Image long picked, sifted much very much—even considered angel descending heavens. But hit 3 issues—for such trick need crane illusion-hidden, means 2 people on it and lower me. Could bypass constant clone-switching.
But 2nd issue—angels only Christianity—not popular here, won't trigger Japanese religious awe/submission. Minor problem, main 3rd: whatever image pick—taken for Servant! Seriously, don't exclude angel-like Servants exist—got some flashback.
Precisely 3rd real problem—what image take—not taken for Servant but inspire submission? God? Christian not taken seriously, local pantheon? Seen it?
Skip no somewhat adequate/positive chars, most tails/ears monsters/creepy. Look more Servant than plain human!
Considering Servant summon pearls—anything possible appears! Need impress! Show I'm definitely not Servant!
Tormented couple days even decided fuck it—kill all anyway! Slit Shirou/Rin throats asleep easy. Trouble Illya/Sakura bro, but not impossible—moments alone sans Servants—throat slash done. Wait 2 hours Servant weakens sans Master and finish, claim heart.
But recalled priest and somewhere nearby Gilgamesh... those I fear can't handle! Even forgetting priest Lancer Master too. Priest/Gilgamesh truly dread, no idea what do.
Means someone else handle them, alas won't bet canon follows and author impotence dumps Gilgamesh end. Don't believe. And all could go different!
Re-realizing scary truth cursed landing here—back to plan solving problems via others! Image still nothing, so eased "impress" requirement—no help. Issue: human image—still taken Master/Servant! Mad moment thought take Kiritsugu Emiya image!
But didn't know looks, though solvable—photo findable. But couldn't play convincingly, dead man appearing? Only as Servant defeats goal. Plus 1 Shirou Emiya might believe—fuck no. Same rejected Rin's dad image.
Finally concluded need show alienness to reality! Something shouldn't appear here! Utterly alien no history, definitely not Servant! Thought aliens—insufficiently alien, could take extinct magical race/monsters.
After long musings recalled seen/read image: humanoid figure of myriad stars/clusters! Alien? Alien! Look cosmic/grand/mysterious? Yes! Such being possible here? Pondered, but couldn't better so risked. Added business style: strict black suit.
Precisely that I took, sitting on fence. And sit realize not noticed. Mda, observation issues many—understood Lancer recent feeling literally meter away unnoticed. Unpleasant, but solution instant, so start slow clap draw attention.
Well, attention on me—Servants weapon me, OYASH pipes what held all time.
Rin takes initiative. "Who are you?! Servant?"
I play role, trying not show weapons tense. "Finally happened, 7th Servant summoned. Well, let's introduce. Name Tedd and I'm... hm, closest word your language—Administrator? Manager? Department Head? Mmm, just name, yes name. And no, not Servant."
Not giving questions, continue. Pretend scan them one by one starting OYASH. "Shirou Emiya—uneducated idealist. Artoria, girl tormented by past mistakes. Rin Tohsaka—girl living in lies/delusions. And you."
Here plan's trickiest, specially highlight Archer-Shirou, need divert questions elsewhere—plus he hides identity, reveal might earn trust. But unsure much, play words. "System slave... so how's taste saving humanity, eh Shirou Emiya?"
"What?" Rin and OYASH.
"Who are you?" Archer-Shirou tensed battle-ready.
"Oooo, told little Rin nothing? Hmf, me? Introduced sorta, hm right—"system slave" confused? You pompously call "Guardian of Balance," "World Keeper" etc." Twirl hand gesturing "that stuff." Though weakly sure exact names, hence this. "But barely reflects objective reality, see no understanding eyes, so straight—I'm one your bosses, decide where/who you kill."
"YOU!" Archer-Shirou weapons out tensed.
Felt his Overdrive activate. Khm overdid—if attacks show fails. "Rin order him lower weapons, much discuss ahead. Can't kill me, but force radical problem-solving won't please anyone."
"Archer, stand down." Rin ordered, immediately asked. "What about?"
"Hm, not heard of Counter Force?" And yes, read from her books. Much murky theory.
"Heard..." Rin withdrew inward.
"I heard of World Guardians, Heroes protecting people!" Artoria inserted opinion, eyeing me and Archer-Shirou oddly.
"Nuuu, not quite. I'd say very far from truth. All complicated/messy, but some you have idea what I mean?" Reading Rin books' nonsense bred more questions than answers.
Gaia/Alaya relations like War and Peace trilogy—easier smoke than grasp. Gaia—world soul, now amorphous/unconscious. Suddenly protects self from human destruction "ADDRESSED" other worlds, specifically other worlds' souls—help advice or whatever. Got mostly useless advice and SUDDENLY local moon helped friend shared vampire blueprints living there—True Ancestors born, vampire progenitors.
Hard take seriously written deadpan. Suppose believe other Sol System planets populated quasi-intelligent life. Unique life but life! Own world souls. Question: what True Ancestors—vampires/moon dwellers—feed on moon? Admit possible, but plot holes galore.
Little on Alaya—humanity's collective unconscious born/parted from Gaia, still linked balancing: protect Earth from destruction, don't let humanity destroyed—somehow. Somehow—other word for balancing extremes? Remembering Mother Earth not glad us periodically tries wipe, we do same her.
Waited Rin exit thoughts say "yes," Artoria weak nod positive. Archer-Shirou silence and...
"What happening here?" OYASH.
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: Granulan