WOAH, THIS TOOK LONGER THAN EXPECTED
sorry for the wait, but I had a really busy October, and coupled with writer's block (God, why is writing set up chapters so hard?), it kept me from working. On the bright side, I've still been working on the story in terms of the overall outline of things that'll happen, and it's getting to the point where it's just a matter of writing the actual scenes themselves. Hopefully, it won't take this long next time. Oh, also, while this isn't a crossover fic, I did end up making a reference in the chapter. See if you can find it! (It really ain't hard.)
So, I don't think I made it very clear from the get-go, but Asahi is AMAB but figured out that they didn't stick to a normal gender identity very early on in life. They tend to lean toward femme the majority of the time, but every now and then, they may present as more masculine. I didn't think to explain this because it wasn't really a 'defining character trait' for me, just part of who they are, but I've seen some confusion in comments, so I thought I'd clear it up!
Oh, also, Asahi is, like, 6'5 (201cm), so she's just towering over everyone else here, so have fun with that information.
December 13th, 2003. Emiya Estate. Miyama District, Fuyuki. 8:37 AM
Asahi Emiya
The sound of bamboo striking bamboo rattled through the expanse of the Emiya Estate as Asahi and Shirou sparred in the kendo dojo. Taiga sat off by the wall of the large room, eyes following the siblings' mock duel with a pout, wincing as Sakura tended to a set of fresh bruises on her arms and stomach with a First Aid Kit. Shirou was panting quietly as he stood across from Asahi, about three meters away from her, holding his shinai in Chūdan-no-kamae. His eyes narrowed as he took a few hesitant steps, testing the waters. Sakura and Taiga kept a close watch on the fight, but Shirou was on the back foot, and they all knew it.
"Ne ne Shirou, what's wrong? You look like you're having a bit of trouble. Can't keep up with your dear older sister?" Asahi taunted, her voice reverberating through the kendo dojo as a smug smirk spread across her lips. She bared her teeth and flashed her canines, lowering her own guard into Kasumi-no-kamae. Shirou didn't panic, but he was a bit frustrated. He had only had basic kendo lessons from Taiga before jumping into kyūdō. On the other hand, Asahi had proper kenjutsu training from the magus clan she had apprenticed under and had decided about a month after returning home to beat those lessons into his bones.
"Of course not, Asahi-Nee, just thinking about what a troublesome sister I have." He couldn't grin at the situation, but he'd make his attempt regardless. He took a step forward, and Asahi was already moving, clearing four steps in the time he took to take his first and lancing out in a thrust. Shirou's eyes widen in an owlish expression as he frantically pivots his shinai up to block the thrust, parrying away and trying to move in to riposte with a downward swing.
Asahi's grin only widened, pupils shrinking to pinpricks as she slipped over to the side, one hand leaving her shinai's grip and slipping between his arms as they came down. Sakura and Taiga flinched, and Taiga even covered her eyes as Asahi's hand clamped down on Shirou's shoulder. Her foot came forward, heel hooking around his own and dragging his leg out of position as her arm pushed him back by his torso. He was moving forward one second, and the next, he was letting out a yelp as his back impacted against the hardwood floors. Her arm slipped from between his own as he fell, finding purchase on the grip of the shinai once more before bringing the tip down to press lightly against his chest before he could recover. She took a calming breath, the predatory hunger in her eyes fading to a more calm smugness as she watched him.
"You lose, little brother." she chuckled, already extending an arm to catch his own and pull him up. Lean muscles flexed against the tight tank top pressed flat against her chest and abs, showing just how little body fat Asahi had. It was never really a contest to begin with. While Shirou was fit from kyūdō and other exercises and had received basic combat training from Kiritsugu when he passed on the Emiya Crest, Asahi was trained to fight much more thoroughly. She spent most of her time growing up, both before and after the fire, living the life of a magus. First, with the parents that Asahi utterly refused to tell Shirou about (apparently, he was better off not knowing, and from what he understood of The Moonlit World, he believed her), and then with both Kiritsugu and her teacher from the Onmyouji family she was inducted into to help her deal with her…issues. He could still remember the day she visited and discovered that he was making nerve circuits because of Kiritsugu's terrible teaching methods. Shirou didn't think he'd ever seen the old man feel fear like he did getting chewed out by a fiery teenager a foot shorter than him.
