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

Different Fates

Chapter 35

"Well that was productive."

"Do you really think so?"

Anika chuckled at the sceptical tone in Sakura's voice, the Japanese magus sitting on her couch with arms crossed in front of her. A teapot and a pair of teacups rested on the table in front of her. Sakura took one of the teacups, filled it, and then slid it over to Anika. She then filled her own teacup.

"Well…" Anika began as she raised her teacup to her lips. "…even if no consensus was reached, we managed to gain some insights into how our enemies think. It's just a shame that neither Caster or Assassin and their Masters were present."

"I'd be surprised if Assassin or his Master were present." Sakura said. "What kind of Assassin would operate in the open, or come out in the open?"

"Fair enough…" Anika agreed. "…and Caster…?"

Sakura paused ever so slightly, and then silently raised her teacup and took a sip. "Perhaps it's just as well they didn't come." She said softly, and Anika silently took a sip of her own tea.

"What do you think?" she asked afterwards. "About the opposition, that is."

Sakura chuckled. "Shall we start with Rider?" she said with a small smile before sitting back. "First of all I can't deny that he's…well, charismatic though given who he is that's to be expected. His wish is certainly worth respecting, as instead of wishing for an end he would wish for a means to gain a meaningful end. With that said…"

"You disagree with his ultimate goal…?"

"Not necessarily…" Sakura disagreed. "…the essence of his dream, a united world with lasting peace, Humanity united in purpose and effort, that's something to be aspired to. Even the cost of reaching such an end doesn't concern me, at least within the limits of Rider's character. Nothing great has ever been achieved without sacrifice after all."

"Within limits…" Anika added, and Sakura nodded.

"Quite…" she agreed. "…my concern is that Rider is…well, he's not Human anymore. And even if he were, he is of the Age of Gods. Both will be a problem. The Mages Association might tolerate magi holding positions of power in the mundane world, but that's only because all magi have a vested interest in keeping our world's existence a secret. None of us would risk exposure, and even if we did then we're prepared to do what must be done to secure the secret again if it ever got out. Rider though…considering how he's acted, and how he doesn't share our interest in keeping the secret…it's much too risky. Imagine what would happen if he revealed that he was a reincarnated Heroic Spirit?"

"Humans naturally fear what they do not understand." Anika concurred. "Especially in this age where magic is the stuff of myth and legend for mundane Humans. The resulting upheaval – social, religious, political and more – would be catastrophic."

"And that's not factoring in what would happen if other aspects of the supernatural world got exposed in the chaos." Sakura continued. "The Mages Association and the hidden side of the Holy Church getting exposed would be bad enough, the response will be brutal. The Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors…? Considering the paranoia of modern Humans – especially those damn Americans – they'd probably start a war with the vampire lords. And it's going to be a war that will make World War II look like a scuffle in the street."

"Even if we discount that…" Anika said, moving on. "…even if he doesn't expose that which should not be exposed, his way of thinking, that of the Age of Gods will be a problem. Modern Humanity isn't…no, it doesn't think the same way anymore."

"Magi being the exception of course…" Sakura said. "…we look to the past."

"Indeed…" Anika agreed. "…I won't deny the possibility exists of Rider being able to adapt to the times. However it is more likely that he'll impose his way of thinking on Humanity. Again the possibility exists of Humanity adapting to the 'new' order he's bringing with him. But again, it is more likely that Humanity would rebel against it, and in the end it will all be for naught. And there's still the risk of the Association and other supernatural groups getting involved too."

Sakura laughed. "Look at us…" she said wryly. "…back at the feast we said nothing of this sort, and seemed to go along. And now here behind his back with only each other for company, we speak so badly of the King of Conquerors' dreams. It's so admirable of us don't you think?"

Anika laughed as well. "True…!" she agreed. "But look at it this way: we're not actually talking badly of him and his dreams. In fact earlier you said that the essence of his dream was something to be aspired to. We're just discussing the…pitfalls of his goals, admirable as they are."

"And yet…" Sakura said with a wry smile. "…each of those pitfalls ultimately derives from the faults of his current existence, and his very nature."

Anika laughed again. "Alright you've got me there." She said. "So opposition it is then?"

"Yes." Sakura said with a nod. "It's regrettable but, to let Rider win and use the Grail would be too irresponsible on our parts, even if it's only because of what might come after."

"It really is." Anika said sadly. She took her teacup and took another sip. "What about the other Masters and Servants?"

