I don't own Fate. Fate is the property of Type-Moon, and no financial gain is made from this or is sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Divergent Fate

Chapter 1

It was summer, and despite the northern latitude the grounds of Castle von Einzbern were warm and green with life. The younger children had been allowed to go out and enjoy themselves under the watchful eyes of the homunculi that made up the family's servants, and despite the breach in protocol both the older children and even the adults of the family were not above longingly looking out the windows from time to time.

As a matter of fact some of them had already taken some time off, as one looking from one of the castle's towers would not fail to notice parties of horsemen venturing over distant hills, and even small groups could be seen settled down to simply enjoy the summer day. Magi were only Humans after all, and being stuck inside a cold stone castle on such a fine day was not a particularly attractive prospect.

Unfortunately, not everyone had the luxury to do so. Jubstacheit von Einzbern might not begrudge them enjoying their free time, but not when they had assigned tasks to attend to. This meant that quite a few people were stuck inside the castle regardless of the fine summer day outside.

One such group of people were gathered around a table in a magically-protected chamber within the castle, listening as a tall and willowy woman gave an explanation. "Based on long-distance scans as well as the reports that our field agents recovered as soon as the Church interdict was lifted…" Illyasviel von Einzbern was saying, the iron sand covering the table responding to the movements of her fingers and arranging themselves into a landscape. "…the Grail system is functioning properly at its most fundamental level."

"However as soon as we get above that level, we begin to run into problems." Gunther von Einzbern, who had led the expedition to Fuyuki, carried on while Illya shifted the iron sand to match their report. "Firstly the draw on the ley-lines is much higher than normal, indicating that the next Heaven's Feel will be taking place in a much shorter time frame that we expect."

"How long are we talking about here?" Jubstacheit asked.

"At least six months…" Illya replied. "…however that is unlikely given that if that was the case then the prospective Masters should already have been chosen. Seeing as no Master has been chosen among us, we can safely assume that the war will not be happening within a year."

"And at most…?"

"Four years from now is our best, long-term estimate. However it is likely that the Fifth Holy Grail War will take place before that point may be reached."

Jubstacheit nodded in acknowledgement. "Anything else from your recent expedition to Fuyuki…?" he asked Gunther.

"Two troubling things not connected with the ley-lines, and one that is connected to that issue."

"Oh?" Jubstacheit echoed with genuine curiosity. "Do tell."

"There's some kind of trans-planar construct built over the city." He reported to everyone's surprise. "Its components are currently partially shifted into an alternate plane of reality, which along with what little of the configuration could uncover, indicates near-magic combined with Formalcraft principles. And while we can't identify why it was built, it is clearly on standby for one reason or another."

"And the other issues…?"

"The second issue not connected to the ley-lines is that the Greater Grail is completely sealed-off. None of our access rights are being recognized, and all attempts to force entry have been rebuffed."

"We lost five homunculi trying force the gateway open." Illya noted grimly. "I dared not simply blow the entrance open, considering that the last issue is related to this."

"The Greater Grail is active, isn't it?" Jubstacheit asked wearily, and when Illya gave a nod he sighed and shook his head. "And you still have no connection to it, despite what's left of the Lesser Grail within you?"

"That is the case, my lord."

Jubstacheit sighed again. It was as he suspected, and the Grail was in fact already primed to open the Gate of Heaven, without the need for a Lesser Grail to open it. He'd no choice now but to complete the reversal operations for his granddaughter. It was pointless keeping what little of the Lesser Grail was inside of her, and if nothing else it would encourage her when the time came.

"Most likely…" he said. "…once all other Servants have fallen, the seals of the Greater Grail will fall and the victors will be allowed to access it directly. That damn Caster…she's made the face of the Heaven's Feel ritual the reality."

"This will truly be our last chance then." Bernhardt von Einzbern said. "Regardless of who wins, the Gate of Heaven will open. The Caster of the previous war has ensured that much."

"From what I hear she's also ensured the extinction of the Makiri." Illya said with relish, relish quickly echoed by the rest of her family. "Let us not be too hard on her, if only for doing us that service."

"If only she could have done the same to the Tohsaka." Bernhardt said with a shake of his head. "Despite the loss of their crest to the Velvet, from what we've been able to uncover, their combat strength doesn't appear to have been affected in the least."