Shirou only huffed in response, rubbing his shoulder and rolling his arm. He felt his muscles tense and winced but shook his head, moving back into his designated starting position. Sakura frowned but nonetheless stopped an already rising Taiga from interfering. She caught the corner of her eye with her own and shook her head, only looking away once Taiga reluctantly settled back into her spot. She didn't much like this either, and she could feel her stomach constrict and twist into knots every time her senpai got hurt, but she understood why Asahi was so adamant about this. He needed to be prepared to fight for his life.
They had discussed the Grail War a few times after the stigmata had first appeared on her hand, and each conversation had been more tense than the last, but they eventually reached an understanding. Both of them had the same goal at this point: Keep Senpai safe. She still wasn't sure if she would fight as a master, but Sakura would do her best to support her where she could. She had a proper ally, and it was someone who knew almost everything about her and wasn't disgusted by her. She had to make sure she didn't let Asahi down, not after everything she had done for her.
Asahi gave Shirou a quick once over, muscles tensing as she did so, and then they were off again. Over and over, they went at each other, Shirou lasting maybe a few seconds longer with each exchange. This pattern continued for the next few hours, and by the time Asahi had finally finished wailing on Shirou, his body was covered in bruises, and they were both utterly exhausted. Despite this, they did have some cause for celebration. Throughout a single long training session, his skill had easily tripled. Asahi wondered why that was but ultimately shrugged it off and made a point not to bring it up.
At some point, Sakura had left to start lunch, but the English teacher insisted on sticking around to keep an eye on them. Asahi groaned and stretched out, then froze, shuddering as a minor tingling sensation crept up her spine. Her thoughts spun, and she stumbled a bit. Oh no, not now, please, not now.
The tingling sensation grew as her blood vessels began to char and burn with pain, White-hot pain suddenly lancing through her spine as she took in a sharp gasp of breath. The world started to shrink in, her field of vision contracting as her body began to crackle and pop from the shifting of bones in her body, rattled by the agony as the curses that ran through her blood shook her insides violently. She fell to one knee, clutching her chest and gasping for breath as she scrambled for anything to grab onto.
"Asahi!"/"Asahi-Nee!"
Taiga and Shirou were at her side almost immediately, and Taiga had a hand on her back while Shirou took her hands.
"Ne, Asahi-Nee, come on just…Sit down and breathe. Taiga, can you go inside and get her meds? They're on the TV." Shirou looked up at Taiga while guiding Asahi, keeping her stable as she shivered and gasped from the pain. Asahi found herself on the floor as Taiga rushed out, and Shirou immediately began to rifle through Asahi's pockets. That should keep Taiga busy long enough to do what they needed.
She pulled a small ofuda from the pocket of her sweatpants, placing it in her palm and gently closing her hand around it. Asahi shuddered and nodded, spitting out a few curses before beginning to mutter something.
"Ei Ni-niku Tei Ni Da-dants…uu." The talisman flared to life, and Asahi shuddered as she felt the magecraft take effect, prana pumping through her body and stabilizing the curses that roiled in her blood. Asahi took a few more sharp breaths as the ofuda burned away. Shirou's palm pressed gently into her back, rubbing slow circles right as Taiga and Sakura came stumbling in, a bottle of pills held in Taiga's hand.
"How's she doing?!"
"A bit better, Fuji-Nee. Pills?"
"Yeah, here."
Taiga tossed the pills as quickly as possible, chewing on her bottom lip while Sakura ran over to help the crumpled-over woman while Shirou fiddled with the pill bottle lid. He handed the shivering Asahi one of the pills, watching with a slight grimace as she fumbled with her hands until she finally got it in her mouth and swallowed. Sakura's palm rested on her back while Shirou sat his hand on her shoulder until the shaking finally stopped.
She slowly, very slowly, pulled herself from the floor. Sakura and Shirou each looped an arm under her own, helping keep her steady as she took deep, gulping breaths. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Asahi stabilized and slowly pulled away from them, throwing her arms out to stabilize herself for a moment before sighing in relief. The others kept a close eye on her for a few more moments while Asahi took the time to right herself fully.
"...Thanks. Sorry about that." Asahi ran a hand through her hair, giving them all a strained smile and trying her best not to look as shaken as she clearly was. The shame and self-loathing churned in her gut and threatened to consume her thoughts, leaving her unable to look any of them in the eyes. She kept her gaze level, trying not to betray her feelings. It would do them no good to worry about her now. They had already done enough for her. She should at least be able to handle this. "Let's just. Let's just go eat lunch, a-alright?" The three of them stayed quiet for a moment, but eventually, Shirou gave in and nodded.
"Yeah, let's eat."
"Asahi-Nee…" Sakura muttered but shook her head and turned around, walking back to the main building of the Emiya Estate with Shirou following behind her. Asahi and Taiga watched them go for a moment before Taiga turned around to look Asahi in the eye.
