Fate/True Bizarre (JJBA x Fate/Zero) [COMPLETE]

[JBukharin]

Chapter 1: Jotaro Kujo! Arrives in Fuyuki Town, Part 1


Staring from the mirror by his right side, a pair of green eyes blinked impassively at the moving scenery outside of the train.


Yet, despite the blank composure he had adopted in his lone sitting, Jotaro Kujo was far from calm with how the situation had gone for him and his family.


This development, the one that had seen him take the first plane back to Japan and a train that was currently leading him to one of the cities in the Kumamoto Prefecture he had never heard about up until now, had come out of nowhere.


And there was no denying about it, it was still leaving him as pissed as it did back when he was first called about it.


The specialist had been making plans for some time now to spend the soon to arrive holidays with his wife and daughter.


Jolyne had missed him a lot, and his work had seriously limited the means to be around at home… and that was ironic considering how annoying it had been back in his own childhood to deal with a barely-present father.


But while Sadao Kujo was forced to take numerous commission at once to sustain a family of three in which only he was working to support, Jotaro didn't have the same luxury as even his wife had her own job to keep up with.


And that's why, despite the incumbents request from his boss, the young man had been quite keen to make preparations to stay at home for the holidays.


He was curious to see more about his two-years old daughter, to be there to see if she was now able to walk around home or just not.


But much to his immense dismay and undeniable annoyance, this event was now delayed upon further notice as he had been called for something that needed his presence.


The Old Man's tone had sounded fairly urgent at the phone, and the importance behind some of his words were more than enough to get the young Marine Explorer to comply with the fact he had to be there to check on this particular city.


The Speedwagon Foundation had been active for some time now in checking for any supernatural event. Anything that could be connected to Vampires, or mostly DIO, was considered top priority that only the most experienced of Stand Users were meant to take upon.


Jotaro had yet to fight any of those bloodsuckers, but he had plenty of situations where he ended up facing Stand Users in the last seven years.


It wasn't something constant, and he had to admit that he had been slacking off a bit with the use of ｢Star Platinum｣.


The powerful Stand that had once matched up against Dio's ｢The World｣ had slightly weakened in these few years, and worst of it all its unique Time-Stopping ability had lessened with the lack of proper training.


What once allowed him to stop time for 5 seconds was now only available to him for 2 seconds, 3 if he wanted to put further strain on his fortitude, but 2 was the viable decision for most of the non-threatening circumstances.


A pity, but there was no reason in his mind to further improve in something that actually didn't help him much during his daily life. And that was ignoring how busy his life already was with the multiple papers he had to compile, most of those being reports that were all related to the studies he was still in the process of completing.


Taking a moment to sigh at the infuriating instance that saw him leaving home so suddenly and with little chance of warn his wife, Jotaro mused over what he was actually meant to try and find in this 'Fuyuki Town'.


There was a chance that some servants of DIO was acting up to try and bring back their former master, and the proof of it was detected by some instruments that had been created back in the 40s.


Robert E. O. Speedwagon, the founder of the organization that the Marine Explorer was somehow tied with, had been studying the odd happening within the Japanese city for some years before passing away.


Something bizarre was indeed happening within the seemingly tranquil town, and the evidence that the old man had sent him via email confirmed to him this little guess.


In 1934, about sixty years ago, the city endured some difficult and straining months after the massive explosion caused by a gas leak that devastated a considerable amount of Fuyuki.


While the event was tragic, the real issue was that the extent of the damage wasn't matching with any previous cases of explosions caused by any leaking from a gas-pipe.


Suspect had driven for more investigations from the first CEO of the Speedwagon Foundation, and the resulting effort brought up some document recovered from Nazi Germany.


A battalion of SS troops had been dispatched in Japan in that precise month for mostly unknown reasons.


Several journals having been recovered and studied over this specific subjects, and some light had been shed over the fact that a possibly ominous event having happened in that year to have led to that much destruction.


What truly rekindled the investigation had been a couple of letters having arrived to Joseph Joestar, his grandfather.


Despite the advancing age and the incapacity to now keep up with most of the threats still lurking around, the old man was still a formidable asset in terms of knowledge and planning.


Decades spent either making mistakes around, sharpening his wit, and winning battles had refined his mind well enough to make him even now an incredible advisor to ask council to.


The letters themselves lacked any signature, and they didn't have any other clues that could've helped in the process of tracing back the possible sender.


Consulting some private investigators proved to be a fruitless effort, but still there was the issue connected to the content of the letters and… it was what had driven the old man to actually call his grandson over this very topic.


There was a plot being executed as of now in Fuyuki Town. Something nefarious, and particularly dangerous if not approached with utmost caution.


What truly had burned a hint of nervousness within his mind was the fact that the mysterious letter-writer had been fairly explicit in bringing up his own name.


'Jotaro Kujo needs to investigate the situation'.


Quite straight-forward, but also worth of endless concerns over why he was the one that had to be sent in this specific mission.


The first theory had been that this was just a big trap waiting for him just to spring in action.


It was just too blatant and… that was what truly make it easy to dismiss. Having faced numerous enemies with their own unique mindsets over lying some ambushes along the way during his missions, Jotaro was well-aware that simplicity was never something that people were keen to use to this extent.


There was much more than what the situation looked like, but he was sure that a full-fledged trap having been prepared just for him was unlikely, or at least too sudden.


Most of the servants that were still loyal to DIO barely knew the identity of the one man that had killed the blond vampire, and there wasn't a proper connection between them all to try and find out the answer to this 'horrible question'.


The Marine Explorer stopped in his thoughts as he noticed that the train had started to slowly come to a full stop.


They had reached the main station within the city, a small section that seemed to be barely busy as of that moment, and it offered the chance to Jotaro to disembark without having to deal with large crowds.


His mind slowly tuned out from the direct connection to reality as he took his bags out from the proper compartment where he had left those, his first priority being leaving the stations and make his way right to where his hotel room, the one that had already been paid by the Speedwagon Foundation, was.


Fuyuki was a good stop for tourists, and that had been discovered in relatively moderate surprise as he continued to read the brochure detailing the town.


The place had received many subsidies from the government, allowing for the urban scenery to prosper more and develop in a proper modern city.


Some quarters were still stuck to a style that reminded him of early Showa period architectural style, something back from high school that had survived in the depths of his mind, and this very detail created an oddly pleasant sight over the entirety of the city.


Not too old, but not too much 'modern' as Tokyo or Osaka were.


Stepping outside the principal building that connected training leaving and coming to the city to Fuyuki proper, Jotaro took a brief moment to give a look around and try to get a proper glimpse of the kind of place he was supposed to stay for a while.


He had been asked by the old man to stay in this city for two weeks, just enough to verify the truthfulness of the dangers predicted by the letters and, if nothing suspicious happened in these few days, he was allowed to make a quick return to his family and enjoy some holidays with them.


At this point, there was no reason for the young man to not ask for some peace and calm away from the nuisances created by the long-deceased Dio Brando.


He was tired of having to clean up the messes left around by the blond bastard, and perhaps he should've seriously refused this kind of task.


As he started to walk towards where his hotel was located, Jotaro reached for the cellphone he had left by the pocket of his long white jacket, quickly composing the number that was connected to the one back home.


At this time of the day, his wife had to have been at home and he had planned to have some proper conversation now that there wasn't much of a hurry for him to have.


He was already in Fuyuki, perhaps he should have been a little more worried about the fact it was starting to get dark now that the night was approaching, but he first needed to talk with her and Jolyne.


There was silence, with the phone properly establishing contact back to his wife's but still not offering a mean to talk with her.


More minutes of silence passed and an irritated Jotaro ended the call that was being left unanswered.


Maybe he should have expected this by how angry the woman had gotten when they had last called, he couldn't help but admit that he could have offered some more details before departing from the United States.


A tired sigh left his lips as he put his phone back to the pocket where he had left it before.


But just as he did so, he failed to notice the shorter orange-haired fellow walking around the corner.


Considering the vast difference between the two individuals' respective sizes, the Marine Explorer merely recoiled a little at the impact, while the other part stumbled backward on the floor.


"Ouch, why don't you mind where-" The boisterous remark ended abruptly as the younger fellow stood up from his fallen state. Wide brown eyes stared in a mix of shock, fear, and awe as the fool noticed Jotaro's height.


"You're tall."


Green eyes narrowed at the sudden comment, but before the dark-haired man had the chance of reply to it, the young man quickly skipped around him, humming happily as he rushed away from the scene.


"I'm sorry, pal, but I'm quite late," The orange-haired moron muttered childishly, rendering the seriousness of that sentence quite void within the context.


Jotaro gave a look behind, staring at the retreating figure for a while before shaking his head and turning his attention forward and… right onto the small book that had fallen to the floor.


It wasn't something from his own possessions.


The lack of titles related to any piece of literature he liked or that it didn't seem themed after marine biology were stark clues that this book truly wasn't his.


He slowly took up, bringing it up to attention and… the first thing he noticed was the oddly familiar stench coming from it. He had already smelt something this putrid before, his eyes narrowing at the notebook for a moment before actually opening it.


Soon, realization struck in his widening eyes as he finally got a full glimpse of the horror within this journal.


The content was written in red ink- no, it was blood. Curiosity drove him to read the first paragraph available, and his face grew ashen-colored at being reminded so much of that diary.


Demons, summoning and… resurrection.


His blood boiled as he turned around to track down the possible owner of this dangerous paper, his eyes settling to the still visible silhouette of the young man still running around.


Even in a full sprint, Jotaro knew that he couldn't catch up this possible servant to Dio.


And so, for the first time in months, his eyes hardened as he felt his Stand appear to his side.


"｢Star Platinum: The World｣!"


Reinforcing his legs thanks to ｢Star Platinum｣, the Marine Explorer rushed recklessly across the street and right towards where this young man was going.


His mind was quick to elaborate the need to actually see where this fool was going, a strong gut feeling telling him that the situation was far worse than just a single bastard on the loose.


Thus, as the ~Time resumed its course~, the man decided to actually tail the orange-haired teen right up to where he was 'late' for.


It's been a while since he had to shadow someone around an unfamiliar place, but much to his relief the situation was a little more accommodating compared to Egypt.


Ten minutes passed silently, his mind keeping full attention over the unsuspecting youth as he finally arrived to the final stop of his wandering thorough the city.


There was nothing bizarre from the lone figure, just a degree of creepiness born from the overly-childish manner he had while walking around.


Nobody was paying much attention to him, yet Jotaro couldn't help but feel even more sure that he had found one of the issues within town.


And his suspicions were confirmed when the young man carefully forced the lock of entrance door of one of the houses within this part of town.


Whistling about without a care for the world, he paid little attention to his surroundings as his lockpick finally unlocked the mechanism keeping him from entering the normal house.


The young biologist blinked at the sight, his pace slowing down to a sluggish one as he carefully waited for the orange-haired man to finally enter inside the house before stepping a little closer.


There was some silence at first, and ｢Star Platinum｣ peeked from the opening of the door to see what was going on.


Tip-toeing across the hall, the intruder smiled eagerly as he looked at the light coming from what seemed to be a kitchen room.


His smile twitched, his posture tensed up for a moment… and then he lunged inside.


The silence broke as a loud scream shredded the little veil of quiet, urging Jotaro to move closer and see what was happening.


A man snarled, his wife standing closely behind him while their son trembled from the table to the side, at first unable to grasp what was happening.


The attacker was chuckling, pressing even more the knife he had plunged onto the man's guarding arm and twisting it on his flesh.


The father of family gritted his teeth in visible pain and the dark-haired Stand User noticed a glint coming from the unoccupied hand of the orange-haired killer.


Another knife!


Feeling like this situation required some support from his part, Jotaro didn't hesitate to project ｢Star Platinum｣ towards the unaware murderer.


"｢Star Platinum: The World｣." A softer activation of his powerful ability, the time stopped before his eyes and enabled his Stand to quickly punch to the wrist holding the unused dagger.


A swift 'ORA' broke that part of the arm before ｢Star Platinum｣ returned back within himself.


~Time resumed its course~, and the effects of that single attack were evident from the mere instant that the time-stop ceased.


Blood partly exploded by the damaged wrist, forcing the now agonizing attacker to drop his second blade to the floor out of the unconscious instinct created by the sudden pain.


The distraction was enough to also provide time for the family man to recover, his unharmed arm cocking his fist to the side as he punched the aggressor straight into his face.


A yelp and a crack, the murderer recoiled in surprise at the turn of things, but the chance of thinking properly over the unlucky twist was interrupted when the lone punch was followed by a brutal beating.


Having his family threatened by a weirdo, bleeding quite profusely from his arm, and seeing such an infuriating face, the unknown man didn't hesitate to take revenge at the unwarranted assault.


Jotaro shook his head at the sight, knowing by the time that the suspected DIO's follower had fallen to the ground that the police was going to take care of this scumbag.


He was no Stand User, and thus there was no reason to be worried about prison being unable to properly keep the monster at bay.


...Then again, that was if the judge assigned to his trial would offer the orange-haired man actual prison time instead of the capital punishment.


The lack of hesitation, the overall eagerness behind his actions. It wasn't a stretch to see that this wasn't the first crime of this kind he had committed.


With a quick nod to himself, the Marine Explorer left the premises of the house and the specific district, his mind returning to the fact he had yet to find the hotel he was supposed to stay by.


Moving swiftly across the sleepy streets of Fuyuki Town, Jotaro quietly managed to make his way to the Hyatt Hotel without much of an issue, quickly gaining access to his temporary room as he prepared to what was going to be a long night for him.


By having recovered what looked to be something similar to his diary, there was no doubt that he had to call once more the old man to confirm that something strange was happening in town.


It was just strange that he had met just a follower, unwilling to believe that whatever cell of DIO's servants was just so limited… especially with the material he had just recovered.


Yet, as he checked on his phone, the man couldn't help but scowl at himself at the five unanswered calls displayed within the device. Those were all from his wife.


"Good grief..."


Groaning at the unfairness of the situation, Jotaro decided to first focus on contacting his grandfather before trying anything else for now.


And while Jotaro Kujo settled for what was going to be two odd weeks to spend in this part of Japan, the 'real event' happening in the background had already started.


-----------d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d---------


AN


Yare Yare… I think I'm going outright insane.


I mean, first a DIO SI, now a JojoXFZ crossover. We're transcending the heavens at this point and… there is so much that is left willingly unexplained as a first chapter.


But a quick recap so some people can understand from both series:
- The Year is 1994, Jotaro Kujo is currently 24, Jolyne is 2, and this story is set about 4 years before Part 4.


- There is a one-sided correlation between the Magus Association and the Speedwagon Foundation;


- Caster hasn't been summoned and there is a Servant Slot available for someone to pick up;


- Polnareff is currently MIA after departing for an investigation in Italy;

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 2: Jotaro Kujo! Arrives in Fuyuki Town, Part 2


That night turned out to be a sleepless one for Jotaro Kujo.


Sitting by one of the chairs within his hotel room and stealing some glances by the large window to the side that offered quite a sight over the night scene of Fuyuki, the man was trying to piece up himself and the few clues of what seemed to be a troublesome mystery.


While he had been stressed enough that his body would have preferred to rest for a while after having gone through a flight from the USA to his homeland and then a train trip to reach this city, his mind had been active and restless over what had happened a couple of hours earlier.


The horrible content held within the journal he had recovered from who he had initially presumed to be one of the remaining followers to DIO turned out to be far worse than he had expected it to be.


This wasn't a copy to the Diary he had found after beating the dangerous vampire in Egypt, the one he had burned after giving it a brief glance to and mentioning nothing about to nobody else, but something that focused on an objective far more nefarious.


A demon, or a supernatural being that just transcended the comprehension of human knowledge, summoned via a ritual that made use of… magic.


The mere mention of the fictitious element within the text was more than enough to finally prompt a call to the old man, his interest in getting some support surpassing his necessity to keep things simple.


The situation just couldn't work with simple, especially with 'demons' being mentioned so early on.


Joseph Joestar was quick to show worry about his situation, the grandfather to the Marine Explorer having mentioned already during their trip to Cairo that he had long faced elements a little worse than just vampires in the past.


But demons? That was something that none of the Hamon users that had once made the bulk of the Speedwagon Foundation's active group had to ever deal with.


And while Jotaro had swiftly inquired about the chances of sending the book back in New York for the old Joestar to study through the mail, perhaps with some extra precaution to avoid any curious postal worker from doing anything stupid with it, his proposal was shot down almost immediately.


"You know better than me that we can't just take that risk, Jotaro," Joseph reminded quietly. "We still don't know the extent of the underground working for DIO's last servants, and we've already captured a handful of malicious-intented people trying to enter our respective homes."


A legitimate concern, the memory of finding out that someone had started to stalk his wife around had his blood already boil in frustration.


"So, what I'm supposed to do with this?" The follow-up question was a must, he still needed some guidance over what he was supposed to do with this.


If there were demons already roaming around, it was best to preserve it, but still… he couldn't help but feel unnerved by having it around.


"I will be sending a group of specialists from the Foundation to try and aid you for the preservation of that paper, but you'll have to keep it close to you all the time."


The young man sighed and nodded to himself, almost ready to groan at the annoyance provided by that very unpleasant development.


The call didn't continue for much longer after that, the old man promising to contact him once more by the time he had gotten a clear time for when the group of researchers was supposed to arrive in Japan.


With silence resuming its hold over his hotel room, Jotaro still felt… irritated.


The restlessness had drained him of his early interest of merely glaring at the seemingly harmless book, and his attention had quickly moved away from it as he decided to spend some time dealing with part of the paperwork he had brought from work.


With his eyes giving the utmost attention at the content of the reports, the Marine Explorer spent about four hours trying to get through this paper and… he sighed.


'Why things couldn't just get simpler?'


It was two in the morning when Jotaro stopped from his session of signing and writing reports, his attention reaching the single TV in the room, prompting him to check for any interesting programs that could have been broadcast right now.


He sighed when he turned on the device, using the small remote to browse through the various channels there.


Some where the national ones, while some were limited to the geographical area he was currently staying by.


In the end, he settled for the local news as a particularly news popped up that got his attention.


"-Ryuunosuke was confirmed as the responsible for three other cases of multiple murders, all families, and his distinctive pattern was revealed to be a strange pentagram drawn within the scenes of the crimes with the victims' blood-"


Disgusting. While the young man that was Uryuu Ryuunosuke was confirmed to be a mere murderer, the sheer depravity perpetrated by his contorted mind wasn't something to scoff at.


One of those few individuals that just were difficult to suspect about, especially with how 'hard-working' this one was.


A 'Freeter', someone that was employed to do only the simplest jobs that were meant to be done quickly, the bastard just looked to be the most innocuous individual possible, and yet the malicious note within the crimes was enough to prove his mental instability.


Without wasting too much time waddling over this news, Jotaro decided to pick up his phone and move back to his bed, sitting by the mattress as he checked on his contact list.


He stopped at a particular name, his eyes bearing a degree of nervousness while contemplating whatever it would be correct or not to already call back home.


In a normal situation, Jotaro would usually answer the phone by the time his wife called… and yet there had been instances where he would find himself busied or distracted by something at work or while doing tasks for the old man.


The woman was mostly understanding as up until now the activities had never required staying too far from home, and she had already met Joseph Joestar to know how much messy his 'past' was.


But now that he was supposed to work so far from home and having missed a couple of calls from her? He couldn't deny that the interest to try and contact her himself was intensifying the more he pondered over this matter.


He sighed, his back leaning back down to the mattress as he stared at the light-gray ceiling.


"Good grief," He muttered quietly, his conflicting thoughts making the whole decision even more difficult to take.


But just as he continued with his efforts to solve this frustrating dilemma, his musing were cut short by the very moment he felt his phone vibrating by his hands.


Quickly bringing it up, he eyed the display in an effort to understand what kind of notifications it was.


A message.


He frowned at the lack of an actual phone number registered as a sender. In a general case, when a phone wasn't known by the receiver it would just be mentioned as 'Unknown Number', and yet the phone had indeed failed to label the sender in this peculiar instance.


A frown developed by his features as he slowly opened the message and started to read its content.


Mr Jotaro Kujo,


You might not know who I am, but I'm distinctly aware that you're trying to investigate the case regarding the events surrounding Fuyuki City.


While I can't provide with any information about how I know about you, nor how I was able to get in contact with you, I can assure you with my utmost honor and respect that my intents towards yours are genuinely for the best.


Right now, you've found a crucial clue that surely got you to adopt an understanding close, but not too much, with the real issue unfolding within Fuyuki.


But since I can't myself provide you with further hints over the real problem, I can give you a single unquestionable clue for your next step.


Visit Fuyuki's Church.


With high regards,


A friendly observer.


His mind was clear of any thoughts at first as he finished to draw out what he had just read from that message.


Concern had stirred at the possibility that he was being watched even now, and that the one responsible for this monitoring wasn't someone affiliated to the old man or anyone at the Speedwagon Foundation.


Yet the interesting element presented by this ominous message was giving him a degree of interest over the true extent of this situation.


The book… it was part of the problem, but not the origin of the problem itself. There were perhaps more journals like this, and maybe more people trying to spawn demons within the city.


But why? To what end?


The more he thought about this, the more he felt compelled to actually pursue some answers quickly over this troublesome subject.


Jotaro moved back to his desk, having left there a folded map of the city he had brought by the station, and he started to search where the Church within this city was.


It was odd to learn that Fuyuki had a Catholic Church, it was even odder that it was one of the few cities with a substantial amount of Christian believers.


Japan was mostly Shinto-Buddhist, with just a minority of other religious elements to exist along society's lines.


Yet the fact that this non-negligible town had a mixed population between Shinto and Catholic… it was quite interesting.


Despite the late hour, the Marine Biologist didn't waste time in preparing for a quick trip to personally see if the Church could truly provide him with any answers to his growing questions.


The streets were deserted at this point, with the entire city still sleeping as just a handful of individuals actually were wandering around the place.


Jotaro had gotten a proper path to reach his destination, keeping himself by entering the local park and making a large detour through the cities to avoid any ambushes along the ways.


For some reason, the very idea that some bizarre creature could be already lurking around was enough to keep him attentive for any sign of dangerous situations coming his way.


He was granted an uneventful walk, and yet the worries were still there as he started to walk up the staircase that led to the large building he had noticed while approaching.


This wasn't the first time the young man had to visit a church. With his mother having been born by a family that was inherently Anglican, Jotaro was aware that he himself had been baptized by Christian rite and that some of the teaching expressed by Holly were all connected to the Bible.


It wasn't anything outright annoying, and yet some of that knowledge and politeness had persisted even now as he stepped inside the solemn building.


The light of the candles used to keep the main room illuminated was dim, ominous, and yet lacking of any proper danger to the religious site.


A lone man was kneeling in front of the podium, his attention directed at where usually a statue of Jesus Christ should be.


His pace slowed sluggishly down, with his eyes fixed upon the elder priest there as the Marine Explorer continued to approach deeper in the room.


There was a slight pause that he took once he was close enough, his blue eyes patiently staring as the man seemed to finally notice his presence.


Getting up from the floor and standing up, the priest slowly turned around and revealed minor surprise at seeing the Marine Biologist.


"Forgive me, young man," The elder bowed briefly. "I wasn't expecting any visitor at this time of the day. I suppose you're here to pray-"


"I was told that I would've found answers by seeking the Church," Jotaro interjected with a flat tone, bringing out the journal he had brought with himself and showing it to the surprised priest. "I wish to understand what is happening in this city. I know something strange is going on in Fuyuki."


His surprise expanded over this words, and his widened eyes stared at the book now in front of him.


There was a brief pause, with the elder trying his best to understand what the young man might be talking about, yet the suspect was enough to draw him to make the first move.


"May I… take a look at that book?" The question was polite, legitimately proposed as he hoped for some more clarity over the matter.


Jotaro tensed up a little, still showing no change in his impassive expression as he contemplated about handing the book so suddenly… but then again, he had his Stand ready to snatch it away from the elder's clutches if the worst happened.


A quick nod and the priest was given the text for him to study.


By merely opening the first page, the old man felt dread appear on his face as the first thing he noticed was the 'ink' used to write the content of the paper.


Blood, the first sign that this wasn't a literary piece he was going to be pleased with.


And indeed he wasn't. The way the summoning ritual for Servants was described in these pages was outright despicable and hideous, bringing up a degree of evilness that just disgusted the man.


There was no doubt about the true objective of the tome, and yet the terms used to progress the ritual chant were just dreadful and written with malicious intent.


The priest closed the book, eyes narrowing with some anger over the journal he had just took notice about.


"I understand the concerns that drove you to visit the church, young man," The elder started with a tense voice. "But could you please tell me how did you end up obtaining this dangerous book?"


Jotaro's eyes glinted surprise at the change of mood within the man.


Perhaps this 'simple' priest knew more than he had expected… and maybe he was also implied with what was happening in the city.


Some concerns rouse at the sudden question, but he decided to offer the barest possible.


"I stopped a criminal from going ahead and follow the instructions there," He answered calmly. "I still wish to understand what is going on, priest."


The pressure starting to get exerted by Jotaro managed to make the elder realize that he wasn't the one in control of the conversation despite the circumstances favoring him in that very moment.


The surprising development making him question to whom he was currently speaking about, perhaps a wayward Magus passing by Fuyuki that was unaware of the Holy Grail War.


"It's… It's a rather complicated predicament, young man," The priest tried to plea. "But if it's not asking too much, I would like to know about your name."


The Marine Explorer sighed. "Good grief, old man, you're starting to annoy me now. I want to know what is going on with this city and what are those 'beings' supposed to represent."


There was even more pressure, some sweat now rolling off the elder's forehead as he pondered over the absurd development he was being subjected first and foremost.


Gulping nervously, the priest stared back at the fellow with an uneasy look. "I can't provide any information without being aware of whom I'm talking to, young man."


….


Jotaro sighed. "Jotaro Kujo."


There was a pause, then a perplexed blink from the old man and… the priest nodded.


"I'm Father Risei Kotomine, and it's a pleasure to-"


"Spare me the pleasantries, Kotomine," The young man interrupted with even more annoyance dripping from his words. "I made a question, I provided you with my name, and I want some answers now."


Strong, incredibly irritated, and not someone to trifle with.


Risei now knew exactly the individual before himself, yet he just couldn't just imagine how and why the young 'Joestar' was sent to investigate the events currently happening here in Fuyuki.


Jotaro Kujo, the name had been one of the many that had been recognized by the Church as one of the individuals worth to be supported in their missions.


Despite the lacking connection between the Holy See and the Speedwagon Foundation, the strong bond directed at the Joestar Family stemmed from the deed of Jonathan Joestar himself.


The gentleman that vanquished Dio Brando the first time, then his grandson and Caesar Zeppeli defeated the threat created by the Pillar Men, beings that were so close to achieve a degree of power that easily transcended the limits of the Dead Apostles and perhaps came close to outright Types.


Finally there was the man in front of him, the one that properly killed Dio Brando when he was restored to life while he tried to make some attempts to secure a powerbase from the very moment he was freed from his slumber.


He could still remember the reports of Executors sent to dispose of the vampire. The experienced men sent to the mission quickly murdered in cold blood by their target, creating an outright state of emergency within the Church over this newest threat.


Jotaro Kujo was the one that ultimately destroyed DIO, the one that brought an end to his brief reign of terror.


While there was no official confirmation of this, there were some rumors that the pope himself had wanted to offer some medal to praise the bravery and dutifulness displayed by the young man currently in his church, but that the general consensus had opposed this situation to avoid bringing awareness to the Speedwagon Foundation over the activities of the Holy See.


His mouth dried up at the thought that he could easily become a Master if provided with enough resources and knowledge.


A worthy opponent to Kirei and Tokiomi, and perhaps one of the best candidates to secure success in the Holy Grail War.


The signs were all there for him to be allowed to make an attempt to summon a Servant, yet he couldn't see any telling marks by his hands.


Maybe the Grail had yet to decide?


"I suppose I can offer you some… enlightenment over what is happening here in Fuyuki," Risei allowed with a careful tone, now well-aware that he was threading on some dangerous waters with this young fellow.


The explanation was quite curt compared to what he was truly aware about, with the elder avoidingto mention the identities of the Masters and their Servants, but offering a full-fledged answer over the Holy Grail War's rules and circumstances.


Jotaro was… surprised, confused, and also worried with this newest development.


Some competition made by some mysterious group, which the priest had been reluctant to provide details about, was trying to acquire the wish-granting power allowed by a 'Holy Grail'.


It was outright bizarre for him to learn about this in such a manner, but there was no reason for him to doubt with the proof provided by some documents the priest allowed him to keep.


Nothing too private, it was all regarding the standard rules of this strange event unfolding here in Fuyuki.


The murderer he had stopped, that Uryuu bastard, was supposed to become one of the Masters and…


Now there was a proper reason for him to say and see for this situation to be dealt with swiftly and with the utmost attention.


If that psychopath had almost managed to enter this foolish competition, there was no way to know how many other crazy individuals were also going to try and acquire this artifact, to make some unknown wishes to come true.


He almost let a chill down his spine at this part of the discussion, but eventually Jotaro managed to get through it all without much of a big reaction.


With more clues given and a somewhat trustworthy individual there to ask more about the events in the city, the Marine Explorer left the Church without much of a proper salute, his mind shifting its focus on gaining some rest and contact his grandfather.


Meanwhile, Risei took a moment to digest what had just happened, almost ignoring the presence of his son approaching him the very moment that the young stranger had left the premises of the building.


Kirei looked as neutral as possible, yet the priest could see a curious glint unfold by his eyes.


"Father, what should we do about Jotaro Kujo?"


-------------d-d-d-d--------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d---------


AN


First two chapters are purposely short. Yes, the next ones will be far lengthier and more detailed, it's just that I'm trying to make a little build-up for what is going to be quite the messy war to develop.


Some quick answers for those readers that have asked this general topics with reviews and comments:


- Jotaro will have a Servant (I'm still pondering over the fact it will be a Caster or one of the special classes, minus BB); Time-Stop is 3 seconds at best, so don't expect any insane action thanks to it so he will need some assistance against some High-Tier enemies;


- The Magus Association is perfectly aware of the Speedwagon Foundation, they have some influence over them, but the Foundation is blissfully unaware of the Moonlit World;


- The Church sees the Joestars as beacons of hope and human justice because of their deeds, but the situation for Kirei and Risei isn't just one about which sides to truly follow in this War;


- Jotaro's means to summon a Servant without Magic Circuits will be explained next chapter, I don't plan to use any Plot-hole to justify it, I'm aware of the circumstances around Summoning;


- The Servant will not be from the JoJoverse. I will let some meme in with some restraint, but bringing too much JoJo would just screw things up for logic itself;


...Also, almost 100 followers with just a Chapter. I'm actually happy and glad to know that I've so much support about it, and I will be careful to not mess things up. I promise!

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 3: Jotaro Kujo! Arrives in Fuyuki Town, Part 3


Things had gone down a completely unexpected way.


Her little book should've done the trick.


She had thought that Uryuu would have been more than capable to easily secure the requirements needed to summon someone she trusted to make things interesting in Fuyuki Town.


Gilles would've been the optimal choice, yet any other apprentice could've easily fit with her little interest in sowing sorrow and madness within the already-corrupt ritual of the Holy Grail.


She had noticed, it had been so easy.


It would've been quite embarrassing if she hadn't considering how absurdly insane the cup was right now.


It made her giggle, but just briefly.


There was little to be amused about as she pondered over the curious and, most of all, unexpected turn that the situation had taken.


Jotaro Kujo.


The name meant just a little to her, as maybe she had heard it for a reason or another.


She knew many names, her patience was endless but her attention span wasn't just going to allow her knowledge to be expressed with much-needed details over this peculiar subject.


A fascinating man with an even fascinating gift.


Of all things that could've surprised her, it had to be someone that had just began dabbling in the Moonlit World.


The irony was sweet and delicious, but her curiosity was a gluttonous thing and she was far from satisfied with what she got from such a little glimpse.


The intrigue had sparked with the gift, a manifestation of one's soul that actually failed to get attention from Gaia itself.


The Will of the Planet was known to reject abnormalities, yet this peculiar case had skipped her sight… perhaps even willingly considering the apparent normalcy surrounding such a curious individual.


She had his appearance memorized like a rigorous scholar, and she got a taste of that mysterious and somewhat endearing personality of his.


Simple, humble, but terribly good.


It was a shocker that someone that could get so threatening so suddenly was actually someone that believed in the good of this silly world.


She wanted to slap him, to call him a dummy, and perhaps extrapolate the Mystery coating his entire being.


Yes, Francesca Prelati was perhaps running out of coffee, thus her capacity to think had gone down a giggle-worth drain, but that didn't mean that she was going to let go of such a fine specimen now within her range of action.


The book had been dormant, enough for the runes to pass unnoticed to both the fascinating human and the snooping priest.


Enough to leave the young man in a state of security. It was obviously a lie to say he was safe until he kept that book around himself.


Even his manifestation would've failed to contain the magical note imprinted within the pages, and yet she wasn't just going to torture the blissfully unaware man.


No, Francesca thought again with a delightful tone, Jotaro-chan needed to be put through a challenge before she truly acted towards him.


A test to see the full extent of his potential in multiple life-threatening situations.


A test to confirm the vast array of opportunities that a Living Mystery was offering before her eyes.


She was almost drooling when the man had gone to sleep, his slumber sounding and seeming so relaxed and so 'trustful' of his surroundings.


A pity that the situation was quite the opposite.


Her book glowed a little, a soft red light soothingly washing over Jotaro's face as the complex spell indicted by the Hellish Priestess started to take action.


The idea was simple, but the practice was going to be a painful process to put through with how complicated her plan was over the delicious mind of one individual.


The first thing that she could see in that odd pseudo-dream she was trying her best to create was… a dark sky.


The moon had yet to rise up, and the sun had just disappeared in what she could depict as the perfect dusk.


What a marvelous sight she was being bestowed with as the rest of the scenery started to get more clear before her giddy eyes.


The setting was one of a big city, one that had a mix of modern buildings and… Egyptian homes.


She blinked.


Egypt? Why would a simple man like Jotaro-chan be in a place so far from home?


With her curiosity rousing even beyond the little walls she had built over her growing excitement, her eyes scanned all over the general area in which she was yanked into.


Then she settled to look at the curious scene developing just by her right side, her attention fixing over the familiar young man donning his usual white hat and long jacket.


He seemed to be rushing towards another individual, this one looking quite old and… frightened.


She could already feel her amusement stirring at the scene, imagining what the elder was running from but, like before, her expectations were-


"｢The World｣!"


A powerful energy surge echoed all around her, and she could feel her mind and body coming to a sudden halt as the entire world froze before her eyes.


Shock filled her brain, her stare fixed forcefully on the scene as she noticed a sole individual moving through the frozen setting.


The one that chanted the 'spell' that ensnared the entirety of time at his will, he moved quietly between the two individuals, smiling before turning his attention to the elder.


The blond was wearing something very… bizarre considering the current age and mentality, yet the style somehow seemed to fit well with his posture and eager tones.


And this miasma coming from his life-force? It felt just so… inhuman~!


"Isn't this amusing? Once more I got you to watch your beloved grandfather get subjected to the vast power of my Stand," He glanced back to the furious-looking Jotaro. "How does it feel to be proven wrong? That your mighty ｢Star Platinum｣ didn't manage to save someone you care for!"


A slim knife appeared by his right hand, aiming the throwing dagger at the paralyzed old man as a smile twitched by his lips.


"Like before… You're useless!" The blond cackled madly. "Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless! Useless!-"


The dagger shifted in his grasp. "USELESS!"


The knife soared through the air, stopping mere instants from plunging right in the throat of the unaware old man.


HALT!


The inhuman being stood quiet for a while, shaking his head before turning once more at Jotaro, staring straight into his light-blue eyes.


"Do you understand, Jotaro? I've gained consciousness over your threatening state, but I know that you're a far cry of the danger you represented just a couple of years ago," The blond stated with sheer amusement and intrigue. "And I wonder if your determination has dulled the same way as your usurpation. Please… prove me, DIO, that you still have something within your soul!"


Gah! Why wasn't I told that someone this much arrogant and funny was around!


Francesca was breathing heavily as she felt time finally resume, the knife slamming into the unsuspecting throat of the elder, almost killing him instantly as this 'DIO' rushed suddenly at Jotaro.


"Show me, Jojo! Show me how fast your fists are!"


She finally saw it, the Gift- there were two of those. Both looked humanoids, yet they seemed to have clear differences that made each other stand out compared to the other.


Her attention was turned in raw wonder and eagerness as the two titans clashed with impressive ferocity and rapidity.


A rain of ORAs and MUDAs soon filled the air, her ears enjoying the combination of both 'melodies'.


It was pure chaos, and Francesca was absolutely drooling over the endearing sight.


This was beyond any degree of insanity she had spent time delving into. It was beyond the thirst she held for the curious question that Gilles had in the past inquired him about.


She wanted to jump in, to embroil more madness to the absolute carnage unfolding in front of her.


Yet the moment shattered as DIO was suddenly overwhelmed in that struggle, surprise painting over the inhuman being's face as he was sent careening away.


A pity that the clash had so little… but maybe it was about time that she seriously moved her attention to her real objective.


Jotaro Kujo still had to join the Holy Grail War, and she needed to conceptualize two requirements to make his stay here in Fuyuki a healthy and long one… at least long enough to allow her to catch him off-guard when the time was right.


Within his mind, Francesca could already feel the echoes of his Soul and the connection between him and… his Stand?


The term sounded so abstract, yet so concrete. Painfully so from the ugly mess that the blond's face had been turn into.


A fluctuation, the Mystery itself behind the bond between humanoid and 'user'. It was there, what she was waiting for right now.


But it was weak.


Too weak to allow her to make a little trick with the remaining spot in this War.


She needed more energy to be produced by such connection before any attempt could be made.


She needed Jotaro-chan to put a little more effort in his 'defense'.


Manipulating a dream required just a small amount of her attention, but soon she managed to 'boost' the dangerous opponent to the human.


The blond stood up, his yellow jacket gone, revealing his black shirt and bulky muscles. His hair were now standing up all at once, his eyes had turned red… and he now had some green lipstick.


Now, that was an unexpected detail needed to indicate someone's boost.


Perhaps her brain was really falling apart with some cup of coffee.


"Jotaro, your punches- You've never faltered, the opposite! You've actually improved-" The devilish figure stated in truthful awe. "But now I, Dio, have to ask? Who else became part of your life? Who else do I need to slaughter before your eyes before you to finally prove how futile your attempts are?!"


The sudden demand was met with an incensed look from the human, the man advancing towards the recovering enemy with a quick-paced rush.


"Your family expanded? Did you perhaps marry and-" His smile widened, a chill going down Jotaro's spine. "You're a father, aren't you?"


The final question was matched with a degree of fury that didn't seem truly part of Jotaro's own personality.


It stemmed from the calm and collected fellow, gone was the logic as it was being replaced by untold anger.


And Francesca was more than happy to capitalize upon the opening created by the curious dream version of this monstrous character.


The bond was flowing with energy, and her hands were trembling in excitement as she finally started to go through the quick process to finalize her desires.


She now was sure of it. Jotaro had to be in this War- no, he had to be in so many other events.


The brutality of his soul, the magnitude of his fortitude.


Gah! I want to break him so badly! I NEED TO TORTURE HIM INTO A PET~!!


But for now the witch would've to keep herself from jumping at the delicious prey, her attention mostly diverted at the important spell that needed to be planned out.


Summoning was a feeble thing to accomplish after having observed since the First War, yet she wasn't just going to mess things up right now.


She couldn't allow herself to ruin her chances of endless amusement this soon!


The concept was simple, but terribly difficult to put on reality because of how 'ideal' the plan was.


The bond between Stand and its User.


Perhaps there was a catalyst, and maybe there was even a correct label for the energy exuding from these metaphysical beings.


But what truly made the Mystery exist, what made Gaia unable to truly rot away the unnaturalness of such phenomenon… it was producing an absurd amount of magical power.


It was so sweet, almost like sugar, but she couldn't just take a greedy dip in that delicious sight.


She needed to act strong, bravely, and with the best debauchery planned in her mind.


A giggle, it was finally done.


She could sense the command seals forming by Jotaro's hand, the call being issued through the Grail and into the Throne of Heroes.


A Spirit was going to answer soon, and while Francesca couldn't stay around to see whom was lucky enough to be picked by the 'lottery', she knew a few details that would matter immensely.


Whoever this spirit was, it had to be as fierce, stubborn… and strong as Jotaro.


And what a joy it was going to be to see who was the lucky bastard!


Ah~, a pity that I like to stay in the dark most of the time.


The dream-world collapsed shortly after, the cackling coming from Francesca being the only thing that truly brought realization in Jotaro's mind that what had just happened was the resulting effect of a 'bad night'.


A pity that the truth is so much worse than he thinks it to be!


------d-d-dd-----------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-----------


Sweating profusely, Jotaro woke up in a moment of utter panic, stress and complete fright.


It was rare for the latter emotion to come around and disturb him so early in the morning, and yet that dreadful dream had managed to get him as much agitated as he could.


His mind flashed the images of both his wife and Jolyne, the very ones that were so close to him and that had been seen as targets by the DIO born in that nightmare.


Terrifying, shocking and- He wasn't alone in the room. A figure was standing at the edge of the bed and… she was smiling at him.


"Good morning, Master!"


Loud, upbeat and… annoying.


She had curious purple hat with golden details and a small spike reaching upward. Long dark-brown hair reaching below her waist, her vibrant pink eyes were showing a degree of eagerness that was already rotting his teeth.


Donning a white robe with orange lines that barely covered for her bikini(?) and underwear, the woman was holding what looked to be a strange staff with a large ring atop of it.


He frowned, confused by this sudden greeting as he prepared to unleash a furious beating against the intruder.


How did she get inside his room?


The door had been closed with some chairs the 'night' before as his paranoia had urged him to block the easy entrance with some obstruction. It had been a gut feeling, and yet he couldn't deny that he truly felt like someone had tailed him down to the place.


Worry had been a constant feeling to keep him wary, but nothing odd had happened… except right now as he stared at this crazy woman.


"Who are you."


It wasn't a question, but an order. Many would've been offended by the blunt and disrespecting tone, yet the subject of his distrust merely gave him a bigger smile… making him shiver because of it.


"I'm Xuanzang Sanzang, I will teach you the ways of Enlightenment shown to us by Buddha and..." She paused for a moment in that happy introduction, looking a little nervous for a moment while pondering what to say next. "And I… uhhh- my class is Caster!"


...What?


His brain lost some moment while silence resumed in that room, numerous thoughts rushing around and reminding him of the current ordeal he had been thrown into.


Holy Grail War, Magi, Servants-


And now Caster.


His eyes narrowed at the woman, questioning with his own knowledge about whom this 'Xuanzang Sanzang' could be.


Nothing popped initially, yet he could've sworn that he had heard about a name like this before somewhere in his childhood.


One of the history lessons from Elementary school… which he couldn't exactly remember as of now.


But while he had hoped to be granted enough time to make his mind how he was supposed to react to this sudden development, his hopes were dashed away as the 'Servant' resumed with her bubbly chatting.


"Is everything alright, Master? You look like you aren't feeling that well. Are you sick. or maybe you're stunned by this introduction? I could've presented myself better, I'm sure of that but-" She stopped again, frowning at something before nodding. "By the way, can I call you 'Disciple' instead of Master? It sounds quite odd as I relate Master to Teacher and, since I'm generally the teacher I-"


"Will you calm down already?" He asked with a brief hint of sarcasm, feeling his entire being itching to shut the trap to the annoying Servant in front of him- actually, how she got in there?


Risei had mentioned that there had to be a ritual to summon, and he had been sleeping up until now.


"I didn't summon you. How did you get in there?" The dark-haired man inquired suddenly, sparing little room to deflect the topic of his question.


Pink eyes widened at the immediate query, yet her smile was still there, having just lessened at the rude attitude used against her.


"Well, that can't be, Disciple," She admitted with some genuine seriousness. "In fact, you're already sporting the command seals. Those are available only to the ones that summon Servants. In our case, you summoned me."


As Caster brought up this last detail, Jotaro's eyes trailed down to his hands and… there were some red marks on the back of his right hand.


It was similar to the form of the staff that the woman was currently holding, yet there were some half-circles forming at both sides of the ring.


Dread surged almost instantly in his chest, realization striking deeply as he came to the fact that he was now part of whatever crazy circus was unfolding in this seemingly normal city.


"Still, I think you were saying something about being certain that you hadn't summoned me… which is fairly odd to hear considering the circumstances," The Servant persisted with her presence in that trail of thought. "Care to elaborate on that, Disciple?"


"Those seals weren't there before I went to sleep, and I certainly didn't make any rituals to summon a Servant," Jotaro affirmed without much hesitation, yet his tone was slow and careful to deliver the answer to that curious question. "And I don't remember giving you permission to address me like that."


"Well, I can't certainly accept becoming an 'apprentice' when I'm the one that could teach you about the sermons and the mantras," She rebuked without hesitation. "In fact, what is your current degree of devotion towards Enlightenment."


Equal to nothing? It wasn't like Jotaro wasted too much time pondering over religious issues.


Especially with the fact that many religious figures were condescending… just like DIO.


Ignoring that question, his eyes trailed around the room, trying to find any clue for any break-in.


There was no way that someone had managed to create this situation from afar.


He had to be present, he had to be there to be 'bestowed' with the seals and… yet the room looked just as he had left it the day before.


The Marine Explorer pondered about this for a while, and despite the fact that he was granted some silence from Caster, he soon found out that more silence didn't mean outright peace with the upbeat woman.


The curtains he had set to cover the sunlights from blasting him with blinding effects were yanked aside by the smiling Buddhist, and Jotaro was stunned and annoyed at the same time.


"Ah! So this is Fuyuki Town, the place where the Holy Grail War is set to happen very soon," The woman eagerly commented as she gazed over the scenery provided by the window. "Truly a curious location, one that makes me wonder and dread about the various secrets that this place has and-"


While the Servant was lost in her monologue, the Stand User's attention was pulled away from the scene as he noticed his phone vibrating by his bedside.


He reached for it, glancing at the display and sighing in relief at the name there.


Joseph Joestar.


Without wasting time in staring at the device, he accepted the call and brought the object near his ear.


"Old man."


"Jotaro, you know better than anyone else that I want you to address me as your Grandfather- or even Jiji."


Jotaro sighed at the reply, realizing that Caster was surprisingly still going with her own speech, starting to mention what to Jotaro seemed to be tales about some 'journey' and a… 'monkey'?


"The situation has taken a drastic turn," The young man stated with some hesitation, unsure about how much he should explain to the old man without making things too awkward. "Somehow, I ended up summoning one of these Servants that the priest talked about yesterday."


There was some rustling on the other side of the call. "Is that so? Anything that you're concerned about this kind of familiar or-"


"She's mostly annoying. Quite a pest than a true threat."


"She? I hope that you're not telling me a lie, Jotaro. Did you really end up summoning one of these 'Servants', or are you having an affair behind your wife's back?!"


The irritation from the elderly figure was somehow coated with some curious nervousness.


Quite an odd combo of emotions coming from someone as calm as the old Joestar.


"Good grief, as if I would've ever consider betraying my wife's trust, shitty old man," The Marine Biologist rebuked with incredibly annoyance, even making use of the nickname he had bestowed to Joseph back during their trip to Cairo. "You were there at the wedding, and you know how much I love her."


…


"I'm… I'm sorry, Jotaro. I didn't mean to sound so disrespectful- it's just that this entire situations sounds-"


"Like some prank- a crappy one to that," The Stand User concluded with a sigh. "I understand. I feel like this is odd but- Right now I've this tattoo on my hand and- actually, can you check on something?"


"Sure, what is it?"


"'Caster' mentioned that her name was Xuanzang Sanzang. I wish for you to check on that for more info," The man provided the curious detail, hopeful that some proper answer would arrive with a research made by the old man. "I wish to know a little more about my new… ally."


"I understand and- Jotaro, do pay extra attention on your surroundings," Joseph pointed out with some nervousness. "This situation- I would say that it's similar if not worse to what had happened in Egypt and-"


"I will pay be on guard for any odd situations from now on," He agreed with a quick nod. "Also… are there any news about Polnareff?"


"He is still sending some rare reports, but he has mentioned that there are some complications regarding the state of his own investigations," The old Joestar admitted. "I will try to get in contact with him through phone call. It shouldn't be that difficult."


"Understood, I will call if anything new arise."


"And I will go through the database to look more into the data correlated to your 'Servant'. Once again, be careful, Jotaro."


The call ended there and the young man stared at his phone for a while as he pondered over what he was supposed to do from there.


He stared at the display, now showing nothing but the contact list as he scrolled down to his wife's phone number.


"Hey, Disciple?"


His stare lifted slowly to the annoying woman, she was still smiling.


"Maybe it's about time you prepare yourself some breakfast. it's important that you start the day with a healthy meal," Caster pointed out, and soon Jotaro found himself thrown inside the bathroom in his hotel room.


It was ample enough to allow some movements, yet the man decided to stand close to the door as he stared at the display of his cellphone once again.


Finally, he mustered enough courage to go through with his need to call his wife.


There was silence, except for the small noise made by the device to try and establish connection with the other phone.


This time, he was granted relief in the form of a familiar voice.


"Jotaro-kun, is everything alright? You missed the last calls and-"


It's been a little long since he had called her and… that was starting to become an issue.


"Everything is… alright. I'm just a little bit tired and going through the jetlag," He interjected quickly, taking a moment to sigh calmly as she worried over him. "Is everything going well back home?"


"Just the usual workload. Jolyne has been getting quite cranky as her Daddy isn't around for her to play with," The lovely woman commented, making the fellow Marine Explorer flinch at the fact that she was bringing up this argument.


"This work is important. I know that the old man can be a moron, but this time the situation is fairly serious."


"How much serious? Is everything really alright there, Jotaro-kun?"


He flinched again, knowing that he was so close to mess up with this explanation. He couldn't just tell her that he had stumbled into some deadly competition, so… he merely hummed.


"I'm fine, Lena, and the situation is just… messy. Nothing truly worth of concern."


"And I will still worry until you tell me the truth," She half-begged. "I know you don't want to be pushed like this but- I need to know where you're going and why you can't give me any answers."


"As I've said, it's something between me and the old man," Jotaro replied with some hesitation. "I don't wish to see you to feel bad about it. It's nothing that is either dangerous to me."


"But you need to be there instead of Mr. Joestar."


"Yes."


…


"I suppose you need to end the call," She muttered with some sadness. "I will resume my shift soon and-"


"I will call back once you're free," The Stand User interrupted with a tense smile. "I'm sorry that I couldn't answer to-"


"I believe when you say that you're still recovering from the jetlag, just not over-exert yourself too much about it," She stated with a sigh. "Still, don't run into anything dangerous. I know you well enough to see your troublesome bad luck shoving you into anything threatening."


"I see and… see you soon."


Another sigh. "See you soon, my lovely dummy."


There was some silence as the call ended, and Jotaro sighed as he knew that the day had yet to begin and… he was already facing some headaches.


He could hear Caster's footsteps just outside the bathroom, probably pacing and waiting for him to be done with his tasks.


Good grief, what an annoying woman that he ended up partnered with.


----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d-----------


AN


To simplify the explanation behind the solution for the lack of Magic Circuits: The nature of a connection between a Stand and its user is a Mystery. While the cause is known, the current nature isn't. The Mystery itself renders Jotaro 'beyond' Gaia's jurisdiction, and thus capable of attaining control over Magic. Stand's powers can bend reality, thus real Magic has to be involved in the process to suppress Gaia's rejection.


And yes, Xuanzang is here and she is going to work well as a contrast to Jotaro, which works well considering that she doesn't have a wish to weigh her down… or maybe there is a chance for-


Also, I've plans to make character's development for both. Of course, I will not ship them as Jotaro is happily married (right now) and he has Jolyne. Plus Xuanzang is quite restrained over romance, and I will not force something beyond her attitude.


Also… Francesca Prelati. Yes, she is meddling even in this story. What a pest.


P.S. I decided to give Jotaro's wife the name 'Lena' since it's the closest to the feminine version of Lenny, correlated to Lenny Kravitz, the artist behind the song 'American Woman' which possibly inspired Araki in creating her character.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 4: First Mantra! The Holy Grail War Begins!


Fuyuki wasn't much different from what he was mostly accustomed to. The place was filled with its own districts like Tokyo, yet those were smaller and more 'subject-related'. Right now Jotaro Kujo was pacing quietly within the industrial section. The place was filled with the shops, administrative workplaces and buildings assigned to the various trade-based companies that had a hold over the town.


Yet the reason that drove him to visit various clothes shop was walking behind him with a slower pace. Xuanzang, or Caster, was staring around with awe and naive curiosity. Her wide eyes were trying to take over what was the modern place she was now supposed to be fighting into, and her previous excitement over her new clothes had slightly waned at the new sights bestowed to her.


He was incredibly relieved when he remembered that the Foundation had given him a pre-paid card to use in case of sudden emergencies, and thus he avoided putting his own resources in acquiring decent clothing for the cheeky individual that was supposed to be 'his warrior' for whatever hell this Holy Grail War was going to be.


She was now donning a white hat, one that offered some cover to her bright eyes away from the sunlights raining so early in the morning. A long yellow coat covered part of her new light-blue shirt that offered just a little opening to her cleavage. A medium-sized red-white striped scarf covered part of her neck, but not enough to help with that little opening. Finally, a pair of dark-violet jeans and some yellow heels to complete her new 'incognito' look.


It was a completely different experience than what she had been wearing up until they had gone to the shop, and there had been plenty of awkward situations. Most of those issues were correlated to her 'indecorous clothing', and even the 'cosplay' excuse barely helped to assuage some people's confusion and suspicions.


It didn't certainly help that Caster was also fairly fascinated by the entire idea of 'cosplaying'. While the very idea didn't garner much appeal from her, the piqued interest was enough to warrant some lengthy discussion about the trend that had been intensifying in the last few years.


Back when he was younger, Jotaro would've just called it 'dressing like your favorite characters' and none of that crap. Something that had been there already back when he had changed his school uniform to fit well with his idea of 'though guy'. The style itself had barely gotten much attention from his peers, but the purchase of the 20,000 yen pants had gained some irritation from his father.


But back then the then-young Kujo hadn't given much of a crap over his distant parent's opinion, yet there had never been much of a problem between the two. The real problem was when his mother, instead of opposing this sudden change of look, seemed to actually support his decisions.


Something that not only throw him off-guard, but also got him annoyed by the fact he was getting coddled for trying to appear 'bad'. But then again, it wasn't something that his mother had done purposely, rather it was a silly flaw of her own mentality as a loving parent.


In an effort to raise her son to be happy and aware of the familiar care that Jotaro's Italian grandmother had always shown to her, Holly Kujo was more than elated to even commend her child's strength when he finally returned from his 'bizarre summer break'. It didn't help that ｢Star Platinum｣ had been helping her around whenever she found herself in need of assistance and he had enough range to act.


It was an unconscious reaction that slowly crumbled his efforts to appear strong before his mother… and his saving grace had been studying at a college in the US. California had been a curious place where to stay for the last couple of years, but it had slowly become his current home as far as he cared about.


The place had plenty of nice services, social rules weren't as tight as in Japan and… his close family was currently living there as he pondered over the hindrances created by the recent development. Speaking of the cheerful pest, the Stand User couldn't help but find the entire 'shopping spree' warranted by the scantily-clad Caster as something that he hadn't thought to be subjected this suddenly.


It almost made him sympathize with that poor blonde trying her best to avoid getting 'played like a doll' by her older-looking friend. The white-haired woman had looked fairly exotic with her ruby-like eyes, but her giddiness over trying numerous clothes on the poor European-looking girl had swelled within the young man a sense of dread at how long the 'monk' was taking in picking some decent clothes.


Why was it supposed to be this long? Why couldn't she just pick the thing she found the most comfortable and settle with it?!


The young woman was the very individual Jotaro wouldn't have wanted to stick by, especially because of her stupidly loud tones and manners. If there was something that the Marine Biologist had learned to love to the core was silence and quiet. As a scientist, the utmost state of peace was something that was needed to go through the paperwork and the reports of his personal studies.


And his Servant wasn't matching him on that kind of mentality. Her idea of peace was… quite the opposite of what he wanted. Where the man would've wanted some place where to stay away from the main conflict and strike when needed, the woman preferred to attack the 'evilest' bunch, not as a smart thought, but a morally-good one.


Which was something that Jotaro could get behind, but couldn't respect because of how risky and reckless this line of thoughts was. He had already seen what happens when a group of 'strong people' try to fight some bastard which they have no info about except his name, his unholy charisma, and some of his particular physical features.


Despite their best efforts to try and beat Dio, the Marine Biologist could hardly consider it a good victory on his belt. Kakyoin had died because of unawareness over the blond vampire's Stand power and that stain was still there to put a limit within his own brashness.


Headbutting against evildoers was fine, but running without a good plan and understanding of their enemies was incredibly bad and to avoid at all costs. This is why Jotaro had decided against starting any fights in this 'first day' of the War. Things were still so many questions, so many unknowns that lingered around and turned the calm-looking city in a bloody minefield in which he was forced to lurk around.


Of course Caster was miffed by the fact they weren't planning any attacks, nor they were going to make huge actions within the first few days of this conflict. Yet she sobered up when the Kujo decided to inquire about her strengths and flaws. They had reached the local park, and both were fairly certain that nobody was around to either eavesdrop or disturb them.


While Jotaro wasn't planning anything big, that didn't mean he was going to stay blind for the rest of this crazy situation. He needed answers, he needed to make contingencies. But most of all, he needed to get to know better his close ally during this unplanned predicament.


"Well," The woman muttered quietly. "I suppose my strength is my experience with fighting with my staff and my own connection to the divine. I'm not sure if it's truly helpful… I tend to also attract much of the enemies attention on myself, but I'm lucky enough to avoid quite the worst situations."


I wouldn't be surprised that this last bit is somehow correlated to her clothes, The man thought impassively, giving her a nod as to gesture her to continue. Seriously, what kind of 'warrior monk' made use of such an indecent dress?


"As for my flaws, I think it's all about to my capacity to inflict enough damage to be powerful in close range. I'm fairly quick-footed and I have some proficiency with efficiently make use of the energy you're offering through the bond," She explained swiftly, but soon her pink eyes narrowed at him with a curious look. "By the way, Disciple, you've yet to explain to me how exactly you're supplying me enough mana to exist."


The 'Joestar' huffed at the comment, yet he nodded nonetheless. "I guess it's related to my special ability, my Stand."


Just as he mentioned this, ｢Star Platinum｣ manifested in its full glory right in front of him. The reaction was surprising and instantaneous as Caster's eyes went wide in shock and… awe. She took a couple of steps closer to the stand, the calm blue eyes of the humanoid following her actions as she studied thoroughly the entirety of his frame.


"This- This feels odd in our bond," The young woman muttered, her tone stammering a little as she failed to keep up with the sudden rush of energy going through her body. "It felt revitalizing but… also awkward. It's a new sensation for sure."


Soon, she glanced back to her Master. "What's his name? Surely, this power is-"


"｢Star Platinum｣ is a Stand. A manifestation of my fighting will," He explained without skipping a beat. "I can't tell you how exactly Stands are created, because I don't know."


"B-But- But you have one!"


"It wasn't by normal means. Let's just say that I had a bizarre adventure of couple of years ago," He rebuked quietly, "One that saw me going through Egypt to find and kill the cause of my current situation."


"But why?!" Xuanzang inquired loudly, her confusion increasing twice as before at the comment.


"The bastard that got me a Stand also forced my mother to have one," Jotaro continued without stopping, knowing that the woman hardly seemed the kind of individual prone to betray good people. "She didn't have a will capable of withstanding a Stand, coming close to dying because of it."


…


"I- I didn't knew that-"


"You shouldn't apologize," The Marine Biologist interrupted coolly. "You weren't aware of the situation and right now we shouldn't be whining about the past."


The swift reminder got a serious look from Caster, the young woman nodding as she returned to look at ｢Star Platinum｣.


"What is he capable of doing to aid us?"


"｢Star Platinum｣ is a Close-Range Stand. It can attack with powerful physical attacks, while also enchanting my own body in particular circumstances."


The Servant nodded, digesting pretty quickly this new knowledge. "What kind of powerful are you referring to? Any examples about-"


"Its strongest feat yet is shattering a Diamond in mere seconds," He interrupted again with a sigh. "And its attacks are pretty quick, I managed to keep up with some large 'issues' in the past thanks to its fists."


Xuanzang nodded again, this time her head tilting to the side as a pout appeared on her face.


"Disciple, it's not nice interrupting," The Servant flatly commented, gaining an irritated look from the Marine Explorer.


"I'm not your Disciple, stupid wo-"


"But still, is this everything you can say about your Stand? Or is there something else that you can add about him?"


Just as the bratty girl ended that comment, Jotaro felt ready to finally explode at her irking personality… but then a small idea reached in his mind. He restrained himself from genuinely smile as he nodded.


"Just one last thing," The man muttered 'calmly'. "｢Star Platinum: The World｣!"


The effect was instantaneous as the world froze before his eyes, the Time had stopped just like it was expected from the ability. Three seconds. His Stand was already moving away from him, rushing to get little branches before starting to take steps toward the Servant.


She seemed to be fixed in her position, but soon the Stand paused as the woman blinked.


"So, he is capable of picking sticks?" She inquired confused. "I mean, there is nothing wrong in having a silly ability in that much power but-"


Before she had the chance of concluding that sentence, her stare darted up to a strange fixture mid-air. It was a bird, a small robin that had its wings spread and seemed frozen during his flight.


The monk stared for a while at the little creature, her mind trying to grasp what she was looking at. Yet her surprise barely matched with Jotaro's inner shock at this development. He hadn't thought that his Servant would've been capable of 'flowing within his World'. It had passed his mind up until now, when the phenomenon was happening before his own blue eyes.


Before anyone could've spoken about their mutual confusion, the ability came to an end much to the Joestar's grimace. A pity that he didn't have the chance nor the time to enact his little prank.


~Time resumed its course~, and the bird resumed with its flight towards his next perching. Xuanzang blinked, her eyes displaying the slow process of realization as she picked up from the blunt hints allowed by the strange scene.


Soon, her wide-eyed look was directed at her Master. "You can stop Time! And- And I can move through it like you can!"


Her giddiness had long replaced her confusion, and Jotaro knew that, instead of lessening her upbeat tones, he had intensified those to an unbearable degree.


"That- That literally will win us the War, Maste-Disciple,"


The man sighed, knowing that he had messed up big time by hoping that the pest would've been unable to move through his World. Still, her eagerness to the battle wasn't acceptable, especially since she had yet to hear about the flaws within his own 'victory card'.


"｢Star Platinum｣ can be powerful, but it's also limited in Range. It can move only within two meters from me, so I've to be close to the battle to aid you," The Kujo answered with a frown. "And that is while ignoring that any damage inflicted to my Stand will be mirrored into my body."


…


Her excitement finally deflated at this words, but she continued to smile. "Still, it's a mean to 'fix' my own flaws. It can still help win us the War."


"We're not going to fight this early on, Caster," Jotaro reminded with a sterner tone. "And that's final."


The Servant whined about it a little more, but this point wasn't unchangeable in the man's opinion, and nothing was getting him to back away from this stance. He wasn't going to take some risks because some morons wanted to die this early in this blasted conflict.


Still, instead of letting the pest nag at him for the remainder of the day about this particular topic, the young man decided to 'distract her' by taking her around the city a little more. Knowing her short attention span in keeping up with grudges, his idea seemed to sound good within his mind as he went along with it.


But then he remembered how much of an active brat she could get in trying out anything new in her range of action. Terrible mistake, he muttered, good grief, he repeated more than once for each happy squeal coming from Caster.


-------------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d----------------


Taking a bite out of the many Takoyaki within his plate, Jotaro mused over the quality of the food prepared in this restaurant. The place looked nice, but the food was a far cry from the one prepared by either his mother or his wife.


Both women were legendary by the kitchen, and there was no reason for the Kujo to diminish the impressive delight presented by their dishes. He could still remember trying to get some fire going to prepare something to eat. It was still a mystery to him, and a reason for Lena to tease him about his prowess in cooking, but the strong brawler was able to literally burn some pasta.


Heck, the kitchen had almost caught on fire if it hadn't been ｢Star Platinum｣'s quick intervention over the matter. It had been quite amusing to explain to the landlord why his room had activated the fire alarm just momentarily, but the chuckles that came out from the truth served both to avoid a quick ejection from the temporary premises of the student's house, and to highlight the tragic luck he had over the simple housekeeping's skill.


He didn't mind the fact he could suck at something, but the degree of suckery was so high with that specific topic was enough to still irk sometime when his wife would bring up during a talk that very 'accident'.


There was nothing wrong in being unable to cook, and that is why, instead of trying his hand at preparing something within the hotel, the man had opted to buy a table at the nearby restaurant and… he wasn't complaining much about it.


His Servant looked to be enjoying it if the three empty cups that once contained the white mountains of rice were to be taken into account. She was enjoying the food, not because she needed it within her unique biology, but rather the woman was finding the dishes 'delectable to her craving palate'. The sight was almost enough to make him stop on his tracks with his own food, yet he was too hungry to actually comply with his own disgust over the matter.


She was respecting some decorum with her manners. It was the least considering how she was rushing through the cups.


But while Jotaro would've preferred to be eating alone instead of sharing the table with the bubbly personality of the woman in front of him, the situation could've gone much worse considering her recent mutterings over some 'fights' that were already happening within the city.


He had explicitly ignored her puppy-eyed efforts to get them to check on the situation from a closer approach, pressing once more for the fact that things could easily end up with them dealing with some unexpected ambush. Possibly even one planned specifically against them.


The words were logical, and she agreed to those with a begrudging tone, yet her complaints didn't manage to last for long as food started to roll in and her attention was directed at the 'delicacies'. It still impressed the man how simple rice could get that much of a reaction out of the ' experienced monk'. Maybe it had to do with her historical conditions, the context of her past life maybe having little rice for her to enjoy, thus making it a luxury.


It was one of the few things the man hadn't pondered enough about. Which era did Xuanzang came from?


While his grandfather was working on bringing up enough resources about her full identity, it would be a mistaken idea to imagine that everything the research was going to bring up to attention was either completely correct or even true. There was always a degree of inaccuracy in many clues used to build up history and… he wasn't imagining to find some books depicting a scantily-clad monk woman with a cheerful attitude at life.


But while the 'Joestar' continued with these thoughts, his attention was slowly but steadily shifting back to reality as his eyes started to get interested about a lone figure that was making his way towards their table.


He was wearing a curious dark-colored uniform which seemed close to a School uniform… but it lacked some distinctive elements that would make it appear as such. In fact, what truly made it clear that this young man wasn't a student were the height, the 'age', and the necklace with a cross he was currently donning around his neck.


An impassive stare was enforced in the stranger's face, yet despite a similarity with Jotaro's own blank mask, there was something that truly made it stand up. It was the feeling of spent and aimless that was instilled within his features, the lack of artificial unwillingness to display any emotions to the world.


This man… he just didn't have any feeling within his body. He looked like a doll moving because of reasons beyond his own free will. Merely staring at the fellow was enough to force Jotaro to push back the instinct of shivering at the unpleasant sight. This… this was quite the awkward predicament he was facing right now.


"Jotaro-san," The young man addressed the Kujo as soon as he stopped right by their table. "May I take a seat with you two?"


A simple request, nothing that should rise any alarm- except that it was coming from a complete stranger that had some familiar red marks by one of his hands. Even Caster had taken notice of this very detail, her posture tensing up as she seemed poised to strike down the uneasy individual.


"You know, it's rude to ask to seat when you didn't even introduce yourself," The Marine biologist shot back dryly.


In response to this, the brunet bowed his head a little. "My apologies, Jotaro-san. I'm Kirei Kotomine and-"


"You're that old priest's… son?" The Stand User interrupted with a frown. "I guess you're here because of your father, right?"


He tensed up a little bit at the mention of the 'mediator' of the War, seemingly surprised at getting identified as a relative of his so quickly. Yet, much to Jotaro's surprise, the religious fellow merely shook his head.


"Actually, I'm here by my own accord," He proclaimed quietly. "In fact, I only wish to discuss about a few topics beyond the war. Nothing too personal, I can assure you of that."


Despite the guarantee, the Marine Biologist was unsure over the sudden approach. This all was stinking of some trap, yet he hadn't perceived any changes within the place, nor Caster had perceived the man's Servant within the area.


He had come here unarmed… or at least it seemed to be the case. Jotaro's guard didn't falter. Not even for a moment. But he still went ahead to gesture the man to take a seat by picking one of the unused chairs by the other tables. There was silence at first, with the waitress that had taken to help them with the service addressing the newcomer, to inquire to him about if he wanted to order something or not. Much to the two other occupants of the table, Kotomine replied with a nod and mentioned just a few words.


Mapo Tofu. The dish wasn't a novelty to the Kujo, yet it's been ages since he had tried eating that pool of burning soup. He could still remember his mother trying to offer him the dish, hoping to mix perfectly the spicy nature of the spices with the coolness of the tofu. It was a terrible mistake that highlighted Jotaro's dislike over spicy food.


But now the dish was offered to the newcomer, the man seemingly bidding his time before actually starting the conversation as he just resumed to speak only after he had sipped off the first spoonful from the steamy soup.


