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

Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi

Chapter 12: L'Imperatrice (Part III)

High-pitched screeching filled Sakura's workshop, drowning out all other sounds. It came from where the magus was standing, next to a circular whetstone spinning at high speed. To be more specific, the screeching came from where Sakura has holding a curved blade against the whetstone, sparks flying as it ground against and sharpened the edge.

Naturally, Sakura was heavily-bundled up in protective gear, ranging from a leather apron and gloves, to a full-on welding helmet among other precautions. Even then, though, she stayed alert, not that she paused working even when Elisa knocked on her workshop door.

"Come in." Sakura sent the thought pulsing out, Elisa entering soon after. The older woman stayed silent, though, keeping her distance and waiting for Sakura to finish – for now – before starting with what she came to do.

In other words, it probably wasn't important. So Sakura took her time, but not too much, if only to avoid inconveniencing Elisa. Once she could pull the blade away from the whetstone without ruining the rhythmic pattern of properly sharpening the former, Sakura immediately turned to Elisa.

"What is it?" Sakura asked, pushing off her welding helmet before doing the same for her safety goggles.

"Aoi Tohsaka is here." Elisa said without preamble.

"Ich busy," Sakura scoffed in German. "In der Keller."

Elisa smiled indulgently at Sakura's usual habit of responding to inconvenient – but not particularly pressing – surprises with semi-nonsensical remarks in German. She continued to indulge as Sakura returned to work, sparks flying as metal and stone screeched as they ground against each other, and then as she finished this round of sharpening, turned back to Elisa.

"If she insists," Sakura said. "Show her to a sitting room and give her tea and biscuits."

Elisa raised an eyebrow. "If you extend hospitality to her, you'll have to meet her afterward." She reminded Sakura.

"Not if she leaves first." Sakura countered, and Elisa smirked.

"True…I'll have it done." Elisa said before tilting her head. "Though, I'm rather curious: just what are you doing? I mean, aside from the obvious, of course."

"Makiri Zolgen might still be alive." Sakura replied with a shrug. "So I need to prepare what I can in advance. But while there's enough silver to make a few hundred rounds of shot with, I'd rather reserve those for use against the vampire itself."

Elisa blinked as realization sank in. "You think the vampire will return with minions in tow?" she asked.

Sakura shrugged again. "You've seen and read about what it is." She said. "Makiri Zolgen is essentially just a swarm of hundreds if not thousands or even tens of thousands of bloodsucking and flesh-eating worms with a single identity, will, and purpose. And from what the collected data says, it has the ability to parasitize Humans and possibly other animals for its use as living puppets."

Elisa nodded in understanding. "I see your point." She said. "Given what Makiri Zolgen is, you will need all the enchanted silver you have against it, especially given how difficult it is to make more of the stuff."

"Precisely," Sakura said with a nod of her own. "So I'll need to come up with alternative weapons and mystic codes for use against its puppets. And who knows? Maybe in the process of building up an arsenal, I might be able to come up with something…a eureka of a weapon that could finish the vampire off once and for all."

Sakura paused, and then smiled. "It might even be useful against other vampires, too." She said. "Even if my designs are specifically meant for use against Makiri Zolgen, they're still patentable at the Clock Tower. Even without factoring in the royalties due from anyone using them, they'll still be something to take pride in."

"I'm guessing that blade is one of those." Elisa said with another nod.

"Eh…in a way…" Sakura admitted with a slight air of embarrassment.

"What?" Elisa asked in surprise.

Sakura responded by taking the blade, and held it against a long staff of wood. Even if they weren't mated together yet, the picture it sent was clear enough. "A scythe?" Elisa asked.

"It's a simple solution to the whole puppet issue." Sakura said with a shrug. "I'll have to finish enchanting to counter defensive mysteries both passive and active, but it's not really something I can patent."

"…planning to use the scythe to literally decapitate Makiri Zolgen's puppets?" Elisa asked. "Or similar pawns of other vampires, like ghouls and zombies among others?"

"That's the idea." Sakura said with a nod, and setting the pieces of her scythe back down on her worktable. "Sure, decapitation isn't a sure way of killing a vampire, they'll probably just grow their heads back unless you use a conceptual weapon and even then that's not a sure thing, but ghouls, zombies, puppets created by Zolgen Absorption and Blood Worm Magecraft…cut off the head, and the decapitated corpse is largely useless except as literal fodder or ritual material."

