The War Still Rages Within
Disclaimers I don't own the Fate series, please support any to all official releases, and just as a small tid bit here, this takes place at the end of Hollow ataraxia, and then some, now to the story.
In a small shanty town towards the golf of Mexico, we see a man walking down the streets wearing all black clothing, and even a black trench coat on this hot day.
Still the heat didn't bother him as he made his way towards a public cantina and ordered himself something to eat and drink.
"Two tacos and something to drink, nonalcoholic if you have any" said the man towards the owner as he looked at him and showed him 5 fingers.
"Cinco" said the owner, "No, no not 5 I just want 2 tacos and a drink" said the man, as the owner nodded and left his fingers up, "Si, Cinco" said the owner.
"No I- look here, here's some money, just… give me something good" said the man as he handed him 10 Mexican Pesos towards the owner.
"Now please, make me something and give me something to drink, please" said the man as the owner nodded and went to work.
"You know, you'd have a lot more of an easy time if you just spoke to the man in his native language" said the voice of a bar patron just across the man in all black clothing.
"Sorry, but I didn't find time to brush off on my Spanish before coming over here to meet you, mister Shepherd of Fire" said the man in black as he was talking to a young man in his mid-twenties as he had long red hair, wore a black wife-beater, and black cargo shorts.
"Fair enough, though if you knew there was going to be a bit of a language barrier, I could've set up an arrangement for us to meet in Cabo, also would it kill you to wear anything that doesn't give me a heat stroke, Mr. Emiya" said the Shepard of Fire.
"Please, call me Kiritsugu, calling me Mr. Emiya makes it sound like I'm married with children, a right that I've no longer have to be called or labeled as" said Kiritsugu as his food of 3 tacos and a side of beans and tortilla was served along with 2 bottles of beer.
Just as Kiritsugu was going to complain, he decided that it wasn't worth it since the obvious language barrier, plus he had the feeling his current employer wasn't willing to translate for him.
"Well since you just ordered yourself a good meal, want to talk about what's bothering you" asked the Shephard of Fire, "Please I'd rather keep things professional between us, so I'll apologize for acing inappropriate just now" said Kiritsugu as he grabbed one of his tacos and began to eat it.
"Well, we got time before I can debrief you on your next mission, besides wouldn't you rather be sober to tell me what's egging, or would you rather have me wait when you're looking at the end of your 5th bottle" said the Shephard of Fire.
Sighing in defeat, Kiritsugu knew better than to get personal with someone he just met, as in this kind of business you can't trust anyone since they're more likely to tell those who have a vendetta against you and attack the ones you care about in order to destroy you.
But now, he's just so tired and just doesn't care anymore as he stared intently at the mirrored wall over the counter to see the look on his face.
His spikey black hair was about neck length long now, and he obviously hasn't shaved in over a month given the full bushel of facial hair he has now, and honestly in spite of him still being in peak physical condition again, he felt more shitty on the inside than he was during his final days raising his son Shirou.
"Alright, but in return, don't let me have anything more than these 2 beers here, otherwise you can consider that job you want me to do to be cancelled" said Kiritsugu as he took a drink from his first beer before recounting how he wound up here.
3 years earlier
If you were to ask Kiritsugu what his time in the after life was like, he'd have say that there were simply no words to describe during his time alone, since he had admittingly killed many people, and yet did a lot of greater good for the world, and yet he was alone and at peace.
That actually came to an end when he opened his eyes again in the first time since his death in his house, the Emiya household, and laying by his side was the woman he had loved dearly and allowed to die.
"Iri" said Kiritsugu softly as his wife still continued to slumber away in peace.
Carefully getting up, he left his room and began to wonder around his home again to make sure everything was exactly how the way it was.
Eventually he heard some noise coming from the main room as he approached the room carefully and saw a familiar face.
With a rice cracker in her mouth and with the TV on, it was Taiga Fujimura as she was a lot older the last time Kiritsugu had remembered.
Feeling someone's gaze upon here, Taiga turned her head and for the first time in years she saw Kiritsugu alive and standing at the doorway.
"Taiga" said Kiritsugu hesitantly as her rice cracker fell from her mouth like her jaw as she was left speechless as to what she had saw.
"It's me… Kiritsugu Emiya, remember I used to live here and I had a son named Shirou" said Kiritsugu before Taiga's brain rebooted as she got to her feet.
"Yeah, but… hold on you passed away a few years ago, cause I remembered that day vividly as being the saddest day for Shirou" said Taiga as she was clearly freaked out.
"How are you even here, wait you're not some intruder are you, or is this some sick prank and I'm being punked here" asked Taiga, "I assure you, this is not a trick, I'm alive…. again" said Kiritsugu as saying the realization out loud was a bit fare fetched and even mad to say the least.
"Well I can at least say for a guy who was dead, you looked at lot better the last time I saw you, no offense" said Taiga, "Thank you, in fact if I'm quite honest I feel at least 5 years younger and back in my pinnacle health" said Kiritsugu.
Before the duo could continue talking the last and final resident of the Emiya household had arrived as she snuck up behind Kiritsugu and hugged him dearly.
"Please… if this is a dream or an illusion don't wake me up, much less let me go" said Irisviel as she had her face buried in her husband's back.
Feeling her touch in years and happy beyond words that she remembers him dearly as her husband, Kiritsugu swallowed a lump in his throat as he slowly reached for his wife's hand and held it tight as tears began to well in his eyes.
"Iri, I promise you that if this was a dream, I would never want to wake up from this as much as you" said Kiritsugu as tears began to fall from his face before he turned around to face his wife at long last.
No words were said as they embraced each other at long last and enjoyed every moment they now have.
