There was a disaster ten years ago.
A fire that burned away homes, lives, and memories, leaving only ash.
A tragedy which only a single boy survived,
Wandering through the chaos of fire and flame
Unceasing steps tramping towards the distant hope of freedom
An awkward shuffle, a slip, a fall
Shards of rubble digging into charbroiled flesh
Death was nigh
A smile? But...why?
Joy and...relief?
'Ah...I'm saved...'
Gentle hands, calloused and worn,
Shadowed eyes looking into the distance
Past the everyday illusion of destruction and death.
A drawn, thin smile
'Could I be that happy to see someone alive?
Could I ever...save someone?
Could I...be redeemed?'
A boy's last thoughts
Passing into oblivion, out of memory and time
As the twisted tale of Emiya Shirou begins...
] || [
Chapter 1
Prologue
"Senpai?"
A voice broke the veil of silence.
"-Uh," I groaned eloquently in reply, my mind beginning to stir from its slumber at less than unwelcome interruption. It was six o'clock in the morning, and normally, I'd already be up, but I was up later than usual fixing something that Fuji-nee broke in a fit of frustration.
I understand that you get angry at times, Taiga, but you should consider just who has to fix the things you break...especially when you come to wake me up in the morning by hitting me with a shinai!
Still, at least my (sometimes unreasonable) homeroom teacher and older sister in everything but blood wasn't the one waking me up, or I'd probably have a concussion. I guess that's one way she and Old Man Fujimura, her grandfather (and incidentally, the yakuza boss of Fuyuki) are alike, even if she'll childishly deny it - they can be very scary when they want to be.
With her upbringing, she should know by now that people get hurt when they are hit - that's just the way things are.
"Senpai, are you awake?"
Matou Sakura, on the other hand, an underclassman of mine who started coming over in the mornings after I was injured at work and who has become almost family to me, happens to be much more considerate.
So, feeling confident that I wouldn't be hit in the next few minutes, I opened my eyes, as the lingering gloom in my mind was banished by morning light streaming through an open door, as if even the traces of nightmares were gone. Unsurprisingly, since I'd never been one to sleepwalk, I found myself in the musty old shed that I call my workshop, with the lush figure of one who had awakened me silhouetted in the post-dawn glow.
Sakura was smiling brightly, as if counting it a minor victory to catch me dozing when I was usually up long before she arrived, working on whatever the first meal for the day would turn out to be.
"Mm...good morning Sakura," I replied, the faintest trace of a smile tugging at the corners of my lips, as uncooperative muscles protested against being forced into action after enduring a night of ill use. Not for the first time, it struck me that my body would probably work better if I actually managed to drag myself to bed after my training/repair work, but I pushed the thought aside.
Surely, this hardship could be considered extra resistance training, mental shackles that help to build up coordination and endurance in harsh conditions.
...was that too masochistic?
But I dismissed that as impossible. After all, I do worse to myself each night, when I forge a magic circuit and let the sensation of what seems like white hot iron burrow into my nerves and rip apart my spine. Compared to that, dealing with some minor aches and pains was rather trivial, especially with the crisp, cold air to dull the pain and the warmth of my blood to relax it away.
"Good morning, Senpai," Sakura answered cordially, apparently still amused by the way my unguarded expression betrayed my every thought. Well, close to my every thought - it would be a terrible thing if I couldn't at least hide the fact that I was a magus, for example. "Breakfast is almost ready, so please take your time. Oh, but be careful, since Fujimura-Sensei will get mad if you take too long."
...or maybe she was just amused that she'd actually beaten me to the kitchen, so that she would have the chance to show off her improved skills. She was actually worse than Fuji-nee when she started coming over a year and a half ago (a feat in itself, since Fuji-nee can nearly burn water), but lately, the student has almost surpassed the teacher. It's one of the things I find troubling about our relationship now, the other being that she's been growing in certain places recently and some of her casual gestures have started to catch my eye.
