Nasuverse AU fic idea where Archer comes so close

[ttestagr]

Last night, I spent a bit of time throwing ideas around for a FSN fic. I wanted something that could be cool, and put a completely different spin on what happens during the war. Two ideas popped up in my head, but neither was particularly great alone. Combining them though, gives something interesting.


Basically, Archer remembers. From the moment of his summoning, he knows who he is and what his desire is. Upon seeing Rin, he knows he finally has his chance to create the paradox that might release him from the Throne.

As soon as he can, he heads off to Emiya's house for a little murder. Sneaking in, he searches the house for his prey.

And runs into Kiritsugu.

EMIYA has been summoned to a timeline where his father wasn't able to save him or anyone else. Instead he placed Avalon in himself to counteract the taint from the Grail. And now, unexpectedly, he finds himself face to face with a Servant 40 years before the next war should be.




I'm looking forward to writing this piece, but I need to read Fate/Zero first to get a better idea on Kiritsugu's character. When I'm done with that, I'll be starting on this.

 

[daniel_gudman]

I for one am certainly looking forward to reading it.

My only fear is that without the lovable dork to steam-roll over delicate emotional problems, it will become an angst-fest.

Also, Shirou was the lynch-pin that connected most of the masters to each other as people. Without that, it seems like the Fifth will be (although early) "just another grail war."

Not that there's anything wrong with that scenario, I suppose.

 

[zeebee1]

But what's the point? His father has basically lost his beliefs and noting is the same. Archer has no chance to fix things either. It's just another example of the Grail ruining everything and I don't see where this could go.

 

[Muramasa]

I'm gonna have to agree with Zeebee on this one. It's an angst-fest with little chance for light at the end of the tunnel. Not sure why Kiritsugu would bother using Avalon on himself. If what I've heard of Fate/Zero is true, he might as well be dead to the world.

I think this one needs a bit more planning.

 

[Elf]

Well . . .

Actually, you could have a good idea here.

Archer mentions in UBW he's not sure how many times he's fought through this loop, so there would eventually be some heavy anomalies. So the idea is a probable one.

As to putting Avalon in Kiritsugu?

Easy, Iris could have done it before she died, not wanting Kiritsugu to die either.

Instead of an angst fest, perhaps Archer inadvertently gives hope to Kiritsugu and regains it himself. Maybe with the help of Rin.

(Come on, with no Shirou, Rin needs some sweet, sweet loving.)

Or even Sakura. (Considering who Archer is, I'm surprised there's not any Sakura/Archer stuff floating out there.)

 

[toraneko]

(Come on, with no Shirou, Taiga needs some sweet, sweet loving.)

Fixed.

Or even Sakura.? (Considering who Archer is, I'm surprised there's not any Sakura/Archer stuff floating out there.)

I'm not. Archer dies in Sakura's route.

 

[ksho]

Well . . .

Actually, you could have a good idea here.

Archer mentions in UBW he's not sure how many times he's fought through this loop, so there would eventually be some heavy anomalies. So the idea is a probable one.

As to putting Avalon in Kiritsugu?

Easy, Iris could have done it before she died, not wanting Kiritsugu to die either.

Instead of an angst fest, perhaps Archer inadvertently gives hope to Kiritsugu and regains it himself. Maybe with the help of Rin.

(Come on, with no Shirou, Rin needs some sweet, sweet loving.)

Or even Sakura. (Considering who Archer is, I'm surprised there's not any Sakura/Archer stuff floating out there.)

Irisville was already the grail when he ordered Saber to destroy it. So it can't work like that.


I've read through all 4 Fate/Zero novels, and I can tell you that Kiritsugu at the end of the whole debacle was already a broken man. A guy who had given up on living and was desperately...almost mindlessly seeking for any survivors in the great fire that he had helped create.

In a way, you could say that it was Shirou who saved Kiritsugu. If he hadn't found him when he did, he would have continued searching until the fire consumed him. (he'd probably would think he deserved it too if that happened)

For this idea to work, what you need here is the spark. The spark that would ignite Kiritsugu's will to live. In Fate/Zero....that spark was Shirou. So I too agree that you should leave Shirou alive for this fic. Plus, there are always alternatives to curing....or possibly sustaining Kiritsugu's life afterall. (One example is given in the true ending of heaven's feel. Which could also double as a crossover/cameo by characters from Kara No Kyoukai )

Not to mention that leaving both Kiritsugu AND Shirou alive during the Archer reveal will created such wonderful angsty DORAMAZ when Kiritsugu realizes how much he f*cked up his surrogate son's life. :snigger:

 

[knight_of_ni]

Eh, it would cause angst, but he tried to stop him, in a way. While he allowed Shirou to start on the path of a magus, Kiritsugu didn't seem like he really wanted Shirou to train to become a magus, and so never corrected the fundamental mistake that Rin ended up correcting, in the Fate path anyway. This was also what led to him being a faker.

Kiritsugu also wouldn't allow Shirou to go into the grail war, if he was healthy at the time. Maybe help out at times, but Shirou wouldn't be the one holding the command spells. Which would be a bit of a conflict between the two given how self sacrificing Shirou is, then again, seeing (and possibly helping) Kiritsugu fight might make Shirou a bit more wary of being a hero; given how he fights.

This would also suck for Saber because from what I understand, she really didn't like Kiritsugu too much.

 

[Garahs]

From what I understand of it, Arturia didn't like Kiritsugu because at the end of the war, he ordered her to destroy the grail, which she believed to be capable of granting her wish for another to be king. I think I remember her saying that Kiritsugu was a perfect master until that point. If Shirou doesn't become her master, maybe he could talk to her off and on and at least become her friend. They might even discover the truth about the corrupted grail along the way.