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 11

The disciples strapped heavy weights on the students' limbs and waists, stepping back as they finished and allowing the master to take center stage. The students formed up at his appearance, or at least they tried. The weights were so heavy they could barely move.

Zhang Sanfeng chuckled. "Perhaps we should have started with something lighter…" he murmured before shaking his head. "No, this should be alright so long as we don't push too much over the next few days. Ease them into it…"

The immortal nodded to himself as his students finally managed to form up before him. "Very well," he said. "I'm sure you're all wondering why I had your older brothers and sisters weigh you down, aren't you?"

There were laughs from the students in front of him, composed of children and younger adolescents as they were. Zhang Sanfeng laughed as well. "Well, it's a surprise." He said, to groans of exasperation from the students, and prompting the immortal to laugh again. "But I can tell you this much without spoiling the surprise: it's not for nothing. And don't worry, we won't push you until you're used to your weights…much."

There was nervous laughter at that. "Now then," Zhang Sanfeng began, stepping into the basic stance for Tai Chi, his students doing likewise. "Let's begin by reviewing our stances. Follow as best you can, but don't feel bad if you can't keep up. As I said, you're still getting used to the weights. For now, just do what you can as best you can."

The students said their assent and did as asked, Sakura doing likewise in the second row, dressed in the blue and white Hanfu uniforms of the Wudang Monastery. Step by step, they followed the motions of the basic forms of Tai Chi, their master describing the metaphors behind each and every step as they went.

Sakura finished buttoning down her jacket, and taking a brush began brushing her hair. On the mirror in front of her, she saw Pixie fly over to hover in the toilet doorway. "So you're really going?" the fairy asked.

"Why not?"

"It's a trap."

Sakura chuckled. "I know." She said.

"But you're still going."

"Yes, I am." Sakura said. "Before you can turn an enemy's trap against them, you first need to set it off."

"…I…see…"

"It'll be fine." Sakura set, setting the brush down and turning to leave the toilet. Pixie flew out of the way, and once Sakura had passed flew over to hover near her. "I wouldn't become the old man and his lackeys' plaything for all the world. If they still don't get it after all that's happened so far, I'll just have to ram it down their throats."

"Technically the only major interaction you've had outside that with Waver Velvet and Alexander the Great was that battle during the docks, and the attempted ambush after that." Pixie pointed out. "And that was a very…indirect, form of demonstrating your position. Well…there was your sister, but unless she talked…"

Pixie trailed off, but Sakura just chuckled. "To be honest," she said. "I wouldn't be surprised if she did. I mean, I did ask her not to, but she's a kid. And she worships that worthless asshole of a father she has. Ah well, I can't really blame her, for all that I think she could have done more back then…not that it'd have done much good…"

Sakura trailed off, muttering unhappily to herself, and falling silent tapped her cheek with a finger for a few moments before shrugging and smiling. "Well," she said. "It's not a problem so long as she starts thinking for herself soon, and doesn't just parrot anything and everything without thinking them through, simply because that's what society and tradition demand, and other worthless reasoning like that. That, and she learns what's most important."

"Family?" Pixie asked, and Sakura laughed.

"Okay, there's that." She admitted. "But no, I was referring to freedom."

"Freedom can be dangerous too." Pixie pointed out while following Sakura out of the bedroom.

"So is fire, and that hasn't stopped people from using it." Sakura pointed out.

"…not really sure if that analogy works…"

Sakura shrugged. "Maybe not," she admitted, opening the cabinet near the door, and mused on whether or not to wear her cloak and cap today. Thinking better of it, she closed the door. "Anyway, I have plans to deal with the old man."

Sakura paused and laughed, her smile dripping with utter malice. "And the best part is, I don't even have to touch him." She muttered, opening the apartment door before turning to Pixie. "Shall we go?"

"Okay."

The Sun shone down from the morning sky, clear of clouds in a foretaste of the coming spring, as two sets of individuals approached Kotomine Church. "Morning, Waver." Sakura said. "Same to you, Rider."

"Oh, good morning." Rider rumbled.

"Good morning." Waver said.

"They didn't give a time for the meeting today," Sakura said with a laugh. "So I thought 'after breakfast has had time to settle, but before we're all hungry and roaring for lunch' was a good time to come here."

