June 14th 9:00 PM, Andrew's room in Shinto.
Archer materializes in front of a startled Andrew, causing the book he was reading to go flying across the room. "Ah, my apologies Master. It was not my intention to surprise you."
Andrew chuckles in relief that it is Archer that has appeared before him, and not an unwelcome visitor while he crosses the room to retrieve his novel. "You can call me Andrew, or Whitey if you want. I imagine you aren't particularly accustomed to calling another man Master."
"Then you imagine wrong Andrew, even though I was royalty my brother was my king and I his subject."
That rebuttal caused Andrew's face to form the features of a man in contemplation. "Hmm... well it'd probably suit me better if this relationship was one founded in mutual respect rather than that of a master and servant in more than just name."
"On that we can agree" said Archer with a wide grin across his face. "I was renowned as both the most powerful warrior and the smartest general of my people, wherever I marched cities fell and even my king knew better than to override my decisions on the battlefield, so it would sit poorly with me to have a disrespectful master."
"Now welcome back Archer, how did you find the modern world?" Asks Andrew in a curious voice.
Archer responds with "If I'm honest the world really hasn't changed that much in my absence. The technology's improved, and there's more of just about everything, people, noise, but the people themselves haven't changed. Everyone is still focused on themselves, living out their daily lives with no idea of what is about to happen."
"That's surprisingly observant of you, coming from a warrior" said Andrew, genuinely astonished.
"Hah, perhaps that's because I'm much more than just a simple warrior" Archer replied. "Though it is true that I never sat on the throne of Hastinapura, I was still a leader of men, not to mention a scholar and philosopher in my spare time."
At those words Andrew fell silent. "What is it Andrew?" Archer asks. "Have I failed to impress?"
"No, you are every bit as impressive as your name warrants Arjuna, 3rd prince of Hastinapura and general of her armies, more even, and that is the reason I did not speak. Your words stunned me into silence" Andrew answers with a smile. "Still, I think it's about time you ate don't you? There's some leftover food on a plate in the fridge." At those words Archer moved in a rush to the kitchen, he had not said anything but was secretly starving.
"While you eat I think it's about time we discuss our plan of action" says Andrew, all traces of the prior light conversation leaving him. "Is it safe to assume that you are the strongest servant summoned here in this war?"
"I think so" replies Archer "I am of the very highest class of servant. There are not many that could defeat me easily" he said with pride. "However, even the strongest servant may fall if the circumstances are against him."
"Even so" says Andrew "I think it's far more likely for me to be defeated before you are, don't you agree?"
"I do not. If you fall before I myself do then I have failed you in my most fundamental duty as your servant, and I can assure you that will not happen" states Archer with passion.
Andrew retorts "and what of the Assassin class servant? What if he were to find me while you are busy fighting?"
Archer answers with "then surely you will use a command seal to summon me to your side. Assassin will be vanquished at the cost of that command seal."
"And if he escapes? What if this happens multiple times?"
At that it is Arjuna's turn to fall silent with his eyes closed. After a moment of consideration he opens them again and says "you will probably die."
Andrew breaths a sigh of relief and says "good, you are not the sort to consider yourself infallible. You really are a most agreeable servant for me you know that?"
"I am glad you think so" Archer replies happily "and I think I know where you're going with this scenario of yours too. You believe Assassin to be the greatest threat to our attempt at the Holy Grail and are interested to have my opinion."
Andrew lifts his eyebrows, once again impressed by his servant, "and?"
"I believe you are right. Without knowledge of the other servants Assassin should be our top priority. Once we know more about the others, other threats may or may not present themselves."
Archer continues "then, do you have anywhere to start looking?"
"A few leads, but not many" replies his master. "I've been monitoring the movement of mages into and out of this country for a while now and something very interesting happened about a week ago. A plane was destroyed in mid flight, it was carrying 3 mages, one of them a confirmed master. In reality I shouldn't even know of her existence, but having connections in the Mages Association comes in handy every now and then."
"You think these 3 mages are all masters?" Arjuna asks.
"It's possible, likely even" states Andrew "here are pictures of two of them, they are Vincent LeRoi and Siegfried Einar. The third one I don't have a picture of, it was difficult to even get a name and well, I don't really even have that. Patient 0, a confirmed master."
Archer halts Andrew for a second "Was there anyone else of note on this plane?"
Andrew thinks for a moment and says "only the supervisor of the war, one Father Aaron. Regardless, I don't know where any of them are now."
"I see" says Archer "well I think that's enough for one night. We target Assassin with the aim of killing him as quickly as possible."
At that Andrew looks as if he's just realized something "Assassin will not be an easy target to find, do you have any suggestions as to how we go about doing so?"
Archer smiles a knowing smile "Assassin is the type of servant well suited for gathering information. I think we should give them a show of my power, they're sure to come running at that. Hopefully the master will subsequently see you as a threat and order Assassin to find you. That's when we set a trap for them."
"Sounds good" says Andrew "yes, I think that'll work. For now spend the rest of the night scouting the city. Familiarize yourself with both halves and return here at midnight, I'll go out and do the same tomorrow morning. We'll begin the plan to find Assassin tomorrow night."
"You're not worried at being used as bait?" Archer asks.
Andrew responds in a serious tone "risk is a guarantee in this Holy Grail War, if it gives us a shot at removing Assassin then it's worth it."
As Archer is moving to leave he pauses, "oh, what is it you were reading?"
"This?" Replies Andrew holding up the book he had been reading prior to Archer's visit. At Archer's affirmative he says quite simply "the Mahabharata."
"HAH!" Laugh's Archer in total amusement "you're reading my story? I'll have to ask you what you think when you are done." With that, Archer leaves for the night.
