Type Moon > Fanfiction

Kariya Kwest [Fate/Zero]

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Biigoh:
[X] Introductions...

You hold up your hand to reveal the crimson command seals upon it. A trio of many angled curved lines that spiraled inwards. "By these command seals, I am your master, yes."

Soft pink lips curved upwards ever so slightly, in a teasing manner. You find your lips going dry... the familiarity of her features, that presence she extruded. "Excellent, in that case, I shall serve you. Kariya-ojiisan."

No...

What did she just say?

Even if the ritual could and inplant knowledge into the minds of the Servants summoned, it shouldn't... couldn't...

You mind refuses to contemplate WHY she would call you Kariya-ojiisan. There were but two who called you that.

Two innocent girls.

One of whom had been adopted by your father to serve as bait and potential heir to the family.

Sakura.

This... this couldn't be Sakura.

But she looked so much like Aoi, even with the ivory white hair and crimson eyes. The hue of her hair matched yours, more... it matched your adopted daughter's before its transformation.

Oh, what could have happened?

"H.... how? You can't be her. You can't be..." You shake your head as you refuse to contemplate just HOW this could be. Still, this was Sakura as an adult, a woman... but... she was a child in the here and now.

"I. am Matou Sakura. And my class is... odd... it appears to be a new one, Saver," She tilted her head and raised a single black talon to her lips. "I suppose it IS appropriate given my history."

At her name, you clutch your head in pain as you SEE what she is. You know her for what she is... and it worries you.

This savior of the world.

From what had she saved Gaia? You dare not ask. The answer all too evident in what lay before you.

You collapse to your knees, were you that horrible a father?

Or were you simply doomed to failure.

A pair of warm arms encircle you, and softness squished against you.

Oh.

You KNOW objectively that you shouldn't feel this way, and yet... it was comforting this hug of hers... the scent of sakura blossoms hang around the two of you.

"There, there, Kariya-ojiisan. I'll make sure you'll win this grail war. That way, you can free the me of this time, right? And go far away from here with Aoi and Rin..."

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 1 / Sakura
 - - - What Do?
[X]Write In

Biigoh:
[X] The connections forged between You and Me, Master and Servant, Kariya and Sakura...

You find yourself slowly relaxing into the hug offered by this Sakura.

That warmth.

That comfortable softness. It really did feel like she wasn't wearing anything, that the darkness that wrapped her body existed only as a shadow.

That scent of sakura blossoms hung redolent around the two of you as a mantle that protected you.

And as she cradled you, you find yourself wanting to give into your urges. Aoi. Justeaze. And more names are uttered in the back of your mind, that connection that you held with all the Matou and Zolgens who had passed on. Who had loved and lose or perhaps had only loved from afar.

But you resist.

It wasn't proper.

It wasn't right. This was Sakura.

A traitorous part of your mind murmured that Sakura wasn't related to you by blood. That this was someone that was a could be, a might be, a potential future Sakura, that it wasn't Sakura... really.

You sigh and slowly snuggle the servant you had summoned and rested your head on her shoulder as she hummmed softly.

You slowly relax and fade away into the soft darkness.

- - -
"Hey, Sakura-chan. Did I surprise you?"

"No, but your face..."

"Well, you know... I kind of lost to the worms inside me a little. I guess ojiisan isn't as strong as Sakura-chan is."

"Kariya-ojiisan, you're turning into another person, aren't you?"

"Maybe."

"I don't have to go to the bug room tonight. Grandfather said there's going to be a more important ceremony."

"Yeah, I know. That's why I'm going to the basement tonight instead."

"Kariya-ojiisan, are you going away?"

"I'll be busy with an important task for a while. I probably won't have much time to talk to you, Sakura-chan."

"I see."

"Ne, Sakura-chan. When ojiisan is done with his job, why don't we go somewhere and have fun? With your mother and sister?"

"I don't have a mother or sister. Grandfather said I should think that they never even existed."

"I see."

"Ojiisan?"

"Let's take Aoi-san and Rin-chan from the Tohsaka, and go far away. We can play together again, like we used to."

"Can I really see them again?"

"Yes, you will. I promise you that."

"Well, ojiisan has to get going."

"Uhn."