Rider laughed and even Waver smiled at that. "That's true." The former admitted while glancing at the church along with Waver. "Really, calling us all here without telling us when in the morning to come…doesn't seem very well organized, does it? Well, at least the reasoning for calling us here is sound."

Sakura just hummed at that, and both Waver and Rider looked at her curiously. "You don't think it is?" Rider asked.

Sakura hummed again before glancing at them. "Well," she began. "It's just that…well, I'm sure it'll be brought up later, so I'll give my answer then to everyone present, so I won't have to repeat myself."

"I…see…is that it?"

Sakura sighed and nodded. "Yeah," she said. "Pretty much…just one thing though, on what's to come: try to keep an open mind, please?"

Sakura focused on Waver who blinked at the hardness in her gaze. "I really do think you're a great guy in the making." she asked. "After all, from what you've told me about yourself, you're not afraid to question what other people just take for granted or accept at face value, are you?"

"Huh?"

Sakura smiled but didn't say anything, instead walking towards the church. Waver followed her with his eyes, and turned to Rider only to find the Servant with a thoughtful expression on his face. Waver stared up at Rider for several moments before the Servant noticed, and with a grin patted Waver on the back. "Interesting food for thought, that it is." He admitted as Waver cringed. "So, shall we go in?"

"Y-yeah…"

As Waver and Rider moved up behind her, Sakura pushed open the doors to the church, allowing sunlight to flood the dim interior. Other Masters were already: Irisviel von Einzbern was there, Lord El-Melloi's woman, Sola or something, and of course, Tokiomi Tohsaka.

Eyes turned to her, and Tokiomi gasped and his eyes widened in recognition. Sakura's eyes narrowed as she stepped forward, Rider and Waver following up behind her. In the next moments, more gasps went up around the church as…something, filled the air.

It wasn't something physical, tangible or even visible, just…just a feeling, as though something vast and ominous was looming up over them, an indomitable will to bend all life and even the whole world itself to itself. Sakura blinked, and turned her head to meet the blood-red eyes of the Knight of the Bow.

She didn't say anything. She didn't flinch. She didn't even narrow her eyes. She just stared back for what seemed an eternity, like a wall standing against the tide, or a tower in a storm. And then…it ended, Archer scoffing and turning away in disgust. "How disgusting." He snarled. "To think that Humanity has degraded so much that only a capital criminal would have the willpower that should be expected of the master race…"

Archer trailed off and began to dissolve into golden light. "I will kill you myself." He warned Sakura before vanishing. "Remember that."

Sakura snorted herself, before giving a small smile of agreement. "He's not completely wrong." She softly said, before turning away and going further into the church. The other Masters had already recovered or were recovering, and Tokiomi in particular was rushing towards Sakura with a disgustingly-desperate expression on his face.

And yet you were so eager to get rid of me back back…fuck you, old man.

"Sakura…Sakura…!"

Sakura smirked maliciously, stepping forward as though to meet Tokiomi…and then gasps and widened eyes went around as she seemed to move several feet in a single step, well past Tokiomi. Or so it seemed to them. In fact, she took six steps…in the time it would have taken them to take one step.

"Qinggong…what a wonderful thing." Sakura thought with satisfaction.

The students removed the weights they'd been made to wear for the past several months, and placed them on baskets provided to each of them. They were arranged into a single row, the students kneeling on the ground side by side, as they removed their weights and then rose to their feet.

Zhang Sanfeng nodded in satisfaction as he paced along the front of his students. They stood in one of the monastery's wide courtyards, while a series of targets had been arranged on the distant wall in front of them. "Alright!" the immortal said. "Gotten used to your weights, have you?"

"Yes, master!" the students chorused.

"Very good!" Zhang Sanfeng said. "Move and fight normally with them, can you?"

"Yes, master!" the students chorused again.

"And you've taken them off?"

"Yes, master!"

Zhang Sanfeng nodded and stepped out of the way. He then gestured at the targets. "Then kick the targets." He said.

The students looked at each other in confusion. "But master," one of them piped up. "They're too far away."

"You let me worry about that." Zhang Sanfeng said with a wave of his hand. "Now do as you're told."

The students again looked at each other in confusion, and with a series of shrugs stepped into their stances before jumping forward. Blue and white blurred through the air, followed by the sound of breaking stone, and of children crying out in shock and surprise. Zhang Sanfeng and his disciples laughed, looking at the younger students amidst settling clouds of dust.