"Let's not be greedy." Jubstacheit said smugly. "The Makiri are crippled, the Greater Grail is primed, and we still have the catalyst from the previous war. To be honest I have to admit that we are in a much stronger position than I would have dared hope after the conclusion of the previous war."

"What of Avenger?" another one of the gathered Einzbern asked. "Would it not be released should the Greater Grail be activated?"

"No, I do not think that to be the case." Illya disagreed. "I do not believe that Caster – an alternate future version of the same Rin Tohsaka who will probably be the Tohsaka Master in the future – would alter the Grail in such a fashion without taking steps to prevent that abomination from being released. Furthermore our data indicates that she was apparently one of Zelretch's students. If that's the case, then the trans-planar construct we detected was quite possibly a seal of some sort on Avenger, with the near-magic elements present just further evidence with regards to the hypothesis given her connection to Zelretch."

Jubstacheit nodded in agreement. "That would be my assessment of the situation as well." He said with approval. "Well done Illyasviel."

The young woman bowed. "Thank you grandfather." She said.

Jubstacheit made a gesture and his relatives all took a step back as the iron sand obeyed his command, flowing through the air back to their containers and leaving the table clean and smooth. "I will peruse the detailed reports on my own time, and determine a detailed strategy for the future." He said. "In the meantime rest assured that our primary goal remains unchanged: to reclaim what is rightfully ours, the Third Magic."

The gathered magi bowed in agreement, and Jubstacheit made to leave. "Illyasviel…" he said, pausing by the door.

"Yes…?"

"Prepare yourself for the rest of the correction procedures."

"I understand."

Jubstacheit nodded, and then left trailed by his bodyguards.

"You still haven't answered my questions." Caren Hortensia said, putting her teacup down with the clink of china.

"I have, and the answers won't change regardless of your philosophical doubts." Rin Tohsaka said while reclining on a couch, the shadows of the curtains covering her while she painted her nails. Caren's golden eyes regarded her coolly, not that the girl really cared.

There's not much left of Aoi Tohsaka's child in her, if at all. She's very much her father's child now.

"Those questions were rather uninteresting as well." Rin continued, finished with the nails on one hand and holding them up for examination. "Who am I? What do I want? I am the heiress of the Tohsaka Clan. I will become a perfect magus. That's all there is to it, and no amount of foolish, philosophical conjecture will change those answers Caren."

"You don't seem to understand the concept behind philosophy then."

Rin sighed, shaking her head before beginning to work on her other set of nails. "Questioning is all well and good…" she said. "…but certainty is much, MUCH more preferable. Which of those do you think I possess?"

"So you are certain of yourself, then?"

"Of course I am."

"What of your sister?" Caren said with a faint smirk, a smirk that widened as Rin was jolted by her emotions and resulting with nail-polish dripping on her knee-length, red dress.

"I have no sister." She finally said, using magic to clean up before continuing with her task. "Sakura Matou will be made to pay for her transgressions when the time comes, and that is all there is to it."

"Be careful Rin…" Caren warned her. "…Cattleya Velvet is a vassal of House Archibald. A Great House is not a good enemy."

Rin waved off such concerns, and examined her finished nails. "She will return for the Heaven's Feel. There is no doubt about it." She said. "I can deliver retribution then and there, reclaim what is rightfully mine, and Archibald can do nothing about it."

"Do you really think that Cattleya Velvet will be defenseless?"

"Of course not…" Rin scoffed. "…I would not dishonor myself by dismissing her out of hand. As one from the Imperial Capital, she will undoubtedly have formidable skill, and be a worthy foe. However she will fall regardless, that is inevitable. And then…"

"And then…?"

Rin smiled while getting up, her advisor tagging along behind her as she left her private chambers. "…and then everything will be as it should be." She said.

Caren's expression remained impassive, though inwardly she felt troubled. Despite all her advice for the past seven years, Rin Tohsaka had lost herself in her father's view of the world. A world wherein her obligations and image as a magus were above all other considerations and even her Humanity was as nothing to be sacrificed in pursuit of her goals.

That is a most dangerous mind-set, even for magi, given the recent changes in the Clock Tower.

