An Opportunity of Fate part 29
Sakura Matou-
Sakura knew something was wrong when the rain around her became cold. She watched as it turned first to sleet and then to snow. She stood in the shelter near the forge on the top of the hill and watched the storm.
It was not a natural storm with lashing freezing winds driving the falling snow to the sound of thunder.
Something was very wrong.
But she could do nothing. She didn't know if her body ad healed yet. She was not yet ready to face the pain or worse Him. Sakura didn't know how long she could resist his offers for release.
Or if she were honest, with his offers for power. Being the one to save others…. She could see why it appealed so much to Shirou. Being useful, having the gifts she had be an asset, despite the corruption of them by Grandfather.
Right now all she could do was hide, as much from the darkness within herself as from Him. And from the chaos surrounding her Shirou needed help. Everything was falling apart.
All she could do was watch.
The sky darkened and the winds became acrid and bitter. And the ground began to shake.
None of it touched her. She watched as the reflection of Shirou's Reality Marble began to ripple. The sound of anvils had ceased replaced with the sound of crumbling masonry.
Something had broken his personal concept of the world. She could feel it shifting beneath her, even as she remained untouched by it. It was becoming a frozen world, barren of life. Empty of hope.
Shirou was doing something she had thought was impossible.
He was giving up.
"No." She glared at the changing landscape. She tightened her fists and felt the ring on her finger. Would it too now fade? Would he give up on her?
She could not allow that.
No. She had sworn to seize her destiny. She would not allow this. He had saved her. Another may have slain Zouken, but it had been Shirou, Ayako, and Rin who had saved the part of her that mattered. As long as she had them, she would not fall.
She felt her teeth begin to grind and she stopped. 'Calm down, Sakura. Rin may be the genius, but you're no slouch yourself. Think!"
She examined the world around her. She nodded, the Marble would not collapse. Whatever trauma he had suffered had not changed his distorted perception. He still did not live for himself, still had a nearly nonexistent sense of self.
How she wished she could change that, but it was a fundamental part of him. An incurable wound that was in many ways the source of his power, much like the constant torture by Zouken had made her who and what she was.
But what would cause the changes? What would make the confident Shirou turn cold and bitter?
Sakura swallowed. She knew, knew perhaps better than Shirou himself, what drove the man. He lived to help others. Help and protect them.
But what if he failed? What if he ceased to believe he could protect others?
'Ilya must be dead. That would shake him.' She paused; unknowingly mimicking one of Rin's thinking postures. "That would hurt him badly. He would likely rage and destroy those who had harmed his sister. But as much as he cared for her, it would not shake him this badly."
She closed her eyes. 'Rin. Something happened to Sister.'
There was a tiny part of her that leapt for joy at the idea that Shirou would be all hers. That her competition had fallen.
Sakura sighed and crushed that thought. She acknowledged it; there was no point in denying it was a part of her. But not even Dark Sakura was that cruel.
Not anymore.
Sakura gained much more from Rin being alive, even if it meant sharing Shirou. Sakura was very much aware that she had numerous issues to deal with, from dealing with the trauma of her childhood on up to the shattering of her identity.
She had made Dark Sakura to hold her anger and resentment. Light Sakura had been devised to win over Shirou. There was the Sakura who the semi-cheerful companion to Ayako and her sister. And the quiet and sullen girl she was on her own.
For all she knew there might be others. Who knew?
Sakura Matou was insane, and she knew it. She would need time and help to reintegrate her several personalities. This was why she was willing to share Shirou with Rin. If she had him all to herself, she would try to be Light Sakura all the time. (Well maybe Dark Sakura for special occasions.) She wouldn't have time to focus on her own problems.
Shirou was insane too. Oh, highly functioning in his own way. But his view of the world was distorted enough to support a Reality Marble. One that she had witnessed almost being deployed. She was inside its dream echo now.
She rubbed the ring on her finger, "Don't you dare give up, Shirou." There was a link there, a sympathetic tie. And just as she drew on his strength, she pushed her own through the link. "Don't ever give up. It is not in you. If you do you will break…. And I will lose you."
Shadows flared around her as she pulled in the true depths of her power. HE was waiting there, always waiting for her, Angra Mainyu.
"So you have come to me at last. Let me help you. Allow me to show you the truth and I will grant you your wish."
She could not make out his form or structure. It really didn't matter. "Get out of my way. You can give me nothing I do not already have."
"My dearest Sakura, you have truly blossomed into a beautiful flower of darkness. You cannot deny it in you, that darkness, that willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. That willingness to inflict upon others what has been done to you. To achieve your revenge upon the world that has despoiled you. Come to me child and I will grant you the destruction you desire."
Sakura smiled, ignoring the pain as ribbons of red began to spread across her body. "I will not let you or anyone bar me from saving my beloved Shirou. Nothing!" She tried to force her way, but she wasn't strong enough. If she could get past him, reach past what he was blocking from her she would be strong enough to resist him. But as long as he stood in her way, she could not defeat him.
She felt her consciousness split yet again as her eyes, her real eyes opened. Her body ached everywhere and her skin felt raw and itchy. Her eyes met those of Archer.
She could still feel the chill of Shirou's cooling heart, feeling him steel himself to carry on being a hero despite his inability to save those he loved. No matter what happened, he would still live still go on. But he would not be her Shirou. Not anymore.
And she cried as she realized she was losing him. Not physically, perhaps not even mentally, but deep down he would give up on his oath to his father.
