Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.
Different Fates
Chapter 12
Kirei Kotomine didn't particularly like the summons that he'd received, knowing quite well that it would probably involve nothing good. He was after all a former Executor, and the Overseer of the Holy Grail War of Fuyuki City. And now here he was in Tokyo, invited to an informal lunch with the Archbishop just a few days after Christmas.
"So Father Kotomine…" the Archbishop began once their meal was over – rather bland and lacking spice in Kirei's opinion – and servants began serving coffee. "…shall we get down to business?"
"As you wish Your Excellency…" Kirei said, taking a sip of his coffee. Conversation over lunch had mostly been small talk, mostly about the health of Kirei's small congregation in Fuyuki. In truth Kirei didn't care much for them, and at times questioned the depth of their faith or even how much of the Church's teachings they truly believed in.
He even wondered at times if they only attended his services out of a sense of routine obligation as opposed to true piety, though he couldn't really blame them for that. Humans had a natural tendency to take comfort in the most mundane things, such as their daily or periodic routines, much as he took pleasure in the suffering of others.
If he could not deny his nature, then could he really blame others for not denying theirs?
Of course, they unlike him never questioned why that was the case for their existence…but that was ultimately beside the point.
"You are aware that the late Tokiomi Tohsaka's daughter and heiress joined the Association at an early age, are you not?" the Archbishop asked.
"I am aware."
"Then would it be news to you that she's involved in the Hohenzollern faction of the Clock Tower?"
Kirei's eyes widened and then narrowed in surprise. "It would certainly be news to me." He replied. "Sakura Tohsaka and I were…I wouldn't say friendly, but we got along well enough before her father's death. However there has been no contact between us since her departure, unsurprising considering it would hardly be politic to be in contact with any of us at the premier centre of Thaumaturgy in the world."
"I see."
Kirei sipped at his coffee. "On the other hand…" he continued. "…I am not surprised the Hohenzollerns were quick to recruit her or bring her into their orbit. Ever since the Second World War the Hohenzollerns have always hungered for fresh blood and talent to strengthen the bloodlines of their vassals and through them their own, to say nothing of ammunition in the byzantine politics of the Mages Association."
"And that is precisely why you are here." The Archbishop said, and again Kirei narrowed his eyes.
"You believe that the Tohsaka are no longer suitable for our purposes in containing the Fuyuki Grail's power?" Kirei asked. He didn't really care of course: whether or not someone used the Grail as it was meant to, it would unleash Angra Mainyu on the world should it ever be completed, and that was all that mattered to him.
Perhaps the source of all evil could answer his question: why?
"Humph…" the Archbishop snorted. "…I wouldn't be surprised if young Tohsaka does not simply surrender the Grail to them in order to advance her position in the Imperial Court."
"At the risk of seeming to contradict you Your Excellency, there is no Imperial Court…"
"None officially no…" the Archbishop interrupted. "…but the German monarchists have never stopped longing for their lost empire, and I wouldn't be surprised if they intended to use the Grail of Fuyuki to force through the restoration of the German Empire."
"That would indeed be counter to our position that the Grail never be used to influence the affairs of the world." Kirei agreed. "And yes, having been caught in the orbit of the German monarchists from a young age, I will acknowledge that there is a great chance that Sakura Tohsaka will be thoroughly indoctrinated to support their goals."
"More than that…" the Archbishop said. "…she is to be married to a baronial Prussian family once she and her fiancé are both of age."
"Congratulations are in order then." Kirei said, unexpectedly curious if such a pairing would result in a hollow and self-destructive relationship like the one between Sakura's own parents. "However I must point out that this may yet prove useful to us. The Soviet Union has fallen, but much like the Revolution of 1917 which led to the downfall of the Russian Empire ultimately heralded the rise of the Soviet Union, it is entirely possible that this new Russian Federation may yet prove a threat to the Holy Church's interests. Much like we supported the Third Reich against the Soviets, perhaps the restored German Empire could be used to oppose a future threat from the Russian Federation."
"Some cardinals certainly think so." The Archbishop admitted. "However times have changed. We have no need for strong European powers to secure our long-term interests. No, we have sufficient mundane connections to have the Americans do it for us. And the Americans have certainly proven more resilient than any would have thought over a century ago."
