A few days ago.
Late at night, before the war officially started, two members of an ancient yet defunct magi clan made their way inside the ruins of an empty building. Decrepit and neglected, it was one of the few remaining places that had been left to rot that still had a connection to the leylines. Or rather, the weakest connection that was still salvageable. Most if not all similar, more ideal, properties had been bought off or taken over by a certain organization and were bustling with business and tourists, becoming new centres of Fuyuki and Minami City's nightlife.
It wasn't exactly fitting to perform a ritual summoning in such populated areas, but this place would serve its needed purpose. With the moon shining down from a hole in the ceiling, the tallest of the pair led the way into the largest room.
"In here, sister."
The shorter girl followed in, rubbing her cold hands against a scarf as she inspected the place her dear brother had picked out for her. Her gaze quickly narrowed to the markings and etchings scrawled across the floor as various pentagrams and glyphs likely drawn out in practice could be seen through the dust and grime.
"You already started marking the… Brother, are you sure no one has seen you coming by here?!"
"Relax," Shinji forced himself not to raise his voice and waited for her to do as asked before he continued. "This place should be good enough. I surveyed for over a week now and no one comes here except for a couple of delinquent upperclassmen of ours. A quick phone call to the police had them spooked out enough that they hadn't been back for a couple of days. So we should be fine."
With that, Shinji stepped away to kneel and mark the floor in red ichor. Vials of chicken blood they bought in the market just yesterday were used to ink the floor in silence. The girl frowned but took her brother's word for it. Shinji wouldn't lie to her, after all, hence why Sakura joined him to help draw a more complete version of the Servant-summoning circle in the cleanest part of the floor in haste. They needed to finish this before anyone else took notice. The last thing they needed was their loving parent and guardian of all people catching wind of what they were doing.
Soon, they managed to complete it to perfection. Or as close to perfection as they could achieve with not-so-fresh animal blood and a decrepit stone floor. They couldn't be sure it would work, but neither were they certain it would do otherwise. They hadn't been truly raised on magecraft before. Not properly, anyway. All they had to go off of was references in tomes and books they found stowed away in the attic. Their father likely never considered they'd be snooping around Zouken's things after the horrors he inflicted upon their family.
"Wait!" Which was why, just as his sister raised her hand over the etchings, Shinji snatched her wrist and pulled her back. "Sakura—"
"Not again. We've been over this, brother."
"But still—Mm!" Shinji was silenced with a finger to his lips. He took a couple of breaths but didn't relent his hold still. Only matching his adopted sibling's equally determined gaze. "But even so, this is still dangerous. If you become the anchor, then—"
"You cannot be the anchor, brother. We already established you lack the Magic Circuits for it."
"But that doesn't mean you're ready to risk your life just yet, Sakura! I know it was my idea to be prepared just in case, but that was because I was—"
"You were going to take on this duty like it's 'a burden reserved only for the head of the Matou clan', yada-yada, etc. Yes, Shinji. We went over this." Sakura rested a palm on the wrist Shinji was using to hold her. "But you and I both know that the stuff with Grandfather's old life has little to nothing to do with us now."
"The Grail War could still occur in Fuyuki, Sakura. You saw Zouken's notes. That thing is tied to the land itself. Meaning that, Matou or not, we're still at risk of what's to come. As the heir of the family name and the one responsible for your safety, I'd rather be damned if I'd let the disaster that befell Uncle Kariya happen to you—!"
Again, another finger, this time on his nose, had him falling silent. Sakura's eyes, though resolved and ready, were graced with a kind smile. "While I do appreciate you looking out for me, risking your own health for this when I'm more compatible would render your effort futile. Please, Shinji. Let me be the big sis for once."
Shinji's scowl crumpled under Sakura's upturned puppy-dog-eyed pleading. She was doing it on purpose and he sure as shit didn't want to give in for fear of what fate would befall her… But this was the price he paid for digging up those old books.
The prophesied cyclic occurrences of the Grail War, the requirements to summon Servants, the rules to fight to the death using said Heroic Spirits, and the intricacies of the ritual thereafter… It was kind of damning to be reminded he was a descendent of a twisted old bug man with ties to such a dastardly dangerous magic ritual. But knowing what they knew now, it's not like they could run away. Moreso when one of them was already marked by the abhorrent Grail.
