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

Peaceful Days

Chapter 4

Elsewhere, on the far side of the world, a beautiful young woman was busy pondering certain reports her sources had just delivered. In particular, a sketchy dossier featuring a sneakily-taken photograph of another beautiful young woman. Brunette, yes, and quite short too, but with otherwise classic Edelfelt features, even blue eyes which had skipped the young lady of the house.

She wouldn't admit it, but those eyes made her jealous. Curious too, considering they had a…sharpness in them, that fit well with the equally sharp air visible even through such a picture taken in passing.

"Interesting…" the young woman murmured to herself. "…very interesting…and she appeared around the same time Tohsaka returned from whichever task the Wizard Marshal assigned to her?"

"As you say, my lady." Arnold, the young woman's seneschal, confirmed.

"Hmm…well, Tohsaka are already bastard by-blows of my great and noble family…" the young woman mused. "…and there is the saying of like calls to like…it wouldn't surprise me if Tohsaka somehow managed to stumble into and pull along with her another of our blood born on the wrong side of the blanket. Her name too…Kirsikka…a more or less proper Finnish name…"

"Shall I make arrangements for contact, my lady?" Arnold offered.

"…no." the young woman said after a moment's thought. "I will deal with this myself."

"You'll meet her in person?" Arnold asked in a gasp. "With all due respect my lady, you should not have to lower yourself and take the first in evaluating the worth of a natural-born scion of your family."

The young woman held up a hand, causing Arnold to fall silent. "Normally that would be the case," she said. "But technically Tohsaka has already done that for me. She might refuse to admit it, so full of herself that she is, but she is one of us. And she has proven herself worthy of the Wizard Marshal's patronage, has she not? If she judges this Kirsikka worthy of her company, then I will accept her verdict, and personally make the final decision on the future of this wayward cousin of ours."

"Shall I prepare your plane then, my lady?" Arnold asked.

Again, the young woman thought it over before shaking her head, luxurious yet elegant curls of golden hair dancing over white lace and azure brocade. "No, there is no need to rush." She said. "Besides, our sources tell us Tohsaka will be taking her family and friends to a trip by the beach. If so, then let us be gracious and act according to the spirit of the occasion. Arnold, prepare the Linnunrata."

"It will be done, my lady." Arnold said with a bow.

The young woman nodded, sitting back in her seat, her mind already moving on to other, more pressing issues beyond simple family affairs.

Several days later and the Sun was shining down hot and bright from a clear blue sky free of even the slightest wisp of cloud. The white sands took its light and heat and reflected them back into the air, kept tolerable only by the moisture from the sea. Water splashed with the waves on the beach and from the children playing around, casting minute rainbows as the sunlight passed through the drops of water in the air.

"Over here! Over here!" Shirayuri shouted, before batting the ball away and back to her sister.

"Got it, got it, got it!" Oniyuri yelled, splashing through the water after the ball before just managing to bat it back to her twin.

Nearby Kiritsugu was splashing around with Little Rin, the two of them holding plastic squirt guns sending jets of seawater at each other, their laughter lost in the sounds of the sea.

"They look to be having fun." Rin mused.

"Good." Sakura said, lying prone on a towel with her top temporarily unfastened to allow Shirou to put sunblock on her back. Then she turned to the distance, where Kirsikka was working under a pavilion. "How's it going?"

"…be patient with me." Kirsikka snapped after a moment, busy fiddling with a magical ice machine. "This thing wasn't meant to work with seawater, and I barely had time to install a desalination attachment."

"We could just buy ice, you know." Shirou dryly said.

"That costs money." Kirsikka replied.

"…good point." Shirou conceded.

Kirsikka paused, and then smiled their way. "Don't mind me." She said. "I'll have it ready by lunch, don't worry. Enjoy yourselves."

"It doesn't seem right…"

"And there you go, Mister Superhero." Kirsikka interrupted with a roll of her eyes. "Alright, fine. I was going to wait until after lunch, but I might as well give it to you. Rin, help Shero out, will you?"

"With what?" Rin asked in surprise, and then her mouth was falling open as a portal to Imaginary Numbers Space opened, and ejected a large and bulky case out. "What's this…oh, no way. Kirsikka, you didn't…"

"Would you like to fly, Shero?" Kirsikka asked with a wink, Shirou looking curiously down at the case, which had some kind of chest harness and a backpack with folded wings. Rin sighed and palmed her face, causing Sakura to chuckle as she walked over, smoothing out her bikini top along the way.

