Edit count: 1
Minor grammatical error.
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Trauma roll!
Power roll!
Survival roll!
Chapter 12 – Despair/Hope
The two siblings walked together, Miyu scanned the area with wide eyes, and Shirou watched over her tenderly.
"Onii-chan, are we getting closer to the ocean?" Miyu pestered impatiently.
"No." He calmly replied. "There is a place that we should visit before that."
Shirou led the way, with Miyu following after him.
They stop at a place that Miyu didn't recognize. Looking around, she saw a destroyed house, a gigantic hole, and a few rocks that were stacked on each other.
"This is…?" She asked.
"That house is where you and I met. It was your original home. And this." Onii-chan tapped at the rocks. "Is where your family was buried."
"My former family…" Miyu clasped her hands together and faced her ancestors. "Thank you, for giving birth to me, because of you, I was able to meet wonderful people like onii-chan and onee-chan. Goodbye… please rest in peace." She finished her prayers and went back to her new family's side. "Let's go, onii-chan." She held out her hand.
"Yes." Shirou grasped it and took a step to—
"Ridiculous." A voice rang out. "This is such a ridiculous development, you bastards." He crushed his glasses with a face filled with fury. "So you were the one, Emiya Shirou!" He glared at the both of them.
Miyu felt shivers run down her spine. She held onto her onii-chan to support her quivering form.
"Julian…" Shirou's instincts rang out at him. It told him not to come near this person, it told him to run away. And he knew why. He felt it, Julian was a Magus.
"That's the one without a doubt right, Erika?" Julian queried.
"Yup." A small child appeared behind him, looking at Miyu. "Most of the characteristics are probably gone, but the container is intact."
'!' Shirou then understood.
"I've always monitored this area…" Julian started.
These people were…
"This town with no traces of people, anyone who enters this area intentionally must be either a remnant of the Sakatsuki family or…" He approached until they were inches apart.
A danger to…
"A thief." He stated.
Miyu.
"Listen carefully, Shirou. This is a strict order: Do not bring Miyu outside. Do not let anyone notice her. If you do not do what I say, getting discovered will be inevitable."
His old man's words rang out clearly in his mind. He was a fool, to have forgotten such an important detail!
He didn't hesitate in his next actions. "Trace, on!" He picked up Miyu, [Traced] a sword, tossed it at Julian, and ran to the forest with his legs [Reinforced].
*BOOM*
The sword he tossed exploded as they left the area. It wasn't Shirou's intention to take them out in one blow, he wanted to instead disorient them with the sword that acted like a flashbang.
He navigated the forest quickly, if he reaches the estate, then he'll be able to get Ritsuka's help in evacuation and defense!
"He was more competent that expected." Julian was surprised at Emiya. His decision making is quick and effective. He might've gotten injured if he actually attacked him.
"Uuuuuhhhhh…!" Erika held in her cries. "My ears and eyes hurt… But a lady doesn't cry!"
A portal opened beside them, a blonde beauty with golden armor coming out of it. "Are you hurt, Julian-sama?"
"No." He responded. "Retrieve the grail immediately, but don't damage it." He ordered. "Don't let them escape, if anyone tries to hinder you…" He hesitated for a moment, considering various factors. Emiya may be his friend, but the dream of the Ainsworths take precedence. Also, he may hinder their operation for the Holy Grail War, it was better to nip it in the bud. "Kill them."
"Understood." The woman acknowledged. With that, she left the area to fulfill her mission.
Miyu was being carried by her onii-chan in a princess carry, but she couldn't find it in her to care at this moment. She looked at her onii-chan's face and saw desperation. She didn't know what those people were planning to do with her, but she was certain that it was no good if they made onii-chan make a face like that.
The pace they were going in was unbelievable. Not only that, but they also didn't lose any speed while avoiding obstacles like branches and bamboo.
It was illogical. "Onii-chan, how fast are we going?" She questioned.
"Around 60 kilometers per hour!" He replied. [1]
Miyu's eyes widened. 'To go at that speed in uneven terrain… it was like magic.' Before she could contemplate any further, they were forced to halt as a rain of weapons bombarded them. Surprisingly, they missed their mark, hitting the surrounding area instead.
As the dust settled, they were confronted by a golden-haired woman. "Thief, give the girl to us." She demanded.
"…" She was strong, Shirou could tell. If they fought, it would inevitably end with his death. But that's not important. He dropped Miyu and made her face him. "Miyu, run."
"Run? Where?" She anxiously questioned.
"To Ritsuka. Now hurry!" He charged at the enemy in front of him, even if it ended in his death, he would buy some time for Miyu to escape!
Unfortunately, Miyu was rooted to the spot, unable to move due to fear and concern.
"Foolishness" Golden ripples open behind the woman. From there, weapons emerge and rained down on him.
He tried dodging and deflecting the shots with his [Tracing], but ultimately, his body and mind couldn't keep up. Every time he deflected one, another would find itself grazing his body, every time he dodged, another would be waiting for him. Some of them hit him too, fortunately, none of them were fatal. He continued batting away the projectiles and dodging them. After a few seconds, the barrage stopped, allowing him to catch his breath.
