Blacksmith quest

[Selias]

[X] Play with Zelretch? The same guy who plays by replacing people's personalities and throwing them into alternate...dimensions. Yeah, we're already playing with him, aren't we? Well, what the hell, why not?

 

[Biigoh]

[X] You were a counterguardian once, were you?
- - [X] Play with this... Zelretch

 

[Fallenblades643]

[X]"That explains so much and yet so little."
-[X]"Yeah, sure, not much else I could do."

 

[Larekko12]

Oh so that's how the backstory thing would have worked.

[x]Sure little lady I'll plaaay a butler? Or maybe a daring ranger or a noble knight? or and unorthodox magus.

 

[Redon]

[X] Play with Zelretch? The same guy who plays by replacing people's personalities and throwing them into alternate...dimensions. Yeah, we're already playing with him, aren't we? Well, what the hell, why not?

 

[R.A.G.]

[X] Play with Zelretch? The same guy who plays by replacing people's personalities and throwing them into alternate...dimensions. Yeah, we're already playing with him, aren't we? Well, what the hell, why not?

 

[Jiven]

[X] You were a counterguardian once, were you?
- - [X] Play with this... Zelretch

 

[Liam-don]

Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. The Wizard Marshall. Zelretch of the Jewels. The Kaleidoscope. That old meddler. The disciple's killer. The Association's bane.

Archer's heard many things about the legendary vampiric Sorceror, but right now it's a little trivia that sticks out of his mind.

The Dead Apostle is a massive egotist that names every thing he creates after himself. For that reason, he's fairly sure the 'Zelretch' the little girl is referring to is herself.

He looks down at her big hopeful eyes and smiles gently. He can't call himself a hero if he turns down such small requests.

Zelretch dances away with a tinkling laugh. "Let's play tag! You're it!"

With a sigh he chases after the girl. Not fast, but it still isn't long before he reduces the distance. The girl in white twists toward him and grins, the happy expression sending shivers down the ex-CounterGuardian's spine as as it is twisted by a predatory edge. She points her finger at him like a gun.

"Gandr."

Archer barely manages to jump out of the path of the overpowered curse where it cuts a swath of withered flowers the size of a large hallway.

"You're too fast, mister! Zelretch will make it fair by fighting back a little, kay?"she declares with an innocent snicker. "She'll make sure you won't die."

A long melody unleashed elemental forces, childish laughter and terrible pain ensues.

"Freeze Arrow!" "Plasma Shooter!" "Kilipl Astrapê!" "Dark Savior!" "Guns N' Roses!"

"Is it over already?" The little girl asks downcast. She crouches over the charred, blasted, electrocuted and frozen corpse, poking at it curiously with a stick.

It lashes out. Its hand reaches for her arm, but the swing hits nothing but air, passing through the girl like she's a ghost.

She shrieks in delight. "You got me, mister! But not really. Zelretch is up there, see?" She sinsongs, pointing at the book.

A spiriual projection.

Archer gets to his feet and dusts himself off. "You're not going to make this easy for me, are you?"

The girl shakes her head happily.

He sighs.

"Seraphic Law!" "Ultima!" "Tesla!" "Gravity Blessing!" "Summon Bigger Fish! " "Garv Flare!" "Overheated Economy!" "Megiddo!"

Finally, Archer crumples at the pedestal's feet, the large grimore in hand.

The apparition floats before him, dress flowing in the wind. "Hehehe, you win." She plops down on his lap and hugs him fiercely, apparently solid when she wants.

Archer inspects the grimoire. A large, ancient- looking hardcover, yet completely spotless, unmarred by time and use. A small, colorless crystal is incrusted in its front, an everchanging pattern catching the light from its depth.

"Hey, mister," the small girl asks after a companionable silence. "That wasn't as fun for you as it was for me, right? Why didn't you use your swords?"

"Don't be stupid," he snipes before tousling her hair ruthlessly. "Swords aren't toys. They've no place in a game."

The girl wrestles free of the offending limbs and sends Archer a vicious pout. She jumps to her feet and then start bouncing from one feet to the other. "You're a nice man. Zelretch kinda likes you."

