Chapter Two: The Kids Are Alright

-(=O=)-

[Five Years, One Month Ago]

He grunted as he moved another box into their new house. Ayaka carried her bags in, and watched her father carry boxes into their new home. Hiroki Sajyou was a Magus who carried with him an overwhelming desire to reach the Root. The Sajyou family were practitioners of what could generally be called "Black Magic," among other forms of Magecraft. For example: while Black Magic is what the Sajyou family's crest is primarily built on, they also have skills in other forms of Magecraft, such as forms of Witchcraft involving potion brewing, and several curses.

So, after they finished moving into their new house, as a new family of magi moving into a new city, they immediately went to see the Second Owner of their new home: Fuyuki City, on the outskirts of Shinto city. That morning, it snowed heavily for the coastal city, leaving fifteen centimeters of snow that blanketed the city.

The Sajyou family piled into their small sedan, Hiroki Sajyou in the driver's seat, with Ayaka in the back, and Ayaka's older sister Manaka in the passenger seat. Her father drove across the city. Once they reached the residence of the Second Owner, they stepped out of the car, all of them dressed in their best clothes, and walked up to the front door. Ayaka kept her head hung low, as Manaka stood tall and proud.

Her father knocked on the front door, and waited for someone to answer. Footsteps echoed from inside, until the door opened, revealing a tired looking man dressed in a black suit and tie, with similarly colored raven hair. A bit of stubble was visible on his chin, and he asked them "Hello? What can I do for you?"

Hiroki straightened up, before he spoke. "Mr. Tohsaka, my name is Hiroki Sajyou and-"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not Tokiomi Tohsaka," the man interrupted, before he ducked back into the house and called out into the building "Hey, Tokiomi! There's someone here to see you!"

The man looked back outside and said to them "Please, come in Mr. Sajyou. Tokiomi will see you in a minute."

The entered the household, and the man guided them to the second floor into what appeared to be an office. A man sat behind a desk, dressed in a sharp red suit. His blue eyes, looked up, as he greeted them with a professional "Hello."

The Sajyous sat down in a few chairs that were placed in front of the Tohsaka patriarch's desk. The family glanced at each other nervously, before the man seated before them spoke.

"My name is Tokiomi Tohsaka. What is it that you needed to see my about?" he introduced himself.

"My name is Hiroki Sajyou, and this is my eldest daughter Manaka," he answered as he pointed at the blonde teenager to his left, "and my youngest daughter Ayaka. We're a Magus family, and we've recently moved to Fuyuki City from Tokyo."

Tokiomi nodded. "I would assume that you would like to establish a workshop?" he asked, as he pulled out some papers from inside his desk.

"Yes please," Hiroki replied. Manaka kept a polite smile, as she listened to what her father and the Second Owner were discussing. She was seventeen at the time, and provided that she was going to continue her life as a Magus, she would need to learn how to interact with a Second Owner. Ayaka, being twelve at the time, and as opposed to her sister had no intentions of being a Magus, didn't listen to what they were saying. Her eyes wandered the room, and she examined every part of it from her seat.

She turned back towards the Tohsaka, and she watched her father sign the Geis that would permit him to establish a workshop in the city.

Tokiomi coughed, as he spoke. "Now, Mr. Sajyou, I will need to speak to you about something that isn't considered…" he paused briefly, as he considered his choice in words. "Suitable for children that may affect you in the near future."

Hiroki nodded. His face was blank, but his thought processes immediately started to worry for his children.

"Is it alright with you if I ask Kiritsugu here to see Ms. Ayaka to where my daughter and Kiritsugu's son are? I assure you, she will not be harmed while you are here."

Hiroki nodded, and Kiritsugu stood. He held out his hand to the girl, who was at that precious age where she was no longer a child, but not quite a teenager yet. She left her seat, and followed the man dressed in black to where two children her age were talking to each other excitedly.

"Shirou, Rin," the man called to them. They stopped, and looked at the man and girl.

The boy replied with "Yes Dad?" while the girl answered with a "Yes Kiritsugu?"

"This is Ayaka Sajyou. Her father is applying for a workshop here in the city, and Tokiomi and Mr. Sajyou are discussing business information," Kiritsugu explained to the two other children.

"What kind of information?" the boy questioned, with curiosity evident in his voice.

"Adult business stuff, Shirou," Kiritsugu replied sarcastically. He and Tokiomi would tell the two later about what Mr. Sajyou will say about the Grail War. He, and if he knew Tokiomi, had already came to that conclusion. "Can you two look after Ms. Ayaka until we're done?"

There was a synchronised response of yes, as the two children took Ayaka's hand and started to ask her about her life. The naturally shy girl had no idea what to do, and so, just answered their questions blankly.