Using [Structural Analysis], he discovered that each and every single weapon shot at him was a Noble Phantasm.
"Onii-chan! Please! Run away!" Miyu begged him to stop, but that was no good. If he did that, Miyu would…!
His own blades weren't enough to contend with these weapons, his injuries were hindering him, and he was going to run out of Magical Energy at this rate. With things as they are now, he would have to do something completely insane.
"…You're still alive?" The woman remarked in surprise. "No matter, a few more volleys and you shall die." The golden ripples launched Noble Phantasms at him once more!
"HRRRRAAAAAAGGGHH" With a roar, Shirou [Traced] the Noble Phantasms used against him. He sends them forward, intent on matching her output but…
Weapons pierced his body. Even with his newly integrated Magic Crest and improved magical ability, he still couldn't keep up! The clash of Noble Phantasm against false Noble Phantasm rang out in the forest.
Another weapon found itself hitting his body, that single slip of concentration was all it took. With that loss of focus, the enemy quickly made her move.
"You are more dangerous than we thought." Chains wrapped around his body. "Now die." From a golden portal, the woman pulled out a greatsword, and before he knew it, his stomach was pierced.
"Ah…" He failed. "Gah…" He coughed up blood from his lips. The ground was filled with crimson blood flowing from his wounds. Slowly, his consciousness shuts down. 'Miyu...' [2]
"N-N-NOOOOOOOOOO!" He heard a scream, before everything went black. [3]
The weapons that pierced onii-chan's body disappear.
Without caring about the blood that pooled the ground, Miyu rushed to his side. "O-onii-chan? Onii-chan!" She shook his body and called out, but she didn't receive a response. "Ahhh, no, it's a lie, right? Onii-chan will wake up, right?!" She screamed hysterically.
"I am sorry, but you shall come with me." The woman approached her.
"S-stay away!" She shrieked. "Don't come any closer!" She tried covering her onii-chan's corpse body with her small frame. Even when faced with such power, Miyu didn't run away. After all, family never abandons each other no matter what.
Her head was turned to face the woman. She was saying something, but her concentration was waning. She couldn't hold her consciousness. 'N-no, I can't…!'
Eventually, just like her onii-chan, everything went black.
A portal opened up in the middle of the castle. "Mission accomplished, Julian-sama." Held in the woman's arms was an unconscious Miyu with blood drenched clothing.
"Is she damaged?" He asked.
"No, the blood came from the enemy Magus." She replied.
"What took you so long to finish him off?" He admonished. She had the strongest card, for her to take so long was simply ridiculous.
"He was quite tenacious, even when having his body pierced with numerous Noble Phantasms, he still continued to fight." She reported. "Another thing that made it difficult to kill him quickly was his [Projection] of Noble Phantasms."
"…" He made the correct decision after all. Someone like that could potentially ruin all their plans. Ah, he almost forgot. "There is another variable that must be dealt with. Emiya Ritsuka, Emiya Shirou's elder sister. Don't bother fighting her, just assassinate her."
"Understood, I shall do so after I place the vessel." She opened a portal once more. "Is there anything else, Julian-sama?"
"No. Go ahead and do what I asked of you, Angelica." With a nod, she left Julian alone.
{Good, we don't need extras ruining the stage, don't we?} A voice rang out.
"Shut up." He snapped. "I know what I'm doing."
'The Emiya residence was somewhere around here.' Angelica used [Hades' Cap of Invisibility] to mask herself from magical and optical detection. 'Here.'
Observing the house, she silently approached by using a Noble Phantasm to make herself float off the ground.
'Target acquired.' Emiya Ritsuka left the house and was seems to be headed towards the shed. 'Eliminating.'
Without a sound, she pierced her heart with a Noble Phantasm. 'Mission accomplished.' She left the house and returned to base.
Miyu woke up with a start. As her lethargic mind regained focus, she noticed that she wasn't in her house, and remembered the events that occurred.
"Onii-chan!" She rose from where she was laying down. She saw stars, pillars, floating rings and globes. The 'ground' seems to be a glowing green circle. And at the top is a gigantic black cube. Looking at herself, she discovered that her clothes were changed to a black dress.
"Awake?" Miyu saw a middle-aged man sitting on one of the globes.
"Where am I?!" She demanded.
"Hahaha! What fire!" He bellowed. "You are in the Ainsworth's castle. Escaping from here is impossible."
"Then, onii-chan… where is he?" She asked.
"Don't you already know the answer to that question?" He mockingly smiled at her.
"No…" Her voice was filled with anguish. "That can't be… onii-chan can't be dead!"
"Isn't it fine? You were merely a tool he wanted to use for his own—"
"You don't know anything about onii-chan!" She fiercely defended him.
"But Miyu! Now I just want us to be a real family! I don't want to use you like that! I don't want to hurt you! So please…! Let me give you a family and happiness!"
"He gave up his dreams for my sake… He never wanted to use me as a tool! He wanted me to be happy!"
"Oh? I see! I… see…" His bearing suddenly changed. "It's slowly coming together, but it's not enough." As a globe blocked her vision, and the person behind the globe was revealed to be different after it passed by.
