Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Everything and Nothing

Chapter 1

"Well," Rin began as she and Sakura stood next to a fountain in Hyde Park. "I can't say I'm completely comfortable working with you, and until Lord Zelretch says otherwise at that. But…let's try to get along, alright?"

"No problem." Sakura said with a chuckle. "And don't worry. I don't blame you for not being comfortable around me. That said, I'm not going to stab or poison you out of the blue."

"…that's…reassuring…" Rin uncertainly said, Sakura giving her a sideways glance all too reminiscent of the Sakura that Rin knew. The smile and face were exactly the same, after all, for all that this Sakura's eyes were the same shade of blue that Rin had, to say nothing of having black instead of violet hair.

Unlike the Sakura that Rin knew, though, who wore her hair long and untied, this Sakura tied hers back into a ponytail. And even then, it was clear her hair was much shorter, only reaching around her shoulders, while the Sakura that Rin knew had hair reaching down almost to the waist.

"Then I guess I'll just have to prove it as we work together." Sakura said. "Actions speak louder than words, and all that."

"True." Rin agreed with a nod. Then turning back to the fountain, she stayed silent for a few moments longer, before sighing and continuing. "So…I hear you're with Modern Magecraft Theories?"

"Yes, well," Sakura said with a shrug. "I can't exactly join Mineralogy, can I? Not with my…very limited, ability to use Jewel Magecraft."

Rin raised an eyebrow at that, her mind working at the way Sakura had put her sentence together. "You can, can't you?" she finally asked. "You can use Jewel Magecraft."

Sakura shrugged again. "In a very roundabout way," she evasively replied. "So much so that even I did manage to get admitted into Mineralogy, I'd either get run out or lynched for unorthodoxy within a year at most. In all honesty, I could have joined either General or Individual Fundamentals, but Modern Magecraft Theories is just plain unrivaled when it comes to outright encouraging…promising, new ways to apply mystery."

"Well, it is Lord El-Melloi II." Rin pointed out.

"Was."

"What?"

"With Lord El-Melloi having reached her majority," Sakura said. "The title of Lord El-Melloi II was passed onto a new individual, with its former holder becoming Lord Beckenstein. He's still the head of Modern Magecraft Theories, though, and nothing has really changed."

"…has he gotten married yet?" Rin asked. "Or is he still stringing along empty-headed idiot boys and girls who want to get into his bed?"

Sakura burst out laughing at that, Rin chuckling herself and feeling a lot of the tension in the air between them disappear. "Yeah," Sakura said. "He got a couple of years back, which finally made all those idiots back off. Lord Beckenstein's wife isn't the docile sort, and more the kind to piledrive them if they even come so much as within arm's reach of her husband with less than…pure, intentions."

Rin laughed. "Sounds like someone I can respect." She said, and Sakura laughed in agreement.

"Maybe…" she said with a shrug. "How about you, though? Any concrete plans on preserving the Tohsaka lineage of magi?"

"Hmm…" Rin hummed. "Only if you give me an answer to that question."

"Fair enough," Sakura said, before her smile faltered. "A few years back, I'd have said yes, and happily told you more. Nowadays though…"

Sakura trailed off with a wistful expression on her face, and Rin instantly realized what that meant. "Sorry." She said.

"Why are you apologizing?" Sakura asked. "It wasn't your fault. You had nothing to do with it."

"That's not what I…" Rin began, only for Sakura to interrupt.

"Yeah, I know…thanks." Sakura said before taking a deep breath. "In the end, though, it was useful as a reality check. Things…don't always go the way you hope or plan…but enough about me. How about you?"

Rin took a deep breath herself. "I wish I could say I'd made as much effort to…well, preserve the Tohsaka line." She said. "But…yeah, no real effort, not even stillborn promise. I've got to get down to it in the future, but I…"

"Hmm…" Sakura hummed in understanding, and then gave an encouraging nod. "Well, assuming you're the same age as I am, there's still plenty of time in the future. Come to think of it…how old are you? And before you ask, I'm twenty-six."

"Then there you go." Rin said with a nod of her own. "I'm also twenty-six."

