The last thing she remembered was laughing as she pulled that asshole in a universe in which the Earth never formed, then him stabbing her with the swords he had on her.
Oh that was great.
Well, technically the last thing she remembered was... well, it's hard to explain to beings bound to silly things like time and causality.
But imagine it as you sitting in an endless library, or perhaps a video rental place. You got to read/see all sorts of actions you did, piled up in an endless loop without any real order or sense. Plus, all the actions were you murdering people. Imagine that, forever.
She could understand why he had been a tad bitter. Of course, she sometimes even worked with him, (usually involving keeping a very angry dog from killing all humans) but it wasn't like she could really talk to him, since when they went out to work they lost all free will. Still, she liked to imagine that that one time where she tripped him and he got bitten in half wasn't an accident but a subtle expression of her displeasure.
The jackass.
Of course, the real issue was the fact that A) she had materialized into existence and B) that she currently had free will.
The fact that the house she was in had been wrecked was minor, really.
There were very few situations in which a spirit of her caliber could be summoned and yet have free will. Perhaps an insane Dead Apostle had decided to try and bend the laws of nature and God even more than usual. Or maybe Gaia needed someone done with some actual subtly for once, so she was being allowed to use her brain or perhaps-
Suddenly a flood of information forced its way into her mind, informing her of her current situation.
Or maybe she had gotten dragged into the goddamn Holy Grail War.
“OK... worst case scenario... Caster.” She said her new name. Appropriately enough, she had been called into the Caster class. “I wonder what this world's war is like.” If she was lucky, it was drastically different. Maybe everyone had swapped genders and she had been summoned by her male self. Or maybe other than her being called instead of an insane Greek woman it was pretty much the same.
The big question was, what was the catalyst? What had drawn her into this world? Who had such a strong connection to her...?
“Ehhh?” A voice, an all to familiar voice drifted into her ears.
Matou. Shinji.
OK new plan, kill myself, hopefully with a spell large enough to kill him with me. These were Caster's thoughts. Wait... wait... he's...
She felt no connection to him. He was not her Master.
But wait, if he's not, the who in this wretched house called me.. oh... oh no. No no no no no. “Damnit!” She shouted, not noticing the confusion on Shinji's face. The Ribbon, of course.
She had a new problem, if this world was as similar to her own as she feared... well... she doubted that the Holy Grail would be granting wishes any time soon.
~--------------------~
“.....”
Tohsaka Rin stared at the man who was apparently her Servant.
He was not exactly heroic looking, in fact, he looked like a rather shifty fellow. The fact that he was so good at pissing her off made it even worse. He had made her waste a Command Spell. So bothersome.
“Well?” Servant Archer raised an eyebrow, “Your first command, my Master?”
Rin finally tossed a broom at him.
“Clean up this mess, I'm going to bed...”
~--------------------~
He’s mad he’s mad he’s mad… She thought as she slowly walked upstairs. She realized it… she had screwed up.
It was the first time the man she called “Grandfather” had ever needed her to do something. Usually he just did things to her.
Matou Zouken calmly followed the girl. He could correct the girl that he was not angry at her, merely curious. But then, that wouldn’t be any fun, now would it? He rarely got to enjoy anything in life, so seeing her nervousness was a treat.
Sakura had clearly successfully summoned a Heroic Spirit, yet it had not appeared in the proper summoning circle. Instead she had appeared in a room above it.
Sakura was too valuable to risk direct conflict in this. He needed her alive. Honestly, this showing was a mere formality, the girl would likely shove off the Servant to Shinji. Sure, he'll likely die, but his purpose is mostly finished at this point. The one major thing he was useful for now could easily be filled by any man off the street...
~--------------------~
She wasn't particularity tall. Roughly the average height of a Japanese woman. Her hair was... strange. At first it seemed black, yet it seemed to change colors countlessly depending on the light. Her eyes were gray, currently narrowed in annoyance at him. She wore a red coat, with a black blouse and dress. Hanging from her neck was a red jeweled pendant. All in all, other then the hair or eyes, not what he expected a Heroic Spirit to look like.
Frankly, she looked like a cosplayer.
“Soooo....” Shinji finally decided to break the silence, “What... what is your name?”
The woman actually looked directly at him, giving him an expression that was not unlike someone noticing a nasty bug and wondering if they should kill it. At that moment Shinji felt it.
This being was beyond human. The only reason he was still alive is because she didn't feel like killing him.
“You.” She finally said, “may call me Caster.”
Caster. The class given to Heroic Spirts that excel in magic. While not strong in direct combat, as long as they hung back and let their powerful magic deal with their foes... “I see... I guess that's good, yeah... we can hang back and-”
“What's this 'we' business?” She harshly interrupted him. “You are not my Master. And frankly, considering that I sense not even the slightest bit of magic in you, you even thinking of being so is an insult.”
