While Christians made up only about 1% of the Japanese population, there was nevertheless a trend towards weddings conducted in the Christian style, even among those not of the faith. It was easy, relatively cheap, and honestly, it wasn't like the minister was going to have a whole lot else to do. This was the explanation for how the Kotomine church managed to maintain its funding, and justify its existence in the first place.
It was all a lie, of course. People did get married in the Kotomine church, and it did even turn a profit out of the venture – but had it not, another excuse would have been found. The Church had no intention whatsoever of letting something like the Holy Grail slip from under its watchful eye. Sure, it wasn't the real one; they knew that from the start. But quite apart from anything else, leaving a wish-granting artefact in the hands of a group as calculating, power-hungry and megalomaniacal as magi was just asking for trouble. The church had installed Kotomine Risei in Fuyuki for the third Holy Grail War, and while they were ongoing they were going nowhere.
Besides, Risei quite liked it here. And if he were to go, who would tend his flock?
He looked out at the morning service, and continued his sermon.
"In the Gospel of Saint Matthew, Jesus implores us all to 'turn the other cheek'. It's an expression that's easy to say, easy to repeat, but hard to put into practice. To respond to aggression not with aggression, but with compassion, is not an easy thing to do. But that is why Christ serves as an example – if it were easy, it wouldn't take the Messiah to teach us how to do it."
He smiled while the low chuckles around the room died down. "There are, of course, alternative ways of reading this passage, that old and dusty men like me argue over, and discuss what exactly Christ meant by this. For me, all that rather goes over my head, and I can only see the obvious meaning – that revenge for revenge's sake is never the right thing to do.
"Now, I can point to many times in scripture and elsewhere where violent ends were used in pursuit of a righteous cause, and I'm sure many of you can as well. I'm not here to tell you that you should never defend yourself, and I'm sure Christ wouldn't tell you that either. If you're in trouble, you are allowed – I'll stress, you are allowed – to do what you need to, to keep yourself or your loved ones safe. But when Christ tells you to turn the other cheek, he's contrasting it with the still older saying which advises 'an eye for an eye'. Don't become consumed with revenge, don't seek to hurt your aggressor just because he hurt you. If you need to defend yourself, do so – but as an impulse to protect, in the finest Christian tradition, entirely apart from the mindset that pushes us to hurt just because we ourselves have been hurt."
He paused for a moment, just long enough to make it clear that the sermon was over.
"Now, I don't just roll a dice to decide these topics – I know there's been a lot of trouble lately, and I'm hearing a lot of you passing a whole lot of blame around. Kids, criminals, terrorists… I'm hearing it all. Folks, I don't know what's going on any more than you do, but I've already mentioned the fact that people are getting worried to the authorities, and they assure me they're on the case. So, I implore you all to stay safe, and I implore you all – rather than going out with fire in your hearts looking to make those responsible pay… turn the other cheek.
"If you'll turn to page 14, we'll sing our closing hymn before the benediction…"
When it was all over, and Risei had blessed and waved off the last of his celebrants, he closed the door behind him. It made a very final boom as it shut, and the atmosphere in the previously warm and comforting church changed to something rather more austere.
Risei turned around, and met the eyes of the two men who had stayed behind, standing on opposite sides of the central passage, pretty much as far away from each other as they could get. The grandfatherly smile had slid off his face, and his priest's robes and stole gave him an air of authority and gravitas.
"Gentlemen," he started, voice just a touch above a growl, striding towards the front of the church. "I do hope you enjoyed today's sermon. Sometimes, when I know that one of my flock is struggling with an issue, I will construct a lecture discussing that issue, as a way of both offering support, reaching out, and bringing the issue to the forefront of the minds of the community as a whole. Sometimes, however, needs must, and I throw all attempts at subtlety out of the fucking window." He turned just before the altar, and regarded his two… wayward sheep. "Well? What do you have to say for yourselves?"
Tohsaka Tokiomi cleared his throat, and glared daggers over at the other side of the room. "Loath as I am to appear any more childish than I already do after you called us all here like errant schoolchildren, I do feel compelled to point out that, in this case, he really did start it."