"…it's not a very…effective weapon, though." Elisa ventured after a moment. "I mean…even with magic to enhance the scythe's cutting ability, it's still an awkward weapon compared to say…swords or daggers, among others."

"I know." Sakura admitted with a sigh before brightening up. "Which is why I'll have to work on another piece of magic to use it with, to use it to the best of its strengths while avoiding its weaknesses."

"Oh?" Elisa prompted.

Sakura smiled wider. "It's an application of my Imaginary Numbers beyond simply using it as a virtually-infinite pocket space to store materials and equipment in." she said. "In fact, this application could throw the scope of options I have for Imaginary Numbers wide open. If I get it to work, of course."

"You're a smart girl." Elisa said without hesitation, and placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder, squeezed down encouragingly. "And while I doubt it'll be easy, there's nothing you can't do if you set your mind to finding out how to do it."

Sakura laughed softly in gratitude. "Thanks, mom." She said, before blinking and slightly blushing at the slip-up. "Anyway…that's still far in the future, and as you said, it won't be easy. Then again, people don't really value easy achievements, so that's probably a good thing."

"It's certainly more impressive if you work your butt off to get something." Elisa said with a nod.

"Right…" Sakura agreed before coughing and changing the subject. "…speaking of which, I want your help on something."

"Oh?"

Sakura led the way to another table, explaining as she went. "The family archivists sent me plenty of material in response to my requests for references on fighting and killing vampires." She said. "Luvia and our family's vassals in the Clock Tower also sent material…and recently, in the course of building up my anti-vampire arsenal, I've hit on an idea."

"I'm listening." Elisa said. "Though, just keep in mind that I'm neither a magus nor a spell-caster, much less a vampire hunter. I'll help as much as I can, but honestly, I'm not sure how much help I can be."

"Yes, but you're also the most knowledgeable person I know about firearms." Sakura replied while rummaging through a series of classified documents, and then finding what she was looking for, laid it out on the table.

Elisa's eyes widened at some of the pictures on file, showing as they did a scantily-clad and heavily-tattooed nun of all things, carrying what looked like a miniature cannon…complete with a bayonet, of course. Sakura gestured at the pictures while continuing to speak.

"This is Sister Ciel," Sakura said. "One of five currently-active members of the Holy Church's Burial Agency, and one of the best vampire killers out there. In fact, based on her publicly-available record, this woman could storm Makiri Zolgen's lair at night, with the monster having advance warning and ample opportunity to prepare for her arrival, and she'd still come out at the end of the confrontation the winner. Anyway…all other information about her background is classified beyond my or even Luvia's access rights, to say nothing of our vassals'. But, part of what we can access is that weapon Sister Ciel's holding. The name is classified, as are the details of its construction, design, and operation…"

"…but the generalities are known." Elisa said.

"Yes," Sakura said with a nod. "As you can see, it's a miniature cannon of some kind, firing specialized ammunition designed to kill not just vampires but immortals in general."

"And you want to replicate it." Elisa said. It wasn't a question.

"Yes." Sakura laconically confirmed. "And while magi society might frown on firearms in general, against vampires the normal rules do not apply."

Sakura paused and shrugged. "Lady Barthomeloi's influence, no doubt." She said. "So long as it kills a vampire in the end, and the Masquerade is preserved, what do the details matter?"

"Hmm…" Elisa hummed in thought for a minute. "…30 mm caliber…breech-loading single-shot…it'll have to be smoothbore, so a barrel length between 75 to 88 cm to maintain accuracy, possibly even up to 90 cm or more…"

Elisa trailed off, and then turning to Sakura, nodded. "I have a few ideas I could present to you after some time to work on them." She said.

"Thanks," Sakura said with a grateful nod, and squeezing Elisa's arm out of the same sentiment. "Anyway…don't you have something to do?"

"Oh yes," Elisa said, blinking and nodding in agreement. "Your mother…I'll be going then?"

Sakura nodded, and then Elisa left. Meanwhile, Sakura returned to her worktable, and replacing her safety goggles and welding helmet, started sharpening her scythe's blade again.


