-Sometime, somewhere-

"Kerry, you do know the derivation of this island's name, right?"

Shirley asked while leisurely handling the creaking car’s wheel.
The boy sitting on the co-driver seat called Kerry, about to reply "Not really", began
shaking intensely like about to bite his tongue.
The pick-up truck both were driving was a vehicle so antique as to think it came
from the times when coaches were running out of use, and even more, the road
they were driving on now was not a pavement road but a bad road among the
jungle. Even an ox-cart would have to slow down on these roads, but even more,
the shaking when sitting on the tough seats was the same of a boat in a storm.
Although being a discontinued piece of junk, this one belonged to one of the no
more than four precious vehicles on the Arimago Island. Actually, in the Arimago
Island with no more than a fishing village in the creek, with a few 30 houses, to
begin with, people who need a car are uncommon. The people troubled with living
without a vehicle are probably just the family of the boy, and the coming and going
maid, Shirley. In the retired house of the boy's family, far away from the fishing
village, there were no other transportation facilities but the worn-out truck.
"Arimago... was it of a crab?"
Shirley nodded to the answer of the boy.
"Long ago, this island was a place that presented an offering to a deity of the sea.
There was a time when a girl who didn't have anything to feed her sick mother,
unconsciously laid her hands on the offering to the god, then she was cursed and
changed her shape into that of a river crab."
"It's a terrible story, isn't it?"
"After that, it was told that if you eat a crab caught on this island, it would cure any
disease. The mother of the girl as well, with that was recovered of her long illness."
"Even worse. It is an outrageous god, right."
He was surprised, but, being a local tale it wasn't rare, it was legend according to
the temperature. If one would look for a similar tale, one would get to find such in
some other place in the world.
"This, about the shrine where people deified this god..."
"It isn't anymore. If it really were one, I don't really know. According to rumors it
seems it was right were Kerry's mansion is now built."
Then, the girl that was turned into a crab, would she really have made her way to
the heart of this deep jungle only for especially stealing the offering? It would have
been much comforting just going to the beach and caught fishes.
"That all the people of the village wouldn't get close to the mansion is that's fault.
That's an ominous place. If you come and go too much, you'd get cursed. I feel
threatened as well."
"But that!... then, what about me who's living there?"
"It's because Kerry is a foreigner that you don't sense it. But even then, at the
village don't they see you as my little brother?"
When hearing to 'little brother' there was of course this unsatisfaction about the
answer, but actually the young boy, in contrast to his secluded father whom hasn't
give a single step out of the mansion, would definitely take the ride in the truck with
Shirley to do the shops and various tasks almost every day going to the fishing
village in the creek.
He had spent almost a year after reaching to this island. And now, if any of the
island inhabitants would see the boy, they could easily raise his voice to him. At the
beginning he would just get into fights with the other boys of the village, but
recently it was common for him to get together to them and make pranks.
He was in a strange land remotely separated from his home land but even then the
boy liked this Arimago Island.
At the very beginning of having moved to this island, he was resigned to the
unchanged same boring every days, but the dazzling southern sun, the multicolored
changing sea sparkling, at sometime captivated his heart.
But the boy wanted to think about his father who didn't give a single step out of the
mansion with any guests, that he was enjoying his living in here the same as the
boy."If father would stick more the people at the village, it surely would be a bit
different..."
"Yeah, how would it be..."
While skillfully handling the steering wheel to pass a big rock sticking out of the
road, Shirley projected a bitter smile.
"It must be because Father Simon sees him as an enemy. I'm also always receiving
lectures. If I would work in that mansion, sooner or later I'd be possessed by a
demon."
"Is it so."
When the boy knew that the always gentle Father Simon, on the other side speaks
that way about his father, he felt not just a little down. It can't be helped. Instead,
he should feel relieved that it ended only to that extent. Supposing that Father
Simon would get to know all about the behaviors of the boy's father, surely both
father and son would end in the situation of escaping from the island.
Shirley tapped her lower back and showed him a silver ornamental knife placed
inside a sheath on her belt.
"Look, this knife. Father Simon pressed me to never separate this from my body. To
protect myself from a miracle."
"You always use that one for peeling fruits, don't you?"
"Well, that's because it cuts fine and it's easy to use. Even so it's a precious
treasure."
Shirley, whom continued to the last with a familiar tone, differently from the boy,
nobody could have felt any gloom in her behavior.
"Shirley, you are not afraid? About my father?"
To the question the boy asked a bit timidly, Shirley nodded.
"Since I understand well that he isn't a normal person, I think it's not unreasonable
for the village people to think that he is strange. If you hold these kinds of
investigations, I say it can't be helped that you end moving away from the city to a
remote island. And then exactly because of that he is an awesome person. Your
father."
When getting to the topic of his father, for some reason Shirley's mood would turn
very adult-like. Being only 4 years older from the boy, she couldn't yet be called in
anyway an adult woman.
