*I changed Rin's entrance age. She entered at 16.
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フェイト使い魔: Fate/Familiar
Chapter Two
Summoning
Author: Purus Memoria
Disclaimer: Fate/Stay Night © and all of its characters are owned by Type-Moon. Zero no Tsukaima © and all of its recognizable characters were created by Noboru Yamaguichi and Eiji Usatsuka.
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Sakura was sixteen now. She had become very grateful towards Siesta, Polka, and the rest of their large family. Not only did they take care of her when she was sick, but they allowed her into their home, to their food, into their family. Sakura had began to fell immensely loved by them. She had told them that she despised magic. Siesta had mutual feelings about the subject. However, that made Sakura feel guilty that she wasn't telling them the whole truth. Yes, while she did hate magic, she had failed to mention that she could preform magic. Or at least what they call magic in this world. At home, it would simply be referred to magecraft since magic was a higher order of power which less than a dozen people could currently perform. Money was beginning to become an issue in the family. As the oldest and eligible to work, Siesta took it upon her to find a job. Sakura helped so that she may find a job too. It was the least she could do. She did take her into their home. In the end they both received the job in the same place. It was comforting to know they wouldn't be alone, however, the location caused issues with their morals. It was a magic school where many mages where studying and living. They were both working as maids.
This lead to the current situation. Sakura was cleaning more than per usual. One of her co-workers had gotten sick, so Sakura was nice enough to take upon the double load of work. She could use the extra money. She ventured down an unfamiliar hall. The academy was enormous, so it wasn't a surprise that she hadn't become accustomed to the whole layout yet. She opened the door to notice a student occupying the room. Weren't classes currently in session? Unless ill, everyone should in in classes. But there in the far corner of the room sat a charismatic girl, wearing the school uniform minus the cape. She was probably one of the seniors. She had pretty hair and a large stack of books that was so tall that it appeared it would topple her. Despite not attending class, she appeared quite studious. Curiosity dictated her as Sakura took a few more steps into the room to venture.
Without looking away from the book she was currently reading, she said, "We've already discussed this, Loraine. You don't clean my room unless I say so. You don't enter my room without me first telling you to. You don't even open the door without me first authorizing it."
Sakura shivered. She didn't know! Loraine was the girl Sakura was helping. Sakura bowed from the habit of her Japanese customs. "I'm sorry!" This was also a mage. Despite hating magic, it was a clear fact of society that nobles were the ones who possessed magic. Who knew what this stranger would do to her. "I didn't know. Loraine is ill, so I'm taking her work load today." The senior academy mage turned in her seat finally adverting her eyes off her book. Sakura's voice startles her. She had truly thought it was Loraine bugging her again. It was when she turned around that Sakura froze. Sakura's widen as her past resurfaced in her mind to haunt her. She loudly gasped and she covered her mouth. Those blue eyes, the face. Although all of her hair flowed down in waves compared to wearing two ribbons, Sakura couldn't mistake her identity. Tears pricked her eyes and Sakura ran to the girl and hugged her tightly as if she would disappear if she released her.
"Rin-onee-san." Sakura tightened her grip. "I thought you died. I... I..." The top of Sakura's head implanted itself into the girl's chest as she cried. Normally she wouldn't show her pain, but it was just too much to bear.
It was true. The girl before Sakura was her sister; the daughter Tokiomi chose as his heir, Rin Tohsaka.
Rin was confused. She had been in this world for about two years now. One year, 11 months, 18 days, 2 hours, 47minutes, and 11 seconds to be exact. The situation between her and General Gramont's army had been sorted out after a minor fight. When things finally settled down and explanations were given, Rin was offered to live in the Gramont estate as an apology and as a benefit to them both. Rin who had no where to go benefited as there was no way she was living on the streets. She had high standards. General Guiche on the other hand thought her influence on his son, Guiche, would be good. Rin was proficient in magic and could aide him in his abilities. Plus with her kind of power there was no doubt she would gain recognition. As as her 'guardian' some of that praise would move on to him. It was a win-win situation. Though once Rin heard about the Tristain Academy of Magic, she demanded to be enrolled. There were many more resources there would would allow her to further her magical education, furthermore, she would have the chance to learn more about the strange world she landed in and try to figure out how to return home.
Finally taking a moment to analyze the person embracing her, Rin noticed that true to the statement,it was her younger sister. "S-Sakura? What are you doing here?" Sakura should have been back in Japan, not in this world. Sakura's words repeated through her head. "And why would I be dead? I took a major hit from Kotomine, but it wasn't fatal. I wasn't aware that you even knew."