"Bye bye, Kariya-ojiisan."

"Bye bye."

- - -
Morning comes.

And you find yourself on your bed, sunlight slowly creeping up upon your body from the window.

Had it been a dream?

A hallucination?

And what was that conversation you vaguely remembered from the dream?

You change from your pajamas into the simple kimono that you favored after your ascension into the position of the head of the Matou.

Simple, dark hues.

While you could wear something more western, you just had no inclination to do so. Not at the moment.

After all, such fashion brought to mind THAT MAN. The one who had married Aoi, who had abandoned Sakura to Zouken/You, to the Matou.

It was irrational, and yet... you were still human in that regard.

Stepping out into the house.

There was a certain feel in the air.

One that made it more... homely.

There was the scent of food.

And the sound of laughter.

Your eyes widened before narrowing and you walked to the kitchen.

Your worse fears are found to be true.

You had summoned a future version of Sakura and she was in your kitchen cooking, and teaching her younger self. Shinji, for his part, just seemed confused as he peered into the doorway.

Stepping into the kitchen, you are exposed to the mysteries of cooking. Something you hadn't had much skill with even when you had lived alone after leaving the Matou household.

It hadn't seemed important then. Your father was the one who handled that, his skills in such was peerless. And you have access to it now.

And yet, and yet... the skills of this Sakura was different. Where Zouken's mastery came from knowledge, hers came from experience and willingness to adapt. He cooked because he loved the act of cooking, she cooked because she cooked for someone she loved.

The slightest of differences, and yet... down different paths.

"Kariya-ojiisan." "Kariya-otousan."

"Sakura-chan here has been telling me some very interesting things," Your servant nodded at you. "That you took her place, ending her visits... down there after five nights."

There was a sense of approval from her words.

"But tell me... what happened to grandfather?" There was a sense of judgement in her tone of voice. As of waiting and watching.

You look down and sigh. "Can we have that discussion later?"

She paused and nodded in acceptance. The dress that she had found... somewhere fit her. A simple white blouse, a lavender skirt and a white apron lend her the presence and image of a housewife.

"Later."

You sigh and try out the breakfast she made.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 2 / Dreams and Breakfast
 - - -
What Do?
[X] Breakfast, followed by discussions and plans.
[X] Saver goes out and familiarizes herself with the Fuyuki of the now.
[X] You receive a phone call, the Einzbern master has arrived on a plane with her servant.
[X] You check on your familiars and more mundane spies.
[X] Write In.

Biigoh:
[X]I have a plan so cunning... you could pin a tail on it and call it a weasel.

Breakfast is... tense.

That's the right word to use as you, your servant, along with Sakura and Shinji part-take of the excellent meal made by your servant.

It was a good meal, but there was the unspoken expectation from your servant about what happened to Zouken, the sensation that if the wrong thing was said that there would be hell to pay if command seals were not used.

And even then, there would still be trouble.

Your adopted daughter and nephew are not sure what's going on, why the mysterious big sis was upset and why you were tense, but they could tell something was up.

Thus, breakfast was a quiet and tense affair.

With breakfast done, the two children went off to finish packing up for their trip to Canada with your brother, while you and your servant did the clean-up of the dishes.

It was also here that the delayed discussion was held.

"I am uncertain what happened to you in your past. But the Zouken that you knew died a year ago when I became head of the Matou house," You speak up eventually after mulling over what you should say.

"Really~ now," The slow drawl indicated that she didn't quite buy it... that she could in a way sense the connection you held to the crestworms.

"Indeed," You say with finality.

"The crest worms do preserve his memories, his soul, as they do for every one who has been properly connected to the worms." You speak up in response to her raised eyebrow.

"I could get rid of them for you, Kariya~ ojiisan," she eventually responded, almost as if offering something very intimate.

That offer... that notion of what she offered... that got a shudder from you as you looked at her. She open your mouth before closing and eventually let what you think of said offer out of your mouth.

In words, yes... but also in the countless multitude of voices, the unity of the Zolgens and Matou. "I would rather you didn't. Such a thing would end me."

Thankfully, this is when your phone interrupts the conversation.

Picking it up, you get confirmation from one of your hired private investigators that the Einzbern master had arrived by plane with her servant.

