Beta read and Co-written by Gamercrusher55 and Shigiya
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-Fuyuki, Homurahara Academy-
Twang!
Swoosh!
Thunk!
Shirou savored the familiar tension of the bowstring against his fingers before releasing, watching the arrow's perfect arc toward the bullseye. The satisfying thunk as it struck the center reminded him why he'd always loved archery before it became just another weapon in his arsenal. Here in practice, without enemies to defeat or lives at stake, he could rediscover the pure joy of the discipline itself; something he hadn't realized how deeply he'd missed.
Just enjoying the moment, the stillness and quiet, while he became one with the bow.
Tsurune!
Another target center hit, this being his fifth in a row. Following the eight steps of Kuydo, he finally felt some measure of calmness come back to his mind.
"No matter how many times I see it, I still keep thinking that it's a dream. I can't believe this skill is actually real." A familiar voice, not his own, spoke, coming from next to him. Ayako was vested in a similar Kyudo uniform, also holding her bow, as she performed her own Archery shots. Though on her side she had fired twice as many as he did, more than half of them having hit the target dead center, but the other half having missed it by several degrees.
"Magic is so unfair."
"Like I said, I am not using magic. I'm enjoying just firing it as is." He answered after sending another arrow flying, it wooshing through the air and striking near the same spot once more. "It's just practice."
"Just practice he says," the girl muttered under her breath, "I would like to hear the opinion of those South Korean Olympic athletes like Kim Soo-Nyung or Yun Mi-Jen if you tell them that. Most archers won't be able to land these kinds of bullseyes one after the other for. At one point, doesn't it just become unnatural? You've literally split dozens of arrows in the middle in this session alone!"
Rather than just dismissing her answer, he hummed, tapping his chin, thinking about it. "If I were to wear a blindfold… maybe that would be going too far, I mean, what's the point then? I won't improve my aim if I can't see anything." There was absolutely no way he'd have any sort of accuracy under those circumstances. He trusted his other senses, but not to such a ridiculous degree. I mean, anyone who can snipe accurately while sacrificing their limited senses would have to be an unbelievable monster.
"I'm not sure if you're answering genuinely or if you're just making fun teasing me. If you are, that makes me want to just punch you in the face repeatedly, till I'm done being pissed."
"A bit harsh, don't you think?" said Shirou, rolling his shoulders as he put the bow down, signaling today's practice coming to an end. He was reaching a point where it was just becoming second nature — kinda made him feel that practicing here would no longer help him much, maybe just to give him a breather every now and then. "I said it once, and I'll say it again, I'm not using my magecraft to get such accuracy or improve it in any way. I'm telling you, you can do it yourself with enough practice."
"And you promise you aren't using any weird spells on your eyes or something? Anything, even small?"
"No… I mean, at least not intentionally, there's this one spell I've been trying out, but haven't really put it into practice." His voice came softer than intended, making it feel like he was not being completely genuine. Reinforcement or otherwise strengthening to the eyes was a risky idea that he tried several times in the past, but still lacked practice, given the ridiculous amount of concentration he had to invest in such an action.
Maybe not as much focus as he needed when projecting a bullet that wouldn't just shatter upon being shot. If he could practice strengthening his eyes more often, he may one day manage to pull it off.
Seemingly accepting his answer, Ayako moved on to something else. "Hah, okay, one more time, I'm extending the same offer to you again. Why don't you participate with us in Japan's National Archery Competition? You're just so good at it, whether you use magic or not. Come on, I can tell you wouldn't mind enjoying the competition."
"It's not something as simple as that."
"Does it have something to do with the reason you want to keep your identity a secret…cuz of the magic stuff? Are you like one of those people in movies who have enemies everywhere, so you are living your life while hiding your identity?"
"That actually kind of is accurate even if it's not really the case," Shirou admitted after a brief pause, catching Ayako's attention. "I don't really have enemies per se. Even if I did, they wouldn't know my face at this point; maybe one or two are the exception. I usually keep my identity hidden whenever I go out on patrol, and I do that for a good reason. So I don't end up gaining any new targets on my back. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the ones I inherited from my father."
"Your father? So he was a mage too." Ayako repeated. Her eyes widened at his answer, the surprise clear on her face. It did not take him long to realize that she had likely never even considered the idea that Kiritsugu had also been a mage. Most of her attention shifted fully to him alone when he revealed to her his identity as a mage. "Wow. Is your family some kind of ancient wizarding family or something?" she asked, curiosity slipping into her tone almost immediately.
It was strangely endearing how quickly she latched onto the detail. She leaned forward slightly, her amber eyes bright and filled with interest, like a kid being promised candy or a long-awaited trip to their favorite amusement park. Shirou could not help but notice it, nor could he ignore the question forming himself. Was it really wise to tell her this much? Probably not. Still, the name Emiya was not exactly a secret, and he had never gone out of his way to hide it. Enough years had passed that most younger mages no longer even connected it to the Magus Killer.
"Not really," replied the redhead, rubbing the back of his neck. "Or rather, maybe a little. My dad's family did come from a line of mages, but he never really talked about it. Actually, come to think of it, when it came to stuff like that, he was pretty insistent on not telling me. I don't even remember him mentioning anything about his own parents at all. As for my father himself, that was a different story; he told me he mainly worked more like a freelancer. He did not belong to any magical organization per se. He took on magical or mundane things that were requested by specific clients and then chose what he would accept and do."