"I can't let you do it all by yourself," I protested, getting to my feet. "I'll get up right now, so let's go to the kitchen together."
"Ah… um, Senpai…" my underclassman starts, looking down and blushing slightly.
"Hm? Is something wrong?" I asked, a little self-conscious, looking down at myself to...oh. I was still in my dirty work overalls, and if I went into the house like this, I'm sure that Fuji-nee would give me a tongue-lashing (at the least).
My face must have shown my realization since Sakura only nodded.
"...yes, you should probably change, Senpai," she said, frowning as she looked at my rumpled clothes. "I'll finish up breakfast while you do."
I sighed, shaking my head. It seemed there would be no getting out of this one.
"Sorry for troubling you," I mumbled in apology, a bit embarrassed by the situation. "I guess I'll do as you say. I'll go after I get changed. You go on ahead."
"It's no trouble at all Senpai," my underclassman answered, with a hint of cheek. "I'm just doing as I please."
With that she left for the house, leaving me to the mess of my shed.
"Well," I said, slapping my cheeks to shake away my drowsiness as I grabbed my spare uniform and headed towards the bathroom. "Time to get myself cleaned up"
] || [
After taking a shower and getting changed, I then proceeded to the kitchen, hoping to arrive in time for the last of the cooking, since I'd feeling bad for letting my junior do all the work. Alas, I was too late, as Sakura had not only finished making breakfast but was setting the ta-
"HEY, SHIROU COME ON OVER AND LET'S EAT ALREADY!"
...and of course, where there was free food, Fujimura Taiga was readily be found, announcing her presence to the world like the raging beast some call her due to her ferocity and her love of yellow and black striped clothing. Unlike my classmates, I won't even think her nickname in my mind, because if I slipped up and accidentally said it, she'd inflict upon me the pain of the great masters.
'So much for being a good guardian...'
Really, Taiga doesn't make a great guardian, since it's mostly me taking care of her, but the company is welcome, as aside from her and Sakura's visits, I've been all alone in this house since my father died half a decade ago. She used to come around when dad was still alive, and after he died, she would pop in to check up on me...though sometimes I think that's her excuse to get a free meal, since in some ways she never really grew up.
...there's something wrong with a world in which she can be a teacher, but life would be how it was, and reality had a habit of being stranger than fiction.
"I'm coming," I answered, since to stay quiet when challenged by the tiger was a recipe for disaster. "Though it isn't as if the food is going anywhere."
Still, I guess I didn't really mind her antics - one comes to expect strangeness from family, after all.
"But I'm starving…." Fuji-nee whined as she rested her chin on the table with a frown, pleading eyes watching my every movement as if she might eat me if I didn't show up fast enough, "and Sakura came here earlier than usual to make us food."
"Eh, Sakura did?" I asked, surprised to hear that. But as I turned to my underclassman, I caught her blushing and looking down, so it seemed it was true.
"N-no, th-that's's not it at all," Sakura stammered, trying to deny it, waving her hands frantically. "I-I just woke up early that's all. There's no special reason I came early today..."
I mentally face-palmed on hearing Sakura say such a thing, as I knew that Fuji-nee would seize on any suspicious remark to tease me or her viciously.
"Ehhh? Is that so?" Fuji-nee commented, a twisted smirk plastered on her face. "But isn't that just what would be expected of a loving wife?"
It seemed that Fuji-nee really hit the mark as every bit of exposed skin on Sakura turned redder than a tomato, her mouth falling open as if stunned.
I really should help out before Taiga pushes too far, since if left to her own devices, the result is usually disaster.
"Stop teasing Sakura, Fujimura-sensei," I lightly scolded her, giving her a reproving glare.
"Kyaa! The husband is sticking up for his young wife! How sweet of you, Shirou!"
This time, it was my turn to blush, though I gamely kept my focus. I could not be dissuaded...even if Taiga had a point that Sakura would make someone very happy someday, as she's the very picture of a Yamato Nadeshiko, and the most beautiful of the first years. Nonetheless, distraction was death, just like when working with Magic Circuits.
