Three updates in a month is something I don't think I would be able to do so this month. Although that might be because of the chapter length is again on a bit of the low end. In my defense I couldn't find anything else to add that wouldn't have been best to add in another chapter. So, yeah I am rather stuck with this.
Anyways, thanks everyone for your continued support with either fav, following, reviewing, or just plan reading the story
Disclaimer: Typemoon owns fate I just write this fanfic.
Even with the death of their father the bounded field around the Emiya Estate was still warm and inviting. Other then around their Storehouse, which she knew was actually the shared Workshop for the two siblings, the place just felt like it. The complete opposite of the Tohsaka Estate. The years after the Fourth Holy Grail War had only made it feel colder than it was. Rin honestly felt envious of the Emiyas.
Walking into the building Rin don't bother to voice that she was home. Most kids her age probably would when they came home but why would she? Besides her guardian who came over occasionally she was basically all alone. Which probably explained why she spent so much time with the both of them at their place. There were actually people there instead of just her. Walking to the phone she noticed that their was a message. She hit play but she had an idea of who it was.
"Rin, I will be away for a few days on a mission," Kirei's voice played on the recorder. Just as she expected. "I left you some food for the week in the fridge."
There was no way she was going to eat whatever he left. Her guardian's cooking was all overly spicy and she hated it. It's why she started to learn how to cook for herself. Well, more like she had Illya teach her how to cook. Waking through her house Rin stopped at a certain door. 'Her room…'
Rin hesitated for a moment before finally grabbing the door and opening it. There was a layer of dust on everything but it was just as she had left it. For a moment Rin wondered why she had even decided to open the door to this room. The answer came to her very quickly as she remembered the events of earlier. Of seeing Sakura again and spending the day with her because Shinji had come by with her.
"Why am I thinking about her now?"
For four years Rin hadn't even seen Sakura. During all that time she had gone along with her family and forgotten about the fact they had been sisters. Yet, just seeing her once, spending one day together, and already all that was starting to become undone. Rin closed the door to the room and tried her hardest to push away her emotions and thoughts. Once again she tried to reassure herself that it was for the best.
A few minutes later Rin had moved into her workshop as she decided to try to take her mind off everything. Which meant thrusting herself back into studying her families secrets. However, her mind wasn't fully into it. Instead she was most just looking through things without any reason. Opening and closing books that she could, looking at the things her family had, and even a few records from family members. All to take her mind off of what she was feeling.
In doing so she didn't put much thought into opening a book and to her surprise ended up opening the cover of the front in two. Rin cursed herself as she at first thought she had broken the old book. Instead it looked less like that cover had been broken and more like it was deliberately made like this. Inside it was a note, and a combination. Lastly there was a name written on it. One that Rin recognized as her grandmother's. "If you're reading this then I wish to share with you the greatest secret of the Tohsaka family."
Curiosity got to her when she saw this. Just what could this even be and what did this even mean? Looking at the note there was an address written on it. Whatever the secret was had to be written be hidden there.
How could he have forgotten his own mother? That was the question that Shirou had to grip with no matter how much he knew the answer already. The cursed flames from the fire had all but destroyed who he was leaving him with nothing. A blank slate that only by chance had begun to regain bits and pieces of who he was. It didn't seem to matter all that much but now.
Now that he could remember her voice that all changed. Shirou looked at the bow that he had dropped. Thanks to it he was able to remember her voice, and was able to learn a bit about what was going on with his memories. He picked it back up and looked at the still projected arrow that only now was dissipating into motes of light. 'A Reality Marble.'
Rin had talked about it once. Something considered infinitely close to True Magic. A taboo amongst the Mages Association and something more commonly seen with groups and beings like Dead Apostles. Well, Shirou knew that it was seen with some of the Dead Apostle Ancestors and a few chosen Successors. One of which happened to be himself. To be fair his mother didn't have much in the way of choices and it did explain to the others why she went around with a little boy she called her son.
Actually, his own existence and birth was a bit murky. It was still something Shirou couldn't recall anything about. He did know that his mother was indeed his biological mother. The thing missing was how. As for some reason there was this understanding that he was a bit of a rarity. 'I'll probably remember it eventually.'