"Sorry I'm late," Sakura said as she walked into the sitting room, a pair of maids present and standing along the wall bowing politely as their mistress arrived. "However, I had pressing business I couldn't stop in the middle of."

She kept her face and voice neutral and noncommittal, but Sakura could quickly see the resemblance, right down to the cheekbones.

Well…I shouldn't be surprised…

And…that was it.

The resemblance between Sakura and her birth mother ended on purely physical characteristics.

From the way Aoi Tohsaka held herself, to how she openly showed what she felt on her face and in her eyes…

…Rin might have a weary air around her, but there was strength there, a grim resolve that just needed a reason to rise to the challenge. Like soldiers who knew they'd lost a battle but fought on regardless, to cut a way out of the battlefield and escape to fight another day, or miners who survived a cave-in but resolved to dig their way out regardless.

And of course, Sakura knew the way she held herself was nothing less than expected of any born of the Edelfelt bloodline. A hyena, laughing to itself whether simply walking in the Sun, to stalking its prey, and even in the face of death. Laughing as gleefully when it fought for its survival as much as it did when tearing out another animal's throat…

…Aoi, though?

If Sakura compared herself to a healthy and eager hyena and Rin to a battle-weary soldier determined to just survive no matter what…

…she'd compare their birth mother to a sunflower. Pretty to look at, able to produce something of great value in its seeds and the oil and nutrition they offered, but ultimately a passive existence. Whether it was meekly following the movements of the Sun over the day from one day to the next, or submitting without resistance to the weather blowing it about, to say nothing of the uncaring hand of man tearing it out of the ground, roots and all.

So…

…was it father we got our strength from?

What a horrid thought…

…grandmother Fiona perhaps, she had spirit by all accounts, if much too rebellious in the end.

A lone wolf of a hyena…

…but a hyena still for all that…

…yes…

…that is more plausible…

…and acceptable, even.

"It's fine." Aoi softly said, regarding Sakura with a mix of emotions in her eyes and on her face. "Your father was very much like that."

In her eyes, there was a mix of fear, hope, longing, and relief.

On her face, a gentle happiness tinged with uncertainty.

"So," Sakura said while sitting down opposite Aoi, and holding her fingers thoughtfully over her lips. "What can I help you with today?"

"Well…I suppose…" Aoi fumbled, looking down with a sad and regretful expression on her face. "…I came to apologize."

"Apologize…?" Sakura echoed uncertainly. "…for what?"

"For not being a better mother," Aoi said. "For not being there for you, and for not being able to protect you as a baby. If I had been able to do all those, you wouldn't have had to grow up without a mother, and would have grown up happy and loved with your family. That's why…I'm sorry…so very sorry."

Sakura was silent, not letting her darkening mood show in any way on the surface.

After all, Aoi might as well have just come out and said that Edelfelt had given her a miserable and unloved life thus far.

Nothing could be further from the truth, of course. And couched in that self-martyring way…

…Sakura could see where Rin had gotten that martyr complex of hers from.

A sense of responsibility was admirable, but like in all things, moderation was key.

If only she and I had been twins, then Edelfelt would have taken us both the day we were born, and we'd be better off for it.

"There is absolutely no reason for you to apologize." Sakura said at last, and briefly closing her eyes. "There wasn't anything you could have done at the time anyway. And in the end…I have no regrets."

Aoi's eyes went wide at that, lips working slightly but soundlessly while staring at Sakura. Sakura allowed her expression to soften at the sight, showing a hint of pity but nothing more.

She just…

…couldn't.

Even the bonds of blood shared could only go so far.

And for the first time in her life, Sakura could understand how Fiona Edelfelt could so easily turn her back on her family.

It was terrifying.

Well, grandmother…

…it looks like at least one of your granddaughters takes after you in the end.


"You made quite the impression on mom, to say the least." Rin said without preamble, joining Sakura at one of the teashops they'd taken to meeting in during weekends over the past month. "She wouldn't stop crying when she got home."

"If so," Sakura said with a politely-contrite tone and expression. "Then I'll apologize for your sake. You do have something for her, after all, so seeing mother cry…it can't have been easy for you."

