Fate/Extra: Equestria

Week Two

The Knight of Treachery

The smell of apples and wheat filled the alicorn’s nose as it caused Twilight to slowly wake up. Upon waking up, she finds herself in a field of wheat as she begins to look around at what appeared to be an endless sea of wheat. With the exception of a few apple trees sticking out around the field.

“Another dream like before...but this one is different.” She thought while pulling herself up and began to look around the area. “Though, this seems to be better than the last dream I was in.”

“So you really are going through with it, aren’t you Twilight?” Twilight’s ears twitch upon hearing a southern voice as she turns around to see herself walking down a field with an orange-colored mare with a blonde colored mane wearing western cowgirl clothes. “And you can’t think of a way to fix what’s going on with you with magic?”

“It’s not that simple Applejack. Using magic to operate on my brain would require me to open my skull open while trying to ignore the pain from it.” Twilight said as the real Twilight took notice of the image of herself with the sclera of her eyes being black. “I’ve been trying to figure out a way to get this...sickness from out of my brain for the past few months. But due to an alicorn’s rapid regeneration, it would be impossible to do it by normal means.”

“And you can’t ask Celestia to help?”

“I did, and she said there was nothing she could do. Mainly because she doesn’t have the knowledge in the medical field, nor are there any tools or magic that can halt the regenerative healing process of an alicorn. Sure, there are cursed items that could do that. But the damage from it can’t be healed. So the surgical damage will be permanent, and it would end up making me sick or worse.” Twilight said as she staggered slightly as Applejack quickly caught her. “It’s been six months since this ailment affected me. And so far, it’s getting harder and harder to try and keep myself together. The lack of sleep isn’t making it any better either.”

“I thought we told you to get some sleep or at least try to relax?”

“...I can’t.”

“You can’t or you won’t?”

“I...I can’t go back to sleep. The nightmares...the voices...the images of ponies & humans getting brutally killed and murdered...I can’t go back and see them again. I-I just can’t.”

“Can’t Princess Luna do something about the nightmares? She is the ruler over the dreams of everypony, right?”

“She can, but she can’t keep them at bay for long. It’s most likely due to the ailment that I have, And remember, I’m not the only one who has nightmares in Equestria. Maybe not as worse then anypony else, but I can’t be selfish and ask Luna to do this for me every time the dream spell wears off. ” She said before pulling herself together. “Listen AJ, I know this plan is reckless and stupid on the level of Rainbow Dash. But I need you to do this for me.” The image said before handing Applejack a map and a purple glowing crystal. “Once you have the item, give it to Celestia asap. She’ll know what to do when the time comes.”

“...I get the feeling no matter what I say, you won’t change your mind about this?” Applejack asked as the image of Twilight shook her head to the country mare’s question. “...Alright. Anything I need to know before I get going?”

“Make sure you don’t tell the others about this. Knowing how they are, they’ll try to find other means to find a way to fix this sickness I have.”

“We are your friends Twilight. You know that we would do anything to help you, right?” Applejack said as the alicorn nodded. “So why don’t you let us help you with this problem.”

“Because sooner or later, my sanity will end up breaking. And I know my first targets will be you girls. Which is why I’ll be sealing them away with my magic. Only you will know the locations of them when I send you a letter.”

“But won’t you also know where they are as well?”

“Not for long. After I cast the forget me spell on myself, then I won’t know where they are.” She said before placing a hand on Applejack’s shoulder and smiled. There was a moment of silence between the two as Applejack noticed black color tears flowing down from her friend’s face as she tried her best to keep her smile upon her face. But she couldn’t keep it up for long as her smile turned into a frown and tears began to flow down her face more like a damn bursting with water. “I know this is asking a lot. And the girls might end up hating you for this, but you’re the only one that I can trust with this request. So I’m asking...no...begging. When the time comes, you don’t hold anything back when I’m no longer myself. I-I don't want to hurt or kill anypony, especially you girls.”

