Aozaki and Tohsaka: The Serpent's Feathers (FSN AU)

Prologue

Jaenera Targaryen

Well-known member
Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Aozaki and Tohsaka – The Serpent's Feathers

Prologue

Six years ago

The door to the back of the restaurant slammed open with a loud crash, as the metal-framed door was swung around to strike hard against the concrete wall. Loud and angry yelling in Chinese could be heard following a portly man in a cook's uniform, his apron stained and dirty from spills and the like in the kitchen, but he tuned them out. Sweating and grunting, the man heaved two bulging garbage bags down the alley, and briefly setting them down, opened the dumpster before tossing them inside.

Pausing to wipe at his face with a damp towel, the man closed the dumpster before walking back up the alley, and opening the restaurant door, went back inside. For several minutes, the alley remained empty, the only sounds to be heard the dull roaring of the restaurant kitchen's exhaust fans, and those of vehicles passing by along the street beyond.

Then there was the pitter patter of feet on roof tiles and railings, moments before a small figure fell in a crouch on a fire escape landing of the adjacent building. Metal clanged as the child ran down the fire escape's zigzagging steps, all the way to the raised ladder at the bottom. Not bothering to unlatch and lower the ladder, the child just slid down along the rails, before once again falling to the ground in a couch.

Taking wary looks around her, the little beggar girl narrowed her eyes at the security camera watching the back of the restaurant. Knowing she didn't have much time, she dashed to the dumpster, and opening it leapt inside with practiced skill. Tearing the recently-deposited garbage bag open, the girl quickly rummaged through the dirty plastic and Styrofoam, pushing aside the empty jars while taking care of the jagged edges of opened cans, before looking for anything edible among the food waste.

A grin exposed stained and crooked teeth as the girl found partly-eaten bao, and stuffed one then two and then three in her jacket's pockets. Then she heard the restaurant door banging open, and simultaneously stuffed a fourth bao into her mouth while leaping up and out the dumpster.

"Stop, thief!" a security guard shouted in Japanese.

The girl ignored the man, instead dashing down the alley towards the street. The guard gave chase, but then a second guard appeared around the corner to cut the girl off.

Or so they thought. Dropping down to the ground, the girl skid past the second guard's legs, and then jumping off in a crude likeness of a professional runner, ran down the street. More shouts came from behind her, along with the sound of pounding boots as the guards gave chase, but the girl still just ignored them. Weaving through and around the crowd filling the street, the girl turned a corner, ran across a lane, and then around another corner into an alley.

Briefly pausing to look around with an air of familiarity, the girl then ran towards and pressed herself into a niche in the wall. Taking a bite of the bao in her mouth, she quickly chewed and swallowed, before taking a deep breath.

Calming her thoughts and ever so slightly, her pounding heart, the girl focused on imagining a sensation of biting cold, as though of ice creeping over and around her before turning into a solid shell. Conversely, burning pain like hot metal getting drawn over her skin stabbed across her body, and she took another deep breath as she heard cautious footsteps entering the alley.

"There you are!" the guard said as he stepped in front of the girl's niche, and grabbed her by the collar.

The girl just glared at him, the burning pain peaking even as her mind imagined the ice covering her shattering into shards. "Go away." She said.

The guard and his fellow blinked, shuddering as though struck, and then dumbly nodding, let the girl go before clumsily walked away. The girl stayed standing until they were out of earshot, and then she collapsed onto her knees. She heaved deep breaths, the burning pain fading away only to be replaced by numbness that had the girl rubbing at her arms to get the feeling back.

Slowly but surely though, she recovered, and then pulling out bao from her pockets, began stuffing her mouth. Finishing her impromptu meal, the girl dusted her hands clean, and then getting up, dusted her clothes as well.

It didn't really do much good, but she still had to keep as clean as she could.

Then dashing over to the alley entrance, the girl turned the corner…

…only to be grabbed by the scruff of her neck.

"AAA-!" the girl yelled in surprise as she was lifted into the air, and turned to face a pretty redheaded woman looking curiously at her.

"Why hello there." She said with a smile. "Aren't you an interesting one?"

The girl scowled, again imagining biting cold, but the woman noticed. "None of that now." She chided, jabbing the fingers of her free hand into the girl's body. The girl gasped in shock and surprise, feeling her body go numb and her limbs fall limp and lifeless.

"You can use magic?" she asked loudly.

That caused the woman to scowl at her. "Not so loud, please." She said, waving her free hand through the air. "But yes, I can. And so can you."

The girl scowled and clammed up. The woman just smiled wider at that. "Now, now," she said. "I just want to talk, and know how someone as interesting as you ended up a little beggar on the street."

"…just a girl, nobody important or interesting."

The woman laughed. "I'm sure." She said. "By the way, my name's Touko Aozaki. And you are?"

"…Sakura…" the short and unwilling reply came.

"Sakura…?" Touko prompted.

"…just Sakura." The girl unhappily insisted.

Touko rolled her eyes. "Oh fine." She said. "Now, come along. I have so many things to ask and look into about you. If you behave and do as I say, I'll even feed you. How's that sound?"

"…I'm not a cat!" Sakura protested angrily.

Touko laughed again. "Well, you're certainly acting like one." She said with an amused tone. "Don't worry though, it wouldn't be the first time I've dealt with a grumpy kitty."

Sakura looked confused at that, but Touko didn't elaborate. Instead, she just tucked Sakura under an arm, and walked away with the equally-confused and resigned girl without a care.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The present day – Veracruz, Mexico

A pretty blonde intern walked down the museum hallway, carrying a newly-arrived package to the curator's office. Along the way, she passed one of the custodial staff, the man diligently mopping at the floor, though he paused to tip his hat her way as she passed.

The intern nodded in turn, superficially noticing the man return to work as she walked away. Arriving at the curator's office, she knocked a few times.

"Come in." a muffled voice said through the door.

Carefully tucking the package under an arm, the intern opened the door with her free hand, and then stepped inside while shifting the package to both hands once more. "Good evening, doctor." She greeted.

"Good evening, Miss Campos." The curator, Doctor Alfredo Escribano returned the greeting, before his eyes fell on what the intern was carrying. "A package…? And at this time?"

"Yes," Silvana Campos – the intern – said with a nod. "It was a premium delivery service from…"

The intern paused to check the sticker on the package. "…Sergio Cabal." She said.

"Ah, Sergio!" the curator said, clapping his hands in delight. "Yes, I know him! Hmm…I didn't know he was going to send a package though. Now, what could it be, I wonder."

Gesturing for the intern to come closer, the curator took a letter opener from a drawer, while the intern put the package on his desk. Using the letter opener to open the package, the curator then sifted through the Styrofoam balls filling the box, and then pulled out a case made from lacquered wood with a cover made from crystal glass.

The curator's eyes widened as he took in what was inside, a medallion of some kind, gold with a curiously-carved jewel inlaid on top, of Mayan origin clearly but of an aesthetic he'd never seen before. He considered if it might be a forgery of some kind, but surely his friend would know better…wouldn't he?

The curator frowned thoughtfully while setting the case on the desk, before beginning to sift through the box for anything else his friend might have sent that could help shed light on this artifact. "Thank you, Miss Campos." He said, while beginning to sit down and turning on his desk lamp.

"Of course, doctor." The intern said with a nod.

Turning, she walked out of the office, and closed the door behind her. The curator meanwhile took a magnifying glass from his desk, and used it to try and get a closer look at the design on the medallion, before muffled noises briefly came through the door.

