CHAPTER 21:
AFTERMATH
Whoever said that laughter was the best medicine, Risei Kotomine reflected, had never heard of Crest Worms. True, Kariya Matou was clearly enjoying himself, laughing at what he had heard, but he had to pause every so often to cough up a wad of bloody phlegm, often accompanied by smaller Crest Worms wriggling in the crimson droplets. "So that big lug of a Rider has a Reality Marble? Okay, Archer's going to have a hard time dealing with that."
"It wouldn't do to underestimate Archer, or indeed any of the other Servants still in the Grail War," Risei said. He'd just finished his report to Tokiomi, and had discussed, along with Kirei, what had happened with Kariya.
"Yeah, well…you're probably right. I wouldn't be surprised if Archer had an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm at the very least in his little storeroom, and I know from what I got from Berserker that Saber's main Noble Phantasm is Anti-Fucking Fortress. Dunno what Avenger's Noble Phantasm is like, but let me tell you, given the feedback I got from Berserker when he got hit by that, it fucking hurts."
"I'd imagine pain is a familiar condition for you by now, Kariya," Kirei observed. Risei looked at his son, and frowned. There was something odd about Kirei's eyes, like there was a touch too much interest in Kariya's suffering. But…it couldn't be, could it? His son was a good man.
Kariya scoffed in reply to Kirei's observation. "Pain's got all sorts of variations, believe me, I know. Getting infested with Crest Worms…if there's worse chronic pain, I haven't felt it yet. Maybe someone with some terminal illness has it worse, but frankly, I've no idea. But getting impaled and set on fire…not a recommended experience, and I don't think I got much more than a small fraction of it. Why do you want to know, anyway?"
"Morbid curiosity," Kirei said, perhaps a touch too hurriedly. "As an Executor, I have seen many forms of suffering, though yours is novel, even if it's a particularly undesirable novelty."
"Yeah, you've got that right," Kariya muttered. "Though I'm more worried about Saber. I saw parts of her life through Berserker's eyes, what with Saber being Arturia Pendragon and Berserker being Lancelot. Rider had a big point, I'll admit, but Lancelot had nothing more than admiration for her, at least until that mess with Guinevere came about. True, she could have been a lot more approachable, and she was a bit too ruthless at times, but…Rider's a big dick. Avenger had a point. All Rider did was take from people what was theirs, while Saber…she defended her people, and worked to try and better their lot. She just seemed too damned inhuman, hence why Mordred managed to overthrow her."
Kirei seemed to frown pensively, and while that was more or less his default expression, Risei knew his son was thinking about something. "And Sakura?"
"Hopefully, she'll be fine with the others," Kariya said. "That being said, neither Tokiomi or Zouken will take this lying down. And while Zouken may not have a Servant, especially now that I'm out of the running…"
Risei nodded. "Of more immediate concern is Tokiomi's reaction. He is considering his strategy after our report. While he intends to retrieve Sakura, Rider is a far more dangerous opponent than either Saber or Avenger. In addition, Lancer and his new Master are still around. Of course, Tokiomi's most dangerous opponent remains the Magus Killer."
"Yeah…well, I hope Emiya takes him down," Kariya said. "Though that Potter guy, he's no pushover, and he's got the drive to go after Tokiomi. He's barely older than a kid, but he's been through some shit. As long as Sakura is away from Tokiomi and Zouken, I don't care who puts paid to them…"
Gilgamesh chortled inwardly as his erstwhile Master fretted. The man had pled with him and beseeched him to try and retrieve Sakura, but Gilgamesh refused. The fact that Tokiomi had refused to use a Command Seal was telling: while he knew his Master was a prudent, overly cautious man, the saga with Sakura had pushed the man's desperation enough that Gilgamesh wouldn't have been surprised if he did use one, despite Gilgamesh's chastisement over the usage of the first one. Which meant that Tokiomi had a purpose that required at least two Command Seals, regardless of prudency.