Archer stared down at her, "My princess, I would aid you. My Master has perished."
Her voice was dry and cracked, "You want me to become your Master? I already have a Servant." Now that she thought about it, where was Caster? If Shinji had truly died, then she should have reverted back to Sakura.
He shook his head, "No I wish you to dispel me. I have studied you, you have the ability. And my strength added to yours would allow you to defeat your enemy."
Sakura blinked, "You can't mean…." She looked away, "But you would die."
"Better to die in your embrace than be trapped in that evil chalice. In any case, my real self remains at the throne of heroes, I am but an echo." He smiled, "A shadow of my true self. Even so, I do not wish to add myself to the Grail. Some of my power will go there anyway, but you can limit the likelihood of its manifestation if you consume me." He reached down and wiped a tear away. "That will grant you the power to save your prince."
Sakura looked at Archer once more. "I am sorry."
And she consumed him, all the shadows in the room lashing out at him and reducing him to a memory and prana. So much prana.
She felt as some spilt from her now overflowing soul, it taking all of her personalities to resist being swept away by the essence of a heroic spirit. Some of it spilled into Shirou, but most of what she couldn't hold slipped past her, into the Grail.
Even with her real eyes now open, she was still split. Her mind still locked on the now rippling mindscape of Shirou's Reality Marble. And also in the darkness where HE waited.
Very good, child. So you will join me after all. Why not make it easier on yourself, accept my aid and you will gain the power to crush your enemies and save your lover. Is he not worth the tiny sacrifice?
She paused a moment. What he said was true. He could indeed grant her more power, more than she had even now. Her words were cautious, but certain, "No. Even if I saved him, I would be your servant. And you desire only the destruction of mankind. Shirou…, Shirou is a hero. He thrives on protection and salvation. To choose to be your servant would be to lose him. In truth to lose all that I love."
What point is a worthless emotion like love? You know he will abandon you in time. That he will tire of you. You are a creature of darkness, and he of the light. Much like your sister and your friends. They will not stand by you once they realize your true nature. Join with me, and you will be able to force their adulation of you. They will never leave you. They will stay with you until you tire of them.
She stared at the indistinct figure in front of her. She knew she wasn't actually seeing the monster for what it truly was; it was only something her mind had conjured to allow her to interact with this demonic spirit. What did it speak of her that she could comprehend it, that it could lurk inside her mind.
Was it true? Was she truly a creature of darkness?
For a moment, just a moment her mind wavered. She nearly fell into His trap. For He could very well do what He promised her. He could indeed give her the power to compel her friends and family to love her.
Only it would not be real. Just another lie. Like so much of her life. A life built of illusions. A reflection of all that was true and good in her friends and her sister. And her beloved Shirou, who loved the phantasm that she had made for him. Could he truly love the real her? If he truly knew what she truly was?
Tears came to her eyes. Because she knew that answer. She was little more than a shadow of what she could have been. She could have been as brilliant and shining like Rin. She could have been so much more.
But her adopted family had broken her. Had distorted her, had changed her into a being that could commune with this spirit of all that was evil in Mankind. She was nothing more than a shadow….
And Sakura began to laugh. Not just here inside her mind, but her body and her echo in Shirou's mental landscape. All of her began to laugh.
The creature in the darkness smiled. And so you come to me at last, my child. I will grant you all that you desire, if you only serve me. If you will only allow me to aid you. To bolster your strength and….
Sakura interrupted him. "Fool. You understand nothing. For all your power, for all that you are, you are a fool."
What?
She wiped the tears from her eyes, feeling a sense of strength fill her. The hidden determination that had filled her life, that had let her passively accept and survive a torture that she knew she had not deserved. That had allowed her to hide her pain from those she loved.
It had broken her in the end. That desire to be fully part of her friend's world. To live fully in the light.
No shadow could truly face the full light of day. Not directly. And the idea that they would break her beautiful Servant as they had broken her, that had been the final straw.
But now she had an epiphany. She was a shadow, a mere fragment of what Sakura Tohsaka could have been. But like a shadow, the darkness would swallow her. It would destroy her and all that she loved.
And give nothing in return.
She smiled at Angra Mainyu, a manifestation of all that was evil in Man. "I am a creature of shadow, not of darkness. And shadows are strongest when they are paired with the brightest light. I will fight for my friends. I will fight for Shirou." She paused, her grin growing wider, "And you will not bar my way."
She reached past him and grasped what He had tried to keep from her. From the source of the darkness with in her.
Sakura Matou reached out and unknowingly grasped the Grail, fragments of which had been implanted in her.
Indescribable visions and sensations flooded into her. If the power that had been Archer had been too much for her, this nearly destroyed her. And through her Shirou, and likely a decent chunk of Fuyuki.
But she would not bend. She would not falter or fall. She would save Shirou. From himself, from anything. She would bend and break the world to save him.
Nothing would bar her way.
Her eyes closed in the real world. They closed in her confrontation with Angra Mainyu. Had he truly manifested in the real world she knew she would not have been able to best Him, but here in her own mind….
He was still there, still a part of what had been implanted in her. But she could live with that so long as her resolve did not waver.
And as long as she had she had Shirou she would never fall.
Shirou's mindscape had changed. The storm was gone now, the snow and ice melting. Sakura had been able to do that much. But it was darker now. The bright sun gone.