"Say, mister, Do you have a dream." You're sure you're not Guardian? Can't you take Zelretch with you? She promises she won't get in the way."

He laughes tiredly. " It's a little embarassing, but I want to be an Ally of Justice."

She looks at him uncompreheding.

"Protect the people, defeat the bad guys, make everyone get along." He shrugs helplessly " I want to make as many smiling faces as I can."

Zelretch's eyes turn huge. "Oooh, I get it! you want to be Guardian!"

He blinks. "I guess?"

"So that's it." She nods decisively. "Zelretch will help you! She's strong! And we'll be together forever!"

[]...?

 

[Redon]

[x] Oh Fuck me.
-[x] It's not like I can say no and live after all.

 

[Selias]

I see no problem with that. We're going to be a super-hero. We could use a plucky sidekick. Especially one that can cast Ultima.
[X] Sure. Why not, brat?
[X] Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.

 

[minuseven]

[X] Oh Fuck me.
-[X] It's not like I can say no and live after all.

Click to shrink...

Supporting!

Oh, Archer...

 

[serapheus]

[X] Oh Fuck me.
-[X] It's not like I can say no and live after all.

 

[Guile]

It is a long-held fact that child superheroes are basically invincible. Especially when they're girls.

More to the point, does Archer think he can make her leave? Ha!

 

[R.A.G.]

[X] Oh Fuck me.
-[X] It's not like I can say no and live after all.

 

[GoC]

It is a long-held fact that child superheroes are basically invincible. Especially when they're girls.

Click to shrink...

With the noticeable exception of PMMM.

 

[Larekko12]

With the noticeable exception of PMMM.

Click to shrink...

And sailor moon!


just cause they get rezzed doens't mean they don't die.


[x]Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.

 

[Liam-don]

I'm at a loss as to why people are taking this event as a bad thing. Why should Archer bemoan his fate?

And if it's such a bad thing, you can refuse you know? The girl has been bouncing spells off Archer's skulls for a while now and he only has damaged clothes and superficial burns for his trouble. There's no reason to believe he's defenseless against her, especially since he's currently holding her core.

 

[serapheus]

I'm at a loss as to why people are taking this event as a bad thing. Why should Archer bemoan his fate?

And if it's such a bad thing, you can refuse you know? The girl has been bouncing spells off Archer's skulls for a while now and he only has damaged clothes and superficial burns for his trouble. There's no reason to believe he's defenseless against her, especially since he's currently holding her core.

Click to shrink...

We're being sarcastic and put-upon. Not actually bemoaning.

 

[Larekko12]

I'm at a loss as to why people are taking this event as a bad thing. Why should Archer bemoan his fate?

And if it's such a bad thing, you can refuse you know? The girl has been bouncing spells off Archer's skulls for a while now and he only has damaged clothes and superficial burns for his trouble. There's no reason to believe he's defenseless against her, especially since he's currently holding her core.

Click to shrink...

This is a good thing. She's not even tried to genderbend us. And she's nice is rought playing.

and di you see that spell list?

We're being sarcastic and put-upon. Not actually bemoaning.

Click to shrink...

then use smilies and tickle laughs.



Mwahaha. She's a critical Success! She'll be our grimoire and we can tap her for all da powah! Maybe.

And we'll get a friend and surrgoate kid to look after who durable.

there is nothing bad about this at all. Except maybe maaybe if you he veiwed that it would be a bad thing to take the sapient artifact into his fights.

But then he'd be leaving her alone forever more.

 

[Aranfan]

[x] We has a sidekick now.

 

[Pipeman]

[X] Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.

 

[Biigoh]

[X] Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.

 

[ryuan]

[X] Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.

 

[krahe]

[X] Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.
Great, now I see Kischur Zelretch in black magical girl outfit, that's horrible

 

[fitzgerald]

[X] Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.

 

[Fallenblades643]

[X] Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.

Oh god. My sides. Your killing me! )

 

[Jiven]

It's awesome!


[X] Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.

 

[Aranfan]

[X] Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.