"His knowledge and his discovering, any one you take is that immense to turn the
world upside down by the roots. To be afraid about it is only natural, therefore it
can't be helped for it to be held in secret... but actually I always think, if I would get
the chance to make use of such power, how would I do?"
"... Could it be, such thing?"
"I'm giving up on that way, but Kerry, if it's you, I think you could."
Being told so with a serious look, the boy instead fell discouraged.
"What do you mean? Weren't you father's favorite pupil? Would it be Shirley instead
who'd get to that?"
The Shirley who passed by the mansion not only does domestic shores and various
jobs; the boy knows the she also helps his father in his work. In the past, his father
found this girl named Shirley far too smart and talented shining in this island. For
his father, being an occultist person, to appoint a responsibility to such person, she
must have been really remarkable.
But this Shirley herself gave a great frank laughter and shook his head.
"I'm not any kind of pupil. At the most I'm only a helper. Odd jobs. To give a hand.
That said, I'm not really taught any principal fundaments.
But Kerry, don't misunderstand it, you are your father's successor. The investigation
your father is now standing, everything, he is now only making the preparations for
one day succeed them all to you. Just, now it's just way too early."
"..."
Being earnestly told so with Shirley's familiar tone, like a real big sister worrying
about his little brother, the boy hesitated and fell caught in complicated thoughts.
Not remembering about his mother who passed to another world right after he was
born. What was called for the boy as family was for him only his father. Eccentric
and strict, but, even then he was a nice and a great father. He was the human the
boy respected the most in the entire world.
Therefore, at the beginning, the boy's heart was in upheaval when he discovered
that the father he admired the most favored an assistant more than his own son.
There was a time when he looked adversely for Shirley to come to the mansion. But
Shirley's cheerful temperament and gentleness moved his heart, that's why that
time didn't last long.
It seems his family had increased in one member. Shirley respected the boy's father
as if it was his own father, therefore seeing that boy as her real brother made them
through cute difficulties. For the mother-less boy, it was natural for the existence of
a sister to carry an especially big meaning.
No... Was it really only that? That question had recently grown uneasiness on the
boy.
Shirley's gentleness, cheerfulness, cleverness, he knew them well. But it wasn't only
that, her unconcerned gestures... For example, her profile now while handling the
steering wheel humming... such her prettiness to make him lose his bearings, why
exactly is that?
"And Kerry, into what kind of man would you like to grow? If you'd succeed your
father's work, how would you like use it?"
"... eh?"
The absentminded boy was suddenly stroke by Shirley's question.
"It's the power to change the world. Someday you are gonna obtain it."
"..."
Father's inheritance. If he would say he hadn't thought about that it would be a lie.
Its value, its significance, in itself he understand them.
About his usage of course...
But putting that in words, particularly in front of Shirley, makes him hesitate. He
was reluctant to be laughed at it being childish. Above all coming from her.
"... That's, a secret."
"Mmm?"
After sending him a prank like flirtatious look, Shirley laughed cheerfully.
"Then, what Kerry is gonna do when he grows an adult, you'll make me assure it
with my own eyes. Until then I'll be the whole time next to you, is that fine?"
"... Do as you like."
Feeling very ashamed, the boy hid his look.
Almost to nod be able to do so, for him the elder girl's smiling face was far too
dazzling.

--------------------------------
Skin white as was.
Risen deep blue veins covered her cheeks as cracks.
Her expression, twisted by pain, was already of dying agony.
She's dying... He knew so with one sight.
Despite she's dying, she can still move.
In spite 'that' has a human shape, it has already become something that is not a
human... What he must do, the boy already understood that clearly.
It's night outside. Of course there's the island with no street lights. Even then, the
clear moonlight, far too clear white, calmly came through the window to enlighten
the tragic scene.
It was a henhouse far away from the city. In the daytime, wondering why he
couldn't find Shirley, he stroll the village looking for her, and without giving up after
the day ceased he finally made it here.
An eaten chicken's corpse, and in the middle, trembling while sobbing under the
influence of The Dead.
Kill...
At seeing his loved woman's face turned into that, sobbing, he claimed for that.
The knife that was stealthy launched under his feet, sparkled ominously receiving
the moonlight.
I'm afraid...
Of my own hand, I can't...
Because of that, please be you, kill me...
If it's now, surely we'll be on time...
"Such..."
Shaking his head, the boy drew back.
As if I could, such.
No matter what shape, Shirley is still Shirley. She's my important family who
promised to be together to me all along... no, she's an even more important person.
So please...
From Shirley's mouth, gasping in pain, he peeked at sharp uneven teeth. Crying in
sorrow almost to turn you nuts, the girl let leak a hungry beast's long breath.
Since it's already useless... before she can't hold back no more... quickly...
Trembling like from a fever, while writhing in agony, Shirley bit into her forearm
with her bared fang.
Slurp...
Slurp... the sound of the blood being sucked tickled into the boy's eardrums.