“I... wha...”
At that moment the door opened, and Sakura entered the room. (Zouken appeared with her, but he did not walk in so much as appear in.)
“Ah...” Caster said, in an instance her expression changed. It was... complex. A mixture of happiness, sadness, regret, and several other feelings. In an instant the Servant moved in front of the girl, she was just tall enough that Sakura had to look up a little.
“...you are...” Sakura found herself lost in those eyes. Who... who was this girl? Why... why did she look familiar?
Then, Caster hugged her.
What in the world...? Zouken thought.
“You're... my Master right?” Caster's voice was suddenly gentle. “I'm Caster. I'll watch over you, OK?”
~--------------------~
She often thought she had the worst luck in the world.
One might argue that those who died have it worse, but that is a load of crap. Once you're dead you move on to the next world, you don't need to worry about the pains and troubles of whatever ended you.
The survivors, on the other hand, they have it much worse. And of all the people in the world, she had it the worst of all.
If it weren't for her Master taking her into his protection she was sure that the Clock Tower would have had her head. They were understandably ticked, since a significant portion of Japan was overrun with a horrid curse hostile to human life.
And it was growing.
Of course, even that wasn't so bad, they might have even forgiven her as long as nobody realized it was magic.
But then that golden asshole declared himself King of the World, ruling from that hellhole.
When a literal God-King appears it's hard to keep the supernatural secret.
~--------------------~
It was the second day of the Holy Grail War. Sakura didn't really know what to think of the Servant that had hugged her.
She refused to answer who she was.
“I only trust you with that information, Master. Sadly, you're being watched at all times. So I can not afford to give it to you just yet.”
She seemed loyal to her... at least. However she had shown nothing but disdain for Shinji and Zouken...
She put those thoughts behind her. Right now where was something that, in her mind, was far more important then the Holy Grail War.
Making Emiya Shirou's breakfast.
“And just where are you going, my Master?” Caster materialized in front of her.
“Eeeahhh!!! I- I just need to go see someone.”
“See someone...?” Caster's face suddenly split into a grin. “Would this someone be... a boy?”
“What... no! It's...” She felt her face turn red “He's... he's just my Senpai! I...”
“So it is a boy!” Caster let out a giggle that didn't befit the dignity of a Heroic Spirit.
“I... I... Caster...” Sakura mumbled.
“Oh, It's OK.” Caster patted Sakura on the head. “It's daytime, just go out to school and your boyfriend (“Caster!”) I'll hold down the fort, OK?”
“Oh.. OK...” Sakura mumbled.
“Heading to school?” Archer said.
“Yeah.” Rin finished buttoning up her uniform. “Tonight I'll take you on our first expedition around town.”
“Get to know the lay of the land huh?” Not that he really needed it.
“Of course.” Rin picked up her school bag. The war had begun, soon enough she would be fighting for the ultimate prize.
And winning, it, of course.
~--------------------~
What am I going to do!? These were Caster's thoughts.
OK, think. You don't know of the Holy Grail holds an ancient god of evil. Yet it's a pretty safe bet, otherwise the situation now would be a lot different. If old Goldy's here what am I going to do... oh God, what if Emiya-kun doesn’t summon Saber!?
The chain of events is as follows;
Rider creates a perverse boundary field.
Tohsaka Rin notices it.
Rin and Archer investigate.
They meet Lancer and fight.
Emiya Shirou sees the fight, Lancer chases him down and stabs him.
Rin saves his life.
Shirou returns home.
Lancer comes to finish the job.
Shirou summons Saber.
The problem was that, in this reality, Rider was not summoned. So something else would need to catch this reality's version of her's attention.
“Well, this is troublesome.” She sighed, “I guess I have work to do.” She looked up at where a worm was watching her. “You aren't seeing where I'm going, old slug. So bye!” With that, she vanished, not just physically, but spiritually. To Zouken, it was if Caster had suddenly stopped existing.
~--------------------~
He has one he has one he's a Master! She had seen the mark forming. She knew now that the absolute worst thing had happen.
Her Senpai was going to fight as a Master.
She... she would have to fight him. She knew how this war was supposed to be. Brutal, violent, and cruel. To the winner came the Holy Grail, to the losers death. It was the way of things.
What to do what to do…
“Sakura?” A voice dragged her out of her thoughts.
“Ahaahaha Tohsaka-senpai!” She jumped back at the presence of her.
Her upperclassman raised an eyebrow, “Are you alight? You look pale.”
“I… I’m sorry, I feel a little under the weather.” She said.
“Really? You should have stayed home then.” Rin approached her.
“Oh I’ve felt worse Tohsaka-senpai. This is nothing.” Sakura said quickly. Though, there was little in her memory that could compare to the black pit growing in her stomach. It had been a long time since she felt fear.
