Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.
Ayame/Zero…NOT
Part VII
The suzu struck a second time, and it was as though a veil of mist and shadow was drawn between Kuchinashi and her sisters. Sight could be had through the veil, sight as though in a dream, ephemeral, unreal, ethereal, intangible and immaterial, as though to fade away with the opening of the eyes, to vanish at the touch of the light of the Sun at dawn.
The suzu struck a third time, and blue eyes staring through the veil turned the color of gold, blue clan markings adorning faces unadorned but a moment ago. Six tails with fur red like fire rested behind Rurichiyo, while one red-furred tail each rested behind Rin and Sakura both.
The suzu struck a fourth time, and no longer did Kuchinashi look upon seemingly Human beings across the veil. No, there now sat before her a great red fox with blue markings around its snout and eyes, staring at her with golden eyes bearing the impression of time and wisdom beyond Human comprehension, while sitting beside her were a pair of kits, nestled amidst their mother's tails, their coloring matching her own.
The suzu struck a fifth time, and like a dream was dispelled upon waking on the morning, the veil vanished, and with it the sight from beyond. Kuchinashi stood alone in the misty forest in the morning, and smiling once closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then turning, she opened her eyes…
…and Ayame cast aside the aspect of her long-lost childhood, and stood in the aspect she had worn for decades. The aspect which had washed its hands clean with the blood of those who would dare reach beyond the World, which had mercilessly cast down families which had stood for hundreds, if not thousands of years, the aspect which had destroyed countless works of wonder and horror without remorse, earning the hatred, fear, and envy of those who had yet to earn her wrath: The Black and White Magician.
Soaring through the cloudy skies, Black and White returned to Einzbern Castle. Stepping through an open pair of windows, she strode through carpeted and lamp-lit corridors to the war room. Paintings and engravings of the Thirty Years War hung on the walls, while commemorative plates celebrating Prussian and Bavarian victories against the French during the Napoleonic Wars stood on stands and shelves. Ceremonial weapons rested on plinths while suits of plate armor stood at every corner, and with a gesture from Black and White, the lamps dimmed and died, while the window shutters closed on their own.
Another gesture later, and a glowing sphere appeared in the middle of the room. Moments after that, glowing screens which scrolled information and displayed key points along the castle's defenses appeared around the room, Black and White regarding them with a practiced eye.
"Status of the defense fields?" she queried.
"Defense fields at forty-three per cent integrity." A synthetic, feminine voice answered.
"Forty-three per cent?" Ayame echoed in surprise. "How far has the enemy penetrated?"
"The enemy has breached the fourth defense field approximately five hours, eighteen minutes, and twenty-two seconds ago."
Ayame made a sound of disgust and frustration. "To think they could breach four defense fields." She muttered. "Then again, the first field would never have held against a magus worth the title. The second though…how did the enemy breach it?"
"Biometrics matching those of the Arch-Magus Makiri Zolgen attempted to breach the second defense field approximately forty-seven hours, nineteen minutes, and thirty-six seconds ago." The voice answered. "This attempt resulted in the destruction of Arch-Magus Zolgen's body. However, approximately forty-two hours, twenty-two minutes, and fifty-five seconds ago, Arch-Magus Zolgen launched simultaneous attacks against the seals of the second defense field, and collapsed it. Alert: attacks incorporated conceptual features characteristic of Edelfelt or Tohsaka Thaumaturgy."
"Tokiomi…Tohsaka…is it?" Ayame hissed with a poisonous note in her voice. "What of the third defense field?"
"Biometrics matching those of the Arch-Magus Makiri Zolgen attempted to breach the third defense field approximately thirty-two hours, forty-five minutes, and eleven seconds ago." The voice answered. "This attempt resulted in the destruction of Arch-Magus Zolgen's body. However, approximately thirty hours, eleven minutes, and fifteen seconds ago, Arch-Magus Zolgen launched simultaneous attacks against the seals of the third defense field, and collapsed it. Alert: attacks incorporated conceptual features characteristic of Edelfelt or Tohsaka Thaumaturgy."
"And the fourth field?"
