Rules of War

"Nori, tell me what you see." My brother says holding up a picture of some random background character or something.

"Do we really have to do this EVERY morning before school?" I question trying to discern the blurry mess which makes up the picture in front of my face.

"This was mom's only condition for lowering the dosage of your medicine and letting you out of the house so stop wasting my time." The blue haired boy growls harshly in response.

"Black hair, blue eyes, odd teeth, and… mascara?" Due to being a psychic, my head is wired differently, so far it's only really translated to not being able to see people's faces very well if they aren't main or important characters in the Fate universe and a pension for being attracted to valuable objects. Not anything too serious, I really don't get what all the fuss was about before.

In response to my answer Shinji puts down the picture and the two of us move to leave, but not before he hands me a piece of candy with a comforting pat on the head. A tradition from my younger days, something which hardened my heart further for the game to come. I'd definitely make sure my perfectly tsundere big brother gets out the other side alive.

'Wait is that a death flag?' Shaking away that thought I move to follow my brother out of the house not even bothering to see if our mother will see us off.

--

As we approach Homurahara Academy a girl with light blond hair and light blue eyes is waiting for us at the front gate-well more specifically waiting for me I guess.

"It's her again." My precious older brother says harshly, I can just about share his sentiment. It's not as if I dislike her, but she's a bit clingy with me, not only that but it's WHO she is which really and truly makes me a bit uneasy.

"Good morning Manaka." I greet with a sigh as we approach Manaka Sajyou, arguably one of the cheatiest human characters in the Fate universe and of course, a yandere. Supposedly true revival is difficult in this universe, but you'd never guess that if Manaka was your only reference. Even if she still had a gaping stab wound in her chest in canon it could be argued it didn't do much besides serve as an accessory.

'Though from what she's told me she never competed in any previous grail wars so she isn't corrupted by the grail or a victim of good old dark souls invader backstab.' I'm not entirely sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing if I'm going to be entirely honest. I can't read her, which is to say my mystic eyes don't work on her at all unless we're making direct contact, this is as annoying as it is beneficial.

"Good morning!" She exclaims cheerfully, both her and my brother ignoring each other as per usual.

"I'm heading to class." Shinji says curtly picking up his pace,

"Ah, wait! Give this back to Shirou for me would you?" I ask tossing a wallet to him.

"You brat, when did you even steal this? I bet you spent some of his money too." He stops for a moment letting me and Manaka pass him.

"He won't mind though right?" I ask not looking at him,

Rather than humor me with a further response he walks past us yet again leaving behind a smack to the back of my head.

"Tch, I didn't even use any of the money." I grumble while his back fades into the distance.

"Why do you even steal things anyways?" Manaka asks from my side while leaning in cutely in a form of strategic emphasis.

"Because I can? Because I want to? Honestly, I don't really know." I respond,

"Hm~ I feel like you just aren't telling me~ I know it has something to do with your origin though." I can't help but roll my eyes at her sing-song tone,

"Whatever you say Manaka." Opening the door to our class immediately we draw the attention of more than a few of the other students for good reason too.

I am appearance wise for all intents and purposes what a Japanese person or Otaku would call a 'Gyaru.' With my uniform unbuttoned at the top showing off exactly how 'mature' I was for my age. Just like my mother I was without a doubt a beauty and no one could rebuke that, and as my philosophy goes, if you have it then you have to show it off. I mean what's the point in having treasure if not to let others admire it as jealousy wells up in their chests?

Unfortunately, however, I wasn't the only reason people had eyes in our direction, begrudgingly I had to admit Manaka was also a beauty, A vastly different kind for sure, but a beauty nonetheless. She was the cute and innocent kind of beauty that just screams, 'free cuddles!' to anyone who has the luxury of gazing upon her petite form.

Holding my chest slightly higher at the attention I move to my seat letting my pride overflow. Being the center of attention is always nice, though knowing I technically have to share it with this pedo bait loli still leaves me bristling slightly.

--

(Manaka POV)

Minori Matou has been an enigma since the very moment I laid eyes on her.

My connection to the 'Root' is best summarized as an automated google search engine that tells me everything about anything I lay my eyes upon and even beyond if I so choose. When I pick up a book I already know how it ends, when I watch a show I could tell you all the plot twists before all the episodes ever air.

Of course, I am by no means infallible. Minori taught me that when we first met, at 10 years old she had transferred to this school in the middle of the year and the moment I saw her I realized that I didn't know anything about her. While it was a bit relieving it made me slightly uncomfortable, for once I didn't know something, for once there was no easy way for me to understand something.

So excitement in my heart I went to speak to her, only to be met with a spinning heel kick to the face. I was astonished by it, it was probably the last thing I would expect from a Matou, they were well known for their scheming after all. Even she seemed a bit surprised at her response and when I asked her about it later she gave me the oddest answer, "You set off my antagonist detector so I hit you on instinct," was what she said. Initially, I had believed she was unnerved by my presence or thought I was a bad person so I followed her around, sat with her at lunch, and spoke to her whenever we had free time. She may have been wary of my advances, but it didn't seem to at all come from a place of malice or hate but rather as she had said previously-instinct.

