I must offer thanks to Kieran for beta-testing tearing into bloody chunks my first fanfiction/short story. Long live Ilya's jester!

Thanks to Beamu for trolling me correcting some of my mistakes after l posted the fic : )

Additional thanks to Stormedge and Third Fang for moderate OC-borrowage.

This fiction is intended to serve as an anchor for my future, non-crack works; list of all my works found here, and interconnect somewhat with other author's fanfiction.

Chapter 0- A Freelancer's Last Gig

BGM

1985, Sudan, during Sudanese Civil War

We're travelling on a dirt road. It is late in the evening, and I can see the blood red sky for miles around – it would be romantic, if we weren't hot, dusty, and sticky, or if one could ignore the fact both of us are walking arsenals, here to kill a heretical mage, and bring his body & research in...

I saw Kiritsugu hold up his fist - military hand signal for 'Freeze'. Instantly, I dove for cover.

*BOOM!* I felt the air above my head ripple.

As sniper fire passed above us, a few small chunks of debris streamed down from the impact crater. I glanced over at Kiritsugu, who was reflexively checking his weapons. I grabbed a smoke grenade from my combat webbing as I turned to lob it over our wall- but Kiri put his hand on my shoulder.

"Time Alter - Double Accel" he chanted, unslinging his Walther WA2000, quickly becoming a blur before my eyes- his short rifle cracked three times, then he dropped out of his innate bounded field within two seconds, reloading reflexively, rifle still shouldered, eyes still peering through the scope.

His nose was bleeding, and his eyes were bloodshot, from the aftereffects of using his family's Magic Crest: it allowed for time control within a temporal zone, but after the bounded field collapsed Gaia would 'adjust the incorrect time', causing great strain on Kiritsugu which increased proportionally to the degree to which he altered time or the longer he continued the field.

Something in me moved, seeing this. Before I knew it, I was sopping the blood from his nose with a handkerchief. He looked at me, a ghost of a smile briefly appearing and disappearing on his granite-like expression. "We'll use our last smoke to exfiltrate. There are four more hostiles remaining in the compound. After we deal with them, we grab the body and research notes, and then you torch the compound while I get rid of our traces here. Then we'll meet up with Brogan McFraga and deliver the goods."

Checking our weapons once more, we stealthily advanced to the compound. Busting down a back entrance, I shouldered my Steyr AUG and crouched to deliver covering fire as Kiritsugu mowed down guards with his Calico M960 in his left hand and his Thompson Contender barked once in his right hand, putting down our primary target- the Sealing Designate. Opening the door to the main testing lab in the facility, I came upon a scene that made my stomach feel sick- there were dismembered bodies of children lying around. Through my mind, flashbacks of my childhood roared, of machetes, of blood, of-

"Maiya." Kiritsugu put his hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Take this suitcase, with the research notes. Get to the extraction point. I'll take care of everything here."

I jerkily nodded once, and ran for the exit.

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*2 hours, 18 minutes later*

Towards the Suakin Docks

"Where is Brogan McFraga? He should have been here half an hour ago!" I mutter. At least the temperature was lower, being closer to the Red Sea, and nighttime had truly set in.

Kiritsugu replied: "Your real question, Maiya, is why we aren't taking the goods to the Mage's Association ourselves, isn't it?"

I stopped, looking at him.

"Then-" Kiritsugu smiled at me, cutting my train of thought off. "You are wondering if I will take up the Einzberns on their offer, no?"

That man… He could read my mind as if it were an open book- without using magecraft.

"Don't worry- this is a way for me to finally achieve my childish dreams." he continued. "Finally, a way to achieve peace, to surpass the bloodbath that is human history, to have a Utopia on Earth, now and forever…" Suddenly, as if ashamed, he looked away from me.

"I- I would never think of that dream as childish! Such an ideal is…! Is worthy…" I responded.

"Oh? Is that so?"

"I- A tool has no feelings. I- I couldn't possibly judge your goals. I would- I'd follow you through the gates of Hell itself. Sir."

Looking at me again, Kiritsugu replied, "Well, I was about to offer you independence again. Are you sure, Maiya? I could give you enough money to live comfortably in a First World nation for decades, or contacts and weapons if you want to continue this lifestyle, perhaps you'd-"

"Never." I cut him off, "Besides, who else would be able to save you?" I was referring to a mission 6 months ago, where he ran out of ammunition while storming a facility deemed Heretical by the Church, and received a life-threatening wound.

To destroy the site, I had to simulate an entire platoon of firepower using massed mortars. Then I lead the remaining guards in a wild goose chase through the local mountains over 2 days, culminating in a sniper duel while Kiritsugu's Magic Crest repaired his body. Blushing, I remembered how he almost ran out of Prana halfway through too- !

"I- I have no regrets."

As the boat arrived, he nodded slowly. "Well then. I'll need you to take care of … loose ends while I negotiate with the Einzberns… Can't have my enemies interfering with my work, not when I'm this close…"

Chapter 0 Fin.