"Oh? It's not like you know anything about these things, Fuji-nee," I wryly observed.
It was true enough, since she hadn't ever had a romantic relationship, as far as I can remember.
Silence hung in the air.
The tiger had been stopped dead in her tracks, the blood draining from her face as if I'd called her old or unsuitable for marriage, her eyes staring blankly out into space.
Still, tigers were known for their quick reaction time, and true to name, Fujimura-sensei didn't stay quiet for long.
"WAHHHH! How mean of you Shirou!" the hurt Taiga roared in fury, her body trembling, though with what, I could not tell. I could only hope it wasn't rage, as otherwise, I was in for a world of pain. Thankfully, she calmed, pouting. "Even I want to be a blushing bride, you know."
Somehow, I had trouble picturing such a scenario coming to pass, but I wasn't going to say that out loud. Contrary to popular belief, I was not quite suicidal.
"Oh, but I don't have to worry," she continued, smug satisfaction evident on her face as she countered with a vicious riposte. For someone who pretended to be blissfully unaware of things, she could be surprisingly cruel sometimes. "If no one else will have me, I'll just marry Shirou!"
But no one else will...wait, what?
"WAIT, WHAT DID YOU SAY?" I exclaimed, nearly bolting from my seat in surprise as I looked at her incredulously.
"What's wrong Shirou, you don't like the idea of being married to Fuji-nee?" our homeroom teacher answered slyly, her head tilted in a semblance of innocent confusion. Even Sakura as well-mannered as she normally was just stared blankly, having no idea how to respond to this suggestion.
"Sorry, Fuji-nee, but I don't really like tigers," was all I could think to say, as Taiga's eyes welled up with tears.
"YOU GUYS ARE SO CRUEL!"
...thus passed another normal morning at the Emiya household.
] || [
Fortunately for Sakura and me, for all that she was easy to upset, Fujimura-sensei didn't really hold grudges, especially when bribed with an offering of good food. Having gotten hold of her weakness, we exploited it as best we could, giving her a box lunch, after which she set off to school...leaving Sakura and I at the house with a pile of dirty dishes.
Nothing out of the ordinary, since Taiga was never one to clean up after herself, and frankly, letting her into the kitchen would be a terrible idea. I still remember the last time that happened...oh, the horror, the horror.
"Why don't you go on ahead, Sakura?" I suggested to my helpful junior. "I'll do the dishes today."
She'd done enough making breakfast by herself, so the least I could do was to clean up. I would be a failure of a head of household if I let a guest do all the work...
"No, Senpai, let me help," Sakura responded, trying to insist on taking the chore upon herself. Of course, I had a trump card.
"But you won't make it to morning practice unless you hurry. Mitsuzuri wouldn't like it if you were late," I mentioned casually as I turned the faucet to start on cleaning the dishes, smiling to try and soften the blow. "Besides I'll be spoiled if I let you do everything around the house so I have to clean up every once in a while too."
Sakura sighed, lips pressing together in a line.
"...you win, Sempai," she conceded, then cocked her head to the side. "So when will you be home today?"
"I think I'll be a bit late," I answered, thinking about all the work that Issei would likely have for me, or that Neko might at work. "What about you, Sakura?"
"I'll be back at the usual time. I'll probably be here earlier, so I'll start getting dinner ready."
...sometimes I think it's hard to tell who the guest and host are.
After I saw her to the door, I returned to the dishes, washing, rubbing, and drying each plate and dish with mechanical efficiency while my mind begins to wander. Cleanliness was next to godliness, it was said, and while I never put much stock in religion, it paid to be clean at home (just not in the shed, which was only so haphazardly arranged because Taiga kept breaking more things to be fixed).
When I came back to myself some time later, the dish-water was stained a bloody red, an ominous portent, since I was usually more careful.
