I don't own Fate. Fate is the property of Type-Moon, and no financial gain is made from this or is sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

Divergent Fate

Chapter 6

Spring is the season of warmth, of life and promise. Even in urban locales like London, spring manifests itself as primroses bloom and grass grows long to the resignation of gardeners, while trees bud and sprout new leaves. Birds fly and sing, much to the chagrin of people who have the time and luxury to sleep-in…

…unless of course, their residence had 'unusual' protections built into it. Such protections would include – among others – the ability to block unwanted noises from getting in or out of the residence. As such, a certain adolescent girl remained curled up under her sheets, sleeping on regardless of how high the Sun was in the sky.

A series of knocks echoed from the door, and the girl shifted under her covers but gave no response other than that.

Another series of knocks echoed from the door. "My lady…?" a woman asked from the other side, her voice muffled by the thick wood. Again, the slumbering girl made no response.

A third series of knocks echoed from the door, which then opened to allow a maid only slightly older than the occupant in a starched maid uniform and cap to enter. "My lady…?" she said as she stepped into the room. "Ms. Velvet…?"

The girl under the covers shifted and then curled up even tighter. "Magdalena…?" Cattleya Velvet's voice echoed sleepily through the covers. "What's wrong…?"

"Ms. Velvet…" the young maid said worriedly as she approached the bed. "…it's half past ten in the morning."

"Is that so?" Cattleya responded sleepily. "Well it's a Sunday so I suppose it's fine if I sleep until just before noon."

"But my lady…" the maid pressed on hesitantly. "…it's not a Sunday. It's a Monday and according to the memo from last week, wasn't today the day for a presentation ceremony or something?"

For a moment there was utter silence, and then Magdalena stepped back in surprise as Cattleya violently threw off the covers and clambered out of the bed. "Shit, shit, shit…!" she swore floridly as she gave a glance at a nearby clock before running to her closet and began pulling clothes out one after the other. "Magdalena…get me coffee in a paper cup and a sandwich…something to eat while on the run to the Clock Tower. Hurry…!"

"Y-yes…!"

Five minutes later, and staid Londoners would be greeted with the sight of an adolescent girl running out of a high-class dormitory and down the street, her hair messy and with her hands and mouth full with a sandwich and a cup of coffee.

"Of all days to be late…!" she silently screamed at herself, choking down coffee and sandwich alike as fast as she could, and dumping the empty paper cup into a convenient dustbin in passing. Fortunately it seemed that she wasn't totally unlucky that day, as a partly-empty bus had just pulled into the bus stop when she arrived.

"Come on, come on, come on…!" she silently urged as she paid fare and made her way to a seat. As the bus began to move, she caught sight of her reflection on the windowpane and grimaced.

"Thankfully I have a comb on me…" she thought while reaching into a pocket, only to just as quickly frown. "…or not…"

Sighing, she projected and reinforced a comb in her pocket and then began to comb her hair. "All I can do now…" she murmured while looking at her reflection. "…is hope that things don't get too hairy over this."

At a seminar room in the Clock Tower, the Lord Waver El-Melloi II was standing at a podium declaiming to an audience of younger magi, while behind him sat his handpicked students. To one side a group of older magi – including Lorelei Barthomeloi – sat behind a desk observing the proceedings in silence.

"…one objective of upcoming conference will be strengthening ties with our fellow magi in the Far East, and securing stability for our society in that distant part of the globe." Waver was saying. "Your presence in the coming conference should thus be seen as an opportunity to broaden your horizons…"

"Broaden horizons he says." One student in the audience muttered to his seatmate. "Didn't the Night of Wallachia meet his end in Japan last year?"

"I heard that the White Princess was seen in Japan too." His seatmate whispered back.

"So we're probably heading to our deaths." The first student muttered. "Maybe I should drop."

"Hey be quiet the two of you!" a third student admonished. "It's impolite to talk while someone's making a speech and a lord at that too."

"Who cares?" the first student responded and nodded in the direction of the only absent member of the El-Melloi Pentagon. "And his sister didn't even show up."

His seatmate nodded, and then gave a shrug. "If the Diamond Princess didn't bother to show up…" he said. "…I'm guessing that the Lord El-Melloi II's losing his touch."

"And now…" Waver said as he reached the end of his speech, all the while silently praying that Cattleya had finally arrived. "…let us all hear some words from the leader of the student delegation for the coming conference, Cattleya Velvet."