"Hah." Matou Kariya was almost a perfect contrast to Tohsaka Tokiomi – dressed in a tattered black hoodie and jeans where Tohsaka had his elegant red velvet suit, his hair a filthy matted white mess to Tohsaka's neatly-groomed black hair and goatee. While Tohsaka was clearly making an effort to rein in his emotions and appear civilized, Matou's face was set in a twisted grimace of hatred. His hands would twitch randomly, as though itching to place them round Tohsaka's neck, and while he looked relaxed sprawled backwards in a pew, every so often he would jerk and shudder in place. "Damn right I did. This is a war, isn't it? I don't see where you get off telling us how we can and can't fight it, Father."
"Ordinarily, you would be correct," Risei said. "However, as I am sure I don't need to remind you, it is my responsibility to ensure the War remains secret. When I have no less than five people raise concerns over the fact that their homes and neighbourhoods are breaking for no reason, it becomes my problem."
"I quite agree," said Tohsaka. "By all means, apply your sanctions to the guilty party. I, on the other hand,have done nothing but defend myself."
Matou snorted. "Is that right? Because I'm pretty sure I specifically told Archer to target your ostentatious piece of crap house, and nothing else. Hey Archer, did you miss and not tell me?"
There was a flash of forest green motes, and a Servant appeared next to Matou – clearly his Archer. She looked like a young woman, in a black and cyan short dress, with long dirty-blonde hair and… cat ears? And a cat's tail? Risei didn't stare. He'd seen weirder and worse during the Third War.
"No. I don't miss," she said simply, eyes on Tohsaka.
"Well, there you have it," said Matou. "Can't have been my fault."
Archer didn't have a weapon in hand, but that could change in a moment, Risei knew. From the cold look she was shooting at Tohsaka, that was a very real possibility. How had Matou managed to convince his Servant to carry his grudge?
"Bringing your Servant within the territory of the church violates the spirit of neutrality we are aiming for here, Matou," he said sternly. "I won't forbid it – but you are on thin ice as it is. I'll remind you – both of you – that you are under my personal guarantee of truce for as long as you are here. Any violence, and the War is suspended while all parties deal with the trucebreaker. Is that clear."
"Crystal," smiled Tohsaka.
"Tch. Whatever."
Risei raised his voice, looking up to the rafters. "And to everyone else, don't think I don't see you. I'll hold you as witnesses to what happens here." There was a quiet rustling. Familiars. They'd received the summons, same as Tohsaka and Matou – except Risei hadn't personally phoned the other Masters to make them promise to show up in person. It was fine – as long as they got the message.
Interesting forms they took, though. There was a bat with what looked like a camera strapped to it – that would be this Magus Killer character who was giving Kirei fits. Speaking of, there was one of Tohsaka's crystal-eyed owls there too – the man himself had no need for them tonight, so Risei could only assume Kirei had received one as a gift somewhere along the way while apprenticed to him. One was visible only as a dark cloud, and was immediately recognisable to Risei as a summoned demon. Could have been anyone, but he'd heard the Magus Association was sending one of their experts on spiritual evocation and summoning. The last was a really rather beautiful bird that, despite being obviously artificial, was far more animated than either the controlled bat or the stone owl, fluffing its brass feathers every so often and hopping from foot to foot. Curious.
Four familiars, plus the two Masters here in person, made six. One was missing… as expected.
"Yeah, yeah, you're the boss," sneered Matou. "But don't try to change the subject. I'm not one to hurt innocents, and Archer's not so indiscriminate she can't group her shots to within something the size of a freaking house, even with her Noble Phantasm. You want the one responsible for all the damage? It's that bastard right there," he finished, pointing at Tohsaka.
Tohsaka raised one eyebrow. "I'm supposed to not defend myself? All that force has to go somewhere. If you really care about innocents, stop launching attacks at the defences you already know will redirect them."
"I care just fine, you arrogant prick. But if it's a choice between inconveniencing them and missing out on killing you – well, they'll get over it."
"Spoken like a true magus. I'm sure your grandfather is very proud."