He blinked. "Jotaro-san, forgive me if I ask you this but… do you feel joy in your work?"


Silence rekindled, yet this time the ball was on Jotaro's side as he found himself pondering over the query. Was this a trick created by Risei? Or maybe it was just the younger priest that wanted to pester him like this. It was odd to be questioned over his passion for his job.


He could still remember the efforts put behind to gain a PhD, the blood and sweat that were spent to try and get himself starting with a proper laboratory in California. The meticulous attention to the paperwork, the reports that were highly-detailed to keep up with the requirements imposed by the tight money allowed by this kind of work.


It was all a cast of flaws that sometime would dishearten the Joestar to the point he would question whenever it was the right choice or not.


But then, he remembered the original purpose driving him to pursue this career. The world of water and its inhabitants had always intrigued a young Jotaro, starting right from Childhood. The documentaries dedicated to dolphins, to sharks, to starfishes. He would watch those endlessly and quietly.


The suave quietness of that small yet big world would engross him into inquiring more and more about the topic. This passion thrived even in the strangest of situations, even coming along with him during his voyage with the rest of the Crusaders. The sea was a pleasant place that just fascinated him and… he delved deeper with his studies to try and get a job correlated to it.


While it wasn't an easy job, it wasn't an unforgiving one as many would end up finding themselves dealing with. The pay was decent and the work itself allowed for a lot of plenty of times to be spent outside the laboratory during the production of reports. It gave him the opportunity to go in trips for the Foundation, but also spend time with his family.


"I do," Jotaro ultimately commented, deciding to spare the details over the pros and cons of his work. Especially since he couldn't trust this stranger just yet. "Can I ask you why you need to know about this?"


"Would it matter?"


The marine biologist almost groaned. "Yes. Yes it would."


Before Kirei had the chance of replying, he tensed up as Caster quietly settled her hand by his shoulder.


"Are you sure you're alright, Kotomine-san?"


The unexpected question drew the attention of the brunet onto the pink-eyed woman.


"What?"


"I can feel your Chi being… disgruntled. You aren't happy with your life," Xuanzang responded with a calm tone, and it lacked of the previous notes of warmth and cheerfulness. "Is there… something bringing you general discomfort in your life?"


He blinked. "I'm… I'm fine."


"You don't look sure about it," Jotaro quipped with a frown. "While I wouldn't generally pry in other people's business without a good reason, I think you've got plenty to say now that you wanted to talk with me."


Finally, a hint of nervousness passed briefly by the impassive mask. Could it be that there was indeed something 'off' about this man? That he was hiding something important not only from them, but the one he was trusting the most, his father?


"I..." Kirei tensely thought well about his words instead of offering a true answer to the woman's inquiries. But soon, his eyes sported a resolute light and he nodded. "I feel aimless. That I don't have a purpose in life."


Blue eyes showed little interest over this matter, knowing very well that some poor bastards do feel worthless because of how society created and 'helped' them.


Yet while his mind cynically excluded any reason to press him to speak further, his Servants soon showed that she had other plans over the matter.


"Can you elaborate this sense of… loss that you feel over yourself? Is there a reason that drove you to this?"


He lowered his stare at his plate, his hand slowly lifting another spoonful to his lips.


"I was born like this," He muttered, his eyes losing focus. "A man without compassion. Without a moral compass. Only… impulses."


It was in that moment that Jotaro felt panic swelling within his chest. This- This just felt familiar. Somehow. It was like- No, it couldn't be. While the Diary mentioned a 'loyal friend', DIO had no means to reach Japan.


Yet, the more this 'confession' unraveled… the more he felt like he was listening to someone that would've fit the role perfectly. Yet, instead of pressing him by himself, the Marine Biologist paused and let Caster continue to work her 'magic' on the priest.


"Every man is born with impulses. Some suffer from those more than others but-"


"I-I was born with just those. Violent impulses. I- I can't find other joy but by the suffering of others. By the macabre sight of mangled bodies and-" He stopped before descending further in that madness he was conceiving with his own words. "I'm sorry… I'm not a bad person. I'm trying to-"


"If you were a bad person, you wouldn't find this terrible. At least, not enough to warrant your own resistance to it," Jotaro finally interjected. "If I've to be honest, I think you're just a moron. You're a low-key sadist, so what about it."


… "W-What? No, I'm-"


"While Ma- Disciple can sound a little too direct about it, I reckon that this might be one of the problems," Caster interrupted with a nod. "Some people just get a degree of satisfaction in inflicting pain to others. While in large quantities it would lead you into a path of evildoing, I don't think the situation is as bad as you're painting it, Kotomine-san."


"But it's the only thing that brings me joy," He rebuked, almost loudly as if he was feeling frustrated by the odd turn the conversation had taken. It was going beyond the restrictions imposed by his God-loving efforts. It was going beyond his father's reach to support him. "I- I can find peace in anything else but-"


"You're lying."


The cold denial made the brunet snap his attention back to the Master, and soon the Stand User was pointing right at… Kotomine's plate.


"You're eating happily that spicy soup. It doesn't seem to me that you're disliking the dish, in fact, you love it."


The pressure building up muted any chances from Kirei to retort these claims. This time, the accusation was legitimate and genuinely correct. Mapo Tofu… was his favorite food. There was nothing that comes close to its delicious flavor, and he would be lying by saying that it wasn't the case.


"But… but what about it? What if I like this specific food?"


"I think your real issue, Kotomine-san, is that you've tried to find a meaning bigger than you're intended to," The Servant replied with a small smile. "Many expects grand destinies because of their upbringing, but their grandness doesn't depend on the impact it has on society itself. The Shakyamuni Buddha was the firstborn of a Chieftain in Nepal, but he grew to appreciate simplicity within the world, to love the small certainties of life. He developed his soul, refined it from meditation and appreciation."


At the mention of the Buddha, Kirei's hand reached for the necklace. Yet Jotaro knew what to say to avoid any unneeded escalation from that brief religious detour.


"You took too much time trying to get yourself a highly-respected and impactful job. Maybe you actually have a future around the 'Mapo Tofu'," He quipped with an annoyed tone, gaining the young priest's attention. "Have you thought of cooking? Perhaps something based over the cuisine specialized on that kind of food?"


At first the brunet couldn't make sense out of these questions, but then he realized something he had long forgotten about his past. They were correct in stating that Mapo Tofu had been an important part of his life, being his favorite dish since his earliest childhood. During the harshest of times studying to become an Executioner, during his other endeavors spent in finding happiness from jobs that would make everyone proud… hardly putting his own selfish happiness upfront.


What if that was the real issue that shattered his hopes of a good future? What if he had tried to make everyone happy with his own action and so sacrificed his own pursuit for joy in that self-destructive path?


"That… That sounds..."


Xuanzang squeezed a little bit more his shoulder. "You should go now. You should seek time alone to meditate and contemplate over this novelty. Don't let anyone stray you away with other opinions, develop your own perception out of this revelation."


He nodded, standing up and… before leaving, he left some yens to compensate for the half-drained soup. "It- It was interesting. Apologies if I reached you so suddenly and-"


"Just go, Kotomine," Jotaro interjected bluntly, ignoring the petty glare from his Servant as the young priest merely took this as an order to leave at once.


Once they were alone again, the Marine explorer dared the irritated pink eyes staring intensely at him with a frown. "What?"


The kick under the table that reached his shin made it clear that maybe, just maybe, he might have been a little too much 'honest' with his own annoyance in dealing with Kirei Kotomine.


Good grief, why my Servant has to be such a drag.


-----------d-d-d-d--------------d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d--


AN


Okay, Okay… some explanations are needed about our boi, Kotomine. No, I'm not trying to oust him from the war this suddenly. I have plans for him and Assassin (and both will be smarter and… more volatile than in their Canon selves), but I wanted to push Kirei right into a direction not many have taken about his 'origins into evil'. Up until now he hasn't killed out of his impulses. I bet people are gonna bring up Claudia's Case and… there is something I never understood about it. Why can't Kirei be taken as an unreliable narrator about certain 'emotions' he feels? Especially in Fate Zero? While he is a logical smart guy, he is also deviated and incapable of making sense of his emotions (only in Fate Zero, in FSN he's a legit jerk priest), so I wouldn't be surprised that he failed to 'understand' why he was really sad when his wife died.


And yes, I just had both Jotaro and Xuanzang work as some therapists to poor Kirei. How much of an impact it will have on the War? A lot. Kirei is already an oddball, one that cracked under Xuanzang's pressure, but still one that will bounce a fair lot for the rest of the War.


Lastly… no, I didn't skip the Battle at the Docks. It was 'Assassin' getting slaughtered by Gilgamesh. But I think I need to make a strong case here as to why Jotaro will not butt heads with people when it will happen. The reasoning? Part 4 and Part 5. Differently from his early self, Jotaro has grown more cautious in approaching a dangerous situation without some backup plans established. Losing so many friends during Part 3 led him to become more careful over what actions to take in a dangerous situation. Jotaro's more level-headed, and he's more experienced rather than his version from Part 3. But… no, he will not dodge any fighting. Now the war is on!


Let's have fun!

P.S. Possible Kirei's outcome?

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 5: Second Mantra! Docks under the Midnight's Stars!


Xuanzang Sanzang. The name finally made sense to Jotaro after the old man had contacted him back the next morning.


Better known in Japan as Genjou Sanzou, the renowned Chinese Monk was mostly celebrated as the protagonist of the novel written by Wu Gheng'en, The Journey to the West.


A legendary tale that depicted a 17 years of overland voyage that took the Buddhist Monk through India in an attempt to bring proof that the view of Buddhism at her time was mistaken, if not purposely mistranslated.


Her story concluded when she refused the highest of honors at the court of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty to spend the reminder of her life translating many of the various tomes about Buddha that she had recovered from her trip to Nalanda, one of the most famous temple in India.


Much like she was described as cheerful and jovial, an optimist through and through, Jotaro couldn't help but be disheartened that there was no mention of the fact that she was a pain to deal with. But that was, of course, just a minor irritation compared to the current issue he was facing in that very moment.


Just like the day before, the two had spent the entirety of day wandering around the city. This time their main intention was to get a good look of any suspicious individual that would fit with the elements provided by Kirei about Masters.


The mark on the hand was the definitive clue of any possible enemy, but there were other ways to discern a Master without getting to close. A large majority of Servants was bound to keep close to their Masters, something that Jotaro had by now learned thanks to the overbearing presence of the pink-eyed woman sticking to him worse than glue.


Then there was the fact that the binding spell that connected Servants and Masters was constantly leaving a small, and mostly impossible to perceive, amount of magical energy. It would've been a negligible detail, except for someone like Caster.


The brunette was a decent sensor when not distracted with other activities like fighting, which meant that this ability needed to be used everytime they entered a particularly deserted area. Ambushes weren't something that the Stand User wanted to trigger unless he knew he had the upper hand.


But while this enlightening discovery had given him the chance of scouting the entire city for any possible foe wandering around during daylight, this very situation left him and his Servant in quite a pickle, especially with how… religious she was.


Things would've fine if she hadn't discovered that Fuyuki had its own Buddhist Temple.


After four hours that passed by the Servant praying while her Master was forced in some interesting talking about marine biology with the elder son of the Temple's owner, the two were once again walking by the streets. Differently from before, Xuanzang was… happily entertaining a one-sided discussion with Jotaro.


The young man, despite years spent perfecting his resilient and cool mind, was having some trouble keeping himself distracted from the cheerful quips from his Servant while also keeping a watchful eye over where they were going and if there wasn't anyone worth of investigating within their proximity.


Sadly enough, nothing eventful happened in that draining patrol. Or at least that was what the Marine Biologist thought when he decided to take a stop by one of the benches nearby.


"Good grief, seems like this is going to be a peaceful night," He muttered calmly, getting an interested look from Caster as he continued. "Perhaps it would be best to return to the hotel. I don't think it will be fruitful continuing thorough night-time."


She blinked, but then nodded. "That sounds good. Still, I think you should know that this isn't a peaceful night. Not at all."


He glanced at her, giving an inquisitive look but sparing himself the efforts of verbally asking. The young woman still continued to that


"From the direction the surge of magical energy it's coming from, I would say there is a big fight by the Docks," The Servant added with a sigh. "But I don't think it would be convenient to join that brawl… at least, not with so many Servants in there."


"How many?" He had to ask as the comment had gained his interest over the lack of initiative from the Caster. Up until now, the brunette had whined about engaging in fights against other Servants, but to see her this much hesitant over the matter, it meant that something was quite wrong in that battle.


"Three. Or maybe Four. There is a dense mass of energy that just makes it difficult to understand if it's a powerful Servant or two."


And now he could see why she was so unwilling to try her luck for that very predicament.


While her fighting prowess was undeniable, it would be just plain dumb to throw themselves in the most unknown and perhaps incredibly explosive situation unfolding far away from where they were right now.


"I suppose we should retreat and rest. Maybe plan something while we're away from any dangerous circumstance," He commented, already staring at the direction they needed to take to return to the Hotel. "I guess we can start from the Castle. I still don't understand how the locals know little about it."


The place was just too big to be ignored by anyone visiting Fuyuki. Someone had to have inquired about it in the past… but nobody here in this city knew about who owned that fortress, or when it was first built.


It was a true mystery, but one that Jotaro had already introduced to his grandfather. It was only a matter of hours before he got a proper answer about who lived behind that curtain created by the nearby forests.


But just as he took the first step, the Stand User froze in sudden dread. It was instantaneous, as if something- no, someone was watching them quite closely. Even Xuanzang tensed up, her eyes widening in surprise as she tried to stare at him for support.


The light coming from the streetlight started to flicker, then the streetlight itself creaked as if there was a weight pressing onto it. He slowly turned around and stared up, his cold blue eyes quickly finding themselves locked in a pair of bloody pools.


The entirety of the youthful man just made him frown. The golden armor matched well with the spiky blond hair, but the overall bright shine that was offered by the light being reflected by the protective garb was enough to make Jotaro flinch.


There was silence at first. A moment graced by the newcomer as the Marine Biologist finally recovered from the unexpected intrusion.


"To think that the most interesting element in this farce of a competition was a mere mongrel," The blond muttered with a grimace, the words quickly gaining annoyance from Jotaro. "But I refuse to limit my choices to either see what you truly are… from what is currently happening elsewhere."


A snarl built up within the Stand User, but before any foul word could come out of his mouth, a large bright-red circle appeared below both the man and his Servant. Caster looked panicky, rightfully so as the bright red intensified to a point where it was difficult to see through the intensity.


The world warped around him, and the cool breeze that that up until now been there was now turned in a cruel and cold wind. The light disappeared, but instead of finding themselves back at the small piece of street which both Master and Servant had been standing by, they were now in what looked to be…


The Docks.


Jotaro's shock burned away at the fact that there were more individuals in there, a large majority already staring at them. He could see some people wearing clothes and armors akin to medieval times and… he didn't hesitate in taking a defensive stance at the suddenness of the situation.


"Caster, cover my back," The Stand User ordered swiftly and calmly, ｢Star Platinum｣ already prepared to manifest in its full might and assist for what was going to be a tough brawl. "I shall take care of our front."


Xuanzang complied quickly, her back close to touch Jotaro's as she took some moments to silently address the elements that were supposedly hers to face in case of immediate conflict. There wasn't any hesitation in her pink eyes despite the fact this wasn't going to be an easy fight… if it was one at all.


The golden-armored Servant was still perched, this time on a new streetlight as he stared down, literally and metaphorically, at the rest of the people in the area.


"It's almost risible how right now there are two curs defining themselves kings before my presence," The blond commented, apparently 'forgetting' about what he had just done with the Stand User and his Servant. His attention was now at a burly red-haired man that was greeting the situation with minor surprise and major giddiness.


"I fail to see where the problem lies," The charioteer answered calmly, looking rather unfazed by the declaration. "I'm Iskandar, the Legendary King of Conquerors."


...Who?


Jotaro's mind was conflicted between frowning at the fact the self-proclaimed King of Conquerors, also a Servant, was so easily giving out his true name and actually thinking about who this 'Iskandar' was. Clearly, he wasn't referencing himself by the common denomination used for his figure, or he was someone that wasn't studied much about here in Japan.


Also… why the hell was he giving out his true name? Wasn't this war meant to have a strong pillar in names being kept a secret from other competitors?


Still, the Marine Biologist wasn't saddened by this novelty. In fact, he was glad that he now had a powerful hint about who this possible enemy could be.


"What nonsense. I'm the true King," The golden-haired bastard shot back. "All others are mere pretenders. Mongrels that wish to obtain a title that only I am worthy of having."


Jotaro snorted, shaking his head and… gaining the two Servants' attention.


"Do you wish to say otherwise? Do you think that what I said isn't true? Please, do humor me."


"I think the only title that should be bestowed to you is 'golden bastard'," The Stand User answered readily, his stare fixed on the blond's red eyes and showing a coolly but furious glint. "King? I don't see you being one. Especially with that crappy armor you got."


The redhead, the big man that had been speaking before him, offered half a chuckle, while close beside to where the charioteer was a somewhat familiar blonde offered an awkward smile, a mix of uneasiness at the foul words, but an undeniable degree of amusement at the reaction it was getting from the interrupting Servant.


A slight hue of red started to appear on the arrogant man's face.


"What a foolish mongrel! You really think that I will spare you for you despicable and disgusting filthiness? I shall cleanse my kingdom of trash like you!"


"If you're so insistent of that claim, then surely you will have no issue in providing your true name," The big redhead interjected swiftly, drawing the irritated blond's attention back to him. "No True King should be troubled in offering their real name. Especially not when they are before a challenge."


"And so you question me too, pretender?" The question came with a hint of edge, the streetlight creaking even more as its light-bulb was slowly cracked by a sudden pressure from the golden-armored Servant. Various golden-colored portals opened around him, with blades of various kind manifesting halfway through those. Now a conflict was unavoidable.


But just as the battle seemed ready to explode… here another anomaly happened.


The cold wind bustled with renewed strength, this time forcing everyone to look as something dark and malicious appeared from several meters behind them all. The figure was covered in black mist, yet its silhouette already presented it as a humanoid.


Another Servant, Jotaro thought while gritting his teeth.


This time, the aura it was producing was a miasma that promised brutality and raw rage at everyone in the Docks. Something was wrong with this 'Hero', and whatever it was, the young man was sure it wasn't good for anyone there.


"This… This is the first time I perceive this much anger and… self-hatred within someone," Caster commented with a shocked tone. "There's just something so deviated in his mind. Something that has cursed him to the core. Into this."


The words just complimented the Black Knight, the very individual that was rendered visible once the malicious wind had gone by. The dread was still there, but it had been diluted as the red light coming from the Servant's visor soon stared up and… right at the golden-armored bastard.


Good Grief, he can works well as a distraction. All that shiny and pompous…


It's almost like Dio, but incredibly duller than the Vampire. Something screamed of strength within the Servant's form, but there was also a non-negligible note of over-confidence in his tone that highlighted more bark than bite.


"Boy, can you tell me how powerful of a Servant is he?"


It was at that very question presented by the red-haired Servant, that Jotaro finally noticed that there was someone else in that chariot. The boy had been crouched inside the vehicle, and away from direct staring from those around him.


He shook his head, a frightened look on his face as he continued to stare at the newcomer.


"You can't tell? Aren't you one of the Masters chosen by the Holy Grail?"


Could he see it too if he wanted?


A quick glance to Xuanzang was met with a quick shake of head from the woman.


"Only Magi," Caster replied in a quick whisper, knowing to not give away his Master's status away in such a difficult situation.


"I can't tell- I know that he's a Servant but… I can't see his parameters," The boy muttered in a moment of shellshock.


"It's clearly a Berserker," Jotaro finally stated. His certainty got plenty of confused looks which made him sigh in retun. "Aren't those meant to be crazy and… quite murderous? I don't think there are other classes that match up with that description."


"Plus I think… we're almost everyone here," The brunette beside him quipped. "In fact, I think that's Saber," She aimed at the young blonde which they had both seen having some trouble with a merciless shopping spree with her Master. "That's Lancer," The guy with jet-dark hair and a small mole on his face nodded at the guess. "And I… I think you're Rider. Am I correct, King of Conquerors?"


"You are, young lady," The redhead said, smiling widely and jovially at the Monk's calm but happy tone. "And I suppose you're Caster and… the 'only King' is Archer."


He would've been a shitty Assassin with that golden armor.


The Stand User didn't mention this very comment, preferring to keep the major focus onto the serious issue. Creating infighting was just begging for some chaotic battle which would be less than ideal for him and Caster.


But just as he prepared for the fight, his Servant stared at him with a curious look.


"Master, if I may," The brunette inquired quietly, getting a slow nod from Jotaro as she sighed and turned her attention at her fellow Servants "I know that it might sound odd but… I think it would be the best if we focused on Berserker and we continue with our own problems later than-"


"You dare to sully my image by staring at me, filthy mutt?" The irritated blond stated, finally getting irritated by the intense staring of the silent Berserker. "Then I suppose your death will just do to provide me with some meek entertaintment."


The portals widened and the blades finally soared. Jotaro was surprised by the speed of those, but his attention was caught by the sudden explosion that erupted once the weapons impacted onto their targets.


At first he thought the attack had sortied a swift kill, or at least some grave damage. But then he knew deep inside that things weren't going to be that easy.


And like he had expected, the monster was still there, looking fine and… now holding a second blade. This one was as dark and corrupted as the original one.


"For a Madman, he's quite nimble," Rider commented with small surprise. "To think that he managed to deflect all the blades by taking over one of those."


...What?


It took him a moment to fully realize what he had just heard, but then Jotaro realized what happened.


The blades… he had moved through them. While at first he had thought that Berserker had kept a static defense, the truth was that the Servant had danced around the attacks and took over one of those for himself.


"You dare to grasp my treasures with your pathetic hold? Do you truly wish for death, cur?"


More portals, and more blades appeared at the end of that sentence.


"Let's see how much can you withstand this cheap parlor trick of yours."


The assault resumed, and just like before, the Black Knight moved through the approaching blades and… this time took over two of those. Smoke exploded again, but this time Berserker didn't keep idle. The blades he had taken, all three of weapons, were soon returned to the sender through the dark curtain of dust.


Archer jumped quickly away from the streetlight, the pole cleaved in various pieces with what were once his own tools of destruction.


"You dare-? You think that you can just play around with my swords? Do you know what you've just done, you stupid mutt!?" More anger sparked from those words. "This time, I will make sure that you perish."


The number of portals and weapons doubled since the previous attempt. Jotaro wasn't completely sure if Berserker had the speed and reaction time to actually survive that kind of onslaught.


Despite how well he had fared in the previous barrages, this one looked to be far more destructive than the last ones.


He was ready to strike again, the 'King' looked already smug at the possible outcome of that final attempt. Yet… fate had other things planned than that almost certain victory.


The portals disappeared, and Archer now had a murderous look on his face as he scowled.


"Tokiomi, you dare to use a command against me. Me! I can't believe you would go as far as to displease me to this degree," The Servant muttered furiously, talking to his… Master?


Tokiomi. A new name that will be subject of more research once this is all done.


Seriously, what was with Servants screaming around either their names or their master's? Did he need to worry for Caster to do something like this? While the bubbly brunette had been quite an irritation to have around, she was keeping a proper stance before the danger-zone they were into.


A little mercy in that sea of annoyances.


But despite the angry and unwilling note of his previous words, the golden-haired man closed his eyes and nodded in a display that dignified his recomposed self.


"I hope that next time you will be ready for a proper fight. One without a filthy mutt to interrupt me in my judgment," The blond barked loudly, then he turned to look at Jotaro. "And I will make sure you're properly dealt with, anomaly. I shall… make sure that your death will be a perfect example for those you care for."


Now, that was an irritating element to bring up but, before the Marine Biologist could've done anything about it, Archer disappeared in a light-blue mist… leaving the rest of the Servants (and two Masters) to face the Berserker.


Speaking of the Black Knight, the mindless beast had kept a peaceful stance towards the other up until now. It was now that everyone was freed from dealing with Archer that they could now see that the red visor was now aimed at…


Saber.


"His anger… it's increasing," Caster commented quickly. "Whatever his plight is, I'm fairly sure that it's connected to you, Saber."


The swordswoman looked uneasy for a moment, but her blue-green eyes were directed at the dangerous Servant as it started to… vibrate.


"Iri, stay back."


There wasn't much notice left for them as Berserker roared and bolted to reach one of the nearby metal poles, tearing it down and turning it in a new weapon. He jumped and dived towards Saber, the blonde ready to intercept the approaching enemy… only for something to swiftly slam into his chest.


Jotaro stared fiercely at the monster as he harshly slammed to the ground. ｢Star Platinum｣ had manifested just in time, quickly enough for it to reach one of the pieces of the now broken streetlight and throwing it at the dangerous Servant.


"Truly an… impressive sight," Rider commented while looking right at the Stand.


The Joestar scowled darkly at the fact that was being seen by the Servants. And that precious advantage was rendered useless in mere instants.


Good grief, this night isn't truly a nice one to be wandering around the streets.


"Master of Caster," The white-haired woman with red-eyes, the one that he was pretty sure was Saber's Master. "Are… are you going to aid us?"


He tipped his hat lightly, but not to agree at the comment. Rather to prepare a small speech. Something powerful, something meaningful and-


"Caster's proposal is one that I myself accept. Considering the circumstances, I think it's best we take out that bastard before we leave."


"Leave? You don't wish to stay and fight some more?"


Jotaro stared at Rider with a dull look. "It's late, and to be fair I'm not that much invested in this War. Good grief, as if I would willingly sign for a deadly competition."


"That sounds like an interesting story, the one that got you to partake in this conflict," The red-haired Servant commented. "But I suppose you're not willing to spare any details about your curious ability."


The young man didn't reply, instead returning his attention on Berserker. The Black Knight was standing up, clearly fixed on attacking Saber as he roared again, rushing once more to attack the blonde-


Only for Lancer to move in and destroy the corrupted half-pole the mindless monster was using as a weapon. That got the resilient bastard to stop, either in surprise or… confusion. Or both.


"Lancer?" Saber inquired, only for the fellow Knight to smile and nod.


"I shall assist too in the extermination of this dangerous beast."


"Ahah!" Iskandar laughed hard at that. "Then I suppose it's final! We shall focus on Berserker now that we can, then I assume you two can resume your fight."


"Considering what happened tonight?" Lancer pointed out with a rhetorical note before letting out a sigh. "I think it's best we just delay that for a latter time. At least when we both can have a fair fight."


"Master, let's do this," Caster said with a giddy tone, pumping a fist up while she prepared her staff for the fight.


Jotaro merely nodded, his Stand ready to spring in action to aid the brunette when-


A dark mist appeared around Berserker, consuming it and… leaving nothing behind.


…


"H-He just left?" The boy sharing the chariot with Rider asked after about a few seconds of surprised silence.


"It looks to be the case," Rider muttered with a sad voice. "A pity. But not an unexpected development considering the odds stacked against him."


Four Servants against one? Even someone as 'powerful' as Berserker would know that challenging this many people at once was a death warrant on itself. Still, it proved that either the Servant was smart enough to understand that the situations wasn't a favorable one… or maybe his Master was clever.


Both were dangerous options, but perhaps it was the best for the Servant to not be the one capable of seeing through the red-taint of madness.


Jotaro shook his head and started to make his way away from the group of dangerous people there. "Caster, we're leaving."


Pink eyes showed some surprise at the order, yet the brunette nodded in reluctant acceptance at the demand as there wasn't much to do there. While they could've fought there and now, maybe dared the chances of winning there, nobody looked ready to start a fight… and those who dared, would've been targeted by the neutral parties.


Which wasn't convenient for anyone there, especially for her team.


Just as Jotaro imagined the happiness that would come for him to softly trip into the comfy bed back at his hotel's room, he was stopped by some words.


"Master of Caster," Saber spoke with a serious tone. "I wish to thank you for-"


"Spare me the thanks. In this war, we're all going to fight each other," The Stand User interrupted with a sigh. "Don't think of this as an attempt to sound malicious, or outright hateful, but this is the cruel reality. I didn't ask for this, but I will definitively investigate up until I'm sure this situation is as problematic as I see it as of now or not."


"Investigation?" The blonde's Master inquired with a hint of surprise, but that question fell on deaf ears as Jotaro wasn't willing to engage in any serious discussion that threatened to delay good rest.


The paperwork for tomorrow was draining as it could get, and he wasn't going to waste golden hours of sleep all for the sake of bringing up to the situation possible enemies.


Caster was quiet as they retreated back to the hotel, yet her pink-eyes couldn't help but look behind.


Why she felt like that strange-looking woman was much more than she looked like?


------------d-d-d-d--------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d--------------


AN


Battle of the docks… kinda.


It had something similar to canon, but it pretty much lacked much of a fight.


Why Berserker retreated? While he's obsessed with Artoria, Berserkalot has a degree of sanity beyond Mad Enchantment. It's very small, but enough to show him that ignoring Kariya's demands to back away from that unfair situations wouldn't bode well for his revenge. A mutt he might be, but he isn't 100% Brain-dead.


Kayneth actually not making a strategic error? The situation was shaping a little beyond his liking. If he decided to side Lancer to Berserker's side, he knew that it would've resulted in his defeat. Which is why now he doesn't have an annoyed Servant to command properly. Which is bad for other competitors.


What to do with Kariya? I can say two certain things driven by logic: 1) He will die (His body is beyond recovery. There's no Crazy Diamond or Golden Experience that could help him with that. I'm not going to Deus-Ex-Machina so he lives.); 2) His death will be… meaningful (Can't add on that since it's heavy-spoiler. But it will have a hint of Jojo's poetic deaths.);


Servants can see Stands? These are people that have more than once proved to have a fighting soul that could easily bear a Stand. Mind you, I don't plan to add Stands to Servants as that would make things… terribly complicated.


What about Irisviel? Will she live? Don't ask. I can't reply. It's spoiler, but I can't say if it's good spoiler or bad one.


Finally… Sakura? I have plans for her… and Chibi Rin. It will all make sense at the end of this story.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 6: Third Mantra! Rest, Remember, Replan!


It was truly interesting how a single task as the one at hand was turning in quite the troublesome and time-draining attempt.


Kiritsugu had faced various cases which forced him to delve deep in dossiers and secret files, all for the sake of giving him a greater understanding of the absurdity that was at hand. It was only natural for an assassin to have a clear sight of his target's pattern and lifestyle… but this time the situation was far more different.


The battle at the docks had opened an interesting can of worms that the Magus Killer was still unsure how to properly approach. Irisviel was fine, but Saber had suffered some injuries while facing Lancer in their duel.


Avalon was slowly mending the injuries, but it would be silly of him to hope for the Servant to be capable of giving her best in the next couple of hours.


Kayneth El-Melloi was a dangerous element that needed to be dealt with quickly and without hesitation. The man was brilliant, but he was also quite naive in the way he was leading his own war effort.


The traditional Magus knew only how to elaborate tactical plans, something that would work on the very moment action began. But if modern warfare had taught Kiritsugu an important lesson, it was that long-term damage was better than taking huge risks to score a complete victory early on.


Which is why the Emiya had seen it fit to prepare a large load of explosives that needed to be invested for the big operation meant to remove such a problematic foe.


And while morality wasn't questioned over the extension of his planning because of his careful steps needed to avoid the killing of the rest of the guests in the hotel Kayneth was located, the complicated issue that had him pause over the execution of this ambitious mission… was created by the existence of an anomaly.


Caster's Master, the man that had been 'dragged' in the docks at Archer's whims, was a variable he couldn't help but be worried more about.


Kiritsugu had faced several enemies before his ten years retirement, but Jotaro Kujo… just didn't seem to click well within his mind. Something just felt so wrong about the situation surrounding him.


And it wasn't like he was hated what the Marine Biologist did, but… the Magus Killer could tell that it was something correlated to the predicament that had pushed such a character in a conflict as deadly as the Holy Grail War.


While the archives that were 'borrowed' by the Church offered an extensive and troublesome description of the man… and his ancestors, the issue stemmed from the personal info he could salvage by the Kujo's own profile within the government's documents about him.


Jotaro Kujo, 24, Marine Biologist. Born in Tokyo from Sadao Kujo, a renowned Jazz Musician, and Holly Joestar, housewife. He was married to Lena Castana and was a father to a 2-years old, Jolyne Kujo.


His background was actually… bland compared to the deeds addressed by the Church. Up until 17, the man didn't show any unique trait that could be found in other members of the Joestar Family.


Hamon wasn't a detail ever mentioned beyond Joseph Joestar's bio, but it wasn't a possibility Kiritsugu was going to exclude in case of fighting. While the 'Ripple' was problematic for undead creatures like Apostles, the self-enchanting nature of such ability rendered one capable of absurd feats.


If Jotaro proved to be having such a power… then the Emiya would need a little more time to plan out a counter against this mystical technique. It wasn't Magecraft for sure, but the ability… was still connected to Gaia somehow.


A fascinated subject that ended up shelved for later as the Magus Killer found something else to entertain himself with. Jotaro Kujo was responsible for the killing of a dangerous 'Type grade' monstrosity known as Dio Brando.


The name was mentioned in Jonathan Joestar's profile, but the being mentioned there was depicted as a High-Tier Apostle. A malicious man that was responsible for quite the supernatural upheaval during the nineteenth century, both from his servants and… the peculiar stone mask that was mentioned as destroyed.


Still, it was quite a leap in power from 'High-Tier' to 'Type Tier' for this vampire to be capable of achieving. Especially if said empowerment happened after a century of dormancy had gone by.


It was only when Kiritsugu gazed over Clocktower's own report over the matter that he got a better understanding of what Dio once was. While his 'Time-Stopping' ability counted as something that easily surpassed a Type's capacity to influence the world (something that had just been alluded by Noritaka Emiya's mad notes about time manipulation), the same couldn't be said about his physical and mental capacity.


Albeit far stronger from the Church's best Executor, the vampire would've been easy to kill against any Magus specialized in claiming Seal Designations.


And speaking of the dreadful practice that the Magus Association was known to push for any problematic individual or monster, there was something of a unique case correlated to the Joestar family over this kind of issue.


It was all because of an edict imposed by the Holy See over the matter, and something that the Clocktower had surprisingly complied to even when Jotaro was found responsible for Dio's demise.


The Joestar family, their companions, their loved ones- everyone that is closely associated with the strange family members was to remain untouched. The gravity of such a move was highlighted by the fact that the various Popes up until now had signed the paper and ratified it with the Magus Association.


It was an absurd paradox for the Church to be imposing this policy to Magi as it was generally the opposite most of the time, but the elements that truly pressed the group located in London to abide by this rule was far easier and far 'detached' from any of the deeds committed by the Joestar Family.


Kischur Zelretch von Schweinorg, the Wizard Marshal himself, had seen it fit to confirm the theories surrounding the 'invisible hand' guiding the life-saving mission that all Joestars were known to embark in their lifetimes.


A dual-edged blade that protected the clan from ever be subjected to any attacks from those 'within the Domain ruled by Gaia itself', but also left them subjected to perilous situations every two generations.


Jotaro, Joseph, and Jonathan. If there was a danger to Earth, like the one represented by a Dio Brando or something like the mysterious 'Ultimate Being' mentioned just barely in some papers Maiya had gotten from the Speedwagon Foundation, the family was there to fight the threat and vanquish it.


Now… the issue was a little more complicated than just planning how to kill swiftly and without much of a ruckus the Marine biologist. No, the problem stemmed by two unpleasant discoveries, with one he had found out about when Irisviel and Saber had returned to the castle.


"Master, I wish to make it clear that I refuse to lift my blade against Caster's Master," Artoria had muttered, leaving no space for protest at the sudden reluctance. "As a King, it's only rightful of me to not slander the proper alliance created by the man, and I can see how his ancestor live through him by the way he acts and moves. I will not commit myself to murder a member of that clan."


While the first reason was acceptable for Kiritsugu, especially since it sounded convenient to have more firepower to throw at Berserker, the Emiya had some skeptical thoughts over why the King of Knights would outright denounce the chances of battling with Caster and her Master.


"Why?" He had asked himself as his voice fell deaf to the blonde's hearing.


Quite the concerning development, but one that was better explained by the very documents recovered from the Speedwagon Foundation.


It was labeled as 'baseless tales recovered from a naive and slightly-senile founder', but considering the truthfulness of King Arthur's legend, there was no reason to not give serious thought to such story.


Artoria might have been a chivalrous individual now, but there was a time when her temper would be a dangerous variable to her knighthood. It was early during her reign, when she hadn't consolidated her domains just yet that she ended up being challenged by an unusual knight.


Josiah Joestar was but a landless knight when he first approached King Arthur. A man of virtue that had gained large popularity among the Lothians, someone that had appeared as a legitimate issue to Arthur's own sister, Morgan, all because of his sway with the people she had long used to kill her 'brother'.


There was no genuine recounting of the conversation that saw the two accept a deadly challenge with live iron, but the results were far different than Kiritsugu would've expected.


Artoria lost. Soundly so from the way the defeat was narrated. But what just made things worse for her was the humiliating stain she herself landed by striking his victorious opponent while he was turned around.


It was in a fit of anger, but the sword that had once represented her right to the throne of Britons was tainted in the blood of the stronger knight.


The tale then made echoes with Artoria's own redemption conquered through some deeds committed after she had seen fit to destroy Caliburn.


Excalibur was her materialistic reward, but it was the 'better person' that she turned into from abandoning her childish temper that truly represented an absolute act of forgiveness from the Joestar.


With this new information now in his possession, Kiritsugu knew that in order to kill Caster and her Master, he would've to resort to subtler but more effective means to take him out instead of relying on his Servant. Either that or tempt King Arthur's patience through the usage of the Command Seal.


The relationship between him and Saber was already strained on an ideological perspective… it would just hurt his chances of keeping a stable chance of winning if he poked too hard at the uneasy nature of their connection.


It was just outright complicated how everything was stacked against him by the very moment he looked at the chances of him 'removing' Jotaro Kujo from the big picture.


Kiritsugu sighed as he noticed a smiling Iri entering his office, bringing to the table a warm cup of coffee.


Maybe a pause was needed now more than ever. Maybe he could work things out by wasting the remainder of the night with a quick rest and-


"Good morning," His wife finally greeted, bringing his calm to a shocked and chilling halt.


Morning? Did he seriously waste this many hours just to address such a problem?


While it was just correct for him to show any inclination toward a target, it was just so odd that he had wasted the entire night over it.


Perhaps was the tension he was feeling from this complex competition, or maybe he was starting to feel the toll after wasting so many years keeping inactive- rusty.


It had to be it. He needed to be sharp and careful enough to go through the sacrifices needed to have his wish granted.


It was his only chance to save humanity… and he couldn't let himself ruining it all for the sake of his greedy emotions and affection for loving woman that had decided to take a seat beside him and help him organize the papers.


This was going to be the most difficult of jobs… maybe even worse than the last one with Natalia.


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"I see that you're still busy here."


Kirei blinked in brief surprise at the unexpected intrusion, but he nodded as his father advanced toward the small table he was using to conclude hours of preparations for the unique dish.


At first sight, one could easily mistake the food as a simple plate filled with Mapo Tofu. Same appearance, same aroma, same heat…


But there was a twist. A unique one that had taken the young priest plenty of his time, making him skip a meeting with Tokiomi about what happened at the docks.


"Father, I hope Tohsaka-san wasn't annoyed by my inability to join him," Kirei hummed quietly, only to be graced by a tired sigh from his only parent.


"Tokiomi hardly minded that, Kirei. His relationship with his Servant... is turning problematic," Risei admitted with a grimace. "Perhaps I was correct when I assumed that Gilgamesh was someone that couldn't just be controlled properly."


The younger Kotomine frowned. "You never mentioned this."


"It was a simple thought that I had held ever since I saw the first interaction Archer had with Tokiomi," The elder answered readily. "I preferred to keep quiet… but I worry that things might grow unstable if action isn't taken about Gilgamesh's rebellious attitude."


Kirei nodded, but his attention blankly returned at the steamy plate.


"Father… I do advise caution about the word you use towards Archer," The former Executor mentioned. "He can… see if someone is being against his decisions."


Risei frowned. "See?"


There was no answer to it, and the old man took it as a reason to ponder more about the possible allusion his son was making. It didn't took him much to connect dots and… pale at the realization waiting around the corner.


"I… I guess that I will be a little more careful about my words."


A distracted nod came from his heir, making the priest frown.


"You still haven't told me what you were trying to do in the kitchen," Risei pointed out. "Are you interested in something in particular?"


Kirei finally offered a more visible nod. "It's an idea. A mere thought that is shaping in the form of… this."


…


"A plate of Mapo Tofu?" His father guessed with a degree of uncertainty, forcing the younger priest to shake his head at the suggestion.


"It's different," He commented, taking a simple spoon and getting some of the reddish liquid in it. "Please, give it a try."


Risei sighed, some nervousness rising in his expression. "Kirei-kun, you know that I don't like Mapo Tofu anymore..."


"You used to enjoy it," Kirei mused calmly. "What changed, father?"


The room grew quieter as the older priest seemed to ponder whatever or not he should be relenting this kind of answer. In the end, he conceded to the odd situation and just spoke out what he had in his mind.


"Your mother died," Risei curtly answered, giving out the answer as crudely as he could. "And with that, so did my interest in trying out anything that reminded me of her."


…


Kirei gave a slow nod, still staring at his creation.


"So… if I asked you to try this… you wouldn't accept it-" The brunet started to inquire carefully. "Because mother used to cook Mapo Tofu?"


He sighed. "Your mother was someone that shared much of your tastes, dear son," The elder answered blankly. "In fact, I sometimes wonder if she would've done a better work raising you than I did..."


Kirei actually paused at that, perplexed by the curious 'what if' that his father had just brought up for him to consider.


His mother was never a topic he had ever stopped around for long. He didn't have a reason to truly ask, especially when he didn't have any emotional bond to her.


Sure, he was born thanks to her and her sacrifice as she died during his conception, but he didn't felt the same degree of affection a normal boy would've to a living parent.


But now that his father was bringing up new information of such a 'taboo' subject to even allude to during conversations, Kirei knew that he needed to dig a little more about his past.


The deep discussion with Caster and Jotaro-san had opened to him a small door. A door that could easily end in the umpteenth failure for him to tank. Which is why, despite not having a stronger reason behind this curiosity, the priest pressed on for some more.


"How… how did she look like?"


He needed to start from small details. He needed to coax his father in a proper conversation about her by reminding him of the good rather than push him for more concrete info.


"She was a beauty," Risei said while sighing longingly at that fleeting memory. "I was so stunned back when I first met her. It was during a visit in Rome, I had been called by a group of cardinals to offer my reports over the Third Holy Grail War."


The elder shivered at the mere mentioning of that experience. While his father had been rather unwilling to previously offer more insight over the woman responsible for his presence here today, the same wasn't over the haunting time spent in Fuyuki.


1934 was truly a year that many wanted to forget. One that just saw so much blood getting spilled for one reason or another.


"I was grumbling by the streets, having decided to take some time off for myself to be a tourist in the city after talking thoroughly to my hosts… and I found her," The older priest hummed. "She was alone by the Trevi Fountain, looking around with that saddened look and… unhappy heart."


His eyes closed. "The sight back then was… tragic. Someone that had lost her own family because of an unexpected occurrence," The elder continued with a quieter tone. "She wanted to lash out and blame everything, even the Lord, for the dreadful ordeal."


She hated God? That sounded like a person Kirei's father would've hardly paid attention to.


And yet… he did.


"I inquired about her plight, feeling rather conflicted over her foul words toward God… and her tears disproving that hatred," He continued without a pause. "She was easy to convince, and soon I was given the chance of listening to her tale."


"I led her by the nearby Church and, after asking permission to the local priest, I took it up to myself to give her a chance of confess to God and… ask for forgiveness."


"And did she accept?"


Kirei's words were met with a snort.


"She screamed at me at the mere idea. Almost scratching at me for even bringing this choice up to her," Risei answered dryly, making his own son frown.


"Then why you went through with that task?"


…


Risei's stare lowered to the table, his eyes following the slow clockwise rotation within the plate of Mapo Tofu.


"I… I didn't," The priest admitted.


…


"What?"


"With the young woman inconsolable as she was, I decided against pushing her harshly towards the Lord," Risei explained. "Our God is one of mercy and love, and his will would've been betrayed if I persisted and forced the lady to go through with my demands."


"And what did you do then?" Kirei felt like this was quite the unusual approach from his father to a 'stray sheep'. It was… almost as if that wasn't the Risei he had known since birth.


"We talked. No confession, no attempt to make her repent for painting God as the cause of her bad news," The elder replied with a nod. "I decided to coax her to calm down, and to regain bearing of her thoughts instead of abusing of her weakened understanding of things."


…


"We ended up learning about each other. We knew our names, what we liked and… I finally asked her if she was free to talk some more by the next morning once I realized that it was getting too late."


She accepted. They would eventually spend a couple of days together and the hangouts would be quite restrained at first.


But the more Kirei's mother spent time with the 'strange priest', the more she would break through the self-imposed shell hiding her true self.


The woman was an individual driven by curiosity, someone that just craved for the interesting topics brought up by the fascinating fellow that was Risei.


They would end up deepening that bond after a month had passed, and she would ultimately accept coming with Risei back in Fuyuki. The little Japanese city proved to be quite a challenge for the lady, as she was hardly acknowledged to have a proper fluency with Japanese, but in the end they managed to settle down by the little church within town.


Months passed, and they were both back in Italy, this time with the lovely lady having long accepted Risei's marriage proposal and have gone through the ceremony meant to seal their love.


Now the reason that saw them back in the 'boot of Europe' was the swelled belly that the woman had. Kirei was due to arrive at the end of that very month, and his mother had requested to conceive back in her hometown.


Risei had agreed, happily so, as he knew that it was only legitimate for her to ask such a wish. The conception day came and… things didn't develop well for the couple.


The doctors were trying their best to manage the complicated pregnancy, and the risk of losing both his wife and his son were high enough to put a genuine worry in the now-elderly figure.


He prayed. And prayed.


A miracle happened in the form of Kirei being born without developing any sickness or illnesses correlated to the troubled conception… but the price was the death of his wife.


Things were now clear to the brunet as he could now see why his father had been so reluctant to even keep pictures of the woman.


The odd 'exchange' of lives just made the entire idea that this had been God's own machination truly an unpleasant thought for a God-worshiping man like Risei a dreadful experience to remember on a daily basis.


By merely glancing at Kirei, the old man was constantly reminded of what happened that difficult night and… that would explain why there was such a lack of support from him during Kirei's first years of education.


No gratification, no praising beyond the simple politeness an individual should shown before the success of another.


But the realization, albeit the truth that just explained this kind of behavior, didn't help much Kirei in understanding the sharp and searing 'stab-like sensation' that had enveloped his chest.


He merely sighed, nodding. He couldn't show this kind of attitude before his father… and soon he was reminded of the first question that sparked this convoluted discussion.


"I remember you mentioning when I was much younger, father, that attaching actions, things and sights to person we've lost along the way is unhealthy," Kirei muttered calmly. "Do you think that mother would be happy if she noticed you doing the same?"


Just as he finished saying this, the brunet paused in confusion at the strange note he had unconsciously let out in that final question. It sounded malicious, but not in the cruel or inhuman manner.


It felt just… right to the situation.


Risei's stare was low and fixed on the table. There wasn't much hesitation, only a grimace before the sudden query.


"No. No, she wouldn't."


…


"Kirei-kun, I've… a question or two for you too," The elder continued after a while. "It's… something that has to do with your wife and daughter."


An attempt to come back at him? Could his father be truly that petty about this pressure?


He couldn't back away now, and so Kirei braced for whatever was waiting around the corner.


"Sure."


Risei nodded. "Do you hate yourself… for not being there when Claudia killed herself?"


...Mostly yes. But the reasoning behind that situation was more difficult to contain in proper words. Even now, after that discussion with Caster and Jotaro-san, his mindset was unable to properly discern the kind of emotions that had drove him to despise that very memory.


"Yes."


The elder hummed. "Do you think you could've stopped it by yourself? Maybe save her?"


He could've done that. But would he have wanted that? That was a mystery too.


Still, he offered a nod, abusing the way the queries were worded to avoid adding more than a curt answer.


"Yes."


Risei sighed, eyes closing for a moment as he pondered over what to say next. This was turning more in a chore than a proper conversation. Kirei could see it in his growing tired expression.


"Kirei-kun, are you afraid to hurt little Caren because of it?"


...What?


That he missed the death of his wife? That he couldn't be there to see and… act, either by doing good or… bad?


"I don't understand."


"I will not lie to you, because I think it's just correct now that I tell you the whole truth," The elder started to explain. "When I first saw you, just a crying newborn being shown to me in front of your dying mother… I…"


…


"I couldn't help myself, but hate you, Kirei," He finally confessed, shame filling his features. "But not because of what you did, or how you looked like… it was all connected to what your existence dignified in that scene."


The fact that he had been the prime cause of killing his own mother. The accusation was actually hurtful to hear, but he could find the logic somehow… familiar.


"I will never consider myself a model father. I've done plenty of slights against you out of personal and foolish spite. I've condemned you to an unfair situation on a constant basis," The elder continued. "I would set up an overly-ambitious bar for you to reach… and deny you the proper affection parents should offer to their own children."


…


"And while I will never be forgiven, nor redeemed with the way I treated you… I wish for you to know that you're not me in that regard."


"What?" Kirei almost blurted out, surprise from the early explanation catching up on his current state of mind. What was his father referring to?


"I might not know what you're thinking right now, nor I will have the gall and assumption to understand how you look at life itself… but I know one thing that I'm blindly sure of," Risei said while nodding. "You, Kirei Kotomine, are afraid of hurting your own daughter. Which is why, despite my assurances that you would've done a fine job as a parent, you left her to the care of her mother's family."


I… I can't understand. What was he talking about? What about Caren? And… afraid of hurting her?


"Father-"


"You're not going to hurt her," The old priest pressed on. "When you first heard of Claudia's death, you were there to cradling her close to you, almost protectively."


He could… remember. His mind had been focusing mostly on his wife's suicide, morbidly pondering over the strange sadness that had rouse up from such a sight. And while his thoughts centered over the tragic event, he could still remember the careful hold he had over his crying child, and the hand that was so cautiously caressing her scalp.


Why did I forget this? Why…


"I can't tell if you hate me, or just hold me with silent contempt… but I want you to know that, despite the aftermath this War might take, and despite the confusing life you had..." Risei sighed, eyes closing again. "I'm proud of you. I'm proud of your achievements, I'm proud of your respect of the Church's rules..."


He paused, his attention shifting back at the spoon filled with some of the red soup and he moved to pick it off from Kirei's tense hold.


The brunet blinked in surprise at the sudden action, but allowed his father to try out the dish he had created.


Silence domineered for a while, with Risei carefully analyzing the strange taste of the Mapo Tofu.


"The spice… it's not that strong," The old man pointed out.


"You once told me that you detested overly-spicy food. I decided to try my hand in creating a 'softer' version of the dish, while also working on preserving the flavor without diluting it too much with the newer ingredients."


Risei nodded, a smile appearing on his face. "This is delicious, Kirei. I didn't know that you were natural in cooking."


The brunet blinked at the compliment. Natural? This was the second try for today and… maybe Gilgamesh's limited praises over the first attempt before he took it for himself were as truthful as those had sounded the first time around.


And that smile, despite having seen the king smile maliciously and furiously at Kotomine, was indeed a content one as he initially thought it to be.


"May I… take this?" His father finally asked, and Kirei nodded.


"You may. I will just try some other recipes before turning my attention on my duties as Tokiomi's ally."


Risei nodded, his smile widening just a fraction as he took the plate and the spoon with him away from the small kitchen.


The Master of Assassin sighed as he was once more left alone, this time to ponder over the revelations he had gotten out from his father.


Before he truly shifted his attention back to the cooking counter, he called upon Assassin and had them seek something he was now interested to find.


A picture of his mother. Surely, there was a photo saved by Fuyuki Town's administrative branch. And hopefully… this curiosity of his could finally be sated with it.


But for the time being, Kirei returned to his cooking while his mind thought more about Risei's words and what he could really do with a question that he had delayed for so long. What was he supposed to do with his daughter?


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Jotaro huffed as he finished loading the last of the luggage that he had been asked to put in the trunk of the taxi.


It had come out as a surprise that the way his grandfather had decided to 'call him back with new information' was by directly taking a flight to Fuyuki Town.


Joseph Joestar, now a 76-years old elder, had a massive grin plastered on his face as he walked out of the local train station with a small group of people giving chase to him. The squad deployed by the Speedwagon Foundation was at least moderated with their greetings, instead of following the rambunctious old man that quickly demanded a hug from him once he saw him waiting.


It didn't help that Caster seemed to hit it off pretty well with the older Joestar, her bubbly personality finding a match in the overly-giddy mood of the Star Crusader.


"So these Pillar Men- they were aliens or-"


"Oh, those were some strange cavemen," Joseph interjected eagerly, finding it a blessing that the young woman had been curious to know more about his past adventures. "They were like vampires… but also not. It's quite difficult to explain without some papers."


"Oh, I can understand. I remember having trouble myself in understanding some of the obstacles along my path," Xuanzang assured with a bright smile. "But still, I'm interested about this… Hamon. I think I've heard of something like this when I visited Tibet."


"It was there that it was studied and preserved when the first Ripple Clans were destroyed by the Pillar Men," The old Joestar pointed out. "My grandfather, Jonathan, learned through William Zeppeli, which had studied by the old Tibetan master Tonpetty."


"This is so fascinating, Joseph-san," Caster commented with genuine interest. "To think that there was so much of the mystical that I had yet to uncover. By the way, is Master capable of using the Ripple?"


Jotaro tensed up a little at that sudden question, but Joseph merely sighed. "Let's just say that there wasn't a reason for him to study. The Ripple can only be developed properly by those that have faced tragedy in their lives, and Jotaro isn't someone that had the chances of experiencing this degree of pain until we were traveling to hunt down DIO."


"So he could technically learn it?"


"He could," The elder admitted readily. "But I don't think he wouldn't want to. He has a proper job that takes most of his time, and while he could technically bring this as a training for when he's at home, I don't wish to burden him even more than he is now."


At least he could agree on this very point. It was hard enough to keep things away from his close family, to even think of starting to study some mystical crap to push him even more in the bizarre.


Good grief, he was still human and he needed some breaks away from the insanity from time to time.


Plus he didn't want to offer the very lifestyle to his daughter once she grew up. It would be infuriating if she ends up dealing with any of the crap he is forced to face on a monthly basis.


"I still don't understand this. If there was someone like Dio, then why the Magus Association or the Church intervene against him?"


Xuanzang's query was met with a grimace from Joseph.


"That's because the Church did try to subdue him when he was spotted in Italy," The old Joestar answered with a sigh. "But his Stand and his cunning mind ended up making mincemeat of anyone sent to kill him."


As Caster nodded at this info, the elder glanced back at his grandson.


"Speaking of the Magus Association, I think I should tell you to be wary of Tokiomi Tohsaka and Kayneth El-Melloi, the Masters of Archer and Lancer respectively," He addressed with a more serious tone. "We've got quite the dossiers about these fellows, and both sounds quite dangerous to face directly."


Jotaro frowned. "I thought that the Foundation had no means to get info on Magi-"


"That was before we had a chance of getting informants from within the Association. People that were more than happy to offer information over these two men just for the sake of weakening their roles within the politics of Clocktower."


"Clock...tower?"


"It's another name given to the Association. They are set in London, and their headquarters' entrance is inside the basement of the British Museum," Joseph continued to explain. "We managed to get a couple of details that could help, especially against Tohsaka-san."


"Why him specifically?" The marine biologist inquired with a hint of confusion.


"Because I would dare to say that this Tokiomi is the worst scumbag," The old Joestar mentioned with a dark scowl. "He is the father of two children, but decided to give away his youngest daughter away to another family in town. The Matou Clan."


He blinked, remembering the early information about the 'three main families' that the old man had passed to him.


He had met several of the Masters up until now, but he hadn't seen who Berserker's controller was… and the Matou candidate.


These three families wouldn't hesitate to send their candidates for the competition, and he had already seen the Einzbern candidate, the Tohsaka candidate was Archer's Master… which left the best suspect to be Berserker's Master one of the Matou.


"Do we have some insight over the Matou Clan?" Jotaro inquired curtly, getting an uneasy look from his grandfather.


"Of all things we've managed to dig into, we didn't found much about the family," Joseph confessed with a hint of embarrassment. "Only that the head of the clan is one Zouken Matou, and that they adopted young Sakura Tohsaka as the current heiress of the clan. They seem to be declining steadily, and their might is determined by their previous association to the construction of the Holy Grail."


…


"Jotaro-kun, I think I've to tell you this out of worry rather than certainty," The elder pressed on. "I don't like the kind of anonymity that the Matou have. Their past records are mostly blank, but the things that are in there for people to look at seems rather suspicious."


"I think I will focus on them first, yes," Jotaro said while nodding. "If Matou is indeed Berserker's Master, then I should focus first on them before complicating our situation even further."


"Which is why I will join you for that mission-"


"Old man, you're hardly in shape to walk around properly," The Marine biologist interrupted bluntly. "You would be more of a burden than else."


"Now Master, that was cruel-"


"But kind of true, I guess," Joseph interjected with a sheepish look. "I guess I'm becoming more of an old relic the more years pass and… perhaps I should stay behind for a while."


…


"Ahahahah, AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"


Jotaro tensed up but groaned at the sight of Joseph laughing madly like that.


"Joseph-san?" Caster inquired quietly, her pink eyes wide open in shock at that sudden mood swing.


"That sounds absolutely rubbish! I think you know better than me that I just don't stay behind, especially if someone is in grave danger," The old Joestar exclaimed. "Are you perhaps the one going senile with that much work about dolphins and starfishes, Jotaro?"


The grandson snorted. "Good grief, shitty old man."


"M-Master!" Xuanzang half-shouted in a moment of shock at her Master's crass language.


"It's alright, Caster," Joseph quickly said. "It's Jotaro-kun way to interact with those he cares a lot for. But I guess that has lessened a little bit since he was seventeen."


The brunette still frowned sternly at Jotaro, holding back from properly chiding him for the use of foul words like that… but she restrained herself after listening to Joseph's explanation about it.


The conversation didn't drag for much longer as the elder had to lead the rest of the Foundation's group back to their temporary headquarters that were now located in an abandoned mansion by the city's outskirts.


It would take a while for the equipment they had brought with them to be set up properly, but once the preparations were concluded, Jotaro knew that he would find himself in a better position in this strange war.


But while his mood was pleasantly calm, the same couldn't be said about Xuanzang as the woman saw it fit to remain irritated at him for the remainder of the day. Something that was positive for the Kujo since he was left untouched by any nagging from her, but also frustrated him over the fact that his Servant could get this much prissy for so little.


Good grief, what is it with women and swearing nowadays…


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AN


It's not a single perspective, it's not two- IT'S THREE!


AND OH MY GOD IT'S JOSEFU JOSUTA!!


I could technically speak a little more about the stuff highlighted in there, but I think I did my best in explaining what it needed to be explained in this chapter.


Next chapter will see a genuine brawl, and it will be hilarious since… the bald worm is going to die~!

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 7: Fourth Mantra! Hopeless but Determined!


Hours had passed smoothly after Jotaro had helped his grandfather and the specialists from the Speedwagon Foundation to reach their current headquarters.


The place they were going to stay by was modest-sized and slightly bigger compared to the hotel room he was forced to share with his Servant, but it was mostly occupied by the various machinery that the experts had brought to the city. Devices that were mostly meant to analyze, study, and classify the phenomenon known as Magecraft.


Many within the board of the organization had grown wary about a possible breach of interests at the chance of Magi having infiltrated the inner circle, and some of the main contributors to the Foundation saw it fit to create a commission meant to focus on this new element from the supernatural world.


Nobody knew that Joseph had came with this retinue, and nobody would expect the jovial and grandfatherly Joestar to be there in Fuyuki for nothing more than just assist his grandson in this deadly scenario.


But despite the best of mindset having been taken by Jotaro as they prepared for their assault, he couldn't help but remember how he had grown into hating these large manors.


It wasn't truly something born from mere prejudice, but rather something born from two experiences.


The first one was correlated to Enya the Hag. The disgusting woman had turned the entire place in a trap for the rest of the crusaders, and things had been saved all thanks to some mere suspicions he had developed before entering the place. If he hadn't spotted on the short individual the sliver of maliciousness that was so common in all followers to DIO, things would've turned quite complicated.


The last experience, and perhaps the one that confirmed within the Marine Biologist his distaste over this kind of buildings, was the one connected to DIO's palace.


The place had been a deceitful maze that was used by the vampire's minions to attack relentlessly at the Joestar Group. Iggy and Avdol had perished in that encounter.


Still, there wasn't much he could say about the planned siege. This time they had the element of surprise by their side as their target was blissfully unaware of the hell that was soon going to fall upon him.


Zouken Matou was the main objective, but Jotaro didn't consider the old timer to be the Master of Berserker.


Further research made by Joseph confirmed that two viable candidates lived within the building.


Byakuya Matou was the oldest son to Zouken, but the chances of him being the real controller of the mad Servant were dimmed by the fact that he was a known alcoholic.


His visits at the local pub were seldom knowledge for those living in the area, and the fact he was an angry drunk meant that he couldn't have the mental capacity to properly order around the black knight.


The second candidate was Kariya Matou.


The man had been absent from Fuyuki Town for several years. He was a simple report writer from what could be noticed in his resume. He didn't make anything worth of notice, but he was visibly healthier and craftier compared to his older sibling because of his 'oversea' experience.


Looking even deeper in the documents from the administrative branch of the government here in the city also highlighted two strange occurrences that left Jotaro incredibly… perplexed. Enough for him to grow even more disappointed with the stuff he was learning about these Magi.


The death certificate about Byakuya's wife confirmed that the woman had died of natural health. But no illness, nor any genetic issue were listed as prime factors that lessened her life span to that point.


In fact, there was no indication that the woman had any reason to die. She was healthy from some medical checkup she had to go through after 'tripping' down a flight of stairs back home.


Considering her husband's hobby, it wasn't difficult for Jotaro to realize the true motivation behind these injuries reported by the nurses and the extent of the depravity running rampant within the family.


And while this formed quite the dreadful perspective over the Matou Clan, the worst manifested in the form of how a single individual 'became a Matou'.


Sakura Matou was a five years-old girl that had 'magically' appeared in various documents of her family. She was listed as the younger sister to Shinji Matou, Byakuya's firstborn son, and that she was kept indoors because of a fragile immune system.


While her birth certificate and other recent medical checkups confirmed her as part of the Matou and supported the reasons why she was never seen before outdoors, the real proof that this was all a large lie was a curious issue with Fuyuki Hospital's own papers.


Sakura Matou wasn't listed there. In fact, there was no Matou being born in the date mentioned by her birth certificate.


But there was another match with that name and that birthdate. Someone that was 'surprisingly enough' similar to Sakura Matou in terms of medical details.


Sakura Tohsaka was the youngest daughter to Tokiomi and Aoi Tohsaka. This girl was fairly healthy from early checkups when she was but just a toddler and there were plenty of pictures showing both her and her older sister, Rin, playing around Fuyuki's local park.


Any suspicions of these two individuals being the same person sounded even more truthful when Sakura Tohsaka 'vanished' from any recorded picture of the rich couple visiting the park.


Rin was the only child around, and there had been no explanations whatsoever provided by the Tohsaka family that motivated the young girl's sudden disappearance.


With this much information now available to them, they could visualize what they will probably end up finding inside the place once they broke through the external layer of the building.


Caster was incredibly irked by the revelations, and Jotaro couldn't help but be surprised by how serious she appeared over the matter. While he could understand the reasoning behind her annoyed attitude, at the same time he was impressed by her lack of distractions for this very operation.


But maybe the mere fact that Joseph himself wasn't looking so prone to joke around should've already settled for an outright serious situation.


Zouken Matou, albeit not as close to DIO in terms of maliciousness and depravity, was still scum that needed to be erased from the planet with some proper punches from his Stand.


When the planned hour struck, the trio proceeded to rush at the half-open gate. There was already a sense of uneasiness enveloping their minds as they walked inside the private property, with Joseph swiftly rushing to the side of the building.


The old man was supposed to infiltrate by the backdoor as to lessen the chances of the Master of Berserker to prepare any good defenses.


Just as the elder disappeared around the corner, Jotaro continued to pace up to the entrance of the large house… only to stop when he took notice of a noticeable shadow jumping off the roof and towards them.


Xuanzang had noticed much earlier than her Master, and the brunette had already taken stance as Berserker dived to attack them. But before the armored Servant had the chance to take a swing at them both, Jotaro moved to get the first hits on it.


"｢Star Platinum: The World｣!"


The command was instantaneous, and time was brought to stillness as both Caster and Master acted upon this very advantage.


"ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAAH!"


The sheer brutality of this swift barrage of punches, coupled with Xuanzang's own punches managed to create various cracks over the dark curaisse donned by the malicious man.


The Caster was slightly slower than the Stand, but she was offering her best performance as she punched as quickly and as harder as she could in that golden chance.


While both had wished to deal more heavy damage thanks to the opportunity offered by the Time-Stop, the ability came to its limit way before they had the chance of decimate Berserker.


Jotaro was… surprised by how sturdy the armor felt on ｢Star Platinum｣'s fists. Something about it made it slightly stronger than simple diamond from the way it resisted that powerful combo.


Time was restored, and with it a confused Berserker trying to make sense in the first moments of his 'action' why both of his enemies had 'moved' away from their initial position without him noticing.


His confusion was suddenly replaced by agony as the combined result of the attacks delivered during the time-stop finally pressed onto Berserker.


A loud growl echoed as the dark knight was sent soaring. The Servant slammed onto the large section of old wall behind it, making it collapse on himself before it started to disappear like last time.


There was silence at first, but it was in that very moment that the Marine Biologist realized something. The damage inflicted wasn't enough to kill the Servant, but it had been enough to make it beat a hasty retreat from the close encounters.


They needed to press the advantage.


"Let's go," Jotaro muttered, picking up the pace again as he rushed towards the door. If the Servant was forced to retreat, then his Master was rendered vulnerable to them.


The brunette kept up with him just a little bit behind, nursing a little bit her hands as she had a few cuts on them.


He now realized that her fists weren't as strong as ｢Star Platinum｣'s, and that was going to be important if he really wanted to make sure she wasn't put in a serious disadvantage in any future battles.


But for now, their real target was still wandering around and in a completely defenseless instance.


There was no time to waste in there. Good grief, hopefully the old man is having an easier time than us.


-------------d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d---------


~Joseph's POV~


Maybe I should've brought something to help this stupid backdoor.


He wasn't as strong as a couple of years ago, and his prosthesis had yet to be upgraded with the sturdiest material available.


Cracking the door took an embarrassing amount of time, and it was something that reminded him once again how he should've listened to Lisa Lisa when she had ordered him to keep up with his Hamon Training.


Things would've been smoother if he had. Maybe it would've been helpful while they were still fighting against DIO-


No. He shouldn't be thinking about that time. Suzy had already sounded incredibly serious when she had mentioned about how he needed a therapist with how 'obsessed' he was about the matter.


The guilt wasn't just something that had vanished after that much time had gone by, and every single time he found himself thinking about fighting-related stuff, he would regret his past choices.


Sighing for a moment, he turned his focus back on the current predicament. He couldn't let the past push him down now that the situation demanded his full attention on it.


The old Joestar took the first few steps inside, looking around to his surroundings as he soon found himself in… kitchen?


There was silence at first, but then his sight snapped at the noise of something made of glass crashing down on the ground. The bottle filled with wine came down and splintered in various shards that bolted across the floor. The liquid splattered widely over the ground as a result.


A yelp soon followed as a young boy was forced to crouch down.


"L-Look at what you did-" A man's voice sternly addressed the dark-blue-haired boy. "Spilling this fine liquor all because you can keep sight of where you're going."


From the expression set on the terrified boy's face, Joseph didn't need any proper explanation to know that the child was innocent of whatever crap the drunk man was spitting about.


So, instead of keeping quiet and find out if this was a trap or not, what was left of the brazen Joestar pushed him forward and into the scene.


"Hey, what do you think you're doing with the kid, punk?" The annoyed old man inquired rhetorically. "Did anyone ever teach you about being a respectable individual around children? I can see that it's not the case!"


The drunk man, which Joseph slowly realized was Byakuya Matou, stood up from his chair. He was trembling a little, but it wasn't visible if this was from fright or because his body was dealing poorly with the alcohol.


"Y-You- Who are you? Why are you in my house and-" Byakuya stopped for a moment in his fury, clarity replacing his irritation as he thought about something. "An intruder? If I kill you and bring your carcass to the old man, surely he would allow me to go at the pub!"


A crazed chuckle left the man's lips as he took two steps toward Joseph.


"You made a- A serious mistake to come here, shitty old man!!"


Then the Matou bolted towards what looked to him an easy prey, unable to perceive the muscle difference between himself and the 'shitty old man'.


Joseph was well-aware and that resulted in him offering a merciless sucker punch at the approaching aggressor.


Byakuya's giddiness vanished in a moment of utter shock as he felt his back slam on the nearby wall, his dreadful discovery sinking in at the same pace his body slid down to the ground.