"I agree as well." Miyu immediately identified him as the first person who tried to take her. "You should just give up now, Sakatsuki Miyu, there is no longer anybody left to save you."
"Y-you're lying!" She denied with all her might. To her surprise, he suddenly appeared in front of her and held his hand over her head.
"Then see it yourself." The scenery changed, she was in a forest, a familiar one at that, there she saw—
"Onii-chan!" The body was unmoving, unresponsive, lying in a pool of its own blood. "No…" Miyu was forced to accept the fact that he was gone. Tears flowed from her eyes from the pain in her heart.
"We're not finished yet." A cold voice stated. The scenery changed once more, there—
"Ah, no… even onee-chan…" Miyu despaired. Just like her onii-chan, her onee-chan too was gone. Her family, the ones who gave her happiness, was gone, just like that.
The scenery returned to the present. Miyu's eyes lost their fire as tears flowed from them, and her trembling body slumped in grief.
"There is nothing you can do but surrender to your fate." He declared. "The conclusion of our story is already determined. You don't need to think unnecessary things. That is the sole happiness left for you, that of a tool."
A tool. Yes, she will be a tool. If she becomes a tool, then maybe, it will stifle this pain in her heart.
Emiya Shirou had died. That was the news that Matou Sakura received. She lost those important to her once again. She wondered when it would end. She always… always, lost them. Maybe it was fate that she would never be together with her loved ones.
She stopped attending school. There was already no reason to go there. The precious memories they made were now painful reminders of the fact that he was gone.
Unfortunately, life cruelly goes on. Now, she only went out to buy food. She was content to simply rot away in her house and await her death.
"Matou Sakura." She recognized that voice.
"Ichigi-san?" Her lifeless eyes scanned over him. "Why have you visited?"
He threw something at her, which she fumbled a bit before being able to grab it.
"You have been chosen by the grail to participate in the Holy Grail War." He explained. "That Class Card will be yours to use for the upcoming battle."
"…I see, what is the Holy Grail War?" She questioned.
"It is a battle to the death in order to obtain the Holy Grail. A powerful wish granting device."
"Wish granting…" It seems that fate wasn't finished with her quite yet. "Please tell me more."
The Class Card he gave Matou Sakura didn't have a Heroic Spirit in it. He lied and told her that Gilgamesh was the one inside that card. Unfortunately, she seems to be the only viable living master. He will need five more people. It seems that he would have to make some dolls…
"Ah… guh…" Shirou felt sick. His whole body is in pain, and the headache didn't help either. "What… happened?" Slowly, clarity came to him. "Miyu!"
"You're awake." Turning his head, he saw Ritsuka sitting on a chair. "Don't move yet, you haven't recovered."
"W-what about Miyu?" He frantically asked.
"She isn't in any physical danger, the people who took her have no intentions of doing anything damaging." He breathed a sigh of relief at that. "But once they complete the preparations for the Holy Grail War, they will sacrifice her."
With a grunt, Shirou forced his body to move. "How long do we have?"
"A month or so." She estimated. "Shirou, as you are now, there is no way that you can win. You were only able to survive because of your Magic Crest." [4]
He knew that… He knew that! But! "I can't just stand back and do nothing!" He shouted in frustration.
"Right now, everyone believes that we are dead. During this one-month period, we can prepare ourselves."
"Eh? How did you do it?"
"When I realized that your vitals were waning, body doubles were made for both you and me. I left to pick you up so that I could replace you with the copy, and I left my copy back at the estate where it got killed. Man, they sure work fast." With a sigh, she stood up and made her way to the door. "Shirou, I need to explain a lot of stuff that's happening right now. Find me once you recovered."
That sounded good to him. 'Miyu… please wait for me. I will definitely save you!'
Becoming a tool didn't help. Every day, her heart clenched in pain. Being alive was painful. Miyu now knew the pain of the characters from some of the story books her onee-chan gave her. She simply couldn't fill the empty gaping hole in her heart.
The door opens, and food was brought to her. The child of the Ainsworths, Erika was her name if she remembers correctly, was the one who brought it.
"Miyu-onee-chan!" She waved enthusiastically. "Food is here!"
Miyu didn't answer back. As the food was presented to her, she lifted her utensils and started eating.
"Is it good?" The child asked.
"I don't know." She couldn't taste anything anymore, or rather, she stopped paying attention to that sort of thing. It brought up her precious memories. Of them eating delicious food from onee-chan, of them trying to recreate those dishes, of—
"A-are you alright, Miyu-onee-chan?!" Erika asked concerned. "You're crying…"
"Huh?" She placed a palm on her cheek. There were indeed tears flowing out. She thought that they had dried out from all her grief. "Oh… Erika-san, I'm… not hungry anymore." She returned to the bed prepared for her.
"Really?" Erika enquired. Miyu answered with a single nod. "Well, if you're sure…" Erika left the room while worriedly looking back at her.
Miyu feels that she was a sweet child, but she was a part of them. The people who took away the people precious to her, the Ainsworths. She could never open her heart to her.
