This took a bit longer then I had hoped. I mean its two weeks and I had originally planned gor it to only take one. Well, sometimes things can't be helped at all. Regardless, the chapter is only out so time for the thing you're all here for.

Disclaimer: I own really nothing about this franchise. I only made this fanfiction.


Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg was an individual whose accomplishments and abilities were the stuff of awe, respect, and admiration. Both the Mages Association, and the Holy Church had him in high respect. Amongst the Dead Apostle Ancestors, however, none of that existed. There was a respect for his power and abilities. How could there not be given his victory, though at a cost, against the progenitor of their kind. Outside of that though he was seen as a pariah amongst their ranks, only dealt with when necessary. This feeling was in a sense mutual but Zelretch never acted on it.

Yuuka held as close to a neutral view on him as one could expect from a Dead Apostle Ancestor. Although, that had changed to ever so slightly leaning negative as she spent years separated from her son due to his little ritual he and three others had created in Japan. A ritual she was now apparently able to take part in. "You're serious?"

Yuuka held up the back of her left hand with the full Command Seals to the specialized mirror to show that she was indeed serious. Her attempt to find her son had ended up with her being called by the Fuyuki Grail. "I don't know how but I believe my use of the Command Seal and my desire to find my son caused it."

On the other side Altrouge Brunestud, the Black Princess of the Dead Apostles, stared with thought on this turn of events. Truthfully neither her or Ortenrosse cared much about the Holy Grail Wars. No one ever won them, and as much as they would like to take part in such a thing, if only to rub their victory in Zelretch's face, there was apparently something blocking any Dead Apostle from taking part in them. A loophole seemed to have existed and Yuuka had unknowingly stumbled on it. 'I wonder what the look on his face would be if Yuuka actually claimed victory in his little project?'

Sure, her wish was not something terrifying like anyone would expect from a Dead Apostle Ancestor. No instant death to the defenders of the world, or something along those lines. Yuuka's wish would be to be reunited with her son and such a wish would seem almost unsettling to anyone that didn't know her. Still, the look on Zelretch's face would be priceless and Altrouge felt like she should rub it in when she first got the chance. Also, getting Shirou back would be a boon in itself as by now he should be strong enough to be considered a proper Dead Apostle Successor. Altrouge could see only positives with this. Only one question, however, came to mind. "Isn't this a bit early for the Fuyuki Grail to call on potential candidates?"

Yuuka figured that was a valid question but there was a list of reasons for a ritual like that to start again. Whatever had been done that caused the fire could have been the cause. None of that mattered to her to think of. "It must be happening sooner than before."

"I'll look into this but right now we have something else to think about," Altrouge looked at her hand through the mirror that had the Command Seals. In the two hundred years she had learned enough about the whole ritual to know that if they were the only ones aware then it meant they could take first picks of the Seven Classes.

Summoning without a Catalyst was possible but there was one issue with that. Yuuka's nature as a Dead Apostle would probably make the Servant summoned be one who has a connection to being a vampire in their legends. Altrouge didn't want it to be something that predictable and a Dead Apostle Ancestor having someone like Vlad Tepes screamed predictable. No, they were going to need a Catalyst to use and unfortunately Altrouge didn't have anything she could consider as such. For a second the idea of asking Yuuka if she had anything besides those two swords she gave her son but Altrouge then realized the other predictable issue. Yuuka had lived for over eight hundred years in Japan and did have a few things owned by people who would be more than worthy to enter the Throne of Heroes from Japan. They needed to throw a curveball and maybe bend the rules a bit more than ever been done. Yuuka was going to win if nothing else so Altrouge can have one on Zelretch!

Altrouge pushed a strand of her long black hair to the side as she tried to give off her regal princess vibe as a plan formulated in her mind. "Yuuka, whatever you do, don't summon a Servant just yet, I am going to contact the others in our little group and we're going to ensure that this Grail War ends in a victory for once."