"Y-You- what- how? HOW DARE YOU STRIKE THE HEIR TO THE-"


Before the 'proud heir to the Matou Clan' had the chance of genuinely making an arrogant stand for himself, Joseph decided to regal the man with a murderous look.


"If you think that I give a dime about this empty air you're throwing left and right, then I can assure you that you're severely mistaken!" The Joestar interrupted furiously. "First using a child as a servant, and then attacking me for some favors? Do you have any shame, you scumbag?!"


Byakuya was now trembling at the horrifying sight before him. He hadn't expected for the old intruder to be this strong.


He had expected to be met with some weary moron that had just wandered off at the wrong place at the wrong time… but now he was realizing that he was the moron in this very situation and this stranger didn't look in the mood to spare him after what he ad tried to do.


He was scared, but his attention was once more on the intruder as the old man crouched down a little bit to look closer at him.


"Listen up, punk. I don't care what happens to you, I want to know where Zouken Matou is!"


And hopefully there are no traps in this house. Right now I can sense any on my proximity.


"A-As if I'm- I'm afraid of you! The Matou Clan is- is-"


Seems like he is a little tougher than expected. Time to switch to Plan B.


Raising his artificial hand, Joseph stared down at the downed man. Byakuya thought that this was the prelude for another punch, bracing in a moment of brief terror as he waited for the hit.


But there was no pain that erupted from the following action. Instead, the Matou found the scene even more terrifying.


The fingers in the intruder's hand… started to twist and rotate in an irregular and inhuman pattern. A clickety noise chirping at each tiny action, as if the bones were cracking and mending each time.


It was in that moment his brain provided him a possible answer as to how the display before his eyes was possible.


A magus. Someone from a rival family had decided to infiltrate the household and steal the old man's secrets.


If it had been a normal human, then things would've felt less troublesome… but this was well-beyond his capacities. It was beyond the limits created by his worthless bravado and… Byakuya did the only sensible thing a spineless drunk man like him could've done.


He fainted, passing out in front of an irritated Joseph as the Joestar tried to wake the younger man by shaking him back and forth.


"Are you kidding?" He exclaimed with a whiny tone. "Sure, 'Clickety fingers' can be quite frightening this closely, but that shouldn't have- Goddammit."


Groaning, the elder stood up from the floor and started to think about what to do about the unconscious body. He couldn't certainly leave him around like this. What if he wakes up and become a problem later on?


Just as he contemplated about this matter, soft footsteps approached and… soon the young boy was tugging at his sleeve. The child had been staring at the absurd scene for some time now, and he had been awed by how quickly his father had been taken out by the older fellow and… by the strange hand's unnaturalness displayed so clearly to his eyes.


Shinji Matou couldn't help but be awed at such an individual. He had to be a strong Magus to have dealt with his father so quickly!


"Are you going to kill him?"


Joseph was stomped by the question. His blue eyes widened in shock at hearing a child ask about this kind of stuff.


"No," He blurted without thinking about it, and he tensed up even more at the disappointed look appearing on young Shinji's face.


For the abuse to have been this much extensive to bring a child to ask for their parent's death…


This very instance not only confirmed his worries that things here really needed his presence. It also reinforced his determination in helping Jotaro with the insanity that was surrounding this simple Japanese city.


"How about you show me where your grandfather is, Shinji-kun?" He ultimately asked, drawing a surprised glance from the child at the fact that the 'stranger' knew about him.


"Are you going to tell him about what I asked for father?"


"Your grandfather has done bad things," Joseph answered calmly. "Which is why I'm here to make sure he pays for what he has done."


The boy nodded, looking fairly confused at the motivation, but soon pondering over the matter.


"I think Grandfather is… training Sakura right now."


Without wasting further time, Joseph followed young Shinji through the halls of that desolate home. But just as the two were well away from the kitchen, a small thing crawled in clear sight by the counter, looking right at the doorstep vaulted by the Joestar.


The old Worm is now aware of what is going on in his own domain. And things sure are going to grow tedious for the Joestar group.


-----------d-d-d-d--------------d-d-d-d---------


~Jotaro's POV~


Kariya was rather quick. The trail of blood that he was leaving because of some injury caused during the chase was still offering the Master-Servant duo the chance of keeping up with a swift pursuit of the running Matou.


The hallways of the house looked similar to each other, creating an unnerving sensation as they continued to keep up the pace towards the path left by the blood.


They turned the counter, and found themselves staring at Berserker. The black knight wasn't attacking, merely standing between them and his Master as the white-haired man tried to get some air in his lungs.


He looked dreadful. Not only his hair had grayed out because of the stress caused by the 'upkeep' such a Servant would need, but his body had grew slimmer and… drained.


There was something wrong with his left eyes… the vein around it suggesting that something different than the simple upkeep was hurting him.


Could it be that… Zouken was actually forcing Kariya into this?


"Y-You- You will never-" Kariya tried to say, breathing painfully as he tried to catch up some more rest. "You will never- never get Sakura!"


"What are you talking about, Kariya Matou?" Jotaro inquired placidly. "We're here to kill Berserker and Zouken."


He cackled at these words, his eyes widening at the 'absurd' words he was listening to.


"You- You wish to kill the old worm? Nobody can kill the bastard and-GHH!!" He paused for a moment, tensing up as a sudden bout of pain enveloped his body. Caster looked concerned about this development, but she remained put because of the dangerous Servant standing in her way. "It's impossible. He can't be killed… and- and I don't trust you! You could be lying!"


Berserker roared, finally rushing at the Marine Biologist and the brunette.


｢Star Platinum｣ swiftly intercepted the blade in the black knight's hold with a punch, leaving plenty of openings for Xuanzang to strike into. The attacks were clearly weaker than his Stand's, but the damage was non-negligible as more parts of the Servant's armor cracked.


One last punch slammed fiercely onto the Knight's helmet, bending it a little bit inwardly and forcing Berserker to finally back away from the confrontation.


While the monster had pushed Jotaro to put considerable strength in his Stand's hold, the results were good enough that they knew they needed to press this advantage.


But Kariya was already running, taking the distraction caused by his Servant to cover a greater distance.


And the more the chase continued, the less patient Jotaro felt about this confusing matter. While he was surprised at the possibility that he was fighting an unwilling enemy, the fact that this brawl was dragging for so long in that stupid pursuit, the more he felt less regretful at just planting a quick punch in that walking corpse.


Several minutes passed by as Kariya managed to keep up with a speed that matched up well with both Caster's and his. They descended from the first floor, down to a flight of stairs that seemed to lead to an underground section of the place and… soon the noises of a fight started to reach their ears.


"Joestar-san, please keep up with this pace," A bald figure gloated as he stared giddily at the uneasy circumstance Joseph had been put into. "To think someone your age would have your nimbleness."


The Marine Biologist almost tripped at the massive basement they had arrived to, but he still held up a proper composure as he and his Servant arrived at the bottom of the stairs and got a proper look of the situation.


The old Joestar was pacing quickly through the large area, with his teeth gritting as he continued to pump Hamon through his arms to deflect the waves of worms away from his proximity.


The scene was surreal to even look at, but not enough to distract the Kujo from the direct threats.


Berserker returned, but this time his helmet was gone. His long hair were unruly, some of his dark locks covering his face as to try and hide the glowing red eyes locking onto Caster.


Xuanzang didn't seem particularly fazed by the sight, but Jotaro could see some uneasiness as she glanced over how Joseph was holding against the worms.


"I see that you've brought here the rest of our unwanted guests, Kariya-kun," The bald bastard, Zouken, muttered with a gleeful tone. "I guess the Joestar family will find its conclusion here by my own hands. Now, that sound like something… endearing."


Kariya didn't reply at first, merely glaring at Jotaro for a few solid seconds.


There was silence for a while. There was no true brawl between the two Master-Servant Teams and… Jotaro frowned at the strange expression that suddenly appeared on the younger Matou's face before he turned around to look at the head of the family.


Zouken was distracted by trying to kill Joseph, growing frustrated as the Ripple was making quick work of his familiars, but he felt something wrong was approaching him.


The old Matou turned his head to the side to glance behind, freezing up in surprise as he noticed Berserker rushing at him. Eyes going wide, the surprise persisted even as the large dark sword of the mad Servant bisected the elder's body.


But this wasn't the only thing Berserker did.


Reaching down for a small puddle of worms settled beside Zouken, the dark Knight pulled out from that wriggling mess a tiny body. The child within it looked surprised, but she had little time to react that she was thrown right at a confused Jotaro.


The marine biologist managed to catch the child thanks to ｢Star Platinum｣'s rapid intervention.


He got a glimpse below to the shivering kid, and he felt dread as he realized that it was Sakura Matou. The child didn't have any clothes on herself, she looked incredibly distressed, and- how long has she been in that place?!


"Traitorous spawn of mine!"


Kariya yelped in pain and suddenly fell on the floor. His entire body trembling as if Zouken was responsible for the attack.


The elder looked furious, and it didn't help that his body had yet to properly reform in a proper human form.


"To think that I believed that you really wanted to save little Sakura," The bald old man exclaimed. "And yet now, you're helping them to kidnap her. How stupid can you get when-"


"I know that you lied to me," The white-haired man muttered tiredly, trying but failing to stand up. "Joseph Joestar… he can kill you. That's why you're afraid of him."


Just as the man said this, his body once again tensed up in agony and he started to scream loudly at the atrocious torture developing at that point.


"As if I would ever fear some American idiot!" Zouken rebuked. "You really think you're winning by doing this? That you will give a chance to your little mean to reach your love interest's attention?"


…


"No."


Jotaro noticed a faint glow coming from Kariya's hand. He was using his Command Seals and soon Berserker went still and… lifted his sword up, turning its tip towards his chest before plunging it deep in his torso.


The Servant trashed around, trying to fight back the order but it was too late. The attack was deadly enough to draw the last breaths out of the black knight as it growled and gnawed at his Master as the man stared impassively at the shocked Zouken.


"W-What have you done?!"


"I've long accepted that… I might not live through this," The former Master admitted. "If things had gone differently, maybe I would've been able to be with Aoi… but it would be stupid of me to hope for the unattainable. While I can't have her love… I will make sure that someone that deserves true happiness lives through this."


"The child is mine!"


"No," Kariya refused sternly. "I will not let you hurt her ever again."


The man slowly turned his head toward Jotaro's direction.


"Kujo-san… please keep watch over her for me. I've heard good- good things about you. I know you care for your… your family. Please don't let her suffer again," The young Matou started to have trouble speaking properly.


"O-Ojiisan?"


A soft feminine voice questioned with a confused tone. Sakura had turned to glance at her uncle, her violet eyes wide open at the scene as the man regaled her with a kind but tired smile.


"Sakura-chan… promise me… to live."


His body tensed up again as the elder let out another furious roar, finally getting the former Master's body to explode in gore and blood.


"That was your last insult, you foolish son of mine!" The old Matou vehemently stated, soon turning his sight at Jotaro. "And now, I shall take back what was once mine!"


The Kujo merely blinked as he noticed the old man rush at him with innatural speed, a large mass of worms pushing him around and towards him and Caster.


"Your demise shall be here, Joestar-!"


"｢Star Platinum: The World｣!"


The time stop ensued as usual, and the world freeze around them.


Caster huffed. "Master, let's destroy this monster at once!"


And for the first time in a long while, Jotaro smiled at his Servant's affirmation.


"ORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAORAAH!"


One of the longest beatings he had ever offered to someone that wasn't DIO. It felt nice to finally let out this much stress in the form of furious punches.


｢Star Platinum｣ looked quite happy with the situation, his speed picking up more than usual as he pummeled the entirety of the close old bastard.


A final punch was delivered and… Xuanzang decided to finally add her own signature on their opponent. Her attacks didn't have any battlecry, but she was nonetheless merciless as she barraged Zouken with a flurry of deadly punches.


Surprise swelled in Jotaro's mind as he noticed that he managed to hold time a little longer than usual.


Keeping his surprise away from the moment, the Stand User proceeded to finally let go of the ability and ~time resumed its course~.


Zouken's eagerness vanished within a single moment, right as his shattered body and worms were sent flying on the other side of the basement… where a certain old Joestar was waiting with his own Stand.


"And now I shall finish this scumbag of a monster!"


Hamon crackled within ｢Hermit Purple｣'s vines, the tendrils quickly rushing over the soaring pieces that once were the single entity known as Zouken Matou.


Electricity-like energy burned into the various sections, eliciting a loud agony-filled scream from the old Matou as his entire being was swiftly purged by the Ripple.


The scene lasted for a couple of minutes as Joseph carefully went through to destroy with his Stand what was left of Zouken's body.


Jotaro sighed tiredly, shaking his head as he thought that one of the competitors for the Holy Grail War was finally done for.


But just as he savored this victory, his entire body went rigid as he felt little Sakura shaking in his hold.


The girl had her eyes closed, her face scrunching up in utter pain as her tiny palms rushed at her chest, as if trying to claw out something hurting from within.


"CASTER!"


Gone was the first few layers of his composure at such a sight, and the brunette was already checking onto the child to see what was going on with her.


Pink eyes narrowed as her serious expression returned back for one last time.


"Something from within is causing her pain. I can feel it's alive," Xuanzang answered curtly. "There are multiple of those, but the real issue is created by the one closest to her heart. I can delay its actions but I can't remove it because it's too close to the organ."


Worms. The old bastard had implanted some of its disgusting critters within the child.


Jotaro frowned at Sakura's torso, remembering that there is something he could actually try to do in this circumstance but-


"If it wasn't close to her heart, could it be possible to remove it?"


Caster gave an unfocused nod. That was more than enough for Jotaro to go through with his plan.


｢Star Platinum｣ formed before his eyes, and the Stand carefully hovered his left hand over the girl's chest. The palm went intangible, slowly lowering itself through Sakura's rib cage and right near to the heart.


Pausing at the sensation of an unexpected object within the section of the child's body, ｢Star Platinum｣ made his hand tangible once again and reached for the worm in there, pushing it away from the Major organs before carefully leaving the place.


During this entire operation, Caster stared in pure disbelief at what was happening. While she couldn't see what her Master was doing with his Stand, she could feel the worm being pushed away from harm's zone.


Soon Jotaro nodded as his Servant, letting the brunette act quickly over the opportunity provided by her Master.


The process was tense but soon the plum-haired girl was freed from Zouken's last bits of influence within her body.


She finally released her tense form, easing up until she looked ready to pass out. The Kujo proceeded to remove his long jacked and place it over her strained body, offering her some warmth through the cloth before lifting her hug close to his chest.


"Master, that was- what you just did was-"


"SO COOL!"


The Master-Servant duo turned to look at the one behind the interruption, noticing Joseph groaning as he was holding up a wide-eyed young boy with light-blue hair.


Good Grief, at least the worst is now over.


-------------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d----------


AN


A few things before I go out in a BLAST!


Kariya knows about Jotaro? His work made it possible to learn about Jotaro as a renowned professor and family man. Gossip is quite important when you work as a freelancer for many groups.


Kariya is actually not simping over Aoi? I guess it can be taken as a surprise, but I think Kariya could've been given some character development where he ends up actually trying to save Sakura… for the sake of just saving Sakura. Maybe the pain fueling his mind into regret for turning such a desperate child as a mean to gain affection from Aoi. And this is the case in this story. Not much of a character development since I've decided to not make it his first intentions.


Lancelot died the dog way? To be fair, I love Lancelot… until he decided to not only being a dick to Galahad, but also go after Guinevere. While I can understand the whole 'Artoria forgave him because she would have not be able to love Guinevere properly', I take offense in the overall offense caused by this character's actions. I still do have a soft spot for him, which is shown in Tales of Two Kings with how importance I'm giving his character, but I do dislike the moron bits of him.


Shinji is here… why is he here? In canon, Shinji was sent oversea to study. But in this story Zouken made the ultimate decision to not send him anywhere. The reason for this change of Earth is correlated to the fact that Tokiomi could've tried to send someone to kidnap him and put pressure on the Matou.


How to kill a Worm: Many will surely inquire how is it possible that Zouken dies like this. There was no massive brawl that leveled Fuyuki, and no major efforts to remove the worms. The thing is that many forget that Zouken as a simple weakpoint not many fanfics point at. Sakura's worm (the one close to her heart, and the one that after Fate/Zero gets the Grail Shards) is actually Zouken's main worm. If it dies, Zouken dies with it.


And… nothing else. I mean, I did try a little pilot in FFN and QQ with the story 'The Unwanted Visitor'. It's a soft-core Horror story, not much blood having been spilled just yet and… It's set in Satellite City. Yeah, I love FENNAH's work and I'm really waiting for his upcoming book, 'The August Few'.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 8: Fifth Mantra! The Right Path is never the Easier Path!


Jotaro leaned tiredly by the lone chair in the room, his attention directed at the desk as he settled the last document for today's work.


Paperwork for today was done despite having made plans to get it done a while after this moment meant to be spent sleeping.


But his mind was too worked up to actually find some rest. Kariya's words had stuck around after the conclusion of that messy assault.


No one was genuinely injured during the attack, with the lone exception of Caster now requiring some rest to allow her energy to fix her minor wounds by her hands.


All in all, it was a successful win for his position within this deadly competition. Maybe things weren't meant to be difficult this early on.


Sure, there was a noticeable roster of people seeking his ultimate demise, but for now none actually came close to genuinely harm him.


The episode by the docks was a singular event that reminded him that things could change without a warning, but ever since he started paying more attention to his surrounding and sharpened his reaction time to fit with the high-paced battles that were going to ensue from now on, Jotaro couldn't help but feel like this War wasn't just a conflict.


Something… something about it just didn't sit well with him. It was still absurd to consider how nobody had managed to win this kind of long-term competition.


Mysteries that would've to wait considering the unpleasant lack of information over some of the elements about the competition.


Maybe, just maybe, this was all a scam. A trick created to fool any greed Magus that desired to take over the world.


And for some reason, this possibility felt incredibly feasible considering the kind of people that was part of this Holy Grail War.


Still, while his night was restless, he managed to achieve blissful peace when, much to his surprise and immense relief, his Servant decided to fall asleep.


He would've expected for Xuanzang to keep awake so that she could maintain a vigilant watch over the young girl currently resting her head by her lap.


Sakura Matou, one of the children saved by the Matou Family, was soundlessly sleeping. Her tiny body was covered with several sheets as they didn't have the time to recover any of her clothes by her former 'house'.


Which is why Joseph and the loud nuisance known as Shinji were quick to go for a shopping spree to buy some clothes for both children. It was impressive for a boy like Sakura's brother to be an extrovert in spite of the toxic environment he had been forced to grow by, but at least he didn't keep any visible malicious intent from his drunkard father.


Byakuya Matou was arrested shortly after they had left the manor, with Joseph himself having tipped the police about the mysterious passing of Shinji's mother. For the time being, the scumbag was going to be kept in jail until a proper trial could be created out of the proof that was appearing slowly but steadily.


Surprisingly enough the situation made it to the local news, with a couple of the reporters going as far as making theories over the mysterious disappearances of both Sakura, Shinji, and the decrepit Zouken.


An attempt to kill everyone and then himself?


The public loved the sensationalism born from the journalists, and thus the rumors of Byakuya being a murderer further incensed the police to find all the proof they needed to end the investigation and seal the violent drunkard's fate for a lifelong sentence spent in prison.


Jotaro was glad that justice here in Fuyuki Town worked swiftly and efficiently, but he was still curious to see if the authorities were tied with Magi or not. It just sounded so odd that the law enforcement failed to catch these situations every since the 'deadly tradition' started.


Maybe there was indeed a connection, and maybe this is why nobody ever had the chance of questioning the 'strange events' that tended to happen in the city every few decades.


Just as he continued with this musing, with his eyelids finally dropping low at the lack of a reason to stay awake, his attention was sharply taken away from the desk by a sudden loud noise coming from the door leading to the bathroom.


His head turned quickly, and Jotaro's alerted look ended up finding a tense-looking child with her hand still by the doorhandle.


Sakura looked… uneasy. Now displaying some shivering over her entire body and blanket she was using to cover herself, the girl slowly turned to glance right up to the marine biologist.


'Did she… go to the bathroom without me noticing?'


The thought painted up surprised, but not as much as he felt when she took a couple of steps towards him. He kept quiet, curious to see what the girl was trying to accomplish.


She stopped, her blank stare now exuding just a glint of embarrassment, and then she spoke.


"I'm sorry."


At first Jotaro failed to register the simple apology. The child's voice was incredibly soft, and while there was nothing making sound or creating some sound barrier between him and the girl, he still had some trouble in getting it right the first time around.


"What?"


Her stare slowly lowered to the floor.


"I'm… sorry."


This time her tone was louder, just enough to reach the man's ears and get him to frown at the apology.


In his mind, there was nothing that the girl had done to him to warrant such a behavior.


'Did she mess up something in the bathroom?'


Sakura was quite young, maybe she was never taught how to use the toilet. It wouldn't be a surprise considering the disgusting state that the Matou family had forced her into for a full year now.


Jotaro blinked. "Why are you apologizing?"


He decided to not be too direct. The child looked frightened enough already, and he knew that a tiny bit of tact was needed to avoid an unending situation of trying to get an answer out of her.


The girl looked slightly surprised at the question, but her stare remained directed at the floor, like a child being scolded by their parents.


"I… I went to the bathroom without asking," She replied softly. "Aren't you going to be mad because of it?"


…


"No," He replied calmly, allowing for more confusing silence to surround their odd conversation.


"No?"


He sighed. "I didn't stutter."


Sakura blinked once, ultimately giving a slow nod at that confirmation.


"Then it's… the kind lady going to be mad?"


Now, the interaction was turning annoying.


"No."


…


Now her confusion was perfectly represented by the particularly cute frown on her face.


"Why… no?"


"Why should we be mad you needed to go to the bathroom?" The adult inquired back, failing to hold back part of the irritation created by this senseless situation.


Sakura quickly noticed this, and swiftly shut her lips up instead of providing a proper answer.


Biting down a groan at that unneeded reluctance, Jotaro waited patiently for the girl to drop the little uneasiness. But instead of keeping waiting any longer and hope for his chances to resume the discussion to increase, the man paused in minor realization as he took notice of a worrying detail.


The plum-haired child was still shivering, despite her panic having subsided well enough for the trembling to stop, she was still doing it.


A concerned thought erupted at the sight and the question was blurted out without him thinking too much about it.


"Are you feeling cold?"


A blink, and then… she finally looked up from the floor.


"A little," She replied curtly. "I'm… sorry."


He was half-tempted to say that there was no need to be sorry. Again. But then Jotaro realized that if he rebuked her on that point, there was a risk of the child closing up again to him.


And so, holding himself from pointing that out, the man merely patted at his right leg.


"Come closer."


The request sounded stern, but there was a hint of softness that was added just to not make it sound like an order.


Sakura looked perplexed at the two words. Her uncertainty played much with her indecision for a little while, but she ended up complying.


Once she approached him close enough, the marine biologist leaned forward a little bit so that his arms had the best chance of lifting her up from the floor and allowing her by his lap. He could tell that his suspicions were correct from the way she felt so cold to his own body.


The girl tensed up suddenly, caught off-guard by the sudden physical interaction, but doing nothing that could've complicated the little plan conceived by Jotaro's tired mind.


Since he was dealing with a kid, maybe he should approach the matter on a simpler and less 'threatening' way. Sakura's wide eyes swiftly turned to match in front of her as the man carefully turned the chair back in front of the desk.


With her sight stuck in the shock-induced look over the furniture's smooth surface, Jotaro reached for one of the empty papers that he would use on a normal instance to make calculations about his reports.


The girl's attention was quick to turn at the simple piece of paper.


"Do you know how to read Kanji?"


Silence was his answer, either because the child was still digesting the swift series of events that saw her now sitting by his lap or because she didn't know how to do it.


Sighing, he started to write on the paper and he decided to test something he had once heard his wife talking about when mentioning how the two were supposed to raise little Jolyne. Education was important, and Jotaro wholeheartedly wanted only the best for his young daughter.


Children tended to be interested when something they were aware about was mentioned through new manners. Like writing one's name on a paper and letting the girl inquire about the result before her eyes.


The pen started to leave ink on the paper as he quietly wrote a single kanji on the paper. Sakura watched the action with a mix of interest and confusion, her eyes gaining a higher emotional degree compared to before.


Once the man was done with the writing, he moved the pen away and he waited for a reaction from the kid.


桜


"What is… that?" In a single moment of pure curiosity, Sakura's monotonous tone cracked in a more child-like tune.


Jotaro blinked, hoping that he wasn't wrong about this despite the noticeable step forward.


"That's the kanji for your name, Sakura," The marine biologist replied calmly. "Do you know what it means?"


She hummed, seemingly gaining more interest over the sight. "It's… the cherry tree? The one with the pink leaves?"


"That's correct," He commented positively. "I suppose it was your uncle, Kariya, that told you about this."


A nod, her humming increasing as she thought about this.


"He said that my name represented me. That I was as pretty as the leaves of the cherry tree."


"I can see that. I can tell he was telling the truth," Jotaro admitted flatly, quickly gaining a sudden look from Sakura as the girl turned around in his lap to stare up at him.


"R-Really?"


He nodded, staring down and locking gaze with the child for a while. In the end Sakura offered a nod, and Jotaro was half-sure the girl flashed a smile before returning her attention on the paper.


"What… is your name, sir?"


A blink, then two and… he answered the question by writing down the Kanji for his name.


承太郎


"Uh?" She huffed, her slight annoyance bringing more life out of the previously reserved girl. "What… does that mean?"


A small smile appeared on his face, and his left hand unconsciously reached for the top of her head. A pat, then two. She didn't shy away from the touch.


"That's my name. Jotaro."


Sakura nodded, keeping quiet for a couple of seconds as she leaned back and allowed her shoulders to reach his shoulder, a hum building up at the suave head-patting she was being subjected to.


…


"Jo-ta-ro," She spelled softly, pondering over the name.


He sighed happily, glad that this kid wasn't as obnoxious as her older brother.


"How about we draw something?" The marine biologist proposed. "Do you know what a starfish is?"


The girl shook her head. "What is it?"


And in that very moment, Jotaro felt like there was a chance of bringing some good culture to a young child. The kind of culture he had long learned to love and turn in his own work.


But while he was distracted in that simple activity with little Sakura, a certain Servant had been awake to see the entire interaction unfold.


With a smirk settled on her beautiful face, Caster started to make plan to finally give the poor girl a loving family in the form of her Master's own.


And with that, she was sure that her Master was going to learn how to properly become a parent too!


------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d--------------d-d-d-d----


"This is unacceptable!"


A loud slam echoed through the large workshop as Kirei continued to watch silently the furious man that was Tokiomi Tohsaka.


While the head of the renowned clan was known for his self-restraint, the news that had just reached them ended up stirring an unpleasant mood out of the elegant aristocrat.


The fate of the Matou family itself wasn't something that truly mattered to Tokiomi, nor did the fact that Berserker was now destroyed. In fact, this last detail was taken in with glee from the dark-haired Magus.


The real issue was connected to a tiny change of hand between the now-dead rival family and the Master of Caster. Little Sakura was now under the care of one Jotaro Kujo.


Up until now, the presence of the 'foolish researcher' has been regarded by the Master of Archer as nothing more but a simple nuisance that his Servant could've easily dealt with.


Not a lie, but also an incorrect statement to regard Gilgamesh as his puppet to lead around. Especially when the King of Uruk was unrestrained in his lording over Tokiomi's plans and own orders.


Kirei was also aware that Jotaro Kujo and his Servant were far more troublesome than just a couple of rookies, even beyond the simple information the Holy See had over the marine biologist's family.


The fact that the 'foolish' man managed to destroy something that has been regarded by the head of the Tohsaka clan as 'a group of people that were far too entrenched to be eradicated', mostly because of the guarantees set by Zouken through his favors within Clocktower's society blocking any political power play against the Matou Clan, was a clear alarm for Tokiomi to take and analyze in proper quiet.


Sadly enough, said logical development wasn't followed at all. The emotional outburst the young priest was forced to listen to together with his father was the telling sign that Tokiomi didn't learn from his mistakes.


In a conflict as complicated as the Holy Grail War, it was best to keep any close bonds away from the reach of other competitors.


Just like the man had done by sending Aoi and little Rin to live by the woman's parents until things were War was over.


But now that a 'sore spot' was revealed by the newest guardian Sakura now had, Tokiomi had little to hold back the growing hatred he was feeling towards Jotaro Kujo.


"Surely there has to be a mean for us to press charge against him," The Tohsaka inquired at Risei, his tone still keeping part of the outburst that preceded this conversation. "He stole my daughter-"


"One that you've freely given up by allowing Zouken to adopt her as the Matou heiress," The older priest rebuked. "What happens to her after that point is concern only to the Matou Clan… or 'was' considering the recent events."


"And that is while ignoring what Zouken turned out to be," Kirei added with a blank voice. "He was a monster, one that you decided to leave a child under its care for a full year."


"I really hope you have an explanation to offer to Aoi once she learn about this," The older representative mentioned. "Because I know she will not bow her head once the truth comes out."


The dark-haired Magus gritted his teeth at the dual assault, unable to formulate a response to what was indeed going to be a troublesome conversation with his wife. The only reason Aoi had been accepting of parting with their youngest daughter was because it was normal for Magus families to offer children that aren't meant to become heirs to the clan to be sent to other families.


But the very moment she discovered that Sakura wasn't learning any magecraft and about the inhumane conditions the little girl was subjected for twelve months…


He truly dreaded that encounter.


"Still, stole a child capable of magecraft," Tokiomi resumed vehemently. "And we both know that neither the Church nor Clocktower will care whatever deed he committed in the past. He still threatens our livelihood if he delves further into-"


"The world of supernatural? The Mystery of Magecraft?" Risei interjected dryly, almost ridiculing the obvious obsessiveness born from that simple development. "What you might be ignoring, Tokiomi, is that the Joestar Family is already part of the Moonlit World. It has been since the first fall of Dio Brando at the hands of Jonathan Joestar."


"But Dio wasn't an Apostle," Kirei commented with a hint of curiosity. "Does it still count as connection to our world?"


Instead of providing a quick answer, the overseer of the Holy Grail War merely smirked.


"I don't recall ever saying that it was Dio that tied the Joestar Family to us all," He pointed out mirthfully. "In fact, I think what you're both forgetting is… that the Joestar Family was once a Magus Family centuries ago."


…


"Surely you jest, Risei," Tokiomi rebutted sternly. "I'm quite sure that every single Magus family born in England still hold considerable influence and influence in Clocktower. Why would they cease to make use of Magecraft?"


"I suppose it's because the case itself is controversial for Clocktower," The priest explained with a nod. "The decision itself to turn to a more 'non-magical' path of life was one made out of family's interests. Joel Joestar was the one that decided to take a drastic route to secure his house's full survival, well away from the deadly politics of the Clocktower."


"And why wasn't this information given earlier, Risei?"


"That's because I wasn't aware of it until a day ago, Tokiomi-san."


Kirei noticed the little barb over the honorific, realizing that his father was growing impatient with how childish the Master of Archer was being in that very moment.


Maybe he had been incorrect earlier on. Tokiomi was indeed leaving an irritating disposition over both blank-looking church members despite their best efforts to not be influenced by this impatience.


"So this Jotaro Kujo… you think he was able to summon a Servant through this connection? It's preposterous but-"


"No, I think there is much more to it than we currently now," Risei admitted with a nod. "My contacts are digging as much as possible without getting noticed. The registry of the Joestar family was divided and scattered in various sections of the Holy See's own archives. It will take a long time before we get all of it revealed to us."


The archives in Rome were massive, but the ones spread all over Italy? The combined effort should've taken month if the request had been one with normal priority.


But since Kirei's father had mustered a couple of favors to speed up this operation, it wouldn't be unreasonable to believe that 'enough' was going to get unveiled well before the end of the competition.


In the end, this situation didn't truly leave much of an impression on Kirei himself. As of now, Jotaro Kujo wasn't an enemy of his despite how much hatred Tokiomi now harbored for the man.


In his eyes, the 'simple man' lived by ethics and ideals that sounded as idyllic as reachable in due time.


Sure, the process of finding his own peace wasn't going to wrap up with how 'short' this War was going to be, but the foundation of a serious effort were going to be laid down in these important days.


Experimenting by the kitchen broadened a route he had once thought about pursuing, but never did out of the humbleness of the work. It didn't fit with the 'elevated' nature of his lifestyle, not as the son of someone as influential as Risei.


But now that his father showed support for this attempt, Kirei didn't have much of a reason to not give his best in this good chance of finding happiness beyond inflicting pain to others.


Cooking was drawing a strange emotion out of him, especially with the comments regaled to him by either his father, Assassin herself, or even Gilgamesh himself. It was… pleasant, but at the same time fleeting.


It pushed him to seek deeper, to delve further over what seems to be the tip of a monumental iceberg that just waited for him to unravel.


Time was still on his side if he managed to survive this competition. And maybe… he could ask for a leave for Italy once he was done with his job here in Fuyuki.


Maybe see if he could actually live with his own demons while taking care of his daughter. A life without causing violence… maybe some violence could be condoned if he decided to try some extra-spicy recipes.


"But enough with this… ranting," Tokiomi stated with a calmer voice. "I'm sorry for having subjected you both to… my frustrations. This war is taking an unexpected turn after another."


"It's understandable to feel irritated by plans failing to realize," Risei replied with a polite nod. "But please, in future occasions, I wish to remind you that we're not minions to your wish. We agree to it, and we will support it- but never as subordinate of yours. This is an alliance of equals."


It was a stern chiding, one that the Tohsaka couldn't help but merely nod at as he knew that it was just the truth being reminded to him.


The alliance was built on his simple wish of bringing prosperity for both the Church and his family. The moment he showed interest in ruining the Church, it was going to be the moment the alliance is off. and hostilities were to be established between the Clan and the Holy See.


Once this conversation was over, both Kirei and Risei walked out of Tokiomi's workshop, their way mostly the same until the former took a different turn to his father's route.


"Have fun cooking," The older priest wished happily, ignoring that his son wasn't actually aiming at that just yet.


He still had some important work to do before genuinely delving back in his 'self-studies'.


Once he was away from any eavesdroppers, he sighed and stopped in his steps.


"Assassin."


The violet-haired woman with dark-black skin appeared beside him, bowing at him for a while before standing up.


"I suppose you're done with the task I've given you."


She nodded. "We got eyes on Rider and Lancer, both with their respective Masters."


"What about Caster?"


"We know where they are, but we decided against getting close enough to spy on their actions. They are in a place that doesn't allow us to spy well from afar."


A minor pity, but one that wouldn't matter to him since his priority was elsewhere.


"And… Kiritsugu Emiya?"


"The castle is a fortress with numerous detection fields by its walls. But nothing that prevented us from installing some eyes over the paths that lead to the city."


So he will have the means to know if Kiritsugu is wandering around in the city or not. It wasn't the best situation since Kirei had pondered over knowing what was happening within that large building, but his interest lied on making sure he had eyes over the Magus Killer's actions while he was out of his lair.


Initially, his plan was to see what kind of man Kiritsugu Emiya was. To see if he could really relate to the plight the man suffered on his own.


But then, he ended up finding enlightenment through a simple conversation with both Jotaro Kujo and his Servant. Both had acted against the basic rules of not offering advice to an enemy, going as far as give him a chance to become a better man.


With this development, his early plan was shelved away as he considered it superfluous and risky… instead contemplating over the aftermath of a proper encounter between Jotaro and Kiritsugu.


Both had different upbringings, both faced loss in different ways, but the two Masters were also fathers of small families.


It was almost poetic, and the match up just resonated better in his mind than his first idea did. It was enough to prompt him to drop all activities and set up a careful plot with Assassin.


Creating a large chessboard for him to manipulate without risking himself and his Servant… that was the truest potential of Assassin. One that would've surely been wasted if they had been subordinated to Tokiomi's whims and foolish plans.


"What about… the other task?"


The Servant nodded again. "It took us a while to get in contact with people that could've been contracted without exposing our identities, but we managed to get the pictures you asked."


He blinked, reaching for the thin folder presented by the Servant.


Kirei didn't say anything else, merely opening the container to pull out a handful of photos. All of those had a single individual standing out to the others caught in the frame, and that individual was the priest's own curiosity for now.


Shoulder-length white hair, a calm yellow color shining through her eyes...


Caren looked… fragile. Not outright sickly as her mother had been, but enough to urge interest in Kirei about her lack of a genuine uneasiness over the bandages by her legs.


A blank stare was on her face, almost a moment away in becoming a scowl as the little girl merely stared at the 'focus' of the situation. Sometimes it was a group of children, sometimes it was her grandparents sharing a conversation with elevated members of the Roman noble class.


It was a curious sight that got him not only perplexed, but his mind started to switch her form with another child. This one was a simple boy trying to understand how things worked with children as he stared from afar, or even when his father, Risei, was busy discussing with other Church representatives.


Could it be that he had somehow pushed his daughter into his own route?


He would've expected for Claudia's parents to be more present in her life. They had been when their daughter was going through the painful months that preceded her passing.


Maybe the emotional pain had left them blind before the obvious.


Caren was being partly neglected because of this. While the child was taken care about properly in a sustainable way, she was still being left emotionally detached from the rest of those around her.


…


This had to be solved once he was done with the Holy Grail War, maybe by using these very pictures to force the staunch nobles to let go of his daughter.


It would be suicidal to go now and risk antagonizing the Church by dropping his duties for this occasion. Time was still on his side, but it didn't mean that he wasn't furious about this development.


Kirei 'let go' of Caren with the hopes of sparing her from him, but he wasn't going to allow her to become just like he was. Twisted, corrupted… aimless.


Sighing, he glanced at Assassin with a quizzical look.


"I suppose you will also join me to the kitchen," The man muttered politely. "I wouldn't mind some company today."


The Servant tensed up a little bit at his words.


Was it surprise? It was quite curious to see one of the most renowned killers become so flustered before a humble offer of food-tasting.


She merely nodded, ignoring her Master's look as they both proceeded to walk towards the kitchen for a couple of hours spent cooking and testing the recipes.


Meanwhile Gilgamesh looked at the two retreat from his little perch by the glass ceiling of the large room the Master-Servant Duo had been speaking to. In his mind, this was slowly becoming far more entertaining than anything he could've done with his own intervention.


---------------d-d-d-d----------------d-d-d-d--------------d-d-d-d-


AN


I'm kind of sad there's not many fanarts of Chibi Caren. There are a couple with other characters in their kid form, but none where she is actually alone and cute. Also, to help with imagination, Caren Hortensia is currently as old as Sakura.


Lastly, little thought over those that questioned how Sakura got her worms purged: I remind you all that Star Platinum is a Stand, a Manifestation of an individual's fighting spirit, and thus has a resemblance to its user soul. What Jotaro can do with it is similar to Kirei's Spiritual Healing, opening a 'wound' between the Circuits and the Worms, and tearing away harmlessly the worms from committing any harm to their host.

 

[JBukharin]

Interlude 1: Calm Day! It's all about the hat!


Sakura looked fairly uneasy as Jotaro led her around the city. Considering the height differences, the tall man had decided to pick her up and keep her in his arms while they were all out wandering Fuyuki's streets.


The plum-haired girl still held a degree of appreciation from the gesture, which was shown with how quiet she was while her head rested on the marine biologist's chest.


The simple dark-blue dress looked nice on her, and Jotaro was blunt enough to point this out. The compliment was taken as calmly as it was given by the child, but a tiny smile had erupted out at hearing the flattering words.


Joseph and little Shinji had left for their temporary homes, with the elder taking time to tell stories of his youth to the annoying brat. The boy was loud, but at least it was a normal trait for a kid his age to have.


But Sakura was not of the same note. The girl was quiet most of the time, and would only talk when an input was directed at her. Plus, she wouldn't leave Jotaro's side, going as far as to keep waiting by the doorstep as the man went through his morning routine.


Caster was deeply amused by this situation, and her comments of comparing the two to father and daughter got plenty of stern glances from Jotaro, and confused looks from the former Matou.


The reactions only incensed the pink-eyed woman to press them on over the matter and driving a wedge over any attempt to make serious conversation with her.


The Kujoh was once against reminded that his Servant was a pest when she wanted, but she was at least restraining herself from going overboard since the girl in his hold wasn't prepared for the sheer madness Xuanzang was showing to have to her Master.


Things in Fuyuki were unsurprisingly calm by this hour, and the man thought that the lack of any enemy was related to the fact it was still daytime.


None of the Masters would blatantly risk the revelation of Magecraft to the rest of the normal people, thus his guard was mostly at ease as he decided to check on a few places before returning back on the flat.


One of the things Joseph had mentioned before leaving was the need to buy some emergency resources in case some smartass decided to attack the hotel. One can never be prepared well enough to avoid facing this kind of situations and thus the first stop was buying some groceries.


Picking up cheap food like instant Ramen and then shifting half of the funds set for this little task to buy water bottles, Jotaro decided to also buy some first aid equipment in case anyone got injured during one of the attacks.


As of now, it was pure lack that the damage reported was minimal and suffered by those that could recover in due time thanks to some passive healing factor. And that wasn't going to last forever considering the roster of people aiming to kill him right now.


"Oh? I suppose this lovely girl is your daughter, sir and ma'am," The clerk set by the entrance said as she continued to scan through the products pulled out of their cart and on the counter.


Caster giggled, shaking her head at the affirmation. "We're not married."


"Apologies, ma'am. But still, truly a cute child, sir."


Jotaro held back a grimace as the annoying woman still thought that he was the father of little Sakura.


The plum-haired kid glanced up with a calm look, yet a hint of curiosity passed through as the marine biologist merely ignored the irritating comments from the clerk.


Once all products were paid, Jotaro hoped to be freed from this scene and be allowed out of that shop at once… yet he was forced to stop as the shopkeeper reached for the girl with a tiny lollipop.


"Here. A little gift for a little cutie."


The former Matou stared at the offering with a confused look, but instead of making a decision there, she once more looked up to the Stand User for guidance.


Since he really wanted to leave the place as quickly as possible, the Kujo nodded at the child and Sakura picked the offer as swiftly as she received the answer.


"T-Thank you."


The soft reply got a squeal out of the frustrating lady, but the trio was already out of the shop by the time the woman had recovered from that adorable response.


After this little situation was dealt with, Jotaro's next step in his small plan was to check on the clothes shop Joseph had told him about. If the hotel was attacked, most of his clothes would have to be ditched as those weren't worth risking death over.


And even though he had plans to save his hats from getting destroyed in the process, there was no reason for the marine biologist to not prepare some spare clothes in the worst case scenario.


Once they were inside the shop, the Stand User started to approach the shopkeepers and check if there were any scientist coats that he could buy already instead of checking on more specialized shops.


In this instance Sakura was finally allowed down, her eyes gazing around in a curious manner as to get the entire appearance of the shop memorized. The clothes, from formal ones to common ones.


Jotaro left Caster to check on the girl while he went around to get his list fulfilled as fast as possible, getting only a bored huff by the brunette before completely ignoring his Servant's reaction to his order.


Still, the child's stare kept on trailing all around until she eventually locked her sight onto the small metallic casket holding a specific category of apparels that she found herself interested too.


Hats of various kind. Her interest piqued the more she searched for anything truly worth checking on.


It was a tiny wish of her, one that had been sparked by the oddly endearing white hat that her new guardian always had on himself.


Quietly hummed as she kept on looking around, Sakura barely noticed that Xuanzang's curious glance was locked on her actions. She watched as the young girl approached the casket and dug a little bit through the multiple hats available there as something caught the child's attention.


Soon she pulled out a simple baseball hat. It wasn't one with marks of a specific team, but it had quite the curious color theme on it.


A dark purple as a main, while the cap was black. Sakura stared at it for a little while, studying it while she held onto it for some time.


Then she donned it for a moment and silently approached the nearby mirror and give a look to it as she wore it.


Despite the clear interest to buy it, the child eventually went back to the casket and left it atop the others before returning near the counter.


Caster frowned at this scene, biting her lips with a perplexed look as her sight turned back and forth between the plum-haired girl and the hat. Eventually, she decided to do something drastic but perhaps much important.


She could feel that it was needed! A must of sort!


Taking hold of the hat by the cap, the brunette threw it up well above Sakura's line of sight and soon the apparel silently fell onto Jotaro's basket that had been left on the counter of the shop.


Time passed smoothly and soon the marine biologist was back to pay for the three discounted coats he found thanks to the clerks.


Just as the duo started to list down the products that he had to pay for, his attention was caught when he was notified of the mysterious hat that was now his to properly buy.


He would've remembered that he had planned to buy something like it, and yet he knew he hadn't.


Looking at the rest of his entourage, he noticed Sakura's wide-eyed expression at the curious product and Caster giving a nervous hint that this might have been all part of her plan.


The brunette turned her eyes away as he looked with more intensity, expecting her to talk up but… she refused to admit to the deed.


Instead, he picked the hat in his hands and glanced at Sakura. The kid looked back, her blank stare allowed a hint of hopefulness over the simple thing.


But why would he be interesting in something like this. Then it hit him when he saw her briefly looked slightly above his eyes and… to his own hat.


Did she want one to copy him? It wasn't unusual for children to copy their parents but… he wasn't her father. So why was she interested in this right now?


Just as he pondered over it, an old memory from a past before his dangerous life emerged to remind him of how his interest for hats started.


-----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d--------------d-d-d-d--------


Flashback...


Scrambling around in his room to find a way to fix the hideous mess that was his current hairstyle.


A younger Jotaro huffed as he searched for any gel that could help him fix the unruly strands falling over his eyes, and yet he couldn't find anything of the kind.


Skipping the barber's appointment twice had led to an unfortunate growth of his hair, which in turn led him to worry about making a terrible impression now that he was starting Junior High.


People had already belittled him for being taller than his peers, some even joking that he was just brawn and no brain. To add more insult to the current injury was just begging to be mocked and annoyed for the rest of his school life.


Yet the more he failed to find a solution to this issue, the more his irritation continued to grow within his mind.


A huff, then another groan, and his mindless search ended up drawing the attention of the second occupant of the house.


Holly Kujo took a moment to peek from the doorstep at the extent of her son's little crusading, sighing tiredly as she noticed the disaster the distracted boy was leaving on his wake.


"Jotaro-kun, what's wrong?" She finally asked before entering the room. Her voice quickly garnered the young man's attention, and Jotaro snapped out of his dread-induced rampage. "Why are you making a mess of your room? Shouldn't you be preparing to leave for your first day?"


He blinked, glancing around and slowly realizing at the chaos he had created in his distracted task.


"S-Sorry, mom. I will clean everything up before leaving..." He said before sighing. "It's just that I'm trying to find a mean to fix my hair. It's… it's hideous."


The kind woman smiled calmly at her child as she approached him. "Now, now, there's no need to make a tragedy out of a messy hairstyle."


"But… I want to try and make the best out of this year. I know my height already makes things difficult, but I… I don't want to be make any bad impressions."


"And you will not," The blonde responded with a nod. "You're a handsome and smart young man with a big, golden heart."


Jotaro cracked a smile at that response, but his happy reaction was dampened by the still-gloomy mood.


"Still..."


"You really want to fix your hair so desperately?" Holly inquired with a teasing tone, soon sobering up and nodding at her son. "I think I might have a… solution to this. But you might not like it."


He frowned at the latter bit. "If it can solve this, then it will do."


The woman gave another slow nod. "Then… please, follow me."


The two left the boy's room and walked up to a specific room that hadn't seen much activity for a couple of months now.


Jotaro tensed a little bit as his mother led him inside his father's musical office, the place where he kept the various saxophones the old timer had recovered in the last decade.


But Holly's interest wasn't directed at what was already in display, but rather a tiny box that had been hidden away behind the first saxophone his father ever used.


The wood in there looked quite odd, and when his mother opened it to reveal the content, he was stunned by the cloud of dust that greeted them both.


It took them a couple of seconds to cough away the dust, but soon the content was revealed to them and… Jotaro's eyes widened in surprise.


A hat, it looked to be made with the same material used for the uniform he was currently wearing. His eyes were mesmerized by the golden button in it, the curious symbol there catching his attention… but then he noticed the tiny envelop on the side and he was prompted to check on it.


The paper looked weary, but the ink in there looked of good quality. The kanji was readable and soon Jotaro started to give it a thorough look.


Sadao-kun, I'm sorry that I couldn't make it for your first day of Junior High.


Your father is a busy man, but still a man that honors the achievements of a proud member of the Kujo Clan. While I can't tell this personally as I'm taken by a business trip, I wish for you to know that, while you're seeking a different path from the family's old work, I still support your passion and your determination.


Your music shall resonate in people's heart, just like you made me happy of calling you my son.


Your busy father, Johei Kujo.


"This is… grandfather's hat?"


"Sadao-kun told me that he felt nervous during his first day, and that when he first received the letter and the hat, he found courage by wearing it," Holly explained with a fond smile. "Now, this is yours to take. Your father would've wanted to be there to give it to your personally but-"


"He's busy," Jotaro muttered. "It's alright, I… I know that he doesn't have a choice about it."


…


"But I think… this will work," The boy said while looking back at the hat, taking it in his own hands and putting it on his head. "It feels… nice."


The blonde giggled. "I'm sure it does. But now you should get your room cleaned or else you might turn out late for your first day."


Jotaro's eyes widened in panic at that reminder, and he almost rushed out of the room to comply to the order… but he stopped for a moment near to his mother to deliver a quick peck on her cheek.


"Thank you, mom!"


Bolting away from the room, he could only hear the faint notes of his mother's giggles while he started to fix everything back to normal in his room.


Today, he will make her proud of calling him her son!


-------------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d---------


Sakura's eyes widened in surprise as she felt the soft fabric of the hat she wanted to have now settling over her head. Giving a quick but careful pat over her head, Jotaro turned his attention to the clerks and nodded.


"How much for this hat?"


The girl couldn't just believe it as these words left the man's mouth, and yet money was given to formalize the acquisition of the object.


Quiet moments passed as Sakura was once more picked up by the marine biologist, and she carefully adjusted herself in his hold as the trio started to make their way back to the hotel since their tasks for today were done.


"Do you like it?" Caster inquired with a kind tone, getting the child's attention on herself.


"It… It feels nice."


For some reason, Jotaro smiled at that comment, reaching for the girl's head and giving it another pat.


"That's good to hear."


Gawking at this response, Xuanzang felt the need to press for more details over this strange response from her Master.


It was absurd to believe him able to melt away under the presence of the adorable child, and yet… the Servant held herself back from doing that.


Something about the sight of seeing both individuals look so happy, with Sakura joining in the heartwarming scene with a tentative tiny smile as she enjoyed the little victory and the closeness to her savior.


That very moment cemented within Caster's mind the idea that these two were meant to be father and daughter. And she found enlightenment out of that blessed scene.


-----------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d-


AN


I had considered making this part of a chapter, but then I realized that it was way too fluffy for what I planned to add to the next chapter. Thus this stands alone as the first of a few interlude.


Kind of a fluffy omake, if anyone knows me from Absolute Divinity you might know that I can pull some sweet scenes… but this is part of canon.


Sakura-chan got the hat… and I gave a backstory to Jotaro's interest with hats. How many people tried to actually do the latter?

Also, inspiration behind the backstory: Link.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 9: Sixth Mantra! The Evil of the World lurks once more!


Fuyuki was quite a beauty to explore, and the reddish light created by the late afternoon just emphasized the natural appearance of the town.


The thought was just a fleeting one as Waver quickly returned to face the current topic of his conversation with his Servants.


"I-I still don't like this."


Rider merely smiled as he addressed the nervous look on his Master's face, and Waver couldn't help but feel his resolve cracking a little before the burly man's confidence and determination.


"Well, it's alright to be wary of any deception. The individual we're seeking isn't certainly someone we can learn about," The Servant agreed with a nod. "But this War seems more complicated than the usual deed committed in a battlefield. There are many Masters that wish to win the Grail through trickery."


"A-And how would allying to someone fix things out?"


The young Magus wasn't being a pessimist by testing the grounds of the plan. Iskandar was a great conqueror, and he sure didn't shy away from listening and learning from his mistakes.


This very detail made things a tiny bit easy for the student, rendering his capacity to communicate with the Servant somewhat possible. The real issue was the way Rider answered to his Master' reluctance and unwillingness to be in the spotlight during a conflict.


It was clear that the redhead just wanted for his 'friend' to be capable of standing up on his own, especially in a situation that required the capacity of handling important decisions without cracking under the pressure.


Waver knew this himself, and didn't need to genuinely press his Servant to realize that he was being a coward when he needed to at least be neutral. The bravado that had led him out of Clocktower to partake in the War had slightly faded away at the realization that he was now meant to fight against his annoying Mentor.


Kayneth was an arrogant jerk, but he was still a Magus from an old lineage.


Experience, resources, and an arsenal of spells. All those elements were advantages that the young Magus lacked, which is why the possibility of facing the man in a direct confrontation was fuel for his recent nightmares.


He just couldn't get himself over the fact that his former teacher had deemed it right to issue an ultimatum and a promise of torture. The simple notion and reminder was frightening as it was, but not as much as the other Masters were much to his growing disbelief.


At first he thought that Kayneth would've been the only big name among the other contenders of the Holy Grail War, but then people like Tokiomi Tohsaka and the Magus Killer started to pile up in a list of individuals that were pretty much untouchable by the inexperienced Magus.


Rider was his only key of success, and the Servant was more than happy to use this as a leverage to help him around through the most complicated decisions. Waver was generally not a pushover, and yet the burly man was moving him around as if he was his puppet.


Truly annoying, but not overly problematic. The idea of betrayal played in his mind early on when he first got to know his Servant, but the mere thought was shattered when he felt the genuineness of that irking airheadedness.


"Well, they seem to be good folks," Iskandar replied with a determined hum. "Plus, I think they will accept our offer."


"What if they ask for something in return?" Waver pushed back, only for his Servant to shrug.


"Then we will offer something to them," Rider rebuked. "I could offer them some good beer. I bet they will appreciate it."


"The beer you stole?"


"I think you mean 'put it to better use instead of letting it be forgotten', Master."


And now he had to deal with that sass. Not only the young Magus had to face the fact he had to hypnotize a couple of elders to get free shelter and meals, but he had to cope with the idea that his Servant wasn't bound by common sense and laws.


This was an utter disaster!


But that didn't deter Rider from reaching out for an alliance with Caster and her Master.


The concept was ideal- no, it was idyllic considering how much of a powerhouse a Caster/Rider combo would be. The duo would be unstoppable against Kayneth and his Lancer, and maybe even become serious trouble for Archer and his Master.


Nonetheless, the thought sounded more of a pipe dream than else.


Jotaro Kujo was someone that was easy to find on some magazines about marine biology, but the few interviews available with the man confirmed a presumption Waver had been feeling about ever since he first saw him.


The researcher was a stern guy with little to no interest in playing around, especially in serious situations.


The mere possibility of an alliance to be forged out of a diplomatic meeting were as slim as those could be, with the chance of success close to zero.


Despite that, Rider was completely sure of this plan of action, and there wasn't much to do when the burly man was interested in something.


The walk around Fuyuki was uneventful, and he was glad that at least the rule of keeping peace during daytime was being upheld by the rest of the Masters. It would've been nightmarish to face fights without any break.


But the day was starting to settle, and their time away from the War was growing less the more they aimlessly wandered around.


"Also, where are you taking me? Do you even know where we are going?"


The redhead merely grinned, but soon he provided a nod and an explanation.


"Well, while this Kujo guy might appear as a minor individual in this conflict, there are some of the local newspapers that have taken interest on the matter," Rider explained, carefully pulling out from the back pocket of his pants a rolled up newspaper he was keeping with himself. "Here, give it a look."


And so Waver did as a mean to satisfy his curiosity.


Chances of a marine biology treatise made in Fuyuki?






The article was particularly long, but it was easy for the young man to get an understanding of what was going on. While Jotaro wasn't being tracked by the media, his grandfather was.


As a Real Estate Agent, Joseph Joestar was a celebrity back in New York, and that fame ended up leaving a trail for Japanese reporters to follow as they addressed his return in Japan.


Many suspected that it was just a visit of courtesy to check on his grandson, which was spotted with the elder as they both loaded a car with few equipment. The discovery that Jotaro Kujo, marine biologist, had decided to move back to Japan with some unknown equipment was seen as a possible effort of the man to conclude some new report about his work.


And while Waver wasn't someone that cared much about marine biology, the fact that this man seemed really passionate about the topic painted one of his adversaries with a more humane color.


Until that very revelation, the young Magus had felt as the only 'sane' person in this horrible conflict. That he had fallen under the misconception that this was going to be a good way to prove his worth when in the end the Holy Grail War felt more of a childish competition for power that could or could not be true.


Jotaro Kujo was someone that wasn't a Magus, but that wasn't also driven to the Grail for the wish.


In fact, it was rather confusing how someone like the stern researcher had deemed it proper to visit the city now that the event was unfolding… and it also opened a large question over how the man had managed to become a Master considering his lack of Circuit.


It was a baffling development that Waver hoped to solve maybe through that diplomatic encounter. Maybe.


Continuing to read the paper, the young man finally noticed the info that helped them track down where Caster's Master was.


Some of the reporters ended up following the vehicles containing the biologist's equipment to a large warehouse that had lacked owners for some time now. So the chances of Jotaro Kujo having his base there were pretty high, and now he could see why Iskandar was so confident about this matter.


Once the paper was returned to the grinning man, the rest of the walk proceeded smoothly and without much of an issue.


Eventually they turn up at the address mentioned by the newspaper, finding themselves in front of the main entrance of the building, with a couple of lights coming from the window.


Rider decided that he wasn't going to be the one to ring the doorbell, pushing his Master towards it while gesturing to him to go ahead and press it.


Gulping nervously after realizing that there was no way he could turn back from this, the young Magus reached for the tiny doorbell and pressed it.


The noise was mostly muffled, but he could notice how loud it had to be inside for it to reach outside with a noticeable pitch.


The waiting proved to be the worst part as his mind used this opportunity to remind him of what he might end up finding on the other side.


Both Joseph Joestar and Jotaro Kujo were tall men. With both being 6'5, he braced for a close up of a tall and possibly intimidating figure coming up to answer the door.


He could feel his face paling a little bit as a sense of cold settled on his body as time went on and-


The door finally opened.


But instead of finding himself in front of either of the two known individuals, Waver slowly turned his stare low to where the face of the young boy was. The boy looked back at him, his eyes narrowing at the uneasy-looking Magus and for a moment there was just a state of silence.


But much like the rest of any other situation, Iskandar decided to make his presence known by pulling Waver on the side and giving a bright smile at the kid.


"Hello, is anyone home?" The burly man started to say. "We're friends of Joseph-san."


…


"You're lying," The boy replied without hesitation, his stare gaining a degree of irritation at the faux claim. "Ojii-san said nothing about friends passing by."


"Well, it was a surprise visit. Plus, I bet your Ojii-san will be annoyed if we didn't come and greet him before we go."


The child looked barely convinced of that stunt, and Waver was ready to call off the entire thing. There was just something off about the boy, and he could tell that whatever it was, it wasn't something he really wanted to be aware of.


But Rider wasn't budging from his spot, trying to muster everything he got to appear as convincing as possible, and yet the kid just didn't seem to hesitate on his stubborn stance.


The tension was easy to perceive, and while part of him wanted to push his Servant to leave this troublesome place, his own instincts held him still as he realized that the boy wasn't alone.


The confirmation came when a hand carefully settled atop the child's head, affectionately ruffling the boy's head and pulling his attention away from the redhead as another individual finally appeared by the entrance.


Joseph Joestar looked more confused than else, his eyes narrowing first at Waver and then to the young man's Servant.


"May I ask who are you two?"


The query was met with two distinct reactions. Rider smiled in a silent victory, while his Master grimly addressed the fact that now there was no turning back for real.


It was either make or break.


----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d---------


Irisviel quietly tapped at the desk her husband has been sitting by for the last few hours.


With Maiya gone for a reconnaissance mission to try and get a glimpse the full extent of Assassin's spy network over Fuyuki, the Magus Killer had decided to spent the rest of the day in his little office, handling a few papers concerning his plans over a specific Master that was turning out quite troublesome.


Not for them, at least not in the direct way as one would consider a real problem, but rather the kind of ramifications some of this individual's actions might have caused within Clocktower's society.


The eradication of the Matou family was… an unexpected development considering how active the group had been in the Holy Grail Wars. It was almost a surprise for the Lesser Grail how tragic the news of their end was perceived by the London-based community, with many sounding either sorry or just 'saddened' by the departure of the once illustrious clan.


Shouldn't it have been clear to many of the aristocrats that the chance of full elimination was one of the many possibilities those that attempted to gain the Grail were meant to take under consideration?


It was one of the reasons why the Einzbern clan never saw it fit to move to Japan. To make sure that the nature of the competition wouldn't put their survival at risk, especially with how important their standing was in Europe.


And yet the Matou had decided to settle there and kept on biting off the Tohsaka clan for some petty squabbling that started one-sided.


Irisviel herself wasn't exactly sure of the truthfulness of her ancestor's memories, and yet the idea that the former head of the clan, Zolgen Makiri, was someone shallow and more interested in fame and power sounded half-true.


There was just a note of 'lie' that stemmed from this thought, something that seemed to grow intense when she thought back to when her 'grandfather' had told her about the odd relationship Justeaze had for the founder of the Makiri Clan.


While she didn't hate the man, they were mostly seen debating and taking turns in roasting each other.


There was only a topic they would find common ground and… that information was unknown to the current Lesser Grail.


Some of the memories were laid for her to explore whenever she wanted, but this control wasn't true to the rest of the precious knowledge source that was Justeaze's copied mind.


Ah, the hassle of having half the knowledge needed to make an opinion out of someone…


Despite the lack of Justeaze's certainty over the matter, Irisviel was still given quite the unpleasant news when Risei Kotomine himself confirmed the horrible deeds committed by the old Zouken Matou before perishing.


The old man had been alive for several decades, if not centuries, and the reason behind his delayed aging was behind the presence of several dead Crest Worms found around the Matou's property.


The novelty was horrifying, with many Magi refusing to believe this degree of atrocity was ever made.


Still, the damage was done and the Matou's reputation was quick to sink down in a state of doubt among the high members of Clocktower.


The reaction was mostly mixed, with just a few voices standing out and making some compelling points.


What killed the old 'worm'?


The answer was hidden behind the veil of secrecy created by the topic surrounding the working of the Holy Grail War.


What happened to the rest of the family?


That response was a little more complicated, and less interesting compared to the one before.


Kariya was confirmed as deceased. The man had been Berserker's Master and was killed by the attacking force that was behind the Matou's eradication.


His older brother, Byakuya, was arrested by the Fuyuki Police as the probable suspect behind the death of his father and younger sibling. The scheduled trial was meant to happen a month later, to a time when the competition was finally concluded.


Little Sakura and Shinji were taken away by Caster's Master, and part of her was glad that the enigmatic individual that was Jotaro Kujo had decided to take the two children to safety.


She just felt trusting of the marine biologist, but her good opinion of him wasn't based on mere assumptions from the dossiers recovered by Kiritsugu.


The man could've easily allowed Berserker to attack Saber and her, and yet he had moved out of his way to stop the mad Servant from commencing a fight with the blonde.


While Iri was certain that the swordswoman was more than capable of holding his own in normal circumstances, the damage inflicted by Lancer had proved to be a disadvantageous development that was going to stay for the remainder of the Grail War.


If that fight would've happened, then the young mother was unsure how things would have fared for their team. She could've offered some support, but in the end Irisviel wasn't meant to be employed in a direct confrontation.


The act itself was selfless in nature despite the cold nature displayed by the stern man, but there was a degree of pleasant familiarity she could feel out of that attitude.


It reminded her of her husband, with his severe but good ways and his interest in protecting those that were in trouble.


This very thought soothed any ill thought born from any worry she could feel for the two orphaned children.


Well 'orphaned' as far as their situation was considering how their parents were never going to get close to them ever again. At least in Shinji's case.


"Do you think Jotaro-san will adopt Sakura?"


The question was picked out of the many others that lingered within her mind at the moment, her red-eyed stare quickly turning to Kiritsugu as she waited for a response.


Her husband paused in his quiet reading, his dark eyes matching with her for a couple of seconds before he decided to offer her a nod.


"It's possible," The Magus Killer conceded. "Kujo-san is someone that is known to be fond for his family, and I can see him correlating his daughter with young Sakura."


Irisviel hummed in agreement, pleased with the fact that she had predicted the right course of action for the Master of Caster.


Her silent amusement lasted for a while as a stray set of thoughts started to leave her unhappy.


A sigh finally left her lips and this ended up catching Kiritsugu's attention.


"I know this might sound too paranoid of me but… do you have any plans if we end up failing?"


The question struck like a truck, and Irisviel took notice of it when her husband outright stopped with his work. Surprise and confusion mixing in a strange frown in his face.


"What?"


"It's just a silly thought but… but what if we fail? What happens if we fail and grandfather decides to banish us?"


The more she spoke, the more her husband looked quite alarmed by the words he was listening to.


"Is… is there a reason why you feel uncertain of our endeavor?"


The Einzbern shook her head. "Not truly, no. I… I just feel like we should still prepare a plan about it."


"We will not fail."


"And what if we do?" The woman pressed on, leaving the Magus Killer even more perplexed by the sudden development.


"We… will think of something."


"Grandfather will not let us take Illya if we fail."


The mere sentence left a bitter taste on Irisviel's mouth. It just felt possible for the stern elder to make that kind of decision for the 'betterment of the Einzbern family'.


Illya was a substitute to her mother, and if they were to fail, there were more guarantees that their little girl was going to be turned in a new lesser grail.


The concept was possible, and that very idea frightened her now as she pondered about it.


"He will not dare."


The rebuttal was met with a shake of head from his wife. "He would. Illya is… leverage against us."


"Illya would never forgive him. She wouldn't comply with-"


"If she was told lies about it while we're banished, she could end up believing him."


The thought stung her so much. It just felt so much what her Grandfather would do.


And the fact that Justeaze's memories seemed to agree with her understanding was as jarring as horrifying.


Her baby daughter, her prinzessin, forced to take on the same role as her mama has.


A shiver went down her spine at this simple notion. This was barbaric and cruel, but there wasn't much to do about it right now as they were focusing on the Holy Grail War.


If they decided to move now that they were monitored by the Castle's servants… things wouldn't do well for them and any plans to get their daughter out of Grandfather's clutches.


"I will not allow him to do it."


A smile finally adorned her face. "I know you will do your best to protect our daughter… but I wish to ask you a single favor."


The man was listening with utter attention, and Irisviel sighed.


"If we don't succeed, please make sure she is spared from this."


Kiritsugu lingered on the request for a little more, taking under consideration the uneasy look on his wife's face.


They were alone, with Saber having taken her leave to explore the castle for a little while.


Instead of giving her a simple nod or a curt response, the man stood up from his chair and gave her a sudden hug.


Surprise lasted just for a handful of seconds, with the young woman allowing some mirthful giggles as she returned the embrace herself. They kept in each other's hold for a few minutes, until Irisviel decided to apologize for sounding so… 'sad' without notice.


The apology was 'accepted' by Kiritsugu and soon the conversation turned to something a little less problematic.


But while that topic finished there, the thought behind it continued to persist in their minds as both realized how things could go wrong whenever they won or not.


If Kiritsugu managed to get his wish accepted… there was no assurance that his daughter was going to be spared by Acht as a piece of a possible game between him and the Magus Killer.


The night that soon followed proved to be one of uncertainty and nightmares.


But from there an interest to cover their base was born, and the intention of creating guarantees was shared by both concerned parents.


-------------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d--------


The chilling and deafening silence that existed in this place just felt sublime to listen.


A happy sigh left the lips of the sole living being inside Fuyuki Graveyard. The place was mostly forbidden to visit during nighttime and yet the devious player that was soon going to make a change to this war had managed well enough in persuading the keeper of the place in letting her inside.


At least, that's what she could tell from the way his horrified face could tell as his corpse lingered beneath her feet.


Ah, the tragedy of being a quirky person with murderous tendencies.


Today was going to be a good day for Francesca Prelati. Especially with how her plans were meant to go by if she played her cards as efficiently as possible.


And there was no way she was going to waste this opportunity to finally get some action going with Zouken now dead and his Boundary Field gone. The chance created by her limited manipulation to include a wild card as a Master ended up favoring her in the long-term, and now she could do much more than just wait and see how things unfolded.


There was nothing that could hold her from entering the city and finally meddle with the Holy Grail War. A giggle left her lips as she tapped at the massive coffin in front of her with her closed umbrella.


"I wonder why they never disposed of this," She pondered out loud, genuinely surprised how the silly Speedwagon Foundation hadn't done anything to destroy the 'little' catalyst she had recovered through some carefully-aimed bribes.


Getting ownership over the empty object proved way easier than she had expected, but she wasn't in the mood to outright spit at her lucky hand. No, this was just perfect with what she had in mind.


She was already fawning over the daydream she was mesmerized by, her face a bright red at the mere thought of seeing that beauty of violence unfolding once more.


Another giggle, this time she tapped the coffin twice before stepping off the grave she had been sitting on.


Humming as she walked around the magical circle she had created thanks to the blood of the former keeper of this place, she knew that the Servant she was aiming for had to be strong enough to fit with her 'narrative'. She wanted a story to unravel, and she didn't want to be disappointed with some meek or weaker versions of what she wanted.


No, she was aiming at something so grandiose and ambitiously powerful.


A sigh, then she stopped and her stare lingered over the three golden letters plastered on the side of the coffin.


