Your Clothes, Give Them To Me.

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

Day 1 Afternoon

As he walked through the town looking for a clothes store Jordan turned around for a second and looked at Honda who was struggling with the spare clothing that Jordan gave him to wear until they got something better. Though to be fair Honda wasn't having trouble with the weight of the clothes, but with the fact that their differing heights was making Honda look like a poor version of a wannabe rapper which meant He was carrying around some of the baggiest things ever.

"Err, sorry dude. I didn't have any smaller clothing to let you borrow. But hey at least you don't look like a warrior, just a tourist. And if you don't look like a tourist in this city than you'll end up looked like a good target for a beat-down. It's already bad enough that I stand out the way I do, there's no need for both of us to look out of place."

Turning the corner Jordan saw the place he was looking for, a Men's clothing store. "OK we're here. We'll go in, get you a few outfits and you change in the store and give me back my clothing. I'm thinking about three or four sets of every day stuff, one suit and one silky shirt so you'll look good for the ladies."

Going inside Jordan made a beeline to everyday clothing and started to pick out some things. "You seem to like the color red so first we'll try a red shirt/blue jeans outfit. Here go into the dressing room over there and try this on." Jordan then started to pick out some other outfits and muttering to himself. "Hmmm, pure white is too I'm getting married, pure black is too Giant Robot/Noir anime. Maybe a blue shirt and black jeans combo. Yeah, and a... what's this?" Jordan said picking out a shirt "I'm the Plum, don't mess with me boy? ...Maybe." Jordan got the attention of one of the workers and asked "Do you have any more shirts like this one but black or yellow?" while holding up a white collarless shirt. "And a blue collared shirt if you have it."

[Honda Tadakatsu]

Honda was walking down the street alongside his Master. He did not fully understand why exactly things have turned out like this. First of all, he would prefer for the young man to rest more. He was seriously wounded less than 12 hours ago. Yet after a brief rest, a shower, and a change of clothes he had said that they were moving out. 'Either Jordan is relatively non-human, or that woman is more competent than was given credit for... Why is this nasty feeling that another meeting with her is unavoidable not disappearing?'

...

The world has changed in a variety of ways, it seemed. First of all, it has become taller than what Honda remembered. Much taller. The buildings reached out for the skies and the roads became wider. It also looked like this was all a necessity rather than convenience. At least, that is how Honda perceived things, as he could not find any other reason for a human to climb a seemingly neverending flights of steps... 'Oh... so they don't have to?' He saw a staircase in one of the buildings. It moved by itself. That bewildered the warrior for a moment but then he "remembered" what an escalator was.

"Err, sorry dude." His Master addressed him. "I didn't have any smaller clothing to let you borrow. But hey at least you don't look like a warrior, just a tourist. And if you don't look like a tourist in this city than you'll end up looked like a good target for a beat-down. It's already bad enough that I stand out the way I do, there's no need for both of us to look out of place."

"Yes, Jordan. This one wishes not to stand out as well. May he receive a gift in the form of an oni mask or the European equivalent of such? He will wear it with honor and dignity, and the attention his persona attracts will lessen by a fair margin."

Courtesy? Politeness? What is that? Honda didn't know. No, he had no clue about those concepts. And no~, a golden-haired Japanese in a European city would not attract attention at all. Why was his hair suddenly golden, anyway?

'In the name of Buddha, why do they have to stare so?'

It was not the baggy clothing that irritated the warrior. His Instinct captured any and all change in the environment which meant that he was strongly conscious of all the women turning their heads to get a better look... and some men, but there was no reason the exaltation of his perfectly honed body by fellow warriors would faze Honda. Frankly, he would prefer to remain in spirit form during daytime but that could prove a fatal mistake in case of a surprise attack. The supervisor from earlier has informed them on the possible consequences of breaking the taboo and revealing the existence of magic to civilians. Not to mention, the city was surveyed by numerous representatives of the Church... whatever that was. He did receive the report on the religious institution and the organization behind its facade from the Akashic Records but that alone did not give him a clear picture of their possibilities. Other participants may not know of these regulations, and some may outright ignore the risk. An Assassin's attack may in the end look completely normal but a Servant's materialization in the middle of a crowded street would surely attract attention. Thus, he preferred to not take any risks. No matter how much he would prefer to avoid the unnecessary attention, he had pledged to serve, to protect.

"And do not worry. As long as it is before nightfall and you are in a place of great resort such as this one your humble Servant will not have qualms about wearing something as constricting as... clothes. Yet when we are alone in the twilight this one is afraid he may get excited enough to just jump out of these so that he can stay close by your side in a more appropriate appearance, my Master."

Later, upon entering the store, Jordan turned the conversation to the more immediate issue of choosing his gown.

"OK we're here. We'll go in, get you a few outfits and you change in the store and give me back my clothing. I'm thinking about three or four sets of every day stuff, one suit and one silky shirt so you'll look good for the ladies."

'...'

Quickly "remembering" information on what a "silky shirt" is, Honda made the effort to hold the picture in his mind as to know when to politely reject Jordan on the grounds of the "silky shirt" constricting his movements.

"You seem to like the color red so first we'll try a red shirt/blue jeans outfit. Here go into the dressing room over there and try this on."

Taking the unfamiliar items, Jordan went into the "dressing room". His first thought was, "The ability to disrobe with just a thought is quite convenient." He even voiced it. Yet phasing out of his current gown in a public place carried a tiny risk Honda did not want to take so he took off his... Jordan's things as any normal human would. He then analyzed the items brought with him. The "jeans" were apparently worn similarly to a hakama. The shirt... well, he put it on yet he could not figure out how to do it up properly, keeping a concrete image of a "silk shirt" in his mind. After a minute or so he chose that his current look is satisfactory... but 'hmm... these hakama imitations are rather restricting... It might be necessary to ask Jordan if there are any alternatives available...'

And so, the golden haired Japanese with a face suitable for covers of each and every fashion magazine in the world as well as perfectly honed abs and chest muscles came out into the open, in tight blue jeans and an unbuttoned red shirt and with a slightly brooding expression on his face.

"Jordan, this one feels that these jeans are rather tight. He would much rather be freed from their constraints."

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

Jordan continued to look for clothing and remembered what Honda had said earlier during their walk.

As long as it is before nightfall and you are in a place of great resort such as this one your humble Servant will not have qualms about wearing something as constricting as... clothes. Yet when we are alone in the twilight this one is afraid he may get excited enough to just jump out of these so that he can stay close by your side in a more appropriate appearance, my Master."

Personally, I'm just glad he could hide that spear of his. I don't feel like getting arrested in a foreign country anytime soon or ever for that matter.