The curator tuned it out, thinking it was just the custodial staff being a little too clumsy in their duties. Then the door opened, and a man wearing the custodial staff's uniform entered. "Yes, what…" the curator began, lowering the magnifying glass, annoyed at the interruption.

The sentence remained unfinished though, as an Azoth Dagger was thrown through the air, and punched into the man's neck. Gurgling as blood jetted out in sprays of crimson, the curator staggered and fell off his chair, the man's death rattle banging against the floor as Benedek Zobor walked over, and took the medallion from the desk.

Then walking around said desk, he sank down, and pulled his Azoth Dagger from the dead curator's neck. Whistling cheerfully to himself, Zobor cleaned his Azoth Dagger while stepping out of the room, around the intern's corpse, and then down the hallway.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The following day – Misaki Town, Japan

"SAKURA!"

The shout echoed through the house, and startled a young woman lying on her back while working on the plumbing of the kitchen sink. Then there was dull clang of a forehead striking metal, followed by feminine grumbling, before Sakura Tohsaka was crawling out from under the sink and getting to her feet.

Rubbing at her forehead, Sakura put the wrench on the kitchen table, before heading over to her master's workshop. "Yes, master?" She asked as she arrived.

Touko looked curiously at her apprentice's disheveled appearance, and the reddened bump on her forehead. "Hit yourself?" she asked.

"Yes."

Touko shrugged. "Sorry about that, just put some ice on it later." She said. "Anyway, I just received a message from an old friend…well, not really, more an acquaintance…no, that's…not right…let's just say he's someone who owes me big."

"And?"

"He wants us to go and meet him at…Antigua, in Guatemala." Touko said. "Apparently, he's found something that could be of some interest to me."

"…Guatemala…Central America…" Sakura mused aloud before she made the connection. "The Mayans?"

"Yes, the Mayans." Touko said with mild applause. "As you well know, the Spanish Conquistadores'…zeal, left much to be desired in archaeological terms. In their desire for wealth and glory, to say nothing of their blind obedience to the priests of the Church, so many treasures and historical artifacts, both mystic and otherwise, were lost. And much of what was not lost is sealed away, mostly in the vaults of the Vatican."

"I'm sure the Clock Tower wasn't too happy about that." Sakura cheerfully said.

Touko snorted. "Of course not," she said. "But they eventually found a compromise, or rather the Association did. Some of the more…dangerous, artifacts were transferred to Atlas. While not to the Clock Tower's liking, it was enough to save face for the Association as a whole."

"…no offense, master," Sakura chimed in after a few moments. "But can you really take your…business associate, at his word? This might just be a wild goose chase."

"It could be." Touko agreed, all the while examining the colored photos she'd printed from the e-mail she'd just received. "But it also might not be. And if it isn't…well, this just might be the biggest find of the century. And while I'm not against sharing…"

Touko trailed off, her eyes narrowed with ambition. "…I'd like to get dibs at whatever find this is." She said. "It's about time I started looking into South America's contributions to Human development and history. And this Mayan lead just might be a good start."

Sakura stayed silent, but after a few moments, Touko glanced in her direction. "Finish with the sink," she said. "And then start packing. I'll make the travel arrangements myself."

Sakura gave a polite bow. "As you say, master." She said, before turning away to finish her chores.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N

If you're expecting Rin or Shirou, then go away. They won't be appearing in this story. It's just Touko, Sakura, and a bunch of OCs. Luvia might make an appearance, but that's very unlikely, and even then only in passing.

And no, this isn't part of the Alea Iacta Est timeline, though it's a similar premise.
 
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The Name of Love

Far Right Nutjob
I did not expect you to be on this website, to be honest.

I will say, your stories always do have a certain whimsy that can make them charming. My only complaint is that you hardly ever make Sakura feel like Sakura, if you know what I mean.
 
Chapter 1

Jaenera Targaryen

Well-known member
Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Aozaki and Tohsaka – The Serpent’s Feathers

Chapter 1

“I certainly hope you brought clothes appropriate for the tropics, Sakura.” Touko remarked as Sakura collected their luggage from customs. All around them, the arrivals terminal of La Aurora International Airport bustled with people, ranging from tourists to aircrew and airport staff. “I know it’s a bit late to mention this, but I’d expect you to plan ahead.”

“It’s cold on a plane.” Sakura protested, before giving her master a small smile. “But yes, I made sure to pack tropical clothes for both of us.”

“Good,” Touko said, giving an approving nod before turning away with an imperious wave, her apprentice trailing after her with their luggage. “In your case at least, that bomber jacket and long-sleeved turtleneck you wear all the time is practically asking for a heat stroke.”

Sakura shrugged. “I’ll get changed once we get to the hotel.” She said.

Touko hummed, and gestured for Sakura to keep following. Sakura obeyed, following her master across the terminal and out the exit. Making their way through the crowd of families, valets, and the like waiting for other arrivals, the two magi proceeded to the taxi stand, taking their place in a short line. There were plenty of taxis available, allowing the line to move along at a steady pace, and within a few minutes both Touko and Sakura were getting into a taxi while the driver loaded their luggage into the back.

Buenas tardes, señoras.” The man greeted them before switching to accented English. “Where to?”

“Imperial Hotel in Antigua, thank you.” Touko said while settling into her seat, the driver doing likewise behind the wheel.

Sí, señora.

Sakura settled back with arms crossed over her chest, while Touko pulled out her phone. The driver had been about to turn on the radio, but thought better of it as Touko made a call. Several moments later and she was answered, Touko entering into a conversation in a European language Sakura didn’t recognize but was probably Hungarian, given who she was probably conversing with.

Not that she should be expected to, as while her master had made sure Sakura could understand and speak English (with as small an accent as possible), she hadn’t taught or had Sakura learn any other foreign language. It definitely wasn’t French though, or German, or even Russian. Even if Sakura’s experience with those languages were limited to watching films on television, it was enough that she could tell the difference between them.

She still couldn’t understand them though, much less speak them.

The conversation lasted several minutes, and ended with Touko disgruntled but satisfied. “I’m guessing that was Mister Zobor, master?” Sakura asked as Touko put away her phone.

“Hmm…yes, that was Benedek.” Touko said with a nod.

“…I’m also guessing that was Hungarian.” Sakura remarked.

“No, that was German.” Touko said with a smirk, the smirk widening as Sakura’s mouth fell open in surprise. “Let me guess, you thought that just because you watched a few movies set in World War II, you thought you could tell German by ear even if you couldn’t understand it, didn’t you?”

“…yes.” Sakura grumpily admitted.

Touko gave a barking laugh. “Kid, it’s not going to be that easy.” She said.

Sakura muttered something under her breath, but said nothing more for a few moments. “So what’s the deal with Mister Zobor?” she finally asked.

“He’ll be meeting us tomorrow, at a café in the Corte de los Esclavos.” Touko said. “I’d prefer to meet tonight, so we can get down to business right away, but I suppose I can work with this. At the very least, we can have some few hours of rest and relaxation before getting back to work. It was a long flight, business class or not.”

Sakura nodded in agreement, before her expression turned cautious. “What is it?” Touko asked. “Say what you want to say, Sakura.”

“It might be too late to be asking this,” Sakura began. “But can we really trust Mister Zobor, master?”

“Hell no,” Touko said with a snort and a disparaging smile. “But we can trust his sense of self-preservation. And he knows better than to double-cross me. He knows that if he ever did, death would be the best thing he could look forward to.”