"Lets see this sample not be worth much anymore given its age but I should be able to maybe squeeze out their amazing magic circuits," The rather old looking vial containing which was a bit of flesh kept in a yellowish fluid was pick out from from a container with a label placed over it was picked out from amongst several vials. Many of which had various signs of age but this one was of the older end. She looked around the various samples that laid before her. Roots, bones, and pieces of flesh kept in vials or other containers like the one in her hand to remain fresh each with a label over them in a semi-organized fashion. "Lets see that should be almost all I need with this being able to bridge the other two samples."

This should at least be useful in filling out the small gap in the parts used. Add this with the base and everything should be set. Now, all that mattered was a simple question on what she wanted it to be. To have a son or a daughter. With her skill she should be able to decide one or the other. "Maybe, I'll surprise myself instead," Just mix it together with a bit of herself and see the result. Not as it mattered to her what gender her child was. "I should think of names."

Shirou's eyes opened as the strange dream, or rather memory, came to an end. That had to been a memory but not his own. It was a memory from his mother but how that ended up happening he had no idea. Very quickly the memory started to fade away but what it had been about wasn't lost. It had been a glimpse of what had been used to make him. 'Why did I have…'

There shouldn't be any way for him to have one of his mother's memories flash through his mind. Even one concerning his creation was something that should have been impossible. Something had to happen to cause but what was something he couldn't answer. Memory was not something no one he knew of was well versed in when it came to magecraft. Shirou put those thoughts aside as he got up. The sun light in the room was enough of an indicator that it was time to get up as any. Walking out of his room and outside Shirou watched as his his beast familiar landed in front of him as if awaiting orders. Thinking back on it he should have probably had it with him when they had gone after Erikson.

Seeing how there wasn't any orders being given it just flew up and back to their place on top of the storehouse. Shirou did think about the possibility of making more familiars to look over the city but quickly shot that down. A Church representative was in the city most of the time and depending on their experience would probably pick up on the unnatural nature of some of the animals flying about. Having them suspicious about him would probably not help at all. Really, the one he had now was enough.

Thinking about familiars made Shirou think about a pair that his mother had made to act as the caretakers for her castle. He remembered her talking about how she had a record of all the familiars she created and was able to reuse them after they had been killed or destroyed. A few of her oldest ones had developed unique abilities which she chalked up to the fact that they had acquired mystery of their own or other methods that had gone into their creation. At first those were accidental. Overtime she begun to understand the processes getting some desired results and even being able to control what abilities they may manifest. Only issue with this was the more independent her creation was made the less control she had on it.

'You know thinking about her made me wish I had paid more attention to were we lived,' All he knew was that it was somewhere in Japan and out of the way from any major settlement. Which meant that theoretically she could be anywhere in the countryside. Still, it made finding her easier when both he and Illya went looking for her.


Bounded field's could exist for a time without their creator to keep them going. Usually owing to the magical energy in the area being used to keep the spell going but eventually even that would fade. Like a fence the field could continue for a long time but maintenance was eventually needed. Sakura for her part didn't quite find any real reason to keep her grandfathers fields going besides the convenience and was just willing to let them continue until she either had enough knowledge of how to change them, or if they were suddenly going to collapse without her input. Shinji wasn't going to be able to keep them going as he had found out when he brought it up.

Her adopted brother was too busy trying to read up on Zouken's old notes on how to control the Crest Worms within him. As limited as he was there had to be some way to stop the things from both tearing him apart and trying to fix their mistakes. Sakura didn't think much would come about it even if Shinji's circuits had been opened and he could use rather basic spells. If by some chance something did come out of it she was certain that it would help with his feelings about not being the Matou heir due to lack of magecraft ability. On that thought seeing as Zouken was now dead and their adopted father had basically disappeared, Sakura assumed he was dead but didn't care enough to check, so a question was on the status of the Matou family. Technically speaking this meant that Sakura was now the head of the family. A position that Zouken never really intended for her to ever have.

If Shinji wanted to demand or just ask for it Sakura might just give it to him. She had really no idea how to even feel about her new position anyway. Zouken never intended to pass on so she received basically nothing in understanding what she now had gained from her position, what Zouken unknowingly left for her. 'Hard to believe that he even has use for a bed.'

