Prompt: "Kiritsugu seeing Shirou (EMIYA) make his contract with the Counter Force." — Mune
"He was a better person than you."
Kiritsugu opened his eyes to a dark room. Beside him was his curse, his master, who puppeted the body of his daughter just to drive the dagger deeper into his heart.
"Who?" he asked, and she turned and smirked at him.
"I'm sure you can guess." She flicked her long white hair to the side, and he followed her smile until his gaze landed on the one person he prayed he wouldn't see.
White hair, darkened skin, scars crossing over his hunched body, but Kiritsugu knew who that was.
"You didn't—"
"I did nothing, monster." He flinched. "He never needed to hear my voice. He was running as fast as he could towards every fire, away from a guilt that haunted him since you saved him."
She snorted, crossing her arms. A swirling orb of blue light descended before his son.
"You hurt him more than anyone else ever had, and you didn't even have the decency to rectify your mistakes as you were dying. You never tried to assuage his fear that he was worthless, you put him in danger rather than take the responsibility of his education in magecraft, and you abandoned him to fruitlessly chase after a daughter who had already come to hate you."
"I only meant—"
"Meaning means nothing to the bereaved and betrayed. Intent is only as valuable as the consequences of the actions it prompts."
His son stretched out a frail arm towards the light, and Kiritsugu couldn't help but mimic him, wishing he could reach out and stop him.
"All you could do was imprint your worst mistakes upon him... and he was still a better Ally of Justice than you ever were."
"...then he is my only success."
Alaya snorted.
"Yes, it is the duty of sons to surpass their fathers, I suppose. And now, he will even get to be as great a villain as you are. Good job, and thank you."
She smiled that awful smile and patted him on the back.
"Because of you, I got two weapons… for the price of one."