Hey guys! This is my first actual "follow-a-plot" fanfiction here, so please give me helpful comments on what you liked or didn't like and how I can improve (: Also, I will try to keep everything in the normal sequence and what not, but I apologize in advance if the Holy Grail Wars are supposed to be different. And I do not own anything pertaining to "Fate/Stay Night" or "Fate/Zero", though I would like to, I only own this plot and my OCs. Hope you like this chapter! (:

Chapter 1: Aura

A blinding flash. Screams of shock and agony. The world spinning as I ran unsteadily, weaving through the ruined street. Another explosion and, crashing to the unforgiving ground, I screeched as rough gravel crunched painfully below me. A pair of familiar hands picked me up and I recognized the warm, musky scent of Nee-chan. Snuggling closer, I felt her pace quicken and the world blurred around me again. The jerking steps softened and the blur of angry red and black dissolved into a cool blue. The sea. As I was gently lowered, I heard her breath suddenly hitch and her eyes widen in shock. She pitched forward, letting out a strangled gasp. Twisting around in her trembling arms, I stared, horrified, as she convulsed, the fire in her cobalt blue eyes dimming as a trickle of dark red ran down her chin.

"Nee-chan? Nee-chan, are you okay? Nee-chan! NEE-CHAN!"


I woke up with a start, fear coursing through my veins and my breath coming in ragged gasps. Was what I just saw real? It must have been only...a dream. After forcing myself to take deep breaths and waiting for my ears to stop ringing, I groaned inwardly and rubbed my eyes blearily. The slight movement sent shooting pains through my skull and I buried my head in my hands. Closing my eyes didn't seem to help the throbbing pain, it only magnified it. Sighing, I stumbled out of my small room into the living room and propped my head on the cool glass table, trying to think.

It was getting worse. The nightmares were getting more and more realistic these days; was it what I really remembered? They say I was found when I was five, now ten years ago, unconscious and barely breathing, washed up on the beach. Surprisingly unhurt, the Tohsaka family had taken me in and since then, I was known as Tohsaka Umeko: a slight variation from "the child from the ocean".

The glass had helped, allowing me a small smirk. Thank Kami-sama, the pain was almost gone. Perhaps if I stayed in this relatively comfortable position, head rested on the table, my dreams wouldn't come back to torment me again. Feeling slightly better, I attempted to get my brain to sort of the mess of my heritage, failing as my thoughts gave way to oblivion.


"Ume-chan. Ume-chan, wake up!"

"Ehh...?" was my smart reply.

"Ume-chan, hurry up and get changed, we're going to be late if you don't get off the place we EAT!" The tone was disintegrating into annoyance.

"Wha..! Oh sorry Nii-san, I'll get going." All drowsiness fell away as I sat up sharply and ran to get ready for school. The normality of the morning routine calmed my frazzled nerves from the disturbed night and by the time I was back at the table, I was nearly back to normal.

"Good morning, Kaa-san, Tou-san." Both Kin and I chorused, greeting the stern-looking pair that entered the room. Our parents looked about the same, sharing ink-black hair and piercing eyes that never softened, unless it as Kin, my elder brother. Glancing quickly at Kin, it was obvious how he was trying to look inconspicuous. That was unexpected. Our parents adored him, he did not have any reason to be afraid.

Just then, the daily death glare was sent my way. I felt the weight of it on my back and the tension in the room increase. Pretending not to notice, I carried on with washing the dirty plates, trying to be as silent as possible.

"We're leaving for school now, Kaa-san, Tou-san." We had said it so many times together that we didn't even need a signal.

"Have a safe journey, Kin-kun. Study hard." The usual ignorance of my presence was still getting to me. I pushed it away and locked it in a small box in the corner of my mind. That should hold it. Giving a small smile, we left the compound.


"Ne, Nii-san, what's bothering you?"

Tohsaka Kin, my brother, looked up distractedly and ebony black orbs met cobalt blue.

"Nothing much. Why?"

"Well, for one you almost walked into a drain and secondly I always can tell when you're worried. So what's wrong?" My eyes roamed his face. Tousled jet black hair, high cheekbones, mouth that was currently set in a line. So different from my own long dark grey hair with natural streaks of blue and white reaching to my waist.

"Well...okay Ume-chan, you always know when something's up." Kin gave me a small smirk. Looking around to check if anyone was listening, he turned back to me. "You know that the Tohsaka family is a long line of magi, right." He searched for any reaction in me but found only interest. I had heard this before.

"As I am to be the heir to the family, I have to be a magus too. And currently I'm having some problems with extracting mana from a jewel, something that I should be good at already, considering how close it is to the Holy Grail Wars..."

He trailed off. Most of it was familiar to me, I knew my adopted family were mages and such problems were quite common with my brother. But wait. Did he mention...a war? What war? My dream from the previous night flashed through my head again. I was about to ask what he meant when he suddenly turned to me again.