..."Yes, Jordan. This one wishes not to stand out as well. May he receive a gift in the form of an oni mask or the European equivalent of such? He will wear it with honor and dignity, and the attention his persona attracts will lessen by a fair margin."

"Wait, an Oni mask? How is that going to help him not stand out? Well if he wants one that badly I have to find one." Jordan shook his head and continued to look for clothing for Honda. The helper came back with Blue, Green and Black versions of the shirt he had held up earlier. "Would you like anything else sir?" the lady asked as she handed Jordan the shirts. "Thank you, I think the black and blue one will fit my friend here...." Jordan trailed off as he saw Honda exit the dressing room.

"Jordan, this one feels that these jeans are rather tight. He would much rather be freed from their constraints."

"Oh I wouldn't mind freeing him from those pants." the lady muttered as she started to stare at Honda, and his man-chest. Jordan rolled his eyes while smiling and said "Darn it all man. You're supposed to button the shirt some. Just because you look like a model does not mean you can show off all the time. And if you want bigger pants I'll look for some." Jordan went to the pants section and grabbed a few bigger pairs. "I guess these might do. These have wider legs for breathing so they might fit you better. Check out the other shirts and see if any of them fit your preferences."

[Honda Tadakatsu]

"Darn it all man. You're supposed to button the shirt some."

Instinct may have failed Honda but Jordan's example showed him just how obvious the meaning of those weird gadgets was. When his Master was done buttoning the shirt, Honda felt a slight tinge of happiness; he learned something new without relying on that external source of knowledge; it wasn't anything great but it was an experience, something Honda thought he would never again have as he died. His face showed a bashful, if somewhat bitter smile and he mumbled in a meek voice, "Thank you, Jordan."

Taking a different pair of... what his Master called pants, he then retreated to the changing room. This time around the clothes were much more comfortable. Wider, easier to move and fight in, though still much more constricting than a hakama. Well, these would do for daytime but Honda felt that a sudden move made with his full strength would likely destroy the article. He felt he should warn Jordan about that possibility.

The shirt Jordan had passed to him as he was deep in thought was also better than the previous. It didn't have buttons, it stretched easily, and didn't restrict his movements. The black and gold pallete was something he had preferred during his lifetime as well.

'...If that is the reason the Grail gave me a black Master and golden hair... no, better not to think of this.'

Honda lightly rubbed his temples, driving the thought away and returned to appraising the outfit. The only part that made him slightly hesitant was the phrase, "I'm the Plum, don't mess with me boy", printed on the shirt, the meaning of which escaped him. In the end, he concluded that it didn't matter. There were more important issues to settle right now. Honda came out, wearing black jeans and a black and gold t-shirt. Moving around helped him get accustomed to the clothes. These were bearable; yes, he could do with this, and maybe even fight... he glanced at the pants with a hint of worry.

"Jordan, this outfit is rather fitting. At least, it allows to move around satisfactorily. His only concern is that the pants may tear if he..."

'Hmm... A shop assistant, an unrelated civilian is present so it's better not to divuldge or even drop hints about fighting.'

"...gets overly excited at night. So he would prefer a more appropriate set of clothes for that time."

He specifically accentuated the last words to let Jordan understand he was talking about the War. For the sake of clarity, he added via telepathy,

"In a fight, these clothes are likely to get destroyed. At night, this one can simply phaze out of them and into his battle gown if there is nobody around but if the attack happens in an area with people around, materializing armor from nowhere won't really be an option if the secrecy of this War is to be kept."


- - -
[OOC: Sorry to everyone for not being able to retain the feel of the first paragraph throughout the whole post ;_; I tried but failed and chose to give up on the idea in the end.]

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

"Thank you, Jordan."

As Honda went back into the dressing room, Jordan continued to look at clothing. As he did so he thought to himself. "It's weird getting clothes for someone else. Is this what it was like for mom? Getting clothes for someone smaller than you, making sure they fit right and are on correctly?

Well Honda is kinda like a little brother. Except for the whole being from a different continent and being a heroic ghost thing. And the whole saving me from an early death by the hands of the stuff of nightmares and all. Hopefully I can do right and help him win. I owe him that much at least. Though I wonder what was up with that look on his face?

"Jordan, this outfit is rather fitting. At least, it allows to move around satisfactorily. His only concern is that the pants may tear if he..."

"...gets overly excited at night. So he would prefer a more appropriate set of clothes for that time."


Jordan thought back to Honda and mentally said "Well if the war has to be a secret, will people really be willing to break that rule just to win? I mean I can look for exercise clothes that you can wear and hide your armor in or something but I can't really find the right pants. If they had it I'd look for some hakama but this isn't the right store for them. DO you have any ideas on the right kind of clothing? And how low will can a person really go to win? They had to summon a Heroic Spirit right, wouldn't they have to be of a good heart themselves? Because if that's not the case then some asshole robber or murderer could get into the war, win and destroy the world or some crap like that. But that couldn't happen right?.... Right?



Ah dammit all. This just got really big in a really bad way.

[Honda Tadakatsu]

The barrage of questions puzzled Honda for a moment. He took a moment to form a satisfactory and more or less complete answer and then proceeded to convey his words to his Master while pretending to look over the many types of pants available for sale here.

"It would probably have been a good idea to spend some more time with that woman. Jordan, please listen carefully and take it all in. Magi are not necessarily good people. The summoning is conducted with a catalyst, and the corresponding Heroic Spirit will appear without regard for the Master's morals or desires. So... umm... 'some asshole robber or murderer' really can 'get into the war' as you have phrased it. For example, this one would only ever answer the summons of someone of the bloodline of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the master he had served in life. It would not matter if that person was a Bodhisattva or a madman, because of this one's loyalty to his master's family he would obey. He is glad, however, that his Master is not the kind of man to order the slaughter of innocents. Even if it might increase this one's strength he considers such measures unacceptable.

Second, on account of Heroic Spirits, Jordan, do not let the name mislead you. It does not matter if the person in question was a truly heroic valiant or a black-hearted evildoer. As long as they were a unique existence, and their deeds hold a meaning and are remembered by humanity they will be elevated to the Throne of Heroes. This one is fairly sure that the lord of his lord, Oda Nobunaga, had rightfully earned his seat in the Throne despite all atrocities he had commited. This one may despise him but he cannot deny that man's greatness. Some people who had left wastelands and ruins behind them, who were responsible for genocide, who slaughtered innocent civilians are remembered as great conquerors instead of great villains. Of the names you may know, Genghis Khan would be a fearsome adversary if he were to be summoned into this war.