"Why you-"
"Enough!" said Risei. This was getting them nowhere. "If I cannot appeal to your humanity, perhaps I can appeal to reason. This ridiculous feud of yours is clearly getting you nowhere – either of you. Surely wasting so much prana on butting your heads together is simply a waste, and will only make both of you vulnerable to another Servant looking to take advantage."
Matou laughed. "Nice try, but no. From where I'm sitting, I'm in a pretty good spot here. I'm free to harass Tohsaka all I want and wear him down, through exhaustion if nothing else. Keeping him locked in his house, with neither he or his Servant able to make any move… yeah, that suits me just fine. And if anyone else wants to help, fine by me. I'd prefer to be the one to kill him and send his house crashing down around his ears – but all I really want is him dead. And if anyone tries to come after me…" He shrugged. "I have full confidence in Archer. We'll take on all comers."
Archer showed a slight smile, but said nothing.
Risei sighed. He could see where this was going. "And you, Tohsaka? Can I not convince you to let go of your singleminded grudge? As ever, the church would welcome you and grant you sanctuary."
"I am hardly left with a choice. While I and my home remain targeted, I refuse to throw away my shield. It is certainly possible that Rider and I could relocate… but why should I leave my fortified position, with my family's mysteries all available to hand? No. I will endure. You will try and exhaust me, Matou? With your circuits in the condition that they are? I trust I can provide Rider with prana for far longer than you can Archer."
Risei sighed. "And so, both of you will continue to beat your heads together until both your houses are reduced to rubble, and the neighbourhood with them. Truly, the wisdom of magi is unparalleled. If you hate each other so, could you not simply find an open space somewhere and settle this in a fair duel?"
"We could do that," said Matou, "But why would I? Like I said, I vastly prefer it when I'm holed up in my house with Archer fully capable of blasting Tohsaka's with her Noble Phantasm whenever we feel like it, or sniping him with a lucky shot. Giving all that up for a so-called 'fair fight'… not my style. Thoughts, Archer?"
Archer nodded stiffly. "Duels are all very well for a matter of honour. But this is war. We are past all that now. All that remains is to fight until our last breath."
Resigned, Risei turned to Tohsaka. "And you?"
"Not that it matters, as my opponent is unwilling to face me fairly… but in this alone, I can understand his impulse. Archer, please take it as a compliment that I have no intention of facing you without my barriers in between us, when they are doing a fine job of keeping me alive and my house intact. A fair fight… no."
"So, we're just at an impasse, is that it?" Rise asked. "Neither of you will relent for the sake of the innocent caught in your crossfire, neither of you will budge to focus on other threats in the War, and neither of you will agree to give up what you see as your advantages to fight each other fairly."
"Yep."
"That is correct."
Risei put a hand to his head. "Honestly. So what is required is a means to break your deadlock… fortunately, as the Moderator I am well-placed to supply such a thing." He pulled up his left sleeve, revealing a muscular forearm – and a web of red markings covering it like an ornate tattoo. "I propose a contest. One task, performed on behalf of the Moderator of the War. The prize will be one Command Spell. Enough, I think, to tip the balance between you.
"In the hands of the Matou, one extra Command Spell would allow Archer to power through Rider's defensive Phantasm with her own. In the hands of the Tohsaka, it would allow Rider to weather a normal Noble Phantasm with no loss of power, leaving enough for a counterattack while Archer is unable to fire again."
Risei looked up at the rafters.
"I will open the prize up to anyone else who wishes to get involved, but be warned – I will demand a Geas from the winner that it be used only to break the balance between Matou and Tohsaka. How you decide which side you will use it for is up to you."
"And the nature of this task?" asked Matou. He sounded bored and uninterested… but if he really didn't care he wouldn't have asked at all. Got him.
"As it happens, I did not only receive complaints from members of Tohsaka's neighbourhood. You may or may not have noticed, but there was a rather unpleasant incident last night in Shinto. A bar, and everyone inside, collapsed and burned down. There were no survivors."
"So?"