Rin hummed to herself, and then softly nodded, continued. "What did you say to her, anyway?" she asked.

"The truth."

Rin winced and scratched at her head. "Yeah…okay…" she uncertainly fumbled. "…I can see how what would have affected her."

The conversation stilled as a waitress arrived, and took Rin's orders shortly after. "In my defense," Sakura began once the waitress was gone. "There's nothing else I could have given her. To pretend to feel something for her…to pantomime happy family with her…wouldn't it just come off as hollow, meaningless, patronizing, and even insulting in the end?"

"…well, I guess I can't argue with you there." Rin replied after a moment. "Just what did she say to you, though?"

"Hmm…" Sakura hummed while thinking of a way to get it through. "…cutting out all the verbiage it was couched in, she was sorry that she couldn't keep me from getting, well, kidnapped as a baby, and for growing up without a mother or a happy and loving family."

"…oh."

"Yes, oh." Sakura said with hands thrown up in exasperation. "The first, I can take in stride. It's only natural for a mother to feel that way when her child is taken out of their crib the same day they were born. I could even sympathize with her…but the other two…she might as well have spat in the faces of the woman who cared for me as far back as I can remember, to say nothing of the rest of my family."

"Well, I'd argue it's also natural for her to feel that way." Rin pointed out.

"…maybe…" Sakura grudgingly admitted after a moment. "…but like I said to mother, I have no regrets."

"Hmm…well, I'd say it's only natural for you to feel that way too." Rin conceded with a sigh. "Edelfelt has treated you as nothing less than one of them, right?"

"Yes."

Rin smiled at that, but said nothing, even as the waitress returned with her orders. "So," Sakura began as the waitress left again. "How are things between you and Mitsuzuri?"

"Going well, thank you." Rin said with a fond smile. "We've managed to make up for lost time, though it could be better."

"Oh?"

"Well…you know we have to keep it discreet…"

"Ah…"

Silence fell once more between them, and again because of the same reason. "That said," Rin continued with a small blush. "I actually have a date lined up with her this evening, and I'm planning on staying over at her place tonight."

"…I assume you're using schoolwork as a convenient excuse to keep mother from raising a fuss over that, aren't you?" Sakura asked with a knowing smile.

Rin laughed. "Is it that obvious?" she asked.

"Hmm…it's just the simplest and most plausible excuse to use given your age and situation." Sakura said with a shrug. "Though, it's also the one with the least chance of going wrong, thanks to its sheer simplicity."

Rin nodded in agreement. "That's the idea." She said.

Sakura smiled while bringing her teacup up for a sip. "I'd say to be careful," she said. "But considering Mitsuzuri is also a woman and there aren't any chances for accidents to happen, I won't."

Rin laughed. "Oh you." She said with a wave of a hand.

Sakura shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. Then slyly regarding Rin through half-lidded eyes, waited until her sister was drinking tea before dropping a bombshell.

"Mind you, there are ways to get around that issue, if you really want to have children with Mitsuzuri."

The sight of Rin choking and spluttering in response, face red at what Sakura was insinuating had Sakura laughing…but not completely in jest.

It was true, after all, what she'd just said.


"Well, well, well," a rather gaudily-dressed young man said while walking up to Rin and Sakura with two others like him. "What have we here? Looks to me like a pair of bored young ladies in sore need of hip companionship."

"Go away, nobody." Sakura immediately snapped. "We're not interested."

"Oh come on," another one of the men said, sporting dyed hair and flashy blue braces of all things. "It'll be fun. We can go to karaoke, visit the bar, and have a great night. It's not like we're suspicious, right boys?"

There was a chorus of assent from the others while Rin palmed her face. "So," the second man said, while reaching over to grope Sakura's butt. "How about it, pretty lady?"

In the next instant, he was crying out in pain, as Sakura grabbed and then twisted his arm behind his back. "Lose the arm, and leave," Sakura warned before shoving him away. "Before I decide to take it away."

"You've got a mouth on you!" The man snarled with a leer as he brought up some spine, and pushed his face close to Sakura. "I'm going to enjoy watching you…!"

CRACK!