Sakura winced as her master’s smile turned cruel and bloodthirsty. “Yeah…” she said, remembering the few times she’d seen her master at her worst and inwardly shuddering at the memories. She didn’t think Human beings could even scream like that…or could survive for so long literally without their skin (among other things). “…I…I’ll take your word for it, master.”

Touko’s smile lightened. “Relax, kid.” She said. “Just keep your head down, follow my lead, and everything will be alright. Or if nothing else, just use your head.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, master.”

“That’s a good girl.”
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Sakura, you go on ahead to our suite, and start unpacking.” Touko said after she finished checking in and making the security deposit. “I’ll join you later.”

“And just where will you be until then, master?” Sakura asked with mixed curiosity and suspicion.

Touko briefly glanced at the bar in the hotel foyer, before looking back at her apprentice. “I’m going to get a drink.” She cheerfully said, before smoothing her coat and making to leave.

“…I want a drink too…” Sakura muttered, as she moved to accompany the bellhop who’d be taking their luggage upstairs.

“Still four years more before you can drink, Sakura.” Touko said over a shoulder. And then pausing in thought, walked over to put an arm around her apprentice’s shoulder. “Tell you what, since you’ve been such a good girl lately, I don’t see any reason why you should just stay in the suite until I come back.”

“I’m always a good girl.” Sakura said with a roll of her eyes.

“Maybe,” Touko said with a shrug. “But anyway, you have your keycard, right?”

Sakura responded by gesturing with it, and Touko nodded. “Good…” she said, patting Sakura on a shoulder before stepping away. “Just unpack and put away our things, and then feel free to go ahead of me to the hotel restaurant and buffet. It’s part of our accommodation package, so go wild.”

Sakura didn’t say anything, but the slow smile that spread over her face was answer enough. Touko grinned and patted Sakura’s shoulder again. “Off you go then, kid.” She said. “Though, stay in the hotel, no matter what!”

“I can take care of myself, master.” Sakura shot back as Touko strolled off across the foyer towards the bar.

“This isn’t Japan, Sakura.” Touko seriously said over a shoulder. “The streets here are different from the ones you grew up in.”

“…fair enough…” Sakura conceded, before rejoining the bellhop at the elevators.

“Your mother, miss?” the man curiously asked in accented English. “Or a relative? I apologize if I’m prying though.”

“Hmm…no, no…” Sakura said, also switching to English, having conversed with her master in Japanese. “That was my guardian, we’re not related.”

“Ah…that explains the lack of resemblance…and again, my apologies. I might have gone too far.”

Sakura hummed and shrugged, and just followed the bellhop into the elevator as its doors opened.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Are you drunk?” Sakura asked over an hour later, as she spotted her master walking over to join her at a table for two in the restaurant.

Touko snorted. “Me? Get drunk?” she asked. “Kid, you underestimate me.”

“Sorry, master.” Sakura apologized first before explaining herself. “But you did spend over an hour at the bar.”

Touko nodded. “Yeah, I can see why you thought I might be drunk.” She said. “Shame this place is no smoking, though.”

Gesturing for a waiter, Touko ordered a mug of black coffee, and then turned back to her apprentice as the man hurried off. Eyeing her briefly, Touko noted that Sakura had discarded – probably back at their suite – her usual bomber jacket, though she still wore her usual long-sleeved turtleneck shirt over a pair of jeans.

Then again, the hotel was cold, if not as much as a passenger plane’s cabin could get. “…steak, huh?” Touko observed, eyeing Sakura’s meal. “Medium well too, from the look of things. I’m guessing that’s not your first choice from the buffet.”

“Of course not,” Sakura said, slicing into the meat and causing red to ooze out and mix with brown sauce against the white china of her plate. “They have a selection of European sausages, so I started out with those, along with some green vegetables.”

Touko nodded in approval. “And then?” she asked.

Sakura blushed and looked disinclined to answer. “Sakura…” Touko said semi-sternly.

“…there’s a Japanese section here.” Sakura admitted. “They have ebi tempura…lots of ebi tempura…”

Touko sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. “Really, Sakura?” she asked in mild exasperation.

“It’s not like I get to eat ebi tempura on a regular basis anyway, even back home.” Sakura said defensively, and forking a slice of steak into her mouth.

“Well, at least you avoided any rice.” Touko said with another sigh.

Sakura rolled her eyes. “I avoided any and all carbs.” She said, before jerking her thumb to a part of the buffet. Touko followed it with her eyes, and spotted breads of all kinds available for selection. “They’d fill me up, and I wouldn’t get to enjoy the buffet as much as I’d want.”

“…good thinking on that note…” Touko softly said. “…though you should probably have some carbs before you go for dessert. The local cornbread should be good…having travelled all the way around the world, I’d say it’s a waste to not at least try that, especially if you tried other breads like French or whatnot.”

“…the Chinese section’s fried rice smells very good though…” Sakura mumbled, and Touko rolled her eyes.

“All the way around the world, Sakura.” She repeated herself. “And you’re going for Chinese? We could have that – or ebi tempura for that matter – any time back home.”

Sakura grumbled under her breath, but didn’t bother arguing. “Anyway,” Touko continued. “What else did you have so far?”

“The native roast pork is good, with a sweet and sour sauce.” Sakura said. “They also have native roast poultry, seasoned with native herbs and spices, very good. And the steak they have, it’s very good. The meat is soft and not at all chewy, simply seasoned with…um, I think it’s just salt and pepper, but the ‘less is more’ approach works very well with it. It’s my second slice.”

Touko smirked. “Going for a third slice?” she asked teasingly.

Sakura blushed again, and silently returned to her meal. The conversation stilled as the waiter returned with Touko’s coffee, the older woman giving her thanks as the man served it. Taking a drink, she looked on as Sakura sliced and forked her steak into her mouth, and then took another drink.

“Anything else you’d like to recommend?” she asked lightly.

Sakura swallowed and took a drink of cold water before answering. “There’s an Italian section over there.” She said with a gesture from her finger. “They have several kinds of pizzas, along with cold cuts and several kinds of cheeses.”

“Cold cuts, huh?” Touko echoed. “There’s an idea.”

“They also have a halal section,” Sakura added. “For Muslim guests, I think. They have a roast goat there, along with all kinds of vegetable and other dishes.”

“Did you give it a try?” Touko asked curiously.

“It’s not bad.” Sakura answered noncommittally. Touko nodded, guessing the rest which her apprentice had politely declined to say.

It’s not bad, but not to my taste.

At least she’d given it a try, though. And her opinion wasn’t completely negative either, when all was said and done.

Touko took another drink, and savoring the bitterness of black coffee, sat back to take a look around the restaurant. It was full, most tables occupied by families or cliques of guests, though there were still plenty of single or double diners like herself and Sakura. The hotel staff stood out among the guests – though not in a negative way – in their formal Hispanic attire, going to and fro attending to business.

The chefs were in their typical uniforms and caps, though. No surprises there.

Touko nodded, and finished her coffee before washing her mouth with a single drink of cold water. “Going somewhere?” Sakura asked as her master got to her feet. Touko looked at her with an unimpressed expression and a raised eyebrow.

“I’m going to see if their Italian is as good as you say it is.” She said, and then walked off. Sakura looked after her for a while, and then shrugging, finished off her steak. Wiping at her hands and mouth with her table napkin while a waiter took away her dirty plate, the young magus didn’t bother to wait for her master before going off for another slice of steak, and maybe some vegetables this time too.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Corte de los Esclavos,” Touko said in Japanese with mild distaste. “What a charming name.”

