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

Cerberus

Part VII

Rin woke with a gasp, quickly pushing herself off the futon she was lying in, her little body heaving as she caught her breath. The events of the past few hours caught up to her, and in mounting panic Rin looked around at her unfamiliar surroundings and the yukata she was wearing…and which she had not been wearing during the previous night.

At once, she got out of the futon, and rushed towards the sliding doors that likely led outside, given the bright sunlight percolating through the paper panels. Her fingers grasped the handle and pulled, but the doors stayed shut, immovable to her and it was obvious why. The moment she touched the handle, she felt the magic that had been woven over the doors, and the power behind it.

A bounded field…no…I can't…no…I need my gems!

Rin rushed across her room, to another sliding door. This one opened easily, leading to a darkened corridor outside. Rin rushed down the corridor, pulling doors open to reveal storage spaces behind most, and a toilet behind another. She reached an intersection, one corridor leading to another set of doors that probably led outside, so she turned down the other corridor.

There were more doors along the way, those on the right again exposing storage spaces, and those to the left unused rooms. Reaching the doors at the end of the corridor, Rin opened them to find herself looking into a fair-sized sitting room. A woman sat at the table, wearing a dress with a white top and long black sleeves. A hollowed-out hexagon in gold was printed on the upper left of her dress.

"Good morning, Rin." The woman greeted Rin, and lowered a steaming mug.

Rin turned to run, only to bump against a pair of legs, causing her to fall on her rump. Rin stared up…

…and began to scream at the sight of a silver half-mask leering down at her. She scrambled back in panic, the dark-clothed and silver-masked woman closing the doors. "Now, now," the woman at the table said. "Don't be like that. I know Assassin looks quite…scary, but she's actually a fairly easy woman to get along with."

"W-w-who are you?" Rin stammered out.

"Oh, good question!" the woman at the table said. "You can call me Cerberus."

"Cerberus…the guardian of the underworld?'"

"Oh good!" Cerberus said with a grin. "You know your Greek mythology!"

"Of course I do!" Rin preened before remembering where she was. "What do you want from me?"

"Don't be so worried." Cerberus told her. "I did save you and those kids from that crazy son of a…um, yeah, let's just go with crazy freaks down by the river, and sent them home safe and sound."

"I want to go home too!" Rin said with a pout.

"And you will." Cerberus said with a nod. "You just have to do something for me first."

"And what's that?"

"You will know when the time comes." Cerberus said before taking a drink of her coffee. "Until then I'd have you stay here as my guest. Rest assured, as long as you behave, and cooperate when the time comes, then everything will be fine."

"Daddy will come and save me."

Cerberus visibly paused at that, and then made a strange sound while smiling a very bitter smile. "I wouldn't count on it." She said.

"Yes, he will!" Rin said assertively. "He loves me very much, and he'll do everything to keep me safe, and get me back! He's a really powerful magus too, so if you don't want to get it, you better let me go!"

"Your father is average at best." Cerberus dryly replied. "I, in contrast, could easily earn the rank of 'Pride' if I wanted to, and already possess the Noble Color of 'Jewel'. He wouldn't last a minute against me. And you shouldn't be so sure that simply because he loves you, he'd do everything for your sake."

Rin's jaw dropped at the matter-of-fact declaration of Cerberus' abilities, but then bristled at the dismissal of her father's love for her. "Daddy would never abandon me!" she shouted.

"I know your father." Cerberus said, in a soft voice while looking into the distance. "Yes, I know him. I suppose it's only natural for a child to look up to her daddy, to see him as a hero who'd protect them from the monsters out there who might want to hurt her…but he's also a magus. Yes…a magus…through and through. And because of that…he can't really love anyone. Not really…for a magus, there is only the pursuit of the Root, the legacy that must be left to their descendants to take up, honor, and add to, and any and all sacrifices to achieve all that."

Cerberus paused, blinking before looking back at Rin, who flinched at the glowing blue of her eyes. "In short," she said. "If the choice is between sacrificing you and sacrificing his pride as a magus, he would always choose the former."

"That's not true!"

"Is it?" Cerberus asked with a feral smile. "Then where is your sister now?"