Zouken's room had basically been seen as off limits by the whole family and surprisingly to her it wasn't some monster lair. If anything it just looked like a cluttered mess from a heavily aging old man. Admittedly that was what Zouken technically was but still. Sakura didn't know why but looking through Zouken's room had not produced much of really anything of value. Moth eaten clothes mostly, a few books that were written in a language she couldn't understand, and surprisingly outfits that were covered in dust that seemed out of place for Zouken to have had. "Must have been his wife's."

Hard to imagine but Zouken was probably not always the literal mass of worms he had been. At some point he probably did have a wife, how else did Shinji exist if he didn't, though time didn't seem to benefit any of them. One of the few that looked like it was in any good condition was a purple dress. 'It could use some work but maybe…'

A ring of the doorbell brought Sakura out of her thoughts about the purple dress she found. Sakura couldn't even remember the last time anyone came to their home to ring the doorbell. Usually, anyone who got on the property would immediately be noticed by Zouken's familiars. Shinji was still in the basement trying to get control of the remaining Crest Worms within him which meant it was up to Sakura to answer the door. "I wonder who that could be."

Outside the Matou residence Rin waited for a response as she rehearsed what she was going to say in her mind. First was to talk about Shinji and then see about Sakura. Maybe a test to see how far along Sakura had come with her studies in magecraft. Already she had prepared a counter argument for the enviable attempt to use her father's agreement against her. Mainly being she wasn't her father, and that nothing said that she wasn't allowed to check up on Sakura. Nor that she could meet her as a friend which she might technically be. It was always awkward given that Illya wasn't aware of the complicated relationship they had. Maybe she should tell her and Shirou about her relationship with Sakura.

That thought exited her mind as soon as it entered it as the door opened. "Rin, what brings you doing here?"

Rin blinked as she stared at the blonde haired Sakura that was standing in front of her. A scent passed by her nose which seemed strange to her. Rin had been picking up the scent of humans and thought she had a good idea on them but Sakura's was off. It was almost like she wasn't even human anymore. "Sakura, did you dye your hair?"

"No, I didn't," Sakura didn't really mind the question but if anything it might get annoying if other people started to ask it. That was a bridge to cross later. "What bring you here?"

Sakura's question brought Rin out of her sudden confusion when faced with the looks and scent of Sakura that she felt like she knew was wrong. Immediately she remembered why she had come to the Matous in the first place. "I need to speak with Zouken Matou."

Shinji was going to pay for what he had done and Rin was going to see to it. Sure, Zouken creeped her out but she was almost certain he wasn't careless enough to allow Shinji to do what he did. "Oh, he's dead,"

Sakura was so calm and nonchalant when saying that it actually caused Rin to look at her in surprise. There was no malice or any sadness at all. Sakura was just stating a fact and didn't even seem all that phased by the implications of what it meant. "H-how long ago was this?"

"Yesterday, after he tried to use Shinji as his new vessel."

"Vessel?" Did Rin hear her correctly? Whatever she had planned about coming here was suddenly gone from her mind as a bunch of questions replaced it. Sakura motioned for Rin to come inside as it was obvious where this was going. She was going to need to understand what the Matous was and well Sakura figured it would make things easier.

In half an hour Rin was brought up to speed about the Matous. To say she was horrified by what she was hearing was an understatement. Zouken Matou was a Dead Apostle, what else do you call a bunch of worms living in a dead body that said worms had eaten. Him being a Dead Apostle was something that was rumored to be but something her family thought was overblown. What's worse is that Sakura had been rather casual with explaining how she had been trained, no tortured was the better word for it, by him via his Crest Worms. Mage families were known to be rather cold with their children, some pushed the line of what the Association deemed acceptable constantly, but the way Sakura talked about it Zouken had actually managed to cross it! What distrubed her above all else was how much Sakura seemed to detail it to her without a hint of anything. Like she was talking about the weather.

Rin almost forgot about the fact that Zouken was somehow dead. The horror of what Sakura had to go through was now playing through her mind. "H-how," Rin couldn't stand it. "You're just talking about this like it's no big deal!"

Hearing Rin's outburst made Sakura realize that she was. All her memories told her what had been done to her, what she could remember having felt during each of her training sessions. Yet, she felt detachment about all of it despite knowing how bad everything was to her. "Why do you care?" Rin froze up as those words were said. "You knew that I was given to the Matous and it's not like it matters anymore as Zouken Matou is dead."