And past the giant gears that slowly turned above, the now darkened sky was full of stars.
What did it mean?
She didn't know. She was exhausted, much too tired to think.
So she slipped into a pleasant dream, forgetting the trials of the real world for a time.
-Scene Break—
Issei Ryudou-
Issei stood there watching as his Servant first dodged and then made the maddened Berserker disappear. How could one convey the sense of death that had hung in the air? Or the certainty of immanent doom and sheer strength of physical power that was embodied by Berserker?
Issei didn't think he had the words to truly describe it. It had gone beyond a level of terror he had ever experienced. Even facing against the Youkai that had tried to eat Ayako, a being Issei was now sure was Assassin had not been this frightening.
And Issei had merely been a spectator, safe from Berserker's rage. Hopefully.
The trip from Caster's lair had been strange and quick, the distance itself distorting allowing them to move at an incredible speed. It had felt like he had merely been walking quickly, but they had covered kilometers in minutes.
Caster walked over to the beaten Saber, calling out to Issei, "It is safe. For a few minutes anyway. We need to find our friends and make an escape. That labyrinth will not hold him long."
Saber slowly pulled himself up and drew his sword, "Get back from me you witch."
Caster laughed, "Put that away. Right now I could take you." She looked around, "Where is Rin?" She waved to Issei.
It must be safe enough for him to approach. Issei gingerly crossed the street and entered the destroyed parking lot. There were only a few cars in the parking lot, befitting the early morning. All of them were destroyed. Parts of the parking lot itself were crushed and torn. There was even a hole in the ground that looked meters thick.
This was a battle between Servants.
How did anyone expect to hide this? It was still early, maybe nearing five, hours before the sun rose. But this area had been a war zone and looked it.
He hoped Ayako was safe. He reached into his pocket for a sheet of paper. On the back were a few carefully brushed characters. He hadn't had much time to prepare, but he had a couple charms infused. He began to fold it, chanting,
Spirits of this place and those who dwell above
I Call upon you to find the one I love
Bless this charm and give it flight
To find the one who is my light
Issei felt as the paper rippled in his hand, swiftly forming into the origami bird he had wished to make. The tiny paper bird cocked its head and made a tiny trill before flying from his hand into the building.
Issei just blinked and watched it go. That had been easier than expected.
In the background he could hear Caster and Saber squabble.
"I can't heal you if you won't let me."
"Like I would trust you. What you did to that girl…."
Caster sighed, "What I did was horrific. And I can't take it back. She is part of me now. All I can do now is help her recover."
"That creature wasn't human. I have run into things like that, both in Germany and in the Breton March. Even those with good intentions are dangerous. Not that it…."
Issei adjusted his glasses, "I am sorry to interject, but Ayako is not a thing, not a creature. I would prefer if you did not insult the woman I love so."
Saber looked at him. He closed his eyes and sighed. "I hate to tell you this kid. Your girl is dead. Deader than dead I suppose. That thing," He raised his hand and opened his eyes, meeting Issei's gaze. "I know what you are going to say, but 'she' wasn't human. Not even close. She had Ayako's body, but her spirit…."
Medusa said quietly, "Is in me. Well most of it anyway." She shook her head, "What remained was not something that possessed her. It had always been there. Sleeping. It had just started to wake up, just started to integrate with the rest of Ayako." She looked down, "I didn't even know it was there. The ritual had lulled it asleep. Only when I took everything from her did she awaken." Medusa shuddered, "I pray I don't face something like that again."
The tiny paper familiar returned. It trilled at Issei. A small smile spread across his face as knowledge from the tiny paper familiar seeped into his mind.
Ayako was alive! Badly hurt, but alive.
He expected it to return to a slip of paper. Instead it landed on his shoulder and chirped happily.
Saber said dryly, "You won't have to. The 'girl' was killed fighting that priest. Both Rin and I were occupied with Berserker." He turned to face Medusa, "How long will your little trap hold him?"
"A few minutes. Hopefully our backup will arrive by then."
"Backup?"
"Rider is almost here. I don't know if she will be able to kill it, but with her we can at least drive it off."
Issei began walking towards the back entrance. Nearby a car coated in blood had sashed into the wall. Next to it lay three long thin blades. One glance and he knew they were special. Not magical per se, but not normal either.
Ah. Of course. They were a Conceptual Weapon. He examined the feel for a moment. Their power was foreign, but powerful. For a moment his natural caution won out and he was about to leave them. But his curiosity won out.
"Kid…." Saber walked up to console Issei, "Where did she go? It might have been a spirit, but it was possessing Ayako's body."
Medusa's voice was dry, "She. She is possessing her own body. That spirit was always with her, sleeping. That body is as much hers as it is mine." She sighed, "I just took the human part."
Saber glared at Medusa.
Medusa smirked back, "You may find that killing that girl is nearly impossible. You can thank Issei for that."
Issei shrugged and wrapped up one of the blades, "I tried to save her the only way I knew how. And I succeeded. Partially."
Saber frowned, "How do you partially save someone?"
Issei glared at Medusa, "I wasn't fast enough to save all of her, what did you say, maybe thirty or forty days of memory?"
Medusa looked down, her expression pained. "I drank down her essence, all she was and all she will ever be. But I left the dregs behind. As well as the Elemental spirit she was bound to. It had been part of me, part of her, for my, I mean her life." Her voice grew soft, "I didn't think I would miss it as much, it wasn't even awake or aware. But it was part of me. And now it is not."