“....Alright. I’ll do it.” Applejack said, pulling the scarf around her neck and giving it to Twilight to clean her face off of the black gunk from her eyes and cheeks.

“Thank you, Applejack. This means a lot to me.” She said before handing it back to her, only for the farm pony to raise her hand to stop her.

“Keep it. I got a lot more where that came from.” The earth pony said before looking over the crystal, then back at Twilight. “How do I get this thing to work?”

“Squeeze the crystal and it will teleport you to where the item is located. Fair warning, you only have enough to get there and back. Teleport somewhere else and you’ll have to hoof it back.” Twilight said as the farm pony nodded and teleported off. Once she left, Twilight kneeled down to the ground with a hand to her head while panting a bit. “And so, my plan for death begins.” She said before looking up at the sky with a melancholy expression on her face. “Mother...Father...everyone. Please forgive me for what I’m about to do.”

“Is this what happened to me before coming to this war?” Twilight thought as she tried to take a step forward. “Was I...on the verge of becoming evil?” Just as she was about to take another step forward, she felt the ground underneath her instantly shatter as she began to fall down into the darkness below. She began to scream while flailing around in a frantic manner before her vision went dark.

[Day Two]
Morning

“Well isn't this a lovely sight to see.” My eyes shot open as I felt the side of my face pressed against something hard. With my vision clearing up a bit, I found myself halfway off of the makeshift bed. Guess the dream I had caused me to fall out of my bed. “You should really try and make the bed much bigger if you toss and turn in your sleep.”

“Kinda hard to do that seeing how we don’t have that many desks.” I said before pulling myself off from the floor and back onto the bed. “W-What happened?”

“You passed out once again. Just like before when you touched that talisman that Shinji made last week.” Saber said after appearing next to me. “Lucky for you, I was able to get the key that we needed for the final fight with our opponent.” She said before pulling out said key card from out of thin air. Guess that answers a few of my questions. “I get the feeling you had another dream like before?”

“W-What makes you say that?”

“Just a hunch is all. Or am I wrong about it?” Well, she wasn’t wrong about me having another weird dream. “Well?”

“Yeah, just like before. But this dream didn’t involve me fighting with some...one. This time, it was a girl named Applejack.” I said before going into detail about the dream I had. It was weird, but at the same time sad and relaxing. Was it because of the setting that made it relaxing, or was it because I was friends with that mare? It’s hard to make sense of it all with just that to go by. Are my memories coming back whenever I touch something that’s required to take down my opponents? I’ll have to test this hypothesis next time if I survive this week’s fight.

“Hm, it seems like you’re getting small pieces of your memories back. Not a whole lot, but only a small amount.” Saber said as I noticed her handing me some kind of bun with some kind of weird looking dark brown colored disk and apple juice. Lifting the bun I took a whiff at what it was. It smelled good but I’ve never seen anything like this before. “What? Never had a hamburger before?”

“Ham….what?”

“Pretty much meat, cheese, latus, and tomatoes. All underneath a bun so you can eat it.” It seems a bit odd that it would be made like this. But if my servant says it’s okay to eat then it shouldn’t be a problem. I took one more whiff of the food before taking a bit out of it...huh…this stuff takes pretty good! “I’m a bit surprised that a pony like you can eat meat.”

“At this point, I don’t really care. I mean, it’s not like it’s made out of ponies like me.” I said while taking another bite out of the burger.

“True...just a bit surprised that you would eat something like that. Anyway, back to the topic at hand. Seems like you’re getting your memories back when you touch certain things or something along those lines.”

“So pretty much be careful with what I touch then?”

“Mainly when it comes to items from the other masters and servants.” She said before walking over to the closest of the room and tossed over my baggy looking clothes at my face. “Now get yourself dressed. It’s time to make up for lost time when you passed out yesterday.”

“Nice to see you are concerned about my well being.”

