C222: Wholesale Adoption
Alt Title teaser: Confrontation.
Date published: 5/24/2025.
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Axel makes his way out of the chapel pulling a stretcher that he 'acquisitioned' from a nearby hospital storage room. Completely unused and he would return it later.
As for what the stretcher is holding, that is a surprise for later but he has a solid destination in mind. For now though, he covers the stretcher in a sort of energy based blanket that hides it, practically a cloak of invisibility but equipable.
His mind is a turbulent space currently as he thinks about what the future would hold. Kariya has lost his opportunity to vent his rage on Tokiomi but that was by default as a result of canon but this time he should not be dealing a near death blow on Sakura's birth mother. That alone implies that Rin will grow up differently than before.
Yet that also means that the destiny of [Grand Order] might be different. His suspicion is due to the fan theories of one of his former soul fragments was that the boy/girl Ritsuka were actually children of Shirou Emiya and Rin/Sakura (depending on Stay/Night path chosen route). If this is the case then he could very well have deleted the final master of humanity. Of course the proper path might be that the family of Ritsuka is indeed a no name family and the protag of that timeline did actually join Chaldea because of a pamphlet and on a whim.
Overall there are too many details to think about so he settles for organizing what his current options are. 'Rider is alive since he cant fight Archer who I killed. Assassin is dead though I don't feel they did anything important except try to assassinate Irisveil who was recovering in the castle but that means the mother homunculi will now live unless Angry Mango does something about it.'
'Though honestly, Shirou and Rin were a fairly cute couple when Rin wasn't in her 'Queen' state, acting all arrogant and whatnot. Near end 'Unlimited blade works' was nice as they were put in dire circumstances that ensured a proper happy ending. Though the entire circumstance of Archer supposedly forgetting who he was felt like a very redundant plotpoint to help Shirou's growth but Unlimited Blade Works was the Shirou plot line so it makes sense.
While he was thinking of the future, he finally arrived at his destination with a stretcher following behind him. He knocks on the door which gets a 'Yeep' out of whoever is inside as the people inside were not supposed to be back in Fuyuki so soon. They had returned due to concern over Tokiomi and Sakura.
The door slowly opens to reveal Aoi Tohsaka, wife to Tokiomi and mother to Rin and Sakura. She was a childhood friend of Kariya but due to her own original family falling out of the magical circles due to an entire lack of magic circuits, she was partially forced into marrying into the Tohsaka family. While her circumstances were sad, she gave birth to two lovely daughters who she loved with all her heart that even when she went brain dead in canon from Kariya choking her out. Her thoughts remained with Tokiomi and Sakura.
"Oh, hello Mr. Gram. I didn't expect you. Me and my daughter just got back from out of town. Unfortunately Tokiomi is not here right now. I don't really know where he is but i'm sure he will come back by the end of …the week." She attempts to reassure him as death for masters is very rare or at least unprecedented in the past 3 Holy Grail Wars. yet as she spoke, she realized that there was a strange atmosphere here as Axel had a solemn expression on his face.
"Im sorry, Mrs. Tohsaka, Tokiomi was killed by another competitor." Axel lowers his head to offer his sympathies but she shakes her head even as tears stream down her face.
"No, I don't believe you. This has to be a joke." She decisively chooses to not believe as Tokiomi as he had prepared so much and even had such a capable servant.
"Archer, his servant, had betrayed him for the Master of Assassin, Kirei Kotomine. The priest had siphoned his command seals and stolen the servant who had only desired victory and did not care about the life of a modern day magus."
"Why would Kirei do this? He and Risei…"
"Risei was killed by an unknown Caster, a vile creature that only knew murder and darkness in its heart. There was a streak of murders nearby, some had been flayed in unnatural ways."
"No. Tokiomi wouldn't die!!!" She yells his last part which attracts the attention of Rin who was upstairs in her room. She moves the curtain to see Axel and her crying mother. She frowns at the situation as she was complaining to herself about how her father was taking so long to return to them today.