While Sakura did have a point that Zouken being dead made a lot of that mute, including most of her plan to get back at Shinji, that didn't change he had done to her. In fact, that brought up a question into itself. Just what had Zouken done to her before he had died. "Sakura what did Zouken intend for you to be?" Her eyes noticed the blonde hair that looked to be the same shade as that of well the Edelfelt family. "Did he do this to you?"

"I have no idea what he fully intended me for besides repairing the Matou bloodline," Honestly, Sakura wanted to roll her eyes at the thought. If it wasn't for her deciding not to kill herself then the whole plan was pointless. Oh, there was ways to do it and ruin his plans but for some reason she refused to even try. "As for now I am almost certain he wanted me to remain human for his plans."

"Remain?" Sakura's choice of words was what caught Rin's attention. As it did she noticed the few other changes, the sharpened nails, and did her teeth look more sharpen. Her strange scent returned to her mind again. Rin may have only had this annoying quirk for a day but having to walk through Fuyuki she knew the smell of human very well. "Sakura… what are you?"

Now that was a question that Sakura should really find an answer for. Maybe the answer was extremely simple and she was just one of a kind. Getting around to answering that would require her to study herself for later. "I have no idea actually."

She had no idea and yet she wasn't seemingly bothered by what that meant. So, many issues could have arose because of this. Especially given that there was groups that would possibly target her. How could she not be worried about everything? "Why are you so calm about all of this?"

"Why do you care?" Sakura responded with a question of her own. Having Rin come by was unexpected but the way this was going on Sakura almost thought she was trying to act like they are still sisters. That hadn't been the case for years now.

Rin for her part was stunned by this. Given how much Sakura had the ribbon in her hair she had thought that… Rin stopped and realized that the ribbon wasn't there anymore. It only just dawned on her despite having been talking to her for a while now. Not once had she seen Sakura without it in her hair. "Where is your ribbon?"

"I got rid of it," Sakura simply stated like it was nothing. An object that had been with for so long. "Honestly, I don't know why I kept it all these years to be honest."

None of this made any sort of sense at all. So, Sakura wasn't human anymore. Fine she should still feel normal emotions, she still had her memories, and there was no way that this was just Zouken masquerading as her. There had to be some answer for why she would still have her memories, have the feelings associated with those memories, and just feel literally personally about any of them. The idea she had turned into a Dead Apostle of some kind crossed her mind and was immediately shot down. Smell told her otherwise and the enhanced senses she still had from her near turning into one told her that wasn't the case. Nothing was familiar about Sakura's scent and Shirou's so she couldn't be the same thing as him. There was also the fact that Dead Apostles still felt their human emotional attachments. Slowly, her eyes widened as the only possibility came to her. The only way someone could act so detached despite having the memories of who they were.

The personality of Sakura Matou, of Sakura Tohsaka, had died in whatever had been done to her. In essence her sister was dead, what remained was a different person that was only at the most basic of ways connected to her. No, not even that remained anymore as the blonde hair served as the most noticeable visual reminder to her that her sister was gone. Sure, the memories are there and with it she is likely to regain the emotional connection for them to matter, yet that didn't mean anything. 'How did any of this happen?'

A dumb question as the answer was very obvious. All this happened because her family had given Sakura away. Zouken, whatever he had planned for her, had to be the reason for all of this. Breaking the Matou Tohsaka alliance had crossed her mind for the briefest of moments. As soon as that feeling popped in her mind Rin crushed it. Thinking like a mage was what caused all this mess anyway. That and her father ignoring the rumors instead of actually taking a look into them. Her original reason to come to the Matous was now effectively gone and Rin didn't want to remain here and looking at Sakura.

"I should go."


The sound of a phone rang throughout the executive office. Such a thing was rather common amongst those who dealt with modern business. The only thing different about this call was that it had been made on the "spare" phone within the owner's office. Only a quick glance at the number was all he needed to know who was calling him as he answered. Even if he had a grudge he would act professional with her. Professional standards after all was important. "Well, what do I owe a call from the Black Princess?"

