Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon. I also do not own the Megami Tensei franchise, it belongs to Atlus.

Disclaimer: this story is pure crack. Read at your own risk, the author will not take responsibility for instances of RAGE provoked by this work.

Upping the Ante

Chapter 6

"Where are we going?" Rin asked, as she and her friends followed Pixie, who was slowly flying ahead of them down the street. Which, thankfully enough, was empty on this side, as it meant less witnesses than there already were to an actual fairy flying around in plain sight.

Normally, Rin would have altered the memories of her friends and given the fairy a talk on how supernatural things were supposed to be secret. Except of course…it was a fairy. Even magi had to step lightly around beings like them, and if a fairy decided to show itself to her and her friends and fly around in public without a care for, well, how things were supposed to be secret, there had to be a good reason for it.

"I told you," Pixie replied, not even looking back. "We're going to see a friend. Don't worry, she won't hurt you, and neither will I."

"I…see…" Rin murmured before glancing at her friends cheerfully following beside her. "And…my friends? You know…things like well…magic, and beings like you…are supposed to be secret…so…"

Pixie snorted and began to laugh. "Oh right," she said. "I forgot about that. The whole 'keeping the supernatural secret from ordinary people' rule that's a thing in this timeline. Well you see kid…I don't care about that. It doesn't affect me, after all."

Rin gasped in shock at such selfish carelessness. "Rin-chan," one of her friends asked. "What does she mean by that?"

Rin looked at her friends guiltily and uncomfortably. "I…I'll explain later." She said. "I promise."

Shizune didn't look reassured, but nodded at Rin after looking at their other friends. Rin nodded back, and then turned back to Pixie. "That's so irresponsible!" she snapped.

Pixie looked at her curiously. "You're expecting one of the Fair Folk to be responsible? Really?" she asked. "Um…you do know what we're known for in fairy tales and legend, right?"

"The Lady of the Lake was quite responsible."

"…that's a very good point." Pixie conceded after a moment, and Rin grinned. "But I'm not the lady. Besides, father doesn't mind us playing tricks, and neither does mother to be honest, though she does say we should be less hurtful come to think of it."

"Father and mother?" Rin asked in confusion. "Wait, what? You have parents?"

"Of course I do." Pixie said with a roll of her eyes. "Father is Oberon the Fairy King, and mother is Titania the Fairy Queen. Don't you know that, little magus?"

"No." Rin said.

"Wait, magus?" Ayame echoed. "Rin-chan, are you a magician?"

Rin didn't answer, but she glared, scandalized at the fairy, who grinned evilly and stuck her tongue out. Rin palmed her face and looking at her friends held up her hands in a placating fashion. "Look," she said. "I'll explain later, alright? There's a…reason, why I didn't you tell you girls."

"So you really are a magician?"

Rin cringed, and poking her index fingers together fidgeted for a couple of moments. "Y-yes." She finally admitted.

"Oh wow that's amazing!"

"Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"What kind of magic can you do?"

"Can you pull a rabbit out of a hat?"

"Can you fly?"

"I'll explain later, really!" Rin wailed, holding her head before glaring back up at Pixie. "This is all your fault!"

Pixie just stuck her tongue out again before shrugging and turning her back on Rin. "U-u-um…" Shizune began while Rin muttered to herself. "F-fairy-san…"

"Hmm? What is it?"

"I-if you just wanted to take us to meet a friend," she began. "W-why did you have to play all those tricks on us? It wasn't very n-nice you see?"

"Oh that," Pixie said before tapping her chin in thought. "Well, first of all it's fun to mess with people."

"Eh?"

"What?" Rin burst out.

Natsumi erupted in laughter. "I guess that's true!" she said. "I mean, it's not nice being the ones messed with, but the fairy's got a point. It is fun messing with people!"

"Isn't it?" Pixie gushed, turning to fly over to Natsumi. "I'm glad you understand how it's all just in good fun, so put it here girl!"

Pixie held up a hand, Natsumi met it with her own, and high-fiving the fairy. Rin palmed her face again. "Okay," she said. "That's one reason. Anymore?"

Pixie looked at her, all levity gone from her face. "You broke your promise." She said, before flying down the street.

Rin's mouth fell open in confusion, and ran after Pixie with her friends in tow. "What do you mean I broke my promise?" Rin asked as she fell into step behind Pixie, not noticing how they were drawing near a bench where a young woman was reading a magazine. "What promise? And to who? You? I don't remember meeting you before."

