Across The Multiverse

by EthernalRain

My name is Kouhei Takeda. I happen to be the latest and quite possibly doomed apprentice of the grand magician, Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg. I'm a second-rate magus, and my master wants to take me on a road trip across the multiverse. Just my luck...

2. Chapter 2: Welcome to the Multiverse

Chapter 2

Welcome to the Multiverse

---

I do not own anything Type-Moon. If I did, Shirou would have been able to save Ilya in the Unlimited Blade Works route.

I don't have much to say here. The reviews are highly welcome.

And I already have a plot for this chapter. Kouhei Takeda's past shall come to light, and we shall learn why he's so interested in alchemy, how he became religious and how he became part of the Kotomine family. A lot is to be expected. And I do hope you enjoy it.

Welcome to Fate/Stay Night.

Possible Canon World #5.

Please enjoy your stay.

---

POV: Kouhei Takeda-Kotomine.

I was falling.

But it did not feel like I was falling.

Stars, blackness, universes, emptiness.

I witnessed the Crossroads of Oblivion at their work.

I saw worlds end and their rifts close, I saw worlds begin and their newly made rifts tear open. I saw civilizations at their rise, and at their fall. I saw wars, I saw peace. I witnessed ETERNITY and I witnessed it's END.

The rifts lead to ALL and NOTHING.

I don't know why I knew this. Something in me just knew.

And if these rifts were the gates to EVERYTHING...

Then somewhere, out there in the vast never-ending Crossroads...

There was the gate to Akasha, the Root.

"Down here."

The force guiding my soul made me fall towards a certain rift. This one was glowing with a soft light, an indicator of where I was supposed to go. The rift was small, but I probably could fit through it pretty easily. I know that's my destination.

I drift through the rift.

And I feel my consciousness go dark.

---

"Hello boy! Wake up!"

Tired eyes flicker open, squinting at the bright lights that threatened to blind me. My muscles felt weak, strained as I tried to push myself up to no avail. It was hard enough that the weight of my bag suddenly felt so heavy compared to the weight during my entry into the rift. I just felt tired.

"I'm accounting this to shock for your first time, then."

My eye forces open, spotting my master framed by a canopy of leaves.

"Welcome to consciousness, boy." He grinned down to me. A wrinkled hand tugs on mine and lifts me up. The very same hand helps my suddenly frail legs stand.

"Where are we?"

"Here, just walk. I'll guide you."

My arm wraps around his shoulder, as he supports my weight. I can hardly see through blurry eyes, but I can make out a forest through my clouded vision. I don't know where we are yet. I feel leaves, and rocks underneath these feet of mine, so I'm fairly sure we're in a forest, and from the vibrant colors I can just barely see, it's autumn here.

I can feel the chilled wind ruffle my hair, and brush across my skin. Various pleasant scents make their way to my nose, and I can hear the flaps of migratory birds. It's a nice feeling.

"Come on, we're almost there." He assures me. I can see the blurred shape of a grin on his face.

We continue walking through the forest.

"Welcome to your first alternate reality, Kouhei Takeda."

He lets go of me, and I rub my eyes. I can see again.

"Woah."

We're standing on a hill, facing out towards a city. Everything's so familiar. I recognize buildings, the familiar shopping centers, my school, and the streets. Even the vibrant red bridge that linked the two parts of the city together was there.

I was standing before Fuyuki City, in another dimension.

...

Amazement struck me first, then raw shock hit in. I believe I had stood there for minutes, taking in the sights. This is my home, yet it isn't my home. Various tidbits of science fiction had brought up into my mind. If this was an alternate reality of Fuyuki City, wouldn't that mean there are alternate people of who I know here? That would mean an alternate Father, an alternate Caren, alternate versions of my friends-

There could even be an alternate Kouhei Takeda.

"Master-"

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"We won't interfere with the workings of this universe." He tells me sternly.

"But-"

"That includes changing the lives of the people living here. We don't do that unless we understand the consequences of doing such a thing."

Consequences.

Never thought about those... Now the ramifications of showing up out of nowhere to a person I know in this universe might be weird, considering the fact that they might not even know me. Yet, maybe. That, or the appearance of a second me might really freak the crap out of them. That explains Master's words. But what isn't explained is how the heck he knew what I was thinking about...

"So, what our plans, Master?"

"We train and observe."

I nod. "When shall we start?"

"After we find a place to stay..."

---

"... This is underneath the bridge."

"Exactly! Nothing like the great outdoors."

"This isn't camping! This is homelessness!" I argue. I kick a can into the river, watching it float away. There's no one down here but us, our bags and other belongings.

"This shall be our home base for now. We won't exactly start tackling training until you get used to a few matters of inter-dimensional travel."

I sit on the ground, sighing with my head bowed. "And those matters are?"

"You have to find them for yourself to truly understand." He tells me.

"Can I have a hint?"

"Nope." He whistles. "There's one point about inter-dimensional travel that you must understand before we can continue on with our journey. It's one of the most important, and you will not survive for long without understanding it."

I groan. This is going to take a while, isn't it?

"Now go off on your search. I'll go out when I feel like it." He waves a hand at me, ushering me off.

I set my bag down beside him, and turn to walk away.

I walk down the streets of Fuyuki, in the more modern half of the city. I remember a lot of these places, having been here with friends. If I were to encounter myself here, wouldn't that be cool? Though I'd probably end up giving myself a heart attack or a stroke... I wonder what's going on back home.

I miss everyone already.

I have no honest clue what I'm looking for. I have no real information about what kind of alternate reality this is. So, after practically hours of just wandering the familiar streets of Fuyuki, I'm sitting before my master, eating ramen as he downs a small buffet. I know he was rich in multiple universes, but this was a bit much.

"What's the difference between this world and ours?" I ask out of the blue.

"Hm... Some things I can't tell you." He pauses to swallow, "But here's one."

I lean forward to listen.

"The Fifth Grail War is about to begin."

The blood drains from my face.

"The fifth?" I murmur weakly.

"I doubt this shall happen back at your home, but from where I am from, the Fifth Grail War came about ten years after the fourth, due to circumstances I'm not very willing to disclose." He answers, continuing to eat.

The Fifth Grail War...

The Fourth Grail War was terrible enough. And I had the scars and first hand experiences of it. They're not my best memories, there are things I'd be much better off without remembering. I remember the panicking, the worries, the pains, and dear Lord have mercy, I remember all the blood. Every single little droplet... Especially the innocent blood spilt by that foul, hell spawned Caster's hands.

I set my ramen down, no longer hungry. I pull my knees closer to me, and I rest my forehead upon my kneecaps. I feel so cold, even beside a fire. Fear can break the greatest men. I'm not yet a man, so fear simply shatters me.

"Are you okay boy?"

"I'm fine." I lied.

"Is it about the war?"

...

I find it within me to slowly nod.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I stare at the ground. My mind began to drift to the events of my past.

"No, I don't."

---

About Ten Years Ago

I stood with the aged man who named himself Kotomine Risei. I held the jacket that covered me quietly, as we walked down the street. I could barely think straight, my mind on fire with a blaze of thoughts and emotions. The weight of loss caused my heart to ache, to throb in pain. I was alone, and I had no one else left in my life.

"Mommy and Daddy are gone..." I murmured. Daddy killed Mommy. I still didn't know why.

A hand patted my shoulder, guiding me. "It'll be alright son." He assured me, leading me forward. It was a cold night, from what I remember. My hollow eyes just watched the ground, unseeing, unfeeling.

"We're here." I raise my head.

We were at the top of a hill, and standing tall and proudly before us, was a church. The shadow of a metal cross bore down on us, a foreboding shadow at that. Albeit the creepiness the church seemed to give off in the moonlight, I felt something else wandering about my mind. I felt safe here, like nothing could touch me, hurt me, do things to me.

I felt welcome in the house of God.

He lead me to the tall wooden doors, ushering me inside. I was now in a courtyard, surrounded by flowers and small and carefully tended plants. It was quiet here, but gave off the feeling of sanctuary. Risei lead me to a smaller door, this one leading inside. We're standing to the side of a large room, one I could tell was the chapel.

"Father!"

A young, suit-clad man ran up to us. He rubbed brown hair back, as his brown eyes stared into the eyes of my rescuer. "What happened? Did he manage to gain the vampires help?" He asked Risei.

"No, he didn't."

"What happened? Who's this boy?"

Both of them looked down towards me, and Risei gestured for me to introduce myself.

"Kouhei Takeda." I say quietly, looking down.

"Is he-"

"Yes, he is. The man's dead. He killed his wife before I could stop him." Risei answered.

My small hand reached up to wipe away tears.

"Come here, we'll get you something to eat." Risei told me, guiding me away.

I put a spoon of hot oatmeal into my mouth, sitting on a tall stool in the church's kitchen. Across from me, a grey haired little girl with golden eyes drank juice from a sippy cup with a grin spread across her face. The young man, who I assumed then was her father, smiled softly at her, rubbing her head. I remember when Mommy did that for me...