In the bed, she held two items to her chest, a scarf and a cap. She begged her captors to return it her. Surprisingly, they acquiesced quickly.
Now, all she had were these mementos and her powerless self who couldn't do a thing to help her family.
The Holy Grail War… the Ainsworths… the Class Cards… there was so much information to digest.
"The Holy Grail War was made by the Ainsworth family. The Class Cards are used the participants of this event to fight until only one is left. The person who won will then obtain a wish. During the war, something went wrong, and it resulted in the Fuyuki disaster. Did I get that right?" Shirou summarized.
"Yes." Ritsuka nodded. "The Class Cards contain the power of Servants and the war failed because there was no Holy Grail."
"So that's why they took Miyu… What is their wish though?" Shirou wracked his mind on the Ainsworth family's goals.
"To save mankind." Ritsuka answered. "But it's strange."
"Why so?" Shirou questioned. Before he became Miyu's onii-chan, it was his dream. So it wasn't too strange for him that someone else would have the same dream.
"I overheard their plans, and something doesn't add up." Ritsuka explained. "If they really want to save the world, I don't understand why they would use their wish to open Pandora's Box. Another is that they don't actually need Miyu to open it, they already have the key." [5]
"Opening Pandora's Box is a problem?" Shirou didn't know what that was.
"Yes, if that thing opens, it can destroy the world and humanity." Ritsuka declared. "Well, I was planning on closing it either way, so this just accelerates some of my plans. I was hoping to finish the main problem first though…" She sighed.
This seems to be way above his head, but he won't back down, after all, he had something he was responsible for. "What's the plan for saving Miyu?"
"Shirou." Ritsuka took out the geass scroll that they used. "I need you to agree to an operation. It will give you incredible power, but it will cut down your lifespan severely, and if doesn't succeed, it will kill you."
"I accept." He agreed without hesitation. "When do we start?"
Ritsuka was bug eyed at his immediate acceptance before giving a smile. "Haaa… Your siscon levels are off the charts. Fine, repeat these words after me."
I, Emiya Shirou, consent to undergo the operation to become a Demi-Servant. [6]
Her blood was extracted again, she didn't care nor complain. It hurts, but that was nothing compared to her despair. As long as they didn't take what little she had, they could do whatever they wanted.
Once again, she woke up in her bed after fainting from the blood extraction.
"Ohayo, Miyu-onee-chan!" Erika cheerfully greeted.
"Erika…"
"You must be tired from your work! I brought you food and medicine to help you recover, make sure you take it later!"
"I see… thank you." She forced her weakened body to stand, but she couldn't get up.
"Are you okay? Are you still sleepy?" Erika asked in concern.
"It's simply the usual…" Was Miyu's lackadaisical response.
"I see! So it's just the usual! Oh, that reminds me…" Erika turned around to pick up a pile of books. "I brought lots of books so you won't get bored—"
"There is no need." Miyu interrupted. Returning to her bed, she clutched the scarf and cap and waited for her body to recover.
Erika was like a lost puppy. All this time, she was trying to help Miyu, but her reception was always so cold and unfeeling. It made her uncomfortable since it reminded her of—
Shaking her head, she stopped her line of thought. "Miyu-onee-chan, if you need anything, you can just call me!" She left the room, leaving Miyu alone once again.
Her mind wondered again to the stories that her onee-chan gave her. Generic Fantasy Love Story #1 will always have a special place in her heart. This time, she remembered The Edited Story of Romeo and Juliet.
It was about two lovers who were from opposing families. They planned to run away with each other, but when they find each other dead, they committed suicide.
'Suicide…' Miyu rose from her bed, took a look at the utensils and saw a knife. She picked it up and tested it on the meat. The knife cut it smoothly.
Death should scare her, but she was strangely calm. With her steady hand, she pointed the knife at her neck.
The possibility that she may meet her family in the afterlife make it seem like a good idea. Besides, there was already nothing left for her in this world.
With a push, she—
Miyu's body lost its strength and collapsed.
"How troublesome, her mental state has deteriorated this much." Julian, who stopped Miyu's suicide, remarked. He took the knife from her hand and returned it besides the plate. "Angelica."
Angelica came in the room. "Yes, Julian-sama?"
"From this time onwards, whenever Sakatsuki Miyu is awake, she is to be monitored without pause. She shall be kept asleep unless it is needed." He ordered.
"Understood." Julian left the room as Angelica got to work.
{How unruly, but I suppose that it was bound to happen.}
"An error in judgement, we should've captured them instead."
{Indeed, we could've coerced her by threatening to harm her family, but what's done is done.}
"Right, we shall see this to completion."
With that, Julian Ainsworth advanced his preparations for the Holy Grail War.
With a swing of his sword, a tremendous amount of power was released. The enemy was defeated after the well-placed strike.
"You're doing well, Shirou." Praised Ritsuka who was leading him. They were doing this for hours upon hours, but the Magical Energy provided never waned. "But remember, our enemy will be Heroic Spirits. They may be weakened due to being fake, but they will still be an enormous challenge even when you have the full power of a Heroic Spirit engraved in you."