"They worry about you, you know." It was a statement, not a question, and the usually aloof woman stared Asahi down as she spoke. Asahi could feel the guilt and anguish in her chest rise to a fever pitch as the woman reprimanded her. Didn't Taiga understand that she was trying?! She was trying so damn hard, and it didn't matter. Asahi shoved these thoughts down as Taiga spoke up once more. "You can't keep this up forever."
"I…I know. I'm working on it. I have an appointment with a specialist in a few months. They might be able to do something." Asahi gave Taiga a pained look. "I'm doing my best here…just…give me some time."
"...Mouu, you're just like your brother Asahi. Stop acting so cool!" Taiga whined, her voice losing the sharp edge she had and reverting to its usual airy lilt. Asahi couldn't help but grin at that, flashing her teeth as she walked over to the door to the dojo.
"Man, I didn't realize the Fuyuki Tiger thought I was cool. I'll have to make sure to live up to that!" And just like that, Asahi was moving, sprinting away from the now properly enraged Fujimura woman and racing towards the main building. Taiga gave chase, of course, but she'd never catch Asahi before she hit the dining room's safe zone.
"Hey! Get back here!"
December 13th, 2003. Narita International Airport. Tokyo, Japan. 11:40 AM
Luviagelita Edelfelt
"Ahhhh…finally, I've been cramped up on that plane for hours. Come Clown, we have much to do! We'll be meeting with our dealer in three hours, and I would like to explore Tokyo before we do so!" Twenty-year-old Luviagelita Edelfelt stepped off the plane into the jet bridge after a twelve-hour flight, having just arrived in Tokyo after months of planning, research, and brokering deals, and she was feeling great. The blonde-haired woman walked with purpose, chest puffed out as she weaved gracefully through the crowds of people that filled the airport's walkways. Behind her, Clown was ever-vigilant and silent as always, keeping in perfect lock-step behind his employer.
Her eyes carefully scanned the area around her as she moved, maneuvering through the baggage claim seamlessly and straight toward the exit. Clown, of course, stayed behind to actually get her stuff while Luvia went to meet with their arranged transport.
She grinned as she waved down the limousine she knew had arrived for her while Clown emerged from the exit behind her with her bags in tow. He came up next to her as the car came to a stop and silently made to start loading the bags into the trunk once it was open. Once they were loaded, he closed the trunk with a 'THUNK' and came back around to the side to open the door for Luvia, who nodded in thanks and smoothly slipped into the spacious back seat of the vehicle. Clown joined her a moment later, and with a quick wave of her hand, the driver set off.
Luvia only had a day in Tokyo before she was off to Fuyuki, so she intended to enjoy herself as much as possible. She had her driver take her all over the city, exploring the city with gusto as the clock ticked ever closer to her appointment. Lights and sounds she never experienced before enchanted the young heiress as they traveled the city, constantly shuffling between the windows to get a better look at everything.
This went on for hours, stopping here and there for Luvia to enjoy herself at one of the various tourist stops in the city until, finally, the clock in the car dinged, and the driver started to shift onto another road. Luvia straightened up immediately, calming her wanderlust with a sip of water as the car began to make its way to the agreed-upon meeting place. She shook the anticipation from her chest until it settled into her veins with a soft chill, and she pressed her lips thin when the car finally pulled up to the building. Clown got out first, of course, and let her out shortly after to stare up at the chosen location.
L'Effervescence was an excellent restaurant, an icon of fine dining located in Minato Ward, focusing on French dining. Luvia had arrived ten minutes early, which gave her time to make her way inside with Clown, inform the server of their reservation, and get seated in advance. Soon enough, she had a small cup of tea in front of her, taking a few cautious sips and humming with content as the warm beverage slid down her throat.
"You may order something as well, Clown. I am not so cruel as to deny you dinner." She rolled her eyes at the man who had yet to sit down, receiving only a quick grunt in response before he took a seat next to her. She tilted her head, giving him a warm smile while a low hum escaped her throat. "See? Isn't that better than just standing there?" The bodyguard gave her another grunt in response, but soon enough, the waiter came around, sitting with a comically small cup of tea in his hands shortly after.
Almost ten minutes after the scheduled meeting, the man she was to buy from finally appeared. He was incredibly tall, with dirty blonde hair, just a bit of stubble, a black suit, an American flag scarf, and a pair of sunglasses on his face that he seemed to have no plans of taking off. A foreigner like her, then? He slid into the seat across from her and flashed her a cheeky grin, picking up his menu and looking over his options.