Master and apprentice struggled through the crowds of tourists and locals filling the square, the morning Sun hot and bright overhead even at half past ten in the morning. There weren’t any cars here, but there were a number of bikes and motorbikes, and even a few trikes. Stalls and kiosks of all kinds with signs in Spanish or English (and sometimes both) lined much of the square’s surroundings, competing with storefronts both domestic and international.

For instance, there were a number of local cafes and restaurants, modestly standing out with their conservative facades and Spanish names, and in stark contrast to the modern styles of the likes of McDonalds, Starbucks, and more. The same went for the people in the square, the locals blending into each other with their native appearances and complete comfort in the heat, while the tourists stood out in their various nationalities and struggles with the local temperature.

Touko and Sakura were no exception, though magi being magi, they coped with the heat better than most. Their Oriental looks made them stand out, though, and they were dressed like most tourists. Touko had discarded her usual coat, and now wore a plain, short-sleeved, button-down shirt of white over light brown pants. As for Sakura, she comfortably coped in a white tank top under an unbuttoned, short-sleeved shirt of dark green, worn over her another pair of jeans.

“Court of the Slaves…yeah, really charming…” the apprentice chimed her agreement with her master.

“How’d you know?” Touko asked.

Sakura pointed at a museum on the far side of the square, the name of the place printed on a large billboard above the entrance in both English and Spanish. “Huh…very observant…” Touko said with veiled approval.

“I’m guessing this place used to be a slave market in centuries past.” Sakura remarked.

“A logical, and undoubtedly correct assumption.” Touko said, before gesturing for Sakura to follow. “This way.”

“After you, master.” Sakura said, falling into step behind Touko.

Pushing their way through the crowds, and waving off local vendors showing off their wares, master and apprentice made their way to one of the local cafes. A uniformed doorman showed them in with a smile and a polite nod, and then Touko was leading the way to a table where a Caucasian man was enjoying coffee and local pastries.

“Benedek,” Touko said without preamble as they approached. “It’s been a while.”

“Likewise, Touko.” The Hungarian magus replied. Sakura took a moment to look him over, Benedek Zobor a tall European male with dark, thinning hair cut close to his scalp, and who sported a neatly-trimmed mustache above his mouth. Like her master, the man wore a plan, short-sleeved, button-down shirt of white, though over a pair of shorts as opposed to pants.

Then the magus was turning to her, and blinked in incomprehension. “And this is?” he asked.

“My apprentice,” Touko said with a gesture to Sakura, who gave a polite bow. “Sakura Tohsaka…Sakura, this is Benedek Zobor, a colleague and business associate of mine, though I’m sure you already know that.”

“Yes, master…pleased to meet you, Mister Zobor.”

“Please,” Benedek said while offering his hand to Sakura, who shook it firmly. “Call me Benedek.”

“Alright…Benedek.”

The man smiled, and then gestured for them to sit. A gesture had a waiter coming over, and after several moments perusing a menu, Touko – Sakura couldn’t read Spanish – ordered coffee and local pastries for herself and her apprentice.

“So,” Touko said. “How have you been, Benedek?”

“As well as can be expected.” Benedek said with a sigh. “Though I suppose it’s better than your situation.”

“Hmm…perhaps…though last I hear you had to leave Egypt in a hurry.”

The man’s eyes twitched and his facial muscles tightened, though he said nothing. Touko raised her hands in apology though. “That said,” she said. “We aren’t here to trade insults, much less rub salt into each other’s wounds. Shall we get down to business?”

“…yes, we should.” Benedek agreed. “Though I suggest we wait until your drinks and pastries arrive. They’re quite good, you know.”

The man took a drink of his own coffee at that, as though to drive home the statement. Touko just smiled in amusement, and then Benedek was turning to Sakura. “So tell me, child.” He said. “What has your master been teaching you?”

“…the basics, mostly.” Sakura cautiously answered. “She’s also supervising my…experiments, into my higher-level abilities. I’m not sure if she’s just flattering me, but she says I should be able to flatten any Flame that’s stupid enough to cross me.”

Touko snorted. “It’s not flattery.” She said. “Even if it’s only been…what, five? Six years? My apprentice should be more than capable of taking on a mere Flame. I daresay you’re comparable to a Count, or even a Cause.”

Sakura shrugged and said nothing. “Higher-level abilities, though?” Benedek asked curiously. “That’s a rather interesting choice of words.”

“I’m sure it is.” Touko said, and left it at that.

Benedek shrugged, knowing better than to pry past that point. Maybe if it was another magus, he might have, but against Touko Aozaki? Against someone like her, it was best to be prudent, even if it concerned her apprentice, and not Touko herself.

Or even more so, as for childless or heirless magi, apprentices were like their own children. Until they had an heir or heiress of their own, their apprentices were their legacy. And if there was anything the typically-greedy magi valued more than themselves, it was their – or their families’ – legacy.

And ultimately, whether or not Touko fitted into that category was immaterial. Given how (in)famous she was, it was simply…unwise, to push the boundaries with her.

Sorry to keep you waiting.” A neatly-dressed waitress said in Spanish as she arrived with a tray. “Your orders are here.

Two mugs of coffee on saucers were placed before Touko and Sakura, along with a plate each of corn pastry. “Thank you.” Touko said in Spanish with a polite smile and nod. The waitress nodded back with a smile, and then returned to the counter.

Sakura added cream and sugar to her coffee, but Touko just took it black. “To your health.” She said, toasting Benedek.

“And to yours.” He said, returning the toast before asking for a refill. The waitress nodded before taking his empty mug, and returned after several moments with a fresh mug of coffee. Benedek added cream, and taking a sip, nodded before replacing the mug on its saucer. “Now then, shall we get down to business?”

“Very well…” Touko said, and placing a hand on the table, erected a bounded field around them to keep people from listening in. “Now, start talking.”

Instead of speaking, Benedek just reached down to get his bag, and then pulled out a geis scroll. “First things first,” he said, unrolling the scroll and pushing it across the table for Touko to peruse. “If anything comes of this venture, I want to guarantee my share of the profit, sixty-forty.”

Touko silently regarded the scroll for a few minutes, and then smiled as she found it lacking any traps or onerous conditions. She also noted the blank spaces on the scroll where the split percentages should be listed down with amused approval, indicating they were up for discussion. “…seventy-thirty…my way.” She countered.

Benedek inclined his head, and without complaint used a fountain pen to fill in the percentages. Then replacing that with a different pen, cut his thumb and filled in his signature, binding him to an agreement that included not turning or raising a hand against his partner until their venture was complete, and they had left the country.

Then he offered the pen to Touko, who did likewise, and binding her to the same conditions. All on pain of the destruction of their magic circuits, which considering their connection to a magus’ nervous system, would either kill them at the same time, or leave them paraplegics or vegetables.

“So what’s this about?” Touko asked.

Benedek smiled, putting away the scroll before pulling out a case of lacquered wood with a cover of crystal glass. “This is…?” Touko breathed as it was pushed across the table, the Grand Magus narrowing her eyes at the jewel-inlaid gold medallion.

“I’m not quite sure what it is,” Benedek admitted. “But from what I gathered from the archaeologists who found this at a dig in Teotihuacan, this might be the key to one of the biggest finds in history.”

“Oh? Do tell.”

Benedek sat back and clasped his hands in front of him. “…it was about a month ago, maybe two.” He said. “Well, I heard about it a month ago, but they found that long before.”

“Where?” Touko asked.