He was very thankful to the Heroic Spirit Muramasa Senji. With a simple, 'I'll lend you my power, so make sure to save that youngin', he gave him his power. He felt it in his body, the strength of a Servant, but at the same time, he also felt his body being slowly corroded by Muramasa's power. Expertise in multiple sword styles, wrestling skills, high level Magic Resistance, Territory Creation, Eye of Karma, Sword Trial, Flame, and an ability to see through an opponent's weakness and fighting style given time. For a man who says 'I'm just a blacksmith' he sure has a lot of skills geared for combat. [7]
"Get ready Shirou, I'm going to simulate Heroic Spirits for you to fight." Shirou tensed, his performance here will reflect how well he will do in the actual battles. "I'm going to command and support you in battle."
Ritsuka brought out a briefcase and ran her Magical Energy through it. In front of them, an armored girl with a shield and a lance appeared. [8]
"Go, Shirou!" At her command, he charged at the enemy Lancer.
Lancer charged too, her speed exceeding his own. He [Traced] multiple weapons to rain down on her. She deftly blocked and swatted the projectiles, though it did make her lose some speed. [Tracing] an odachi, he leaped into the air and unleashed the full power of the blade, sending a shockwave through the ground. The enemy dodged by leaping to the side. Seeing an opening, Lancer charged at his unguarded flank.
As the incredibly fast strike was about to hit him, he felt his body being tilted to avoid the attack. Lancer was caught off-guard by the unnatural evasion that he just did. Shirou capitalized on it, [Tracing] a wakizashi, he struck at the legs, scoring a deep cut, and reducing her speed. Lancer retreated backwards to escape the unfavorable battle, but Shirou chased after her, tossing the wakizashi and making it explode. Lancer blocked the attack with her shield, but it left her disoriented.
Feeling a boost of strength, Shirou manifested his hammer and struck at the opponent. Lancer who was still reeling, hastily raised her shield, but the strength of the blow, combined with her disorientation and injured leg made her defense fall apart. Her arm numb from the strike, she retaliated by thrusting her lance at the opponent.
Astralizing his hammer, he [Traced] a katana, he tilted the thrust to make it slide to his side. Lancer was now completely open to attacks, her arm that holds the shield is still not working, and her counterattack made her overextend. Shirou finishes the battle with a beheading.
Lancer disappears. The battle was over.
"Once more, Shirou." Ritsuka ran Magical Energy on the briefcase once more, summoning another enemy.
Shirou readied himself once more. He would have to gain as much experience in both battle and use of Muramasa's abilities. After all, failure was not an option.
She was alive, she realized.
"Miyu-sama." Craning her head, she sees the person she wanted to see the least. Every time she looks at Angelica, the one who killed her family, her body shudders in fear and the memories their deaths come to the front of her mind. "Please take your medicine after your meal."
Miyu picked up the chopsticks and started eating.
Finishing her meal, she takes the medicine.
She then realized that Angelica was still there, and she was approaching. She trembled as her body locked up. A hand landed on her shoulder as she saw their location change. 'The bathroom?'
As she was about to take care of her business, she realized that Angelica was still staring intently at her. "Ummm, can you please leave?" She muttered meekly.
"I was ordered to observe you at all times while you are awake." It seems that her attempt to end her life had them at high alert. "After you have taken care of your needs, I shall make you sleep."
So they were keeping an eye on her actions like this. She would have preferred Beatrice over Angelica though. Even if she had a foul mouth, at least she didn't instill nightmares into her just by looking.
After she was finished, Angelica returned her to bed and made her sleep using the same method she used after she killed her onii-chan.
Saber – Arthur Pendragon, King of Knights and wielder of Excalibur.
Lancer – Cu Chulainn, Child of Light and wielder of Gae Bolg.
Archer – Gilgamesh, King of Heroes and owner of the Gate of Babylon.
Caster – Medea, Witch of Betrayal and one of the greatest Magi of all time.
Rider – Medusa, The Monster who petrifies enemies with her Mystic Eyes and… the rider of Pegasus?
Assassin – Hassan-I-Sabbah, The Old Men of the Mountain who specialize in assassination.
Berserker – Heracles, The Greatest Hero of Greece and owner of the God Hand that gives him the ability to resurrect twelve times and repel attacks below A rank.
They were the enemies that he has to defeat. "Man, I sure have my work cut out for me." He made swords with the help of Muramasa to counter some of them.
Anti-Dragon
Anti-Divine
Anti-Magic
Anti-Monster
Assassin was troublesome since he didn't know what their ability was.
Even with all the information he has, he was still not confident in his victory. Each and every one of his opponents are monsters whose names are synonymous with power. The fact that they would be weaker will not change, but to what extent that weakness goes, they do not know.
Still, Ritsuka's capabilities and resources are simply outrageous. Being able to scout all this information without being detected, finding a compatible Heroic Spirit and integrating it on him, and a surplus of Magical Resources that should have long stopped existing. He wanted to ask about it, but he will postpone it until they rescue Miyu.