The ringing of steel striking steel echoed across the courtyard, the Sun shining down from London skies over the Archibald residence in the Imperial Capital. A pair of young women was practicing their swordsmanship, although calling it 'fighting' might be insulting. 'Dancing' was a more appropriate term given the fluidity of their movements, perfectly balanced and without any waste of momentum: a dance of death.

One of them was a long-haired brunette attired in a white, long-sleeved and collared blouse under a red neck tie and a black, sleeveless vest all over a black, knee-length skirt. A lock of hair was tied with a red ribbon at her left brow, the only concession to vanity for the young noblewoman.

Her opponent was dressed similarly, except her vest and pleated skirt both were red instead of black, and she lacked a ribbon or any adornment on her long blonde hair. Both wielded unmarked and simple-looking arming swords, the sharp and heavy blades wielded as extensions of their bodies.

The Lord Waver El-Melloi II entered the courtyard as the spar came to an end, watching as his sister's sword spun through the air to land a good distance away. He then looked back at her as she conceded defeat. "What's the score?" Cattleya Velvet asked as she shook her opponent's hand, and then pulled out a handkerchief to wipe her forehead.

"17-13, including this round…" Octavia Archibald replied while sheathing her sword and then wiping her own forehead as well.

"I'm catching up."

"…I expect you to. It wouldn't be fun otherwise."

The two friends shared a laugh as Waver picked up Cattleya's sword and brought it back to her. "Must you really practice with live weapons?" he asked testily.

"Of course we do." Cattleya replied while inspecting her sword before sheathing it afterwards. "There's not much point in using wooden swords once one has mastered the basics. The weight of steel and the risks of using it in practice…we need that if we're going to be able to master the sword."

"Right…" he said, his expression clearly indicating his displeasure. Cattleya and Octavia traded glances.

"Must you use mercury in your experiments?" Cattleya asked.

"...that's entirely different!" he replied heatedly.

"Eh, not really…" Octavia said while motioning for a maid to bring them refreshments. "…technically-speaking working with quicksilver is just as dangerous as sparring with heavy steel blades."

Waver muttered something under his breath, and then joined the pair as they walked towards a table under the shade of a tree. A maid soon arrived with three glasses of orange juice and some sweetmeats. "Seriously…?" Waver said while picking up and examining a tart. Cattleya rolled her eyes while taking a drink of her juice.

"It's not like we're going to get fat considering all the exercise we do." Octavia said. "Cattleya here goes jogging every morning, don't you Cattleya?"

"Of course I do." She said while tossing a sweetmeat into her mouth. "A strong mind needs a strong body to hold it."

"I can't argue with you there."

Waver just sighed and rested his chin on an elbow after drinking half his glass in one drink. Octavia raised an eyebrow. "Worried about the wedding next month?" she asked, and causing Waver to choke. Cattleya giggled while looking away, and missing the glare her brother threw at her.

"I wouldn't worry too much." Octavia carried on. "Reines acts like that around you now, but once you're married you're going to have to learn to live together. A bit of initiative on both your parts will prove helpful in the long run."

"I don't see how not worrying too much now connects with that."

Octavia thought about it for a moment. "I don't see how either." She finally said with a thoughtful expression on her face. Waver gaped and then spluttered incoherently at her. Cattleya took his hand comfortingly.

"Calm down brother." She told him. "She's just trying to help. And you have to admit that her second advice does make sense, even if the first did not."

Waver looked suspiciously at her. "You're enjoying this aren't you?" he asked accusingly.

"I neither admit nor deny that." She replied with a straight face. Waver groaned and planted his face in his cupped hands, while Cattleya and Octavia looked at each other before beginning to laugh.

Shirou Emiya sat on a stool near the forges of Castle von Einzbern, dressed in a simple smock of rough cloth belted at the waist while running a whetstone against the edge of his longsword. Normally he'd dress in the traditional white robes of Einzbern magi, but even the fussiest elders had to admit that when working with metal or near the forges, something a little more resistant to burning and easier to clean would be more practical.

A series of light footsteps interrupted his labors and he looked up to spot his sister making her way across the room towards him while avoiding the homunculi tending the forges along the way. "Illya…" he asked as she approached. "…what are you doing here?"