Kiritsugu returned to Tokiomi's office, and sat on the couch behind Manaka Sajyou and Hiroki Sajyou. "Now that Kiritsugu has returned," Tokiomi began, "I will explain what will be happening. In what I believe to be less that ten years from now, another Holy Grail War will be fought. As you, and your family members are Magi, I recommended that you are extra careful during that time."

"A magus, during the time that a Grail War occurs, are very vulnerable, from Masters targeting them to potentially eliminate competition, to having their families being tortured for information regarding their relatives who could, or are, confirmed to be Masters."

Hiroki nodded.

"If you, and your family members are confirmed not to be Masters during that time, I recommend that you leave the city for a while. Take a vacation for your safety," Tokiomi advised. It truly was the best way to stay safe.

"What exactly is the Holy Grail War?" Manaka questioned.

Tokiomi's and Kiritsugu's faces were completely serious. "It is a war, normally fought between seven pairs consisting of a Master, and a Heroic Spirit which was summoned as a Servant."

The blonde haired teenager stared at Tokiomi. "Heroic Spirits, like King Arthur? Like Alexander the Great? Like Hercules?"

Tokiomi nodded. "It may sound fantastic, but it is not something worth experiencing. Trust me on this."

The girl slumped back, and nodded. This was when Manaka Sajyou's obsession with the Holy Grail War began. When she, her father, and her sister met with the Second Owner of Fuyuki City, and she learned of her chance to summon her Prince.

King Arthur, the King of Knights. The man she had secretly admired since her childhood. "My Prince" as she once called him, back when she was still so very young.

Hiroki nodded. He was oblivious to his daughters rapidly growing obsession, but he was aware of the carnage that Heroic Spirits could wreck upon the land. He connected the dots together in his mind. The damage that was done to Fuyuki five years previously, it must have been caused by the Grail War.

He glanced at Tokiomi, fear in his eyes, and Tokiomi just nodded sadly. It was true. The disaster that killed that many people in this very city could occur once more, and this time, his daughters might get caught up in all of it. While he was desperate to reach the Root, he wasn't so desperate that he would expose his only remaining family to that.

He stood, and bowed, loudly thanking Tokiomi for his help and hospitality. He then turned, and did the same to Kiritsugu, who nodded.

Tokiomi smiled a sad smile. "Kiritsugu, can you please show Mr. Sajyou and Ms. Manaka to where Ms. Ayaka is?"

Kiritsugu nodded wordlessly, and left the office. He led them to where Ayaka, Shirou and Rin were reading something on the computer he had insisted that Tokiomi buy.

"Ayaka," Hiroki said, and the girl looked towards her father. "It's time to go home."

Ayaka nodded. As she was about to leave the room, she stopped, and waved to Shirou and Rin, a small smile present on her face. "Bye! Hopefully we'll see each other again!" she called out.

They too, smiled and waved bye to the girl, wishing her a safe trip home. Ayaka skipped to the front door. Hiroki followed her, happy that she had made some friends. Manaka followed wordlessly, distracted by the possibility that she could finally meet her Prince.

As they drove away from the Tohsaka Mansion, Ayaka leaned forward and asked, "Dad, can we get a computer?"

Confusion spread across her father's face as she asked that question. "I'm sorry Ayaka, what's a computer?"

She blinked, then answered him. "It's like, a library, shoved into a small box, and you can do all this cool stuff on it! Rin and Shirou both have one."

-(=O=)-

Tokiomi watched the Sajyous leave the building, their old car bouncing from indents on the road. Kiritsugu closed the door to the office, and sat down on one of the couches. Tokiomi stared out, and watched the snow fall down to the pavement.

The sound of a bottle of scotch being uncorked rang out, and the sound of two glasses being filled followed. Kiritsugu tapped Tokiomi, and handed him a glass. They drank silently, and just absorbed the view of the night sky.

"It really would be terrible to see his family be torn apart by the war," Tokiomi muttered.

Kiritsugu nodded, and drank. "I think it would mostly because of how it would be so familiar. It would be something that we've seen before, and we don't want to see it again."

Tokiomi nodded in agreement. The continued to sit there, just talking for the next several hours. The clock struck midnight, and fireworks flew up into the air. Each one exploded into a brilliant array of colors and patterns. They broadcasted everyone's celebrations.

Kiritsugu smiled, and tapped his hand on Tokiomi's back.

"Happy New Year, Tokiomi," he said.

"Happy New Year, my friend," the other man replied.

They would later find Shirou and Rin curled up on the couch in the living room, sleeping gently. The fathers pulled out blankets, and wrapped up their children, and left them to sleep beside the warmth of a the fireplace. Although it was just a distraction for them, a delusion that the world would be alright, that these peaceful days would last. But for now, the kids are alright.