He continued hammering away at the sword. As a student of the Muramasa school of smithing, he used his body and spirit to forge weapons. He put his all in making them, after all, he will use them for the sake of saving Miyu. He will not accept subpar weapons that might ruin his chances.
Ritsuka has already drafted plans against the enemy and the wish that they will use. The time was approaching. Soon, the Holy Grail War shall begin.
Sakura has arrived at the Emiya estate.
"Why not visit us?"
She shook her head to focus. Today was the start of the Holy Grail War, but before doing anything, she wanted to offer some flowers and clean the house before going to battle.
Entering the house, she coughed as the accumulated dust went into her lungs. The door was unexpectedly unlocked, she would've broken in otherwise. Nobody will report her since everyone who are not a part of the war have already been removed from Fuyuki.
Taking a broom, she swept every nook and cranny of the house. After that, she mopped the floor. She actually wanted to do a more thorough cleaning, but she didn't have time for it. Night was approaching, she should have dinner before fighting she supposes.
"I look forward to working in the kitchen together with you."
"Miyu-sama, Darius-sama asked if you wanted to watch the Holy Grail War." Angelica relayed. Did she even have a choice?
"Yes…" She dispassionately replied.
"Wonderful, allow me to show you the first battle of the Holy Grail War." Darius, who appeared out of nowhere, declared.
Miyu saw her, a person who went into their home and paid her respects to her family. This person, Sakura, she was told, loved her onii-chan and she was fighting the Holy Grail War to bring him back to life.
But considering that they were showing her this…
These people truly were scum.
It is done, the flowers were laid down on the makeshift tombstones. She had eaten dinner. This is it, the one and only chance of her being able to bring him back. She may be inexperienced, but with the Class Card containing Gilgamesh, she has a chance of victory!
She felt a sudden sharp pain on her shoulder. She was dragged along the snow as it pulled back.
Looking at her opponent, she sees. "Nii-san?"
"Hahahaha, you're such a bad girl Sakura, visiting a guy's house all alone." Her dead brother was wearing a manic grin on his face. "As your brother, I need to d—disc—discipline you. I Matou… what was it again?" He had a lost expression before returning to his former manic grin. "Oh well, who knows, maybe if I kill you, I'll remember something."
He sends another dagger to pierce her. Sakura, seeing the danger, rolled to the side, successfully evading it.
"Eh? That's strange… Why did you dodge my attack?!" He roared in rage. "Why? Why? Why?! Why?! Why did you dodge my attack?! [Install]"
Sakura then realizes that she needed to use her own—
Her stomach felt an impact as she was sent flying. Clutching her stomach, she curled into a ball. No, she can't do that, she has to get up…!
Sakura grit her teeth and endured the pain. He was already closing in on her. Getting up, she declared. "I'm going to defeat you, nii-san!"
"Heeeh? You actually grew a backbone, Sakura. You're opposing your brother and you're going to defeat me?" He mockingly asked, only to get a glare. "With a sister like you, I guess I have no choice… but to kill you."
His eyes gleamed with sadism, but she stood strong. She had a dream that she wanted to fulfill…!
"[Install]" The card glowed before it lost its shine. "Eh?" She looked at the card in disbelief.
"Pffft, hahahahahaha! What's wrong Sakura!? Don't tell me you can't even use [Install]!?" His laughter echoes in the empty residence.
"It can't be… Why…!?" Sakura despaired.
"You were only allowed to participate because you were meant to be a tool to accelerate the end of the Holy Grail War! Did you really think that Julian-sama would give you the Gilgamesh card?! That card isn't connected to a Heroic Spirit. It's a genuine garbage card!"
"Ah." The game was rigged from the start. She didn't have a chance from the very beginning. She fell to her knees. The only path left was her death.
"Hehehe, that's right, be a good girl and let your brother show you how it's done." The tentacles in his arm wiggled ominously. Pointing his arm at her. "[Zabani—]"
His head was cut off. [9]
"Hoh?" A frown marred Darius' face.
Miyu was proven right, these people gave Sakura-san false hope, only to send her to the pits of despair. She was happy that Sakura-san was saved though. Anything that disrupts their plans was good in her eyes.
The door to the shed opened, Miyu gasped as her eyes widened and tears flowed to her cheeks. Because she saw her onii-chan and onee-chan coming out of that door alive and well.
"Assassin is here" Ritsuka declared.
Shirou immediately stood up and made his way to the surface.
"Wait, I'm going to try something to eliminate them." Shirou patiently waited as Ritsuka went somewhere.
She returned with a smile. "I got Assassin, now we only need to fight six Servants instead of seven!" Shirou was flabbergasted, he knew that Ritsuka is a powerful Magus, and that Assassin was quite fragile, but to think that she would actually be able to kill him… It seems that instead of overestimating her, he underestimated her instead. "It's too bad that it won't work on the other Heroic Spirits though…" [10]
Wait, maybe the enemy was severely weakened instead of Ritsuka being too strong. Yeah, that sounds like a better explanation. "What are we waiting for? Let's go save Miyu."
With a nod, the two of them walked out of the shed.