“Teotihuacan,” Benedek said, before smiling at the look of incomprehension on Sakura’s face. “It’s a ruined city in Mexico, predating both the Aztecs and the Mayans. Its name literally means ‘The Place of the Gods’. Who built it, gods or men or something else, is unknown, whether to our kind or modern scientists. However, all the Mesoamerican civilizations that came after and found and witnessed the ruins held them in great regard, so much so that they never dared attempt to settle or rebuild the ruins, seeing it as blasphemous to what – in their belief – must have been the gods’ residence on Earth before the making of Man.”

“And?” Touko said, tapping her fingers against the table. “What next?”

“Apparently, using some kind of…modern, invention the archaeologists were able to find a ruined structure not far from the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.” Benedek explained. “No one had noticed it before because the site was buried in sand and dirt and overgrown with greenery. On excavation…well, it wasn’t exactly a temple, and more a small…shrine, made in memory of and in the hope of the return of the Feathered Serpent.”

“Feathered Serpent…an ancient god of the Mesoamericans?” Sakura asked.

“Yes,” Touko said with a nod. “He’s also known as Quetzalcoatl, the name literally meaning ‘Feathered Serpent’. It’s not entirely clear if he was a god from the start, or a king who was deified after his death, but what is clear is that he alone among the Mesoamerican deities did not demand Human sacrifices in his honor, and indeed, spoke out and sought to end such a practice.”

“This eventually led to a war in which Quetzalcoatl was defeated, and forced to flee into exile to the east, across the sea.” Benedek said. “Proponents of the theory that Quetzalcoatl was just a deified king argue that this is a…dramatization, of a war between a reformist political faction led by the king against the priestly class, and one which ended in the latter’s victory. But given what we know about the World…”

“…there likely was a war between the gods, between Quetzalcoatl and his allies and followers, against the other gods, led by the war god Tezcatlipoca.” Touko said with a nod.

“Indeed,” Benedek said. “Legend also claims that Quetzalcoatl made a prophecy prior to his departure, that he would one day return and finish what he started. He even gave a date for it…a date which…unfortunately, was set in the same year as the Spanish Conquistadores’ arrival in Central America.”

“…yeah, I know this part.” Sakura said with a nod. “The Aztecs equated Cortez and his men as Quetzalcoatl and his followers returned, delaying and botching their response and starting a chain of events that would only end in the destruction of the Aztec Empire, and the slavery of their people.”

“Quite,” Touko said before taking a drink of her coffee. “Or more likely, as the Age of Gods was already long past by then, Quetzalcoatl simply could not return as he had once promised.”

Benedek nodded. “In any case,” he said. “The shrine I mentioned from earlier had its interior decorated with map-like murals of a large kingdom in ancient Central America, including representations of cities, towns, forts and the like. In hindsight, I suspect those murals in fact depict the Realm of Quetzalcoatl prior to his war with the other gods, the land wherein his dreams and ideals had become reality.”

“And which his worshippers after his defeat longed for an eventual restoration of.” Touko hypothesized with narrowed eyes. Those same eyes then fell on the medallion in its case. “What’s this then?”

“Apparently, it was found on a plinth in the middle of the shrine.” Benedek explained. “Unlike the murals on the walls, the friezes on the floor indicated it was supposed to be a marker of some kind, to a place of importance to the Feathered Serpent, which he visited just before his departure.”

“Hmm…I wonder…” Touko said, opening the case and taking the medallion from inside. Hefting it for a few moments, she held it closer and narrowed her eyes again at the detail on the gem inlaid into the medallion. “…I’m going to need a closer look, but from what you’ve told me…a marker…this could be a map of some kind…”

“…an interesting hypothesis…” Benedek agreed.

Touko looked at him suspiciously. “Though that does beg the question: why?” she asked. “This could be – in your own words, no less – the biggest find of the century, magical or otherwise. Why involve me in this, when you would surely know it would only cut into your gains, one way or another?”

“Because you’re the best damn magus-archaeologist that I know.” Benedek said. “No one else outside the Department of Archaeology would be qualified to crack this case, even more so as we’ll be heading to what could be an ancient battlefield or something dating back to the Age of Gods. And if I involve those people, I’d get even less – if anything at all – than I would by working with you.”

“…guess that rules out involving Estray.” Sakura cheerfully remarked. “I mean, they’re supposed to be the experts on anything involving the Age of Gods, right? Only…”

“Yeah,” Touko said with a roll of her eyes. “They’re a bunch of silly old men and women so far up their own asses that the Clock Tower’s Aristocratic Faction might as well be hippies holding hands and singing ‘Kumbaya’ by comparison.”

Sakura raised an eyebrow at her master’s scorn, while Benedek snorted with amusement. “Touko, I’ve missed you.” He said.

“Humph…I suppose that answers my question.” Touko said. “Though I do have another question: how’d you even hear about this?”

Benedek tutted and waved his finger at that. “Now, now,” he said. “We all have our sources and contacts, including ones we prefer to keep anonymous. Whether out of a desire for exclusivity, or as part of a business relationship, don’t we now?”

“…fair enough…” Touko conceded, before again hefting the medallion in her hands. “…a marker, eh? To what? What is this place that’s so important to the Feathered Serpent, that even after his defeat merited a shrine being raised in Teotihuacan of all places?”

“I wouldn’t know.” Benedek said with a nod. “My sources tell me though, that the archaeologists theorized it could be a religious site or temple of some kind.”

“Hmm…they might be on to something there.” Touko admitted.

“Well,” Sakura chimed in while beginning to dig into her pastry. “We won’t find out by sitting here, won’t we? We’ll have to go and see if we’re going to.”

“Indeed, Sakura, indeed.” Touko agreed, tossing the medallion into the air and catching it several times. Each and every time, as the medallion rose and fell, it caught the light of the Sun, and causing it to shine as though through blood.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N

Welcome to Guatemala, Touko and Sakura.

And yeah, poor Quetzalcoatl. If only he’d won the war, the history of Central America wouldn’t have been associated with stereotypes of screaming warrior-fanatics constantly on the hunt for prisoners to drag to their altars and have their hearts cut out. Or virgin young women getting flayed alive only for their skin to be used as cloaks by some old and sinister priest.

Long story short, if Quetzalcoatl had won, there’d have been no rivers of blood or piles of skulls and other such things in Central America. At least until Cortez and his men arrived, that is.
 

The Name of Love

Far Right Nutjob
Welcome to Guatemala, Touko and Sakura.

And yeah, poor Quetzalcoatl. If only he’d won the war, the history of Central America wouldn’t have been associated with stereotypes of screaming warrior-fanatics constantly on the hunt for prisoners to drag to their altars and have their hearts cut out. Or virgin young women getting flayed alive only for their skin to be used as cloaks by some old and sinister priest.

Long story short, if Quetzalcoatl had won, there’d have been no rivers of blood or piles of skulls and other such things in Central America. At least until Cortez and his men arrived, that is.
Ahahahaha!

As much of an inveterate defender of tradition as I am, there was a reason Cortez was able to round up all of the surrounding tribes under his banner to destroy the Mexica people. They had degenerated quite a bit.
 
Chapter 2

Jaenera Targaryen

Well-known member
Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Aozaki and Tohsaka – The Serpent’s Feathers

Chapter 2

Shards of glass went flying across the café as the large windows of its façade shattered inwards. Shouts and screams of alarm erupted from patrons and staff alike, most people inside diving for cover to avoid getting cut by the sharp glass. The three magi were no exception, Benedek simultaneously tipping the table over while diving behind it, Touko and Sakura fast behind him.