"Wooow," Ayako said, her voice lifting with excitement. "So like a mercenary? A detective? Or maybe one of those cool assassin spies from the movies?"
A faint sense of unease managed to crawl inside his mind at how close she came to the truth. Women's intuition really could be frightening at times, though he had already given her quite a bit to work with. It was not surprising she reached that conclusion. "I suppose you could see it like that, at least the mage version of one," he answered honestly.
Ayako folded her arms, tapping one finger against her sleeve as she studied him. "That's so rad. So where does that leave you? Are you going to continue his legacy?"
"..." That question was far harder to answer. Shirou fell silent, his thoughts drifting back to memories he rarely allowed himself to dwell on. The legacy his father left behind, and the path he wished to walk were not one and the same. Kiritsugu had tried to become a hero and ended up an executioner instead, killing again and again for a future he believed would be better as he weighed the world over the few. That future he dreamed of never came to fruition with the brutal methods he tried. In the end, his conviction was shattered, discarded in the final moments of his life. What remained was a tired man who found more peace spending time with his son and speaking of childish, idealistic dreams, along with softly talking about his daughter, Illya.
Kiritsugu Emiya had been deeply flawed, burdened by regret and sorrow, no matter how carefully he tried to hide it. Shirou only truly understood that years later, when old memories resurfaced with new meaning. Looking back now, he could see details he had missed as a child, small signs that spoke volumes in hindsight.
"I don't know if I'll follow the same path as him. Still, I made a promise to him," he said at last. "I intend to keep it. But this time, I want to avoid making the same mistakes he did. At least, I hope I can."
"Does that have anything to do with that hero stuff you mentioned before?" Ayako asked.
"You remembered?" Shirou exclaimed, genuinely surprised. He turned toward her, only to find her giving him a flat look as she crossed her arms.
"Of course I remembered!" she replied. "Why? Thought that I would forget?"
"No, nothing like that…" answered the boy, almost stuttering on the spot. "I just thought you might see it as weird."
"I think it is a noble goal, Shirou. To be honest, you remind me of one of those wandering Samurai or Ronin crossing the lands and fighting for justice. Pretty awesome considering you don't see guys like that around lately."
Quite sincere on her part… sometimes it really caught him off guard about just how accepting she tended to be with everything he mentioned so far.
Ayako paused, then shook her head lightly. "Wait. I think I'm getting distracted, back to your dad. He was like some freelance mage, and because of the way you're talking about him, I'm guessing some of the stuff he did in the past may have ticked off someone? Is that why you don't want to make a name for yourself?"
"Yep," he answered with a small shrug.
Ayako puffed up her cheeks, miffed. "Pfft, well that's stupid. You can't hold something against someone just because someone was their dad. You shouldn't let something like that get to you. If I were you, I'd tell them to come and get me. You've got nothing to be ashamed of." Mimicking Kaede, she entered into a boxer's stance and started her own shadow boxing.
"To be honest, mages can be quite vindictive and out of touch with common sense like that. Still, I'll take that into consideration; it's not such a bad thing from time to time to take a stance like that."
Ayako's eyes narrowed slightly, a familiar spark of mischief appearing as another idea formed in her mind as she smiled. "Wait a second. Since you are kind of following in his footsteps, does that mean I can hire you?"
"Uhhh…" Startled, the sound left Shirou before he had time to think. The question caught him completely by surprise — genuinely rendering him speechless. His father had worked as a hired mage, or an assassin, depending on how one looked at it, always choosing clients whose requests aligned with his own goals. Shirou had never seriously considered doing the same. Still, what was really stopping him right now? Ayako was not the type to ask him to kill someone or commit a crime. At least, he sincerely hoped not. He trusted her, perhaps more than he realized, especially since she had already saved him once.
"I guess I might end up doing that at some point. Do you have something in mind?" he said it slowly, not even sounding so certain himself. Would that make him a competition for Luvia? The thought unsettled him. He did not want to be seen that way, and he hoped that if it ever came up, they could talk it out like reasonable people.
"Great," Ayako said immediately, her grin widening. Leaning towards him, both her hands cupping his face. "So what is your rate? Hope you don't mind giving a discount to a lovely lady like me~? I can even tell you how satisfied I was at the end of the service, which will come in handy for constructive criticism. It actually makes me kinda happy as your first~!"
'You're not yet exactly on the level you can be called a 'high-class' lady though..' Such thoughts crossed his mind, but he was aware enough not to utter those words aloud in fear of getting punched. The way she worded it, with her every gesture and tone that carried barely contained excitement, made it feel less like he was offering a simple service and more like he had walked into a scenario that he'd encounter at a red light district.
"I promise I won't take it too far," she said cheerfully. "We can start slow, since it is your first time. I promise I will be gentle." She was still holding his face close to her so that when she said it, he could feel the heat coming off her breath. He was so close that he could practically memorize her face at this point. Their Kyudo garbs were roomy, but he could feel her body heat as she got closer and closer to him.
"All right, I get it, stop messing with me already. I don't want someone to misunderstand this and spread rumors," he snapped back, heat rising straight to his cheeks, as he removed her hands from his face. "I'm not a gigolo!"
