Multiversal Grail War

Zuko's POV

The alley is narrow, with the high walls on either side making it feel claustrophobic. The air is thick with tension, the only sound the faint echo of Joker's soft giggling beside me. He twirls a knife in his hand, his grin wide and unnerving.

I can't afford to lose focus. In front of us stands a man cloaked in shadows, watching us with an intensity that makes my skin crawl. I don't know who he is, but I can feel the magic radiating off him. This is no ordinary person. I grip my swords tightly, ready for anything.

"You think this is a game, huh?" Joker asks, his voice high-pitched and mocking. He tilts his head, eyes gleaming. "Well, let me tell you a secret... it is! And I love games!"

I grit my teeth. Joker's unpredictability has already caused problems, and I need to keep him on a leash—at least until I can figure out what this cloaked figure is up to. Every instinct tells me that the person standing before me is dangerous. Is he another Master?

The figure finally speaks, his voice calm and controlled. "So, you're a Master too."

I tense. He knows.

Without warning, a second presence emerges from the shadows—hovering just above the ground. A boy, maybe a few years younger than me, with white hair and a confident smirk plastered on his face. His eyes gleam with something darker, more dangerous than I'm used to seeing in a person. His energy feels overwhelming, a raw power that sends a shiver down my spine.

"Who's this clown, Tatsuya?" the white-haired boy says lazily, glancing at Joker with disdain. "He looks like he's about to break into a comedy routine."

Joker bursts into laughter, throwing his head back. "Oh, that's good! Comedy routine! I like this kid, Zuko! He's got style!"

I'm trying to piece it all together, but nothing makes sense. Who are these people? They've got to be another Master-Servant pair, but that doesn't help me figure out their abilities. Joker's already reckless enough. If this boy is as strong as he seems, I'll need to be careful.

The man in the cloak—Tatsuya, the boy called him—steps forward slightly. "This war is already dangerous enough. Adding someone like your Servant to the mix makes it... chaotic."

I lock eyes with him, holding my ground. "What do you know about this war?"

He smirks, as if I've just asked a question with an obvious answer. "Enough to know that this battle is going to end quickly if your Servant keeps acting like a mad dog."

Joker, still chuckling to himself, suddenly stops, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Mad dog, huh? Let's see how long you can keep up that attitude, kid."

Before I can stop him, Joker lunges forward, the knife in his hand flashing as he moves with inhuman speed toward the white-haired boy.

"Joker, no!" I shout, but it's too late.

The boy—his name must be Accelerator—doesn't even flinch. He raises a hand, and Joker's knife is instantly repelled, stopped in midair by an unseen force. Joker's momentum is thrown back at him, and he's sent skidding across the alley, laughing hysterically as he crashes into the far wall.

"Ooooh! That's a neat trick!" Joker says, standing up and dusting himself off. "I like you already! This is gonna be fun!"

I swallow hard. What kind of power was that? It felt like Joker's attack was reflected right back at him.

"Vector manipulation," Tatsuya says calmly, noticing my confusion. "Accelerator controls the fundamental forces of physics. Any attack you send his way is useless."

I narrow my eyes. This Servant, Accelerator, is no ordinary fighter. His ability is dangerous, almost invincible. I don't have enough information to deal with him yet. And Joker, as usual, is treating this like a game, not realizing how close he came to being killed.

Joker steps forward again, more knives appearing in his hands as if from nowhere. His grin is even wider now, and I can tell he's enjoying this far more than he should. "Come on, little boy! Let's play! I've got plenty of toys for you!"

I grit my teeth. "Joker, stand down!"

Joker glances back at me, his smile faltering for just a second. "Aww, come on, Zuko. You're no fun."

I don't care. We're not ready for this fight, not yet. I don't know enough about Accelerator's powers, and Joker's reckless behavior will only get us both killed.

"You really should listen to your Master," Accelerator says, floating a little higher. "You're way out of your league."

Joker laughs again, his knives spinning in his hands. "Out of my league? Honey, I invented the league! Let's dance!"