A snap was heard as a minor spell woven into the office was activated. This was to mute the conversation from anyone listening. One could never be too careful especially given he knew at least two of his employees had been affiliated with the Church and one he knew had ties to the Mages Association. A price to be paid for adapting to the modern world and taking the role as public figure. Well, the public was stretching it a bit but still. "Van-Fem I need to know is there anyway for me to have a list of all the Servants that have been summoned in Zelretch's little ritual over the years?"

Van-Fem, the fourteenth seat amongst the Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, took a moment to mske sure he had heard that correctly. From what he had gathered was that both the Black Princess and the White Wing Lord had little interest in the Holy Grail War that Zelretch had help create. A ritual that so far had gone on four times with literally no victor. All it did accomplish was various levels of destruction and death. Zelretch didn't seem to show any real desire to look over the event beyond that indirect token effort of a representative in the second going. One that had ended in that token overseer calling on the Holy Church for help. Which set in place how that ritual was currently conducted.

"The Church keeps a record on the Servants used in each war," Not like it mattered much outside of the slim possibility of someone within the Church taking part in the Holy Grail War. Nor was the fourth complete as the overseer had been killed during the event before the true names all became known. "Why does this concern you if I must know?"

Being the owner of Primate Murder was a valid reason in itself for Altrouge to care. Her dog was a being who, if he started too much, received a response from the Counter Force, or more accurately Alaya. Only once had that happened since she had taken him in and that fight from what he understood had her taking part against them as she tried to reign him in. As she was still living and Primate Murder hadn't gone on a rampage since it was easy to see who won in that instance. However, Van-Fem knew that couldn't be the reason. After all, if she wanted to learn about who was in the Throne of Heroes you open a history book or something about mythology. Asking about Heroic Spirits as a Servant in the Fuyuki Grail war was a different matter in itself. One that he was now curious about.

On the other side Altrouge didn't respond immediately as she thought about what to say. Telling him the full truth was a possibility as was lying to him though given how their relationship was it was probably best not to. Professionalism was likely to keep him from telling any of the other factions about what had happened. Especially with Zelretch who would probably be up in arms if he heard about it. Assuming he cared enough at least. "One of us has managed to get the Fuyuki Grail to select themselves to take part in the next Holy Grail War."

"One of us?" Van-Fem could get what the meaning was. A Dead Apostle had managed to get called up to become a master. "You don't happen to mean an Ancestor?"

"I do."

That narrowed down the suspects. Van-Fem couldn't believe what he was hearing and yet given the Black Princess sounded serious it must be true. A Dead Apostle Ancestor taking part in a ritual where the praise was a wish was something terrifying to both the Church and the Mage's Association. Just the thought might make them dismantle the whole thing or at least make Zelretch intervene. 'Now there is a thought, him actually directly doing something.'

It was tempting for Van-Fem to tell him about this. However, after a few moments he decided against it. The likelihood of the war ending with a wish made by a Dead Apostle was unlikely as the Church representative would likely demand they be taken out immediately. "I'll give you the list though I take it that you'll want a catalyst of some kind?"

Van-Fem was certain that whomever the Dead Apostle Ancestor was, really the list wasn't really that large as from his recollection Altrouge had currently four Dead Apostle Ancestors associated with her, likely did have something that could be used as a catalyst. Hell, Van-Fem had a few of those items himself in his collection! The perks of living for thousands of years one would say. Admittedly, it could be that they were after a rather specific type of catalyst. If he recalled the Einzberns had gone looking for something relating to the Knights of the Round Table.

"That will not be necessary," Altrouge had in her mind a few options for Yuuka that she needed the list of Servants to run over. Once she has an idea on who had been already used she'll make a final plan withh Yuuka.


With all the events of the last two days Luvia had a lot to think about concerning who Shirou really was and what to go about concerning him. Naturally, she should at least warn the Church or the Association about the Successor to Yuuka Sakatsuki was within Fuyuki. The response to such a thing was very obvious that the Burial Agency would be sent to deal with the Dead Apostle Successor though more likely the Fuyuki representative would have to confirm her claims before doing so. With that said doing so didn't really make any since to do so.