Saber's voice was a mix of pity and contempt, "You monster."
Medusa's voice was soft. "Yes. I can't escape it. Not even here. Not even summoned as I was. But that doesn't mean I can't try to fix what I have broken. That I can't protect the ones I love." She glared at Saber, "I AM Ayako Mitsuzuri, more so than the girl who now controls my former body. The fact that I am also Medusa, that I am Caster, doesn't change that. These people are my friends. I, I love them, Roland. I will do whatever I can to protect them. If it requires me to be a monster, then I will be one."
Issei sighed, "Caster, Saber, this isn't helping anything. We need to find Ayako. She is hurt. Something is wrong with Rin. And Shirou…. Let's hurry okay?"
Issei walked to the entrance. There was an unconscious man there. Issei shook his shoulder trying to wake him.
The man groggily looked at him, and then at Caster and Saber. He then shrieked and ran off.
The three of them watched as the middle aged man sprinted away.
Issei shook his head, "Come on. Let's go."
Scene break
Shirou Emiya
Shirou felt strange. He felt full of life and energy, but was simultaneously exhausted. A few of his muscles had the hollow feeling of over reinforcement.
Then he remembered where he was. Rin paralyzed. Ilya dead or dying. Sakura horrifically wounded.
And he was a murderer. He had been a man who had sworn that he would try to save everyone. That he would do everything he could to protect the ones he loved. He had sworn an oath to his dying father.
"I see father. You really can't save everyone, can you?"
Once more despair tried to fill him. Only for some reason it failed. He felt the emotional weight bear down on him; he keenly felt every ounce of failure. But rather than feel despair he felt… numb.
It was a strange numbness. Not quite a diminishment of his suffering or worries, but rather a stretching of his ability to cope. He felt a soft smile form on his face as he sat up.
Ayako and one of the homunculi were standing in front of a table. Ayako was still garbed in her jeans, but her upper body was bare save a large number of bandages that covered most of her upper torso.
The homunculus, Linde if her remembered her name, was rubbing something on the body in front of her, "Can you hold her up for me, my lady?"
Ayako effortlessly lifted Rin's body. Rin's naked body. "Call me Ayako."
Shirou could feel his cheeks flush.
Linde sighed and slathered more salve onto Rin, "I couldn't do that. It would be rude. The Protocols state that…."
Ayako growled and Shirou could feel the weight of her presence magnify, "I don't care. Call me Ayako."
"Yes, my lady. I mean Ayako." She looked over at Ayako, "Usually your kind doesn't like to be named. I presume it is a pseudonym?"
Ayako's voice was grim, "It was my name until recently. But it was taken from me."
Linde flinched, "But…."
Ayako's voice was harsh as she said, "Don't worry I am not a demon. When the witch found that I would not disappear like a good destroyed soul so she could take my body as well as my mind and soul, she named me."
Linde reached over and began to bandage Rin up.
Ayako called out to Shirou, "Enjoying the view?" She pivoted slightly allowing Shirou a better view of Rin.
Shirou could feel his cheeks heat and a nearly uncontrollable desire to flee. But his reinforced senses told him something was wrong. To his senses, they smelled wrong.
Linde had a cloying, almost saccharine scent around her. It was similar to the after-scent of Leysritt and Sella. Ilya had as well, although she had been a more complicated mélange of scents. It told him nothing he didn't already know. Linde was artificial, composed partly of magic.
Ayako was as well. It was a more familiar smell, deeper and more natural than Linde. Once it had been faint, so weak he had been able to ignore it. Not anymore. Ayako wasn't fully human, and it showed.
Which made Rin's scent heart breaking. There was still the tang of honey, both fresh and burnt, that spoke of magecraft use. But mixed in was a complex saccharine sweetness.
Ayako said something to him, but he didn't hear it. Perhaps Linde did as well.
Structural Analysis
He had to understand what was wrong with her. He had to find a way to fix it. He had to find a way.
Structural Analysis was one of the cornerstones of his magecraft. To be able to reproduce something with Gradiation Air you needed to understand it. The greater the understanding of the underlying object the greater the reproduction.
Living systems were inherently nearly impossible to structurally grasp as they were constantly in motion. In most objects prana tended to pool and uphold its structure. In living things, prana moved through them, ever changing. It was after all the basis of magecraft, the use of that very source of life to emulate mysteries.
Most living things did not possess the right shape of channels to allow them to manipulate their own life force, and the ambient energy known as mana. Those few had Magic Circuits, and through pain and discomfort they could use foundation of life itself to manipulate the world in ways that were counter to Gaia's plan.
These Circuits ran deep, connecting the physical body, which by all rights should be nothing more than a chemical automaton, through the mind and spirit, unto the soul itself.
Seeing this, understanding this was far beyond Shirou's skill and talent. Far beyond his very existence.
He did it anyway.
What he saw disturbed him. All the theories RIn had ever pounded into his head stated that the Magic Circuit was static. It was formed at birth and did not change outside of damage from strain and overuse. A Magical Crest could be added later, but even that did not magnify the inherent ability, merely allowed instant access to spells and knowledge from those who had contributed to the Crest.
Rin's Circuit was rippling, moving. It was impossible. Something was attempting to change Rin's very nature. Only her natural aptitude for magecraft was keeping the changes on a spiritual level rather than causing her very shape to distort from the alterations.