Speaking about her, Shirou was certain that she was worried about him. They had been separated for four years and Shirou had effectively forgotten about her. Hell, he still couldn't remember what she looked like! What he did know was that she was an Archer, a Dead Apostle Ancestor, ranked Twenty Second, and had named him her successor to her position in the event of her death. How was he supposed to try to find her when he had no idea where to start.
"I guess my memory will have to return to me before I can even think about finding her," Shirou had thought that he had said that to no one in particular.
"Find who exactly?"
Shirou turned his head over to the storehouse/workshop as he saw that Illya had walked out of the building. She had managed to just overhear that and was looking at him curiously. Did Shirou just remember something else after all this time? "Oh, it is just my mother."
Walking at night wasn't something that anyone her age should be doing. Most children her age of course didn't have the ability to use magecraft and fire a curse at any would-be attackers. Plus, she wanted to know just what was going on. Admittedly Rin found it as an excuse to take her mind off her own emotions. The location written on the note, however, instead brought so many questions.
"The old Edelfelt mansion?"
This building was built for the Third Grail War and had been abandoned soon after the war was over. There were two mansions made during the war, one in the forest and another one within the Shinto. The latter of the two was the one that Rin was standing in front of. From the runner down appearance the locals had come to think of it as haunted. Assuming there were still any traps remaining after all this time it wouldn't be a surprise as to why. Rin looked once again to make sure she read the address right.
'This was the place.' Unless the city had changed everything in the last few decades then this should be the place written on the note. "Outside wall near the foundation to the back," Rin took it to mean it was in the back of the mansion grounds. 'Just what is it?'
Rin's mind pictured anything from a Mystic Code to something potentially damming for her family. Although, given that the Tohsaka were and arguably still are christians with ties to the Holy Church it could be something tied to them that might hurt their standing with the Mage Association. The latter made the most sense and it likely wouldn't be the first time either. Notes did exist from her family on the importance of keeping their relationship with the Holy Church as professional as possible despite their faith.
"Let's see," Rin walked around the base of the mansion looking for any sign that something looked off. She almost didn't notice but keeping her eyes focused near the foundation she saw it. Near the corner of the wall the ground seemed to bulge a bit and the stones seemed off. "It looks like this was moved."
Rin looked for anything to grab or the like and found small grooves. Normally this wouldn't be enough for a grin but with Reinforcement that wouldn't be an issue. Pulling it away the best she could revealed a small hole with a metal chest inside.
Taking it out Rin looked it over.
The chest had a combination lock with nine symbols that seemed to serve as the means to lock it instead of a key. Looking at the note one final time Rin put in the combination that was listed. A click sound was heard as the lock came undone. Opening the box Rin was greeted with a few things. First was a golden necklace. Second was a locket that was in the shape of a diamond. The last bit was another note. Opening it up she read what was on it. "The younger Edelfelt sister did not die during the Third Grail War as you have been led to believe, I leave this here in case my descendants do some digging into their family and I ask you who find this to honor me with one last request," Rin's eyes widened as she read the words that are written. "Contact the Edelfelt family and present them with my necklace and locket and let them know they have cousins in the far east."
Rin looked at what was written, rereading it a few times just to be sure. According to this her grandmother, her paternal grandmother, was the younger Edelfelt sister that had taken part in the Third Grail War. This contradicted what both the Tohsaka and the Edelfelts knew about what had happened after the Third Holy Grail War. Her first thought was to dismiss this but as Rin started to think about it the more it made sense. Her grandmother was European, she had shown up soon after when the Third Holy Grail War was supposed to take place, and she supposedly had a similar magecraft to what she had.
Rin looked at the Magic Crest on her arm. Two hundred years of effort was what she had been told. How much of a lie as if the confession of her grandmother made it clear that her Magic Crest was technically older. It wasn't just the Tohsaka Crest but partly the Edelfelt Crest. If this got out then it would lead to the Edelfelt family coming for her. If not to take back the Magic Crest then to instead assimilate the Tohsaka family. The question was if she should destroy the evidence or not.
