Disclaimer: I don't own Fate/Stay Night. It should also be noted that most of the dialogue in this prologue is taken directly from the anime, in an attempt to preserve continuity.

Prologue

Fuyuki City.

The child wandered aimlessly through the wreckage. Around him, everything had gone up in flames. Distantly, he heard the moans of several people trapped beneath the rubble. No one had been spared, it seemed. Still… he couldn't really bring himself to care about it. In fact, he couldn't bring himself to care about anything right now…

The child looked down, eyeing the bleeding gash on his left side. Why care? He was going to die soon enough…

Suddenly, his legs gave out from under him, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

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Thud.

Heavy boots, making contact with the ground. Someone was approaching.

Thud.

The child opened his eyes, feeling a passing surprise at seeing that there was someone standing by his side. A man. His face seemed… happy?

But why, the child wondered. Why be happy when no one had survived? No one, except for him…

The man bent down and picked the child up in his arms. He did not struggle.

Everyone had died… except for him. He had been saved.

Saved…

Everything went black.

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The child woke up, eyes staring emotionlessly at an unfamiliar ceiling. He was still numb from the events of the disaster, but it appeared his injuries had been healed. He climbed gingerly out of the bed he'd been placed in, intent on exploring his surroundings.

It was then that the door flew open, and in came the man who had saved him. He eyed the child for a second, and then smiled.

"I'm glad you're awake. Come, let's go take a walk."

They did. There wasn't a lot to see in the hospital, but the walk helped clear their minds. Then, suddenly, the man stopped and turned to face the child.

"What would you prefer: to be sent to an orphanage or to have a stranger as your guardian?"

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Three years later…

Both man and child stood beside each other, watching a fireworks display. In the past three years, the child, Emiya Shirou, had undergone extensive recovery, going from the numb shell that had been rescued from the fire to a playful infant, never hesitant to help others, and always bearing a smile on his face. It had been at his request that he and his "father", Emiya Kiritsugu, were out this late, watching the night sky.

They stood in silence for a few moments, until the child, curious as always, renewed a conversation they had been having not too long ago.

"Old man… are you really a magician?"

"I am."

A grin split Shirou's face, but not a mocking one: the infinite trust he had for his father still shone in his eyes.

"Oh! Can you do things like making food from nothing? Or turning birds into frogs? Or…"

A steady glare from his father silenced him.

"Listen to me, Shirou. Sorcery is a thing that will bring conflict."

Shirou blinked in confusion. Surely his father would never use something that could cause harm… or would he?

Kiritsugu continued.

"Pay attention. You must never use sorcery in front of people. Also, controlling it is hard, so you must never forget practicing it. But most importantly, you must only use it for the sake of others and not for yourself."

By this time, Shirou's visage was completely serious, his childish features creased as he thought. Then…

"I can use sorcery… to save people?"

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An hour after that they returned home, sitting comfortably beside each other in the backyard. There was silence for a moment, but then…

"You talked about saving people."

"Yes…"

Kiritsugu smiled.

"When I was a kid, I admired the protectors of Justice."

Shirou turned to look at him, a tad confused.

"What do you mean, 'admired'? Did you give up?"

Kiritsugu looked out into the distance.

"Yes, unfortunately. Heroes can only be heroes for a limited time… and it's difficult for a grown-up to shout his own name when appearing. I should've thought about that before."

Shirou nodded, staring thoughtfully into the moon.

"I see… Yeah, no can do, I guess."

There was a tinge of sadness in his father's voice when he responded.

"Yeah. No can do, indeed."

"Yeah, so… so I'll take your place," Shirou's voice was full of emotion, "you can't do it anymore, because you're a grown up, but… but it's fine for me, right? Count on me! I'll fulfill your dreams, old man!"

Kiritsugu just looked at him with a mixture of nostalgia and disbelief.

"Right. I feel relieved now."

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One year after that event, Shirou ran through the house, packing his things in a blue duffle bag. It had only been a day after his father's funeral, and Fuji-nee would be here soon. He knew he would never manage to sneak out with her around, so he would have to work quickly in gathering what he needed. Food? A few cans would do. Clothing? Three shirts and some underware. Money? He had a few thousand yen in his pocket. He'd be fine, he reasoned, as long as he was careful with his spending. If he followed the plan he'd set up, this would be an easy journey.

With this on his mind, he ran outside, locking the door behind him.

"Don't worry old man, you may be gone, but I'm still here, and I keep my promises. I'll fulfill your dream!"

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Two years later…

The boy, now fourteen, crawled inside the alley, attempting bravely to ignore the pain in his ribs, and failing miserably. He had only wanted to take a bit of meat… just a bit… and they'd kicked his ass for it.

He fell to the ground with a moan of pain, clutching his sides. It had been two years since he had left… two years, and it had all turned into a complete disaster. His dream of following in his father's footsteps had all but disappeared, and now he was reduced to stealing food just to survive.

"Dad… this… this was not how I meant things to turn up…"

Simply saying this caused him to start coughing, spit and blood flying from his mouth.

Meanwhile, the woman simply watched. It was him, alright. She could feel it. Still… it was a bit of a disappointment… she had been waiting for almost a year, and this was what she got: a half-starved runt. But she'd have to manage.

Green eyes gleamed in the dark and a soft, accented voice reached Shirou's ears.

"My, my, my… it is not proper for little boys to be wandering around after dark, is it?