Kariya leaned against the wall near the stairs uneasily. Even before knowing the truth he felt uneasy here. The Matou manor looked wealthy enough on the outside, but once inside only a naive idiot wouldn't feel something in their bones that this place harbored something unbearably wrong.
Then the frowning face of a black haired girl appeared at the top of the steps. Kariya stood up straight at once, wiping the grim look from his face swiftly replacing it with a warm smile.
"Are you're things packed, Sakura?" he asked her. She nodded silently hoisting her luggage up into her arms and descended the stairs walking past Kariya without a word. She disappeared outside the front door and Kariya's attentioned turned to the blue haired boy following his new sister down the stairs, his own personal items packed.
"Hey, Shinji." Kariya said. "Are you ready to go?"
"I'm ready, Uncle." Shinji replied. "I just don't understand why we're leaving."
"It's...complicated." Kariya explained poorly. "This house is old and with your father dead and my work…" he trailed off as Shinji stood by the door.
"It's alright, Uncle Kariya." Shinji glanced out the window. "I understand when someone is trying to keep secrets. You don't have to lie to me."
"Am I that obvious?" Kariya asked. Shinji didn't reply but his eyes spoke volumes. "I guess it isn't hereditary…" the young photographer mused. "Look, you know the Matous are mages. Well, let's just say our legacy isn't exactly noble."
"Why should I care." Shinji muttered.
"Because," Kariya said with sincerity. "I am going to reforge the Matou name. No more fractured dreams of Makiri. The Makiri died sixty years ago and as of now so have the old Matous. I want you, Shinji. You, and your sister, to help me. I don't care if you don't have magic circuits or even the right mindset to be a magus. Mages have stooped to lows so horrible it's unspeakable and look what's it got them? Nothing but bitter fantasies. We will achieve the goal without sacrificing ourselves to claim it. And we will win. I know it."
Shinji had nothing to say. He looked Kariya in the eyes and nodded astutely finally uttering, "Okay...I'll help you, if I can."
Kariya laughed. "Don't be such a downer. Laugh and live a little. That's my first lesson on how to be a mage." he gestured to the door. "Now go join your sister in the car. I'll be with you shortly."
As soon as, Shinji had disappeared from view the suppressed feelings of dread and bitter determination flowed into Kariya's facial features developing into a stoic frown mixed with preemptive disgust.
The heir of the Matou clan descended into the catacombs beneath the manor. The sickly green light casting dark shadows over the thousands of decaying insects. Kariya did his best to avert his gaze while still refraining from stepping on any.
Finally, in the center of the room he found what he was seeking pressed into the alcove. A torn shield strap and a fossilized snake head of no known species. These relics would be the jumping point for Kariya's vision. His face twisted into a grin as the concept of everything that wretched vampire had ever built would be forgotten by everyone once he was dead made him rather happy despite his dismal surroundings.
He placed the charm on the center of the floor and instantly it began to glow as it drew in mana from the surroundings. Luckily, Zouken's workshop was saturated with it. Within an hour the house would be engulfed in flames and by then Kariya would be on a plane to America.
"America." Kariya said to himself. "The land of opportunity."
Author's notes: Alright I did it. I made something out of the maelstrom of ideas in my head. I'll warn all readers that I am not the biggest know it all when it comes to Fate lore and magic rules. I know stuff I find on wikis but I'll do my best to be true to the universe. Aside from that I know this prologue is short but that's because its a prologue. I will have chapters with 1000+ words in it. Hopefully. Anyways wish me luck and please enjoy my nonsense.