Axel guides Aoi a bit towards the gates where he had left the stretcher. He extends his hands and with a touch, Aoi, as if granted access to a 'bounded field' (magus barrier to hide effects of magic from real world) that hides the cloth covered stretcher. Aoi covers her mouth in horror but it hasnt fully set in just yet.
Even as she sees the red spot on the cloth and braces herself, she still passes out from seeing Tokiomi's face which has blood stained on his face from when he coughed up blood.
Axel catches the woman and brings her inside, setting her down on a couch when Rin comes down the stairs.
"Kaa-san" ("mother") Rin runs to her mothers side, she has a bit of a nervous look but cant help but feel calm as the familiar 'uncle' is next to her.
"Haa. I greet the Tohsaka Heir, Ms Rin. Your mother is alright, just fainted from shock." Axel sighs at the situation
"Why?"
"Your father has passed away. I'm sorry for your loss. I came here to ensure that the both of you could come to my home and be protected there. At least until the war ends."
"...is dad actually dead?"
"Yes, he is. Betrayed by his student who allowed greed for the grail to surpass any desire to maintain an honorable relationship with your father."
"So as the newest Tohsaka Lord, I Axel Gram, invite you to my home for temporary protection."
"...what do you get from this?" While the whole situation is a shock to her, she was already being taught factors to begin her education to become the next lord. Her lesson plans had been set up and she was preparing whilst also dealing with regular school and whatnot.
As such, she asks one last question, viewed from a defensive perspective to protect the Tohsaka line. "What do you get from this?"
"Truthfully, nothing. I am simply honoring the agreement I have with your father who is my business partner. Since he has died, you inherited his position as the next Tohsaka Master. My family and yours will help each other in times of need which I believe this applies as." he calmly explains the details of the business contract he had signed with Tokiomi.
Rin calmly listened to the contract, but honestly it had traveled from one ear and through the other. Her mind fully focused on the loss of her father. When Axel finished his explanation and reoffered his invitation, Rin's head drooped down as she grabbed his sleeves and tears began to fall.
Axel kneeled patiently until the girl got exhausted by her tears and feel asleep, it was also late when they heard the news. Natural exhaustion combined with the emotional factor had put her to sleep.
Setting up a new type of stretcher outside the house, he set down both mother and daughter on this stretch and began his walk back home. Of course he is also pulling Tokiomi's body a bit further behind him. The journey is peaceful as most citizens of Fuyuki, specifically Miyama Town, have already settled down, this makes the streets quite destitute yet Axel quite enjoys the calm. At least however long it lasts.
BANG.
Axel pushes the cart holding what is left of the Tohsaka line away from him while he looks at the floating piece of metal that struck his own innate barrier. Born from the combination of magic and the esper power 'Accelerator' which is essentially vector control at it's finest. The bullet was stopped in place, yet the gun is not the only thing he spots.
"Saber, what a pleasant surprise. Quite a reunion we have. Only been a day or two for you but it's been years for me. I'm well traveled you see. Many worlds open to my gaze and mind" Artoria has a bead of sweat appear on her forehead from the sudden revelation of the greater details on their first meeting.
She grips her invisible sword tightly as she points at him.
"You stand accused of interfering with the Holy Grail War as an unrelated party. Prove your innocence or forever hold your peace."
"There is no innocence. I killed Kirei Kotomine who had killed Tokiomi Tohsaka, my business partner. As such, both the masters of Assassin and Archer have fallen. Yet to say im an unrelated party is exaggeration." he raises the back of his left hand and while it's blank now. Axel waves his other hand over the first like a magician and the command seals are now in full view.
With the shape of a Djinn, tail and lamp, these make up the three command seals of the newest born Caster class servant of this war.
"But, I…I killed Caster"
"What you killed was a fake that I had created, I had long killed the original caster and his master, then using their bodies as offerings. I have granted my servant new life, superseding the natural laws of the holy war and acquiring a very useful employee." His reveal chokes both Kiritsugu who is listening in on a bug he planted on Saber but also Saber herself who can only think back to her entire fight with Gilles De Rais and how he felt so real but was actually a fake.