"…I…she…that doesn't mean anything!" Rin stammered out, struggling to defend her father's decision to send away her sister. "Sakura…she…she couldn't become a magus if she stayed with us, so she was sent to…"

"Don't butter it up." Cerberus coldly interrupted. "Say it as it is: she was useless to your father, so she was thrown away."

"That's not true!"

"Search your feelings." Cerberus said. "You know it to be true."

"NO!" Rin screamed, covering her ears. "IT'S NOT TRUE! SHE WASN'T…SHE WASN'T…DADDY WOULDN'T DO THAT!"

"He can and he did." Cerberus said, sounding all the more believable with her calm and soft-spoken words, in contrast to Rin's shouted and desperate responses. "In time you will see. And I'm sure you'll agree eventually. You're a smart girl, and with the potential to become as powerful as I am. But more than that, you actually have a heart. You can truly love other people, and care for and cherish them. You are your mother's daughter, not your father's."

Cerberus paused to look at her wristwatch. "Right now, there are other matters to attend to." She said, while getting to her feet. "I'm sure you're hungry, so I've had breakfast prepared. Eat as much as you like, as I said, you are my guest here and now, until the time comes when your task must be done. I take my leave."

Giving a curt bow, Cerberus left the softly-sobbing Rin alone in the room, vanishing into the corridor beyond, Assassin trailing after her.

Risei was busy tending to his garden when he sensed someone enter his church. Puzzled at a visitor at this time of day but knowing that the church was open to any and all seeking guidance and sanctuary at any time, Risei didn't begrudge their coming. Rinsing his hands at a nearby faucet, Risei took the time to change into a clean shirt before putting on his habit, and then proceeded back to the church itself.

A young woman was there, sitting on one of the pews, wearing a knee-length dress with a white top and black long sleeves and skirt. A hollowed-out hexagon was printed in gold on the upper left of the dress, though Risei quickly turned away from appearances as the young woman rose to her feet.

"Good day, father." She greeted him with a polite bow.

"Good day, child." Risei returned the greeting with a smile. "How may I be of aid to you?"

At those words, Assassin shimmered into existence behind the woman. "Allow me to introduce myself." She said with another bow. "I am called Cerberus, Master of Assassin, and I come here seeking the reward offered by the overseer for the deaths of Caster and his Servant."

Risei raised an eyebrow at meeting the elusive Cerberus, and immediately noted the similarities between her and Tokiomi. The eyes, especially: they were same shape and shade, though where Tokiomi's eyes were cold and dead, Cerberus' were alive and filled with vibrant energy.

"I will require proof of such a claim." He said instead.

"But of course," Cerberus said, indicating her Servant with a hand gesture. "Assassin here was the one who killed Caster on my orders, and bore witness to my…elimination, of his Master. As you are the Overseer of the Holy Grail War, you possess the authority to give absolute commands to any Servant…including vouching for our claims."

"Indeed I do." Risei said with a slow nod. He then turned to Assassin, who returned his gaze through her silver half-mask. They stared at each other for a moment, and then Risei raised a hand. Beneath his sleeve, one of his command spells vanished. "By the power of a command spell, I command you Assassin, to answer my questions truthfully and completely."

"Ask."

"Did you slay the Servant Caster?"

"I did."

"Did your Master slay Caster's Master?"

"She did."

Risei nodded. "Very well," he said, turning back to Cerberus. "I acknowledge your claim, and as per my previous declaration, for the elimination of Caster and his Master I grant you the offered reward of an extra command spell. Hold out your arm, please."

Cerberus nodded, and unbuttoned her right cuff. Risei silently looked on, though his eyebrows rose as he watched Cerberus roll up her sleeve, and exposing a leather harness strapped to her arm, and slid securely into it was a trowel-like weapon of some kind. For her part, Cerberus was unfazed by Risei's mixed curiosity and alarm, and just as silently unclipped the harness, and baring her arm in full.