How could he save his beloved RIn. Because he loved her. Denying that would be denying himself. He would do anything, suffer anything if it would save her.
Crack.
Shirou shook his head. Someone had slapped him. He tried to regain his sight of RIn, but she had moved. And was now covered with a red cloak.
Everyone and everything had changed suddenly.
He heard a familiar voice say, "How long has he been in this fugue?"
Ayako answered, "Five, maybe ten minutes. Once he took a look at Rin…. I mean she was naked and all, but still that wasn't the reaction I expected."
Shirou felt his head forcibly moved and was staring into a very strange set of eyes. They were crystalline and the pupil was square. The glasses she was wearing had an enchantment that blocked the use of her mystic eyes.
Caster. They were in the clutches of Caster. Could things get any worse?
Only she looked different. It wasn't just that she was wearing modern clothes. The look in her eyes reminded him of someone. That knowing look, that slight twist of the mouth.
Ayako. That was how Ayako would look at him.
He couldn't help himself.
Structural Analysis
If understanding RIn had been beyond him, this entity was much worse. First the body, while solid, wasn't real. It was similar to one of his projections only much more complex. The spirit behind it had never been human. It was beyond his understanding.
She was kami, an entity worthy of fear and reverence. She was not a god, the world didn't support them, and hadn't for a long time. But she was powerful in a way that dwarfed mere human expectations.
Were all the Servants like this? For it wasn't just her form and essence that were inhuman. She was sheathed in what could only be called the weight of human belief. This he understood intuitively. It was after all what separated a noble phantasm from a conceptual weapon to the even weaker Mystic Codes that were the limits of the present day.
Another quick slap, "Snap out of it, Shirou."
Someone cleared his voice, it was Issei, "Why are his eyes black. I have heard of other colors in mystic eyes, but black… is not a good sign."
Caster spoke, "It was Sakura. I can feel it on him. She did something to him. I would say it was impossible, but I am staring at it right now." She shook her head, "You poor kids, I don't think any of you are going to be fully human by the end of this war."
Shirou asked, "Rin?"
Caster smiled at him, "She will be fine. She is a little banged up, but right now she is in better shape than you are."
Issei walked into his sight line, "She'll be fine, the paralysis was temporary."
Caster continued, "Her ability in magecraft will likely be limited for a little while."
Shirou mumbled, "Something wrong with her Circuit. Changing. Not supposed to change."
Caster ruffled his hair. "So. You saw that. I really need to find out what Sakura did to you."
How Shirou wished he could move! But his body felt sluggish, unresponsive. How much had he pushed his reinforcement?
"Close your eyes, and gets some rest you idiot!"
Rin?
RIn shouldered Issie aside, "Don't you realize how much I would miss you if something happened? Why do you always have to charge off alone? Would it have killed you to let us know you were trying to save Ilya?"
He looked at Rin. She was so lovely. There was still something wrong with her. But she was alive and awake. "Love you."
"I, I, I…"
Ayako's voice came in, "Oh come on, RIn. We know already. Just tell him and let him sleep."
Rin's face was scarlet, she bent close to him, "Shirou, when you wake. We need to, to talk okay?"
He just looked at her beautiful eyes. So clear and blue. And while he wanted nothing more than to stay here and gaze at them, his own eyes would not remain open.
The last thing he could remember before the darkness took him was Rin softly saying, "I love you, Shirou."
-Scene Break—
Interlude one-
Arturia did not know it yet, but her trip through the length of Fuyuki would cause Church adjustors nightmares for years. As effective as they were, not even they could stop all of the pictures from appearing on the internet.
A beautiful blonde in a blue armored dress on a stylized armored motorcycle travelling through the city at breakneck speeds? There was one picture in particular, of Arturia lifting her golden sword Excalibur in one hand, the very air glittering with motes of discharging prana….
Luckily the actual use of Excalibur was not captured, although the damage it had inflicted on the neighboring area took a great deal of work to cover up.
In the end it required an actual live action movie to be made. Fortunately the movie was a moderate success, causing the development of a small film industry in Fuyuki itself.
In the timelines that survived anyway.
End Interlude
Ayako-
Ayako searched Issei's eyes. Did he love her or was he merely playing along out of his sense of responsibility. She was not by nature a jealous woman, but at the moment she needed him.
Issei was a source of stability in a newly chaotic world. If she was actually going to try and live her life as Ayako, then she needed to be surrounded by people she could trust.
Rin was her friend, but she had responsibilities. Ayako was Youkai and therefore a potential threat to the humans in Fuyuki. Ayako already knew she could consume human spiritual energy. As far as she knew it was a new thing, but it was there. RIn would have to balance her friendship with her need to protect the city.
As for Sakura…. Sakura was her best friend, her kohai. Someone she trusted implicitly. But the truth was, she knew more about Rin, if only because her past self had taped various conversations. Ayako hadn't had time to listen to them all. But those she heart let her have a firm grasp on Rin.
Sakura had been emotionally unstable the last few days, to the point of an alternate personality dominating for a time. Ayako was no longer sure just how much of that break down had come from the advent of the Grail War, and how much it had come from previous events. Ayako simply did not remember much past the last week or so.
Shirou was Shirou. A friend and comrade, but not much of a confidante.
That left Issei. She had fallen for him, and from what she could remember she had cared for him for some time. The crisis point had been their near death at Assassin's hands. A sane man would have run away. But he came back to save her.
