Fate/Eternal Night

Ch. 4: The Common Trend

Shirou awoke the next morning to find Sakura kneeling in front of him, setting her hair behind her ears.

"Good morning, Senpai," Sakura greeted him.

Shirou wished he could tell if this greeting was meant to feel different from the others, but his worries got the best of his mind. But her returning to him had to mean something. "Sakura-"

"Shirou, starting today," Sakura found it hard for the words to come out, "can I stay here?"

The question was beyond more than what Shirou expected. Move in? Would Taiga even allow that?

"Sure," Taiga didn't even hesitate. "It's about time actually."

They were in the living room eating breakfast, and Shirou was dumbfounded.

However, Taiga immediately stuck her chop sticks in Shirou's face before he could make a rational thought. "We all know Sakura is a special case. I don't want to see you two get out of hand."

Shirou felt insulted to see Taiga have no faith in the coming-of-age boy. "Can we please not go there?" Shirou asked irritated.

Sakura was embarrassed, but felt confident in Shirou; she would leave it to him to dictate the pace of their relationship.

Shirou and Sakura were walking to school together, when Shirou fought to ask the big question on his mind. "Sakura, umm… Are we actually... Well, like why, why did you decide to move in and…?" Shirou bounced around the question, as to not jump to any conclusions.

"Senpai, can we hold hands?" Sakura asked him while blushing.

His question was answered. Shirou's face became very gentle. "Yeah."

Rin's first reaction was to spray her lunch drink at the news. It caught the attention of the class and gave them all a slight laughter.

"Sorry," Rin said out loud. She was embarrassed as it did not fit the pleasant common idea of a lady, a Tohsaka at that.

"You don't have to apologize to them," Issei assured her.

"You don't have a name to live up to," she retorted.

"No, I do not. And in all actuality, you put that pressure on yourself. Sorry, but the Tohsaka name isn't all that popular here if you haven't noticed."

"Then I'll just make it that way. Because everyone at school loves me."

"Hmmmhmm", Issei hummed, denying Rin's statement.

"You are an exception to the rule. Ugh," Rin stopped herself from going any further with Issei and redirected her attention to who started this feud, "Shirou, you are what?!"

"Sakura and I are dating," Shirou repeated himself.

"But after yesterday, I thought things looked so bleak."

"They did, but I guess something changed in her. I'm happy about it."

Rin calmed herself down. Sakura was never her biggest concern, but it was weight off her shoulders to finally see Sakura walk a path she may find worth living for. "I am too, it's just so shocking."

Rin leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms. Shirou already knew two people about to participate in the Grail War and now he was closer than ever, or was he? Did Sakura leaving the Matou manor mean she was giving up her place as a mage? Rin needed to know her competition, and the timing seemed like it couldn't have come at a better to find out.

Rin's right hand began to sear in pain. She didn't express it as she knew what was coming. "Please excuse me," Rin nodded her head to Shirou and Issei as she quickly walked off and exited the classroom. Rin quickly went for the stairs so she could go down to the first floor restroom. Sakura was a freshman, and although the odds were unlikely, as any master could receive their command seals at any time, Rin didn't want to risk any chance. She entered the restroom to find two girls she didn't know. They expressed their respect of her before leaving and Rin thanked them. The back of Rin's hand was starting to bleed, and she washed off her blood under the faucet. After a minute or so, the pain faded. Rin pulled her hand from under the faucet and starred at the three tattoos that formed on her hand: her three command seals.

Rin entered the nurse's office and pretended to be injured, eventually getting to go home early. As the hours to which school ended, her cell phone rang. The ID showed Shirou calling.

"Hello, Shirou," Rin answered.

"Ah Rin, what did you leave school for?"

"Oh you know, delicate girl like me, I hurt myself on the way to the restroom and it made me feel ill after."

"Okay…" Rin could hear confusion in Shirou's voice. Rin came never came across as weak, and she always made sure of that. "So do want me to bring some food or something?" Shirou offered.

"What about Sakura? You should head home."

"Well she said she was going to go get some more things from home. Taiga's already made extra space for her in the dojo in my back yard. For whatever reason, she didn't want me to come. You know, I've still never been to her house once."

"I'm sure of it." Rin was acting as if she was going along with Shirou's words, although who would ever let anyone see the Matou household. Rin never saw it herself, but despite its richness, she knows of its feeling of emptiness, and only violence brought any form of life. "Well, if you have time, why not? Just make a good soup for me, if you so kindly could." She figured it would be a good distraction for Shirou while he waited on Sakura.

Shirou hung up the phone and headed for the shopping district. He walked into a small department store amongst the strip malls. As he exited, with groceries in hand, a small girl bumped into him. She had the brightest blonde hair he'd ever seen and wore a bright blue summer dress. However, what truly caught Shirou's attention was seeing her bleeding left hand.

"I'm sorry," she said to him as she turned around and tried to run into the department store.

"You're hurt," Shirou said as he lightly grabbed her hand. "Here, I got a bandage." Shirou kneeled before the young girl and bandaged her left hand. "What's your name?" he asked to become familiar with her.