Sakura snorted. "I guess that's something to be thankful for." She remarked. "Lord Zelretch matching our ages so our partnership doesn't get too awkward. On that note, though…I'm guessing that makes my counterpart twenty-five?"

"Yes, that's right." Rin confirmed with a nod.

"How is she by the way?" Sakura asked. "I assume she got sent to those damn Matous, but…is that really all she became? A giveaway and a…"

"No." Rin interrupted firmly. "She was with the Matous, but she got married about six years ago, and moved on from that mistake. Now the Matou and everything they were are done and gone. The only things left of them are pained scars and old regrets, and good riddance."

Sakura silently stared at Rin who looked away. "I can't say I'm glad you had to kill me to avoid getting sent to Matou." She eventually said. "But I'm glad you managed to avoid that fate."

Rin fell silent, her fists repeatedly clenching and unclenching. Sakura was tempted to ask, but decided against it. She had her suspicions, from what she knew of the Matou magecraft, and they opened up a cold pit in the bottom of her stomach, but if so…

…then it probably would be best to let Rin open up about them on her own time.

"So," she began instead. "Who did my counterpart marry?"

"Oh, Shirou Emiya." Rin said, jolting back from whatever painful memories she'd lost herself in. "Do you know him?"

"Mister Superhero?" Sakura asked in surprise.

"…so you do know him." Rin said while raising an eyebrow at Sakura's way of referencing Shirou. "How is he, by the way?"

"Of course I know him." Sakura scoffed. "He's a friend, though we've kind of drifted apart in the years since. As for what he's doing nowadays, last I heard, he's still studying in a law school in Tokyo."

"Shirou? Law school? What?" Rin stammered out.

"Yeah, it surprised me too." Sakura agreed with a nod. "But he said it seemed like the best way to help people, and really make a difference in the world. And when all is said and done, it does seem the best way to keep him from turning into a tanned, grey-eyed bastard…you do know who I'm talking about, right?"

"Oh…yes…yes, I do." Rin said with a cough. "Now that you mention it, that is a good point."

Sakura chuckled. "I thought so." She said. "Anyway…on a happier note, a couple of months ago, he proposed to Mitsuzuri-senpai, and she said yes. They'll be getting married once he graduates from college."

"Congratulations then…WAIT!" Rin exploded in disbelief. "Mitsuzuri-senpai? As in Ayako Mitsuzuri? How'd that happen?"

"…well, they started going out after it turned out they were attending the same university." Sakura said after a moment, looking at Rin curiously. "Mitsuzuri-senpai graduated first, though, as she was only taking a four-year liberal arts degree. Last I heard, she was working at some company or another in Tokyo."

Sakura paused, and then grinned. "Office lady fetish, eh, Emiya-senpai?" she said teasingly.

"ANYWAY…!" Rin said, her face red as she found herself imagining Shirou and Ayako together that way. "That is…I…uh…"

"My counterpart," Sakura quickly said, indulging Rin's clear desire to move away from this topic. "Does she have any kids?"

"Three," Rin just as quickly answered. "A boy, and two girls, the latter of which are twins."

"Huh…three kids in only five years…" Sakura mused. "…she and Emiya-senpai must have been really into it…"

"SAKURA!"

Sakura laughed. "Is she happy, though?" she asked.

"Definitely." Rin firmly said. "The happiest she's been her whole life. Happier than either us have ever been, I'll even dare to say."

"Huh…"

Sakura didn't know what to say to that, only for her stomach to make itself heard with a growl. Her cheeks turned pink as Rin gave her a teasing look and smile. "Yeah, yeah," Sakura said with a roll of her eyes. "Come on, let's get something to eat. There's a pub nearby that makes really good meat pies, or better yet, fish and chips. Shame it isn't a Friday, though."

"Why not?" Rin asked, while walking next to Sakura.

"The pub makes curry all day long every Friday." Sakura replied, and Rin winced.

"Curry…and Friday's still two days away." She lamented.

"Likewise."

"What happened to the rest of the family?"

Sakura paused lifting a chip to her mouth, and then slowly put it down. "You first." She said.

Rin shrugged, bringing up a spoonful to her mouth, then chewing and swallowing before answering. "Father died during the Fourth Holy Grail War." She said sadly. "Another Master snuck up to him and stabbed him in the back. By the time Kirei reached him, he was already dead."