"What?" she replied, putting on an innocent look that lasted all of two seconds, before her eyes closed and her smile widened. "I was just asking to buy your services." Her finger tapped lightly against his chest as she spoke, while her other hand hovered near her mouth to hide a grin as her eyes opened slightly. The look she was giving him sent a shiver down his spine. "My my, Shirou, were you thinking I was insinuating something else? Naughty boy. However, I am quite curious if you would be willing to do that. Maybe as a boyfriend for hire at least. I bet that kind of profession is not just something done by a gigolo."
'You'd have a lot of success if you actually tried, Master.' Rider's cheeky comments came and went through his ears.
'What part of me makes you even say that?' He asked exasperatedly.
'From what you did yesterday, and with Sakura? Everything.'
'...Get your head out of the gutter, Shirou.'
"Just tell me what you want already." He cut her off immediately. His face burned red as his thoughts betrayed him, unhelpful images flashing through his mind before he forcefully shut them down. "Since you saved my life way back, I'll do it for free this time, so you don't have to pay."
She tilted her head, studying him with an expression that looked far more serious than before. "You say that, but I honestly feel like you probably don't even know what kind of price you should be putting on yourself in the first place. It does not even have to be money. From my extensive knowledge after watching hundreds of movies, I bet you can ask for all sorts of things, like strange magic materials or info instead. If you are unsure, that is usually how these things go. You know, like a barter system."
'A trade then huh…" Shirou opened his mouth to argue, then stopped. The words caught in his throat as he realized she was not entirely wrong. He had no real need for money right now. The funds Kiritsugu had left behind were more than enough to keep him comfortable, and his part-time job covered anything extra. As for magical materials, he had to admit that it was harder to dismiss. There were countless components and catalysts he had only read about, things that could help him test other branches of magecraft, refine what he already knew, or even allow him to tinker to find the best materials to use during battles. Many of those items were rare enough to cost a fortune.
"I will think about it," he said after a moment. "But seriously, why do you want my help? If you are trying to join me on patrol again, it's still a no."
"Tch, party pooper," she said with a click of her tongue. "But no, I am not asking you to let me join your secret magic battles. Clearly, you are just afraid I might end up being a much more capable mage who can keep up with you and steal your job."
"We do not even know if you have magic circuits, Ayako," he replied flatly. "This is not one of those magical girl stories where you suddenly get powers because you found a shiny wand on the street."
"Yeah, yeah, stop nagging me, Mom," she groaned, rolling her eyes dramatically. She took a step back, giving him just enough space to breathe. "Actually, I have been thinking about doing a bit of detective work. Or something similar. More like researching the supernatural around this town."
"What?" The word slipped out before he could stop it. To him, that sounded dangerously close to her wanting to get involved in the supernatural again, just through a different excuse.
Before he could continue, she suddenly grabbed his face with both hands again, but with more force, squeezing his cheeks together and pinching them painfully, thus making it nearly impossible for him to speak properly.
"Let me finish, dummy," she said firmly. "I am talking about rumors. You know, creepy horror stories and mysterious rumors. The kind you hear from friends or classmates about ghosts, cursed buildings, or weird events that supposedly happen late at night. I am pretty sure you have heard a fair share of them yourself."
She didn't speak up on how that was still dangerous, if not more so, before she kept going. "I just want to know if any of those stories are actually genuine. And since you are already patrolling the city, it is obvious you want to keep things safe. For all we know, one of those rumors could turn out to be a dangerous ghost hiding in plain sight. Maybe it is planning something ridiculous like world domination, or maybe it is just waiting for the right moment to attack some innocent passing school girls on the street."
"My face hurts…"
Her smile returned. "So if I start investigating them and use you as my personal summoning familiar to deal with anything dangerous, we save the city. It is a win-win scenario. It's the least you can do to look into it. "
That explanation felt like a stretch, to put it mildly. He stared at her, unsure whether to laugh, argue, or shut the idea down entirely.
"Just the way you are looking at me tells me you think I am crazy," she added, folding her arms as she watched his reaction closely.
"I'm not thinking that."
"Yes, you are," she replied dryly, as if the matter had already been decided. There was no doubt in her expression at all. For a brief moment, he wondered if she could somehow read his thoughts. "I'm being serious here. I'm telling you right now, I'm not going to just forget all of this after you shared so much with me in the past. You know it yourself. It's impossible to ignore things like this now that I understand there's a whole other side to the world that I never even knew existed for most of my life. I can't just pretend it isn't real. I really can't."
She took a small breath before going on, her tone softening but losing none of its previous firmness. "So instead of risking me going out on my own at night, wandering around by myself without any protection, just come with me. You and me. Maybe some other people, too. We just hang out, keep an eye out. Kind of like a date, if you want to call it that, though I'm sure you won't go so far as to take advantage of my weak and defenseless self."
A faint smile tugged at her lips as she added, almost teasingly, "Having a defenseless girl by your side that you're defending is a good way to earn some bonus points, you know."
'Bonus points in what?'
Her hands were warm and soft, and the way she spoke did far more to convince him than any argument ever could. As much as he hated to admit it, she was right. Sticking together was safer. It would let him keep an eye on her and make sure she was not deliberately putting herself in danger under the excuse of curiosity.