"…Alice," the girl responded. She was going the public restroom to aid herself, but Shirou entranced her in awe as someone was already taking care of her.

"Well Alice, where are your parents?" Shirou asked her.

Alice pulled her hands to her chest and told him, "I don't have any parents."

"Are you an orphan, Alice?" Shirou was now concerned her for more. Looking at her, she didn't appear homeless. Alice was well groomed and her clothes were clean.

"I don't know. Can you help me, Mister?" Alice asked on the verge of tears.

"Yeah. My name is Shirou. Emiya Shirou. I'll do everything I can for you."

Alice's expression went from sad to joyous in the blink of an eye. Shirou looked at her, figuring this was child ignorance, but he knew this was no happy matter.

Shirou brought Alice home with him to Taiga and Sakura's surprise. He tried explaining to them how little Alice seemed to know, even her age and surname were absent. "Listen, we can just search for her parents for a few days, and call an orphanage if all else fails," Shirou explained to them.

"Or we could call the police, Shirou," Taiga made clear to Shirou.

Shirou looked at Taiga with an eyebrow raised in opposition to the idea. Shirou was taking advantage of this new moment to be a hero.

Taiga sighed, wondering where this quality of Shirou ever even came from.

"Does going to an orphanage mean I won't be seeing Shirou?" Alice asked about to cry again.

"Alice, we can still see each other," Shirou told her. He wasn't sure if he meant it, but he did whatever he had to keep her calm.

"Alice, are you hurt?' Taiga asked approaching Alice. "Why don't you let me see that and we can take care of you."

Taiga undid the bandage on Alice's left hand to find three markings on the back of her hand that seemed rather alien to Taiga and Shirou.

"How?" Taiga questioned the injury. It's so organized.

Sakura ran out of the living room with a pale face. She stood a little down the hall, as Shirou came to ask her what was wrong.

"It's… Nothing. Nothing at all," Sakura tried to convince Shirou she was fine to no prevail.

"You looked like you saw a ghost," Shirou told her. He was sure Sakura had to know her own condition, but he made sure nothing she said was going to get past him.

"Please, Shirou, just let me think for a minute. Bringing in a stranger is a little scary." Sakura gave him a smile before sitting down along the wall. Sakura had her arms resting on her knees and starred at the ground with introspection.

The home phone rang, sending a chill down Shirou's spine.

"Crap!" Shirou shouted as he ran to the phone. He picked up and was immediately yelled at before even saying hello.

"Where are you!? I've been trying your cell for the past half hour!?" Rin shouted at him.

"Home. I-" Shirou was cut off trying to explain.

"Home!? You just leave a sick girl sitting around all alone!?" Rin wasn't sick, of course, but felt insulted by Shirou's bail.

Shirou giggled at Rin's yelling. It was painful to listen to, but refreshing as it was good old Rin. "I see you still have all your energy."

"Damn it," Rin spoke to herself.

"I heard that," Shirou teased her. "Listen, I was on my way when I met a little girl who seems to be in a pretty bad spot." He turned to Alice as she walked back into the living room with Taiga.

"It's like there's nothing on her hand. I didn't know what to do with the first aid kit," Taiga whispered to Shirou.

Shirou starred at Alice while explaining her condition to Rin. "She seems to have amnesia. She has no recollection of her home or family, even little about herself. Her name is Alice, but I doubt that's even true. She still appears Japanese, so I don't know who would give her such a name."

"How old is she?" Rin asked, now more understanding.

"Looks maybe eight to ten, I guess."

"She's young, Shirou; maybe she got the name from a story book."

"Maybe. I can call you back later."

"Sure. See ya."

"Bye." Shirou hung up the phone and offered Alice a tour of the house.

Sakura remained in the hall as she saw Shirou walk out of the living room with Alice. Sakura had not received her command seals yet, and tried to remind herself to be hopeful. There was still a chance Zouken might be chosen over her. But the odds were fifty-fifty, as someone from the Matou family had to be chosen. There was never a Grail War without an Einzbern, Tohsaka, and Matou. What would happen if Alice became Sakura's enemy?

As Shirou and Alice walk into the backyard, Shirou reveals the one thing he shares in common with Alice. "Hey Alice, you want in on a secret?"

"Can I really?" Alice rejoiced in growing closer to Shirou.

"Yeah, I have amnesia too. I can't remember anything beyond ten years ago." It was never really a secret, but Shirou rarely brought it up. Most of the people he knows still don't know. Shirou's never imagined a childhood outside Fuyuki City and without his father Kiritsugu.

"How old are you, Shirou?" Alice asked him.

"Eighteen-years-old," Shirou answered.

"Do you ever want to remember, Shirou?"

Shirou laughed, not sure how to answer. "Well, not really. I'm happy the way I am. How about you, Alice?"

"I don't have to remember as long as I have you, Shirou." Alice said full of cheerful. "But I do want to know if I have some things though."

"Like what?"

"I want friends and family," Alice answered modestly.

"Then consider me both." Shirou gave Alice a thumbs-up.

"Onii-chan!" Alice shouted.

"Yeah, 'Onii-chan.'"