"Are you okay, Kouhei?" The man asks me.

I hesitantly nod.

"If there's anything you need, just ask."

"Okay."

I sat in a pew, hugging myself in the dark. It was quiet, no one seemed to be coming for mass today. I was left alone to my thoughts. But in my honest opinion, I really didn't want to be alone. I notice a light coming up beside me. It's the man whose Risei's son, holding a candle. He sets the candle in the space on my other side, then sits down.

I don't even know his name, but he's doing this much for me.

"Kouhei?"

"Uh... What's your name?"

"Kotomine Kirei."

"..." I'm quiet again.

There's silence between us, neither one wanting to speak a word. We're just sitting beside each other in the presence of... In the presence of... I wasn't religious. So I didn't really believe in God.

I was curious though. I wondered what kind of person God was. I wondered why he was putting me through this. I thought God was supposed to be a good person.

So why was he putting me through hell?

"Why...?" I ask, putting my head on my knees. I began to shake, emotion overtaking me. My cheeks felt wet.

I remember Mommy holding me. I remember her touch. I remember the door shaking. I remember Mommy's screams.

I remember Daddy's bloodthirsty eyes.

"Why did Daddy kill Mommy?" I said with a shaky voice.

A hand patted me on the back as I cried.

"Does God hate me, Kirei...?" If he didn't hate me, why is he doing this to me?

I feel the hand pat me on the head.

"Kouhei, God will never hate you. People tend to blame what's happened to them on God, but it isn't God's fault. It isn't your fault either."

"Then why...? Is it something I've done?"

"Kouhei, God will forgive you. I'm sure he's trying to help you. But all you need is to give him a little time, and a little faith. And pray, Kouhei. It'll go a long way."

"..." I was quiet, giving it thought. "I miss Mommy."

"I know you do. And I'm sure she'll want you to be a strong, brave boy." His hand ruffled my hair.

And so, I bowed my head down and I continued to cry. His arm wrapped around me, and pulled me close as a few tears fell down my face.

I had lost my Mommy for good. This wasn't like the time I got lost at the mall... This time she was gone. I won't see her again.

I had lost my Daddy... If I ever consider him Daddy again... I don't miss him. Not after what he had done.

I had lost one father.

But now, after today...

I had gained two.

---

I look at the little girl, Caren. She bounced up and down to some show on the TV that morning, giggling happily. She bobbled over to me, with a big grin that showed off the teeth she had. "Play! Play!" She tugged on my hand, trying to pull me over to a small pile of toys sitting in the corner. I don't feel like playing right now. She continued pulling on my hand, but I tugged it back.

She pouted, trying to stand tall. Then she went over on her own, picking up a toy and starting up her imagination. I stood up from the couch, and decided to walk around. Outside of the office, where I had kept Caren's company, I entered the hall, and began poking around. My wandering lead me to a door set into a stone wall, which seemed to lead nowhere outside.

I opened it, revealing a stairway going down. With curiosity, I descended into the depths of the church. The stone steps clattered loudly as I made my way deeper and deeper. I jump to the ground from four steps high, a habit of mine.

I'm in a smaller hallway, this one leading to a single door.

"Assassin. Scout the area. Tohsaka needs that information." I hear.

I walk to the door, creaking it open slightly. And my eyes widen at the sight.

Multiple black clad, dark skinned figures surrounded Kirei. Each bore a mask, one of a white skull. I had learned about the circumstances of the Grail War from my mother. Seven Masters allied with seven Servants fighting it out to the death for the right to claim the Holy Grail... I didn't expect in any way, for the man who's taking care of me to be a Master.

The people clad in black began to disperse into the air, leaving Kirei standing in the center of the room.

"I know you're there, Kouhei."

I step out from behind my hiding place, silent and pale. "Come here." He orders. Hesitantly, I find the will to walk to his side.

"Did you see that?" He asks.

I nod. It wouldn't be right to lie. I learned lying was bad. "Are you mad?" I ask.

He smiles with that small, yet warm smile. "Of course not. You didn't find it at all strange?"

"I know about thaumaturgy and all that..." I murmur, poking my fingers together.

"Do you know how to use it properly? Safely?" He asks me.

I shake my head. "I only know a few things."

I know what Magic Circuits are, and I know how to get prana into my hands and out of my body, but that's it. Kirei reaches into his cloak, and pulls out what seems to be the hilt of a sword without a blade. He hands the thing to me, letting me look it over. It's a rusted red color, the guard covered by a design, and very light.

"Try putting prana into it."

I adjust the hilt into my right hand, feeling a few of my small circuits come to life. Prana leaves my hand, and enters the blade. It takes a few seconds, and I can feel the converted prana enter the hilt. And then my eyes widen.

Materializing before me was a long, thin blade attached to the hilt in my hand. It was really cool, in my opinion.

"It's called a Black Key. I use it to fight demons and evil people." He answers, as I look over the blade in my hands. "Remember, it's not a toy, but a weapon. People should use weapons to fight for what they believe in, and to protect what they can." I nod at his words, it makes sense.

"You can keep that, if you'd like."

"Really?" I ask, my face brightening.

"Just take care of it. And use it for the right things."

His hand ruffles my hair, in the way I'm beginning to love.

"Thank you."

---

Kirei held Caren in his arms as we walked down the street in the residential half of Fuyuki, in the part where western-style houses were common. The hilt of the Black Key had stayed in the pocket of a jacket Risei had taken from my old house, ready to be used if needed. I felt safe, knowing I had something to defend myself from any danger to come my way.

When Kirei stopped, we stood before the gate to a large house, a practical castle in comparison to my size. The gate creaked open, and Kirei ushered me inside. He weaved me through a garden, down the path towards the western style house. I noticed a man standing before the door. And I also noticed eyes watch me from the upper windows.

They weren't watching Kirei, they were watching me. My eyes locked with what I think were blue ones, which narrowed at me. Curtains flew between us, and the mysterious person withdrew into the house. From what I could tell, it was a girl.

"Kirei, welcome." The red suited man said to him, arms wide in a welcoming gesture.

Kirei nodded to him. "Tokiomi." He said, setting Caren on her feet. The first thing she did was run to me, latching onto my arm.

"Onii-chan!" She chimed happily.

I groan a bit, trying to loosen myself from her. No use.

"And who are you?" The red suited man asked me.

"Takeda Kouhei." I answer politely, taking care to put my last name first in respect.

"So this is the boy?" He asked Kirei, who nodded with a sigh. The other man sighed himself. "Such unfortunate circumstances... But no matter, I believe you can do a good job taking care of him."

The man looks down to me. "My name is Tohsaka Tokiomi, and I'm Kirei's master in the matters of thaumaturgy." He introduced himself. "I see now my apprentice has a little apprentice of his own." He chuckled, and then stood aside.

"Please come in, make yourselves at home."

He lead us in to the large house. The foyer itself was huge, and fancily decorated like a castle would be. Caren kept her hold on my arm, refusing to let me go. "Father! Kotomine!" Another voice called out to us.

A girl, about my age stood on stairs, walking down them. She had long brown hair tied up into twin tails that reached the shoulders of her red clothes, and from what I can tell from here, she had aqua coloured eyes. The same eyes that spied on me outside the house... Those eyes locked with mine once more in suspicion.

"Rin-Rin!"

"Caren-chan!"

Caren let go of me and bounced over to the girl, and locked her arms around her. The girl smiled, patting her head. "It's so good to see you!" She told Caren, moving down a bit to her eye level. "Now who's the suspicious guy over there?" She jabbed an accusing finger in my direction.

Caren brought a finger to her lips in thought. "Onii-chan!" She grinned.

I palm my forehead. I'm not her Onii-chan. The girl walks up to me, holding Caren by the hand. "I'm Tohsaka Rin!" She says, trying to stand tall with pride and intimidate me. She's shorter than me by about a full inch.

"I'm Kouhei Takeda." I answer her, folding my arms and standing tall myself.

"Rin, why don't you go play? I need to talk business with Kirei." Her father, Tokiomi, told her.

She looked reluctant , then with a "Hmph!" turned on her heel and walked off with Caren.

"Good luck with her." Kirei advised me, and then nudged me off to follow them.

We sat in what seemed to be Tokiomi's workshop, surrounded by books and other thaumaturgy-related paraphernalia, all illuminated by candlelight. Caren curled up in Rin's lap, as she read her a book about magecraft. "So that's how jewel magecraft works!" Rin exclaimed happily to the little girl. Who seemed uninterested and oblivious, not understanding the completely complex explanation about the Tohsaka family magecraft.

"Rin-Rin smart!" Caren chimed, clapping her hands.

"Why thank you!" Rin giggled, hugging her in thanks.

