(Published: 05.14.13)
Emiya Kiritsugu's life was draining away. The curse that corroded his body had almost completed its course. But before his mortal shell finally gave in he still had a very important thing to do, one last act he needed to perform, both out of necessity and as a personal vengeance.
He didn't care for his own life. He never did. His fears weren't for his own unavoidable, death but for the people he would leave behind.
'Illya, Shirou.'
His thoughts went to his children, two victims of a foolish quest for power. Seven Masters and seven Servant paired against each other to claim the all-powerful Holy Grail. How many had died because of that wretched cup? How many more would lose their lives in the name of a dream that couldn't be accomplished?
Not a single one, if Emiya Kiritsugu could do anything about it.
In the years following the end of the Fourth conflict, with his body being eaten from the inside out he took the necessary steps to prevent that tragedy from repeating again, setting a number of high caliber explosives along the leylines that crossed the city, powering the Grail System. Their simultaneous explosion would alter the flow of energy, forever sealing the accursed artifact and the curse it carried within.
For maximum effect he intended to set the charges to go off in forty years, so that the power accumulated by the Grail would destroy it from the inside out when the explosives damaged its outer mechanism.
However, has death approached, Kiritsugu felt that he shouldn't stall. There were too many variables, too many things that could go wrong in such a long span of time. His own spite was also part of the reason why he decided to anticipate this plan.
He had sacrificed his wife Irisviel to obtain the Grail, only to be forced to throw it away when he discovered its corruption. He had lost his daughter Illyasviel, forever beyond his reach in the castle of the Einzbern. His latest attempt at breaking through the Boundary Fields that surrounded the Einzbern's estate had failed like all the previous, leaving Kiritsugu more bitter and resentful than he had been in years.
He was cursed to die filled with regrets? So be it, but let it be known that the Magus Killer would not go do down alone.
Standing by himself on the hills that overlooked Fuyuki, Kiritsugu toyed with the safety of the remote in his hands.
Flip up. Flip down.
Flashes of memories crossed his mind.
The warm smile of the kind-hearted woman hat had brought a spark of happiness into his life. 'Irisviel.'
Flip up. Flip down.
The snow haired princess born from his blood. The only good thing he ever brought into the world. 'Illya.'
Flip up.
And finally the red haired boy, the only life he managed to save from the inferno that his own foolishness had created.
"Shirou…"
Click.
No Fate
(Shirou/Bazett)
It was a evening like many others for the sixteen years old Emiya Shirou. The high school student, secret Magus in training and hero wannabe was on his way back home after work. As usual, the Copenhagen was very busy on Friday nights and just as usual Shirou had to handle that share of work that his coworkers ditched on him when things got rough.
Not that he cared for that. He liked to help and the extra cash came in handy. Not that he needed any, considering that Kiritsugu had left him his house and a considerable amount of money. Money that Shirou had no intention to touch.
Besides, he preferred to pull his own weight rather than relying on other people's kindness and he had to pay for his studies later in life if he planned to make something out of himself.
Not that he was that great of a student and as a Magus he was probably laughable. He wanted to be a hero but lately he had come to realize that unless he decided to get a grip and make something out of himself he would hardly be able to help himself, much less anybody else.
So he started applying himself more to his studies, with the result of a sensible improvement in his grades. He was still a far cry from a honorary student but at least he was no longer below average. If he kept up like that, being accepted in a good university wasn't beyond his possibilities.
Originally he had intended to pursue a career in law, maybe getting into politics and change the world for the better. It took him very little to realize that he had little to no respect for rules if they made people unhappy and he was far too temperamental to actually succeed in a department that required a fair level of diplomacy.
Instead he decided to be a doctor. He didn't really have any talent for the subject but at least he knew he cared enough to be dedicated and through with his eventual patients, which happened to be a rarity in modern day Japan. Maybe it wasn't everything to succeed in the department, but it was a good starting point. After all, helping people was the only thing he wanted to do in life.
He was pondering exactly that as he approached his house and stumbled upon a scene that chilled his blood.
A woman, by the look of it, dressed in a form fitting business suit laid face down on the asphalt, arms at her sides, like she had just toppled forward without bothering to break her fall.
"Hey! Hey, are you alright?"
Later he admitted to himself that it was probably the most idiotic question in history of idiotic questions, but what else was he supposed to ask?
He rushed to her side and he was greatly relieved to see that she was still breathing. Carefully he turned her around, revealing a short haired woman of foreign origins. She was rather pale but Shirou couldn't see anything outwardly wrong with her.
Cradling her torso in his arms her shook her slightly.
"Hey, what happened? Are you hurt?"
Red eyes opened and met his golden gaze. Time seemed to slow for an eternity until-
GROOOOWL..
"Hungryyyy..." the woman moaned pitifully in his arms and all that Shirou could do was not face-fault in response.