Not so fast as to not notice what it was which broke the glass in the first place, though. “…a Goshawk?” Benedek breathed in surprise, watching as the brown and black-feathered raptor circled around the café interior. And then giving a cry, it beat its pinions, turning to fly back outside through the shattered windows.

A shout from Touko had the Hungarian magus jolting back into reality. “Sakura…!” the Grand Magus barked in Japanese. “It has the medallion!”

“Already on it!” Sakura shouted, blue lines fading into her skin as she finished reinforcing her body and clothes alike. Simultaneously, she dashed out of cover and across the café at superhuman speeds, and leapt out the windows in pursuit.

As before, the square was packed to the gills with people, but that was nothing Sakura couldn’t handle. She grew up in Osaka, after all. And while Osaka wasn’t Tokyo, that didn’t mean it couldn’t compete with the latter when it came to making sardines in a tin can feel like they were in the Taj Mahal.

Antigua at its worst was light going for Sakura, especially with reinforcement boosting her physical attributes to superhuman levels. Whether it was the strength to push aside or through the throngs, the dexterity to slip between the gaps in the crowd, and the agility to keep up witht the Goshawk above, she was like a blur through the square.

A pair of men on a motorcycle skidded to a halt as what seemed to them like a girl deftly sidestepped and ran past.

A street vendor was left gaping as that same girl leapt up and over his rolling kiosk.

A pudgy policeman was left scrambling for his peaked cap as something knocked it off his head in passing.

Strange…” Sakura thought, her eyes on the Goshawk, trusting in her instincts and other senses to get through the crowd. “That bird…no…that familiar, should be able to fly higher…but why isn’t it? Is the medallion too heavy? It’s partly made from gold, yes, but still…

Letting the thought trail off, Sakura narrowed her eyes, and briefly casting her gaze around the square, abruptly changed course. Jumping onto a stall and boosting off its roof’s frame, Sakura jumped onto a crumbling statue of a lion and again boosted off its head. The statue’s head broke apart under her Nikes, but it served its purpose, boosting Sakura further as she pounced on and kicked off, higher and further, from one of the stone pillars along the side of the square. The stone cracked and shattered under her feet, but she was able to get close and high enough to the Goshawk, just in time to barely catch it before it could fly by.

Not enough to grab the bird or the medallion, but enough to knock the latter out of the former’s claws.

Gold and ruby flashed as it fell through the air, thankfully bouncing off and breaking its fall against people as opposed to the ground. The latter could have shattered the jewel, or deformed the medallion, or worse, both. Though it still fell to the ground, it did so at a more sedate speed, not enough to truly damage it.

Sakura though spun as she fell through the air, landing prone and on all fours to break the force of impact, and then springing back, into a crouch and up to her feet. Shouts of alarm erupted from the locals, along with curious looks and exclamations from the tourists, no doubt wondering if she was an acrobat or something.

A flicker of motion on the edges of her vision caught Sakura’s attention…

…and then her eyes were going wide, as a number of men dressed in nondescript clothes began pulling guns – submachine guns from the look of things – from bags and suitcases. Raising them into the air, they began firing in bursts, and throwing the crowd into a panic.

Then they advanced, spreading out while continuing to spray bursts into the air, locals and tourists alike giving way. Several moments later, and they lowered their guns in Sakura’s general direction, and fired.

Cursing, Sakura dove for cover behind an inscription-covered slab of masonry, huddling down behind it as slugs chewed away at its front. More bullets flew through the air around and above her, the gunmen apparently content to pin her in place.

Or did they?

Cursing some more, Sakura unsealed one of her contracted spirits, and looking through its eyes, saw the gunmen arrayed around her position in a semicircle. Surprisingly, they were content to just pin her down, and it didn’t take long to find out why.

The Goshawk from before was there, standing on the ground with its beak pressed lightly against the medallion, eyes glowing with magical power.

Not for long!” Sakura thought. A mental command had the spirit striking down on the Goshawk, which narrowly escaped, flapping away while scrambling across the ground before beating its pinions and flying high into the sky.

For good measure, Sakura had the spirit grab the medallion and drag it safely inside Imaginary Numbers Space.

Then the wailing sounds of police sirens were echoing through the square, coming closer with every second. Shouting in Spanish, the gunmen turned and ran, Sakura sending her contracted spirit to inform her master of the situation moments before she carefully stepped out and around the stone monument she’d been hiding behind.

Less than a minute later, and police cars were rolling into the square. Uniformed men poured out, shouting and barking in Spanish as they fanned out around the square.

Sakura moved slowly and deliberately, keeping her hands away from herself as she crossed the ground. It seemed to work, the policemen wary but not hostile at her appearance, no doubt thinking she was just some tourist caught in the middle of some kind of gang fight and forced to hide until things settled down.

Shaking her head at the queries sent her way, she threw a hopeful look at her master as the older woman approached from the far side of the square. Catching her angle, some of the newly-arrived policemen moved to intercept Touko and Benedek.

…well, they can speak Spanish.” Sakura thought as she trailed along towards her master, the policemen keeping wary eyes on her all the way. “Let them handle this…somehow.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“So let me get this straight,” the police sergeant speaking to Touko said. “You were having coffee when a bird of all things flew through the window – and breaking it in the process, you say – and grabbed one of your jewels…”

Touko nodded. “A family jewel, actually…” she smoothly lied, the policeman carrying on without skipping a beat.

“…before flying back out the window,” he said. “At which point your…ward, here…”

The man paused and nodded at Sakura who just shrugged in response, before continuing. “…chased after it to get the jewel back.” He said.

“Yes, that’s pretty much what happened.” Touko cheerfully said with another nod.

“And while chasing the bird across the square,” the unimpressed policeman continued. “Gunmen popped out and started shooting, and only stopped when they heard us coming.”

“Yes, that also happened.”

“…any particular reason why they would start shooting at your ward, and all for a jewel?” the policeman demanded.

Touko briefly fidgeted before sighing, and reaching up, removed her glasses seemingly in weariness. Her irises briefly glowed blue though, and the policemen and other witnesses around felt themselves jolt as though current ran through their bodies.

“No, I don’t.” Touko firmly said, before smiling. “I think the detective over there has an idea though.”

More an idea she planted into his head, along with a compulsion on others to put their faith in it, but they didn’t need to know that. “Detective Manzanedo…” the police sergeant said with a salute as the older man approached.

“Easy, sergeant.” Detective Armando Manzanedo said, before nodding at Touko and company. “As absurd as their story sounds, I believe it. If nothing else, if they were…suspects, trying to excuse themselves out of trouble, this has to be the most ridiculous alibi anyone could ever come up with.”

“But…?” the sergeant prompted.

The detective shrugged. “Like I said,” he began. “It’s too ridiculous to be an alibi. And all the other witnesses we’ve spoken with, whether the other patrons at the café, the café staff, and the people here in the square, everything they told us supports these people’s claim.”

“I see.” The sergeant said with a nod, and the detective nodded as well.

“We may be looking at a new tactic by the local syndicate or gangs.” He said. “It seems really…outlandish, even by their standards, but given their…machismo, tendencies…yes, that could be it.”

“Sir?”

The detective looked at the sergeant grimly. “The local syndicate or gangs may have started using trained birds to filch valuables from tourist or locals,” he said. “And posted men nearby in case the owners get too…clingy.”

“…depending on how old and well-made the señorita’s jewelry was,” the sergeant said just as grimly. “It could have fetched a fine price.”

“That it could.” The detective agreed, before turning back to Touko and company. “May I ask where this jewel is now?”

