a hollow perception (Fate/Zero × Demon Slayer)

second: imaginary blood-red flowers

second: imaginary blood-red flowers

...

Kotomine Kirei was right; he was right the smudges that appeared on Tsuyuri Kanao's hand was the traces of Command Seals. But the seals itself haven't emerged fully, so she wasn't a full-fledged Master yet, a participant of the coming Holy Grail War, a battle royal event that will take place in two years.

"When did you get this?" Tohsaka Tokiomi asked, surprised when she finally mentioned it that morning when she came back to the study with Kirei. "Did the Association knew?"

"This wasn't here when I was on the airport. Maybe I got this on the way at the airplane," she replied, "No. They don't know."

Kirei had made his way and was now standing behind his master, silent and unmoving. Tohsaka Tokiomi doesn't seem to notice his presence, and only continued to question Tsuyuri. "Are you sure about that?" he asked.

"I'm sure," said Tsuyuri.

Tohsaka Tokiomi fell into silence, his eyes was distant and contemplating. "Do you want to participate in this war?" he asked eventually.

Tsuyuri looked at Tohsaka Tokiomi searchingly, and glanced down at her hand. "Are the marks on my hand a condition to join the war?" she rebounded the question.

"If it completely appears, you would become a Master. If you are chosen, then that is the will of Holy Grail."

"Will?" asked Tsuyuri, confused. "It's a person?"

"Sentient," said his master, "it has a will on its own, and that mark is the proof of it."

"But why me? Why did the will of Holy Grail chose me?"

That question made Kirei open his eyes, as he listened intently.

"Those with desires within their hearts, a wish they wished to be granted—the Holy Grail chooses these people as participants, giving them a chance to make the impossible possible," his master told her, the same way Kirei had been told before. "Unless with some exception, perhaps you have the reason to wish for a miracle."

"But I..." she faltered, "I don't have a wish I wished to be granted, nor a desire within my heart, nor have a reason to wish for a miracle."

"Maybe," His master said, "but even so, the Holy Grail has chosen you."

"I'm not," refuted Tsuyuri, "not yet," she added.

"Not yet," agreed Tohsaka Tokiomi, "but potentially, you already are."

Tsuyuri lapsed into a thoughtful silence, looking down at the smudges in the back of her hand.

"I still haven't heard your answer, Kanao," his master continued, "would you participate in this war?"

It took her a while to reply. "If I have no choice," said Tsuyuri eventually.

"I see," His master replied after a moment of silence. "I suppose in your perspective, you didn't expect this at all."

"I didn't," she agreed.

"Nor has heard about the Holy Grail War."

"I didn't," she lied. Kirei glanced at her. She didn't returned his look.

Tohsaka Tokiomi smiled his gentlemanly smile. "You can rest now, Kanao. You must be tired from all the ride."

Tsuyuri didn't reply, and only stood up promptly. She bowed in courtesy after she directed her lilac eyes on Kirei and left the study. His master sighed. "How troublesome," said his master, "Her potential participation is either beneficial or an obstacle to us."