An hour later: - Emiya household
Shirou had to reconsider one the cardinal beliefs upon which his life was founded. One of those unshakable truths that defined his life and that upon being shattered left him like a child scared of the darkness. That belief being: no one can eat more than Fujimura Taiga.
And yet…
"Ahhh…" the woman finally sighed after finishing her fifth consecutive bowl of rice, consumed practically without breathing. "That was a life saver. Thank you," the woman said bowing in gratitude.
"You're welcome," Shirou replied, caught between relief and sheer horror. "Are you feeling better now?"
"Yes. Five days without eating surely can weaken one down."
"Five days? Why have you gone so long without eating anything?" Shirou asked. The question could sound a little stupid if one didn't keep in mind that the foreign woman was dressed in an impeccable business suit, the farthest thing from a beggar Shirou could think of.
"I lost my wallet," she said dejectedly, "and my passport. And my phone. And I got late to my interview for a job because I spent time looking for it. Without money I got kicked out of the hotel where I was staying. It's the third time it happened."
"I'm sorry for you," Shirou cringed. Talk about a streak of bad luck. "I suppose there isn't anyone you could have called to send you what you need."
"I… kinda had a fight with my family a few years back. We never really spoke since," she explained.
"Well, there's no helping it then. You can stay here until you find a way to get back on your feet."
"Eh? No, I really can't impose on you like that. You already offered me dinner and I don't even… Oh my God. I didn't even introduce myself. I'm sorry."
"Don't worry about it."
"I'm Bazzet Fraga McRemitz, from England."
"Emiya Shirou," he shook her hand. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, McRemitz-san."
"The pleasure is all mine Emi-… Emiya-san?"
"Uh, yes?"
"Any… any relation to Emiya Kiritsugu?" she asked, her jovial tone suddenly disappearing in favor of a cold voice.
"Uh. That's would be my father. Why, did you know him?"
"You could say that," she said with obvious caution. "I wasn't aware he had a son. Do you think I could speak with him?"
"That could be a problem, actually."
"Why would it be?" she narrowed her eyes and tightened her fist.
"He's dead," he replied pointing at the commemorative photo hanged near the ceiling. Bazzet eyes bulged as she stared at the picture.
"Dead?" she squeaked. "Oh, you gotta be kidding me. When did it happen?"
"It's been five years now," he replied.
"Five… five years? Why didn't anyone knew of it?" she raged before jumping over the table and grabbing a startled Shirou by the collar of his shirt. "Who did it? Who offed the Magus Killer?"
"Offed..? Magus Killer? Wait, you're a Magus too?"
Realizing that she had her hands busy while the young man had both of them free, Bazzet jumped back. It was useless though, because Shirou was already on her with blinding speed. Bazzet prepared herself to be struck down like a newbie but the blow never came.
"Please teach me," he pleaded, kneeling on the floor in front of her, forehead touching the ground.
"… Eh?"
"Dad died before he got to teach me anything useful about Magecraft. He said I had no talent but I know he was just too lazy to bother. I had to pester him to teach me Magic for years before he decided to tell me anything. Bazzet-san, teach me please."
"I.. uh…"
"Please. You can stay here as long as you want. I'll cook for you every day."
"Uh… well…," she stuttered at loss for words. Had the boy no shame? How could he ask to a Magus from another family to share her mysteries? Was he really that ignorant of the way the world of Magi worked as his words intended. "Wait a moment. One of the Magus first priorities is to pass down their Magecraft to their heirs. Why wouldn't your father share his Craft and Crest with you?"
"Eh? Ah. Kiritsugu told me about family Crests and other things, but I couldn't inherit it. I'm adopted."
"Eh? Adopted? Why would a Magus adopt anyone if he didn't intend to pass down his Magecraft?"
"I wouldn't know," he replied sincerely. "Kiritsugu saved my life from a fire that burned a good portion of the city ten years ago. Maybe he just felt like following up with his actions and decided to take care of me all the way? I never really asked why he did."
"Uuhhh," Bazzet moaned, rubbing her temples. She was clearly bothered by the unexpected development.
"Please, Bazzet-san."
"Look kid… ah, whatever. You already gave me something to eat so I'm indebted to you. Tell you what, most Magecraft I know is bound to my bloodline, so I can't teach that to you but at least I can a teach you the basics if you're good enough to learn. Then when I go back to London I can introduce you to a few teachers from the Association, you know, in exchange for food and lodging."
"Yes!" he cheered. "Thank you, Bazzet-sensei."
"We'll begin tomorrow but in the mean time…" she trailed off.
"Yes?" he leaned forward.
"Can I have seconds?"
The next day – Tool shed
"Are you an idiot?" Bazett asked, stunned by the way Shirou accessed his Circuit. Or rather how he didn't.
"Uh?"
"No wonder you suck at all Magecrafts. You're not using your Circuits at all. How have you survived to this day?"
"Why? What am I doing wrong?" he asked as his body cooled down.