 

[Vanathor]

[X] Sure. I'll be an Ally of Justice, Guardian Shirou and you'll be Magical Princess Zecchan.

 

[Liam-don]

All told, entering a binding contract with a sapient magical artefact is regarded as a monumentally stupid idea, one the mere suggestion would have a certain twin-tailed Master give one of her arctic smiles that could freeze hellfires before erupting like the Mt.Tohsaka. Doing it without knowing the first thing about the artefact in question is madness beyond words.

"Sure, I'll make you my sidekick."

Somewhere for sure, Rin is facepalming.

But Archer's a sucker for a happy face and Zelretch's beaming smile is especially endearing.

Her tiny fist pumps in the air. "Yay! Let's become one!"

"Wait, what?"

Book and girl shimmers in the dark night as it flaps open, breaking free of his grip to float up to her. The two merge with a bright flash.

"Sleep-mode release." She informs, her voice taking a synthetical's resonance. "Returning to regular operating levels. Memory stores online. Data Check. All data uncorrupted. Program systems nominal. Preparing for new administrator's registration. Main interface ready. Launch."

In the fading light, a new facet is revealed.

She touches down before him and twirls impishly, dress flying. "Tadah!"

Archer is utterly still, like carved from a rock. He can't think straight anymore, his mind blanked by her new appearance. No doubt the pale princess is breathtaking, a woman wars would break over, but that is not what strike him so hard.

An ethearal beauty appearing in a flash of light. The soft moonlight embraces her lovingly, blesses her like a favored child.

It is an heartwrenching echo of his dearest memory. The sworn oath of an ignorant boy to protect a girl infinitely stronger than him. Battles fought desperatly, lashing out with a will that had no skill behind to guide it. A love only acknowledged in truth when the separation was upon them. He is caught in a maelstorm of emotion that leaves him defenseless.

Zelrecth pokes him in the face, completely clueless. "Heeeeey! Pay attention to me!"

He snaps out of it and get up in a hurry. "Sorry, You blow my mind away. Your new look is quite something."

She blushes vigourously and preens, hand on her hips. "Hehehe~! I look great, it's true. But it only gets better from there!"

She turns solemn and speaks once more. Her voice changes again, echoing with crackling energy and calling the wind to rise in unison with her voice. "Hear! From this day on, your pains shall be mine and my joys shall be yours. I shall be the fire that banishes the cold and you shall be the light shining down the path. We shall be one forevermore, even beyond death's edict."

Power flows freely in the air howling around the two of you, until it is released with her last words.

"This I swear! On the Name of Zelretch, the Kaleidoscopic Grimoire!"


She wraps her arms around him. "What say you?" She purrs.

Another oath, binding him even in the afterlife. He supresses a shiver at the thought. He isn't one for retreats. "I accept."

He barely catches her ghost of a smile before he's engulfed into light.

... Reinitialize Main Interface? New Avatar won't impact on the performance.

[]Yes
[]No

If Yes, please pick New Avatar.
---------------------

He jerks awake once again, completely disoriented. He is sitting in what looks like a victorian-style reading room, lighted by several candles. He's back in armor, too. He chuckles before bursting out into dark laughter. This is the Tohsaka library.

How much of what happened to him recently was the dream of a mad man?

What's so funny?

He jumps. "Zelretch?"

"Who else?" She materializes in front of him, all chipper.

Archer swears and takes a deep breath "...Nevermind. Do you know where we are?"

She shrugs. "Home, obviously." She passes her hand over a beeping light on the desk and the wood spins to reveal a computer screen and keyboard.

The desktop is quite bare. Aside from the bin, there's only three icons. An enveloppe with a flashing exclamation point reading "Messenger," a stylized Z with "Z Group" beneath and a a strange geometrical assembly called "The Hive."

"I want some ice cream." Zelretch declares from the door, revealing a stark white hallway beyond. "Want come with me?"

His body takes this as a signal to tell him it is exhausted. His stomach screams for an offering and he can't stop a large yawn. He's clearly running on fumes now. Who knows how long he's been here, but he's about ready to eat an elephant raw and to sleep for a few months.

[]...?