Some of them were gaping as they stared at the craters their impacts had caused on the wall, while others were trying to pull their legs or feet out of the wall. "If you can move normally or quickly with those weights," Zhang Sanfeng said, taking one of said weights from a disciple, and dropping it cracked the ground from the weight's own weight. "Then how much faster would you be without them? Mastering that speed is the first step in learning Cloud Ascending Ladder."

There were dissatisfied complaints from the children, prompting another wave of laughter from the immortal and his disciples. "Now, now," Zhang Sanfeng said. "Stay long enough, and then it will be your turn to laugh at the ones to learn next. Now, come along. Or don't you want to learn Cloud Ascending Ladder?"

The children quickly helped each other up, and rushing back to their master formed up as the master walked up in front of them. "Now then," he said, taking his stance. "Let us begin."

"Persistent, aren't you?" Sakura thought, as a shaken Tokiomi tried to touch her on the shoulder. Another six steps and she was well out of arm's reach, in front of the altar and staring up at the crucifix, the image of the Son of God on His cross. Sakura stared for several moments, then spoke up. "Did you know?" she asked.

"No," Risei answered from nearby. "What is it?"

"Even demons condemn Humanity for killing the Son of God." Sakura said. "He came for our sake, forsaking His Kingdom and yet we rejected Him, tortured Him, and killed Him like a common criminal."

"We did indeed." Risei said, turning to look at the crucifix. "For the sake of all our sins, the Lord allowed Himself to be treated as the lowest of the low, and to die in all our places…and through Him, all of us would rise from the dead to eternal life."

Sakura didn't reply, not even when Risei turned to look at her. Eventually she closed her eyes, and then turning away opened them to regard the other Masters. Irisviel von Einzbern looked haggard and exhausted, no doubt over what happened to her henchman.

Curious…is there something more that I haven't noticed?

Tokiomi looked despondent, even more so when Sakura barely gave him a glance. Waver looked curious, as was Rider, the only Servant physically present. Lancer's new Master…

Sakura stepped closer. "Greetings," she said. "My name is Sakura Matou. May I have the honor of your name?"

The redhead blinked and then drew herself up. "I am Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri." She said.

"Pleased to meet you," Sakura said before tilting her head. "I'll be frank: I do not know the details of your situation, but I can guess."

Sola narrowed her eyes. "Can you?" she asked.

"Yes." Sakura said with a grin. "Forced into a situation you'd rather not be in, without even being given a say in the matter, and to regain control over your life or some measure of it, you took the first chance you got. No, I don't blame you. On the contrary, I praise you. There is no nobler cause to fight for than your own freedom. Even if the whole world condemns you for it and calls you selfish and ungrateful, better to fight and die free than live as a slave…especially a slave who cannot see their chains, and submits content to the whip and the lash."

Sola looked surprised, and Sakura smiled wider. "I hope in the future we can talk some more on this matter." She said, turning and stepping away. "I'm sure, you'll be quite interested in what I and my allies have to offer."

Sola didn't know what to say to that, and still with a smile Sakura stepped a polite distance away. Risei coughed for everyone's attention. "Now then," he said, looking around at the gathered Masters, including Kirei half-hidden in the shadows. "Now that you've all been gathered here, we can begin. I will be brief: Caster and their Master's continued actions are simply put unacceptable. As you know, from the moment the war began, they've been abducting children across the city for their purposes, and as if that weren't bad enough, it's been causing a sensation in the mundane world."

Risei paused to look around again. "Deliberately involving mundane Humans in the Holy Grail War is against the rules of the contest." He said. "Oh perhaps I could let slide one or two incidents, involving a few people, perhaps with a warning…"

Sakura raised an eyebrow at that, while Waver looked somewhat troubled. The other Masters didn't even bat an eyelid though, prompting Sakura to roll her eyes. "But this isn't just one or two incidents. This doesn't involve four or five or even seven people. The abduction incidents rack up to dozens across the city, and well over half a hundred children have already been kidnapped!"

Risei paused again, this time to take a deep breath with which to regain his composure. "And beyond even the rules of the contest," he said. "Supernatural affairs must never spill over into the view of the public eye, save for completely unavoidable circumstances. And while the abductions would naturally draw attention…that is precisely the point. They draw attention, and they can be prevented."