"Huh?" Realizing the change in the water I pulled back my hands to examine them, finding a raised welt on the left. "Did I cut myself with a knife or something while cleaning?"
No, a knife would have left a deeper cut, and not just a welt. Maybe I've been pushing myself too hard lately, or I've been getting careless about these things. Seeing that Sakura always helps me with the chores it doesn't seem too surprising.
"I really need to be more careful," I sighed, putting the dishes away, bandaging my arm, and then heading off for school. "This time it was just my hand...next time, my Circuits?"
] || [
Since I didn't have morning practice, having quit the Archery Club after my injury at work, I had an ample amount of time before class when I left the house. Thus, I decided to take the long way through the shopping distract to kill some time as well as to look for any special prices on ingredients, so that maybe I could pick up something nice for dinner. Meat wouldn't go on sale till the afternoon, but sometimes, one store or another would post a sign about upcoming specials or lotteries.
"…"
But there were none such today, nothing out of the ordinary...except for a girl about his age with pure white hair standing near the edge of the street.
And to make things odder...wasn't that a nun's habit?
Or at least a long blue dress that resembled one, with the ends of a small black ribbon peeking out from under an expansive white collar. Snow-white hair subtly covered amber eyes as she listlessly gazed at a empty playground, with a bandage covering her left hand in about the same position as mine...
Was she lost? Perhaps a tourist (as odd as one would be in Fuyuki)?
"Hello? Miss, are you okay?" I inquired as I approached her, putting a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to shake her from her trance. For a moment, I saw a hint of crimson…and then the world went upside down as I crashed into the ground
"Ouch!"
Did she just...trip me?
"Did you know that in times of old, you could be executed for touching a maiden of the cloth so casually?"
Callous words in a musical voice, but the girl never even looked at me when she spoke, as if I was beneath her notice.
"Ah, sorry about that," I apologized as I rubbed the bump in the back of my head. Even though she tripped me, I somehow got the feeling that irritating her would probably be a bad thing, especially if she was so quick with her feet. "I just wanted to see if you were ok?"
"It is fine." She responded indifferently, evoking a slight shiver up my spine due to the fact I couldn't tell if she truly didn't mind or if she was simply annoyed. Even so, she kept on staring at the playground.
"So, are you alright then?" I repeated again hoping to gain this strange girl's attention. "I don't think I've seen you around before. Do you need me to help you get anywhere?"
"Do you know that it is a sin to try and woo a maiden who has sworn herself to God despite the fact that it was a poor attempt at best?"
"…."
Did she think I was hitting on her and is judging it?
"I'm not hitting on you!" I responded, denying the accusation outright.
"Oh, then how sad of you to not understand the beauty of God's representative," the woman sighed, bringing confusion to my mind.
What was with this girl?
First she tripped me. Then she thinks I was hitting on her, and finally, she was disappointed when she finds out I wasn't?
"Heh." A slow, dangerous smirk, as the nun closed her eyes in seeming satisfaction. "I am not lost, though it has been some time since I last came here. Merely a bit nostalgic. Is that all you wanted to ask of me?"
"Well if that's what it is then yeah that's it," I sighed, feeling this conversation drain away my energy. I might want to save everybody, but it seemed she didn't need saving, so...
"In that case…." She finally turned to look at me. "I.." And then she froze, amber eyes staring at me, wide in shock.
"Umm, is there...is there something on my face?" I asked weakly, taking a step back under the pressure of her gaze. Or maybe it was that unusual to see a Japanese person with red hair? Some had thought of me as a delinquent before because of that, not realizing that it was natural.
"What is your name?" she asked, seeming to see me for the first time, gold meeting gold in an odd moment before it broke, shock smoothing away to mere indifference once more.
"Emiya Shirou," I responded simply, swallowing in the aftermath of the sudden shock.
Between us, the wind blew.
"Saya….Ajisai Saya."
Authors note: Editing and plot bunny making goes to AlfheimWander without him this story would not be possible.