"I hope you will not make me unhappy. I want you to be a fighter, not a hindrance."


Jotaro has been so much of a sweetheart to kill Zolgen, and it would just be ungrateful from her part if she didn't give him a proper challenge about this war. The thrill of facing a nightmare once again, this time fueled by the magic she was bestowed with… Francesca almost wobbled in excitement at the brilliant scenes that were to happen in a couple of days now.


"But let's not linger any further. It's time to start the process at once~!"


She spread her arm open wide, more than ready to let out the proper chant for this monumental event.


"Let silver and steel be the core.


Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the base


Let Gold the colour I pay tribute to


Let rise a barrier against the wind that shall end


Let the four cardinal gates close.


Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching unto the Kingdom switch.






I thus declare.


Your body shall serve to entertain me.


My amusement shall be your duty.


Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail


If you will submit to this will and this reason…Then answer!






An oath shall be sworn here!


I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell and beyond!


From the Last Infernal Circle, attended to by three greet words of power,


Come forth from the ring of restraints,


Destroyer of the Holy Order!"


The ground trembled as if an earthquake was created by the powerful summoning chant, altered for the sake of best representing the nature of the bond she wanted from her Servant.


The circle burned red, with some fire spreading over the nearby grass as the soul she needed was brought forth from a place beyond the Throne of Heroes.


The Grail was surely straining, just enough to restrain it from intervening against her devious play.


Dust exploded from the coffin, with its lid swiftly thrown up and above as a single individual slept in there with a pleased smile. Golden eyes opened to stare at the pale moon up above, and a devious twist to his lips defined the intrigued mentality that was now displayed for her to see.


He stood up, his clothes looking the same as the one he had been donning back when he had yet to fight his final fight against his ultimate enemies. His smirk grew more pronounced and his posture tilted in a curious manner.


Then, he started to bend backward, his grin becoming a full-fledged smile as he prepared to unleash his first act after returning to the fief he had long considered his to rule alone and with divine justice.


Tension grasped at his body, but it wasn't nervousness doing this. It was giddiness. And it just felt euphoric to Francesca to feel from that distance.


"WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!"


The surreal noise cracked at the ominous silence, and Francesca started to vibrate in excitement at the gorgeous display of eagerness as the new Command Seals on her hand burned just softly on it.


The contract was mostly done, and it would take her just a couple of seconds to cement this little intervention she had planned to go for in the last few weeks.


He slowly adjusted himself, his stare turning at her as he addressed his Master with a mix of curiosity, amusement, and slight annoyance. Perhaps he was angry at being bound to someone he didn't know much about.


Yet the Hellish Priestess didn't mind, for this development was the final proof that this competition was going to bring a new degree of fun to this world. A degree of fun that was as deadly as exciting!


But the Servant had yet to introduce himself, and the girl was so excited by the first words her newest minion was going to tell her.


"Speak, my powerful Servant, who am I looking at?"


His smile returned, but this time the amusement was gone to make way to pride and undeniable might.


"Avenger-class Servant, I'm the strongest being," The blond answered with smugness. "For I, DIO, have long conquered ｢The World｣!"


The proclamation was a confirmation of something horrible unfolding in this Holy Grail War, with the evil unleashed by DIO once again posed to fester upon humanity in a bloodbath that was just steps away from completely devouring Japan and the rest of Earth.


But what many would see it as such, to Francesca this all looked differently. To her, it was all-


"So cool~!"


----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-----------


AN


As I've mentioned in the interlude's AN, this up above is why I didn't leave that fun story inside this chapter. Too… sugarish to stand well with DIO's return.


But a couple of things before I go: DIO is a Vampire, thus he will not be able to do much during daylight. He will be active in this war, but he will also behave ' slightly differently' from SC. Why? Let's just say that it's related to some canon answers I read Araki gave about his character. It's going to be fun.


Also, about Crazy Diamond: Quick reminder that CD's power is to revert things/people to a previous state, and it's not 'healing' as many confuse it as.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 10: Seventh Mantra! A Devious Laughter across the night!


It was late in the evening when a tired Stand User received a call. Still drained and unwilling to part so easily from his bed, Jotaro was ultimately convinced by Joseph to pass by the temporary headquarters of the SWF.


"So, these two wants to make an alliance or something like that?"


The researcher was hardly someone that cared about this kind of stuff. Tracing back to the journey to reach Cairo, it was always either his grandfather or Avdol that took care of the sensitive topics like this one.


Not that he was shy to talk to some unexpected punks, but Jotaro knew it wasn't his strongest point. He did improve in the last few years with his social skills, but it was mostly because his wife wanted him to socialize a little more with his colleagues.


'You will never be able to get everything done if you try to do all the work yourself. You need help from time to time.'


As much as that mere sentence got him annoyed the first time he heard about it, there was just a stupidly easy logic in it that was undeniable even if it was frustrating.


And the Marine Biologist wasn't one that wished to drown in the often unbearable paperwork that waited by his desk from the first hours of every morning.


Still, it wasn't surreal for a Master and their Servant to seek strength in numbers, but it was odd that this was happening so 'late' from the beginning of the Holy Grail War.


And the bright smile the red-haired giant that was Rider was offering around as if it was Christmas did little to soothe the possibility of this being a trap of sorts.


The little punk, the big guy's Master, that was trying and failing to fend off the smug 'attacks' of the brat Joseph had decided to take care of. He was nervous, unhappy with how outnumbered they were, and he had plenty of reasons to be worried if they were somehow lying.


It wouldn't be the first time someone approached them with seemingly good intentions, only to trick them in an ambush or something even worse.


His instincts were still sharp enough to pick up reasons to be distrustful of this kind of situation, but this was somehow mellowed by a simple comment coming from his own Servant.


"They feel genuine."


The affirmation opened a broad selection of confusing thoughts to handle. Sure, the Marine Biologist had been thinking of the possibility that Caster was capable of perceiving emotions and discern their truthfulness, but for the pink-eyed woman to be this certain of this very predicament was… slightly jarring.


Not that he didn't trust her, quite the contrary. But the subsequent question was: how much could she see out of him?


How much did the chirpy Servant through his usual neutral facade?


It was infuriating for a moment, but… there wasn't much to do about it. She was still an ally, and one that couldn't exactly backstab them for no reason.


A sigh escaped his lips as he continued to calmly ignore the diplomatic exchange between the old Joestar and the young Master of Rider, deciding to keep his attention on the only individual that somehow didn't offer him much trouble.


Sakura yawned briefly and quietly, adjusting herself on his lap as they both sat by the only single couch that was present in that 'living room'.


The warehouse was hardly structured like a proper house, but Joseph had the decency to create a few sections dedicated to house-related functions.


Silently listening to the unfolding conversation, the young plum-haired child seemed partially interested by the strange combination created by Rider and his Master.


It was just plain odd to see these two acting together, with their physical and psychological differences surprisingly working well with one another.


For a child of her age, it was just the dynamic that was endearing, but for Jotaro the fascination lied elsewhere.


Despite Masters being the leading figures of the competition, it would seem erroneous to believe that this mindset was as absolute as he thought of it earlier on.


Archer and Rider were examples of the opposite from what he could see from recent events.


But while the blond prick was just unruly and his Master a pushover, the burly redhead was far from that. In fact, this Servant was rather determined to get his Master to grow a backbone as quickly as possible.


A bizarre sight for sure considering their size-related difference, but Rider's jovial nature wasn't lost to Jotaro.


Despite how much he tried to push back the memories, it reminded him of how Polnareff would behave from time to time.


The Frenchman was the one that wanted to get both him and Kakyoin to spend time around to have fun instead of focusing only on their main mission.


Sometimes that worked on them, but with how frequently these activities would be ambushed by enemy Stand Users, the interest to try new things out slowly disappeared into nothingness.


"Why are you annoyed?" A quiet whisper reached his ears


Just as he had expected, his mood did eventually get noticed by the young child that was now staring at him. Sakura was receptive, but not very vocal about her discoveries as much as many other children her age were.


It was a blessing most of the time, but just like this rare case, there were also moments he was quite surprised by the girl's curiosity.


"This whole meeting seems sudden. I don't know if these two are trustworthy."


The child merely nodded at first, looking back at the distracted duo. Silence resumed for a little less than a minute… and then the former Matou spoke up again.


"The tall one is… desperate."


Tall one? Was she referring to Rider?


"How can you tell?"


Sakura hummed. "He is… moving his hands a lot."


"Gesticulating?" The man suggested and she nodded.


"Yes."


"And how does that make him look… desperate?"


"He is leaning near to his friend. And he looks at the door sometimes."


Which would hint that he was making an escape plan if things go south anytime soon. But that didn't exactly paint a pleasant picture for Jotaro to be calm about. In fact, it did the exact opposite.


"Do you think they still mean it?"


…


"Maybe?"


He held back a sigh. For him to trust this much to a young girl… maybe he really was missing some sleeping hours and-


"The tall one is rubbing his leg close to the short one."


…?


Now that the researcher looked closer to the scene, he could see the Servant keeping rather attached to his Master despite how ample the sofa they were using was.


And it all seemed like… he was trying to coax the boy to be a little less reluctant with his own interventions.


A curious behavior, but one that hinted to the fact they were putting a noticeable effort with these talks.


And for this to be a trap, it sure looked like the duo was acting foolish about making it legitimately suspicious.


Maybe he was giving it too much weight? He sure was feeling tired and maybe his mind was thinking too much about the treacherous trip he had to go through when he was younger.


Despite this lack of interest to give his own input on the matter, Jotaro soon took notice of something strange happening with the two Servants in the large room.


Caster was the first one to tense and look up, her pink eyes wide open in a mix of nervousness and annoyance.


A shadow loomed briefly over Jotaro and Sakura, and then Rider looked up at this development to see what caught the monk's attention first.


The figure was swift, and it rushed away from the skylight right above their heads, with only a tiny object fluttering down towards the Master and the young girl.


Sakura almost jumped in immediate surprise as the small envelope quietly settled on her skirt, allowing for the researcher to reach for it and see what it was all about.


"What was that, Jotaro?" Joseph asked, the old man dividing his attention between the spot previously occupied by the mysterious shadow and his grandson.


"Assassin," Caster muttered without hesitation. "I barely sensed it."


"I didn't expect for that sneaky Servant to be still alive. I guess this is truly a cumbersome war as I thought it to be from the beginning."


But Jotaro ignored all the commotion as he focused on reading the content of the unexpected letter.


The message was written in a clean calligraphy, and he quickly realized who sent it from the fact it was written up above.


Kotomine had contacted him and… the news relayed through the paper were less than optimal, if not atrocious considering the implications forwarded by the fellow Master about the recent development.


"What- What is wrong, Jotaro?"


The Marine Biologist sighed, lowering the paper down as he turned his attention to his grandfather.


"Someone attacked the local graveyard and… there has been a summoning,"


Rider frowned at the news, while the boy beside him looked shocked.


"A-A summoning? I thought all Servants had been summoned already."


"And that's the case," Caster calmly assured, looking at her Master. "But I suppose this isn't the worst news."


Jotaro didn't know how the woman knew that, but he blamed the whole 'feeling detector' ability she had displayed just a couple of minutes earlier.


"The graveyard itself… it was emptied of the corpses buried in there," The Stand User revealed with a tense voice. "And from the way the coffins were found open, it would seem it wasn't from outside of those."


"T-That's ridiculous-" Rider's Master blurted in shock, squirming as quickly as he noticed all the stares were now on him. "I-I mean, this is bad but… resurrecting the dead shouldn't be doable through Magecraft. There are limits about it and-"


"What if it was the work of the newest Servant, kid?"


"It would still leave out what kind of Heroic Spirit would manage to accomplish such a feat," Joseph pointed out with a grim look. "The chances of this being a dangerous new opponent are concerning. We will have to be cautious nonetheless this discussion ends with an alliance or not."


Jotaro huffed before standing up, picking Sakura up with his left hand while his right hand continued to hold the piece of paper.


"We will give it a proper look tomorrow morning. The one that sent me the message has… expressed interest to discuss the matter."


"Isn't that… suspicious?" Caster asked, for the first time ever since the beginning of the war looking concerned.


"Not really. The anomalous summoning was seen by the Supervisor as an illegal aggression and the breaking of numerous rules," The researcher pointed out. "The War might be put on a pause until the rule-breakers are dealt with. Which means that for now there is a truce with all Masters and Servants."


"R-Really?" Master's Rider looked relieved by the news, and the nod coming from Jotaro completed the process of relaxation. "Then that's… good."


"Yes. But that also means that this new Servant is worrying enough to put the entire competition to an halt," Rider said, breaking the illusion that this was just a positive news.


"And if that was the case then… it's best we all keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary… or even worse," Joseph muttered quietly, dreading the chances of this whole event becoming even deadlier than expected.


But for Jotaro, something about this development felt… familiar.


The 'why' and the 'how' were not there in his mind, but he could sense it.


Something bad was coming their way.


-----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d-----------


Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, Head of the El-Melloi Faction, Lord of the Mineralogy Department, and Euryphis Lecturer in the department of Spiritual Evocation.


All those titles were all entitled to him mostly because of his undeniably excellent pedigree as a Magus. He was the best among those that had been blessed with this kind of life, and he was smart enough to understand that luck was to thank over his origins.


The rest? It was all taken through feats and displays of power. His magical talent was one of the greatest in the Magus Association, and that made him both an influential teacher of thaumaturgy and an important political player within Clocktower's ambitious battlegrounds.


Attention, planning, and dedication to what was for him the most righteous of understanding of how magecraft was given to those within the Moonlit World.


The need of preservation, of prosperity- of bringing improvement to his family with every available means possible.


It was all so easy, and yet so… distastefully complicated.


When he first arrived in Fuyuki, the man had expected for the Holy Grail War to be akin to the petty duels and competitions that were common sight in London.


Nothing beyond the safety of magically-preserved settings, nothing that was under the possible scrutiny of any non-Magus.


The idea was simple, it made sense to him as it prevented things to be so disgustingly difficult to accomplish.


Then again, it was obvious that an event like the Holy Grail War would've needed a setting way greater than anything available in this foreign city. And that would've easily attracted unwanted attention on the handling of the challenge.


No, no. This situation was way more troublesome that he had hoped and wanted out of this trip.


Sure, the malicious rebuttals from his fiance were something of an expected source of frustration, but the fact he had lost the chance of fielding a Servant as strong as Iskandar was… the beginning of many headaches for the Lord El-Melloi.


The treachery of his student cemented the need of removing the brat out of the competition. The War offered him the chance of eliminating the upstart from making any other issues for him to clean up without having to deal with any unneeded foul comments from the Association.


The idea was simple, but the planning and execution were both far from being completed. Not only they couldn't find where the infuriating student had been hiding, but now they were supposed to handle individuals like the Magus Killer and Tokiomi Tohsaka.


The competitors were nothing to scoff at, even though Kiritsugu Emiya lacked tremendously in his magical potential. The man was still a killer, one that preferred to destroy his targets from afar rather than engage in personal confrontations.


And that kind of tactic was as dishonorable as problematic to handle considering how strong the fool's Servant was.


Saber managed to hold a proper fight against his Lancer, but there were doubts in his mind that Diarmuid was ready to take on the blond swordsman without failing to match up with the fellow 'knightly individual'.


The concept of dueling had long changed over the past centuries, and it was clear to him that relying on fairness on a 1v1 battle would only damage his group in the long term.


Which is why, against the wishes of his fiance, that he decided against going for an attack.


He couldn't see a reason to expose himself to the harm when they hardly knew the full potential of their opponents, the extent of their respective reach around the city, and their capacity to strike them the moment they left their safe hideout.


Paranoia was another worry, but one that hardly matched the sense of being careful with how this deadly competition was set to unfold.


There had to be a reason why many failed to win it, and why the Third Holy Grail War was deemed one of the greatest tragedies in modern Thaumaturgical History. And Kayneth wasn't planning to discover it by becoming a victim of his vicious new enemies.


He needed to play smart… or at least he needed to put an effort to appear so.


Ever since they reached Fuyuki, Kayneth's own perception of being prepared for the worst had slowly faltered into a state of uneasiness at how novel some of his recent discoveries were.


Sure, he had thought of the chances of some surprises to appear before his eyes, but to imagine that a mere non-Magus had somehow been able to enter the War made him doubt the integrity of the conflict.


The competition was made by Magi for Magi, so why was a barbarian allowed to take part in that conflict despite the numerous rules that were solely created to restrain Magi from trying and ruining the secrecy of their work all for the sake of getting a wish out of the Grail.


It was truly a sad day to be reminded that the Association was filled with so many unworthy individuals that would risk everything all for the sake of power and immortality.


And yet, despite the frustrations keeping on piling up, nothing had him prepared for what happened in that dark night.


The first hint that something was indeed wrong was when a large set of explosions made the entire building shake as the electrical grid was disconnected from most of the hotel's rooms.


Panic swelled for a brief moment before the Lord El-Melloi took initiative in personally hunting down the only Master that would try to attack in such a disgusting manner.


Lancer was quick to stand beside him, and the blond decided against bringing his own fiance to the dangerous battle that waited for them to happen.


The plan was simple and the morale was high. But then something odd happened before their eyes.


The room's temperature started to drop the moment the Magus reached for the door's handle, forcing him to pause as he took notice of the instantaneous development.


Confusion appeared on his face as he turned the handle to unlock the device, but as soon as he let go of it… the world around him warped before his eyes.


A blink and… he found himself sitting on the couch he had been sitting on right before the sudden blackout.


Lancer was back on his original spot near Sola-Ui, the woman looked confused as much as the man and the Servant were about the absurd phenomenon.


What had happened, and why he felt like… he had faced death for a moment?


His confusion was finally quenched when he turned back to stare at the doors that were now open wide to reveal who was just outside the room.


Cold mist reached from the corners of the new opening, turning the whole room quiet and chilling as the only figure there silently waited for their attention to turn to him.


The dark yellow that made most of his clothes entered in clear contrast with the inner dark shirt and the green details. The sight was confusing, if not increasing the suspension of reality itself as the figure finally spoke.


"Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri, I wish to recruit you to help me create a better world."


The proclamation took the trio by utter shock. The voice of this mysterious stranger was incredibly alluring despite the fact they couldn't see his face properly. There was a beauty in his frame that was unexplainable, as if the individual wasn't human… but divine.


Despite the early hesitation to handle this intruder, the silence was disrupted by Sola-Ui herself.


"W-What?"


"Your role right now is demeaning for an individual of your state and rank. You've been turned into cattle whose main purpose is to breed for the sake of an arranged union," The stranger spoke once again. "Yet I know that despite what your brother might have tried to accomplish by lessening the blow to your pride, you still believe that there has to be something more- something better to strive for."


"W-Who are you- how dare you to-"


"Be quiet."


The tremendous fright that came while listening to such a stern change of voice paralyzed Kayneth to his seat. Gone was the fury and the irritation at such a visit, his bravado vanishing in a mere instant as he was left pulled down by a sense of outrageous fear over this enemy.


It had to be an enemy, a dangerous one with how easily he was controlling the room with his mere appearance only.


A Servant? He was sure that none matched with the flamboyant disposition of this absurd character.


So who were they facing? And why did Lord El-Melloi feel a sliver of dread at being subjected to this kind of… abuse?


Something about it just spelled doom, and at the same time a promise of a long and prolonged punishment.


The paradoxical twist at this insane encounter driving more fright within his mind.


"As I was saying, I understand that you mistrust those that offer you something as precious as freedom of will. A reward offered only with the completion of a work that you might find troubling, if not filled with deadly hardships that would require your utmost commitment to the cause, to my cause," The blond continued with his calm but seductive voice. "I wish to bring peace in this world by rallying behind me those that wish to not be subjected to any imposition, to be ready to accept my world, DIO's World, as the only solution to their plights."


"I… but… I'm not-"


"Your worth isn't one dictated by what kind of abilities you have, or by your position within your family. I, DIO, value a person from the way they handle the adversities and adapt in harsh situations," The mysterious figure interrupted with a suave and tempting tone. "You gained my interest because of your stubbornness and dream of freedom."


Malicious thoughts started to storm Kayneth's mind as he found himself subjected to the flagrant attempt of stealing his fiance from him. He knew that the woman didn't like him, that there hadn't been enough time to form at least a formal bond between each other to prevent someone like him from coming around and try to turn her against the Lord El-Melloi.


Gritting his teeth, the Magus could see a single viable option to end the mostly successful attempt of this intruder to kidnap Sola-Ui.


And he wasn't going to allow his name to be tarnished by some deplorable no-name nobody like the one standing by the door.


"L-Lancer, by my Command Seal-!!"


Kayneth paused in shock as he found his challenging stare matched by two unholy golden orbs. This 'DIO', this scum- he was staring back at him.


He wasn't attacking, nor had he moved much with that brief outburst of his, and yet the Magus stopped from giving the order to his Servant to strike.


Something about these eyes… they were daring him to go ahead with this action. But why? And why did it feel like he was missing something important about this very situation.


…


He couldn't stop anymore. Not when he was being emasculated in front of his fiance.


"Lancer, by my Command Seal- ATTACK THE INTRUDER WITHOUT ANY RESTRAINTS!"


With the Seal enchanting Lancer to assault the figure, the Servant didn't waste any time to jump in action and… activate his Noble Phantasms.


Gae Buidhe, a spear that could leave injuries that couldn't be healed.


Gae Dearg, a spear that ignored magical defenses by piercing through mana.


In their individual forms, both weapons were powerful- but Diarmuid used both at the same time, creating a devastating combo that no Servant could easily ignore. Not even Saber.


A green blur that glowed blue and red for a brief moment… and then he wasn't no more.


That should technically mean that his attack was successful, but Kayneth wasn't gloating. No, his face was twisted in full panic as his only means to handle the war was easily dispatched off before his own eyes.


Diarmuid stopped a couple steps behind his target, the Servant coughing blood as he slowly realized the extent of his wounds.


Both his spears had been plunged deep in his upper chest, pushed deep through his skin as they were active. The worst part of the scene… was that his now detached arms were still tightly holding onto both blades, swiftly limping as reality struck the entire sight.


The Servant crumbled forward in a horrible scene of lifelessness, shattering any hopes of this battle to result in his victory.


Kayneth's resolve wavered even more, and his perception of his reality collapsed as abruptly as his Servant had.


What was going on? Why was he losing this badly? Who was DIO?


This last question reminded him that the monstrous being had killed an individual his fiance had been fond of. Surely that should've been more than enough to dissuade her from abandoning him.


Yes, that had to be it. There was no other way for things to turn well for him.


Yet Sola-Ui's glare wasn't directed at the intruder. No, it was aimed at the fellow Magus.


But why? His mind couldn't comprehend that confusing scenario. He couldn't grasp over the fact that the woman was capable enough to recognize how Kayneth had sent Lancer to his death all because he didn't want to make a stand for himself. For them.


For Kayneth El-Melloi was a man that believed in pedigree and privileges since birth. And he was born in the right family.


...Right now that entitlement didn't matter. His ultimate weapon wasn't near for him to recover without being slayed on the spot, nor was his mind ready to face a battle as dangerous as the one waiting for him to happen.


He gulped nervously, shivering as he tried to formulate a plan and… failing as DIO was now staring at him.


Gone was the calm that had given a sense of mercy, now replaced by a bitter sternness that completely deprived the former Master of the proper capacities to make thoughts about the situation.


His mind was blank, unable to go ahead with the next needed step. With his brain failing to do something, it was the turn of instincts to try something.


And that something was to rush at the trouble while using the best spells in his arsenal.


He barely stood up from his chair that he was pushed back onto it, this time the cause of this refusal being beyond his control.


Numerous knives were now pressing deep on the left side of his body, from his foot up to head. His left eye stopped working, and his lungs felt drained of all air that was once available to him. The blankness faded away to reveal a collection of memories.


Memories of all the harsh retributions that he had suffered as a child. The need to sharpen his body and mind before the integrity of the family, to make a good heir out of the snot-nosed brat he once was.


But while that remembrance distracted him from the surreal aspect of the situation, soon the reason behind this immediate recollection made itself present in his mind.


The world… burned. The searing sensation of numerous sharp objects turning in his flesh broke through any past pain he had suffered about.


A shrill yell echoed, yet it wasn't his lips that were releasing it. No… it was the woman on the ground floor that had spotted his head, now detached from his body and then forced to fall down out of the room's window.


The tale of Kayneth El-Melloi came to an end in that precise realization, with the last ounce of life now gone and his soul leaving the butchered remains that DIO saw fit to dispose in such a cruel manner.


But the scene back in that room was far from over.


"Do you regret having taken a stand for yourself, Sola-Ui?"


The question drew the redhead out of that horror-induced look aimed at the broken window. The young woman offered an uncertain glance at the blond.


"N-No."


The vampire smiled. "That's good to hear. And I wish to offer you a particularly simple job now that you're deprived of any limitations condemning your stay here."


…


"A job?"


"Right now here in Fuyuki, there is a man that I consider particularly dangerous. The prime threat that could jeopardize my chances of saving those that, just like you, have been condemned by society and cast away as worthless cheap tools," DIO explained with a calm nod. "I want you to spy on him, and report personally to me about what you can learn from his attitude and pattern."


It sounded incredibly easy. An exchange that extremely favored the woman in the long term. So she asked, curious to learn who she was supposed to look for.


"His name is particularly known as of recently, mostly because of his mundane work," The vampire answered with a surprisingly serious tone. Far more serious than any word she could've imagined leaving his mouth. "I want you to keep an eye on Jotaro Kujo. And I want you to deliver him a message when I tell you to."


And with that plan established, DIO hid a smile at how easy things were even though he was now limited by his Servant Status. His Stand wasn't as effective as it had been before… but his vampiric abilities would do just enough to deal with the pests snooping for him.


This time, he had the element of surprise as his prime advantage. And he planned to use this element as a means to get the revenge he dutifully craved for.


Jotaro, I shall put an end to the Joestar Dynasty and all those you care for.


------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-----


AN


So… people actually adding DIO was a cliché.


…Well, I guess there is no longer any tact in modern generations.


Also, I started to play JJBA the Seventh Crusader. Cool game, I ended up having Miracles as my Stand and… I might have something planned about some characters in a future JJBA story. But I can't tell much about it just yet.


Lastly,

Spoiler: DIO's STATS!

True Name: Dio Brando/DIO
Class: Avenger
Master: Francesca Prelati
Noble Phantasm: ｢The World｣ (5 Seconds)

Stats
Strength: A
Endurance: B+
Agility: B
Magic: D
Luck: C+

Class Skills
Avenger: A+
Oblivion Correction: B
Self-Replenishment (NP) : B+

Personal Skills
Charisma: A+
Vampirism: A-
Villain Creation: A+

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 10: Eight Mantra! The Pure and the Soulless!


The morning of a new day brought a couple of strange occurrences up to the Supervisor's attention.


And Kirei by relation was well aware of what was happening in just a single day.


First the unexpected exhumation of most of the corpses within the Fuyuki Graveyard, then the attack at the Hyatt Hotel.


The latter predicament should've been less surprising than it sounded, especially with the fact that Assassin reported early on during the assault that the attacker was none other than Kiritsugu Emiya.


The Magus Killer had struck without mercy, going as quick as he could to deprive a legitimate concern to the conflict. Lancer was a target that could be killed with adequate preparation and equipment, and thus the professional killer set his eyes to take down Kayneth El Melloi.


The idea was fitting, and there was no reason to expect any less from Kiritsugu.


The real problem happened to be how Lancer and his Master died. Because, while the Magus Killer did create the distraction that was supposed to allow him to slip inside without much of an issue, the one that butchered the Master/Servant Duo was neither the mercenary, nor Saber.


The 'man' behind it was something of a force well beyond his understanding. Assassin was terrified when one of her Personalities saw him act.


So quick, so ruthless, so uncaring. That was not only the distinct tone of a cold murderer, but also of someone that had little to no grip to humanity.


His Servant recognized the being as a fellow Servant, but other than that the chances of studying the monster proved to be well beyond achievable.


The detail confirmed the identity of the irregular summoning, but also created a new fear for Risei to handle.


It had to be DIO.


Somehow the infamous vampire had been resurrected, prompting both men to believe that the identity of his Master to be one of his loyal supporters.


The theory was as quick to come to their mind as it was to leave, all because no known Magus would ever dare to support a vampire.


Which meant that… someone was plotting from the shadow.


And said malicious individual was also behind the bizarre occurrence the young priest was now supposed to handle with the small group that had rallied in that area.


Kirei blinked as he silently took a few steps around the main scene.


With Joseph crouching down to analyze one of the many empty graves within the graveyard, the only interesting detail he could find was Jotaro's annoyed look.


It was confusing to see the marine biologist behave so… emotionally. There was indeed something unsettling from that glare, even though it was clear that the man was blissfully unaware of the suspicions both Rise and his son were both trying to keep a secret.


The motivation behind this decision was surprisingly simple.


While it could be that they were dealing with Dio Brando, the chances offered by this situation allowed them to call upon some favors from the church.


Many had wanted the vampire dead back when he was still around in the late 80s, and now that it existed as an 'illegal' Servant, it was going to be easy to call upon some scrutiny over the Grail itself.


It had been a rising concern within the Supervisor that something was wrong about the magical construct. That something might have happened In the past to alter the main function of it.


Tokiomi had heard of this possibility, but he had been rather adamant that he wasn't believing any of that.


He was so convinced that his Ancestor's legendary work would never fail against anything short of magic, that he tastelessly denied any attempt to study the leylines passing by the Tohsaka Manor.


A foolish action that got someone as stoic as Kirei to groan at the sheer idiocy he was forced to listen to.


One thing was to be certain of personal achievements. Humanity was entitled to be arrogant about individualistic pride, but nothing entitled humans to accept the truthfulness of a long-deceased ancestor.


If that was the case, then many old versions of the Bible would be taken seriously instead of the 'modern' take that had been taken just at the beginning of the century.


"We should place something to ward off any malicious return," Caster pointed out sternly. "Those responsible for this heinous deed shall be punished for interrupting the peaceful rest of those that lied upon down below this ground."


"Do you have anything that could work on the occasion?" Jotaro asked distractedly, his attention fixed on some scratches that were visible on some rocks.


"I believe I have some special seals. But it will take a while to get all those properly placed-" The woman paused, her pink eyes turning to look at Assassin as the fellow Servant stood beside Kirei. "Unless Assassin-san offers me some assistance. It will be quick work!"


The priest nodded, and his Servant complied with his acceptance. It wasn't like he was against the mere act. He could tell that among those within the site, Caster was the angriest by the horrible ordeal unfolding just a day ago.


From the way she reacted to the way she was eagerly pushing for this, the young Kotomine could tell that there was no ill intent with that task, and thus no reason to think unwell of the Servant's initiative.


Instead, Kirei turned his sight on Jotaro, this time prepared for a proper interaction.


"I suppose you're already suspecting something."


The glacial eyes of the marine biologist turned to regard the priest.


"I do. But it's only a baseless conclusion."


A perplexed look adorned Kirei's face. "Baseless?"


"The old man says that this ordeal is akin to a vampire's attack. One of those monsters created by the Stone Masks the Foundation had already destroyed a long time ago," The fellow Master started to explain. "Which would mean that one of the masks somehow survived and allowed some freak to be created and… do this."


…


"This isn't your conclusion," The priest was sure of it, especially from how frustrated Jotaro looked.


And with that affirmation, the marine biologist decided to reveal his thoughts.


"You and your father. You've mentioned that Servants can't be made by villainous souls since the Grail has rules that prevent it, right?"


That detail had been one of the major foundations of the known rules of the Grail. With the Hassans recognized as neutral entities without a genuine malicious denotation, it was common knowledge to believe that simple concept.


Yet there were already some bizarre instances happening from the appearance of Berserker. While it would've been stupid to define the Servant evil at first sight, the nature of his attacks and the way he seemed to have little restrains available made the entire character suspicious.


With Dio's entry, the rule was completely disproved and thus leaving both Kirei and Risei baffled at this circumstance.


If this rule could be broken, how many others could suffer the same fate before the emergency system within the Greater Grail was activated.


How much will it take for a Ruler Servant to be forced upon the Holy Grail War?


"It is indeed the case, but there have been… doubts regarding the stability of the Grail."


…


"What?"


Kirei sighed. "Since the previous competition, my father has started to believe that someone or something might have tampered with the Grail. That some strange developments just are well-beyond what is expected for the construct to achieve."


"So you're saying there's a chance for-"


"It's possible, but I wouldn't be quick to assume anything from this possibility alone."


It took the young Kotomine a moment to realize his mistake.


He had interrupted Jotaro, showing a degree of impatience to what he knew was going to be an interesting take on the case.


He had expected the Master of Caster to consider the chances of Dio's revival, but not for him to be so swift in handing out such a certainty.


But now that Kirei had spoken so abruptly, a shadow of suspicion hovered over his head.


At first there was silence, a cautious pause that just preceded the approaching storm.


"Kirei, you know something we don't. Something important."


…


"I know many things, Jotaro-san-"


"And I'm referring to the summoning you've mentioned in your message."


…


"Just ask the questions. And I will answer the best I can."


A slight concession, one to create a softer impact for the revelation. One that didn't see him with a bloody nose, that is.


"The summoning, do you know who was behind it?"


"We have a couple of suspects. The primary one is the one behind your acquisition of the spellbook responsible for your forced entry," Kirei replied in detail. "But there is a chance that the individual could also be an unknown party of Magi. Maybe from the United States."


It wouldn't be the first time 'foreigners' tried to get hold of all information regarding the Grail. The Americans were the most ambitious of the various groups, and they had to be stopped on multiple occasions when the War had yet to begin, with their last attempt happening mere months ago.


"The book has been hidden away," Joseph quipped with a nod, standing up from his crouched position. "If the responsible was indeed the one behind that 'gift', then they will find a nasty surprise if they try to recover it."


At least some good news-


"But now there is a question I really want to ask," Jotaro jumped in with a cold tone of voice. "The new Servant, could it be that the one that had been summoned was… Dio?"


…


"There is a good chance, yes," Kirei admitted. "Especially with the mysterious figure that was spotted killing Lancer and his Master yesterday night."


"Lancer has been eliminated?" Jotaro inquired. "I suppose that this group is hunting down the legitimate Servants and Masters. And if it is Dio… then things might be even more difficult than we're prepared to handle."


There was a hint of worry within his tone that just felt uncharacteristic. It was unusual for someone like the marine biologist to be this tense, and yet the researcher just looked shaken by the possibility that DIO was back.


But why?


Kirei's mind had trouble finding a reason at first, but then he realized two details that had eluded the brainstorming he had engaged with his father just a couple hours earlier.


The first issue was that DIO was a Servant now. While this would normally weaken someone that wasn't considered a Hero and was much stronger than what the body provided by the grail would offer, it was also true that the might unleashed by Servants was also dependent by their 'following'.


And DIO had a large cult when he first died, with no hints of this dwindling down to nothingness.


The second, and perhaps most alarming, problem was that Jotaro didn't look battle-ready.


Could he fight? Yes. There was no doubt in his mind that the man could easily tear apart many strong opponents.


But could he face DIO again? That very question was difficult to answer.


Was Jotaro stronger than he had been when he fought against Dio? He believed so, and yet he could tell that the fellow Master wasn't someone that put much thought behind keeping on training, focusing more on his family and his work.


"If Dio is back, then we shall make sure he is sent back to hell once more," Joseph remarked fiercely. "We… There are people that have sacrificed their lives to keep the bastard away from harming the world. We can't allow their deaths to go in vain."


That promise, one that sounded so empty to Kirei as it held little meaning to him, seemed to be enough to renew Jotaro's determination to go through this new task.


Was it that simple? To remember and be revitalized by the sacrifice of those that perished?


Kirei thought back at Claudia. Once more, he was reminded that he still had some responsibility to go through once this was all over.


The first contact with the Hortensia family had been positive. Or at least it felt like it had been a pleasant victory.


They were willing to talk about Caren, but they seemed to have intentionally excluded any interest to discuss guardianship during that first call.


It was going to be the first of many conversations, all for the sake of 'fixing' something he hoped that could be fixed.


Could he really find absolution by being there for his daughter? Could it be that she was the final key to a life away from the capricious shell of his maliciousness?


He needed to know, and to do so, he needed to gamble some aspects of his reputation.


At least his father was on his side. Maybe his presence will do much more other than moderate the tones from his deceased wife's family...


----------d-d-d-d---------------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d--------


Within the dark room of that creaky old house, a quiet young girl tried her best to not succumb to the tears.


If someone had asked little Rin why would she want to venture inside that seemingly abandoned building, her answer would shock many adults as it was both incredibly brave… but also terribly stupid.


It wasn't something absurd to believe that a child would go on an adventure away from their family's protection. But for this adventure to be one as deadly as it turned out for Rin? It just showed that something was indeed wrong with the Tohsaka.


Or rather, that there was something wrong with the Tohsaka trusting the Zenjou clan to keep a watchful eye over the heiress to the important family they were tied to.


It took Aoi a moment to be distracted by some affairs, and for Rin's grandmother to grow tired and sleepy for the little girl to make an ambitious and untested plan to save someone that she cared about.


Children were dying. The news was heard by the young Tohsaka through the strange box that her grandparents had set in the living room. The absurd construct, which was explained to her wasn't the fruit of magecraft, was capable of displaying many things.


And among the many awe-striking channels available through the tiny remote, one of those was dedicated to show the news of the local area.


Children had gone missing, that headline gained her attention as soon as it was read out loud by the 'anchorwoman'. Numerous pictures were shown to support the extent of the service, and among the photos in display, Rin noticed a familiar face.


Kotone, her mind screeched to a halt at the realization that her friend was in danger.


Embarking in what had looked to be a dutiful task at the beginning of that departure, Rin kept her mind steeled over the matter.


It was going to be weird, it was going to be cold- but she needed to make a trip back in the city and find where her friend was.


She could do it, after all she was a young Magus. That mere thought emboldened her to go through the first half of that tragic campaign.


The journey was indeed more difficult than expected. Adults tried to apprehend her as soon as they realized that she wasn't accompanied by an adult.


Sadly for them, Rin's legs were pretty fast and her smaller form allowed her to move through large blocks of people with ease.


It was almost funny, to run away from these silly adults trying to stop her. It reminded her of the times when she used to chase around the park with-


Someone.


Yes. Someone.


She couldn't think of her. Both father and mother had been rather clear about this matter.


Despite this little bump, reaching Fuyuki was just the first of many steps she had to take to save Kotone.


Tracing her steps to the park, she reached one of the 'safe spots' she had created with a couple of friends. One of the many tiny clearings that held a couple of small boxes they had left for emergencies.


Candies, pieces of papers, pens, bandaids- everything that could become useful in case someone was hurt, attacked, or even kidnapped.


Even a single binocular was left by one of the richer kids, all in the hope to be used if they could've managed to sneak out of their homes to watch the stars when they were older.


It sounded so cool, and yet she knew that her father would've never approved of such a deed.


...Then again, he would've surely been disappointed if he knew what she was doing away from her grandparents' house.


Sneaking around, avoiding detection from those that wanted to bring her back home…


She couldn't do it! She had a friend to save.


And thus, Rin started to plan out something. She needed to find places that would usually be considered feared by children.


Places that would frighten and terrify her peers.


Because those locations had to be prime candidates for the kind of bad guy that was behind these horrible attacks. Or bad girl, she wasn't going to exclude that it could've been a scary lady behind all of this.


Once she had set some of the spots she knew weren't meant to be visited by kids on one of the few maps of Fuyuki kept in the safe spot, Rin resumed her journey to find her friend.


The trip wasn't as linear as it had been up until now. Backtracking became a must the moment she realized that some of those places were shrouded in darkness despite it being so early in the morning.


After recovering a flashlight and two batteries, the young Tohsaka was back on her adventure, shedding some light over the villainous shadows.


She almost giggled as she thought that, quickly recomposing herself as she eventually ended up wandering inside an old house by the edge of Fuyuki.


It was considered an abandoned house, and the kids in the area were quite nervous to speak about it since 'scary things' had been seen unfolding in the last few days.


Strange lights, some mad cackling, and children disappearing the most in this specific quarter.


It was a bigger chance than the last two spots she had to check on, and she knew that it had to be in that very place.


With her father's past praises keeping her morale up, Rin ventured inside the unnerving shack in complete silence.


Her blue eyes seemed to shine in the dark, something that was attenuated by her flashlight keeping on waving around some brightness over the unknown, feeding more into her sense of security.


Maybe she had arrived at a time where the meanie was in there. Yes, that sounded like a brilliant possibility, one that she hoped was indeed true.


She wandered around, expecting to find some clues that would confirm that this was the place of the heinous deeds.


All noises were taken in account with utmost attention, all the creaking and the groaning from the old wood keeping her tense and unable to think beyond that situation.


Where was Kotone? Was this the place she was trying to find?


The young Tohsaka almost started to hum in an effort to soothe her worries, but as soon as she thought of doing so, her panic exploded as wood started to creak underneath something heavy. Something nearby.


Eventually the girl arrived at what she easily recognized as a kitchen. Stoves, a sink, a few cupboards in the upper section of the room and… a strange fridge.


Actually, it wasn't the fridge itself that looked strange, but the unknown thing that was wrapped around it.


It looked like a squid, or a starfish. It was a creature that reminded Rin of a seafaring animal, and yet there was something odd about it.


Something bad, she could tell from a closer look.


As soon as she took four to five steps toward the fridge to study the unexpected creature latched on it, her eyes widened as she saw the being slowly dislodging itself off the appliance.


Backing away quickly from the alive monster, a sliver of fear slowly gained purchase on her brain. She was trembling a little as the horrible sight was well-beyond what she had expected to find.


Rin turned around and started to run away from the kitchen, her heart jumping to her throat as she felt the creature quickly bolting after her, in an effort to catch up to the girl.


A yelp left her lips as she unconsciously tripped because of the uneven floor, dread filled her mind as she saw the monster loom closer to her downed position, eager to jump on her and hurt her.


Fear peaked and for a moment Rin knew that no words from her father would've been enough to calm her down.


She almost screamed as she couldn't think of a way to fend off the swift assault and, as she braced for impact, her teary eyes widened again as something absurd unfolded before her.


The monster… it was no longer there.


Sure, its agonizing form was rolling around the floor, trying to survive through what looked to be some painful attacks that had caused it to bleed a lot. Green liquid poured without limitation out of its wounds, and soon… it wasn't rolling anymore.


It would twitch once in a while but… Rin could tell it was dead.


The sight was horrifying. Even though the fiend had been trying to hurt her, to see something 'with thoughts' die like this left her afraid.


Within the dark room of that creaky old house, a quiet young girl tried her best to not succumb to the tears.


What happened? She tried to think of an explanation but… nothing felt right with what just happened.


Her mind couldn't give her any answer, and she wasn't certain of what happened.


Instead, her attention was stolen away by a melody coming from the second floor. The sound… she recognized it as something only a piano would produce.


Gulping nervously, and beating down her fearful thoughts, Rin stood up and slowly started to make her way to the origin of that melody.


It was suave, it was calm- it was alluring.


A trap? If so, was the trapper behind the death of that monster?


Her mind was just overflowing with questions about the recent events, and she felt that a solution was soon going to be provided.


Her rise through the staircase was uneventful. Nothing in there suggested another monster, and so she didn't wait too long to arrive at the room where the mysterious figure was playing the piano.


The door opened, revealing said figure giving his back to her.


The room was particularly dark, but not enough to completely obscure her sight.


The windows were closed shut, preventing any sunlight from coming inside that room.


The man, the one that was still sounding the piano, seemed highly distracted by the activity. The blond was wearing a sleeveless dark shirt, and a pair of yellow pants. A pair of shoes and a yellow shirt the same shade as the pants were properly set near to the bed.


As soon as she was done staring, Rin noticed that the man was no longer playing the piano.


"You know, it's rude to enter someone's domain uninvited."


His tone was commanding, and she knew that he could move fast enough to catch her if she tried to run away.


"...Sorry?"


That would certainly work, she thought quickly. It did work with other individuals, so why wouldn't in this case?


"Are you sorry for being an unruly scoundrel, or are you sorry that you got caught by me?"


Indeed, which of the two instances was it?


Rin knew it, but instead of being truthful, she decided to play a safe card and hope for the best.


"Yes."


…


"HahahahahahahahahaHAHAHAHAHA!"


There was something wrong with this person. Maybe he was some lunatic hobo, or maybe this one was the bad guy behind Kotone's kidnapping.


"W-Who are you?!"


The girl demanded imperiously, allowing her anger to reinforce her current determination.


The half-question stole the strange man from his own laugh, and she found herself staring at his judging golden eyes as he turned to address her properly.


"I'm DIO, you unruly child. And I will give you just five seconds to tell me your name and why you're here."


He couldn't be serious. She didn't trust him enough to-


"Five, four-"


"I-I'm Rin. Rin Tohsaka," She instinctively replied, feeling the awkwardness of how similar it just felt to be reminded of the very same tactic being used by her mother.


"Three, two-"


He was still going? B-but-


"One-"


"I- I'm searching for a friend that- that went missing!"


…


…


"Is that so? And you believe that invading a property just like this will shed some light over your friend's disappearance?"


She wanted to say yes. To be brave and determined against such a mean adult… and yet her resolve faltered before his cold eyes.


Those just felt so inhuman and terrifying. This felt more like one of the horror stories her mother used to tell her during Halloween.


A shiver went down her spine as the man stood up from his small chair, making just two steps towards the child.


"Rin Tohsaka, I've asked you a question. Consider this a mercy, I will allow you to choose your answer, but only if you will not delay the thinking too much."


She blinked, finally regaining control of her emotions.


"Y-Yes."


A smirk adorned Dio's face, and the tall man crouched down close to her level.


"Many lesser beings would've faltered at my voice, I wonder if this means something," The blond contemplated thoughtfully. "I assume you know that trespassing is a crime."


…


"No?"


His lips twitched, a tiny hint of amusement flashing in his eyes before the man addressed her with a scowl.


"Aren't you an unruly brat? I suppose your parents never taught you how to be respectful of others-"


"Y-You don't know them! You don't know me!"


…


"I believe you're overstepping your boundaries, thus I will give you a fair chance," Dio replied calmly. "Leave the room now, and I will make sure no harm falls over you as you leave. Advance towards me, and I will consider it a sign that you want to stay."


Rin frowned, feeling like the deal was just too dumb to be true. What kind of game was this dummy playing?


…


Instead of thinking too much about it, the young Tohsaka turned around and started to run out of the room…


Only for her to find herself a step closer to the bizarre man.


"W-What?"


"What's wrong? You did approach me-"


"I did not!" Rin refused heatedly. "You did something?"


He blinked. "And what did I do? Call my 'cheat' out if you believe I tricked you."


She wanted to, she really wanted to. But her mind failed to grasp at the absurd situation.


What did just happen? How did he get her to make a step forward when she was clearly trying to run away moments earlier?


Hypnosis? Something about warping space around her?


Rin tried to go through the previous attempt once more, with the result being pretty much the same as before.


She went through this for a while, going well beyond ten times the same effort, with all attempts ending in a resounding failure.


She paused the moment her breath started to get difficult to control.


"What's wrong, are you tired?"


A furious pout appeared on the child's face. "N-No!"


His amusement only increased at that response, and he seemed prepared to see her try again and fail at that futile effort.


Yet, despite that simple expectation he had built on her previous trial, Dio appeared surprised when, instead of running out of the door, Rin rushed towards him and, before he had a chance to move out of the way, his face was struck by… a soft punch.


The girl was incredibly furious, yet the blond didn't look anywhere as scared as the young Tohsaka would've wanted.


"I suppose… you're willing to stay," The man said while grinning deviously.


Once again, Rin felt a chill go down her spine and… this time, she knew she made herself a problem.


A problem that was mostly caused by a bored Vampire that was seeking some rational individual to talk to.


-----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d------------


AN


If it isn't Gilles, it's Francesca.


And now Dio, a vampire that is glooming over the fact he doesn't have a mansion to use for malicious intent, tries to get himself someone to talk to that isn't as insane as his monster.


The question is: will Rin play along and live through this, or will something horrible happen?

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 11: Ninth Mantra! Progress in Understanding!


"I still don't understand- why did this girl become your concern, dear?"


This discussion was as difficult as he had expected. Maybe more if Jotaro realized how awkward it had to sound to someone that didn't know the full context of the situation he was presenting.


While his wife was someone that would give him absolute trust when he pressed on a matter, there was always a sliver of doubt that would come up and turn things complicated for him. Not because the woman was in the wrong with her concerns, but rather he was unable to express the truth without putting his close family in harm's way.


Especially now that DIO was back as a Servant, his paranoia was going through an all-high in an effort to get secondary issues solved as quickly as possible before he focused his entire attention on the troublesome threat.


"While working with Gramps, I found out that the child was being abused," Jotaro finally replied with a quiet voice, trying his best to keep the discussion away from Sakura. With the child currently busy drawing things together with Caster, it was only for the best to not drag her in so soon. First, he needed to make his wife accept this sudden development, and that was no easy feat in itself.


"Abused? You mean that she was-"


"Yes," He cut her before she could have finished that question. "While I understand your concerns, I wish to make it clear that I wouldn't have taken this idea without a serious thought behind it."


"I know, but I… I want to understand why you think adopting her would be the best option."


A sigh, then his stare moved away from the Servant and the child.


"She was originally sold to the family that abused her. Her original family is still there, and they own enough wealth to take her back from the local orphanage if they wanted," The Stand User elaborated, trying to give most of the truth while stripping it of any supernatural event or precise detail his wife could've used to to trace people and locations through a research. "Her brother, the one that was actually from the abusive family, will be taken in by the old man. I don't think I need to remind you that-"


"Grandmother dearest would love to take in a young boy to pamper and spoil. I remember your mother being rather fussy about it since it sounded like her own mother would've preferred a male child."


"She didn't let go of that grudge until Gramps decided to invite them both out for a 'date'. I swear that was the-"


"Most adorable and hilarious thing Joseph could've done," Lena interrupted before he could've offered something less flattering. "I don't want to poke at it once again, but maybe you should really ask your grandfather how he managed his family when-"


"I will," Jotaro replied curtly, really unhappy of being reminded of the fact that, while he was clueless how to schedule work, secret work, and private life without messing one or all of them, his grandfather had successfully worked through this issue for decades.


It wasn't anything he had about the old man, but the younger man really didn't want to be reminded how inexperienced and deadbeat he was going to sound by asking that kind of question.


"I sure hope you will give it a try, dear. I really want you to put aside some of your concerns and give it a shot," The woman scolded softly. "Do it for Jolyne and… this girl."


He restrained himself from flinching at that, knowing full well that he couldn't say no to this now that his daughter was brought up. And there was also now his new charge to take under consideration about this delicate matter.


Sakura was still suffering from her experience at the Matou, and it would've been foolish of him to not pay more attention to her now that he was considering taking her in. The child deserved some happiness, and not just from the likes of a mother or a sibling. She also needed a father. The girl needed a full family experience to grow out of that trauma.


"I understand," He replied with a little more determination, blinking as his wife sighed in relief.


"Now I feel at ease in knowing that now you will pay more attention to it," Lena commented mirthfully. "But now that we have settled about this subject, I was actually thinking of talking with the girl. Her name is Sakura, right?"


"Yes," Jotaro muttered. "If you want I can get her on the phone now. She is currently drawing-"


"Please do, dear."


Sighing before turning once more to look at the two other occupants of the room, the man decided to approach the child instead of actually snapping her out of her happy moments that suddenly. The girl tensed up just a little as he tapped at her shoulder, soon looking away from her half-done drawing and offering her the phone.


"There is someone that wishes to know you. She is… nice."


The plum-haired child blinked at the curt explanation, but she nodded at it before taking the phone in her hands and bringing it to her right ear.


"Hello?"


"Hi, I'm Lenna. Are you little Sakura?"


The kid frowned at the feminine voice, nodding to herself at the unexpected question.


"Yes."


The woman sighed mirthfully. "Nice to meet you, dear. Jotaro told me that you are a pretty girl."


An awed look replaced the confused one on Sakura's face.


"Am I?"


"I'm quite sure of it, sweetie. In fact, when I saw a picture of you I almost exclaimed at how pretty you looked."


Her lips twitched, and her legs kicked a little at hearing those nice words. It reminded her of a time when she was happier and things weren't that… unpleasant. But now the time with the Matou was over and her new caretaker wasn't someone that she was unhappy about. Quite the opposite if she had to be genuinely honest.


"Thank you," Sakura replied politely.


"Aw, and polite too. Can I ask you a few simple questions, Sakura-chan?"


The girl frowned at the request, but until now she had no reason to doubt the good-will displayed by the kind lady. Plus, Jotaro had said she was nice and… he had been telling her only the truth until now.


"Yes."


"Okay then. Jotaro told me that you were drawing something, can you tell me what it is?"


Relief washed over her little worry. The questions weren't as private as she had expected and… she was actually interested in knowing the perspective from someone else that wasn't Caster. While the brunette was nice too, she was also… too energetic, and quite simplistic with her answers.


"I was drawing a… Koinobori."


"Really? That's a pretty fish, and one that can be colored in many beautiful ways. Did you know that?"


...Was color also important? Was there a set of rules to follow about it?


These were the questions that suddenly erupted at that simple query. It was her first time she drew something like that. Usually it was cat-faces or cute puppies, but ever since Jotaro had given her a book about fishes, Sakura had decided to try drawing some of those.


The starfish was easy, but the result was nonetheless satisfying to see. There were so many creatures to try her hand with, but the koinobori was something that she could remember from her… early childhood. It was indeed a pretty fish like Lena had told her being, but the girl never understood why it was the case.


"I'm still drawing it."


"Oh really? Are you making sure it looks the prettiest?" The woman inquired once again.


"Yes." She started to hum happily after saying that, a tiny smile appearing on her face as she was growing happier with the way the conversation was going. While it was confusingly difficult to get the proper outline of the carp's body, the fins, the eye and the mouth were coming along quite well.


It was definitely more complex to what she had tried to draw before… and the child was glad that Caster was there to cheer her up whenever she needed to go back and fix any mistakes she had left behind for a time.


"By the way, sweetie, did Jotaro tell you about… what happens once he is done there in Fuyuki?"


The question was more important than the previous ones, but still far from becoming a reason of concern for the girl.


"He said that… I was going to live with him and his family," Sakura replied, completely clueless of the fact that the man wasn't planning to keep her just as a ward.


This ignorance wasn't born just by the Stand User's lack of a proper explanation on the matter, but also by the child's own unwillingness to even consider the chances of her being adopted as his daughter. It would've been nice, but surely she wasn't going to be taken in like that, especially with how much of a burden she had been so early on.


"Yes. I'm sure Jolyne is going to love growing with a polite and nice big sister."


Sakura stopped doing other things beyond listening to Lena's words the moment she realized what she had just heard. Her full focus slowly shifted away from the mostly-done drawing as she found herself perplexed by that bizarre claim.


"Big… sister?"


"Didn't Jotaro tell you that… I believe you should ask him that, actually." Lena pointed out quietly. "Wouldn't be nice for him to be let off the hook for not explaining the full context to you, honey."


Sakura followed her comment, turning her stare to look at the tall man's face in an effort to gain some understanding of that absurd possibility. Jotaro looked down with a surprised but unsure look, and she knew that something was indeed off about the matter. But what was she missing in this situation, and why did she feel a strange squeeze around her heart at what she had yet to learn about.


Ultimately, the marine biologist sighed and nodded to her. "When I said that you were coming to live with my family, I meant that I'm planning to adopt you as my daughter."


…


What?


"B-But I'm… I'm not..."


Her eyes felt blurry, and soon her stare rushed to the floor as she tried to reach out with her closed palm. Tears, she was crying. But why was she crying if… if this was just a simple decision.


Why did she feel the need to tremble at the news and… allow the nice man to lift her up and pull her in a warm hug. Burrowing her face onto his white coat, Sakura let out a couple of sniffles as the man started to pat and caress behind her head.


There were no words, just a pleasant silence that allowed her to think even more about what was happening. Why was she crying when… she should be feeling happy?


Something pounded within her mind, some forgotten memories that were forcibly pushed away when those became synonymous to the fact her parents had… left her at the hand of the horrible grandfather.


Now she was no longer fearing what kind of terrible torture she had to go through. And she cried at the chance of finally realizing that now there was no possible way for her to be hurt like that once more. Not when there was Jotaro around. Not when she was going to leave this place once this 'work' was over.


And as that realization finally drove her poor mind to exhaustion, making her slowly go limp within the embrace, Sakura's eyes fluttered open just for a couple of seconds while her consciousness faltered into oblivion.


It was just enough to see something like a spirit float over the man's head. Hair flowing backward as if hit by a constant wind, the strange spirit had a light-blue skin with a couple of light-violet and green sections all over his face. The only element that really got her full attention as she succumbed to mental exhaustion was… the kind blue eyes that she had seen in only a single person until that moment.


A yawn, through the shaking, and soon Sakura fell asleep with the thought of a guardian angel standing above her and… her new father.


And with the child slumping on him, Jotaro sighed in relief as he felt incredibly worried for a moment at that sudden reaction. At first he thought she was feeling sick, but the way she behaved was more of a starving person being finally given some good food to eat, but purer and more intense in nature.


Picking the phone that had been dropped on the table, the man sighed as he heard some shuffling on the other side of the call.


"Lena."


"J-Jotaro, what happened? I heard sobbing, the phone falling and-"


"Little Sakura was… overwhelmed by the news," The marine biologist explained, trying to reassure his worried wife. "Right now she is in my arms, asleep and… still crying a little bit."


"Poor dear, I wasn't expecting her to react this strongly to it," The woman replied. "Are the bastards behind this behind the bars? Did you get the cops to act and-"


"They will not harm anyone ever again," Jotaro guaranteed with a calm voice. "I made sure of it myself."


"I'm glad to hear that. Still, I hope you're going to return soon and bring her out of that place. While I can tell you're doing well right now with her, I don't want her to be hurt by staying for too long in that city," The concerned mother added. "When will you be done with your job?"


"I think I will be back in less than a week. I'm quite certain it will be over by that time," The Stand User answered with a sigh. "I will make sure to deal with any nuisances that could delay that expectation by even a single minute."


"Understood. I will contact Joseph to see if he needs my signature to confirm the paperwork about Sakura."


"So, you are certain of-"


"That child deserves a family. While I'm still confused by many things, I can recognize a girl in need if I hear one. She is not only starving for attention, but also suffering from whatever ordeal she had to go through."


"I will see for the old man to have the proper documentation ready as soon as possible."


The call ended after a little while, with both Caster and her Master taking a seat by the bed while letting Sakura rest some more through that emotional breakdown. Pink eyes were shining warmly onto the unconscious child, and Jotaro soon allowed for the Servant to take the girl on her arms.


The day was still long and… he had to kill that effeminate vampire once again. Why the hell couldn't his life be spared by the madness that was Dio Brando for once?


With these annoying thoughts in mind, the Marine Biologist went to check on his grandfather for any news. Father Kotomine had yet to contact them, but his son had mentioned that a truce was now made official against the intrusion of DIO's Master.


Whoever they were, Jotaro was not going to spare anything in making sure they didn't go through with whatever madness they were trying to go through with. Not until he was capable of breathing and punching.


-----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-----------


"You should hand her over to me," Francesca muttered as she distractedly worked on the umpteenth carcass she was trying to prepare for the important ritual. "Her Soul is strong and will make a fine asset for our plans."


DIO ignored his Master, just like he had done in the last few hours without any grand action ever since he was allowed to slaughter Lancer and his Master. Boredom had been rising to an all-time high, and it would be a lie to say that he was happy of being confined in the most decrepit place in the entire city.


He was in Japan and… he could barely move around to gain info on his nemesis. Jotaro was certainly learning of his return, and the blond vampire knew that it was just a matter of when the man was going to strike at him during a step in his ambitious plan. Or rather Francesca's plan.


As much as DIO wanted to kill Jotaro, the fact that this opportunity was offered after being enslaved to a deranged and untrustworthy individual made the entire situation less apetible than it should have been.


Her insanity was well beyond any of his loyal supporters, which was the reason why he had lied to her about the presence of cells from his cult within this nation. His men were all around the world, but were rendered useless, if not a set of unpleasant pawns to have with the possibility of being stolen from his clutches by the devious witch.


If DIO had met Francesca years ago, things would've been less amiable between the two.


Too unstable, and driven by twisted emotions rather than a degree of logic. While it was true that many of his servants had served him loyally and sometimes even fanatically, the vampire would have never allowed such a troublesome element in his circle. And now that he had finally found something for him to pass time with, the man was growing even more impatient at her childish effort to gain control of his… jester.


"Little Rin is my… guest. And I will not allow her to be treated as cattle for you to use with your pets, Master."


Francesca pouted in annoyance, muttering something that sounded a lot like 'for their abs' or something like that. Meanwhile a certain little girl was frowning at him as she sat down on the ground right in front of his chair.


Rin Tohsaka. She was barely seven when she reached upon his simple hideout. She was a stubborn child, particularly infuriating at times, but overall an amusing plaything to use for comedic purposes when the urge to be entertained came to ring at his head. She had a temper that reminded him so closely of a younger version of himself, but she was a far cry from the legitimate fury that burned him into taking this arduous path to reach the Heavens.


With the creation of monstrosities between animals and humans not satisfying him as much as it had been back when he was 'younger', the little girl quickly became someone that reminded him of a younger Jonathan if the pathetic man had been a woman.


Jojo had been arrogant when they first met. He also used to be quick to jump the gun, to strike without planning, but worst of it all spoiled rotten by a society that had favored him to have the greatest of lives without having to put any hard work into it.


His first ambition of stealing the Joestar's fortune was terribly materialistic, and the ultimate proof that his truest weakness was the humanity he had disposed of when consumed by the stone mask. Less morality, more power, and more ambition.


DIO was set to become the greatest being on the planet… or that was what he thought at the time when he was blissfully unaware of this 'secret layer' of magical beings and users. Magecraft was a concept as absurd as fascinating, and for once DIO felt the need to expand his knowledge on the matter.


The chances of improving his Made in Heaven Ritual sounded as enticing as plausible. Considering that the main elements of his original plan stemmed from the application of universal logic through the creation of a Stand capable of achieving such a feat through a set of numerous tasks and requirements, it was only legitimate for the man to study and hope for a simplification of the dangerously-lengthy ritual that Pucci was meant to go through.


The priest wasn't going to fail him. He had educated him well enough to not mess things up in the ritual. The stakes were claimed, the strength was displayed, and he knew that it was just a short amount of time before his friend noticed his resurface.


He just was too attentive to miss any telling signs of vampirism, and with the local news showing the desecration of the graves in Fuyuki, surely he was going to come and assist him against the Joestars… and Francesca herself.


While he was glad to be back, he was also irked by what the young woman had planned to go through. It felt too 'flashy' and incredibly dangerous for them to deal with, and while she was absolutely certain of her success, DIO decided to trust more his reading on some tarot cards to check how their luck was than his master's confidence on the matter.


Speaking of cards, the Avenger Servant took immense pleasure in 'reading' little Rin's future about the situation.


He wasn't going as far as to call out only deadly scenarios, knowing that if he ended up breaking her mind with his malicious personality, then he was going to need to find someone as hilarious if not more than her. And that wasn't the kind of thing the man wanted to waste his time on. He was a mastermind, not someone that could allow himself to walk around to fish funny jesters for him to be amused about.


So by displaying just the proper amount of despair, DIO managed to get the reaction he wanted to see out of that poor brat. A sense of determination that seemed to transcend the mere interest of saving a friend, or to go back to her family.


Rin Tohsaka was a battery of amusing reactions that reached out a sense of twisted amusement within himself. A toy that he was just chewing softly on, knowing that the noise it was doing with so little activity was more than enough to soothe his attentive ears.


And that was if he ignored the frequent efforts to get close to him and attack him again. The punch had been born from surprise as he thought the child was capable of making up a simple plan of actions to get through that simple loop. Yet she proved him wrong by striking him, albeit without results.


She was too weak, and he was the strongest. It was like a tiny fly slamming against a massive boulder, with her silly antics failing to even come closer to become dangerous for him to be afraid of. In fact, he was mostly endeared by her drive.


What pushed her to be this much of a pest? Could it be that, despite her snappy personality compared to Jonathan, she was compelled by the same sense of morality like him? Would she lose it if the 'only' reason that had driven her was gone before her eyes?


That last question had happened in his mind when he managed to find this 'Kotone'. The little girl, which had no magical potential, was long dead as her soul was quickly used by Francesca to fuel one of the many monstrous creatures she was creating from the corpses recovered at the graveyard.


The logic behind this devious plan was more akin to Frankenstein's own ordeal rather than his personal experiments in reanimating 'improved' monsters. The souls of the children were tainted with bits of her own essence, put through some 'degradation', and finally shoved inside the older bodies.


An army of loyal zombies that were meant to work as their cannon fodders for the little siege they were planning to get going quite soon. An attack to demolish the castle that held the Lesser Grail, a particular tool in the completion of the Holy Grail War.


When DIO asked what Francesca's wish was, her answer got him to snarl and look at her with a greater glare than before.


I want DIO to fight against Jotaro. Forever… eternally~! For your wills to burn and be replaced by senseless thoughts of fighting, without a reason known to both!


The prospect was far from pleasant, but still the Grail should've been powerful enough for him to make his own wish when the time came to express it. His chances of success depended how he was handling the suspicious elements he was throwing at Francesca, and how quickly he could muster his Stand to stop her from ruining his chances to be brought back.


Pucci was going to ascend and gain the ultimate Stand… only for DIO to take that powerful instrument of the heavens and allow it to give his own Stand the capacity to do even more than planned. To become one with the endless flow of dimension.


To go beyond the natural limits of a single soul.


Just as he thought about that peculiar topic, Rin decided to go for another attempt at hurting him. He was distracted, and quite unwilling to spare much interest in what the child was trying to accomplish through that foolish endeavor.


Preparing her kick to deliver the umpteenth attack, when she struck DIO actually felt something. Pain.


The suddenness of the emotion almost made him jump, with his mind forcefully pulled out of that deep state of mind. His right leg jolted, the sensation swiftly spreading all over the limb the moment the hit connected.


Rin backed away as soon as he reacted, a shocked look on her face disproving that this was actually something she had planned to happen and… in the panic, she dropped a tiny yellow stone that she had been holding on her red palm.


Eyes widening in a mix of curiosity and confusion, his Stand swiftly materialized to get hold of that simple stone. A sizzling sound soon ensued, with his fingers slowly suffering some burning effect as ｢The World｣'s own digits were enduring that kind of sensation first because of the… gem.


"Master, I have a question."


Francesca hummed. "Can it wait? This dear is a little feisty-"


"Can gems be used to store sunlight?" He asked nonetheless. "Or perhaps replicate the effects of it?"


The white-haired woman stopped, actually giving him a look before noticing the little smoke coming from the tiny stone her Servant's Stand was holding.


"Technically yes. It's rare and limited… but I guess Rin-tan's family specializes in Jewelcraft."


He blinked, the pain soon forgotten as ｢The World｣ shattered the stone with a single 'MUDA'. With tiny shards falling to the ground, Rin's jaws dropped some more as she felt the vampire's attention on herself too.


"You tried to do it again," The man lamented, but there was no annoyance in his voice. "You feinted weakness to strike me while I was the most vulnerable, lulled in the fake chance of you being harmless."


…


"Speak the truth. Or else I will be more than happy to let Francesca make use of your magical prowess for our plans."


A nervous gulp later, the child decided to speak up.


"...Yes."


His lips twitched, his mind marveling over the fact he had been tricked twice with the same trick. And by a young girl that didn't seem much on first impressions because of her interesting personality. What a peculiar discovery.


"And do you feel like you accomplished something out of this flimsy effort?"


…


She gave a tiny smile, one that had DIO looking incredibly fascinated.


"Yes."


He blinked. "How?"


…


"You yelped."


The vampire frowned. "A bold claim-"


"You actually did that, Lord DIO-sama," Francesca remarked. "In fact, I almost started to chuckle at that lovely noise."


Gritting his teeth, the blond refused to address his Master any further for today. Still, he had to deal with Rin and her successful attack, and how it would've killed him if she had decided to strike him on his face instead of leg.


The limb was slowly recovering, replacing the dying skin with newly-made one through his regeneration. It would take a while, but at least he hadn't lost his leg just like last time.


Rin's blue eyes were flashing a frightened sense of understanding, the girl perhaps realizing just now how fruitless bothered her plan and her response were compared to the Servant's might. But instead of exploiting this chance to cruelly punish her 'misbehaving', DIO decided that this was a sign that he should be aiming to do something else with the child. Something less dreadful than anything he had come up until now.


"Little Rin… where do you want to eat dinner?"


… "W-What?"


Francesca's amused howling echoed across the hideout, leaving a confused Rin to make sense of that absurdly positive outcome from her assassination attempt on the vampire.


--------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d----------


AN


Sakura can now see Stands because her 'burden', the one thing that restrained her freedom of soul is now gone. The trauma persists, but the bright light of a better future now helps her to see clearly what's up ahead and what she has to do to 'preserve it'.


DIO's real weakness is being cocky. Having a formidable Stand, he is unable to take seriously most of the threats ahead of him. But when Jotaro appears, he will have to face two possible choices during that encounter. One of which is more amusing than the other.

 

[JBukharin]

Interlude 2: When God Calls


He could still remember the first time he pondered about miracles.