She was different now. Youkai. And he was training to hunt down dangerous Youkai. How would this possibly work?
Issei remained expressionless, but he reached out and gently touched her cheek. "It is time to go. Will you be strong enough to carry Shirou? Medusa will be carrying Ilya, that close she can use her magic to keep the girl stable while we move. And Saber, is well he is pretty beat up. And Rin…."
"Rin can't use her magecraft."
Issei looked down, "I never imagined I would say this, but I feel sorry for her. To see her so visibly frightened and vulnerable…."
Ayako smirked. Issei was a good man. He would likely never like Rin, and the feeling was probably mutual. To see him worry about her warmed her heart. If he could care for someone he disagreed with on so many levels, perhaps he could indeed be able to stay with Ayako.
Ayako didn't like feeling unsure or hesitant. She liked being in control of the situation, of maintaining the initiative. So she sighed, "If I could have a kiss?"
Issei glanced about, "Here? In public?" Linde and another Homunculus, Annalise were packing supplies. Medusa and Gretchen were securing Ilya.
Rin and Roland were quietly talking. Both of them were quite battered.
She smirked, "Oh, it is just a little kiss. They all know about us anyway." Her smile faltered. "And I could use a little prana. I promise I won't take much and…." She stopped as Issei pulled her close and kissed her.
After a moment, Issei backed away, catching his breath. "Was, was that enough? I don't think I felt anything. Just," Issei's face flushed.
Ayako felt a dark mélange of feelings swell through her. "I wasn't ready." She closed her eyes. She had to calm down. She was grateful that Issei was willing to share himself with her, to give up some of his lifeforce so that she could carry on in her damaged state.
But he had let not one but two others taste him. All within one day!
She had to remain calm. If she let her anger and jealousy guide her she could easily kill Issei. She had to remain calm.
Issei looked at her, "What is wrong?" He placed his hand against her cheek again.
She pulled away. She glared at him. She was torn between showing him her displeasure and marking him as hers. Yes she could take him right here. His will was strong, but he was only human. She could break him, mark him as hers. No one would poach on her territory again.
Issei was hers. Ayako felt a smirk cross her face and she began to move towards Issei.
He was searching her face and slowly backing away towards the door. Which just happened to close.
And lock.
How convenient.
Her smile grew broader, predatory. She lashed out with her presence, reveling in the confusion and fear she was provoking. A tiny twist of her presence and she could smell the heady scent of male pheromones as she began to induce lust in Issei.
"A,Ayako? What is wrong?" His back hit the wall. "How c-can I, help you?"
She reached out and softly caressed his cheek, "You are MINE. I won't let anyone else have you."
He closed his eyes briefly and sighed. When he opened his eyes, they were clear and calm. "You don't have to take me, I give myself to you. We don't really have time for this, but if you need this when we get to safety…."
The door opened, Medusa reached through the now open door and flicked Ayako in the head with one finger. (Ilya was cradled in her other arm.) "Leave the poor boy alone. He suffered enough today."
Issei frowned and blushed.
Ayako was staggered back. She glared at Medusa, "He let someone else touch him! He is MINE!"
Medusa sighed, "Do you think you own him? That he is your property?"
"YES!" She looked at Issei, who gazed at her, pity in his eyes. "No, I, I…" She noticed that everyone in the room was staring at her. Annalise shaking and hiding behind the stoic (and likely drugged) Linde. Rin was examining her as if she had never really known her.
Issei smiled at her, the pity still in his eyes, "I am here for you Ayako. We will get through this."
She looked at him, "I thought you loved me. Why would you…."
Medusa walked forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Not by choice. To save you he made a contract with a goddess, who used the most enjoyable method to do so. Then Rena nearly raped him before we came here. Give him a break."
Rin slowly walked over, helped by Roland. "Okay. This is weird. Why Issei all people."
Medusa smiled and looked fondly at Issei, "He is a theurgist. As long as he was celibate he was safe. Chastity is respected by most of the spirit world. Once he slept with Ayako he was fair game. And he is very tasty. Almost as sweet tasting as little Yukika." She sighed at a fond memory.
Gretchen walked in, carrying a box full of files, "Do we have time for this?"
Medusa's smile faded, "No. We have to leave now. My barrier will break in a minute or two. Hopefully Rider will get here in time, or we will have to run." Medusa nodded and moved toward the rear entrance. "Let's go."
Issei moved past Medusa, "Do you still need that kiss?"
Rin was still shaking her head as she left, muttering to herself. Roland patted Issei on the shoulder and followed him.
Ayako looked down and blushed, "I, I am sorry."
He lifted up her chin and kissed her gently.
She sipped at his od, careful to not take much. He wasn't a true magus, and it would take time for him to recover.
He pulled away, looking a little tired, "Better?"
Ayako nodded.
He smiled, "Come on."
Ayako turned and picked up Shirou and followed him. They moved swiftly towards the exit, ignoring all the bodies. She could feel Shirou stir slightly in her arms. She smiled wanly down at him, "Rest up, friend. We'll likely need you later."
He blearily looked up at her. "Rin? Ilya? Sakura?"
"They're all okay."
"I need to protect them."
"Shirou, you need to rest. Issei can you convince this blockhead he needs his sleep."
Issei paused, "Shirou…."
Shirou's answer was strange.
Molten from the forge
Hammer Strikes Anvil to Shape
A Blade forged Anew
Isssei said, "Wait, isn't that a spell of his?"