Sakura was happy. He was alive, he was alive. This mantra kept repeating inside her head. "Senpai!" She stood up and leapt into his embrace. She allowed herself to cry freely as her senpai returned the embrace.
"Ainsworth." Declared an unfamiliar voice, looking at the speaker, Sakura recognized her as Ritsuka. Senpai's older sister. "We shall be participating in the Holy Grail War. No, we don't care if you refuse. You have someone who belongs to our family. We'll be taking her back. Miyu, wait for us." After those words, a distinct change in the atmosphere became apparent. "With this, they won't be able to eavesdrop on us."
"Ummm, it's nice to meet you, my name is Matou Sakura."
"Shirou's girlfriend, right?" Sakura blushed at her words. "It's nice to meet you too. I'm Ritsuka, but you can call me onee-san." She put a hand on her shoulder. She flinches from the pain, but after a few seconds, the wound on her shoulder was gone. Ritsuka has healed it.
"Ritsuka." Shirou interjected with a serious expression. "What's our next move?"
"Well, let's take the cards first. We will need those for the wish." Assassin, and— "Hmmm, an empty Class Card huh… This is great! With this, we can skip the last battle we will have. I just need to connect a Heroic Spirit to this card." Shirou was glad, they have a promising start on the Holy Grail War. "The Assassin card needs a new Heroic Spirit too, the method I used severed them from the card…" Ritsuka sighed.
"Shirou, go to Ryuudou Temple, among the lineup of Servants you need to fight, she should be the easiest for you to deal with." She ordered. "I'll rejoin you after I take care of these cards. Sakura-chan, come with me." She returned to the shed while towing a confused Sakura.
"Caster huh." If one takes a look at the skills and statistics, the odds are extremely skewed in Shirou's favor. Not only did he have anti-magic weapons, but he also has high rank Magic Resistance. He took a deep breath. He had trained all this time for this moment. He WILL win.
Shirou took off under the cover of the night. His goal was clear. Defeat all the enemies and rescue Miyu.
Miyu cried tears of joy as she clutched her mementos, no, her birthday gifts.
"How interesting." Darius remarked. "I would presume that you would like to continue watching?"
Miyu nodded frantically even as she kept wiping away her tears.
"How long will they last, I wonder?" He monologued. "Will they be able to bring forth a miracle? Or will they send your hopes to the deepest pits of despair?"
Miyu scowled at him. She believes in them with all her heart.
Sakura didn't really understand why she was being dragged inside, but since this was her senpai's older sister, she can probably trust her.
"You're pretty popular among the Servants." Ritsuka commented. "A lot of them want to help you."
She was surprised at that. She says that as if she could—
"With the power of the Matou house's [Absorption], you shouldn't have any long-term problems with being given the power of a Heroic Spirit so long as they are compatible with you and you don't overuse it." [11]
"Really?! But that kind of thing is…" She considered it. She will probably lose her sense of self, but if it was for Shirou…
"Well, you don't need to worry about that kind of thing." Ritsuka-san reassured.
A golden glow descended on her. She felt something powerful form in her heart.
"T-this is…?" She asked in wonder.
'Ah, Kama tried to sneakily possess her, but Parvati saw it and beat her to the punch.' Observed Ritsuka. [12]
"Congratulations, you now have the power of Parvati, the Goddess of Love, Beauty, Benevolence, and a bunch of other stuff that I don't remember." She explained. "You should be able to instinctively use some of her abilities, but in the first place, she was never suited for fighting. I'm sorry, but you'll only get a bit of practice before we go to battle."
Sakura focused within herself. "I see… these kinds of abilities are very suited to me." A powerful Noble Phantasm, a skill that revolves around one's love for someone, her ability with her Magecraft was boosted, and a skill used for support.
"That Noble Phantasm of yours will be an ace in the hole. Most of the time, you will probably support Shirou. You don't have to use that skill if you don't want to. I will give my all in commanding you, so please trust me."
"It's fine, I will use it if I think it's necessary." She told her with great resolve. "If burning up this body can save senpai, then I don't mind."
"Then I'll make sure that you don't need to." Ritsuka-san returned with equal resolve. "Well, let's get to it, the simulators are in here. After I teach you how to use it, I'll take care of these Class Cards before returning here to fetch you, alright?"
With their respective tasks clear, they did it with great vigor.
The Holy Grail War was about to begin in earnest.
Status:
Saber: Active
Lancer: Active
Archer: Active
Rider: Active
Caster: Active
Assassin: Eliminated
Berserker: Active
[1] I'm basing this on the Illya rescue in HF.
[2] Why Shirou lost?
A. No Eye of the Mind True, aka battle experience.
B. He had no knowledge on the capability of the enemy AND his own limits.
C. The enemy was using their full power. (as long as it doesn't accidentally hit Miyu)
D. Yes, Archer Class Card is weaker than Gilgamesh, but in every scenario, Shirou was only able to beat him cuz he was underestimated, and he could deploy his RM with support from Rin.
In short, he has a massive disadvantage.
[3] Trauma roll: The worst.
[4] So long as you have Magical Energy, the crest keeps you alive. Just check Case Files for an example.