Enrico Pucci was a religious man. One that was born in a family that had strong ties with the Church, and that taught him the essential basis of humanity that the Bible and its God teaches to all children of the Heavens.


A priest. A devoted man of God. And when God calls to him, his heart can only swell in joy and admiration. In awe and dutifulness.


When his life was turned upside down, and the light of revelation struck him with tragedy and resolve, only faith saved him from utter despair. But his faith wasn't aimed at the God he had grown to love and accept as his Father and Lord. No, he aimed his true loyalty to the one that embodied everything a true divine being should aspire to.


Dio Brando. His mind almost shivered in joy at thinking of the man that showed him the truth. The one that gave him a way out of his misery. That gave him a purpose that was as important as essential for the sake of true justice.


The Heavens. He could still remember how he foolishly believed that those were none other than a lie to gain his trust for nothing. That it was something so ethereal and beautiful, that it had to be a falsity of grand magnitude


He was wrong. And Enrico could only love being proven wrong in that regard.


The idea of something so mighty and absolute, something so just and unquestionable- it reopened in him a thirst to the faith of a real God. But not one that was only known through old books, or one that was mentioned by a prophet.


No. Pucci met God himself and… he was so beautiful. So complex, so realistically perfect. Devoid of human flaws, and filled by a sense of duty that exceeded the one proposed by the finicky sense of morality that ruled the decisions of many.


Still, despite that clear understanding of faith, it would've been a lie to say that he had expected that after so many years after he achieved clarity of mind and soul that he would've been blessed with a particular call from someone he thought lost in the world of reality.


Enrico was busy handing out some of the leftover stew meant for homeless people. The phone rang the usual tune, but the hour which this happened was unusual. Something was afoot, his perception of destiny almost screamed at him to be tense as he finished with his task and walked towards the small device.


Ever since the increase of aggression from the organization known as Passione in the area where his Church was currently located, things had stopped being as easy as they used to be. The classic mafia was easy to divert because of their common fear for divine punishment. But this new group led by the mysterious 'Diavolo' was nothing to scoff at.


Stand Users- he was almost disgusted by the fact someone usurped Dio's Arrows and used those to create a human vision of evil. Terrible, disgusting! Pucci would've almost jumped at the opportunity to destroy the foolish fiend behind such a troublesome development, but he was far too cautious to take that kind of risk.


The Boss of Passione was an unknown individual. His identity was known to anyone, even his closest confidants. The idea he was fighting someone that was rumored to have a powerful stand, one capable of 'ruling over Italy', was enough to make the priest adopt a passive behavior regarding the man.


Passione was still small and the government was actively fighting it whenever it was possible. It was a losing battle for the current administration, and one that Pucci knew that, once it started to turn too violent, would force him to leave the peninsula as his stay in the region would've been compromised.


But for now, like the devoted man of God that he was, he waited for a sign to do or act beyond the small task conceded to him by his closest of friends. Tension peaked the moment the device approached his ears, and his heart went still as something told him this wasn't something to be calm about.


"Hello?" He managed to ask, curbing any interest in stuttering at this unknown fear of his.


"Good morning… Pucci."


The voice. His body almost dropped to the ground at hearing that familiar voice. His heart started to rock painfully, jubilant and yet confused and concerned at this kind of miracle… or terrible attempt to trick him.


"L-Lord Dio?"


"I've heard of what happened to your siblings, Enrico," The vampire on the other side spoke with the degree of determination only a man without doubts and restraints could. "I'm sorry for your loss."


"There is nothing to apologize, Lord Dio," The priest jumped with a tense voice. "You- You're not to be troubled with my plights-"


"You're my friend, Enrico. I will find the trouble of your plight important for me to ponder and react to," Dio interrupted smoothly. "And I can tell that, despite this, you're still devoted to my vision."


"O-Of course," Enrico could feel his lungs hurt at the joy he was going through. This- this was the real Dio. He could recognize him and the mere idea that he was somehow returned to this world made him rejoice with august desire and interest. "But… I have to ask now that you've called. How- who returned you to this world?"


A long sigh followed his question, and that made the priest frown in confusion at the sudden switch of mood. Was he too pushy? Could he have phrased that question better? For a moment he felt legitimately concerned about having overstepped his boundaries.


"I've to confess that I don't believe my current stay will be a permanent one, my good friend," The blond admitted with a somber tone. "With my current situation, I may not be able to stand beyond a month. Which is why I've called you today."


There were many things that Pucci wanted to ask about this. What was he meaning with 'his current stay' being temporary? Why couldn't he linger more than a month? What happened to have him brought back?


There was so much that could be asked about, but Enrico settled with a calm tone and a simple sentence.


"I'm listening to any requests, Lord Dio."


"I'm glad to hear this, Enrico. Right now, I need someone that is trustworthy and can bring forth my will in this peculiar circumstance," Dio explained with a calm voice. "Right now I'm currently in Japan. Fuyuki City is where I'm currently working on a project that will bring additions to our plans. A project that you might know with the name 'Tohsaka Rin'."


That name was… a female one. While he wasn't that much experienced about Japan, one thing he had learned from studying Jotaro Kujoh was the way names were formed and which were the signs to follow to determine what kind of names those were. Rin was feminine, and Pucci wondered if this individual was another mother of one of the many children DIO had fathered during his stay in Italy.


"Tohsaka Rin. Is she… someone that I need to keep track of?"


"Not yet, my good friend," The vampire replied with a quiet sigh. "I wish for you to wait two months. Then, as the time passes, you shall come to this city I'm currently staying in. You shall then find her and try to approach her while she is alone."


"What is my main duty about this… project?"


"A document. It will be the first of many tasks I'm saddened to burden you with, most of which will all be related to the individual holding the paper."


"Is she… a breeder?"


"No."


Enrico almost trembled at the cold tone that sharply declined this guess. Something about it made him ponder if it was anger to speak, or something close to hatred. Both chances left the priest to quiver in uneasiness for having failed to pick up this kind of attitude.


Rin Tohsaka wasn't a woman that held another child, and now he knew of this through that mistake.


"Her role will be secondary for the time being. The document will contain further tasks to accomplish and… some of which will test your devotion. I myself doubt you will be keen to accept those-"


"I know you will not exceed my capacities with your demands. I'm ready to take on this assignment, Lord Dio."


…


"Ah, it's… refreshing to speak with someone that I can believe in," The Vampire admitted with some glee exuding from his voice. "I wish to apologize if my presence in this world will not be any longer than a month, I understand your concern through this device, Enrico."


"A-As you said, Dio. You're my friend… and I shall take the burden of your plight."


"Yes… I will call you once more in a week from now. And don't worry too much, I don't plan to leave anytime soon..."


A nod, then the call ended and… the priest realized that he had unconsciously walked up to the altar. Looking up at the crucified statue of Jesus Christ, Enrico imagined another martyr upon his gaze. Someone that was once more trifling with danger all for the sake of offering the Heavens to the world as a whole.


Pucci nodded, feeling his devotion increase after getting this call. Now he knew that there was a chance and… that Dio had somehow returned. Part of him wanted to wait for the man to call him again to ask how he was brought back… but his curiosity overwhelmed his patience. A couple of calls ensued and now a batch of brokers loyal to Dio had been dispatched to check the current situation in the city.


With time now becoming the only obstacle, the priest returned to his duties without spending a word on the matter with anyone else for the next few days. Many of the people that would visit his Church for the functions would be baffled by the jovial mood of the usually stoic man.


If only they knew that this man of God received word from his deity… the poor disbelievers.


-----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d--------


AN


Dropping a little teaser on Dio's plans. The reason why he lost certainty in his plan to keep longer will be explained in the next chapter… with a battle.


I'm sorry if I'm delaying the big chapter, but today I had written a big chapter for another story already and… I went through 6k+ words of Lemons. I really need to unwind my brain after that and I don't wish to taint the chapter with my current headache.


Still… Pucci and Rin. One can wonder if it will end like it had with Canon Kotomine or actually better for… one of the two. The sequel sure is going to be shaped to be a bombshell for the timeline.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 12: Tenth Mantra! Words prior Assault!


"Is that the castle, boy?"


Waver almost jumped in fright at the stern voice coming from his side.


"Y-Yes," He replied nervously, glad that there was no continuation to the question.


He was still not accustomed to Jotaro's steely voice, and, considering how terrifying the forest was so late in the night, there was no way he could just shrug off the uneasiness behind the sudden invitation from the Einzbern Master.


Something about this summon just felt wrong in the young Magus' mind since it came from someone that was tied to the Magus Killer. The fact that it was almost close to midnight and that it was an invitation meant only for Masters and their Servants just screamed of trap.


Even though the Supervisor, accompanied by his son, was also there to take part at that reunion to draw solutions over the recent problems born from an intruder's summoning a Servant, there was no way for the young man to find relief in the extra company. While the Church Representative didn't seem much of a problem, his son was just… unnerving. It was something Waver couldn't exactly explain to himself, as even glancing at the individual as he moved, discussed and looked over where his Servant could've been hiding during their walk, the young Magus knew the man was no good person.


And when Rider muttered to stay close to him, the Master knew that there was some legitimate reasoning behind his sudden worry. His only saving grace was the presence of both Jotaro and Caster, with both elements proving to be somewhat relieving since he knew they weren't twisted in their minds.


The marine biologist in particular held a strange combo of seriousness and inner warmth that made him somewhat stand out as a good ally to have around. Caster was similar, but also the opposite to her Master. Where the female monk was cheerful and quite friendly with others, there was just a hint of sadness that only a few could feel from her action.


It wasn't something as evident as many would like to, especially since it felt like a silent cry for help. But what was the help she was seeking for? And why was she crying? The questions were mostly lost in Waver as he could tell the woman had so many pleasant tales to offer, so many friends that she only mentioned as existences in her past life… but maybe this was the truth behind her suffering.


Could it be that the monk couldn't find peace by being without companions? It seemed to be the case, especially with how 'relieved' she was when Jotaro was around and interacted with her. Not in a romantic or love-related fashion, but as a person that she could offer an opinion and it could either be considered and rebuffed, or even ignored and used to spark banter between the two.


This, the young Magus, couldn't truly understand. How could one enjoy the struggle of a discussion? Even if Jotaro was a good person, it didn't mean that he was the only one that she could behave like this with, especially when there were so many other individuals that could potentially enjoy her bubbly personality.


Not Waver. There were instances where that personality might sound endearing, but it would be a lie to say he would accept a friend with that kind of cheerfulness to themselves. It was a miracle that Rider was just teasing and nowhere as pushy as he used to when he first summoned him but… maybe it wasn't that bad to have a friend that wasn't his perfect match.


Lost in his thoughts, the student noticed a little late that they had finally arrived at the castle's entrance. No traps, and nothing that could suggest an ambush. Everything seemed to be fine as a young-looking maid stepped outside the building and approached the group.


Wearing a curious uniform that reminded Waver of a mix between a nun and a nurse, the red-eyed lady with pale skin stopped and bowed to them.


"Masters of the Holy Grail War, the Einzbern family accepts you as honorable guests of their humble home."


'Humble?' A shiver almost went down the boy's spine as he realized how big the castle was and… wondering how 'expensive' had to mean to the old family. How rich were they? That was one of the few mysteries Waver sadly knew he was never going to be answered about.


Instead, he focused on the fact that they soon were taken inside the main building and led around the entire fortress. The maid remained silent during the walk through the castle, leaving enough to everyone's imagination about how the indoors were made and how old some of the portraits around had to be. It was far from any fortification Waver had the chance to visit, but he knew most of the Magus Families back in Clocktower would've killed puppies just to get to stay in a place like this for just a year or two.


The heat within the halls was well-regulated, same-looking maids were spotted wandering around in groups cleaning up the various corridors, and finally they could all see that there were multiple dining rooms and living rooms left and right.


It was kind of infuriating for someone like Waver. Having grown a simple life, mostly because of how poor his family was, and how expensive textbooks were to get even as used copies, the young man's real issue belied the fact that the oddly long tour eventually took them to a place close to the entrance a little later than expected. Almost as if the family was trying to flaunt their riches or something like that.


Despite this minor issue, the door was finally open and… the young man felt the need to run when he saw that the one that opened it was none other than the Magus Killer himself. Rider's hand over his shoulder squeezed a little more in an effort to keep him in place, and it managed just fine to remind him that this wasn't going to be the day he died. There was no way he just accepted this, and he knew that from the way everyone else looked fine, this was the proper thought to be focusing on.


"Welcome," Kiritsugu Emiya greeted blankly.


"Master of Saber, I wish to humbly thank you for taking the responsibility of hosting this meeting between Masters," Risei replied with a gleeful tone, hiding away the few sliver of uneasiness the elder had over the stoic killer. "I suppose the rules you've mentioned in the message are to be implemented now."


The professional mercenary merely nodded and… Waver frowned. Rules? What rules?


Before he could actually ask, his eyes widened at the sight of most of the Servants vanishing in their Astral forms and… wandering off. There was a tense confusion that escalated even more when Rider let out a sigh and patted his head.


"I suppose I should get going myself, Master," Iskandar commented calmly. "Worry not, I bet Jotaro will protect you from any trouble."


"Wai-" Before the young Master had the chance of stopping his Servant, he found himself pushed onto the marine biologist, with the towering man silently grabbing him by his arm and helping him walk inside.


Holding his breath at the terrifying escalation, Waver now had multiple reasons to panic at the current state of things. Sure, Jotaro was strong enough to hold back any strange attacks during the reunion but… he couldn't just stop being nervous.


Instead he took a seat beside his ally and he found himself looking at the individual sitting in front of him. While he had the chance of seeing the Einzbern woman back at the docks, now that they were this close he couldn't help but stare at how beautiful she was.


The problem? A giggle was enough to warrant an extra layer of panic as the noise alerted the man that was associated with the gorgeous lady, and soon Waver was struck with a blank glare that got him shivering.


Some of the Masters joined the staring, but none actually spoke as this awkward parenthesis came to end the same way it started. Suddenly and without logical reasons beyond being as such.


Why do things have to be this difficult?


---------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-dd-------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d--------


Jotaro was tempted to whack the back of the boy's head for being such a nervous wreck. While it was true that the room was packed with people that could easily kill the kid considering he was the weakest element among Masters, the Stand User knew this wasn't going to escalate beyond shouting.


Not because he didn't expect one of those at the table to actually snap and pick some fights, but because he knew he would've been able to defuse anything that could've made things disruptive for this constructive meeting. They had a common enemy that could easily shred on Masters with ease if attacking them individually, but now that they were making a united front to handle the return of DIO, what was left to do was confirm this commitment.


The real problem lied on the fact their Servants were meant to be staying at the same enclosed space and be beyond the range of reprimands in case they behaved wrongly. Caster had made a serious promise about keeping herself away from causing trouble, but she mentioned that she would've jumped in a fight if things were turning too violent and problematic. A fair point that he respected, but he doubted his own Servant planned to just disable her possible opponents.


Risei stood up from his chair, looking at the other occupants of the table before offering a tired sigh.


"This unique occasion isn't one I would've expected to be forced to call upon, especially with how deadly the Holy Grail War's rules are regarding any chances of Masters allying with each other. The Master of Archer couldn't come because of familiar issues. His daughter had gone missing and he had left my son, Kirei, as his representative for this rare predicament" The old priest began talking, glancing and nodding at the younger priest. "Still, this very competition has just recently been tainted by a horrible individual that broke numerous regulations all for the sake of gaining a serious advantage in their effort to gain the Holy Grail and use the only wish to scar the world."


"If I may, Kotomine-san," Kiritsugu interceded politely, getting a nod from the elder before continuing. "I have to add that we've confirmed that what kind of Servant was summoned by this intruder, its power was… undeniably dangerous. The scene I found while checking on Lancer and his Masters were incredibly concerning as the damage in which they were left in was inflicted upon them in less than ten minutes."


"You were there," Kirei said with a calm tone. It wasn't a question, rather an affirmation. One that got a nod out of the Magus Killer.


"Yes. I had plans to take Lancer's Master out early on, but I soon found out that I was preceded by someone else. Someone that I believe was the new Servant," The man added with a nod. "My assistant has managed to take a couple of photos of this individual as it retreated away from the Hyatt Hotel, but we couldn't discern his identity since his frame was cloaked."


The pictures were pretty much the same, with the sole figure retreating slowly getting away from the one taking the photos. But as Jotaro peered over the one that had the closest perspective to the Servant, a chilling jolt went down his spine as he recognized a few elements he couldn't just forget.


The curled shoes, the yellow baggy pants and… the green hearts by the kneecaps.


"After what happened 100 years ago, I swore I would show no mercy to any descendants of the Joestars. All of you must die, quickly, utterly. ｢The World｣'s true power will finish you off!"


He is back. And with him… the memories of those that died to stop him back in Egypt.


"Jotaro-san, I believe you've recognized who this Servant could be, right?"


A blink, and the Marine biologist was back to handle the present. The question was met with a blank nod as he decided to be honest about it.


"There is no doubt in my mind. This… This is DIO."


His breath almost fell short as the memories weren't just going away. He could still remember back when he returned to Japan, once it was made sure that his mother was fine and all… how he had been the one to contact Kakyoin's family.


Meeting his parents was… difficult. Both thought that their son had just gone missing and, when Jotaro tried to explain to them what happened in Cairo, they… they were quick to get angry. Not because they were shifting the blame on him. No, they believed that Jotaro was just lying to them to hide the true reason behind their son's death.


He never spoke up with anyone of that experience. His grandfather only knew it happened and that he wasn't attacked in any sort of way, while his mother was blissfully unaware he had decided to go through with this.


"No regrets. About anything that has happened on this journey or will happen from this point on. I will regret nothing."


"Are you referring to Dio Brando?" Kiritsugu finally asked. "You mean he was summoned as a Servant?"


"That is indeed correct and, considering the circumstances, I have the strong belief that the individual behind his summoning has to be somewhat tied to him," Risei resumed with a nod. "The Church has reported a curious increase of… activities perpetrated by individuals that had in the past sworn allegiance to DIO and we suspect one of his followers might be behind his return."


"B-But shouldn't a Servant like this be easy to handle?" Waver inquired nervously. "I mean n-no disrespect, but I thought the power of Servants was mostly determined by the impact they left on history and how many still 'had faith' in them."


"It's more 'how many followers' they have to call forth. And I think I understand your confusion, Master of Rider, I don't think you've ever heard of this individual until now."


The young man shook his head and the priest sighed.


"Dio Brando was a vampire that was active at two specific times. In the late nineteenth century, and in 1987. Despite the lengthy dormancy, the man managed to amass a cult behind his name that believed in the established of a new world order under his control in a short amount of time." The elder explained. "Both times he was vanquished by the Joestar family. The one which Jotaro-san here is the youngest active member of."


"So- So he still has followers believing in him."


"Yes. And there are enough unknown elements of this cult that unconsciously offer strength to their lord by merely believing in his actions as those worthy of following."


"Since he is a vampire, it shouldn't be difficult setting up a trap to kill him," The Magus Killer offered, only for the younger Kotomine to shake his head.


"While this line of action would be the most logical, there is a flaw I believe exists from what we know of those that tried and failed to contain Dio," Kirei mentioned with a serious tone. "Many Executors tried to employ all tactics they could to deal with vampires, even relying on expensive UV equipment to put an end to the time he was wandering in Italy. Nothing worked on him, all because of some mysterious ability the Church never managed to understand:"


"So the usual means for vampires wouldn't work… are there other options?" The Einzbern woman stated, looking perplexed and uneasy at the fact that beyond the standard means to kill vampires, there were just a few things that could've seriously worked on their common enemy.


"The easiest solution would be to aid Jotaro-san in fighting individually DIO, but we have yet to determine if the Master could be ignored since a Servant of this might would require a Magus with excellent Circuits to supply enough mana for Dio to work at maximum strength."


"Do we have any hints about this Master's identity?" Kiritsugu inquired. "They weren't present in the proximity of Hyatt Hotel, and while the news about the Servant's name is going to help, I think discovering who his Master is would be more beneficial."


"We're already working to try and identify who could've been behind this ordeal," Risei assured with a sure tone. "It will take a while, but the truth will be revealed to the rest of the Masters the very moment we find it."


Just as the old man finished to say this, the conversation was expected to turn back about finalizing their efforts to combine their forces to fight off the dangerous anomaly that had already claimed one of the Masters' lives. Much to Jotaro's frustration, the discussion was interrupted as the door was suddenly opened as the familiar body of the maid that had taken them to the room was shoved inside. The woman didn't move, her body slumped in a deadly manner as her mangled form laid on the ground.


"What a pest..."


A shiver, Jotaro was the first one to stand up as he felt the pressure building up around himself as the figure responsible for that atrocity stepped inside in an arrogant strut. He was there- and didn't change much from what the marine biologist remembered him to be.


DIO smiled, his frame tensing as he adopted a fighting stance as he looked at the Masters with a mirthful look.


"Oh Oh, it would seem like I stumbled in the rats' nest. Such a shame that I would've to find you in a room like this one, JoJo."


A furious scowl settled on Jotaro's face, and soon he felt as livid as he had been back then when he started to fight the smug-looking blond. Hands tightening in fists, he felt his Stand materializing beside him and, like back then, ｢The World｣ and ｢Star Platinum｣ stared at each other, their expressions resembling the ones owned by their users.


"Dio."


There was no approaching this time, and, as the distant and muffled noises of explosions erupting from various sections of the castle echoed all around, the former Stardust Crusader bolted against his opponent, once again ready to put an end to him.


With that first visit, the siege of the Einzbern Castle began.












------------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d--------


Caster was happy. Or rather, she was having fun trying to learn and understand her fellow Servants as they spent some time away from their Masters.


It was the same giddiness a child would feel after being let out of their house to play with their friends after days spent at home due to a punishment. It was pleasant, and it sparked curiosity over what kind of individuals made up what was left of the war itself.


After spending so much time away from the real aspects of the Holy Grail War, now she was given an opportunity not many Servants could exactly say to have enjoyed. The chance of talking with each other without being forced to fight to their second deaths. And the brunette wasn't planning to let it go to waste since they were going to be stuck in that courtyard for some time, so she swiftly started a conversation with Saber.


The blonde was… surprisingly cordial. Not enough to drop formalities, but still enough to make any conversation somewhat interesting even if the topic wasn't that much intense or personal like the fellow woman's backstory or anything awkward about her past.


Rider was keen to quip once in a while for the sake of teasing the knight, while Assassin would merely keep quiet as she admired the entire scene from afar. Caster tried to get the slim individual to join their conversation too, but she was refused without hesitation.


Despite this limited chances of speaking with others, Xuanzang appreciated the sharp morals that made the determination of Caster. Her intellect, her drive to help others, and her devotion to her wish made her a curious individual to entertain a conversation with. Also, it was a good way to hone her skills in a logical dialogue about her own faith as she tried to point out a couple of flaws within her newest friend's wish.


"But your wish could still be wrong. Not because I say so, but because you are so unsure about it."


"Sometimes people need to make decisions that aren't easy to make," The blonde remarked calmly, only for the monk to hum in agreement at her words.


"And sometimes these very people need to learn to live by their regrets and work them through."


"I don't regret anything," Saber rebuked stiffly. "I gave my everything to my people, and I learned from my past life that it wasn't enough to spare them from destruction."


"And how does their destruction compound to your failure, Saber?" Rider asked with a serious voice. "You weren't around when it happened, and while you may try to assume the end of your life determined their end, this still doesn't make you their martyr."


"I suffered for them. Every day I took that mask that… that was mine to wear as the rightful king."


"What kind of king wears a mask, when masks are made about them?" The redhead shot back, his tone turning fierce. "You seem so self-centered about your penance, that you seem to have forgotten how people follow their kings' example, not how they arrived at that kind of model."


"I'm- I'm not self-centered! I fought battles to spare my men from certain death, I turned inhuman to not allow those that saw me as a king to not turn their lives into empty husks!"


…


"Then maybe that's where you're wrong," Caster answered quietly. "You built your own image from a picture nobody but yourself could follow. You detach yourself from your people in the efforts of protecting them… eventually becoming a symbol of good, but also something incomprehensible and impossible to truly cherish."


"What? I… what do you mean?"


"Becoming an example to someone isn't comparable to being a sacrifice to them," Xuanzang replied. "You may try to accomplish the same as a role model is capable of impressing on people, but in the end the one that takes all the burdens and decides against being honest about their own plights is none other than someone that failed to catch on with their own people."


"That would be the case if she was actually a King," A new voice interrupted. Jumping down from a section of the roof on the edge of the courtyard, a familiar golden-armored figure decided to invite himself to this curious situation.


"She would never accept anything less than complete subjugation- even though she is the one that should know her place as I rule everything," The King of Heroes continued as he started approaching. "But your words are indeed interesting to listen to, Monk. I wonder if this is the result of experience speaking."


"Mostly so. I've read of rulers believing in doing the right thing, but failing to look down at the damage they were doing to themselves and those they called their subjects," The brunette replied with a nod, stopping as to check something in her purse. "Still, I wasn't expecting for you to join us, King of Heroes. May I offer you some quickly-made tea?"


"Gahahaha- is that the way to greet the only King here?" The Archer questioned with a mixture of irritation and interest after a brief laugh. "To present him with something so mediocre and easy to find around?"


"If I had something better to offer, I would have. But I believe it wouldn't be proper if right now I tried to besiege you with something still inferior to your tastes," Xuanzang flatly pointed out. "Plus, I can tell you're sated, your highness. And it would be uncouth of me if I offered you anything less than a refreshing beverage."


…


"I guess a tea would suffice. I find myself rather thirsty after recent dishes that were bestowed to me."


The two sat down by the grass, with Caster settling a small handkerchief as she silently started to prepare some tea before the Golden monarch. Red eyes scanned over the tiny controlled flame used to heat up the water and the herbs that were used to prepare the drink.


He stared at the cup that resulted after a couple of minutes spent making the liquid, and soon he was intrigued by the flavor within the beverage. A sip, it soon turned in him gulping down the entire thing in a single move. The extreme heat was ignored, and the flavor just reminded him of something he… hadn't tried for a very long time.


But where… and when? Why was Sha Naqba Imuru failing to bring forth the memory correlated to this emotion?


A few moments later, the memory did come up to him. And just like that, he remembered why he had tried to keep it from ever coming up again to his mind. It was from a time before he was ruling proper, from a time where a kind woman would offer him food, drinks, advice, and… care.


The reason why alcohol became a must for him to consume wasn't just tied to his pleasure regarding wines and other delicious treats. No, the original truth lingered from the time where tea was a delightful replacement to the stronger beverages… and when it was served by a single individual that he knew and trusted.


How could a child accept allowing a stranger to serve him something only their mother was known to offer?


Despite his irritation at this detail, the familiar aroma and pleasant taste were enough to have him pause and enjoy the drink without sparing any comment. The brunette didn't interrupt him, merely looking as she felt relieved at the calm expression now lingering on the king's face.


And just as Gilgamesh started to genuinely feel pleased with modern society for having left this delicacy from the past untouched, his hopes went crashing down when a loud explosion erupting nearby created enough vibrations to have his hands drop the cup and spill the content.


…


…


"An attack? Finally something fun to make with you friends of mine!" Rider exclaimed as he turned at the massive gap created on one of the side of the courtyards, one that was quickly used by a massive horde of undead and other monsters to swarm and invade the castle. Caster stood up and joined the rest of the Servants to prepare for the approaching fight… but the first wave of creatures was torn apart by numerous blades descending upon them.


Gilgamesh stood up slowly, anger bubbling as he glared at the intruders. Not only was he deprived of this delicious tea, but now he had to deal with someone trying to barge in unannounced.


Whoever was behind this was sure going to be punished and made an example for other mongrels to not aggravate him in this manner!


---------d-d-d-d------


AN


'Gilgamesh knows your location.'


Francesca: *Sweats nervously while giggling* I'm in danger.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 12: Eleventh Mantra! Broken Stars, Shrouded World!


"Jotaro… you have not changed at all," Dio slowly commented, his lips twitching in a smile as his Stand fully manifested in front of him, ready to clash once again with ｢Star Platinum｣ as the escalation was inevitable.


It was similar to back then, but many things were still different. The closeness, the lack of an open setting where to freely move around and retreat when the situation was going to get tough on one of the two sides…


Jotaro knew that despite his current conditions, he was still rustier than when he was seventeen. Back at that time, facing Dio had been possible only because he had grown accustomed to using ｢Star Platinum｣ this frequently, and his instincts were sharpened by numerous battles having unfolded mere hours earlier than the final battle.


But right now, the marine biologist couldn't count on these advantages, and he knew that the man in front of him was way more dangerous than he had been years ago. Still… he couldn't allow himself to lose against him. Even if it meant going all out with the Time-Stop Ability and draining his life force too much in the process.


"T-That's Dio," Risei commented, eyes wide open as he addressed the foul monster that had just intruded that private meeting. "He is… a foul being!"


Jotaro gritted his teeth furiously at the priest's words. While the rest of the occupants were nervous of the smug bastard that was studying the entire situation, the marine biologist felt his anger bubble at the sight of the blond vampire, the man behind the deaths of people like Kakiyoin, Avdol, and Iggy... He was there, in front of him.


Only now the dreadful grip of what his return entails struck the human. Not just because of the thought of how many other lives he was already ruining, but because the threat to his family was now evident and clear. He imagined what the dangerous villain was going to do if allowed to live beyond today and… he had to call Lena. He had to have her moved to a safer house. Joseph would surely help through the Speedwagon Foundation. It was the only way.


"It's been so long since-!!"


"ORA!"


Before the fellow Stand User could finish that sentence, he found himself forced to brace as ｢Star Platinum｣ struck ｢The World｣'s face with a powerful punch, breaking his jaw and forcing the vampire to back away from the relative closeness. Hands swiftly adjusting the damage, golden eyes narrowed irked at that sudden attack.


He had to attack. At this point, he had things he could lose now. Back then, it was only anger driving his punches- a sense of vengeance. But now, Jotaro knew that he couldn't allow any chances to waste as the stakes were just too high. He couldn't afford it, not if he wanted to keep his wife and Jolyne out of this madness.


"Always the impudent brat, Jotaro. Even now, after years since I faced you, you still believe you can have the upper hand like this, with these cheap tricks," The Servant scoffed. "Once again, I have to remind you that things are indeed different from last time… especially when your attacks are weaker than back then!"


With that exclamation, the occupants finally moved away from their chairs as part of the room started to become too difficult to stay near too. The pressure heightened to an absurd point, and before their eyes something absurd unfolded. While Jotaro and Dio were both standing one against the other, numerous 'impacts' started to materialize between them. Up, down, left and right, the sound of punches meeting and matching flawlessly filled the silent scene.


This felt familiar, but still a far cry of what the researcher could remember. It wasn't in his muscle memory- and it's been way too long since he had a challenge this frustrating. Not only he was fighting a Stand with higher stats than ｢Star Platinum｣, but from what he knew through Risei, the vampire could have gained control over his ancestor's body and… regained his vampiric powers.


Despite the fact how insane the entire sight was, both Kirei and Kiritsugu prepared their respective weapons to provide assistance. Right now it was impossible to act considering that both were too close to one another, and from what they knew about Dio, the man seemed to act best when under pressure… especially when he can just move away and send any attacks up to Jotaro in retaliation.


The Magus Killer instead reached for a radio, one that was connected to another one that was currently manned by Maya, the young woman having been assigned to keep an eye out for any need to snipe any rogue Masters. It had been an extra precaution, a contingency that was created for the sake of avoiding any dangerous elements to be spared beyond this reunion. Now that Dio was there, the priority was to actually provide a distraction. Bullets weren't going to do much against Servants, but those were more than enough to provide cover and allow the direct opposing force of the aggressor to get an advantage out of it.


"Aim for the head," He quietly whispered through the device, a hum replying him as a bullet soon cracked one of the windows' glass and slammed onto the back of the blond's head. The vampire blinked, surprise briefly interesting his expression as he realized what had just happened. But by pausing for this unimportant matter, Dio was not open for another strike from Jotaro, this time the attack being decisively stronger than the first one.


"ORA!!"


｢Star Platinum｣'s fist pierced through the intruder's chest, ripping through his rib cage and sending the surprised opponent flying out of the already broken window. It was ironic how this was similar to when he first learned he could move in Dio's Time-Stop, but the marine biologist didn't stop because of his thoughts as he moved swiftly to give chase, stopping only as he was called from Risei.


"Jotaro-san, I believe you should accept the aid from both my son and Emiya-san for this situation," The elder muttered with a serious tone. "Dio is a Servant now, and I can say for certain he will be stronger than the time you first fought him."


Not a wrong assumption. The early comment that the foul monster had provided could've been truer than he wanted it to be. If it was the case, then ｢Star Platinum｣ wasn't going to be enough to match ｢The World｣ in a fair fight. And he wasn't going to refuse the help offered by the two decent fighters now that he needed it the most. So the young man nodded, turning his stare back at the two allies and following the vampire with them in tow up to the rooftop of the building.


"W-What about us?" Waver asked in complete panic.


"We get back to the Servants," The old priest calmly replied, turning to the other remaining occupant in the room. "Lady Irisviel, I suppose you can lead us to where they might be."


The woman nodded, starting to make her way towards the broken door and lead the rest of the group out of the room. Waver was nervous of how many bad things were happening at once and he knew perfectly enough that he couldn't waste time whining about the attacks. His priority was to get back to Rider, get to cover, and allow the eager big guy to destroy any threats with a confident smile.


His capacity to defend himself and the others were limited, with hypnotism being the magecraft he was the most accustomed in and that he could make use of in that very moment. And he knew that despite his celebrity, Risei Kotomine wasn't that strong and capable in a combat situation.


He wasn't sure the same could be said about the owner of this fortress, the kind-looking woman having nothing on herself and her posture that suggested she was prepared in facing such a threat if the need roused.


But as they turned the first corner to try and find the location where the Servants had been taken to, they paused as they heard a loud crunching noise coming from behind them. Nervousness grasped them as they felt forced to stop, their bodies paralyzed for some time by a sense of… despair.


Numerous homunculi had been shredded to pieces, some still being devoured by monsters with tentacles and giant maws. The maids had taken down some of the creatures from the looks of it, numerous torn monsters littering the floor together with the corpses of the castle's servants.


A giggle soon echoed through the hallways as, further away from these creatures, they noticed a young woman starting to make her way towards them. Twirling an umbrella above her head, this individual was exuding an unpleasant aura as something within her mirthfulness was just beyond human. The fact that the monsters didn't seem to mind her presence also was telling on who she really was.


"W-We need to go, now!" Risei pressed, understanding that despite the innocent appearance, this intruder was far more dangerous than she looked to be. His voice seemed to shake Irisviel from her surprised self. The woman started to run, followed by the two other individuals as Francesca continued to give chase slowly but happily.


With a giddy smile plastered on her face, she stared up at the roof with a sultry look. A hidden pleasure finally manifesting as her wish was coming to fruition right in that very moment. Her bond with Dio, the one common between Master and Servant, was picking up that her 'Servant' was close to engaging in a serious battle.


And she was wasting time like this… for nothing. Sure, the thrills of stalking a puppet, a decrepit God-believer and a wimp sounded fascinating and lovely when she coupled it with the chances of making some red paint of this possibility.


"Oh~ I can tell they are already fighting… I should move then. Wouldn't want to miss the scene for nothing in this world..." The Demonic worshipper hummed, her eyes still scanning around as she admired the impressive structure of the castle. Really, there was no shame in her mind to admit German architecture looked 'tougher' and 'scarier' than the French one. "But first… let's end these pests. Wouldn't want for them to be too troublesome later on for all of us~."


And thus, the eager Master hunted down her three preys, disregarding that her window of opportunity was thinning faster than expected as a certain King was moving to find the culprit behind this attack.


-------------d-d-d-d-----------------d-d-d-d-d-------------


Caster huffed as she cracked two zombies' skulls by slamming them together. Extreme violence was necessary to handle the undead threats, and she wasn't any less inclined to use it to put these poor souls back to rest. It was a new element to remember as part of her new journey, but it wasn't by any means something she was mostly displeased for.


What she really was angry about was that the responsible was still on the loose, and perhaps trying to harm her Master and the rest of the people that were together with him. Sure, Jotaro is strong and she shouldn't be worried about this…


But it was in her nature to be concerned by others, no matter how strong they were. There were several instances in her past trips that would see her rush to aid those friends she made during her voyage- people that while divine in nature were still deserving of support, of friendship… and of a face to trust in the battlefield.


Assassin quietly manifested numerous copies of masked men and women, providing enough numbers to avoid the rest of the group to be overwhelmed by the horde of monsters. Rider and Saber were cleaving around with their swords, tearing through large groups of walking carcasses with ease as a large portion of the courtyard exploded in gold, Archer proving to be particularly vicious after being denied a proper and complete tea-drinking session.


There was a hint of brutality that seemed to stem beyond the mere action, but Xuanzang decided against inquiring about it, preferring to focus on the problem at hand. Kill the zombies, find Master, kill the rest of the attackers and foil the assault in its entirety.


Simple lines that developed in other more complex details that she was currently dealing with. Like killing some mutated zombies that were either faster or stronger than the average creatures. Their numbers were incredible, but the quality was lacking, allowing for the defenders to gain the advantage relatively easy and quickly. Attacking left and right, eventually the monk managed to get a way cleared for the closest entrance to the main building while aided by the other three Servants.


Turning around, the pink-eyed woman regarded how there was a noticeable group still remaining despite their best efforts and that this group wasn't bound to last for long from the way the King of Heroes was glaring at those.


Before marching inside, Gilgamesh scowled and unleashed a massive barrage of his weapons over the remaining monsters, shredding them to nothingness in mere instants. He took the lead, the ferocious monarch sparing no words to his 'companions' as they all started to clean up the halls from other undeads and new monsters. Sea-like creatures that were tainted by demonic energies, for a Servant of her caliber, Caster could tell the mastermind behind those creations was someone she needed to be extremely wary of.


This hard work seemed to have been done flawlessly, as if the creator had enough experience to accomplish this much in very little time and attention. And this magecraft was nothing to scoff at, especially from the levels she had picked from other Magi in this era.


Her mind was quickly bringing back the path her and her fellow Servants had taken when they were led to the courtyard, and she was surprised when Archer seemed to know it too himself. Saber was surprised herself, eyeing the red-eyed king with a wary look, while Iskandar seemed to not mind the little discovery. Actually embracing it as he completely ignored it.


Left and right, they continued to find monsters and signs of struggles having been long resolved between the defensive force of the castle and the attackers, with way too many Homunculi dead than zombies for them to have perished at the enemies they were currently facing. Caster's instincts were almost screaming at the fact that what was lurking around was also tied to the monsters themselves.


And she was proven correct when they were blessed by three individuals running towards them. Xuanzang's eyes widened as she recognized them, with the sword-wielder blonde a little behind her taking the opportunity to call out the woman leading that small group.


"Irisviel!"


The Einzbern nodded, finally arriving close enough to the Servants and… moved behind them. The behavior looked wrong, but then the reason appeared as a malicious threat turned the corner and skipped eagerly towards them. That is until the giggling woman's eyes landed on the furious glare Gilgamesh was throwing back at her.


Then the hatred became evident when a blade rushed out one of the open portals, cutting off the girl's right arm in a swift hit. Before other weapons could've been thrown at her, the young woman summoned other familiars of her, using those as shield from the attacks.


"Oh, come on, King of Heroes. I really needed that arm especially with how important today is!" The summoner lamented. "You know, I need to be up to shape to admire to its fullest the little fight happening above our heads!"


"You're one of the foolish scums that decided to assault my proximity. You should be grateful I didn't aim lower and took your legs away from you."


"Don't lie~! You want to break me piece by piece for scorning you, so why would you go for the most painful hits first? You need to make your victim bleed a little before you play with them," The girl accused. "One would think someone of your status would've been more sincere with their emotions. I bet you poured your heart out when your clay boy got broken by uncles and aunties."


More monsters appeared, only for the first few lines to collapse after a vicious barrage of blades.


"I shall make your death slow and painful, as befitting of a mongrel of your ridiculousness!"


"You could. You really could. You see, I'm really shaking right now. Frightened in my boots and all but-" An explosion echoed from behind the monsters. "But I really have to go. Growing an arm back is going to be such a bitch. I guess I got my fun spoiled by a cranky momma's boy. See ya, nerds~!"


Gilgamesh proceeded to shatter all remaining monsters, revealing that the summoner had run away from their sight.


"She is long gone now," The old priest pointed out. "Right now the priority is- K-King of Heroes?"


Instead of lingering on the spot, Gilgamesh resumed his march through the fortress. After taking the first round of stairs that led to the third floor, the next stop was the rooftop and… Caster instantly realized why the golden man was going through that route.


'A little fight happening above our heads'. The woman had said something like this before leaving, enticing the idea that the rest of the Masters was fighting another important figure of the assault, and that it could've been a possible dangerous element both her Master and Joseph had discussed in detail. Could this have been 'Dio'? The concept felt surprisingly unpleasant since Jotaro had said that he had come so close to actually die when he first fought the vampire.


While her Master had grown much from his youthful self, the changes weren't only for the positive. A lack of serious action had also lessened his prowess in using his Stand. ｢Star Platinum｣ hadn't lost his power from the words of the man, since Stands couldn't exactly grow rusty with their skills after time… but the same wasn't for the user, which could be less prepared in handling the heat of the fight.


Especially when the fight was as fast-paced as Joseph had told her to be. While he wasn't there to see it, the old man was keen to narrate this from the words of a mutual friend to both him and his grandson, someone called 'Polnareff'. Dio and Jotaro brawled fiercely all over Cairo, crashing on buildings, ruining a few roads and even causing the destruction of a heavy Road Roller.


Caster was doing her best to hold every worry she had over this matter within herself, to keep them from actually tainting her clear mind from committing any mistakes in this intense circumstance. They had an advantage through numbers, but if Dio was capable of stopping Time like her Master, then she was the only one beside Jotaro that could oppose the vampire from abusing this ability.


Sadly for her, she knew well enough that if ｢Star Platinum｣ was slightly stronger than her, then she doubted she held much of a chance to fight evenly against Dio's Stand. Hopefully her Noble Phantasm was going to be enough to deter any attacks if things come to that dire situation.


They finally reached the rooftop and they found out that the entire area had been devastated with what appeared to be a dreadful fight. An unconscious Kirei was holding his broken right arm close to his chest, sitting and leaning on a column by the edge of the railing. Kiritsugu was a little far from him, laying down on the ground as he tried to reach for his gun, only for him to be unable to move as his left leg had been bent in a horrible manner.


With Saber and Irisviel going to check on the Magus Killer, and Risei helping his son together with Assassin, Xuanzang was left with only Rider and Waver as she advanced towards Dio… as the vampire stared in shock at his current opponent. Seeing that, the pink-eyed woman felt relief but this was cut short as she glanced at Jotaro.


The man was standing with a fierce look plastered on his face. Despite the defiant glare he was throwing at his enemy, his body was in the worst shape possible. Knuckles broken, his left hand clutching firmly on his upper right section of the chest as a gaping hole had been created, and finally a large bit of his left side was gone. Blood pouring down in a large pool forming beneath his feet, the marine biologist made a miracle by making a step forward without falling apart.


The vampire, seeing this, actually backed away. Dio looked as dangerous as he had been described, but his threatening frame was countered by the pure shock his face was displaying. It was easy to see that the horror didn't come from personal pain or damage, but rather by the sheer will that was keeping together the human.


Xuanzang panicked at the sight, and before she knew it, she was already pulling her Master away from the powerful Servant. Jotaro seemed surprised as she rushed so suddenly and so swiftly, but didn't push away from being grasped tightly by Caster. His pulse was weak, and she was doubtful he was going to get back to shape anytime soon if she lingered around for too long.


"Y-You- You think you will be spared from my wrath, Jojo? You think that I will ever forgive you for defying my will on multiple occasions? DEATH SHALL BE YOUR DESTINY-!!"


As he the vampire lifted his hands up to strike at the duo, his arms were cleaved off by a barrage of swords and lances. He backed away again, this time turning to the origin of this attack, minor surprise adorning his face as he realized he had forgotten about a detail. A detail that was pissed and aiming all his anger right back at him.


"Mongrel, you dare ruin my good mood!?"


Meanwhile Jotaro tried to recollect his thoughts, his mind growing tired the more blood he kept losing.


-----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-----------


"Let's see if you are still capable of backing the foolish yapping I know you for, Jojo!" Dio exclaimed with a fierce tone, standing a fair distance from his three opponents.


Kirei readied his Black Keys, knowing that a direct assault would be suicidal considering how ruthless the vampire was. Jotaro had barely managed to get through his defenses, and the two previous times were only because he had a distraction to count on. But right now? The only way they were going to be was to allow the researcher to directly take on that fight, while both Kiritsugu and the priest aimed to strike when possible.


It wasn't something Kirei was particularly happy about since it meant taking a bet he wasn't truly sure of, but there wasn't much of a choice to make when it came to handling someone of Dio's caliber. He could still remember the reports, he could still remember the warnings from his father. He just couldn't think of any other solutions.


So when Jotaro bolted to resume the close quarters with Dio, sparks ensued at the semi-invisible clash. For some reason, now that the battle was happening at a higher pace, both Magi could see some figures between two, the ones behind the attacking rushes they were witnessing.


Kiritsugu was surprised, but he didn't show anything about it as he took out his Calico M950, the submachine gun spraying an entire cartridge of bullets in a mere seconds, forcing Dio to back away and throw a knife back at him. The Magus Killer cursed under his breath as he realized that the vampire had something that could aid him in the long range, thus forcing him to use his magecraft to dodge the high-velocity daggers.


Much to his grimace, Dio seemed to notice this detail, and he pointed this out after getting distant enough from Jotaro.


"Your entire body is now accelerated. I believe this is a degree of time-manipulation… like a bubble that surrounds your body and increases your overall pace, both physically and mentally," The vampire deduced quietly. "A very impressive element of magecraft. I learn something more about this mysterious world beyond the light of the crimson moon every day."


The mercenary ignored the 'compliment', focused on offering some more support by allowing Kirei to dispatch a couple of Black Keys on Dio's exposed back. Much like Jotaro predicted, the blades were repelled by ｢The Words｣, finally offering him the chance to retaliate with four well placed punches.


｢Star Platinum｣ slammed his fists by the vampire's sternum, then double-punching the side of the blond's head, squishing and cracking his skull just a little bit before being pushed back by ｢The World｣.


"Your interference is starting to grow infuriating."


"You're going back to hell, you bastard!" The descendant of Jonathan Joestar proclaimed furiously, his cold glare and words backed by the continuation of another exchange of hits. While he was easily losing those, he still offered the chance to his allies to harass his opponent.


But like any good strategy that is used for too long, this idea was quickly countered and used against them. Kiritsugu threw a grenade meant to blast the vampire back to Jotaro's range of punches, only for the explosive device to be thrown back at the researcher himself. The grenade detonated, tearing a good part of Jotaro's left flank and forcing him to recoil in agony at the explosion, and allowing Dio to take on the other two Magi.


The Magus Killer tried to elude the sudden rush through his Time-related magecraft, but it hardly mattered when it came to ｢The World｣'s unique speed. A single low-power punch to his leg sent the man rolling on the ground and losing hold of his Calico.


"｢The World｣!"


Kirei felt panic as he saw the vampire in a different position than the one he was before he blinked, his right arm moving to block the sudden punch aimed at his chest. The bone groaned and then broke as the damage was just beyond his imagination. The priest was sent flying, rolling on the floor before slamming on a column in there.


Jotaro stood up, trying to resume the fight, trying to keep up like he did back in Cairo but… something absurd happened as he got close enough to land a hit on Dio's smug face. He stopped, his body paralyzed as he felt something sharp hitting through his chest.


｢The World｣'s index finger had stretched the same way ｢Star Platinum｣'s Star Finger tended to do, perfectly emulating a technique that Jotaro had thought to be unique to his Stand. Staring down in pure shock at the damage suffered, with the finger now piercing deep close to his heart. He pulled out, almost expecting for the marine biologist to fall at the push, only for the man to keep standing.


"You should have given up now that you could," Dio pointed out with a renewed conviction. "There is no reason to keep fighting when your body is so horribly damaged. You are only a bug and-"


He stopped the moment Jotaro took a step towards him. Instead of confidence, there was fear. So much fear that for a very moment the researcher thought he was just imagining things. He still advanced, deciding that in that moment of unsureness he was still going to land a punch and… hope it was going to be enough to end him. Doubtful, no- impossible. There was no single chance this was going to end like that battle in Cairo. Dio's face wasn't his own weakness, and dreaming isn't enough for it to actually be the case.


Just as he was close enough to strike one last time before collapsing, he felt his body pushed and then pulled away from the blond. Familiar brunette, worried pink eyes- Caster. Safe hands, he felt his throat tightening as the rest of the group had appeared to the rooftop. Now there was a minor chance if… if Dio didn't use his time-stop. Idle thinking, the man looked ready to do so before Archer unleashed some of his blades and shredded the vampire's arms off.


"Mongrel, you dare ruin my good mood!?"


Dio smiled smugly the moment he noticed that Gilgamesh was frowning furiously at him. Gone was the fright, only eagerness remained as the vampire, despite his lack of arms, kept on acting superior and in an advantageous position. Rider was on standby to strike, and if Caster left him for a moment, she would've been able to provide more support and bring an end to the foul monster.


"Gilgamesh, King of Uruk- King of Heroes and… the greatest fool to ever exist," The blond regarded the golden Servant, drawing a deeper scowl out of the Archer. "I'm really flattered by your wrath, it makes me believe that I can finally admit that I truly have ascended as the greatest threat to people like you."


…


"What are you talking about?"


Despite the question, everyone could sense that something had changed in the powerful Archer's voice. Gone was the absolute anger… now replaced by confusion and irritation. While this might not sound as a novelty for those that have known Gilgamesh for so little, Kirei and Assassin knew something was actually bothering the King of Heroes to drop the previous emotions.


"I'm sure you actually know what I'm saying right now, Gilgamesh. Francesca told me that you can see some hints of the future that you know what will happen in the next few minutes. And I can assure you that it's all real,"


"You see, King of 'Heroes', I believe you failed to realize that bonds like family or lovers… are nothing more but flaws that severely weaken people like you," The vampire started to explain. "In your case, you were cursed by having to handle a flaw that is indirectly tied to you. In specific… it's your Master."


These words didn't make any sense at first, but then Dio looked up to… a bird that was flying above their heads. The small avian's eyes were glowing a light blue, showing that it was being used as a familiar and, from the words used by the vampire, it was the Master of Archer behind it.


"While the man was so happy to ditch his second daughter for the sake of removing a debt, he is fairly… unwilling to allow his eldest to be hurt in any way, shape or form. Which is why I saw it fit to tell him that his daughter is currently under my custody," The blond continued. "That she will be treated as a guest until… he is willing to comply with some requests of mine."


Realization seemed to form in Gilgamesh's face, but before he could do anything about what Dio had planned against him, his entire body tensed up. His furious look remained as numerous trails of blood started to flow out of the king's lips. Moments later, a soft thud announced Archer's lifeless body falling on the ground.


Everyone was shocked by the sight, knowing that the Servant had been too powerful to be killed at ease. Unless…


"Tokiomi, what have you done..." Risei muttered in horror.


"Hahahahahahahahahahaha! MUDA~!!" Dio exclaimed fiercely. "Here is the proof, Jojo. This War, that has for so long been fought through pure strength and force matters little against my brilliance! DIO RULES THIS WORLD!"


"You're still surrounded," Rider reminded loudly, advancing towards the fellow Servant. "And I will not allow you to leave this place without a battle."


"Why would I care for your wishes, you foolish oaf?" Dio replied calmly. "I will take my leave now."






"｢The World｣!"


It was a loud shout, one that saw Caster stare in pure shock as Dio easily froze time and… retreated from the castle, managing to somehow glide over the forest and back to the city. Still, her surprise was momentary as her worries easily overwhelmed this emotion, the need of having her Master brought back to safety.


The meeting was concluded by Risei's words, and it was indicted a proper halt to the Fourth Holy Grail War for the time being. There were so many developments unfolding and… so much that Xuanzang had to explain once she managed to get Jotaro back to the Speedwagon Foundation's headquarters.


Sakura was quick to keep by his adoptive father's bedside, while Joseph requested a full report of the situation. From the grim look he held for the remainder of the night, Caster could tell that the situation was as bad as it could be. Jotaro was going to recover thanks to her assistance and the workers of the foundation, but for a full day he would be completely vulnerable if anyone decided to attack him now.


Despite the old man's words, the monk was sure her Master wasn't going to incur any threats for the duration of the next day. Not because she believed Dio was going to allow them any reprieve, but now the Servant was fervently convinced that… It was time to act serious on this matter. She allowed herself to be overwhelmed by the surprise, something that almost cost her Master's life in the process. Only because she hesitated to move and strike at the vampire.


…


Her mind was assaulted by old memories until it was morning time, an old question coming from a wise man torturing her to keep awake and vigilant.


"Would you drop Nirvana if it was to save your friends?"


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AN


Here it is. Now some explanations:


1) Dio didn't fight fair against Gilgamesh: It's coherent with his usual pattern. Starting from Part 1 up to Part 3, Dio's fighting style stemmed in two categories A) Arrogantly accepting fights with people he deems inferior or weaker than himself or B) Using cheap tricks to kill opponents way stronger than him. The best example is when he took on Jonathan to undermine his sanity early in Part 1 and went to poison George since he could never hope to win in a direct confrontation;


2) Dio's fear of Jotaro: While Dio respects Jonathan as someone that made him change his mind about him, Jotaro left an unpleasant impression in Dio's mind. Not only was he a descendant of his arch-enemy, but he is also known to make use of cheap tricks like him to fight stronger opponents. Jonathan was a gentleman that would give up only if he is allowed to by the fact his friends are safe from any successive threats, Jotaro instead represents someone that can't give up and thus can't be beaten. In Dio's eyes, Jotaro is his worst opponent ever.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 13: Twelfth Mantra! Fate, Luck, Vision!


Dio hummed quietly as he calmly tried to get his arm's sensibility back by flipping another page of the tome he was studying from. The book depicting some aspects of the less-known Einzbern magecraft not only allowed him to train his limbs to be back to normal shape after the brutal fate he had suffered just a few hours earlier, but also aided him understanding why he felt so terrified when the approach of a weakened Jotaro managed to get him this frightened.


There was no doubt in his mind that what he felt was fear. Sure, he might have learned to not be at ease around the pesky delinquent, the man having changed none of his hideous traits that hardly befitted someone from the Joestar family, but his body's reaction felt unnatural. It felt so forced and… so frustrating.


He expected the text to provide him with clarity, and yet the papers hardly mentioned something that could rationalize what he felt back then. The sight of the bloodied and limping Stand User, eyes glaring at him with incredible ferocity and unwillingness to stop.


It… It all reminded him of what happened in Cairo. He could still remember when, at the peak of his might, he still failed to kill Jotaro Kujo. The young man stood proud, uncaring of the fact his ribs had suffered extreme damage, that his capacity to move through the time-stop was mostly nullified when Dio drank Joseph's blood and heightened the compatability with Jonathan's body.


His defeat was all caused by a gamble, and an erroneous interpretation of how Jotaro managed to steal His World from him. It took him some time, but then he realized that the reason why he died wasn't tied to the confusing element of the 'Same-Stand' logic. No, the issue was deeper and caused by something he could only blame himself for.


He got himself too careless. He imagined Jotaro to be less than Jonathan because of how the youth behaved against him. His archenemy had represented a degree of chivalry he wouldn't have expected a shy noble boy to turn into, and it was easy to learn of his tenacity and incapacity to give him.


That element had manifested in Jotaro, but the fellow Stand User hadn't done anything in his eyes to render it visible for him to study and counter. The last time-stop, the one that he considered the point he was really beaten, had given the young man the chance to gamble and abuse Dio's naivety at that moment. With his mind burning in glee at the fact he had finally put an end to the much hated family, he hadn't imagined for this gamble to even exist. And, because of this, he faced defeat at another Joestar member.


Sighing quietly, his lack of progress slowly but gradually had his attention shift to another element in his room that was growing to be amusing in nature. Two blue gems stared in cold fury at him from one of the room's corners, a child hiding behind a foolish bunker of pillows that was meant to protect her from his restrained malicious desires. The little kitty that preferred to roar rather than strike failed to stand to be the ferocious panther that she was hoping to show him being.


Bravery was just ten seconds of courage in a sea of fear after all. And Dio didn't mind the attention since it gave him the chance to finally test the young Tohsaka's determination once again. The stunt with her father had been a little fail safe in case the golden danger materialized during the raid. Gilgamesh was an arrogant and pompous bastard that was born in the gold, shaped by it, rendered numb by it as he accepted his God Complex, one that was more imposed by his creators than legitimized by his independent actions.


But now the blond vampire had something else to say and ponder as he allowed a single question to leave his lips, breaking the silence that had existed for a couple of hours now. One that he knew was going to cement his interest in young Rin or make her lose any chance of living beyond today.


"Rin, do you know what's the difference between luck and fate?"


The girl didn't answer at first, and while it was clear that it was a mix of uncertainty and unwillingness to answer that simple query, Dio decided to speak once again, bringing up an example that should easily help someone that was meant to surprise him.


"There was a time where my coffin was being used as a boat by the loved ones of one of my enemies," He mentioned with a distracted tone, remembering with annoyance the time he spent trying and failing to bond with Jonathan's body. It was an unpleasant first step in his survival after what happened in the ship, but it was less worrying than being buried under the sea for almost a full century. "A woman and a newborn were using it to safely make it back on land, ignoring the fact that I, Dio, was hidden away in a secret lower compartment. They managed to make it to safety, failing to notice where I was hiding during the trip."


"What has this… to do with that other question?" Curiosity overwhelmed anger in a moment of brief confusion, gaining a quick smirk out of the Avenger as he enjoyed how easy it was to gain a reaction out of the child.


"The woman could have found the compartment, leading to the death of her and the child she was clutching so motherly, yet she didn't. Do you believe it was luck that saved their lives? Or was it Fate?"


Anger finally faltered as more confusion engaged Rin into that complicated question. Many children her age would have reported headaches at the mere thought of understanding the example, yet the girl seemed to be putting impressive effort in it. The thoughtful look, the eased posture- the child was pondering maturely and impressing the vampire even more as hints of realization dawned over her.


"It's… fate?"


…


He held himself from frowning at that response, surprised by that quick reaction time. Instead of showing any clues that she might be close to the truth, Dio decided to stare blankly at her and speak up again.


"How is it Fate?"


Young students, from elementary to high school, would have a tough time trying to keep by their resolve when a teacher kept a simple composure that betrayed no emotions about the answer they had just provided. It makes one double-think


"W-Well, it's… because she is not lucky."


That was a fascinating take, one he hadn't exactly expected having imagined something a little more complicated out of it. Maybe he was pushing too hard on a boundary only a couple of prodigious kids were known to reach in terms of intelligence. Still, it was an unorthodox but partly-correct approach.


"How so?"


"If the woman had… tried to check for the secret compartment and then decided against that, then she… would have been lucky. But she didn't know it existed, so she would have never checked."


"But what if she noticed that something was out of the ordinary?" The vampire asked. "What if she was curious to see if everything was alright and there was nothing to worry about?"


"Did she?"


…


"What?"


"Was she curious even once about it?"


He allowed a tiny smile. "No."


"Then- Then that silly," Rin rebuked. "She just didn't check because it was fate. I think."


"It's correct," The blond confirmed with a nod. "But that brings up another example before I offer you that question once again."


"B-Bring it."


Cheeky, but she is going to regret putting fret on me about it.


"There are two children. Both siblings, with one being older than the other. Both are part of a noble family that can only accept a single child as the heir to their family," Dio started to say. "The oldest child is chosen to remain, while the younger is sent off to another family. For the sake of 'good'. Now, do you think it was luck or-"


"L-Luck."


…


The Avenger was ready to chuckle at the delightful fright that was in full display on the girl's now pale face. Stubborn and fierce she might be, but her family was her biggest weakness. But not because of how close she was to it, but rather because she didn't know how to handle it. Losing a sibling for the sake of the Clan, it all felt so stale and wrong to the mind of many. For a child to lose a younger sibling felt more like a personal failure. To Rin, the praise of her father was the only worthwhile return to that horrible exchange. Did she ask for it? No, but… there was 'no other choice'.


A foolish thought from a submitted mind.


"Do you want to know why you weren't lucky, Tohsaka Rin?"


…


"Because you were born with potential, and your sister was cursed for a time for something beyond her control. It wasn't luck that drove her out of your household, but fate. She was fated to suffer, and you were fated to be the Tohsaka Heiress-"


"S-Shut up!"


"No. I will not," He flatly scoffed. "Why would I need to cease with this? You should be happy. You weren't sent away to suffer, to be used as a bargaining chip for the 'good of the clan'-"


"Y-you are lying. Th-There was no other choice?"


"Are you saying or are you asking? The truth is that being a Magus, a traditional one at that, is not a good thing. The process to gain a Magical Crest isn't anything to scoff at. The pain akin to a difficult organ transplant, one that kills even when you are the most compatible to," Dio revealed with a sigh. "Your father might appear a good person, but if he was given the chance to grasp the origin of Magecraft, to attain the knowledge behind the Root in exchange for his family… do you think he would hesitate?"


"You- You're lying," The girl screamed back, fat and hot tears flowing down in a pitiful display of emotional pain. "M-My Papa would never hurt me or-"


"Sakura? Oh right, you meant your mother. But of course, let's ignore that he already sold one of his children, his youngest at that, to a man that he knew was going to abuse her."


…


…


Dio… sighed. "When I was younger, I thought my own father, a dishonest drunkard with the darkest of heart, could have changed for good if I had tried my best. My mother was so hopeful that pride in someone else would have shaken him off by the inferiority complex he was so keen to show with his rage and punches," He started to explain. "I learned through the death of my mother… when he decided to sell her wedding dress, one of her most precious items, that my hopes for this were misplaced. I killed him with poison, a method that didn't allow him to fight against anyone as he died from something burning from within."


…


…


"Your father is ambitious. You better learn to be wary around him if he somehow manages to live through the Grail War. He will push you to become his avatar, to do horrible things all for the furthering of the 'shining path of success for the Tohsaka Clan'. You will be his pawn, and his tool to feel proud of himself and nobody else."


…


"I… I hate you."


He finally chuckled, his amusement finally perking to the top at that frail response.


"Oh, young Rin. I wouldn't hope for anything else. You want to know why it's easier to hate than love?" He inquired rhetorically. "Because you can lie about love, but hate… it takes part of you that normally you can't hide away from others. And right now, your hate isn't aimed at me."


…


…


Biting down a sigh, Dio had to admit that he might have gone for a tougher approach than needed. Rin was his toy, but that didn't mean he was supposed to break her like this. Not when her potential showed that she could easily become more of a toy. More of a pawn. He just… needed to put her to accept his mindset now. So she rewarded her just for once for failing to answer his question.


"The difference between luck and fate is that luck is subjective. Pretty much everything can be lucky, but in reality only a couple of things can be considered lucky," The blond explained calmly. "Fate is absolute. You can try to deny it, you can try to hide it, but fate aids many people, sometimes for both 'good and bad' reasons. I was aided in becoming a vampire through it, but then I was killed for extending myself beyond what I could achieve. It was personal failure that stuck me against an unfair state of fate. Not a foolish Joestar."


But the girl didn't give attention to his words, he learned. The child was shivering, hands covering her eyes as sobs filled the room. It would have been a melodious noise to be subjected to in the past, but… for some reason it just felt wrong. Really wrong. His eyes started to play tricks on him as Rin was briefly replaced by a younger Dio, one that was being comforted by a woman that was no longer there.


…


Before he knew it, his arms were stressing more than before as he quietly picked up the trembling child. A pat, then two by her upper back. It took so little for the young Tohsaka to… fall asleep. The snoring and the heartbeat dropping to a quieter tune had him perplexed. But not because of how easily the child was put to rest, knowing that she was already exerting herself by having remained awake the entire night out of paranoia. The stress of the conversation eroded any determination to keep awake any longer.


Dio frowned at this unpleasant sensation that he was feeling. It all felt familiar, but also not- as if he had felt about this… a long time ago, but now he shouldn't. A pause, then he paused by his heartbeat and he noticed that the usual pattern had changed, all to adapt at that emotion.


It was unpleasant, it was weakening- and then, he remembered.


Dio, a vampire that had rejected humanity a century ago, was feeling empathy. And… that shouldn't be possible, at least by natural means. Except… the cause was actually evident. His body was now his to control, but the side effect behind his vampirism, the rejection of humanity… had faltered?


Confusion riddled Dio's thoughts as he considered if this was a good thing since he could now see his surroundings in two different perspectives, or feel frustrated at this being more of a weakness than he could have asked it to be. He couldn't afford his partial humanity to cripple his cruel nature, to put a wrench in his plans. He needed to be coherent to his creed if he wanted to succeed and… the only way was to put an end to this Holy Grail War and return back to the grave so Pucci could do his tasks…


And Rin was certainly going to become a new key to the ritual. A stronger version of it from what his studies could afford. Yes, it wasn't sentimentality to drive him to be this 'affectionate', but worry of exaggerating with the indoctrination.


-------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d------------


Sakura was having trouble sleeping.


The bed was… nice. It was cozy, it was pleasant and… Xuanzang was good company.


But there was something that was missing. Something that was making the experience frustrating and thus impossible to complete since she needed this to feel safe. She needed good news about her new father's conditions. Jotaro was out of critical conditions, but it would be a lie to say the man was completely out of danger.


He was strong, but mortal and so still killable. And that made the child particularly upset at the chances of her new parent dying because he decided to put himself to danger. She felt angry at him- no, it wasn't his fault. The girl decided she was angry at the competition behind it all, the Holy Grail War.


A silly game that was hurting so many people. Some were nice, but others were easily deserving of the demises they were suffering for. She was confused as to why that was important for so many to be hurt. It was just so stupid. So senseless. And… it made her… annoyed?


No, it was something else. She couldn't remember what was the name of that emotion, but it was there, inside her chest, bubbling and painfully gnawing at her to be set free. Why? Why would she do that? For what purpose would she need to let something so hurtful out?


Confusion increased, but so did that nameless sensation that wanted to be freed from its restraints. There was a sense of quiet, for a moment as Sakura stared at the ceiling in a moment of hopeless distraction from the turmoil unveiling deep within her mind. She turned on her pillow, staring at the soft white surface as it innocently laid there for her to rest her head onto. But right now she wasn't planning to sleep… and she felt the instinct to hit it.


Punch. Punch. Punch. Punch.


At first it was a soft pat, then a stronger blow, finally she was punching the pillow a lot. Yet the girl was confused when the soft surface started to display other imprints of knuckles that weren't hers. At first she thought this was just a mistaken observation, but the more she punched, the more she could feel something punching alongside her.


She didn't mind. She liked doing this to the pillow since it wasn't someone that could be really hurt and, for some reason, it felt so good. To punch something, to feel the fist slam and squish forward something soft. There was a degree of morbid curiosity playing inside her head about replacing the image she had of the pillow with Zouken's head.


Initially, it was a terrifying concept. She remembered how scary her grandfather had been with his soulless eyes and his frightening grin when something gained his attention. But then Sakura remembered the hurt. The kind of hurt that was surprisingly less than what she was feeling right now.


The pain was atrocious in both cases, but while she knew that the first example of pain was expected to happen after it had existed for so long, the pain she felt at seeing Jotaro unconscious and bandaged in most of his body was so sudden and unexpected. It wasn't a 'more' for intensity- no, it was about the pain being unplanned and unwanted. She didn't want to see her Papa in pain.


So she punched, and she blamed Zouken, she blamed Tokiomi, she blamed everyone that had scorned her in the past for making all of this so unpleasant- so upsetting and then… she cracked again, sobbing for the third time that early morning. The abused cushion was used to drown her unhappiness, with the girl somewhat hoping to fall asleep. Footsteps drew by the doorstep, and the door creaked open.


Sakura looked at who had decided to check on her. It was Xuanzang, the young woman greeting her with a sympathetic and kind smile, while her pink eyes betrayed the same degree of concern the child felt over her father's conditions.


"Hey. Is… everything alright?"


No.


Yet she didn't say that. She just didn't feel like saying that.


"I'm… tired. I just want to sleep."


"Hmm, having some trouble with that?"


Sakura finally nodded, and the woman approached her bedside before sitting on the mattress.


"It's alright."


…


"It's not," The girl quietly refused. "How… is he?"


"He will wake up in a couple of hours."


Maybe. Or maybe even later than that. She could see that it was the case from how uncertain the woman's tone was. People tend to lie when they are unsure and worried about something. And… Sakura couldn't exactly blame her.


"Now, do you want me to read you something? Do you want to cuddle up?"


Yes to both, but also no. Her mind just wasn't being cooperative today about what she really wanted to do at that very moment. It was a stressful situation that she had never experienced until now. Not even back when she was still a Tohsaka she remembered feeling worried about her former father and mother.






"X-Xuan-nee?" Shinji's voice called from the corridor, the boy eventually arriving by the doorstep. "Joseph-jiji said that Jotaro-san is awake and-!!"


Sakura didn't need to hear anything more. Before both Servant and boy could do anything about it, the girl bolted down the bed and through the hallway. Barefooted and still sleepy, it was quite an interesting sight to see how quick the child was running so quickly. Her tiny legs were burning at the sudden strain, but she didn't care.