Sakura didn't answer at once, taking a sip of her own and setting down her teacup first. "Hmm…I'll be honest." She finally said. "I regret making an enemy out of McRemitz and her Servant at the very first battle of this war."

"I was afraid you'd say something like that." Anika said with a groan. "Please tell me this isn't out of sentimentality for her wish."

"Why not…?" Sakura asked back. "Her wish is a selfless one, and given the rules of the Kaleidoscope even if she somehow saves her Servant – whoever he is – from the fate that awaited him, it won't really affect things much. The domains of the Kaleidoscope are infinite after all, and one altered timeline isn't really worth getting worked up over."

"I suppose her being the most powerful combat magus present doesn't factor in?" Anika asked wryly, and Sakura winced.

"Actually it does." She said irritably. "She would have been a useful ally, but she's an enemy now. And she won't make the same mistakes from back then. She'll go all out from here on. There is no chance of us beating her on the tactical level."

"But on the strategic level…?"

Sakura smiled. "Well…" she said. "…considering the Archer Class' versatility, I think on the strategic level we have a chance of winning."

Anika laughed and nodded. "Still…" Sakura began before shaking her head. "…no, that's wishful thinking. Even an additional Enforcer and Servant won't really matter much…"

Anika glanced at Sakura but the other magus stayed silent, sipping at her tea. At length she set it down and looked back at the baroness. "How about you Anika…?" Sakura asked. "What do you think of the remaining Masters and Servants?"

"Saber's deluding herself." Anika immediately said. "Does she really think she can change history to the extent she seeks? As you said earlier, the domains of the Kaleidoscope are infinite. Even if she uses the Grail to have someone else become King of Britain in her place, all it will do is create an alternate timeline unique to itself. Nothing will really change."

"Be charitable along that line…" Sakura said. "…she's no magus, it's not like she'd know about that. At least, I don't think so."

Anika shrugged. "Fair enough…" she said. "…however as Rider pointed out, that she wants to erase her place in history and legend – no matter how nonsensical the notion might be – spits on the loyalty of all those who died for her and all those who stayed loyal. And she's called the King of Knights…how shameful!"

"And that is why we must stand in opposition to her…" Sakura said softly. "…as you say she is the King of Knights. By contrast I'm just a knight, minor nobility, while you are a baroness, the lowest rank of the high nobility. But that is precisely the point! If we can show that deluded woman how true nobles live and perhaps even die, then perhaps, we can wake her up as the King of Knights of legend and fame."

Anika laughed. "Talking big aren't you, Dame Tohsaka?" she asked, and Sakura smiled wryly.

"You disagree, Baroness Derfflinger?"

"No, your reasoning is sound." Anika agreed. "Ironically, even though we oppose Rider, we have the same goal for Saber. He did say he'd do everything he could to save her from her ideals."

"Her ideals are sound…" Sakura said. "…though the Kings agreed on that. Her dreams were admirable, but what could not be agreed upon was how she would use them as an excuse to escape responsibility."

"True, true…" Anika said with a nod. "…and then we have the Emiya boy…"

"Troublesome…" Sakura said at once. "…well not really…he's actually simplest Master to consider. No wish for the Grail, he just wants to keep anyone he thinks is unworthy from getting it. Though he does have a point: if I didn't have so much at stake, I wouldn't mind giving up the Grail to McRemitz."

"Just like him eh…" Anika said wryly. "…still, he's so judgmental…"

"Be charitable…" Sakura advised. "…he's just a boy, and unlike us he didn't grow up in the Clock Tower along with everything that came with it. He'll grow up soon enough."

"And if he doesn't…?"

Sakura's expression turned dark. "If he doesn't grow up…" she said softly. "…then I pity him, because the world is going to eat him alive."

Anika stayed silent for several moments. "About that…" she began. "…Archer…he…"

"A hero from the near future…" Sakura said. "…one who helped people wherever and whenever there was a need or demand for his skills, even if it didn't always involve saving people…and yet he knows so much about the Emiya boy's ideals and what it might lead him to…coincidence?"

"Coincidences are for the weak-minded and the ignorant." Anika immediately countered. "We should be careful, just in case."

Sakura nodded, and refilled her teacup. She took a drink, and then set it down. "And now we have the last Master and Servant present at the gathering." She said. "Berserker and Einzbern…"

"There's no need to discuss the former." Anika replied at once. "A traitor as King…? It's the end of the world."

Sakura laughed and nodded. "Agreed…" she said, and taking another drink. "…still, her Master doesn't seem so bad. All she wants is her brother – well stepbrother but that's a matter of semantics – so I think we can be lenient with her."