He stared at the tri-petals marrying the back of Sakura's hand before meeting her eyes directly once more. In the end, he just couldn't say no to his sister who knew better. He groaned and released her hand. "Fine… Do what you want."
"Don't worry about me, dear brother." Sakura gave his cheek a soft pinch before pumping her fist with confidence. "I won't allow myself to lose this family. You can be sure of that!"
"I'll never doubt it." Shinji smiled for a bit before the scowl slowly returned. "Are you really ready, though? To kill, I mean." Sakura's shoulders hitched as she stood at the edge of the magic circle. In the end, he tried to dissuade her again. "It's unfair of me to say it again, but this was my idea so I'm not backing off here. I need to know, sis. This… this isn't a game."
"And I said it myself, didn't I?" Shinji didn't see her face, but he saw it. The moment that his little sister's posture stopped shifting nervously and raised her hand over the pentagram that started to glow, responding to the drops of chicken blood she poured down from the last vial. "I promise, brother. Even if what we're doing is just going on the defensive and hiding out until this all blows over… I will not let anyone ruin our normal lives."
'I won't stand for being trampled underfoot by the whims of others. Not again. Never again…'
She didn't say it. But Shinji knew what she meant.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, he took a step back to observe Sakura start the ritual. Inwardly, he cursed his lacking self for putting this burden on her. Despite being the older brother, he was forced yet again to let her handle it… And that's despite initially wanting to do this on his own.
'Silver and blood to the origin. Crimson gold to the pact.'
The unrestrained water creates a pathway. The gates in the four directions open, coming upon the crown, the three-forked road that leads to the kingdom circulates.'
'Shut (fill).
Shut (fill).
Shut (fill).
Shut (fill).
Shut (fill).
Repeat every five times.
Simply, shatter once filled.
―――― I announce.'
Sakura had memorized every line, every meaning of the mantra. Having no choice but to memorize them from the decrepit books left behind by that monster. Shinji wanted to protest, but anything he'd say here was going to be ignored by Sakura. She was committed now.
'Your self is under me, your sword is my freedom (suffering). In accordance with the approach of the Holy Grail, if you abide by this feeling, this reason, then answer.'
The response was instantaneous. The moonlight was outshined by the crimson brightness erupting from the center of the room consuming their eyesight for a moment. Shinji had hidden his face behind his elbow, but he could see Sakura standing stalwart amidst it all, not once looking away from the ritual she wrought.
The blood red light soon brightened and slowly faded to a shimmer of pink as what was once two occupants of the room was now three. A katana in one hand while the other was placed on her hip, the Servant got up from her kneeling and opened her eyes. Between the Matou siblings, Shinji flinched a bit upon meeting the shorter newcomer's analyzing gaze. Though more diminutive than his sister, this girl—no, this woman was just as if not more intimidating than Sakura when she was mad. Clad in a somewhat blue haori rimmed with white and a black scarf, her face bore the ideals of a traditional beauty by Japanese standards… But the picturesque Yamato Nadeshiko of a samurai girl gave an almost foreign air due to her blonde hair that was hued closer to light pink than gold. The sharp eyes jumped from Shinji to Sakura before her, then to Sakura's hand where the Command Seals reside.
It was then she took a knee once more.
"Shinsengumi's First Unit Captain, Okita Souji. I ask, are you my Master?"
"Indeed, I am. Sakura. Matou Sakura. I am pleased to meet you, Okita-san." Sakura returned the bow. "This is my brother. Matou Shinji."
Shinji jumped a bit when the Servant raised her head to glance at him. He hoped she didn't notice him checking her out, but he tried for a flagrant smile when he noticed Sakura was the one smiling dangerously at him over her shoulder. She definitely noticed.
"Y-yeah. N-nice to meet you…" The dangerous aura leaking from Sakura's smile made him consider his words. As if he'd be so foolish to hit on a magical familiar, the nerve of this sister of his… "A-ahem. On behalf of the Matou cla… or what's left of it… we welcome you. Apologies for the dour place to do the summoning, but we were pressed for resources. We place our future and hope of victory in your hands, Miss Souji."
The girl then smiled before jovially nodding. As if she was used to the formalities of being inducted into a clan. Then again, she was a figure of history in a sense. No way she wouldn't be used to this.