Sakura sniffed as her crying ceased though not before the least her tears escaped. This wasn't right. Rin should be dead. She had stabbed her. Sakura had watched her fallen form. She watched her die! Now Rin was spurting something about Kotomine. Nothing was adding up. Sakura looked up into Rin's eyes. "That doesn't make any sense. I-I watched you die. It was my fault. I destroyed so many lives. I hurt everyone that cared about me. Zouken controlled the insects inside me to activate the Angra Mainyu."
Rin's brain was working over time. Nothing Sakura said made sense. Sakura had been used minimally in the 5th Holy Grail War. Sakura was forced to summon a servant but had been used by Shinji who possessed no magic circuits. "That's impossible. You were hardly active in the war. Unless..." Rin went into deep thought about the possibilities.
Sakura stared worriedly. Nothing made sense. "Unless what?"
Rin sat back down on the chair and opened the built-in drawer taking out a piece of paper and a pen. "Possibilities... The second magic: the operation of parallel worlds." Sakura was still confused. Rin drew a line and wrote her name beside it. "Magic is uncommon. It defies laws of magecraft of modern science. Very few can achieve it. If I remember correctly than there is only one person who can control it right now: Zelretch. He's a dead apostle. He has made many accomplishments using this magic. So say he is the cause of us being here this line would represent my time line...my world." Rin then drew another line and labelled it Sakura. "If that's true than this line would represent your world. Another dimension where our worlds are similar though events happened differently. But did they branch off from each other? Or maybe they are parallel in the sense they are similar but never touch. Or perhaps they are overlaying worlds which is the similarities are uncanny but scenarios are different... or-or ah!" Rin hit her head on the table purposely. "This is confusing me too much! I don't understand the second magic at all!" It wasn't Rin's fault. No one did. No one but Zelretch that was. It even confused EMIYA who participated in the war by crossing to another dimension.
"So we aren't related," asked Sakura who was just as confused as Rin. Somehow this fact bothered her.
"No, we are... I have a sister named Sakura and you have a sister named Rin. We are siblings, yet we are not the siblings that we know. Geez... this is giving me a headache."
"What are we to do?" Sakura didn't mind being in this world. She had found hope again. It was better than being with grandfather and Shinji that was for sure. Though she still felt something missing.
"I'm been researching everything I can about this world. Learning any 'magic' I can pick up. I've still failed to find any way back though. There has to be a way though."
"Is that why you aren't in class?"
Rin raised her head. "I haven't attended classes since my first year. After a month, I had scared the teachers to allow me to have free study as long as I attend examinations."
Sakura couldn't believe it. Her sister was scaring those who were suppose to be in authority.
"Don't give me that look," Rin's cheeks slightly redden when she notices Sakura's gaze, "there reasoning makes no sense. Their information is seriously lacking, and many of the staff and students are barbaric." Her hands rested on her hips. "How am I to learn anything under their tutelage. I went from learning under Lord El-Melloi II's guidance to them. Sure he would push my buttons some times, but I miss him."
Sakura glanced to the side to see the clock. She jumped noticing the time. She had been there for an hour. Oh no! "Sorry, I really have to leave. I've wasted an hour and I've still got much to do." Sakura rushed to the door. Just before her hand could clutch the door nob, Rin's voice hit her ears calling her name. Turning around, she faced Rin's serious gaze. "You shouldn't speak to anyone about this. The situation is problematic and doesn't concern the others."
"Alright." Sakura left the room with mix emotions. She wasn't planning on telling anyone. If she did, she would have to explain her ties to magic. She didn't want that to happen. Why couldn't her problems just go away? Sakura thought of Rin. Whether sisters or not, she still seemed so strong. She was in the same predicament yet she still had that grace. Sakura began to think of herself just as weak as she was before.
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Illyasviel skips down the hallway escaping from Captain Agnès who was chasing Ilya while enraged. Over the past four months Ilya had become very close with the princess. Illyasviel was a clingy girl but meant well...usually. She had become quite happy in this new world. Since she arrived there has been no worries. She was finally getting the childhood she never had. Agnès had come to the palace with a report to give the princess. However, Henrietta was already in a meeting so she was forced to wait. That was when Illyasviel began to tease and 'play' with Agnès which to her was only a bother.
"Get back here!" yelled the infuriated captain.
Ilya turned around, stuck out her tongue, and pulled down the skin beneath her eye. "Nah uh. You gotta catch me." She then turned around and began to run once more. Up ahead she saw the Princess exiting the conference room. Jumping at Princess Henrietta, she yelled, "Save me, Henrietta!"