Later
Once nighttime had fall, Kiritsugu had finished preparing for dinner for the trio as he had a lot of questions for Taiga, not the ones regarding how he came alive mind you.
"Alright, we're having hot pot for dinner everyone, hope you enjoy" said Kiritsugu as he set down their meal.
"Sweet it's been years since I've had eaten your food again Emiya San" said Taiga as she began to dig in.
"I didn't know you could cook" said Irisviel as she began to serve herself, "Well you know, I had to learn something new when my body was deteriorating" said Kiritsugu with a smile.
"Yeah, especially since he passed on his culinary skills to Shirou" said Taiga with food in her mouth, "Shirou, Kiritsugu who is this Shirou she'd talking about" asked Irisviel.
"He's my… our adopted son" said Kiritsugu as he has yet to share that information with her, "Oh, well I certainly do hope to meet him, and I bet Illya would be more than happy to know she has a little brother now" said Irisviel happily.
"Funny enough, Illya has been referring Shirou as her big brother now and…" said Taiga as she took a moment to put 2 and 2 together and realized something mind blowing just now.
"Hold on, are you 2 seriously Illya's parents" asked Taiga as if she needed to ask since she does see a heavier resemblance with Irisviel, but never knew Kiritsugu had an actual blood child before.
"Yes, we are her paternal parents" said Kiritsugu, "Wait but that would mean she's older than Shirou and, and, and" said Taiga as he brain was starting to overload over this revelation.
"Taiga, please calm down dear, I know this has been an eventful day for you as much as it's been for us but there's no need for us to stress about it" said Irisviel as she got the young adult to calm down.
"She's right Taiga, it's best to take this all one step at a time" said Kiritsugu as Taiga was fully relaxed and they continued to enjoy their dinner.
"Though I gotta ask, where is Illya and to that extent our son Shirou" asked Irisviel, "Oh well Shirou had left overseas for a semester in England along with his friend Rin Tohsaka, who no joke I think they might be dating" said Taiga.
"You hear that Kiritsugu, our little boy has a girlfriend now, oh I can't wait we must give them a call right now and see how's he doing" said Irisviel.
"Yeah, in fact it's still probably day light over there so I'll give them a call right now" said Taiga as Kiritsugu sat the in silence as the name Tohsaka had left him with memories of how he indirectly caused one of the greatest magus death, and it was all because of their association with Kotomine.
Granted there was always casualties in the Holy Grail War, especially when there was a truce in order to stop and kill Blue Beard the Caster servant, but still he felt like the death of Tohsaka could have been avoided as he had no animosity against the man and felt like his daughter dating his son is him haunting him in some sick way.
"Hey Shirou, how you're doing… great that's good to hear… anyways I… oh you're actually on you're way back home… what!?" exclaimed Taiga as this snapped Kiritsugu out of his train of thought.
"Oh my god, I wondered what happened to her… and you say she's coming back too… well I'm happy to hear that I get to see Saber again after such a long time and- oh my god are you 2 finally dating" said Taiga as she was still talking on the phone with him.
Hearing the name Saber, couldn't possibly mean that it was the very same Saber that Kiritsugu was the master of during his time in the 4th Holy Grail War now could it.
Like unless Shirou took part in the 5th one, which was a possibility, and given how he had the scabbard Avalon imbedded within him, couldn't mean Shirou was given the exact same Saber servant like he did right, like what were the possibilities.
More so he did not have exactly the best relationship with the King of Knights, more so towards the end when he forced her to destroy the Holy Grail and as she had begged and damned him for forcing her to do something she was so eager for since their first interaction.
So if by some possibility it was indeed the very same Saber, than he had another ghost haunting him upon their return home.
"Ok… well brace yourself cause there's actually a surprise for you waiting when you get back home, you'll see… ok I'll see you tomorrow around noon then kiddo" said Taiga before she finally hung up.
"Well good news Shirou is on his way home, and said he plans to meet Illya back here in the days to come" said Taiga, "Oh my, did you hear that Kiritsugu we finally get to see our son, and more so he plans to bring back Saber is this a great reunion" said Irisviel before seeing the sullen look that Kiritsugu had.
"Emiya San, is something wrong" asked Taiga as he realized that he was deep in thought, "Yeah, it's nothing just… can't wait to see my son" said Kiritsugu forcing on a smile.
"We should prepare a welcome home party for our son" said Irisviel as she held on Kiritsugu's hand playing the happy go lucky housewife in front of Taiga, but knew later on they'll have a talk in regards what's really bothering him.
"Sweet, we should really go out because it'll officially be us suddenly celebrating your guys' return, which I'm still left confused with a lot of questions, but I'm gonna take your advice and just roll with it" said Taiga.
"Agreed, lets hope that tomorrows basher be not only one we remember but a success" said Kiritsugu as they continued to enjoy their peaceful evening since he knows that starting tomorrow he's got unfinished debts to pay, and then some as many figures and people who have long since been dead are alive and well, with one figure in particular choosing to keep a close eye here at the Emiya residence.
"So the mongrel isn't even a mongrel but rather bastard, and the bastards father was the same man who not only had Saber served him, but was the bane to that idiot priests existence" said Gilgamesh as he drank some top shelf wine in a gold cup.
"Interesting" said Gilgamesh as he disappeared into the night and decided to keep an eye and his presence known to all those who died during that 5th Holy Grail War before the nights end.
Alright guys, hope you all enjoyed the first chapter to this new fic I'm making, it actually came to me while watching both Fate/Zero again and the movie Tombstone.
I'll try and get a new chapter up and running so long as I know this fic is getting enough love, so please if you like it be sure to fave and follow, and leave me your thoughts in the review section, that doesn't involve any of my other fic's.
Until then be safe, be good people, and please support your local fandom communities.
This has been your Humble Narrator and official author Tobi Yaza.