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

Different Fates

Chapter 23

"Matou-san is sick…?"

Issei nodded his confirmation, eating lunch as usual with his friends Shirou and Ayako in the empty Student Council room. "Her grandfather called the school earlier today." He said. "It's just the flu, nothing serious."

"Flu eh…?" Ayako murmured.

"You think there's something else going on?"

"Yes I do." Ayako thought, her eyes flickering ever so slightly in Shirou's direction. She didn't say it aloud of course, and she shook her head. "Nah, just thinking it over…though even if it's 'just a flu' considering her condition…"

"Albinism has no effect on the immune system." Issei said with a cough. "It's a purely cosmetic condition resulting in reddened eyes, pale skin, and silvery hair. There is an increased risk of sunburn, but apart from that there's nothing to be concerned about."

Ayako grinned. "Nerd." She said, and Issei choked on his food.

"I am not!" he said.

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not!"

"Yes you are!"

"I'm not!"

Shirou tuned out his friends' arguing, instead wondering about what he would do. Or rather, he wondered where he would go to find out more about the Holy Grail War he was involved in. "Well…" he thought to himself. "…I could go straight to Rin, or if she's not well enough, I could talk to her grandfather."

He thought it over for a while in silence, and then dismissed it. "Rin's decent for a magus…" he thought. "…but there's no guarantee her grandfather is. Given the nature of magic, old magi are probably more powerful…and more ambitious. I would be bringing Saber along, but since Rin is probably a Master herself…I'd rather not start a battle unless I have to."

Shirou sighed. "This is really troublesome." He thought. "I don't want to get involved, but somehow I am. Can't I withdraw or something? Do I even want to withdraw?"

Saber had told him of the power of the Holy Grail, of how it could grant its holder and his or her Servant a single wish each. Shirou knew enough about magic that he could say that some wishes – specifically those under the domains of the Five Sorceries – would be beyond its power, but even without those, those wishes that it could grant formed a vast array of possibilities. Most of it – wealth, fame, love possibly even – were harmless at worst, but he doubted magi would want any of those.

And while some of their wishes would also be harmless, not all of their wishes could be. A magus wishing for forbidden knowledge for instance, could go either way. The knowledge could simply be secreted away…or as so often happened to magi who went too fast and too far along the path to the Root, they would go mad or worse – Dead Apostle.

Shirou found himself shuddering as he remembered what Rin had told him of the vampire race. He'd known of the existence of vampires, his father had taught him that much. He knew of the Phantasmal Species. But they weren't to be worried about, having withdrawn into an Inner World beyond Humanity, to the point that encountering them would be a miracle on par with True Magic.

But vampires…whether it was the children of the Crimson Moon or their renegade creations, or even magi who had forsaken their Humanity in pursuit of power and immortality…Rin had warned him again and again of how dangerous they could be. Most would be harmless to the prepared, far below the power of the dread Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors, but many while still weaker than the Twenty-seven, could kill him with no difficulty whatsoever.

Not that Shirou would stand by and do nothing if one of them – even an ancestor – came to Fuyuki City. He'd do everything he could to stop them, even if he died in the process. Or at least, he would die trying.

But still…it was better to stop them from coming into existence in the first place.

Which led Shirou to wonder: could he really back out from the Holy Grail War? Yes it was irresponsible and selfish, but wouldn't he be just as guilty as those behind it if he turned his back and allowed some unscrupulous magus to get their hands on the Grail? Even if they never became a Dead Apostle because of forbidden knowledge from the Grail, there were still other wishes that could go dreadfully wrong.

World domination…a dreadful cliché, but absolute power was a sweet temptation to those who already held power, because they would want more.

A path to the Root…probably the most dangerous wish of all, tempting as it was a Counter Force intervention and Shirou had no desire to see the possibility of Japan becoming a second Atlantis as a result.

Vengeance on others…a small wish, nothing world-shaking like other dreadful possibilities, but as Shirou once read, 'an eye for an eye turns the whole world blind'.

"So many things could go wrong." He thought to himself. "Maybe…I should see this as an opportunity. Yeah, I fight in this…war and stop someone dangerous from getting the Grail. But then, what do I do with it afterwards? What would Saber wish for?"

Those questions would bother him for the rest of day.

"Are you sure you're not coming down with something?" Ayako asked as she and Shirou walked to the train station. Ayako needed to buy a few things from a department store, while Shirou needed to get to his part-time job. Since they were both downtown, they went together. "You've been fairly out of it for the whole day too."

"I've just been thinking that's all." Shirou answered evasively.