The white-haired and red-eyed girl raised an eyebrow and placed her hands on her hips while stooping over her seated brother. "What's wrong?" she asked acidly. "Can't I visit my brother? Technically-speaking you're not actually on duty right now."

"Actually it's not that." Shirou replied dryly, although the playful glint in her eyes indicated that Illya wasn't really angry at him. "It's just that…your robes…they might get dirty here."

Illya rolled her eyes in exasperation. Of all things…though he did have a point there, not that she would ever admit it in public…her brother could be practical to a fault. "Yes well…" she said. "…don't forget that father's death anniversary will be tomorrow. You'll be accompanying me, won't you?"

"Of course I will." He said. It had been four years since then, when Kiritsugu Emiya had allowed himself to be euthanized after any and all efforts by the Einzbern alchemists at cleansing and repairing his body had failed. Even then the corpse had to be burned using special fuels to prevent Avenger's essence from leaking out, and only then were the ashes scattered over the sea.

Mother had died years before then, in a failed experiment to clean and repair her body.

Shirou whispered something, something that Illya quickly noticed. "What was that just now?" she asked.

"Father…he made me promise to take care of you for the rest of my life."

Illya's eyes widened and her cheeks heated up before she looked away with her arms crossed over her chest. "Yes well…" she said, clearly flustered. "…I think father went too far there. I'm two years older than you after all, so I should be the one taking care of you."

Shirou just smiled indulgently at his sister, squashing the little voice in the back of his mind pointing out the way his sister had grown over the years. He shouldn't be thinking like that after all, given their relation.

"Whatever you say Illya." He said, turning his attentions back to his sword. "Whatever you say..."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

The hounds were hungry, ravenously tearing into the bloody chunks of meat their mistress was tossing into their midst. Rin Tohsaka smiled indulgently at her 'pets' as she lifted up another piece of meat, the blood running down her hand and forearm to drip on the ground. She'd have to take a nice, long bath afterwards, but she insisted on personally feeding her hounds.

And after her little brother nearly got mauled for getting too close, no one protested. Little idiot…he should know not to poke his nose into things that aren't his business.

As she tossed yet another bleeding chunk of flesh to her hounds, Caren and Tokiomi watched from the safety of a second floor window. "I certainly hope that you're proud of her." Caren said with veiled sarcasm. "She's a wonderful magus."

"I am I assure you." Tokiomi said with a smile, clearly missing the priestess' point. "She will secure our family's legacy and lead us to the future."

"Don't you see anything wrong with those…things…?" Caren said with disapproval. "They are vicious, bloodthirsty, and monstrous. Dogs should not grow to that extent and with that temperament. Well mundane attack dogs do have a matching temperament, but…"

"They are familiars." Tokiomi interrupted dismissively. "And while I admit that her use of living familiars is to an extent dangerous, I have the utmost confidence in my daughter's ability to control them, despite all the modifications performed on them. I should know, given that I assisted in their creation."

The elder magus paused and then turned to address her. "Caren, are you not Rin's advisor?" he asked. "It seems to me that you criticize and question her much, even for an advisor."

"If it seems that way, then I apologize." Caren said with a bow. "However I simply favor the Socratic method of relentless questioning that is all."

"Ah I see." Tokiomi said with an understanding nod. "It seems that I misunderstood. I apologize, priestess."

Caren smiled, a smile that turned wooden as she saw Rin letting her hounds lick the blood from her hand. A rather disturbing sight, though she decided against expressing it verbally.

It's probably best to just let sleeping dogs lie.

A/N

Hi, here's the first chapter of the sequel!

Shirou and Cattleya are both a bit hard to write, since I have to incorporate canon aspects of their personality lest they become OC stand-ins. Some advice would be helpful here, though Cattleya as portrayed in this chapter has some elements of canon Rin thrown in, not too out there given they are siblings and should share some traits.

Rin is actually the easiest to write; just throw in some Misaya Reiroukan and voila!

That's all for now, see you soon.

P.S. Having trouble imagining Sakura/Cattleya...? Take a look at my avatar, and then read her description again. Or just image google Rumia from Touhou, and then read Cattleya's description again.