A/N:

Oh hey, I'm on time! That never happens! XD

First off, thank you everyone for over 100 Follows! That really means a lot; didn't expect this many people would be interested in my writing, lol.

A few things to talk about before we jump into the story. Hopefully it won't be as long as the last two. (edit: it ended up being just as long. Dammit.)

These two points are kind of important, so I'm going to section it off so that it catches people's eyes more:

XXXXX

Starting now, the story is going to be switching perspectives within the chapter, instead of the whole chapter being one person's perspective. A change in scene will be signified by five X's, as you see above and in earlier chapters, as before, but a change in character perspective will be shown by a "P.O.V.: x character" indicator, as well as a horizontal line.

The story's written in 3rd person limited, meaning that descriptions of things will be from the view of the character, and internal monologue will only belong to them. There's a lot of moving parts in this story, and this just helps me streamline it so that I can focus on one view at a time.

Next, and this is probably the most important part:

This is a Rated-M story. So on top of there being pretty brutal violence, with blood and some gore, as well as references to sexual content (but not explicit, I'm not that kind of writer), there will also be Major Character Deaths.

This might be a given, considering Fate characters die a lot, that's kind of their thing, but I'm going to make it clear that almost no one is safe from death in this story, non-Servants included.

I will put a warning for bloody and suggestive content on the top of chapters that have it for the more faint-hearted, but I will not put a Death warning to keep the surprise fresh. Consider this the one and only warning.

XXXXX

On a lighter note, there seems to be…a number of people that want Shirou X Mikoto. Let me just say…I've been pulled from vehemently not wanting to do it, to being on the fence about it, due to my own personal feelings that yeah, they'd probably make a decent pairing. I'm like 75% sure I still won't do it, though.

The reason why it's so difficult is because Index canon is (mostly) the same up until this point, so Misaka's feelings for Kamijou are still extremely, extremely strong. It would have to take a lot for her to swing her feelings to another person, to be honest.

To be fair, Fate/stay night did take place over two weeks, and Shirou Emiya did um…"accomplish" a lot during that time, but still.

But maybe. Just keep reading and find out what my verdict will be!

Next, there have been some questions about the inner workings of how the lore of these two franchises will work.

I can't really answer much questions without giving away what I have planned, but let's just say and I, as well as a friend of mine (shout out to SkagthePrinceofHell, look him up on this site, he makes some good stories) have been working hard on melding these two worlds together and making it make sense.

Because while on the surface, sticking them in the same universe may look easy, in reality, it's kind of not. They have so many rules and such that inevitably contradict one another. But rest assured: we have figured out a lot of it! I just can't reveal what yet until it's shown: after all, I wanna keep the "mystery" aspect of both of these worlds going.

When they do meld, though, man: they're so thematically similar that some things just write themselves.

I also want to shout out both Aeon of Horus and Tsiah IV on YouTube, who have been my source of Index and Type-Moon lore, respectively, aside from the wikis and source material. Give them a watch!

Lastly: I really, really appreciate all of the theory-crafting and thoughts you guys leave in the reviews, as well as the comments, both positive and constructive. It gives me motivation to keep writing and delivering content, so thank you again!

Oh, and Happy Halloween. Consider this the chapter to celebrate the spooooooky holiday.

Enjoy!

Chapter 2: A Certain Fated Meeting

P.O.V.: A Certain Unlucky Level 0

One day.

Touma Kamijou would like to go one day without being forced into some scientific or magical conflict that may or may not end with him in the hospital. But of course, he's in Academy City, a freakish place with people with freakish powers. There's never a dull moment; and he, with the worst luck of all, would of course find himself in the middle of it all.

Today was no different.

It all started when Tsuchimikado tapped him on the shoulder during class earlier that day, telling him to meet up with him after school.

After dealing with the post-school remedial lessons, Touma did as he was asked, and found himself walking up to the rooftop of the school building.

Pulling open the door, he meets up with the person in question: his partner-in-crime, and member of the idiot trio, Tsuchimikado Motoharu.

Of course, that was just his school identity. Behind closed doors, and during the night, Tsuchimikado was another person entirely.

"Alright Tsuchimikado," Touma started, "What kinda crazy stuff you got for me this time?"

"Woah there Kami-yan," Tsuchimikado fixes his sunglasses as he looks out into the night skyline of Academy City, "I didn't even say anything yet, and you're already wanting to know what's going on?"

"I mean, why else would you call me? Now hurry it up; Index is depending on me to get some groceries later."

"Well, to start off," Tsuchimikado snaps his fingers, and an ethereal blue light appears in front of him, slowly taking the form of something humanoid. "I'll introduce you to my friend here."

Fully formed, Touma gets a good look at the man. The newcomer is easily a head or so taller than him, with warm fur robes that are blue and black in color. His irises are a sharp crimson, contrasting his long, swept-back deep blue hair with a rat tail that stretched down his back. "Caster, meet Kamijou. Kami-yan, meet Caster."

"Yo."

"Hey…" Touma takes a step back, a little bewildered, "Hey uh…how did you just appear out of nowhere, like that? You a teleporter, or something?"

"Nah, nothin' like that, kid." Caster chuckled. Touma also finds the detail that his name is Caster a little confusing- as well as unorthodox. "My Master here will explain it all to ya."