Touko and Benedek glanced at Sakura, who shook her head with a look of dismay on her face. Benedek’s face tightened, while Touko’s eyes narrowed as she set her jaw. “…my sympathies, señorita.” The detective said.

Touko grunted but said nothing. As for the detective, he pulled out a notepad, and spent the next couple of minutes jotting down notes. “I assume you and yours are tourists, señorita?” he finally asked.

“Not quite…” Touko said. “My ward and other companion are, but I’m also here on business.”

“Oh?”

Touko gestured at the bag she was carrying on a sling around her shoulders. “If I may?” she asked.

“Please,”

Touko opened it, and reaching inside pulled out a neatly-folded sheaf of papers. She handed them to the detective, before again removing her glasses on the pretext of wiping her face with a kerchief. At the same time, her eyes again glowed.

“…I see.” The detective said, perusing the papers that were actually a memorandum of agreement with Touko and Sakura’s stay at the Imperial Hotel, but which he thought to be something else.

Mystic Eyes…such useful things.

“You are an archaeologist, here to examine Mayan ruins and other remains, and to meet with our country’s experts.” The detective said with a nod, before returning the papers to Touko. Jotting down more notes, he looked back to her after a moment. “Just for reference’s sake, in case we need to ask you some more questions, may I ask where you are currently staying at?”

“At the Imperial Hotel, in this same city, of couse.”

“Ah, I see…yes, I know the place.”

The man nodded while jotting down some more notes, and then nodding in satisfaction, capped his pen before putting it and his notepad away. “Well then,” he said, extending a hand which Touko took and shook. “I have no further questions at this time, and you may go.”

“Sir,” the police sergeant said. “If these people, or at least the señorita is here on official business, given her involvement in this…new, modus operandi by the local gangs or syndicate, maybe we should have her speak with the lieutenant or even the captain? I mean…yes, it may just be the antiquities office, but still: official business. This could get really troublesome if the higher-ups start stirring things up.”

“…you have a point, sergeant.” The detective agreed after a moment and a nod. “But if it comes to that, I’ll deal with our superiors. I see no reason for the señorita and her companions to be inconvenienced even further.”

“I…yes, sir.”

“Actually,” Touko said while making a show of checking her wristwatch. “I wouldn’t mind a quick talk with the police captain. Both as a show of cooperation, and in the hope that this would simplify things further down the line.”

The magus smiled at them, her eyes again flashing, while both Benedek and Sakura shared confused glances with each other. Touko ignored them, and just gestured for them to follow as the policemen escorted them to a waiting police car.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“I see…I understand…yes, of course…I’ll take care it. Thank you, thank you…”

The police captain returned the phone handset back into its cradle, his conversation with the Guatemalan antiquities office done. At least, he thought he’d had a conversation. In reality, he’d basically been talking to himself, the whole conversation only existing in his head.

In front of his desk, the intrepid trio of magi sat, Touko cleaning her glasses with a soft cloth, blue light dancing in her irises.

“Very well, Señorita Aozaki,” the police captain began with a cough. “Following my conversation with my colleagues in the antiquities office, your arrangement with them will continue despite your regrettable, but unintended, involvement in this affair. On behalf of the force, and of the Guatemalan nation and people, I apologize that your visit to our country was marred by such an incident.”

“The fault lies with the criminals, captain.” Touko graciously said. “There is no need to apologize, but even so, thank you.”

The police captain nodded and sat back. “Rest assured,” he said. “There should be no further need for your studies – or your companions’ vacation – to be interrupted further by involvement in this matter. You and yours will be listed as anonymous witnesses, and there will be no need for you to remain, whether as suspects or as witnesses to be named for testimony in court.”

“Thank you, captain.”

The man nodded again before getting to his feet, and the three magi also got to their feet. Extended a hand, Touko took and shook it. “If there is nothing more,” she said. “Then we will take our leave.”

The police captain nodded. “Go with God, señorita.” He said.

“Thank you.” Touko said, before leading the way out of the office and thence the police station. Benedek and Sakura stayed quiet until they were out on the street once more, and walking away from the police station.

“Well, I’m impressed.” Benedek remarked in English. “I shouldn’t be, because it’s you, but I am.”

Touko gave a smug sound of satisfaction, before her eyes slid towards her apprentice’s direction. “What about you, Sakura?” she asked, also speaking in English. “Nothing to say?”

“…one of the first lessons you taught, master.” Sakura replied. “Cover all angles, right?”

“Precisely.”

Benedek nodded in agreement. “If it was just the detectives and officers on the site made to make our…involvement, in the incident, ‘go away’,” he said. “Their higher-ups still might go digging deeper later on, and cause trouble of one kind or another at the same time.”

“But now that the higher-ups have been made to look the other way,” Sakura said. “Or rather, to cover up our involvement, there should no problems from there in the future. That said…”

Sakura paused, her eyes narrowed. “I don’t think gangs or the local gangsters are the ones behind the attack, master.” She said.

“I’d be disappointed if you did.” Touko remarked. “But not here. Later, in the hotel.”

“Yes, master.”
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

In a villa located in the Guatemalan countryside, a tall woman strode down a marbled hallway, flowering vines creeping up in verdant spirals around the evenly-spaced pillars. The woman cut a striking figure with her sharp, aristocratic features, her dark hair tied back into a bun at the back of her head. An intimidating air of all business hung around her, leading servants to step aside and bow deeply as she passed.

Exiting the villa, Lady Isabelle Iceheart strode down a paved causeway over a large pond on which floated a number of lily pads, its banks lined with flowering bushes. Making her way to a stone pavilion, she bowed to her superior, Lord Wilhelm Carter.

“You have acquired what you were supposed to, I take it?” Lord Carter began without preamble. The balding, corpulent man sat at a table heaving with a feast, ranging from salads and fresh fruits, to steaming soups and breads, as well as roasts of various kinds.

“In a way, yes.” Lady Iceheart replied.

Lord Carter paused eating, and then lowered the leg of poultry he’d been devouring to his plate with deceptive gentleness. “Explain.” He said, before taking his table napkin and dabbing at his mouth.

“While I was unable to acquire the medallion,” Lady Iceheart said. “I was able to acquire a full impression of it.”

“…I hope for your sake it will be enough to find the Armory.” Lord Carter coldly said, before he tugged at his handlebar moustache in thought. “It’s not like you to fail, Isabelle. What happened?”

“Zobor has made contact with one of his…allies, I suppose.” Lady Iceheart replied, and Lord Carter scoffed.

“And who is this fearsome one that would foil you so, my dear?” he challenged.

“Grand Magus Aozaki and one other magus who may be her apprentice.”

Lord Carter blinked and then burst out laughing. “I see, I see, I see!” he said, clapping his hands slowly as simmering anger turned to delight. “It seems I’ve been most uncharitable, Isabelle. Truly, you were outclassed, and your partial success potentially a miracle in itself. Hmm…Grand Magus Aozaki…a worthy opponent indeed…”

Lady Iceheart bowed in acknowledgement, while Lord Carter took a silver bell and rang for a servant. “Set a place for Lady Iceheart.” He commanded, and with a bow the servant hurried to obey. Barely a minute later, and Lord Carter gestured for Lady Iceheart to sit, and was pouring her a glass of wine.

“Now then, Isabelle,” Lord Carter grandly prompted as she took her seat. “Tell me what happened.”