Eventually she stopped, only because she had reached her destination. The door was half-open, offering her the way to see what was happening inside.


"You should know better than me that tackling Dio like this was reckless. Even with the aid of someone like Kiritsugu-san and Kirei-san, a Servant is supposedly stronger than their in-life versions."


There was silence from Jotaro's part for a while, but then a word reached out and got the girl to tense up.


"Sakura."


...Did he know she was there? That was her first thought but then Joseph hummed.


"What about the kid?"


"Is she… alright?"


The elder huffed.


"Jotaro, this isn't something that you can ask so easily. She was particularly upset that you got hurt so badly, so don't tell me that you at least don't feel guilt for worrying the poor girl."


…


…


"I am."


"Good, then you-"


"Is she alright?"


Joseph huffed. "She is just worried. Like everyone else is right now for what happened."


…


"Bah, you couldn't have exactly done much to push the vampire back. You did your best, but now we need to make plans to counter him. I had our scientists employ UV lights all over the building, and I got in contact with the Mayor of Fuyuki Town to have special permission to check if we can find where he might be hiding. Now that we know how his Master looks thanks to Waver, I believe we can find her by the camera footage and check where she is usually hanging around in the city."






Hearing footsteps finally catching up to her, Sakura sighed and… stepped inside. Jotaro was the one that noticed her first, his blue eyes locking onto her tired violet ones.


"Sakura."


Hearing that name repeated, Joseph this time turned to the door and noticed that the child had indeed entered the room. But before he could say anything, the child slowly walked up to the bed and, after pulling part of the covers up, she snuck inside and quietly settled to rest by her adoptive father's side.


Jotaro didn't say anything, but he felt particularly pissed at the amused look Joseph was now sporting as he looked at the scene with fondness. There was a brief mention of some old situations that had happened to him when 'Holly was a sweet little child' and she used to miss the old man a lot when he was on long business trips around the USA.


Eventually Xuanzang and Shinji arrived at the room with the boy managing to pull the tired geezer out of Jotaro's sight and leave the man to speak with his Servant. The pink-eyed brunette was rather restrained with her comments, just voicing that she was glad he was recovering quite quickly. He nodded, sparing just a few words to return the fact he was glad she was fine too.


Their conversation was brief, but he could tell that the servant hadn't taken that well the fact he had gotten hurt during the battle against Dio. Making a mental note of checking on her by the time he could start moving around once again, the marine biologist was blessed by the fact everyone else left the room and left him to sleep with his… daughter. And while Sakura happily snored on his side, Jotaro's sleep was delayed by a particularly odd sight happening above their heads.


｢Star Platinum｣ was hugging what looked to be a black blanket with red details. At least, that was what he thought it being in that drained state of mind he was in…


But then he realized that his Stand was hugging another one. One that had the same short height and tiny frame as Sakura...


-----------d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d--------


AN


Tokiomi knew it all: It was Dio that said that… so it could be true and… it could be wrong. But he was still right about Tokiomi ditching his family to their deaths if it means being granted a path to the Root.


Rin's role: Right now, she is the captive. Her personality might remain mostly unchanged, but this experience will haunt her in an objective way more different than reaching the Root or fulfilling Tokiomi's dream.


Dio and losing part of his 'I reject my Humanity' Gig: He is still the same bastard, but not outright inhuman to the point he was in late Phantom Blood and in Stardust Crusaders. He is just a little more empathetic… and a tad bit smarter because of it.


Sakura's Stand: A few glimpses about it. While it was punching the pillow, it isn't a close-ranged type. And yes, the design is similar to Dark Sakura with an upper 'Shadow-like' body.


Also, I left a minor hint about the name of Sakura's Stand.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 14: Thirteenth Mantra! The Powder Keg of Fuyuki Town!


Joseph Joestar was a man with a mission.


With his grandson recovering from the ordeal caused by Dio, the old Hamon User knew that right now it was crucial to get as much information as they could about the vampire's latest associate. The Foundation had already been mobilized to recover as much info as possible over Fuyuki's layout to find their enemy's possible whereabouts, the chances of this yielding some significant results quite higher compared to before. But while this solved the 'where' issue, there was another problem that had to be addressed as quickly as possible.


Caster had mentioned something about a woman, Dio's 'Master', having made an intervention during the attack at the Castle in the forest. Silver hair, slightly tan skin, this individual wasn't normal by all definitions. Capable of creating demonic monsters that were akin to sea-based animals made her traits fairly unique and easy to discern if they had any list to work on about possible suspects.


The Foundation's knowledge on magecraft was still limited by the fact this situation had now broadened the mere myth that was magic, so there wasn't anything to work on as of yet about known magi. And while this would have deterred many in trying to find the truth about this matter, Joseph knew that there was a place where he could try to get some truth out from. Especially when they were more tied to this situation that they would have wanted to.


Entering in contact with the Tohsaka Clan proved to be more difficult, mostly because the only one capable of doing so was Risei Kotomine. The old priest proved to be busy as he was trying to keep his son alive after what happened with Dio, but he seemed to grow more receptive to requests when provided with doctors to aid his only child's recovery.


He had also reached out for the Einzbern camp, and he was met with open doors as some doctors were sent to help the situation within the castle itself. He hadn't been there to see the size of the mess after the siege, but Caster had been fairly descriptive of the size of the invasion. The fact Dio had managed to create so many zombies with ease meant that he had finally gained control of Jonathan's body, which meant that his vampiric abilities were returning to him.


The last thing I want to deal, is one of those 'laser eye thingy' like when I fought Straiz-oaf or the ice-like ability Lisa Lisa said Dio was known to have mastered back in his first existence as a vampire.


The fellow elder had to pull a couple of strings to get Tokiomi to listen, the man too distracted by his own efforts to try and find where Dio was hiding, unwilling to cooperate with anyone without a good reason. But while the patriarch of the Tohsaka Family was reluctant to take part in this, his wife, Aoi, seemed more open about this. The woman agreed to a meeting, at least to listen to what kind of proposal he had in mind to forward to her family.


Their point of reunion was a simple ice cream parlor nearby the city's park, a small place where to share a calm discussion without having to worry about a vampire coming by and attacking them. Such a place was also easy to approach as it was near to the headquarters, making it easy to make a hasty retreat if things turned sour one way or another.


"Joestar-san," The young woman addressed, sparing a calm nod before sitting down by the chair in front of him.


"Tohsaka-san."


Things were already starting to get awkward despite just a few words being exchanged. Despite that, Aoi decided to start that conversation already.


"From the way Risei worded your interest for a meeting, you are seeking for someone we currently consider our family's enemy."


The old man nodded. "We are currently working on finding Dio. But while we are busy with that task, we are also trying to dig some information about his Master. We have a picture."


He placed down the small folder containing a few photos taken by the security cameras all over the city. While it was difficult to understand who this individual was, she did little to cover her tracks while on nightly strolls around the city.


The green-haired woman silently pulled the dossier closer, carefully peeking inside to the files and frowning over the giddy face within some of the pictures.


"And… you are sure this is her?" Aoi inquired quietly. "The Master of Avenger?"


"We are fairly certain of this. I suppose you are aware of what happened last night."


"In part, yes. Risei told me about these events, and that gave us a reason why Avenger would have wanted Archer dead in such a way, to ultimately aid him in case he was cornered by him," The woman confirmed nodding as she placed down the pictures. "She was there, wasn't she?"


"Yes."


"And I may take these with me if I accept to provide aid?"


"I believe it would be best for you to have those regardless of your interest in taking part of this united front or not. I… I know how unpleasant it is to be worried for your own child since I… I had been put in a similar situation," Joseph admitted. "Nonetheless, I'm quite sure we are still sharing a common goal regarding what happened to… your daughter."


The Tohsaka nodded, her eyes narrowing over the closed folder once again as she pondered about what to say next. It was easy, yet so difficult to muster up the proper terms to address such a delicate issue. Joseph knew that being a parent was a struggle, but while he could reach out and sympathize with the distressed mother, at the same time he couldn't help but feel contemptuous towards her. To forsake a child, out of some 'greater good' bullshit just left him shocked and mortified. He could still remember when his grandmother, Erina, was asked and pressured by many to remarry, all for the sake of at least providing him with a father figure.


Sure, Speedwagon was around as much as he could, but with a business that steadily grew into taking most of his time away, Joseph could be around him only by the little free time the old founder of the Speedwagon Foundation could provide himself to have without damaging his organization.


The proud wife of Jonathan Joestar would always refuse all attempts to see her married off to rich businessmen in the states. Most saw this as an act of selfish nature, one that was tied to the fact the blonde didn't want to part ways with the memory of her deceased husband. The truth was that the woman had long made peace with that unpleasant situation, having grown out of that kind of pain as she tried to uphold a duty as a doting mother and grandmother to both George II and Joseph.


In fact, the reason that got her to refuse and decline any arranged marriages was tied to Joseph himself when, in a state of childish stubbornness when he was still a hopeless youth, he refused to accept the idea of having other grandfathers beyond Jonathan and the surrogate one that was Robert Speedwagon. The list of candidates further deepened the hatred the young Joestar felt towards that eventuality, seeing it more as a way for the family to remain… 'hurt'. And his reaction was the catalyst of that mindset, but also the main reason that drove Erina to ignore any efforts in that very direction.


Even now, he wasn't sure if that had been the best choice for his grandmother, but he was completely certain that he grew up to be one of the most brilliant members of the family. At least that was what both Lisa Lisa and Suzy Q would say about him once in a while.


Ignoring a couple of dumb decisions I made a few years ago. Maybe I should… check on Tomoko before going to visit Holly.


So when he regarded Aoi and what she had done in the last few years, he felt pulled to judge not only as a fellow parent, but as someone that knew of similar situations and had been almost subjected to a lesser situation than that left the Joestar in a state of uneasiness while handling this individual.


At least I'm not facing the father. I doubt I would have been able to hold back a punch at that bastard.


"I… understand that Sakura is currently under your custody," Aoi finally pointed out. "I assume she is… well."


"She is," Joseph conceded curtly. "She will not return to the Tohsaka Clan."


The woman nodded, the dullness in her eyes barely gracing the sorrow unraveling within her core.


"Yes. I… I knew that would be the case. I didn't… I didn't expect her to return. Not after what happened to her because of the Matou."


…


"Do you… have anything you wish for her to know?" The elder asked with a nervous tone. "I can't give you any great hope, but I will relay any message you wish to give her."


…


"I don't have anything to offer. But I wish for you to guarantee me one thing," Aoi muttered dully, looking at him with a glint of hope. "Don't… let them be hurt once more. I know I no longer have a right to call her my daughter, just like I doubt she will ever think of me as her mother after what just happened… but deep down, within the mess I made by allowing Tokiomi this much freedom in this decision, I wish for her to be happy."


"I will make sure of that. Jotaro isn't the kind of person that would allow a child to be hurt, she will be in good hands with him," Joseph replied with a nod. "And… Rin will be found. She… will be safe and sound. I will promise you this."


The green-haired woman merely nodded at this, standing up from her chair and walking away from the parlor. She stopped for a moment, looking at Joseph with a sad look.


"I shall try to see if Tokiomi can aid you with this research. I can try to soften him up to accept the request but… don't expect any other favors from the Tohsaka Clan."


The Joestar nodded, gaining a flash of a calm smile off from Aoi. The old man could only stare as the woman retreated, feeling a degree of upset at the fact he could tell the decision of letting go Sakura hadn't been conceived by her. Yet, at the same time, he blamed her for having remained quiet about this, for having allowed for her husband to decide for something so heinous and barbaric.


Magi might have a different understanding than normal people when it came to inheritances, but that didn't mean they were allowed to stick by these horrible traditions.


And now, let's see how things are going for Waver and Rider.


-----------d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d-------------


"You should have taken some more time to rest, Kirei," Risei muttered calmly. "Your body might have stabilized, but you shouldn't stress yourself just yet."


The young priest could only sigh as he turned to address his father. The old man approached him, with Assassin still using her copies to rally all the books necessary to solve the current plight of his after waking up by the lone table in the room. Something he really felt in need to deal with as soon as possible.


Despite the slight aching at his right hand, he was still trying to make use of it to hold a couple of the tomes being moved around.


"I was… in a reading mood. I believe I have a couple of questions I know can be answered through some of these texts."


"Truly? And does this thirst of knowledge somehow aim to aid your recovery?"


"It would heal my doubts," Kirei replied flatly. "Some of which might prevent wounds or even death if best applied."


Risei nodded, sparing some silence as his son settled by his chair and started to check on the first book that was close to his reach. He scanned the cover, perusing the first pages, but eventually growing dissatisfied by the fact it wasn't what he was seeking. It was somewhere in there, the book being particularly important and something that he knew his father had brought from Italy here in Fuyuki.


"You… are awfully tenser than usual," The old priest commented, a hint of worry painted in his voice. "Are you sure you don't require some-"


"I'm fine," The young man admitted fiercely, the soreness bringing out an unflattering take on his usual neutrality. "I just require solutions."


"To what?"


…


"A curiosity of mine regarding our current problem. When I fought Dio… I think I saw something interesting. Something important."


"And it's so important to neglect the doctors' orders to remain by bed until you can safely remove your bandages?"


"Yes."


...


"What do you seek?"


"Years ago, I remember you took a book about old legends from North Africa," The young man replied with a nod. "The ones that came right from the ancient Roman collections of those tales."


…


Risei sighed. "It should be 'De Historiae Numidae'."


The guess had the Servant's copies scrambling to find the book with that cover. It didn't take long for it to be placed in front of the bandaged young man, but before he could open up the first pages and check on the specific myth he was looking for, Risei spoke up once more.


"And now, how about we discuss how you are feeling about that fight? I believe you need release about this."


...


"Death is unpleasant. At least, being brought close to it," Kirei pointed out while checking on the pages of the book. "In all my career, I never came this close to being killed. Not this easily- not this suddenly."


"And it left you with an odd impression?"


Odd barely fit with that kind of upset. No, his mind didn't and couldn't find it something odd. It was unpleasant, horrifying, shocking and… eye-opening. This was the first time he tasted being subjected to a deadly attempt. He had been so close to walk over that doorstep he hadn't given much thought about, and it had all happened so suddenly. So unpredictably. It was almost a sign, a divine one from the looks of it, but he doubted God was commanding him to do something in particular about this.


It was a revelation that… perhaps he was taking things too easily. That he was expecting himself to be able to pull through everything this War had stacked against all competitors. Avenger might have been an anomaly, but it was still an enemy despite the reason he was within the fight. An enemy that he had fought with little preparation and clear understanding of his abilities… until now.


Kirei couldn't afford to be left clueless about this monster if he planned to fight him again. And he knew that there was something in the fight that he recognized from an old read, a book he had found while he was still studying to become an Executor.


"I would say it left me mostly displeased with my current degree of awareness about Avenger. While I can forgive myself for having failed to find any information on my own about him, the fact I dared to directly brawl a Servant is unbelievable. Especially if the servant is powerful when it comes to close encounters."


"You were certain that Jotaro-san would have managed to handle Dio the best and actually win against him. But you all forgot that Dio is a Servant, and that our good friend is nowhere near as strong as he was back when he first fought that vampire."


"That is true but… I also believe the issue is elsewhere," The young man brought up. "Something about this just strikes me as familiar since I've read of a familiar effect to what both Jotaro-san and Dio can use in battle. Something that was ruled out by the Holy See as a Magecraft-related circumstance."


"Oh? And that is?"


"The Romans once documented a bizarre predicament happening within the region between modern Tunisia and Libya. Something about… powerful beings fighting each other for some weapons of power," Kirei explained calmly. "While this might be chalked out as the result of old Magi fighting over old tools of magic, I believe one paragraphs mentioned about… fighting spirits."


"Fighting spirits?"


"Creatures that manifest akin to humans. But intangible most of the time," The former Executor answered. "Assassin could see it in action, both with Jotaro-san and Dio. I believe Servants could see those because their existence is akin to these figures, but less dependent on a single individual."


"And you think this might help?" Risei pressed on, sounding uncertain on the matter. "How would this help you defeat Dio?"


"It's something that goes a little beyond this War. It's actually… tied to the fact that, if this is indeed true, then Dio used one of these tools to unleash his unknown ability," Kirei replied, this time adopting a more concerned look. "And if he got one of those… then there is a genuine chance that others, either loyalists or those that found these weapons, have gained these very abilities. It could be anyone tied to any digging process unfolding in the region."


"It's truly a shocking possibility, I will not lie about it. But perhaps we should wait until we have some better clues on the matter instead of calling for a full-fledged investigation on the matter," The old priest commented. "Especially when we are expecting an agent from the Burial Agency."


"The Burial Agency has been called to aid us?"


That opened up an entirely new can of worms to be facing about. The organization was known to host groups of unstable individuals that would make the entire situation more chaotic than it needed too. There was also the matter that such a move was going to warrant a great upheaval from Clocktower, the Magus Association surely demanding the BA to stand down.


But since the target is so problematic and because we need to keep this news quiet… could it be that-


"Who has been sent? What's their codename?"


"Dio has given many headaches back when he was alive in the 80s. We can't allow him to wander off once more and cause any issues," Risei started to say with a nervous tone, surprised by that sudden amount of queries coming so quickly from his son. "Which is why the group has decided to employ Bow's service for this task. I believe you have mentioned her once a long time ago."


And now things were indeed taking a very complicated and awkward turn. Bow was someone he had met on two different occasions. The first one was during one of her first missions, and another was when she got accustomed to the line of work they both were part of for a time. But while Kotomine's rise to Executor was through experience and a flawless list of operations successfully handled, hers was created through a curious case of anomaly. A powerful anomaly at that.


The fact she was the one that had been sent for the situation lessened most of Kirei's worries about having to handle people like Narbareck, knowing well enough how much of a dangerous woman that twisted psychopath was. Of all options, Bow was perhaps the best he could work on… but it was still something he wasn't happy about.


If someone was to bring up what was going on about their alliance with the Tohsaka Clan, things would definitely take a turn for the worst with the Church authorities. They needed to be as discreet as possible and, expecting her arrival to happen in a little less than two days from now, they needed to make contingencies in case she came close to discover the truth.


"I assume you have already told Tokiomi-san about this situation, father."


"Yes. I wouldn't want him to be given reason to behave irrationally against us. He might be angry at this development, but he knows better to not move too much against the Holy See. He promised to be cautious about this topic," The old man confirmed while nodding. "Still, I can't help but wonder about this 'Bow'. I've heard she is fairly efficient, and I assume you know her from the way you recognized her."


"She is one of the youngest. But I believe it would be a lie to say she will be easy to manipulate if she starts to investigate in the wrong places," Kirei explained with a hint of nervousness. "The best way to handle this is to have her focus on our common goal, try to defeat Dio as quickly as possible and… try to coax her to leave the moment this work is done."


"All without appearing rude to her. Wouldn't want to make a wrong first impression with young Bow," The old priest commented with a sigh, turning to stare at the towers of books accumulated by the table.


"You should also consider taking this opportunity to write. A letter might suffice," Risei pointed out with a sigh. "The Ortensia family has finally accepted an exchange. They will allow you to send letters to your daughter, but they have adamantly demanded that you avoid mentioning the fact you are her father."


…


"Why?"


"Caren is still quite young. She has never heard much of her father, and this might prove detrimental if you wish to safely enter her life," The old man answered readily. "As a young child, she is quicker in picking up simple details, and sometimes those details can cause people to react… badly."


"You think she is going to hate me for delaying this for so long?"


"Indeed. She needs time to grow accustomed to your presence. You should begin by creating a bond and understand the kind of person she is," The elder added. "It might take a while to properly prepare the girl for the revelation, but I can assure you that she will not act on wrong impulses at that point. Anger, yes, but not enough to break any bond you might have with her."


…


"Now, that's the first time I see you this upset."


Kirei narrowed his eyes at that comment.


"What?"


"I didn't mean to make it sound like I'm trying to tease you, my son. Only that I found this concern of yours promising. It's the proof I need to see every time we discuss your daughter," Risei admitted with a smile. "For a time I might have… doubted your interest in forming a bond back with little Caren, but now I can see how much it matters to you. How important it is for this to work."


"You doubted?" Kirei inquired, but the young priest couldn't tell if it was for feeling deceived or not about this discovery.


"Only for a time. And not without reason," The elder rebuked. "You are an enigma I'm still trying to understand the more you discover yourself in this event. I'm happy that I'm seeing more of what you have held back, and I wish to apologize if this revelation hurts you."


…


"It doesn't. It's… just a brief surprise."


"Now, lying isn't something fitting for a former Executor, Kirei-kun."


The young man sighed, shaking his head at that mirthful response.


"I suppose it stung for a moment. It felt uncalled for."


"At times, the most horrible things happen without notice."


Like death.


The thought had him upset once again about those circumstances, and, once more, he was digging deeper about anything that could actually help against Dio. Any bits of the story that could have been used to depict a weakness, or a way to properly see Dio's spirit.


With a tired sigh, and a humming Risei keeping him company, Kirei continued with his research, blissfully unaware of his Servant's concerned look the more he strained his arm by lifting books over books.


-----------d-d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d-----------


AN


Next time, some real action. Could it be Caster's time to shine!?


Also, did y'all hear about the Tsukihime remake? And yes, it's a VN for PS4… with some new routes.


...No, Bow is not EMIYA.

 

[JBukharin]

Interlude 3: Red Lock Unraveled


These few days had been fairly unpleasant for one Sola-Ui.


After being spared from the atrocious death the blond monster had bestowed to both Lancer and his Master, the red-haired woman had kept low and away from any major events unfolding in Fuyuki. She had still looked for anything interesting on the matter and she was impressed by the way this mysterious Servant was disrupting most of the balance that had existed until Kayneth's horrifying execution.


Nonetheless, the sight had given her a mix of emotions that had kept her from going for anything too bold or too dangerous, her brain geared to get through the task that the terrible bastard had bestowed to her to get through today. Reach the location provided by the temporary sea-monster familiar that had found her by one of the alleys in the city and… get done with that simple task that was going to free her from any obligations over the war.


Without anyone holding her tied to this unpleasant city, the best decision would be to return back to Clock Tower and face some unflattering developments that her lone return would definitely bring to the stability of its society. The news of the death of a leader of a family that didn't have a sure heir to continue the main line was going to severely hamper the dominance of the Aristocratic Faction, while also opening up a distasteful front for the Archibald family against those that were easily going to tear through their vulnerable positions now that there was no major obstacle holding them at bay.


The scenario was ugly, but not as ugly as what might happen to Sola-Ui the moment her brother, the current heir of the Nuada-Re family, decided to cut her off from receiving any support from them. It was a strong possibility since she could have easily been accused of sabotaging the efforts of her late fiance, and, at this very point, it had been clear that Bram wasn't going to grant her any grace and spare her from being banished.


The stakes were high, and there was no major reward beyond living after that very day. She just couldn't believe how unfair things were for her. Sure, she wasn't the best among people, and even with her pedigree, she knew that her enemies weren't just going to spare her because of her last name. No, the redhead was mostly angry at the fact that, despite her group having enjoyed a good position where to strike, her fiance had to keep from making any significant attempts during the competition. After the battle at the docks, which had been particularly disappointing on her side's circumstances, things had been so stale and so disappointing.


There had been numerous chances to attack and actually win against the people they were once competing against. It would have made so much sense and left her in less than a foul mood. But no, she had to live with the fact that Kayneth had to play things slow and get himself stuck in a position where he was capable of handling just a good part of the possible attackers coming at him.


Defense might be the best way to begin a successful offensive, but to arrogantly assuming that he was ready to face everything just felt… stupid. Despite her belief that normal Magi would have seriously lost against her dead fiance's plans, that didn't mean that she was completely trusting of it with every possible eventuality.


Sola-Ui expected Lancer to make up for this very issue since the Servant had proved to be a capable warrior. What she hadn't expected was for their foe to have an ability that made him nigh-impossible to beat. It was preposterous to even imagine what kind of magic was in play, and yet she was certain the range of possibilities lied over three options: space-related magecraft, time-related magecraft, or even something tied to the Second Magic.


Despite this, the circumstances were way too clear for her to just ignore. The woman had to comply with the demands imposed by the bastard and then, maybe, she would be granted the chance of being spared of a sudden death. Beyond the current fear of losing most of her privileges the moment she was back in London, she doubted that things were going to go any worse than that.


Still, the redhead didn't have much of a choice over her current task. She knew that the malicious Servant knew how to track her down, just like one of his familiars had managed to find where she had been hiding this whole time. Not the brightest section of the city, but hypnosis on a young man living alone in the city and making him believe that she was his cousin from Ireland seemed to be enough to give her proper shelter until that very point.


Now it was the time for her to get going and… face some of the worst days in her entire existence. The location she eventually found her gaze gracing ended up being an old warehouse near the southern section of the city's outskirts. Not too distant from the center, but still a little far from the local docks.


The young woman was standing in front of the main entrance when she noticed an old man chatting quite animatedly by the doorstep with a younger fellow, this one wearing a full-body uniform. Instead of lingering around like a complete moron, Sola-Ui decided to approach the two and see if she could get done with this.


"Excuse me, I don't wish to intrude but… I require some assistance."


The elder's attention was quickly aimed at her, and so was the younger man's.


"Sure thing, young lady. How may we help you?"


The red-haired woman sighed. "I was told that Jotaro Kujo is currently in this place. I have urgent news I need to provide him at once."


…


"Truly?" The old man hummed. "Is it something about the… War?"


Oh, so this man was also aware of the situation unfolding in the city? Then again, he was bearing a certain resemblance with the Master of Caster.


"That would be correct, yes," She replied with a nod. "And it's imperative I privately speak with him about this."


"Well, it might take a while since something… unpleasant happened. But I believe he can receive you after a while. I hope you are not working on small time here."


The redhead wanted to say yes, but, then again, it was best to not rush things out of her own interests to bail from Fuyuki at once.


"None at all."


She was led inside the warehouse, and showed a small part of the place through the main hallway that saw her reach the main, mostly unused area of the massive building. In there, what looked to be something close to a living room with some machines around and… two individuals


His red hair was a little darker in shade than hers, and his frame was at least twice hers. Yep, Rider was a behemoth despite how she had imagined him being just a little taller and bulkier. Now that he was in his proximity, she could tell that he was much more than just this. Then her gaze moved to the less threatening but definitely the most dangerous element of the duo considering the potential granted by his Command Seals.


Waver Velvet looked particularly weary as he studied her with a distrusting glance. Not that he was without reason to keep away from her range and to use his own Servants as a protection token against her. She could still not believe her own luck in finding him in this place. Or lack of, depending how things were at the moment with the individual she ended up finding. One of the students (or rather former students) to her now deceased fiance, and the one that particularly gained the hatred of his former teacher, Waver was far from stupid.


The young woman remembered the rants granted by Kayneth about the 'thief' and 'pest', and how those were quick to grate her nerves with how annoying and unimportant those felt to the overall situation of the Holy Grail War.


She could also remember seeing Kayneth grading some of the youth's work with instantaneous negative connotations, when she herself had to genuinely praise some of the logic used by the young man. Sure, Waver's perspective on Magic and its inheritance process was wrong and built on simple mistakes, but it was also true that she couldn't recall herself making this kind of advanced studies until she turned seventeen.


There was no doubt in her mind that, if Kayneth had been less fierce on denigrating the student for his upbringing, many things would have gone differently for them. With Waver not needing to prove a point to his now-dead teacher, Rider would have been Kayneth's Servant, and, without any single doubt.


But now that she looked closer at Waver, the young man trying his best to appear tough, but failing with how adorable he looked with his slender frame and his unblemished face. Her face was graced with a tiny blush as she felt the prolonged staring somewhat embarrassing. She had just lost her fiance, and now her gaze was mesmerized by the youthful and kind of cute boy that was trying his best to not crack under her gaze. Despite that silent reunion, her attention was mostly taken away to another individual, this one arriving slowly from another room while being helped by his serious-looking Servant.


Jotaro Kujo looked tired, his posture, once imposing and particularly threatening from this close, felt slightly weakened by what looked to have been a direct attack against him. The young woman's eyes paused over the barely visible bandages that she could see on beyond his coat and shirt. Sola-Ui was no doctor, but she had a fair understanding that the one behind the physically-inflicted wounds was none other than the man that had given her this simple task to accomplish.


And now, she was one step close to true freedom. Or at least that's what she hoped for this to be the case. The young woman waited for the marine biologist to be set on the seat in front of hers, to give him the chance of being relaxed on the matter they were now going to thread about.


"The old man said that you had something to say," Jotaro spoke neutrally, yet a degree of aggressiveness manifested with each word. "And I can tell that it's not anything to be happy about. Speak."


The voice, the determination, was still there despite the injuries the man had sustained quite recently. Now it was her turn to speak and offer the reason behind her current visit, hoping that it wasn't going to see her hurt or even killed because of it.


"Dio said that… he wishes to talk to you," Sola-Ui began with a nervous tone. "To offer you a conversation devoid of aggression to address some 'common concerns' regarding this War and mentioning that there shall be no trickery until a grave issue he has found is solved properly.


…


"WHAT?!" Joseph Joestar asked, his shock evident in his voice and expression as he manifested a thought that was shared by the rest of the room.


Dio wanted a… truce?!?


------------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d---------


AN


I know, I know- I promised a big chapter this time and I can tell some are going to be annoyed at the curve ball that is this interlude but… I have two big reasons to pull this sudden move:


1) (The 'Within My hands' reason) I had to place a small section to explain what happens next without taking too much time out of the next chapter. As I said, lots of action;


2) (The 'Out of my hands' reason) Today my town was hit by a blackout that started from 9 and ended at 16. While this might not seem much, it does since I usually start writing at 13, just after I'm done with Lunch. Now, with just four hours to get something out (at best) and since I usually take a little more than six hour to get a proper chapter out, you can see that I had a tough call to make: A) Skip the update today and wait two more weeks (making it close to a month since last update), or I uploaded this interlude and get things prepared for some crazy stuff to come.


I don't like making brick walls in AN since I know many individuals just don't like to have this stuff there but… I had to bring up why things are as they are, and I hope you all understand that I didn't have much of a choice beyond deciding how much I had to disappoint with this update. Next time I will make things up with some serious fighting- Caster is getting her big scene!

 

[JBukharin]

I just discovered that someone commissioned the drawing of a scene from this story between Jotaro and little Sakura! Kudos to Alex-kellar and the commissioner, SPRTN. I hope they see this, if not I will mention them next chapter in FFN.

Spoiler: Art

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 15: Fourteenth Mantra! Cocky, Brash, Mistake!


Jotaro was… tired. Maybe he should have slept a little more instead of staying awake to plan out this meeting.


There were many variables to keep into account when planning out how to predict what kind of intentions Dio had regarding this 'truce'. It felt so sudden, and yet… he couldn't help but feel like there was something off beyond the absurdity of that request. Dio was a trickster, but not one that could create something so unnaturally complicated not only for his enemies but also himself.


As many factors were to be evaluated for them to worry about, there was a fair share of issues that would have been detrimental for Dio himself. And that was the possibility of getting attacked by both Jotato, Caster, Rider, and Joseph without a chance of retreating. It was confusing, and yet there was also a strange note within his message that was… even odder than the others.


He wanted for Sakura to be there… so she could play with her sister.


The mere sentence, albeit innocent in nature, took a completely new degree of concerns as it was clear that Dio hadn't killed his hostage. It wasn't clear if he had spared her from any of the devious body-twisting operations that his grandfather had mentioned the monster being endeared with when it came to torturing his preys. The tension was pretty high, yet they still went through with this. Not because they were confident of winning, but rather expecting to at least recover Rin if they went there.


This wasn't an easy fight. Dio was still a threat and Jotaro hadn't recovered enough to be able to handle multiple time-stops at once. He estimated that he could have held for about three to four stops before his body was too strained by the stress exerted by the ability.


He could still fight with his Stand for a prolonged amount of time, but the marine biologist wasn't confident of beating Dio this soon. His body was far from prepared for this, and he wasn't foolish enough to try his luck in these conditions.


The setting for their meeting was the park. Midnight. It wasn't going to be a fun experience to be lured in, but at least he knew that they weren't going to die. Not when they were all prepared in case Dio got too close. Joseph had managed to retrieve a few UV Flashbangs for the occasion. All those that were part of the event were holding at least one of those. Even Sakura was granted one, and she was told how to use it in case the vampire got too close to her. The child was surprisingly attentive, nodding seriously at each point as she understood how to activate that bomb that was harmless against humans.


Sola-ui was told to remain in the headquarters. Members of the Speedwagon Foundation that were specialized in handling bizarre situations were assigned to keep an eye out for anything she did and any dangerous hidden intent she might be holding on them. The redhead was fine with this, under the conditions that she was treated well and that she was granted food when she needed it.


Dark clouds up in the sky limited the moonlight to shed clearness over the shadows between the trees and the bushes. The park at this time of the day looked particularly spectral, and the sight quickly reminded Jotaro of how chilling Dio's manor in Cairo was. Silent, desolate… yet full of dangers from all kinds of corners.


He expected to see some of the sea monsters that he had heard the vampire's Master could conjure. Not because he wanted to see how they really looked! Still, there was no sign of those creatures being around. The place was as deserted as it could get for a park at midnight.


The stroll beyond the gates continued silently and filled with minor concerns. Waver and Rider had taken the back, with Joseph between the two and a little in front as he kept a 'central' position together with his grandson. The young Magus was as nervous as usual, not a surprise considering how much he learned from having the young man around. He was a simple teen that had a couple of personal issues with his school and society. His Servant was more than happy to regal him with jovial comments and pep-talks, but those were actually well-spread and never repeated with the same purpose. Each had a reason to be part of a conversation.


The old Joestar would pipe in himself, offering his own memories of the past to try and shrug Waver away from general reluctance to do things in this War. There was an inner strength within him, a flame that was so close to break free and make him a good strong man. It was all a matter of time now, with the process having begun the moment he decided to join this competition against his 'common sense'.


Finally, it was the turn of Jotaro's own annoyance. Caster was surprisingly closer to him than she would usually be. While there were times she would be quite pushy and clingy with her nature, it wasn't ever this prominent. Her frame was moments away from unconsciously slamming into him with how close she was standing, yet the blue eyes of her Master easily picked up a degree of tension that was unlike anything he had seen from her until now. Her posture was forced to be on alert, her expression was set on a neutral and somewhat unnatural expression of serious calm...


Defensive was the best adjective he could come up with at the moment, yet, if he had been younger, he would have said that her clinging was more annoying than anything else.


A younger me would have also had a better time against Dio. Jotaro calmly silenced his own frustration.


Sure, he didn't like the fact he was relying on someone to protect him, but that didn't mean he was going to mess things up for that silly personal problem and now that he needed to be wary of other issues in his close premises. Especially when he had to stay aware for not only his sake, but also Sakura's. The little girl was just barely awake. It was no surprise that the child wasn't exactly capable of keeping fully aware at this time of the day, and she was quietly enjoying resting her left cheek on his shoulder.


Jotaro felt uneasiness at having accepted this demand, really hoping that with Sakura around, Rin would have been easier to retrieve if she saw a familiar face. It was all dependent on the chances of the older girl being safe and well, without being influenced or controlled by a flesh bud or worse than that.


Their journey came to an end as they finally spotted the hint that Dio had mentioned. A red flower within the green. The twin-tailed brunette that was sitting by the cool grass spared them a quick look as she heard their approach. A pair of sapphires tore easily through the dark and alerted them that it was indeed the child they were trying to rescue. She looked fine beyond a hint of annoyance within her face. No wounds, no injuries, she looked… fine from that far. Sakura adjusted herself in Jotaro's arms, her eyes widening a fraction as she looked at what the others were staring at.


"Rin?" Her soft voice filled with brief surprise and confusion at the sight, and… surprisingly enough, that was actually noticed by the sister. Rin stood up, and started to run towards them. It felt so easy that their target was advancing towards them without being stopped. Too easy, and the first thing that Jotaro thought about was about the girl being a dangerous trap created by Dio, something that exploded or worse.


Yet his mind reassessed the situation when a shadow bolted off from one of the trees' branches nearby and landed right between Rin and them. The being stood up, his attention aimed at the child as the girl fell back at the sudden obstacle appearing in front of her. A menacing aura exuded from the intruder, with Jotaro's eyes narrowing in recognition of the bastard himself.


Dio hummed, almost amused by the glare the child in front of him was throwing at him.


"Rin. I thought I had said to wait for me before running so abruptly towards them."


"Sakura-"


"Is here as I had promised," Dio interrupted. "While I have given you the freedom to decide on your reaction, I recall mentioning how you shouldn't put yourself in a dangerous situation. After all… you are my Master."


It was a planned revelation, one that was heightened as Dio turned around to give a clearer sight over Rin and allowed them all to spot red signs that were visible on Rin's right hand. Command Seals.


"W-What?!" Joseph exclaimed in shock. "Dio, what have you done!"


The vampire smiled, clearly entertained by their shocked reactions. "This is the reason why I find myself inquiring about a possible truce for the time being."


What happened to his previous Master? That woman was surely still around and sowing chaos as far as Jotaro could predict. Yet this didn't explain Dio's sudden interest in changing his allegiance to someone that was coherently his enemy. An opposing force of sort. It was clear that Rin wasn't mind-controlled as her actions seemed more fluid and he couldn't see any flesh bud on her. There was just too much freedom of expressions within her body-language, and that was telling that she was no minion of his.


"What did you do?" Jotaro demanded calmly, his voice still being received by Dio like a punch slamming on his face.


"It would be more about what I couldn't do to prevent quite the devious ordeal from happening. Someone trying to destroy what is rightfully mine to rule," The blond started to explain calmly. "You see, Jotaro, my former Master decided that it was only for her best amusement and interest to use this opportunity offered by the Holy Grail War to try and reach a place beyond space and time… at the expenses of reality itself."


…


"W-What?" Waver conceptualized the thoughts of the group with that short question.


"I'm not completely aware of what she is really seeking, yet I can easily tell that the methods she is following are far from acceptable. Not when those hinder my own plans in such an unruly manner," Dio replied flatly. "Master she might be, that hideous woman will never receive forgiveness for having demanded such a troublesome price by trying to destroy the world that is mine to control and own."


"What are you saying, Dio?" Jotaro pressed and the vampire sighed.


"My former Master is trying to gain access to the Holy Grail. While studying the local Leylines, she discovered a flaw within the construct that would allow her to take over the process and force the wish-granting function to activate without requiring the Lesser Grail and the Seven Heroic Spirits' souls," The blond finally elaborated. "It would drain the Leylines here in Fuyuki for good, but it would override the requirements needed for the procedure to happen."


"B-But that shouldn't be possible," Waver interrupted. "Sure, I-I think everyone here knows that the War isn't how it's told it actually is but-"


"There are some elements that are willfully left unattended by records. Mostly because one of the main families seems to have a… problem with their habit of cheating in this competition," Dio lamented tiredly. "The Einzbern had long thought that they would have been the sole winners of the Grail, and then used it to regain control over the Third Magic. Sadly, that isn't something doable considering how rigged this War really is. And even cheating isn't a safe solution to this problem".


"Cheating. You've been repeating that for a while now," Jotaro commented and the vampire hummed.


"Oh Jotaro, I would have thought it was evident now that the reason why the appearance of a new Servant, 'Avenger', didn't cause much of an upheaval is because it's not the first time it happened in this century," The Servant continued. "While Joseph Joestar was busy handling the trouble that were the creators of the Stone Masks, here in Fuyuki, the Third Holy Grail War ended in a horrible aftermath where most of the Masters, the Lesser Grail herself too, being shredded by a powerful explosion resulted by the last but most explosive brawls between Servants. Among the first victims of that conflict, instead of the Berserker Servant that is usually deployed in these Wars, the Einzbern broke the rules by summoning a new Class of Servants. Avenger."


"The one you have been summoned as," Rider commented and the vampire nodded.


"Indeed. I was surprised to learn I wasn't the first to be pulled back in the world of the living with this Class, yet I realized the irony when I learned that the true Identity of this Hero was 'the Persian Manifestation of all Evils'. Angra Mainyu."


"Why does this matter?" Jotar pressed once again.


Dio smiled. "Where all heroes would return to the Throne once they are killed in the War, this Servant wasn't a Servant to begin with. It didn't even exist until the moment it was summoned. So when it died, it didn't go to the Throne… no, it remained in the Grail."


"A-And it corrupted it. The- The wish-granting process-"


"Is blundered beyond relief," The blond interrupted with a massive grin as he glanced at the shocked Waver. "This game… it's all a farce. One that whenever one wins or loses, they still experience defeat. It all depends on the kind of defeat one really wishes by the end of it."


"So you want a truce to just avoid this to happen," Joseph inquired with some suspicions in his voice. "Why? Can't you just kill that woman?"


"Oh, trust me Joseph Joestar… I tried. And I was annoyed when I found out that I couldn't kill her. At least, not with natural ways," Dio admitted with a genuine note of dismay in his voice. "Even my Stand couldn't put an end to her. Her capacity to rebuild her body is impressive and somehow better than a normal vampire's."


"If so, how did you break from her hold?" Joseph asked with more interest. "If she can't be beaten by you-"


"Oh no, you failed to understand the point. Just because I couldn't kill her, that didn't mean I couldn't just overwhelm her," The Servant interjected. "After studying Magecraft for a while, I learned how to 'modify' specific contracts to fit my whims. In this case, I made sure to alter the contract I have to exist in this world so the true Master would be Rin and… the energy dispenser would be the foolish harlot that tried to control me, Dio. The pathetic wench got what she best deserved."


"That means… you turned her in a mana battery," Waver reiterated in other words. "Which also means that she needs to get her hands on Rin to alter the contract back to a satisfactory state."


"That's right!" A cheerful voice agreed from beyond a couple of bushes on the side. The sudden intrusion was greeted with dread as everyone could feel a degree of maliciousness now coming from that very direction. Soft footsteps… accompanied by louder ones.


The woman, Dio's former Master, was now here and… grinning as if nothing bad had really happened. By her sides, two large columns of Sea Fiends had formed and were now moving to encircle the two small groups in a limited area of action. Everyone tensed up and prepared for the clear battle to begin.


"Diooooo! You lied to me- and then you hurt me! You meanie~~!!"


Dio could only scowl at that exclamation, but before he could say anything the woman moved her sight to see Jotaro.


"Jo-ta-ro!! You are here. That means you and Dio-baka can have a proper fight- No wait, you are still injured. Shuck, and here I thought that this was going to be really easy," The tan-skinned woman rebuked. "Pity, pity… anyway. Dio-chama, I will get you back if you let me have the brat. I promise I will feed you better-"


"I believe I will not come back to a shallow woman like you," The blond interjected in complete annoyance. "Rin is, for now, a ward of mine."


"Awww… I guess I have to show you how wrong you are myself. Don't whine when I'm sure that you will never leave my side after… I've dealt with your fake new friends!"


As the woman said that, the large number of monsters rushed to assault them. Jotaro scowled as he allowed ｢Star Platinum｣ to manifest. Dio smiled at the situation, ｢The World｣ already standing beside him as they braced for the attack. The rest of the group prepared for the approaching brawl.


Francesca Prelati cackled in delight at the most amusing sight she was bestowed out of this War. How fun it was going to be when she revealed how many fiends she had created for the occasion.


----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d---------


Caster snapped in action the moment the first monster advanced towards them. Instead of taking a lax approach against those, she swiftly moved to kill them through the weaknesses she had spotted the first time she fought those fiends. Right by the origin of their mouths, a sudden impulse of purification spells seemed to easily destroy these creatures.


No mercy, she thought within her mind as she crushed her share of enemies, giving her best as the others joined the fight with everything they got. Rider started to cleave around and kick anything that got too close to either him or his Master. Joseph used ｢Hermit Purple｣ coupled with his Hamon to purge the demonic-like entities, further helping with the eradication of the large army of monsters within the park.


Jotaro, still clutching Sakura close to him in a protective manner, unleashed ｢Star Platinum｣ against anything that got too close for their comfort. Dio was grinning eye to eye as he was the one that did most of the work. Not only ｢The World｣ was facing a great number of creatures, but he personally intervened by executing with his bare hands anything that was to his reach. His vampiric strength and speed offered him the chance to give twice the efforts as humanly possible.


Rin stared as 'her' Servant tore through the lines of the dangerous creatures she had been seeing a lot in the past few days. Dio wasn't sparing himself with his brutality despite the youthful spectators, actually looking more enticed to be vicious at the idea that his ward was watching him take care of these fools.


It was a pure carnage where the attacking force was barely getting any close to the two groups, the combined effort from the defenders pushing off any attempts to actually get in range to hurt anyone. Yet, the more they fought, the more they realized that the issue wasn't the strength of the enemies… It was the size of the army. There was no relief and she knew that the only way they were going to win through this without actually getting overwhelmed by those unpleasant numbers was to deal with the creator of these monsters.


The former Master kept on giggling despite the initial disadvantageous position, but she seemed to switch tune the moment Xuanzang began to stop being on the defensive and take an initiative to handle the source of the problem. Her efforts, albeit mostly going unnoticed by the other defenders, were recognized by her prey.


Francesca giggled. "My, oh my~! Caster-chan, could it be that you are a little bit angry? Is that time of the month?"


Xuanzang felt herself gritting her teeth in complete irritation. If before she had a small hint of peace within her core, now she was seething and exerting as much rage her body could contain at the moment. While this meant that her precision had lessened, the power behind each blow increased as she didn't spare much attention on keeping things balanced. She was on a full offensive, clearing a quick path to her current target.


"Oh no~! What am I gonna do? I need some heroes!"


The insulting manner her attempt was being regarded warranted even more fury out of the usually calm and cheerful Servant. The last few days had left her to think, meditate and realize that she couldn't keep up being peaceful if that meant leaving her Master and others in danger. It was just like back when she had her own doubts during her Journey to the West.


The many troubles she had to go through, the challenges, the perils- all for the sake of proving a point that was never accepted. A great monk she became, but not one recognized as the right one by her own teacher. It hurt at the time, it was hurting her now that she tried to disconnect her past from the present.


The stress, the memories- it was all melding in a dangerous cocktail that had her mind left in a volatile state. She rushed, coming so close to actually claw instead of using her martial arts. She relied more on her staff, growing unsure that her attacks were genuinely going to keep precise as they were meant to.


Moments passed, she could feel her own chi kept getting unbalanced and… and then Caster was there. The former Master was smiling eye-to-eye at the sight she was bestowed. Her staff was already arching to rise up and descend onto her target with the intent of cracking her skull open and disrupt the witch's concentration for a single moment, her efforts were rendered null as she felt something holding her back.


Pain finally helped her notice that, in that fit of rage, Xuanzang had jumped on a trap. One of the sea fiends that had remained close to its master was just waiting for her to get close enough to strike. Two of its many tendrils slithered rapidly and stabbed through her. One pierced her shoulder, another her leg.


"I got you!"


Xuanzang howled in pain, the tendril wriggling and stretching her two injuries at once.


And her cries of pain weren't left unnoticed.


Sakura's attention snapped away from the sight of Jotaro's Stands cleaning up their proximity, her eyes turning to see the sudden familiar noise coming from afar. She saw something horrible unfold as a tendril had pierced through Caster's left shoulder, and blood was now falling off from the injury. A cackle, it was the bad woman that had been behind the attack. The girl's mind was completely taken by the scene as… she felt something from within ache at it.


It was… familiar. Pain and the laugh.


Pain and then… laugh.


The pit and… Zouken.


It was… happening again? To Xuanzang?


Sakura's body tensed up at that idea, her eyes wide open as she felt anger boiling at the mere concept. No, she couldn't accept this. The girl didn't want this to happen. She couldn't just allow it to happen.


She knew that Jotaro wouldn't have been fast enough to react to this. Caster was quite far and she knew that ｢Star Platinum｣ didn't have much range to get there and help the nice lady. Something had to happen and… for some reason, she felt like she was somehow tied to it. It had to come from her.


A cold breath left her lungs as she felt something squirming within her chest and… then manifest. A dark blur that left her body, that rushed and soared well above a couple of the Sea Fiends and reached for where the cackling woman was. Without a proper contract with Dio, Francesca was unable to see the small figure that had zeroed the distance between her and Sakura. The tiny Stand cocked its tendril-like fist and… slammed it through her chest.


While it wasn't ｢Star Platinum｣ to have struck the witch, the attack was heightened by the momentum behind the neck-breaking rush. It gained intensity, it gained power- and it was driven with enough determination to handle some real damage.


The blow sent the witch soaring. Three trees were cracked and because of the might behind the strike, with the wicked woman's pained grunts and yelps filling the area. The hit did much more than just disrupt the problematic situation in which Xuanzang had ended into. The sharp interruption of focus from the creator made the hivemind leading the rest of the sea fiends collapse, promptly ending the fight.


Sakura blinked, surprise building up at what had just happened as she clearly felt something sting at her knuckles. She glanced down at her right hand and she saw those slightly bruised as if… she had struck something really hard. It didn't hurt… but it was quite surprising to see this closely.


"We need to go," Jotaro muttered, unsure of what had just happened. Joseph nodded, the two sharing a brief look as they saw Dio and Rin were no longer there in their proximity. The marine biologist rushed to his Servant's side, with Caster coughing and shivering as she couldn't stand up from her crouched position.


The little girl didn't hesitate hopping off his hold and accepting the old Joestar's silent offer to get in his arms while her adoptive parent helped the nice lady. Xuanzang protested weakly at the sudden lift up, but she was silenced by a serious stare from Jotaro and soon the group left the area with little words spared about it.


Dio might have left without saying anything, but now it was clear that he wasn't planning to break this truce. It felt real that someone of the caliber as his former Master was more than capable of going through this devious and dangerous plan. It was time to alert the other Masters.


The Holy Grail War was finally coming to an end. Either with all its participants dying, or with the world being saved. It was all up to Fate to decide…


------------d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d--------


AN


Before anyone asks- Yes, Sakura just unleashed her Stand without realizing. The reason why Jotaro didn't notice anything or stopped to think about it was more tied to the circumstances. In a moment of tension, he wasn't paying attention to anything beyond defending himself and those close to him.


He knew Xuanzang was a capable fighter and that she could be fine on her own, but he didn't expect her to be this reckless on this occasion. And that is going to be a reason for some serious discussions in the next chapter. Now, the reason why he didn't pause to reflect on what had happened is tied to the fact they weren't completely safe and, the moment Francesca was up, things would have been even tougher to handle without Dio around.


Finally… Sakura's Stand? It made a quick appearance and it will have more screen time by… next two-three chapters (can't say 100% sure tho). Despite being a range-type Stand, it still packs a punch if it has a running start and it's power… is terribly dangerous depending on the Stand she fights.


Also, good news: someone (SPRTN in DA) commissioned for the fanart of a scene from this story (the one where Jotaro shows the book about marine biology to Sakura). I wish to humbly thank Alex-kellar for the brilliant work! You may find it with the name 'Platinum Heart' in his Deviantart Page.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 16: Fifteenth Mantra! Judgment and Arrival!


Kiritsugu stared blankly at the phone. The device which he had just finished using just in that moment felt still active and providing him with a bleak realization that truly left him upset with how things were turning into.


It was all a lie. He didn't want to believe this at first, but the old man was keen to give weight to the words he had heard uttered by Risei Kotomine. The Magus Killer should have expected for the angered Priest to be genuine with his explanation, but it just felt so absurd- so infuriating. The confirmation of this problem completely erased any chance of him actually attaining peace through the Grail.


He was angry, really furious. Yet he wasn't shaking. He just couldn't bother because of how horrible of a situation he was in. No, his wife was in. His breath was caught in his lungs, itching unpleasantly as he tried to formulate the pure insanity that messed up their chances to actually win that competition. Acht had cheated during the Third War. He should have suspected something big to have happened to the Einzberns in particular to drive them to hire an independent Master to work for them, but Kiritsugu had misunderstood that reasoning to mere irritation at the brutality of the last war.


But now he knew the truth and… he felt disgusted. Not only against them, against the bastard leading them, but at himself for having failed to catch on the hints earlier on. He blamed the fact he got too rusty, and that he had severely underestimated the extent this family was willing to go to attain true Magic. The fact that now he was still supposed to win against all chances and odds was absurd. But what really sold him to plan a way out for himself and those he cared about was when Acht brought up the fact that Illya was a property of the Einzbern's family. That was more than enough to make the Magus Killer dabble in rebellious thoughts.


It was simple to plan a break out for his daughter, but first he needed to wrap up his involvement in this faux Holy Grail War. And this was where the troublesome details began to make it difficult to get out of the mess. Starting with the fact that Irisviel had to be properly secured so that she couldn't be used as a lesser grail was a priority. The maids of the Castle were available to assist to this particular instance, which was a surprise considering it went against the prerogatives highlighted by the regent-leader of the Einzberns. The truth came in one of the few mistakes Acht had committed along the way. The Einzberns might own the castle, but it was the Lesser Grail which had higher authority to the leader of the family, regardless of the fact the 'heiresses' were still owning the function of Lesser Grail or not.


This was good news among many disgusting ones, and even now that he was plotting against his former 'boss', Kiritsugu's main priority was to wait and see if Irisviel was capable of withstanding the painful procedure. In theory, Avalon was supposed to be more than enough to allow the woman to withstand the dreadful ritual to dismiss her role of Lesser Grail and proceed to the liberation of the souls of the Heroic Spirits she ended up recovering.


By all means, the Noble Phantasm should also be enough to allow other rituals meant to stabilize her lifespan and allow for her body to be finally 'humanized' after so long.


Yet the Magus Killer had to stop even just for a moment. This idea had come out way before the call had started, way before he had been given confirmation of these troublesome news. It didn't take long for him to realize that he had felt his instincts calling for it to be true way earlier than his logic did.


After losing so many people at terrible discoveries, his soul had learned to recognize the hints of something sinister around the corner. It was an impulse, an involuntary move of his to avoid a repeat of what happened to both Shirley and Natalia. He knew pain was coming his way, so he swiftly moved to fix that problem before it became too much and he was rendered unable to do anything about it.


His quick-thinking was well-repaid. Because, as he was done with the call and he was pondering miserably over the bad decisions that had taken him to this very point, he heard the soft noise of footsteps enter the room.


He glanced to the side, looking behind and stopping at the quiet form that was Maiya.


"Lady Irisviel is stable. The rituals were successful, but she will require a couple of days before she is able to move out of the bed."


Kiritsugu nodded, taking a moment to let the news sink in. Eyes closed and endless thoughts driving him crazy, only one seemed to prevail among others. Mostly because it was one he could handle at the moment, now that Maiya was in the same room as him so they could discuss what happened after this last mission was over.


"Maiya, I wish to speak with you in private. Can you please close the door?"


A single click confirmed the woman had followed his order, and that mere gesture reminded him of the fact that it would be incorrect through a logical and inhuman reason to define her a proper human being. It's his fault she was like this because it was his decision to nurture a tool instead of a proper living being. Maiya started similarly to him. Someone that didn't have a purpose, that didn't have something or someone to tie herself to, that didn't have a reason to be.


He took her in, just like Natalia did the same with him when his former home burned brightly after his father's madness backfired. But while the long-deceased mercenary gave him the chance to be something more than just a minion or a tool that just followed orders and nothing more, he deprived Maiya of the chance of ever being able to become a real human being.


Like a malicious Geppetto, he decided to leave Pinocchio a lifeless puppet for him to use at his own leisure. He could still remember the brief plans he had concocted to try and break his reluctance in putting his own wife in peril, the affair he had wanted to conceive to break the bond he had with his lover. It didn't go through due to the events that completely ruined any early plan about the War. Kiritsugu paused for a moment, feeling a cold sense of dread as he thought about that very plan and found a crime within the mere thought that made him worse of a monster than he wanted to die.


If he had ordered Maiya to share the bed with him, to consummate a night with him and… ruin the relationship he had with Irisviel, he would have also abused the relationship he had with the young woman herself. What made the point even worse than he wanted to believe was the way he found Maiya.


A child of war, one that was used as breeding stock for the creation of soldiers. She was saved, but how many died because of it. And… who survived? He could still remember when he learned through Maiya when they first reconvened after his eight years retirement about her own research about her past.


She had a son. The product of rape that was brainwashed to become an asset of some shadow unit, a special corp filled with Magus Mercenaries. An initiative that copied his own working, he had realized at the time and… this bit coupled with his plan made many horrible things stand out. He was no better than the monsters that had hurt her to the point where her self-worth was nothing more than trash.


"Kiritsugu, what do you wish to talk about?" Her voice cut sharply into the silence, his attention back at her so he could deal with this situation at once.


"I… I wish for you to be honest about this. I want you to tell me what you think of me as a human being."


…


"You are a formidable soldier. You have fought countless conflicts, won all the time, secured success with all your missions and flawlessly handled most situations many men would have died against," She calmly listed out, almost sounding more machine than not.


…


"I asked you about judging me as a human being, not a killer," Kiritsugu pointed out. "Can you please answer the question properly, Maiya?"


She blinked. "Why do you seek my opinion about it?"


"I only wished to know your unbiased opinion about it. If I asked Irisviel, she would sugarcoat it and defeat the purpose of having an objective judgment. Same for Saber considering how little she cares about me and the poor understanding she has over my actions."


…


"I can't give you an answer to that without sounding too… biased.


"Why?"


The young woman actually struggled. Or at least seemed to be struggling. It was a small unusual detail regarding her reaction, her stare moving away as she seemed to be putting utter attention on that curt query.


"It wouldn't be correct for me to define the man that gave me purpose as anything less than good. Your action might be deplorable for many, horrible for more, but nonetheless you didn't act with maliciousness as your main goal," Maiya finally replied. "I'm still a tool-"


"For the moment, yes. But… the War will soon come to an end," Kiritsugu rebuked flatly. "And it's futile to deny the fact that I, your savior, took an unsavory approach in giving you reason to be."


…


"Do you regret taking me in, Kiritsugu?"


"No," He replied without hesitation, doing his best to ignore the fact she went through that route without thinking too much about it. "I believe it's the opposite. I didn't offer you a true reason to be."


A blink, he could spot a sense of confusion coming out of her posture as she regarded the man with a perplexed look. "I don't understand."


"Are you familiar with Natalia Kaminski?"


"The legendary mercenary that took you in?" She quickly presented, nodding as he gave her a confirming look. "She was the woman that took you in and turned you in the Magus Killer."


"No."


…


"What?"


"She wasn't the one that turned me into what I am today. She allowed me to do what I wished, which in turn allowed me to become… this."


"I don't understand."


"I was found an orphan of war, just like you were, Maiya. You were abandoned, left to suffer, and then you found salvation through me. When Natalia found me, I was hopeless just like you were, and yet, despite my willingness to become a tool to her, she refused," Kiritsugu explained without a pause, then he asked her the big question. "Do you know why?"


"...No."


"She said to me that 'A gun is a tool, a knife is a tool. Men and women are judges by holding these tools of life and death. You will never be truly alive until you concede to this truth'," He replied to his own question. "It was a memento that lived with me for long and that I had forgotten when she left this world. Right now, by looking at you, I can't help but feel like I dishonored her idea of truth. By allowing you to become a tool and not a judge of life, I disgraced her legacy."


…


"What do you command me to do, Kiritsugu?"


"I want you to think. I want you to come up with something beyond this mission that you wish to ask me. Anything matters at this point and I will no longer chain you to a dysfunctional relationship. I want you to tell me the truth, Maiya."


She looked down at her feet, then back up at me. "Does this mean I will have to leave once this war is over?"


"Do you want to?" Kiritsugu counter-asked and she blinked.


"No."


"Then please, don't feel forced to leave. I don't seek to abandon you, I hope you understand this," The Magus Killer explained. "I just want to give you the chance to have your own life, something I should have from the very moment I found you."


…


"Kiritsugu… do you think I'm worthy of being alive?"


He blinked, holding back a grimace at the fact that she was actually cracking at this subject and he knew he needed to act fast to avoid unpleasant developments.


"You are worthy of being alive. You are worthy of being more than a tool, Maiya."


…


"Thank you. I… I needed to hear this."


He merely nodded. She took a leave shortly after. He didn't need to follow her to know that she was going to cry the moment she was certain she was alone. Kiritsugu sighed, looking back at the phone and thinking about what he could do next..


Should he try to make a pact with Joseph Joestar and the Speedwagon Foundation to save Illya?


He could try and perhaps manage to beat the fortress' defenses, but what were the chances of being then hunted down by the Einzberns once he was done with this. He thought about the chances of this going smoother if he had back up and, from what he knew about Joseph Joestar and the dirt he had about him, there was a strong chance he was going to help him.


For Illya, for Iris… for himself.


--------d-d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d--


Kirei was kneeling down in front of the crucified statue, praying to find answers. Answers tied to the many questions born from the recent developments.


DIO was an ally, but also not. A neutral element within the madness that the Holy Grail War had turned into. He wanted to be disgusted about the fact he was supposed to be calm about not hunting the bastard himself, but his worries lied about the new threat the Joestar Family had brought up.


An anomalous Servant had existed in the previous Holy Grail War? Risei was quick to remember something like this being registered by the Einzbern family. The elder pointed out how unusual it had been at the time, but he didn't have much weight considering the lack of serious damages caused by the Servant himself. To learn that its mere existence was behind the current state of corruption that the Holy Grail was currently in, made the entire inaction against this rule-breaking fairly frustrating for the old man.


Wine managed to soothe most of the anger, but he still raved and ranted about it together with his son. Kirei didn't mind the loud voice used by his father. He knew that he wasn't the subject of that tirade, but rather the witness of a self-accusatory speech which Risei was reserving to himself. A mistake not many would take as theirs, mostly because the issue wasn't entirely tied to him.


Sure, he had been the representative of the Church in the last competition, but at that point of his life he didn't have the same arbitrary power he currently had. Kirei eventually reminded this to his father, and the elder had to concede to that fair point after spending most of his energies in that ravenous rant of his. After dealing with the anger, it was time to apply new resolutions. It was clear that the agent sent to handle DIO was now meant to be employed against this new threat.


The Master of Assassin was well aware that, beyond the fact that he was going to ask an Agent of the Burial Agency to not pursue a vampire, he was still aiming someone like Bow to face a problem far bigger than that. Did he doubt that she was prepared for it? No. He had worked long enough to know that the young woman was going to jump at the opportunity to kill the bigger evil.


Born Elesia, Bow was initially one of those children with Magus-related ancestry that was sheltered away from the politics of Clocktower. A simple girl, nothing special about her beyond the impressive set of Magical Circuits she was born with. Sadly for her, that very gift at birth was the catalyst for a series of unfortunate events for her.


Michael Roa Valdamjong was a monster that was killed in the early decades of the nineteenth century by Edmond Dantes, a creature that came so close to be as threatening as Zelretch himself without the Kaleidoscope. A vile vampire that, even in death, continued to have a fair influence over a cult he had created around his image. His demise only immortalized his figure among his believers, and this created a set of situations that culminated with Elesia being targeted as a possible host to Roa's soul.


The climax of that dreadful circumstance was when Roa's resurrection was interrupted and permanently stopped by the Burial Agency's own working. Kirei remembered being part of that last mission for them and he had the chance of meeting the girl that, surviving that fate, became an essential bit of the group.


Bow was a loyal member. Someone that pledged her existence to the cause proposed by the Holy See regarding monsters created by the darkness of the soul. A loyal but still reckless individual. Someone he trusted to be around, but not to keep her mouth shut when needed.


So, when he heard quiet footsteps that were not as heavy as Risei's and not as silent as Assassin's, Kirei could only sigh as he was blessed with quite the reunion. He stood up, turning around and greeting the young blue-haired woman. Elesia, Bow, or even in normal civilian outfit, Ciel, greeted him with a chirpy nod and a childish approach.


"Father Kotomine," She spoke with utmost respect.


"Bow," He replied with a polite voice. "I see that you have found no issues in finding your way here in this church."


"It was one of the two only religious sites in this city. It wasn't that difficult finding it," She rebuked with a brief hint of annoyance. "Still, I suppose the supervisor is elsewhere at the moment."


"He is wandering around to find his inner peace due to recent events."


That's a way to say he was out to buy groceries. While the act might seem normal and fairly silly considering the stakes put in their situation, the need to find relief in such a small task was due to be ready and face Tokiomi regarding this development. The moment the former Master of Archer learned about the treachery perpetrated by the Einzbern Clan was going to see the modestly furious Magus in a higher state of irritation. And that wasn't going to bode well with their need to be cautious about this confusing situation.


"I would have thought he would have stayed around to greet me," Bow admitted, the girl fixing her glasses. "I have to receive all the information before storming the target's position."


"I'm afraid the situation is a little more complicated than that," The man admitted. "If you may take a seat, since this will be a fairly long explanation."


She complied, sitting down on the same bench as Kirei. The priest explained as much as he could without pushing the young woman to investigate the current instance regarding the Joestar Family. While the Church praised them highly, it wouldn't be unflattering if it was revealed that a greater organization such as the Speedwagon Foundation was now growing aware of the Moonlit World.


The girl listened, and asked her questions when needed. Ciel was incredibly fascinated about the Joestars themselves, mentioning how she had heard about the tale behind Jonathan Joestar. She didn't explain to him why, and so what he could draw were baseless theories. Regardless of that, the Agent was more than agreeing that DIO wasn't as troublesome as this new menace. The fact that something was trying to abuse the Wishcraft-driven device to successfully extend malicious wishes was more than enough trouble to face than just the powerful vampire. What truly sold it to her was that she was told that DIO himself had offered the truce to see this problem solved at once.


If a monster of his caliber would be willing to concede this much to his enemies, despite how much hateful he was of them, she could see why this wasn't something to scoff at. The two also spared more time talking about the time passed since Kirei had left his role as Executor.


"You know, I just can't understand why you would want to leave that job? You were doing just fine."


He calmly blinked. "I found the work… too troublesome and deadly."


"You… chickened out?"


"I reckon that while I might no longer be your direct superior, Bow, I can and will exert my duty as the vice-supervisor to exact punishment upon you for behaving this recklessly," Kirei half-threatened. "I thought you would have been more tempered by the wisdom of the Agency when you were given tougher missions."


"Nothing really frightens me much, teacher," She replied with a snort, ignoring the ultimatum and using the old title she bestowed to the one that taught her so much about Black Keys. "But you can say I was fairly motivated to beat your record from when you were an active agent."


"And?"


Her jaws dropped at that, an outraged look appearing on her face. "And I beat you. I killed more freaks than you ever did in your years in the Agency."


…


"And?"


"Gah! Is there even something that fazes you, teacher?!"


He allowed himself a smile. "Perhaps you should stop trying to give chase to me and behave like a proper Agent for once. Perhaps you would also develop more if you acted more serious with others and yourself regarding your diet."


… "Teacher, did you just smile while calling me fat?"


"I don't recall using that term."


"Teacher!" She exclaimed, clearly aggravated by that mirthful exchange, and for once Kirei felt amusement through that trickery. It wasn't really malicious, but a form of teasing that was fitting for a former superior regarding their old students. But it was also true that the girl needed to put more training in her usual schedule. She was far from achieving peak performance if she didn't burn her carbs properly.


The exchange didn't extend for long as the Master had much left to do. There was still so much for Kirei to do for today beyond praying and staying idle. Part of it was tied to the little situation he had with the Hortensia family, with the pressure to write a more than convincing letter to begin entertaining a proper conversation with Caren. Just a child, but nonetheless fairly gifted with her vocabulary from the way she packed her letter with so many different questions about him. Some which he could answer while others he couldn't without risking his real identity to her.


The things I have to do to mend my mistakes...


"I will take my leave now," The man commented, nodding at where Assassin had been watching their conversation. "I hope this is fine for you, Bow."


"I don't mind," She quickly replied, glancing at the statue of their Lord. "Alas, may I take this moment for a prayer? I doubt Father Risei is going to be back soon, and I would like to spare some time alone with my prayers."


Kirei nodded, sitting up and starting to walk away so he could leave the young woman to find peace within the house of God. What he didn't really ignore was a single element within her upper left shoulder that he couldn't just ignore. An element that was there from the beginning, but that Kirei hadn't known of its meaning until that very War had started. He almost tripped on himself over the sight, but he managed to make his hasty retreat away so he could study the phenomenon on his own.


A pink star-shaped birth-mark was mostly hidden away by the uniform worn by Ciel, and it was only after seeing this very symbol within the same spot in both Jotaro and Joseph that the young priest could only draw a single conclusion.


Bow was a Joestar. But... how was it possible?


----------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d--------


AN


How is Ciel a Joestar? Let's just say that George I wasn't an only child. More will become available by the Sequel. I just wanted to drop this off to give you all an idea of what I will put inside 'Part 5'. This wind sure is going to be more gold than before, trust me on that.


Still, a fairly short chapter. I would normally drop more words in but… let's just say that the next chapter is going to see plenty of feels being brought up. Some questioned why Xuanzang acted this snappily despite the fact this being brought up that she had a 'problem' with her emotions back during her training. And that problem is manifesting again due to how close and tight she feels about her Master and those around her.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 17: Sixteenth Mantra! Speak and Listen!


There was a sense of… uneasiness within her mind.


Xuanzang has long experienced frustrated glances from people, but this was the first in a long while since she also saw genuine concern and annoyance regarding something she did that was fairly unnatural by her usual self. To be fair, the Servant was confused by her own actions too. Sure, she did have some temper issues when friends were in trouble but… where did that streak of frustration come from?