Pixie came to a halt, and turned to look at Rin. "You promised Sakura you'd never leave her alone." She said, and Rin gasped as her heart froze. "You promised Sakura you'd always be there for her. Instead, you didn't even say a single thing when she was given away, like a kitten, to be forgotten. No, you just smiled and went along with it, saying it was for the best."

Rin grit her teeth and clenched her fists, shock, surprise, and guilt giving way to rage. How dare this fairy judge her? What does an irresponsible…thing like her know? How could they possibly understand, the pride and sacrifices of magi to understand and master the secrets of the World?

And more than that…

"How do you know about that?" she demanded. "And…and…where's Sakura? Were you the ones who took her away? Answer me, damn you!"

"Such strong language for a child," Pixie murmured. "And in the order of your questions…she told me. As for where and if we were the ones who took her away…"

Pixie paused and laughed. "You think it's funny?" Rin hissed.

"Why yes, it is funny." Pixie said. "I mean, it's not like you actually care, do you?"

"Of course I care!" Rin yelled. "She's my…!"

Words failed Rin, guilt and hypocrisy rising up to choke her and drowning out her anger. "Yeah," Pixie said, as she watched Rin lower her face in shame, guilt, and sadness. "That's what I thought."

"What was I supposed to do?" Rin whispered. "Father made his decision! He knows best, doesn't he? And Sakura was born to a magus family! She was raised knowing of the sacrifices that come with it, even if she wasn't the heir! There was nothing I could say or do!"

"Actually," Sakura said, lowering her magazine to look dryly at Rin and friends. "You could have said and done a lot of things. Wouldn't have done much good, to be honest, but it'd have been better than just smiling and nodding there like a parrot."

You could hear a pin drop in the moment that followed, and then Rin and friends screamed in surprise and jumped back. Pixie burst into laughter. "Just…!" she began, flying over with a hand raised.

"…as…" Sakura said, grinning while holding up a hand.

"…planned!" they chorused, high-fiving as Jack Frost appeared, blowing a trumpet and firing a Christmas cracker.

"W-who are you?" Rin shakily demanded, pointing a finger at Sakura.

"Why, I'm Sakura Matou of course." Sakura responded. "Long time no see, little sister."

"Liar!" Rin shouted. "You…you have the same name as her, but…but Sakura's only five! There's no way an old lady like you could be her! And I don't have a big sister! I see! I SEE! This is a trick, another trick by fairies…you're a fairy too, aren't you? I should have…!"

"Old lady…" Sakura muttered, an eyebrow twitching. Forcing her irritation down, Sakura ignored Rin's ranting and raving to pull the ribbon at her brow free, and then raising a thumb to her mouth bit down hard.

Rin fell silent at the sight, and then blinked as Sakura liberally daubed the ribbon with blood. "This ribbon is made from a jewel, isn't it?" Sakura asked, and Rin's mouth fell open. "It was one of the first you made, and you gave it to me as memento of when we were still sisters. Huh…funny that, you did do something after all…though more would have been appreciated."

"No…way…"

"Blood contains prana, if I remember right," Sakura muttered, before tossing the bloody ribbon to Rin. Rin caught it, and frantically examined it while Sakura wiped her thumb clean and healed her wound.

"No…way…" Rin gasped, looking up at Sakura with mixed relief and longing. "But how?"

Sakura smirked, and then getting up walked away. "Wait!" Rin said, running after Sakura. "How? How are you…?"

"Wouldn't you like to know, little sister?"

"Excuse me, but I'm your big sister, thank you very much!" Rin snapped.

Sakura smirked down at her. "How old are you?" she asked.

"I'm seven." Rin replied proudly.

"Congratulations," Sakura said. "I'm nineteen for your information, so where does that leave us?"

"No way!" Rin spluttered. "I was born before you! And how can you be nineteen when only a year has passed?"

"What?"

"It's called relative time, little sister." Sakura said.

"What does that mean?"

Sakura sighed. "It means," she explained. "In the world I grew up in fifteen years have passed where here only one has."

"What the…"

"Ever heard of the Kaleidoscope?" Sakura said. "It's a similar concept, Zelretch just uses a different means to travel between and across realms and timelines instead of using the Labyrinth of Amala."

"You're saying Lord Zelretch was the one who took you away? Why would he do that?"

"He didn't." Sakura said. "It was Uncle Walther and Miss Louisa who took me from Matou."

Rin scoffed. "Who are they?" she sneered. "Your kidnappers? From the sound of things, you've gotten…confused or something, thinking so fondly of your kidnappers. I know that…being sent away was hard, but Matou would have treated you well, like family even, like they promised father. So…"

Sakura lightly cuffed a stunned Rin on the back of her head. "Don't talk so lightly about things you don't understand." Sakura said.