Risei blinked again, at the burn scars around her wrist, and the three semi-circular command spells engraved on her forearm. "They resemble Tokiomi's…" he thought in curiosity. "Then again, they might just be cousins, so it shouldn't be a surprise…"

Risei bared his own forearm in turn, and this time it was Cerberus' turn to blink in surprise when instead of seeing an old and withered limb, she saw a muscular and well-exercised one instead. Risei took her hand, and held it firmly. "As the Overseer of the Holy Grail War," he began, one of his command spells glowing. "In recognition of her fulfilment of a task given to preserve the orderliness of the contest, I grant the one called Cerberus, Master of Servant Assassin, one and only one additional command spell."

The glowing command spell vanished…

…and then reappeared, taking the form of a fourth semi-circle on Cerberus' forearm.

"It is done." Risei said.

"So it is." Cerberus said, holding up her forearm to examine her command spells before reattaching her harness, and then unrolling her sleeve buttoned the cuff once more.

"One more question before you leave." Risei asked.

"Yes?"

"Are you perhaps, descended from the Edelfelt Clan of magi?"

Cerberus raised her eyebrow, and then gave an amused smile. "I am, actually." She said. "My grandmother on my father's side of the family was an Edelfelt magus. Though, despite the…maternal, nature of my descent, I am nevertheless still entitled to bear the Edelfelt name itself. I am proud to say that I am close to my cousins. Very much so…"

Cerberus trailed off with a soft smile, her eyes similarly soft, and Risei immediately knew that she was telling the truth. Few magi had as…close, families as the Edelfelt had, and it was clear Cerberus cherished her bonds with her family, and that it was very likely reciprocated.

If only Tokiomi or his mother's efforts at reconciliation had succeeded, then a child need not have been sacrificed.

"I see." Risei said with a nod. "I apologize for prying, but I simply wished to confirm my suspicions."

"…and where exactly did you base your suspicions on?"

"Your face," Risei answered. "You briefly exposed it during the battle near the river a few days ago, and while you are brunette instead of blonde as your family tend to be, you would otherwise not look out of place among them."

Cerberus laughed. "I see." She said. "Thank you."

"You are welcome."

Cerberus hummed and then tilted her head. "There is one more thing I have to ask of you though, father." She said.

"And what might that be?"

"On your authority as overseer," she said. "Summon the representatives of the founding families here, for an emergency meeting with regard to the continued safety of the Holy Grail."

"What?" Risei asked in surprise.

"As unbelievable as it might seem," Cerberus said. "I truly am from a…possible, future. And I am prepared to bind myself to a geis to certify that fact, and to answer truthfully with regard to certain questions, but only if you call such a meeting."

"…what is the Wizard Marshal planning?" Risei asked.

Cerberus smiled and shrugged. "Who knows?" she asked, before pulling out a folded piece of parchment, and handing it to Risei. The priest opened it, and narrowed his eyes as he saw and felt it for what it was: a geis scroll.

"On pain of the destruction of her mystic eyes," he silently read. "Kirsikka Edelfelt agrees to truthfully answer questions with regard to the corruption of the Holy Grail of Fuyuki, and the events of the Fifth Holy Grail War as they happened in her timeline. The following limitations will apply. Item: this geis will only be valid for a single discussion. Item: questions not pertaining to the previously-mentioned subject matter will not be covered by the geis. Item: questioning must be done in a discussion presided over by the overseer of the Holy Grail, and including representatives of at least two founding families."

Risei's eyes slid down to the bottom of the page, and read the same name beneath the space reserved for the signature.

Kirsikka Edelfelt

"This geis is unsigned." He observed.

"Indeed," Cerberus said, taking the geis scroll and pulling out a fountain pen punctured a finger to sign in blood. Magic circuits flickered across her body, and her eyes glowed as she placed her mystic eyes as collateral. "Now, will you call the meeting?"

"…very well." Risei said with a sigh. "Though I must ask: why is the safety of the Holy Grail in question?"

"One word: Avenger."

Risei's eyes went wide, and then narrowed. "I see." He said. "I shall make the call."

"What?" Tokiomi asked in surprise. "Risei wants us to meet with Einzbern and Matou's representatives at Kotomine Church tomorrow morning?"

"That is so, master." Kirei confirmed.

"Did he say why?" Tokiomi asked.

"He only said that certain disturbing information has come to light, and that the details will be put forward and explained in tomorrow's discussion." Kirei replied. "As for why the information is…disturbing, apparently it involves the integrity of the Grail itself."