As for the secrecy issue... It is probably this one's paranoic caution coming into play. The ones to fear are not the evil ones but the desparate ones. The Grail can actualize any wish conceivable. Even the past can be rewritten with its power. A person who would bet everything on this one chance to achieve salvation. They may be wary at first but as the War goes on their desparation will grow, and the risk will increase accordingly.

However, that is not the main reason this one is wary. The Assassin class. This one was one of the most trusted generals of lord Tokugawa. As such, he was previledged to see his master's other trusted servants, those who served him under the veil of shadows. Some were better, some worse but... he rarely managed to notice Hattori Hanzo before that man wished to be noticed, or maybe never. Assassins appear from nowhere to strike suddenly and their attacks may often appear as nothing extraordinary. And as their limitations do not allow them to fight on even ground with more combat-oriented classes they will often target the Master instead of the Servant. The secrecy will not be broken. Yet you, Jordan, may die. In broad daylight, in the presence of thousands of people, and I will be forced to break the secrecy regulations instead to save you. That risk is the cost of this one not carrying Tonbo-Giri in its materialized form. Well, that magus woman did say that the Church is overseeing this War, and that they have sizeable forces stationed in this town. So at least for now we should be safe."

Finally picking a pair of trousers and a warm shirt of deep dark red, Honda entered the dressing room again. After a few minutes, he came out, and this time around the shirt was properly buttoned and tucked in. The lack of a belt, however, ruined the picture somewhat.

"These, along with the previous outfit, will suffice. As long as you don't mind wasting money on something like this. Hmm... Judging from the crowds outside, another article will be necessary."

Saying that, Honda glanced at the coats and jackets in the other corner of the store.


- - -
Ugh... So much exposition...

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

"Well it's not like I haven't been paying attention to my surroundings, but I do thank you for the heads up Lancer." Jordan thought to Honda as he came back out of the dressing room. Jordan grabbed a belt normal black that would fit. "Here, this goes around your waist. Put the smaller end in between the loops on your pants and after going all the way around your waist, take the small metal bar and put in into one of the holes that are in the belt." Jordan thought the Honda as he stealthily pointed out the different parts on another belt for Honda's sake.

Speaking normally he asked Honda "What do think of this jacket...Lance?" while holding up a black and gold trimmed jacket. "I think it matches your personality well." Thinking the second part Jordan said "And it's big enough to hide your armor if you zip up and wear one of the bigger pair of pants to hide the lower parts of it. And don't worry about the money, I can pay for it so it's fine."

Jordan sighed and then thought to Honda "To tell you the truth, I'm a bit worried. The fact that you said that ANY unique existence could be summoned is a problem. History hasn't always been filled with the best people. Nero, Caesar, Caligula, Mark Anthony. And that's just from Greek and Roman Legends. What happens if someone decided to summon like Jack the Ripper or Alexander the Great or like you said Nobunaga, Genghis Khan, his son Kublai, or even some other jerk-off like that Vlad the Impaler guy or that Gilgamesh tool? And that's just some of the well known legendary figures. Can we really beat people like that? I mean I know you're strong but I'm just some guy who taught himself magic from a book. I don't want to hold you back and I'm not going to run. I made a promise to, ironically enough, keep my promises to people. I don't want to let down my second dad or my sifu."

Sighing deeply Jordan thought "Heh, look at me and my angst. I must sound like a total wussy. Don't worry Honda, I'll try to keep it down from now on."

Taking a look at Honda in the jacket, Jordan said "Now don't you look cozy? If there is anything else you feel like getting, grab it. I'm about to go to the counter and pay."

[Honda Tadakatsu]

A belt... Honda was used to obi but this mechanism was new to him. With Jordan's considerate explanation, he was able to decipher the mystery of the modern Western belt rather quickly... but not before failing once by trying to wear it inside out.

"What do think of this jacket...Lance?"

The black and gold ... jacket didn't bother Honda. Even in life, he had put functionality over appearance, and the jacket was comfortable and uncostricting; that is what mattered most, though the sight of his favored combination of black and gold might have influenced his opinion... just a bit. Still, his Master was mistaken somewhat, and that misconception needed to be corrected... but that could wait. Right now, something had to be done with his Master's lack of confidence.

"Boy, this one cannot dispel your insecurities as he cannot know how well you will fare against other magi of this time. But at least your athletic ability surely is above that of most participants. Magi, as the scholars they are, would generally be more concerned about their mind's health than that of their bodies so this one is glad you aren't one of such traditionalists. About fighting, however... if you are ever confronted by an enemy Servant and this one is not around for some reason, don't even try to fight; fighting a Servant is the same as forfeiting your life. Without the slightest hesitation, use one of your Seals to call this one to your aid. Do the same if you feel your life is in immediate danger for whatever reason. Command Seals allow for 3 absolute commands to one's Servant. The more precise the order the more power over them the Seal holds. So if you order this one to "appear" using its power he will instantly warp to your location, no matter where he is. This one will protect you without fail, as he had promised."

That was not the best option, and those words didn't solve the issue of his Master's hesitation but Honda was never good with such things. He wouldn't be able to find the right words even if he knew what needed to be said. But at the very least, now his Master had the chance to survive 3 attacks, if by the cost of Command Seals; if there was one thing Honda knew about interpersonal relationships, it was that words spoken to a hesitant person . And with that out of the way, Honda proceeded to fix the misunderstanding of his dear boy.

"And another thing... Jordan, it is a bit hard to inform you of this after seeing all your efforts but this one doesn't need to hide armor under his clothes. While armor is easy to fight in it certainly is not comfortable to move in. Furthermore, it will only take an instant for this one to adorn his battle gown, and in a situation where it will be necessary he will have no choice but to materialize his spear as well. Finally, concerns about secrecy are secondary to your safety, and this one will always act accordingly to that belief."

Conveying those words, Honda followed his Master towards the exit.

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

For some reason, as Honda spoke Jordan started to feel a lot calmer about the situation though he felt a little cause for worry and was a bit upset at the mention of the command seals. "Oh right, the three things that messed up my tattoo." Jordan thought to Honda. "Well you may think you don't need the jacket but it's too cold to not have one now. Besides young man, not having one will make people think that you're crazy. Besides it matches your shiny and golden hair so well!" Jordan thought jokingly.

Jordan smiled and went on "You know what Honda, I feel better now. I guess your words had a little something to do with it. I'm a little against the existence of command seals, you know. It feels wrong to control someone completely. But since I hope to not have to use them, it should be OK for us. Let's just keep that on the back burner. So, what do you wish to do after this? I figured that we could go and look for opponents tonight so we can really get started in this war. I'm keeping watch for any sudden attacks so don't worry about me getting lazy. But during the day we may be able to relax a bit, and I wanted to see the city. Besides, as long as the two of us work together and are careful, we can keep each other alive right?"