"I have it on good authority that it was Berserker who was responsible." Risei paused. Matou and Tohsaka both looked surprised, and there was a rustle of activity from the familiars up above as well. "I cannot reveal my source, but rest assured – a Servant was responsible. Neither Berserker nor their Master have presented themselves to me, nor was the Master of Berserker among those whose identities were made known to the church beforehand. This act was not done to gain strategic advantage against another Master – it was mere wanton violence for the sake of violence. Perhaps if this Berserker was under command of a more traditional Master, they might have better controlled their Servant. Alas, it was not to be.
"As far as I can see, we have a rogue Master and Servant, clearly uninterested in fighting the War as it should be fought. My task is this: hunt down and kill the culprit, Berserker. If you choose to leave the Master alive, so be it, but make sure Berserker is stopped before they engage in a full-blown rampage. However, I will not suspend the War for this – feel free to engage other Servants if you wish. The offer is merely an… optional extra."
There was another rustle of activity up ahead. Matou looked dubious, and Tohsaka spoke up, looking vaguely disgruntled.
"I cannot help but feel like I am at a disadvantage," he protested. "Forgive me, Archer, but your Noble Phantasm and appearance leave me quite sure as to your identity. In a race to capture a target, how is Rider supposed to compete with the swiftest huntress in all of Greece, who fired the first arrow into the Calydonian boar?"
"Sucks to be you, I guess," spat Matou. "Also, cheers for divulging my Servant's identity to everyone here, dick."
Tohsaka smiled frostily, then turned back to Risei. "Well? What am I to do?"
"Tokiomi, you refused all other alternatives. I apologise if you feel this contest is unfair – however, I will not abide your ridiculous and destructive behaviour any longer. I'm sorry, that's how it is."
While Tohsaka gaped, Matou stood, laughing. "Well, there you have it. Thanks, Moderator, your solution is equitable and fair. Archer, let's go hunt." He limped from the room, clutching his arm to his side, but there was a definite pep in his step nevertheless. Archer shadowed his footsteps, finally dissolving into green motes just as the church doors opened. When they closed behind them, Risei clapped his hands.
"Very well. That concludes the purpose of this meeting. Go with God, and I wish all of you the best of luck in your efforts. Remember, if it means anything to you – Berserker is a threat to the people of this city. Innocent people, who know nothing of us or our wars and conflicts. Spare a thought for them, and remember that with all our knowledge and might comes the responsibility to protect those who do not have it. I will not command you to join the hunt. But I will say: remember how we treat rogues like Berserker. Take care that one day, the hunt does not come after you."
He spread his hands, and the various familiars flew out of the church.
Once they were all gone, he turned to Tokiomi.
"Convincing enough, do you think, my old friend?"
Tohsaka Tokiomi, the man Risei had dandled on his knee as a boy and who had been christened in this very church, smiled. "Quite. I almost thought you really were angry with me."
"Make no mistake, I really am displeased that it has come to this. But I understand. The church still holds that you are the safest candidate to obtain the Grail, and I'll do what I can to make that happen."
"Thank you." Tokiomi inclined his head. "Matou seems to have swallowed the bait quite nicely."
"Yes. With luck, he'll be too busy hunting down Berserker to continue bombarding your house, and we'll have lured Archer out from her defensive position. That was a masterful bit of reverse psychology at the end. I thought he might refuse, and spoil all our setup. You even worked revealing his Servant's True Name into the bargain as well."
"If I say black, Matou Kariya will say white. I truly don't know what I have done to earn his enmity so – he surely cannot still be jealous over Aoi's choice. In any case, I guessed that the best thing I could do to make him accept your task was to oppose it myself."
"Mm." Risei was silent for a moment. "Just so you know, with such a public task, if Archer really is the one to kill Berserker, I will have to award Matou the Command Spell. Are you not worried about that at all?"
Tokiomi chuckled. "Not especially. Anything can happen in the Grail War. Perhaps Berserker will slay Archer for us. Perhaps the Command Spell will go to someone who recognises the wisdom of making common cause with me instead of a shortsighted fool like Matou. And should the worst happen, and Matou receive an extra Command Spell to batter down my and Rider's combined defences… well.
"That is what Lancer is for, is it not?"
The two conspirators chuckled.
Neither noticed the skull mask in the shadows, fading softly away to report back to her Master.