In truth, watching Tokiomi writhe in torment like a worm in a puddle of acid was most amusing. Gilgamesh had been silent when Tokiomi asked whether he had a Noble Phantasm that could deal with Iskandar's Reality Marble. Which he did: Ea, the Sword of Rupture. And Iskandar was shaping himself up to be someone worthy to use it on. A glorified thief he may be, but Gilgamesh respected the man's charisma and drive. He just wanted Tokiomi to sweat.
Arturia and Jeanne d'Arc, though…well, while they were not worthy of using Ea on, they were still interesting. Arturia was a paragon of beauty and pain, the latter caused by the burdens she assumed under her imbecilic and yet beautiful notion of kingship. And this twisted version of the Maiden of Orleans…a rabid cur she may be, and yet, she had a fire that was admirable, even if he needed to snuff it out. And she was a damned sight better than Caster, if what the Kotomines had to tell him held any weight. She had the gall to attack him, but he supposed that he understood her reasons for despising kings, even if he could not pardon such an attitude. The only reason why he even considered letting her live after all these insults were because of her Master and what he did for Sakura.
Gilgamesh had done many cruel things in life, at least by the standards of mongrels. However, he would have never allowed such an innocent girl to be subjected to such a fate as being infested with Crest Worms. If someone wished to subject themselves to that voluntarily, or else it was used as punishment, he wouldn't care. But this…well, it wasn't out of anything like morality. In truth, to him, it was as if he took one of his greatest treasures from the Gate of Babylon, and then cast it into the deepest, most foul cesspit he could find, and leave it there for months. It was an insult more than anything else.
Oh, he could understand Tokiomi's reasoning on an intellectual level. But even while he claimed to be doing this out of love for Sakura, to ensure her future as a Magus, Tokiomi turned a wilful blind eye to the suffering she underwent, being violated by those worms on a regular basis, and at an age long before she should know what such violation was, even by the standards of Gilgamesh's time. He had sullied such a treasure as a talented daughter by casting it into that foul abode. That alone earned Gilgamesh's disgust towards Tokiomi a thousand times over, and only the need to find and cultivate another Master, like perhaps Kirei, stayed Gilgamesh's hand.
Gilgamesh had no intention of losing the Grail War. But while prideful and blinkered, he wasn't stupid. There was a possibility, even if it was an infinitesimal one, that he might lose. And while he would be deeply enraged by such an outcome, knowing that Tokiomi was thwarted would give him some consolation, perhaps something to laugh about as he faded back to the Throne of Heroes…
Jeanne was sitting in the backyard of the Mackenzie household. She just wanted to be alone for now while her Master slept. And yet, an annoyance soon appeared. "You are troubled."
"No shit, Sherlock," Jeanne sneered, turning to face Iskandar. "I'm a twisted parody of one of the world's most famous saints. How the actual fuck can I be anything but troubled?"
"Well, those who revel in evil wouldn't find themselves troubled, which says a lot about you," Iskandar said, scratching at his cheek a little sheepishly.
"I'm surprised you're not pissed about me dissing your form of ruling."
Iskandar chuckled. "Believe it or not, I am resilient to criticism, especially that which has a point. Do not misunderstand me, Jeanne d'Arc, Arturia is a fool, and her style of rule is foolish…but her conviction and her desire to defend her people is not what I hate about her. Rather, it is her martyr's mindset, something you yourself had in life. She may have led them, but did she rule them? It's to her credit that she wishes to make amends for her men, to ensure they did not sacrifice themselves. For a moment, I believed she didn't value said sacrifices, but rather, it's that she doesn't want them to have to be made. She merely has to learn how to show those she ruled that she valued them. In truth, that seems to be one thing that distinguishes Arturia and I from Goldie."
"Goldie? The Archer?"
