C217: Reunion
Alt Title teaser: Fuyuki
Date published: 5/9/2025.
We have officially arrived at the final destination yet who knows how it will all turn out :). Enjoy.
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"PAPA!!" A little child with blue hair comes running down the traditional wooden floor of the old style Japanese house. Axel bends over to pick up the child as he holds him close enough for a hug that is filled with plenty of emotions. Axel hugs his 6 year old son who definitely resembles his mother more with the exception of the predominantly blue but technically Indigo colored hair. (mix of blue and purple)
"How have you been Washio[1]?" He rubs the child's head as he originally enjoys the comforting sensation as he had missed his father but then he seems to remember something and moves away from the hand with a pout and arms crossed.
"You're late" He mutters out, giving an impression of being uncaring.
"Yes yes. Washio is so meticulous and im sorry. I just wanted to spend more time with your grandfather that I lost track of all time." He explains himself remorsefully as he sets the child down whilst taking out a box from behind him…somehow when he was still carrying it behind him. He presents the box.
"Here, I bought you some presents, go unpack it in your room. Ill go surprise your mother" He says while putting a finger near his lips to stay silent as the child happily nods and runs off with the box in between his hands. Axel himself changes shoes as per etiquette from regular outdoor shoes and indoor slippers as he makes his way to a study room.
There, a lovely purple haired beauty in a pink flowery kimono has the window open as is painting the surrounding landscape she can see from her home in Miyama Town, half of the everchanging town of Fuyuki, Japan.
Axel 'sneaks' up on her and is about to plant a kiss on her cheek when she springs into action and tilts her head back to instead kiss him on the cheek in a smooth reversal.
"Hm hm hm" She chuckles to herself in her little victory. As the goddess of illusions linked to Axel, she has exceptional senses to be able to deprive others of theirs with her illusions. She had long senses the shift in space to reveal his presence and even overheard the little conversation that he had with their child before attempting to sneak up on her.
"Lovely to have you back dear. I trust this one will be much longer?" Murasaki-san asks her dear husband as he sits down on the pillow seat next to her. She leans into him as he embraces her gently, she trembles in his grasp. Even after so many years, the memories of her being mind controlled back in Orario. While she had not directly killed anyone, her mind was abused by the twisted love of the adventurer Circe who had teamed up with Vitch.
Having spent years in solitude, with only the company of their child Washio with her and occasional visits by Axel, she had experienced the life of a normal person. This was especially so since Washio is the only child of Axel who is unaware of his magical heritage. Though that is not to say he didn't inherit any special ability from his parents. In fact it is quite extraordinary but it was also sealed to help him have a normal childhood and life.
Kaoruko came up with excuses to signify that she is simply a painting house wife while Axel was a traveling businessman and has few moments to stay and visit but had only recently been given an extended break before working on a 'local' project for work which is what is happening now.
"I have indeed missed you, it's been too long and I have no plans to leave. The others also mentioned how they would like to visit you from time to time. Of course, I'll defer to your decision on whether you want this or not." he says and Kaoruko has a hesitant expression across her face but with some idea of what is to come as well as knowledge of this world's magic. Her own bearing greater power and importance and that is without even including her divinity.
"I'd like that. Though I'm not sure how we would explain their visits to Washio?"
She eventually states after calming down. Afterall, washio was raised under traditional Japanese Standards, he might not be accepting of so many 'siblings' and 'aunties' . Axel puts his hand on his chin as he thinks for a bit before proposing an idea.
"One idea that comes to mind is something similar to a high school reunion. Having them visit for at least a weekend or something so everyone can meet for a bit. Though ill have to coordinate the kids and their mothers to create normal matching stories."
"I believe that to be too risky as some of the younger ones might make a mistake or release magical energy passively that would weaken Washio's seal. I don't think he is ready for magic yet"
"We won't know until we try but for certain nothing bad will happen…at least unless 'that bitch' shows up."
"She already has. She had questioned how I was not inside the Throne of heroes but after scanning my lifeforce, she found me linked to a foreign world and had backed off. It might be waiting for you at some point."
Axel takes a deep breath to steady himself as the old emotions resurface. As long as it properly sticks to its duty and doesnt try to make an enemy of me then I have no reason to destroy everything due to its actions. He exhales as he lifts his hand to cup Kaoruko's cheek as he says.
"I'll handle it. I won't destroy this world which is half my home. But before that, let's spend some time together, the three of us. It's been too long for all of us"
Her nerves unravel into a sweet smile as she accepts and gets up to start packing a bit so they can have a picnic in the nearby park. Axel shows off a variety of 'international' treats and candies that Washio enjoys as he tells of what his life has been like for the past half a year since 'dad' had last visited.
It's a breath of fresh air for Axel who regularly knows what everyone is up to inside his reality marble. Having things he doesnt know, even minor details like this, is soothing for his soul who has been rushing around everywhere and doing all sorts of things. He even lowers his resistances a bit to allow himself to enjoy a bit of alcohol and other small treats with his family. Ice cream, popcorn, a nice little movie he has no memory of from any of his old fragments.
Late at night the trio return to their home as Washio has to do small assignments for his first year of school that he only started a month ago. He is very diligent as he finished half of it before Axel arrived. He also informed both his parents about the upcoming parent teacher conferences that would be held in 2 months to give the parents the evaluation that the teachers have of their children.
Afterall, it's a very important time in a child's life as they adjust to larger schools and tons more children. It can be quite stressful but also the opposite as the children could possibly see the school as an escape from home. Of course there are also clubs that they get used to to decide their future interests.
Axel soon enough settles Washio into bed before taking a small walk in his courtyard as he takes out a cigar, lighting it and taking a puff. He slowly exhales, enjoying his brief humanity as he enjoys his cigar.