“Oh, I am concerned about you, egghead. But keep in mind that we’re in a war. Your enemies won’t relax even though you’re knocked out.”

“....Fair enough.” I said before putting the clothes she tossed at me on. “Did I miss anything while I was knocked out?”

“Not really. You’ve been knocked out since yesterday. So nothing really changed.”

“Good to know.” I said before I finished dressing myself. “We’ll have to head over towards the church so I can get your strength up. Especially seeing how we’re dealing with a servant that we have no clues on what he is.” Saber quickly disappeared into data after opening the door to our room and began to make my way through the hallway. All of a sudden. I hear voices down the hallway. One of them is familiar.

“Greetings, Sir Dan Blackmore. It’s an honor to meet a knight of such renown.” That’s definitely Leo giving the refined greeting. His servant is at his usual post behind him, looming there like a silver shadow. Gawain preserves his silence. So the next voice is not his, but that of a man near Leo.

“The honor is mine. To meet the lord successor to the Harways in a place such as this.”

“Certainly you’re not surprised. I am just here to retrieve what is rightfully ours. I am a novice to the battlefield, but my family decided that I was to be the one to go. It’s an embarrassing confession to make to such a seasoned knight.”

“The almighty Grail...The Holy Grail is to be yours?”

“Of course. We Harways must have it under our control, especially if its guardianship is vacant. Something so divine does not belong in the hands of a normal man, but in the embrace of a king. This Holy Grail War is annoying, but what can you do?”

“You speak of the divine right of kings. Yes, I can see that’s where you’re coming from.”

“What a load of crap.” Saber whispered as she made herself known to me. “Who does that snot-nose brat think he is? Claiming something like it’s his birthright? What’s really pissing me off is the fact that he thinks he’s doing this for everyone’s well being and a self-proclaimed hero ...reminds me of my father.”

“...Why do I have the feeling that you saying that will come back to bite you?” I asked, only to receive a smack to my nose. All I could do was glare at her...even though she was invisible before turning my attention back towards Leo and Dan’s conversation.

“So, the Holy Grail is legitimate. To tell the truth, I was rather dubious on the whole...Oh no, I feel unsuitably roused. To think that at this age I would see the honor in questing for the Holy Grail!”

“Of course the Holy Grail is real. To your country most of all.”

“Ohhh? And how have you arrived at that conclusion?”

“Because of you, Sir Blackmore. You are not only a veteran but a knight decorated by the Queen. The fact that a man of your rank has been dispatched is proof that the Grail is real.”

“What are you saying, young king? I am just an old soldier. The Queen could not spare a young life for this battle royale, hence I was called upon.”

“You’re close to the Queen, so you must have heard her displeasure at a certain allied organization.”

“Well, the Queen’s intentions do not reach a simple soldier’s ears.”

“Ah, I see. I beg your pardon. I shall take my leave. Let us be off, Gawain.”

“As you wish.” After bidding farewell to Dan, Leo notices me and stops. “It’s been a while, Twilight. I’d heard you passed the first round. Congratulations. Are you ready for the second round? I’d wish you luck, but...it’s strange. The black knight’s lance has splintered. No, perhaps he has exchanged it for a sword. If his conviction is no longer what it used to be, then perhaps...you have a genuine shot at victory.”

Leo doesn’t elaborate any further before leaving. Seems like Dan also left as well while I wasn’t paying attention to him. I didn’t really understand what they were talking about. Might be due to the fact that I’m not from their world perhaps? Ugh, the harder I try to understand, the less of it makes sense. All I really grasped was that they both really want the Holy Grail. Any normal human might not believe in a magic dream-granting cup out there. But given how I’m here, a magical talking pony with wings and a horn. That could give some people some kind of idea that it’s real. Before I could take a step forward, I saw Leo’s servant Gawain staring at me...well not me, but more towards Saber. Even though she’s invisible. He kept looking at her for a moment before shaking his head and walking off after Leo.