"Yes, I suppose we can." Anika said, taking a sip. She raised an eyebrow as Sakura finished her tea at once. "Going to bed already?"

"Tempting…" Sakura said. "…but I've got a couple of things to do before, now that we've finished discussing what happened earlier."

"In the end no consensus was reached…" Anika concluded. "…all we got were the measures of our enemies. I can't help but wonder if it would be of any use to us."

"Oh it is." Sakura remarked to Anika's surprise as she got up and headed for the door. "…thanks to that I can assume that by tomorrow evening, we can dismiss any hope of an alliance between us, Saber and her Master outside of utter desperation. Possibly even Rider…Berserker and Lancer though…"

Sakura trailed off, her eyes narrow, and with a shake of her head she went off to her workshop. Anika stared after her, and then with a sigh she refilled her teacup before sitting back in her chair. "What are you planning Sakura…" she thought. "…that it would burn all bridges with the Kings of Knights and Conquerors…?"

Saber sat silently on her side of the table, joined minutes later by her Master who carefully handed her a cup of tea. "Thank you." She said with a nod. She took a drink and waited for a few moments to let her Master settle before speaking up again. "You have something you wish to discuss?"

"Yeah…" Shirou said. "…it's about your wish for the Grail."

Saber sighed. "I expected something of this sort." She said. "Very well…Shirou as I recall you seek to be a Hero of Justice, do you not?"

"What does that have to with anything?"

"Just for context…" Saber replied. "…you know my story. I ruled justly and fairly over Britain and sought to bring about an age of peace and prosperity. However from the very beginning the shadow of war lay over the realm, between the constant threat of Saxon invasion from without and those who questioned my right to the throne from within."

Shirou stayed silent, and Saber continued after a pause. "Ultimately it was my inability to resolve both issues that led to the destruction of my Kingdom." She said. "Mordred's lasting success against the Saxons where I had failed in particular contributed to the realm splitting in two and its destruction at Camlann."

Saber paused and narrowed her eyes. "Tell me Shirou…" she asked. "…justice is defined as giving what is due to all. With my failure to provide that, is it really just for me to be King? Is it not more just to give it to someone more qualified for the role?"

Shirou narrowed his eyes in his turn. "I know your story." He said. "But I fail to understand how Berserk…no, Mordred succeeded where you failed."

"Simple really…" Saber said sadly. "…it was so simple that I curse myself for never considering it. He…she made peace with the Saxons where I simply waited for them to come and send them home with fire and blade. That she had succeeded in ending the threat peacefully won her the hearts of the greater portion of the people, such that when I returned from my fruitless quest for the Grail – ironic considering this war – even though she had usurped the throne in my absence, they still saw her as King over me. And can you blame them? Peace, peace until after both of us had died and no bond of honour or threat of steel held the Saxons back any longer…"

"But…Mordred was…"

"A bastard…?" Saber said with a bitter smile. "Yes she was. My bastard, born of Merlin's magic and my sister's treachery…how fitting considering the circumstances of my own conception…"

"Eh?"

"With Merlin's aid my father raped my mother Igraine in the guise of her first husband Gorlois, who he later slew on the field of battle." Saber said. "True, mother's marriage to my father legitimized me in the eyes of the law of the land, but in essence…"

Saber sighed and shook her head. "And therein lies another great injustice I have committed…" she said. "…Mordred…like me she too is a child of rape and magic, and by all rights I should not have condemned her or denied her right to the throne based on my own origins…but…the law of the land…"

She shook her head again and locked gazes with Shirou. "In the end all I can do is attempt to justify myself…" she said. "…but it does no good. I failed to end the Saxon threat. I unjustly treated one who merely mirrored her own 'father'. And in so doing I myself sowed the seeds of Britain's destruction. I could tell you more of my failures, but this should be enough. So tell me Shirou is it just for me to be King?"

"No…" Shirou said. "…but it's even more unjust if you follow through with your wish!"

"What?"

"It's as Rider said…" Shirou said. "…and don't misunderstand: Rider's wish and ultimate goal is insane. But he has a point: if you change history like you plan to, then what about everyone who died for you? What about the ones who stayed loyal at Camlann? Will you throw them all away?"

"They deserve better."

"Can you guarantee that?" Shirou asked angrily, slamming a hand on the table for emphasis. "True, you failed to give everyone their due. It's also true that Mordred succeeded where you failed. But even she failed to give everyone their due. She betrayed you! And those who stood with you…do you think Mordred gave them their due? They were with you weren't they? Doesn't that answer the question?"