Well... that made it three for three, the founding families were now 'gathered' in Fuyuki for the fourth Heaven's Feel. To be sure, ther ewas also the magus from the clocktower, Lord El-Melloi, who was holded up in the Hyatt hotel.

That left three unknowns, admittedly, you suspect that the other three known masters had stacked the cards as much as possible in their favor, from Tokiomi and his alliance with the Church supervisor and his executor son, to the Einzbern master and her hired killer. You're not so sure about what Lord El-Melloi had in store, but it's likely to be something nasty.

You, on the other hand, didn't really have a wish, and didn't really want to win the holy grail war... not in truth and hadn't bothered to stack the deck. That in its own way, by acting contrary to the expectations of everyone... was a trump.

- - -


With their things packed, the children were ready to be shipped off to the distant and mysterious land of Canada where your brother has been acting in your interests in term of purchasing properties and businesses to help the growth of your wealth, one must spend money to gain money. And money translated to more temporal power.

With that, you enjoy one of the few luxuries that you hold from when you lived on your own... driving.

To be sure, it was an older car that you drove. A classic, as it were. Money was good for something, like being able to afford one off custom cars made in the old days, as it were.

And thus, you drove to the air port.

Along the way, you passed the Einzbern master and her servant Saber. You are certain that your servant and the servant of the sword had a good look at each other as you passed by in the opposite directions. But beyond that... did it matter?

They would meet once more on the battlefield.

It didn't take too long ere the children are safe on the plane and flying to Canada, where they would be picked by your brother.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 2 / Ships passing in the night
 - - -
What Do?
[X] Spend the day scouting / familiarizing with Saver with the city?
[X] Meet up with the more mundane resources you have available, such as the private investigators?
[X] Wait for night and have Saver broadcast her location to challenge curious servants?
[X] Wait for night and strike at another master? [pick one target]
- - [X] The Tohsaka!
- - [X] The Einzbern!
- - [X] Lord El-Melloi!
[X] Write In

Biigoh:
[X] Spend the day familiarizing with Saver, we will not take the initiative in this War
[X] Chat about the events that are yet to happen.

Naturally, things being what they were, you find yourself driving Saver around town, taking in the sights...

Getting her familiar with the changes to the city of Fuyuki from the one of her time.

You are keenly aware of just how much knowledge was key in any conflict from your time as a journalist. With a passion for photography and a desire to go as far away from the Matou back then, it was only natural that you took the most distant of jobs no matter the danger...

And thus, you were exposed to war such as men waged it in the current day and age. Armed with nothing but your wits and camera, you toured the war-torn regions of the world as a photojournalist.

You knew exactly how much knowledge and information was worth in any conflict.

More so than any arm-chair tactician or magus hidden in the safety of his home.

You also had an appreciation for how much damage modern weaponry could do to fragile humans, not that you would go that far. But you suspect that the hired killer of the Einzbern would.

The departure of the children along with your brother was only sensible in that regard.

Finding out more of things to come from Saver. That was only reasonable, right?

Still, the information that she provides is... troubling and raises uncomfortable issues; such as Zouken alive in her time, and you supposedly dying during the grail war. And what came afterwards...

You can only speculate that Saver... no, Sakura was from a possible alternate future. An alternate timeline and reality as it were.

Which was complete science fiction... or implied the usage of the Second Magic by the Holy Grail.

Either of which was possible.

- - -
That night, you returned from the familiarization expedition... with delicious take out. The food was good at the Taishan chinese restaurant. You even ordered the specialty of the chef there, mapo tofu, at the recommendation of Sakura.

Dinner... was suffering, as you sweated and endured the mapo tofu that your servant clearly enjoys.

Was this the power of a heroic spirit?!?!

Your mouth burned, the burning heat from within your stomach had your face red with sweat... you sweated and wept and ate... because this was something recommended by Sakura.

You suspect that you're being punished for something.

What... you're not sure yet.

But you're certain that you had upset her in some manner. Surely, no sane being could enjoy something THIS spicy.

"Mmmmm... it's nice to be able to enjoy something this spicy," Or maybe not... you thought to yourself pass the agony of the meal. "Gives life a little flavor when you taste sharp contrasts... would you like some more beer, Kariya-ojiisan?"