Jordan finished paying for the clothing with his card and patiently ignored the stares of the cashier and the lady who had helped them find the clothing. Sighing mentally Jordan thought "It's always like this, pull out the gold card and everyone looks at you differently. What a pain in the posterior. I'm just glad Honda doesn't know the meaning to this thing, I'd hate for him to treat me differently."

After finishing paying, Jordan and Honda walked outside and Jordan said "Well, where to now?"

(No really, where to now? I forgot which thread you said.)

[Shiki Hiiragi]

Fuck.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

What the hell did he get himself into? That was all that Shiki Hiiragi thought as he walked into town with Berserker following closely behind. Just a couple of hours ago, he contract with a woman in armor, and now? In just those couple of hours, he found out (or at least got the basic idea), that he was in a war held between magi who summon "Servants" from different legends and parts of history. What did he get himself into? Truly?

He had no idea which hero is which, and how to counter them...
Okay, that's a lie, he knows the really famous ones, and some Japanese people...

Thinking about it now, if he were to meet someone from history...like Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune, Sasaki Kojiro, Honda Tadakatsu, Miyamoto Musashi, Saito Musashibo Benkei...

He shudders to think about what were to happen...

Looking behind him, he eyed the woman behind him. The red-hair introduced herself as Berserker, and her identity was of the Russian hero Ilya Muromets...

She should be an excellent fighter...at least, that's what Shiki hoped...

She was dressed in his clothing, which consisted of a black zip-up hoodie, jeans that were a little large for her legs, a white t-shirt, and flip-flops for the hot weather. He had her change out of her armor to change into that (it vanished on her, and Shiki...well...). He couldn't dissuade her from taking her swords in public though, so he provided a strap, and she walked behind him, her long red hair in a pony tail, two swords sheathed and held over her shoulder by a strap like one would carry a bag, and chewing a stick of bubble gum while blowing the bubble (something she was quite good at).

...Yeah, he needed to buy her clothes. Thankfully, he had some money to spare...

And so he entered a women's clothing store on the opposite side of the street from the men's...

[Ilya Muromets]

Amongst the average citizens there was a woman of a larger build, standing out like a tower amongst cottages. Her red hair held back resistantly by a rubber band, and casual shorts and T-shirt. This was Ilya, and she followed the "Loser With White Hair" in front of her, this was her name for Shiki who physically appeared average, but mentally was dealing with a super-size load of BS. Well it wasn't BS, it was what was going on right now, with servants and wars and magic. Still, to the average person it greatly resembled garbage out of a child's mind, the very stuff you put your child in pre-school to avoid. Though, when such things are reality you know, like when Ilya was equipped with armor and a flashy summoning circle appeared around her. That would likely even convince the most up-tight skeptic that everything wasn't smoke and mirrors.

Surprisingly, one could say it was an average day normally for people, but to Ilya it felt mysterious and dream-like. She was more used to snow, and more snow, instead of bustling areas full of tall buildings. It rather reminded her of Kiev, except the un-ignorable differences. Ilya would have liked for this to resemble were she was from, so she held onto the fact both places had many people. So, as she walked down wearing a "hoodie" and chewing some delicious sugary thing her master called "gum", the extremely old-fashioned woman walked down the modern streets of today.

Thankfully she didn't stumble like a dinosaur trying to makes it's way down a narrow sidewalk, she was a warrior. The amount of stares she received already wasn't acceptable. She couldn't have acted like anything phased her in Mother Rus' so she couldn't here however. Still, Ilya carried her swords, just like she would in Rus'. Eventually the two's walk ended in front of a building slightly smaller then the others. Manikins stood in the front with accessories and metro clothing, Ilya wasn't sure what to think of it as she walked in the modern establishment. Already a tad nervous, Ilya wasn't extremely aware of everything around her.

"This is the destination? Let's get this done quickly then please." Ilya said simply, showing none of the nervous energy she felt.

[Honda Tadakatsu]

As Jordan stood at the register, Honda took the chance to survey the surroundings. He was not familiar with Western culture, except for bits and pieces he overheard from the lord of Oda, who was into such things. He wondered how much this place has changed over the course of those centuries that paased after his death. Maybe, this European city had already looked this way, a forest of glass and metal, even before his birth. "Or, he thought, "maybe his own town now looks like this, too." It was a somewhat unpleasant thought. Honda Tadakatsu liked his town. He visited it from time to time even during his service under lord Tokugawa, and every time he managed to note every change, every missing building and every new one... If he were to visit now, would there be anything left from his memories? Looking outside, he doubted it.

Honda noted his reflection in the window of the store. A pair of eyes the color of the sun looked back at him. That made him scowl a bit. His eyes have always made him stand out; women often said that his were eyes that could melt hearts if one were to stare into them for too long. Was it really so?

...

An intense red flashed before him, painting the pure gold with worry. There was another Servant right before him, just across the street. It was barely within the range of his senses but looking straight at the person in question, there was no mistaking it for anything else. The figure was tall, with long hair of an intense shade of red gathered into a ponytail. Honda could not see the Servant's face at this angle but he noted the two swords the red-hair carried over the shoulder.

"Servant Saber...", Honda muttered under his breath. This could lead to trouble... although, starting a fight in the midst of a crowded area during daytime... no Servant should be that stupid. Then again, legendary heroes, his lord, Tokugawa Ieyasu, aside, didn't become legends because of their incredible patience.

"Well, where to now?", Jordan's voice disrupted Tadakatsu's thoughts.

"This one is interested in visiting that store across the street. He noticed a potential acquaintance of his entering there a few minutes ago."


---
Hiiragi, Ilya, feel free to shop in the next posts. Tell us when we can intrude on you.

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

"This one is interested in visiting that store across the street. He noticed a potential acquaintance of his entering there a few minutes ago."

"Honda...." Jordan started trying to find the right words to use. "That's a women's clothing store. There are no clothing articles for you to wear in that store, no matter how much of a pretty boy you are. And besides, I just spent time trying find you good clothing to wear. If you wanted to cross-dress you should have said that before I got these clothes." Suddenly, Jordan figured out what Honda meant when he said acquaintance.

"Oh, you mean another Heroic Spirit. Okay, how do you thing we should go about this fight. I don't know if the person fighting alongside the spirit is evil or not and more importantly, we don't know what the Heroic Spirit can do. I figure we can sneak around and maybe look in the window to she the Heroic Spirit or hide on the roof of the women's clothing store and wait until they come out. If we get desperate I can go it and act like I'm getting a "special gift" for a special lady." Jordan thought to Honda as he looked at the store trying to see if any of the patrons stood out.