If she did then this secret would remain as a secret. Her family would not know this beyond herself as she would ensure the secret died with herself. What surprised Rin as she was thinking about this was how little she actually felt like doing it. For just a moment her mind returned to the day that her family had given away her younger sister. How her father had said that it was for the best and then to now where she finally saw her after so long. Rin cursed as she put the notes into the box. 'Fine I'll keep it.'
"So, you remember your mother?" The two Emiya siblings sat together as Shirou explained what Illya had overheard him saying. How he had felt the desire to use the bow from the archery club that Taiga had left here. Which led to him remembering his mother in a way.
"Not really," Shirou looked back at the bow. The image of him striking to target on his eighth birthday with her voice congratulating him replayed in his mind again. "I only know her voice, and a few things about her but other than that it's all a blur."
Illya had wondered about if Shirou would ever remember about his past. The few bits and pieces he had regained was not enough to go on but apparently he could recall the voice of his mother. Which seemed like progress after so many years. "So, what exactly do you know about her?"
"She's an archer as her preferred method of fighting," Which Shirou decided wanted to learn despite having a skill set better for learning to use a sword. The idea of an archer using swords sounded strangely normal to him. "Also, she is the Twenty Second Dead Apostle Ancestor."
Illya had suspected that something about Shirou was different from the run of the mill Dead Apostles after talking to Rin about it. So, it wasn't as surprising to hear. 'Wait, didn't Rin say something about the twenty second being dead?' Right, she told her that a few of the seats amongst them were believed to be vacant and waiting to be filled. 'Maybe it was some other seat that was vacant then.' There was just one thing left for her to ask. "Are you going to try to find her?"
"I would like to, but I can't remember much more than that."
Actually, if he thought about it he was not even old enough to go out on the world on his own. That wasn't a complete issue as Shirou was certain he knew of Dead Apostles who were physically as young as he was but that was the thing. Physically they looked like kids but their actual ages were measured in centuries. "I guess you can say I got too old."
Age would never catch up to him. Shirou know that he was growing, as strange as it was for a Dead Apostle to do, but once he reached his prime it would stop. He would probably live until something killed him. 'Benefits of being a Dead Apostle.'
Illya thought about his response. Without much in the way of memories about her Shirou couldn't find her. "Then when you do we'll find her together," Her words made the redhead looked at her a bit caught off by this. "What kind of big sister would I be if I can't help you find your mother?"
Of course, Illya would want to come along with him to find his mother. Even if Shirou had told her no, Illya was stubborn enough that she would go along with him regardless. Something about her having her mother's ability to do whatever she set her mind to. That was what Kiritsugu had once said. "Sure thing Illya."
Honestly, Shirou was grateful and happy to have his mother learn that he finally had a father. His thoughts paused for a moment as he remembered something. Before Kiritsugu he hadn't had anyone coming close to being called his father. The closest that could be said to have been his father, or rather father figure, was one of his mother's associates who had taken a liking to him. Shirou just had a hard time remembering the name of the guy. 'Rizal no, Rizo…' What he did know was that he did serve someone. 'A princess…'
Why was it that the moment that thought crossed his mind he thought of a demonic dog creature that for some reason had a roar that sounded like a deep and menacing, Fou?
Normally her grandfather didn't take an interest in anyone. When they came back from the Emiya's he had asked about the two children. Shinji went on about what he knew about his friend Shirou and his sister. Zouken listened to the words as he started to look for any hidden meanings to them.
Illyasviel shorted to Illya as she commonly went by, the Einzbern, was supposedly Kiritsugu Emiya's biological daughter from Germany. The Magus Killer had been spotted by his familiars a few times with the Einzbern from the last war. Oh, he knew that the Magus Killer was the master of Saber. Their attempts deception was clear as day to him. Although, Zouken did suspect there was some truth about the girl being his biological daughter. No one would go to any trouble for a random homunculus. There was a nagging feeling in the back of what could be called his mind that Zouken knew all about it.
Shirou was someone that Shinji knew more about. He was the adopted younger brother. The boy seemed willing to help overs and was surprisingly good at physical activity. Shinji didn't know how but when a bunch of guys wanted an arm wrestling contest no one was able to make Shirou even budge. In fact, it wasn't even a contest. Of course, they failed as Zouken knew that Dead Apostles tended to be naturally stronger than any human. The bit about him being willing to help others sounded odd. Dead Apostles helping others wasn't impossible but usually there was a benefit for them.
