Two years ago, the Author came up with this spin-off of The Kotomine Gene after watching Fate Zero. He based this timeline on the premise that a panicked Kyouko Kotomine accidentally hurled a Black Key in the shadow cast by Zouken Matou.

Such a happy circumstance would magically paralyze the unliving mage long enough for Kyouko's father Kirei to destroy Zouken. With the head of the Matou family dead and Kirei soon to have his mind literally blown by Kiritsugu's Origin Bullet, Fuyuki would remain standing despite the aborted apocalyptic ending of the Fourth Holy Grail War in his story.

Years later, as he played Fate Grand Order, the Author decided to revisit this story. As he went through the plot, something occurred to him, something that slipped his mind while he was busy patting himself in self-congratulations at having averted Zouken running around Fuyuki without Kirei to contain him.

It is an established fact that Zouken can possess any of his Crest Worms. As long as one of his Worms remains intact, he could sustain his existence. Given enough time and materials, Zouken could reconstruct the humanoid form.

Zouken can also embed those same Worms in the bodies of people. He did this to Kariya to let him fight in the Fourth Grail War.

He also did this to Sakura.

Having remembered this, the Author started cursing in his native language, which he only does when he's really angry at being caught off guard, English being his primary language of communication.

After various fluffy tsundere starter ship-girls, Flower Knights, an Amazon queen, an anthropomorphic Philippine volcano, a busty ninja, yandere dragon snake princesses, and Japan's most famous onna-bugeisha calmed him down by beating him up, the Author resolved to just wing this fic. After all, he writes it for fun in the hopes that it can brighten the day of his readers.

(Fun, he says, after powering through Goblin Slayer and Rising of the Shield Hero and FGO's Lostbelts.)

Now that we've completed that third person narrative prologue, here is the belated second chapter of-

Stations of the Canon

another story of The Kotomine Gene

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Disclaimer

Sheo Darren does not own Fate/Stay Night or Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magica.

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Chapter 2: Call

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"Come on, sempai," Kyouko muttered into the receiver of her cell phone. "Pick up your phone already…"

The typical mage didn't like modern technology. The Tohsaka clan followed this tradition to a T. The previous head, Tokiomi Tohsaka, went so far as to commission costlier magical equivalents of telephones, fax machines, and printers.

His daughter proved much more willing to use mundane methodology. Rin got it from her mother's side of the family, who lived as normal humans and occasionally entertained visits from their son-in-law and their grandchildren. And thanks to Kyouko's prank call prompting her to investigate the difference between her home's traditional icebox and a modern refrigerator, she grew more interested in technology.

Without her father to force her down the traditional path and thanks to the guidance of her more tech-savvy junior, Rin proved adept at using gadgets. She took a shine to cell phones, splurging on two units of the same model for herself and Kyouko so that they could stay in contact even when they were apart and on the move.

Of course, the advantage provided by a portable means of communication would be nullified if one of them i.e. Rin didn't keep her phone on her person.

"What's taking her so long to answer my call?" Kyouko hissed. "Did she drop her phone in the tub again? Just when I needed her help..."

Thankfully, the Command Seals manifested on her hand after Taiga had gone home for the night. Otherwise, her self-appointed big sister might have noticed the mystical markings, mistaken them for the tattoos affected by delinquents, and dragged Kyouko to the dojo to try to discipline her. (Operational word being "try." It had been a long while since Taiga beat Kyouko.)

But the timing also deterred Kyouko from leaving the Emiya home. Night was when most ordinary humans were resting in their homes or relaxing at a public place. That made it easier for mages and Servants to prowl Fuyuki in search of idiot Masters who dared to go outside without a Servant of their own to protect them.

She nervously eyed the traditional Japanese walls and door of her bedroom. The flimsy structure would not keep a human intruder out, much less a mage and definitely not a Servant, especially if the latter was in Astral Form.