Excuse me sir? Is there something you want for our sister store? We have many gifts in that store for the lady in your life. I'm sure that you would be able to find something there for her if you took a look.

"Huh?" Jordan said with a start. "Umm, I was just looking around and I noticed how nice the store looks. But I'll take your suggestions to heart miss." Turning to Lancer, Jordan said. "Okay Lance, let's go look around the city some more." Thinking to Honda he also said "And by that I mean, let's check out that team."

The two went outside and pretended to walk to the next block, but then quickly ran to the backside of the women's store.

[Shiki Hiiragi]

Shiki looked like he was going to step into the store, but he decided against it, and sat on the steps. He took the swords out of Berserker's hands, and sat down on the steps in front of the store.

"Can't bring them in here, er, Kerrie. So, I will hold onto them and wait out here while you just look and get some clothing. Let me know when you pick them out."

"Kerrie" was a name he just thought up on the spot, but she told him to refer to her as Berserker, and saying Berserker in public seems a little weird. So, Kerrie will do fine. For now, at least.

As he watched her walk inside, he held the two swords against him and sat down on the steps, watching the steps. He eyed two guys, a tall black guy and a blonde man about the same size walk away from the men's store on the other side of the street.

Bored, Shiki laid against the wall, the straps of the weapons held loosely in his hand, and he eyed the people walking by. To everyone else, he looked like a lonely kid shopping with his older sister. A couple of girls took pictures, probably because they never laid eyes on a Japanese tourist, let alone one who was pretty. Most male were cool or handsome. Shiki was pretty. It pisses him off sometimes.

And he heard some shuffling from the back...

[]Muromets will post, then feel free to come in guys[]

[Ilya Muromets]

Ilya looked at her master like he was an eighty year old asking her to get into his van. She would really prefer to be called Berserker, or by her last name. Or at least something more official. She walked into the store anyway, and even in the more silent store she felt unnerved. It was like when she was outside, but why would she feel the same in here? It must have been that presence. The one that seemed to be floating around, but for what reason? Sadly that was another mission, her current mission would get all her attention.

Her mission to buy clothes.

She surveyed the store, moving along to the right wall and looking at the various racks of clothing and things on display. Soon Ilya dived into a rack full of tops and skirts. She pulled a poka-dot pink skirt and dark grey and blue shirt. She guessed these two things would do? She never had been conserned about clothes but more so with armor.
"This is sad," Said a store clerk who watched Ilya as she leaned against the wall of the back of the store. She walked up to Ilya, asking very nicely if she could help with anything. "Any questions? Need to know what's new and hot?"
"Ah yes,"

Thanks to the clerks help Ilya avoided buying mismatched combos and more in stuff. That was way more high priced, but stylish none the less. To her it was well worth the money, then again she wasn't very familiar with the currency. She was officialy done it seemed, after telling the clerk to hold on for a minute Ilya went outside to meet Shiki. Sadly Ilya scared off quite a few of his "fans" as she glanced at them suspicously. There was likely another Servant by, but her Master was close by. If anything were to happen she had her swords, and the Master had his··· alright she had no idea what his talents where.

"Done, here, give me the swords," Ilya said, well more liked ordered Shiki.

[Honda Tadakatsu]

Honda moved across the street in a casual pace, holding back the scowl that was forcing its way onto his face from all the stares. It seemed like he was attracting even more attention than when wearing Jordan's oversized clothes. The Servant's thoughts were elsewhere now, though, so he could not spare attention to the nuisances surrounding him. Now that they neared the place, he sensed the presence of another Servant much more clearly. At the entrance of the store in question stood a boy holding a pair of obviously phantasmal swords... strange. Why was it a boy? Honda was quite sure he saw a broad-shouldered redheaded Saber earlier, and he judged his Master to be female from the nature of the store he entered...

As a tall, redheaded figure wearing obviously female clothes and juggling obviously female assets left the store Honda all but swallowed a groan. He stopped in his tracks for a moment, and this time a scowl finally made its way to his face. Honda has met two Servants thus far. And both of them were women. The first one was a gun user so that seemed plausible, at least. He would not be surprised to find out that Caster was a woman - they were all witches so of course at least some of them would ascend to the Throne. But... Saber? If even the representative of that class was female, maybe all Servants were? But if so, why was he summoned looking 25 instead of 13? He would fit right into this sabbat of witches with his effeminate appearance.

...However, there seem to be different kinds of women in this world. The designated Saber glared around, scaring away excited onlookers. That caused Honda to give out a mental sigh, 'If this one were to try that, it would only excite the ones watching him further. The world is unfair.' The redhead then proceeded to speak to her Master in a stern, dry tone. Her demeanor was that of a Berserker than a Saber and certainly befitting of her hair color. That was... somewhat refreshing. An onna bugeisha, something Honda had only heard of in legends and never believed to exist in reality. Well, he was now a legend himself so such impossible existences were now his reality... right? A female warrior remained an unusual sight, though.

Frankly, Honda had the urge to just stay back and let Jordan do the talking; even if Saber wasn't a typical woman she was a woman nonetheless. On the other hand, it was Honda who had urged his Master to investigate the pair so the thought of pushing the responsibility of negotiations onto him had "guilt" written all over it. So resigning himself to the unfolding events, Honda quickly caught up to his Master and bowed to the alert amazon courtly,

"Greetings, dear enemy."

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

"Okay Honda here's the plan. You know I don't wanna kill anyone but am prepared for it. So I'll try and chat with the pair, maybe convince the guy to either quit the war or meet us somewhere else to fight. I figure that I might be able to take him in a fight, but like you said I can't fight a Heroic Spirit hand to hand so if she starts anything or tries to sneak attack one of us, you use that patented Heroic Spirit Super Strength and pull me back from her attack. Okay?" Then with a joking tone Jordan thought "Either that or you could just flirt with her. Your man pretty-ness could be of some use in this situation."

After giving those ideas, Jordan moved slightly closer to the pair and said "Hello, how are you doing this fine day my lady? I'm glad I was able to locate you. After all we have a lot to talk about, don't we? I feel as though a cafe would have been a better place, but if you and your..... little brother wouldn't mind coming with us, we can chat to our heart's content. I believe it would be all of our best interests to have our little talk somewhere else when our business is of such a personal matter to the four of us. Don't you agree miss?"

Smiling stepped back and said to the few people around. "While I'm sure that the young man is happy being around you, we sadly must talk to them. Maybe you could meet up with him later?"

[Shiki Hiiragi]

As soon as Berserker, ahem, "Karrie", stepped out of the building, Shiki gave her back her swords, payed for the clothes (it was a surprisingly good deal), and as soon as he stepped out, he was just about to open his mouth to be telling the next place they should head off to, when a blonde guy and a black guy just came over, and greeted them.