He took a step back from the podium with an arm outstretched to the side, and he sighed in relief as the newly-arrived Cattleya walked towards the podium. Meanwhile Lorelei crossed her arms and leaned forward slightly in anticipation.

Cattleya coughed once as she stepped up on the podium. Inwardly she was deploring the fact that since Susanna was deaf and mute, she'd been passed over as student delegation leader (although she was the deputy student delegation leader) and the role handed over to Cattleya. "Let's see…for the glory of our bloodlines…for the sake of our legacies…no that's not right…"

Most of the lords present had pained expressions on their faces, as did the rest of the El-Melloi Pentagon. Lorelei and the audience were silent and neutral, while Waver looked as though he might have an aneurysm. Cattleya sighed and then her expression regained a measure of confidence.

"…everyone…" she said clearly and forcefully. "…let's do our best, and make this a proud and memorable experience for us all."

For a moment there was silence, and then loud and genuine applause erupted from the audience. "Straight to the point…!" the same student from earlier commented while clapping.

"That's the Diamond Princess for you." his seatmate responded.

Cattleya sighed as she took her seat, and received encouraging smiles from her friends. Waver however was wiping at his forehead…and then his blood ran cold as he saw Lorelei smiling approvingly at his sister.

"That was quite probably the most memorable speech that I've ever heard." Susanna Carter signed over lunch. "And you were late on top of it all."

"My mind just went blank at that moment." Cattleya said, and avoiding the topic of her lateness.

"On the other hand the Lady Barthomeloi was smiling at you earlier." David Wolfstone pointed out. "Somehow I think your speech – if you could call it that – managed to impress her."

"The Vice-Director is a no-nonsense person." Susanna signed. "Getting straight to the point without needless verbiage probably struck a chord with her, and even if you were late, the fact that Cattleya recovered so quickly and managed to effectively think on her feet was probably another point in her favor."

"I'm not sure I want to be recruited into her personal army though." Cattleya responded. "I mean it's a great honor and I will accept it if I ever received an invitation, but…"

She trailed off and the others smiled sympathetically. Getting into Lorelei's Chelon Canticle Brigade meant that one's talents and skills were comparable to any of the Association's branch heads and on par with elite magi who collectively possess the power to annihilate any of the vast armies assembled by the vampire aristocracy despite having only fifty members at present…but it also meant surrendering one's individuality and ambitions to serve as one of Lorelei's inner circle.

In other words: it was the end to any personal advancement beyond that point.

On the other hand…there probably were benefits being part of the Brigade, and Cattleya suspected that Lorelei would treat and reward her vassals well. And given her reputation, and the modest descriptions of the Brigade's strength…'well-rewarded' was probably an understatement.

Such rewards might be worth surrendering further advancement within the regular Clock Tower hierarchy.

"By the way…" Christopher Ashwood began. "…what happened to your brother? The last I saw of him, he was heading back to his office with a deeply-concerned expression on his face."

Cattleya shrugged. "He probably took a drink." She said. "Either that, or he's having fun times with his wife."

"Yuck…gross…!" Miranda Carnarvon said in disgust while kicking Cattleya under the table. "Old people love…!"

"Hey that hurt!" Cattleya protested while rubbing her shin. "And they're not that old."

"Even so…!"

As Cattleya and Miranda continued to argue over the matter of Waver's age, Christopher turned to David. "So…" the former said to the latter. "…what do you think are our chances of getting together with an Oriental girl?"

"You're crazy." David replied. "You really think that your family would let you get together with an Oriental?"

"Why not…?" Christopher asked back with a shrug. "If she's a magus, then they probably wouldn't care, even more so if she has something 'special'. And besides, Cattleya's Japanese isn't she? Look at how she's turned out."

"Well your folks are more open than mine." David conceded. "But then again…if a girl did happen to have something special like Cattleya's Imaginary Numbers, I don't think they'd mind."

"See…" Christopher said with a smirk. "…you have to look on the positive side of things."

And then lowering his voice and placing an arm around David's shoulders, he leaned in. "And besides…" he whispered. "…don't tell me that you haven't noticed Cattleya's 'assets'. Orientals are said to be…less-endowed, but I think we've been had, don't you?"