But the Bounded Field of the Emiya home would give her fair warning of magical intrusion. And while Kyouko harbored no illusions about her chances against a Servant, even if it was one as weak as the Assassin who served her father, she could last long enough against a mage to escape or be rescued.

Thanks, Kiritsugu. You're still protecting me...

The dial tone clicked off. Kyouko let out the breath she had held in.

"You took long enough, sempai," she grumbled in relief. "Did you leave your phone beneath your paperwork again?"

"Good evening, Sakura-chan. Is something the matter?"

Kyouko went still. She should have seen this coming. Someone else would have picked up the cell phone if it rang as long as it did. And the Tohsaka household happened to have one other occupant present. And that person was the only one Rin could never bring herself to expel despite the dangers of the upcoming Grail War.

"Sakura-chan?" repeated the slightly puzzled voice.

She shook off her shock. There was no time to waste, not when her life was potentially in danger. Best to get this uncomfortable matter over with.

"Oh, hello, Mrs. Tohsaka," she greeted.

Kyouko realized her mistake almost immediately. Her mind's eye showed her a perfect vision of the kind face of the woman on the other end of the line, the same face that Rin would be wearing in ten or maybe twenty years' time.

"Now, now, Sakura-chan," chided the woman. "What did I tell you about treating me as if I were an acquaintance?"

It was all Kyouko could do not to groan. At least the woman sounded amused by her mistake instead of suspicious. And humoring the… beliefs of the other party was the least she could do, the only thing she could do, and the right thing to do.

So Kyouko put on an embarrassed tone, forced herself to smile, and lied through her gritted teeth.

"I'm sorry, Mother," she giggled. "I couldn't help but tease you."

After all, she was in part responsible for what happened to Aoi Tohsaka years ago.

"It's all right, Sakura-chan," Aoi chuckled. "I pulled the same prank on my parents when I was your age. That's why I caught you red-handed."

At least she bought it, Kyouko bitterly congratulated herself.

"Is Rin-" She stopped herself from saying sempai. "-oneechan there?"

"Rin-chan is taking a bath right now."

No wonder she didn't answer my call, Kyouko groused. Ever since that time she fumbled her phone and dropped it in the tub, sempai always left it outside the bathroom.

"I'm about to join her," Aoi continued, her footsteps muffled by the carpet. "Will you be coming home tonight? We can keep the bath water hot for you."

"Thanks, Mother, but I have to stay here. Could you bring her phone over to oneechan? I need to talk to her."

"Is it an emergency? Is there something wrong?"

Kyouko feigned being Aoi's daughter out of necessity and guilt. Yet even she felt touched by the heartfelt concern in the woman's tone. She thought of her own mother, a loving woman who passed away years before the Fourth Grail War, whose warmth she could still feel.

Sakura Tohsaka. You have a wonderful mother. I'm really sorry for having to usurp your name for the moment. I'll make it up to you by helping Rin-sempai get you back from the Matous. So hang in there a little longer...

"No, there's nothing wrong," she lied. "But I ran into trouble with my homework. I was hoping to ask Rin-oneechan if she could help me with it."

Years ago, Kyouko and Rin set up a number of innocuous-sounding code words for certain activities that they didn't want any non-magi or non-Church-related person to figure out. Among other things, they referred to magecraft matters as 'homework.'

"Can you really do your homework over the phone?" Aoi asked.

"It's easy for a genius like oneechan."

"All right, I'll take this to Rin-chan."

"Thanks, Mother."

Kyouko forced herself to wait in silence during the half-dozen or so heartbeats that Aoi took to reach the bathroom.

"Rin? I'm coming in."

"Sure, Mom," Rin replied a bit hazily.

"Also, I have your phone with me and you happen to have a call. It's Sakura-chan."

"Sakura-chan?"

"Yes, your sister. She wants to talk to you about homework."

Rin's tone shifted from confused to cold.

"...did she say actual homework or just homework?"