"About what…?"

"We're graduating after this school year." He said. "It's about time we started thinking about what we're going to do afterwards."

It wasn't a complete lie. Rin had mentioned the possibility of Shirou going to the Clock Tower, and while she had admitted that Orientals didn't usually do well there, given his gifts Shirou would be among the exceptions to the rule.

Shirou had of course pointed out the financial aspect of things, and factoring in travelling to London (and accommodations there) he asked whether it'd be cheaper to just go to mundane college and research magic on his own. He'd even mentioned the idea of a partnership between them, though she was rather uncomfortable about the idea.

No surprises there…considering how unstable magi society is, partnerships are rare and tense things, with alliances being formed between families as opposed to between individuals to deter…accidents that could start feuds. Still…I wish things could be different.

Wait…I wish things could be different?

Shirou thought on it, coming to a halt as he did so. "Hey Shirou…!" Ayako snapped as she noticed him spacing out several steps behind her. She grabbed an arm and pulled him along, bringing him back to reality in the process. "Hey now, don't space out in the middle of the street!"

"Sorry, sorry…" he said, and she scoffed but said nothing more. Inwardly though Shirou returned to his earlier thought, and rejected it.

Changing magus society with the Grail is useless. They, we didn't change ourselves, so we wouldn't really value it. Things will probably go back to normal after a generation or so."

"So…" Ayako said, speaking up and drawing Shirou's attention. "…what do you plan after graduation?"

"Hmm…I was thinking of going to college…"

"Which one…?"

"Not sure yet…"

"Hmm…well we've still got a few months so at least you've gotten started…"

"I suppose I could go to the Clock Tower…" Shirou thought, partially tuning his girlfriend out. "…I wouldn't be able to continue being a vigilante though, I doubt the people there would be as tolerant as Rin and her grandfather. Still…it's a waste of talent if I didn't go. And I could become an Enforcer. I'd be limited to supernatural threats, but…"

"Why don't you try for a sports scholarship?" Shirou said aloud, and giving a smile in Ayako's way. "Your form's great, better than mine I'd say, and you're team captain. You could get a good recommendation for all for all of that, and we've got a good chance at the league a few months from now right?"

"Flatterer…" Ayako said with a big grin, patting Shirou fondly several times on a shoulder. "…a sports scholarship eh…? I don't suppose that's a bad idea…"

Ayako mused on it a bit, while Shirou returned to his thoughts. "A vigilante can't really change things…" he thought. "…he's just another criminal after all. An Enforcer though…maybe I can change things…somehow…somewhere…ever so little…and then maybe…just maybe…"

Shirou briefly paused and looked out at the Sun setting over the horizon.

Maybe I'll know how dad felt, when he smiled all those years ago. It was…it was like he wasn't saving me, and I had saved him.

Why?

"So what's the plan?"

"I don't know." Illya replied, looking as dumbfounded as her tone of voice implied. "I mean…he's probably stupid to walk around in broad daylight without his Servant, since only a madman would attack in broad daylight – and get sanctioned or even sealed for doing so – but…"

"Now he's going to town with that consort of his." Berserker deadpanned. "Without…'father' to protect him…at night…is it a trap…?"

"Maybe…" Illya said, poking her index fingers together. "…but…Shirou seems too innocent to be able to think up something like that…isn't he?"

"He's your brother, not mine." Berserker said with a shrug, grinning as Illya stuck her tongue out at her.

"That's no help at all!" she said loudly, and Berserker chewed on a fingernail while thinking it through.

"Alright…" she finally said. "…why don't we do this: you go meet him, and try to win him over peacefully with a parley…? If it's a trap, I'll be there in spirit form. And if it's not…well we've got your brother. Either way we'd win."

"Oh that's a good idea!" Illya gushed. And then her face fell. "Just one problem though: even if we win him over, can we really work with Saber? Will you? Will she?"

Metal groaned as one of the armrests of the bench they were sitting on crumpled in Berserker's fist. She stayed silent for a few minutes, Illya unwilling to provoke her, and then she slowly nodded. "I know war." She said neutrally. "I can work with father…but I want to settle things. Settle things…once and for all…when this farce is at an end…!"

"Berserker…" Illya whispered, and then the blonde girl glanced at her, shock and regret replacing rage and hatred on her face as she belatedly realized that she'd terrified her Master. Considering how small and childlike she was, and how their love for blood and battle was so alike, it was so easy to forget that she was still in fact just a little girl.