“...Do you two know each other or some-?” Just as I looked over at Saber to ask, Saber made herself visible to me with a surprisingly pissed off expression causing me to flinch a bit. Not her usual facial expression, but more pissed off like she was about to kill somepony, in an unbridled rage of anger and sadness. “You okay? You seemed more pissed than you usually are.”

“I’m...fine...Let’s just go before I end up doing something that you’ll regret later on.” She said before making herself disappear. Was she like this before when we first met Leo and his servant Gawain? Maybe I should ask her about this before the fight with Dan and his Servant start. For now, I should head over to the church to increase her strength before we head off to the arena.

Evening

The class felt like it was going on longer than usual...or is it just me feeling it? It’s kinda hard to tell seeing how I’m in a world of ones and zeros...which begs the question why I need to eat if my body is made out of that stuff? Before I could think any further about the subject, my ears twitched a bit from hearing Saber appearing beside me.

“Not going to lie. Beyond the discord between those two is the evident gap in skill between you and that old coot of a knight. We best head over to the arena so we can fill in that gap between you two.” Saber’s right. If I don’t get my abilities up to par. I won’t have a chance at winning. Just as I was about to get up, I felt Saber place a hand onto my shoulder. “We need to talk. Head over to our private room so we can talk.” She said before vanishing. That’s odd. Saber never acted like this before...oh dear. Is she sick or something? Or did something happen to her while I was knocked out? In concern for my servant, I made my way over to our private room. Before I could enter my room, I heard a voice coming from the side of me as I looked over to said direction of the voice.

“Good day.” She said in a mechanical speech and expression. Who, or what, could this girl possibly be? “I believe that this is our first time to actually converse like normal people, is it not?” She said before looking at me up and down. “My name is Rani. Like you, I am here for the purpose of obtaining the Holy Grail.” Hard to believe that humans can be this beautiful and exotic. I mean I have seen her around the school, but how did I not notice her until now? Though it does give me a sigh of relief knowing that she has some kind of emotion after hearing her speak her name out with such pride.

“It’s nice to meet you, Rani. My name is Twilight Sparkle.” I said as she started to walk in circles around me. I’m going to guess that it’s because she has never seen somepony like me before.

“I’ve been scanning the stars for clues about you. Unlike the other Masters, you are an enigma. Mostly because your star burns brighter than anyone else's.” She said before stopping in front of me. “So I wish to ask you directly, and please answer honestly, this question: What are you?” I blinked for a moment upon hearing her question, which took me by surprise seeing how I’m still trying to remember who I am.

“Um, Twilight Sparkle...I’m an Alicorn?”

“Hm. So, you will hide your identity? Even after exposing yourself to Blackmore’s Servant yesterday?” Oh horse apples, somepony saw me?! There shouldn’t have been anyone else there besides me and my opponent. “No need to be so suspicious. I assure you, I’m not your enemy. I did not watch your battle. I am simply relaying what it is the stars say about you. I’m looking for the newborn chick my professor spoke of. The stars have aided me in that task. I am not sure if you are who I seek, but…” So she’s an astrologer, but I don’t really understand her, she seems...mostly harmless, though. “I must study the heavens further. But I must ask you to tell me more about Blackmore's star. It may seem like I’m asking for a lot, but the knowledge revealed will benefit you, I think.”

“I’ll be sure to do that when I can find some information on him.” I said before seeing a small smile appear on her face.

“And as per Atlas, I wish to show you the true value of knowledge and will share my findings. I’ll use you, and you’ll use me...What do you think? Will you accept my request?”

“Hm, an interesting and beneficial request. But why are you telling me this?”

“This is what he said: As a doll, you must find someone who is truly alive and observe them. I believe that he wants me to find out, by watching humans, what it means to be alive. I don’t know if you are the one seeing how you’re not human yourself, but perhaps...your star will shine apart from the others.” She said before adjusting her glasses. “I must...observe other people. You, and Blackmore as well. That is why I need your help. Please bring me a relic of his. I will be waiting at the far end of the third-floor hallway. When you come to see me, we will gaze into the heavens together. I’m sure you see the value in learning what Blackmore’s star will have to say, right?”