Ayako looked down at him. "Shirou, not now. We need to get you to safety.
He nodded up at her and said,
Strengthened by Hope
Polished by Love
Dedicated to Protection and Salvation
Ayako could feel as the world began to alter, as if something were disturbing its natural order. "Issei!"
Issei moved to her side, "Shirou, you need to stop this madness. They are fine. They are safe."
Shirou smiled softly, his voice soft, but his eyes were hard,
Hardened by Anger
Sharpened by Loss
I Avenge and Defy!
Ayako glared down at Shirou, but paused as a resounding crack split the air. RAAAAARRGGGHH
Berserker had returned.
She and Issei were relatively safe in the shadow of the building. The others had moved further along and were amongst the destroyed vehicles of the parking lot.
One of the homunculi, Annalise Ayako thought, shrieked and ran, drawing Berserkers attention. One swift motion by the Servant and pieces of her were scattered around the battlefield.
Medusa was hampered by the need to keep Ilya stable. Ayako could feel as multiple bounded fields complicated Berserkers movements.
But it would not be enough.
Forged Memories of the Past
In Reverence I Call You
Once more to serve Mankind
Ayako ignored Shirou, ignored how one of his hands stretched out towards RIn.
Roland stood in front of Rin and sought to bar Berserker's way. But he was too badly injured from his previous battles. Medusa had fixed some of the damage, but the fatigue remained. He was batted aside.
Proud Rin stood seemingly defenseless before the mighty juggernaut. In her hands were several glittering gems.
Acht, Neun, Seiben!
And nothing happened. Rin's magic was sealed. Ayako desperately tried to shape the world to save her. But there was no time.
She could feel Medusa trying to do the same. Could sense Roland slowly try to rise up and defeat his opponent.
Nothing would save her. The uncertain ground Berserker now trod on only slowed is progress. Medusa's bounded fields could only deflect and not block his progress. Such fields made her impossible to hit because she was always moving.
Rin was a stationary target. Ayako felt her heart break as she knew she would witness her best friend's death. Likely followed by their own.
Medusa would probably be able to escape. Ayako could if she abandoned Shirou. She might even be able to save Issei. But Rin and the others were dead. Nothing she could do could save them.
For I am an Unlimited Blade Works.
And the world rippled. Fire flashed across the landscape. Gone was the medical clinic, gone was the parking lot. For a brief moment in space and time, Gaia was overwritten.
They stood on a vast plain that stretched forever, broken only by a massive fortress and a large hill. On the hill there was a small building. The air itself was cold and the sky was full of bright stars. Among the stars there were massive gears grinding, and the sound of endless anvils being worked.
She looked down in shock at Shirou, his face beaming. He was reaching out to her, reaching out to save his doomed love.
And the world snapped back. Gaia reasserting itself once more, crushing the false reality of Shirou's Reality Marble.
The axe that would take Rin's life continued on its course.
Only Rin was gone, her cloak fluttering empty in the breeze.
Berserker looked confused and paused for a moment. That was the last Ayako ever saw of him. A light brighter than the sun tore through the early morning.
EX-CALIBUR!
The cavalry had arrived. Arturia drove past, the beam cast by her sword completely destroying Berserker.
Shirou said one last word. "Safe." And his eyes slid shut.
Issei shook his head, "What, what happened?"
"I don't know."
That was when the first sword fell from the sky and slammed into the ground near where Arturia stopped. It was too far for even her enhanced senses to hear what was being said. But Arturia was discussing something with a man in golden armor. He was surrounded by a myriad of golden circles in the air, each of which contained a weapon.
Yet another Servant.
Ayako set Shirou down gently. She had sworn to serve Medusa as her sword. "I am sorry. Issei, stay here and watch over him."
Ayako could hear Issei calling her name as she leapt forward, Heart of Courage in her hands. Even now, even after so much had been taken from her, it still answered her call.
Ayako saw Arturia take in the battlefield and its wounded occupants. Arturia turned to face the golden knight, her face blank. "Very well a truce."
The man's lips curled into a smug smile, "Tomorrow then."
Medusa shook her head, "A woman needs to prepare for such things. Arturia came to this world for combat, not for social events. Saturday, at the earliest."
"Did I give you leave to speak, insignificant worm?"
For the first time she saw anger contort Medusa's face, her voice was cold but controlled, "You are not that much older than I am."
"Don't even think of comparing yourself to me. What were you? A minor nature spirit serving the wishes of insignificant barbarians. I am Gilgamesh, first and greatest King! I am the King of Heroes! You are not worthy to breathe the same air as one such as I!"
Gilgamesh glanced at Ayako before dismissing her as beneath contempt."
Arturia called out, "Enough!" She dismounted her bike, the armor disappearing from both her and the bike. She stood there now in a dark suit, "A compromise. I will accompany you on Friday evening. But I would expect nothing from me."
Gilgamesh straightened, "I can give you pleasure on a scale you have never dreamed of, my dearest Arturia."
Arturia looked melancholic for a second, "You can give me nothing that I desire." Her shoulders straightened and she looked Gilgamesh straight in the eye. "But for a truce, I will meet you on Friday."
For just a second, the arrogance disappeared. He then squared his shoulders. "Until then."
And he was gone.
Issei staggered up behind her, Shirou in a fireman's carry. "Did that Servant just ask Rider out on a date?"
Ayako could only nod. She took Shirou from Issei.