Once the boy had left, Zouken thought about what to do. He needed to monitor both of them. There were only two issues he ran into. For one any familiar that tried to follow them may be picked up by the Dead Apostle. Enchanted senses compared to a normal human seemed to have allowed him to pick up on his familiars already. No, he needed a new plan to spy on them. The boy was a possibility yes but Shinji was a failure and should they catch wind there was no telling what they would do. Lucky for him there was another option.
"Sakura, what do you feel about the two Emiya siblings?" Sakura turned to her grandfather as she wondered about it herself. Shirou had helped her once before, and Illya tried to befriend her as Shinji had hoped.
"Th-they seem nice…"
Her answer didn't matter to Zouken but this seemed positive. Neither of them likely saw Sakura as a threat. If they even knew that Sakura could be one. "Sakura, I would like you to befriend both of them."
Never did she expect to hear her grandfather say those words. There had to be some reason for why he wanted her to do so but Sakura didn't want to ask. She knew better than to try to talk back to him. "Alright."
"Good, why don't you head to your room tonight I have things to attend too," Sakura left the room soon afterwards wondering to herself what was going on. Shinji took her to meet with them and now she was supposed to befriend the two siblings.
A small part of her didn't mind at all. Having friends was something she had accepted she probably wouldn't be able to have. Who would want to be friends with her anyway? Her mind returned to that day years ago when Shirou just randomly took on three other kids to help her. Illya tried to start conversion and become her friend. Maybe she actually had a chance at having friends after all.
'But grandfather wants me to befriend them,' She knew he was a monster. A living colony of flesh eating worms. Whatever humanity he once had was long gone. Telling her to befriend them was not done out of his nonexistent kindness. 'I wonder why he would want me to do that?'
A reason had to exist. Sakura knew that much as she walked into her room. Zouken couldn't be afraid of them, she wasn't sure he could truly die given that he existed within each of his familiars. To what degree Sakura didn't know but this meant it couldn't be death he feared from them. Why would he fear two ordinary humans? 'Are they magi?'
Her former sister was their friend so maybe that was the case. That would mean she was to spy on them. Befriending them wasn't something she was to do for any other reason. At least maybe she could pretend they actually were friends while she did it. Closing her eyes as she got into bed she entered into a dreamless sleep.
Walking to the Emiya's was something that Rin didn't tend to do early in the morning. Last night she found herself largely unable to sleep properly. That wasn't much of an issue for a mage as there were spells and tricks to stay up well beyond what most people could do. Still, with that Rin didn't feel any better especially given what had happened last night. 'Maybe asking Illya and Shirou about it might help clear my mind.'
Both of them were probably the only people she could realistically trust with this. They were not typical at all as mages. Which reflected given their strange little family. The sound of a scooter caught her attention as she neared the gate causing Rin to flinch just a bit from the memories of its owner taking her home a few times. "Oh, Rin I didn't know you got up early," Taiga called as she stopped the scooter just in front of the gate. "What are you doing here though?"
"Oh, I just wanted to have breakfast with Illya and Shirou, that's all."
"Really?" Taiga's expression changed a bit from curiosity to mischief. Usually Rin would just talk about Illya in terms of the two siblings. This was the first time she added Shirou to the mix, at least to her knowledge. "Oh, I see what's going on, don't worry, I am sure he would be happy to see you come over for breakfast."
Rin looked at her confused by what she meant for a few moments before it finally clicked. Taiga thought that she had a crush on Shirou. How could she even think a thing! 'I do not!' Shirou was hopeless as a mage anyway. Ignoring his above average Magic Circuits and having likely natural Mystic Eyes of Enchantment which would more than likely be passed on to their kids. 'Wait, why am I thinking about that?!'
Her mind feed her a brief image of the both of them older together and with a kid who had her potential and their fathers Mystic Eyes. A slight blush formed on her face at this image and the revelation that she had indeed developed a crush on him. Rin immediately tried to push that thought out of her head. It was just a small crush that will go away with time. "I just want to have breakfast, it's not like that!"