"Huh…some things never change, I guess." Sakura mused.

"What happened to father here?" Rin asked.

"Master died the exact same way." Sakura said. "As for mother…well, she stuck around for a while."

"So she's dead too…" Rin began, only to trail off as Sakura shook her head.

"No, mother's still alive." She said. "But…she never really forgave me for killing you. She took care of me but…her heart wasn't in it. Then when I was…eight? Yeah, when I was eight…I woke up, and mother was gone. There was only a letter on the table, plus her housekeys."

"…she left you." Rin whispered in disbelief.

Sakura closed her eyes and laughed bitterly. "Like I said," she said while briefly resuming eating her fish and chips. "I don't blame you."

"But…didn't you at least look for her?" Rin asked softly.

"I did." Sakura said. "Kirei and I found her when I was ten. She was in Osaka, and she'd gotten remarried to Uncle Kariya. Last I heard, they had one child, but wanted nothing to do with me, or for that matter, the Matou family."

Sakura shrugged. "They're happy together." She said.

"Uncle Kariya…" Rin echoed in a whisper, and then she gave a bitter laugh of her own. "So he didn't become the Matou Master in the fourth war? It's ironic, really."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Rin said with a small nod. "He assaulted mother during the war, which left her so brain damaged that she had to go a mental hospital afterward. She died in that hospital after a few years."

"…and…Uncle Kariya?" Sakura asked.

"He died in the war." Rin said, finally turning back to Sakura. "How'd he react to you murdering me?"

"Badly." Sakura said. "He slapped me, and said he never wanted to see me again."

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh."

Sakura stretched her limbs as she and Rin left the pub a couple of hours later. Her head felt a bit fuzzy from the white wine that came with her meal, but a brief activation of her crest and a simple single-action spell solved that issue quickly enough.

"Well, it's been an interesting day." Rin said with a sigh. Above them, the sky was turning dark, and already, lights were coming on up and down the London streets.

"No kidding." Sakura agreed, and then discreetly reaching into Imaginary Numbers Space, pulled out a small plastic case. Rin raised an eyebrow in curiosity, which was soon answered after Sakura popped it open, and pulled out a small card. "Here you go. In case you need to contact me."

"Oh…I…" Rin fumbled as she took the card, and bowed low. "Thank you very much. Sorry, but I can't give you a business card yet. I mean…I just arrived, so…"

Sakura laughed and nodded. "Normally, that's no excuse," she said with a wink and a tilt of the head. "But, since 'travel' in your case is more than just flying a plane from Japan to here…I guess I can let it slide."

"No kidding." Rin said with a small laugh of her own. "Still…I should have it ready by tomorrow evening at the latest, that way we can contact each other if we need to."

"In any case, we'll be bumping into each at the Clock Tower." Sakura said with a nod. "I'll see you, then."

"Right…see you tomorrow, Sakura." Rin said.

Sakura nodded, only to tilt her head at the hesitant expression on Rin's face. "What's wrong?" she asked.

"You know…you can…" Rin said, as hesitantly as she looked. "…you can call me 'big sister' if you want."

Sakura hummed, looking sad. "I could," she said after a long moment. "But I don't have the right to."

"…guess you don't."

Sakura hummed again, and then nodded. "Well then," she said. "I'll be going. You stay safe, alright?"

"Likewise."

With another nod, Sakura walked off down the street, Rin looking after her sadly for several moments, until the other woman vanished into the evening crowds. Then looking down at the business card in her hands, Rin took a deep breath, and putting it away, turned the opposite direction and began to walk.

It's been a long day.

Bounded fields opened and closed smartly as Sakura passed, until finally she reached the heart of her London suite. The ether shifted briefly, and then a childish voice spoke up in greeting. "How was today?" it asked.

Sakura glanced at her familiar, who looked up at her with a smile. She smiled back, even as she stripped off her longcoat and then put it away. "Unusual…very unusual…" she said, and causing the familiar to tilt her head.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Lord Zelretch showed up, and started asking questions about…well, me and you." Sakura said, while walking deeper into the suite. "Kind of…I mean, he doesn't know about you, at least I don't think he does."