"Luviagelita Edelfelt, as I live and breathe. You know, a few months ago, I never would've expected to get a contract from one of the hyenas herself. Guess I've made a name for myself. Speaking of names, mine's Keith, Keith Howard. A pleasure to meet ya." He nodded his head to her once, the slimy grin never once leaving his face while his eyes never left his menu.
"It's nice to meet you, Mr Howard. I assure you, the pleasure is all mine." Luvia gave him a curt nod, her lips being pressed into a thin smile as she took a last cursory glance at her own menu. She had already decided on her order, but it didn't hurt to take one last peek to make sure she remembered the name.
The server came by a moment later, handing Keith a glass of water and taking each of the three's orders before rushing off to the back of the kitchen to hand it off to the chef's staff.
After making sure no one else was coming around, Luvia returned her attention to the man across the table while Clown continued to watch on silently. The man chuckled a bit, taking a drink of his water and pulling a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe his mouth a moment later. Afterward, he sat it down in the center of the table and just barely nodded his head to her.
Luvia quirked her lip, eyes flickering down to the handkerchief. It was still neatly folded, with a small, rectangular indent just barely visible inside the cloth. Memories of her research into the man flashed through her mind, and she put the pieces together almost instantly. Ah, she gets it now. She nods once to the man across from her, taking another sip of her tea with a small smile.
Neither would speak for now, but the message had been received. Food arrived shortly after, and they slowly devolved into seemingly mindless, unfocused chatter. Clown stayed silent as he ate, eyes constantly scanning the room for any sort of danger. The rest of the night progressed like this until, eventually, they finished their meals, and the server brought the check around. Keith reached for it after a moment, but Luvia simply held up her hand. "Allow me, Mr. Howard."
Luvia smiled and placed the payment for the meal down next to his handkerchief, slipping it into her sleeve as she brought her hand back to her lap. Keith nodded once, and soon after, they parted ways at the door. Luvia looked around, making sure they weren't being watched, then pulled the cloth she had taken from her sleeve as she watched the man leave, unwrapping the handkerchief and staring quietly at the object wrapped up inside. Clown tilted his head and spoke for the first time in hours.
"Ma'am...is that a playing card?" He stared quietly at the small card she now held, which had a dark back on it and a small image on the front. Luvia chuckled at the question, nodding as she pressed her index finger to the center of it. The card lit up with a dark glow, and Clown could only watch as Luvia suddenly found a large, red Sake dish in her hand.
"Yes, it's quite a unique way to use one's affinity for Imaginary Numbers. I believe a few of my contacts in The Clocktower mentioned he had a sort of obsession with card games. I don't understand it myself, but I won't fault him for his eccentricities. Not after he brought us what we need." The devilish grin spread across Luvia's lips as she pulled her pager out, sending the signal to her driver. She saw the car coming around the corner shortly after, and she couldn't stop the excitement surging through her chest. One last thought flashed through her mind as Clown helped her into the car and got ready for the long drive.
'Next stop, Fuyuki.'
December 20th, 2003. Emiya Estate. Miyama District, Fuyuki. 6:15 PM
Rin Tohsaka
Rin read over the papers in her hands again, her foot tapping gently against the tile porch as she waited for someone to answer the door. She had spent all week drafting up the contract and had finally landed on something she felt was reasonable and in with the information Asahi had sent her Tuesday about her limitations on what she could pay. Of course, she hadn't expected to be invited to stay for dinner, which had blindsided her a bit, but when her brother Shirou heard about the situation, he insisted. As a result, she had dressed up a bit, letting her hair down and tossing on an outfit from her younger years: a black miniskirt and a red sweater.
Rin raised her hand again to ring the doorbell, but the door swung open when her finger was barely an inch from the button. Rin's head jerked to look at the person who had opened the door, and she froze up for a moment at the sight of who was on the other side. Amethyst eyes burned holes through Rin as Sakura stared at her. The younger girl looked uncomfortable, shuffling about in place as her fingers dug into the fabric at the hem of her shirt. Rin grimaced at the woman, cursing internally for not looking into these people a bit more. Why was Sakura here? Of all places?!
They both stood in utter silence for a moment, eyes never leaving each other's before Rin finally coughed into her hand and set her jaw. "Hello Matou-san, it's good to see you well." She gave the younger girl a simple nod while Sakura continued to fidget.
"It's good to see you well, too, Tohsaka-san. I wasn't aware you were our guest for the night, but you may come in." Sakura moved out of the doorway, letting Rin step inside before closing the door. Rin hooked her finger into the heels of her shoes, taking each off and setting them down next to the door.