Now here we are best friends (or so I like to believe) and possibly soon to be more if this grail war turns out the way I expect it to, but I can't exactly count on my knowledge can I?

'A wild variable like Minori will undoubtedly mess with things.' The thought of my plans being sent awry by her fills me with a deep warmth in my core. I can tell without a doubt whether things go my way or not her and I will definitely have lots of fun.

"If you're bored you can always go home you know." Minori says in between sword swings breaking me out of my thoughts. The moment she joined this school she started doing kendo, yet again with some odd claim of wanting to be like a person named, "Touka Toudou," who they are and how they gained her respect I simply do not know but she seems to adore the thought of fighting like her.

"How could I ever be bored while watching you train?" I ask in turn, it's true I never get bored when I'm around her and I definitely couldn't be bored while watching her sweat in a red hakama and a white kimono-styled sleeveless top.

Her next swing falters slightly as she catches the hidden meaning behind my words, despite her obvious adoration for the spotlight and the way she dresses she actually takes a moment to check her clothing with the barest hint of a blush on her face.

'I wonder if her embarrassment stems from a lack of self awareness or simply because it's me pointing it out?' I would like to think it's the latter as that would mean she sees me in at least some kind of romantic light however I fear it is most probably the former with her track record. I wouldn't call her stupid by any means, but… I wouldn't really call her particularly smart either.

"I never took you for a pervert." She states finally after regaining her composure and moving on to her next swing.

"If you really hated it you'd admonish me further no?" I respond coyly twirling a piece of hair on my index finger.

"The grail war starts today you know." Avoiding my statement the purple haired girl changes the topic causing me to smile a little.

"Yes, I know."

"So who did you summon?" She stops swinging to turn to me as she asks,

"I can't tell you that~" I sang much to her annoyance,

"So you aren't going to team up with me?"

"Not until you become a master~"

She scoffs at my response before going back to her swings,

"Why do you wish to participate in the grail war anyways?" I inquire curious about what she actually could want, she never seemed like a person in dire need of something.

"I just want to prevent any unnecessary casualties honestly, mostly my brother."

I blink a few times at her response before flat out laughing after realizing how serious she is.

"What?" She growls, yet again stopping her swings this time though she moves towards where I'm currently sitting.

"It's just-do you even know what the rules are for this game?"

"Well yeah! Kill all the servants and also the masters you happen to not like or are blatant antagonists! Am I wrong?" Her genuine confusion was quite cute, especially the way her little fang moved when she frowned.

'How odd though, she sounds so sure yet she's incredibly far off. It's almost as if she's referencing an entirely different grail war.'

"That's a great deal too kind to be the rules of this game. It isn't the servants who have to die, Minori… It's the masters." I say solemnly, in truth even I can recognize that this game is more than a little unethical even by magus standards, but more than that if it wasn't for Minori being here it would be a complete waste of time. The grail won't be granting any wishes unless someone gets absurdly lucky.

"B-But what about the servants' souls powering the grail and stuff?" She stammers while taking a slight step back in shock,

"The grail uses souls as fuel yes, however heroic spirits aren't technically alive, they are merely recordings of someone who once was or will be."

"T-That's grim." It seems she already knows that most of the participants for this grail war are people the two of us know personally our older siblings included.

"Indeed, and it gets worse, once a servant dies they return to their card form to be summoned again."

"That sounds pretty beneficial though kinda like Pocketmon." Not letting me finish she attempts to glean the slightest bit of hope from my words,

"The issue is Minori if another master acquires your heroic spirits class card they gain that heroic spirit along with a set of command seals to match." I finish, It seems to take a moment for her to let that sink in as she thinks of the implications behind such a rule.

"Wait, wait, WAIT! That means someone can go around killing masters and collecting their cards and just roflstomp everyone else!"

She was right, in fact it was the exact thing that happened in the last grail war, that parasite Zouken managed to acquire assassin, archer, and lancer. It took the combined efforts of both our fathers and the infamous magus killer Kiritsugu Emiya to finally do him in. Even then it still took all of their lives, even if it was a bit slower for the magus killer.

"Yup, that's exactly right."

"So what will you do?" At her question I can't help but tilt my head in slight confusion at the sudden coldness in her tone.

"What I mean is, while I have no plans to kill you or anything like that if you don't team up with me I can only consider you an enemy." Her voice sends shivers down my spine, not out of fear but out of excitement for what's to come.

"I never planned to have it any other way Minori. At least not until you become a master." I giggle at her tough girl act, we both know in a fight she'd stand no chance at all against me. Not right now at least.

She hums slightly at my response before moving to leave, it seems our time together is over for the day, as sad as it is I simply can't wait. I'm certain during this game she'll start to get stronger, and stronger. I'm certain she'll stop holding back.

'Oh, I can't wait to see what a serious Minori looks like! I wonder if she'll show off both of her fangs?' With that final thought, I stand up to meet my sister at the front of the school.