Please...
With his voice begging persistently, the boy erased himself from this tragedy and
start running again from the henhouse.
It was scary, dreadful; instead of the already transformed Shirley... it was the
sparkling of the knife left under his feet.
If anything happened, I don't understand... I don't want to understand.
Anyhow, I have to ask for help.
'Sure there must be an adult who can solve this nightmare-like happening', the boy
believed.
Sure Shirley will be helped. Someone surely is going to save us.
If I never put that in doubt... like I prayer the boy said to himself.
If I'd run with all my strength to Father Simon's church, it could take just 5 minutes.
Crying, the boy ran. Without noticing the pain on the feet, nor the pain in the
pulsation.
-------------------
Natalia Kaminski. The woman introduced herself.
Covered with a raincoat unbalanced to a tropical southern country, even then she
didn't look like sweating a single drop. Her expressionless face showed her cold-
heartedness. Would blood be flowing in her? Or would she have a normal person's
body temperature? Those kinds of things were suspicious.
That was the appearance of the person who brought the boy out of the
pandemonium scene.
"So, boy, it's already about time for you to answer my question."
With his backed turned to the woman's cold voice, the boy stared at the far scene of
the burning fallen fishing village.
The village that just yesterday was peaceful. The village that just a few hours ago
were peacefully sleeping under the moonlight now is in fire. Looking down the scene
from the clef meeting the bay he wanted to believe, that it was nothing but a bad
nightmare.
All the gentle faces he had seen there would not come back anymore... Somehow
he understood.
"What is happening?"
To the boy asking with a dry voice, Natalia snorted.
"I made the question first. Boy, isn't it time to get back to sanity?"
"..."
The boy shakes his head. Even if he would own her his life, ever while he doesn't
have the answer to his own question, he wasn't in place to speak a single word.
From an obstinate silence, could Natalia have grasped his intention? After letting
out a pleased tiresome sigh, she disinterestedly started to explain.
"Now, the struggling guys down there are two groups. One way they are the
Church's agents.
They are different from the nice Father you know. They are guys who
unquestionably believe that according to the sin committed against God, kill them
all now it's right. Of course, if they'd find a vampire they would have no mercy.
Killing without leave anything that sucks blood, without the allowance to
differentiate them one by one, if it is something that may suck blood, they must kill.
In other words, this time these guys have absolutely no allowance.
But on the other side, the Association, have the explanation a bit more difficult...
who brought forth that strange thing the vampires in the first place, they want to
grasp those secrets by themselves. Naturally, since "by themselves" is as well a
fundamental aspect, they would kill anybody else who could grasp their
circumstances until leaving nobody. They mouths are sealed. The evidences
suppressed. Don't do it thoroughly makes no sense.
Now, because of the boy, you have great look. The habitants who are going to get
away from their big cleaning are, probably limited to you."
Perhaps Natalia didn't assume about him, she just, easily... the boy understood that
situation. Why such a dangerous person would have came to this Arimago Island, he
was just considering about that whole story.
The boy begged for help to Father Simon, who finding about that contacted to
another mediator.
When that communication reached outside the island, by some process somewhere,
reached to the ears of people who should have never heard that communication.
Leaving aside the whole story, the one who was the beginning of it all was
undeniably... the boy himself.
If the boy would have granted Shirley's supplication, taken courage, and gouged the
knife into his beloved woman's heart, this terrible spectacle wouldn't have
happened.
If he would have done so, what kind of hollow would have opened in his soul, and
could he have slept restfully ever again, and... Everything would have ended and
any other person wouldn't have died.
For the boy it was the same as if he would have turned in fire that very dear place.
"... And you, whose ally are?"
"I'm a salesman from the Association. My job is to stealthy maintaining the "secret"
they want, and sell them over to them. Of course the business has to be before it
turns into this matter. This time I departed a little late."
Natalia, distantly shrugging her shoulders, surely would have seen such scenes
many times. The woman of the black coat, like an impregnate smell, leaved the
presence of death and fire."Then boy, let's go back to the starting point. It's about
time for you to answer my question.
If I ask for the crest's bearer... does it ring a bell? Well, anyway. The evil magician
cause of this time's vampire disturbance must be right now hiding somewhere in
this island. Do you happen to know something about him?"

----------------------

This place was but a prequel, but for some reason, it could also be said to be the
core.
Kerry is not the right name of the boy.
Born form a foreign remote country, his name was for the people in this land
extremely hard to pronounce. At the very beginning it was Shirley who abbreviated
his name into Kerry, and then that was his name established amongst the island
inhabitants. The boy also, instead of being called 'Keritougu' with a strange
pronunciation he'd rather prefer, half given up, the abbreviated form.
The right one is Kiritsugu.
A magic crest's bearer magi, he was Emiya Norikata's legitimate child.
----------------------

In the deep night, the father received with a relieved expression to Kiritsugu who
had got back to his home in the heart of the jungle.