Berserker didn't fear death. She had no problems killing. It didn't matter if her enemies looked at her with fear, hate, or even contempt. They didn't have the right to judge her, so she didn't concern herself with them.

But her allies…her friends should have no reason to fear her.

"Sorry…" she said softly. "…I let myself go too far. It won't happen again."

"No, it's alright." Illya said, coming closer and leaning on the Servant's arm. "I understand. Papa left me too…even though he promised…even though he knew how…hard things would get…because of that boy…he left me alone…he broke his promise…"

"And you still want your brother?"

"It's not Shirou's fault…not all of it…" Illya said sadly. "…so I'll give him a chance. Papa chose him…but did Shirou choose papa…? I don't think so…not really…"

Illya fell silent, and Berserker sighed and rubbed her Master's shoulders comfortingly. Her words caused memories to bubble up in Berserker's mind, green eyes flickering with repressed violence.

Why? Why didn't you abdicate the throne in my favour?

"I have no spirit of a king…?" Berserker thought darkly. "Who was the one who ran off to look for the Holy Grail, and left me to protect the kingdom from the Saxons? I watched over our people until you came back, empty-handed, and with nothing to show for your trouble. They chose me, and you have the gall to say I don't have a king's spirit? Damn you to hell and back, father. Damn you to hell and back!"

Berserker smiled at a part of the thought. "You ran off to look for the Holy Grail with Galahad, Percival, and so many others…" she thought. "…and here we are, fighting for it, or something with the same name. Irony I would think…"

The smile faded as her thoughts turned to the Grail, and its power to grant wishes. Anything she could want…

…except for what she truly wanted…

Father…mother…they truly were siblings.

Shirou walked up the street, his schoolbag slung over his shoulder and massaging the bruise a drunken patron had left on his cheek. It was already quite late, the Moon climbing overheard and Shirou knew that his fellow magi and their…Servants would be out and about by now.

He didn't worry too much though. Even in spirit form – though according to Saber her flawed summoning kept her from entering spirit form (understandable) – the aura of their presence could still be felt in part. And a Master like him walking around without a Servant…

…it would spell a trap and deter them from attacking him, or so he hoped. And if not…well he had command spells, though he'd prefer not to use them until he absolutely had to. And in any case he was only a block or so away from his house so…

"Hey…" a little girl's voice said, and Shirou whirled in surprise to see a girl in thick, purple winter clothing standing just behind him.

How the hell did I miss her? Wait…haven't I seen her before?

Shirou thought about it, but while there was a flicker of recognition he couldn't remember her. "Hey…" the little girl said. "…doesn't that hurt?"

"What?"

"That bruise." The little girl said. "The one that drunk gave you. Doesn't it hurt?"

"It does…wait how did…?"

And then it came back to him, from several days ago, a memory of this girl smiling at him from up a road, walking past him, and then vanishing. But not before giving him what was in hindsight, a warning.

If you don't summon one soon, you'll die onii-chan.

"You…!" he said, jumping back and pointing a finger at her. "You're that girl from back then! No wait…more importantly you're a Master aren't you?"

"Oh you remembered!" the little girl said happily, clapping her hands in delight. "That makes me so happy! And yes, I'm a Master. My name is Illyasviel von Einzbern but you can just call me Illya."

"Look…" Shirou said, trying to avoid having to fight, least of all with a child of all people. "…I don't want any trouble…"

"Then you shouldn't have summoned a Servant." Illya interrupted him. "But even if you didn't, since you're a magus, you'd still get in trouble. But don't worry, we don't have fight right now if you don't want to."

"But we still have to…eventually…"

"Yes…" Illya said with a shrug. "…we're Masters after all."

"A child like you shouldn't…"

"I'm not a child!" Illya exploded, and then drawing herself up gave a cough. "I don't like being treated like or called one."

"She really is a child." Shirou thought, but said something else instead. "Well…alright…I'm guessing you want to talk? You did say we don't have to fight right now…there's a park nearby we can talk there…"

"Okay!" Illya said cheerfully, running forward and grabbing Shirou's hand and pulling him in circles. "Where's this park?"

With a sigh Shirou led her a few streets away to a deserted park, and set her down on a swing while leaning against the frame. "So…" he began. "…what do you want to talk about?"

"Nothing really…" she said, and Shirou's face fell. "…do you…?"

For a moment Shirou could feel irritation bubble up but he fought it down. Instead he decided to take the opportunity presented to him. "Actually I do." He said. "What's this all about? I know that the Holy Grail War involves seven magi as 'Masters' who summon seven Heroic Spirits as 'Servants' to fight for a chance to make a wish to the Holy Grail."