"Oi, Sakura, you get the door?" Rin saw Asahi poke her head around one of the walls and then smile at the sight of them. "Ah! Rin! Glad you're finally here! Food'll be ready soon, so just come on in and make yourself at home. Sakura, I think Shirou needs your help with something in the kitchen." Asahi's eyes flicked over to Sakura, walking out from around the corner and putting her hands on her hips. Rin almost sighed in relief that she didn't dress up for no reason, looking over the older woman who wore a black knee-length skirt and a white button-down shirt with her hair pulled into a wolf tail.
"Ah! I'll go help Senpai then!" Sakura perked up, rushing off and disappearing around the corner. Rin rolled her jaw and couldn't help the tiny spark of frustration that lit in her chest. Fists that she didn't realize were clenched slowly relaxed at her sides, paper crinkling at the release of tension as Asahi stared her down, towering over her even from across the hall. The older woman's eyes were narrowed, and for a moment, Rin felt a chill run down her spine. Then Asahi just sighed and closed her eyes as she ran a hand through her hair, pushing up her bangs with her other hand still on her hip.
"Look, I don't know whatever bad blood is between you two, but Sakura looked really uncomfortable. I'm going to assume it's Magi family bullshit and leave it there. Is there going to be a problem tonight?" Asahi was as blunt as could be, one eye opening up to stare at her while her head tilted up. Rin stared incredulously for a moment as if insulted, then scoffed and put a hand on her chest.
"I assure you there will be no issues on my end. As long as no one else starts anything, I will have no problems whatsoever. Now, while they're working on dinner, shall we handle negotiations for your payment contract?" Rin huffed and straightened the papers in her hand, smoothing out the crinkles as she walked over to Asahi. The older woman rolled her eyes and let her expression settle into a lazy smirk, bringing a hand down to straighten her skirt.
"Sure, sure, whatever you say, Rin." Asahi tilted her head towards the other hall, motioning for the Second Owner to follow. Rin fell in step behind the woman and elected to ignore her casual use of her name. Asahi led her to a small guestroom with a table where they sat down. Rin placed the papers down quietly and looked over to Asahi, who had taken her seat at the other end of the table.
"Here, all of the terms are outlined clearly and concisely. I've taken into consideration the limitations you provided in your fax. I believe you'll find it very fair." Rin smiled, sliding the four papers across the table to Asahi, who swiped them up with a grin and started to read.
Rin sat quietly as Asahi read over the contract, trying to hide the fact that she was fidgeting under the table. As much as she tried to put on a cool expression, she really needed this deal to go well. After years of that shitty fake priest's wasteful spending, Rin barely had any money to her name, and this would go a long way towards getting her out of utter financial destitution.
Asahi, meanwhile, stayed completely silent as she read. Her eyes stayed firmly locked on the papers, not even blinking when flipping each page, until finally reaching the end. Asahi sighed and flipped back to the first page, stacking them neatly and placing them back on the table before looking up at Rin.
The older woman stared at Rin for a moment, staying completely silent. Rin grimaced at the feeling, a cold worry settling into the bottom of her stomach as she waited anxiously for a response. The anxiety continued to build in her gut, weighing her chest down and causing her to fidget even more with her hands. Then, Asahi finally spoke. "These terms are agreeable. I look forward to doing business with you, Rin."
"Oh, thank god. I'm so tired of writing contract papers. Now just sign there, and the agreement will be bound with a Geas." Rin let out a sigh of relief and laughed, tension leaving her body in a wave that had her slumping forward with her shoulders drooping. She passed Asahi the pen and waited for the woman to sign the papers. Once Asahi finished signing, the telltale rush of prana surged through them, binding the contract magically.
"Well, now that that's done, why don't we see if food is ready." Asahi grinned at the younger woman, and Rin gave them a small smile and a respectful nod in response.
"Sure, that sounds good to me. I'm starving." Rin chuckled awkwardly and stood up, watching as Asahi stood and made her way to the door. Rin grinned and followed, leaving the contract behind on the table. She had heard good things about Shirou's cooking all week, and she was rather looking forward to trying it for herself.
December 20th, 2003. Ryuudou Cavern. Miyama District, Fuyuki. 6:30 PM
? ? ? ? ? ?
The white-robed figure watched the glowing orb in complete silence, hood obscuring their figure as they took a deep breath. Their head tilted to the left as they analyzed the magic circle inscribed into the stone, and then their eyes found the floating mass of prana once more. They took a step forward, then another, then another, until they were inches away from the corrupted swirl of energy.
