My side stories settings closer to
Hollow Atraxia/ Carnival Phantasm rather than
Stay Night, though.
Also, I'll try to make my timeline makes (kinda) sense, but no promise.
Anyway, some backstories for my Inverted Order (or should be Inverted Hollow Atraxia Order Carnival? ...That was mouthful
)
****
Zouken Matou was in pain. His plans, preparations, his... assets... all
gone.
In hindsight, punishing Kariya
that way was really, really bad idea, considering identity and legend of Berserker. Also, in hindsight, not supporting your champion and hung him up dry was
not the proper course of action, worthy of not.
But he still has plans. He still had some contingency plans. Hidden cache. Time to hide and-
That's when his current body suddenly sprouting spikes. From inside.
From darkness, Kariya... no,
something that currently wears Kariya body, walk calmly, with poise befitting of
it's status. Clapping slowly and mockingly.
"I had to say, even for such miserable little piles of secrets your kind famous for, that was surprisingly cunning."
Struggling, Zouken Matou trying to find way out... and came out short.
"You will not win, traitor. You will not. I am immortal. I am powerful. YOU WILL NOT-"
"Pah, save your pitiful phrases, please. You are not as smart as you think. This vessel, Kariya, already gave everything I need to understand your Mysteries."
The
thing start gesturing, and to his horror, he can felt that his... his body...
his magic... was taken over by this...
thing.
"See, easy as pie."
He wants to scream, he wants to curse. He wants to fight back.
It was futile.
****
"-kura"
....
"Sakura,"
....
"Sakura-chan, can you hear me?"
"...Uncle... Kariya...?"
In his jubilance, Kariya Matou, last known heir of Matou family, hugged Sakura. He was relieved. She was saved.
Sakura Matou, when realized that her nightmare is over, cry in release.
She was not fully healed yet.
But it was a start.
****
"Are you sure about this?"
"Not more sure than you, Master. But, as we both knows with our limited understanding, and what we could pried from that miserable old piles, this is our best course of action."
In the first glance, Kariya Matou was a normal, handsome young man, if a bit pale. In fact, his paleness and his white hair, and his goatee and thin moustache, only serves to accentuate his beauty.
Kariya Matou lives on borrowed time. And it could end anytime soon.
And that leaves Sakura without protection or caregiver, and that. Just. Not. Done.
So, they try to find a new caregiver... and came out short. Sakura doesn't... response well to strangers, and every new failed aspirant increasing chance for noisy people to butt in.
Most of them, thankfully, can be deflected by combination of Mystic Eyes of Enhancement and some forged paper trails.
The one who cannot be deflected was either Magus or other kind of unsavory people. In this case, no need to waste free food.
But, yes, finding right caretaker was still an insurmountable challenge, especially considering their limited timeframe.
And then they stumble on this inactivated homunculus, which was probably spare from older Matou's project... or something. She (yes, female) was also a blank state, no soul, no mind, cannot learn or be programmed to do anything worthwhile.
Then, somehow, one of them got idea to bind a soul to this particular homunculus, gave her a personality, purpose, and most importantly, ability to learn. And a little sister. Kind of.
The idea grew stronger each day, with less options available. It was, indeed, a crazy idea.
But then again, Berserker was not exactly known for their rationality.
"Silver and iron to the origin. Gem and the archduke of contracts to the cornerstone. The ancestor is my great master Schweinorg...."
****