I turn to spot a magecraft circle, one that Rin detailed in her lecture to Caren. I see a bunch of diamonds, of all things, sitting beside it. First thought in my mind was to pocket a few of them, since they obviously was worth quite a lot of money, an amount of money I never had before. The next thought scolded myself, since I knew stealing was wrong. My last thought was one of curiosity.

I take the jewel, and instead of putting it in my pocket, I put it in the middle of the ornately designed circle, or from what I understood from the lecture, a sigil. The process of Jewel Magecraft seemed to revolve around putting converted prana into the jewel and controlling its properties from within. I summon prana into my hands, feeling it convert into mana. I feel the mana wrap around the jewel, which now began to glow with a soft blue light.

I weave my hands up, feeling the mana pulse. I'm relaxed, enjoying the little display. The very little amount of prana I had at my disposal compared to other magi made it much easier to control. My hands moved about, keeping the mana flow straight into the jewel. Every few times I felt it try to flow away, and so my hands moved to counter it and control the jewel.

A smile drifts upon my face as the jewel takes shape. Right into a miniature replica of a Black Key.

"What?-! How can you do that!"

My concentration breaks at the sudden shout, the mana flow breaking from the shaped diamond. I drop all use of mana, and use my hand to pick up the sword. "Wow." I murmur.

"Rin! Is something wrong?" Tokiomi comes storming down the stairs. Rin shakes her head, staring at the blade in my hand. The little replica captures his attention at well, and he holds his hand out at me. "If I may?" He asks, gesturing for the sword.

I place it in his palm, and he lifts it up to the candlelight. "Impressive. Where did you learn this? From Kirei?"

I shake my head. "I listened to her read a book." I point at Rin.

Tokiomi turns to his daughter with a small smile. "You'll make a great teacher in the future, I'm sure about that Rin. But you'll need to step up your efforts. Now, I've got to get back upstairs. Don't play with anything you don't know how to read or use. Don't touch the machines either." He advises us.

He hands me back the miniature blade. "You can keep that." He tells me, "Good work." And with a wave, he walks back up the stairs.

"You showed me up!" Rin exclaimed, frowning and stomping her feet on the ground angrily. "How come you can you do it, and I can't!"

I look at my hands.

"I... I don't know."

I felt relaxed as my converted prana did its work, and took the shape of my imagination. I could feel mana resound from the miniature sword in my hand, like a heartbeat. I'm a little more sensitive to mana then quite a few people. When I feel a surge of mana, I can sense it. Sometimes it tickles, other times it just hurts.

"What other things can you do?" Rin asks me.

"What can you do?" I say, trying to divert attention from me.

"I can do other things with jewels!" She starts off. "I can store mana in them, and I can make things explode!"

I nod. That's actually pretty impressive. I pull out the hilt of my Black Key. "I can do this."

I materialize the blade, shocking Rin.

"You can do Projection?"

I don't think the blade's projected, I actually think it's a power of the hilt. I dematerialize the blade, and settle it into my pocket again. I shouldn't play with it, since it's a weapon. Though my other sword...

I lift the small diamond sword up. It's only faintly sharp, so I scratch the wood of the work table with it . It leaves a thin faint line, but when I grip it doesn't cut my skin. The Black Key can slay demons and smite evil, but the only things this could probably kill were cockroaches.

Fear my magic diamond mini-sword, you worthless bugs!

...

I think I just posed in my imagination trip. Rin was giggling. "You say nothing." I tell her, putting the diamond sword in my pocket.

We start talking about our lives, from where we went for school, to what our favourite foods were. She's a genius at school, practically performing swan dives while I can only tread water. We talked about nearly everything, anything on our mind, we brought it up. Until she brought up that one question.

"So, what're your parents like?"

"..."

I'm quiet, looking down.

"Hey, I asked you a question." She said, tiling her head as she came closer.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on!" She urged me, "Say something!"

"I don't want to say anything!" I shout.

Rin's eyes widen, as Caren's begin to grow teary. "Onii-chan's a meanie!" She cried. Rin turned on her heel to comfort her.

"Idiot, you made her cry! Why can't you just answer a simple question?-!" She said to me. Her eyes widen a bit more, meeting mine.

I feel something flow down my cheek.

I turn on my heel, and I run. I run up the stairs, past a worried Tokiomi. I run out into the hallway, just needing to get away for some reason. I just needed to get away.

Run. Hide. Safe. Those words ran through my head as my feet took me out of the house.

I found myself in a large garden, surrounded by flowers of various sorts. The evening light shined down on me, as I began walking through the flowers. I sat down on a stone bench, pulling my legs closer. I rest my head on my knees, thinking that I need to stop running from my problems and what I don't want to hear.

I was so into my thoughts, I neglected to notice the other occupant of the bench.

"You must be Kouhei. My name's Aoi Tohsaka."

I turn my head to see a woman, with long brown hair and deep brown eyes, wearing pale brown clothes. She sat on the bench beside me, a few flowers in hand. She puts the flowers beside her, and scoots over to my side. "Are you okay?" She asked me.

She seemed friendly. Very trustworthy in my eyes. I think about lying to her. "No." I tell her with honesty.

I think that lying would be an injustice to this woman.

"Would you like to talk about it?" She asks, a consoling hand on my shoulder.

"... I miss my Mommy."

She was gone. I have to move on with life. But I just can't let go. I can't let go of the memories, the emotions that came with them.

I can't let go of what made Yuriko Takeda the most wonderful woman in the world.

"And what do you miss?" She asks, moving closer until her arm was wrapped around me. "Tell me anything, even the little things."

"I miss... I miss waking up to the breakfast she made me... I miss when she hugs me... I miss when she played with me... I miss when she held my hand, I miss when she made me feel safe, I miss when she told me she loved me... I miss her smile."

I miss the smile I would never see again.

I missed EVERYTHING.

I remember everything so clearly. I miss everything that made Mommy my Mommy. I miss her love. I miss it all. I don't miss my Daddy.

I hate Daddy for taking her away from me.

Everything that Yuriko Takeda embodied in my heart was gone. And it left a gaping, bloody hole. I wanted my Mommy back. I wanted to see her smile.

I wanted my father to go to hell.

I wanted my Mommy.

That man was never my father.

Yuriko Takeda was dead. I was alive. It was so unfair. I wish I was-

...

...

...

No. I don't wish I was dead.

I just wish all this never happened.

And so I let the dam break. I let all my emotions loose. I quickly hug Aoi, much to her surprise. And I just cry my eyes out, letting loose all the pain, all the sorrow.

"Waaaaaaaaaah!"

I just let it all go.

---

I sit beside Kirei, quiet once again. We're silent as we listen to Aoi argue with her husband behind wooden walls.

"Tokiomi! You heard what I said! Kouhei just lost his mother and look what's happening to him! What about Sakura! What if she's feeling the same pain?-!"

The shouts become muted, as I see Kirei draw something on the wall with chalk. It seems to be a sigil. "Is it my fault?" I ask him. "Is it my fault they're arguing?"

"No, it's not your fault. It's something they would have to talk over eventually. Something I hope they'll resolve soon." He sighs, leaning against the wall.

I nod at his answer.

"Are you feeling better?" He asks me.

I nod. I feel much better. He smiles down at me with that small smile, the one that gave me the feeling that all was once again right with the world. Caren's lucky to have a father like him. His hand ruffles my hair again.

I feel something tug on my wrist. It's Caren. Her eyes show evidence of having cried, and quite a lot at that. She hugs my leg.

"Sorry..." She murmurs.

She's not the one who needs to feel sorry. I kneel down a bit and hug Caren tightly. She hugs me back, giggling. "I love Onii-chan, Rin-Rin, and Daddy."

"I'm not-" I pause, still hugging her.

I close my eyes. She's one of the only things that are still going to be here for me.

"I'm your Onii-chan." I murmur, holding her tight.

"I love Onii-chan."

"... I love you too."

---

School...

Well, I hate school. Not as much as other people do, but I generally dislike school. I could be doing something productive, but I'm doing math problems and other things that won't be of major use in the outside world. Oh well. I transferred out of my old school, and now I'm at a new one. Turns out I'm in the same class as Rin. And she hasn't quite forgiven me for making Caren cry.

"Idiot, you don't answer like that!" I rest my head on my desk, as Rin starts marking my math work. Most of it is probably wrong.

"Don't bully him..." Her friend, Kotone says.

At least someone supports me here. Rin's the class idol, so everyone looks up to her. And Rin's currently looking down on me. It's not nice.

"Listen to the girl, will you?" I tell her off.

Rin pouts. "At least I'm not an idiot who makes girls cry!" She storms off towards her desk.

"I'm sorry..." Kotone bows.

I smile at her. "No, it's fine. It's my fault in this case."

She brightens a bit. "You seem familiar with Rin-chan."

"Er... Family friend." I answer.

"That's interesting." She gives a soft smile. "I'll see you around, Kouhei-kun."