The cursed womb hummed with malice and energy as the Chaos Tide within swirled and wailed, seeking only to be born. The figure hummed quietly and tapped their staff on the ground several times before reaching out to the foul thing. A soft voice lilted from under the hood, reciting a simple incantation.
"Gadewch i'r sialc halogedig hwn gael ei rwymo yng ngafael Avallen, er mwyn imi ei blygu i'm mympwyon." The figure grinned under their hood as the magic lit up around them, the mass of prana being wrapped gently in a pink light that bloomed into overlapping flower petals. The figure smiled and tapped their hand to the orb, and the world went white.
Suddenly, a figure appeared before them, dark and shadowed and drenched in the Chaos Tide. Long spindly limbs that ended in wretched claws stretched from an emaciated body of pure darkness and mud, and pitch-red eyes stared at the man from an almost wolflike head. The monster snarled at the hooded figure but did nothing. Then its body began to shift until its form changed to that of a young woman who appeared to be in her mid-twenties. Long white hair fell over the pale skin and black dress of the once homunculus, and once more, red eyes lingered on the hooded figure. Then 'she' spoke.
"Why?" She looked curious as she spoke to the figure, eyes narrowing slightly in something more akin to scrutiny than rage. The hooded figure chuckled in response to 'her' question but did not respond. Fine, it's time to try asking again.
"Why now? If you could do this from the start, why would you let me exist for this long? You could've come and removed me at any time, yet you didn't, so why now?" Maybe 'she' needed to be more precise with her line of questioning to get through to them. If 'she' was going to die, then she wanted to know why.
The hooded figure tilted their head at that, then burst out laughing. They held their stomach as they wheezed from 'her' question, and 'she' felt 'her' brow twitch in response. The figure calmed themselves and stood straight, looking them in the eye from under their hood. Then, they finally responded.
"You seem to misunderstand my purpose here. I'm not here to kill you. That role is simply not mine to play. I create heroes, but I am not a hero myself. Besides, that would be way too much work! Why would I put all that effort in when I could just adjust some settings in this stupid little ball of prana and watch things play out the way I want them to anyway? No, I'm just in here because I wanted to see what kind of 'villain' I was working with. " A thin grin spread across their lips as they finished speaking, and the 'woman' couldn't help but blink at the words. Was this person a fool?! Were they invalid? 'She' couldn't understand the idiotic logic at play here.
"Are...Are you just a complete moron? I...what?" 'She' was utterly baffled by this person, but her words only garnered more laughter from the other. The hooded figure's lips settled into a smirk as they fiddled with their staff, and suddenly, the space shook as the Grail was suddenly beset by a massive number of changes to its functions and rules. 'She' jerked in surprise, head whipping around to look around the space in a startled panic. "What?! What did you do?!"
"I made some changes, obviously. I told you I was fiddling with the settings. Don't worry so much. You'll still get to have your fun before you die, so take heart! All I've done is make things more interesting! It's up to them to make good on my threats, after all." The figure flashed her another grin, and just as the woman began to roar from the frustration of dealing with this utter prick, they disappeared, leaving her alone once more.
The figure sighed as they looked around the cavern once more, letting out a sigh of relief and tapping the orb of mana once with their staff. Prana filtered in from The Reverse Side of The World and ripped through Fuyuki's leylines like lightning, filling them with an utterly absurd infusion of mana. The changes they made could be finalized with that boost, and seven additional Masters were selected at that moment, as well as a pulse of knowledge detailing the changes made, which flickered through the minds of all those who had Command Seals.
"Alright, now that that's done...time for the annoying part." The figure sighed, and for the first time that night, they hesitated. They stared at the Summoning Circle they had inscribed into the ground earlier with a grimace but shook their head and sighed before stepping over to the circle and tossing a black crown with blue jewels into the center of it. "It's worth it...For her happy ending, it's worth it."
"Let silver and steel be the essence. Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation. Let black be the color I pay tribute to. Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall. Let the four cardinal gates close. Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom rotate." The figure began to chant, both hands raised in front of them. A soft wind blew through the stone caverns, causing their robe to flutter gently while the Summoning Circle began to glow.
"Let it be declared now; your flesh shall serve under me, and my fate shall be with your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail. Answer, if you would submit to this will and this truth." The figure grunted quietly as mana from The Reverse Side surged through their body to supplement their existence as Independent Manifestation struggled against the weight of Gaia. The wind picked up into a raging howl as their robes whipped about in the center of the miniature storm they had created, and they hummed thoughtfully. Now came the hard part.