"The Japanese Empire, the German Empire, the Third Reich, the Soviet Union…" Kirei enumerated. "…and even the mighty British Empire, have all been supplanted by the USA. Yes I see the point there. Even if the Russians would rise again, the Americans would certainly be more capable of opposing them than any European power could, as proven by history and economics."
The Archbishop nodded, and Kirei took another drink of his coffee. "Then…" he began. "…you wish for me to execute Sakura Tohsaka when she returns to Fuyuki City?"
The King of Heroes would not be happy with that, as for some strange reason he seemed to dote on the young girl from almost ten years ago. Surprisingly that was the case despite that fact that he kept calling her a rebellious child. And the King of Heroes had little tolerance for insolence, and as far as Kirei knew rebellion could and should be seen as insolence.
Such a paradoxical state of affairs…
"Were it so simple…" the Archbishop said. "…however such a course of action would be excessive in the extreme, and could provoke a backlash should it be uncovered. Granted the chances are minimal, but still…"
"I understand." Kirei said. "I am to sabotage her role in the coming contest, and to reserve execution as a last resort is that it?"
The Archbishop nodded, and Kirei chuckled before giving a nod of understanding. "Very well…" he said, raising his coffee cup in a toast to the Archbishop. "…if that is the Church's decision, then I will comply as I can."
"So Kirei…" Gilgamesh said while lounging on a sofa. "…how will you proceed from here?"
"I will proceed as I always have." Kirei answered, newly-arrived from Tokyo and having just informed the King of Heroes of the events that had transpired there.
"Oh?" Gilgamesh said with a curious smile and tone. "Well isn't this unlike you. You normally never tell untruths, and yet here you are breaking your word to do all you can to that priest from the south."
"And that is precisely what I intend to do." Kirei said with a smirk. "You wish to judge Sakura Tohsaka for yourself is that not the case King of Heroes? I cannot oppose you and as such I can do nothing against her. Therefore I will keep my word to the Archbishop to do all I can to oppose her, which is nothing."
Gilgamesh burst out laughing. "That is so very much like you Kirei." Gilgamesh said gleefully. "And such interesting news about that rebellious child of Tokiomi's, and how unsurprising it is that she lives up to the name I have given her."
Gilgamesh smirked as he swirled the wine in his glass, remembering his first and only encounter with the rebellious child almost ten years ago.
The girl was young, barely six years of age. Her hair was cut short, gently framing her face, and she wore a long-sleeved shirt of red over a dark-coloured skirt. She carried a book on magecraft with her, such that was left in this dull era, and she fidgeted under the King's crimson-eyed gaze.
She fidgeted, but did not flinch.
Such strength of spirit…so unlike her father…Gilgamesh could not help but smile at the sight.
"King of Heroes…" Tokiomi began as he noticed what was happening, but he stopped and fell silent as Gilgamesh raised a single finger.
"Child…" he said, addressing the man's daughter. "…do you know who I am?"
The girl nodded slowly. "You are Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes." He said.
"Is that all?"
The girl shook her head. "I…I overheard father and Kirei-san talking about you so I…" she said hesitantly. "…I looked it up…you killed the Bull of Heaven…you travelled the world to search for immortality…"
"Ah, the Bull of Heaven…" Gilgamesh said fondly, recalling the struggle against the mad beast the shameless gods had sent to destroy his kingdom. "…a great battle it was, and at great cost to my kingdom and people alike. I avenged them as their king, and in my generosity they avenged themselves by feasting on its flesh."
The girl looked a bit ill at that, and Gilgamesh chuckled. "Perhaps a bit graphic for your age, is it not child?" he asked, and the girl nodded slowly and gave a small smile. And then the smile faded. Gilgamesh noticed and tilted his head quizzically. "Is something the matter child?"
"Do you miss him?" she asked. "Enkidu…the gods killed him for helping kill the Bull of Heaven."
"Sakura…!" Tokiomi snapped, appalled. He then turned to Gilgamesh and bowed deeply. "King of Heroes I most deeply apologize for my daughter. She is still young, and more than an extent unversed in propriety. Rest assured…"
Tokiomi fell silent as Gilgamesh walked closer, and then knelt down before Sakura. "You miss someone too, do you not child?" he asked softly, and he smiled gently as she looked down, clearly unwilling or unable to answer. "Do not fear. Answer: your king wishes to know."