The Masters nodded, and Risei nodded as well after a moment. "As of this moment, the Holy Grail War is on hold." He said, something that completely caught all the Masters off guard. "All Masters and Servants are to be tasked with eliminating Caster and their Master, with extreme prejudice if necessary. All those who break this truce, will be sanctioned appropriately. Only once Caster and their Master have been eliminated, will the contest resume. Furthermore, the ones who complete the task shall be awarded with an extra command spell in recognition of their actions."

There was a slight stir at that, none more so than Sakura. "Bounty hunting, is it?" she asked. "Not bad, old man."

Risei nodded once in acknowledgement. "Any questions?" he asked. "If there are none, then go with God."

"I have a question." Rider suddenly said.

"And what might it be, King of Conquerors?" Risei asked.

Rider turned to Sakura. "Well?" he asked.

Sakura glanced at him, and sighed. "Alright," she said. "I'll use a metaphor to express my opinion on the reason this meeting was called: only a fool puts out their neighbor's fire, while their house burns."

There was dead, utter silence at that, and then Rider chuckled. "Interesting," he said. "And you're any different?"

"No." Sakura said. "I guess I'm not. But that makes all the difference, doesn't it?"

"Not really," Rider said while stroking his chin. "Only to an extent."

Sakura smiled and with a shrug turned to leave. "I won't deny it." she said. "Well then, meeting adjourned, so I'll be taking my leave."

"Will you perform the given task?" Rider asked.

"…I don't know."

Gasps went up at that, and Sakura glanced back at the other Masters. "I'll think about it." She said. "If the paths are crossed, then two purposes will clash and only the victor can go forward, as it should be."

"Is that so?"

Sakura nodded. "That's what I believe." She said, and after a moment Rider chuckled and nodded.

"It's a lonely path you walk." He said sadly. "Not too different from ours, so I hope I can still convince to step on our path instead, but still…"

Rider sighed and nodded again. "Alright then," he said. "See you around, Sakura Matou."

Sakura nodded, and walking past Tokiomi without even a glance, left the church, the doors closing with a resounding echo. "What was that supposed to mean?" Sola asked.

"I think I know." Irisviel said, causing eyes to turn to her. "Well, magi…magi are supposed to be willing to do anything and everything to achieve their goals, aren't they? Whether it's putting their lives on the line, or that of others."

"That's…" Sola began only to gasp in realization. "She can't be…is she saying that we have no right to criticize Caster and their Master, since as magi we would do no differently from them if we had to?"

Irisviel nodded, and gasps went up. "No way!" Waver said. "There's no way I would…!"

"But Waver," Rider interrupted. "That sort of shit happens in your society, doesn't it?"

"W-w-well…y-yes…"

Rider nodded. "And you don't do anything to stop it," he said. "So long as it doesn't put your society, or goals at risk?"

Waver gaped for several moments, and then closing his mouth lowered his head. "No," he said with a slight shake of his head. "We don't."

"Then it doesn't matter whether or not you don't do that kind of shit yourself." Rider said. "Even if you're just letting it happen, you're just as responsible."

"That's…!" Waver began only to break off and look away in shame. To his surprise though, Rider placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Remember what she asked earlier," the Servant said gently. "Keep an open mind."

Waver looked at Rider, and after a few moments swallowed and nodded. "Does she really have the right to judge?" Irisviel asked, and Rider glanced at her.

"Do you really think she was judging?" he asked, but it was Sola who answered.

"No," she said, looking at the front doors. "She wasn't. I'd say she was making an observation, and trying to give us advice."

"Huh?" Irisviel asked, and Sola smiled cruelly.

"She admitted it, didn't she?" she asked. "That she wasn't much different from us. And why should she be? She's a demonologist, isn't she? A dabbler in the blackest of arts."

Kirei and Risei shared a concerned glance, and looking at Tokiomi to see his reaction to this talk about his daughter saw to their concern the man standing slack against a pew, eyes and expression despondent, clearly not noticing the world around him. "…if I had to say it," Sola was saying. "Matou was trying to tell us to not be so high and mighty about Caster and their Master. After all, would we do any different to achieve our goals?"