"An oath shall be sworn here. I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven; I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell. Yet you shall serve with your eyes blinded to gain. For you would be one bound to a throne without avarice, and I shall dictate through your court." Ensuring they summoned her as Ruler was necessary to avoid the possibility of her popping up blackened from the start and to avoid interfering with the two teams of Masters or the proper Ruler Servant that they had dictated. They would NOT let their hard work be ruined by a lack of forethought in something as simple as a summoning ritual.
"From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three great words of power, come forth from the ring of restraint, protector of the holy balance!" The howling wind reached its peak as the light became blinding, and then, in a flash, it stopped. The figure's vision cleared, and before him stood a woman. She had pale skin draped in a dress of black and blue silks. She wore a set of silver pauldrons that matched the silver of her hair, which fell down her back and past her hips. On her head, icy blue eyes were framed by the same crown they had tossed in before. Finally, in her hands was a large staff with a blue jewel at the center of the head, before splitting into a bident. This bident, in particular, was very easy for them to get a good look at, considering it was currently pointed at his throat.
The woman snarled as she stared at them, keeping the spear-staff trained on the figure's throat. "What's going on, and why am I here? Actually, more important than that, why are you here? You shouldn't be able to leave your garden, Merlin." The woman bit back a few curses as she spoke, form hunched and ready to run him through at the first wrong word.
"Woah, woah! Morgan! Calm down for a second. I know you don't want to see me, but why don't you just hear me out for a moment, will you? After all, I know you, of all people, have a vested interest in making things right with a certain King of Knights. I'm just here to offer you that." Merlin's hands were tossed up in surrender as he spoke, a small bead of sweat forming on his head as he laced his words with as much charisma as he could muster. He knew his goal was correct, but that didn't mean he wanted to take chances! Luckily, his words seemed to resonate as she slowly lowered her bident from his neck.
"Talk. Now. If I don't like what I hear, I'm finding a way to break this contract, and I'm sending you back to Avalon." She ground out the words, and her jaw clenched in frustration as that infuriating grin of his found its way back to his face. Merlin smirked, chuckling a bit and pulling his hood from his head.
"See? Isn't this better than fighting? Now, here's what I've figured out." With that, Merlin began to explain his plans to Morgan's growing horror both at the near nightmarish details of what would have to happen naturally, as well as the fact that it was, even from her perspective, the best way for things to work out for everyone involved.
December 20th, 2003. Emiya Estate. Miyama District, Fuyuki. 6:42 PM
Asahi Emiya
Asahi sighed in relief as she flopped back against the floor, rubbing her tummy after she cleaned her plate. Rin stared quietly at the display, especially when the little Tortoiseshell cat came over and climbed up onto her chest, but when she looked to Shirou and Sakura to try and make sense of it, the two of them just sighed and shook their head in unison.
"Asahi-Nee is just like that, Tohsaka-san. You'll get used to her antics soon enough." Shirou chuckled and scratched at the back of his neck as he looked over to Sakura, who only nodded in agreement. The violet-haired girl giggled behind her palm before picking her chopsticks back up and eating the last few bites of her Yakisoba.
"Senpai is right, Asahi-Nee is just weird like that." Sakura didn't miss Rin's slight flinch at her title for Asahi and had to stop herself from grinning. Served her right for abandoning her all those years ago. The least she could do was feel guilty about it.
Asahi's face settled into a pout at their words, crossing her arms with a huff and failing to look intimidating at all due to Awafuro's current state of kneading paws into her chest. She fiddled with a small bracelet she always wore, lined with small protection charms that she refused to reveal the purpose of, and groused at their words. "Hey! I worked hard all week on stuff. I should be allowed to lay on the floor all I want after dinner." The cat on Asahi's chest meowed in seeming agreement before settling down and closing his eyes to nap. Rin cocked an eyebrow at the grin stretching across Asahi's face and sighed as she realized that she was probably going to say something dumb.
"See? Awafuro agrees with me, which means I'm right, and none of you can change that." Asahi's expression turned smug as if this was a flawless argument, completely ignoring the way everyone else's turned exasperated as they slumped. Rin eventually just rolled her eyes at the antics and turned back to her own plate, quickly scarfing down the rest of the noodles with a sigh of contentment escaping her throat.
"I have to say, this tastes incredible, Emiya-san. How'd you learn to cook like this? You could make a really good housewife for someone one day with skill like this." Rin's eyes landed on Shirou as she spoke, lips curling into a small smirk. She chuckled a bit as she saw him scramble for words, pointedly ignoring the sharp glare Sakura was sending her. She had no intentions with him, but it was fun to tease. Asahi seemed to catch on as well and opened one eye with a grin.
