A Life of Irony [Fate x Fate]

Ilya watched as Shirou disappeared from her view. While it was sad to watch him leave, she felt fulfilled that she managed to at least be an elder sister for once in her life before she returned with the Grail.

Her life would have been short either way - with her body and soul so heavily modified, there was no way for her to live after the changes so the fact that she was able to preform her sisterly duties at least once was a source of joy and pride for her.

Looking back on her life, there were a lot of times when she didn't understand why she was born. But now, as her life was about to end, she felt that this was the moment -

"No."

Ilya blinked as she glanced back towards the doorway into the Greater Grail. A figure had started to materialize within it as it stepped out from the light.

"I would be a terrible mother if I can't help my daughter in her time of need!"

The figure materialized into a tall woman with white hair and similar face to Ilya. To the young girl, it was as if a specter walked out from her memories, causing her to just stare at the woman.

"Mama?" Ilya whispered, as if she was in a dream and the slightest noise would wake her up.

Irisviel took two steps and gave her daughter a hug. "My sweet little Illyasviel. You`ve gone through some hard times."

Without knowing, Ilya had already wrapped her own arms around her mother. "Mama!" Tears ran down the young girl's face as mother and daughter reunite at the gate between life and death. For Ilya, it was something deserving to be called a miracle - the ten years between the Grail Wars had taught Ilya some hard lessons that, even if Shirou had shattered everything she had believed in, forced her to understand the concept of the 'impossible'.

But here, at this place, not only is she the one to create a miracle for her foolish brother, but she was to receive one as well...

"Hush now." Irisviel cooed as she ran her hands through Ilya's hair. "Mama's here. Let it all out."

A deep cry came out of Ilya as she buried her face into the bosom of her mother. All the sadness and pain that she had endured in the 10 years flooded out like an unstoppable flow in face of the person who had disappeared from her life for so long.


In a place where time has nearly no meaning, two white-dressed woman with white hair sat together in front of a gate. The gate's door had been slowly closing, but in a place where only the soul existed, time was something that was more flexible than those with flesh.

Ilya sat with her head resting on her mother's shoulder while Irisviel rubbed her daughter's head and hair. The young girl's eyes were closed, but there would be no rest for her in this place.

"You know," Irisviel said, breaking the silence. "I would have never thought Kiritsugu would have another child without me."

Ilya opened her eyes and glanced up at her giggling mother. "I saw what you did for him. What a good sister you are!" Ilya blushed as her mother praised her. "I'm sure he'll have a beautiful future ahead of him."

"Mama!" Ilya protested at the continued needling of her mother. Somehow, she never remembered how much her mother liked teasing her. "I'm just can't leave him like that. He deserved to be with the people he saved after all that he sacrificed!"

Irisviel was silent as she slowly combed through her daughter's hair. Ilya looked again at her mother's face and noticed that Irisviel was looking straight at her with the saddest look in her eyes.

"I know. And that's why my greatest regret is that I couldn't have been there for you as your mother." Irisviel whispered. "You deserved to be happy as well."

Ilya blinked. And suddenly realized that the warm comforting hand was now behind the steadily closing gate. "Mama?" She cried out, trying to reach towards her mother's hand, but finding that the gate was moving further and further away.

"Live, Illyasviel." The young girl's mother said. "Live and have fun. And don't come back until you have some grand-babies for me to play with!"

"Wait! Mama!" Ilya's vision turned to white as the gate closed with a final 'thump'



Being reborn was something that nobody should ever feel, Ilya thought to herself as she played around with the ambient prana around her. 'It's terrible and it sucks and I hate it.'

It seemed that whatever her mother did had sent her back in time to the Einzbern mansion, a time where both her mother and father still lived. It was... well, frustrating to be a baby, and even worse was that she could feel that she was "sent back", and her body had still been modified from birth.

But it was different. The way her body and mind worked was different. The way the mansion looked was different. The way the world felt was different. The way her mama and papa spent their days with her was different.

Was this not 'Time Travel', but rather 'Kaleidoscope'? It would not surprise Ilya, considering that Zelretch had a part in the Grail systems. But regardless, it seemed that a Grail War was being planned, and she was to be a part of it somehow.

Or at least, she thought so until one night she was woken up by her parents arguing.

"If you're going to abandon it, you know what that really means?" Kiritsugu asked, placing a hand on Irisviel's shoulder.

"I know." Irisviel said, and gently removed Kiritsugu's hand from her shoulder. She gave Kiritsugu a kiss and moved towards Ilya. Some words were exchanged lightly, but when Irisviel walked towards the crib that Ilya was in, the mother had the same sad smile on her face when she was in front of the Gates.

"I wonder if this is wrong." Irisviel said to Kiritsugu. From the way she said it, it was clear that she was not expecting an answer. But neverless, Kiritsugu gave her one.