"Enough wordplay…!" Saber said just as angrily. "Say what you want to say already!"

"Neither you nor Berserker could deliver complete justice…" Shirou said. "…and you were someone who was chosen by the Sword in the Stone, so what makes you think someone could succeed where you failed?"

Saber recoiled slightly, and her eyes widened. The moment passed quickly though, and her mask of stoicism returned. "If the Grail truly is what it claims to be…" she said. "…then someone worthier will be chosen."

Shirou made a sound of irritation and looked away. "Magic isn't a cure-all…" he said. "…the Grail could grant you your wish, but there's still a chance that he or she would make mistakes. They're only Human after all."

Saber closed her eyes. "He who draws the sword from the stone…" she said. "…is no longer Human…"

Shirou glared at her and then looked away again. "That's wrong." He said, and Saber smiled.

"You claim to be wiser than Merlin?" she asked.

"Seeing as he's involved in rape twice…" he snapped back, and she immediately scowled.

"That's low, Shirou."

"It's the truth. Deal with it." He snapped again, and then with a sigh ran a hand over his face. "I'm beginning to sound like Tohsaka…I almost said magi deal with truths, not falsehoods…"

Saber sighed and shook her head. "Perhaps we should continue this conversation some other time…" she said in a conciliatory tone. "…we've gotten rather heated, so some time to think it over some more might be useful."

"Humph…fine…"

"What about you Shirou?" Saber suddenly asked to his surprise.

"What?"

"Rider and Archer among others tore your dream apart." She said. "Are you alright?"

Shirou made a sound of disgust. "To be honest I feel ashamed about what happened back there." He said. "All I can say is that I might have been overwhelmed by the presence of so many Servants and magi. After all, I've known for a long time now: you can't save everyone. I've compromised for so long, killing the few to spare the many from their evil…"

Saber stayed silent. "Archer said…" Shirou began. "…that dad killed hundreds to save thousands. Perhaps in the end I really am Kiritsugu Emiya's son. Even though everyone deserves to be saved, I can't and I couldn't save them all. The people I've killed, the friend I couldn't see being hurt, they deserved to be saved too. But instead I killed them, to save more than otherwise..."

Saber finally took a drink of her tea. "The way you talk right now…" she said. "…you remind me of Kiritsugu in his weaker moments, when he would confide in Irisviel of his regrets and the burden his actions placed on him. Even if he betrayed me in the end, I…"

"Dad…what did he intend to use the Grail for?"

"Isn't it obvious? A peaceful world, where justice and fairness are the norm instead of the exception…"

"Humph…" Shirou scoffed gently. "…worthless…if they don't earn peace, then people won't value it. It will only last a generation, if even that. But…"

Saber raised an eyebrow as her Master's face scrunched up in thought, a finger tapping against his cup. "The Holy Grail…" Shirou thought. "…perhaps I might have a use for it after all."

"Do you laugh father, at your daughter's failure?" Sakura asked her father's picture on the wall of her workshop, along with framed pictures (or portraits) of previous generations of her family.

The magic circle flashed and then vanished under Tokiomi Tohsaka's hand, and the magus turned to his expectant younger daughter. "As I said I won't be giving you any instruction…" he began. "…but I also said I wouldn't stop you from studying on your own. Therefore, like your sister, feel free to browse through your family's legacy."

Sakura nodded. "Thank you father." She said, and Tokiomi smiled. He knelt down and held her cheek.

"I did say I won't be giving you instruction…" he said. "…but just this once, I'll break it. Sakura, a magus walks with death. Be it as a result of a failed magical experiment, or at the hands of a greedy magus seeking your secrets, or at the hands of an enemy you must face to preserve the honour and dignity of either yourself or your family, or even that of the many of the other perils of the path of the magi…death is always with us. Therefore, do not fear. Do not forget this, Sakura. Alright…?"

Sakura nodded. "Yes…" she said. "…I won't forget father."

Tokiomi smiled, and with a kiss on her forehead left his daughter to her studies.

"You told me that again and again…" Sakura said. "…after I replaced my sister as the family heiress. I wonder…did you fear? In the moments before your death, were you afraid?"

Sakura raised a hand, her fingers spread out as she held it over her father's picture. "You also said that a magus must never hesitate if it conflicts with their greater purpose." She said. "Purpose…you said purpose was general, and referred to many things. The pursuit of the Root…one's obligations to the family…the legacy of the past…the security of the future…"

Sakura sighed and lowered her hand, shaking her head. "Do you laugh at my hesitation?" she asked. "Do you laugh at my weakness? It is hardly the first time after all."