"Yes. I suspect his true identity. Given his arrogance, power and his claims to primacy…well, that and I recognised the taste of his wine. It reminded me of a wine I once found stored away in Babylon that was said to have belonged to an ancient king. I believe Goldie to be Gilgamesh of Uruk."
"Gilgamesh?" Jeanne asked. The relevant information was promptly provided by the Grail. One of the oldest, if not THE oldest, known heroes to humanity. An arrogant warrior king and demigod whose only friend was the beastman Enkidu. "Great," she added sarcastically.
"Anyway, while I find Archer to be a more worthy opponent, do not think I hate Arturia. The fact that Lancelot considered her a great king, despite everything that transpired, is heartening, for it shows that she inspired at least one person in her time. And I do not hate you, either, even if you hate me for my style of kingship. You tell some uncomfortable truths, I am sure, but I welcome them. And I sympathise with why you wished to defend your country. I harbour no malice for those who wish to defend their homelands. Indeed, I wish to make them part of my own forces, to inspire them even in defeat. Of course, I doubt you would be tractable, given how deep the wounds left by the English go."
"Of course not," Jeanne scoffed. "If you're trying to comfort me, you're failing."
"…Then take comfort in these words. Your life was a truly beautiful one, Jeanne d'Arc, despite its ending. Even tainted and tarnished by your former comrade's desires, you remain virtuous after your own fashion. You even stated you would remain allied with me, not merely out of pragmatism, but also to protect my Master. I am sure more than a few Servants and their Masters would not be so considerate. That says a lot about you. All that I ask in return is this: should I fall in battle, and you still live, continue to protect my Master alongside your own."
Jeanne scoffed. "Need you ask?"
"That's what I thought. Good night." Iskandar then Astralized, leaving Jeanne with her thoughts, looking up at the stars once more.
There were many things troubling her lately, true, with her very existence troubling. But one thing then came to mind. Assassin had been Kirei's Servant, and he had sacrificed Assassin, presumably to get some idea of the other Servants' abilities for Tokiomi Tohsaka. However, Jeanne wondered whether Kirei would leave it at that.
Somehow, she doubted it. While Kirei followed his father's orders, and seemed like a follower, she knew that the walking dead, like he was, constantly sought something, a meaning to their life. While he had been passive to some degree, he was searching for something. A something that could still impact them.
She herself was still searching. For a reason to exist. True, she enjoyed protecting Harry and Sakura, despite herself, or rather, she found fulfilment in it. But she needed a reason to exist. Her old self would have merely put her faith in God and men, and God failed her, as did the very people she fought for. Charles VII did nothing to save her.
Protecting France? No, she gave her all and got nothing in return. While she was loved by the people these days, her reputation was also being hijacked by vicious idiots who cared little about the values she once held.
A relationship with Harry? She hadn't known him for long, and while she would admit to some attraction that she knew was mutual, she also knew that their relationship could easily be severed by death in this Grail War, never mind the relationship dying from their differences. It'd be a quite literally fiery break-up.
"What should I do now?" she muttered to herself.
"Well…why not go out and live?"
Jeanne looked at her doppelganger, the saint, looking at her with a sad smile. "…Why the fuck are you here? And where's the crispy fried version of me?"
"I, er…may have had to chain her up a bit," the Saint said, looking a bit sheepish. "Jeanne…you're beginning to heal. As you said, you're a patchwork figure, a fiction cobbled together…what you saw in that apparition was nothing like an evil side per se. All humans have the capacity for good and evil, even us. Rather, she was more of a sign of a taint, something evil, more external. I'm more of a sort of hybrid of the saint you once was, and the Jeanne d'Arc that even now resides within the Throne of Heroes. Because you're beginning to come to terms with your situation, her influence, and my own, are waning. You're becoming your own person, Jeanne. And even if I cannot condone your more violent tendencies…I'm still proud of you. The thing is, you were brought into being as a fictionalised version of me, one that appealed to Gilles' deranged vision of us, as a bloodthirsty avenger against our fate. But that doesn't mean you have no right to exist, especially as you are independent of Gilles' desires."