Her blood had boiled, her sight turned red and from a balanced fighter the woman turned in a mindless moron. It wasn't truly a first in her memories, and yet what she could think of was tied to when she first started training as a monk. Xuanzang used to have that very temper, but that fiery personality of hers had long been sharpened by meditation and understanding her own plights. Sure, there were plenty of times where she still 'fell back' into what she used to be, but those were then completely solved when she learned to achieve true peace of soul and mind during her long journey. She experienced pain, she experienced suffering, and then she experienced despair.


Xuanzang's emotions were tempered, modestly molded into a humble believer of peace within Earth through the Heavens. Yet there was something else that just… didn't make things right to her. Caster was still someone that believed in bonds. Friendship was the strongest pedestal she could ever hope to fill the most with those deserving of being called as such and that in return deem her a loyal friend of theirs. It was something that existed back during the journey to the west, and that never left her despite the advice of her master to drop it all.


Right now, the Servant could sense the issue about it now that her only friends were put in a constant state of danger. Even now that she should rest and allow her energy to recover after what happened in the park, her mind was on getting back on track and trying to get her through meditation as calmly as possible. The issue? Jotaro was standing by the doorstep of the room, giving her the look that just screamed of 'what are you even doing?'.


There was nothing wrong in meditating to clear her mind. Even though she was trying to do so with a hurting body and lots of thoughts that made the entire process painful and fairly difficult to achieve. One pink eye kept open from time to time to see if her Master would do something other than stare down at her like a father would with his child. It was upsetting how effective that was being on her mind and it just rendered any effort to clear up her mind impossible.


Finally, Xuanzang conceded that he wanted to talk and that he wouldn't move until she spoke to him.


"What do you need, Master?"


He hummed. "Get back on the bed and rest."


Simple, given in a stern tone, straight to the point. Yep, Caster decided to just ignore it, expecting for her Master to just keep on staring at that quiet refusal. Her mistake was soon highlighted when she first heard the man move closer to her, crouch down a little bit and… suddenly pull her by her ears. It wasn't even a soft kind of pull, he was putting some serious strength behind it. And it actually hurt.


"W-Wait- Stop it, I'm not a child and-"


"Go back in bed, I will not ask nicely again," Jotaro interrupted her with a flat tone.


There was nothing nice in that. Her ears were burning at the pulling and she was positively miffed by what she was just subjected to. Regardless of her cracking pride and her sense of soreness finally urging her to stop meditating, Xuanzang proceeded to return to her bed. Annoyance was running at an all-high and she had her arms crossed near to her chest as she sat down on the bed.


"I'm not a child."


"Yet you're behaving like one," Jotaro remarked calmly sitting by the edge of the bed. "Do you need anything? Food, water-"


"I-I'm fine."


"You are not."


That response actually had her pausing, a confused look spreading on her face as she didn't expect this much resistance from someone like him. Sure, he was the kind of individual that would behave childishly when wounded and in need of time to recover, but he was the one that urged her to be respectful of these unnecessary limitations. And… that actually was another common point between the two of them if she had to be honest.


"What do you mean? I'll be back in good shape by tomorrow morning."


"But that doesn't extend to your current body and your state of mind," The Stand User pressed, clearly spotting some cracks on her excuses. Despite her best efforts, Xuanzang just couldn't hide away the fact that she had her own inner issues to handle and she had thought meditating over those would've been more than enough to find clarity over her doubts.


"It was just a minuscule mistake, a little slip from my part."


"..." He didn't say anything as he just stared at her with a serious look. It was as if he could see within her eyes the truth and he was just waiting for her to tell it to him. In a way, it reminded her of what her father used to do when he was alive.


Having been orphaned by her father at the age of 9, Xuanzang was really unfamiliar in being treated like a little girl. It reminded her of the time when she was just a child wanting to know more about what the world was all about. She could remember when she was first given a Confucian instruction, and then told about the hardships of Buddhism. She remembered one of her older brothers bringing this up during one of their visits back home and that interest stuck to her long enough to become a life mission.


And here she was, with her philosophy failing her due to how in pain she really was. While she could hold back a lot due to her endurance, the prolonged sitting on the cold floor sure did a couple of unpleasant tricks to her poor butt and back. Aching up to her shoulders, Caster was mustering a good amount of strength just to appear stable before her Master, yet… it wasn't working?


"Why are you making such a fuss if I got hurt? Servants are meant to suffer damage from time to time-"


"As if this is really a ground you can stand on," Jotaro interjected with an annoyed tone. "You know, I've been treating you long enough as a normal person that it makes me pissed you're trying to hide behind that excuse."


He wasn't wrong. As much as she wanted to say that he was worrying for nothing since her presence here was temporary, it would be foolish of her to call his words incorrect. He had been treating her so nicely and so friendly despite the tough exterior of his. Jotaro was easy for her to understand after so long, but, at the same time, she had to concede that he hadn't been really that uncaring of her. For him to spot on as quickly as he did that she wasn't fine, he had to have realized when she wasn't being honest. Still, the young woman wasn't going to allow him to just breach into her defenses like this. Not when she wasn't ready to speak up about what was happening inside her head to anyone right now.


"What if I don't want to talk about it?" Xuanzang asked, a little tense because of how much pressure was on her. "What if I just want to be alone and meditate about things?"


"Then you can do that once you're done recovering from that fight in the park," Jotaro mentioned calmly. "You seem to forget that your body is in no shape to actually do anything but rest right now."


Her leg decided to feel even more pain from her injury just as he said that, and this time her irked face showed him a degree of suffering due to it. He didn't say anything at first, allowing her to force the pain away, but it didn't do much from stopping her Master to once more ask.


"Do you need something to help with the wounds? Something for the pain?"


"N-No."


I don't need to stutter right now.


But there wasn't much for her to order from her body as the pain was already spiking up once more and becoming intolerable for her to hold herself from showing. It wasn't working and as she bit her lower lip in a mix of agony and anger, she felt her mind clear up as Jotaro leaned forward to pull her in a half-hug. He just wrapped his right arm around her shoulders, making sure that he didn't unconsciously press on her upper wound.


That entire action caught her off-guard. She was stunned stiff as she tried to elaborate what was going on and then he felt him tighten the hold a little more, squeezing her close.


"Good grief, you're a pest," He said calmly. "But that doesn't mean you should hurt yourself like a moron. You can talk about it instead of going through something that right now you can't do."


"And what should I talk about?" She admitted sternly. "I lost my temper, and I allowed myself to get hurt to this degree. Am I happy? No. Am I calm? The pain is annoying and- and-"


W-Wait, what am I saying? Sure, I'm quite angry but… but that should be this loud and- am I actually holding this much in?


The outburst was fairly surprising, so much that Jotaro dropped the embrace out of sudden panic, and now he was looking at her with a perplexed look as he waited for her to speak about it.


"W-Well, I'm particularly stressed."


"So let it out," The Stand User pushed her for more. "I've been pissed before so I know when someone is just being aggravated for losing against that crazy woman. Just don't expect me to do this with you ever again. I thought you said you're not a brat, yet you need to be pushed around just to speak part of what you're holding in."


And that was humiliating.


Not like she had much to disagree on the fact she was holding back a lot now that she needed to let out the frustration caused by the last fight. After taking a brief


"O-Okay, I guess I'm just furious that I had that woman in my reach, that I could have killed her and put an end to this all. Without her the war would have been over and then you and the others would have been out of this stupid competition."


"So you just want to end all of this as quickly as possible? That's all?"


"The more this goes on, the more you and Sakura will be put through dangerous situations," Xuanzang elaborated with a huff. "Sure, it's stupid to rush this kind of thing since we're facing a powerful threat but, I don't want anyone to be hurt or… or die."


The mere idea of anyone dying now just felt so horrible. Caster had knowledge of the previous Holy Grail Wars due to the knowledge dispensed by the Grail itself, and she was well aware of the high death rate among competitors. It was a miracle the deaths in this fourth competition were this little, since the alternative would have been a higher pile of bodies to keep track of.


"You're a fool to think I would just die here because of some crazy witch and that stupid vampire," Jotaro rebuked flatly. "As if I would accept going down here that I've so much to do and many people that depend on me."


Some would have called that arrogance, but since Xuanzang knew Jotaro was strong and that his Stand was slowly recovering from the years of inactivity both had gone after their last clash with Dio, the brunette merely saw it as a display of confidence. One that was cynical and born from the cold logic of having something as powerful as a Stand.


"But what if you fail?" The monk asked quietly. "What if a mistake happens, one that I unconsciously caused because I allow you to have too much exposure to the action. What am I going to do if I fail you there?"


"You bash your head and stop nagging me about being at fault," The marine biologist answered with a sigh. "That I think would help my mind a lot if that stupid scenario actually happened."


A pout appeared on her face. "I-I'm trying to do what you asked me. At least accept the fact that I can be worried regardless of you having a Stand or not."


Something within his eyes changed, and Caster quickly recognized it as a brief flash of understanding at what she was saying. It was surprising how easily she was getting him now, and it made it even more entertaining since she had to work her mind to understand what he was saying or thinking through his limited gestures.


"Then keep talking. I can tell it's not all."


She smiled, nodding as she thought up about what she could say right now to not sound too awkward.


"Well, there is also that I feel rather attached to you guys. You, Sakura, Joseph and Shinji. I could go on but the truth is that you're all my friends and… and I wouldn't forgive myself if I allowed something bad to happen to all of you," Xuanzang continued to speak, her voice cracking during the last bit. "I- I know that it sounds dumb, but I don't want to see people die. Not again."


…


"I lost many friends in Cairo," Jotaro pointed out, his voice becoming odd due to the topic and soon Caster's pink eyes were on him. "And I too would be angry if someone tried to kill you. But… that doesn't mean you have to take stupid steps just because of a worry. Stupid steps kill people more than inaction, so don't you dare be a dumbass or I will punch you back alive if you died because of it."


…


"Really?"


"Of course, idiot. Good grief, did you even listen to me or what?"


Despite the rougher turn of this conversation, Xuanzang giggled and nodded. "Sorry for doubting that, Jotaro."


After that discussion came to an end, Caster was left alone once more in her room and… she actually took this opportunity to sleep her worries away. She felt incredibly tired and she knew that her body needed her to do nothing that would waste her own energies now that she needed to heal up properly. But as she closed her eyes, and she lost her consciousness to achieve proper sleep, a treacherous thought entered her mind as she dreamed about this.


What if, just, what if she lived beyond the War? What would happen to her then? Would she live with Jotaro and the others? Would she be around to keep watch over them? The more she thought about it, the more Xuanzang, once a monk with ideals that transcended the physical, began to once more entertain the temptation of breaking from her full monk self. Life seemed nicer now more than it was back then and… she was so tired of bowing down to the divine when there was so much here that had yet to be discovered, even in the spiritual.


Perhaps she could put aside her hope of becoming a Buddha, and… take another journey, this time to see a bigger world than the one she thought existed in her previous life.


---------------d-d-d-d--------


Rin wasn't sure why she wasn't angry at her current captor.


She thought back at everything that happened to her after being 'freed' from that scary woman's proximity. Dio's guardianship had felt much safer than what the frightening witch had going, and Rin was certain that her decision hadn't been wrong considering what she learned through her time out of the previous hideout.


The visit at the park had sounded sudden, and yet she managed to get a look at Sakura. Her hair was now a dark-plum, with her eyes of similar shade and… it made her angry that it was actually something caused by the Matou Family. She initially wanted to blame the current guardian of hers for it, and yet she couldn't just because of how much he looked like dad. Dad without his facial hair and with a younger face. And one with a taller and bulkier body. Rin was really surprised that someone could be this tall and- that wasn't important. Not at all. It wasn't like she thought him really handsome like a knight in shining armor.


Then the sea monsters attacked and she was pulled away from danger's way by the infuriating vampire as the two retreated to a safer place where to stay. It was so incredibly annoying and yet the little girl was unable to truly hate him. Despite him being what her father defined a 'mindless monster', this being was one of intelligence and philosophy that matched or even overwhelmed what her father was keen to show in his usual charm.


Maybe it was her fear of being hurt now that the situation was escalating this much, or maybe she was just tired and she needed to fall asleep. A yawn left her lips just as she thought about this, the bed she was resting on being far too comfy for her to just ignore. The little manor that Dio had managed to gain control of by hypnotizing the owners away in a sudden trip away from Fuyuki was a tiny bit smaller than her own house. It had a garden, a small swimming pool, and several rooms for them to use.


Yet Dio decided, by his right as the 'highest being in the entire world', that one of the bedrooms in the top floor would suffice. The location chosen was fairly ample, enough to house a bed, several shelves filled with books, a desk, a couple of chairs, some furniture by the bedside and two couches. And here Rin was, lying on a small section of the king-sized bed while staring intensely at the ceiling as she tried to come up with an idea to escape the kidnapper that had been so absurd and yet so kind until now.


One thing was him being merciful, another was him being kind. Dio was neither, yet his actions were due to the results and context of those, and that was enough for her to label him as kind. That and because it seemed to irritate him a lot whenever she said that to him. There was just something within his mind that made him despise anyone that gave him praises that would normally be well-received by common people. At first she called it arrogance, but she couldn't help but notice that it wasn't the case. Dio basked in praises regarding the frightening aspects of his being, but he didn't like it when people seemed to… pity him.


A very odd element to pick up after spending so much time with him, but that actually made her curious and fairly interested in digging more about him. Until that point it was always him picking up things about her life, her parents and her mind. Shouldn't it be fair on her part, at least to a good degree, to know more about her warden? Maybe not. But… Rin was bored, and she couldn't sleep.


So common sense, what was available of it within a child her age and her mindset, was currently unavailable to tell her how much of a terrible idea that actually sounded.


"Dio," She called out quietly, glancing to the side where the vampire had found a place of rest. The couch looked soft enough to provide the maximum comfort, and the blond was quietly reading a book to pass the time as quickly as he could. He glanced away from the piece of literature, his swiftness in doing so giving Rin a reason to believe it wasn't even something that he was interested in.


"Yes, little Rin?"


Ignoring the irritation at being called 'little', even though she was a little girl, the child hummed.


"Did you have a mom and a dad?"


…


"What?"


"I think you said that you weren't always a vampire. Does that mean you had a mother and a father?"


He let out a long sigh. "Yes, Rin. I believe everyone had parents at one point, but I assume you just misinterpreted my origin as something beyond normal."


"I just found it odd that you would have parents. You are not a nice person, so they were horrible, right?"


For some reason, if Dio had withheld much of his interest about this topic, now he was giving it more attention than before. A chill went down Rin's spine, but she still remained strong before the fascinating topic. She just couldn't imagine what kind of individuals would be behind someone as horrible and confusing as Dio and… it morbidly attracted her to find out what the answer to these questions really were.


"In most parts," The blond replied with a strange voice. It wasn't the usual pompous one as there was something that 'rooted' it to the ground. It sounded very sober, and very upsetting for some reason. "My father was a drunk thief, while my mother foolishly fell in love and ended up conceiving me."


A… A drunk thief? Dio was born a commoner, that she didn't have any reason to doubt since he had been pretty clear about it. But to hear him speak up of his parentage was as surprising as unpleasant, especially when it came to imagine his father. An ugly bad man that didn't care much about his family and anything else beyond himself.


"My mother was the one that gave me hope, the idea of becoming greater than I was born. My name, in fact, means God in Italian, for she imagined that I was going to become great enough to make the heavens bow to me," He narrated. "She was a lovely woman, one that gave care and affection when she herself was a creature that starved of both. A slave to her own mistakes, but one that still found a reason to teach me the value of life and the brightness of destiny as this was the path I had to take."


"She… told you to become a vampire?"


"Of course not. The decision to become a vampire came much after… her unfortunate passing," He replied with a sigh. "My mother would have probably kept me from seeking the power that I now have, not because she wouldn't have believed it my right, but because she would have lost the only human being she could truly love."


…


"Dio?"


"Yes, little Rin?"


A pout settled on her face. "What do you think your mother would think of what you are now?"


He gave her the most malicious smile as he listened to that question.


"What do you think your mother would you think if you didn't want to follow the Toshaka Clan's rules?"


"W-Well, she would be angry? I think she said that it was important for us all to put more on the clan than ourselves" The girl answered, still unsure where he was planning to go with this.


"My mother would be angry because, in my thirst of becoming what I'm meant to be, she would think I abandoned what others would find appealing. By being selfish to gain power, I rejected the one thing that makes a human being relatable… and that is my own humanity."


"So… by being selfish, you gained this much power?"


"Yes."


…


"That's… kind of stupid."


A confused frown instantly appeared on his face at her comment. "What?"


"I mean, isn't the main purpose of you becoming the… 'greatest' the fact you want to show how you, someone born as a commoner, became a being of incredible power and might?"


He nodded. "Yes, which is what happened."


"Nuh-huh."


His frown deepened. "Elaborate."


"You're no longer human. You become something that was stronger by principle and then you harnessed that power to then become even greater," Rin explained with as much as she could think about. "So, does that mean you kind of… failed since you became a vampire?"


…


There was a lengthy pause after that answer. Dio seemed distracted, his silence connected to his thoughtful expression as he pondered over her words. In a moment of pure quiet, he took an endless amount of time to just come up with a weak response to it and, as he prepared to deliver what he came up with, his attention was aimed intensely at the light snore coming from the bed. Due to how long he wasted in coming up with this idea, he completely forgot that the child was still sleepy and ready to fall asleep when she engaged in that conversation.


Despite having something to argue her position, he was stumped by the fact he couldn't just because she was asleep and…


…


He smiled.


Yes, this is the child that I, Dio, will turn in the Avatar of the Heavens. And her mind, her brilliant mind, shall expand with her growth. Pucci will make sure of it.


----------d-d-d-d---------------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d----------


AN


A heartfelt talk between Jotaro and Xuanzang, while Rin cheekily outsmart Dio through sleep mode. The moves, the galore and… yeah, the end is about to come soon. In fact, I don't believe there will be the time for another Interlude as I will wrap this up in a few updates.


Quick Reminder: Dio is a Servant, which is why he is this much nerfed. The 'boost/weakening' that some Servants have with their body ability is tied to their Legend and their following. Dio might have followers but his cult isn't as expanded as other Heroes.


P.S. Rin has a little crush. This detail will become interesting in the sequel of the sequel. No… wait, I shouldn't have said that. Ehr… whoops?

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 18: Seventeenth Mantra! Meet your worst fears!


Kirei didn't feel confident. Of all the times he could have felt nervous, this was really the worst time to start perceiving that kind of inner emotion.


He had to admit that it wasn't like he could blame his body to already grow disgusted with the miasma exuding from the perimeter of the Ryuudou Temple, the set of buildings that was the closest to the real location of the Holy Grail. It was there where the final battle was going to unfold and where things were going to settle down in Fuyuki. His silent musing was briefly interrupted as he noticed that his Servant had finally concluded her task, taking a moment to appear beside him.


"Was the path cleared?"


"Yes Master," The violet-haired woman replied calmly, nodding to further confirm that development. "All the monsters that had been set up to delay the rest of the group's arrival have been dealt with. But I doubt these are the only things we need to worry about."


He nodded, having noticed that there was something too 'lazy' about these distractions. Francesca Prelati, or Francesco Prelati as he was remembered in the old archives of the Church, was somebody that was known to put through an incredible amount of attention to his plans. So much that he managed to avoid detection from the Holy See for years before being caught up by a couple of specialized experts in handling pests like him. A creature that seemed to come from Hell due to its malicious personality and erratic mindset that tended to drive… them into this kind of madness that they considered 'a game'.


But right now there was nothing that would have quantified that possibility. In fact, the young priest could tell that something was incredibly wrong at the lack of major threats within the defenses that were supposed to cover Francesca's attempt to manipulate the Holy Grail. It raised the chance of her having something that they couldn't predict, something that was definitely going to matter if there wasn't anything of concern protecting whatever was happening within the Grail's secret location.


Kirei had arrived earlier than the others by just an hour. A little precautionary step to get all trouble early on solved through the use of his Servant. As much as he wouldn't have extended himself so much and put himself the closest to the beast's lair this soon, he couldn't help but realize that it was only for the best that the rest of the main fighters weren't slowed down by what once lurked within the forests surrounding them. It was only fair for him to optimize the fighting force to a point where he could calmly say that they were ready for this. But as he concluded with this thought, something happened before their eyes. The ground started to shake and the mountain near the Temple started to tremble as soft lines of red started to coat it in a massive flow of prana. This… this was not a good situation.


It would take roughly twenty minutes for the rest of the group to finally arrive and… and yet the situation was spreading too fast. He didn't need to look behind him to know that whatever was unraveling in front of them was reaching the city through the leylines. This was something shocking and… and it almost made him not notice that something was glinting from beyond the dark shadows offered by the nearby bushes.


A dark figure rushed from beyond his sight, a black blur that was too fast for him to dodge on the spot. Assassin didn't hesitate in tackling him down and allowed them both to dodge the ferocious assault of what he could only describe as a monstrous being. With the shadows dispelled by the soft moonlight, the figure slowly turned to regard them both as they stood up from the ground.


A tall humanoid whose main outfit consisted of a thick black helmet with a skull shaped visor carved from real bones, with two empty red pupils glowing through the eye holes of the mask. He was wearing a bulky purple and black armor which had a skull on its center, his plackart also had the similarity of a skeleton. On his back there was an ancient cloak, with a cape that gave off a hint of worn. He was holding a broadsword and a half-body shield.


There was no maliciousness in its form and his stare, only… a duty. Assassin was tense, it didn't take long for Kirei, the one that had the chance of witnessing the woman's behavior in many circumstances, to realize that something about this figure was more wrong that he was feeling. This was way worse than anticipated… another Servant? That could explain the semi-divine nature of the creature before them.


"F-Founder?" A gobsmacked Assassin asked with a weak voice, her stance suggested a flighty approach in front of such an enemy and… Kirei had plenty of reasons to believe it to be the best solution to this problem. By the title bestowed by the woman, he knew this was the first Hassan, the one that created the infamous Assassin Order from the Middle East. And considering the legend surrounding his name… this was going to be a fearsome Servant to face.


Still, they couldn't remain there.


"Assassin."


One word, just one word to get her to snap out of her panic-induced freeze. It seemed to work and the Servant looked at him as she noticed that he was ready to leave the area. Fighting wasn't an option in their conditions and available equipment and abilities. They both knew that. There was no hesitation nor shame in beating a hasty retreat before this threat, but the antagonistic Servant didn't mind the chase.


With a single claim, he rushed at them as they swiftly tried to leave the area.


"Bring thy heads!"


A great demand, one that was given with a powerful voice that refused any reason or any mercy in its action and moves. A ferocious monster that craved to kill anything that his Master wanted it to kill. A terrible fiend with plenty of might to exert this wish and make it true with ease. And yet he didn't claim their lives as quickly as their combined fears screamed was going to happen. No, it was… a thrilling situation. One where they managed to dodge the second rush by pure luck.


Some tree branches of the ground were more than enough to force Kirei to trip forward and dodge the attack, while Assassin was just out of range and capable of avoiding the strike with ease. The issue was the next steps to take. Before the massive Servant could strike again, his attention was diverted to two personalities of the weaker Hassan that were trying to stop him and capitalize on his current openness. It proved to be a partially foolish hope.


The personalities stood no chance, getting struck down with ease… but allowing for more to rush in and actually distracting the First Hassan from keeping pursuit over the Master-Servant duo. Assassin spared a look at Kirei, and the man merely nodded as they resumed their escape. Even if the tall being was overrun by personalities, none of the weapons within the Personalities' disposal was going to be able to pierce through its armor and inflict serious damage.


For now it was best to retreat to a safer spot. It was a solid plan, sadly they mistook the determination of the Servant trying to kill them both. Assassin had to tackle her Master away once more as she saw the familiar glint of the dangerous killer's sword zeroing the distance between him and Kirei's neck. A push was all the priest needed to be out of danger. The man was sent rolling down the hill, just beside where the stairway to the temple had been and… soon he found his rolling stopped by some thick bushes. Moving in to protect her Master, Assassin allowed herself to be exposed for a vicious kick from her former leader. The attack sent her flying and left her hurting. She stood up, feeling just a sliver of relief at noticing that he was coming after her and not pursuing her Master despite his state of defense.


Just a sliver, as she knew the battle had just begun from the looks of it and she was incredibly worried about what she was supposed to do to win in these horrible odds. Things sure were going bleak for the stealth-specialized Servant. But as she struggled with an enemy, Kirei struggled to get up and try to reach her so they could both leave. While part of him wanted to believe his Servant was going to find a way to leave the range of attack of their common enemy, he knew way too well that it wasn't the case and that he needed to be there to coordinate a safe retreat for both.


But as he wandered through the woods, picking up speed and pace to reach his current destination, Kirei felt someone was watching him from too close. Someone was running at the same pace as him, keeping a safe distance so their identity wasn't revealed. A gust of wind, or what he would soon learn being a sudden increase of speed led him to pause as something, or rather someone, had decided to stop in front of him.


The young woman had long white hair and blood red eyes that dully stared at him. She was wearing a circular red hat, her red dress was so beautiful and her mini-skirt gave way to black pantyhose with stockings underneath those. A lengthy mantle stretched onto her left arm, showing the beautiful golden decorations on it. She was staring at him with a mix of pity and interest, like a scientist that studied the dying mouse before her eyes.


It was an expression he was familiar with, having seen it with a mirror all the time he looked at himself. His mind was reluctantly trying to connect dots over her identities, so many clues just screaming at him a single name while his heart ached at the proof that, within the Servant before him, was the possible uncertain future that awaited him. His heart was hurting, the word 'sorry' banging badly onto his thoughts as he couldn't voice his own emotions in that surreal situation. She was there, the hopeless and the unconsciously disowned. The price of a failure he was the main cause of… for himself.


He stared up at the so much familiar face that just recognized him in return, unaware that tears were currently flowing from both his face… and unconsciously from hers. The tension was so upsetting for both, and yet they didn't speak. Was it the suffering? Or maybe it was expectations for the other to speak before them, so that they could be preserved from failing such a simple thing as introducing themselves before the planned fight?


Kirei gulped nervously, but he didn't let go of his current feelings as he knew this was going to be the battle that would either prove his will to change, or his reluctance to suffer for the sake of finding happiness through other means.


"Hello… daddy."


The greeting was filled with regret, the hold over her soul so clear and so horrible to endure as he prepared to do something about it, his hands reaching for his Black Keys. There was no restraint on her side too as he knew this was going to be a battle. One they just couldn't ignore or delay for too long. He felt his throat burn as he finally spoke, the moment of truth at hand as they prepared to strike at each other.


"Hello Caren."


---------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d------


Waver yelped in a mixture of brief pain and panic. One moment he was walking the streets of the city with Rider, the Master-Servant duo and the redhead were ready to reach the rendezvous with the other Masters and begin the assault on the position where the Grail was supposed to be. It was going to be a big skirmish, one that he knew was going to leave him with something to be proud of.


Entering a deadly competition? Horrible. Killing his teacher? Terrifying. But battling a great threat with others to save the world itself? That… just made him stand up. He might be someone that was easy to fright, but he wasn't going to allow innocents to pay for the greed of a few, may those be Magus or not. In fact, his confidence to put an end to the Holy Grail War as a whole was there to make the difference and… then that vanished when they were attacked and chased around by two individuals.


An earthquake ensued, one that seemed to be tied to the leylines as he could feel the sudden increase of energy from the natural sources within the land, and yet he was caught off-guard when two attackers came at them with ill intentions. Rider roared with a laugh as he engaged in a skirmish with a being he wasn't familiar with. The bald humanoid had its upper body exposed and showing his pitch-black skin that contrasted with the soft-white marks all over his torso and his arms, and the golden accessories he was wearing. He was tall, at least a little more than just 2 meters and roaring back at Iskandar as the two started to fight without hesitation. They were at it for a while until Waver and Sola-Ui's peaceful and quiet spectating was interrupted by another figure, this one approaching them.


Wearing a formal and delicate black tuxedo, with a dark shirt underneath and a red tie to match, the young man that decided to attack him was… annoyed. At him. He could tell from the presence of a scowl in his face, something that was accentuated by the presence of a cigarette pending by his lips. His attacks were vicious, but lacking the power he could tell the man was holding back on him. The long black hair and the pale red eyes were indeed unsettling, but not because of how intense those were to him. No something about those were… familiar. Waver tried to make sense of this emotion, but he just couldn't think much about it.


Sola-Ui scowled as she helped as much as she could, failing to get any advantage against their common enemy. In fact, the Servant didn't seem to mind the attempts, blatantly ignoring the redhead as he focused his attention mostly on Waver, it was clear that there was something that made the aggressor particularly intrigued by him. It was another clue that the attacker knew him somehow and… and that was bad. But he couldn't just pause to think about it. Instead he kept on dodging all the slow-paced beams of light trying to burn him alive. That was a task he was giving utmost priority about to not die because of it, and for the moment he was holding back quite well. Things took a strange turn when the taller Servant was suddenly thrown into the young man's attacker, the magic user pausing to back away and dodge the large body of his partner.


"Boy, woman, we're leaving."


Sudden, confusing, but incredibly serious.


There was no way Rider would just drop a fight without a good enough reason, and there was no hesitation on the three to finally start to run away from the two troublesome elements. Most of the locals were already sleeping, and yet he could tell the disaster was going to be difficult to cover up. Yet they weren't exactly worried about that issue. They had pressing problems for them to be concerned about instead of that very one. While the growling bald Servant was temporarily disabled, the beast roared as he rushed towards them, followed by the still annoyed 'Caster' as he had started to call it as.


The chase was long, but they managed to avoid getting intercepted by the ferocious Berserker-like monster running at them by taking sharp turns. Iskandar's chariot was fast enough to outpace the beast and give them the time to at least reach a place where it could be safer to fight them. And while they were running, Sola-Ui started to question Rider's decision to just run.


"I thought you were enjoying that fight. What changed, Rider?"


He had an irked look on his face, but he answered the query pretty readily. "That was Darius, I can recognize his size and his ferocity by a simple glance but… but he wasn't going at his fullest."


"So you just stopped because… he wasn't fighting you at peak performance?!" Waver exclaimed in a mix of brief anger and shock. "You mean we could have won and-"


"It's not like that," Rider muttered, flinching at the loud lecture.


"I believe it's just like that!" Sola-Ui snapped with a snort. "You just had us running away in this mad chase around the city, all because you wanted to understand why your historical enemy wasn't able to fight you at his highest performance?"


"As I said, woman, it's not like that," Iskandar repeated, his tone getting incredibly frustrated as he was not up to endure that kind of annoyance. "There is something wrong with both Servants. Something that makes me think they are under some sort of influence that they are trying to break from."


"A-And that means?" The youngest Magus inquired, utterly confused by what he was listening to.


The young woman scowled at the logic, realizing where the Servant was trying to go with that topic. "You want to try and break them free and… then what? These two Servants are not going to become our allies just because of that."


"Or maybe… they are," Waver suggested, nodding as he thought about it. "if they are being manipulated like this, then it means they aren't willing to take part in what they had been sent for. If it was that woman, Prelati, then that means-2


"They have refused to accept her plans to destroy the world," Sola-Ui concluded herself, her eyes widening in realization at that possibility. "S-Still, that Servant you were fighting, Darius, he doesn't seem to… mean well anyway-"


"He was my enemy back when I was alive. Some antagonism is fine but… I know he wouldn't want his legacy destroyed like this. Not because of a magic user," Rider confirmed with a sigh. "I believe all they need is time, the control isn't absolute and it's cracking the more they have the focus to break it."


"Which was a truly distasteful affair to get through since I had to also give off the illusion of fighting for the spell to not force me to act like a complete baboon," A new voice muttered and the two Magus turned to see the Caster now sitting in the front section of the chariot, his feet resting on the inner bit of the vehicle.


"W-What?"


"You were distracted, he jumped-"


"About a few seconds ago. Jumping is such a fancy word to just say 'slip inside the rushing small tank without tripping and dying by getting run over by the horses," The man commented flatly, lighting another cigarette. "Still, the giant redhead is right. The crazy bitch that summoned us got most of us influenced and mind-controlled. Nothing a Servant like me can't solve, but I believe a few of my… friends will need more than just an hour or two to recover."


"Truly?" Iskandar inquired, feeling fascinated by this very detail, only to stop and look behind as Darius III was once more on the chase, slamming around as he failed to keep up with the four of them.


"A long while for sure," The Caster confirmed tiredly at the sight.


"Are you going to tell us your name?" Sola-Ui demanded. "You know, it's rude to join in without even introducing yourself."


He groaned, clearly irked by her tone and her manners. "I suppose I can spare you that. Only because I know it will keep you quiet for a while."


Waver nodded silently, curious himself about his identity and why he felt this much familiar to him and why his appearance… reminded him of someone he knew about. But as he wished to know, the quiet desire to 'not' know started to get fairly strong for some reason. And that reason became evident when he introduced himself.


"I'm a Pseudo-Servant, a living being from the present being used as a template for an heroic spirit to inhabit and control. The spirit and my name for many is Zhuge Liang," The Caster started to explain, drawing a brief pause after offering that first name. "But my human template, the one which inherited most of the memories and social skills is Lord El-Melloi II, I'm the regent of the family for Reines El-Melloi Archisorte in my timeline after the death of Kayneth El-Melloi."


…


"W-WHAT?!" Waver exclaimed with a shocked look, unable to process what he just learned through this, but failing to learn that the one he was speaking to was none other than his future grumpier self.


------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d------------


Their safe route to the Ryuudou Temple was ambushed.


For a brief moment, a certain Magus Killer was glad that he had refused his wife's intention to join his endeavor over this fight against the corrupted Grail and Francesca Prelati. The level of destruction wasn't acceptable for any bystander to be around and hinder his attention. Kiritsugu held a sigh as he reloaded the MG42 he was currently using, his attention aimed at the culprit of that sudden trap. It took him a glance to the side of the now halved vehicle, the car he had borrowed for this occasion, to confirm the threat they were facing was nothing conventional firepower was going to work on. It was a monster of impressive magical abilities.


Short-sized, incredibly angry and granted an impressive amount of energy to unleash an incredible number of energy-fueled attacks. Some of which were deadly enough to force Saber to not engage in close encounters just yet. The blonde snarled as she tried to unleash a Wind Hammer on her mysterious opponent, the attack shredded by a beam of purple-red light coming from the enemy.


Gritting his teeth, he knew the attacker was not someone willing to allow anything unturned, with one of the blasts finally rushing towards his cover and forcing him to dive into the nearby bushes. He reached within the bag with explosives he had brought with himself. Three canister-like bombs were brought up, the devices thrown toward the distracted Servant as it was forced to block a rush from another Wind Hammer. It was the distraction needed as the bombs exploded loudly, blinding lights emitted at the detonation and partly disrupting the sword-wielding foe's focus as Saber rushed for first blood.


Either tension or the lack of major illumination were quick to limit the effects of the attack, with Excalibur being swung upward and striking at the fellow blonde's mask rather than her exposed neck. With that object off from their sight, the true identity of the dangerous Servant was revealed to them. Artoria looked shocked, her stance easing unconsciously at the scene as she tried to make sense of this development.


"Y-You are-"


"Surprised?" The dark version of the King of Knight mused with a brief note of cruel mirthfulness, her next action being attacking her counterpart and finally starting the duel that had been delayed for so long. Like before, there was a distinct difference in power between them, with the corrupted Servant having an easier time beating around her opponent and forcing Saber to fight even harsher than before. Artoria angrily slammed Excalibur onto the sword that resembled much hers, the clash generating a strong gust of wind that tore through a couple of trees around them.


Seeing his Servant in trouble, the Magus Killer prepared more bombs, but decided against actually risking his position just yet. While it was clear that Saber wasn't able to keep up with the attacks and wasn't finding the chances to return violence with more violence, he needed to gauge his intervention well enough to not hurt his own Servant in the process. He picked up one of the grenades he had with himself, throwing one that rolled down and arrived right at the feet of the Servant. While an explosion of this kind wasn't going to kill someone of her caliber, it was going to remove her footing and offer Saber a chance to strike. Despite the unfair advantage this intervention offered, there wasn't much for Artoria to hope in this circumstance. This dark version of herself defined herself a knight, and yet her mannerism and her style was too vicious, too unruly to make her stand out as one. Regardless of her reluctance to work together with someone that was using tricks of this kind against her foe, the King of Knight struck fort and landed a hit on the now exposed shoulder bit of her opponent.


The Alter version snarled fiercely, irked by the combo she had been subjected to and swiftly trying to kill Kiritsugu with a power beam, one that gave Artoria another opening to strike through. A yelp of pain left the dark Servant's lips as she felt agony at the sudden attack that shredded at her torso armor. Some of the inner plaques held the ferocious blow, but it wasn't enough to preserve the painful experience to actually cause her to bleed at that attack. Hurt and humiliated, the irritated corrupted Servant struck back at her main opponent, forcing Saber to back away at the sudden violent assault she was subjected to. The darkened blade against her started to chip at some pieces of her armor, showing to her how easily the damage she was inflicting at her enemy could be returned to her with the same or higher intensity.


Dodging the beam but losing the bag with the bombs in the process, Kiritsugu managed to make his way to one of the boxes that he didn't have the chance to use until that very moment. The crate opened with ease, and he felt relieved to see that everything in there was still intact. Without wasting too much time checking its content, the man fished out a long rifle that he had brought a few years before retiring. It was a relic of the last World War, but something that should still be able to make the difference in this circumstance. Not enough difference as it wasn't meant to pierce a Servant's armor or even skin, but it was going to make a good distraction to their enemy.


Loading the upward cartridge and pulling the mechanism to allow the first 14mm bullet inside, the Boys Anti-Tank Rifle was aimed right at the back of the head of the dangerous foe. The loud noise of the discharge and the sudden bounce of the bullet against her head forced the corrupted Saber to look away, right to where Kiritsugu was aiming at her from. She was ready to blast him away for good, but this proved to be her last mistake as Saber's blade cut at her stomach area, leaving a deep gash into her opponent.


Spitting blood, Saber Alter's sight went a little blurry for a while… but it was a temporary state of weakness. Pushing some of the mana surging from her connection to the leylines, her healing factor began healing all injuries twice as fast as they would normally do.


She backed away before her enemy could have won that skirmish, taking a moment to recover before striking back.


"You're not going to win. Both of you. I can heal from this kind of injury and nothing shorter than Excalibur's release will defeat me," Artoria Alter proclaimed, raising Excalibur Morgan and aiming it at her enemy. "You would do better to surrender, pathetic version of mine… W-What?!"


As her sight regained focus and she stared at her good counterpart, the corrupted woman finally noticed an issue with that plan of hers. The wounds she had left on her enemy? Gone. Her skin was unblemished and mostly untouched by what had been an intense clash between the two. And yet the blood was there… it was proof that the wounds had been there before… before the King of Knights healed even faster than she could.


"Y-you have Avalon?!"


A smirk appeared on her opponent. "Yes. Surprised?"


Saber Alter scowled in anger, the comeback stinging more since she didn't have the leverage to press her current advantage. There was no advantage to begin with since the healing factor she currently had wasn't on par with the Noble Phantasm's impressive healing effects. She tightened the hold of her hilt as her purer version rushed towards her, easily tearing into her defenses and bringing an end to her efforts.


Anger and humiliation mixed harmoniously as the Tyrant was slain by someone that she once represented and endured… but that now despised and rejected. A superior force beaten with such an ease… impossible!


And yet there wasn't much to do as the dark mist took her away, whisking her soul back to the Throne of Heroes as both Kiritsugu and Artoria approached each other.


"The enemy is death, Master."


The Magus Killer nodded, studying the state of the battlefield. "It would be best to resume our path to the Grail. The more we wait..."


"The higher the chances of this being the first of many issues," Saber agreed while nodding. "Let's proceed then, Master."


Kiritsugu was relieved that he wasn't having any trouble discussing these short-termed plans with his Servant, but he could tell that things were only going to get tougher from now on. Nonetheless, it was a long walk and… he sure didn't like walking around in the woods after getting accustomed so much to have vehicles to take him around.


Maybe this was a little curse that he got after allowing Iri to have him driven around instead of walking on his own…


-------------d-d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d-------


AN


The Endgame is soon to begin. Also, I would like to say that the story will not end precisely at the end of the Grail War. There are a couple of chapters meant to 'put a closure' to some characters' stories.


Reminder: I didn't forget about Ciel. She just wasn't with Kirei at the time.


Also yes, that Caren is Amour (Ruler) from FGO JP. The difference from normal Caren? This one has been confirmed to not be from Fate Hollow Ataraxia but Fate/Tiger Colosseum.


Alternative names being: Caren Cupid Hortensia, God Caren, Devil Caren, Super Baby Caren.

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 19: Eighteenth Mantra! The Heavens Beckons!


Jotaro held his breath as he tried to make sense of the situation in town.


Moving by foot sounded like a good idea as it offered the best chance to move around and be able to handle ambushes without having to be constrained within a vehicle. It was the slowest too, but there wasn't much of a choice between comfort and efficiency. Caster was walking a few feet away behind him, her current task being to guard the children while Joseph acted as support in case they ended up attacked in their path to the Holy Grail's hideout.


The idea of bringing both Sakura and Shinji together with them had been one driven by necessity rather than need tied to the situation itself. While at one glance the plan sounded irresponsible, the truth was that Joseph didn't trust the security at the warehouse to protect the children and while that gave them an extra reason to be wary while they approached their destination, the old man decided to step out of being among the direct participants to destroy the grail so he could keep a good watch over the duo while Jotaro and Caster took care of the major problem.


It was the best solution, but it was the best they could get for the time being. Without wasting any time, the small group continued with their journey, knowing that they needed to reach the rendezvous as quickly as possible and have this situation wrapped up at once. The more time was given to Francesca, the higher the chances of the woman doing something dangerous with the grail.


As they started to approach the route that was taking them directly to the Ryuudou Mountain, they started to hear the noises of loud crashes and explosions unfolding within the city. A quick glance around identified a couple of issues were indeed unfolding as Caster swiftly announced. All Servants were engaging in combat with some entities that were stopping them from reaching the proper destination.


The only possible reason for this to be happening was definitely to further delay their arrival and give more time to Francesca to do more damage with the Grail. At this point, Jotaro knew that there wasn't much of a choice for them to follow if they wanted to stop this before something even worse unfolded. He believed that most of the Masters were more than capable of fending off these threats, but he knew the witch wasn't just going to send them anything simple for them to handle. And… that meant that it could as well be the circumstance where he would have to handle this on his own with Caster.


Far from ideal, but still doable since he doubted Francesca had the chance of preparing something that could match him from the fact that there was nothing standing in their way. If he took into account the words from Caster herself over the ley lines, their foe could do so much before having some trouble manifesting any dangerous element aimed at them. No, it was clear that the woman was planning to delay most of the group so she could try to beat the rest of her enemies with what she got through the Grail.


Their wandering eventually concluded as they managed to arrive at the spot described by Risei Kotomine, one where the secret entrance to the local mountain allowed them to reach the underground area right beneath the lake where the Grail was stored. Only two individuals were already there and that didn't really give them any relief about what they had realized a little earlier. One was Risei himself, while the other was a young woman with short blue-hair and similar-shaded eyes. Neither Jotaro or Joseph recognized her.


"Father Kotomine," Joseph greeted, gaining a nod from the fellow elder as he approached them with a small smile.


"Joseph, Jotaro. I'm… I wasn't expecting for you two to bring the children," The priest pointed out in the middle of the greeting.


"It was better than leaving them alone at the hideout. I doubt that crazy woman had no plans about the place once we were out," The old Joestar explained with a sigh. "I'll keep watch over them while the others focus on the problem."


Risei nodded, before turning to his associate. "This here is an agent that has been sent by the Church-"


"My name is Bow," The young woman interrupted with a serious tone, her gaze focusing on Jotaro as… something seemed to match between the two. Caster might not be the brightest in catching onto small details from two people, but there was actually something similar between the two. "I've been sent by the Church to handle Dio Brando at first, but I guess you can say that the circumstances have changed as there is a higher threat to face."


"Miss Bow is experienced in handling this kind of trouble. I can vouch that her assistance will be essential to handle this issue," The old priest confirmed. "She is prepared to face any demonic entity that our common enemy might be making use of."


That was a relief in a good part. While it was clear that Francesca couldn't make a large use of the Grail, that didn't mean she still couldn't do more damage by using her problematic powers to create even more problems for them to pace.


Still, before anyone else could have said anything more about it, Risei paused as his mood started to shift, with a worried look appearing on his face. "Also, if I may also ask, have you seen my son, Kirei? I think he was supposed to be guarding the entrance of the temple and yet he isn't with you two."


Joseph frowned at this last bit. "We didn't see him. Was he guarding the gates?"


"He actually wandered off to try and clean up the way to the temple since Assassin had spotted several monsters along the way. I suppose he did get through that if there were no issues for you to come here."


"I could go and try to-" Joseph offered before being stopped by the fellow old man.


"I suppose he was caught busy by some other trouble. I trust him to handle any problem without major issues," Risei interrupted quickly, the concern remaining despite the calm voice in that interruption. Something that Joseph quickly caught onto and spared a confused frown about. But before the old Ripple user could have said something about it, Jotaro decided to speak up.


"It would be best if we dealt with this threat at once," The marine biologist proclaimed quietly as he gave one last quick hug to Sakura. "It's clear that these troubles will fade away once the Grail is destroyed."


Bow hummed in agreement at his words. "I guess that could be done. Still, I would have preferred to have more allies to… well, avoid trouble."


"It's not ideal, but it's the best we can do right now."


The girl smiled and shrugged. "Not gonna complain with that thought. Still… I suppose she is Caster?"


Xuanzang merely nodded, stopped from giving an introduction as the fellow woman resumed.


"I hope you're not a support monk that can't stand the heat. I would like to have someone strong to cover my back," The blue-haired girl commented. "It wouldn't do if you just handed out prayers now that a direct action is needed.


Pink eyes briefly allowed some annoyance at that comment, but a determined smile and mindset flipped her negativity. "I will do my best."


Bow was surprised, but she quickly schooled her features before anyone could have commented on her sheepishness at that response. With Joseph taking the children with him, it was only the three of them to face Francesca in her current lair. The entrance was quite dark, but Bow calmly used the torch she had on her to enlighten the path in front of them.


The route to the Holy Grail was actually pretty straightforward since the main way was bigger compared to most of the secondary tunnels. There were a couple of different paths to try and create a maze-like system to distract any intruders, but Caster's ability to follow the right way by keeping track of the Grail's unique magical pattern allowed them to avoid finding any of the various dead ends.


Despite the smoothness of their current predicament, Jotaro's mind kept him on guard as he could tell that there was a possible threat nearby. Something dangerous, something that he could tell was going to be too troublesome to handle. It wasn't Francesca but… he couldn't help but feel it was familiar to him to some extent.


After a couple of minutes spent wandering around, their walk was interrupted when something swift slammed on the ground and exploded the floor underneath them. Part of the caves collapsed at the damage forcing the trio to move quickly to not die because of the fall. Caster decided to stick by Jotaro, grasping at him as the man quickly manifested ｢Star Platinum｣ and used the Stand to grasp at part of the exposed rock. Once the two had their fall's stopped, the Servant swiftly jumped onto a section similar to the one ｢Star Platinum｣ was holding onto. Bow pulled out two Black Keys and stabbed those on the nearest wall, using those to gain an artificial grasp on the stone.


"I'm glad you reacted readily. I would have really regretted my conditions if you hadn't… Jotaro-kun."


The voice… it was familiar. So familiar that he just couldn't forget it. Jotaro paled, his eyes widening as he turned to see the origin of that painful reminder. A glance up and he saw him. He was met with the sight of a young man of above-average height and fit to slender build. He had medium-length cherry red hair, characterized by a large, twisting bang hanging in front of his forehead. His lavender eyes were flickering between their original color and red. It was a momentary flash but… it was a telling sign that he wasn't an ally in that moment. He was wearing a green slim-fitting school outfit that matched well with his physique.


In front of him, an even more familiar humanoid, his Stand. It had an athletic figure with a few robotic elements, such as its eyes and legs. It was only slightly taller than its user, though Jotaro could remember how it could also stretch itself to great lengths. Its body was covered in veiny lines, which was protected by light-colored armor.


He… he was there, and attacking them. Gritting his teeth, Jotaro's anger for Francesca Prelati seemed to triple the very moment the horror dawned upon him. It was so unfair and… yet now Jotaro had to kill someone that he had for so long thought of having forsaken back in Cairo when they were fighting DIO.


Kakyoin Noriaki, Servant or not, looked far from happy about the situation he had been resurrected for. Especially when his Master wanted the death of his former close friend.


-------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-----------


Dio scowled at the situation, his mind burning in hatred towards his former 'Master' as this predicament wasn't favoring him in any shape or form.


The first bit of the morning actually started perfectly for him. Much to his delight, Pucci had finally arrived in Fuyuki as predicted. The loyal priest was awed by his return, but he was soon angered to discover the method he was brought back. Such a friend, a good friend. And yet he had to ask the man for a big favor. Something that strayed away from the original plan they had idealized through their conversations about almost a decade ago.


Enrico was confused by his request, even more confused by the fact he was being entrusted with three missions instead of just the original one and the one that Rin was aware about. For now, his objective was to keep guard of the young girl and provide her with proper education and intellectual food in the form of conversations. It didn't take long for the priest to realize why Rin was important to their plans, and why it was of great importance for her to be given a proper tool to grow, learn and reach her fullest potential before being blessed with part of their master plans. It was so important that it was vital for Dio to live just for long enough to see the end of the Holy Grail War to finalize his temporary stay in the material world.


He needed to be 'ignored' and then 'reported death'. It was important, essential even, that his foes believed he was killed in the strike against Prelati and that Rin had been returned to her parents. Just so Pucci could move in and properly secure the girl through legal means.


It wouldn't take long. The Tohsaka might have a good standing in the city, but they weren't prepared to handle a double case of murder. Especially when their killer was strong enough to subvert anything they could throw back at him. It was critical for Pucci to succeed, so he demanded him to make use of other followers of his cult to deal with them as cleanly as possible and with the minimal of risks.


With that in mind, Dio was planning to spend a good part of the day to plot a good way to join the fight without risking himself too much. It was expected for Francesca to have taken steps to make him troubled with some issue. An enemy, something that was either meant to gauge his current capacity or even give him something to worry about.


There was a good list of troublesome heroes that could do that, and he knew well enough that there were possible individuals that could have been as strong as Gilgamesh at their prime. It was a mere guess, but Dio didn't hesitate in preparing contingencies when it came to possible attacks at his current headquarters. It was around early afternoon that something alerted his senses. He had been busy catching some rest after setting up a couple of traps meant to destroy any of the possible creatures the woman could have also sent as back-up to assaults aimed at him.


He felt something was wrong. A sensation that was familiar, and also incredibly frustrating. So much that he gave a simple order to Pucci as he checked on his current conditions. The priest was sitting beside Rin, taking this opportunity to patiently teach her some grammar. The child wasn't as respectful for him as she was for Dio, but that was because the blond had used his capacity to frighten her to instill that sense of respect. Pucci's work was tied to a degree of likability. He was meant to be liked by Rin for his patience and goodwillness rather than be respected similarly as the vampire. Which is why that route demanded a slow but steady approach that would eventually work their way.


"An intruder is soon to come," Dio announced, deciding against greeting the two occupants of the room. Enrico looked up from the paper Rin was working on and the girl merely snapped an annoyed look at the vampire. "You will guard the child as I take care of them. I can say they are going to be too strong for you."


…


"I understand, Dio."


A nod was shared, and while Rin would have wanted to ask more about this intruder situation, she decided to keep quiet and actually study their interaction and ponder about it instead of stopping the Servant from going through his current tasks. Dio swiftly moved to the lounge of the two-floors manor, the windows already closed as candles illuminated most of the rooms and the hallways of the building. A small smile formed as he was ready to handle the being that had just breached into the proximity of the manor and was making their way towards the main door. Slow-paced, thoughtful, his soon-to-be enemy seemed to take a cautious approach.


They weren't strong enough, he could tell from this behavior they weren't. So he braced, amusement skyrocketing as he waited excitedly to see who he was going to face now. His eagerness peaked as the door opened, the sunlight failing to reach the position he was in as he waited for the unknown individual to enter.


…


As soon as the frame of the man that had been sent to fight him was revealed by the sunlight striking his back, Dio's mind entered in a sudden state of turmoil. His golden eyes widened, his shocked gaze mutedly aimed at the familiar individual as bile and disdain roused before the malicious gift the disgusting witch had thrown at him.


His foe was fairly tall and extremely muscular. His current stance carrying the classic British Gentlemen's poise. His short blue hair matched with his cerulean eyes, the pair of sapphire-like orbs betraying no fear or fight as he eyed back his target. He was wearing a reinforced blue tank top with shoulder pads, a pair of elbow-long gloves, light-gray pants, and a pair of light-brown boots.


There was no doubt in Dio's mind that the horrible sight before him was actually…


"Jojo..." He growled in pure anger. Not just aimed at his old enemy, but also at the only reason he could have been brought back. Prelati had given him back the kindness from the looks of it and… Dio wasn't amused. Far from it.


"Dio!"


Gritting his teeth, Dio jumped away as Jonathan Joestar didn't hesitate in rushing up to him. Fast, way faster than he remembered him being. Even with his bolstered state, the man shouldn't have been able to gain this much power for the occasion. Maybe it was tied to the way he was remembered or… the deeds.


Regardless of the reasons for how he got this strong, the truth was one and simple. Dio couldn't allow himself to lose now. This man, this… this infuriating individual stood between him and his plans. Again. And there was no way in Heaven itself he was going to submit to another defeat. Not at his hands, not now that he couldn't accept dying before the beginning of tomorrow.


"You better have something more than just loudness, Jojo. I'm not in the mood to deal with someone like you right now. Not when I can tell the wench is responsible for your ludicrous return."


"That woman… she isn't one of your servants?" The Joestar looked surprised at this novelty. Maybe he had yet to catch on the fact he was being manipulated from the way his eyes kept on alternating between blue and red.


"I believed… before she tried to use me as a toy to have the 'best laugh' ever. A capricious clever thing, I have to admit, one that has gained my greatest hatred for bringing you back from the grave I sent you to."


The hamon user paused, frowning at him or rather at his neck. "You- You took my body."


"Indeed! You see, Jojo, I decided to put to use the brawn you tried to use for something so cheap as playing heroes. Isn't that grand? You are finally part of something great!"


"Y-You will pay and- and then I will stop that woman from hurting people."


"Sadly, I think you will be surprised to hear that my current allies, temporarily at least, are part of your family. A coalition to stop the end of the world, something I don't wish to see until I'm ready to take over."


"You monster and… and I will help them!"


"Then come forth, Jojo!" He demanded brazenly, his sight blurring as he felt back at Windknight's Lot, back to when they were fighting at their peak in their respective forms. Hamon against Vampire, Poor against Rich, Honesty against Pragmatism.


Heavens against Fate.


The time of chatting was over as Dio decided to rush back at Jonathan, swiftly trying to use ｢The World｣ to deliver heavy damage and avoid the dangerous effects of Hamon. Much to the blond's surprise, as his Stand started his classic brawling rush, he felt the humanoid's arms suddenly restrained by something tight, something that… started to burn him.


Panic exploded in his head as he forcibly ordered ｢The World｣ to pull away from the danger. It was his quick-thinking that saved his arms from being rendered useless. Again. This time, it wasn't a direct hit, with his body reacting well to the sudden injection of hamon coming straight from the… ｢Hermit Purple｣-alike Stand. It had the same size and form of tendrils, but those soon manifested in the form of a proper Humanoid Stand. A pinkish mixture of ｢Star Platinum｣ and ｢Hierophant Green｣, with the same sizes as the former and the same facial mask as the latter. Bulky, it was equal to ｢The World｣ in frame and height. They were equally matched… but also not.


Hamon seemed to actually have an effect on ｢The World｣ differently from Joseph's Stand. Could it be his true power? He hoped this was indeed the case or things could get really messy if he wasn't too careful about it. Dio felt his arms itching painfully, and he knew that it had to do with the Hamon almost corroding his limbs off. An unpleasant feeling he didn't want to feel once more, and that gave him the adrenaline needed to push himself even further for this upsetting circumstance.


Glaring heatedly as his life-long enemy, Dio roared in challenge as he began to make use of all tricks and abilities in his arsenal, giving Jonathan what he really deserved. To be exposed to true superiority and be removed from the world of the living at once.


So he, DIO, willed it!


-----------d-d-d-d--------------d-d-d-d--------


T-Too fast.


Kirei knew his opponent was quicker than him and far more resilient, yet he was still surprised by it despite the beating he was getting. It was impressive to see how his daughter was making use of her current advantages, with her Servant body allowing her to go beyond human limits and give her the chance to stand equal to other heroes.


Caren was mostly calm despite the sadistic glint playing by her eyes. The girl was vicious, just as the priest would have expected out of his daughter. The girl was violent, precise, efficient and… even though the pain was growing difficult to ignore as he blocked as many attacks as possible but still getting butchered left and right by her precise strikes, Kirei was proud. It was perhaps tied to the way she handled him, the familiarity, the knowledge- the fact it was clear she studied his style and was now massacring him with that research.


Her left leg lifted, striking the side of his head and sending him rushing away at the agonizing pain. Running wasn't among the possible things to do, knowing he was already outmatched by the white-haired girl when it came to speed. Still, there was something he could do about it that required some time to accomplish.


Ducking down, he allowed her rushing form to jump over him. The girl blinked, a perplexed look on her face as she barely saw his fist reaching her face. It wasn't his speed, nor his strength. While Kirei was no Servant, he could still use his Command Seals to boost his own might beyond human limits. Just temporarily. And that was more than enough to provide him with a counter to her malicious assault.


A yelp rushed out of her lips as her flight was stopped by a couple of trees behind her. No blood, just pain and a lot of anger tied to it at first glance.


"My mistake."


"It's forgivable," The young man muttered unconsciously, almost allowing his own instincts to reply to that comment.


Caren's anger softened as she gave him a nod. "I will be more careful."


"Please do."


Why was he helping her? The thought played a lot in his mind as the fight resumed. The situation was similar to before, yet it was clear that something was missing about it. If before Caren hadn't held back on him, now it was blatant how she was pulling her attacks and restraining her strength.


Pity? No. It was something else. Something driven by curiosity and fascination. She wasn't bored, she was… confused. A confused person's plight tied to understanding something unusual, something that severely clashed with her truths and beliefs. Caren was a believer of God just like him, her use of Black Keys confirmed that she had trained under the Holy See and developed a connection strong enough to warrant that training.


But right now, it wasn't her God being put in question. It was her belief that something that was supposed to be her father sounded and acted differently than expected. It wasn't a novelty for Kirei, knowing how much of a terrible father he had been but… did her perplexity mean he failed? Did he fail to find purpose beyond pleasure in inflicting pain and despair to people?


Is my cause and my pledge worthless as my daughter fails to recognize me as a good man?


As Kirei's resolve faltered, Caren's curiosity continued to grow as she studied her father with an intrigued look. This was different than anything she could have imagined out of him. Here he was, the sadistic Kirei Kotomine, the man that was reportedly a cause of the disaster in the Fifth Holy Grail War. To be fair, the girl had her own suspicions that this wasn't the timeline she was accustomed to. Not only did the War take a completely different route compared to what she remembered studying. This time around there was another Caster's Master. And another Caster.


Her father, together with the other remaining Masters, was actually planning to destroy the holy grail. This, she knew, didn't happen in the timeline she originated from. This was absurdly wrong in a positive way since… since it opened a curious door that she was perhaps helping closing. A door so interesting that could perhaps give the Caren of this world a parent to love and that loved her.


A blink, she remembered the few times back when she was just a little child, when the pains caused by her curse were forcing her to bed- when she would bemoan the lack of a father and a mother. She understood death at the time and thus forgave Claudia Hortensia. But Kirei Kotomine? From hopeful hero, he became a missing element that just brought despaired hope in her heart. He could have come to her, he could have rescued her from the painful situations she was set in more than once.


And yet he didn't. He never came. He never cared.


Yet this one… he seems so regretful.


It wasn't even her appearance that broke him to this state of fragility. It was the realization of a possible failure. He had been thinking of this for so long. Where was the Kirei Kotomine that was so malicious that Shirou Emiya had to kill him? Where was the evil priest that manipulated many Masters in the Holy Grail War and then died together with the practice?


With her mind finally burning with the many thoughts that had besieged her focus, Caren paused as she saw Kirei drop down to his knees. Pain filled his face, regret granted him tears and tiredness made his stance wobbly. He was far from death, and far from unconscious, but still in no shape to fight. He was hers to kill or… to use for a curious exposition.


The priest groaned as the girl decided to push him on the ground belly down, with the Servant herself sitting by his upper back. A hum, quiet and calm seemed to stop Kirei's efforts to struggle, confusion and dread formulating in his mind and heart as he tried to understand what was her plan right now.


Caren stared down at her father, pondering on the circumstance she was presented to him. Life or death, gambling or staying safe and hope for the best? So many choices, so many ramifications and… so many questions. The young woman was a curious person after all and there were questions she had wanted to ask to people for so long, only for those to be rebuffed or ignored. But now? She had the source of many good answers she had desperately craved as a child.


Soon her humming was over and she sighed.


"Apologies, daddy," She replied with a neutral voice. "But before I slay you, I have a couple of questions. Questions that I think would be better for you to give me or I will hurt you. Really bad. And I mean it."


The Master of Assassin didn't have much of a choice. He was one step away from getting killed by his own daughter, or at least her future forms from the height, size and age she was bearing with her frame.


"Y-Yes."


A soft hum, she decided to start with something so simple. "When I was really young and I was given the chance to finally visit Mama's grave, I remember seeing a dark figure that was waiting for us to leave. He was tall, he was dull-looking and he was holding a bouquet of white roses."


She didn't ask the right question, but he expected him to tell something. To say a truth, may it be right or wrong in her mind and within this reality.


"That was… your mother's favorite roses."


"Why?"


He sighed tiredly, slowly recovering from the pain. "S-She said that it was something that her mother brought to her frequently when she was a young girl. She said that it reminded her with her pale beauty. So fragile, but so strong inside..."


That, Caren thought, I didn't know about.


There are so many things she didn't get the chance to know about Claudia Hortensia. First her grandparents withheld that info because she was too young, then they died and she was left in the foster care of a strict priest that considered Claudia a shallow woman for killing herself and that the girl had been birthed out of wedlock.


The insults stung at first, but it was instinctive for a child to be angry at those that besmirched the memory of a dead parent, even though they know so little about them. It was the imagination, the creativity, and the few true details that the child knows about who they have lost. And right now, she had the truth at hand.


"Why did you leave me? Why me?"


There was a long pause, but the Ruler Servant didn't stress herself too much about it. She knew it wasn't an easy question and-


"I'm sorry."


…


That wasn't what she asked for. A pout broke through her composure, her annoyance flaring at that petulant response. She pushed more weight in her seat, pressuring his spine and gaining a gasp out of that.


"Not the question."


…


"I… I didn't want to… hurt you. I knew that, if you were with me, I would have- have failed to hold back my impulses."


A slow blink ensued at that response. So curt, yet so genuine… Caren couldn't just believe it. It wasn't what she expected and it was definitely not what she thought her father was going to be going for. Her hopes of this being just an act faltered just by listening to his heartbeat. The guilt, the sorrow, the regret- Kirei Kotomine wasn't supposed to be feeling like this. Where was the selfish priest that threw his faith of God away for a world of fun for him to enjoy by causing chaos and pain?


...


...Well, this Kotomine isn't a bastard.


That was as upsetting as fascinating for Caren. Here she was, trying to make the world a bit brighter than before but… no. Fate had to disrupt her chances to have revenge by giving him a version of her father that was actually good. If she killed him now, she would also end up depriving this world's Caren of a chance to have her own Daddy back.


…


Her golden eyes finally remained unchanged, breaking from the influence of Francesca while she stared up at the sky. There was not much for her to do, except doing something silly but overall smart on the long-term.


"What are you going to do after the war?"


Kirei's breathing had normalized, he was seemingly recovering. "I… I planned to check on you. I had discussed this with your grandparents but… it seems I failed."


...Wait, did he believe that- well, it wasn't his fault for not considering other options beyond time-traveling. She huffed and stood up from him.


"You should give it a try. You will definitely do something good with that," The girl pointed out, looking at him with a serious look. "And I hope you mean it."


He spared a quick nod. "Y-Yes."


She gave him a smile. "Good. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to retrieve your Servant and handle my… partner. I will be back quite soon… Papà."


Kirei's eyes widened as he recognized the change of way she was addressing him. But before he could inquire about this, the girl was gone in a red blur, leaving him alone to recover and ponder about what had just happened.


"S-Still… Maybe I should really give it a try..." He whispered to himself, thinking about the words used by Caren before leaving. The day was still far from over, but he could tell he got something big out of it already.


--------d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-------


AN


The day is indeed still young and we got our newest share of 'villains'.


Why didn't I say anything about them when there were numerous comments bringing those up? I wanted to give you all a surprise. I've seriously noticed that many readers now have taken some sort of burden and duty to try and bring out the flashiest way to elevate a story. It kind of makes it difficult for a writer to come up with clever untouched ways since there are a lot of you commenting about possibilities.


So… next chapter is the final battle. And then… aftermaths!

 

[JBukharin]

Chapter 20: Nineteenth Mantra! Peace in the World!


Kakyoin was incredibly frustrated. His resurrection had been so abrupt, so unpleasant and… warranted by horrible reasoning.


The redhead could only maintain a permanent scowl before the insane 'demoness' that had decided to pull his soul back into the world of the living. Francesca Prelati, someone that he was unwillingly compelled to address as 'Master' was hellbent in abusing a system of… 'magic'? He wasn't perfectly sure of the precise denominations, but the Stand User could understand that this defied anything he had seen before his natural demise. The moment he opened his eyes to greet a world he thought had left for good was one of confusion and sudden panic. The cackling from his newest trouble was further reason to tense up and take a stern approach against her.


The woman grinned before the danger, ignoring the fierceness of his threats and demands… and eventually conceding him answers. Answers to questions he hadn't inquired about. It was within his head and… the witch had known. A big surprise came in the form of the year he was now 'living' again. 1994, it's been almost seven years since the adventures the Crusaders had in Cairo and… he was tense, nervous and… angry. All because of the worst objective possible to be resurrected by such a lunatic individual: To kill the very young man that had been the closest friend during the time he was still alive.


Jotaro Kujo looked… old. While his appearance had barely changed as his facial features just sharpened due to the tough adventure they had gone through and because of his puberty finally conceding to an ultimate stop as his height and size matched well with the figure of a strong and healthy adult man. The outfit the fellow Stand User was wearing easily reminded Kakyoin of the clothes doctors or researchers would wear, except Jotaro had gone out of his way to find a hat that matched well with his current disposition.


His fashion style was as unique and impeccable as it was back when he was seventeen. Yet the tough attitude seemed to have dulled, or rather 'matured' as his harshness and anger were still there to dictate some of his immediate actions, but those were ruled over by the very intelligence that had easily gained some of the wins back when they were both allied against DIO. The woman that was right beside him, his 'Servant', gazed at him with a mixture of surprise, dread and determination. Fierce and dangerous, he felt a little threatened by the combo, but pleased that his old friend had made such a valuable ally through this ordeal. The remaining enemy of his, a young woman that reminded him of a man he had seen in an old picture he once saw through Joseph. The old man, a primary element of wisdom, had given him so much thought and care despite the lack of familial bond between the two.


It had felt nice, and it had mixed well with the unique bonds he had with the rest of the Crusaders during their arduous journey. Part of Kakyoin's mind wondered if the elder Joestar had been around too, an aimless thought that was crushed by a sense of urgency the very moment the real reason why he had been so compliant to this disgusting predicament. His mind burned as the memory of Francesca using two of the Command Seals on him resounded within his own fury. The witch had already been 'betrayed by naughty men' before, as she surmised her decision. The first command was to set his primary mission to kill Jotaro and whoever was allied to him in his proximity. An absolute order that forced him to submit and go through with this ordeal, similar to Dio's flesh bud but still providing him with common sense and a capacity to be 'treacherous' in his own way.


The second command was a little more puzzling but not something he underestimated. Francesca demanded loyalty so as to not have him think of ways to break free from her hold over his mind. An upsetting matter that further tightened the leash around his throat, but that it still gave him the chance to actually plan something devious and that would be helpful towards his old friend. While he couldn't stop the fight, he could still provide assistance in an indirect way. While Francesca had sealed his fate and denied him the chance to plot a betrayal, that didn't exclude other treacherous elements from the board.


Starting with the stage of where he planned to strike at the group of three people. Using ｢Hierophant Green｣ to weaken the support of the ground before the arrival of his 'foes', the collapse of the floor was meant to create a faster route to reach where Francesca was trying to harness more the power of the Grail. It was a little cheap opening he quickly found while pondering ways to screw over the dangerous threat that his 'Master' poised to the rest of the world. There was no way Kakyoin Noriaki was going to allow something like this to happen ever again.


While many words could have been shared in that moment, the redhead felt nervousness clogging his throat as he merely directed more Emerald Splashes onto the swift-paced dodging that his opponents were engaged in. In the mean time, he entertained the limits and the restraint he could exert over his capacity to try and murder them. The priority was set, but the question in his mind was 'Do these work like the wishes from a Genie?', that the more general those were, the easier it was to find ways to dilute them with an excuse or a faux reason?