"Aah Kiritsugu, you were safe. Really that's so fine."
His father looked his face and embraced him. So long in the past to not remember
how many years were since he could feel his father's hands on both his shoulders.
For his stubborn father, to expose feelings that way, it hasn’t happened even a few
times. With only that, they didn't really need to feel their kept ordinary feelings to
each other.
After realizing his arms, the father's expression turned about and inexpugnably
questioned Kiritsugu.
"I'm sure I seriously told you before to absolutely not get past away from the barrier
of the forest today. Why did you break my order?"
"... I was worried about Shirley."
In the instant the girl's name came out, the father hid his eyes awkwardly. Only with
that gesture, he already assured far too much the precedence of the next
happenings.
"Dad, do you know what happened to her body? Because of that you ordered me to
not go outside, right?"
"About that girl, it's really a pity. Since the reagent was dangerous, I told her to
never touch it, but. It seems she didn't win to curiosity."
His tune had turned sour but, in it there was no regret or shame. Just like telling off
a boy that had broken a flower vase, he had no place to send his anger and
irritation.
"... Hey dad, why is this research about The Dead?"
"Of course, for me it doesn't stand for a real meaning. But ours, Emiya's pursuit,
anyway would need and eternal time. I, otherwise you, Kiritsugu, at least in your
generation, it's going to be necessary to take measures against the counter-
measure of the life-spam. The flesh tied to the dying fate is too far away from the
'root'"
The pitiful sight of Shirley under the light of the moon vividly revived in his head.
"And dad also, about me... eventually, in that shape."
"Nonsense. The transformation into The Dead with no restrain of the vampiric urges
is nothing but a failure... that point, Shirley gave that answer promptly. It was a
reagent that had taken me time away but anyway the result didn't smell fine. Again
I got to reform again from the roots the theory."
"... So is it"
Kiritsugu nodded, he understood.
Dad is going to continue it. Without being discouraged at all after this kind of
sacrifice, how many times would it all repeat until he gets his result and end
satisfied.
"Kiritsugu, let's grab this conversation again some other time. Now's top priority is
the escape... I'm sorry but we don't have time to make you pack up. The agents
from the Association must be about to see through the barrier. Let's get out now
soon."
After saying that, his father looked at the trip preparation he had previously put in
order, there were two large suitcases aligned at the corner of the room. The
preparations for the escape were already set. However, what had delayed the
departing until now... was the boy that had just came back, with no more doubts,
since he didn't give up.
"...Will you make it to escape this time?"
"Thinking that sometime this could happen, I hid a motor boat in the beach of the
south flank.
If you have the preparations, there's no sorrow."
Taking with him the two suitcases in both his hands, the back of his father turning
to the entry hall... of course, without any kind of awareness of danger.
Staying behind like dragging heavy legs, Kiritsugu took from his trouser's pocket the
pistol
Natalia lent him.
Caliber 32. If pointed calmly from point-blank range, even if it's from a child, it will
reach cleanly. The woman in the black coat assured him that. Later, it's Kiritsugu's
problem.
While aiming the gun to his father's defenseless back, the boy has in his mind the
scene of the burning fishing village, and the last days' completely transformed
Shirley... but what rose in his chest was the many accumulated memories of his
father in these last ten years.
They were many memories of him realizing of this father's concealed kindness and
affection.
He loved his dad. He hoped. His dad loved him. He was proud.
'At least I want to close my eyes', contrary to that feeling, Kiritsugu aimed with both
his eyes wide opened, and stealthy pressed the trigger.
Bam... it was an unexpectedly dry and light sound.
His father shot from the back in the neck fell forward. That way, approaching
without pulling back his steps, Kiritsugu continued and give one more shot in the
back of his father's head. Then two. Then stopping his feet, he gave two more shots
in his backbone.
He couldn't believe it. His own coldness; he was afraid of no other than himself.
He wavered to the end. Certainly there was a struggle in his heart. However, after
he gets the pistol in his hand, it moved as if everything was pre-established
harmony. His body, with no allowance for I single of the thoughts in his chest, with
the fastness of a machine device, it achieved what 'had to be done'.
This could be what is called talent... that ironic thought floated his head with not
any sense of achievement, just returning to the empty.
In the wooden floor, the blood pool is spreading. Dad wasn't anymore. What
remained there on the floor was nothing more than a corpse.
'This' was the main cause; by struggling for 'that', the inhabitants of this island were
assassinated, burnt.
Shirley said he was a fantastic person. The owner of the power to change the world.
Kiritsugu thought so again.
What did the two youngsters thought it was the heresy? What did they expected of
such existence like the magi?
At the beginning Kiritsugu didn't realize anything else that he was crying. Was it
sad? Was it regrettable? He didn't understand. There just was a feeling of loss like a
bottomless void.
