@Turboshitter The way I plan to do it is attach her to Leon until we can find a specific master for rider there's one guy on here who's checking on and off maybe he'll do it. Leon is a good guy and will accept Rider as his own until she finds her own master. Lancelot will distrust her but he'll allow it since he's well a knight and knights respect women. This way we can keep rider in the game without ruining an plans.
I'll accept the characters and ask @turboshitter just for double confirmation.
They look good looking at 'em right now. Also, it doesn't look like Loki's coming back. What are we gonna do about Rider? I'd be willing to make a Master for her instead of Archer.
@TurboshitterFigured Musashi is legendary in japan and would likely be OP but Musashi has been a guy, a girl, and multiple people at this point. I'm more interested in Fate/Umbral Star as a fan of dynasty warriors I'm considering buying it. Also have you come to your conclusion on Charak's CS? I hate to keep bugging you about it but I am looking to get the review process over as quick as possible.
It looks fine to me, as long as it's only "near perfect".
Albert winced as she shattered the wine bottle, then winced again at her words. Then, once he saw her making a move towards the priceless Bordeaux, he hurriedly lunged to snatch it away from her before she could destroy it.
"No!" he shouted, loud at first and then softer. "Nonono... no... no..."
The magus regarded the wine bottle with relief, then sighed. "It does not work on wine bottles, ma chère. Ze immense pressure ze champagne is under is what causes it to pop like... you know what, nevermind."
The young magus pinched his brow worriedly, unsure how to handle his Servant's... rowdiness. Should he be forceful and make her aware of his status as Master? No, that was the last thing he wanted to do with a Heroic Spirit whose defining attribute was their pride. Overstepping his boundaries might irreparably damage their relationship, and he had no desire to use a Command Seal to force her obedience. It would be a waste and an insult to his own sensibilities. Then should he be calm and accommodating to her wishes? No, he'd already done that once today.
He had wanted to approach this as a partnership, an agreement between equals, but Roland seemed determined to have it... what was the expression Americans used? "Her way or the highway". He could respect sticking to your guns and defending your principles, no matter how ludicrous they seemed to anybody else, but they had to reach an equilibrium at some point. This would be a pointless relationship if only one of them benefitted, and it would reflect even more poorly on him as a Master if he could not control his Servant. But was "control" really what he wanted?
His mind split again. Well at least it seemed like she had some military sense at least. That was to be expected. The trick then was to determine where she drew the line between duplicitous and dishonorable. Trickery and wit were a mark of pride for many warrior Heroic Spirits, but each had their own ideas of what constituted a harmless deception and what would be a grievous stain on their honor. He just needed to learn where that line lay.
"So you are saying zat you will not listen to me or cooperate wiz my plans if you find zem distasteful?" he said seriously. "Ma chère, I do not propose we skulk around in ze shadows like Assassin or play tricks on people like Caster. We are French. Despite what World War Two and seventy years of memes about 'cheese-eating surrender monkeys' would have ze rest of ze world believe, we do not give quarter and we do not surrender. I intend fully to fight. 'Owever I simply propose zat we be practical about it. I am not ze kind of scumbag who would stab an ally in ze back simply to gain ze upper hand, 'owever I will take advantage of whatever opportunities are presented to me, and I have a skillset zat is better suited to strategy and gazering intelligence zan combat. Zat is why I need you."
He traced the rim of his champagne glass with his finger, looking down into it meaningfully. Finishing his drink, he set the finely-carved crystal aside, a gesture of civility and statesmanly "proper-ness" out of place with the smashed glass and spilt wind that besmirched an already weary carpet. He folded his hands in his lap.
"I 'ave power but I am no fighter myself, if zat makes any sense. I am a general, and out of all ze soldiers in my vast army you are my most powerful and trusted warrior. Would you not agree zat zis a proper anology? Even if ze general appears 'imself on ze battlefield, 'e never leads ze charge. Zat is what 'e 'as 'is men do, trusting in zem zat zey will obey 'is orders and bring 'im victory. In return, 'is men trust in 'im zat 'e will do everyzing 'e can to keep zem alive and support zem on ze battlefield. This is 'ow it was in your time too, no? Zen you know zat ze whole zing falls apart once ze men stop trusting ze general and disobey 'is orders. Ze reverse is also true. We 'ave a mutually beneficial relationship ma chère, but it does not work if you are not willing to trust in my judgment."
The moment of tension over, Albert reclined into the plush of his seat. Reaching for the bottle opener, he gently creaked open the priceless Bordeaux and poured himself a glass. He had no doubts at all that what he just said would've made her mad or insulted her pride. That was, after all, the idea. A show of force, or at least a show of forceful-ness. Now it was time to relax, and show her that he was willing to work with her, if not for her.
"However, I am not entirely deaf or unsympathetic to your plights and concerns. If I was, I would not be doing a very good job as ze general, would I? So zen it falls into my court to ask, ma chère," he said, pouring Berserker her own glass of the Bordeaux. "What exactly is it zat you are and aren't willing to do for me? And don't just give me vague platitudes, tell me exactly what it is zat you would consider cowardly or dishonorable. Zat way, we will able to work togezer better because we understand each ozer better, no?"
This had to work. This was as much quarter as he was willing to give before he started making a complete fool of himself. As a Master he thought he was being perfectly reasonable, even respectful. The only question now was would she listen to him?
@Loki Odinson@BubbleGumKing Giving Loki until next Monday to get a post out. We may indeed end up rebooting the rp and mix matching the teams at this rate. We haven't gotten too far if we decide to go down that route hopefully we won't need to.