"There's no need to turn a nerve into a Circuit every time you have to access your Magecraft. Magi are born with a natural set of Circuits but you aren't using them at all. I give you points for not giving up on Thaumaturgy and not killing yourself until now, but seriously kid. You're out of your mind."
"So… I got it all wrong? Is that why I have so much difficulty?"
"Yeah. At this point it's not even an issue about your Element. You've got the basics all wrong. We need to start from scratch. This is going to take years."
- Lunch time -
"Shiroooou!" Taiga raged, "what do you mean she's going to live here from now on? What sort of shady business have you gotten yourself into? To think that you were finally improving… where have I gone wrong with you? And you… strange woman, how dare you steal my cook and my food? I'm not going to give up Shirou without a fight."
- A few moments later: Emiya's Dojo-
"Ugh… You're good. I never thought I could lose to an unharmed opponent," Taiga huffed, using Torashinai to support her weight. She had challenged Bazett to a duel and she was soundly beaten. " I guess I can lend you Shirou for a while."
"Oi, Fuji-nee," Shirou protested.
"Then it's a deal," Bazzet replied, shaking hands with the school teacher.
- A week later-
"Not bad, Shirou. You're progressing faster than I thought. You've learned Reinforcement to an acceptable level already."
"Yeah," he agreed. "It's much easier to control the flow of Prana when I don't have a burning iron rod implanted in my spine."
"Good then we can move onto more complex things: Runes and Boundary Fields."
- A month later -
"You're going to London for the summer?" Taiga whined. "Why?"
"There's a school I'm interested in over there. I was considering to enroll there when I graduate from high school."
"Eeeeh? No way. Who's going to cook for me, then? I can't do it by myself."
"Tough luck, Fuji-nee. Tough luck."
- A week later: Clock Tower –
"Shirou, this is Lord El-Melloi," Bazzet introduced. "He's going to be teaching you from now on."
"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lord El-Melloi. I'm looking forward to your tutoring."
The Magus, dressed in fine clothes exhaled the smoke from his cigar, eyeing the red haired boy.
"Bazzet, is this the talentless idiot you told me about over the phone?"
"Yup," she confirmed with a shameless smile.
"Oi, Bazzet…" Shirou whispered. "Did you really have to call me like that?"
"Don't worry, Emiya-kun," the other man replied. "I wouldn't be interested in you otherwise."
"What do you mean, Lord El-Melloi?"
"That's a mouthful. Just call me Waver in private and professor in public. As for your question, I've been trying to prove for years that effort and willpower can surpass talent and family history. You're going to be my student and in exchange I'm going to sponsor you."
"Sponsor me?" Shirou squeaked. "Isn't that something all Magi aspire to have? You can't possibly be thinking of sponsoring me because I'm talentless."
"Well, to be completely honest, I'm somewhat indebted to your foster father," Waver explained. "I was planning on repaying my debt this way."
"Really? What did Kiritsugu do for you?"
"He landed me this sweet job and title," the Magus explained, patting the expensive looking chair he was sitting on.
"How did he do that?"
"He killed that asshole of my predecessor, of course," Waver grinned.
"Huh," was all that Shirou could say to that.
- Later: Clock Tower –
"Emiya?"
"Tohsaka?"
"You're a Magus?" they both asked in shock, each pointing at the other.
"I'm going out on a limb and guess that you know each other," Bazzet chuckled.
"No shit, Sherlock," Shirou grumbled under his breath. "I can believe Issei was right all along. 'She's a demon, a witch,' he kept saying. I always thought he was out of his mind."
"Emiya-kun," Tohsaka said with false sweetness. "What else did you and Ryuudo-kun have been saying about me?"
"Uh, nothing. Hey Bazzet…"
"You're on your own kid," the older woman replied as she got away from the soon-to-be scene of a crime. "You've gotta learn how to handle your girlfriend. Later!"
"She's not my… Wait ,Tohsaka… What are you doing, pointing your finger at me like that? Why is your Crest shining? Wait, wait, wait… Uaaaah!"
"Run for your life, Emiya!" she roared, sending shot after shot of her Grandr spell after the escaping teen.
In the distance Bazzet laughed at her friend's misfortune. Things were going to be interesting with him around.
No Fate: END
AN: Yeah, not much to say about this one. The core of this plot bunny is Kiritsugu actually stopping the Grail before kicking the bucket. I'm probably not going to expand on this one, but makes for a good basis to write a fic about Shirou becoming an Enforcer without the HGW. Or anyone who would like to write this can make it so that Kiritsugu's intervention only slowed down the charging of the Grail and the war takes place ten years later than canon.
The notable plot devices to keep in mind are
- Gilgamesh and Kirei rampaging through the world if the Grail is actually destroyed
- Sakura's life
- Shirou's relationship with Bazzet as her pupil and later as lovers
- Tohsaka being a Tsundere at the clock tower
It's pretty much an open-world Nasuverse setting. If anyone wants to pick it up, go right ahead.
The next chapter is going to be either Fate/Bloodbite or Weight of a Promise