"…a flying mystic code?" Shirou mused aloud.

"Yeah, a magus we knew, Helene Vaugrenard, developed it back in Kirsikka's home timeline." Rin said with another sigh. "Me and Sakura recommended her for a transfer to Creation for it, not too sure what happened after that."

"She's a Count now." Kirsikka replied over the distance. "And yeah, quite a few people have bought models of her flight harness for various reasons. Recreation, combat…you get the idea. So, like I asked earlier, want to fly, Shero?"

"Yes."

Rin raised an eyebrow, while Sakura giggled, and then bent down to get the manual. "Let's see…" she murmured, unfolding and reading it together with her husband. Rin joined them in a moment, and after a few minutes they were pulling out the flight harness' parts and pieces. Then Shirou was putting them on, wheeled boots first, then braces for the legs, followed by gauntlets and arm braces, with the chest harness itself the last.

The backpack was the last to be slotted into place, wings unfolding before the engine came to life with a growl. Light briefly shimmered around Shirou as navigational deflectors flickered on, and then he was waving Rin and Sakura away with an eager smile. "Course clear." He said, putting on the helmet and sliding the visor down. "Engine charged…take off!"

Bending his knees, Shirou jumped into the air, his engine roaring as it boosted him into the air. Clumsily at first, and then he evened out, as he caught the wind, his wings working with the air instead of fighting it to keep him in the sky. "THIS IS AMAZING!" he shouted as he zoomed past.

"Wow…" the twins chorused in awe as their father flew by, while Kiritsugu pumped a fist into the air.

"Dad, you're amazing!" he cheered, and Shirou saluted him before banking and climbing higher into the sky.

"Well…I'm glad he's happy." Rin said with a laugh, shading her eyes with a hand as they followed Shirou in the sky.

"Not bad, I guess." Rider admitted, as she approached after having setup a volleyball net, and looking up at Shirou in the sky. Unsurprisingly, she didn't need to shade her eyes from the Sun, if anything, she could probably stare into it with no danger of going blind, being a Servant and all that. "For a first-time flyer, that is."

"Be nice, Rider." Sakura chided, before blinking as Kirsikka arrived with four glasses of ice-cold lemonade.

"He caught the wind, huh?" she said while letting the other women take their drinks. "And on his first flight? Vaugrenard would call him a natural at flying if she saw him."

"I'm guessing the ice machine works?" Rin asked.

"Naturally." Kirsikka said with a smirk. "I told you that I'd get it to work."

Rin smirked back. "Guess you did." She said, as she and the rest of the women toasted each other.

"Take this!" Sakura said as she batted the volleyball back over the net.

"I've got it!" Rin said, batting the volleyball back in her turn.

"Alright!" Shirou said, batting the volleyball back in his turn.

Back and forth the volleyball went, Shirou and Sakura on one team, while Rin and Rider were on the other team. Meanwhile in the pavilion, the children were all sitting in the shade, having had to get out of the water as noon approached and the Sun grew too hot and bright for them to stay in the water.

"Hey, hey, hey," Kiritsugu said over a cup of shaved ice with blueberry flavor. "You don't play volleyball, Aunt Sakura?"

"I can play…just not very well…" Kirsikka replied from the open on the other side of the pavilion, where she was pouring charcoal into the grill.

Little Rin sniffed over her own cup of shaved ice with raspberry flavor. "I think you mean you just don't like playing volleyball." She said.

"…maybe…" Kirsikka deflected.

"You don't like volleyball, Aunt Sakura?" the twin chorused, both of them with strawberry-flavored shaved ice.

Kirsikka sighed. "Not really, no." she admitted. "Or…Western sports, I guess. I mean, I try to at least know about important stuff like the World Cup or the American NBA, but…they're not really my cup of tea, if you know what I mean."

"But," Kiritsugu mumbled through a mouthful of ice. "I thought you needed to join a sport club in school."

"No, not necessarily a sport club, any club will do." Kirsikka clarified while spreading out the charcoal, and then emptying a whole can of lighter fluid onto the charcoal. "In fact, if you're a class representative, you don't need to join a club, that works fine as it is."

