smartest participant in this war. For now, considering everything seemed a bit too...hot at the moment, Kiyomi would spend her time relaxing with her Servant. Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi was on the TV they were watching, the Korean food they ordered was on their table, the lights were dimmed, and both shared the couch they were sitting on. While making progress is how Kiyomi would have wanted to spend the night, this was a fine substitute. [color=05EF00]"Modern day Japanese animation is the greatest, can't you tell? We could never be defeated by those barbarians!"[/color] [hr] [hr] [hr] [h3] Theodora Shinto District, Shinto Town, Verde Shopping Center[/h3] [@Breo] [hr] Her Master really was cute. She got to do all sorts of “dress ups” in life, but never on a girl. It was a fun way to spend the day and she hoped her Master enjoyed herself, even if it was something so far out of her comfort zone. Getting out of one’s comfort zone was important in development. And also towards removing one’s mask, but that wasn’t why Assassin did this. There was no point in forcing something that would naturally come in time. Now, of course, her Master did have to come and kill the nice vibe that was going on. The Executor just had to mention she had no intention of summoning Theodora. Tears would begin to fall from Assassin’s eyes, her hand being slightly too slow to catch the first few which dropped onto the table below. With a voice on the verge of bursting into tears, Assassin spoke to her Master. [color=ff00a6]“I see...you don’t want me. I thought we were getting along fine, yet you never wanted me. You probably hate me...I know it! I’m sorry I can’t be Justin- Kihihihihihihih!!!!!”[/color] A shrill laughter broke the previous facade, with her previous whimsical face returning. She was the Greatest Actress in Rome, was she not? Putting on crocodile tears was one of the easiest tricks for her. She just hoped that didn’t upset her Master too much, it was all just in good fun! [color=ff00a6]“Of course you wanted to summon Justinian, he’s the greatest! I can’t fault you for that. And who would want to summon someone like me? I’m a problematic person who only follows their hedonistic desire. Why, I’d probably reject the person that actively tried to summon me. You can never know with those types, right?”[/color] She was seemingly speaking earnestly. Of course, with the display she put up earlier, how genuine it was was up to interpretation. [color=ff00a6]“However...you weren’t going to get Justinian. What sort of wife would I be if I let another get their hands on him?"[/color] Her lips began to curl into a dark smile, though the words coming out of her mouth didn’t make much sense. A Servant couldn’t stop another from being summoned or anything. And yet. . . . [color=ff00a6]“Let us not worry what may or may not have been. We’re bound by the hip for now, right? Let us embrace one another during this partnership, regardless of what the past held. Glory can only be achieved with the hand dealt by fate! Let us, with the blessings of the divine, achieve victory in this bloodstained ritual! If not for glory, then for the Lord.”[/color] The Servant raised her glass of wine, the generic sign of a toast to her Master.