Irisviel winced at that, knowing all about her husband's methods. "And that last bit she said," Sola continued. "About the crossing paths thing…I imagine it means she'll do as she wants, and if something gets in her way she'll either break through or be broken trying…interesting…I wonder…"

Sola hummed while tapping at her chin for a few moments, and then shook her head with a smile. Before she could say anything though, Waver spoke up. "In other words," he began. "We shouldn't pretend to be…noble, and great, and all that, while doing what our magecraft demands us to?"

"Too wordy," Rider said. "She's just telling you not to be hypocrites."

Waver glanced at Rider, and then looked away. "But that's…" he began.

"I have never denied all the terrible things I've done, or tried to excuse them." Rider said with a hand on Waver's shoulder, and prompting him to look at the Servant. "The Destruction of Thebes, the Rape of Tyre, the public humiliation and execution of the Persian commander at Gaza, the Burning of Persepolis…"

Rider trailed off with a deep breath. "Stand by what you've done, Waver." He said. "Both the good and the bad. And in the end, you'll be nobler and greater than one who pretends to be both but is neither, because he cannot stand by what he truly is."

"In short, be true to yourself, huh?" Irisviel asked, and Rider nodded.

"Exactly." He said.

Sola snorted. "Easier said than done." She said.

"And it doesn't excuse what Caster's doing to those children." Irisviel said.

"Did I say it does?" Rider said. "Did she say it does?"

"Well no, but…"

"There you go." Rider said with a nod. "If anything, she's telling us not to go after Caster out of moral superiority, at least until we're absolutely certain what it is he's doing. We should do it because it's risking the war going out of control, and exposing the supernatural to people at large."

"Can there even be any doubt as to what Caster's doing to those poor children?" Irisviel demanded.

"Almost completely none." Rider said. "Not until we find and see what they're up to. Until then, it's just inference from what that kind of magi typically do, suspicion…innocent until proven guilty, after all."

"That's rather idealistic of you, isn't it, King of Conquerors?" Risei asked, and Rider laughed.

"I suppose it is." He admitted. "But as you say, I am a King. I have to set the standard, and live by it, if not surpass it!"

"I suppose that is a valid reasoning."

"But she's not going to do anything about it either, is she?" Irisviel said darkly. "And to think I'd thought better of her…"

Rider hummed while looking at the doors to the church. "Well," he said. "She did say she'd think about it…and from what she said and seems to be…if she believes that people should live as they want to live, then she won't automatically oppose what Caster and their Master's doing. They're living as they like, so she can't stop them without coming of as a hypocrite herself. But…paths cross, she said…"

Rider trailed off and chuckled. "If he becomes an obstacle," she said. "Then she'd fight. Don't you think she's just trying to find a reason to say that Caster and their Master's become an obstacle?"

The other Masters silently looked at each other, and Rider nodded slowly. "And ultimately," he said. "She didn't say she wouldn't accept advice. So speaking of which, shall we go and find her, Waver?"

"Eh?" Waver said before he was turned around by the shoulders and guided towards the doors.

"If Sakura needs a reason to call Caster and their Master an obstacle to fight against," Rider said while pulling Waver along. "Then I say we give her one. That's what friends do after all, help each other out, including when they're lost on their way…"

The other Masters looked on as Rider and Waver left while discussing how to convince Sakura to help in the hunt for Caster and their Master. And then after a moment, Sola coughed and turned toward the priests. "If that will be all," she said. "I'll take my leave."

Risei nodded, Sola leaving with the invisible and intangible Lancer. For several moments after that, Irisviel lingered in an increasingly awkward silence, and then with a cough and a murmured farewell, also left with Saber.

Left alone with Tokiomi and the invisible Assassin (Archer having wandered off having no interest in 'lesser' affairs), Risei and Kirei shared another glance while approaching Tokiomi. "Tokiomi," Risei said.

The magus didn't reply, clearly oblivious to the world around him. The two priests worriedly shared another glance, and then cautiously, Risei reached forward to nudge Tokiomi on the arm. The man glanced at the priest at the touch, Risei recoiling at the wild light flickering in the magus' eyes.

Tokiomi stared at Risei for a few moments, and then slowly, listlessly turned his head to stare back in front of him. In the next moment his knees gave way to dump him onto the ground, and then closing his eyes and clenching his fists Tokiomi screamed in rage and despair.

A/N

Isn't it sad, Toki-chin?