Chapter 13: The tigers

Itadori and Taiga wasted time talking about school. - "I train Kendo, you know? But because of that, the boys keep calling me Tiger of Fuyuki... It ANNOYS me!" - Taiga said angrily.

'I'm almost sure that's not why they call you that name...' - Itadori thought. - "When I studied, they called me the Tiger of the West." - Itadori said.

"What a sad coincidence... Did you stop studying?" - Taiga asked.

"Well... A lot happened, my grandfather got sick and I had to leave school to take care of him, since he was my only family..." - said Itadori, lying to Taiga.

"Was? He... Died?" - Taiga asked.

Itadori decided to continue with his half-truth. - "Yes. After he passed away, I no longer saw a point in going back to studying."

"I understand... But you know you can't take a leave of school, you seem like someone nice. I don't want to see someone like you without at least having finished studying." - Taiga said worriedly.

"You're right... Speaking of which, at a time like this, weren't you supposed to be at school?!" - asked Itadori.

"Due to these cases of sudden disappearances, the school decided to take an early break." - Said Taiga.

"Ah, really... There's a lot of strange things happening here." - Itadori said.

"Yes, a lot of strange things. A friend of mine who works in a store had an entire barrel of wine stolen, how could that be?!" - Taiga said.

'Barrel... Of wine?! Don't tell me that Rider...' - thought Itadori.

"I'm going to find this guy!... My friend told me he looked like a brute." - Taiga said.

Itadori had an idea. - "I think I know who it was... Follow me." - Itadori said, dragging Taiga to the city center.

"A-ARE YOU SERIOUS?! Do you know who it was?!" - Said Taiga being dragged by Itadori.

"Yes. He lives here around the city, it will be very easy to recognize him." - Itadori said.

After a while, the two were walking around the city of Fuyuki looking for Rider and Waver.

"Ah... I don't think we'll be able to find him..." - Said Taiga, saddened.

The two stopped in a small square under a tree. - "Taiga.... If you had the possibility to make one wish come true, which wish would you make?"

Taiga was quite thoughtful. - "Hm.... Ah, I would ask for a lot of things. Money, fame, a lot of things! But why such a sudden question?"

Itadori was thoughtful. - "Could it be that if my wish altered the past, I would regret it?" - Itadori said.

"Ever heard of the butterfly effect? It's a metaphor that describes the sensitivity of complex systems to initial conditions, where small changes can lead to significantly different results in the long term." - Taiga said.

"Chaos theory.... I know that altering the past can be problematic for several reasons. The past shapes who we are now, maybe if I did that, I wouldn't even exist now." - Itadori said.

"Exactly. This suggests that something as small and seemingly insignificant as the flapping of a butterfly's wings in one place can, theoretically, influence the climate elsewhere in the world. Furthermore, our memories and experience are fundamental to who we are today. There's also that kind of ethical and philosophical thing about whether it's right or wrong to interfere in the natural course of things." - Taiga said.

"You're actually quite intelligent, Taiga." - Itadori said laughing at the girl.

"Yeah, I know....HEY! I'M REALLY SMART!" - Said Taiga, very enraged.

The two hear a meow, when they look up, they see a kitten on a branch in the tree.

"Ah, okay... How are we going to get this kitten out of there? I know, I'm going to call the ambulan-" - Taiga didn't even finish speaking and Itadori, with just one jump, goes to the top of the tree and takes the kitten out of there .

"You... Are an Olympic athlete?!" - Taiga said, somewhat impressed.

"No, I'm just a teenager." - Itadori said, handing over the kitten with a certain tone of irony.

The two sat on a stool to rest.

"You know Itadori, lately I've been quite indecisive." - Taiga said a little worried.

"Pretty indecisive about what exactly?" - Itadori said.

"About my future... I see so many people at my school talking about their futures and ambitions. It ends up discouraging me." Said Taiga.

"Well, you could be a Kendo teacher or a mobster since your grandfather is in the Yakuza." - Itadori said, trying to help.

"I don't want to get involved with my grandfather's stuff, but about being a teacher.... Yeah, that could be. But I don't know if I want to be a Kendo teacher..." - Said Taiga in doubt.

"Look, I understand that it's important to think about the future, but don't beat yourself up too much, you're only a teenager yet." - Itadori said, giving advice to Taiga.

"Yes, you're right." - Taiga said.

It was already afternoon and starting to get dark, until the two heard the sounds of loud footsteps, it was them. Rider and Waver.

"Ah, it's them!" - Itadori said. - 'Rider still wears that weird shirt.'

"RIDER!" - Itadori shouted at the brute.

Rider and Waver looked at each other, the boy was a little undecided about going to talk to Itadori, but Rider calmed him down and went towards him. - "Scar Boy, what are you doing here?" - said Rider.

"Well, this here is my friend Taiga, she said that her friend had her store robbed." - Itadori said.

"Stolen?" - Rider spoke in doubt about where Itadori wanted to go.

"So she said they stole a barrel full of wine and the suspect was huge." - Itadori said.

"Are you trying to say I stole it?!" - Rider said.

"Well, there aren't many Japanese people with that same physical size, you know?" - Itadori said being sarcastic.

"Rider, don't be ignorant. Let's get that barrel back." - said Waver.

"Hm... Ok, you got me, HAHAHA" - Rider laughed.

Taiga somewhat nervously approached Itadori. - "Itadori, what are you guys talking about?"

Itadori was confused by Taiga's question. - "What's wrong, Taiga? Can't you understand what they're saying?!"