Susanna who'd been listening in – or rather was reading their lips given her disability – rolled her eyes and glanced at Cattleya. Cattleya and Miranda had both fallen silent and were now gazing at David and Christopher critically but this had gone unnoticed by the boys. The former met Susanna's gaze, and Susanna raised an eyebrow questioningly. Cattleya shrugged, and Susanna took her glass of water and poured it over Christopher's head.

"What was that for?" the boy spluttered out, only to quail at Cattleya's gaze.

"Uh…" David began while inching away from the table. "…I think I forgot to do something. Sorry, but I'll see you all later."

He fled, and Christopher swallowed nervously before giving an even more nervous laugh. "Um…" he began. "…maybe I should go and get changed."

"You do that." Miranda said, and Christopher fled as well.

"Boys and their hormones…" Cattleya said in disgust, and Susanna nodded her assent.

"We should make sure to lock our doors when we get to Japan." She signed, and the other girls gave their assent. "We should also get more locks for our bags. I for one do not fancy finding myself unpleasantly surprised if some of my knickers go missing."

There was another chorus of assent at that.

Caren Hortensia entered her father's living room, and found him reading a nondescript book on the couch. "I just got hold of some interesting information just now." She said.

"Oh?" Kirei Kotomine asked without looking up from his book. "And pray tell, what might that be…?"

"It seems that some sort of Association conference will be held in Misaki Town in a couple of weeks." She answered.

"I am already aware of that." Kirei said with an air of disappointment, and finally looking up from his book. "That information was received a while back, and Tohsaka will be participating. Matou will not it seems."

"That's to be expected." Caren said with a nod. "He'd probably be held in suspicion by more than a few people, specifically the Enforcers charged with security. However that wasn't the 'interesting' information that I was referring to."

"And what is?"

"Cattleya Velvet will be coming." Caren said with a smile. "And she's apparently the student delegation leader, along with the rest of her associates from the El-Melloi Pentagon."

Kirei laughed loud and long, and Caren's smile grew wider. "And how did Rin take this news?" he asked at length.

"I might have neglected to inform her." Caren said without a hint of embarrassment. "It seems to have slipped my mind…oops, silly me."

Kirei chuckled with mirth once more. "A shame that I would not be able to accompany you as you would Rin, who will be the Tohsaka representative." He said. "The fireworks will definitely prove interesting to watch."

"That they would…" Caren agreed with a nod. "…regardless I will do what I can to keep Rin from going too far. It would be a shame if she pushes the Association too far after all, not when there's only a short while left before the Grail war comes along."

"Indeed…" Kirei said with a nod. "…I'll leave it you then, Caren."

"Yes father."

Two weeks later and a wide-body jet soared high in the sky, and in the first-class cabin the members of the El-Melloi Pentagon lounged in their section. "Hmm…" Cattleya savored the sparkling champagne she'd just been served. "…very nice…I could get used to this."

"Cattleya you are a minor." Waver said in passing but making no real move to stop her from drinking. She scowled.

"Why does everyone keep telling me that?" she demanded irritably.

"That's because you are a minor." David answered, buried once again in a book. "We all are."

A burst of snoring interrupted the conversation, and eyes turned to Christopher as he snored in his seat. "Unbelievable…" Cattleya commented. "…it's first-class and all he does is sleep."

David shrugged and returned to his book, and after a moment Cattleya muttered something under her breath and returned to sipping at her drink while looking over some material with Susanna, who also had a glass of champagne nearby. Apart from the Pentagon, the other ranking Association members involved in the conference were also in first-class, although the bulk of the magi – including the rest of the student delegation – were in business-class.

The Enforcers – not including the ones already in Japan – were in economy-class.

Twenty minutes later and reviewing their agenda done, Susanna began to bother Miranda while Cattleya went off to see her brother. Waver didn't bother looking away from his book as Cattleya took a seat beside him. "May I be of assistance?" he politely asked after a moment.

He certainly didn't expect her to suddenly rest her head against his shoulder. "I'm scared…nii-san." She said after a moment, and speaking in Japanese.

She never spoke Japanese, not since the conclusion of the Fourth Holy Grail War.

Waver sighed and closed his book before placing an arm comfortingly around his sister's shoulders. "All right…" he said. "…what's gotten to you? This isn't like you at all."

"Tohsaka is coming…" she answered. "…and if our sources are right, then she'll come with everything she's got against me. Sister…Caster made a mistake. Rin's gone beyond mere emulation of father and is obsessed with surpassing Caster…her other self."