The gun on his right hand was heavy. Unbearably heavy. He tried to throw it away
but he couldn't. His fingers didn't move and were tightly entwined to the handle.
Without any fear for the danger that it could accidentally discharge, Kiritsugu swung
his right hand roughly, by any means he tried to drop the gun. But if it did become
serious, then his fingers were holding the gun like clinging to it.
At that moment somebody grabbed his arm roughly, and then easily like a trick
snatched the gun away from his hand. Just then Kiritsugu noticed the presence of
Natalia by his side.
"Just as I warned you, boy, this was not a tough situation. You could relatively easily
break through it."
Natalia spit as she wondered why she had a severe tone like scolding.
"... Are you mad?"
"You think? This wasn't something that could be past over to a boy."
After taking an annoyed glance to the gun she just took from Kiritsugu, she returned
it the safety device and returned it to her pocket.
"However, in the end did you entrust to fate if you were going to make it on time?"
In fact, it did was a risky situation. Emiya Norikata was about to go out of the
mansion. If he would have made good escape of this place, he would have
absconded himself and resumed his investigation on The Dead. That and without
considering the danger of the relapse of the tragedy released in this island.
She didn't trust it to fate at all. She couldn't let him escape.
"If he certainly planned to kill these people... I had nothing else to do."
"If he gave his child a reason to kill him, he is the lowest."
To Natalia spitting out discouraged, with a tearful face, Kiritsugu smiled with the
feeling that he had let slip out something.
"... You are a good person."
After taking a long look at that smiling face, Natalia sighed and carried the corpse of
Emiya Norikata in her shoulder.
"I'll take you out of the island. What comes afterwards, you think it yourself. Are you
taking something with you?"
"Nothing."
---------------------------------------------

Eventually, Kiritsugu spent the following years under the guidance of Natalia
Kaminski. Naturally Natalia didn't make any allowance nor had any affection in
bringing up Kiritsugu even being just a boy orphan. Inevitably, Kiritsugu was used
as any other worker, but this was just what he desired.
He forged by himself what Natalia taught him, which is to say, the same path of
Natalia... that is, with no other determination, spend the life as a "hunter".
To Kiritsugu who had not yet been exposed to the reality of the whole world, was
soon after well informed. The tragedy at the Arimago Island was never a rare event;
in the obscure regions of this world it repeats over and over as a fooly everyday
occurrence.
The Magi, devoted to the seeking for truth, are willing to spread these disasters.
Then there is a second organization to control these cases under secret that uses no
allowance for their means. As any frequent occurrence, they go secretly into their
concealing, developing into these conflicts. There is the work in which Natalia has
established.
Having consigned to oblivion to a magi such as Emiya Norikata to avert the
reoccurrence of a tragedy was the pretext to travel this far... it was almost like just
scooping out a drop of water in the ocean, it was a vain measure.
That day, he could think he understood the real value of having killed his father by
his own hands...
Then, hunting and killing all the heretic magi the same like to his father, finally he
discovered his only way of salvation.
Executor of magic crest bearers.
Hound dog haunting the irrational magi. If he would be that kind of person, he
would live constantly in the battle field, eve then the boy was determinate without a
doubt.

Without belonging to an association, Natalia was a perfect freelancer that targeted

a haunted rewarded bounty like a trophy. What she set as targets are those crest's
bearer magi secluded away from the control of the Association while carrying
valuable investigations and seeking the truth in secrecy. Differing from the Holy
Church whom acted reluctant of any kind of judgment or interrogation, the
Association made the first priority the insurance of the investigation's results.
And what was particularly important was the Magic Crest carved on the magi’s
bodies. Intensified with the weight of many generations, it carved the inherited path
of the magic into their fleshes to entrust their pursuits under generations.
As Natalia had negotiated with the Association, she inherited a part of Emiya
Norikata’s Magic Crest into his son Kiritsugu. Belonging to an important place along
with the Association, even when the Magi Crest extract that Emiya Norikata
entrusted to his son was just a vestige of no more than the 20 percent, it was
enough to give Kiritsugu a good place as a magi. Since the beginning Kiritsugu
didn’t have any intention to follow his father’s pursuit as it was his will.
Kiritsugu was taught from Natalia not to live the life of magi, but instead just to use
the magic as a method.
The technique of persecution; the technique of murder; the usage of many different
kinds of weapons… A hound dog’s isn’t a single fang. To persecute and bring down
a trophy under any kind of environment and conditions, it was necessary for him to
acquire one by one many techniques and skills.
In a sense, that was the very last border of the humankind’s knowledge. Kiritsugu
gathered the knowledge about the technology of murder that the humans had spent
so much history and knowledge in polishing for haunting those beasts of one’s same
appearance.

The years covered in blood and gunpowder passed by flying.

The adolescence, the most emotional period of one’s life, for Kiritsugu going
through experiences and trainings far too severe, it had already remain not a single
trace of the boy’s innocence in his face. Together with being an oriental person of
unknown age, he was recorded as an adult in three different false passports, and he
had used them without being questioned a single time.