The first one Shiki took note of was that of the blonde guy.

The wheel of mind is turning in Shiki's head, as "Rebel One!" played out somewhere, causing some spectators to look elsewhere. The man greeted him as an enemy. He seemed unnaturally strong. Shiki doesn't recognize him. But Berserker told him that Servants could sense other Servants.

Therefore, the man in front of him has to be a Servant. A Servant, who came with his Master, to do the exact same thing Shiki did with his own Servant.

Then he registered the words of the black guy.

The wheel of mind is turning in Shiki's head, as "Rebel Two!" was shouted in some distance away, and people looked even further away from the four standing in front of the women clothing store.

The black guy made it seem like that he knew Berserker, as to lure them away. He probably wants to deal with this privately. Berserker did mention that the war was secret, so Shiki is probably dealing with a magi here, the Master of the blonde Servant.

Now, Shiki began to consider his situation.

The wheel of mind is turning in Shiki's head, as "Rebel Three!" was shouted, and people in the streets began to scream in frustration. Berserker, now that she has her swords again, might be able to deal with the Servant. Of course, Shiki can't tell what his class is.

But they can't fight here, that much was obvious. Upon observing the Master of the blonde Servant, Shiki took note of his build. Perhaps this guy also fought on physical terms? Then maybe they can settle it with a man's true fight, a fight dealt with fists. Shiki doesn't want to run the risk of having Berserker outmatched so early, especially if the blonde Servant was that powerful.

So. He responded promptly, and quite smoothly, before Berserker could make a response..

"Haha, we were waiting for you guys. Onee-chan here was waiting for you guys, but you know, we had to go shopping. A cafe, you say? Lead the way. We can talk our situation over there."

Hopefully his words were vague enough to the gathering crowd. And hopefully, his words were specific enough to Berserker that he didn't want to risk a fight on this street or anywhere today, for that matter. Oh yes. He didn't want any Servant fighting. If anyone was going to be swinging fists today, it's Shiki Hiiragi. No matter how emo most people think he is, he lives a life of that of a true man. When challenged to a fight, he will beat down his opponent and force his adversary to make him a sandwich.

Such was his life.

[]Obviously, the outside voice is fluff. No need to react to it if you do not wish to.[]

[Ilya Muromets]

Ilya knew she was just about to be confronted by a servant, but with a small whip of her blade she trusted she wouldn't have to many issues. It had been an unbelievable amount of years since she had really fought. Yet she still looked... young. Her skin didn't show her years of combat. Hopefully, like her scars, her skills hadn't disappeared as well. She assumed, because she had her sword, she'd still have her skills. Sadly she never got a chance to test them out because her first master was sliced down within a few minutes of her summoning. Seeing someone die wasn't the best way to start out a journey like this either.

"Greetings, dear enemy."

Ilya's gaze looked over the blond quickly. He was very, effeminate. Ilya was slightly dazed as her mind quickly compared him to the men she saw in her country. Who at least looked more warrior-esque. However, under estimating an opponent was a crucial mistake! Ilya could never have such an error. After all, many things in this world had changed. Everything up to this point had been strange, so it was perfectly possible that such a girly looking opponent was strong.

Yes.
Perfectly possible.

"Salutations." She replied while standing strongly near her master. Eyes glancing at the black man who followed behind the blond servant. Now he looked like a fighter, but he was the blond's master. Would her own master be forced to fight? At least he'd stand more of a chance against a master, instead of a servant.

Ilya was relieved her master seemed to know that they should follow the Master and Servant to a more private area, but his nicknames where starting to get confusing. "Onee-?" She began to ask awkwardly, but dropped it as this wasn't the time to discuss nicknames. "Yes, yes.” Ilya spoke quickly after regaining her composure. ”Let us continue this conversation somewhere else please. I'm sure it'd be better for all of us." Ilya was not particularly hostile, but certainly alert. She was a seasoned fighter, and was trying to read her opponents.

[Honda Tadakatsu]

Honda attentively watched the redhair while his Master spoke. Even if she showed no hostility, she did have two swords on her. If she attacked him, she would have trouble with the law. But if he defended, he would have trouble with the Church, for materializing his weapon in front of several uninitiated bystanders in broad daylight would undoubtedly break the secrecy clause... or maybe that kind of thing is an everyday occurance in this day and age? Which would be a greater disadvantage remained unanswered as for the moment - it depended both on the Master's attitude and his methods, and Honda knew that the limitations on mobility imposed by a prison cell would be a rather grave disadvantage to Jordan and him, not to mention the issues his Master would face after the end of this war. However, the other party could already be outlaws, for example. As such, the possibility of an attack remained.

Aside from the logical assumptions and deduction, a slight tension could be felt from the other Servant. However, it wasn't the presense of an enemy that intimidated her - an obvious threat is not a threat to be feared but, rather, something you face with all your might. If anything, it seemed that miss Designated Saber was simply uncomfortable with the crowded town center. And recalling the number of enchanted stares he had received thus far, Honda Tadakatsu could strongly relate to that feeling. Furthermore, not only was the attention a nuisance but it was far easier for an Assassin to sneak up close in such circumstances - an unknown threat that could strike without any prior warning was something to be alert of.

As such, the Lancer felt relieved upon hearing the suggestion to switch locations, and twice as relieved to hear the silver-haired Master agreement.

"Haha, we were waiting for you guys. Onee-chan here was waiting for you guys, but you know, we had to go shopping. A cafe, you say? Lead the way. We can talk our situation over there."

Rather suddenly, Honda Tadakatsu's thoughts (and his survailance of the foe before him) were disrupted by... the sounds of homeland. He would not realize this by the accent alone but when a word so familiar left the boy's lips, there was no mistaking a native Japanese speaker anymore. Honda's eyes shifted away from the red-haired Servant, taking the briefest of moments to capture his facial features in greater detail - yes, despite the unusual hair color, the Master in question was a genuine Japanese. Returning his gaze to the female warrior, Honda was surprised to see that she turned her eyes towards the boy as well, baffled by his words, apparently. Would she disagree with the suggestion?

”Let us continue this conversation somewhere else please. I'm sure it'd be better for all of us."

Apparently not. There was no apparent animosity in her voice, which by itself was already a good enough sign. Honda bowed slightly, his eyes fixed on the silver-haired boy this time around.

"This one is pleased with the young lord's decision."

These words were spoken in humbly polite Japanese, clearly announcing the speaker's country of origin and his status of a samurai (for those who knew the nuances of formal speech of the Sengoku period, that is). It was unnecessary, and maybe even foolish - Honda could not even be sure if the boy would understand his archaic speech. Still, finally being able to speak his native language, and maybe even ask about his native land, was enough of a boon to tolerate the presence of a single woman... maybe... temporarily.