"I wonder if Tokiomi has even informed her of just who Caster really is." Waver said.

"Humph…" Cattleya scoffed. "…I wonder if she would even care. Caster should not have done what she did in front of sister. It's traumatized her, and the fact that I bear the crest will drive her fury to a boil."

"To be honest I'm not really certain about our sources, given that Kotomine is effectively a triple agent at this point." Waver said. "Don't give up on your sister just yet. She's probably just like your father, but there's no guarantee that she's as far gone as Kotomine says that she is."

"Do you really think so?"

Waver smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "Well…" he said while stroking her cheek. "…I certainly hope so. And I know that hope is a very powerful thing. Now then, go back to your friends."

Cattleya nodded and after giving a thankful squeeze on her brother's arm, returned to their section. Waver however was left deeply in thought, and after several moments he turned to an uncomfortable looking subordinate. "Did you get all that?" he asked.

"Y-yes…" the man replied uneasily, but was quickly cut off.

"You breathe one word of that to anyone else…" Waver warned him sternly. "…and you'll consider yourself lucky if I simply rip your tongue out."

"Y-yes…!"

"Good…" Waver said while sitting back in his seat. "…once we get to Japan contact our sources – apart from Kotomine and anyone affiliated with them or the Church – and have them get some more information about the Tohsaka. It was my mistake to depend entirely on that crooked priest as a source of information, but thankfully I still have some time to correct it. I need to know about a few things, and as soon as I can. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir!"

Waver nodded, and then returned to his reading. Meanwhile Cattleya had returned to the rest of the Pentagon, and as she retook her seat Miranda leaned in. "What was that all about?" she asked.

"I needed to talk about with my brother, that's all." She said, and Miranda grinned.

"About what…?"

"That is private, and none of your business." Cattleya huffed, and Miranda cackled.

"Oh you're so cold." She said faux-mournfully. "But…you were speaking in Japanese weren't you? Something tells me that it was important…won't you give us a hint please?"

Cattleya turned her head to regard her friend icily, but something in the other girl's eyes kept her from adding a stinging rejoinder. After a moment Susanna nodded encouragingly, and Cattleya gave a sigh. "Alright, alright…" she said. "…I'll give you a hint. It's family trouble…or potential trouble at any rate. I just needed…some reassurance, that's all."

The other girls traded glances but decided not to press the issue. They knew that Cattleya was a Japanese girl who was also a 'spoil of war' from the most recent Grail war, and given the ease that she slipped into her role as the Velvet heiress – with her brother legally an Archibald by marriage – there was the unspoken implication that her blood family wasn't one to reminisce about, something not totally unexpected in their society.

The fact that she had a crest made it worse, even more so since the crest WAS complete. Tohsaka would probably want it back, along with everything that Cattleya knew. And when magi wanted something…

"Don't try to do everything by yourself Cat." David said, and Cattleya looked at him with mild annoyance. She hated that nickname. "We're friends aren't we?"

Cattleya blinked and then nodded slowly. "Yes…" she said. "…we're friends."

"Then if you ever need help or support…" he said while looking up from his book. "…don't be afraid to ask."

Susanna reached forward and took Cattleya's hand, and squeezed it reassuringly. Miranda grinned and nodded, as did David. Cattleya smiled back, a smile that grew somewhat sardonic as Christopher made another burst of snoring. "Even him…?" she asked, and the others struggled to keep their laughter down.

"Yeah…" David finally said. "…even him."

Cattleya chuckled and nodded. "All right…" she said. "…I'll hold you to that. And thank you."

A/N

It lives…I debated with myself quite a bit with Kirei, but I decided to make him a bit like his canon self, although since it was Caren – who enjoys the misfortune (but not in a 'for the evulz' way) of people around her – who influenced him into becoming like this, don't expect him to be too 'evil'.

Not sure when the next update for this will come out, since I'm still debating on whether or not and how to get Arcueid into this. Seriously, she's a most troublesome character to write, not least of which is because of how stupid/simple-minded she can be at times…

…not serious about this but: which Servant should Arc have if she becomes a Master though? And can anyone actually defeat her? Granted she's only at thirty percent power, but even then she's stupidly-overpowered compared to the Human canon Fate characters (yes, even Dark Sakura should be no much for Arcueid given that True Ancestor trumps Divine Spirit - Angra Mainyu - when it comes to Authority).