My face feels a bit warm as she turns to walk to her desk. Haven't had anyone stick kun to the end of my name before... It's nice. Especially coming from such a soft spoken girl like Kotone.

The teacher catches our attention. "Due to the sudden disappearances, please take care and extreme caution when walking home. I'd advise for your parents to pick you up, but if you must go home on your own, then please be careful." The man turns to write things about schoolwork and warnings on the chalkboard, while my classmates come to life with conversations.

The mysterious disappearances of children all over Fuyuki have gripped everyone in the city with cold hands. It's scary, kids disappearing from their beds, parents turning around to see their children gone. The people on the news every night keep sugar-coating things, telling us that the police have everything completely under control. They don't want people to panic.

But children keep disappearing... And I can't help but feel a bit scared.

After class, I walk alongside Rin and Kotone home.

I smile, absentmindedly listening to their conversation. They seem to be really good friends. I wonder how my friends are doing. I haven't even had the time to call them, or see them. I really should, I don't want to worry them or anything.

"Well, this is where we go." Rin says, pointing into the direction of a train station.

"I'll walk." Kotone smiled, waving at us as she began to walk to wherever her home was.

"What're you waiting for?" Rin asked me, as she began walking to the station.

"Go without me." I answer, running after Kotone.

"Kouhei-kun?" She gasps, as I appear by her side.

"See you later Rin!" I watch the girl palm her forehead and walk off.

"What're you doing?" Kotone asks me. Her cheeks seemed a bit red for some reason.

"A gentleman must walk a lady home. At least, that's what father said."

Wait, Kirei said that. Not my old father. I paid it no mind, as Kotone began playing with her fingers, probably nervous for some reason. "Okay then..." She answered.

"Lead the way." I bow in an elaborate pose.

"Okay." A wide, more confident smile appears on her face as she begins to walk with me.

"How long have you known Rin?" I ask her, adjusting the bag on my back.

Kotone smiles, "Since Kindergarten. She's always been friendly to me."

"I can't see why she wouldn't." I smile back. Kotone's a very nice girl, she just has a few confidence issues.

Kotone's cheeks grow a bit redder, and I still don't know why.

"Are you feeling okay?" I ask her, reaching out my hand to feel her forehead. As soon as I touch it, I can feel her face burn up.

"I'm feeling fine!" She near shrieks.

"Okay. Good to hear." I chuckle nervously.

It's nearing winter, so evening comes sooner. The sun's already starting to set, and large shadows already creep amongst the city. Kotone looks around anxiously, as if scared. My foot taps a can, and she jumps up in fright.

"EEEEK!" She squeals, latching onto my arm. She's all jittery, and shaking.

"It's okay." I assure her. "Nothing's coming this way." If something were to come, I have my Black Key ready for use at any moment. In the case of a strange person versus very long sword, the very long sword shall win hands down in a very bloody and epic fashion that involves dismemberment, disembowelment and/or violent castration.

We're fairly safe.

"It's okay." I assure her once more.

"Okay." She says, but she doesn't let go of my arm.

"Kouhei-kun?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you for being with me."

---

Kotone's mother offered to let me stay the night, since it was almost dark out by the time we made it to her house. She had lauded me in an over the top fashion, praising me as the brave boy who saw to it that her daughter made it home without a scratch. That may have been what happened, but it didn't make it any less weird.

"I'm sorry, but I really have to get home."

"Where do you live?"

"Oh, the church on the hill." I answer. "It'll be easy to walk there."

"Are you sure? You're very welcome to stay-"

I interrupt the woman. "I'm sorry ma'am, but I'll be fine." I wonder if I should tell her about my weapon. But if I did, I probably would have given the woman a heart attack.

I wave goodbye to a red Kotone, as her mother began to walk me down the block. I waved goodbye to her mother too, as I crossed the street and began heading for the hill. It was dark now, so I had my hand gripping onto the hilt of my sword. It would help so much to be safe right now. I watched the shadows with speculative eyes, trying to figure out whether threats hid behind the shelter of the darkness.

"Ohohoho, what do we have here? Just another lonely little child. Come, my lost lamb. I have good use for you." A voice called out to me.

In the crass terms learned from watching lots of TV and reading older manga, I swore.

"Oh FUCK." I mutter under my breath. I drop my bag, pulling out the hilt of my Black Key. A pulse of prana, and the blade is out. I speed up in my walk, ready to lash out at whatever comes at me.

"An interesting weapon."

At the second he finishes his sentence, I break into a run. I can hear something chasing after me, but I don't know what it is. I know it's coming. I don't stop running, I just keep pumping my legs.

Until the feeling of cold water washes over me. I don't recognize it at first, but then I realize it to be a Bounded Field, deflecting against something. I break into a stop, turning around. But nothing's there in the street behind me.

"I'll remember this boy... You interest me."

I jam the blade outside the boundary of the field, poking around for something solid. But nothing's there. My enemy might be invisible, so I continue poking around the length of the boundary I could reach. Still nothing. Until I see the shifting of air.

I stab at it with all my might. And I see red drops dripping to the ground.

Something yanks at my sword, pulling me out of the safety of the Bounded Field.

Something grabs at my head, its palm covering my eyes.

And all I hear is cruel laughter, as everything falls black.

---

I was walking. I don't know why. Surrounding me were children, each walking around this strangely clothed, bug eyed man. I still had my bag with me. Through my hazy view, I can see we're in a forest.

I can feel some sort of strange prana leeching off my circuits. It must be controlling me. Through the small application of what prana I could access, I began chipping away at the strange presence, the leech. I felt it wither away and die inside me.

My vision became clear, but I still fell into step with the rest of the children. This man was a powerful magus, so if I were to run... I wouldn't doubt the chance he'd try to kill me, and the rest of the children around me too. I have to find some way to get us all out of here.

But perhaps I was too late.

For we soon stopped, and the man began speaking to someone I couldn't see. And then the children around me came back to their senses. Some looked around, others started to cry. And then the man grabbed a boy near my left.

He lifted him up by the head, and I heard the boy scream in horrendous pain as he clawed around violently to get out of the man's grip. I heard a sharp crack. And I watched the boy stop moving, but the man kept up with his grip. The boy's head turned into red mush, and the man just callously threw the body to the ground.

"I'll count until one hundred, so what are you waiting for kids?"

The man's bug-like eyes eyed every child surrounding him. They lay a bit longer on me. I freeze, just looking into his eyes. The crease of a grin appeared on his face.

"RUN."

The children scattered, panicking. Their screams brought the man's attention away from me, and I saw him grin in delight. They shouldn't have screamed. It brought attention to them.

"This has to be a dream, this has to be a dream..." A young girl sobbed beside me, scared out of her mind.

Horror took root in my chest as I turned from her and stared at the dead boy crumpled up on the forest floor.

That could happen to me.

My head snaps to the young girl still within the man's reach. I grab her by the hand, and I run like hell was licking on my heels with her behind me.

"MOVE!" I urge the girl as she cried. I heard another scream, just to hear it fall silent, and sound of something hitting the ground echoed around us.

Another scream. Then silence. He was killing them. He was really killing them.

I needed to get us to safety. I needed somewhere to hide. I needed to do the same for this girl. And another urge hit my head with the weight of a rock.

I needed a weapon.

I quickly scooped up branches as we ran further and further away from the man. Prana surged to the forefront of my hand as I remembered one trick my Mommy taught me. More prana gathered, and flowed into the branches. I needed this to work, this one skill Mommy taught me before... Before... I can't afford to think of it right now. I start.

Transmutation.

With my prana, I forcibly ripped apart the electrons in the branches in my hand, rearranging them to the element I needed. Soon enough, I had a makeshift iron sword in hand, ready to be used against anything. I can feel the girl holding my hand grow tired, panting so loudly that it reached my ears. I slow us down, having us hide behind the trees.

"What's going on...?" She cried, holding my hand tightly.

"Don't worry, we're gonna get to safety." We have to.

I start guiding her by the hand, slowing down into a walk. I'm no match for that man. He could kill me so easily. I don't have a shot at saving everyone with the way I am now.

So God, I pray to you, let me at least save this girl.

I felt pain in my stomach.

I doubled over, feeling like I was going to throw up. Pain rocketed through my chest, setting my entire upper body on fire. It hurt to breathe, and I fell onto my knees. Something was inside me.

Just waiting to rip out.

I feed my prana into the source of the pain, trying to incise it out of my body like a surgeon would do for a tumour. I feel something wither again, this time inside my stomach. Something was alive in there, wanting to get out. My prana flows towards it, piercing it, stabbing it, killing it.

And then it just stopped moving. And I suddenly felt full, as in not hungry anymore. I kind of felt sick. So upon note to myself, do not look into the toilet the next time I take a crap. I've had enough trauma lately.

What was that anyway? A parasite injected into me when I was out of it? Did that man put it in all of us? Perhaps I was the only one who could get out of it...