"Why did it only become apparent now?" Tokiomi demanded. "Now, in the middle of a Holy Grail War? And when I must focus on finding my missing daughter to boot!"

"I have no answers, master."

Tokiomi looked displeased, but Kirei wasn't done. "There is one more thing." He said.

"What?"

"This is only for you alone, master. It was not included in the summons sent to the other founding families."

"Hmm…"

"Your cousin Kirsikka sends her regards." Kirei said.

"…Cerberus." Tokiomi said with narrowed eyes. "So Edelfelt is involved…and more than that, cousin…Kirsikka, was it? Sends her regards…"

Tokiomi gave an unhappy sigh. "It seems it cannot be helped then." He said. "If nothing else, I would like to meet this cousin of mine in person. Perhaps this might even be a blessing in disguise, a sign that reconciliation is at hand…"

Tokiomi broke off as Archer burst out laughing nearby. "Reconciliation?" he echoed. "Reconciliation, he says? What a jest! What a farce! And yet, what truly raises this beyond the standards of cheap entertainment is that it is all based on a truth! Yes, truth based on a…certain, point of view, but truth still for all that."

Archer laughed again and shook his head, before throwing a grin in Tokiomi's direction, crimson eyes gleaming with mirth. "I grant you this, Tokiomi." He said. "Reconciliation is indeed at hand. But only, and only if you make the right choice at the right time. If so…then perhaps you are not so droll a man as I thought at first."

"I will endeavor to meet your expectations, Your Majesty."

Archer snorted in disbelief. "Indeed." He said.

"The overseer wants to hold a meeting?" Irisviel asked in surprise. "Between ourselves and representatives from Tohsaka and Matou?"

"That's what the message says." Kiritsugu said. "It will be held at Kotomine Church tomorrow morning. Go, though I'll be keeping a wiretap under your clothes to listen in."

"Or," Irisviel said. "You can just watch and listen through me. I'm sure we can find the time to…strengthen, the connection between us."

Kiritsugu blinked, and then chuckled before smiling fondly at his wife. "Where did you learn to talk like that?" he asked.

Irisviel blushed and fidgeted on her feet. "I've been reading some of the books in the library." She said. "They were very…interesting."

"Right…" Kiritsugu said with another laugh. "Well, I suppose I can spare the time. Especially since…"

Kiritsugu trailed off, his expression falling. "You are sure?" he asked.

Irisviel nodded. "Caster is dead." She said. "I don't know about his Master, but I felt his energy enter the Grail. There are only six Servants left."

"I wonder who took him out." Kiritsugu mused. "Oh well, I guess I owe whoever it was a pat on the back for stopping all those abductions and serial killings. Shame we still have to fight afterwards but…this is war."

"Yes." Irisviel said with a sad nod. "Did the overseer say anything else about why he was calling a meeting?"

"Apparently it involves some questions with regard to the Grail's stability." Kiritsugu said, his expression worried. "And to be honest, I think he has a point there. Worse, it's been staring at us in the face this whole time, and we've failed to notice it all along."

"What do you mean?"

"If I remember correctly," Kiritsugu said while pacing. "The Grail's built-in safety parameters prevent the summoning of Servants with an…evil, alignment. And yet…Caster…Gilles de Rais, was summoned."

"But…the safety parameters…" Irisviel breathed, her eyes wide. "That shouldn't have been possible!"

"And yet it happened regardless."

"But how?"

"I don't know." Kiritsugu said. "And that's what worries me."

"…should I inform my father?"

"…I don't know." Kiritsugu said with a sigh. "We probably should but…I don't think he's going to be very happy hearing about this."

"He needs to know." Irisviel whispered. "They need to know. In case something happens, then…"

Irisviel trailed off, and after a moment rushed off to make contact with her family in Germany. Kiritsugu stared where he was, an expression of worry and unease on his face.

Zouken Matou stood on the landing looming over the workshop below, witchlight casting him in ghastly colors. The sounds of countless bodies squirming wetly against each other and on stone could be heard in the dark, the ancient vampire long since used to the noise.

Not that it ever really bothered him, of course.