"Anyway, you don't have to worry about that, Ume-chan, it'll be okay." He flashed a grin. "Now what's bugging you? These few days I always find you all over the house in the morning, and I know you're not sleepwalking."

After a beat of hesitation, I spoke.

"Nii-san, I was found on the beach near to the Tohsaka compound, wasn't I?" Not waiting for his reply, I pushed on. "Recently I've been getting dreams...about things I can't remember, things that maybe happened before I was found. I...I can't really remember."

I could feel his concerned gaze resting on me as I stared at the concrete path.

"Don't worry about it, Ume-chan, I'll be here for you, no matter what happens." His slightly tanned hand found my own pale one and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Walking on in silence for a while, we passed into a dark alleyway. Nii-san instinctively pressed into me and our pace increased a beat.

A deep voice growled out from the shadows, making us jump.

"Well, well, well. Look who's here, it's two cute kids! Come with us, we'll make you happy, so, so happy." A crazed tone entered the voice accompanied by an unmistakable /shhk/ of a blade somewhere behind us.

Half-remembered images flashed past my eyes as a chill ran down my spine. More thugs left the shadows and surrounded us in a rough circle.

Kin pushed me behind him, an apprehensive and fearful look on his face.

"Nii-san..."

"Aww the little girl is scared! Come with us girl, we'll cheer you up!" The thug was apparently the leader and had a jagged scar across his face, distorted by the grin stretched across his face. His sarcasm clashed with the seemingly reassuring words and I shrank further behind Kin.

Never taking his eyes of the ring-leader, Kin murmured to me.

"Ume-chan, when I say 'Go', run straight forwards. Hold on to me at all times. Trust me."

"Y-yeah..."

Kin slipped his hand into his pocket, eyes narrowing to slits.

"One..."

Kin's hand twitched slightly and his lips formed soundless words. The ring-leader's maniacal grin impossibly widened.

"Thinking of going somewhere, kid?"

"Two..."

"Not a chance! You're all ours, kid!"

The ring started closing in on us, hands holding flashing katanas and chains. I started to wonder if Kin was just acting or could really save us.

"Heh heh heh heh...You've got nowhere to run now, brat!"

"Three..."

Just as the first thug got within an arm's length of us, Kin's closed fist jerked out in a blur.

"GO!"

I ran blindly forward. In a split second, the air was filled with a quickly expanding pulsating substance and I pushed forward without thinking, only trusting my Nii-san.

"KYAAAA! STOP IT, DAMMIT!" The screams of the thugs confused me but I didn't care. Serves them right.

Suddenly a weird feeling came over my skin, as if I was going to be burnt alive and my skin peeled off. No. Kin wouldn't let something like that happen. I forced it away, clenching my fists with the effort. Pushing on, I didn't notice a faint blue aura surrounding me, causing the seething substance to retract slightly, away from me.

Reaching the end of the alleyway, I staggered and almost collapsed, feeling a wave of exhaustion pass through me.

A sound of pattering feet brought me to my senses and I turned around warily, sighing in relief when I saw it was just Kin.

"Ume-chan! Are you okay? I told you not to let go!" Checking me all over and finding nothing wrong, I could see a spark of surprise and unformed questions in his eyes.

"Nii-san? What...what happened?" Staring blankly at Kin, I tried to regain my breath.

"I released a mana-infused plasma that would give everyone in the near vicinity a, um, really bad rash. It'll dissipate after around fifteen seconds but the effects will last for some time. The only way one could avoid it is to repel it with a mana cloak, which I was supposed to cover you too."

I glanced over at the painfully writhing thugs on the dirt floor. The ring-leader, who had been closest to Kin when he released that...thing, was unconscious and twitching spasmodically.

Turning back to Kin, the surprise was gone and only concern was present. I was thoroughly confused. Oh well. I did live in a magi-filled family after all. Shrugging, I brushed some residue from Kin's ruffled hair and smoothed down my own. Kin gave me a smirk.

"Heh, they got what they deserved."

Smirking back at Kin, we continued our way to school, the only trace of our passing being the groaning men in the alleyway.

As we walked on in silence, I admired the blossoming sakura trees, missing the furtive looks that Kin sent me, the usual warmth replaced by coldness, shock and burning curiosity.

-END-

What will happen at school? Could Kin be...jealous of Umeko?

Next chapter: Shougi


Note: Thank you ToAruKagakuNoPersona for alerting me to the mistake in the meaning of Umeko's name (: i forgot my basic Japanese ): I would change it Umiko but i still prefer Ume though (: Sorry and thanks ^^

It has just recently (few weeks past the first posting of this chapter) come to my knowledge that all 5 Holy Grail Wars have apparently been held in the winter, but the main point is apparently, and I cannot find any other proof, so this fic shall start about April, during the Sakura season.

The first chapter is up! Hope you guys liked it.

Please read and review (:

Thanks (:

- SilverHusky