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

Snow White and Her Children

Chapter 6

Warmth filled the air of the Italian countryside in the spring, shining down with the sunlight from a blue sky dotted with puffy white clouds. Flocks of birds wheeled through the air, chirping as they went, or hopped as they pleased on the green fields and hills and the dirt roads which went to and from the towns and villages dotting the countryside.

Church bells sounded the hour, the joyous sound of children's voices soon echoing in the air as they were let out of the orphanage to play in the warmth and the Sun in the courtyard. A nun followed them out, smiling indulgently as she kept an eye on the frolicking children, all the while making her way towards a bench in an out-of-the-way corner.

Sitting down, she leaned back and relaxed, golden eyes keeping an eye on the children to make sure that even though they were allowed to act as they should at their age, they would not take it too far. And it wasn't long before exactly that happened, as a pair of seven-year old boys began to argue and hit each other over a mere toy.

In an instant, the nun was up on her feet, and quickly marching over to the two boys. "Now, the two of you stop that." She sharply admonished. Eyes turned to her, the playground going still and quiet, though Caren Ortensia smiled to take the edge off her voice, kneeling down to the children's level and gently placing her hands on their shoulders. "Friends shouldn't fight each other. Do you really think you can go to Heaven if you do?"

"Sorry, sister." One of the boys said, and the other boy nodded.

"Sorry, sister." He also said before turning to the other boy with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Zaccheo."

The first boy also smiled and nodded apologetically. "I'm sorry too, Marco." He said.

Caren smiled wider and nodded, getting to her feet while fondly ruffling the two boys' hair. "Listen," she began. "Violence is never the answer against your fellow man, except against heretics, heathens, and monsters. And even then, there's always a chance for the first two to repent, and atone for their sins."

The boys nodded, and Caren nodded again. "Now," she said. "I want you two to go to the chapel, and to each pray one Our Father for fighting each other, alright?"

"Yes, sister." They chorused, and with another nod from the nun ran off to do as they were told. Caren watched them go as the rest of the children resumed playing, and then turned towards the main building as she saw movement from the corner of her eyes.

"Sister Caren," one of the sister superiors began, standing next to a man Caren knew by reputation, dressed in the black and red robes of a Cardinal of the Holy Church. "Cardinal Graziano is here to see you."

"Yes, of course." Caren said, walking closer. "I am at His Eminence's disposal. That said, sister, if you could please watch the children while I'm gone…"

"But of course, Sister Caren." The sister superior said. "It's no trouble at all."

Caren nodded, walking forward to speak to the cardinal face-to-face, while the sister superior walked past to take over watching the children at play. "Cardinal Graziano," Caren began. "This is an unexpected pleasure I am honored by your presence."

"We should speak privately, sister." The cardinal said without preamble. "The matters to be discussed are not for the ears of the innocent."

"Yes, of course." Caren said with a nod, a degree of chill entering her golden eyes. "I completely understand."

The cardinal nodded, and standing aside, allowed the nun to lead him to someplace more private to speak in.

"To what do I owe this visit, Your Eminence?"

Caren and the cardinal stood in the empty dining room, opposite from where the diners would get their food from. "There's been some interesting developments in London." The cardinal began. "Valkolumi Edelfelt-Tohsaka has come to the conclusion that the false Grail of Japan's Fuyuki City is no longer of any value to her and her family. No, quite the opposite, in fact. She is of the opinion that it has become deadweight, if not a ticking bomb, which will only bring ruin to her family unless it's dealt with soon."

"I see." Caren said with a nod. "May I assume then that this information comes not from a spy or an informer, but was given to us in good faith?"

"You may," the cardinal said with a nod. "And you would be correct at that. The information comes from Father McKinley, the Holy Father's official representative in London."

"Then the matter seems fairly straightforward to me." Caren said. "We only ever allowed magi to compete for something that pretended to be the cup which caught the Lord's blood as He hung from His cross, because a) the artifact in Japan is a falsification, b) while ultimately of lesser value, said artifact is still considered…irreplaceable, by the magi powers-that-be, and c) following b, considering the location and the hollow nature of the artifact, it was judged that forcing the issue would not be worth the cost in resources and effort expended."

"Well-reasoned, sister." the cardinal said, sounding and looking impressed. "Though you miss one point."

"And that is?" Caren asked.