Albert snorted. "Well if zat Togami snot is anyzing to go by, we'll be facing a lot of ze usual competition you'd expect from mages. Zat is to say arrogance, cowardice, and a bizarre flair for ze flamboyant."
He took a sip from his own glass, sighing as he adopted a more serious tone.
"In all 'onesty ma chère, I do not know what we'll be facing in ze days to come. I did not 'ave long to know zese Masters, but zey are a mixed bag for certain, and zat's leaving out ze unpredictability of Servants and zeir own abilities. While I doubt we'll get much trouble from most of zem, zere are a few who worry me."
He tried to organize his thoughts into something coherent.
"Hmmmm... Zat woman, for one. Brynhilda was 'er name, I zink. She carries about 'er ze stench of blood, and I do mean zat literally. Believe me, as someone who specializes in familiars and ze kind of conjurations zat require ehh... certain sacrifices," he added for Berserker's benefit, omitting the grisly details, "I am used to ze smell. But it is so thick on 'er zat you can smell it even under a layer of soap and perfume. It's seeped into 'er skin. Zat tells me two zings, and I'm not sure I like either. She's eizer a lifetime practicioner of some sort of magecraft zat uses blood as ze key component, or she's a killer so soaked in ze stuff ze scent will never leave 'er. She may even be a vampire, and zat's just ze worst of both worlds. On top of zat she's summoned Rider which, and let's be frank about zis ma chère, is about as bad a matchup for you as Archer is. She is someone we will need to keep a close eye on, no doubt. Right now, what little we know about 'er is what is 'urting us most."
He continued, keeping up his momentum. Rooms reorganizing themselves in his head, he was getting a better idea of what his initial impressions were.
"Ze second name on my shitlist is zat mercenary, James. Call it somezing personal, like a gut feeling, but I find guns and ze people who use zem distasteful. It's 'ypocritical, I know, but I don't need a mage's upbringing to tell you zey are crude and brutish zings. Magecraft has a variety of practical uses besides violence. Even a sword can be used for fencing, decoration, or, 'ell, opening a wine bottle, but all a gun is good for is killing. Unlike ozer weapons, zere is literally nozing you can use zem for except to kill people. Zey 'ave no ozer purpose. It's barbaric."
He stared at his reflection in the champagne before taking another sip.
"So zere's zat, and I also zink 'e 'as a stick shoved so far up 'is ass 'e can't bend over. I have no idea if ze woman who was with 'im was also a Master, but I suppose it doesn't really matter. Takumi proved zat zere are some in zis war who do indeed conduct zeir business through intermediaries as I often do. I don't 'ave much to say about Leon or Jonathan 'owever, ozer zan zat Leon seems inexperienced and I zink 'e should watch 'is ass around zat man. 'E seems creepy."
He narrowed his eyes. "And now finally we get to ze Daily Double. Togami... for as much shit as I give 'im, and believe me, it's not nearly as much as 'e deserves, I could sense zat 'is abilities are no joke. Zat boy," he thought, having to remind himself that they were the same age, "is more zan just talk. Stupid as 'e is, ze impression I get from 'im is someone who is wet behind ze ears, but still trained from birth to do what we are all 'ere to do. 'Is family crest looks familiar as well. I shall be sure to take 'im up on 'is offer and do 'im ze 'onor of googling 'im and 'is family. Who knows? Could 'elp us plan a strategy. If we can catch 'im off-guard, we may never need to find out if my suspicions are warranted."
He leaned back into his seat, finished with his assessment. "Zat was my takeaway from ze whole ordeal. I've already started sending my familiars out into ze city, so we should know more soon. Now zen, concerning your Noble Phantasm, I 'ad a few-"
Albert stopped, digesting the last thing Berserker had said like he was swishing around another mouthful of the champagne. The glass clinked as he set it back down on the table.
"Ma chère," he said questioningly. "What exactly do you mean by zat? 'Ze flowers of curteous combat'? You do know what zis is, don't you? Zis is ze 'Oly Grail War, not a duel between knights. While I'm sure ze opportunity to clash swords wiz ze ozer 'Eroic Spirits must excite you, and we'll get to zat eventually no doubt, you must remember zat zis is first and foremost a fight between magi for ze 'Oly Grail, and zey are not going to be very curteous about it. Mages are by zeir very nature cunning and a little bit manipulative. If we want to win, we 'ave to zink like zey do, and sometimes zat's going to mean playing dirty."
Albert pinched his eyebrows, cursing that they were already having to have this conversation. "Look, you 'ave my word right now zat I'm not going to force you to do anyzing zat goes against your code of 'onor. I wouldn't make you do zat unless our lives depended on it. But I do expect you to adjust your expectations a bit, ma chère," he pleaded. "Not many of our enemies, not even ze Servants, are going to be willing to just come out and face you out in ze open. For one zing, zey know you outclass zem in one on one combat. You are Berserker, zat is what you do best. I highly doubt Caster or Assassin are going to feel like fighting you 'onorably, and Archer's entire schtick is killing people from a distance. If you're going to get any kind of fair fight, it'll only be from Saber, Lancer, or Rider, and zat's assuming zeir Masters don't try and interfere. I don't zink zat I'm being unfair, zose are just ze facts."
@vancexentan TBH, I'm fine with having James master any of those servants, so I'll let you guys figure it out and leave me with the left over servant
I wanna see @Grey's Master first, but having James be the Master of Assassin could be interesting. I do think, failing that, that James should Master Archer, because their personalities fit well together. That and I like the James/Amina/Archer power-hour (assuming Shadow wants to keep playing Amina in Phase's place)
Also I think I've decided I'll leave Lancer's Master to someone else (maybe Indra). Two is enough for me.
Fish of Oblivion