Shirou wasn't a threat to any of the humans. His diet was largely animals, he never seemed to raise any Dead. Well, except for his corvid that mostly just stayed close to him. Admittedly, that wasn't much cause for concern. In the end she decided it was best to leave Shirou alone. Though there was several other questions that came about from this. Namely what Illya's actual relations was to the late Magus Killer and whatever connection Kiritsugu Emiya had to Yuuka Sakatsuki.

That, however, was for later as right now Luvia had someone else on her mind. Shinji Matou had taken to aiding a Dead Apostle Ancestor candidate. Not only that but his actions technically could be said as going as g as nist the alliance between both the Matou and the Tohsaka family. By extension it could be said that what he did was a cross at the Edelfelt family. Unfortunately, yesterday Zouken Matou was not at home for her to talk too.

Today, though, she was going to try again and this time she was determined to get answers! Before she could get past the gate though Luvia saw Rin almost running out of the residences. "Oh, Rin I take it you alreasy had a talk with Zouken about what Shinji had done?"

Once she got closer to her, Luvia could see that she was seemingly distraught about something. Before any host of scenarios could enter into the blonde's mind Rin walked past her and stopped as if just realizing that she was there. "Zouken Matou is dead," Rin was clutching her fists in anger at just thinking about what that thing had done to her sister. "He was a Dead Apostle."

Rumors had existed amongst many in the Clocktower about Zouken Matou for quite some time. Most noticeably was that he had ties to the Dead Apostle Ancestors of some kind outside of Zelretch with whom the connection to the three families of the Grail War was common knowledge. Him being a Dead Apostle didn't fully surprise Luvia, especially given what Shirou was, but what did surprise her was the fact he was dead. Being a Dead Apostle in the middle of a populated city without causing suspicion for possibility decades was something most of them couldn't pull off. Still, there wasn't any reason for a Dead Apostle to risk helping another who had plans that involved someone who he was technically allied with. At least none that Luvia could think of as if Rin died the Edelfelts could stake a far better claim to Second Owner now then his family. Nevermind if the Tohsaka's hadn't figured it out for years then it was best not to help run a risk of being found out.

"I see I guess that must mean the current Matou head is Shinji little sister," Luvia didn't know much about Sakura Matou as her interactions had been limited even when she came to Fuyuki with Rin. All she did know was from passing from Rin who committed that Sakura was the likely heir to the Matou family magecraft. Given that the Matous had been slowly declining when it came being able to use magecraft hearing that meant she had to have some skill in it.

Rin, however, couldn't take it anymore hearing about her as Shinji's little sister. Her family had unknowingly doomed their youngest child. Not out of malice as her father had only done so likely for her future as a mage, but out of ignorance of what they were handing her too. "Sakura isn't Shinji's sister she was mine!"

A brief silence befell the both of them as Rin tried to hold on to her conflicting emotions about all of this. Her blonde cousin, however, was confused by hearing this. "What do you mean she was your sister?"

A sigh escaped Rin's mouth as she no longer cared about her father's wises. Even though she loved and admired him Rin had to admit that her father was an idiot when it came to Sakura and her future. That was made painfully clear with her meeting with the creature she had become. "Sakura was my younger sister, my father was concerned about her future as a mage given he couldn't pass down the Magic Crest to both of us," Rin stopped for just a moment as she remembered just what she was talking about and too whom. "Could he have done it?"

While Luvia was starting to get an idea on what had gone on the question Rin had was one that Luvia was able to answer. Rather easily in fact as her family had dealt with it for a while now. "No, the Edelfelt Crest is only able to be split thanks to our Sorcery trait which I take neither you or Sakura had?"

"No," At least it seems he was correct about the fact only one of them could be given a Magic Crest. Only one of them had a future with the Tohsaka Crest and their, or rather their adopted, magecraft. "He hadn't want there to be any sort of conflict amongst us so when the Matous had seemed in need of a proper heir my father thought it would be a way to give Sakura a future as a mage."