"You shouldn't do that?"
"Why? Because the smoke is supposed to be bad for the lungs?" Axel responds but is met with an odd response.
"No trash can, you'll litter." Axel trembles at the voice he not so fondly remembers yet his expression cracks as the cigar is burned away into ash that merges with the grass and flowers that Kaoruko set down as part of her newfound hobbies.
"Pfft, ha ha hahaha" he openly laughs at the absurdity of the request. He turns around to face the marginally different appearance that he was used to so long ago now. Perhaps because of the much larger human population and the lack of other races, Alaya has a far more pristine appearance, akin to a proper runway model with a face that meets and expands the love for certain clothing. He almost believes that Alaya is also a Saber face in that regard but quickly discards these thoughts as he focuses on the present.
"It seems that you hold plenty of prejudice against one who looks like me. I apologize for their actions if that is of any reassurance."
"You're certainly different from what I envisioned or knew. Spinning blue orb not doing it for you" He references her supposed appearance when she took in Shirou Emiya as the counter guardian and turned him into Emiya Archer.
"You know what is to be. Have you come to change destiny?" The counter Guardian born of humans speaks to Axel. he shakes his head in response.
"If destiny is so easily changed then it's not a proper destiny. I shall take no proper actions to change what you want but if it happens then it happens. Simply split the timelines so you have your mainline that is fallible to the whims of other humans and demons and I have mine which is this one. I'll support it myself if I have to."
"What drives you so for this world?"
"In my land…" He begins to explain the comparisons and differences of the 'Saints' and Calamities versus the heroic spirits of the thrones of heroes. He also includes rivalry between his original world's form and purpose and Gaia.
The Alaya of this world takes some time to process this information before stating, "You are fatefully intertwined with the throne of heroes…have you considered joining them?"
"I have a whole world inside myself with people that rely on me, I can't just accept a lock on myself. Also attempting to take me in would ruin the deal I have with far greater celestial entities that you are in no way equipped to deal with. Forget extinction, just prepare for plausible annihilation."
"Then perhaps we can come to a different type of agreement between us. …."
"Well that is surely interesting but I have my own take on it and what I can do. …" The two spend quite some time together as they hash out a proper deal with each other. Axel would indeed gain control over this timeline and be allowed a minor link with the throne of heroes to slightly more selectively summon heroes should he undergo the proper ritual to do so. He could also introduce minor changes that would be unique through his connection or through anyone who summons near him.
He also has to fulfill a few duties that might create new heroes for the throne in this timeline. They can be variant heroes of regular ones or something similar to 'Alters' but he should not create beasts or anything that endanger the existence of humanity of this timeline as otherwise the deal is voided.
With his meal ticket secured, Axel returns to Kaoruko's side for happy times as he enjoys his life in Fuyuki. As for why he came to this place of all places to settle down in. That is a long and complicated explanation but it certainly involves the Holy Grail War.
Fuyuki itself is a mysterious place, the first noteworthy aspect of it is that it is split into two parts, the aforementioned Miyama town, made of residential homes and old style relics like Matou Zouken who still controls the entirety of the Matou family even though he is likely over a hundred years old and not even human anymore but Gu Insects. Though this is getting off topic.
The other half of Fuyuki is the industrial side, Shinto, on the other side of the river Mion. There is an assortment of factories with their billows that occasionally vent various production gases. The larger harbor is also in this part of the town, allowing for simpler trade rather than via road or air. Though of course Miyama Town has its own harbor as well but this one is far more specialized for local fishing for self consumption or processed into local produce.
The entire city is fairly unremarkable with its sole exception that was briefly mentioned. The magic families, Matou and Tousaka. Two of the three families that had crafted the holy grail, began an esoteric and ritualistic battle for the grail itself which serves as a mythical wish granting artifact.
This was known as the Holy Grail War and thus far there have been three of them. All causing significant ruin but it had all been swept under the rug thanks to intervention from the church and Clocktower acting as mediators and unbiased overseers to ensure the regular folk do not learn of the existence of Magic.
The third of these noteworthy families is the Einzbern family that had been unfortunately losing each and every war thus far but they have a new plan for this war. 8 years prior to the build up of the next war, they had taken in Kiritsugu Emiya, a renowned 'mage killer' who has seen endless bloodshed and has grown tired of it all. He seeks the grail to find a solution to battle itself. An end to all war and allow eternal peace to grace the world.
Such a tainted person with a noble goal is but doomed to fail due to the revolting actions of the Tohsaka family that had unintentionally caused the greater grail to be contaminated during the third Holy Grail war when they attempted to bend the rules and summon a god as an Avenger class, Angra Mainyu.
The god was felled in battle by outside sources due to the ongoing ww2 as of that time but when the lesser grail, a mana and soul conduit for the greater grail was destroyed. The god was absorbed into the greater grail and forever-more contaminating the Holy Grail war into nothing more than a farce to summon a dark god that would fulfill wishes in the worst way possible, the encapsulation of the monkey's paw.
Yet who knows now that Axel lives in the same city where this is all supposed to happen.
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Alt Title: Old and New Encounters, Normal Family, Drama of the Holy Grail War.
Word count: 2557
Drop a comment if you wanna judge my writing or the story. I'll try to respond, especially if you're confused or anything.
[1] According to kanji, Washio makes up two characters with the first being a definite meaning of Eagle while the second character has a varying meaning but it typically comes down to: Beginning/Thread/Continuity/Heart/Cord.
The selected meaning of his name being 'First Eagle'. A name given by Shichibiku Kaoroku to emphasize a type of new beginning after her trauma of being brainwashed.