Besides, it looked like she was determined to do this whether he told her otherwise, so at least he could look after her. Fuyuki is especially a place you shouldn't walk alone at night right now.
"Fine," he finally said, letting out a slow breath.
She tilted her head slightly. "Say it differently. Like a cool phrase someone would use to acknowledge they're officially at their employer's service."
He frowned. "You're really taking that part seriously? Shouldn't that be my job?"
She rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Knowing you, the moment you hear that someone needs help, you'll rush off without listening to the details, finish everything on your own, and come back later, realizing you never even asked for payment. You'll end up getting scammed and still think it was worth it."
"I'm more level-headed than that, Ayako," he replied, crossing his arms.
"Then you'll just have to prove it to me."
It was difficult not to feel overwhelmed when she looked at him like that. Even though he interacted with Rider regularly and had recently grown closer to Sakura as well, the closeness between the two of them now made it harder to focus. His thoughts began drifting in directions he would rather avoid. "Maybe in the future, I can become your personal secretary. How does that sound?"
That actually made him laugh. "Maybe. I don't mind that ide—"
"Ehem."
"—!" The sudden interruption made them both freeze. They slowly turned their heads toward the club room entrance, where Rin stood with her arms crossed. She wore a pleasant smile, though to him, it was very clearly not a genuine one.
"Hey there, you two," Rin said casually. "You've gotten quite close lately. I had no idea you were in this kind of relationship."
…Why did it suddenly feel like his life was in immediate danger?
"Rin! You finally visited our club again!" Ayako, on the other hand, looked far more delighted than nervous. She released him and moved forward to embrace her friend, much to Rin's visible dismay at the sudden display of affection. "Hehehe. Don't worry, it's nothing like that. I was just buying some of his personal services. Shirou really has a lot of talents, and I wanted to explore some of those on my own. You should try some too. I'm sure he won't disappoint."
She leaned in slightly, lowering her voice with a mischievous grin. "I promise I won't steal your little crush. So you might win that bet of ours if you try hard enough."
'She's getting better,' Rider finally commented. Having been quiet for most of the exchange, her observation was one he could not deny. Compared to before, Ayako had become noticeably more confident. Bolder, even. He was not entirely sure how to put it into words without sounding strange.
Also, what did she just whisper? He couldn't hear all of it; something about a bet?
"He's not my crush!" Rin snapped immediately. "I'm not in a hurry for that last part, don't try to behave as if you're a step ahead of me, I'm more than aware of the kind of guy he is."
Rider's voice returned again, 'Clearly she does not.'
'What did she mean by that?'
'She thinks her precious crush is still innocent.'
Innocent?
'... She's definitely not that off the mark at least.'
"Yes, yes, he's not your crush. Sorry, I misspoke," Ayako replied lightly. "Anyway, I'll give you two some alone time, so enjoy yourselves. I'll be leaving you together and going to get changed. I need to handle something with the student council president. Bye, you two."
With that, she waved cheerfully and stepped away, leaving an awkward silence.
Rin tried to grab her back, fingers brushing empty air as the girl slipped free with practiced ease. In the next instant, she was already moving away, her steps light and quick as if she had decided that staying any longer would only complicate things. She did not look back. Within seconds, she was gone, leaving only the echo of hurried footsteps and an awkward stillness behind.
Rin's head snapped toward him, twin tails swinging with the motion. Her glare intensified, focused enough to make the air feel tighter between them. He reacted on instinct, raising both hands in surrender, shaking them before she could even speak.
"I-I can explain. We are definitely not dating."
"You really are the complete opposite of the kind of person I thought you would be, Emiya-kun," Rin muttered under her breath. "Are you trying to make your own personal harem or something?"
'Who did Rin think he was, Shinji?'
"I-It's not like that," he shot back immediately. "She's just being friendly!"
'Yes, friendly. That has to be it,' Rider's voice chimed in dryly from the side.
'Not now, Rider!'
The interruption did little to help his case. Rin did not look convinced in the slightest. She let out a short huff, crossing her arms as if drawing a firm line between them. After a moment, her expression shifted, irritation giving way to worry.
"Let's move on. I came here for important matters. Sakura didn't show up again."
The change was instant. His face hardened, the casual tension draining away and leaving only concern behind.
"I know."
Of course, he knew. The thought had been gnawing at him since morning. There was no way he could have focused on anything else throughout the day when all he could think about was whether Sakura was safe. Every passing hour without words felt more suffocating than the last.
It got so bad, he had to come to the Archery Club to clear his head.
"Standing around doing nothing and hoping she suddenly shows up will not help us find her or figure out how she's doing," Rin continued. "We need to start planning and actually do something."
"We still don't even know where to start looking," he replied. The attack had occurred without warning, without any trace to follow aside from something that came from the seas. It felt like trying to find a single needle buried somewhere in an endless field of hay. "There was no clue at all."
"I know," Rin said. "That is exactly why I came up with a plan."
"A plan?"
If it meant finding Sakura as soon as possible, he was more than willing to hear it. Whatever doubts he had could wait.
"I have your attention, I see," Rin said. "Good. Then let's not waste time. My plan is to go after the other Master's."