"Even with everything you've said," the cardinal began. "We'd still have forced the issue if only because of what the Fuyuki artifact is capable of. That is, the ability to grant any wish, no matter how twisted or benign, that does not trespass into the domains of True Magic."

"…whether twisted or benign," Caren said after a moment. "It is not for men to bend if not remake reality itself to such an extent, and in so doing, go against the Lord's will for the world."

"An oversimplification," the cardinal said. "But accurate enough."

"And yet even then we did not attempt to destroy the Grail," Caren said while closing her eyes. "As it ought to have been, but instead appointed an Overseer to ensure future contests would never descend to the same depths of…depravity, as the Third Holy Grail War descended to."

"…do you understand now, sister?" the cardinal asked as Caren opened her eyes once more.

Caren raised an eyebrow. "Forgive my impudence and presumption alike," she began. "But it seems to me that Your Eminence among others does not hold my father in confidence."

"Not as such." The cardinal said with raised hands. "Were Heaven's Feel to proceed as scheduled, we have full confidence in his ability to enforce the rules of the contest, and ensure that its power is used in an acceptable fashion."

"To reach the Root." Caren said with a nod. "And in so doing, expend Heaven's Feel in a way that does not distort the World to reflect one or another upstart magus' twisted vision of the future."

"Yes," The cardinal said with a nod of his own. "And therein lies our problem."

"Oh?"

"Reaching the Root is the ultimate goal of the magi," the cardinal said. "And while a fictional goal for many, for your father…between a…puritan, spirit derived from his past as one of us, and his own apprenticeship under Magus Tohsaka, we are confident in his refusing to support any compromise on reaching the Root as the only proper use for Heaven's Feel."

"Ah…" Caren said slowly with an equally-slow nod, her lips twitching ever so slightly into an amused smile. "So that's how it is."

"So it is." the cardinal said with a grim nod. "Also as a result of his apprenticeship under Magus Tohsaka, your father's willingness to allow Heaven's Feel to end without any resolution is in question."

"And Your Eminence wishes for me to ensure that he does have that willingness." Caren said. It wasn't a question.

"You are his daughter." The cardinal said in a matter-of-fact way. "While your grandfather's remarks on why your father sent you away in the first place may seem to point against it, that your father did so out of an admission that he lacked the ability to be a parent actually points in the opposite direction. Know Thyself."

Caren chuckled. "I am certain my father would be flattered should he hear Your Eminence speak so highly of him." She said. "I am also certain my late mother would agree with Your Eminence."

"In any case," the cardinal firmly said. "I do not think you will have much difficulty on this task"

"I am honored by Your Eminence's confidence," Caren said with a bow. "May I ask how is it that I have earned such praise?"

"It is less that you have earned, as much as your father has." the cardinal said. "As we'd previously-covered just moments ago, your father was one of us, and was one of us long before he came under Magus Tohsaka's influence."

"I see." Caren said with an amused smile. "So that's how it is."

The cardinal nodded, and Caren briefly looked away, out a nearby window. "May I assume that ensuring my father's cooperation with the plan to end Heaven's Feel is not my only role in this task?" she asked.

"Again," the cardinal said. "You are correct, sister."

"And what might my other roles be?"

"While Edelfelt-Tohsaka will take the lead in this matter," the cardinal said. "As the ones with the responsibility of overseeing Heaven's Feel, the Holy Church will not only cooperate with Edelfelt-Tohsaka's efforts, but actively assist whenever and wherever necessary."

"I see." Caren said with a nod. "So I am to assist my father in that regard."

"You are." The cardinal said with a nod. "You are young, sister, but you already have quite the reputation, whether it's as a caretaker for orphaned children, or as an exorcist."

Caren shrugged. "I merely serve the Lord to the best of my abilities." She said.

"So you do." The cardinal said. "But my point is sending you to simply deliver orders to your father and encourage him to remember where his loyalties should lie would be a waste of our time and your talents."

"Then I will be sure not to let it come to that, Your Eminence." Caren said with a small bow.

The cardinal nodded, though he narrowed his eyes. "Be warned, sister," he said. "There will undoubtedly be those who disagree with ending Heaven's Feel. For that reason, both we and the Association will be delaying a public announcement of our joint endeavor in that regard. But once you arrive in Fuyuki…once work begins…even before we make our announcement, it is quite possible opposition will surface almost immediately."