No, what bothered him and now was the summons from the overseer, asking for a meeting between representatives of the founding families, with regard to questions about the stability of the Grail. It was both worrying and annoying in equal measure.

Worrying, because he needed the Grail to achieve true immortality. If there were problems developing with regard to the system's functionality, then they needed to found and corrected before they compromised anything beyond repair.

Annoying, because it reminded him of the missed opportunity this war represented. When Tohsaka had discarded his spare to Zouken, Zouken's own prodigal son and former heir Kariya had returned in short order, offering himself in exchange for the Tohsaka girl to be returned to her family.

Zouken had refused of course. The girl's sheer potential was incredible, worth far more than Kariya would ever be, and completely comedic in light of how Tokiomi had discarded it so easily. Had he been in Tokiomi's place, Zouken would never have discarded her. She would have been far too useful, both as an eventual brood mare to resurrect his withered line, a future vessel for his soul, and finally, as a potential means to gain complete control of the Heaven's Feel ritual.

But…he had not told as such to Kariya. Just enough to make the useless prodigal make a deal he could never fulfil, to become a Master in the Holy Grail War and attempt to win the Grail for Zouken. Should he succeed, then the Tohsaka girl could return to her family.

Not that he had any real chance of succeeding of course…

…but in the miraculous event that he did, well, what was a girl compared to finally gaining the Grail and with it, immortality?

But the fool had been even more useless than Zouken had initially thought, the Grail ignoring him as a possible Master, and with no one else apparently deemed suitable for a Master among them, the Matou had not been granted command spells for the war. In hindsight, it should have been expected, between Zouken's own…situation, Byakuya and Kariya's uselessness and the Tohsaka material's extreme youth…

…still, unacceptable.

The worms had feasted well for days, though Zouken had taken care to recover his bones as an example to the Tohsaka material at how…futile, resistance was.

As though in response to the thought, there was a frail whimper from below, and a ghastly smirk crossed Zouken's face. The worms' squirming and activity intensified, and if there were any more whimpers from below, they were drowned out.

"Master,"

"Yes?"

Cerberus paused climbing the stairs leading to Ryuudo Temple, turning to face her Servant, again wearing the guise of a pretty but otherwise unremarkable young woman. "If I may ask," Assassin quietly said. "Was the name you gave earlier truly yours?"

"If you mean it's my True Name," Cerberus admitted. "Then it is not. 'Kirsikka Edelfelt' is not the name my mother gave me. It's a name given to me partly in jest, but also partly in fact by my cousin Luvia. Apparently, enough of it is fact for a geis to recognize it."

Cerberus paused, and then snorted in amusement, shaking her head. "She's probably sneezing by now," she said with a smile. "That I've gone and used the name she gave me. And my sister's probably throwing a fit for the same reason, though I doubt they'd realize why…at least until I come back and start telling them the story we're in right now."

Shaking her head again, Cerberus resumed walking up the stairway. "Are you disappointed, Assassin?" she asked. "That I would use such…falsities?"

"I am in no place to judge." Assassin said. "In life, even I cannot count all the falsities I wore to approach my quarries, and grant them the gift of death."

"I see." Cerberus said with a nod as they passed through the gates. "Anyway, the plan is well into motion. The first and second phases are done, and tomorrow morning the third and fourth phases will come into play."

Cerberus paused, and turned to Assassin. "Take the D-Equipment from storage, and prepare to head down to the waterfront." He said. "I think the time is right to set the stage for the seventh phase."

"We shall do this in daylight?"

Cerberus smiled. "The war is meant to be fought in the night and shadows." She said. "If so, then the best time to make our move is when the Sun is up and about, and take advantage of its light blinding our opponents to our movements."

"As you say, master."

Cerberus nodded. "But first," she said. "I too must procure some additional equipment of my own. And I must see to little Rin as well. Her wellbeing is critical to the seventh phase."

A/N

Trying to crack Rin – even as a child of seven – in an exchange of wits is an exercise in futility. She's too smart. Aim for the cracks in her emotional control however, pull them apart, and go for her heart, and she'll fold surprisingly easily.

Yes, it's a very complicated plan at first glance, isn't it? Seven phases, and there's no telling if there's more than those seven phases that have been alluded to.