"Is there a difference?" asked the puzzled Aoi.

"Yes, Mom, the 'actual' is important."

"Then it's just homework, no 'actual' involved."

The intently listening Kyouko caught the sloshing sound made by Rin's petite body hurriedly rising from the bathtub.

"Thanks, Mom, I'll go help Sakura-chan now."

"Here you are. But are you okay, dear?"

"I just feel a bit hotter than usual, so I'm cutting my bath short. You can have the tub now."

"Okay. Would you like to join me once you're done helping your sister with her homework?"

"I'm good, Mom. I might take a while, so the water won't be warm anymore."

"Okay. Do your best, dear."

Kyouko gave Rin just enough time to put on a towel before voicing her opinion on the pressing concern.

"We need a better code word for magecraft, sempai."

"We'll deal with that later," Rin hissed. "Now just what is going on, Kyouko?"

"Long story short, I received a set of Command Seals just now."

"What?!"

"Rin?" Aoi asked from where she was rinsing herself. "What's wrong?"

"Sorry, Mom," Rin hastened to apologize. "The homework Sakura-chan mentioned is a really difficult one. I don't think we can do it over the phone. I may have to go over to their place."

"I'd appreciate it if you did exactly that," Kyouko said in all honesty.

"Quiet, Kyouko."

"Oh." Aoi thought it over. "Will you be sleeping over at the Matous for the night, then?"

Rin didn't answer her mother. Kyouko understood why.

A powerful Bounded Field and other defensive enchantments protected the Tohsaka home. Nothing short of multiple mages or a single mage on the same level as Kiritsugu or a Servant could breach those defenses. So Aoi was safe as long as she stayed inside her home.

But even the best magecraft could not take care of Rin's mother. And while Aoi made a complete physical recovery from Kariya Matou's attempt to murder her, she would never be the same woman.

I should have stepped in earlier, Kyouko castigated herself. Even though I was too angry at Tokiomi-san to think straight, Aoi-obachan did nothing wrong. But I hesitated because I didn't want to disappoint Dad, not after he let me kill Tokiomi-san, the person whom Dad told me was responsible for Grandpa's death…

I don't want to die, but I don't want Aoi-obachan to get hurt because sempai left her… I've hurt enough people...

"We can just do it over the phone, sempai," Kyouko suggested.

At the very least, Rin could tell her the Aria for summoning a Servant. If worse came to worse, Kyouko thought she could dredge from her memory the Aria used by her father to summon his Servant during the previous War. She didn't like the Assassin Class, especially since her Father's Servant scared the life out of her when it caught her peeking in on the summoning ceremony. But she would make do with what God gave a repentant sinner like her.

"It's not that easy, Sakura-chan," Rin scoffed as if she was reading her junior's mind.

Kyouko was about to respond when Aoi figuratively stepped in. Although the woman remained in the tub, her voice came clear as the jewels that her daughter used as magical catalysts.

"I'll be fine, dear," she told Rin. "Go spend the night with your sister."

"Are you sure, Mom? Will you be alright here without me?"

"I'll be fine. I take care of myself while you are at school, you know. And I haven't broken anything in a month," Aoi bragged.

"...Thanks, Mom. This really means a lot to me and Sakura."

Bless you, Aoi-obachan, Kyouko prayed. I'm not worthy of your kindness...

"So let me get this clear," Rin asked in a hushed tone once she reached the privacy of her own bedroom. "You got Command Seals just a few minutes ago."

"Yes," Kyouko grumbled. "It's really bad timing…"

"And your first reaction was to call me for help?"

"You're my magecraft tutor and the only mage I know and trust."

Kyouko was familiar with the sound of the sigh that Rin expelled just now. Her friend vented stress that way. She could even imagine the pose that came with it.

Now why would Sempai be annoyed after I told her I'm a Master and need her help?

...oh, she realized. Oh, crap.

"Sempai?" Kyouko carefully broached. "By any chance, are you a Master, too?"