"…Makiri Zolgen…?" Caren asked with a distant look on her face. The cardinal silently nodded, and Caren sighed, shaking her head with a look of pity on her face. "Then perhaps it would be a blessing in disguise."

"A blessing in disguise?" the cardinal echoed.

"Well, yes," Caren said. "After all, it would be a chance to grant peace and absolution to such a lost and tormented soul."

"I see your point, sister." The cardinal said with a nod.

Caren nodded back. "Well then," she said. "I shall begin preparations as soon as possible. When do I depart?"

Golden rays of afternoon light shone down over the suburbs, and across the green grounds and wood and paper mansion of the Emiya property. Avian cries echoed through the air as a flock of birds flew past over the property, the animals headed for wherever they usually spent the night at.

"Is something wrong?" Sakura asked as she and Rin walked into the living/dining room of the Emiya mansion.

"…bored, I guess." Hikaru admitted after a moment. "Homesick too…I also miss my friends…"

Rin and Sakura looked at each other. "…sorry, Hikaru-kun." Rin began. "We…"

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Hikaru said. "You're doing everything you can, and you can't rush things either. I know…I just wish there's something I can do…"

Rin and Sakura looked at each other again, and sharing a nod, split up. Sakura headed into the kitchen with the ingredients for tonight's dinner, though she focused on making tea for now. Rin though, sat down with Hikaru at the table.

"Well…" Rin said. "I'm guessing you're tired of watching TV so…any hobbies you might have? Sports? Arts and crafts?"

Hikaru snorted and laughed. "Sorry…" he said. "Not really into arts and crafts, though I play football. Not competitively, but enough to play a good game with my friends."

"Football, huh?" Rin said, tapping her fingers against the table. "Well, while you can't go out to any nearby fields, there's plenty of open space here in the Emiya property. Enough for you to practice your footwork at in your free time."

"Hmm…now, there's an idea." Hikaru agreed. "Though, I'll need a ball for that. And seeing as Emiya-san's gone to buy me clothes today, I'd rather not ask for one. He's already given so much for me. It's…it's not right to ask for more."

"…point," Rin agreed after a moment's thought. "That said, I don't think me and Sakura have…contributed, as much as Shirou has. And we can't have that."

"You and your sister are already…" Hikaru began, only for Rin to interrupt.

"Yes, we're keeping you safe from your grandfather." She said. "And to get you home safe and sound as well, to say nothing of safely getting in touch with your parents. But none of those have shown results – except the first one, and only up to a point at that – yet, so we haven't really done much for you."

"…um…I…"

Rin smiled disarmingly. "It's fine." She said, before pulling out a peridot. "In fact, I can get you a football here and now, without having to visit a store or spend money for it. You even get to see me use magic on top of all that. So, what do you say?"

Despite himself, Hikaru looked curious at the prospect of seeing magic. "So…" he hesitantly began. "You can just make a football out of thin air?"

Rin laughed. "Oh goodness, no." she said, before waving the peridot she was holding through the air. "I'm going to use this gem to make a football. But I'll also need the dimensions of a football, say…circumference and diameter, and how much air should be inside."

"…I don't really know how much air should be in a football," Hikaru admitted after a moment. "Size…I guess between eight to ten inches?"

"Hmm…I suppose I could just optimize the other values based on the diameter." Rin said, running her fingers over the gem. Even as steam began to whistle from the kitchen, magic circuits on Rin's hand began to glow, followed by the gem as an electrical discharge from one of Rin's circuits arced between the circuit and the gem. "Let's see…let's set the diameter to nine inches. Circumference…twenty-eight inches. Air pressure…ninety kilopascals should do. Alright…now that we have dimensions: Ausstoßen!"

The peridot flared to blinding before seemingly shattering, only for glowing motes of light to swirl and flow through the air, forming a spherical shape. Electricity arced between the motes and to and from Rin's fingers, while a faint smell of ozone filled the air. A near-imperceptible breeze seemed to blow for a few seconds, and then the motes fell inwards, growing dimmer and gaining solidity.

And then it was over. The breeze died with the light and the electricity, though the smell of ozone lingered in the air. Smiling, Rin picked up the football, and offered it to Hikaru. "One football." She said.

Hikaru laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "…thanks." He said, taking the ball before getting to his feet. He bounced it around a few times, between his feet and then up into the air, bouncing it a few more times on his head before relenting at a cough from Sakura, the blonde emerging from the kitchen with a tea set in her hands. "Sorry."