"Biometrics matching those of the Arch-Magus Makiri Zolgen attempted to breach the fourth defense field approximately twenty-two hours, thirty minutes, and nineteen seconds ago." The voice answered. "This attempt resulted in the destruction of Arch-Magus Zolgen's body. Approximately twenty hours, eleven minutes, and fifteen seconds ago, Arch-Magus Zolgen launched simultaneous attacks against the seals of the fourth defense field. Alert: attacks incorporated conceptual features characteristic of Edelfelt or Tohsaka Thaumaturgy. This attempt again resulted in the destruction of Arch-Magus Zolgen's body. Approximately ten hours, five minutes, and twelve seconds ago, Arch-Magus Zolgen launched simultaneous attacks against the seals of the fourth defense field. Alert: attacks incorporated conceptual features characteristic of Edelfelt or Tohsaka Thaumaturgy. This attempt again resulted in the destruction of Arch-Magus Zolgen's body."
"…then who broke the fourth defense field?"
"Approximately five hours, twenty minutes, and seventeen seconds ago, biometrics matching those of three platoon-strength Type-XXII combat homunculi entered the fourth defense field and destroyed the seals of the field. It is currently unknown why Type-XXII combat homunculi would attack this facility."
Ayame pinched her nose. "Well," she thought to herself. "I guess I should have seen that coming. No…I did see it coming. Einzbern would have come sooner or later to see what the hell happened to their Japanese outpost, and I just forgot to reset the security protocols to not allow Einzbern homunculi into the defense fields. There should still be time before they can breach the fifth field…though the sixth and seventh should be able to handle them, and even if they broke through those they'd be caught in the Phantasmagoria immediately afterwards…or…maybe…I should…"
Ayame's thoughts trailed off as an idea came to mind. "Standby to enact localized area-effect command override." She ordered.
"Acknowledged," the voice said. "Preparing to enact localized area-effect override, please standby…standby…standby…standby…"
Outside the castle, a gigantic magic circle began to glow, centered and revolving around the castle. Moments later and it flashed, a ring marked with runic sigils revolving in time with the circle on the ground as it rose high into the air. Continuing to revolve, it flashed and sent eight beams to the center of the ring, where they merged into a single point of blinding light.
"Preparations complete." The voice said. "Enter authorization code."
"Code input: 875-020-079." Ayame crisply said. "Code Omega local execution."
"Authorization code accepted. Awaiting final confirmation."
"Standby," Ayame said. "Once override is complete, reset command protocols."
"Acknowledged…standby…standby…standby…please enter new authorization code."
Ayame thought for a few moments, trying to think of something magi or a certain crotchety old AI would never be able to know. Unless of course, they were in touch with the times, which considering how stupid and backward magi tended to be, would be a miracle on par with True Magic.
"This hand of mine," Ayame said while grinning from ear to ear. "It shines with an awesome power. Its burning grip tells me to destroy you: Shining Finger Sword!"
"…new authorization code accepted."
Ayame collapsed laughing for several long moments, and then wiping her eyes, gave the next set of commands. "Execute command override once I depart the inner defense area." She said. "Once command override is complete, route command protocols directly to myself, and set protect level to level three."
"Acknowledged…standing by…standing by…"
Ayame nodded, and looking around the war room narrowed her eyes at the stooped form of Zouken Matou, currently conferring with a well-dressed man that could only be Tokiomi Tohsaka. Ayame looked closer and grimaced at the man's appearance. "What's with that goatee?" she thought in disgust. "I'm sure he thinks of himself as good-looking, but it only makes him look like a cheap villain from one of those cowboy movies."
Shaking her head at the thought, Ayame left the war room, and heading for the nearest balcony, flew off on her broom. "Now then," Ayame said with a bloodthirsty smile while flying over the Einzbern Forest, headed for where Zouken and Tokiomi were. "Let's do this!"
"According to the report from the Einzbern," Tokiomi said. "In another hour we'll be through this bounded field."