"Y-you hit me…" Rin whispered.

"Uncle Walther was more of a father to me than the old man ever was." Sakura said. "As for Miss Louisa…she was, and is a good friend. And even if she had…selfish motives, for getting me away from that place, she was…"

Sakura trailed off at the sound of sniffling, and turning she saw Rin crying behind her. "Oh…I…" Sakura said, coming to a halt and sinking down in front of Rin. "I'm sorry…I…"

Rin sniffed and wiped at her eyes. "Do you hate me that much?" she asked. "Hate us that much?"

Sakura looked at her for a moment, and then she sighed. "Not as much as you think," she said. "But I do hate you…just a little, but I do. I admit it. And if you were in my place, you would too. How would you feel if you were treated like a kitten, to be given away and forgotten?"

"We never forgot you!" Rin shouted. "Mom cried herself to sleep for weeks, and would stare at your picture whenever she had nothing to do! I…I…"

"But you still gave me away." Sakura said, placing a hand on Rin's shoulder. "And your…father? Did he mourn at all?"

Rin sniffled, and looked down. And then, she clenched her fists, and grit her teeth.

"No. He didn't."


Sakura handed out ice cream to Rin and her friends, the young woman and the children gathered at an out of the way corner of the park. For a time, they ate in silence, and then Ayame spoke up. "Hey," she began. "Nee-chan, what do you mean you were given away?"

"Exactly that," Sakura said. "Magi families only raise one child in every generation. If they have more than one, they're either left untold about magic, or are given away to be adopted by families without children, or married off for gain of one form of another."

"But…why?"

Sakura bit into her ice cream before answering. "In this realm you live in," she said. "How powerful magic is depends on how many people know about it. Well, it's an oversimplification, but it's close enough. How to say this…the more people know about magic, the less wonderful and thus less powerful it becomes, while if less people know about it, the more wonderful and powerful it becomes."

"Oh."

"That doesn't sound fair." Natsumi grumbled.

"What doesn't?" Sakura asked.

"Magic needing to be secret," Natsumi said. "And how magi treat their children, if they have more than one.

"Who said life was fair?" Sakura answered, and Natsumi shrugged in unhappy concession. "The world is unfair…irrational, even…"

Sakura trailed off and laughed, eating more of her ice cream before eating up. "But," she said. "If that's the case, if life and the world insists on being unfair to you, then you have no obligation to be fair to it. Take what you can, and give nothing back."

Pixe snorted. "Pirates of the Caribbean?" she asked. "Really?"

"Jack Sparrow is an example to be followed." Sakura said in all seriousness. "He's crazy, and…okay, he's crazy. But he's cool."

"…I suppose…"

"Why did you come back?" Rin murmured. "Revenge?"

Sakura glanced at Rin for a long moment. "Is that what you think?" she finally asked.

"…I…I don't know what to think…"

Sakura sighed and scratched her head. "Look," she said. "I'm sorry for hitting you, alright? It's just that…you talked…badly, about Uncle Walther and Miss Louisa. Maybe from your perspective what you said was…justified, but, they're my family. Uncle Walther was the one who raised me…he was there for me when no else was. And Miss Louisa…she was a good teacher, about many things."

Sakura paused and sighed. "You can't just talk badly about other people's family when you don't know the whole story." She said.

Rin's head shot up at that. "And you're any different?" she accused.

"Am I?"

Rin blinked, and lowered her face again. "No…" she admitted in a whisper. "You're different…you…we…"

"Maybe I'm too judging of you and your mother…" Sakura conceded. "But…going along with me being given away aside…she and you…also accepted that demand by grandfather that we'd never have contact with each other…"

Sakura sighed and trailed off. "Why did you really come back?" Rin asked again.

"Business, actually," Sakura admitted. "Ahriman had something concerning him here, and he gave me the job of seeing to his concerns."

"Business?"

Sakura finished her ice cream, and tossed the empty cup into a nearby trash bin. "Done with school," she said. "So I needed a job."

"I…see…"

Sakura sighed again. "To be honest," she said. "I never planned on coming back here ever again."

"Why?"

Sakura glanced at Rin, and smiling walked closer to pat her on the head. "What's the point?" she asked, and Rin's eyes widened and then teared up. "Well, I've given you a lot to think about. So I should probably give you some space to think about it. Though, you might not want to see me again after today."

"I…I…"

Sakura reached into a pocket, and taking Rin's hand placed a card on it. "If you do though," she said. "You can contact me there. Just don't tell your parents yet about me. I…have my plans on when and how to meet them again, if ever."