Even if they were people who would pay attention to his stature or his hair thinness,
the melancholy of his death cold eyes would make unthinkable that he could be a
teenager.

That day…
When his teacher and partner Natalia faced her worst danger to her life, he steadily
carried out his duty without any trace of feeling from his face.
As in his heart he was disturbed by impatience and oscillation, for Kiritsugu there
was not a single way to protect Natalia. Now, here combat place was more than
3000 feet above in the sky… inside a passenger jumbo-jet.
The very beginning of it started with the persecution of the magi called the
“Demonic Bees User”, Od Volsack.
As having successfully changed into The Dead was already limiting, by means of his
bee familiar’s poisonous stings he could boundlessly increase the number of Ghouls
under his subordination, and even more, having changed his face and
impersonating an ordinary person, he had for a long time suppressed any news
about him.
Four days ago they received the information that he was going to take an Air Bus
3000 from Paris to New York. Natalia boldly challenged herself into this extremely
complicated seek and hunt of a target of unknown name and appearance in
between 287 passengers.
And her partner Kiritsugu didn’t ride the plane, but instead he went ahead to New
York following a promising information source; he was entrusted the duty of pursue
the track to unveil Volsack’s disguise. While both teacher and student kept a close
communication from sky to ground, above in the hermetic midair, calmly, steadily,
she was narrowing down to the seat of the trophy.
Approximately three hours since the takeoff… the murder itself was achieved
unexpectedly fast. But instead that was nothing but the real tragedy’s opening.
Volsack deceived the custom house and brought the Demonic Bees inside the
plane, which turned into an unexpected fatal result. The bees of the man Natalia
had killed were stinging one by one the passengers; in the twinkling of an eye,
every seat had changed into a hell prevailed by the Ghouls.
With nowhere to escape in the lockout midair, being attacked by the unlimitedly
augmenting Ghouls, for Natalia was a desperate situation. Listening by the radio to
the situation worsening moment by moment, with nothing he could do, even then
Kiritsugu never abandoned the possibility of Natalia’s survival.
The great rule that Natalia had instructed over and over again to Kiritsugu… “No
matter what happens, you survive without choosing your methods”, Kiritsugu firmly
believed that that creed would bring this time as well the means of escape to the
experienced haunter woman. Already settled in front of the outskirts radio that has
been 2 hours in deep silence, he was just quietly awaiting for his partner’s news.
Soon, when the stars of the night sky would begin to fade in the cyan of dawn,
suddenly the tired voice of the woman broke the silence and started to reach
noisily.
“… Do you listen? Boy… didn’t you fall asleep?”
“Loud and clear, Natalia. It’s for both a tough morning after a sleepless night,
right?”
“If you would have been peaceably sleeping in bed last night I would have wanted
to strangle you to death… well, good news and bad news, what do you want to start
listening?”
After a dry laughter Natalia asked abruptly.
“Haven’t we promised to start with the good news?”
“Ok. First I’ll tell you something that will cheer you; to begin with, I’m alive. The
plane is without damage as well. A while ago I assured myself in the cockpit. That
both the captain and the co-pilot are in their deathbeds is something to shed tears
on, but if it is a pilot, I can handle it. But finally the deal is about, if these are the
same essentials of a Cessna, I’ll manage somehow or another.
“What about the communication with the control tower?”
“Got them. But at the beginning they thought it was a prank. They’ll escort me
gently.”
“… then, the bad side?”
“Mm… In the end, the only one that ended unbitten was I. Each one of the 300
passengers without leaving a single one turned into Ghouls. Right to the other side
of the shot out door of the cockpit is already a flying death town. Don’t shiver.”
“…”
Kiritsugu assumed the worst… and then, he was prepared for the condition of one in
a thousand chances.
“In that condition, you… will come back alive?”
“Well first the door is pretty rigid. Just now they are desperately pulling it, but I’m
not worried that it even breaks… Instead, the landing makes me more insecure. Will
I really be able to treat this giant machine?”
“If it’s you, you’ll manage. Surely.”
“Are you trying to encourage me? I’m glad.”
After a stiff laugh she gave a powerless sigh.
“To get to the airport I must still have some 50 minutes. It’s been too long of
praying… Boy, do me partner of conversation a while.”
“I don’t mind.”
So, they started a foolish conversation. First, they began with the information since
two hours ago when the communication ceased, they talk about how she dealt after
Volsack’s death, then naturally, about the magi and The Dead they had dealt with in
the past and the carnage scenes they had prevented along with it.
Usually Natalia doesn’t talk a lot, but today she was exceptionally talkative. With
the groaning voices of the Ghouls in the passenger seats, and the sound of them
hitting the cockpit’s door over and over, averting oneself from it and keep talking
like that, he thought it was the best to do.