Agnès was aghast. "You... You... Treat her highness with respect!" She made her way to the princess and brat and told the princess, "Excuse the ruckus, your highness. Apparently a brat got through the guards."
"Brat?" Henrietta blinked confused. When she realized she was referring to Illyasviel, she corrected, "Illyasviel is a guest of mine. She is also a friend so could you please refrain from the name calling." Agnès couldn't believe it. The brat warped the princess' mind.
"But she is just a kid!"
"I'm not that much younger," whined Ilya who got strange looks as a response.
"Yeah right, kid. I'm twenty. You're what? 10? I'm twice your age."
Ilya smirked. "So you're calling yourself old."
"Yeah—wait no!"
Princess Henrietta stared curiously at Ilya. "Actually, now that you mention it, Captain Agnès, I don't know how old Ilya is." The two now look at the homunculus expectantly.
Illyasviel had a cute thinking face. "Hmm..." she counted her four fingers mentally, "19." Henrietta and Agnès blinked. They didn't just hear what they thought they heard. "I'm 19 years old."
"You can't be serious," commented Agnès freaking out about the new information. She then composed herself as she remembered she was in the presence of the Princess of Tristain. "Anyway, I came to inform you I will be training a new knight... maybe. I heard from the Montmorency family that they have an employee who is interested in becoming a knight. I told him that I couldn't make any promises about accepting him, but I would evaluate him."
"What is his name," asked Henrietta.
"Shirou."
Illyasviel froze. "Onii-chan..." It couldn't be her brother. It just couldn't be. She was from another world... another time. He couldn't be there too, right?
"O-O-what?" Agnès didn't understand what the homunculus said. It almost sounded like it should be some mythical beast.
Illyasviel ran away from the two. She clenched her fist as she continued to run. It couldn't be. It couldn't be the person who stole Kiritsugu from her.
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Louise Fançoise le Blanc de la Vallière was nervous. She studied really hard as the summoning ritual for second years were approaching. She was given the name Louise the Zero for a reason. She has never achieved magic as they all resulted in explosions. This time she really wanted to get it right. One of her teacher who is also the supervisor for the summonings, Jean Colbert, emphasized the importance of this springtime ritual. It was a defining moment for a mage! That and she hears the voices of everyone else. They weren't subtle either. The other students always looked down on her, calling her names. Especially that Kirche. Their families have been rivals for a long time. That big breasted beast called her out that she wouldn't be able to summon a familiar. Well, Louise would show her!
Louise was returning to her room with a stack of books. Each contained information on summonings. Walking around the corner, the pink haired girl bumped into someone and they both tumbled to the ground. Opening her eyes, Louise noticed she knocked down someone she shouldn't have. On the ground with her was Rin Tohsaka. Louise tensed. Unlike Louise, Rin was a very accomplished and feared mage. Who knew what Rin would do to Louise because she knocked her down.
Rin groaned. She looked at the small second year student who looked scared out of her wits. Normally, Rin would have shouted about watching where she was going, but then she would be a hypocrite because she wasn't looking where she was going either. Rin had been rethinking her earlier research on a way back. She felt like she wasted two years. She listen the younger girl whisper sorry. Why was she so frighten? Rin picked up a few of the books. Each one was about summoning or familiars though both topics went hand-in-hand. "Summoning?" Louise shivered in fright. Rin was going to make fun of her too. "I guess the springtime summoning ritual is tomorrow. Though, aren't there too many books?"
Louise gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "I can't screw up. I won't let anyone call me a zero anymore!"
"So you're the one they call zero." Louise was surprised she didn't know. They've been calling her that since last year when she first began studying at the academy. Though this was Rin Tohsaka they were talking about. Rin has an aura that demanded respect and she has the power to back it up. Someone like Rin shouldn't concern herself with a loser like her. "Honestly... where are you going? You cannot possibly carry all of these books yourself."
Louise was surprised she was offered help. She's always had to do things on her own. "My room." Louise nodded in the direction her room was in.
"Let's go then."
Louise ran a few steps to catch up to her senior. The silence was killing her, so Louise decided to ask, "Why are you helping me?"
Rin raised an eyebrow. "Would you prefer I didn't?"
"No...thanks for helping. So what did you summon at your ritual day?" Louise was curious. It was probably something like a dragon or a griffon.
"Nothing," said Rin interestingly, "I refused to participate in the springtime summoning."
Louise gap. The ritual was a tradition. There is no way she would be allowed to escape from it. "What? How? Why?"