The man screamed as he fell to the ground, Sakura crushing his nose and cracking the front of his skull with a reinforced head butt. The rest of the gang immediately rushed in…

…and then the last of them was backing away, frightfully raising his hands in surrender as their leader fell screaming at the top of his voice. How could he not? Rin had just delivered a reinforced kick to his groin, pulverizing his penis and simultaneously rupturing his testicles while forcing them up into his abdomen.

The sisters glanced at each other, and then raising eyebrows simultaneously, smiled.

"YOU BITCHES!" the man with the ruined face screamed from the ground. "YOU DIRTY LITTLE BITCHES! DON'T YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE? YOU'RE GOING TO WISH YOU'D NEVER BEEN BORN!"

"Oh piss off, you little nobody." Sakura said, before reaching into a pocket and pulling out a card holder. Then pulling out a trio of business cards, tossed them at the man, one each for them. "If you really want to get serious, though, go talk to our lawyers."

"And don't make the mistake of playing big." Rin said, neatly tucking another trio of business cards into a shirt pocket of the unresisting and only unhurt man present. "Trust us: it's you and not us who have absolutely no idea who they're dealing with. Come on, Sakura. Let's get moving."

Sakura nodded, and shooting a look at the man Rin had kicked in the balls. He was writhing in agony on the ground, crying and whimpering piteously.

"Nice shot." Sakura said, sounding and looking genuinely impressed.

"I could say the same about you." Rin replied.

Sakura smiled. "Well, we are sisters, aren't we?" she asked.

"That we are." Rin said with a laugh, and after a moment, Sakura joined in.


"How's it hanging?" Ayako asked as she walked in on Rin at their designated rendezvous, and giving her girlfriend a kiss on a cheek before sitting down.

"I'm doing just fine, thank you." Rin replied with a smile.

"Hmm…you seem happier than usual," Ayako remarked. "Did something happen?"

"I met with Sakura earlier." Rin explained. "Nothing unusual about that, we do quite often these days, and besides, we're sisters, even if we use different surnames."

"Okay…and what was different about today?" Ayako asked, genuinely curious, having lightened up considerably over the past month or so on the subject of Rin's little sister.

"We had an impromptu bonding moment." Rin said with exaggerated slowness. "Three delinquents tried to hit on us but they crossed the line when they tried to grope Sakura."

"…somehow, I doubt Edelfelt would let that go." Ayako said, knowing that western women – which Sakura was by upbringing – were much more likely to lash out physically at such improper behavior. In contrast, most Japanese women were expected to just bear with it and keep from making a scene.

Definitely not one of the finer aspects of their society.

Whatever Sakura – and Rin – did, they had Ayako's full support.

"She twisted the guy's arm and told him to leave." Rin said. "When he tried to bluster with dirty insinuations, she broke his nose with a head butt."

Ayako burst out laughing. "Suddenly, I want to become Sakura's friend." She said. "Seriously, I like her style. What about you, though? I don't see you just standing around."

"Of course I wouldn't." Rin agreed. "The rest of the gang tried to, well, gang up on us. So I kicked their leader's balls all the way back up into his guts. That'll teach that son of a bitch to treat women with the proper respect."

Ayako whistled before leaning over, Rin doing likewise to bump heads affectionately together. "That's my girl." She said, grinning face to face with Rin. "You are simply the most powerful, the most talented, and the most beautiful girl I have ever seen and probably will ever see."

"And don't you forget it." Rin replied, grinning back before pulling away. Then raising a hand, she called for a waiter to take their orders.

"Oh, no worries there, definitely." Ayako said. "How could I forget, when I have you to remind me person every single day?"

"Oh you." Rin said with a laugh, Ayako joining in until their waiter arrived with a pair of menus for them to make their orders from.


A/N

Ich busy in der Keller: it's German (duh), and means "I'm busy in the basement" in English. Which is technically true, but technically nonsensical as a response when your (birth) mother comes calling.

Yes, I'm aware that even a 90 cm barrel is too short for a 30 mm caliber weapon, considering that 20 mm anti-materiel rifles have barrels at least a meter (100 cm) long. But, it's a starting idea, so expect Elisa's estimates to increase as she works on her and Sakura's plan for anti-vampire artillery.

Some Rin and Sakura bonding here, plus some romantic moments between Rin and Ayako. No Shirou, though, sorry.