"I will be fighting on behalf of the entire clan then, I see. Very well. My sword is yours, Master." She offered it up ceremoniously before hanging her sheathe by her hip. "Now then… out of curiosity, Is this perchance, your base of operations, Master? It doesn't strike me as an advantageous fortress forthwith to stand our ground."
"First name basis is okay if you're fine with it." Sakura replied before sighing. "And to answer your question, no. This is… um… well…" She then started to fiddle around, unsure how to say it. Shinji took it upon himself to straighten things out how he could.
"It's an abandoned area. We did the summoning here because it's the best place available to us at the moment. Our clan, or what's left of it, lacked the resources to do a proper ritual. All that talk of fighting for us Matou aside, it's not like we did this completely for the sake of our clan either." Crossing his arms, he dared to rip the band-aid off early. If she was Sakura's Servant, then she was obligated to listen and heed the warning. "My father is not aware we summoned you. Or rather, he isn't keen on either of us extending our knowledge or practicing magecraft in general. For that matter, we only participated in the Grail War out of necessity because we're aware the danger won't abate even if we remain ignorant."
"Hmm…" Okita Souji hummed to herself and nodded along. "So you mean to participate from the shadows. Not to worry. As part of the Assassin class, I am adept at doing just that. Though, don't take it to mean I cannot hold my own in direct combat. I am confident in my skills with the blade."
To demonstrate, her sword clicked once before swishing noises followed. Faster than the eye could see, four gashes deeper than three inches and in the shape of a perfect hash diagonally marred the wall behind her like a diamond. Shinji only saw the moment she resheathed her thin katana. He never saw her turn around to draw into the concrete wall.
"I…" Sakura tried not to audibly gulp and held her composure. The corner of Shinji's eye wasn't as relaxed, twitching shamelessly as his hairs stood on end. "I can see the veracity of your words, Okita-san. I humbly ask you to remain hidden from our enemies, though I would ask you to do the same for even our family when possible." Sakura stated a little sheepishly. "I know it's rude of me to say, but your existence is a danger for us too. I'd ask you to reveal yourself only to either my brother or I should it be necessary."
The young woman made a face, a curious look that Sakura found difficult to reply to. Shinji did it in her stead.
"Our family has a peculiar history with the Grail War itself, you see. For all intents and purposes, we intend to win but we also want to stay alive through it by not actively participating. We aren't doing this for the fame and glory that died with the former head of our clan. I just want my sister and I to live our normal lives in peace."
"Hm… Understandable. I will endeavor to keep it in mind." The Servant was taking things far easier than Shinji imagined. He expected her to be a bit cross with them for not wanting to be proactive. "What other orders will you have for me, then?"
"I…" Sakura hesitated. She was talking to a weapon needing orders to act, but for the life of him, even Shinji was stumped on what to do. Despite going through his grandfather's copious notes of what Servants were and how they functioned as the Servant half of the Grail's contract, neither he nor Sakura knew what to do or say from here.
They never fought a war before. They never killed before. As far as things like this go, Sakura was only ever a victim of it all. And he was just the bystander worried for his sibling.
"We would ask you to please…. Please protect our normal life."
In the end, Sakura took the first step. She always did when she saw an opportunity, despite the dangers it entailed. But she was shivering. She was trying so hard to live up to the expectations of a Master in Zouken's notes. Shinji could see it even as he stood three paces behind her.
Assassin closed that gap before her Master could break down to tears.
"That comes part and parcel with my contract, Sakura-sama. But how would you like me to proceed? I can see that a demure lady as yourself has the fire but not the means." Okita Souji, for the first time today since Shinji laid eyes on her, dropped the tense warrior air and stepped forward to cup Sakura's hands. "Starting today, I am your blade. How would you like me to cut."
Sakura took a deep breath, then exhaled. Another one and she finally relaxed. Then, she spoke.
"I want you to cut down those who would trample on the peace me and mine cherish. Even if I have not killed anyone, I would ask of you… Please… Please help me protect those who would trample on this pleasant and peaceful life I treasure most."
Once more, Okita Souji knelt to the floor and, like a knight swearing fealty to a princess, lowered her head.
"As you wish, Master. On my name as a Heroic Spirit, I will cut down your enemies."
Shinji had never felt more reassured and afraid at the resolve in the woman's pale eyes.