You could only nod helplessly at the offer of beer.

The winter beer was light and fizzy, the contrast between the mild taste of the beer and the spicy mapo tofu.

That was something you hadn't thought possible, a difference between heaven and hell as it were.

You sigh in relief as you sip at the beer before returning your attention to the rice and mapo tofu.

Before you could resume eating, you paused at what your familiars was showing you...

Hidden amongst the trees outside of the Tohsaka estate, your familiars lurked, hidden amongst the tree leaves. Watching, observing...

And what they had to show was... interesting.

Assassin Impossible [Fate/Zero]
- - -
Kariya Kwest : Night 2 / Across the Kaleidoscope Bridge
 - - -
What Do?
[X] Write In Action For Night 2 (if you do anything beyond dinner) OR Day/Night 3

Biigoh:
[X] Ask MATOU what she thinks about what you just saw. Continue to get to know her, but focus more on her capabilities.

You blink at the mental images that your familiars transmitted to you. To be sure, you know that in a straight up fight that Assassin would get slaughtered by one of the three knight classes. Which was exactly what you just witnessed.

The problem with this, of course, is... why would Assassin go to all the trouble of sneaking in by the front and be immediately spotted?

It was almost certainly a set up. The only questions were by who, the for who was easily worked out.

The only problem was that it WAS possible that it was an someone who was willing to attempt a stealth kill to take out Tohsaka, and he just happened to have a completely idiotic servant.

It was also possible that unless this was a ruse meant to dull the security of the skilled and unskilled alike in a fit of insane genius, the person behind this didn't know tactics viscerally.

You will need to watch and observe further.

Still, you make the phone calls to have those observing the Tohsaka residence to bring a video copy of the battle to you. Or at least to be dropped off where Saver could easily retrieve it.

The ability to simply teleport, instead of simply become immaterial... simply splendid.

- - -
"Gilgamesh." Saver declares with a frown as she watched the video with you at the appearance of the golden archer.

"Gilgamesh?" You had to look at her with surprise and a raised eyebrow.

"Gilgamesh." She nodded grimly.

Many were the things she had told you of her past, but the identities of the servants she had consumed in her Grail War hadn't seemed important. After all, what were the odds that they would appear in your Grail War?

Apparently, greater than expected.

Still, Gilgamesh. That was a powerful monster of a Heroic Spirit to simply have, if one went by the simple virtue of his age...

A nasty trump card. But still, he wasn't unbeatable.

He couldn't be.

You would need to research up on his myth and legend.

Still, this was a lucky break for you.

You had a lead on Tohsaka's servant.

- - -
That night, your hired private investigators phoned you and informed you that Kotomine Kirei had sought the sanctuary of the Mediator of the Grail War.

This was unexpected.

You had expected someone affiliated with the church as an executor to be much better at tactical planning. If Kotomine Kirei had wanted Tohsaka dead, he would be dead...

Which meant that the break-up between Tohsaka and Kotomine was a ploy to fool people.

Which meant that there had to be something more to the sacrifice of Assassin.

There was something going on, and you're not sure what... not yet.

For now, you and Saver spend the night at home upgrading the barriers and defenses of the Matou mansion against threads both mundane and supernatural.

The layered defenses on your home, as shown by the false assault on the Tohsaka mansion would need to be greater... after all, if Archer hadn't shown up as he had... it was quite possible that Assassin would have made it all the way in.

Shadows and familiars were the secondary defenses that your home now boasted apart from the assorted barriers and wards forged over the centuries.

And yet, you fear... it might not be enough.

Force overwhelming could bring everything down like a house of cards.

Late in the morning, you slumbered uneasily beneath the watchful gaze of Saver... no, Sakura.

- - -
Kariya Kwest : Day 3 / The Tohsaka Gambit
 - - -
What Do?
[X] Venture out to the main library of Fuyuki and do research on Gilgamesh?
[X] Continue fortifying your mansion against every possible contingency, up to military strikes with jets and bombs?
[X] Wait for night and have Saver broadcast her location to challenge curious servants?
[X] Wait for night and strike at another master? [pick one target]
- - [X] The Tohsaka!
- - [X] The Einzbern!
- - [X] Lord El-Melloi!
[X] Write In

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