Realization dawns on me.

I turn to the girl holding my hand while I begin to stand, and she blinks at me.

"What's wrong?" She asks, now scared.

"Nothing. I need you to lie down."

"Why?"

How do you tell someone they have an abomination living in their stomach?

I look her in the eyes, the fear in mine reflecting into her own. She understands, and decides to sit herself up on a tree. "What's happening?" She asks.

I place my hand on her stomach, channelling prana into her. She has no magic circuits, which makes my job much easier. I can't find that parasite. It seems to be gone.

And then I feel her stomach rumble.

"Hungry, are you?" I chuckle nervously. And then I look in to her eyes. They're as wide as plates.

She quickly stands, and grabs at her stomach. I see something, something that doesn't belong in her, rumble in that area. She falls to the ground once more, screaming and kicking about in pain. I know how she's feeling. She's feeling like she's being ripped from the inside out.

I scramble to her, falling to my knees and jamming my wrist into her stomach. I feel some resistance, some motion that seems to push away at my hand. I sense a parasite. I flood my prana into her, my makeshift sword jammed into the ground at my side. The prana constricts around the parasite, but it can't seem to kill it.

It's wreaking havoc on her insides, tearing through her stomach and possibly rupturing organs.

"GET OUT OF HER!" I roar at the top of my voice.

"IT HURTS!" She sobbed.

The parasite refused to die.

It was going to kill her.

And I couldn't do a thing.

"Make it stop... Make it stop..." She cried.

"I'll make it stop." I assure her. "What's your name?"

"M-Michiru..."

"That's a nice name."

My prana constricts around the strange parasite once more, still attempting to keep it steady while other streams of prana stab into it. No matter how much I stab it, it refuses to die. It won't die. It can't die. Why won't it die?

Michiru's going to die.

I can't let that happen.

I won't let that happen.

My prana flows at the maximum capability it could, trying to kill it before it killed her. It stabbed, strangled, tried to mutilate the parasite. I have to kill it. I needed to kill it. So die already.

Die.

Die.

Die!

DIE!

WHY! WON'T! YOU! DIE!

It continues to rip her apart from the inside out. I couldn't do it. I wasn't powerful enough. I could do the one inside me, since I had weakened it. But I couldn't kill the one inside her.

Michiru was going to die.

"It hurts." She whimpered. Then she coughed, blood splattering out onto my shirt. "Make it stop... I don't care, make it stop..."

I was going to end this. I grab my sword, yanking it out of the ground. Then I poise it over Michiru's stomach. I have to do this.

I can't let that parasite live any longer.

It needed to die, to stop hurting Michiru.

I needed to kill it, so Michiru would stop hurting.

... To do so, I needed to kill it with my sword.

I would kill Michiru.

"Make it stop..."

I steeled myself with tears in my eyes. I can't let this go on any longer.

"I'm sorry."

I take a deep breath, and look into Michiru's eyes.

"Do it. Make it stop."

I plunge my sword down.

The blade enters through her stomach, meets something that I hear shriek before it dies, and comes out into the ground. I fall to my knees, cradling Michiru's head. She gives me a soft smile, blood spewing from her small mouth. I can't believe I did it.

"Michiru..."

"What's your name...?" I hear her garble.

"Kouhei." I answer. I watch my tears fall into her blood.

"That's a pretty name... Don't cry Kouhei..." She hacks up another rush of blood.

"Don't die, don't die, don't die..." I sob, grabbing her hand and holding her tight.

"It doesn't hurt anymore... Thank you... Kou..." Her voice drifts off.

Her eyes turn blank.

Glassy.

Unseeing.

Dead.

I let Michiru die.

"No. No." I mutter. I caress her head, thinking that she's still watching me, trying to convince me to stop crying. Deep down, I know it's useless.

I killed Michiru.

I rear my head back, and I scream.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

I hear a crack of wood. "STAY BACK!" I roar. A silver haired woman and a black haired woman step out from the tree line.

I held Michiru's head close, watching the silver haired woman gasp at the sight of all the blood.

"STAY BACK!" I roar, a river of tears cascading down my eyes.

My head begins to throb, and I feel myself sway to the side. My head hits the ground.

And as blackness overtakes me once again in my life, I notice that I'm still holding Michiru's hand.

---

I awake in a bed.

My eyes snapped open, and I pushed myself up. I was in some fancy bed, in the middle of some fancy room somewhere.

"You're awake. Thank god."

My eyes drift to a silver haired, red eyed woman.

I had seen her in the forest.

"I'm so glad we managed to save at least one of you."

Save at least of us? Is she talking about the children...?

One of us?

One?

Me?

...

They could only save me? No. My mind drifts back to Michiru, and the murdered boy in the forest. The other children must have succumbed to the parasites in their bodies.

"What's your name?" The woman asks me, reaching to my side. I reflexively flinch, until I notice she's just reaching out for a pitcher of water, pouring some in a glass. She hands it to me, and I take it gingerly.

I suddenly notice that my throat is parched. Very parched. I throw back the water quickly, trying to clear and get some moisture into my throat. I hand her the glass quietly after I finish.

And then I suddenly burp.

The woman giggles at the burst of air from my mouth.

I look down. "I'm Kouhei Takeda." I tell her.

"Irisviel von Einzbern at your service."

...

All those children died. And I couldn't save one I promised I would save. DAMN IT. I grip the sheets around me until my hands are pale.

"What're your parents' names? We'll get you home as soon as possible." Irisviel von Einzbern says.

"..." I don't have any parents, not anymore.

I can think of two names that come up in my head. One is more prominent than the other.

"Kotomine Kirei."

Her eyes widen, and she chuckles nervously. "Is that so? Then rest, we'll have you back with him before you know it." She urges me back into lying down, then takes the pitcher and glass and leaves the room.

Did Kirei know these people?

I didn't know. So I put the thought in the back of my head, and I let myself drift to sleep...

---

When I woke up again, morning light drifted through the windows.

"Are you okay?"

And this time, sitting by my bedside, is Kotomine Kirei with Caren in his arms.

I nod quietly with a soft smile on my face. His hard look brightens, and that small smile appears on his face as well. He looks much more relieved. "Now, let's go." He gestures for the door.

I throw the blankets on me off, and I stand. My knees feel weak, very weak. My hands felt as equally frail, as my mind brings me back to the events of last night. I don't want to think about it anymore. I'm going to try to put it behind me. I did what I could. Even if what I could do wasn't good enough.

He leads me into a fancy hall. The place seems like a castle, and even more fancy than Rin's place. Through another door, we end up in a dining room. Sitting beside a table is Irisviel and that other black haired woman. Another man stares at me with a calculative look, as if trying to gauge who I was for some random reason I didn't know.

"We'll be leaving, Emiya."

Emiya, Emiya, where have I heard that name?

My eyes widen a bit. Magus Killer, Emiya Kiritsugu? That Emiya?

"You know where the front door is. Or where what's left of it is anyway."

"At least stay for breakfast. Your son and daughter must be hungry." Irisviel asks.

Kirei and I share a look. I raise an eyebrow. He smiles, and shrugs. "Why not."

...

He didn't disagree with the fact she called me his son.

Confusion struck me first, as Irisviel set down a plate of pancakes before each of us, including Kirei and Caren. She then sat down herself, and struck up a conversation with a blonde haired woman and that black haired woman. Kiritsugu on the other hand, simply takes a bite from his pancake, then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a cigarette and lights it.

Shink.

The black haired woman has a gun aimed at Kirei's head as he held a Black Key before Kiritsugu's face. He lopped off the smouldering butt of the cigarette with a twitch of his hand, and then dematerialized the blade as the shocked man looked him in the eye. "I don't appreciate you smoking in front of my children." He explained.

The black haired woman holstered her weapon, sitting down quietly as I just stared at him. Kirei sighed, then proceeded to help Caren eat her pancake.

"Told you people don't like it."

Kiritsugu just looks blankly at Irisviel.

For some apparent reason, we're staying here for longer than I thought. Kirei was discussing something with Kiritsugu, as I watched Caren run about the castle. The black haired woman and the blonde haired woman watched alongside me. The blonde haired woman referred to herself as Saber, while the other named herself as Hisau Maiya.

"Your father seems like a nice man." Saber tells me absentmindedly, watching Caren explore.

"He is." I answer. I look up at Maiya, as she fiddles with a gun in her hand. She pulled off the slide, checking the insides.

"Can I get one of those?" I ask her.

"Why?" She asks in a blank tone.

"Um... So I'm not defenseless when things like this happen." I reply, looking down.

"Well..."

After a very long lecture about gun safety and stupid things one shouldn't do with a gun, and a short explanation on how to use it and how it worked, she had handed me a long box of pistol bullets, and the actual pistol.

"It's a Walther PPK, 22. caliber and equipped with a silencer. I've given you two magazines and fifty bullets. Be careful with it." She advised me.