“Yes, my lord.” Lady Iceheart said with a nod. “As you know, we had already determined the general area of Benedek Zobor’s hideout within Antigua by this morning. We had expected him to lie low, as he usually does, until he can arrange an auction for his wares, and as such we had ample time to pinpoint his precise location and extract from him your prize.”

Lord Carter hummed in acknowledgement. “Instead,” he began. “He took us all by surprise by leaving his hideout this morning, and proceeding to an unexpected rendezvous.”

“As you say, my lord.” Lady Iceheart confirmed. “We shadowed him in the hope of an opportunity to take advantage of, only to be once again caught by surprise by his rendezvous.”

“Grand Magus Aozaki…” Lord Carter said while swirling the wine in his glass, his voice filled with grudging respect. “…truly a diamond in the rough that one, who despite being born of a no-name lineage and from a backwater of no real import, was able to achieve the rank of Grand at the age of twenty, and soon after a sealing designation…a designation that has only earned the Association corpses for all the trouble taken to enforce it…”

Trailing off with a chuckle, Lord Carter raised his glass in a silent salute. “And?” he prompted after a sip. “I assume you would have known a direct confrontation with such an august personage would be nothing less than suicide, one way or another. And yet you took action against her…why?”

“I am your servant, my lord.” Lady Iceheart said with a bow. “You commanded myself to acquire your prize, and therefore I did what I thought best to fulfil your command.”

“Indeed…” Lord Carter said with a nod. “And what did you do, Isabelle?”

“As you said, a direct confrontation would have been suicidal.” Lady Iceheart said. “So I simply had my familiar break through the windows of the café the rendezvous was taking place in, and take the medallion while it was out of its case and in the open.”

“…but you failed.”

“Ultimately, yes.” Lady Iceheart said with a sigh. The silence persisted for a long moment, and then Lord Carter made a silent prompt with a tilt of his head. Lady Iceheart took a sip of her wine before continuing. “Even without its protective case, the medallion was heavy, between the size of the jewel and the gold it was made from. This kept my familiar from flying high with it, while the…fragility, of the medallion kept it from holding the medallion as well as it could.”

“Hmm…understandable…” Lord Carter conceded. “No point in getting the medallion if it was damaged by your familiar’s talons along the way, given how soft gold and how brittle gems can be.”

“As you say, my lord.”

“And?”

“The one I assume to be Grand Magus Aozaki’s apprentice gave chase.” Lady Iceheart continued. “Most likely a combination of reinforcement, along with some experience in navigating crowded places, allowed her to keep up. She may even have training or experience – or both, even – in parkour from what I can see.”

“What leads you to say that?” Lord Carter asked.

“The way she eventually knocked the medallion out of my familiar’s talons.” Lady Iceheart replied. “She used a stall, then a lion’s statue, and then a pillar to position herself and jump high enough to do so. Admittedly a gamble on her part, as if not for the medallion’s fall being broken by bouncing off the bodies of the crowd below, it’d have been dashed against the ground…”

“…but a gamble that paid off for her.” Lord Carter said with a nod. “But yes…I can see how you came to the hypothesis you did.”

Lady Iceheart bowed. “And?” Lord Carter prompted again. “What then?”

“…I had my men – all incognito, of course – provide a distraction by having them fire their guns into the air.” Lady Iceheart said. “Once they were close enough, they pinned the apprentice behind cover while I – through my familiar – used structural analysis to obtain the impression of the medallion. I barely had the time to do so, but I succeeded.”

“…I assume the apprentice counterattacked then?” Lord Carter asked. “I would expect nothing less from a Grand Magus’ apprentice.”

“She used a spirit to bypass my men.” Lady Iceheart said. “My familiar barely avoided its clutches, and could do nothing to keep it from…well, I may be wrong, but it looked as though the apprentice – through the spirit – hid away the medallion by means of spatial manipulation.”

“…interesting…very interesting…” Lord Carter mused aloud. “…was that ability of the spirit? Or was it the apprentice’s, remotely actualized through the spirit?”

“…your pardon…” Lady Iceheart said with a bow. “…but I lack the wisdom and knowledge to assume on this matter.”

“No matter,” Lord Carter dismissively said. “What happened next?”

“I had completed my impression of the medallion.” Lady Iceheart answered. “There was no further reason to stay, so I had my familiar, and my men, retreat. I know not what happened to Benedek Zobor or Grand Magus Aozaki in the aftermath, much less to the latter’s apprentice. I know that the police were closing in, but that is all.”

“…again, no matter…” Lord Carter dismissively said. “…for now, you have done as best you could given the circumstances. We will see if the impression you obtained is enough…later. If not, then we must find another way to obtain the location of the Armory, one way or another.”

“Yes, my lord.” Lady Iceheart said with a bow.

Lord Carter nodded with a satisfied nod. “But that is for later.” He said, before grandly gesturing at the table between them. “For now, I would have you join me for lunch.”

“Yes, my lord. And thank you.”
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reality rippled as Sakura reached into Imaginary Numbers Space, and pulled out the medallion. Then holding it out, allowed her master to take it from her hand, all the while Benedek looked on with wide eyes.

“Spatial manipulation?” he asked. “At your age? You’re either gifted, your master taught you really well, or both.”

Sakura shrugged. “I’d say it’s the second,” she said. “But my master would say it’s the third.”

“That’s because it’s the truth, that’s why.” Touko said with a shrug of her own.

“…just where did you find such a gifted apprentice, Touko?” Benedek asked. “It can’t have been the Clock Tower, you haven’t been there – I think – for over a decade, nor could you have just run into her and picked her up along the way. Did you owe one of your fellow Japanese magi a favor, and had to take their heiress as an apprentice to pay it back, or something?”

Sakura snorted and actually laughed at that, while Touko rolled her eyes. “Sakura, go make tea or something.” She said.

“Yes, master.” Sakura said, before strolling away deeper into their suite, to obey her master’s instructions. Meanwhile, Touko sat down on the couch and held up the medallion to study it.

“…believe it or not,” she eventually said, while still studying the medallion with her eyes. “I all but literally did run into her on the street, and took her in as an apprentice shortly after.”

“Seriously?”

Touko lowered the medallion and looked at Benedek in the eyes. “Seriously.” She said.

“…that seems very charitable…and no offense, most unlike you.” Benedek observed, and Touko snorted.

“Charitable?” she echoed. “Hardly; I barely knew her when I took her in, but in that time I could already see she had a lot of potential. Not as much as me, of course, but far from average potential…so very far…”

“And?” Benedek prompted, and Touko smirked.

“A master without an apprentice is a master of nothing.” She said, and Benedek laughed.

“So I see…” he said. “…yes, that is much more like you.”

Touko shrugged while glancing down at the medallion in her hands. “She fit the qualitative requirement,” she said. “And while she’s not without her flaws as a person or an apprentice, I haven’t had cause to regret taking her in.”

“So I see.”

Touko hummed, while rubbing the medallion with her thumb. After several moments, she nodded. “I think I have some idea what this is, and how to use it. I just need a closer look first to confirm it, and then…”

Touko trailed off, while placing the medallion on the coffee table and getting to her feet. “Going somewhere?” Benedek asked, following Touko with his eyes.

“Like I said, I need to confirm.” Touko said over a shoulder. “And to do that, I need a magnifying glass. Wait a bit, I’ll be back in no time.”

“Noted.” Benedek said, before glancing back at the medallion, sitting innocently on the coffee table. With nothing else to do but wait, the Hungarian magus sighed, and then sat back in his seat.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A/N

Sorry for the long wait, but real life obligations take priority over writing. I hope you enjoyed the update regardless, though.
 

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