"Housewife huh? That sounds pretty accurate now that I think about it. You cook, you clean, you obsess over making sure the house looks just right, and get mad whenever anyone tries to help. Shirou, is there something you aren't telling me? You getting ready for someone or something?" Asahi smirked as she watched him sputter from the corner of her eye. Time for the finishing blow. "I mean, honestly, how could you not tell me? Who is it? Is it Ayako? or -gasp- Sakura?! Are you planning to elope with my little brother?!" Asahi cackled as the girl damn near squawked from the sudden betrayal, scrambling with her words just like Shirou while Rin watched on in quiet amusement.
The two of them continued fumbling over themselves for a good thirty seconds until Shirou just groaned and slumped forward before speaking. "Asahi-Nee, you know it's not that. I just enjoy keeping the house nice." Sakura nodded quietly, face beet red and having decided to simply shut up before she could dig a hole for herself. Rin hummed at the sight and looked over at Asahi for a moment, quirking her brow and nodding towards them discreetly. Asahi shook her head as if it was a tragedy, which only caused Sakura to pout more. She was just thankful Shirou didn't notice the gestures the two were making.
"Well, anyway, Shirou's been good at cooking since we were kids. A consequence of a single father who could burn wat-" Asahi froze, her heart clenching as prana surged through her body like a bolt of lightning. All at once, the four people at the table collapsed and gripped their heads as a searing pain ripped through their skulls. Awafuro jumped off of his owner, and the dull stigmata of the Command Seals on Asahi and Sakura's hands lit up and congealed into their proper shape, with Asahi's twisting into a three-pronged claw that curled inward while Sakura's shifted into a strange, flower-like shape. Rin's own right hand lit up like fire alongside Shirou's left, and information flooded through their skulls.
'Master. Servant. Ritual. Ally. Restriction. Binding. Apocrypha.'
Only some words could be made out, but the information was clear about what was happening. Eventually, the flow of knowledge subsided, and the pain ceased, causing each of them to groan and sigh with relief. Rin dragged herself back up to the table, joined shortly by Asahi, Sakura, and finally, Shirou. Sakura looked horrified, and Shirou looked confused, but Asahi just looked angry. Rin could understand that feeling, though, as it reflected well in her own mind. Someone had tampered heavily with the Grail and overcharged Fuyuki's leylines, enforcing an Apocryphal war with set battlelines and predetermined alliances by linking the Command Seals of each master on that allied team together. Names of those whom her own Command Seals were connected to flickered through her mind once more, and she growled. She felt grateful that she was allied to the other three at the table, even if she was rather frustrated at the nature of how such a thing came about, but who the fuck thought it was a good idea to stick her on the same side as an irregular master in the form of, apparently, her old schoolteacher, the Einzbern representative, and Luviagelita Edelfelt?!
Rin continued to stew in her frustration as Asahi contemplated the information that felt as if it had just nearly ripped a hole through her head. Shirou looked as if he was about to ask a question, probably about what the Grail War was, but Asahi held her hand up to stop him. She shook her head after a moment to say, 'not now,' and Shirou took the hint. After a few more moments of thought, Asahi looked around the table at the other three gathered and spoke words that she felt were a very accurate summation of what everyone was feeling right now.
"Well, shit."
Notes:
WHO LET MERLIN COOK?! Me, I let Merlin cook.
Now, I know that the way Apocrypha was established here was a bit unnatural, but that was on purpose. Merlin saw a future with his Clairvoyance and decided to commit to seeing it come about, to the point of enforcing what would have otherwise been a natural progression of alliances that would have eventually invoked Apocrypha and caused other Servants to summon. As a result, shit is actually going to be a lot worse for everyone on Black Team here due to Merlin trying to speedrun fixing his guilt.
Just one or two more pure set-up chapters to go before we get into the grail war proper, and in the next chapter, we should finally start seeing servant summons!
Also, if you see any issues with how I write the speech patterns for certain characters, do let me know in the reviews. It's one of those things I find a bit difficult.
And if you didn't catch it, the reference was Keith Howard, who is a riff on Bandit Keith from Yu-Gi-Oh. I didn't initially intend to make a reference, but I was in the writing haze while I was making Luvia's scene, and he just appeared fully manifested in the chapter, and I was too scared to get rid of him for fear of retribution from the most dangerous man ever to be born in Canada. /j
...Also formatting on FFN is hell I hate it here.