“… When I first told you I wanted you to help me in this business, it was a real pain
in the head. I was surrendering about how should I ask you about it, right?”
“Was I such a no expectative disciple?”
“No, that’s wrong… I had far too much expectation in you. Way too far.”
Along with an especially dry bitter laugh, Natalia confessed that.
“… What does that mean?”
“It’s about moving your fingers detached from your heart… it’s a preparation the
regular hit men obtain after several years. You had that since the beginning. It’s an
outrageous nature.”
“…”
“But hey, choosing an occupation following one’s character not necessarily limits to
be a blessing. If brilliant people trespass a certain line, not caring for their will or
their feelings, they decide the route of their life. If a human turns like that it’s their
end. If their turn into acting not thinking of “What I want to do” but “What do I have
to do”, they are merely a machine, a mere phenomenon. Far away from any way of
life.”
The words of the teacher that had watched him grow were being deeply impressed
in his heart as cold frost.
“I, well… I had thought you were a much colder person.”
“What’s that after all this time? Isn’t it just like that? Did I ever spoil you even a
single time?”
“Right; you always were strict and never went easy… You really raised me without
omitting anything.”
“… To discipline a boy, isn’t that the role of a normal father?”
Next to the communicator, after Natalia shut her lips for a while, while mixing a sigh
like of having been surprised of something, she earnestly confessed.
“When it’s you, it seems I was the cause that snatched away that chance from you.
Well, how to say it… it’s not that I didn’t feel any drawing back.”
It’s because I wasn’t taught any other way of living… it’s what Natalia, with a
sensation like mocking herself, added with a laugh.
“You, had the intension to play as my father?”
“Don’t misunderstand men with women, impertinent. At least fix your words to
mother.”
“… Right. Sorry.”
Kiritsugu answered with a light tone, but he didn’t have such allowance no more.
Apologizing like that, with a grazed voice, was to his bigger efforts. Through the
radio conversation, without seeing each other’s face, naturally, you can’t either see
the other’s expression. That’s probably why Kiritsugu’s current mental state wasn’t
transmitted to Natalia.
“For a long time I spent my bloody stench every day by my own. To the extent of
forgetting I was completely lonely.
That’s why, well… Humph, in itself it was a funny thing. Together, like families.”
“Me too…”
Even while hearing an indifferent voice inside of his chest saying just what meaning
it had to reveal that in a time like this, even then Kiritsugu continued speaking.
“… Me too, I entirely thought about you as like a mother. I was glad not to be by
myself.”
“… Hey there Kiritsugu, Stop saying things that will make it embarrassing when we
just meet again.”
In Natalia’s voice, he could relatively trace a color truly close to bewilderment. She
also wasn’t used herself to be feeling shy.
“Aa, come on, this is going nuts. Even when in just about 20 minutes I’ll be landing
around there. And if in the last moments I’d fail for being laughing while
reminiscing, I’d be dead.”
“… Sorry. It’s my bad.”
It was a meaningless word of apologize.
Natalia didn’t need to be concerned about here reaching the runway.
She also wasn’t going to meet Kiritsugu again.
Only Kiritsugu understood that.
In the moment when she didn’t kill the Ghouls, anticipating their propagation,
Kiritsugu accepted the idea that she was not going to come back alive. A plane
covered with corpses, with no pilot, has no more than just crushing into the ocean.
The erasure of the “Demonic bees user” Volsack ended by making sacrifice of the
lives of Natalia Kaminski and every other passenger of the plane… Kiritsugu had the
intention to put up with that conclusion with a sour feeling of achievement.
Even then, for Kiritsugu it wasn’t that he would be making light of the strong power
his teacher Natalia shows in the eleventh hour. For her who uses the same
persistent creed “No matter what, survive”, Kiritsugu didn’t overlook the possibility
that she would keep herself safe after a plane crushing, even if the possibilities
were 10000 to 1… He already predicted the worst scenario.
Natalia, putting her life in first priority, would not doubt in bringing that result.
She would land the passenger jet filled with 300 Ghouls, and the hungry swarm of
corpses would be released in the airport… If Natalia doesn’t have any other wishes
than surviving, she would surely carry that out. Because Kiritsugu knew that of her,
he frantically made preparations to prevent that “10000 to 1” condition.
If he thinks of preventing the disaster from expanding further… he must not let by
any means the Air Bus A300’s landing.
However that would turn to Natalia’s welfare, that was the unswayable truth.
Running in the deep night about New York, and pulling all the strings, and finally
insuring himself a surface-to-air blowpipe missile that is being sold in the black
market, all that was about an hour ago.
So now, Kiritsugu was in a motor boat floating overseas, waiting that Natalia’s plane
enters in sight. The plane was lowering its altitude as it approached New York’s
national airspace; just below the course of the jumbo jet, these were the last
moments before it entered the missile’s effectiveness range.
When he was desperately buying the weapon, and when he was aimed in a shooting
when he stole the boat, he kept questioning his mental make-up as a human.