"Kotomine-san, I am the Second Owner of Fuyuki," Rin pointed out coolly. "As was my father before me."

So that was why sempai took the last few days off without telling me or anyone else, Kyouko realized. And why she sounded so defensive when I called her to ask if she was sick or injured.

She must have gotten her Command Seals during that time. And knowing her, she already summoned her Servant.

The irony was clear. A Tohsaka and a Kotomine as Masters? It was the Fourth Grail War all over again. And given how that one ended…

No, Kyouko determined. I'm not going to repeat the mistakes of the past. I don't want to fight Rin-sempai. I don't want to hurt my friend or Aoi-obachan.

Nothing I do will bring back Tokiomi-san. But I can protect Rin and Aoi-obachan. I won't let them come to harm.

"I haven't summoned a Servant yet," she admitted. "I don't know how to do so. Could you help me?"

"Are you invoking the alliance between our families, Kyouko Kotomine?"

Trust a mage to follow formalities. But Kyouko didn't doubt for a second that Rin would help her.

Still… It didn't feel right to take that path. She was a student of magecraft, but she was not a mage. She didn't want to follow the path of treachery set by her father, the supposed apprentice of Rin's father who betrayed his master and took the latter's Servant.

"I'm asking you as a friend, Rin," she stressed.

"A friend, huh," Rin repeated softly.

"I prefer friendship over magecraft," Kyouko chuckled. "Especially I'm a terrible mage who can only cast Reinforcement and Projection."

"We can fix that." Rin refused to accept her first and only pupil's self-deprecation. The failure of the student reflected upon the teacher. "You just need more training."

Kyouko conceded that point. Who knew what the future held? She possessed excellent magic circuits and enjoyed the tutelage of the brightest mind in this generation of mages. Perhaps she could find a school of magecraft more suited to her skills?

"Anyway, I don't have any wish on the Grail," she said. "I'm guessing you would want to heal Aoi-obachan's mind?"

It was what a good daughter would do: Help her beloved mother. Kyouko did much the same for the ones she loved.

But it would also be a fatal mistake. The Grail was no good. Kyouko knew that all too well.

How can I warn Rin?

"In that case, I'll help you," she offered. "I care for Aoi-obachan, too."

This way, she could stay close to Rin. She would have time to change her friend's mind - and protect Rin from the consequences as much as humanly possible.

"It's fine," Rin said. "Mom is better off this way. At least she doesn't have to grieve for Dad."

"Rin..."

"So neither of us have any wish on the Grail," her sempai continued. "That's perfect. We have no reason to compete against each other."

"Yeah," agreed the relieved Kyouko. "That leaves the other Masters, though. I doubt many of them will share our good intentions."

"I won't let them harm innocent bystanders," Rin immediately promised. "As Second Owner of Fuyuki, I have a duty to the people who live here. I won't let anyone like that serial killer do whatever they want."

You're already better than your father, Rin, Kyouko approved.

"Anyway, my Servant and I will go over there right now-"

A chime sounded throughout the Emiya residence. Soft yet strident, it heralded doom.

Kyouko froze. That was the bell that hung from the ceiling of the living room. It only rang when something magical and uninvited violated the Bounded Field of her home.

"What was that?" Rin's question was rhetorical. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Sempai," Kyouko whispered. "Someone just broke into my house's Bounded Field."

"Kyouko-"

I took too much time. I'm dead.

She didn't think about her next action. She just acted.

"Rin. Keep Aoi-obachan safe."

Kyouko cut the call right before Rin could respond. Dropping her phone, she snatched up the Bible that she always kept at her bedside, an artifact that she salvaged from her old home.

A thought forced her od through her magic circuits and into the Scriptures. The holy book blazed with unnatural light. It transformed into her weapon of choice, and her hands gripped its long haft.