"Jordan, the negotiations are up to you. Frankly, despite appearances, or, rather, because of his appearance, this one is... not really fond of women. Several of his dealings with them in life are... not among his most pleasant memories. So the decision is yours. If you choose to fight them, this one will step in. And if you wish to cooperate, he will comply."

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

"Well then follow me if you don't mind. I saw a nice looking cafe near here." Saying this, Jordan started to walk off the the cafe he had noticed on the way to the clothing store. "Hey Lancer, can you watch my back. I'm going to try and team up with them so that we can hopefully avoid killing people for now. However, I'm going to try and see if I can find out why this guy wants the grail. If he wants it for an evil reason, then you have my permission to break off negotiations and fight the lady okay? Though from the looks of this guy, we may not have to worry about that, he looks a bit......too unhappy to want to destroy the world."

Taking a look at the master/servant pair, Jordan started to think to himself. "Okay, the kid is Japanese and his partner is not. But not all Heroic Servants are Japanese, like that other woman. Whoever she was, there's no way she was Asian." Shaking his head Jordan then thought "But what does that have to do with anything?!" Sighing to himself Jordan thought "Man, I was hoping that the first group I met would be two major hotties and not just one hottie and her depressed "little brother" partner. And even now the red head looks like she not the......'adventurous' type.....or my type for that matter. She just looks like she want to cleave all of our heads off, even her partner's."

Speaking to Shiki, Jordan said "Hey kiddo, I was just wondering something. This is just a hypothetical question, but if you could have one wish, what would it be? I ask this because I believe it's a good way to to get to know someone. And after all, when you meet those who are tourists like you, people tend to want strike up quick friendships with people they do stuff with."

Turning his head and smiling kindly Jordan added "Right?"

[Shiki Hiiragi]

Shiki took in the question that the black man threw at him right now. What did he want with the grail? In all honesty, he only found out about the grail a couple of hours ago. For such a wish, that isn't something one could think about in a matter of hours. A hundred and twenty minutes just isn't enough time to decide what one would want to do with such power. But the wish. It was something he wanted. even if he could act lively, he was never really happy. He truly hated himself, his world, what he is.

...Then the choice was obvious.

"I suppose at this point, my only goal is to help my Servant win the war. I only ended up here because I agreed to help. Ha, who am I kidding? I can take any request and be okay with it. I really don't have any huge wish for my life. I don't desire the world, nor its riches, nor its people. In all honesty, any emotion I really have that's special to the boy named Shiki Hiiragi is just hate. I hate my life. I hate myself. You might ask me why, and I can tell you a long sob story, and you might understand. But I don't see anything in this life for myself to do, really. If I were to get the grail, after I complete my original goal, I suppose I will make myself disappear. Make myself non-existent. Yeah, to not exist...sounds good to me."

Shrugging, Shiki gave a small smile to Jordan. The blonde Servant spoke in a rather strange dialect earlier, now that Shiki thought about it. He can ask the Servant about his descent, but it definitely sounded Japanese. That is, if the servant was willing to reveal such information.

"And yeah, people do tend to like to strike up these friendships during trips. We're stuck in the same war, anyways. Thinking about it now, I only introduced myself earlier. Who are you, and what do you wish for with the grail?"

[Ilya Muromets]

Ilya stuck close to her master as the others spoke. Keeping her anominity during the meeting. She began to stare harshly at her master as he spoke about what he would do with the holy grail. Ilya had already dealt with one master dying, and now her new master wants to disappear? She wouldn't let him disappear unless it was guaranteed she'd get a new master, but if they have the holy grail there would be no need. Ilya would have proved her strength in the war and then she would.. retire.

Yes, retire somewhere near a lake in the middle of nowhere running a training camp. Learning how to make swords, and she would get a dog. Dogs are the best, she could easily have five of them. They've always been friendly around her too, sometimes wolves would just pass by and they weren't even hostile at all. She wondered if she could own a wolf.

Not like that was important now, it seemed like her and Shiki where far from getting the grail, and when that happened he would just wish to disappear. At least he didn't want to do something like become a god or destroy the world. That would be problematic. If the intentions of the other team were bad, then Ilya supposed she would have to destroy them. A battle may be impossible to avoid.

Silently Ilya got closer to Shiki and whispered quickly to him, "Don't be so willing to strike up a friendship. May lead to your and my demise. We still don't know if they're going to attack or not and what they even want to do with the holy grail. Keep your distance." Ilya was never a very trusting person, and wasn't about to relax around the servant. This had been the first servant she had been able to talk to though. The previous servant she had seen was to busy stabbing her old master to strike up a conversation. Which was a shame, she would have liked to ask him some things...

...and stab him.

No worries though, there was a new blond servant to stab. Not that Ilya would just outright attack, the ability to negotiate is just as useful as the ability to fight. Ilya wanted to hear what they had to say, a partnership would be more beneficial then a rivalry.

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

(Posting because Honda's player said I could)

After hearing the young man talked Jordan was stunned. How could a kid care so little for life that he'd be willing to risk it in a war just to not exist again? What sense does that make? Jordan knew that he couldn't let this go, it felt too familiar to just ignore.

Putting a bit more force into the last two words as he spoke.
"Okay that's it. You kid, are pal-ing around with me for now. I'm gonna show you that life's worth living and that you should continue to do so. I don't know why you feel the way you do, but it's no way to live, trust me."

Smiling, Jordan continued "Besides, how can you be unhappy hanging around such a cutie? Look at me, I'm teamed up with Mr. Pretty Boy Model. You know know how much that's going to interfere with my harmless flirting? Lots, good sir. Lots."

"And anyway, if you don't want the wish for youself, you could help me get it. I just want to be able to bend reality to my whims without fear of negative backlash to help my flirting game. Think about it, you meet a cutie who likes flowers, so you reach behind your back and pull out a blue rose for nowhere and give it to her while comparing her beauty to it in the best ways. Suddenly you're a okay guy to talk to. If your lucky, you get the good night kiss at the end of a great date."

"Not to mention all the people that are like the two of us, people dragged into a war you had no clue about and sadly cut down in the prime of thier lives even though I hope that doesn't happen to either of us. If I could make reality my Jeeves, I could just retcon their deaths away like Marvel does everytime Jean Grey bites it. Not to mention as a bonus, grant some of those non-evil wishes some people in this war no doubt have. Geting your good wishes and not having to kill people in the process is what sounds good to me my young tourist friend. What do you think?"

[Shiki Hiiragi]

After nodding to Berserker's advice and listening to Jordan's words, Shiki smiled sadly. His words were addressed to Jordan, but he also answered his Servant's doubts as well.