The town burned around them. In the distance smoke rose from the many towers of the castle, the little tongues of flame in the distance each a mirror of the flames that burned the castle town to ash. Townsmen ran screaming, only to die at the hands of the magi putting them to the torch and the sword. Not even the women or the children were spared, multi-coloured corrupted blood spilling onto the ground.

Most of them could pass for Humans at a distance. But on a closer glance, the taint of heretical experimentation was obvious, most sporting scales under their clothes or even on exposed skin, while others had webbed hands and feet. Others had multiple limbs, or where their legs should be others had a writhing mass of tendrils for locomotion. Sakura had even spotted one that resembled a giant flower that walked about on 'legs' made from twisted vines, and from the middle of which sprouted the upper half of a woman.

Still…most could pass for Humans. And indeed, as best they could they lived as Humans did, under the shadow of the castle wherein the heretic responsible for their twisted forms dwelt. Until the Association finally had enough of the rumours of monsters living in the Lithuanian countryside, of the twisted corpses found floating in nearby waters, and even of children being smuggled in for use in the heretic's labs…enough was enough…

A man with insect-like, multifaceted eyes that bulged from his eye sockets aimed an automatic weapon at her. Sakura cast her spell and walked closer with her bloody sword held ready, bullets flying past her harmlessly. And then the concepts frayed, and one bullet cut a bleeding gash on her cheek.

Irritated at the instability of her mystery, she cut the man down in two twitching halves. A sound was heard from a nearby door, and she blew it open with Gandr. Two children cowered inside, one with a third arm sprouting from between her shoulder blades, while the other struggled to breath air while gills fluttered sickly around his neck.

Both of them looked at Sakura with abject terror.

Sakura closed her eyes, and her sword dropped a fraction. "Go…" she ground out. The children stared at her. "…go before I change my mind! I didn't see anything…for now…"

The children ran, their faces filled with desperate hope…and as they ran past her, steel flashed in the firelight. Two headless corpses fell to the ground, blood spilling out as heads rolled away, leaking blood which along with the dirt stained the dead's hopeful faces.

"You are cruel Tohsaka."

"Cruel…?" Sakura neutrally replied to her colleague's accusation. "I merely took away their fear. Even in death, hope would be preferred over fear. It is the only mercy I can give them, no matter how twisted it might be."

Sakura sighed, and walking away from the pictures and portraits approached a table over which lay a map. A circle centred on the Matou property was drawn on it, along with notes while other papers held yet more notes. "Damn you Zouken…" Sakura spat as she slammed a hand on the circle. "…making me go this far…casualties are unavoidable in war but still…"

With a sound of disgust aimed as much at her as it was at Zouken, Sakura strode over to her desk and sat down. Taking her fountain pen, she briefly hesitated and with a sigh she signed three documents bearing official Association seals. Setting them aside, she took a knife and slit a palm. Blood dripped into a receptacle, and then healing the wound with a gem and a muttered word, she took a rod of red wax.

Her father – and probably her sister had fate been kinder – would probably have melted it with magic, but Sakura could not use fire magic. So she used a candle to melt the max, letting it flow and mix with her blood. Setting the candle and the wax aside, she took the papers from earlier and folding them placed them inside envelopes. As she closed them, she took the mixed blood and wax and poured them behind the envelopes.

She then took a stamp that doubled as a mystic code, and stamped down onto the melted wax. Prana flared as she sealed all three documents, and then setting them aside along with the stamp she took out a fresh sheet of parchment.

"Maggot…" she wrote as she began to write.

A/N

Some of you might recall chapter 19, with Sakura claiming she'd never hurt/kill children unless she absolutely had to. Well…that's the whole point, she never said she hadn't actually hurt or killed children. Never for sadistic or 'just because' reasons people like Uryuu or Zouken have, but…well official Association business. And AFAIK the Association will stop at nothing to keep magic secret, or to bring troublesome magi to heel. And Sakura is an Association magus. She's nice…like Bazett is nice in Fate/Hollow Ataraxia, but as an Enforcer I've no doubt that she has her fair share of blood on her hands.

If it makes you feel better, she takes no pleasure in it (though it should be obvious from her flashback).

And now, I should have placed this in the author notes for the previous chapter, but I decided not to. Oh well…the Feast of Heroes is over, and now the nightmare begins.