"Master?" Touma raised a brow and turned to Tsuchimikado. His face curled into something akin to to slight disgust, "Tsuchimikado, if this is another weird fetish thing you have going on, then-"

"Nope, nothing like that." The blonde, Hawaiian-shirt wearing teen said confidently, "Though I am his Master. This right here is my Servant."

"Okay, yeah, this is definitely some sort of fetish thing-"

"Listen!" Motoharu's voice showed a tinge of annoyance. Touma backs off, letting him defend- er, explain himself. "…Do you remember the fire from ten years ago?"

Touma pauses as his mind recalls memories he hasn't opened up in a while.

XXXXX

The first time he arrived in Academy City, his parents were driving him to the dormitory of his new primary school. Touma's incessant and continuous bad luck caused his parents to try and enroll him in Academy City, to see if an environment of science could negate the bad karma around him. Who knows- maybe he'd even get an Esper ability.

Due to a flat tire, which Touma attributed to his own bad luck, they hadn't arrived until later that night.

As soon as they finished talking to Academy City's border patrol and were let through…

Boom.

A massive rumble reverberated throughout the whole city, and a dazzling bright golden light shot into the air, around the center of the city.

The young Kamijou watched in awe at the amazing lightshow- maybe it was some sort of demonstration of some kind?

It was not.

Minutes later, his parents were stopped by Anti-Skill, telling them to stay away from District 7 and to evacuate to the edges of the City.

Touma would later learn that there was some sort of deadly experiment that released a flammable liquid that flooded most of the north end of District 7. Thousands were killed, many more were injured.

All on his first day of arriving.

XXXXX

Touma stares at his right hand, inwardly cursing it. Despite knowing in reality that he was never the cause of the fires, the fact that he, a perpetual jinx, arrived in the city the moment a disaster like that happened…

"…Yeah. I do." Kamijou sighs, responding to Tsuchimikado after several seconds of silence, "Like it was yesterday. The worst freak accident in Academy City's history."

"It wasn't just an accident." Tsuchimikado replies, crossing his arms, "And it wasn't made by Academy City, either."

At this point, Touma had an idea of where Tsuchimikado was going with this. Touma usually finds himself in one of two conflicts: sometimes it's a result of science experiments gone out of control, as is the case when he helped stop Accelerator during the Level 6 Shift project.

But others, like when an Angel had fallen and warped reality, or when mages had illegally infiltrated and attacked Academy City…those had to do with the world of Magecraft.

"So it was caused by Mages of some kind, then?" Touma jumps to a conclusion, but his assumption seems to be correct as the Hawaiian-shirt teen nods bleakly.

"It's a ritual performed every sixty years, called the Holy Grail War. Though for some reason, this one is happening five decades ahead of schedule. I did some digging into the Mages taking part in this War, and some of them aren't to be trusted. I'll need that Right Hand of yours to help out."

Touma closes his eyes, bracing himself as he gets an eery, dreadful feeling inside of his stomach again. He was about to be thrown into another conflict- but if it meant that he'd protect people, he wouldn't hesitate. "Fine, I'll bite. But…what does this have to do with him?" The spiky-haired teen points to Caster, who was still silently standing there, letting the two of them talk.

"Oh, right." Tsuchimikado blinks, placing his hand on Caster's shoulder, "This guy right here isn't a mage like I was talking about earlier. He's, like I said, a Servant. A hero from the past, I should say."

"Hero from the past?"

"I'll explain more back at your place. You need to get groceries, don't you?"

"Well how awfully considerate of you." Touma shoots back sarcastically, hefting his bag and walking off. "Yeah, I'll see you back at my place."

XXXXX

He manages to exit the grocery store with only minutes to spare before its closing. Relieved, and with the proper items needed to make several servings of ramen, Touma paces his way back to his dormitory.

The thoughts of what Tsuchimikado told him on the rooftop bite at the back of his head. 'So that fire from ten years ago wasn't caused by science…but by some sort of magic.

Ugh, as if that horrible event couldn't get any worse…'

From what Tsuchimikado told him, it was a magic-side conflict that's happening far ahead of schedule, which involves a number of Masters and Servants, of which Tsuchimikado is one of them.

He still needed some questions answered- though, he figured that by withholding information, Tsuchimikado would make Touma that much more curious and wanting to know more, which would in turn guarantee his help.

Of course, he'd help regardless. 'If this apparent War ends up like it did ten years ago…'

He stares at his right hand, which was free of groceries. '…Then yeah, I'm going to stop it.'

Just then, he hears a tumbling of clothes to his right, right at an intersection. He catches the sight of a red and black figure as they both tumble to the ground; both of them feminine in shape.

Without thinking, he drops his groceries and sprints toward them as fast as he can.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

He slams his fist directly into the top woman's cheekbone, sending her reeling into the streets. She was a thin, dark-skinned lady- wearing some sort of strange white, skull-shaped mask. She yelps out in pain, letting go of her short blade and coughing up blood.

Touma's eyes widen as he spots the area where he punched- it's disintegrating, leaving nothing but a black void where he had made contact.

"Gandr!"

He turns his attention down toward the second girl- this one appearing much more human than the other. Her arm glows crimson for a second, before releasing a dark red blast of magical energy that crashes into the person Touma had just punched.

The dark lady screams once again, her body flaking away even faster.

Eventually, her body gives out, and she turns into nothing.