"It's just that when you started talking to them, it seemed like you were speaking in another language or whatever." - Taiga said.

'I understood. Because we are Servants, we can interact with each other without needing to learn each other's language, which is why I can talk to Arturia and Rider. And this boy doesn't seem to be Japanese, but because he's a Master, I can understand him perfectly.' - Itadori thought.

"Rider, I want to tell you something, you're right. My wish really is a curse." Itadori said, being as honest as possible.

Rider changes his countenance. - "So what's your new wish, boy?"

"Honestly, I don't know yet. But when the time is right, I'll think about it properly." - Itadori said.

"I tell you what. A wish has to be your wish and no one else's." - said Rider, messing up Itadori's hair.

" - said Rider, messing up Itadori's hair

"Yes, you're right." - Itadori said.

"Your grandfather must have been wise. He's the only person you shouldn't disappoint." - Rider said.

These words touched Itadori. - 'He's right. My promise to my grandfather isn't over yet, not until this war is over!'

"Good, I'll hand the barrel back." - said Rider waving at Taiga.

Taiga arrives a little shy. - "I'll translate what he said. He said he forgot to pay, and he'll come back to pay." - Itadori said lying.

"I think I already know what I'm going to be in the future... Thank you, Itadori!" - said Taiga hugging Itadori.

"I can't wait to fight you, Rider." - Itadori said excitedly.

"Likewise, boy, HAHAHA." - Rider laughed.

Taiga followed Rider and Waver to get the wine barrel back and Itadori decided to stay.

After a while of thinking, the pink-haired boy decided to return to his new base, since it was night and his sudden disappearance could scare his Master and Saber.

But Itadori feels a huge evil presence. It appeared suddenly, it was probably him, Caster. Without thinking twice, the boy runs in the middle of the street at dusk at the fastest possible speed.

Itadori was focused, his ambition at that moment was to annihilate Caster and his Master, that was all the boy was thinking about at the moment.

He hears the sound of a horn, still running at high speed, a white car catches up to him. It was Saber driving the car and Irisviel in the next seat. - "GO UP, YUJI!" - shouted Saber.

Itadori thought he could run without having to get into the car, but it seemed like it would be really cool to be on the hood of a car at high speed, so the boy jumped onto the hood of the car. - "LET'S GO, SABER!" - Itadori said, striking a pose.

They finally arrive at the location, Saber does a drift and stops with style. The girl with golden hair quickly gets out of the car while Itadori just jumps from the hood to the grass, the two run in sync until they reach a lake full of fog.

They both looked at the fog and only one of them managed to notice it. - "Saber, over there!" - Itadori pointed out. Irisviel arrived soon after.

Caster was in the middle of the lake, apparently completing his ritual. - "It's Caster. This incredible outpouring of mana makes it clear that Caster is in the process of using incredible magic." - Saber said.

Caster notices the trio's presence. - "Welcome, Holy Virgin. I'm happy to meet again" - Caster said, smiling evilly.

"You never learn, demon. What are you trying to do tonight?" - Saber said angrily.

"I'm really sorry, Jeanne. But you are not my guest of honor tonight. But, if you want to join us too, there would be no greater happiness for me. In this banquet and decadence that I, Gilles de Rais, have prepared, Everyone can eat as much as they want!" - Said Caster, being consumed by purple tentacles that surrounded his entire body. - "Now, once again, we raise the flag of salvation!" A kind of huge creature emerges from the waters.

The creature was so huge it reached the sky. New guests appeared, they were Rider and Waver. - "Rider!" It said Saber.

"Hey, wait. We're proposing a truce tonight. We won't be able to have any kind of battle unless we take care of that thing first. I've been talking to other servants, Lancer agreed. He should be here soon." - said Rider.

The main trio looked at each other and agreed. - "Understood. We have agreed to join our forces. King of Conquerors, it will be a short alliance, but I swear loyalty to you." - said Saber

"Einzbern, do you have a plan? Lancer told me that this is not the first time you have faced Caster" - Waver said.

"Yes, we must finish him off as quickly as possible. That monster is still maintaining himself in this world with Caster's mana. But if he finds a source of energy of his own, there will be nothing we can do. So we need to stop Caster before that." " - said Irisviel.

"Uprooting the evil by the roots... Understood!" - Itadori said, getting ready.

"I see. So we need to put a stop to this before it reaches the shore and starts feeding. But Caster is inside those dense walls of flesh. What do we do?" - said Rider.

"Bring him out. It's the only way." - Lancer said, appearing. - "If we can expose his Hougo, Then my Gae Dearg can destroy the magic with one blow."

"Then Rider and I will go to the front lines. Lancer, focus on targeting Caster and Yuji..." - Saber said.

"I'm going after Caster's master. After I punched him, I can feel his presence around here now." - Itadori said.

"We agree, but Saber. How will you attack the enemy in the river?" - Rider asked.

"My body is protected by the lady of the Lake. No water can block my path, no matter the depth." It said Saber.

"Then I must take the lead!" It said Rider preparing to fly with his cavalry.

"Saber, Itadori... Good luck." Irisviel said.

Saber went to the lake and Itadori went after the Caster Master. Saber ran to the lake, when he jumped, his black suit transformed into his blue combat armor. With great elegance, the girl with golden hair literally walked on water. - "Let's get this over with, Caster!"

Itadori saw that whole scene and was impressed. - "You're awesome, Arturia. That's why I like you." - Itadori said, declaring himself without realizing it.

The boy was focusing on the Caster Master. - "You will pay for what you did to the lives of all these children...

You're next!"

End of chapter 13