“OK then.” Rin gave her a generic “cheer up underclassman” smile (which isn’t what she wanted from Rin but what she really wanted she would never get) “See you later, Sakura.”
“Bye Tohsaka-senpai…”
~--------------------~
Caster suddenly appeared on the roof of the high school. “Assassin, eat your heart out.” There really wasn’t a better form of stealth then not existing in that reality at that moment.
“Now then, how to catch Rin-chan’s attention.” She wasn’t going to be able to set up the same sort of boundary field that Rider did. For one thing, she was pretty sure that it was a Noble Phantasm of hers.
Another was the fact that she had morals.
Still, it was time to leave her mark on the school. A big, noticeable magical neon sign that basically said to Tohsaka Rin “I’m here, and I’m pissing you off”
“I know, fufufu.” A big spiritual barrier, similar to the ever familiar one in Ryudou. Keep spirits from entering… or exiting without being weakened. It wouldn’t be as strong as that one; she wasn’t specialized in that sort of thing. Nor was the school on holy ground. But it would be enough to notice and tick Rin off.
It was incredibly fast to set up magic now. As a normal human, the ritual she was thinking of would take many hours of perpetration, and several material components.
As a Heroic Spirit, it took ten minutes. It was a deviously designed field, self-perpetuating. So the only way to get rid of it was to destroy all its foundations within a few minutes. A giant pain in the ass for Rin to deal with.
The sigils were formed, and once activated would spread to the points in the school she had designated.
“Now then, to jump start it. “ It was almost fun to be so brazen with her magic. “The final touch.” She drew out the tool that might best be described as her Noble Phantasm. It appeared to be a dagger, a black handle and a crystal blade. A device few could understand made with technology that wasn't of this world.
Not a divine mystery, nor a tool of legend. It was… simply, a device she used. She had made it after years of study under her master. She activated it, causing it to glow with a kaleidoscope of colors. She lowered it into the center of her ritual, and poured mana gathered from countless worlds into it.
At that instant, the magic activated, and the whole school was surrounded by a force that would block spiritual interference.
~--------------------~
During the same instant, Rin had to fight the urge to stand up and run to whatever the hell just happened.
“Rin.” Archer whispered to her, always on guard even in spirit form. “You felt that, didn't you?”
What she wanted to do was shout at the top of her lungs that of course she felt it. Sadly, she was in the middle of class and as such merely could nod.
“Strange though… it was so much magical energy, and a powerful boundary field has been set up around the school, yet it occurred in an instant.”
Rin could also feel the strength of the field erected. Whoever had set it up did not have “subtlety” in mind. A powerful spiritual barrier had been formed.
“This is troublesome. It will be difficult for me to leave the school.”
Rin tapped down at her notebook; in it she had written “A trap?”
“Perhaps but… wait… no.” Archer paused, “Excuse me Rin, I need to investigate something.” His presence briefly left her.
~--------------------~
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Rin didn’t get this… at all.
“It’s the truth Master.”
“It doesn't make sense!” She wanted to shout, but she was still in school, and muttering in a corner was weird enough. She didn’t want to draw attention after all.
A powerful spiritual barrier, which could block spirits from crossing. While a Servant could get past, it would be troublesome, they’d tire themselves doing so.
Rin had assumed it was a trap, made for her to lock in her Servant.
Except…
“Why, exactly, are there holes in it?” Gaps in the barrier that match up with, well, the gates that students use to enter and exit school.
“I don’t know Rin. It’s... illogical.” Especially since this wasn’t matching up with what he knew. The boundary field in his life has already been set up by the time he and Rin had arrived, and it had been a thoroughly nasty one. This... on the other hand, was little more than a prank. “This feels like someone’s idea of a joke.”
“But what kind of magus would waste their time on a joke?” Especially one that involved this much work. A barrier of this caliber required hours of preparation and a massive amount of magical energy.
The only thing that she could think of…
“It’s a message.” She said. “Whoever did it is telling us that they could have taken us, but didn’t.”
“Arrogance, I’m guessing.” Archer would have shrugged if he was corporal. “What shall we do, Master?”
“We see what our little friend is going to do with it, for now.”
~--------------------~
Sakura silently entered her home. Her entire day had been one of silent misery.
What was she going to do?
She… she didn’t want to hurt Shirou.
“Maaaassstterrr.”
“Oh. Hi Caster.” Her lifeless mood sharply contrasting with Caster’s smile, in fact, that smile contrasted with the Matou household as a whole. What was she to do…?
“Ah, there you are Sakura.” Enter Shinji, and even Caster’s mood soured. “Grandfather wants to speak to you.”
“I.. I see…” She silently followed her brother, with a scowl Caster followed.