"Is there a point to this?" Jeanne growled.
"…Do you remember our one desire? That one we've had since we were children? We wanted to see the ocean. We did so much in our lives, and yet…we never really did get to enjoy ourselves so simply, did we? Jeanne…that should be your wish. To be allowed to live. To enjoy your life. Who knows? Maybe one day, we can meet, if I'm ever summoned from the Throne of Heroes. I'd love to meet you."
"The feeling isn't mutual," Jeanne retorted.
"Maybe not, but you like him, don't you? One who is your Master, but treats you as an ally, no, as a friend," her doppelganger said. "Don't let go of him."
He dreamed of her. Well, it was a nightmare more than a dream, given that it ended with her burning alive. It seemed to switch between two different versions. In one, she accepted her end with calm dignity and grace, at least outwardly, while inwardly, she prayed to an apparently unheeding God, struggling to maintain her composure. In another, she screamed in pain, emitting blasphemies and expletives at the gathered crowd, howling that she would have her vengeance. It seemed to alternate between the two like a badly spliced film.
He felt like he was suffering what she suffered. The Cruciatus may have been the most painful thing he had ever experienced, but feeling like he was being burned to death came a close second. And when he woke up, he had to check himself. He flinched when he found the burn scars on his arm, only to remember where he got them from. Then, he scowled. Tokiomi Tohsaka.
How could someone so vile as to knowingly allow Sakura to be condemned to such a fate have two girls who were so decent, or such a good wife? Sakura, for all her moroseness, seemed to be a sweet girl beneath the trauma, and Rin had bared her heart to him as 'Hebi'. Aoi was gentle and demure, and yet, when she realised the truth of what had happened to Sakura…well, her wrath would have gone badly for Tokiomi had he not hypnotised her.
He left his room, only to find Sakura and Martha in the dining room, again. Martha looked up at him in sympathy. "This is a bit of a habit for both of you," she clucked.
"Is she…?" Harry indicated Sakura.
Martha nodded. "My husband and I have half a mind to go to that old monster and…well, it'd be an exercise in futility, but still…to treat a child like that…"
Harry sat down next to Sakura, who looked up at him with her sad, violet eyes. "…Harry," she said quietly. "I…I want to see them."
Harry was surprised at the sudden determination in her voice. "Who? Rin and Aoi?"
"Yes. You said that they hated what Tokiomi did to me. I want to see that myself. And…to see that they still…love…me…even if…" Her voice began to quaver.
"They do, Sakura," Harry said, gently cuddling her, even as his anger towards Tokiomi Tohsaka and Zouken Matou raged to even greater heights. He would make them pay. He swore it…
CHAPTER 21 ANNOTATIONS:
Well, some nice little character moments. Next chapter, a heartwarming family reunion. That chapter will be posted as part of the upcoming December update, along with a lot of my Potterverse/Nasuverse crossovers, and other stories.
Review-answering time! Skull Flame: While Arturia is a British King, Jalter prefers her, if only because she sees a lot of herself in Arturia.
TM11: Excuse me? I thought I never changed the general nature of Arturia's wish from Fate/Zero, only how she approaches it. I think she needed the realisation that she's not doing it out of personal, selfish dissatisfaction with how it turned out, but rather, what happened to her friends and comrades. So I'm not actually changing her wish, just why she wants it slightly. Her wish for Fate/Stay Night, however, was just plain retarded, born out of the trauma she suffered during Fate/Zero, especially thanks to Lancelot and Kiritsugu.
Jostanos: Funny you should say that, given how the next chapter ends. Let's just say that Kirei goes on a rather enthusiastic, if serendipitous, walk…
Noctus of the Thousand Blades: The main part of the story will end with the events of Fate/Zero, though there may be an epilogue set later. That being said, the Fifth Grail War may be a moot point…
No numbered annotations this time.