Just judging by the way she died, Touma concludes that what they had just killed wasn't human. But…

"What the hell was that…?"

A light groan from below him reminds him of the girl, and he reaches down to help her up. She has stunning azure-colored eyes; Touma could feel the warmth behind her gaze. Along with dark brown hair with some loosely tied into twintails, she wears a red turtleneck, with a white symbol in the middle of the chest area shaped like a cross. She also had on a short black skirt and thigh highs- revealing only a few inches of skin in-between.

If Tsuchimikado or Aogami were here, they'd be gawking at her all day and night. Hell, even Touma caught himself staring for a half second as the girl grabs his hand and pulls herself up.

"Hey, are you okay?"

XXXXX

And now here he was. After almost being killed by the girl he had just saved, Touma now is being requested- more like threatened- to be an escort to Tsuchimikado so the two of them could meet.

'Ah…just my damn luck.'

"Hey, so…" the red-wearing girl taps him on the shoulder as they approach his apartment building. The elevator up to the third floor was broken- again, just his luck- so they were forced to take the stairs. "What's with your right hand, anyway? I've never seen some power that can just erase Servants like that."

Touma sighs, "It's a long story…but how about you? I just realized you never gave me your name."

"Oh, right. Sorry." She laughs sheepishly, to which Touma gives a nonverbal look of 'you're awfully calm for someone who just ordered their Servant to kill me.'

He was extremely lucky that Tsuchimikado had told him at least a little of what Servants were, and that said Servant had vanished and reappeared in front of his eyes. It was this that made him realize who this Archer fellow was- and was probably the reason why they didn't decide to just kill him.

"It's Rin Tohsaka." She says curtly, "Sorry again for trying to kill you back there. We have a policy of no witnesses, you see."

"Right…" Touma huffs, but decides from this point on to pay it no mind. Mages have tried to kill him in the past before, so all things considered, it ironically wasn't a big deal to him. "It's water under the bridge. Right now, let's just get you guys settled in…"

As they make it up the last stairway, Touma gulps in realization that he forgot to clean the apartment that morning.

'I really hope Index didn't make the mess worse.'

Tsuchimikado and Caster should be in there with her too, at this point, so he was really hoping the place didn't look like a hurricane had just made its way through his living space. Fumbling with his keys for a moment, he turns the lock and pushes open the door.

"TOUMA!'

A high-pitched feminine voice exclaims from his apartment. A girl in white, barely reaching up to his shoulders, rushes up to him with a happy, yet hungry, expression in her eyes. "You're back! Did you get food?"

"Yes, Index, yes I did…" Touma sighs as he takes off his shoes. "I also brought some friends, so play nice with them, okay?"

Index leans to look past Touma, and makes eye contact with the twin tailed girl still at the doorway. "…You!"

Rin perks up, and points to herself in slight confusion. "Me?"

"Yes, you! I know who you are! You're Rin Tohsaka, right?"

Touma was in the middle of packing away his groceries when he overhears their exchange. "Wait…you know her, Index?!"

"Of course!" Index puffs out her chest and places her arms on her hips confidently, "Don't you remember my perfect memory? Plus, who wouldn't know the Tohsaka Family? They're a centuries-old mage family from the Clock Tower, dating back to the 1800s! And that girl right there is their current head!"

Rin's face was already starting to blush over at Index's appraisal of her family. Sheepishly, she welcomed herself in, Archer quietly walking behind her. "Y-Yes, I am the current head of the Tohsaka…but I'm not that big of a deal, am I?"

Index tilts her head, "Aren't you a practitioner of the Five Elements, too?"

"Okay, how do you know about that?"

"Index," Touma asserts to his freeloade- roommate as he starts prepping for dinner, "stop harassing the girl and just let her settle in, please. And get her a glass of water, will ya?"

Instead, the young nun did anything but that.

"…As for you, Touma-!"

'Oh boy.' The Level 0 put down his knife as he prepared for the worst. 'What did I even do, this time?'

"Not only did that Hawaiian shirt guy and his friend come here before you-"

'Oh, so Tsuchimikado and Caster are here, after all.' Touma thought.

"…But when you come along thirty minutes later than you told me you would, you come with a girl?!"

Touma can feel it. The same pressure that emanates from Index whenever she's annoyed to the breaking point.

He looks at Rin for help, but the Tohsaka girl simply shrugs and looks away, as if to say 'This seems like it's your problem.'

At this point, he accepts his fate.

"NOM!"

"Ow…! DAMN MY LUCK!"

XXXXX

Kamijou, now with a new mouth-shaped bruise on his arm to commemorate Index's strange habit toward only him specifically, sets down four bowls of ramen: one for himself, Index, Rin and Tsuchimikado, who Index told him was still out in the balcony, and that he'd let himself in when he's ready.

He tried asking Archer if he wanted a bowl for himself, but he shrugged him off. Apparently, Servants didn't need to eat.

Sitting down around his kotatsu, Touma and the others gave thanks for the meal and began eating.

"Woah…" Rin slurps up a noodle, and her face flushes from how freshly warm it still is. "This is pretty good, Kamijou."

"Like it? Thanks." Touma smiled, "Not often we have guests over…well, actually," He ponders for a second, realizing that was a bold-faced lie, "we get guests a lot, but I don't usually cook for them."