Rin read the card quickly, and glanced up at Sakura. Sakura smiled, and ruffled Rin's hair. "See you around then." She said before walking away.

"Bye girls," Pixie said from Sakura's shoulder, and waving away. "See you around."

The girls waved back, while Rin just stared at the card she was holding in her hand. And then, after a moment, she closed her eyes, and getting up stood to look at Sakura walking away. "SAKURA!" she shouted, and causing the older woman to look at her in surprise. "I…I…I'm sorry! I'm sorry for leaving you alone! For not being there for you! And…and…I…I really wanted…and still want…to be your sister! So please…please…"

For a long moment, the two sisters stared at each other across the distance, and then smiling Sakura nodded at Rin, who looked down with a smile before wiping her eyes. Sakura then turned again, and resumed her walk away.

"So now what?" Pixie asked.

"Rin needs to think things over a bit." Sakura replied. "We…I'll, let her come to me next time, if she still wants to."

"You think she'd tell on her parents about today?"

Sakura didn't answer at once, but eventually she briefly closed her eyes and shook her head. "She might," she said. "But I don't think so."

"Oh?"

Sakura glanced at Pixie with a smile. "I asked her not to." Sakura said. "And after today, she'll not want to give me any reason to not trust her."

"I see."

Sakura took a deep breath. "I think…" she said. "Yeah, I think we were a bit too mean back there, but…I don't think…it was wrong."

Pixie glanced at Sakura who glanced back at her. "This way," Sakura said. "She won't take this reunion for granted."

"I see." Pixie said with a nod. "Yes, I think so too. If you just came and reunited with her without any mention of the past, well, she'd think there was no issue with everything bad that's happened in the past, and will keep on thinking they were alright. She might even make the same decisions as your old man in her turn."

"But this way," Sakura said with a nod of her own. "She knows better, and hopefully, she'll make better decisions in the future."

Pixie nodded again. "So…" she began after a few moments. "Do we go home?"

Sakura paused, looking up at the sky in thought. And then she smiled. "Hey," she said. "We know where Rider and his Master are hiding at, don't we?"

"Going to pick a fight?"

"No," Sakura said with a smile. "I think I want to see my boyfriend!"

"Huh? Boyfriend? What?"


The doorbell rang, Martha Mackenzie walking over from where she'd just placed a tea set in front of Rider and Waver on the living room coffee table. "No, no," she said, waving Waver back down. "I'll take it."

Walking over to the front door, Martha opened it, Sakura standing on the threshold and carrying a cake box beside her. "Good evening," she said with a bow. "My name is Sakura Matou. Is Waver Velvet in?"

"Well, yes," Martha said with surprise. "May I ask what business you have with him?"

"Oh yes, of course," Sakura said. "I'm his girlfriend, you see, and when I heard he'd taken some time off to see his family I decided I might as well take some time off myself and join him doing so. Oh that's right…"

Sakura brought up the cake box and offered it to Martha who accepted. "Oh my," she said with a warm smile. "It's so nice to see Waver's found someone so polite. I must ask though, will you be taking things all the way?"

Sakura giggled and blushed. "Well," she said. "I certainly hope so, which is why I'm here."

Martha laughed as well. "Please do come in," she said. "We weren't expecting you, but please do make yourself at home."

"Thank you very much." Sakura said with another bow, coming inside and wiping her shoes on the mat, took them off for indoor slippers.

"Waver," Martha called as she passed by the living room on the way to the kitchen. "Your girlfriend's here."

"Huh?" Waver said, his eyes wide. "Girlfriend? What?"

"Sweety pie!" Sakura said loudly as she entered the living room, and causing Waver's eyes to bulge. "I'm here!"

"What are…!"

Whatever Waver was going to say was cut off as Sakura tackled him into his armchair with an enthusiastic squeal of delight. "Play along." She whispered into his ear before raising her voice. "I can't believe you didn't tell me you were going to go back to Japan and see your family! You should have told me you know? I thought we had something special between us!"

"W-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w…"

Martha laughed at the sight, as did Rider. "Ah, the shamelessness of youth…" Martha said with a wistful tone and expression. "I remember when we were young…"

"We were all young once." Rider remarked with a nostalgic expression on his face.

"Indeed," Martha said with a sigh before heading off into the kitchen.

"…well, that was a thing."

"Get off me!"

Sakura fell back on her ass, and pouted at Waver in front of her. "Sweety pie doesn't want a hug from his Sakura-chan?" she asked.

"You should treat women with a lighter touch, kid." Rider rumbled. "And I didn't know you were in a relationship with her, you should have told me."

"I'm not!" Waver protested. "I…!"