"It's a little different from what you think. I don't live and risk my life because I don't want to live anymore. I live and risk my life because I don't want to exist anymore. Wiped clean. Nothing remained. I want it so that the next morning, people will wake up not knowing that I existed, because I never did. You could say that it's a wish that contradicts everything in the world, because it is. It's so fundamentally flawed it's unbelievable. But it's a thought that brings me a satisfied feeling, as opposed to anything else. But, you bring up a good point. If you could make reality bend to your whim, you can easily grant my wish. And who knows? The nature of my wish will probably change in the future, don't you agree?"

With that, Shiki walked forward a little forward, his back to Jordan.

"Also, you're correct. A wish like bending reality to your whims, you can easily reverse all casualties in this war, and in the end, you can even make it so that this war never happened. After all, if the two of us were forced into it, who's to say that there isn't any more Masters who just ended up in this war by chance? They have no reason to die if they just ended up here because of a twisted thing like fate."

Turning to Jordan, Shiki continued that sad smile of his.

"My Servant is hesitant on striking up an alliance, but I will believe that the goal you stated is the goal you want. Hell, we may all have our wishes that way. I'm willing to set up a compromise between your request and my Servant's request. We can call a truce between the two of us, and set up an alliance, so that we can combat other participants in the future as a team. However, this will not be a formal alliance, and in the case that we must fight for sure, we will fight. In the case that this fight is for the grail, I may concede, but this might change if the nature of my wish changes. However, I don't expect the fundamental concept of my nature to change too quickly, but you never know, right? Is this fine with you, sir?"

[Jordan Percival Gallagher]

(Since Ilya and Honda are skipping their post turn....)

Jordan looked at Shiki and after sighing lightly said "OK you've got yourself a deal kiddo. The name's Jordan Gallagher, nice to meet you. I'll try my hardest to both win the grail and help you want to exist again. And.....since we're partners if I happen to win between the two of us and you still want to not exist again, then I'll do that for you. If you win then you can wish for whatever after all. Also I'll help my bro and your cutie partner with whatever they want as well. I'll assume that the winning Heroic Spirit would get something as well."

Rubbing the back of his neck "This won't be easy, even though thanks to my partner, I know not everyone has the same noble intentions we do. I can't figure if we would be better off going to them of having them come to us for battle. I figure we want to stay away from large groups of people so they don't get caught in the crossfire and whatnot. Also there have been some monsters running around, so we need to be careful of them as well. Not that I wouldn't mind seeing the doctor again, but she might end up thinking I'm some sort of creep or something."

"Hmmm, I wonder if there is anything else we don't know. Like are there any rules and crap like that. Stuff like no battling after midnight, don't get the enemy wet. That sort of junk." Thinking to Honda, Jordan said "I hope you're okay with this Lancer. I know you've got that no ladies thing going on so I hope you can work with.......whatever her name is so we can both win and get what we both want. Hey, what do you want anyway? I don't think you ever said."

[Shiki Hiiragi]

Shiki shrugged, but his grin shifted from sad to amused.

"Very well, you got yourself a deal. But regardless, I think it might be best to work together as of now, and than work separately. Also, you mentioned monsters...? I have yet to meet one, but I have an idea that this already abnormal war just got that much more abnormal."

Yawning, Shiki stretched his arm upwards and then used one of them to pull his head to the side, popping his neck. Stretching his arms by puling one across his chest and stretching, Shiki continued to talk with a lightly relaxed expression.

"Anyways, we can work together when we need to, since we can assume that there will obviously be a greater number of Masters and Servants in the beginning of the war than at the end of the war, and it will be all too strange for that number to increase rather than decrease in the near future. I also think it's safe to assume that other Masters, despite their lack of noble intentions, or maybe it might be because of their lack of noble intentions...regardless, whatever motive a Master has to enter this war, we can assume that they will team up like we do. Not every single Master, but it's definitely safe to assume a few of them at least."

Finishing up his stretch, Shiki took his phone, an older model, but still workable in this country, and pulled out his number onto the screen. Holding it up for Jordan to read...

"There's my number. Contact me when I'm needed, or where to meet. My Servant and I will meet you guys there, and if we're late, you can assume we were attacked and are currently in combat, a possibility we should prepare for."

OOC: Being a mage, would Jordan even use phones? LOL Moving on to gambling thread. :3

[Honda Tadakatsu]

The Lancer watched his Master's back, as ordered. It was broad. Even considering its owner's height it was an extraordinary, tight and powerful mountain of muscles. Okay, that may be an exagerration, and Honda might have seen even more impressive physiques in his lifetime but that did not change the fact that Jordan was far from the image of a typical magic user that the warrior had in his head. An elderly, wise monk, or a tender looking yet unexpectedly strong willed (and strong-armed, for that matter) miko, a stuck-up onmyouji wearing multi-layered kimonos, Hattori Hanzo... for Hanzo could only be described by that method... those kind of people were what the word "magus" was associated with in Honda's mind. Compared to those, the young, dark-skinned man's back looked... so beautiful reliable. A small smile appeared on Lancer's lips as his gaze trailed lower, away from Jordan's wide shoulders...

*sigh* That order was redundant. The boy's safety was of highest priority at all times. That was the reason for Honda being there, after all. Well, that issue aside, a Master with a deathwish? A slight frown appeared on Honda's face at that notion. That was not what one would call a reliable partner. If he goes over the edge and turns suicidal, he may not only endanger himself but throw his allies in peril as well. Yet that only gave Jordan a resolute intent to help the depressed kid. The frown became slightly deeper, yet the Servant remained silent. His concerns are of no matter, and his Master's decision was based on morality more than logic. He could not fight that.

His Master's wish was... surprisingly ambitious. Omnipotence... the World was not fond of such liabilities. Something surged inside Honda for a moment... if Jordan were to get his wish, this Heroic Spirit would likely not be able to protect him anymore. They needed to talk about that later... yet he was not sure on what to say, exactly. He wasn't clear on the workings of the Counter-Force; if anything, he felt it would be more natural for him to go up against it. This topic required more thought. Hmm... another talk with the witch from before may be worthwhile.

"I hope you're okay with this Lancer. I know you've got that no ladies thing going on so I hope you can work with.......whatever her name is so we can both win and get what we both want. Hey, what do you want anyway? I don't think you ever said."

Dispelling the dark and troubled expression from his face, Honda sent his reply over the link,

"...It is true that I have my concerns, Jordan. But they do not stand in the way of forming a partnership. Working with a woman should not pose a problem, as long as it only goes as far as fighting. ...As for my wish, ensuring your safety until the very end is my highest priority. That has been my role from the start."