"What?"
That was the last answer he had expected. From what he knew of her, Rin was cautious by nature. She weighed risks, avoided reckless moves, and always had some form of backup in mind. Hearing her suggest something this direct caught him completely off guard.
"What's with that look?" she asked.
"Nothing. I just thought you would want to avoid that kind of approach."
"I do in these circumstances," Rin replied calmly. "But tell me this. Aside from objecting, what would you suggest instead?"
Ideas crossed his mind almost immediately. Asking Luvia for help. Trying to get in touch with Bazett. None of that was impossible, and nothing was stopping him from doing it regardless. Still, the question lingered whether they could do anything or if it would really help.
But he knew that Sakura at least had a Servant. She was connected to the war. So if they followed the other Masters, they may find her as well.
"Where do you think we should start searching for the other Masters?" he asked. "We barely know anything about them. Aside from Saber and Berserker, we are working with almost nothing."
"The way you said that makes it sound like you do not think Berserker's Master is responsible," Rin said. "Why?"
"Well…"
"She saw Sakura before," she continued. "If this was done out of revenge, she could have done it when she had the chance."
The girl was not wrong.
The possibility existed. Still, something about it did not sit right with him. He had a hard time believing that kind of attack fit those two. If Berserker's Master wanted destruction, sending her Servant straight into the mansion would have been far more direct. Attacking from afar felt unnecessary, almost out of character. Plus, there would be traces linking to the Einzbern Forest, not the sea. The pieces did not line up.
"I guess it's just my gut feeling," he admitted.
"Gut feeling is not the kind of answer I want to hear right now," Rin said flatly. "We need more certainty than that. Still, it does not matter. We will find out eventually. I already have some clues on Caster's Master. But I strongly advise you not to dismiss the possibility that this was Berserker."
"…"
"Are you hesitating because she is your sister?" Rin asked flatly. "I would like to remind you that said sister tried to kill you and the rest of us. She even threatened to have her Servant torture us. There was not much of a sibling bond present there from my point of view."
"But she did not," Shirou replied. "She let me walk away."
"Out of pure dumb luck, or because she wants to play with her food," Rin shot back without missing a beat. "Stop thinking you will walk out of situations like this every time just because you have been lucky so far. It will take more than pointing a gun in their faces to solve this problem."
"I know," he said with a quiet sigh. Things only seemed to grow more complicated the deeper he stepped in. The tension weighed on his shoulders more than he wanted to admit.
"Good. We start today. I do not want to waste any more time than necessary. Meet me by Fuyuki Memorial Park," Rin said. She turned on her heel and began walking toward the entrance. Yet just as she was about to leave, she stopped mid-step and slowly turned her head to look at him again. "Did you two sleep together?"
"E-Eh? Sleep? Um… well… That came out of nowhere," Shirou answered, caught completely off guard.
"Just answer this question, Shirou," Rin inquired. "The way you two have been acting together. Did you and Ayako have any physical relationship?"
"Of course we haven't," he replied quickly. "As I said, we're just good friends. Why are you even asking something like that? It is not like she would just sleep with anyone, much less me."
The only response he received was a raised eyebrow from the girl in front of him.
"Whoa… so you haven't noticed it, huh. I admit she's got an outgoing and joking personality, but if you really hadn't noticed the way she was treating you, then you don't know her that well after all." Rin muttered. "Hmph. I should have known. She is practically dragging you around by the nose. Don't fall for her tricks, you hear, or she will have you tied around her finger before you even realize it, like a dog tied to a leash."
With that, she walked out of the Kyudo club, leaving him all alone with that warning. Shirou remained where he was, staring in the direction she had left. The way she phrased that made him uneasy, as if there was more happening beneath the surface than he had expected. Why would Rin even be interested if he were dating Ayako? It felt strange and almost out of place. He shook his head slightly to clear up any lingering thoughts.
"Best to go home and prepare for tonight," he thought. He was growing more desperate by the hour to find any kind of information about Sakura, and standing around here would not help with that.
{Break}
(An hour later)
Today had been calmer than expected.
Most of his day at school passed without incident, the routine almost comforting in its normalcy. Aside from spending time with Issei to help him with a few tasks, he had been approached by Ayako once again. She wanted to confirm that he was still going to help her with whatever plan she had, involving her so-called mystery hunting story.
Were those stories genuine? It was hard to tell. There were simply too many rumors in this city, and most of them were little more than gossip passed from one student to another. Still, if indulging Ayako helped keep her away from the real danger, away from the Holy Grail War itself, then it was worth playing along. Let her chase harmless mysteries rather than stumble into something that could get her killed or worse.
"Sometimes rumors and stories are born from real supernatural events that people fail to understand."
He did not flinch as the blindfolded woman rematerialized next to him. Rider stood at his side as if she had always been there.
"You can trace many legends and supernatural tales back to actual events," she continued. "Even the most mundane stories often have a real origin. Even in a world that has long passed the age of gods, you should remain careful, Shirou."
"Of course I will," he replied. "You know me."
"It is because I know you so well that I cannot help but worry about what you might do," Rider answered, her tone steady but not unkind.
"If it's another Chimera attack or some experiment that someone's been conducting in secret around Fuyuki, then thankfully, you will be by my side to keep us safe, Rider. As soon as it seems fishy will send them away," he said with a faint smile, trying to sound lighter than he felt.