Given the Matous own absorption trait it was possible for them to pass on their Magic Crest to someone who wasn't related. That was the crux of why he handed Sakura away. At the time Rin would probably have thought like him that it was the only option. Rin, however, could see that it wasn't so. A second option existed in the form of the Holy Church which given her family's history and connections wouldn't be too crazy or even unexpected. Sire, some in the Association might frown at it but realistically even they wouldn't care much if at all about some far east mage family that gave away their second child to the Church because of positive ties. At least had her father done that they might have still got to call each other sister instead of having to pretend they never were.

Luvia who was overhearing this had to admit while it sounded like something a mage may do if given a chance, the fact that it was Zouken Matou who was under suspicion, would probably dissuade anyone from trusting such an offer. Now, that there was confirmation of his nature as a Dead Apostle such a thought reeked of an ulterior motive. "It was a lie wasn't it?"

A lie was putting it very lightly. Zouken had manipulated her father into handing him over a child who had actual potential in magecraft while he had probably ruined his own bloodline. That whole spiel about the land not agreeing with them was complete bullcrap as far as Rin was concerned. "Sakura was raped by Crest Worms for years!" A wave of unbridled hatred swelled within Rin but the sad thing was that the target of the hatred was dead. "They had altered her physically, buried themselves into her body, and what's worse is that each one was supposedly a piece of himself!"

Hearing that was disgusting in itself. Having to experience it would be something beyond traumatic for any human. Amongst mages who did tend to have rather lax morals about things there was a degree of standards. Zouken Matou being a Dead Apostle and subjected his given heir to nothing but this kind of torture crossed the line. Furthermore, the whole part about the Crest Worms being parts of him and them being buried within Sakura. "Is Sakura alright or has something happened?"

Having pieces of a Dead Apostle didn't sound good at all. Even if said Dead Apostle wasn't of the traditional type. Whose knows just what had been done to her that Sakura didn't fully understand. Actually, one thing was very much certain given her hair and eye color that Sakura had been forcefully altered. Luvia shuttered to think what was actually going on inside of her and if Sakura was unlikely dying from the rotting things Zouken Matou had left inside her. Assuming they hadn't replaced some of her own organs or worse. The things mage could make someone live through certainly something like it was going on for her.

"Yes and no," Rin didn't think of becoming something nonhuman without any idea what was being alright. Yet, Sakura didn't see anything wrong with it and whatever happened to her had taken care of the trauma that had been inflicted on her. All at the cost of arguably being Sakura as far as she knew. "Look if you want I can explain it back at home."


Had one taken a passing glance at the object on the plate one would have mistaken it for a heart. However, looks were known to be deceiving as Yuuka had made it to look like a heart on purpose. Taking a bite a red fluid dripped as the organ looking thing revealed itself to be something of a fruit. Rather it was something one would have pictured raw animal flesh being mixed with and made into a fruit. 'I can never get the thing right.'

For decades her diet had mostly consisted of things like this. It was supposed to be a way to create something that could account for a Dead Apostle's dietary needs and it only really worked to a point. No matter what she tried she could never get it to work properly. Which still meant she had to get blood from living things but luckily for her it wasn't too much of a bother with local wildlife. Other than this she mostly ate a basic amount of rice and simple breeds. Shirou had once lamented to her how bland everything was when it came to eating. 'Maybe I should think about some more variety on what we eat.'

That was something to think about for later as right now she was focused on what she was currently working on. Aki was left to wait in case Altrouge responded and to relay whatever the Black Princess had to her when she did. With that out of the way Yuuka had gone under her castle and looked on at how certain things had developed as she had left. A few samples had finally gone bad, no surprise the fluid they had been in wasn't the same as the more recent used for preservation. Her second attempt at creating an alternative for her dietary needs failed and to be honest now that her survival was common knowledge there really wasn't any reason too.

"Not like anyone besides me and Shirou ever bothered with this anyway," None of her associates cared for the attempt at hiding out for long periods. Her own was simply so she could live in relative peace and put to work later on trying to see if she could get passed the one issue of not being able to have a child. "Lets see what else is, oh no that's not good."

Failures tended to happen and of course disposal was always needed. What could be extracted and reused was done so. Unfortunately, sometimes a failure could not get anything back. "Well, at the very least I still have more than enough chicken samples."