Kakyoin tried, knowing that he would be 'warned' by his own mind and body if he tried too much. First he mistook his shoots. Some of the green emeralds slammed well-away from the proximity of his current 'opponents', the reaction was… positive. His body felt a minor ache, but it was all as he was seemingly allowed to be quite 'lax' with his own attacks. Still, that didn't mean the young man could just stop as the pains resumed as soon as he even contemplated that. Very unpleasant, but it gave him a new limit to not cross with his efforts.


Much to his surprise, while the situation favored him with plenty of advantages, the young girl with blue-hair proved to be someone he had to be particularly careful with. Dark blades rushed his general direction, forcing his Stand to divide his attention between the harassment and stopping the approaching projectiles to land on him. Very interesting, but not the end of his own bafflement as Jotaro added his own weight on the matter.


Rocks wouldn't normally be a threat to something like ｢Hierophant Green｣, but if those were delivered by ｢Star Platinum｣ itself, then the speed and the strength could easily prove to be cumbersome to receive even if blocking. Despite the years, the close-quarter Stand proved once again that he was as ferocious and strong as back when Jotaro had just begun learning how to harness his Stand's might. The rocks further lessened the pressure he initially managed to impose on his enemies, his attention completely shifting into a defensive mindset… which soon proved to be the position they wanted him to be in. The destruction of the rocks created dark dust that was further spread in front of him by his effort of deflecting the dark blades as the tougher and thin weapons further created gusts of wind that caused the little black curtain in front of him. A smokescreen that was swiftly used by the only element that had remained quiet during the entire ordeal.


Praising where it was due, Kakyoin felt awed as he saw the strange monk-like woman rise above the smoke, reaching his current height and delivering an upward strike that forced him to descend thrice as fast as he had. A minor hit, he mistakenly thought, expecting for it to be just a cautious approach from his foes… but this too proved to be a fatal flaw in his understanding. A kick on the side of his head reminded him that in the lower areas there were two individuals he wasn't exactly planning to face this closely. With the bluette waking him up in such a violent manner from his lagging planning, Kakyoin knew he was stuck in quite the unflattering position.


If on the right he had the girl that had just hit him, on the left ｢Star Platinum｣ was getting in range to pummel him and the one responsible for this development diving towards him to deliver more damage, the only possible solution was one and only one.


He used ｢Hierophant Green｣ to increase the pace of his own descent, making sure that he wasn't destroyed by Jotaro and that the approaching Servant didn't get the chance to have a second opportunity to hit him. The situation was easily escalating against him, depriving him of the chance to counterattack and, furthermore, limiting his capacity to move out of that difficult predicament he was fighting against.


This is good. He thought with an inner smile growing inside his head. As expected, Jotaro didn't lose any tactical effectiveness in a state of duress. Very impressive and very relieving as it meant he was still vigilant for any major threats such as the one they were both stuck with. His wonder rekindled by his second demise now approaching, he thought of his old friend's life. Did he marry someone? He had to be roughly 24 at this time and since he was wearing a specific outfit meant for a restrained number of jobs, he could tell that it was something that allowed him to work, do jobs for the Speedwagon Foundation and hopefully get some quality time with his wife and… his children.


A silent whine entered his main, cursing fate for having bound him in a realm of refusals where he couldn't even witness Jotaro, Polnareff, or even Joseph go through their lives. A pitiable sigh left his lips as he kept on giving his minimum in that battle. There wasn't a truthful reason to be fighting his own friend, and just that command was forcing him to do something instead of standing still and taking the brunt of that combined assault. The lowest floor beckoned, and the redhead knew that it was time for them to go through the extra step needed to complete the mission, to make sure that the rest of the world is spared by the monstrosity that was Francesca Prelati.


｢Hierophant Green｣ acted instinctively as soon as the ground came too close to them. The Stand carefully set the stretchy escape for his User, the humanoid swiftly shoving Kakyoin away into a safer spot where to formulate new plans. It wouldn't take too long, he concluded, and it was about time this crazy nightmare of a wild ride came to an abrupt end.


While he had advantages even now that they all had solid footing, Kakyoin's interest in pursuing better chances for his old friend to succeed with his mission plummeted as soon as he saw Jotaro rush at him despite the warnings extended by the two women. He was hellbent in being the one to end him and… Kakyoin couldn't have asked for better. Two Emerald Splashes ensued, but both were unfocused enough to grant Jotaro an easy time dodging the attacks and bring him close enough to dispatch ｢Star Platinum｣ to finally end it all.


The beating came as expected, but the brutality that he remembered seeing Jotaro exert upon his opponents once those were exposed to the main quality of his Stand was no longer there. The pain existed, but it wasn't so vicious and angry as before, it was one coming out of a sense of urgency and a need to not be too intense about it considering the circumstances. And Kakyoin was thankful for this, so much that a brief 'thank you' left his lips as his body was damaged by the assault.


The last punch completed the beauty of that massacre, and he was sent rolling away due to this. Feeling his soul faltering, his body started to glow golden as the daze of death shrouded part of his consciousness. Jotaro glanced, his usual mask breaking once again and this time remaining a clear display of sorrow as he saw his friend, one of those he failed to save back then, die once again due to the cruelty of the circumstance. The redhead hummed and closed his eyes, allowing death to claim his soul once more, but not before letting him say this once more.


"T-Thank you… Jotaro-kun."


Recognition flashed upon the fellow Stand User's blue eyes as he watched his friend vanish from this world once again. The tragic development left Jotaro shaken, but not deterred from the main mission at hand. The 'obstacle' had been removed from their path to the Grail and, as he walked up to Caster and Bow, his attention was aimed at the two as they had moved in the opposite direction than the one he took, their shocked gazes aimed to the end of that tunnel. And for good reasons. Beyond the end of that rocky hall, the massive 'theater' created to house the Grail was glowing with red lines as the massive golden-colored container was cracking as a dark substance sluggishly poured down to the ground and formed a disgusting dark puddle that bubbled and produced an unpleasant miasma. The Holy Grail, an object by many defined as the holiest item in Christianity, was bleeding black mud. A form of corruption, of inner darkness that revealed how bad the situation really was.


As he stepped forth and started to approach the humming witch, Francesca paused from her machinations, clearly doing something with the mud. Open bottles were thrown inside. Then papers, and ultimately some ingredients. A ritual of sort, he deduced, but he was far from realizing how bad of a ritual this one was going to be.


"Jotaro-kun! You're here and… I assume you killed your close friend. Poor Kakyoin-kun wanted just to help me with this endeavor, shame on you," Francesca greeted maliciously, still smiling deviously as she spurned the Master and Stand User. "Are you planning to do the same thing as last time? Let his parents fail to know how their son died? Allowing his memory to be a private thing for your selfishness and those of your 'friends'?"


Gritting his teeth, he restrained a response. He didn't need to give her what she wanted. Instead, he just kept on walking towards her, ignoring the fact that large figures were emerging from the mud surrounding the Greater Grail. Monstrous headless entities that were barely humanoid, with horns and sharp ends forming by their shoulders and their knees. Tall, roughly the size of three average-sized men combining their height. Dread filled his mind at just watching the disgusting development, but he still pushed on as he knew there wasn't much of a choice.


Caster followed his steps, same for Bow as both women were as ready as he was to bring an end to this disaster.


The room trembled as a massive hole was created just on the right side of the entrance, with several figures entering inside and… proving to be the help the trio had been waiting for. He recognized Kiritsugu, Saber, Kirei, Assassin, Waver and Rider… and even more. Servants, some familiar due to how similar they looked to some of the Servants and the Masters… but only one spoke for all.


"Apologies for the delay… Jotaro-san," The slim figure with long hair that reminded him much of the Master of Rider spoke. "I believe there is a world that needs to be saved… from the revival of Gigantomachia."


"The correct term is 'Hell on Earth', Caster-kun," Francesca purred. "A world reborn as the harshest and scariest place- a place where the strongest can live, where cunning can prosper… and a place for me to enjoy developing from a kind of Hell to another!"


That was her intention, they all conceded. A depraved world for a depraved woman.


But before her, the world aimed for the craziest alliance possible, but also one that had high chances of survival and victory. She knew it, visible through the hint of uneasiness within her devious smile. The absolute victory she imagined crumbled as her odds were now stacking her at a 50/50 circumstance. Upsetting, but far from defeat.


Knowing this was going to be fun regardless of how this was going to develop, Francesca chuckled and spoke up mirthfully.


"Let's make the best of this war then, friends of mine!"


And soon the conflict for reality as a whole was initiated.


--------d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d-------


Dio scoffed before his own wounds. The ferocity displayed by Jonathan and his Stand made it troublesome for him to get a chance to think about this.


It was clear that Francesca had bolstered the already strong Servant with Command Seals to further impose his current behavior. ｢The World｣ was strong, but far from being able to deliver a mighty counter to the stubborn defense exerted by that version of ｢Hermit Purple｣ Jonathan was using. Strong, powerful, and a deadly way to stop and devastate the World he wanted to create. Annoyance perked before this frustrating matter, and so he decided to waste no time in employing everything this body allowed him to use.


Vampire abilities were needed to further aid his win due to how problematic Stand-wise the battle was turning on him. The blond had faced plenty of deadly enemies, but this was the first time one as memorable as Jonathan became as infuriating as he was being right now. Why? As much as JoJo had been the one that had personally hunted him down to take revenge for his father's demise, he hadn't been as intensely involved into the combat. Where was the modest pacing? Where was the need to take a moment to charge his Hamon?


The answer was as unflattering a Vampire could imagine. Jojo's breathing was steady despite how fast they were moving around the entire manor. It was impressive enough he was keeping up with him, but Dio was worried about another issue. The Stand Jonathan was using, which he ultimately decided to nickname ｢Violent Sage｣, allowed the man to keep his regular breathing stable despite the frenzy they were dealing with. The Stand itself was a conductor for Hamon, which made any approach of his with ｢The World｣ fairly high-damaging if not suicidal. Using his Space Ripping Stingy Eyes, the ranged attack actually succeeded to tear into Jonathan's defenses. The Servant gave a pained yelp, gritting his teeth in clear suffering, but remaining determined into defeating the old enemy of his.


Dio would have lauded his efforts if it wasn't blatant how a good part of it came through those upsetting Command Seals. It made any attempt to feel amused by these accomplishments… missing. It wasn't the situation he imagined being part of in case Jonathan was resurrected. Somehow. In fact, this entire ordeal sickened him to a higher degree about Francesca. Their rematch should have been on equal ground, the forces of 'good' against 'evil'. And yet it was all torn apart by that foolish witch's demented mind. Jojo wasn't meant to be used as a tool to kill him. He refused to submit his own primary antagonist to that kind of label. It was frustrating, irking, and it set him in a vicious and mean streak. One that had little effect on the battle due to how resilient Jojo's Stand proved to be.


"Dio, you will die by my hand! And with you, all the horrible deeds you have committed."


If only he knew of the bastard children I created through his body… I wonder what his reaction would be.


But it was best to not entertain that amusing detail out of the chances of him actually perishing and losing a good element to Pucci's own plans over the Heavens. Without wasting time to continue this one-sided conversation, Dio moved to the living room, making sure that the light hadn't somehow reached that room. His luck was high from the shadowed place he was greeted with, but for Jojo, this would soon become a real trouble as Dio decided to employ a simple trick to deal with him.


Jonathan barely noticed the chandelier placed just above his head, and he sure failed to grasp the importance of knives despite the fact those would hardly do anything against him even if they hit him properly. His Servant-like body prevented conventional weapons from handling damage, but it was a distraction the thing that Dio was going for. Taking aim, the knife he had in his hand easily soared upward and cut through the chain keeping the large construct of brass sitting above their heads.


｢Violent Sage｣ swiftly moved to grasp the chandelier before it would crash onto Jonathan's upper body, but it left Jonathan's unable to deflect a swift dual-beam from Dio's eyes. The powerful attack tore right through the muscle of Jonathan's right arm, leaving two big holes right below his shoulder but still above his elbow. This time there was no yelp as Jojo had to actually flinch at the pain and pause a moment to recoil because of it. The opportunity Dio needed as he called forth ｢The World｣ and used his ability.


"｢The World｣! Toki yo tomare!"


Jonathan's eyes widened and he tried to stretch his range by unleashing some vines through ｢Violent Sage｣, but it proved futile as the time-stop happened just moments away before he could reach Dio and interrupt the ability's full activation. A frustrated grin on his face as he prepared to finally end Jonathan's pitiful opposition.


That was the plan… before his glee was cracked in half by the vines still moving through the time-stop. He moved away just in time, giving himself the chance to study this dreadful discovery and understand the terrible situation he was in. Not as terrible as imagined as Jonathan's body was stuck in the ability, it was only his Stand acting out within it.


Which meant that overwhelming it through physical attacks now was possible and needed to win. Dio proceeded with this alteration to the early plan, rushing to deliver a combined beating together with ｢The World｣. ｢Violent Sage｣ tried to fight off the double assault, but it was soon decimated by the strikes, further adding to Dio's seemingly-won battle. Yet, as Dio prepared to finally attack Jonathan and end this, his eagerness crumbled with a single hamon-powered fist slamming on his face. Jojo had somehow broken through his time-stop.


While part of him quickly jumped to the theory that it was just like Jotaro, the truth couldn't be further than what he imagined. It was clear his 'body' was resonating with Jonathan's current one. It offered a connection, a strained but still open one. One that gave him just enough to break through the limitations and allow him to infiltrate Dio's World through that mere 'bond'. Dio had failed to realize this and it felt to him like his own arrogance had set him up for good for another defeat.


The punch burned part of his chin and lower mouth, sending him slamming onto the wall behind him. His throat was hurting and the agony was leaving him unable to move away from the trouble. Part of the concrete came off, slamming further upon him but doing little to the damage and pain he was in. Just as Jonathan advanced, wounded but seemingly victorious, his approach was swiftly interrupted as his body tensed up in a mixture of pain and dread.


A loud sigh ensued, coming from right behind Jonathan. Dio's eyes gained interest at this detail, recognizing the familiar noise and smiling as he was confirmed that it was indeed the only ally he could rely on in this situation.


"Your victory… is not assured, Jonathan Joestar," Pucci mused with a degree of annoyance. "Your time here is long overdue, and I shall not have you kill my friend."


The Joestar's gaze was chilling. "F-Friend?"


But no answer was offered as Jonathan's body went limp as soon as ｢Whitesnake｣ finished pulling the disc with Jonathan's soul and Stand. There was silence at first as both priest and vampire tried to understand if Jonathan had died or not. After a short while, the blond sighed, staring back at his loyal friend.


"Enrico… I remember asking you to remain with Rin."


He nodded, understanding that the fellow Stand User wasn't mad for his intervention, but because he had to drop his other duties to be there. There was no irritation, no frustration, except somber disappointment. Dio couldn't be mad, not when he was saved through that act of disobedience, and the priest knew that.


"I was merely taking a… break for the bathroom. I saw the situation and I acted to aid you in that unpleasant battle."


…


"Thank you, Enrico."


"I believe I should retrieve some blood bags. Five should suffice."


A nod, the human left the vampire momentarily as Dio took this chance to contemplate how lucky his arrival had been. It was clear that Pucci had a great sway of destiny within him, making him even more important than he imagined early on. With that confirmed, his mind moved elsewhere.


Hopefully the battle against Francesca was coming to an end so he could finally handle the finalization of his current ambitions.


---------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-------


The ground started to shake and it was clear that something big was happening inside the cave. Sakura wasn't planning to disobey her father through logical reasoning, yet her sense of worry and her own dread were slowly but steadily making her capacity to ignore the matter fairly impossible.


It didn't help that Risei had started to comment about the situation at hand. Despite not having much experience with magic, he mentioned something about the phenomenon feeling familiar but worse than what he felt during the last Holy Grail War. This meant much, and also not since the child wasn't that well-versed in that kind of topic, but she could tell from Joseph's own scowl that this wasn't a good situation. Far from it. The trembling didn't stop, but it somehow stabilized. The same couldn't be said about the girl's uneasiness. Part of her really wanted to remain as she had promised her father but…


Sakura couldn't do that, not when her concerns were rising so exponentially. Mentioning that she wanted to stay on the ground since she didn't like the situation, Joseph allowed her feet to touch the irregular floor. She didn't bolt at once, feeling like she had to gauge the proper earth-shake and know if she could make a run for it without tripping and making a fool out of herself by ruining her attempt early on. Huffing, the girl prepared, her bubbling bravado giving her the rush needed to finally leave the proximity of both elders and Shinji.


Risei was the first one to react, followed by Joseph. The latter tried to grab her by using the strange purple vines that could stretch far and wide, but the trembling on the ground made the aiming a process way too difficult to achieve on the spot. Something that gave Sakura the chance to easily rush inside the entrance that her father and Caster had entered several minutes earlier. She felt her heart beating loudly right by her throat as she realized how much of a maze the cave really was. Gulping nervously, she tried to go by instinct, her chest almost blocked by a knot forming right below her neck as she noticed part of the floor nearby had collapsed and… that some strange lights were coming through the latest visible section way below where she was.


It was too big of a fall for her to make it. It felt like the stop she couldn't break due to how high it was and… she wasn't going back. Huffing and pouting with a serious look, Sakura wasn't planning to back down from her decision. No matter how naughty it felt in the great scheme of things, the girl wasn't going back and she willed for a solution to happen. Just as she imposed this, her eyes widened and her posture tensed when she felt strong but warm hands manifest by her shoulders, holding onto her tightly as she was initially lifted up and then arched slowly but steadily towards her destination. Shock ultimately urged her to look back, and pause before the shadow that had helped her. It was the same that she had 'used' against Francesca. The same that appeared in her dreams as a protective blanket to keep Zouken away and free her from her nightmares.


It was helping her and… she knew it had a name. She felt it pending by the tip of her tongue, but she just couldn't say it. 'Not yet', she thought for some reason, but that didn't stop her from advancing. The child was a little nervous, the ground was shaking the most as she approached the epicenter of the loudness and of the grand illumination. The girl was bestowed with a great scene of fighting. She saw so many familiar figures, so many friendly faces and… horrible monsters clashing against those that were friends of her father. Tension just roused as she noticed her father too. He was a little bruised, clutching his left arm as it was clear that it had been struck by the behemoth he was facing.


Despite the pain, the strong and tall man was fighting off the dangerous monster and doing his best to win. It wasn't fair that her father was suffering for the amusement of the already-cackling Francesca. The mud below the grand golden creation, the Grail, was producing more of those hideous fiends and… Sakura wasn't going to allow this. The pull was stronger than before, with more intensity and a strange intention that seemed to coax her to reach the Grail.


Something was calling to her, a silent voice and… it was promising genuine help. Without hesitation, the girl allowed for the bubble that seemed to form within her to finally burst as she felt the very shadow that had helped her manifest again and prepare to go through the plan the child had in mind. Eyes narrowing in a determined light, she aimed her left index finger at the objective and… she called the shadow to act.


"｢One Vision｣!" Sakura exclaimed in a language that wasn't Japanese. It didn't matter to her how odd it felt to pronounce those words, but it felt meaningful for her to do so as the shadow bolted from her proximity and right towards the grail, dodging all the fights, ignoring all the threats, and ultimately cocking its right fist to slam onto its target.


"Ora!"


The punch slammed onto the surface of the grail, the impact loud enough to stop for just a moment all the fighting, but not enough to crack the massive construct from the looks of it. Despite the lack of damage onto it, Francesca was tense and she suddenly worried as she swiftly rushed towards ｢One VIsion｣, easily noticing that something 'inconvenient' was unfolding.


The battle continued despite the fact that something had changed with that seemingly insignificant move. Sakura's consciousness faltered, her mind growing light as her thoughts disappeared without a clear reason. She blinked, she tried to keep awake but... She felt tired, yet her body was fine. Something was… pulling her away from her current position. And she couldn't fight it back as she was yanked right into a strange place… a place that felt just like…


Heaven.


Sakura blinked awake, her eyes widening as she felt suddenly pulled in a calm and pleasant embrace. A motherly one, just like the ones Caster would give her. She instinctively nuzzled at the adult grasping her in such a way, taking a moment to realize that the lady in question was… familiar to the one she had seen with that grumpy strange man that her adoptive father had allied himself to.


"Hello child," The white-haired woman with red eyes greeted. Her gaze was blank, yet curiosity and wonder filled her red pools for some reason, as if entertained by the little girl's arrival. She was wearing a pretty white dress that matched with her white hat. She looked like a gorgeous priestess, yet one that was as saddened as unable to voice her unhappiness.


"H-Hi."


The world around them finally gained color and detail. A garden, one filled with so many different flowers. The lady was kneeling down so she could give Sakura a proper lap pillow and… why was she here?


Sakura stood up, gaining a hum from the woman. "Are you… willing to help your family and those that are in peril right now?"


"W-What? Who are… who are you?"


She sighed. "Justeaze Lizrich von Einzbern. Or… what is left of her," The woman introduced herself flatly. "You were part of Nagato Tohsaka's clan, then you were moved to Zolgen Makiri's clan… I found this situation fairly ironic as it would seem you have successfully met with all three founding families in a friendly manner."


…


"What?"


"I suppose you're confused by the situation. Right now, we are within a section of the grail, a fail-safe part that was added to prevent external infiltration and tampering. The world as you know it is currently facing a terrible threat, one caused by the woman behind your current plight."


"Sh-She was trying to do something with… the grail."


Sakura remembered hearing Jotaro mention how Francesca was going to do something terrible, but nothing that he could say for sure due to how little was known about the horrible woman. But now, the truth was before her and… she didn't like it.


"Her plan is to turn the world in a living hell. A place where humanity can't live peacefully within, subverting any chance of the original purpose of this tool of justice," Justeaze explained with a serious voice. "The Grail's original purpose was to grant peace to the world. A dream that was endorsed by its creators and there was a high expectation to materialize such ambition within the realm of possibility."


"B-But?"


"But it didn't work," Justeaze admitted. "While it was meant for Zolgen to win the First War, someone else did. A naive magus that, while clueless on how everything was meant to work, refused to accept this as his wish."


The child frowned. "Why not?"


"He argued that… peace shouldn't be something that can be achieved with ease. It was a change that just couldn't be retained without sacrifice, without hard work and… without free will," The woman replied. "We argued within the grail, I tried to make my arguments solid towards his own list of reasons, but he proved to be wiser and… I couldn't help but bestow him the title of Truest in Heaven."


…


"Yet this tale isn't as important to the situation as I would want. Here the world is facing a threat, one that could end every life and… I need you to be the instrument of a new Era, young Kujo," Justeaze started to explain. "Your current… Stand, ｢One Vision｣, isn't strong enough to face the problem before you and your family. But I'm willing to make a deal to boost your current potential and grant you the capacity to win against our common enemy… only if you swear an oath to me."


A frown appeared on Sakura's face. "An… An oath?


"The power I will give you is… a fraction of what the Grail is capable of. What is left untouched by the corruption left behind my foolish members of my own family," The woman elaborated. "I wish for you to swear upon your ideals, upon your truthfulness and upon your soul that… you will at least give a try to bring peace in this world."


"Peace? You mean that… I need to focus only on it?"


"No. Sadly I've… discovered it's a path that one can take without risks. Idealism, without a moderation, can bring the smartest and wisest man to insanity," Justeaze argued. "But I know you, as a person, have the heart to try and do your best. To try and bring forth an end to those conflicts that hurt and savage the Earth we live in."


Sakura didn't have much of a choice. While she was fine with this deal, she couldn't help but feel like something was missing from it. As if something was just… off about it. Too easy, she thought after having learned the hard way that nothing is that simple. And yet, despite her reluctance, she knew that it was for something good and… that there wasn't any other decision to take.


"I… I swear I will try."


The woman smiled, it was soft and missing much of the warmth many mothers would deliver through those gestures… yet she felt hope, and pride. The pretty lady leaned down, planting a soft kiss upon her forehead and giving her 'warmth'. It was something nice, something powerful and something that felt right. Her eyes closed as something pulled away and...


The dream ended with a sigh as Sakura felt her body warming up with new energies.


One blink, and the child was back where she had left and… the mud was burning, same for the monsters her father and his friends had been fighting until that moment. The sight was impressive, but not as much as the one replacing her current Stand. The dark shadow with red details had been replaced with a white one. It looked as if it had been made with the same fabric as the one used for the clothes worn by Justeaze. Just as she finished noticing this, her attention was stolen by Francesca herself, the woman now standing over her and giving her an intense look.


"H-How did you do that?" The woman demanded heatedly, her smile alternating with a scowl from time to time. "How did you break it? How did you ruin it? Tell me! I demand it!"


…


Taking a long sigh, Sakura felt the need to be… tough. To show to this scary lady that she wasn't getting pushed around and she knew just what to say and do to send the point across. Taking the closest expression she could to her adoptive father, she scoffed.


"Yare Yare Daze, you're so… annoying."


"Wha-!"


Francesca didn't have much of a chance as she felt her body crack. She knew at first hint of pain, that this wasn't the usual fight, the ones where she could get out with some luck and planning. No, the glorious beating she was blessed with was, albeit far from the one bestowed by ｢Star Platinum｣ and ｢The World｣, quite powerful and more than enough to send her to her newest death.


"OraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraOraORAAA!!!!"


The deadly barrage culminated with one last punch on the face that sent her soaring towards the Greater Grail, forcing her body to break through the construct as it seemed to catch fire on its own. The fiery flames that had purged the mud were now destroying her body, eliminating her current record and setting her back to Square Zero with that demise.


Sakura's breath grew irregular as she stared at the spectacle while her body felt the brunt of that power. There was a catch, she had failed to realize that it was tied to the cost behind such ability and, as she fell down, she saw Jotaro rushing towards her to stop her collapse.


At least… the world is safe, a tired Sakura thought as she just abandoned herself to that tiredness.


---------d-d-d-d----------d-d-d-d-------


AN


Kakyoin's demise, Dio is 'saved' by Pucci and… Sakura's Stand(s) to save us all.


Let's see the stats.


Name: ｢One Vision｣
Physical Description: Same appearance as one of Dark Sakura's Shadows;
Type: All-Around Range
Stats:
Destructive Power – C
Speed – A
Range - ???
Stamina – E
Precision – B
Developmental Potential – A
Ability: Unknown


Name: ｢One Vision: EX｣
Physical Description: Same appearance as one of Dark Sakura's Shadows, except of white instead of dark color as full body;
Type: All-Around Range
Stats:
Destructive Power – Unknown
Range – Unknown
Stamina – Unknown
Precision – Unknown
Development Potential – Null
Ability: Wishcraft (Fragment of the Heaven's Feel): The ability to acquire a specific set of powerful Stats and Powers for a short amount of time. Due to its impressive potential, the Stand can be barely used in a combat situation.

 

[JBukharin]

Epilogue A: The Red Shroud that ties Us


Rome, Italy.


It's been a few months now since she started to go to elementary school, and yet Caren Hortensia hardly liked the change in pace compared to what she grew to appreciate from kindergarten. Smart as she might be compared to many of her peers, the girl was still someone that didn't like big shakes when she was aboard the boat she thought was school. School was so… interesting. But also so unpleasant with how intense it tended to be. Everything just seemed to just get more difficult the more she thought a determined status quo was going to stay there for long. She didn't like the suddenness of the difficulty, and she disliked even more when the teacher decided to praise her so much for her 'brilliancy' and set her up to handle her bullies.


Caren was taught by her grandparents to never hate people, for it was the first step of many sins by the Lord's rule… yet she couldn't fault herself much despite the guilt behind her actions as she held the greatest amount of contempt a child of her age and size could muster up for a bunch of mean jerks. It was unavoidable, with their actions left unpunished, hate just felt the most appropriate and even though it had been made clear by their teachers plenty of times already that her body was frailer than others, they just kept bullying her. Books were a safe haven from the upsetting reality, yet fairy tales had long lost their attraction after delusions had left the young girl with cynical understanding a happy ending was unattainable. At least, not the way she desired it.


One time she imagined that instead of the usual guard hired by the Hortensia family, someone else would have taken her home. Her real home. She wanted someone to be like the smiling men and women that came to school to pick their children. She once dreamed of her father coming to pick her up and tell her that there was a chance to be really happy. But, just like many disappointments, that dream remained a dream. An empty, disappointing dream that easily burned up her hope for a higher chance at living. To be spoiled rotten by a loving family, to be given the affection she had seen being given so unconditionally to children from parents and that she had craved to be subjected.


A huff left the child's lips as she wondered why it was taking so long today for someone to come and pick her up from the school. Sitting by the small step right in front of the main building's entry, golden eyes stared silently at the words within the book she was reading. It's been a while since she started to wait and… boredom had urged her to do something to prevent herself from growing annoyed with the current circumstance. It sure felt odd that it was taking so long, but perhaps it was somehow tied to the rain and how traffic tended to behave with the weather.


Despite her rare chances of wandering the streets of the Italian capital, it wasn't unusual for her to notice the many accidents that tended to happen whenever it was raining or snowing. The roads were just so damaged and filled with so many holes. It was almost surprising for cars to not end up in more trouble than they would usually. This very idea was also fueled by the lamentation coming from her own grandfather regarding the many issues that situation tended to create for his business. While a devout catholic, the strict elder was quite… colorful with his speech. Some words Caren didn't know until she decided to check the dictionary and… she regretted making these searches. But she also grew fairly bold with those due to how 'naughty' those words were in normal instances. It made her wonder how much of a trouble it would cause if one of the bullies ended up saying it with a teacher nearby.


The girl remembered when she first heard her grandmother bring up how 'children were not meant to be this uncouth' when she ended up hearing some boys use these words loudly and without a care for the world. It was clear that youths shouldn't have been saying this kind of word and… she was given proof of it earlier that day, when she decided to set the annoying trio to a trap. It took some persuasion and some acting, but the girl was smiling eye-to-eye when the bullies were caught off-guard by the yelling coming from the red-faced Math teacher when he heard them say these words.


They tried to shift blame on the girl, but they couldn't just bring up this matter without highlighting the bullying. Caren was already a renowned loner with no friends, so it would appear quite suspicious if three boys started to hang out around a girl out of nowhere only to accuse her of such a nefarious ordeal. Punishment came in the form of a disciplinary note each and their parents being called and told about what happened and why they risked suspension if their behavior wasn't fixed. It was a pleasant resolution, but she doubted they were going to leave her alone once the trouble had gone away. But at the time, she knew she would have a plan to deal with that issue too.


Her musing was abruptly interrupted as Caren heard footsteps approaching. A tall man wearing a priest outfit was walking towards the entrance. He didn't look much as she peeked up from her book and right to his body. He was way too tall for her to actually look even more up, deciding to not check his face and rule out he was just a passing preacher or even a new teacher. But instead of passing by her and entering the building… he stopped.


'Maybe he thinks I should not be here?' The child thought quietly, expecting for the man to eventually move and let her be… but he didn't. The man remained, seemingly interested in her or something. It took her a moment to realize that this could be the man her grandparents might have sent to retrieve her this time around. She slowly closed her book once she had left the bookmark on the page she had been reading and… she looked up.


Caren could only blink as she noticed one strange thing from the man's expression. There was something familiar in his piercing eyes that just exuded of curiosity and intrigue all aimed towards her. Something she had seen before but… she was quite sure that she never saw this man in particular from the first memory she could remember. He looked fairly young for a priest, but even with that appearance screaming youthful, the girl spotted a hint of 'maturity' hanging right behind his eyes.


"Caren Hortensia," He merely muttered. It wasn't a question, but an affirmation of sorts and it gained her attention. Did he know her? Maybe it was before she could walk or talk?


"Who are you?" She ultimately asked, deciding to cut the chase and get done with this waiting. Cynical she might be, but patience wasn't her greatest strength.


"My name is Kirei Kotomine. I am an… old family's friend."


Her head tilted to the side, her curiosity spurned by such a mysterious individual. At first glance one could easily think of him as a dangerous person. His stare was so intense and piercing… yet he lacked will or intent to maim or hurt. It was something that Caren could discern from personal experience. It was common for her to be described as someone 'malicious' when she was paying utmost attention to something she liked. So much that, when it was time for her favorite subjects, she tended to appear rather ominous with the teachers of said subjects. It wasn't her fault for her glancing to be this intimidating, yet she couldn't fault anyone as she decided to try and see if she looked really that terrifying about it. And the answer was a sad 'yes'.


Right now that treatment could have applied to the man, but she knew better than just judging someone from the way they looked. Instead of worrying about that, the child moved to the more pressing question before either confirming her suspicions that he was the one sent by her family to pick her up or not.


"Did my grandfather send you to bring me back home?"


"No," He replied flatly, his response catching the child off-guard as a hint of worry now entered her mind about having failed to catch any clue of danger from within the man's current mood. "But I've been assigned to retrieve you for school and be brought back home."


She eased down at that second half, nodding slowly as she calmly stood up from the ground and waited for the man to take the lead and take her back home at once. But instead of just starting to walk, the man, Kirei, crouched down on one knee and…


"Why?" Caren asked with a confused tone. "Isn't that… too… much?"


"Your shoes are hardly meant to walk with the puddles around and your clothes don't offer any cover from the rain," The brunet quickly listed out, sounding quite proper and precise. "It would be careless of me to allow someone as young and fragile as you to walk around without appropriate clothing, so I will carry you for the time being."


…


"Okay."


She could have just pressed for more, she could have just urged him to just give her the umbrella since she was the one he had to protect and… maybe she could have just passed the time during the talk to dodge the puddles. It wasn't like this was a problem for her, the weather was always strange for the season, so she knew better how to handle it on her own but…


She just was curious about his height. Call it childish curiosity, or perhaps it was a legitimate question for someone her age without anyone ever carrying her this close. She saw many children liking being carried around since it was the 'best way' to move around for many of her peers. And that curiosity was concluded with a resounding success when she was lifted up and brought her close to him. Right ear pressing on his chest and body curled in a comfy way near his source of warmth, Caren's eyes widened out of shock at how pleasant it all felt. Was this why children liked to be kept like this?"


"Are you comfortable, Caren?"


So direct, blunt… it really tickled a positive chord within her. Normally she liked when people kept things simple and easy to understand. She might be smart but… that didn't mean she craved only for complicated things. She wanted simplicity as much as she wanted difficult stuff to push her mind on.


She slowly nodded. "Yes."


"Then let us move at once," Kirei proclaimed as the two were soon moving. Caren's early plans to just look around and allow the height to provide for a pleasant sight during the warm ride started to falter the moment a curtain of sleep started to wrap around her. The cold being clashed by the warmth, the boredom shredded by the most interesting sound she had the chance to listen. A sound she couldn't help but remember as her eyelids started to softly drop.


Ba-Dump.


Ba-Dump.


She held up as much as possible, knowing how embarrassing it was going to be to then explain why she fell asleep like that. It would have been so shameful and yet she didn't seem to mind for some reason. Everything faded as it remained just her and the tall man… and a third individual she knew wasn't supposed to be there. Barely looking at her left, she could only wonder if that was her… mother. She had the same pretty white hair as hers and her uncovered eye had a kind golden shade to it.


Isn't she precious, Kirei? Look… she likes when you're holding her, my dear.


So caring, so kind and… it was a memory. And that woman, the one she could only assume was her mother… called Kirei so affectionately. But that didn't make any sense. Why would her mother entrust her only child to a priest? Why would someone like Kirei be given that chance if not because…


Ba-dump.


Ba-dump.


Her eyes finally closed as only a single word managed to leave her lips before she succumbed to the pleasant embrace that she was bestowed.


"Dad..."


And while Caren dreamed of this as only a vision of hope that remained after so long, she failed to notice that Kirei Kotomine, her father, had gained a small smile that managed just enough to not crash the entire blank expression on his face. When the man ended up reaching his own father, Risei, by the main street connected to the Hortensia Manor, he had to explain why he was struggling so much to hold back from smiling.


The tears were but a mirthful reminder of nature that he was a human being after all. And he was going to be the best one possible for his daughter from now on.


--------------d-d-d-d-------------d-d-d-d-------------


AN


First of five epilogues. Kirei finds a closure to his route and begins a new journey for the sake of his daughter.


I will drop a list of which characters the epilogues are going to be dedicated to here so I spare some confusion from readers:


A) Kirei/Caren;


B) Emiya Family;


C) Tohsaka/Pucci;


D) Xuanzang;


E) Sakura Kujo;

 

[JBukharin]

Epilogue B: Peace of the Few


Kiritsugu Emiya was… content.


The mere idea of being fully satisfied for once left him partly baffled at the concept of true peace and calm in his life. It's been just two years since what happened in Fuyuki, and yet things had gone so quiet so smoothly. Sitting by the kotatsu with the newspaper of today set on the wooden surface just beside the warm cup of coffee Iri had prepared for him, the man took a moment to sip at the mug and think more about how things had gone ever since the Grail had been destroyed.


Even now he wasn't sure how it happened, nor how young Sakura had managed to 'counter' the corruption of the Grail, but the aftermath was all so clear to him and it all started with Saber's decision to part ways with them. Despite the simple chance of just staying in the world and becoming part of the family, a proposal that had been advanced by Iri rather than Kiritsugu, the blonde just chose to go back to the Throne of Heroes. She mentioned something about 'feeling that it was for the best if she remained to guard for any unexpected resurgence from the corruption'. Although the Greater Grail had been destroyed and the corruption had all been purified, there was no way to tell if anything survived out of it and managed to get into the Throne itself.


A decision that was picked by the rest of the Servants, with Rider being a surprise for Waver Velvet as he would have expected him to linger further than just that War. Yet he conceded that remaining wouldn't be good for him. Saying that 'there was so much to do' and he would have probably 'grown too bored too quickly'. Instead, Rider pointed out that there was someone else that would help him unleash his full potential, and Sola-Ui, former fianceé to Kayneth El-Melloi, agreed to that newest role of hers. 'Just for the sake of teaching the scoundrel some manners', she argued. The young man was surprised, even more so when the woman took charge of their next destination after leaving Fuyuki and deeming it 'necessary and absolutely undeniable' that they would need to travel around the world as Iskandar had told them to. Something Kiritsugu could see a sense of due to how exploring the world and being 'in the open' would do miracles for someone like Waver himself.


Assassin left together with her former leader, with the First Hassan leading the way back to 'their Mountain', while the unknown white-haired girl that had stayed behind for a while merely spoke of 'keeping promises' and threatening repercussions if he didn't uphold his own oaths. Surprisingly enough for Kiritsugu after the few rare encounters with the priest, he noticed the man sporting a familiar smile. A father conceding 'defeat' to his daughter. A smiling Kiritsugu had way too many times displayed before his own little Illya.


The only Servant that remained, much to the surprise of many except her own Master, was Caster. Xuanzang Sanzang, the Monk of the Journey to the West, was interested to see the world again before leaving.


"I have so much to learn or even re-learn. It might sound selfish but… I want to see how many things have changed since I last walked the mortal realm as a simple but humble monk."


It was unusual, but there wasn't much for Kiritsugu to lament about considering that it was a decision Jotaro could take on. The behemoth of a biologist didn't have to worry about 'running out of Prana', not when the source of his power seemed endless about it. And, if Kiritsugu had to be honest, he couldn't exactly complain about anything regarding the Joestar family. Not when one of their members took interest in one of the plights that subsequently grasped both him and Iri. The Einzbern were planning to have them both 'pay the toll' for messing up their plans to conclude the Holy Grail War properly, and even accused them of polluting the truth by advancing 'shameless accusation' to slander the family. A situation that became a proper threat when they mentioned their Boundary Fields having been modified to not allow them any passage.


That was an unpleasant development, but one that didn't last long about as soon as Joseph Joestar heard of this matter. It hadn't been an idea from Kiritsugu, with the man favoring more… extreme approaches to try and bypass the magical obstacles. Iri had taken a more diplomatic route, mentioning how approaching a Joestar and asking them to act as a representative of 'good will' would have gained Acht's attention and interest. While the family hadn't cooperated much with the Joestar's family, they had done some… shady businesses back in the 30s and the 40s, giving them the chance to meet a particularly rambunctious member of the Wehrmacht. While Kiritsugu never heard of Rudol von Stroheim, the Einzbern Clan had paid an intense attention to this kind of man. He was one of few individuals that had experienced radical body modifications to become an effective 'war machine' against Germany's enemies. He had died somewhere in Stalingrad, yet the impression he left with Acht gave the opening to one Joseph Joestar.


The meeting was allowed as soon as the letter bearing the old man's signature was sent to the Castle, with a date and a specific hour set to 'explore the chances of a settlement'. The trip that followed and the encounter left a curious taste on Kiritsugu's lips regarding the Einzbern's approach to non-Magus but influential figures. Joseph Joestar even went as far as pointing out that he was being watched constantly by the Homunculi working and living at the Castle. Acht was no exception to that rule as he started the meeting by addressing the Joestar's own inclination on the matter.


Much to the surprise of the couple, the old Hamon User was quick to sport the most serious attitude they had seen him react with. A tough nut for sure, and one that impressed and slightly awed Acht when it came to answer truthfully to what happened during the Holy Grail War. The conversation was a quick-paced exchange between the two 'elders', and eventually saw Acht inquiring some of these questions back at the Magus Killer and the former Lesser Grail. There was no lying with their responses, and from the growing scowl in Acht's face, the Golem realized that what had been reported back had been true. The grimace remained even when he received the best offer the couple could advance.


Illya would be given to them, and both her and her mother would lose the 'Einzbern' relation to stop the taint corroding the Family's good name.


The idea was processed by the elder, but a counter-offer was offered and… it felt better than expected considering how 'fair' the previous one had been.


"Illyasviel and Irisviel shall retain the Einzbern name, yet only the youngest shall retain the title of Einzbern Heiress. By this accord, to prevent any intrigue against the heiress, I will forward two guards that shall take care of the assignment."


The idea troubled the two of them, but it was conceded that the two guards were to follow both Kiritsugu's and Irisviel's orders first and foremost to avoid any troublesome 'lag' in the orders' pace. The ones picked for this ordeal were two Homunculi that had been discarded as potential Lesser Grails and as such bore some 'similarities' with Irisviel. Minimal ones, much to Kiritsugu's confusion but it was also tied to their personality.


Sella was the most serious of the duo. Very obedient, and quick to follow through her chores without any complaints. Despite her role being to keep watch over Illya, the woman seemed more concerned in helping Iri through the house chores, almost enjoying going through those. Her partner was fairly the opposite of that, with Leysritt favoring a more laid back attitude compared to Sella's no-nonsense approach to life. Very lazy, tremendously quiet when it came to dialogue, but surprisingly enough wise and perceptive. Both worked well together, and somewhat were fitting well within the household.


The visit having ended positively and Joseph finally taking it upon himself to bring his wife the news they would have a new child to dote in the form of little Shinji, the 'small' Emiya family took a serious choice in moving back to Fuyuki. Speaking of families, Maya was then addressed as he had promised and he offered her the chance to start searching for her own child. While having no experience with children, his former assistant was keen to accept Irisviel's offer to help her out the moment she managed to find her son. The search was going to be a long one, but the young woman had mentioned how recently he got a lead that confirmed that her child was being harbored somewhere in the United States. The Magus Killer offered her tools, hideouts, maps, advice and the chance to talk with someone trustworthy from time to time whenever she needed to discuss important matters.


Kiritsugu felt trusting of the grasp he had of the city and he had a good relationship with the Yakuza's detachment that existed within it. Plus, the house they found there was pleasantly set nearest to Homurahara Academy and could already provide


Enrolling Illya was a priority for next year, yet they still decided to check on the matter as soon as they had settled properly in their new home. The little girl loved the place and was keen to visit the nearby park so she could compare it to the old garden she had grown accustomed with. The two happier parents were quickly received by the principal of the school which provided as much info as possible about elementary school, high school, and even plans to prepare students for the Uni experience once close to conclude their educative plan here in Fuyuki. It was a pleasant goal to keep track of, but even more when that day became the moment the last member of the Emiya family joined. At first Kiritsugu ignored the little redhead wandering alone through the streets of the city, but his wife realized that something was off about the child and… she proved to be correct with her worries when she decided to closely check what was wrong with the young boy.


The child had a few wounds caused by minor burns and he had been wandering around with a high-fever. Just as Irisviel stopped him to ask what was his name, he almost fell down due to her soft push. She quickly lifted him up and realized how barely conscious he was in that very moment. A quick rush to the nearest hospital confirmed their worst concerns regarding his condition.


The child was dehydrated and had indeed been one of the survivors of recent gas leak problems that had caused some fires to spread over some buildings in the city. A mistake caused by some lazy bureaucrat that was currently getting a trial in a few days due to this. The redhead was helped swiftly, and brought to a stable situation. No names, his blood wasn't registered under the hospital's registry and nobody registered in there matched with him. The boy was possibly the son of foreigners, thus missing the proper data to be brought back to his relatives. In this case, it meant he was… alone.


The thought stuck in Kiritsugu's mind for a while as they thought about what to do over this matter. It reminded him so much of what happened to him, but it also struck a stronger chord in Irisviel's mind when it came to give the kid a proper family. Despite his minor opposition to this plan, Kiritsugu relented when Irisviel presented him with a possibility, and one that could work well for their family.


The child woke up disoriented, but also clueless of where he was and what was his own name. The idea was given to him, and he shyly complied with it. Thus Shirou Emiya became Illyasviel's younger brother and the only son to Kiritsugu and Irisviel. The surprise left little Illya wide-eyed when she was introduced to him, and she felt the most pleased when she was told she was the older sibling. Which was a surprise to little Shirou since he was a little bit taller than his new sister.


With that development, things were finally set to leave the Emiya family in a normal life here in Fuyuki as they enjoyed each day with a smile and-


Thump!


A sigh left his lips as he heard multiple loud thumps marching down the staircase and then rushed towards the living room.


"Daaad! Can we go to the beach?" Illyasviel had gained some height due to the healthy lifestyle she was nurtured into. She was still a cute short girl, but Kiritsugu could see that she was going to grow taller the more years passed. Blinking at her request, he folded the newspaper and frowned at her.


"Isn't it a bit too early to visit the beach?" Kiritsugu pointed out, gaining the adorable ire and pout of his oldest child.


"B-But Sakura-chan and Jolyne-chan had gone to the beach. Here, look!" The impatient girl was quick to show the picture she had to have printed from an email. The picture shows a smiling Sakura Kujo, the girl now bearing blue eyes, as she held tightly her giddy-looking little sister. Jotaro could be seen sitting in the nearby towel, reading a book about… fishes. His wife was the one standing over the two girls, with Xuanzang beside her and smiling at the camera.


A classic Kujo vacation, he pondered half-mirthfully before sighing. "I guess we could plan something but… you would have to ask your mo-"


"YES!"


The loud response from Irisviel caught Kiritsugu's off-guard as he noticed it came from right behind him. Wide-eyed, Kerry spared a baffled look as Irisviel was there with a bikini already on, an embarrassed Shirou in her hold and both maids having switched to similar-looking outfits.


A long groan was his only response to that. "I guess we're going then."


"YAY!" Little Illya exclaimed as she rushed upstairs to change to a more appropriate set of clothes while Kiritsugu finished his cup of coffee while pitying little Shirou's magnet for women.


He sure was going to be having quite some troubles by the time he reached adulthood, that Kerry could see without hesitation.


-------d-d-d-d-----------d-d-d-d---------


AN


The Second Epilogue is now over! The Emiya Family is now happily living the dream!

 

[JBukharin]

Epilogue C: Sapphire Gaze over the Heavens


Rin sighed as she should have known her life was far from free when DIO decided to perish on his own. It had baffled her he would have died like this, deciding against using the opportunity granted to him through the Grail. But his reasoning was… correct. A Servant, albeit strong, was still susceptible to manipulation and subjugation from Magi if not able to prevent any trickery aimed at them.


And someone like DIO would prefer to die rather than become a puppet. Again.


She was let go as soon as the Holy Grail War had reached its conclusion, with her return home bringing joy to both her father and mother. Yet, even though Rin could feel a little bit sympathetic with her mom due to her hardships to try and get her back, her love for her father was long dead. As soon as he saw him, a tiny smile on his face and a 'relieved' look plastered all over him, the child felt upset at the man. It wasn't the kind of relief a parent should feel when their child was brought back after getting kidnapped- it was the kind of feeling the head of a magus family would feel when their heir was retrieved. It was politically-driven, it wasn't driven by genuine affection and family-based love.


Rin felt sick at the mere concept of it, of the fact that he had been so right even through his recent demise and… that was perhaps what had made her so compliant to play her part with her parents. Before she had her doubts, she knew that, for the sake of preventing more drama on herself and Sakura, she would have to act about it. Sure, her sister was currently in the safe hands of someone that was behaving better as a father than Tokiomi Tohsaka, but that didn't mean her biological father couldn't still create hassle for her. All for the glorious prestige of the Clan Name.


A sigh, the girl hummed as she recollected how things unfolded in the last two years before getting acquired by Pucci. Her mother died in a car accident as she was visiting her side of the family two months after the situation with the Holy Grail War, while her father would soon follow her after just four months of depression and sorrow 'taking a toll on him'. Rin didn't see what exactly happened, yet she knew some ropes were part of the way the man died. And while the police ruled out both deaths as accidental and suicide-driven respectively, the girl knew it was all Pucci.


Arranging the car accident was easy due to how simple it was to create issues with the brakes and make it seem like it was caused by lack of proper usage of the vehicle. Faking the suicide was a little more complicated, Pucci would admit. First he had to get to know her father. Tokiomi wasn't exactly an individual that trusted individuals with ease, but he was so open and weak when the death of his wife happened and Pucci offered the alternative to despair in the form of therapeutic conversation. He never asked for anything too private, or anything that touched the Moonlit World. It offered help in exchange of so little trust. But that little trust was actually… an opening to see some written documents altered before his ultimate demise.


As the funeral for Tokiomi happened with a small reception since the family was small and Rin's maternal grandparents were unwilling to take part to those after spending years blaming the man for their daughter's unhappiness, she ended up finding her new life with the ominous priest starting with a strangely sweet tone.


"What is this?" She asked flatly, unsure of what she was expected to do with the small book and disk she was provided by the priest.


"DIO asked for you to receive these. A parting gift and the starting point of your role in this glorious path to the Heavens."


Confusion was the first thing that gripped her heart, but then this changed when she discovered the disk smoothly and pleasantly entered her skin without hurting her. A blink, and she could feel something new and… powerful within her core. Another blink, and in front of her a familiar bulky entity manifested. It was the same one used by DIO, his fighting spirit manifested… was now hers to use.


It shocked her that he would leave her such a powerful 'tool', and yet Pucci and the book, which would reveal itself as a diary, gave her a much-needed explanation. The priest announced that the Stand, ｢The World｣, was the key to the ritual that she will have to initiate on her own, a powerful key at that. It was quite mysterious, but the diary offered more insight on the matter and… opened a world about DIO's own mind.


Surprisingly enough considering how little time DIO had for himself to write, the content within the book reached as far as the beginning of DIO's life until that very point. And it was highly-detailed in various aspects. It was DIO's own life and… she could tell there was honesty that DIO wasn't keen to show anyone around him. There was self-bashing early on in the first few skirmishes with a young Jonathan Joestar.


'I could have kept a calmer outlook' or 'I could have made him sick and slowly forced his build to grow weaker and weaker just like I did with his father, but earlier', were some of the more compelling moments where DIO himself admitted that he should have done more than just wait. It was regret she found in these books, but also curiosity and an inhuman exploration of opportunities to achieve the 'Heavens'. It was similar to the Heaven's Feel, but tied to Stands and their ever-growing powers. As she reached this point, Rin looked at the manifestation of ｢The World｣, the colossus standing over her and looking at the Diary from her shoulder. The girl wondered how 'powers' evolved when Pucci's own ability was a single one right now but… she kept on studying. The Diary, Mathematics, Literature, and other subjects that were taught in the schools she frequented in Tokyo.


Pucci refused to tell her why bringing her to Italy wasn't an option, but he mentioned something about two reasons making it unattainable as a choice. Instead Rin remained in Tokyo with him, the modest house they had taken now becoming like the second home she didn't expect to grow fond of. Of course it was smaller than the manor back in Fuyuki but… it was nicer. It was comforting in many aspects as her room felt 'legitimately nicer' and she started to understand more about what kind of mind she had just barely understood in that bizarre kidnapping. Mysterious, malicious, devious, and incredibly cunning.


But DIO's purpose with the Heavens wasn't just world domination, she learned, and part of her was really convinced Pucci didn't even know of this aspect. No, there was much that DIO 'rightfully' kept away from Pucci, but it was mostly because mere friendship couldn't warrant that info. And Rin… didn't know why he was 'telling' her this. Why her? Why was she important to him of all people?


Even after five years since her shift of existence, the little lone Tohsaka girl didn't know why she was the one he wanted to see succeed through this. She read the diary, she tried to find a secret cipher she had missed the first few readings but… nothing. It was so blunt that it almost made her feel stupid to believe there was something underneath the layer offered by the diary's content. It was like a challenge, or a prank- she was more inclined on the latter than the former due to how much of a bastard DIO was regardless of him narrating a mostly 'objective' tale of his existence. The real subjective perspective actually emerged after he became a vampire, when he suddenly defended his decision to put on the Stone Mask at all costs… almost like trying to justify himself at times.


Huffing, the now twelve-years-old girl grumbled over the homework as she realized that she was wasting time musing instead of getting through the annoying task at hand. Scribbling down the last hints of a difficult formula for her math bit, Rin felt convinced that she was about to get a free afternoon after so long. One that she was definitely going to use to study more about Jewelcraft from the books that Pucci recovered from her home about this matter. Albeit disliking her father, Rin's passion for the family ambition still remained in the form of advancing Jewelcraft to a divine tier. It was doable, but she definitely required some high-quality Gems neither she nor Pucci could afford- or rather they could afford it, but the priest alluded that it was for the best to not be wasteful of the coin gained from her father's last will.


With a yawn leaving her lips and a tired gaze aimed at the ceiling, Rin wondered if she also had the time to test out and train 'her' Stand's ability so she could try to catch up to DIO's insane control over time. As of right now, she could only do six solid seconds of Time-Stop, and the fact she got so little out of the five years of working on it was tied to her partial incompatibility with the Stand and the fact Time-Stop was difficult to improve when she started with so little 'Stopped Time' that it barely lasted a second. She was working on it, but she could already tell from Pucci's own admission that she was one step or two above Jotaro's own ability to Stop Time. It baffled her that there was a concept of 'mimicry' within Stands, but… then again, why wouldn't that be actually possible. Absurd as it sounded, it wouldn't be unusual for something that was tied with pure Mystery to evolve into something different. And better.


It wouldn't be a lie to say that ｢The World｣ was also used for Magecraft-related projects and studying, with the seemingly infinite input of Mana it offered, it spared her the trouble of worrying about her own Circuits for the time being. It was a 'life hack' in a certain way, but she was sure wasn't going to keep growing too dependent on that. Looking at how Pucci could remove Stands with his own troublesome ability, she knew that in case she 'strayed from the right way', she would have to worry about losing ｢The World｣ and rely on what her body could manage on its own. Which was why she had tiny projects tied to expanding her Circuits without stupidly hurting her body in the process.


Now why would anyone cannibalize nerves for Circuits? Cheap for sure, but not worth the damage it could cause…


With the homework finally over, Rin's little pause before a lovely afternoon was interrupted by sudden noises coming from… the attic? Her eyes narrowed at the ceiling as she heard a couple of strange sounds from up above. Pucci had yet to return home from his normal preaching, so she knew it wasn't him. Standing up and slowly making her way to the tiny staircase that led to the unused room of the house, she eventually wandered up to check on it. She had ｢The World｣ so she could handle any thieves if there were any to deal with.


But what she found there was… unexpected. And quite concerning.


The man had blond hair that could be seen underneath his bowler hat, black eyes and a slim but athletic shape. The individual was floating, wearing a tie by his neck, with its concentric squares patterns matched by his hat. He had a shirtless, dark, lapelless suit with an ever-changing theme that followed the same as the one of his pants. He was looking around, aimlessly but generally… dull.


"W-What are you?" Rin asked, taking enough courage to face the entity and… the blond looked at her with a pair of curious eyes.


"A ghost," He absently replied, leaving the teen in quite the confused mood considering how weird this encounter was. A ghost? Did Ghosts exist in such a way? Weren't those meant to be entities that didn't exist anymore within the realm of existence after the Age of Gods concluded?


Her lips twitched at the cascade of queries falling over her head and so she decided to press for more answers.


"Why are you here? And how did you find your way to this place?"


A blink, his calm eyes exuded a degree of ominousness that left her a little nervous. Could ｢The World｣ do damage on a Ghost? She definitely never heard of DIO facing one so… that was a really concerning possibility.


"I was… lost. Yet I feel like this place is interesting and comfortable."


A blink. "Comfortable?"


"I don't know, I'm afraid to say. My memories are… currently missing me- yet I find this place pleasant and worthy of checking."


An amnesiac ghost? That made even less sense to her. Didn't… she read something about Ghosts missing memories when their deaths had been too gruesome and traumatic? Despite her musings, the Ghost spoke again.


"Is this your home, girl?"


A nod.


"Apologies then, I wasn't trying to cause a fright. You see… I'm trying to find answers to my questions."


"Like others do," Rin replied with a hint of sass, something that was actually missed by the entity from the lack of reaction to it.


"Indeed. I want to know like others do. Yet my questions are tied to me and how I became this? Do you know, girl?"


"Rin."


He blinked, then smiled. "Understood. Nice to meet you and… do you know me?"


"No. This is… the first time I see you."


"Oh," He looked disappointed, mostly about the circumstance than the girl herself.


"But do you even know what your name is?" The teen asked with a curious tone. "Surely you have to remember that."


Much to her relief and surprise, the blond nodded slowly and smiled.


"Apologies again for being this rude and not introducing myself beforehand. My name is Yoshikage Kira and… I guess I'm a Ghost."


Pucci didn't seem much baffled by the apparition, but he definitely seemed to realize something as soon as he was given the name of the Ghost. In fact, that seemed to be the determining factor for him to allow Kira's stay in the house in exchange for 'assisting Rin through the day'.


So much to draw a scare out of the dull priest? Her boredom in this house sure was endless… and now she had someone to talk to. Great.


-------d-d-d-d------------d-d-d-d-----


AN


Rin's life is quite far from normal despite being far from the Joestar family.


Also, to reply to a particularly important question that I believe should be addressed here regarding Ciel, here is an answer: the reason why Ciel doesn't have a Stand despite the fact that she is a Joestar is tied to the ritual that ended up 'making her similar to her original self'. It was tied to her soul and that alteration prevented the formation of a proper Stand considering the implications it implemented within her existence. So yes, Ciel doesn't have a Stand.


Next is… Xuanzang's own situation!

 

[JBukharin]

Epilogue D: Peaceful musings over endless learning


The quiet, the peace.


A hum, a sound and a moment of personal satisfaction.


Xuanzang could recall even after so long the chiding of her teacher when she would be so at ease and yet so centered about materialism. It's been so long since meditation into a harmonious state of mind was achievable, something that was easier when life didn't feel a comfortable one and thus a need for elevation into mysticism was necessary. Did Xuanzang lose that part of her mantra, of her beliefs? No. Despite the tragic but honest view of a new world that seemed so idyllic compared to her previous life, the monk had to admit that spirituality was never going to lose its charm as an outlet to regain a moral understanding of oneself. It was… difficult to find the inner strength to have it persevering within her lifestyle. Yet it did, and the woman was pleased by this very fact. It's been a few years since her 'return' through the Grail and she found appreciation within her own decision to remain behind and see this world as it was. Wandering around through holidays and work trips with Jotaro, the pink-eyed woman started to see how the planet had changed into a state of existence that fought harshly famine and poverty. Not devotedly enough to crush both issues at once, but still enough to keep those from becoming major issues in the known world.


Being around Jotaro, being 'hired' as his assistant but also his wife's helper, helped Caster to study and grasp subjects she never considered taking due to their limited scope back when she was alive. Medicine gained her interest first and, through Jotaro's own approval, she decided to pursue that kind of activity. It didn't give her exactly a new layer of understanding to her existing knowledge of Buddhist points, but it did give her something that helped her to further expand her understanding of the world. How could she try to grasp her own inner self if she barely had a clear sight of what the modern world was?


Her own journey in the past was what gave her enough experience to complete her training the first time around, and yet now it was unable to provide her with the insight she required. The world had changed, thus she had to make a 'new journey' for the sake of fulfilling once more a state of zen. To become a Buddha, or an enlightened monk. And this journey wasn't one that she could exactly complete by mere wandering. The world wide web, the capacity to retrieve info with ease, but it was limited for the time being. Books were still the main source of knowledge, and the capacity to print out so many of those with ease made knowledge easy to acquire if one knew where to search for specific subjects.


After just two years ever since she started studying for a degree, Xuanzang managed to get one and could technically get a license to start practicing. But while that sounded like a good way to improve the income within the Kujo's household, the young woman didn't feel confident enough to go through that kind of intense work. Being a medic was a noble job if someone had the opportunity to invest so much of their lives into it, but it wasn't simple nor as cheerful as it sounded in some instances. The chance of facing death so frequently… felt like an approach that weakened her capacity to fully detach from the materialism. Because the passing of good men and women, and even children, wasn't exactly something Xuanzang was willing to approach with a serene mindset. So she merely decided to remain an 'assistant researcher' for the Kujo's family but also a babysitter back at home when both Jotaro and Lena were busy with work.


The first year being part of that household was quite tough. Lena wasn't exactly sure how to accept that another woman was meant to be living in the same house as her, her husband and her daughters. Sakura was taken in without hesitation. The girl quickly pulled in a big hug when she was first introduced to Lena and the child loved the motherly affection as much as she did with Jotaro's fatherly care. Even Jolyne seemed to bond quite nicely with her new older sister, but the issue remained when it came to Caster. It took Jotaro a long time to convince his wife that the sudden situation wasn't one driven by any affair. The real mess, the thing that really left Lena so skeptical of accepting her with ease, was the explanation that came out about Sakura's adoption and Xuanzang's acceptance as part of the family, albeit in a surrogate way.


Lena was… confused. And annoyed. But mostly confused. The woman had always reputed her husband to be a rational man that could hardly lie to her. Something that had many times forced Jotaro to be dismissive and just not answer some of her tougher questions, but that now was missing as a self-defense mechanism since Jotaro had made a promise and he knew that his wife wasn't going to just 'ignore' this many radical changes. So he came out, starting with the entire situation tied to Stands. The man could get through the explanation he had in mind to deliver without any major interruptions. Lena listened, nodding absently as she thought of several curious instances she found about the tale of what happened in Cairo, but she… believed him. Despite the absurdity of that explanation, she mentioned how she knew that Jotaro just had that kind of 'energy' that just made him stand out from many. A strong man, a mysterious man, a… troubled man with a troubling power.


The explanation then went through what happened in Fuyuki and why he was called to check on the matter. The first feeling coming out from the general explanation was irritation at the fact that Jotaro got into a dangerous situation, got injured, and didn't tell her about it before that point. She understood that Jotaro's position wasn't exactly a flattering one, but while she was angry at this situation, she still agreed that his own work led to Sakura being granted a pleasant life. When she was told about the Matou Family, Lena's face grew green in pure disgust. She was appalled by the situation and didn't hesitate in accepting Jotaro's personal intervention to dismantle the horrible group. In fact, Sakura became the main element that seemed to soothe any major issues that came out from this confession, with Lena's punishment for Jotaro being fairly 'tame' considering the extent of worry she had gone through.


Two days sleeping on the couch for the man while she spent those nights taking care of Sakura and Jolyne's slumbers. It was kind of amusing in a way how Jotaro was actually 'affected' by the punishment. Still, while that sorted out Sakura, it still left quite a mess in the form of Xuanzang. There was a genuine distrust at first as Lena wasn't completely certain of Caster's goodwill into not ruining her marriage with her husband, so she decided to monitor her for a while before giving out a proper assessment of the entire situation. After a grueling first year that saw Xuanzang scrutinized while interacting with her Master, Lena seemed to accept that the monk was still a monk albeit a friendly one at that. That and the fact that both shared a lot of tastes when it came to fashion towards modern outfits.


With Xuanzang also assuming a more direct role in their works and also helping back at home, her presence felt more as a blessing than anything negative. By the second year onward, Xuanzang was officially confirmed as a 'surrogate aunt' to both Jolyne and Sakura, which was further confirmed when Jotaro's mother, Holly, visited and managed to chat with the monk, the conclusive comment was that 'it felt like speaking to a daughter I didn't know to have'. Which prompted some teasing from Lena towards Jotaro about him and his Servant having the kind of attitude to each other that would make them stand out as mature siblings. In a certain way, Xuanzang could see this as a possible reason for her brief clashes with Jotaro and yet their complete understanding and agreement to each other when it came to so many topics.


It came to a point where the joking attempt to tease the man by calling him 'Big brother', despite the difference of age between the two suggesting the opposite titling, actually became part of her speech pattern while addressing Jotaro. And after a while, Jotaro just surrendered to being addressed that way as 'it was better than getting annoyed with more infuriating nicknames'.


After a few years of being around the Kujos, Xuanzang's role found further credibility when little Jolyne started to talk and saw her as her aunt and Sakura as her sister. It was lovely, even helping the two when they began their school years and needed help with their homework. It was nice and well, even when she decided to follow Jotaro back to Japan to handle an issue tied to Joseph and… some misdeed he committed a decade and a half ago.


Josuke Higashikata was an honest but still childish young man. Not so much to make him unpleasant to interact with, but definitely one that took a lot from his old biological father. The adventure in Morioh, the discovery of the Arrow that was responsible for the creation of Stands, facing many of the remaining servants to DIO and… then Yoshikage Kira. A turbulent trip, but one that resolved peacefully as Shinji discovered that he now had a little sister by the time Joseph was back home. But differently from Sakura, which he had just started to see in a positive light as his cousin, Shizuka Joestar seemed to receive immediate positive support from the boy. The one that was to thank for his sudden change toward a better mindset was Joseph's wife. Suzy Q was a respectful lady, one that knew when to be stern and yet also how to be caring of anyone she took care of, especially children. Shinji was accepted with open arms and, while he had a tough time getting through the idea of not receiving any punishment for 'failing', he still managed to do it. And his attitude towards others changed as it mellowed in a kinder take on existence. Shizuka just went to further cement and expand on this change, giving Shinji what he needed to finalize his 'new and ideal family'.


After taking a sigh at the remembrance, Xuanzang sat down by the desk in her room, a piece of paper lying on the smooth surface of the furniture and a pen already prepared and grasped by her right hand. A small smile adorned her face as she decided to send a little letter to Sakura, the young girl now being eleven and having decided to 'take a more active role' in her father's jobs. She was forbidden to do anything but observe and she was also ordered plenty of times to not be around whenever she joined Jotaro in 'safe trips', but she managed to somehow convince the man to allow her to visit Italy together with the young student the marine biologist had assigned to check on something unfolding in Italy.


"I want to check on Caren, nothing more," Sakura had mentioned with a serious tone, eyes sternly glancing at her father's close-to-refusal gaze as it highlighted the connection she established with Kirei Kotomine's daughter after the few visits made by the priest to check on the Kujo's family. "Nothing more, nothing else."


Despite all the worry in the world, Jotaro agreed to the condition that she was to return after a week and that he would check on her and forcefully bring her home if she tried to stay beyond the seven days-long limit. Accepting the deal, Sakura was effectively taking a journey to Italy and Xuanzang was… interested to see how it unfolded.


The girl had grown so much ever since she was brought out of Japan, growing quite taken to English and other languages, but still sticking a lot to Japanese and Italian due to her connection to her birthplace and her interest to interact with Caren without any language barrier stopping her. But while some positive changes unfolded, a concerning one also added to the list as Sakura's admiration for her father took her to… be a little more interested in his thuggish phase. Nothing that really resembled the harsher edges that a younger Jotaro was known to have, but her softness had slowly been eclipsed by a form of toughness that was born out of mimicry rather than personal acceptance. Which was as cute as frustrating at times due to how many troubles it caused to her and the whole family while the girl clashed with some bullies. Nothing really dangerous, but still enough to leave Jotaro in a perplexed state on what to do.


In his mind, by allowing Sakura some controlled independence now, perhaps the girl would be able to form her own perception of the world rather than copying his own and getting the uglier details too reinforced. Xuanzang wasn't completely accepting of this plan, but she decided to agree to it and also opted to write a letter to summarize some personal requests she wanted Sakura to follow. Nothing too imposing or too restricting, but still enough to prevent any messes from unfolding whenever a bad situation happened.


Smiling while going through this task, Xuanzang paused just once during the entire writing and that was when she was done. With satisfaction brimming from her eager grin, she folded the paper once the ink had dried up and wasn't going to stain the paper. Sending the letter to the girl's current destination in Italy a few hours before her arrival was definitely going to end with her receiving it just in time.


If only Caster knew that Sakura Kujo was going to have her own Bizarre Adventure while visiting Italy…


----------d-d-d-d---------------d-d-d-d--------


AN


Next up is the last epilogue and the 'Intro' for the sequel which I finally know how to name: Gold and Purple, Imperial Wind.


Also, little explanation for those that missed it in the last epilogue: Rin meets Kira after Part 4. Ghost Kira is a canon concept that comes from Dead Man's Questions.


Sequel is set during Part 5.