[5] Report on Ainsworth family (From Ritsuka's reconnaissance order)
They seem to be a family who guards Pandora's Box and its key, Pandora. Their goal is to save mankind, so it can be assumed that they will be allies when the enemy is found.
As seen in this report, Ritsuka uses her own judgement, and only gets the initial information on what she should do, resulting in misunderstandings or incorrect assumptions.
[6] Demi-Servant Creation: EX
An incredible feat performed by Chaldea. Taking the Spirit Origin of a Heroic Spirit, they insert it into a human. Unless the person is genetically modified from birth to withstand the Spirit Origin of a Heroic Spirit, they will inevitably break down. The compatibility of the Heroic Spirit towards the human will slow the deterioration, but it will still end up in their life being cut short.
The Demi-Servant Creation is a better version of the original one used by Chaldea, it has guaranteed success to transfer the Heroic Spirit and their life won't be cut down extremely, but it is still high. The reason is because Ritsuka can go through all the Heroic Spirits in her employ and check their willingness and compatibility, plus the correction applied to the process makes it better. If there isn't a willing or compatible Heroic Spirit, Ritsuka won't go through with the operation. This ability is single use.
[7] Power roll: Shirou – Muramasa Senji (I'm going to trust you for now Typemoon Wiki, the translations for Muramasa are still not up, so I have no choice.)
Emiya Shirou
Class: Saber
True Name: Muramasa Senji
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Parameters:
() – Homeland Boost
STR B(A) END B
AGL C MP C(B)
LCK E{EX} NP
Class Skills:
Magic Resistance: B
Territory Creation: A
Aesthetic Appreciation (Sword): A
Succeed Phantasm: ?
Personal Skill:
Affection of the Holy Grail: A+
Magecraft: C++
Natural Body: C
Eye of Karma: B-
Sword Trial: B+
Flame: EX
Noble Phantasm:
{Unavailable}
I played around the stats a bit to fit Shirou, upgrade to mana and agility, downgrade on endurance and luck. Muramasa is surprisingly strong statwise.
Affection of the Holy Grail A+, Magecraft C++, and Natural Body C are self-explanatory.
Eye of Karma decreases in rank since Shirou wasn't that focused on karma, but since Muramasa is with him it is still there instead of turning to Hawkeye.
The candidates for the roll in no particular order:
EMIYA
EMIYA Alter
Muramasa
Angry Mango
Siegfried
Naaahhhh
Each of them would pose a problem to Shirou's health. I'm really glad I avoided Angry Mango. Anyone else is fine to me.
[8] Spirit Origin Graph – Proof of Unforgotten Bonds: EX
Allows the summoning of Servants without egos. The summonable Servants are able to use Noble Phantasms with reduced power. It can only summon Servants who were contracted in the past by the user.
[9] Survival roll: Alive.
[10] Gramps: Hand over thy head.
Shinji: Was I a terrible assassin?
Gramps: No, you were the worst.
[11] I read somewhere that Sakura was an excellent vessel for spirits, can't remember where I saw it though.
[12] Power roll: Sakura – Parvati
Matou Sakura
Class: Lancer
True Name: Parvati
Alignment: Lawful Good
Parameters:
STR E END B
AGL D MP A
LCK C NP EX
Class Skills:
Magic Resistance: A
Core of the Goddess: B
Personal Skill:
Imaginary Around: EX
Ashes of Kama: EX
Blessing of the Goddess: A+
Noble Phantasm:
Trishula Shakti: EX
I played with the stats again. Upgrade to mana and endurance, downgrade on strength and luck.
Just think of this like that bullshit Siegfried did for Sieg. Parvati sacrificed her ego to pass on her Divine Core to Sakura. Her words are something like: "Fight on! Don't give up on your love!" for her. She really wants to see her succeed since her love life is similar to hers.
The candidates for the roll in no particular order:
Suzuka Gozen
Tomoe Gozen
Tamamo-no-Mae
Parvati
Kama
Boudica
I would have been in trouble had I rolled Boudica or Suzuka. I don't know how to write them properly. Shame I didn't get Kama, it would've been really interesting to write.
AN:
I wonder how many people quit this fic after reading the first few paragraphs…
The events are not chronological in this chapter.
Things are moving faster than I expected. At this rate, the HGW will be finished next chapter...
I can hear those plot holes opening.
Shirou was ordered to be killed since he was a bit competent unlike in canon. Seriously canon Shirou, a tape measure?
A bit of a showcase of Ritsuka's capabilities.
Everybody ignores Shinji, not. He just disappeared, like all of gramps' victims.
Ritsuka is prepared to take on this difficult task, she will be quite disappointed though…
Error in age fixed. I'm not going to return to the previous chapters to correct this. I'm too lazy to do that.
Timeskip to May 4
Shirou – 17, 11 months till 18 April 15
Miyu – 10, 3 months till 10 July 20
Sakura – 15, 10 months till 16 March 2
Those in April are the oldest, and those in March are the youngest IIRC.
I am EEEEEVVVVVIIIIILLLLL!
Well, at least I didn't cut it in half and leave a bitter cliffhanger where both Shirou and Ritsuka are dead.