Just then, the sliding door to the balcony opens, and Tsuchimikado walks through, "Sorry for the wait, guys," he says apologetically, before laying his eyes on the new girl Touma's with.

"…So Kamijou," He starts, "You've bagged a girl today-?"

"Wait that's not-!" Touma puts down his chopsticks in silent frustration as he feels a vehement rage build up again to his right.

"Touma…!" He could have sworn Index's hair was starting to float out of pure anger. "Tell me the truth!"

"Index, for the love of everything, just trust me and- OW! At least bite in a different spot, my arm is still sore from earlier- OW! AGH!"

As the two roommates have their quarrel, Rin and Archer give each other a look. Less of confusion…and more of concern.

For Touma, specifically.

"Hey um…" Rin scratches her chin and laughs to try and break the tension. Index lets go of Touma as they both turn their attention to her.

Rin lets Tsuchimikado sit down, and then extends her hand in greeting. He follows suit. "I'm Rin Tohsaka. A fellow mage. You're the Master that Kamijou there was talking about, right?"

The blonde teen lifts up his left hand- showing a set of red tattoos. Kamijou looks closer, and realizes Rin has the same; only her's was thinner and more crescent-shaped. "That I am. Technically we're supposed to be enemies in this war, but I'm assuming you've come for some sorta truce?"

"…Yeah." Rin nods. "It's not my style, but there's something that bugs me about this War. Where is your Servant, anyway?"

As if on command, those signature blue glitters form together near the balcony door, and a robed, blue-haired man appears from nothing. "Yo, little lady. Caster, at your service."

He winks at the Tohsaka girl, who only laughs neutrally in response. Looking up, his eyebrows then furrow as he makes eye contact with her own Servant.

Touma looks in between Archer and Caster, both of them scowling at one another. 'Why are they looking at each other like that?

Haven't they not met before until right now?'

"Huh. Well I can't put my nose on it, but…" Caster crosses his arms, making his way over to Rin's Servant. "Somethin's telling me you look a tad untrustworthy, Archer."

"Funny." Archer comments, his head tilting, "I would have taken you as more of a spear-user, Caster."

"Heh." Caster scoffs, "Right you are. I'd much prefer using a spear right about now…or hell, even some swords. But oh well, you're dealt with what ya got, right?"

Index crawls over to Rin, whispering, "Do your and Hawaiian Shirt's Servants know each other?"

Rin shrugs, but still looks bewildered by how they're talking to each other nonetheless, "First time I'm hearing about it. Maybe they're from the same time period…?"

"Ahem!" Touma decides to steer the group's conversation into a more productive direction- also, he couldn't take the tension growing in the room, anymore. "Okay…I still don't quite know what's going on, guys. Can someone please fill me in on what a Holy Grail War is, and what they're," he points to Archer and Caster, "supposed to play a role in?"

"Wait, Touma," Index turns to her roommate, "I can tell you about it. How much do you need to know?"

"I'm still pretty clueless about everything, to be honest."

Rin sighs, setting down her ramen bowl and stretches her arms. "Alright then, Kamijou-kun. We'll start from the basics."

P.O.V.: A Certain Scientific Railgun

"It's…you."

Mikoto drops the coin on the ground as soon as she makes eye contact with that boy.

His hair was the same as it was ten years ago, and his amber eyes were still just as mesmerizing to look at.

Of course, looking back, she knew exactly the reason why she ran up to the boy in the first place. Little Mikoto had a crush.

At this point the feelings are gone, but those past emotions still stop her in her tracks as the two stare at each other.

She met him on the day she changed the whole course of Academy City's history. The doctor that took her to the hospital that day convinced her to give her DNA map, which of course led to the creation of the Sisters.

And ultimately, the whole morally corrupt Level 6 Shift project.

It's probably why, despite it being a far-off memory, she remembers him so vividly. She associates him as a light in one of the darkest revelations in her life.

"Wait, Saber," the redheaded boy turns to his companion- a strangely dressed blonde girl in medieval armor, "we don't have to fight them. Let's just talk this out, okay? I'm confused…really confused."

Saber grimaces, especially toward the woman that Mikoto's standing right next to. A realization dawns on her, 'Are they the same type of…?'

"Assassin," Misaka nods to the one that calls herself a Servant. "It's okay."

Closing her eyes, the glowing blue irises revert back to a normal onyx brown as Assassin sheathes her knife.

"Okay." Misaka claps her hands together to get everyone's attention. "I don't quite know what's going on either. This woman next to me keeps calling herself a Servant and a friend of mine her Master. Is that what's going on with you two, too?"

The boy looks at the girl, whose name is Saber, for confirmation, then nods. "Yeah."

"Hm. Weird." The Level 5 picks up her coin and pockets it for later, "Okay, I'm willing to talk, just as long as your uh…Servant…stops attacking us."

"You heard her, Saber." The boy nods at her Servant. Relenting, the blonde knight lets go of something in her hand that Mikoto can't see, and rests her arms at her sides. "But um…" The boy gestures to the weight he's carrying in his arms: a little girl, who was miraculously quiet this whole time. "Can we get her somewhere safe, first?"

Misaka nods, "Sure, I have someone for that. Kuroko!"

"Onee-sama, you're a bit too trustful, you know that?" A new voice appears from above as a pigtailed girl slightly below Misaka's age appears from nothing and walks over to the girl. The redheaded teen spots her Judgment armband, and relents.