"There's another one behind it." Zouken said unhappily. That was actually just a façade, because in reality Zouken was furious, and it was taking all his self-control to not lash out at the slightest provocation. Five…he'd lost five bodies breaching or attempting to breach four bounded fields, and adding no insignificant amount of strain on his soul. Once he got his hands on the magus behind the destruction of the Holy Grail and had made him go this far…
…he didn't care if Tohsaka and Einzbern had a claim on the fool in question. He was going to make them beg for death, and he would take great pleasure in denying such mercy while the worms feasted. A ghost of a smile flickered on his face at a passing thought.
If the fool is a woman…oh yes…I will enjoy punishing her very much…
An exclamation from Tokiomi jolted Zouken out of his thoughts, and he turned in the direction Tokiomi was looking in. Eyes that were full orbs of black widened at the sight. "Those are…!" he said in alarm.
Cylindrical projectiles trailing glittering, golden sparks soared in at high speed, and then to Tokiomi and Zouken's surprise, began to explode in mid-air, and sent glittering powder billowing in great clothes. And then explosions began to erupt, as the seals the two magi set for the bounded field to protect their current location began to explode.
"Magical explosive," Tokiomi hissed, raising his hands to use his fire magecraft to protect them both. "Fire element, but of alchemy I've never encountered before. Very well-made, solid concepts…"
"Agreed," Zouken growled. "I've never seen this magic before. What is…"
Zouken's words were drowned out as explosions erupted all around them, their own bounded fields collapsing and their prana being added to the explosions' fuel. Only Tokiomi's fire magecraft kept the two magi from being hurt, though it was an enormous strain, enough to cause the normally-stoic magus to give a grimace. Not that Zouken really needed such protection, but Tokiomi didn't know that.
And still more of the glittering powder hung in the air.
And in the distance, so did Ayame.
Three concentric, counter-rotating circles appeared on her back, golden sparkles flying out in a dazzling display. "Bracing complete," Ayame said, holding out her hands and generating a pair of magic circles, three-pronged targeting reticules superimposed over the rotating circles and their fairy letters. "Target: Tokiomi Tohsaka and Zouken Matou. Twin Buster Cannon, firing."
Twin lances of pure heat energy lanced out, rendering the air in the line of fire incandescent, and igniting the remaining powder in the air which combined with Ayame's Twin Buster Cannon, turned the magi's location into a raging inferno. "Preemptive attack complete." Ayame said, dispelling her magic circles and mounting her broom again. "Commencing breakout operation."
With a boom of displaced air, Ayame shot forward like a bullet, and left the inner defense area. As she did, there was a flash of light as the circle around the castle sent a blinding blast of light into the sky, and struck the orb on the middle of the ring. The orb swelled, and then contracting to a point, erupted in a translucent blast of magical energy. Speeding outwards at the speed of thought, it engulfed everything it touched, to no effect for most…
…but for the Einzbern homunculi, from the rank-and-file combat homunculi to their squad, platoon, and expedition leaders…
…eyes flashed and magic circuits flickered as their command protocols were overridden, and their directives reset. "Query: command?" the collective question slipped into Ayame's mind.
"Kill Zouken Matou." Ayame ordered without hesitation. "Kill the Matou Clan down to the last child, insect, worm, maggot, larva, and egg. Destroy all their materials and property. Wipe their entire misbegotten brood and legacy from the face of this Earth. Restrain Tokiomi Tohsaka. Do not kill him, but destroy his crest. Burn it in front of him and make him watch as his worthless legacy turns to ash."
"It will be done, my lady."
A/N
And with that, Rin and Sakura are safe. Tokiomi will never have the chance to corrupt them into selling their souls to the godless idol that is the path of the magus, nor will he ever have the chance to sell them like cattle all for the heartless goal of sister killing sister to glorify the worthless Tohsaka name. They'll have a mother who truly loves them, who will never abandon them, and will be a true example for them to live up to.
Ayame's interactions (?) with the Einzbern are too…mechanical? Not really; Jubstacheit, Iri, and Illya (and arguably Sella and Leysritt) aside, the Einzbern are all just a bunch of bioroids with no real ability to think for themselves. Ayame just ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL like they were just machines whose OS and other programs can be reset with the proper command codes and protocols fits perfectly.