I nod. Now I feel like that foreign spy I saw on TV a few nights ago.

Most people my age would take this weapon and go shoot something they really shouldn't have shot in the first place. I, on the other hand, have a reason to use this weapon. If I ever see that man again, I'm going to put every bullet into his head before those bug-like eyes can blink. I'm going to kill him.

For Michiru.

"Kouhei."

"Maiya."

All our heads turn to see two men walk up to us. I stifled a giggle.

Kiritsugu had a black eye while Kirei walked with a slight limp.

"What happened?" Maiya asked Kiritsugu.

"Nothing important." He muttered.

Caren ran up and latched onto her father.

"Let's go, Kouhei." Kirei told me.

Once we had left the castle in a hurry, I asked the one question.

"What happened?" I asked.

"... We have a truce now." He replied.

"But why did he have...?"

"We had a minor disagreement."

---

I sat in Kirei's office, browsing through his notes on thaumaturgy. There's a lot of stuff here I'm willing to learn. Kirei was out doing stuff for the war, and Risei was taking Caren for a day out. I was here in the office, trying to figure out how to do some of these things. I twirled a Black Key in one hand, reading over a book on alchemy. It was quiet...

It's been a week or more so since I've come to live with Kirei and his family at the Church. Due to the events of two days ago, I haven't gone to school in a while. Watching TV all day has lost its novelty, and though I considered practicing with the firearm Maiya had given me, but I didn't want to waste the bullets on something that wouldn't be productive to use them on.

I continue to read the book on alchemy. Mother taught me the basics of alchemy before... Before she died. She said she had fun teaching me about it, and I really was interested in it. I remember her marvelling at my achievements.

I wanted to learn more. I wanted to make my mother proud. So I studied. But it still feels kind of lonely, just sitting here reading a book.

I can't strike up a conversation with Caren, and Risei and Kirei are more often than not busy.

I wanted some company. So when I read over a kind of alchemy that would give me a companion, quench some aberrant loneliness, it caught my attention. It would be a difficult process, but it would be worth it. It would prove that I can be a proficient alchemist, and I did my mother proud. I smile, as I read the name and the basics.

"Homunculi..."

I slam my head on the desk, hours later. The process is much more difficult than I thought it would be. I'd need tens of thousands of yen, much more knowledge, and the weight of murder on my shoulders if something were to go wrong. That kind of kills my enthusiasm. I put the book on alchemy away, looking for something else to do or read.

I find something rather interesting in the drawers.

"Adoption papers?"

...

With my name, and Kirei's.

An emotion I don't really know how to explain fills my chest.

I can define it as some sort of happiness. A strange kind of relief. I can have a family again. But this is just a piece of paper in a legal system.

I already felt like part of their family after that night in the chapel upstairs.

I put the papers back where I found them. And then I hear the phone ring. Nothing can ruin the feeling I have today. No weird things in my crap, no difficulty bar for my dreams, nothing will ruin this day!

I answer the phone. "Hello?"

"KOUHEI! KOTONE'S MISSING!"

My heart drops into my stomach, gets digested, goes through my guts, and falls out my ass.

Shock hit me first. Then worry. Then fear. And finally, I found the will to speak.

"WHAT?"

---

I found Rin waiting outside the train station. Without hesitation, I had left the safety of the Bounded Field, armed with a Black Key and a pistol, and I had run out into the city to search for my new friend with another friend. "What happened?" I ask her, skidding to a stop.

"Kotone-chan didn't come to school today! And the police called the teachers!" She exclaimed, worry flaring in her eyes. "She's gone!"

God, please make sure Kotone's safe.

"Do you have any leads? How do we find her?" I ask Rin, playing on those missing persons episodes of those crime shows I see on TV.

She freezes, giving it some thought. "I don't find it normal, the way she disappeared."

"How so?"

"Kotone's smart enough to walk where there's people watching, and no one can snatch her." She explained. "There was a lot of traffic, and she just disappeared. Someone would have stopped anyone trying to take her. But it's as if she just disappeared into thin air."

"..." I give it some thought.

Teleportation? I doubt it. Illusion magecraft? Maybe, but not likely due to all the people.

...

Memories of what happened to me shoot through my head. Mind control. Clouding my senses to make me do things I had no will to do. That's what might be happening.

...

If that's happening, then that man might be responsible. He might be doing horrible things to them. I shudder, as the memories of the parasite come up in my mind. I don't want to think of such a thing inside Kotone.

But if that happened... We needed to hurry.

"Mind control..." I mutter, loudly enough for Rin to hear to hear. Her eyes widen at the suggestion.

How am I supposed to sense mana and its applications? We're in a city! Traces of natural mana are practically everywhere! I shove my hands into my pockets and I grip the hilt of my Black Key...

Black Key? What about the miniature one?

I pull out the diamond sword, placing it in the center of my palm. It's still giving out that heartbeat-like pulse. I feed mana into it. And I watch it rise, and start to spin in a circle.

"A mana compass..." Rin murmurs. "My father told me about those. They sense mana and point to the source. The device senses the mana, and it moves the pointer in the right direction."

So in substitute for a metal device, my energy-sensitive body is the one sensing mana, and the diamond sword serves the pointing stick. Sounds simple enough. I tune into my mind, feeling my circuits come to life. I feel around for traces of mana, or specifically prana turned into mana.

A short jolt of pain hits my forehead.

"Ahh..." I groan, trying to rub away the pain. But I watched the diamond sword jam it's point towards a direction. We have our first lead.

"Come on!" Rin shouts, tugging me in the direction the sword pointed. I kept my hand close to my chest, trying to concentrate and keep mana flowing into the sword. The evening light descended upon the city. Very soon it would be dark. I was still very worried about Kotone. But now I had reason to be worried about ourselves.

Things hide in the darkness. Terrible things. I had my sword, and I had a gun. I think I'm ready.

I hope I'm ready.

Rin slows down, as we keep our eyes on the sword. It leads us through alleys, down streets, an endless maze through the quickly darkening city of Fuyuki. A small breeze continuously swept by us, sending chills down our spine.

We had to find Kotone. We had to find her.

I don't want to think of the otherwise.

We're in an alley, a close eye on the sword as it points further before us. And my eyes widen. Rin yanks me to the wall, and I quickly have my back to it. We see a shadow come up on the street.

"Come on, come on."

An orange haired young man lead a child by the hand. What struck out to me was the way the child's eyes seemed blank, unseeing. He hobbled along, almost drowsy. That wasn't natural.

Nor was the purplish glow of a bracelet around the hand the man led the child by.

There was our culprit. There was the guy who had taken Kotone.

I reach into my bag, pulling out the gun. Rin stared at it, perhaps a bit scared. I load in the magazine, cocking it once. "You're not going to kill him, are you?" Rin asks.

"Maybe." I answer, putting the silenced weapon in a pocket on the inside of my jacket. "Come on." We run across the street, and go into another alley.

We sneak through the alley, hopping over garbage and paint cans. As soon as we come out near the end of the alley, I spot the same orange haired man. And this time he held two kids by the hand. "He's really controlling them somehow..." Rin said. I take out the gun again, aiming it at the man's head. It's too risky, and not worth the shot.

"We follow him." I keep the gun in my hand, and we run across the car-less street. I hide behind a newspaper box and Rin hides behind a garbage can. I watch the man lead the two children down stairs into a bar of some kind, and disappear behind the doors. Okay, I have my gun ready; I have my Black Key ready.

Let's do this.

I run forward, racing towards the entrance to the bar. The sword is still floating in my hand, aimed straight towards the bar's door. I turn on my heel as soon as my feet reach the top of the stairs, ready to barge in and start shooting the bastard who was kidnapping and/or killing children. The sword spins wildly, then jams right towards the door.

Pain blasts through my head, as the shock of such strong mana reacts to me.

"Stay close." I tell Rin, as I walk down the stairs.

Gun in one hand, other hand resting on the hilt of my Black Key. I walk first into the bar. It's dark in here, only dim lighting illuminating the rooms. I see stools, glasses, upended chairs and tables. No people. Wait. In there, deeper into the bar. I take those few steps forward.

And I feel like gasping.

Children lay down all over the inner parts of the bar. Some lay on chairs, some sat on stools or chairs, and others just lay like discarded dolls on the ground. All of them had those open, glassy, unseeing eyes. The same eyes Michiru looked at me with as she lay dying in my arms. I thought they were dead, and that I was too late. Then I spot the person I was looking for, laying down.

"Kotone!" Rin cried.

We ran to her side, lifting her up. She wasn't dead, and she was faintly breathing. She had those eyes, those glassed over eyes. She was still under some sort of control. I send my prana into her, feeling around. No parasite, nothing. And I was very thorough. All that was inside her was supposed to be there. I think. Do I look like a professor on the female anatomy?

"She's alive." Rin breathed, a smile on her face.

"Thank God." I breathe myself.

"Oh, what do we have here?"