The only response he received was a tired sigh from the woman beside him. Just as Rider seemed about to speak, her entire body went rigid. "Shirou!" She raised her arm in front of him, palm open, stopping him from taking even a single step forward. The sudden movement was immediately followed by a low, warning tone that carried none of her earlier calm.
"Careful. There is a Servant ahead."
"—!?"
He froze as the realization settled in. They were standing directly in front of his house. Rider's gaze was fixed straight ahead, as if she could already see through the walls and into the space beyond.
"An ambush?" he asked quietly.
His body reacted before his mind could fully process it. Instinct kicked in, muscles tensing as his thoughts reached for the familiar mental trigger to trace a weapon. His guns were not on him. They were inside the house, locked away where he had left them earlier. That left him with very few options, something short and simple, likely a blade if things turned ugly.
"It does not seem like it," Rider replied after a brief pause. "They are not hiding their presence. If they intended to attack, they would have done so already."
That answer only deepened his unease.
"It cannot be Rin," he said. He had seen her earlier that day, and there was no reason for her to return unannounced, let alone enter his house without saying a word. She had already told him where and when they would meet later that night. Rin was many things, but careless was not one of them.
He took another breath, then stopped short as another thought struck him.
"Wait."
At this hour, there was usually only one person who came barging into his house without warning and demanded food. His heart skipped a beat as dread crept in, "Fuji-nee..."
Pushing every other concern aside, he broke into a run. He rushed forward, heading straight toward where Rider sensed the presence. The living room. His feet pounded against the wooden floor as he shoved the door to his house open, the sound echoing far too loudly in his ears as he moved as fast as he could. His mind betrayed him, conjuring images he did not want to see. Blood. Shattered furniture. The kind of scene that made his stomach twist and his blood run cold.
With a sharp intake of breath, he yanked the sliding door open with enough force that it nearly tore free from its track. Preparing the hammer in the gun, he—
"Fuji-nee! Where are—Eh?"
The words died in his throat.
There was no blood. No signs of a struggle. No hostage situation or hidden Servant waiting to strike. Instead, he was met with a scene so strange that his mind stalled as it tried to make sense of it.
Taiga was sitting at the table, perfectly relaxed, with another person seated right beside her. Both of them were facing a plate that had once been filled with sweets. Sweets, he remembered clearly. After all, he had baked them yesterday as a way to calm his nerves, and some of them were remnants of snacks he gave to Gray when she came over. The plate was now completely empty.
Both figures froze the moment their eyes met his. Crumbs dotted their faces, clinging to cheeks and lips, their expressions caught somewhere between surprise and guilt. Their cheeks were puffed out, mouths clearly still full, as if they had been caught in the middle of stealing snacks.
As if that was not strange enough, his laptop sat open on the table. The familiar music of one of his favorite games filled the room, the same one Shinji had once insisted he try. He had not touched it in a long time, yet there it was, running as if this were a normal evening.
And sitting there, surrounded by all of it, was Illya.
Just as Rin had warned him. The same girl who had tried to kill him. The same one who had tortured Rider without hesitation. The same one who had threatened to have Berserker rape Sakura. The same presence that had run away the moment he approached her last time, promising that their meeting was far from over.
"..."
"..."
He and Illya stared at each other in silence. No words came, but an entire conversation passed between them at that moment. His confusion, his disbelief, his unspoken demand to know why she was here and how any of this had happened.
The answer came from the side before he could even open his mouth.
"Shirou, I made a new friend! Isn't she pretty? She's just like an adorable doll?" Taiga went over and immediately started to rub her face against hers, most likely having done so several times, given the kind of face the girl was making. One of pure abandon and exhaustion. She'd already let go of any attempts to stop the said tiger woman. "I promised her some sweet treats. Sorry, I had to raid your fridge for a bit."
"Ce… Cease your touching at once! You shouldn't be grabbing people's faces like that, let alone mine! I told you a hundred times by now!" As one might have suspected, Illya was not a fan of that. It genuinely made him tense up on the spot, for there was a big, almost guaranteed possibility that Berserker was somewhere around and could appear at any moment to cause as much damage to the entire area, much less his house.
In fact, he was probably the Servant presence Rider detected.
"Don't say that, you're only making me want to do it more!"
"You're annoying!" The white haired girl tried to push the brunette's face away with all the strength she could muster in that petite body. It did seem kind of worth it, given she was managing to force Taiga back for just a single moment before being glomped by her once again.
"So you literally took someone off the streets and brought them to my house just because she was cute? You know that's textbook kidnapping, right?" He said while taking a seat, having already accepted the strange outcome and decided to just roll with it. "Also, why did you bring out my computer?"
"It's because she was getting bored, and I wanted to keep her entertained. You should really get more games on it, shouldn't boys your age be really into such things?"
"I like games as much as the next guy, but I've got a lot of stuff to do, so I don't really have a lot around. You could have just brought her to the arcade…" of all people, Illya, it was hard to even believe she encountered her. He was curious how things went down, given that Taiga was clearly not shaken or intimidated.