"Oh, I see."

"Yup."

Kirsikka shrugged, then lighting a match, tossed it onto the coals. The lighter fluid went up with a whoosh, Kirsikka stepping back as the flames eagerly spread over the coals, and then taking a poker, nudged the coals around as the flames subsided before closing the grill's lid. Her fingers danced through the air, causing coolers to open telekinetically, before meat floated out, along with platters and other cooking utensils from bags nearby.

"Wow…" the children – not including Little Rin, who was so used to this by now – gaped at such a casual display of telekinesis. Kirsikka ignored them, instead glancing at her wristwatch.

"Just a couple more minutes then." She murmured, before stepping into the pavilion and under the shade. "So…about sports…do any of you do sports?"

"I play football." Kiritsugu proudly said.

"We do too!" the twins chorused. "We also play volleyball, or just a little."

"But…you can play, right?" Kiritsugu asked. "You just don't like to."

"Yes…but…I do enjoy other sports…" Kirsikka evaded.

"Like what?" Kiritsugu pressed.

"She's an archer." Little Rin answered before Kirsikka could. "She's a very good one too."

"Wow…can you show us?" Kiritsugu asked.

Kirsikka sighed and gave Little Rin a look, the vengeful spirit just sticking out a teasing tongue. "Maybe later." Kirsikka said, again looking at her wristwatch. Taking her glass, she took a drink of ice-cold water, and then heading back out into the Sun, opened the grill. Smoke billowed out, Kirsikka waving it away, before nodding in satisfaction at the glowing red coals.

"So," she said, while poking out the coals. "Who wants some meat?"

"Me! Me!" Kiritsugu immediately yelled. "I want a burger!"

"Burger! Burger! Burger!" the twins chorused.

"Give me a steak!" Rider yelled from the distance. "Rare…hey, no fair! I was talking to Kirsikka!"

"Don't get distracted!" Shirou shouted. "Kirsikka! I want a steak too, medium well!"

"I'll have the same!" Sakura added.

"Start me off with a burger and a couple of sausages!" Rin shouted.

"Will do." Kirsikka said, placing the meat on the grill and brushing them with sauce. They sizzled in the heat, rich fumes and smoke hissing up from the coals, Kirsikka closing the lid to let the meat cook.

"Okay then!" she shouted back. "Give it a few minutes, and the meat should be ready!"

"Alright!" Shirou shouted back. "Should be enough time…to win this!"

"Don't get above yourself!" Rin shouted back, throwing herself even further into the game. Kirsikka raised an eyebrow at the sight, and then shaking her head, decided against getting involved in any way.

Instead, she just waved a hand, and telekinetically set the table.

"Hey, how about a beer?" Shirou asked.

"No problem." Kirsikka said, levitating a can of beer from the cooler and straight to Shirou's hand. "I'd say the winner of this morning's game deserves at least that much, right?"

"My thoughts exactly." Shirou said with a smile, popping the can open and taking a long drink. "Oh, now that hits the spot."

Kirsikka hummed, curious despite herself at how that – or indeed, everything about Shirou's puppet body – worked. Meanwhile Sakura was smiling happily with just a hint of smugness, while Rider and Rin seemed to slump. "I wanted to win." Rin grumbled.

"Me too." Rider grumbled as well.

"Now, now." Sakura said cheerfully. "All's fair in love and war. You win some and you lose some. Besides, we'll be staying at the beach for three days. Maybe you just might win the next round, or the one after that."

"When is the next round?" Kirsikka asked curiously.

"This afternoon, once things aren't so hot anymore." Shirou said.

"Oh, I see. Well…good luck to you all."

"You sure you don't want to play, Kirsikka?" Rin asked.

"Nah, I'm no good at things like that." Kirsikka replied. "Though, I did say I'd show off my archery to the kids…if it's alright, that is."

"Well, I don't see any problem." Shirou said.

"After their afternoon nap, though." Sakura firmly said.

Kirsikka shrugged. "Fair enough, I guess." She said. "Besides, I think we could all use the chance to sit back and rest. The morning was fun and all, but it was also tiring."

"Yeah, that's what I was thinking too." Shirou said with another drink. "How about another burger?"

"Sure…anyone else want something from the grill while I'm up?"