"Yes…" Sakura said. "…I miss my sister."
Tokiomi looked away at that, the old conflict between the father and the magus reigniting in the depths of his mind. Sakura knew nothing of this, a child as she was, while Gilgamesh perceived but did not care. If the man lacked the wisdom and will to reconcile the two extremes, much less the decisiveness to act upon it, then he would simply have to reap what he sowed.
That was the way of the world, in accordance with the laws laid down by the King himself.
"I will not mince words child." Gilgamesh said. "You are common-born, and the longing and grief you feel are as nothing to those of the King's. Enkidu was my friend, my one and only, and one who's worth shall never change. Does that answer your question?"
Sakura lowered her face again. "I'm sorry." She said, and with a laugh Gilgamesh gently raised her face by the chin.
"Do not apologize." He said. "You are a child, and it is the nature of children to ask about the world around them, and the people therein, just as it is the King's nature to rule over all that exists. Speaking of which…yes…you are second-born are you not?"
Sakura nodded, and Gilgamesh rose to his feet. "And yet here you are, bearing a mantle which you should not bear." He said. "Granted it was your father's decision, but from what I have learned it was your actions which led to that decision. Truly you are a rebellious child."
Sakura's mouth slightly opened, but something about the King of Heroes' words and bearing reassured her not to fear. Tokiomi on the other hand…
"King of Heroes…" he began, only to fall silent as Gilgamesh's crimson eyes briefly-flickered, viper-like in his direction.
"Rebellion is not the proper way of things." Gilgamesh continued. "As the King I must place upon your shoulders the burden of atonement. So the King decrees: never step back, press onward, and prove with the fruits of your labours that you are worthy of the mercy that I grant on this day."
Sakura blinked and gaped, and Gilgamesh smirked and ruffled her hair. "I'll be looking forward to it, rebellious child." He said before turning to walk away.
Gilgamesh smiled wistfully as he recalled the memories of the past. "How marvellous…" he said softly. "…that I granted mercy not only to one who has rebelled against proper authority, but one who dared remind me of that old grief."
The smile faded at those words, and to Kirei's surprise the King of Heroes looked regretful. He didn't say anything though, and neither did the blonde Servant. "Enkidu my friend…" Gilgamesh thought. "…I miss you."
The thought brought a measure of peace ever so briefly to his mind, simmering with fury as it was at the degradation of his kingdom and people alike in this shallow era of mediocrity, and Gilgamesh smiled as he recalled yet another rebel, one whose spirit burned like fire and defied the law of the land and the heavens alike to ride to the ends of the Earth.
"You will not be the first rebel to face the King." Gilgamesh murmured as he brought his glass to his lips. "Rebellious child, I look forward to meeting you once more."
"Ah…!" Waver breathed in a relaxed fashion as he reclined his comfortably-padded chair behind his desk, and resting his feet on a convenient footstool. He lit a cigar and took a deep breath of Cuban tobacco. "It's good to be back. Even all this paperwork that's piled up is worth being home after so long."
The office door slammed open and a blonde girl strode in angrily. "WAVER…!" she thundered.
Goodbye good mood.
"Reines…" he growled unhappily, regretfully putting his cigar out and putting it away before turning his chair to properly face her. "…can I help you?"
"Can you help me?" Reines Archisorte El-Melloi paraphrased with a laugh. "Why yes, you can help me. You can start by explaining this."
At that she slammed a piece of newsprint on his desk. Waver raised an eyebrow, completely unimpressed. "The Clock Tower Journal…?" he asked. "Seriously Reines…? You know as well as I do that this rag is barely worth wiping a coffee spill."
"I don't give a damn." The blonde girl growled. "It doesn't matter if the material or the medium is worth crap, enough people read it that the trash they push out could still hurt my – our – family's reputation!"
Sighing and rubbing his forehead – she did have a point enough people read the Clock Tower Journal despite it being nothing more than a glorified gossip tabloid otherwise it would have gone out of publication long ago (and he rather liked the crossword himself) – Waver decided to at least see what had gotten his 'sister' so up in arms. Thankfully he wasn't drinking or smoking at the time, as he might have choked otherwise.