He lets go of the kid, letting her run over to Kuroko. "There there, I'll take you someplace safe…Onee-sama, I'm heading to a Judgment Office. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

"Hmph." Misaka huffs, "I have no idea what you're talking about. My head's perfectly level all the time."

"…Are you sure about that? You sure that's a fact, Onee-sama-?"

"Just go, Kuroko."

The pigtailed girl does as she's asked and vanishes from the street corner. Rounding the corner comes another girl- this one wearing a traditional sailor uniform and with long, jet black hair.

Ruiko Saten, a Level 0. On the back of her left hand is a set of strange red tattoos; the same ones that Misaka can see is on the boy's hand, as well. 'That confirms it. He's also a Master…whatever that is.'

"Okay, what did I miss?" Saten looks between the four of them, and senses the tension start to drop. "…Um, I guess we're all friends now?"

"Almost." Misaka says, stepping forward- to the boy, specifically. "Hey…you."

"…Yeah?" The redheaded teen says.

Tilting her head, the girl leans a little closer. Surprisingly, she's only a handful of centimeters shorter than he was- by her estimation, she was somewhere in-between him and his Servant in height. "Remember my name?"

The boy hesitates, scratching his chin to come up with a response. "Um…Mikasa?"

"It's Misaka." The Level 5 sighs, disappointed, "And didn't I tell you you could use Mikoto? As far as I'm concerned, I still haven't dropped that rule. Also, I don't mean to toot my own horn, but…"

She tilts her head, "How have you not heard about or remembered me?"

"Uh…" the redhead scratches his chin, "…to be honest, I kind of forgot your name. All I remember is your hair."

Misaka blinks in disbelief. "Wow. Thanks." The boy almost bows in forgiveness, but Mikoto stops him before he can even start. "No no, it's fine. I was kidding."

The boy stands upright again and rubs that back of his head sheepishly, "…Alright then. Hi, it's been a while…Mikoto?" He seems clearly uncomfortable, using her given name like that.

The chestnut-haired girl smiles. "That's right. Come on, loosen up a little bit. Everything's alright now, right? From what I remember, you were pretty uptight when I met you…funny to see how that hasn't changed much."

From behind, she can hear a certain young girl snicker. "Well Misaka, if you wanna talk about someone being uptight about their feelings-"

A shock of electricity in that general direction caused Saten to quiet down. Memories of the dance after the Daihasei Festival were still fresh in her mind…and she still hasn't forgiven Saten for that yet.

Misaka steps away, still curious about the boy, "Hey um, I don't think you even gave me your name back then. In fact-"

She remembered running back to the same room the next day, only to find him not present. "You ditched me after I said I'd see you again! What gives, huh?"

Of course, her anger is ultimately only superficial teasing. "I had already been adopted and taken in by then, sorry…" the boy laughs lightly, "…But it's Shirou Emiya."

'Adopted, huh?' Misaka thought of what he had to go through after the fires…assuming he was with his parents at the time… '…I won't pry any further, but…that's rough.'

"Shirou Emiya. I like the sound of that." Mikoto nods, satisfied with his answer. "Well, since you're calling me by my first name, I guess I'll do the same. Shirou…Shirou…" She repeats the name, liking the way it rolls off her tongue.

"A-Alright…" Shirou laughs.

"Apologies for interrupting, Master, but…" The golden-haired Servant steps in between Shirou and Misaka, giving her a side-eye. "We shouldn't be standing in the middle of the streets for too long."

"Your Servant's right." After being silent for the longest time, Assassin interjects with a smooth, low-pitched feminine voice, "If you two really are deciding on forming a truce, we should head somewhere safe for the night. Nothing good comes out of city streets during night hours."

Misaka ponders on where to go. Certainly not the Tokiwadai dorms- a boy in there would be suicide. She turns to Saten and asks, "Your dorm accept boys?"

Saten shakes her head. "Nnnnnope. Girl's only. Pretty sure I'd die if I tried to pull something like that."

"Well, I guess we have to settle for a hotel room of some kind…" Misaka sighs, "I'll have to deal with the housemaster later…"

"If I may interject," Saber speaks up, "But recalling your conversations…you all are ignorant about the Holy Grail War, correct?"

Misaka and Shirou look at each other, then at Saber and nod astutely, "Well…I know a place that can explain it for you…even if I myself am not fond of that place. Follow me, Shirou."

XXXXX

Underground Mall, District 7.

The unlikely group of teenagers enter the Underground Mall, a little way's north of where they were in Academy City. The Mall had already closed a couple hours ago, but it was easy for Misaka to hack into the security and let them pass without setting off alarms.

By this time, Kuroko had already caught up with the rest of them, and accelerated their journey by teleporting them all to the Underground Mall two and a time.

Shirou and Saber are walking ahead of them, since Saber's taking the lead and apparently knows where to go. Misaka stares at the back of Shirou's head, her mind continuing to go back to what they had talked about ten years ago, that day.

'…Wonder if he still has that Gekota toy I gave him.'

"Onee-sama."

Kuroko's stern voice cut her out of her stupor. "You never told me you were friends with…him."

For some reason, Misaka felt a tinge of disgust and fear in Kuroko's speech when she said him, "Well…we're not really friends. I just know him from a whiiiille back. Before I met any of you."