"There was no purpose for me to participate. I already know my magical limitations: the fields of magic I was perform. A familiar is a defining moment. Not only do you gain a companion, but you learn from each other. It's a commitment. I've done a summoning before my coming to Tristain. However, me enrolling into this academy after the springtime ritual also played a part." Louise's spirit darkened. She had thought it would be some epic tale about her duelling the staff and headmaster or something along those lines. The two arrived to Louise's room and they parted ways.
"Rin isn't as bad as the senior students make her out to be," Louise mumbled as she began her studying.
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The next day had approached too quickly. If possible, Louise was even more worried than before. Due to her surname, Louise was the last student called to summon a familiar. She had seen a dragon, a salamander, and much more. How was she suppose to compete with that? She shook her head. As long as she summons something, she will be fine. Even if it is a tiny mouse. Louise took out her wand and prepared herself to chant the incantation. "My name is Louise Fançoise le Blanc de la Vallière. Pentagon of the five elemental powers heed my summoning and bring forth my familiar. A large explosion occurred as per usual and everyone stared at the scene in anticipation. It was not what anyone had expected. There was not only one but two commoners on the ground. This was worse than not summoning anything at all!
Saito rubbed his head as he looked around at all the spectators. They were all dressed strangely, had stick thingies, and had weird creatures with them.
Waver looked around. That really hurt. He turned to stare at the boy who was to blame for their current predicament. He looked confused. Waver sighed. He couldn't expect the average human to understand. He did just experience magic, and it seemed this world they winded up in were very open about it. He looked at the laughing crowd. What was with them? Waver laid back down on the grass. This was such a drag. Couldn't he just have some peace? Waver closed his eyes and imagined his hero: Iskandar aka Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia. He imagined what he would do at a time like this, but he already knew the answer. He would make the best of it. Waver stood up and pointed a finger in Louise's direction. "You! Where are we?"
Louise still hadn't responded so Waver took it as she wasn't listening. Her teacher was speaking to her after all. Then she finally approached them. "Who are you?" Her arms were crossed in what may be taken in an intimidating way, but Waver just wanted to laugh. He had seen much scarier. He just had to remember the day Archer approached him. He really thought he was going to be killed.
"Saito Hiraga," responded the average boy who looked terrified.
Waver mustered up a smile. It was a small one, but he didn't want them to think they were hostile. "I'm Waver Velvet. I'm sorry if we frightened you or disrupted your lesson. We accidentally fell into a portal."
"It wasn't a mistake," seethed Louise. She was just told by Professor Colbert that there was no backing out. She had never kissed anyone before, but now she had to kiss not only one but two boys to complete the contract. "We were summoning familiars..."
Waver didn't understand. Why would they be forced to summon familiars. Usually a magus' life was lonely, but they weren't forced to have a familiar. Familiars were a drastic choice. The bond between them could be immeasurable. On the other hand some links were just not meant to be. It wasn't impossible to break a contract. "So what did you summon?" Louise's face got brighter by the second. "Huh? What's wrong?"
"Shut up!"
At her malicious words, Waver was beginning to connect the dots. They were what she summoned. "Oh.."
"Oh? Oh what?" Saito looked ready to pee his pants.
"We're her summonings." Saito was in denial.
"Correct. So you better be thankful. For you commoners to get this from a noble." Louise leaned down to Waver. He was the more accepting and calmer of the two. Chanting another spell, Louise finished the bond with a kiss. When she went to move to to Saito, he began to run away. She trembled with anger. How dare he try to escape. He was making her look bad. Casting a spell, an explosion followed suit stopping the sixteen year old boy in his tracks. Louise caught up to him and completed the contract. "Really... you're a disgrace to your master."
Waver looked at the scene and sighed. He wasn't sure about everything going on, but one thing was for sure: things were sure to be chaotic.
Both Saito and Waver felt a stinging in their hands. Runes inscribed themselves on both of them, though they were different markings. Waver would have to look into it more later. This was definetely beginning to pile on. Things to do: answers towards this summoning, learning their location, discovering a way to return and get Saito back. Altering his memories of this occurrence would be simple. The problem was finding a way back. After all it was common knowledge that transfering realities was real magic. This was the result of the meddling of a true magician
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Zelretch sneezed. The boy knew what force he was against at least. Too bad for Waver that there was no way for him to fight him.
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**I know it's shortish but this concludes my intro. I think enough is set up now.
***From this point on the main focus is with the character Waver, Louise, and Saito. They won't be the only part but most (not all) of the story will be scenes with at least one of them in it. Also I'm going to try and make all future chapters between 6-10 thousand words.
Thanks for reading!