"I have a what?" he asked as his eyes went wide. Reines rolled her eyes.
"Now you get concerned." She muttered, and Waver tore the newssheet to pieces all the while muttering invectives against the publishers' families, hobbies, and even sexual preferences. "Well how do you intend to deal with this situation?"
Waver was already rummaging through his cabinets, before pulling out something that looked like the form for an official letter of reprimand. "Those rumourmongers…" he seethed as he filled out the form with haste. "…it seems it's about time they get reminded why they shouldn't involve lords in the usual swill they publish about our less reputable colleagues."
Reines looked on as Waver finished filling the form out, and then stomped over to his door. "Can't you get a flunky to deliver that for you?" she asked, and Waver froze.
"Oh shoot…" he muttered.
"And what is that supposed to mean?" Reines asked, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow.
"Granger…she didn't come in today. She probably saw that and locked herself in her quarters." Waver replied absent-mindedly, and then he rushed off out the door and down the corridor.
"Hey wait a minute…!" Reines shouted, tearing off after Waver herself. "Get back here…! I'm not through with you yet!"
Their shouting continued to be heard as it faded off with the distance, leaving the torn pages of the newssheet lying on Waver's desk. Miraculously, the torn pieces of paper had fallen on the desk in a way that the original headlines could be read and the picture below legible: Waver El-Melloi's Secret Paramour, while the picture was of him and his new secretary at the Archibald Christmas Party a few days ago.
"That bastard…" Reines seethed as she bit into a piece of toffee with undue savageness. Her cousin Roxanna Archibald kept her face neutral, silently commiserating with Reines' current spot of temper. "…I can't believe he just ran off like that, and leaving me to handle the resulting scene on my own."
"Well…" Roxanna began. "…you have to admit, Waver cares a lot about his students, apprentices, and even flunkies, even before Granger showed up. It's only natural then that he'd get this worked up over the effect it would have on his subordinate, given that she doesn't have a lord's position to hide behind like he does."
"Humph…" Reines scoffed. "…I suppose that's commendable, but he should be more concerned about the effect this would have on the family. And that still doesn't excuse the fact that he practically left me out to hang. Me…! If it wasn't for me, the family elders would have had him executed for stealing Uncle Kayneth's catalyst, and starting the whole messed-up affair that ended with Uncle Kayneth's death and the loss of his crest. If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't be a lord and just a glorified pencil-pusher here in the Clock Tower offices…"
Reines trailed off, muttering under her breath as she finished her toffee and started on her coffee. Roxanna serenely took a sip of her own coffee, gently placed it down on the table, and then folded her hands on her lap. "So…" she said with a smile. "…green-eyes jealous, in other words…?"
Reines choked on her coffee, spluttering and coughing with indignation. "W-w-w-w-what…?" she said, her face turning red. "Jealous…of course not…why would I be jealous that he's showing more interest over a broad of no distinguished lineage instead of the family image…"
Roxanna rolled her eyes. "Oh come on Reines…" she said. "…I'm not saying you're in love with him, you're much too young for that."
"What?" Reines shouted, with her voice very high even for her.
"You probably just have a crush on him, that's all." Roxanna said. "It happens to us all, especially when we're at the adolescent stage of our lives."
"I…I…I can't have a crush on him! T-t-that's just wrong! He's Waver! He's my brother!"
"Yeah, and he's fairly good looking too." Roxanna said. "And it's not like you're blood-related or were even raised together. Come to think of it, the whole brother-sister thing was started by you. I wonder…"
"You think too much, you know that?" Reines said frostily, and resting her head on one elbow. "There is absolutely no way that I, Reines Archisorte El-Melloi, heiress to the Archisorte family and the El-Melloi lineage, would have a crush on that spore!"
"Spore…?" Roxanna echoed. "How eminently civilized…I think you've been reading too much cheap fiction. That stuff rots your brain."
"I do not read cheap fiction!"
"Oh really…? Then what's with the pile of romance paperbacks hidden below the sock cabinet…"
"How did you…wait…those aren't mine. They're just…uh…someone planted them there obviously!"
"Sure, sure…" Roxanna said, picking up her coffee again. "…keep telling yourself that."