"Ack-! Onee-sama, do you know how betrayed I must feel right now?!"

"…You mean you feel betrayed just because I've known someone for longer? What, are you going to feel even more sad that I knew my Mom before you?"

"Th-that's different!" Kuroko shoots back. "Your mom is a nice lady! And she's your family! And she's…not a guy!"

"Wow, sexist much?"

"Onee-sama!"

Misaka sighs, and lets Shirai go off on one of her loud tangents as she looks over her shoulder to Saten, who is talking with her own Servant.

They are speaking quietly to each other, with Saten giving a gentle laugh at a comment that Assassin made. It was silent enough in the Mall anyway that Misaka would probably be able to hear them…if it weren't for the incessant yelling of the young girl right next to her ear.

"I'm just saying, he gives a lot of the same vibes as the guy you always hang out with."

Misaka pauses. "What guy? And what do you mean by vibes?"

"You know, that troglodyte? The one with the spiky hair that looks like he knows nothing and everything at the same time!"

"Oh, him?" The thought of the aforementioned Troglodyte almost causes Misaka to shudder from that dance they shared at the Daihasei Festival, but she shakes her head and changes the subject. "Look Kuroko, I don't think it's very nice to call someone a troglodyte."

"But it's true!" Kuroko protests wholeheartedly. "From the way he dresses, to the way he acts, to-"

A voice up ahead cuts off the Teleport Esper's tirade. "We're here."

Saber and Shirou stop by a brick wall in-between two closed shopping centers. Misaka and Kuroko look at each other, then to Saber in confusion. "Where…exactly is here?" Misaka asks.

The golden knight turns to face the wall, and reaches out to the bricks. Her hand approaches…

…then passes through as if the wall isn't even there. "There we go." Saber nods. "So it's still here after all…which probably means he's there." She turns to Shirou. "The four of you go on ahead. Assassin and I will guard the entrance."

"You're not coming with us?" Saten asks.

Assassin shakes her head. "What you're about to enter is neutral war grounds. Servants are discouraged from entering, since it breaks the rules. Just go; you'll be told what you need to know there."

Shirou's hesitant at first, but Saber nods, as if encouraging him, and he walks through the wall completely, disappearing on the other side.

Misaka looks at Kuroko and Saten and shrugs. It's apparently safe. "Well, here goes."

She walks through, and has to catch herself as the bright lights from the mall quickly shift to a dark hallway- one that's leading downwards with cobblestone stairs. Above her head is a descending line of torches.

Shirou is walking ahead of her, so she calms herself and catches up to her. She hears the muttering of Kuroko and Saten behind her as the four of them descend.

At the bottom of the narrow stairwell, there seems to be a brighter room that opens up. Upon entering, Misaka's eyes widened.

'I…was not expecting to walk into this.'

A large, underground chamber, the walls made of wood and stone brick, decorated with stain-glass paintings of religious figures that Mikoto didn't recognize. The stone ground and the walls were cold to the touch, juxtaposed to the warm torchlights that lit up the room every three or four meters or so.

On either side of her were a half-dozen long pews, each made for sitting, standing and kneeling. Down the middle of the pews was a long pathway leading to small steps, where an altar table, a decorated wooden chair and a podium remain.

A man is standing at the altar, facing away from them, his hand up near his face as if reading from a book. He had on a long trench coat and a red sash wrapped around his neck, as well as brown formal shoes. His hair was long; slightly longer than Mikoto's, and dark brown in color.

Misaka's eyes study the room astutely. As much as she didn't want to believe it, it was true; and the massive wooden cross standing at the end of the room confirmed her suspicions.

They were in a Church…or a chapel of some kind, within Academy City.

In a City where religion is denied in place of science, a religious altar stands secret, hiding in plain sight.

"Welcome, children, to Aida Church." The man closes the book and turns around. A warm grin settles across his face.

No, warm was the wrong term. It was simply a grin.

Misaka doesn't return the favor.

"I am the Overseer of the Fifth Holy Grail War, Kotomine Kirei." He walks forward; every step he takes echoes throughout the underground Church. "I'm assuming you all are here for…enlightenment?"

"…You could say that." Shirou steps forward, placing himself directly between Misaka and the girls, who choose to be quiet for now.

Tilting his head, the Priest studies them, his eyes scanning over each and every one of them. "I take it that some among you are Masters? May I get your names?"

Saten hesitates, so Shirou speaks up first. "Shirou Emiya."

"Emiya?" Kirei's eyes blink, and he laughs quietly to himself. "I see. And you are the Master of?"

"Saber."

"Interesting…" Kirei turns into a pew, and eyes up the girls behind the redhead. "And what of you three? What is your business being in this pious place?"

The tension seems to have been too much for Saten to bear, so she speaks up in order to get the pressure off of her. "M-M-My name is Saten! I'm a Master too, of…Assassin!'

"Assassin…" Kirei closes his eyes. "I see. The Grail has picked some rather…interesting folk as Masters, this time around."

He makes his way back toward the altar, letting the open, echo-y environment of the Church carry his voice. "Judging by all of your faces…the concept of The Holy Grail War is novel to you all, yes?"

"Y-Yeah." Shirou nods. "This stuff about being a Master…it doesn't make sense to me."

Kirei stops back where he started, and stares down the redhead. "Really? Then may I say something that will make sense to you, Emiya-shounen?"