Waver was cut off as Sakura placed a hand on his mouth. "Long story short," Sakura said to Rider. "You said you were willing to negotiate, and so am I."

"I did say that back then," Rider said with a nod before raising an eyebrow at Waver and Sakura. "So you're not in a relationship?"

"No."

"NO!"

Rider erupted in uproarious laughter. "It's not funny!" Waver said, as Rider slapped a knee in amusement.

"Impressive!" he boomed. "Deception tactics indeed!"

"My thanks, King of Conquerors," Sakura said with a shrug. "Though,"

Sakura paused, placing her fingers underneath Waver's chin, and lifting his face up to look into hers. "You are kind of cute yourself." She said with a seductive smile. "Want to go out with me one of these days? I might even let you…do…it…with…me…"

"W-w-w-w-what do you mean by that?"

"Oh wow, you're an innocent aren't you?"

"N-no I'm not…!" Waver began only to clap his hands over his mouth, his cheeks flaming into a blush.

"Oh wow!" Sakura said with genuine awe. "You're certainly not what I expected, if you've scored before!"

"To think you were a man already," Rider said with a proud shake of his head. "I underestimated you, boy! No, calling you 'boy' isn't right anymore, is it, my friend?"

Waver closed his eyes and let out a suppressed scream of frustration.


"I see." Rider said as Sakura finished explaining her mission. "So the Grail is unusable. What a shame."

Sakura said with a nod. "That said," she said. "Even if the Grail cannot grant you your wish, it is within my ability as a devil summoner to…mediate, with one or another of those with the power to make your wish reality."

"Is it really possible?" Rider asked.

"Well," Sakura said. "Those same beings were responsible in allowing me to become as strong as I am. Though, it'll have to wait until after we expose the Grail's…corruption, and of course, identify the nature of the being that has corrupted it."

Rider nodded. "And then what after that?" he asked.

"To be honest, King of Conquerors," Sakura said. "I just want to live my own life, as I see it, with no one else telling me what to do with it, when and how. I admit it's rather selfish, but…my becoming this powerful, was always in pursuit of that goal."

"In other words," Rider said. "You're willing to ally with me until the end of this war, but afterwards, we'll have to part ways."

"Sadly, yes," Sakura said. "We might end up enemies afterward too, though I doubt it. As I said, I just…want to live my life as I see it. It's quite unlikely that we'll end up opposing each other, whatever you would seek to do after obtaining your wish of conquering the world once more."

"Conquering the world, huh?" Rider echoed before chuckling. "Well, that's a matter for another time."

"Oh?"

Rider waved her off. "We can negotiate again, after the war, on whether or not we have to part ways." He said. "But, while there is…circumstantial proof, that the Grail is corrupt, in particular Caster going around abducting children for one reason or another, what about you? What proof do you have that you can mediate with beings that could grant my wish?"

Sakura smiled and nodded. "A fair question," she admitted. "Shall I prove it to you?"

"What?"

"We'll have to step outside though," Sakura said. "I don't think our hosts would take kindly to the Red Rider of the Apocalypse being summoned inside the house."

"What?"

"Eh?"

Sakura calmly met Rider's eyes for several moments. "You're serious, aren't you?" he finally asked. "You can really summon the Incarnation of War and mediate with him on my behalf?"

"Well," Sakura said with a shrug. "I am a devil summoner extraordinaire, as I said back then."

Waver fainted, and Rider sighed. "I do wish he'd man up some more." He said, watching with amusement as Sakura dragged Waver's body over to her and laid his head on her lap. "Alright, let's say I take you at your word – Waver certainly seems to have – but what if I told you my wish wasn't world conquest?"

"What?" Sakura asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Is it so surprising?" Rider asked. "I'm the King of Conquerors. I should conquer, and not have conquest handed to me already done."

Sakura blinked. "Then," she asked. "If not world conquest, what is your wish?"

Rider smiled. "Incarnation." He said.


A/N

Is Sakura being too mean? Too unreasonable? Or is she just telling things how it is, and acting as she naturally would? Maybe she's being unreasonable, after all, what Tokiomi decided to do, the way Aoi and Rin accepted it, are perfectly accepted and expected of being in a magus family. What she feels about it is irrelevant, even if the Tohsaka were just an ordinary family.

But, if life and the world are unfair, do you have any obligation to be fair to it? Maybe it's an evil reaction, life and the world aren't about you after all...but in the eyes of Chaos, why? If you have the power to give the world the middle finger, and go on the way you want regardless of how many corpses and ruins you will leave behind you...why shouldn't life and the world be about you?

Poor Waver, being the Sane Man is always suffering.