Rin and I freeze. Standing over us was that orange haired man, holding two kids by the hands. He tossed them to the ground, and they just fell over with no resistance. They crumpled to the floor like dolls. Okay. Time to act.

The man walked around to Rin, kneeling beside her. I watch her pale, begin to sweat. "We're just about to start the party. I guess we can fit two more people in." I see him grab her shoulder.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" I shout, standing up and socking the bastard in the face with my tiny fist.

"Why you-" The man stands up, his attention drawn on me. He reaches for me, but I weave away from his hands. "Get over here!" I back away into the main part of the bar; watch the man as he follows me. I can't shoot him where he stands, I might hit Rin or another kid. The man reaches for me again, trying to grab me.

I grab an empty beer bottle, and smash it over his head. The man falls to his knees with a groan. "No more playing nice!" He lunges at me, trying to grab at me with his hands. I can't let him touch me; I might get put under his control. I dodge him, trying to think of a way to break what was controlling the children.

That ominously glowing bracelet. That's a fairly obvious target.

I lunge for the bracelet on his wrist trying to yank it off.

"Made my job much easier."

My vision begins to cloud as his right hand grabs my neck.

"No use for faulty goods. Say hello to God for me."

My vision clouds with a purple haze. I try to break out of the man's grip, but it's no use. His grip stands firm, and the longer my body is in contact with his skin, my vision begins to cloud even more. The foreign energy is fought by my prana, allowing me to have just a bare amount of control over myself. But the man's physical grip is too strong.

He's going to choke me to death. The purple haze grew stronger. I can barely breathe. My sight begins to fade.

And it all slowly turns to darkness.

---

You cannot fight me.

Why?

We are powerful. You are nothing.

So what?

You will not survive. You cannot survive.

I can try.

You are worthless. Accept your end with dignity. Die for us.

No I won't.

Why won't you die?

That's what I should be asking you.

DIE.

No, I won't.

LET US KILL YOU. LET US CONTROL YOU.

I don't want to die.

We'll make it painless.

We'll make it so you won't have to feel a thing.

You'll feel like you're just going into a deep, deep sleep.

I don't want to die.

I won't let you kill me.

Because I am going to kill you.

---

A surge of prana filled me. I feel a hand grip my shoulder, while I see a hand grip the bracelet. It's Rin. She's here to save me.

"BREATHE KOUHEI!" She shouts.

A blue light engulfs the purple light. Rin's flooding her mana into the bracelet, trying to overload it. I try to pry the fingers away from my neck. It's working. I'm going to live.

I reach my hand into my pocket. I pull the hilt of the Black Key out into the air. And I materialize the blade. I'm going to do this.

And as Rin's mana shatters the bracelet into pieces, I jam the length of the blade into the man's shoulder.

I hear him scream, and let go of me. I see the children stir awake, some started looking around, others started crying.

"There's no time to cry! Run!"

Rin starts directing the children out of the door, while I stare down the man with a bloody sword in hand. "You bastard!" He shouts at me.

A girl is still sitting behind him, crouched up and crying. It's Kotone. Damn it. Make this quick.

I dematerialize the blade, and pull out my gun. The man's eyes widen to the size of plates. "I don't have time for you." I aim for his stomach.

And I yank back on the trigger.

BANG.

The bullet goes through his guts, and comes out into the wooden floor. He coughs up blood, and falls to the ground. "Damn it..." He mutters.

I run around him, straight for Kotone. I grab her hand with one hand, using my other to caress her face.

"You're safe now. Let's go."

"Kouhei-kun?"

She seems frail. I sling one of her arms over me, and help her stand. She limps with me towards the bar's door. "You're safe now." I breathe. I turn back to the bleeding man.

He looks up at me, a nervous smile is on his face.

"Come on kid, help me..." He urged.

I narrow my eyes at him, then turn around to leave.

"Go to hell."

---

I help Kotone stand, as the children crowd around the police officers. A few squad cars had shown up, officers and ambulances tending to the kids. "It's okay now."

"You and Rin-chan came to save me..." Kotone murmured.

I smile at her. "It's what friends do. Are you okay?"

She nods. Tears start falling down her face, as her hand comes up to quickly dry them. My hand beats her to the chase. "Everything's okay now."

I give her a hug. It seems like she needed it.

"You can go home now. Now let's talk to the nice police officer. He'll make sure you get home."

I help her walk to an officer, as I notice Rin watch us from her hiding spot in an alley.

The officer takes care of Kotone, and leads her to an ambulance.

"Kouhei-kun!" She cries, reaching out for me.

I smile at her, and wave my hand. "See you at school!" I say.

"Oh, and what's your name?" The same police officer asks.

"Eh..."

I wonder how Kirei would react if I came home in a police car. Not very well I imagine. I needed a good excuse, and fast. So I pulled one out of nowhere.

"Look! Aliens!" I point dramatically in a direction.

The police officer and a few kids look over there. I take the chance to sprint all the way to Rin. And when they turned around, I had magically disappeared. Heh.

"You okay?" Rin asks, reaching for my neck.

I flinch at her touch as my neck is still sore.

"I'm fine." I assure her. "Now let's get home."

I take my first step, when I feel pain zap my head. I pull my miniature sword out, watching it float. And point itself towards the sky. I grip it and shove it into my pocket, as my head looks up. I see something falling. And I watch that thing hit the ground.

It's some sort of starfish like abomination, with multiple tentacles and feelers. It pulses, then rises up taller than we are. I pull out my gun, aiming at it. I start pulling back on the trigger.

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

BANG.

I pull out my Black Key, materialize the blade and I stab it right into the now bleeding mass. I feel it twitch. Somehow, some way, it's not dead. I pull my weapon back, backing away with Rin. I feel another pulse of mana.

And I blink as a swarm of insects flurry around us. Panic hits me first, but then I notice they're only going for the abomination on the ground. A shadow drapes over me. And I turn around. Rin had fainted, and a man stood there, wearing a hood.

He had pale, sickly skin, and he was surrounded by the insects. He looked me in the eye, with his brown eye and a light blue one. He looked like a corpse, a walking corpse. Kirei warned me about things like him. Beware of demons he told me, the monsters who look like monsters, and the monsters who wear human skin.

I had my gun aimed at him too. He just walked up to me, and pushed it down.

"I am not your enemy." He said. He turned and picked up Rin, and as I poised my sword to stab him in the heart, he turned around again.

"Follow me." He said, passing me and stepping into the alley.

He had Rin in his arms.

So I followed.

---

I sat on a park bench watching Rin sleep in another. The man eyed me.

"What's your name?" He asked me.

"Kouhei Takeda." I answer, hand still gripping the hilt of the Black Key.

"Matou Kariya." He introduced himself, "Didn't your parents tell you to introduce yourself with your last name first?"

"I don't have parents anymore." I answer, flinching.

He whistled, looking away. What was he waiting for? Probably he was waiting for Aoi, since he had called her on a payphone. But why?

A car stops beside the park, and I can see Aoi run out.

"Rin! Kouhei!" She cried.

First she ran to Rin, making sure she was okay. Then she turned to me, her eyes widening at the weapon in my hands.

"Kouhei, put that away!" She scolded me.

"But-"

"Put it away. Kariya-kun's not an enemy." She told me.

I dematerialize the blade, still staring at the man, Kariya, with as fearsome a look as I could muster.

"Why are you doing this?" Aoi asked the man.

He pulls of his hood.

He looked like a corpse. He had white hair, different coloured eyes, and the state of his skin. If he wasn't a walking corpse, then I could tell that the man was dying. What was he?

"What...? What's all this about? What're you doing here?" Aoi asked him, worried.

"This is the Matou family magic."

Matou family magic? Necromancy?

"You offer your flesh, and let it eat away at your life." Kariya continued to explain.

What do you offer your flesh to? Demons?

"And your sacrifice is repaid with magic."

Sounds a lot like demons.

"But Sakura-chan's okay. I promise to save her before she ends up like me. Zouken only cares about the Holy Grail."

Holy Grail. Was he a master? He was an enemy then! An enemy of Kirei, Kiritsugu, and Tokiomi!

"He promised to free Sakura-chan if I win it for him."

He was going to hurt someone I knew to win the Grail. But if he didn't win the Grail, someone was going to get hurt. Who had the right to win such a thing? Tokiomi? Kirei? Kiritsugu?

They all seem like good people, except they're forced to fight and possibly kill each other for such a thing. As I thought, he continued to talk to Aoi. And then he raised his hand. The shape of a command spell was lit up by moonlight. He was a master.

The master of the "strongest Servant".

"Pray that I win, pray that Sakura-chan has a future." He continued.

If he won... What would he wish for? What would he do to win? Would he kill Kirei and everyone in his way?

And so the man turned around, and he began to walk away deeper into the park.

"Kariya-kun, you..."

Kariya turned around to look at her and pulled on his hood.