"…Sure."

The Priest smiles. "Do you remember the fire of ten years ago?"

Despite already being still, Mikoto sees Shirou stiffen up like a petrified tree.

"Ah, so you do." Kirei makes his way toward the young group of teenagers once again. "The fire that killed thousands within Academy City…the one touted as a freak science experiment gone wrong…no, it was all a cover-up."

Shirou's hands ball into fists.

Mikoto remembers the news that day; a helicopter-view of a massive fire, caused by flooding of a black liquid that set Academy City ablaze.

When she got older, and started studying chemistry, Misaka would always try and figure out just what combination of chemicals would create such a horrible reaction, but…

"…It was caused by what you four are a part of now, whether you like it or not. The Holy Grail War…as its namesake implies, it is a battle for an omnipotent wish-granting device that can bring about miracles."

Misaka looks up in genuine surprise. 'Wish-granting…?'

No, that was only something that existed in TV shows or movies…right?

"Whatever wish you have for yourself…the Grail may grant it." Kirei smirks, "Since you, Shirou-shounen and Saten-shoujo, are Masters, then that means you two have a wish for the Grail to grant you."

"However," Kirei's voice lowers. "It is a battle, after all. The Servants you have summoned…Saber and Assassin, are heroes from the past. Their purpose is to fight each other, and five other Servants, until one remains alive."

The girls and Shirou all look at each other.

"Wait," Saten starts, "My Servant and his Servant…they have to kill each other?"

The Priest nods. "It is a ritual to select the one worthy to hold the Grail. Those with the red tattoos that show ownership of your Servant…that means you are a Master."

Both Shirou and Saten look at the back of their hands. "You are each given three commands to control your Servant. Use them wisely…as you must defeat the other Masters to gain the Grail. When there are only a handful of Masters left…the Grail will reveal itself, and the winner will be able to hold it and fulfill all their desires."

"Wait." Shirou interrupts, his breath and voice shaky. Kirei looks back to him with curiosity in his eyes. "…None of that explains the fire from ten years ago."

The Priest closes his eyes and smiles, as if remembering something, then turns to walk down another pew. "Ah, yes. You see, ten years ago…I was not the Overseer of the War, but rather a participant myself. And during that time, when I was about to get my hands on the Grail and achieve victory, a certain man denied me of my desires."

He asks, "Your name is Shirou Emiya, correct?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Do you know of a man named Kiritsugu Emiya?"

Misaka could see the boy's anger even with his back turned. Despite wanting to say something, she felt that this was an issue that Shirou had to handle himself. 'I don't want to get in his way.'

The three of them remained quiet as Shirou stepped forward. "What does my dad have to do with all of this?!"

"Surely you must know that your father is a Magus, correct?"

Shirou stood, petrified again. His face curls as if a realization starts to dawn on him.

"He was a Master, just like you are now…and he denied me of my victory by destroying the Grail in its entirety. And by spilling open its guts, well…you may be able to put the pieces together, now."

Misaka could sense Shirou was about to fall over, and she runs over and catches him as he loses feelings in his legs. "Hey, take it easy."

Shirou's face is beaded with sweat, with a dreadful expression across his face. A mixture of anger and sadness washed over behind his eyes. "All of that…was because of…"

"Shirou Emiya." Kirei stated, stepping forward but keeping his distance, "If you wish to prevent a tragedy like that from occurring once more, then-"

"I'll fight!" Shirou looks up at the Priest with an intense glare. "I'll fight in this war and win with Saber. If it means that I can stop history from repeating itself, then I'll fight."

"Hmph. So be it, then." Kirei turns his attention over to Saten, and asks the same question. "Are you willing to fight as well, young lady?"

Saten is staring down at the ground, with a similar but less-intense expression as Shirou. "…One of my childhood friends was permanently disfigured from that fire…if I can help to stop it, then I will!"

"I see." Kirei closes his eyes, and walks back to the altar. "If that is your conviction, children, then I have no further information for you. You are free to leave."

Misaka helps Shirou up to his feet as they both glare down at the Priest. "Thanks for having us."

P.O.V.: A Certain Overseer

As the four of them exit up the stairs, the Overseer of the Fifth Holy Grail War stares at their backs one final time.

"Now…I wonder what will become of your fate, Shirou Emiya?"

He turns back around and prepares to open up the booklet he was reading off of before those kids decided to walk in— until a loud ringing noise causes him to, slightly annoyingly, shut the book and walk over to the phone.

With a neutral tone, he answers the dial, "Yes?"

A female voice comes out the other end, just as emotionless as his tone is, "Kotomine Kirei, correct?"

"This is he." The Priest responds, "Are you attempting to register for the Holy Grail War? I believe all spots have been taken up."

"Holy Grail War?" The voice speaks on the other end with a margin of confusion, "No, nothing of the sort. I'm an agent from the West, just stationed here in Academy City. As far as hierarchy is concerned, I'm pretty sure I outrank you."

Kirei blinks, genuinely surprised. His authority has been maintained over the Hidden Churches of Academy City for ten years; there has never been an event where the Holy Church has sent a higher-ranking official. "I see. If I may ask: if you are not here to accompany me in overseeing the Holy Grail War, then what are you here for?"

