Fate/alter chasm (Mk.II)

"Not that I can tell. She just showed up last minute, said hi, then gone."

"She was a homunculus." Saber added.

Joseph looks at Saber both concerned and somewhat surprised. "First, how do you know?"

Saber scowled, not looking at him. "I just do."

Waver blinked "A Homunculus with an Archer? Not exactly the best choice. If I had all that prana, I'd go for a good Berserker."

Rider rubbed his chin in thought "This presents several problems. An Archer's only real drain on their master is use of their noble phantasm. If that could be mitigated, it doesn't matter who they are if they can fire off their phantasm without worry."

Waver's eyes widened as something akin to fear flashed across his face. He then glanced at Saber and Joseph "Was there any family crest on her person?"

He scratches the back of his head as he tries to remember if he did or didn't see the crest of her, "I...can't remember. No wait. No she didn't have one."

"Where the hell would you wear one, anyway? Nobody these days even wears armor or has a shield, and it'd be a pain to haul a banner everywhere."

Waver slumped "It would have been on her shirt, or on a hat, or her clothes in general."

"IN ANY CASE, no. We didn't see any sort of crest on her. Why? Does it matter if she has one or not? My family doesn't have one."

"Since she doesn't have one she must not be from a powerful or famous family. That's still how it works, right?"

Waver nods "If she doesn't have a mark on her, then she definitly isn't an Einzbern Homonculus."

He shivers "Which is... concerning."

Rider raises an eyebrow "How so young master?"

"The only other family capable of making homunculus on the level that they can pass for human is the Hildebrand's, and from last I checked they were destroyed. Their entire manner and work destroyed by a freak explosion."

"So we have nothing to worry?"

Waver shook his head "No, any homunculi by itself is a magical siege engine of power. The Hildebrand's didn't have the raw power that the Einzbern had, but they solved the longevity of their work. A homunculus with battle experience, and operating a servant that only uses prana for it's Noble Phantasm. Devastating doesn't even come close."

Joseph listens intently on Waver's description on a homonculi and which family is responisble for them, but despite his fear, he just can't seem to comprehend how homonculi would be a problem in this. He sighs and scratches the back of his head, "So what are you suggesting? We flee upon seeing the girl or?"

Saber shook her head as if in despair at her Master's ineptitude. "No, we just kill her first. Then Archer can't use his Noble Phantasm without burning up huge chunks of his prana," she declared.

"The long and short of it yes," Waver says, "We'll need to find a way to separate them if we want a good shot at taking them out. Easier said than done I admit. But on your question, no, you don't have to flee on sight. Homunculi are incredibly powerful, but raw power only gets you so far. Hit her with an attack she doesn't see coming and she falls as easily as anyone else."

"THEN WE HAVE OUR CONQUEST!" Rider declares.

He unsheathes his shortsword before swinging it down in an arc. The sky literally breaks open as something forms from the atmosphere. Joseph and Saber hear the crackle of lightning and look up just in time to see an Ox chariot come in for a landing in the yard. Rider sheaths the sword and smiles at his mount, "Now then, shall we set off?"

Joseph assumed he too had to get on the mount as he began to walk over and step up on it.

For his efforts, we was sent flying back as electricity arched through him. Didn't kill him, but it didn't feel good either.

A brief flash of mana and Saber's sword was in her hand, pointed at Rider. "What the hell was that?!" she demanded.

Rider blinks, "What?"

"That cart of yours hurt him, Rider, don't be stupid."

"The chariot was simply having a bit of fun." Rider smiled.

"And marking him so I can locate him later." Waver says, holding up a necklace. A map of the city came up in the air, a part of it blinking where the group was.

He then pulled out a slip of paper, "This is a contract that I have already signed my name to. It forces me to give up any magic ties I have to your master so the second this alliance is over I can't find him."

Joseph layed on the ground staring up at the sky, completely dumbfounded and confused on what happened as his body would occasionally spasm. He came to an agreement that he was shocked. By the chariot somehow. Groaning, he sat up and looked at rider, "You know a simple "Don't get on the chariot" would've been nice."

"That was my fault," Waver says "I figured you wouldn't just let yourself be marked with Prana without getting you to do it yourself."

"So you had to lay a trap for him?" Saber asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Most competent mages wouldn't let themselves be willingly marked by another's prana for any reason." Waver explained, "So yes, I had to trick him."

He turned towards Saber, bowing at the waist with perhaps even more respect than he did his own servant, "It was never my intention to permanently hurt your master. I only wished to foster a greater sense of security between us. With this, Rider will be able to come to his location no matter where he is in the city."

He held out the contract, "And, as I stated before, everything that I can do to apologize is in this binding contract."

Joseph staggered back up to his feet, leaning heavily on his knees till he got feelings back in his body. He exhaled as the pain subsided and gave a friendly grin, "Yeah, I should've known better. Anywho, where are we heading now?"