"Why do this, what goal do you have for the grail?"
"Im not interested in the grail, I already have everything I could ever need. Money, Food, Family, Descendents. I also know there is no point in trying to change the world since there will always be a timeline where you didn't do that and thus suffering will still continue. I'd rather live with a clear conscience than try over exerting myself for a thankless task that could backfire on you." Axel explains as he leaves little hints for Kiritsugu to properly evaluate himself and whether his actions matter or if they're even viable.
Yet he soon shakes his head of self doubt as he foolishly chooses to believe in the holy grail and it's wish fulfilling power.
"Saber, take him down" Emiya gives a simple command, not utilizing his command seals. Saber lowers her posture as she dashes forward, swinging her sword yet she found that Axel had disappeared and reappeared a whole 5 meters away. She rushes forward again but Axel doesnt dodge with his ye ol' mana burst to zoom away. Instead he lifts his leg to kick the 'invisible' blade away before knocking Saber away with another kick to the guts.
"I guess peace is not an option. I have no interest in interfering further unless you come after me. There is only you and Rider left ya know. My caster is not linked to the grail thanks to a special method so even if you somehow killed me, neither my soul and power nor my servants would not be going to the holy grail. If anything, you should thank me. I've ensured that the homunculi does not die at Archer's hand, nor would the daughter suffer at his hands at the next war either."
"Explain." Saber demands as she is quite close to Irisveil and would not wish to see her hurt or suffering. Emiya too is focused on the potential answer he would receive. He holds his newfound family in much respect and desire but he still has a contract to uphold by claiming victory over the war and claiming the grail to fulfill his and the Einzberns wish.
"The Einzbern Homunculus act as the receptacle for the greater grails power, so whoever kills the false human gets the grail early, keeping it safe until the end of the war or if the necessary requirements are met." His words paint a dark tale but even more so is the possible revelation that he saw the future and had successfully stopped it. His every word makes sense of the situation but as both Emiya and Saber think about it, their expressions only turn worse and both agree at the same time to reunite.
As such, Saber retreats and Axel is allowed to return back to his walk, pushing the two tohsaka's to his home and then depositing them in the new guest room. He begins the burial process for Tokiomi, while he didn't know the person too well, he could respect his desires and the methods he used. It was only a shame he was ignorant of his students true feelings.
The next day the duo of mother and daughter awaken in a strange location but finding no immediate threat they begin walking around until they encounter Luna and Sheba. Both Tohsaka women are surprised by the other ladies glamorous appearances but Luna is kind enough to inform them of where they are and then the location of Murasaki Shikibu, the house Matron.
"It is good to see you up and well. My husband has explained the situation about you to me. You are welcome to stay as long as you would like. Though i'm sure you would like to see what we have set up on your behalf" Kaoruko guides the two to a side hut that had been refurbished into a small pseudo chapel where flowers are arranged and a casket in the center holds Tokiomi's body. His expression soft and still, cleaned of blood and in a proper suit with an enlarged picture of the man himself. Aoi emotionally breaks down again as she hugs the casket.
Rin instead is looking around, taking it all in when she spots in the distance of the main houses halls, a little girl with half brown and half white hair with a red ribbon in her hair is running down the hall. A boy chases after her as they are playing a game.
"...Nee-san?"
She had already shed tears for her father but now she finds someone who resembles her sister appearing so happy while she remains sad. Her mother heard her whisper for her sister and rose just enough to envelop her daughter in a hug, as this past week has been a rollercoaster of agony for them both. The siblings being split away and then the loss of their father/husband.
With Kaoruko's help, the mother and daughter are settled into the newly made room and also help begin the process for burying Tokiomi's body in the Tohsaka Cemetery.
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Alt Title: Body Retrieval, Lackluster Confrontation, and Burial.
Word count: 2608
Drop a comment if you wanna judge my writing or the story. I'll try to respond, especially if you're confused or anything.