"That's what the war is about basically." Illya replied. "So what's the problem?"

"My problem is do we have to fight for it?"

"Unfortunately yes…" Illya said. "…the Grail chooses the Masters you see, and the fight is to determine who is 'worthy' to hold it. I suppose some people could say that something that can only be gained by getting covered in blood isn't worth much, but that's how the Grail chooses who gets to hold it. There's nothing we can do about, so why get bothered?"

Is she really a child? She doesn't reason like one…at least not right now.

"Then what's stopping anyone from doing what they want to get it, or what to do with it?"

"The Church has no interest in the Holy Grail since it's not the real thing, so the resident priest of the city doubles as a neutral Overseer of the contest."

"He's what?"

"He's the Overseer." Illya repeated. "He makes sure collateral damage is kept to a minimum, covers up what can't be avoided, and makes sure people don't go too far in the war. He has command spells of his own to bring a Servant to heel, and I think he can take over an unruly Master's Servant. Oh, and if a Master gives up and they make it to his church, he gives them sanctuary. Attacking the church is an automatic sealing designation by an agreement with the Mages Association."

Shirou was stunned silent by this. At length he spoke up again. "Okay, so Masters can't go too far…" He said. "…and from what I know it's just like the Church to try and rein the Association in this…"

"Correction…" Illya interrupted with a raised finger. "…the Association isn't involved in this. I mean the ritual – this whole war is basically one Grand Ritual to be honest – has their tacit approval, but the Association as a whole doesn't really have a vested interest in it. They try to make sure at least one of the Masters is a regular affiliate of theirs, but they don't have any real interest in it. Think about it: if they did, would they agree to let the Church butt in?"

"Point…" Shirou conceded, and then he smiled. "…you don't sound like a child like this."

"Of course not…" Illya boasted. "…I'm a grown woman after all. That's why I said I don't like being called or treated like a child."

I think 'grown woman' is pushing things a bit. And you are a child, no matter how one looks at you.

"Alright…so Masters can't do as they like…" he said. "…but what happens after?"

"In other words…" Illya said. "…what's stopping a Master from wishing for something like total world domination?"

Shirou's face turned cold and hard and Illya giggled. "That's a nice face." She said with a glint in her eyes, and Shirou's eyes widened a fraction. There was something…familiar about her. Not just their encounter in the past…it could be that she was just an albino…but her face…those eyes…

"Neither the Holy Church nor the Mages Association will interfere with a victorious Master's wish…" Illya said. "…but they will handle the consequences no matter what. Total world domination…? How long until the King of the World's been assassinated? Power and fame…? I'm sure Lorelei Barthomeloi or Narbareck, or worse, either or both Princesses Arcueid and Altrouge Brunestud would love a challenge."

"The black and white princesses aren't with the Association or the Church…" Shirou said weakly, but he trailed off. It didn't matter if they weren't Princess Altrouge would probably take an upstart's challenge and put him or her down with extreme prejudice.

And she'd probably send a city or even a small country with him or her down to hell. And if Princess Altrouge gets involved, sooner or later Princess Arcueid will too.

Shirou shuddered at the thought, and Illya laughed. "That's why they won't interfere." She said. "The Masters should be smart enough not to get above themselves, and if not, well killing idiots does the whole Human race a favour."

"You shouldn't be talking about killing people so lightly." Shirou snapped, and Illya glanced at him in surprise. And then she smiled.

"Hey Shirou…" she said, and Shirou belatedly realized that he'd never told her his name.

How did she know? How long has she been watching me? Oh no…Ayako…Fuji-nee…!

"What are you going to do with the Holy Grail?" she asked, and Shirou narrowed his eyes. After a few moments of thought, he decided to be honest.

"To be honest…" he began. "…I don't know. Right now I'm prepared to fight if only to keep people from abusing it, but after that…"

"World peace maybe…?" Illya asked, and to her surprise Shirou shook his head.

"If people didn't build that peace with their own hands…" he said. "…they wouldn't value it. The wish would be wasted. I won't wish for world peace."

"That's…really deep of you."

"Thanks…I think…" Shirou said. "…what about you? What do want to wish for?"

Instantly Shirou regretted asking the question, an expression of sadness appearing over her face, the little girl slouching as she wrapped her arms over her knees. She was silent for a while, but eventually she gave an answer. "Papa…mama…onii-chan…" she said softly. "…I…but it's useless…nothing can bring the dead back to life. True Magic can't do it, so what can the Grail do?"