"…it's fine." Sakura said, while walking over and putting the tea set on the table. "So long as you don't do that where there's fragile things nearby."

"Fair enough," Hikaru said, sitting down with his new football beside him.

For a few moments, the three of them sat unspeaking, only the sounds of china tinkling against each other to be heard. Then Hikaru nodded in thanks as he accepted an offered cup of tea, and made a sound of satisfaction as he took a sip. "Now that's some good tea." He said, before giving a wry laugh. "Funny thing is, before all this happened, I was never big on tea. Now though…it's only been a few days, but I find myself getting hooked."

The twins chuckled at that. "Not really sure if it's very appropriate here," Sakura said. "But experiences of all kinds are good to have. Or so I've heard."

Hikaru snorted in amusement, before taking another sip. "What about you two, though?" he asked. "Got any hobbies? Or…does being magi take up all your spare time?"

"Oh, not at all." Rin immediately said. "We have hobbies of our own. We're into wrestling and gymnastics."

"Huh…" Hikaru said while blinking in surprise. "No offense but…yeah, it's strange…"

"What is?" the twins chorused in curiosity.

"…wrestling and gymnastics…" Hikaru thoughtfully said. "…when you hear them together, your first thought is that they don't really go together…but when you think about it some more…they actually do work very well."

The twins chuckled. "Yeah," Rin said with a nod. "We thought the same too when we started. Turns out gymnastics really helps make your body flexible and your muscles strong."

"And what's better than either being really flexible or being really strong?" Sakura said with a wink. "Both."

Hikaru laughed and nodded. "Oh yeah," he said. "I can definitely see that."

Rin took a sip of her tea while shrugging. "Wrestling and gymnastics aside," she said. "We can both play the piano, though Sakura's actually better at music than I am. She can play the violin too, while I can't."

"I'm still not very good at it, though." Sakura said with a smile at her twin. "Besides, you're much better than I am at painting things."

Rin hummed in thought. "…guess I am." She said after a moment.

"Well," Hikaru said while warming his fingers against his teacup. "Dad did say a few times before that people are born better at some things than others are, but others can also be better at what they're not good at…if that makes sense."

"Oh it does." Rin said with a nod. "I'm still not sure how to feel about your father turning his back on your family's legacy, but I certainly respect him for having more life experiences than either me or Sakura do."

"Goes with being an elder." Sakura said before taking a sip of tea.

"Dad's not that old." Hikaru gently protested. "But I get what you mean."

Rin took a drink of her tea, and then blinked in realization. "Come to think of it," she began. "You mentioned you had friends earlier. Do you want to talk about them? It could take the edge off…"

"…or make it worse." Sakura interrupted with a chiding glance at her twin.

Hikaru hummed, and then lifting his teacup to his mouth, took a long drink. "…maybe some other time." He finally said.

"…sorry." Rin said with genuine remorse, but Hikaru just waved it off.

"It's fine." He said. "You meant well, so I can't really hold it against you."

Rin nodded, and Sakura drained her teacup. "Well," she said while getting to her feet. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to get started on dinner."

"Hang on, I'll join you in a bit." Rin said, already lifting her teacup to her mouth.

"Well then," Hikaru said with a nod. "I'll clean up this tea set and wash it while you're busy. My part and all that, you know?"

"We'll leave it you then, Hikaru-kun." The twins chorused.

"Bazett Fraga McRemitz…" Valkolumi said while going over the Enforcer's dossier, and then putting it down, looked at the woman in person. "…okay, welcome to the team."

Bazett blinked in surprise. "You…you have no questions for me, Missus Edelfelt-Tohsaka?" she asked.

"Your dossier speaks for itself." Valkolumi said with a shrug. "Fifty-three missions for the College of Law in just five years, and seventeen of which are beyond my authority to know about beyond the fact that they happened. The reputation of the Fraga and McRemitz lineages also speak for themselves…that, and I've been informed that you are the current Keeper of the Fragarach."

"I am honored by your praise." Bazett said. "And I give you my word that your confidence will not prove misplaced."

Valkolumi smiled. "I'm sure it won't." she genuinely said. "And it is I who is honored to work…no, more than that, to lead a team including one such as yourself. After all, my family only goes back about five hundred years or so. Your family, in contrast, goes back to the Age of Gods."