"Lord…Zelretch…?" the familiar echoed, crossing her arms and scrunching up her face in thought. "Why does that name sound familiar?"

"The Second Magician?" Sakura asked from the pantry, where she was busy preparing coffee. "The Wizard Marshal? The Master of Jewel Magecraft?"

"Oh, that's who he is!" the familiar said brightly in realization. "But why?"

"It turns out I'm a candidate for inheriting the Second Magic." Sakura said. "The seventh, actually."

"Really?" the familiar gushed in wonder. "Sakura, isn't that great?"

"…I'm…not really sure, to be honest." Sakura uncertainly replied, leaning back against the pantry counter.

"Why not?" the familiar asked, coming closer before floating up and forward, to sit on the pantry counter next to Sakura, her legs waving back and forth beneath.

"You know the Wizard Marshal's reputation." Sakura said, only for the familiar to shake her head.

"No, I don't." she said, and bringing Sakura up short for a few moments.

"…fair enough." She said. "He's…not a very safe teacher."

"What do you mean?" the familiar asked again.

"Just about every apprentice he takes goes insane." Sakura said. "Even the few who don't always end up traumatized by the experience one way or another. I mean…look at our ancestor, Nagato Tohsaka. He barely got taught anything by the Wizard Marshal, but he ended up crazy enough to work with the likes of Zouken Matou."

The familiar winced at that. "Okay, that's true." She said, before giggling as Sakura gave her a quick hug and ruffled her hair. "Then what? About Lord Zelretch, I mean."

"Oh, right…" Sakura said with a cough. "Like I said, he was asking about our – well, my – past, so I told him the truth. I don't regret anything, I did what I had to do…you know how it goes."

"And what did he say?" the familiar asked.

"He said he was disappointed," Sakura said, before scratching her head. "But since I was a candidate for his successor, he had to at least try and set me right. So he introduced me to the second candidate, who…"

"Uh-huh?" the familiar prompted, while Sakura looked really uncomfortable. "Sakura, what's wrong?"

"Eh…it turns out that candidate number two is, well…um…Rin Tohsaka. A grown-up Rin Tohsaka. From another universe."

"Oh…" the familiar said, her face falling as she realized what that meant. "But that means…"

"Yeah," Sakura said, scratching her head and looking down at her familiar, who looked up at her with a worried look on her face. "Master got his way in the universe, from what she said."

"But that's not good!" the familiar yelled. "The Matou are really bad! The you there would have been one of them!"

"I know." Sakura said with a sigh. "Rin implied as much, though from what she also said, the other me has already left the Matou. Married Shirou Emiya, from the sound of the things."

"The superhero?" the familiar asked.

"Yes, the superhero." Sakura confirmed with a nod.

The familiar tilted her head in thought. "He's nice, I guess." She said. "A bit stupid, though."

"Hey now," Sakura protested, pinching her familiar's cheek lightly. "That's not very nice to say."

"But it's true!" the familiar protested. "You remember how he was before you taught him right! He was killing himself every time he used magic! And he was sixteen already! We were doing better when we were five and six!"

"Well, he didn't have a very good teacher." Sakura pointed out in Shirou's defense. "Even Kirei at his worst was a better teacher than Kiritsugu Emiya apparently was. Not that that's saying much."

"…so, what now?" the familiar asked after a moment.

Sakura hummed, but didn't answer at once. Instead, with her coffee having finished brewing, she briefly busied herself with preparing a mug for herself, and then leaned back against the pantry counter.

"Lord Zelretch has me and…the other Rin, working together for now." She said. "She seems nice enough, maybe we might be able to make it work. I'll be careful, though. Just in case."

The familiar nodded. "Sounds good." She said, before grinning and grabbing Sakura's arm. "Can I meet her though? Can I? I really want to! Imagine how surprised and shock she'll be to see me!"

Sakura laughed and shook her head. "I'm sure she would be." She said. "Alright, I'll see what I can do."

The familiar grinned wider. "I can't wait!" she said, and causing Sakura to laugh again.

A/N

Just breaking the ice, for now. Plus new mysteries (pun not intended). Things should start heating up in a bit.