They walk down the cobblestone path, keeping in silence even as Shirou rubs his shoulder. The welt Saber had given him when she'd slammed the wooden sword down on his shoulder had made him shout out as he'd fallen almost immediately to the floor, curling in a small ball in the dojo. Rather than worry for his pain, ask him if he was alright, she'd jabbed him in the side, asking him in a dry voice if he was done already.

He'd gotten up and drawn the quivering wood sword up before him only to be assaulted by the woman's jabs and strikes, he falling again and again to her assault. When he'd tried to change his form, to switch out with two shorter blades, she'd smacked the blades out of his hands and told him he'd learn properly or not at all before scoring him a harsh blow on his right shoulder where she'd hit him previously.

How he'd allowed the woman to convince him to take up training with her while they waited before coming for the servant being and master here at Ryudo temple he does not know. Perhaps it was his desire to keep Issei out of the situation, if at all possible, or perhaps it's because, as the woman said, he'd be unlikely to back out from any fight if push came to shove and a master had to be worth something. Which he'd have to agree with. Reinforcement is hardly much good at full out combat with an experienced mage he imagines, but even using that with the practice sword, Saber schooled him, over and over. He found himself becoming rather well acquainted with the different grains and rifts in the floor as she threw him about like a rag doll.

Even cooking dinner hurt as his shoulder yelled at him on more than one occasion as he'd lift a plate or stir the spoon. And Saber had only watched him with an impassive eye as he went about his business. Never offering to help, but always simply keeping an eye on him. Though she'd eaten the contents on her plate quickly enough when he'd finally managed to put some down on the table and demanded extra helpings. It didn't matter, even injured as he was he always made extra and with only Saber there, well, if she didn't eat as she did he would have had excess. But now though...

He rubs his arm again, the pain from the bruise along with its many cousins making themselves known now that his energy is wearing thin.

At least picking up papers from his classes had gone without incident, not that he's had a chance to even look at them. The closest thing to an altercation that happened was with Mr. Kuzuki himself, who had regarded Saber sternly, his eyes narrowing for a moment as he looked her over. Saber had considered him of her own right and Shirou had wondered if the two would come to blows, but as quick as the tension had built up, it dissipated and Kuzuki had simply handed him his assignments and seen him on his way. Now... as he rubs his shoulder he thinks he's simply on his way to another fight when he'd just barely gotten out of one earlier.

"You'll get used to the pain," says Saber. "It is part of growing up and learning."

"Your compassion just warms the heart," says Shirou sarcastically, but it causes Saber to stop for a moment to regard him, her eyes widening for a moment.

"It does?" she says in an almost child like voice.

"Yeah.. It..." he begins, about to retort snidely when he sees her expression. "Is something the matter, Saber?" he says.

She turns away, shaking her head.

"No. I must have heard you incorrectly. There is no way you could regard me with any compassion."

This makes him wonder anew about her condition and he clenches his fist, remembering his resolve from earlier. He'll help push that humanity to the surface, it's just a matter of time.

Saber regards the fool with a cold eye, quivering lightly as she feels his eyes trail over her. She turns abruptly, not wanting him to see the weakness in her. A thing he could take advantage of. Not that he can do much in his current state, hobbling along as he is, though he is doing far better than he should be considering the force she put behind the blows during the sparring session. She'd treated him only a little more lightly than she would a regular servant, but he'd managed to handle it well and he even mentioned her compassion? No... he must be mocking her. But still... as she finds her eyes wandering towards the young master, his eyes lock on hers and they fill with worry.

"Are you alright, Saber?" he says. "You seem... worried."

She turns quickly anew, wishing to avoid eye contact, starting to walk more hurriedly. She hears him calling but she keeps her pace, but slows after a time, waiting for him.

"I'm sorry," she says, words she remembers yelling over and over, but back then it was to avoid pain, to avoid violations and tortures and... death. Now though... it is because of her own actions and it feels genuinely strange. "Your actions... your being... confuses me," she says. "I've always known others to be selfish and regard others second if at all. You... seem different. It confuses me." She bites her lower lip as she says this, fist clenching. "And I don't like such feelings."