The typical Black Key took the form of a throwing knife with a long, slim blade and boxy guard. But Kyouko heard from her father that skilled users could shape the Conceptual Weapon into the weapon they preferred. With the help of a curious Rin and much experimentation, she was able to get a Scripture to take the form of the weapon she had learned to use.

The ancestral naginata of the Mitsuzuri family did not have the slightest hint of magic. But it did bear a long and distinguished history. The polearm dated back to the Sengoku era and faithfully served generation upon generation of samurai until the Meiji Restoration, when it retired from war and became a family treasure.

Despite the weight of its history, Ayako generously loaned the naginata to her "best martial artist friend" on more than one occasion. Kyouko came to know the blade quite well, more than enough to base her Black Keys off it.

Now she would bet the last moments of her life on her best martial arts friend's weapon.

I'm not going down without a fight!

Assuming a guarding stance, she listened for the sound of creaking floorboards and faint footsteps that would signal the approach of the intruder. Her ears didn't catch anything suspicious, but her hackles remained up.

"Well, now," drawled a deep, masculine voice from behind her. "What have we got here?"

Kyouko's heart skipped a beat. She suppressed the reflexive urge to spin herself around. Such a reaction would be a useless gesture and probably get her killed.

The intruder sounded like he was already inside her room. But the door hadn't slid open and the walls were still intact. Either the man was projecting his voice through magecraft, or he could assume an intangible form that let him pass through walls.

I bet that if I turn around, this guy is going to pop up behind me. Taiga-nee liked to do something like that.

"Not bad..." The invisible man gave an appreciative sound. "You got a decent stance and a decently trained body, Missy. If you keep up your level of training for the next ten years, you might last a couple of minutes on a real battlefield."

He knows I'm using a spear, Kyouko thought. He can see my stance. He considers me an amateur, even though I learned naginatajutsu from Ayako, who I'm pretty sure is on the same level as a national athlete.

"Why, thank you," she replied politely. Flattery worked on Gilgamesh-sama. Maybe it would work on this Servant. "That means a lot coming from a Lancer Class Servant."

"You're sharp, Missy," the voice congratulated her. "I guess I got ahead of myself. Almost no one in this day or age bothers to fight with a spear. So I couldn't help but be interested when you brought out your polearm."

"I'm honored to have earned your attention, Lancer. Is it why you aren't attacking me right now?"

"A little," Lancer replied affably. "I don't see the need to do so when you don't have a Servant to begin with."

"You sure about that, Lancer?" Kyouko was sure he could call her bluff, but she considered every extra second of life she bought herself a small victory.

"Servants can see each other even when we're in Astral form," he pointed out. "And I'm not seeing anyone here with you."

"An Assassin can evade even the sharp eyes of other Servants," she reminded him. Kyouko knew that much about the Class that provided her father's Servant.

"And I would kick an Assassin's ass anyway," Lancer responded with utmost confidence.

"You're right about that." That was pretty much what happened to her father's Assassin, after all. "So why are you just talking to me instead of plunging your spear into my heart?"

I can't feel any killing intent from Lancer, Kyouko noted. He doesn't bear any ill will towards me.

I suppose he could hide that intent. Really good martial artists can do that. And while Dad's Assassin was scary, he could hide it pretty well...

"My Master asked me to find an enemy Master for her to fight," Lancer told her. "But she never said anything about having to kill that Master myself."

"So what are you going to do?" Kyouko entertained no illusions about Lancer letting her go scot-free given he went to this trouble to find her. "Or rather, what do you want me to do?"

"Smart girl. This is a Holy Grail War," Lancer said simply. "Servants fight Servants-"

"-and Masters fight Masters," Kyouko whispered, the memory of the brutal duel between her father and Kiritsugu coming back as if it had only taken place yesterday.

"Exactly. My Master is waiting for you in the courtyard."

Lancer was still invisible. But Kyouko was sure he was grinning rather foolishly.

"Bring your spear, Missy."

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to be continued / itutuloy / つづく