After cleaning up the failure and disposing of it Yuuka noticed that Mai walked into the room. The flesh construct gave her a bow ignoring, or rather not caring about, the failure that had been disposed of. "Lady Yuuka, Lady Altrouge called, she wanted to inform you that she's going to look into what is going on with the Holy Grail War, and wishes to talk to you about a Catalyst."

"Relay to Aki that I will tslk to her about it tomorrow right now I have something to do," Mai gave a nod as she looked up a bit and transferred the response to her twin. Yuuka was rather grantful that she linked the both of them to be able to share information between them telepathically. Saved one having to leave the room and communicate with the other.

As soon as Mai was done she returned her attention back at her creator who was looking over the various samples. Curiosity was something she didn't have in abundance per her artificial personality but she did notice that her mistress had something she was likely doing that prevented her from immediately moving to answer the Black Princess. "If I may, what do you need to do that is so important, my lady?"

"Well, first I have to take stock of everything," Mai and Aki were made to maintain the castle but for most other things they only did the minimum. However, that wasn't the only thing she had needed to do. Sure, it was a lot longer then she had liked but she did promise to her first familiar. "I also need to make a vessel for Kikyo."


"So, she's no longer human," Rin's whole explanation on what she saw, with Sakura now having blonde hair that was very likely a passive trait from her Edelfelt heritage, and the whole likely death of the personality that she had formed over the years for a near clean slate was the less impressive og what happened. Somehow Sakura had completely changed her species, not to a Dead Apostle as was what Luvia expected, but into something unknown.

As strange as that may be, there were a few rumors about some of the oldest mage family not being fully human themselves, and magecraft was once able to alter someone's species into other things besides Dead Apostles at one point. However, it was arguable if the Matous would be able to use such arguments to stay in the Clocktower if this ever came out, especially given that Zouken Matou had been a Dead Apostle and the revelation of what his Crest Worms are. For all purposes the Matou family was basically dead as a mage family barring something exceptional. Assuming the Association cared enough given that Zouken was dead, Sakura was seemingly not an issue, and Shinji was probably not even an afterthought.

"Yes," Rin let out a sigh as she had time to come to terms about the whole thing. In some ways after all she had lived through having all the connections, and the emotions with them, was probably a blessing for her. Secondly, she did have a point that Rin hadn't bothered to she any concern for her for close to a decade. "Whatever caused it Sakura at least knows that Zouken didn't want it."

What wasn't said was about just what Rin was to do about all of this. Technically, she should report Zouken's death, his nature, and what became of the Matou heir. All of which was important to know given that the Matous were an family under her watch tied to the Mages Association. Yet, in doing so meant revealing what happened to Sakura. As much as she wasn't her sister anymore the things she had heard that Zouken had put her through still echoed in her mind. 'Great what am I going to do?'

Luckily for her Luvia was thinking along the same lines. Sakura had no real reason to continue the association of the Matous within the Mage Association. As far as everyone knew the family was basically removed anyway and most didn't think they had any heir to begin with. Given the revelation of her relationship with Rin and by extension Luvia answer was obvious to her. "We could just say that the Matous are defunct as a mage family now that Zouken is dead."

Technically that was indeed what could be said to have happened. Until they actually knew what Sakura had become she could do that. If she showed no signs of wanting to do anything sith the greater world of magecraft then she'll just be like many of those families on the edge. Knowing about the supernatural due to their families old ties too it but living as normal a life as possible.

"That could work."


Well, I probably just enraged or made some people intrigued by what I had done with Sakura. Truth is I had a hard time figuring what I could do with her outside of her going the route of Haven's Feel and well that required Zouken. I had discovered why planning I kind of didn't need him for the Fifth Holy Grail War. So, as you could guess the issue arose and well I eventually settled on making her a wild card. Her wish of freedom has been granted and yeah that includes freedom from all her connections meaning from the ground up I have more options on what to do with her when that time comes.

As for what Sakura is well she isn't a Dead Apostle. That was probably something I think confused a reader or maybe not. What she is can just be said to be a human shaped Phantasmal and just leave it like that.

Anyway, kept you all long enough. Cya all next chapter.