"Huh… I forgot about that. Oooh, next time I'll bring you there! It's really a fun place, so we can all go together when we have the time! Oh, Shirou, you have to check out her hair. Look at how soft it is, it's like strands of snowy silk! What shampoo do you use? Which conditioner? I'm so envious! Now I wanna hug you like a teddy bear, come here~!" She was starting to throw questions at the poor girl like a Gatling gun, her energy constantly growing so much that it clearly started to make Illya more and more overwhelmed till the latter's face went completely red and she snapped.
"Aaaah! I had had enough of you! Go to sleep!" With a wave of her hand, Taiga's eyes went blank, with she finally fell backwards unconscious. Shirou already moved on reflex, being by her side in an instant to catch her in time as he gently put her down. The outcome was not a surprise at all; he was just thankful it ended this way rather than taking a much more violent outcome.
"Honestly, what kind of entourage do you have!? Never in my life have I had to deal with such an invasive person!" She shouted, slapping her hand on the table while visibly trying to regain control of her face. Though, completely failing at keeping the neutral expression that she had planned before meeting Shirou.
"Well, I'm kind of surprised you didn't use at least this much earlier. Couldn't you have just hypnotized her and walked away?" He asked out of genuine curiosity, even though he himself was not capable of using such a spell that was considered basic; this girl in front of him was anything but a third-rate mage, so for her this should have been an easy task. But he soon got his answer upon seeing her face morph from surprise to embarrassment before she once again tried and failed to hide it by putting on a cold face.
"H-Humph, I was just entertaining this person. And it was part of my plan! Now I have to infiltrate your house, where you would have stayed hidden during the entire Grail War. Now there is nowhere for you to hide anymore."
"My house, huh?" Going to the kitchen for a bit and bringing back some water for the girl, he placed it near her and sat right in front while giving her a gentle smile. "You know this is your house as much as it is mine, Nee-chan."
"Eh…" having not expected such an answer, he observed with amusement as her expression continued to change. Seeing her doing so many faces in such a short amount of time compared to her previous cold and aloof expression was a treat in itself. Regardless, he meant every single one of those words, and he hoped she would see that. "You-! You-! Y-You're sprouting nonsense..."
"You were always welcome here from the beginning. In a way, I feel like Dad and I finally got our wish granted."
Her hands on the cup tightened, "Berserker must have hit you a bit too hard last time. Clearly, he gave you some brain damage, and now you're even more stupid than before. Who says such things to their enemies?"
"I never saw you as an enemy, not even once."
"Tch… If that's the case, then you are really a foolish idiot. You're willing to press the end of a gun on someone's head even if you don't see them as your enemy."
"Ah," now that was a bit embarrassing. He did feel a bit guilty about his action back then, but at the time, he had to do what he needed to do to get things under control. "Sorry about that, Nee-chan."
"Stop calling me that!" Reaching the end of her patience, Berserker appeared behind her just as a Rider appeared next to him. The Giant servants frame crowding the space within the living room, his head nearly touching the ceiling itself, "Try playing these mind games with me, and the next thing you'll experience is having your head decapitated while I turn you into a decorati—"
"Want some?" Her speech immediately came to a halt when, rather than taking a defensive stance, the boy in front of her grabbed the plate of snacks and extended it towards her Servant. "Sorry, I don't know what you might like, so hopefully this will be enough. Rider likes them, especially these olives and these figs."
It was a bit daunting to present anything to the hulking figure ahead. Everything about him just screamed danger, including the glossy eyes of one red and the other gold that both held not a trace of rationality. Like a chained-up up enraged monster that could break out of his restraints at any moment. He could feel himself sweating as he pushed himself to offer the peace offering. He already saw the reaction from Berserker's master, once again catching her off guard by his actions. He paid no attention to the reaction and instead waited patiently.
Nothing but silence followed after his offer, the figure just standing behind Illya, unmoving like a statue. It was hard to tell what was going through his mind, or if he could even form any sort of thoughts, given his attribute as a Berserker Servant.
Seeing that nothing was going to happen, he chuckled awkwardly and placed the plate in front of him before going back to his seat. "Um, you're welcome to take them anytime you want. No pressure."
Illya remained slack-jawed, turning her attention to Rider and pointing her finger at him. "Hey, you, what the hell is wrong with your Master? Does he have a death wish?"
The purple-haired woman just shrugged.
"I'm just showing hospitality. I offered something to eat to every Servant that came here and their Masters. Why should I treat you any differently?"
"Because I am going to kill you?"
"Fair point, but you haven't yet, and I don't intend to die by your hands. So that's that."
Her eyes twitched, "You're only just making that decision easier."
Once again, he smiled at her answer. Just looking at her as she continued to ramble on several more threats, including ways she would torture him if he continued to act this way. Shirou couldn't help but imagine what the old man would say if he were here to see this scene. The daughter he had been trying his whole life to save, pushing his body beyond his limit to the point of killing himself, that same person was now sitting inside the living room, ranting threats after threat to her stepbrother. Though not exactly under the most ideal circumstances but hey, it was still progress.
"...Want to have a tour of the house?"
"—then I'll bring your soiled remains to the Tohsaka girl and—eh?" She was cut off in the middle of her rambling by the sudden offer. Her mind took a few moments to process his words as she looked at him with both irritation and suspicion. "Don't get so cocky because I'm in your territory. No matter what kind of trap you set up, Berserker can easily destroy them."