Her words didn't seem to sway Taiga from this thought. If anything her denial just made her claim look even more correct. "Sure, whatever you say," The look of frustration and annoyance Rin gave her didn't faze the young woman in the slightest. What was she going to do anyway, put a curse on her? "Come on if we don't get there then Illya and Shirou won't make enough food for us!"
Following behind her Rin ignored the possibility of her having developed a crush on Shirou to instead focus on what she was going to say to the both of them with Taiga around. Once she was gone they could get a more detailed explanation. 'Hopefully they can give me an idea of what to do.'
The two siblings were not surprised to see Taiga coming in. It was a common accordance with her. Rin joining them was a big surprise to them both. Shirou didn't think anything about it but Illya knew that there had to be something about this. Rin wasn't a morning person as she had told a few of the girls at school and Illya had been one of those ones. Still, whatever it was, Illya didn't mind helping her. As the group ate breakfast Rin looked over at the two siblings.
"Shirou, Illya, I was looking through things in my basement and found a note left by my grandmother," This made both siblings stop as they knew that in the basement of the Tohsaka residence was the Tohsaka Workshop. Rin had committed onit when she compared her own workshop with the somewhat open one the two siblings had. A storehouse was not the first choice most mage would make for there workshop according to her. "She wanted me to contact her family to tell them that she hadn't died like they thought and that I am their cousin."
Before either sibling could ask her about it the onlooker of the group chimed in. "Wait, your grandmother was believed dead to her family?"
"Yes, I think she didn't get along with her older sister at all," This was more a guess on her part but the Edelfelt sisters did each create their own mansion and did end up competing against each other during the Third Grail War. There was also the fact that she didn't bother caring until what was likely late in her life. "There was this event or something that ended with her being believed dead."
Illya had an idea as to what the event was. It had to be a Grail War. Given the time frame it was probably the Third Grail War which had been extremely hectic even with the Church overseeing the whole thing. So much so that the Lesser Grail had been destroyed during the war. That forced the Einzberns into making the Lesser Grail mobile and able to defend itself. In a way Illya owed her existence to how the war went. If any other outcome had occurred she wouldn't exist.
Taiga didn't know any of this. For her it seemed like something had happened and Rin's grandmother was believed dead. "Well, are you going to do what she wanted?" The oldest person in the room finished her plate of food before she continued speaking with food in her mouth. "I mean it sounds like she wanted to at least let you know about a family you didn't know you had."
"The thing is I don't know if I should contact them," Doing so did run the risk of having her own family assimilated into their own. Although, if she thought about it there was at least one pro to it. Kirei would cease being her guardian and ruining her family's finances. "I wanted both of your opinions about it before I did anything."
"If your grandmother wanted you to contact her family I don't see the harm," Shirou guessed that they had to be a mage family. Rin was probably unable to tell them about it fully because Taiga was here.
Speaking of her, Taiga had finished her breakfast and moved to walk out. Turning around she decided to give her two cents on this. "I think you should after all you would never know how they will feel about you until you try."
As soon as Taiga left Illya decided to ask the question about just who Rin was talking about. Unlike Shirou who was completely for it Illya was a bit hesitant. After all, her family was basically more akin to an automatic factory instead of anything coming close to an actual family. Such an experience even if thanks to hindsight tends to make one hesitant when dealing with extended family. "So, just who is this family that your grandmother wants you to contact?"
"The Edelfelts."
Both Illya and Shirou had some idea of who the family were. Kiritsugu had told them of a few families to watch out for and the Edelfelt were on the list though with some caveats. As a mercenary family they probably wouldn't care much unless the both of them had a bounty on their heads. While that might be an issue for Illya given what Kiritsugu had done to the Einzberns they seem completely unwilling to go for anything resembling a freelancer and the Edelfelt were close to that. For Shirou as long as he stated under the radar there shouldn't be any issue. Assuming no one found out he was a Dead Apostle Successor.
Regardless, this wasn't about them. Right now this was about Rin and her newly discovered relations. "Well, I still say you should," Shirou figured there were probably a lot of nuances to this that he didn't know about but to be honest he really didn't care. "Knowing what happened to a family member is something that they deserve to know and you deserve to know them."