A chorus of requests went up at that, Kirsikka levitating the plates after her while heading to the grill. Meanwhile, Rin and Sakura went over to the ice machine, getting more ice for themselves and the kids, leaving Shirou with Rider and the children. "Kirsikka," Sakura began as they all returned to the table. "After lunch, would you mind helping Rin make some sandwiches for everyone? Rider and I will take care of the washing, while Shirou takes the kids back to the beach house for their nap."

"I can do that." Kirsikka said, distributing the plates to a chorus of thanks.

Sakura beamed. "Alright then." She said.

"Enjoying yourself?"

Rin and Kirsikka lounged on long chairs under the pavilion, staring out at sea. The kids had long since gone with their father for an afternoon nap, Rider and Sakura having joined them after finishing washing up after lunch. Rin and Kirsikka had taken longer to finish preparing sandwiches, and were now just relaxing and enjoying the sounds of nature, from the sea breeze to the waves washing the shore, and the cries of the gulls.

Kirsikka shrugged. "Yes." She said. "Though, it's still a bit strange…almost…alien, you could say. Such a domestic vacation…"

Rin chuckled. "Not something you've had in a long time, right?" she asked.

"More like something I've never had before." Kirsikka said with a sigh. "You know what our parents were like."

"True…"

Silence fell between them at that, but after a few moments Kirsikka smiled. "As alien as it is, though," she said. "I like it. Maybe once I complete my path, I should take an extended vacation. I mean…I've had vacations before, but they were…more luxurious, than…domestic…family-oriented…they weren't bad, but this is nice too. Very nice…"

"Maybe we can rent a mountain villa next time," Rin mused. "Somewhere snowy, and go skiing. Well, we'll go skiing. I'm not sure the kids are old enough to ski yet…I think."

"Then I guess you'll just have to check, won't you?" Kirsikka quipped.

"Guess I will." Rin said, before glancing at Kirsikka and sharing a laugh with her. "What a modest way to dress for the beach…even your little big sister was a bit more…revealing, than you."

It was true. Even Rin was wearing a two-piece bikini, in black, of course, with a red sari skirt around the waist with gold embroidery. Both Rider and Sakura had similar clothing, violet for the former, and white for the latter, while Shirou had spent the day mostly wearing only a pair of swimming trunks, although he'd put on a shirt for lunch. The kids had similarly worn only swimwear, but donning shirts for and after lunch.

Kirsikka, though? She wore a Hawaiian shirt over a pair of light khaki shorts, and that was it.

She clicked her tongue. "I didn't want to make you uncomfortable." She said.

Rin looked confused. "What do you mean?" she asked.

Now, Kirsikka looked uncomfortable. "You know…" she hesitantly said.

"No, I don't." Rin crossly said. "Just spit it out."

"…fine." Kirsikka said with a roll of her eyes. "All the women here have, well…big breasts. All the adult women, that is…except you. Sorry…"

Rin fumed and mentally counted to ten. "Breasts don't make the woman." She snapped.

"Sorry…"

"Yeah, yeah…and I doubt that's the actual reason why you're dressed so modestly either. Don't tell me you're scared of getting a tan."

"No, it's not that." Kirsikka said with a sigh. "I just…I guess I don't feel like showing off. Not in this way, I guess."

"…not with Sakura and Shirou here, you mean?"

"…maybe."

Rin snorted and shook her head. "You're going to have to put on a swimsuit if you want to go into the water." She firmly said. "And yes, you are going to swim tomorrow or later. Why even go to the beach if you aren't going to swim even once?"

"No promises are made."

"Damn."

Kirsikka smiled, briefly lifting her sunglasses to wink at Rin, before putting them back in place. Rin pursed her lips, sighed, and with a shake of her head relaxed once more, looking out into the sea.

A/N

I'll give you two guesses who that was at the start, but you're only going to need one.

It should come as no surprise that Rider's a bit…snobby, at Shirou for getting a flight harness of a mystic code as a present from Kirsikka. Sure, he can fly, but he has to use a dime-for-a-dozen mystic code to fly, at least from Rider's POV. Rider uses an honest-to-goodness DIVINE BEAST to fly, i.e. Bellerophon. And in her Gorgon form, she doesn't even need Bellerophon anymore, having her own pair of wings to fly with.