"Since you've already seen the living room and the kitchen, are there any rooms you haven't seen yet? We've got a beautiful courtyard in the back, a big bathroom, and the shed, which serves as my workshop, kind of. Oh, we even have a dojo, it's Fuji-nee's second favorite place below the living room."
"Are you even listening!? I already made my answer quite clear. Today's meeting was not supposed to happen, so don't bother trying to suck up to me just so I won't kill you."
"And the last place to visit would be the spare rooms. We should probably start with Dad's room."
That immediately brought a reaction from her, her eyes widening for a brief moment until she tried to hide it. She failed. Unlike before, she did not deny his offer immediately and instead started pondering with her gaze, looking at the table.
Best to take the lead, "Come on, I'll show you around." He got up from his seat and casually walked past her, moving awkwardly around Berserker with the latter not even taking his eyes off him once. As for Illya's brief visible moment of hesitation, she eventually took action, as she slowly got up and followed him silently. Her hands clenched with frustration, but still she didn't say anything.
Just like he promised, Shirou brought the girl around every piece in the house. Showcasing his room, empty storage rooms, bathrooms, the dojo, the courtyard, and so on. She never said anything while he continued to talk, keeping her silence, and he did not mind that. Feeling happy that at least she was not going for his neck and was willing to look around. "You can take any room here; the old man was not much of a decorator, so most of them are quite Spartan. But we can go shopping together and pick out what you like the best. There's even at least one western-style room, so you shouldn't feel too out of place."
"I never said I would live here." She whispered quietly, and he continued to smile without giving her an answer.
Eventually, they came to the last part of the house, slowly sliding open the door, he brought her inside a room that had remained untouched for years. Filled with the belongings of the former Magus Killer.
Illya was the first one to walk in, gazing around at the traditional-style Japanese room filled with books, old kimonos, dozens of different suits, a tea set in the middle, and a single picture near the bed. One that showcased him standing next to another woman who shared a face practically identical to Illya's.
The young girl looked at it for a long while until she shook her head and silently started looking around, curiously inspecting and touching several items inside. Shirou was not worried about her finding any kind of weapon, for the old man had already moved them all to his shed a long while ago… well, he had at least hoped the old man hadn't left any tucked away in secret. But those were just the weapons; everything else remained here, and the girls soon came upon them the moment she grabbed a particular book worn out with the passage of time, with several pictures falling to the ground soon after.
All of them were of the old Einzbern castle. The continent of the book was several notes he himself used in the past that added some details on the castle's perimeters and security. Most of which had been updated by him recently when Luvia sent him a few details.
Seeing her go through the contents, he continued, "He never stopped trying to reunite with you. Every single day, he tried his best to break through these barriers just to reach you. He tried several times. He'd always go on trips every other month while I stayed behind to take care of the house with Fuji-nee. Coming back after a week at least or three months at most, each time less hopeful than before. His body just could not keep up in the end. Had it not been for the injuries he sustained during the war, then perhaps he could have gotten to you, but he was no longer the same man from before. Still, that never stopped him. He tried till his last remaining month."
"..."
"He never told me much about the details, but near the end, he always told me stories about you. About Irisviel and his regrets. I don't know what you were told, but that's what he told me. I guess what you heard really was way different from me, since you came after me with the intent to kill. I can't imagine what you must have felt all those times when Dad wasn't there with you; it must have been difficult… but I want you to know that he never stopped loving you. Never. You were always his daughter that he cherished."
Seconds went by in silence; he gave her time to digest the information and did not push her any further.
After what felt like an eternity, she turned around and walked past him — this time holding onto the picture of both Kiritsugu and Irisviel. Going back to the living room where Rider and Berserker stayed, "Let's go back, Berserker."
He didn't try to stop her; instead just stood behind and watched her go as she slowly took some snacks and walked to the entrance. Though not before asking her one last question, "Will you come back home again, Nee-chan?"
She stopped, her shoulders trembling ever so slightly.
"I'll make sure to prepare something better next time. I didn't really have much time to make something to your liking. The old man was not someone who took a lot of pictures, but we still have a few more lying around that you can take a look at."
"..." Taking a deep breath, Illya looked behind with a cold glare. "I know you are searching for that Matou woman. Had it been me, we would have finished the task without making such a messy job. There are other parties that are trying to stir trouble, keep acting this naive, and they will kill you before I do. At least try not to die a pathetic death by some other fool, or else you will be just like him."
She said her piece while continuing to walk away. Still, her harsh response was enough of an answer for him. "I'll make sure to tidy up a spare room for you next time."
"Humph!" Illya turned her nose up at him.
When she left, Berserker had picked her up in his arms, and the two leapt into the air, leaving a shockwave in their wake. Shirou figured it would not be so easy. A single encounter or even two would not be enough to completely change her mind. The betrayal she felt, the lies fed to her, was not something that could be erased within a single conversation.
Still… he was happy with how things turned out.
As he turned his attention to the table, the boy noticed the empty plate he had given to Berserker.
"He appreciated the offer," Rider said calmly.
Well, at least Berserker was not as mindless as he feared.
"We should start making preparations. Rin will be waiting for us."
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The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.