Medusa sighed, "We have a lot to discuss. It would be better if we were in a secure location to look after the wounded."
Arturia glared at Medusa, "Why should we trust you."
Medusa quietly said, "You shouldn't. Not entirely." Her eyes tightened, "I will do whatever it takes to protect those I care for. I respect you for your chivalry. I think it is foolish, but I respect your dedication and honor." Her mouth twitched into a familiar smirk. "Just don't expect chivalry from me." She turned and began walking.
Gretchen had procured a car and was waving Medusa over.
Ayako wasn't sure she wanted to know where Gretchen had gotten the vehicle. The homunculus was old, and gave off a familiar ruthless vibe she had previously gotten from Medusa. Oh, Rin tried and likely would be a contender in the ruthlessness stakes if she lived through this war. "What of Rin?"
Ayako could still sense, but not see Roland. Too injured to stay in physical form. But he wasn't dead, so that meant Rin was still alive as well.
Arturia looked at her and frowned. "Is Shirou?"
Ayako smiled, "He is fine. Just exhausted."
"What a troublesome Master." Arturia gazed fondly at Shirou. She taking him from Ayako. Her face remaining impassive.
But her eyes…. They said something different.
Arturia was in love with Shirou.
"I will meet you all at Shirou's house." She glared at Medusa, "Be there."
Medusa turned from securing Ilya, "We have much to discuss."
Arturia drove off.
Ayako cleared her throat, "What about Rin."
Medusa's face was expressionless. "I don't know. I have some speculation, but no hard proof."
Issei quietly said, "Shirou likely did something rash to save her." He glanced, "I would likely do the same."
Medusa arched an eyebrow, "You already have. So has Ayako." She frowned, "And probably Sakura. Possibly Rin as well." She closed her eyes, "Love makes us do some extreme things."
There was a moment of silence among them.
And they left the ruined remains behind.
-End Scene—
Interlude Two-
Souichirou Kuzuki stood cradling the young steel haired girl in his arms. It had been a long time since he had held a woman so close.
He closed his eyes, crushing a few errant thoughts. She was little older than his students!
But there was something about her, an odd mix of childish wonder and world weary cynicism. And she trusted him. Her own family had turned against her and she had turned to him of all people.
He had known it was foolish to get involved, to risk getting caught up in the storied Moonlit World. Stories he had not believed.
He did now.
Kuzuki looked back at the now still airport. The airport was a small private airport, and Ilya had done something that had rendered the normal humans inside of it unconscious. But the white haired devils that were her family were untouched. And while he was a very accomplished fighter, there was only so much he could do when outnumbered.
His foes had been faster and stronger than he was. Likely they had greater stamina and durability to go with it. Fortunately they had been similar enough to humans that his techniques worked.
But the Snake was an assassination tool. Had they faced him singly, or in pairs, he likely could have won through. They had been surrounded by six. Two of them had magic as well. Ilya had shielded him somewhat from the enemies spells, but they had simply been too many.
Put simply, Kuzuki had failed in his attempt to save Ilya.
Ilya had warned him that while she was an accomplished Alchemist, and passable magus, her combat abilities were subpar. But that she had a hidden ace she could call on to play. Risky and unreliable, she told him not to count on it.
Kuzuki shuddered in memory. In that moment of his certain failure, Ilya had gone into a minor seizure. He had been unable to do anything to comfort the poor girl. He had been trying to keep from being killed.
It had lasted only seconds, and when she had come to, it was not Ilya who stood there. The voice, the body language, it was all different. Mature, confident…. And very frightening.
In an old dialect of German she said in a quiet and cold voice, "Do you not know who I am?" Snow had started to fall in earnest at that point, the white adding a serenity and purity to the scene. Ilya, or whoever it was, didn't give them the time to answer. "Feel now the wrath of the Winter Lady!"
She had raised her hands to the heaven in benediction. And something answered.
A blizzard given human form.
Kuzuki prayed to the gods he did not believe in, but now suspected might actually exist, that he never saw something like that again. His valiant foes were torn to bits in seconds, ripped to shreds by walls of icy shards that the entity had willed into being.
He stood there shivering, and not from the cold as the creature destroyed the airport. It had left him and Ilya alone, but Kuzuki had been afraid to move lest he draw its attention. How it had known not to kill him, he didn't know.
In fact at the moment he wasn't sure he knew much at all. His world had been turned upside down. The attack on the school had been one thing, but this….
He looked back at the ruined airport, the snow covering the bodies and smothering the few fires that had erupted as the creature had worked its vengeance.
Kuzuki couldn't see it anymore. Was it gone? Was it truly gone? Or was it waiting?
It had been a long time since he had felt terror. He felt it now. He looked down at the small girl in his arms, a beautiful and terrible girl.
Five minutes ago before Ilya had collapsed, she had turned her shining blood red eyes at him. Looking at him with a knowing look. "Take my Scion to safety. Worry not. You are safe. But there are those who would harm her. I, Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern command you."
And with that Ilya collapsed.
He looked down at the girl. What was he going to do now?
End Interlude-
End part-
A/N- Sheesh this chapter was hard to write. It was nothing like I first thought it would be, the characters pushing it this way and that. Honestly I had such a clear vision of what I thought I was going to write that I put my other story on hiatus, thinking I could get this out in a few weeks after the last post.
Yeah.
Hopefully you folks enjoy. Let me know what you think, and if you have any questions feel free to ask.