Grumbling under her breath, Reines opted to sulk in her armchair instead. "Okay…" she thought to herself in an effort to get away from that line of thought. "…I thought Waver was a bit cute when I first met him. But he's not anymore…but still…"
The blonde girl sighed. "I'm bored." She thought. "Studies…family affairs…Clock Tower business...the occasional vampire or heretic hunt…that's all there is to life right now. I wish something interesting would happen, so I actually have something to do beyond what everyone else is already doing, and what everyone expects me to do. Something…exciting…something…different…"
As she thought those words, a brief flicker of light flashed over her right hand, unseen by either Reines or her cousin, tracing out a three-petal pattern before flashing and vanishing. It was painful though, and while the light had gone when Reines jumped in shock and surprise and looked at her hand, she didn't fail to notice the pain.
How couldn't she? It had felt like someone was running a red-hot poker over her skin.
"What was that?" she thought while rubbing her hand and then closely-examining it. She shrugged once she saw there was nothing there.
"It's probably just static." Reines said to Roxanna. "It happens during winter."
"I see." Roxanna said. "It's probably nothing then."
"It is." Reines agreed. "More coffee please…? And let's talk about something else."
"Like what…?" Roxanna said, pouring coffee for her cousin. "I don't think you're in the mood for gossip right now."
"Tsk…" Reines muttered. "…alright how about this then: I'm bored. As in really, really, really bored. I wish I could do something really interesting, or something like it would happen."
"Hmm…" Roxanna mused. "…I don't really know what to say to that. Oh wait…I think I do."
"What?"
"Be careful what to wish for, it might come true."
Reines rolled her eyes and took a sip of her coffee. "Oh please…" she scoffed. "…what's the worst that can happen?"
It wasn't much really, just a very old and slowly-disintegrating tome of aging parchment bound in leather, though both were of very high quality: considering the age of the tome, if it were of lesser-quality material, it would probably have disintegrated by now.
Aged hands carefully and with surprising gentleness pried the tome open, medieval Aramaic script inscribing words of wisdom on the aging pages. As with all medieval lore, there was probably more to the words than what was apparent, given the era of intolerance that it was. No doubt it was a code in itself, and one of astonishing complexity. Profound wisdom and brilliant poetry on the surface, but hidden underneath the secrets of one of the greatest magi of the modern era.
The Caster Class of Servants was a dangerous one, even unwise some might say, for a magus to summon another magus and one of greater power than one was. The Caster Class was also weak in terms of statistics, with only the Assassin Class weaker. And the three Servant Knights – Lancer, Saber, and Archer – all possessed high magic resistance, yet another handicap to the class.
But on the other hand the Caster Class wasn't without advantages. The Caster Class could engage from a safe distance and even from hiding through the use of magic, and there were ways to circumvent magical resistance. And Zouken Matou knew magi. Even if the Servant outclassed him and his granddaughter in terms of raw magic and knowledge well…
…so long as Rin had command spells, there would be nothing to really fear. And the experiment – a failure in some ways but exceedingly successful in some – was fully under his control.
Zouken smirked, patting the newly-arrived catalyst before locking it away. There was still some time left until the Holy Grail War would begin, and there would be no point in putting it out for now. He had other matters to attend to, and returned from his study where he'd gone to inspect the catalyst that had arrived earlier to the basement.
The wet sound of flesh rubbing against flesh echoed dimly in the shadows, and as usual Zouken took his place at the lip of the pit, coldly observing the unresisting experiment's continued progress.
Just a little more…and I will have the Grail…and then…and then…and then…I…will have…what…I…want…
A/N
Kirei makes his first real appearance, and with a Hellsing shout-out to boot.
Gilgamesh…some of you might wonder at how nice he is in the flashback to this AU's Fate/Zero, but keep in mind that FZ Gil wasn't as much of a jerkass as FSN Gil was. He might not be blackened by the Grail, but it is canon that it reduces his divine aspect in favour of his Human aspect, or as I see it, it makes him less kingly and more of a bully. And he does like children, as demonstrated in Fate/Hollow Ataraxia. So it shouldn't be too much of a stretch for FZ Gil to be amused and/or merciful about Sakura's 'rebellion' as opposed to being offended.
One of the non-canon Masters should be fairly obvious in this chapter, as well as hints as to who Rin's Servant will be.