-(=O=)-

Half a world away, Ruler was enjoying his Fifth of the modern celebrations of the beginning of a new year. Although, for him, it was closer to being dawn than midnight. A rather beautiful woman beside him, he stretched out, enjoying the pleasures of his new life. While he had, from what the Grail constantly whispered to him, less that five years until the next Grail War, he felt no hurry. Afterall, five years was, at least, according to someone who was taking his time to enjoy life, a long time.

He lifted up an empty bottle of this bubbling wine that he had been told was used for celebrations. He honestly wondered if King of Heroes, that Gilgamesh, would have enjoyed it, with his incredibly high tastes. He took a drink from the bottle, and leaned back in thought.

It had been nearly five years since he was summoned in the Fourth Holy Grail War, that much he could remember. He had learned many things since then, such as how 'Oceanus' did not truly exist, but to him, that did not matter. It existed inside of him, deep within his heart. For if he were to give up on that goal, that dream of reaching Oceanus, he would be destroying the thing most precious to him- His friendship, his bonds with his armies, his reason for being considered a king.

He still believed that Oceanus could be reached, but not as he had once considered it to be so. No, it was plain to see that Oceanus is something else that he must seek out and find, for otherwise, he would have nothing. To be honest, that thrilled him. Being able to seek out something completely unknown, it made him happy once more, and he knew, that if he spoke to his armies once more, they would agree with him.

To seize, without destruction. To take, without demolishing. To win the hearts of the people you conquer, that is the true form of conquering a land, and he was ready to continue after he finished his quest in the upcoming Fifth Holy Grail War. He stretched out his hand, a large grin spread across his face. Once more, he planned for his future. Once more, Iskander planned his future conquests.

-(=O=)-

[Four Years, Ten Months Ago]

Sakura Matou was not having a good time. While it wasn't like she was being forced into a dungeon full of worms, no, she had to endure the constant glances that her spineless brother shot everywhere while she walked with him. You see, she was starting middle school today, which meant, as she was going to the same school as her brother, she would have to see the Tohsaka girl again.

The girl that once was her sister.

She scanned her surroundings, unconsciously choosing certain areas which would be prime locations to plant her familiars. Over the years, Sakura Matou had found that because of the Matou magecraft, she had amazing control over various forms of insect familiars. Of course, their crest was made of larvae, but she originally thought they were actual worms.

Rather than what her grandfather used, which was various forms of larvae, worms, and beetles, and the beetles Uncle Kariya had apparently once used, Sakura had found an insect which fit her perfectly. A colony that few people would be surprised at, especially in Japan, a species of insects that had a queen that they essentially worshipped.

Sakura Matou had found comfort in bees. With that, during the warmer months of the year, it wasn't that uncommon to find at least five beehives on the Matou's property. Of course, they receive numerous notifications from Tokiomi Tohsaka to keep the bee familiars under control, as the Matous were not honey farmers, and the police mistaking the hives for a farm might have the chance of exposing magecraft to the surrounding populace.

Sakura almost wished that that event could occur, just because it would make the Tohsaka clan have a huge headache. She entered the school, and her brother immediately shouted "Goodbye" to her as he ran off to see some other people.

She assumed that they were classmates of his. Then she saw her for the first time in years. Rin Tohsaka. Her biological sister. Sakura walked coolly up to the bulletin board that listen the classes that students would be in. She was placed in 1-A. She turned around, and walked to her classroom. She watched from the window as her sister spoke to a boy with orange hair, and a girl with black hair and glasses, as if her sister didn't have a care in the world.

"Lucky her," Sakura muttered with a scowl.

Of course, she didn't particularly care that her sister was being prepared for a fight to the death, like she herself was. Her sister actually had friends, instead of being known as "That freak with the purple hair," or, by the end of elementary school, "That freak that nearly killed Touma Tanaka."

Rin looked up, and frowned. She didn't wave, but she nodded. That was about the most that they could acknowledge each other, apart from interacting as "The Tohsaka heiress," and "The Matou heiress." It was immediately after that one nod that the orange boy doubled over coughing. Sakura looked away at that point. She didn't want to see her sister showing more care for some boy than she ever showed her for the past five years.

She would not speak to Rin Tohsaka for two months, and when she did, she would finally meet the boy that would, in another world, be her precious 'Senpai,' but in this world, would just be known as "The Emiya Heir," or, once she spoke to her grandfather, he would tell her that in the future, her senpai might be known as "The New Magus Killer."

-(=O=)-

the man truly was a monster.

the one known as the

"magus killer"

he killed

and killed

and killed

and killed

for what?

to look good?

for money?

for sport?

no one would ever

believe that it was for the

undeniable noble concept

called

"world peace"

the man was too dark for that

there was no way that he

had noble intentions

so, was it truly such a surprise

that instead of summoning the

"king of knights"

the man summoned

a man with similar ideals

and similar methods to the man

while using a catalyst connected

to the other man

so they set out, to fight for justice

the "magus killer"

and

"the king of fakers"