Bazett nodded slowly. "So it does." She said. "That said, while that is all well and good, I prefer to let my deeds and achievements in the here and now speak for me as opposed to letting the deeds and achievements of my ancestors do so."

Valkolumi chuckled and nodded. "True enough," she said. "We have to live up to the example they set, yes?"

"As you say, Missus Tohsaka-Edelfelt."

Valkolumi hummed. "That's a bit too wordy." She said. "Lady Valkolumi will do going forward."

"Yes, Lady Valkolumi."

Valkolumi nodded, and Bazett nodded back. "I trust you know what we might end up going against?" she asked.

"Other magi may seek to prevent Heaven's Feel from coming to an end." Bazett said. "And even with the delay in the official announcement of Association support for such an end…well, that's just it, isn't it? Only the official announcement is delayed. Unofficially, the news will be going around, if it isn't already."

"Indeed," Valkolumi said while tapping the coffee table with her fingers. "The rumor mill can be quite annoying sometimes, isn't it?"

"More than a few times if I may say so, Lady Valkolumi."

Valkolumi hummed in agreement, and after a moment, Bazett continued. "The other founding families may oppose the plan." She said. "Einzbern and Matou…there's also Franceska Prelati from the United States. Those are the most dangerous or most likely opposition we face…as well as those magi who, while not actually against Heaven's Feel ending, may take advantage of the situation to obtain fragmentary knowledge if not samples of its mysteries during and after its dismantling."

Valkolumi snorted in disdain at the thought. "Unfortunately true," she said in disgust. "Maggots and leaches…they might as well take some samples from Verdun's poison fields dating back to the Great War…"

Bazett stayed silent, and after a moment, Valkolumi sighed and nodded in apology. "We'll have to keep that from happening." She said.

Bazett nodded, and Valkolumi tapped her fingers against the coffee table again. "If possible," she continued. "Any and all components of the Grail should be destroyed once deactivation and disassembly is complete. If that cannot be done…said components should be placed under quarantine and thence into the custody of the College of Law."

"The College of Law, Lady Valkolumi?" Bazett echoed curiously.

Valkolumi looked at her evenly. "I certainly trust the College of Law more than I do greedy, upstart magi who don't even bother to understand – if they even know in the first place – why me and my family have decided to bring Heaven's Feel to an end." She said. "I trust you know and understand."

Bazett made a resigned gesture. "Between a past malfunction that turned half your city to ash and a potentially-early start to the next contest," she said. "It's pretty obvious that something has gone wrong with the Grail. Strange as it might seem, ending Heaven's Feel despite all its technical profoundness isn't just the responsible thing to do, but one that honors your lineages the most."

Valkolumi hummed but said nothing for a few moments. While she had no second thoughts about this course of action, she still suspected her husband would be rather…conflicted, at the least, about her decision.

This is for the best, Tokiomi.

That thing turned half of your city to ash, and took you from me and our children.

I won't let that happen to either our children or grandchildren.

"…I'm glad to hear we understand each other." Valkolumi finally said, before getting up from her couch. Smoothing her skirt and internally grumbling at not being able to wear one of her beloved kimonos (if she wanted to be taken seriously by most of the people in the Clock Tower, at least outside of the Department of Creation), Valkolumi walked over to a nearby desk. "We'll be leaving tomorrow afternoon, so make sure to be ready by then. Make sure you have everything you need, and everything that needs seeing to here in the Clock Tower is seen to."

Bazett smiled at the firm and confident tone the orders were given. "By your command, Lady Valkolumi." She said with a curt bow.

"One more thing," Valkolumi said, walking back to Bazett and handing her a folder. Bazett took it, and eyed the written orders inside. "Go see my niece, and tell her you and her will be assigned together while we're in Fuyuki."

"Hmm…if I may speak freely?"

"Go ahead."

Bazett blinked in surprise at the abrupt change in the other aristocrat's way of speaking, and then coughed. "Do you want me to show her the ropes?" she asked.

Valkolumi smiled. "She already knows all about the ropes." She said. "She's an Edelfelt, after all. And we are the most elegant hyenas in the world."

"So…?"

Valkolumi smiled wider. "I want you to show Luvia how she still has much to learn." She said, and Bazett nodded.

"I can do that."

"Excellent! You may go."

"Yes, Lady Valkolumi."

A/N

She has arrived: Kirei Kotomine 2.0. And so has the Irish Superwoman.