"Someday, we'll all come to this park and play, like we used to. And Rin-chan and Sakura-chan can be sisters, like they once were." He said. He looked me in the eye. "You're welcome too, kid. I think Sakura will like you."

"Kariya-kun... Do you want to die? To take Tokiomi, and the other masters with you?" Aoi asked him. Tears began to fall down her face.

"Mother?" Rin had awoken.

"Rin! I was so worried!" Aoi cried, resting her head on Rin's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." Rin cried into her mother's shoulders.

It didn't feel right, me standing there and watching such a private moment between the two.

And when I turned around, the man was gone.

But I had noticed the white mask of an Assassin hiding in the tree.

Kirei was going to be mad...

The Assassin disappeared, going off to probably trail Kariya.

I felt a hand grab mine. "Come Kouhei. Let's get you home. Kotomine-kun must be worried."

---

I sat in a pew, right beside Kirei. We were silent, like the other times we talked.

"Was what I did wrong?"

He looks at me.

"Do you think it was wrong?"

I shake my head. "If I didn't go... Would Kotone-chan still be okay?" I asked him.

He gives a thoughtful look. "I don't know. But if you did the right thing..."

"... You had an Assassin trail us, didn't you?" I ask him.

"I was ready to have him kill that orange haired man, but you two would have been at risk if I let him go at it inside the bar." He told me. "Surprisingly, I didn't have him kill the Matou master. Would have made my job much easier."

"... Did you hear him talk about that Sakura person?"

"Yes. Yes I did." He answered.

"Are you still planning to kill him?"

"No. Not really."

"He's fighting to save that Sakura person. Rin's sister, I think. What're you fighting for?"

He brings a hand to his chin.

"Caren and you, I guess."

I look down.

"Are you mad that I went to find Kotone-chan?"

"No, I'm not mad. If I were you, I would have done the same thing. Albeit a bit differently."

I nod, and we're quiet again.

"Kouhei, can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"How would you feel about becoming part of the Kotomine family? Do you want to be part of my family?"

I turn to him, and look him in the eyes. A soft smile is on his face, and I feel a smile appear on my own. I hug him. I had a family again.

"Yes, Father."

---

Present Day

"Boy, are you alright?"

I lift my head, looking Zelretch in the eye. "I'm fine." I stand, abandoning my ramen and leaving my Master to his feast. "I need to walk."

After I had left him to his food, I found myself wandering Fuyuki again. I had crossed the iconic bridge, I had gone to my empty school, I had visited places I've been with friends. I saw the bar where I had fought for my life. I went to the park where I met Kariya. I even found myself staring down my empty home.

No one was there, no Father, no Caren, nobody. Not even me.

And so my travels brought me to the Church upon the hill. I had entered, and found myself sitting on a pew like I do every Sunday. No one seemed to be here. And then I saw a door open.

And standing there, was Kotomine Kotomine. He walked down the aisle, passing me without a word. Our eyes met, just fleetingly. And I knew something was wrong.

There was no warmth in those eyes, no feeling. No joy, no happiness, nothing. I stand. I'm going to do something drastic.

"What happened to Caren?"

Kotomine Kirei froze in his spot. He turned on his heel, staring at me.

"How do you know that name?" He said in his gruff voice. It wasn't the gruff, yet warm voice I was used to. It was frozen cold.

"What happened to Caren?"

I barely have time to dodge, as a Black Key nearly skins my side. I pull out a Black Key of my own from my wrist, staring the man down. He meant business. So did I.

"What happened to Caren?" I ask again.

He pulls out three Keys from his jacket, and runs at me. I duck, as the blades slice over my head. I roll past his side, moving closer towards the exit of the Church. There's a cold apathy in his eyes. I run out of the Church as the three Black Keys embed themselves in the wooden door.

As soon as I'm out, I turn into the forest, hoping to get away. I stop to catch my breath, after a while of running. I should be fine now. Well, I thought I would be fine.

Because one second after I lifted my head, a Black Key embedded itself in the tree beside me.

I shift to the side, as more Keys fly by where I once stood. No time to stop, keep running. I sprint through the forest, dodging swords left and right. Kotomine Kirei was trying to kill me.

My father was trying to kill me.

A Black Key cuts my legs, causing me to fall to the ground. I hit it hard, but it hurts too much to stand. I push myself forward, trying to get away. But a foot kicks me, and I land hard on my back.

I stare up into the cold eyes of my father. There's no emotion, nothing. I'm your son, is what I want to tell him. But in this world... I don't think I was his son.

In this world, Kotomine Kirei wasn't my father.

But it still hurt, not just my legs. Not just my entire body. It still hurt, just to look in those cold, apathetic eyes. I brace myself for the killing blow.

And I feel sharp, horrendous pain, as a Black Key stabs through my collarbone, and right into the ground.

I feel my entire back grow wet. I'm lying in a pool of my own blood. I stare up at my father, and I can feel myself mouthing for him to help me. But he just stares down at me, unfeeling, not caring.

"You'll be dead soon."

And he turns around and leaves.

I lay there dying in a pool of my own blood. I think this was the lesson Zelretch was trying to tell me. Every universe has its differences. From the profound, do the small. The same applies to the people.

The people I know, care about, these people in the other universes, they look the same, maybe act the same.

But they are not the same people.

They are not the people who love me, care about me.

They are completely different.

They are not the people I love.

Because this is not my universe.

---

"Do you understand now?"

I open my eyes, and through blurry sight, I see my Master stand before me. Probably an effect of my mind. If my master was watching me, then he'd probably laugh at my own stupidity. "I understand."

I decide to humor myself. The truth still hurt though.

Zelretch sighed, and my eyes widen as he pulled out the blade. His hands moved down to cover my wounds. And my wounds began to slowly heal. "You're alright now, boy. You've learned your lesson and suffered enough."

He helps me up, but I can barely stand. I feel faint, as if I was going to pass out. He slung one of my arms over his shoulder, and helped me stand up straight.

"Come on. We have a bit of walking to do."

---

I limped with my master across grass. We seemed to be in a graveyard. I could barely think straight, but I tried my hardest. "Why are we here?" I ask him.

"There's something you need to see. If I don't show you, then you'll bother me for the rest of our trip."

I hobbled forward, blood loss still taking its toll on me.

And then we stop.

"Look here." He points down towards a pair of graves.

My eyes widen at the sight.

Yukari Nishio.

Kouhei Nishio.

"... What happened?" I force out.

"They both died on that night of the Fourth Grail War." He told me. "That's all I could really find."

I let go of him, dropping to my knees. I crawl towards both graves, staring down. I haven't been to my mother's grave for a while. But right beside it... The skeleton of a little boy whose life was cut short lay in a coffin six feet under. And that little boy was me.

It may have been an alternate Kouhei Nishio, but it was still me under there.

I place my palms on the two gravestones. I feel prana flow in my hands, and the converted mana flow into the stones. A short flash of light later, and then I let my palms drop to my sides. I examine my work.

Yukari Takeda.

Kouhei Takeda.

"That's about right, isn't it?"

"You sure about that, Kouhei?" Zelretch asked me.

"I stopped being a Nishio a long time ago. That man is not my family anymore. And besides. I think I would have liked it." I reply, staring down at my own grave.

"It's not your grave. It's the grave of this Kouhei Takeda."

"I know it's not... But it's what could have been."

He helps me stand up, slinging my arm around his shoulders once more.

"Do you understand now, Kouhei? This is a different world. People have been shaped by different experiences. And at the heart of it all, no one is the same person from your world." He explained.

"I understand, Master."

"Do you know the consequences of assuming so, now?" He asked, looking me in the eye.

I reach my hand up to my collarbone. I feel the soft skin where Father- no, Kotomine Kirei stabbed me.

"I understand." I reply.

"I think we can leave this world to its own devices, and it'll come out the same. Are you ready to continue? Or should I just return you to your own universe?"

I hesitate. Then I stop hesitating. I'm ready to do this. I stepped into a new world when I decided to become Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg's apprentice.

"Let's go."

He smiles at me with his aged face. He raises his hand, and wind surrounds us. The tear in reality appears before us, the gates of the multiverse appearing behind them. Master helps me take the step forward.

"I wish you luck, Kouhei." He tells me, grinning.

"Thanks." I say, faintly smiling back.

We step through the tear in space and time.

A new world awaits us, across the multiverse.

---

Chapter 2 Complete!

More of Kouhei's backstory shall come up in later chapters, but now, the story shall take it's main plot.

This isn't the last time they'll step into the Fate/Stay Night universe, but now they're going somewhere else. That choice is still up to all you readers! So post your requests for a canon universe or a variation of a canon universe in a review!

Now, I need to relax. My fingers are feeling sore from all the typing. I did this all in a single day! Wow... And so please, R/R, enjoy life, read great fiction, and let the creative juices flow. And not only for you lemon writers. Aw well. – EthernalRain