Rin turned over to Illya wondering how she would feel about this. The homunculus let out a sigh. Truly as conflicted as she was about this Shirou had a point. It wasn't like the Edelfelts were a group in the motions of a mage family like the Einzberns or into abhorrent magecraft practices. "I think it's up to you but if it was me I think I would at least let them know."
Contacting the Edelfelts seemed to be the answer the answer that they both had given her. Doing so could have any number of outcomes. Most of which could be quite negative. 'But should I really do it?' The both of them and Taiga each agreed that she should at least contact them. "Thanks both of you."
The sounds of clashing steel once heard long ago in the ruined wall of the castle was reignited as a pair of executors battled it out with the Dead Apostle that they had been hunting. With a large metal spear in hand the twin tailed blonde Apostle deflected the first barrage of Black Keys and raised her hand as the second barrage seemed to phase through a small portals in space before being through out another sending them back at the owner.
The Black Keys were knocked out of the air be two slashes from a pair of rapiers wielded by the other executor in the pair. "That's just annoying."
She jumped forward the two repairs glowing as they were swung horizontally at the blonde Dead Apostle. The metal spear was brought to block the swing and only succeeded in getting cut in two as the blades curved though the rather normal weapon. On instinct the blonde Apostle jumped back as the blades cut into her stomach. She didn't voice much in pain as the weapons started to close up slowly. "Blessed swords," A troublesome weapon that was great at taking out the Dead and lower level Dead Apostles. "Of course, the Church would give you them."
Another opening in space appeared to her side as she reached into it and pulled out a short sword with a ruby pommel. With a shift movement forward she slashed as the two rapiers clashed. On contact the ruby glowed as the curse edged into the simple blade activated as the energy from the blessed weapons were displaced into it and then pulsed outwards back into the weapons and the wielder as kinetic energy tossed her back. Out the corner of the blonde Apostle's eyes she saw the other one attempting to strike her.
As he came close space opened up again and he found himself striking into a boulder destroying it in the process as the Dead Apostle responded with slamming the pommel into his stomach. The curse activating as a pulse of kinetic energy knocked him back. A Black Key flew edging into her shoulder with her back turn.
The rapier wielding executor came in aiming for her head. The Dead Apostle ducked her head out of the way and despite the pain was able to grab on to her right arm and toss the rapier weilder off to her partner. He immediately caught her and helped to her down. Both moved to the side as the sword was tossed at them. Making contact with the wall it pulsed the kinetic energy out before seemingly falling to the ground only to be caught as another wrap of space opened up below the blade.
Another portal of space opened as a longsword was taken out for the Dead Apostle to use while both of her opponents seemed ready to continue this fight. It was more a farce if she really wanted to go all out. Around her space started to wrap open.
Before the fight could continue further the two Enforcers spotted a faint look of something from the ruined keep to the north. Neither had time to defend as an arrow trailed by a red light pierced not just through the chest of the first one but the chest of the second. It wasn't exactly clean either as the arrow seemed to not just piece straight through but instead punch right through them much like a small cannon shot. Blood and pieces of viscera sprayed out of the wounds in their bodies as they stood there eyes widened and glazing over.
The pair of fresh corpses fell over as the wraps of space closed up as the blonde Dead Apostle turned her head over to the source of the arrow shot. She knew who that was. What was surprising was that she was even in the area at all. "I wonder what brought you out of hiding?"
You can probably guess who that was. Yeah, I admit this world is a bit of a mix match of Typemoon but to be fair a lot of us already do that in fanfiction. As for having Rin discover the secret about the younger Edelfelt sister, I am honest I planned for that knowledge to come out since the prologue. Yeah, I noticed a lack of stories that tend to have it happen with like only one existing to my knowledge (though I always operate under the assumption if one exists then at least four others exist) and I figured that I might as well use it. Plus, let's be real things have been deviating from how history usually went for a long time now.
The first main chapter is Illya being saved after all. Speaking of her and well the pairing. I admit its still undecided at the moment. So, I will take feedback on why you expect Shirou to get with.
Anyway, I cya all next time with the next chapter.