He places a hand on her shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

"It's just part of being human. No one's going to hurt you."

She brushes his hand away, turning in anger.

"That's where you're wrong, Shirou," she says. "Everyone can and will hurt me. And those I trust... more so..."

She walks quickly, thinking on these things. Those she trust? Can she trust? Does she want to trust? And as she looks towards the young man, her heart races and she begins to think, yes... she really does. But, is it a mistake to do so?

She walks more steadily, calling forth her armor in a burst of energy and drawing forth her blade, the twisted Excalibur Morgan with its corrosive energies. She tightens her grip on the handle, trying to focus. Battle. She needs a fight. The more she can drown herself in a fight the less she need focus on emotion and confusion. A fight is clear cut. With one focus and one goal. Emotions... are not.

Archer follows close behind the duo, not so near as once before and not out in the open where Saber might see through the invisibility barrier but close enough so he can see the pair. Saber is confused, it seems, showing more human emotions. A turning point in his relationship back then. It warms his heart but at once, worries him. If this is "that" point, then other horrors soon await and he needs to try and set forth into action to prevent that tragedy. Still, he needs to watch the duo as they approach the temple. If he remembers properly, there is a powerful rival here, one that had disappeared during the war and Archer thinks he knows why.

He grits his teeth, wondering how this fight ended up preventing him from being there? He only knows one side of the equation in this battle and if he can't figure out the second half then many people are going to die. He finds himself shaking, teeth biting into his lower lip. He should go back to her. That pig tailed girl who he'd once had a crush on has been doing her best to take care of him. After his injury from Saber from the night before she seemed unusually worried for his being and she's been watchful over him in these past hours. He should return to her. He...

"We will proceed from here," says Saber in the distance. "Be ready."

Shit, he thinks. Letting out a slow breath, he slowly unclenches his hand, forcing his body to calm. Rin can wait. He needs to be here. There is no choice.

"We will proceed into enemy territory from here," says Saber, giving Shirou a stern look. "Be Ready."

He nods, his fist clenched as he draws out the practice sword at his side. It isn't much, but with a bit of reinforcement, he can at least lend a hand during the fight.

"Trace... on..." he whispers. "Memorize components. Reinforce structure..."

The sword glows as fissures of green light flow through it through the invisible circuits within from where he grasp the handle. Saber glances at the blade and turns away. It won't do much, but it's better than nothing.

They begin walking up the long walkway towards the temple, Shirou still hoping Saber's intuition is wrong and that there is no servant up here. Because if there is...

Saber spreads out her arm before him, blocking his ascension.

"A servant is near," she whispers.

"Great," he whispers. Inside his head he screams as that hope he'd held is dashed to pieces. He looks towards the top of the staircase, glowering at it as a figure approaches. But something is off, he thinks. The figure is tall, with a strong bearing. Like a man. Then it dawns on him.

"Wait," says Shirou, as Saber draws her blade. "Didn't Issei say there was a strange "woman" at the temple? But this is a guy!"

"Indeed I am, young man," says the servant, a man looking like he stepped out of the fairy books of old Japan, dressed in his purple kimono and baggy pants, long dark hair tied back into a tail as the dreaded blade at his side is drawn out and pointed at the both of them. "I am Sasaki Kojirou," says the man, continuing. "Charged with guarding the passage of this temple. If you wish entrance, you must first defeat me. Only then may you pass."

Shirou sees Saber tense, her arms slowly lowering as she draws her blade. She closes her eyes and lets out a low sigh before opening them anew.

"I am Altria Pendragon of Camelot," she says. "If you block our passage then I will bring you down. For the grail."

"Wait," says Shirou, taken aback by her words. "Pendragon? Camelot? But wasn't that guy a man?"

"For the grail," he hears the Samurai whisper. As he turns, there is a burst of wind before him, the man disappearing in a blur of movement, Shirou himself almost being knocked back by Saber's own movement as she rushes forward, her blade coming down upon the samurai's. Shirou can only grit his teeth, shoulders tensing and watch as the battle commences.