If it is only the resignation to Natalia’s death, he got it clear. Instead, if it consoled
him that it was all respect of avoiding a tragedy, even then, it was still the right
course of action.
Nevertheless, what kind of human was him preparing himself for the miracle that
his dear woman would survive, and even then steadily, and with no delay
continuing the raising of her certain murder?
If that would end being nothing but a needless anxiety, it would have consolation.
But the reality, as cruel it was cornered Emiya Kiritsugu. Having to suppress by his
own hand to Natalia, now, the AirBusA300 was miraculously coming back steadily,
from the dawn’s sky showed the form of its sparkling silver wings in front of
Kiritsugu.
“… Perhaps I could already have become dull.”
Natalia, still believing without a doubt that Kiritsugu was next to the radio in a hotel
in New York, she said so with a neglected peaceful voice.
“Having worn into acting so clumsily must be the fault of playing the family game
unaware. By the way, it’s morning already. I should retire already…”
“If you would stop working, what do you plan on doing after?”
Kiritsugu could wear easiness only in his voice. On the other side he was setting the
aim to the plane’s sight on the blowpipe missile he was carrying on the shoulder
with both arms.
“If I would lose my job… he he, that time I would really have nothing to do but keep
on the family game.”
Even with his eyes running down tears, he still was accurately calibrating the
distance indicator… Inside 1500 meters, for a certain hit.
“You are… my real family.”
When with a tiny, cracked voice he whispered that, he released the missile.
Some seconds of manual guidance. In the time when he continued setting the
murderous aim with his fingers onto Natalia’s plane, every memory of both passed
through his mind.
But that torture was not going to continue long. When the warhead’s seeker would
seize some more the radiation of the jet, the missile will release from Kiritsugu’s
control, and like a hungry shark, with no sense of fault, it will hit the target.
Kiritsugu received clearly the sight of the plane receiving the direct attack in the
engine under its wing, that wing being torn off and then the plane leaning
diagonally.
The destruction afterwards went blown by the wind as a sand picture… the mass of
steel, having lost its quality of the skies, screwed and tore to pieces like if it was
being minced, turned into dust particles and peacefully fell into the morning sea.
The falling twinkles into the morning glow were reminiscent of a parade’s confetti.
From the other side of the horizon, the first tread of the dawn’s light beamed. While
being illuminated in the sunlight that won’t shower Natalia, Emiya Kiritsugu alone,
with his voice shut continued crying.
Once again, he had saved a crowd of unknown faces. Without anyone knowing.
Did you see, Shirley?
This time as well I killed. Same as my father I killed. I wasn’t blunder like at your
time. I, saved a crowd…
Supposing that people would get to know the intention of Kiritsugu’s actions, would
they be grateful? The people from the airport that as a result were averted from the
horror of the Ghouls, would they praise Kiritsugu as a hero?
“Don’t kid me… You gotta be kidding me! Idiot!”
Grasping tightly the missile’s launch unit that was starting to wear off the remaining
heat, Kiritsugu cried facing the brightening sky.
He didn’t wanted prestige or gratitude. He just wanted to see Natalia’s face once
again. He waited for a day to face her and call her “Mom”.
He hadn’t wished by any means this conclusion. Even so, that was the right
decision. Leaving nothing else to do or say, Kiritsugu’s decision was ‘right’. He
suppressed the person who should get nothing but death, and saved the people
with no reason to die. If this isn’t “justice” then what it is?
He remembers the traces of the days that won’t come back. Under the transparent
dazzling sunlight, he answered to the question “into what kind of man would you
like to grow?” under that loved person’s look.
Kiritsugu should have answered that time… If he could change the world, if miracles
would dwell in his hands, “I want to be a justice’s hero”.
He still didn’t understand that time. The steelyard under the name of “justice”,
takes something away, and gives something in return.
“Justice” took away his father, and as the same it took his mother. It left the
sensation of their blood in his hands and took away his right to remember them
dearly.
His dear people. Their voices, their traces, the wish of peacefully recollecting them
would never come true. Instead they would persecute him for eternity inside his
nightmares. For having abandon them and pick their lives under heartless
judgment, they would never forgive him.
That is “justice’s” treatment. That’s the price of the ideal he longed for.
At this late hour he should not be able to put it an end. In the moment he would
stop it, all he have persecuted would turn useless. The prices he had paid, the piled
up sacrifices, all would worthlessly crumble down.
Surely from now on, he would follow the ideal in his chest. While detesting it and
cursing it he would reach it with no mistakes.
Accept it, he swore.
He will accept that curse. He will accept this anger. And then he will pray that some
far away day when his tears had dried up, everything will be rewarded.
If the cruelty that his hands carry is in the height of the people.
Surely that all the tears in the ground could gather and he could wipe them out,
could come true.
That was the end of Kiritsugu’s youth days.
It was the morning when he set his fragile, abominable and unswayable path