"I don't know... But this will not be a mistake. I'm make sure of that."

Ilya wasn't sure what was happening, but she was sure this was going to be a big mistake. She loved her parents dearly, but she had to admit they weren't the smartest people around (in her opinion).

"Well Ilya." Her mother said. "Time to sleep!"

Her mother's hand reached out for her and she tried to stop it with her own hands. Of course, being a baby she was no match for an adult. "The next time you wake up, you'll be reborn..."

'I hate being reborn!' Was her last thought as everything went dark.



A Life of Irony
A Fate Stay/Night x Fate/Kaleid Liner PRISMA☆ILLYA crossover.


I've had this idea stuck in my head for a LONG time. I'm going to throw this out now and see how far I can get with it before I get stuck.

 

Ah screw it. I'm just going to post what I have and try to figure out how to finish the chapter afterwards.



Ilya blew out the air she was holding under the water in her bathtub. She had been feeling... strange for the past few days.

She couldn't put it in words, but there was a feeling of 'longing' or maybe it was better to describe it as 'missing something' within her. Like an itch that she can't scratch or wanting something but not being able to figure out what it was that she wanted.

It all started on that night they had faced Caster and Saber together. She could remember up where Rin and Luvia were caught by the blast from Excalibur and a feeling of fear wash over her. All she could think of was that she didn't want to die... and then blank.

No, not blank. It's like trying to view a DVD with a VCD player. She could sort of remember it, but it's like trying to remember something that can't be understood.

But for some reason, it felt like her brother was with her at that moment.

Maybe he appeared suddenly like a K0men Rid0r who was just passing by. A hero of justice taking a stroll through a hidden dimention! Or maybe he felt his precious sister in a pinch and transformed into Tuxedo M0sk to save her!

As she closed her eyes and leaned back, she could almost see the scene in her mind. Like watching it in HD, with brightly flashing CG clashing with each other to make a cinimatic scene that would wow all the watchers.

When she opened her eyes again, she was staring at the destruction caused by the servant of the Sword. Miyu was standing a bit in front of her, but her mind was frozen over.

A chill had descended over her as she her thoughts resounded with her.

'This is my enemy.'

\So what?\

'She must be defeated'

\How?\

'... My brother has defeated her before.'

\Then do it.\

The next thing she knew, she was Archer. A method of combat entered her mind, and with experience borrowed from someone else, she fought against this dark reflection of Saber with borrowed swords.

Flashes of memory flew past. The feeling of metal clashing with metal. The air pulling and pushing at her as she moved. The sound of explosions. Swords of all shapes and sizes.

But most of all, a poem. Along with flashes of swords converging on a dark figure.

And finally, one last thing traced. A small orb, up against the most famous sword of all time - and a name.

Ilya blinked again, once more losing grasp over the the things she remembered. She splashed the water around her in fustration as she realized that all she was doing was going around and around in mental circles.

Off on the first floor, she could hear Sella yelling at her brother over something about how she should be the one doing all the work as the maid of the household.

Ilya sighed once more as she soaked in her hot bath.

 

Second part of the chapter.


"Ok, ready girls?" Rin asked the two transformed girls. She was standing with Luvia in a forested area with her glasses on.

Ilya glanced over to Miyu and saw her nod back. Before she can say anything though, Ruby shouted, "You bet we're ready! Everything is at 100%!"

"Nee-san." Sapphire sighed as she tried to calm Ruby down. "We still don't know the idenity of our enemy. We should be careful."

Ilya perked up. "Eh? But isn't there only 2 left? Assassin and Beserker, right?" She asked, imagining a bunch of evil looking men and a large hulking giant. "Can't we just blow them up with magic?"

"Hoho!" Ruby chimed, "Spoken like a true magic girl! Let's deal with the rest with some flashy lyrical grade magic explosions!"

"Nee-san." Sapphire sighed again, wondering how Ruby managed to corrupt Ilya's way of thinking so fast. "Neither Ilya-sama or Miyu-sama can sustain that kind of power long enough to defeat a Heroic Spirit."

Rin chimed in by punching Ruby. "If it was so easy, we would have done it ages ago!" She shouted while following up with the pulling of Ruby's 'wings'.

"But, we have Caster's card now, right?" Ilya reminded them. Everyone froze as they considered the girl's words. "If we use that, then we should be able to do it. Especially if what she almost did to us was any kind of indication of the power of the Caster class."

The three human and 2 magic wands were silent at that. Rin and Luvia glanced at each other and as one shook their heads.

"Look, I would love it if we can just solve the problem like that, but we haven't tested the card's ability and I don't want to try it while fighting another Card." Rin explained. "Maybe afterwards we can test it in a safe place, but while fighting Servants is not the time to test new things."

Ilya went "Ehhh?" while Ruby made a pouting expression while floating besides the girl. Miyu could not help but have an expression of incredibility while Sapphire just sighed.