"Well…ignoring the fact that I'm ignorant of this Grail War that you speak of…I'm essentially an ambassador for the branch Churches in this region. Something's happening in the Vatican that I would like to warn Academy City of. Since you're its overseer, at least for the Churches, I'm letting you know I'll be in the area."

Kotomine chuckles, "Well, I suppose I should thank you for the heads-up. But I don't believe you've introduced yourself, yet. This is a secure line, so I assume you must have some important name."

"…If we meet in person, I'll tell you my name. But for now, call me 'Bow'. Of the Burial Agency."

The phone hangs up.

'…The Burial Agency?' Kirei sighs, putting down the telephone and walking back to the Altar quietly. '…The tensions in the Vatican must be building, then.

Perhaps the Holy Grail War may not be the only issue I have to worry about.'

P.O.V.: A Certain Scientific Railgun

They made it back to the Underground Mall without a hitch. All four of them were shaken up in some way- Kuroko, apparently, was so creeped out about the place that she didn't find it right to even speak.

"…I don't trust that man." Kuroko mutters. "He said he was the Overseer, so I guess he has some neutrality to him, but still…"

"More importantly…" Misaka says, "Holy Grail War…that sounds crazy, but…"

She looks at Saber and Assassin, who were as real as her Electromaster abilities were real. And heck- even Assassin's ability to vanish out of thin air was real.

'There's something about this that doesn't add up. None of this can be explained by Science…what's going on?'

Even after the Priest explained the War to them, she was left with even more questions. Why is there a Church in the middle of a secular city-state? What even is the Holy Grail, apart from the brief description he gave them?

'…That guy.'

She recalls the boy with the spiky-hair, whose Right Hand was able to take away her powers…and even defeat someone as powerful as Accelerator…and…

'…The Dragons…'

She remembers seeing his arm as it was blasted away when she was stuck inside her own body, how multiple creatures that she thought was mere fantasy poured out of his shoulder and consumed the energy that was keeping her hostage.

'…if there's anyone that might know what's going on, it's him.'

She breaks out of her train of thought and opens her mouth to speak of her next plan, but a silver gauntlet blocks her path and prevents her from walking any further.

Mikoto was so stuck in her own head that she hadn't even registered what was ahead of them. But now that she did…

"…What is that…?!"

A little girl, not much older than the girl that Shirou was carrying earlier, stands in the street just outside of the Underground Mall. With white hair and red eyes, she also had on a formal purple top and white skirt, as well as a scarf around her neck to stave away the cool autumn air of Academy City. She gave them all a confident, silent grin, and curtsied with her skirt.

Just behind her, however…

'That man…can't be human…!'

A black behemoth stands behind the white-haired girl, towering over her nearly three times over. His forearm is likely the same size as Mikoto's whole body, with ten times the muscles. Long, matted and wild hair springs from its head, and gauntlets and broken chains wrap around their feet and arms. Its breath is slow, but each one it takes releases a massive cloud around its face like steam from a train engine.

"Good evening, Onii-chan." The little girl says, assumedly to Shirou, who looks like he was seeing a ghost.

"Shirou, you know her?" Misaka asks.

"Back away." Assassin says, stepping forward along with Saber. "Master, I suggest you escape with your teleporter friend. This could get ugly."

"R-Right." Saten grabs Kuroko's hand, and the two of them quickly vanish into thin air, away from harm.

The red-eyed girl blinks. "Well, isn't that a convenient ability?" She smirks, "No matter, though. My Berserker can chase you all down, all the same."

She curtsies once more, "My name is Illyasviel von Einzbern. I will be your first, and last opponent in this Grail War."

"Saber…" Shirou touches his Servant's shoulder. "…Are you really going to fight that thing?"

The Servant opens her palms as a gentle breeze suddenly picks up, localizing around Saber. "I will do what I must to protect you, Shirou. If you find an opening, I suggest running as fast as you can."

"Assassin," Misaka turns to Saten's Servant, "I can fight too. I'm a Level 5, you know."

The Servant hesitates for a second as she flourishes her knife, her eyes beginning to glow a mysterious azure. "…Fine by me, but keep your distance. Even if your ability is powerful, your body is still human."

The four of them ready themselves.

The white-haired child of Einzbern smirks, dancing in place and speaking almost in a sing-song tone. "Done talking? All right.

I'll kill you all, now. Go and get them, Berserker."

Hope you enjoyed!

I'm happy to report that Act I is nearly complete, just wrapping up the final chapter of Act I as of writing these author's notes.

As for overall story completion…probably between 25-30%? It's tough to say, considering what I have planned.

One thing I want to reiterate from the prologue Author's Notes: yes, as you can see with the visiting to Kirei and Illya showing up, this is following what happens in FSN kinda closely.

This is a Heaven's Feel-esq story, so some things will stay the same, and some won't, due to Index's influence, mostly. I won't say how much it'll change since that's kind of a spoiler, but I won't be following everything, one-for-one. That's just plagiarism. lol

One more thing I'd like to say is: Yes, I am aware that Kirei is his given name, and Kotomine is the family name. Technically since I'm going by given names first, he should be Kirei Kotomine, but I like the flow of Kotomine Kirei better.

That's…pretty much the only reason, lmao. I'll likely switch back and forth, but I'll try my best to make it clear Kirei is his given name.

I'll see you in the next one.

Next Chapter Release: "A Certain Conviction" (November 6th)