"Sorry…" Shirou said, looking away and rubbing his head. "…I shouldn't have…"

Illya looked at him, shaking her head with a small smile. "No it's alright." She said. "I asked you what you wanted, so it's only fair you ask me back right?"

Shirou smiled back and nodded, and Illya's smile grew wider. "Hey Shirou…" she said, hopping down from the swing. "…why don't we team up?"

"What?"

Illya danced around him, a ronde de jambe, chassé, and a pas de chat followed by two more chasses before finishing with a grand jeté. Not that Shirou would know what they were called. "Team up, you know?" she said. "We work together, and not fight against each other until the end. We'll work out what we want in the meantime, and if we can agree on something, we can have our Servants fight each other for who'll get a wish in the end while we make a shared wish. So how about it…?"

"Illya…"

"Don't worry…" Illya said, walking closer. "…I'm sure we can agree on something. After all, we're brother and sister."

Shirou's eyes flew wide, and Illya laughed. "He never told you…?" she said, her eyes turning cold and murderous. "That's just like papa. He promised that he'd come back, and that he wouldn't leave me alone…but in the end…"

Illya trailed off, but the expression of mixed hate, anger, regret and longing stopped Shirou's accusation of falsity in his throat. "W-who…" he stammered. "…who are you really?"

"I told you, didn't I?" she answered. "I am Illyasviel von Einzbern. My parents were Kiritsugu Emiya and Irisviel von Einzbern. Yes, my papa is the same as yours."

Shirou couldn't say anything, and with a smile, Illya extended a hand towards him. "Shall we fight together…onii-chan…?" she asked. Shirou stared at it.

He had a sister. He had a sister all this time. And from the sound of things, she's not lying. But…dad…Kiritsugu…he'd never abandon his own children would he? And yet…Illya says…"

"Illya…" he began, pausing to swallow his suddenly dry throat. "…I…"

"Shirou…!" Saber shouted out of nowhere, and Shirou whirled to see her jumping over a wall to land on the far side of the park.

"Saber…! What are you…?" Shirou said, while Illya grimaced in annoyance. They were too close to Shirou's house, so she must have sensed Berserker's presence and gone to investigate. A bit late, so she probably thought it over. Illya was grateful for that, since she managed to talk with her brother for a bit as a result.

"Get back! She's a Master!"

"Time Alter: Double Accel." She murmured, flashing back a good distance. As the flow of time returned to normal, Berserker materialized in front of her, Illya smiling as Saber froze and her resolute expression melted to one of restrained horror. "Long time no see, Saber…it's been ten years I think. Good of you to join us, we were just about to finish negotiating an alliance…"

Illya paused, and unable to resist the temptation her smile grew wider. "Oh yes…" she continued before gesturing to her Servant. "…I'd introduce you to my Berserker, but you already know each other don't you?"

"You…how…you look just like you did…but…"

"My, my…" Berserker drawled, enjoying the puzzled expression on the face of her 'father'. "…did you look this surprised back then, when you came back from your quest for the Grail to find that things had changed for the better?"

Saber looked furious, but suddenly she smiled. "I shouldn't be surprised." She said. "To think a Berserker could talk…I don't think Mad Enhancement's inactive, but then again if anyone would be twisted enough to be able to see reason despite Mad Enhancement, it'd be you wouldn't it?"

Berserker looked furious, and command spells flashed over Illya's form. "Looks like our Servants want to fight onii-chan…" she said. "…we can't really stop them, unless you agree to an alliance now. So how about it…?"

"Illya…I…"

Illya sighed and shook her head. "So that's it…" she said as her command spells faded back into invisibility. "…well we should see how strong our Servants are first before making such a drastic step, no? Go, Berserker!"

"Shirou get back!"

A/N

Suzululu4moe: you forgot 'younger sister who grew up in Clock Tower' who would go nuclear once she finds out. As for Caster taking them out…yeah he could, but I've got plans so wait and see.

Shirou's thoughts on vampires might make me seem like underestimating them, but keep in mind that I wrote 'most would be harmless to the prepared' i.e. cannon fodder vampires vs. above-average magus (Shirou here is above canon Fate level but below UBW level though I'm not sure about HF level). He'd die against a DAA or one of their lieutenants, and Arcueid would walk all over him.

Though I'm curious…what if Roa incarnated in one of the Tohsaka sisters instead of one of the Tohno siblings, and Arcueid and Ciel met Shirou instead of Shiki? How much of a clusterf*** would the fifth (or even the fourth) war have ended up? Hmm…ideas upon ideas…