~--------------------~
Zouken’s room could only be described as a “lair.”
A slimy, twisted, monster that exists only to cause suffering did not live in a room like a human being.
It lurked in its dark lair, scheming and plotting.
Just seeing the worms brought back the worst memories.
she laughed as she stood over her, the worms everywhere
Uggg.. focus. She stood behind Sakura, her face expressionless. As the king worm formed in the room.
“Ah, Sakura.” Zouken said, his voice a mockery of affection. “I have been concerned. Tell me, is the Servant burdening you?”
Of course not. Caster thought, I’ve been taking care to not draw any energy from her. While this would be an impossibility for most Servants, her “Noble Phantasm” allowed to gather enough power to sustain herself and more without worry.
“N-no. I haven’t felt any burdens at all.” She answered obediently.
Disgusting. Caster thought, Just say the word, and I’ll purge the world of him.
“Hmmmm…” Zouken paused, “However, there is something else I wish to discuss.” He looked Sakura in the eye, “You are the last hope for the Matou arts, Sakura. While our honor demands entry into the Holy Grail War, I think it perhaps it would be best not to-“
He didn't get to finish that sentence. One instance Caster had been standing passively behind Sakura, the next she was in front of Zouken, lifting up the ancient magus into the air by his neck. The next instant the countless worms filling the room reacted in defense of their master. They swarmed around Caster, rising up and attempting to consume her. Caster didn’t even turn her gaze away from Zouken, the worms were burned away. Not by any spell, but a burst of pure mana
“You will not finish that sentence, worm.” Caster’s eyes were narrowed. “I will not serve any slug you deign to force Sakura to pass me onto. It will take a Command Spell to make me do anything. This includes ‘not killing you where you stand’.” To make her point further, the hand holding Zouken up began to glow. The air became filled with a sizzling sound and a stench as if one burned rotting meat.
Sakura finally realized the situation that was occurring. “Caster! Stop!”
“….humph.” Caster let go of Zouken, smiling faintly as he collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath and rubbing his scorched throat.
“You have made your point quite well, Caster.” Zouken straightened his posture as much as possible. “Honestly girl, this is why Caster is a poor choice. They always have the pride of a Magi, and are so hard to control…”
“I’ll take that as a complement.” Caster snorted, “Besides, cockroach. Do you think I am Saber? Or Berserker? Wildly charging into battle with abandon? I am Caster; I’ll stay in the shadows, and strike using my magic. There is no need to expose Sakura to direct risk. Your reasoning is flawed.” She turned around and took Sakura by the hand, “Let’s talk elsewhere Sakura.”
~--------------------~
She talked back to Grandfather.
No, more than that.
She got him to back down.
Nobody defied Zouken. His word was the absolute law of God. If he wanted something, he got it. Sure, if he was in a kind mood he would phrase it as a request. But there was no doubt if anybody said “no” to him, the consequences would be dire.
Throughout her life, Sakrua had seen only one person defy him. He had died shortly afterwards. The message was clear.
Yet… Caster had completely overpowered him.
“Sakura… what was bothering you?” She asked quietly. Sakura felt… strangely comfortable around her. It was like if she wanted Caster would just hold her quietly, let her scream everything.
She… she didn't want to scream, she didn't want to break down.
She started telling her, quietly at first. But as she told more she got louder and louder.
How Emiya Shioru won her heart how he was so kind how she felt happy just being with him helping him.
It all spilled out, it was the first time Sakura had let anybody hear how she felt. Finally…
“And today… I saw it. A Command Spell was forming on Senpai’s hand!”
“I see…” Caster closed her eyes in thought. This is why she was willing to give up Rider. She opened her eyes, “Master?”
“Y-yes?”
“What do you want from this?”
“From… what?”
“The Holy Grail War. What wish do you want it to grant?”
“Me?” Sakura sighed, “Nothing. I never wanted to join in the first place. Grandfather told me to summon a Servant, so I did. But… now… I… I think I want to make sure Senpai’s safe.”
“I see…” Caster sighed.
“You're the type that will regret something, then go back and retaliate. I'm deceiving myself with all the patchwork, but you go and completely destroy it with a straight face.”
“Well then, Master. I will do my best to help you.” Caster smiled.
~--------------------~
My name is Tohsaka Rin.
I was once a magus, and a Master.
But I screwed up. It took me fifteen years to correct it. It cost a lot, but I knew the price. I have no regrets.
Some might say this is a second chance, but I know better. I can never change what happened to “me”.
This is merely another possibility. Of the infinite worlds that exist, at least one produced this outcome.
I’ll make the best of it, because it may not be “her.” And it may not be “him.” But still…
Letting them smile, even a little, might work as the slightest atonement.
Life is an Endless Dream
By Pata Hikari
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Originally Posted by Counterguardian