“You do make a valid point. It would be helpful to know what or who he is.”

“The best time to read his star will come in three days. Please find a relic of his by then.” With a final “until we meet again,” she gives me a last smile before turning her attention back to the sky outside the window. A girl of many mysteries. And oddly enough...I couldn’t detect any animosity from her. If it’ll help me learn about Dan, I’ll be sure to find something and bring it to her asap. While she was busy looking at the sky, I turned my attention back towards the door to my room and entered it. Once I entered, I quickly closed the door behind me and saw Saber sitting on the makeshift bed she helped me make when I first got here.

“Good to see you’re here.” She said before motioning me over. “Seeing how you won the first match of the Holy Grail War. I’ve decided to share a bit of myself with you. And before you say anything, I’m still not going to share my real name.” Dammit. “Yeah, jokes on you egghead. You’ll either have to wait until the end or figure it out yourself with the clues I give you.”

“You’re mean, you know that?”

“I know. And thank you.” She said before clearing her throat. “You asked me if I was okay earlier when you notice Gawain staring at me right?” I nodded my head to her question. “Well, if I’m being honest. I wasn’t okay...I was pissed.”

“So you did know him, correct?”

“Yeah...his name is Gawain, one of the Knights of the Round Table that appeared in the Arthurian legends, also known as the White Knight of the Round Table. I too was once a knight of the round table, led by my father. King Arthur, by the public name. But her real name is Artoria from what my mother told me.”

“Hold on for a second. I have some questions about that part. One, If your father...mother...whoever he or she goes by is King...wouldn’t that make you a princess? Then again you being princess-like is way out of the category. Seeing how you don’t have ladylike features and-” Before I could finish, I felt Saber smack me on the nose. Looking up at her, I noticed she had a deadpan expression as I chuckled awkwardly. “Right sorry. Um, second. Your mother and father are both females, so unless there was magic involved. It would be impossible to give birth to you.”

“My mother, Morgan le Fay told me the truth about how I was...conceived. My father and mother are sisters, and basically, through unorthodox...and incestual methods. Artoria, who was originally a female, was a pseudo-male at the time due to Merlin’s Magecraft, so Morgan enchanted him, I mean her with a spell to extract his...well.”

“Babymaker, jizz, custard to his donut stick, his load?” I could go on at this point, but the anger on Saber’s face is pretty much saying I should stop before she tries to kill me in my sleep.

“ARE YOU DONE!?” Saber yelled as I noticed her face was blushing red from my response. I couldn’t help but chuckle and nod to her question before her face color returned to normal as she continued. “Anyway, yes. She pretty much had sex and gave birth to me. A homunculus clone of my father. Throughout my childhood, for the most part, it’s just been Morgan and I. Living in secret, learning how to fight, read, cook, and all that stuff. It wouldn’t be so bad if she didn’t keep going on about wanting to take over Artoria’s kingdom almost every day and was strict with how she raised me.”

“So you were pretty much born out of wedlock by a sister who was jealous of your father for being king of...whatever place he was ruling.”

“She ruled over Britain from the castle of Camelot. I along with the knights of the round table served under her rule for a very long time...that is until the battle of Camlann.”

“Would tell you more...but that’s all you’re getting for the time being.” Saber said before pulling herself up from the makeshift bed while stretching her limbs. “When you win the next round, I’ll give you more about me.”

“Aw come on! You have to tell me more! It was getting interesting.”

“Sorry, have to wait until next week for the next bit of information from me.” Saber said before disappearing once again into ones and zeros. “Now I believe we have to go to the arena, egghead.”

“One of these days, I am going to get you for this.” I said before letting out an annoyed sigh and began to leave our private room to head over to the arena. Might as well see if I can find something there about Dan’s servant.