Before Joker can launch another attack, a loud noise breaks through the tension. The sound of a car engine revving echoes down the alley, followed by the screech of tires.

I turn to see a sleek, yellow car speeding toward us, swerving to a stop just in time. The doors pop open, and the car transforms in an instant, unfolding into a massive robotic figure.

Bumblebee.

"And here comes the cavalry," a voice says, dripping with sarcasm.

I look up to see a man in a sleek, red-and-gold suit of armor descending from the sky. He lands gracefully, his helmet retracting to reveal a face I've never seen before, but instantly recognize: Tony Stark.

"You guys having a little squabble without me?" Stark says with a smirk, surveying the scene. "How rude."

Tony Stark's POV

Now, this is interesting.

I drop into the alley just as things are getting heated. Zuko, Tatsuya, and a couple of Servants looking like they're about to tear each other apart. I've got Bumblebee ready at my side, and from the look of things, this is about to escalate fast.

"Alright, folks, let's keep it civil," I say, stepping forward with a casual wave of my hand. "No need to blow up the entire block just yet."

Tatsuya, the guy in the cloak, raises an eyebrow. "And who might you be?"

"Tony Stark, genius billionaire, playboy philanthropist, and yes, a Master in this little Grail War of yours." I flash a grin, enjoying the confusion on their faces.

Zuko, the guy with the burn scar and the swords, looks on edge, but I can't blame him. The guy's Servant, Joker, looks like he's about to murder everyone in the alley just for fun. Which, frankly, seems on-brand for the clown.

"So, here's the deal," I say, taking a step forward. "You all look like you're about to start a war right here in the middle of the city. That's fine by me, but I'd prefer not to have to rebuild this whole place afterward. Let's not make a mess on day one."

Joker cackles, pointing his knife at me. "Oh, now here's someone with style! Look at you, Iron Boy!"

I give him a quick once-over. "Yeah, I've dealt with your type before. Trust me, the punchlines get old fast."

Zuko looks between me, Tatsuya, and Joker, clearly trying to decide what to do next. Tatsuya's Servant, Accelerator, floats above us, his smug grin plastered on his face. He looks like he's just waiting for an excuse to wipe us all out.

I can see how this is going to go if I don't step in. Zuko's Servant is a ticking time bomb, Accelerator's got a power I'd rather not mess with right now, and if we don't de-escalate, this whole alley is going to go up in smoke.

"Here's my suggestion," I say, raising my hands. "We all take a step back. Nobody throws any more knives, nobody uses their freaky vector powers, and we all walk out of here without any broken bones. Sound good?"

"Or," Joker pipes up, "we could just start killing each other and see what happens!"

Bumblebee transforms back into car form, revving his engine threateningly. "I'm with the boss on this one. Let's keep things cool."

Tatsuya watches me carefully, his eyes narrowing. He's calculating something, but I can't tell what. Then, after a long pause, he nods.

"Very well," he says. "We'll withdraw... for now. But this isn't over."

Accelerator gives a lazy shrug. "Fine. I was getting bored anyway."

With that, Tatsuya and Accelerator turn and leave, disappearing into the shadows of the alley. The tension eases, but only slightly.

I glance at Zuko, who's still tense, his hand on his sword. "You're not seriously thinking of following them, are you?"

He doesn't respond, his gaze still fixed on where they disappeared. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, he sighs and lowers his weapon.

"This isn't over," he mutters.

"Of course it isn't," I reply, smirking. "But if we all blow each other up now, we won't get a chance to win that shiny Grail. Gotta think long-term, buddy."

Joker, still laughing to himself, spins his knife before tucking it away. "Long-term? Hah! That's no fun at all."

I roll my eyes. This is going to be one long war if I have to babysit a pyromaniac prince and a homicidal clown.

Conclusion: The War Simmering

The first true clash between Masters and Servants has been narrowly avoided. But the tension in the air is undeniable, and the threat of violence lingers just beneath the surface. Zuko, Tatsuya, and Tony Stark have all walked away this time, but none of them will forget this encounter.

The Grail War has truly begun.

And this fragile peace won't last long.