Disclaimer: I own nothing

People seem to think I'm a coward for trying to censor my readers thoughts and feelings about Shirou, Zelretch, and Tracing. The fact of the matter is people. I'm not doing this for me. I'm doing this for you.

The moment you made an account, you accepted terms and conditions for this website. Terms and conditions, that people just brush over and just accept. Well people, let me just summarize one part of it for you. This is for reviews.

When you are reviewing, you are expected to comment about the chapter's story. And not the author's note exclusively. People ignored this, and commented about my rant, and did not give any output on my written chapter. Now, the punishment for this is not a slap to the wrist. But I believe it to be the abolishment of your account. I don't quite remember. I will read up on the details once again when I have the time.

But anyway, when you review. Make sure it is worthwhile to the story and not just a way to state your opinions that have no direct influence to the story itself. If you want to start a debate with the author about your views, feel free to do so at the appropriate place. In private messages and not reviews. A writer appreciates reviews, me more so than others. But when I click on the reviews sections, and all I see are people stating their opinions about this and that, without mentioning the written chapter at all. Well, you can just imagine how hollow that would make a writer feel.

Anyway, this will be cut short. TL;DR: Review about the story and not the author's views. That's what PM's are for. And if I sounded like a douche, then I apologize. But I didn't mean it in a hostile way at all. I just want people to focus on the story rather than my views.

XxX

Shirou let a sigh escape his lips as he tinkered with the wrist watch that was given to him by his teacher.

Shirou let out a groan as his thoughts went back to his teacher, or rather, the way her teacher shot him down. He slumped down, and though the way that people sneered and jeered at him as he did so was condemning, he just didn't care.

It had been a day and a half since their little talk about Isis and Atlas as well as the job offered by said parties. A day and a half since they told Isis no, they wouldn't be doing the job. And a total of five and a half days since he had been in this timeline.

Truthfully, he was surprised he was even able to adapt to his abnormal situation so readily. Time traveling twelve years into the past was something that would be considered abnormal, even to most magi. But surprisingly, he had assimilated to his situation quite well.

Maybe it was because of the five months of English class he had spent with Aoko? Or maybe it was because the threat on the world itself made him assimilate out of need? Either way, he was still surprised.

Shirou heard the whispers around him, but he paid them no mind. He tried to refocus on the task given to him by his auburn haired teacher. And, much as he hated to admit it. He needed this distraction. Lest he do something that Rin would most likely deem as 'reckless and stupid.'

He stared at the small wrist watch given to him, and closed his eyes as he muttered the two words that were comforting as it was the only thing remaining constant in his life. "Trace On."

The wrist watch itself wasn't much, it was made of stainless steel, the gears were working just fine, and the only thing wrong with it was the constant grinding of two gears that were placed just above each other. Sooner than later, those two gears would wear each other down and cause the clock to stop working altogether.

That was it for the mundane parts of the clock, but the magical side of it however…

"I feel that it's trying to invade the outside… I think?" He muttered under his breath as he allowed the blueprint of the small wrist watch imprint into his mind. It's essence basically making it a bastardized 'fast-forwarder'.

The power of the watch itself wasn't anything that would make your eyes pop. It was only strong enough to actually make your reaction time faster after all. But even then, it only improved it by a mere 0.0753%. Not enough to actually turn the outcome of a fight between mages.

Shirou allowed himself to smile grimly however as he placed the screwdriver he was holding onto the screw that held the back plate connected to the main body.

To most, this wrist watch's effect wasn't something they could see or even feel. But to someone that could actually stand against beings known as Servants. This might as well have been a godsend.

This slight edge might just be what he would need should he ever face something faster and possibly stronger than him. And though the effect was quite meager, given how fast he could already react, being able to Trace and fire the same amount of weapons the King of Heroes threw at him, being able to go toe to toe with a high-class Servant right after, the meager effect might very well save his life.

As he unscrewed the last bolt, he allowed the back plate to fall on the table that he was sitting in front of. Thankfully, he was far into the corner of the room, the cafeteria, that only the occasional glance from the students that occupied the Clock Tower itself was heard from time to time. No one paid him any mind.

That was okay with him; the less people saw him and noticed him, the better. He didn't want someone to offer him a job that he wanted to do, but still get shot do-

He squashed the thoughts with a grunt that resembled a sigh. Damn it! Aemulo was doing research that was killing people, innocent people. And he was just asked to stand by and watch as he was given sanctuary?

The thought was infuriating for him, but there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't rightly challenge Aoko and her decision, and even if he did. Lorelei would just back up Aoko, telling him that she was right. And, like rubbing salt to an open wound, even Touko, Aoko's sister, the one she hated for reasons unknown, a sentiment shared by Touko herself, agreed with her.

You know there's no arguing something when even bitter enemies that hated each other agreed to something.

He suppressed the thoughts of actually going behind Aoko's back and doing the job as he focused on the wrist watch once more.

"Let's see…" He muttered as he squinted his eyes, trying to pinpoint the exact part he needed to tinker with to actually improve the clock's overall effectiveness. "That part should be right about… Here!" He gently let his screwdriver brush over the gear that he needed to remove and polish before he stuck the screwdriver to the side of the gear and raised it slightly, just enough to let him pick up the now loose gear with his left pointer and index finger.

Carefully placing the gear in between his fingers on the wooden cafeteria table, he returned his gaze towards the open wrist watch itself. Sighing to himself as he re-Traced it and finding nothing out of place, he turned towards the removed gear and, after placing it back in between his fingers, carefully inspected it.

"Heh," He muttered as he stared at the little gear in amazement. "To think that this small piece of metal actually holds that much power." He was referring to the prana that was hidden inside it.

Of course he knew what he was doing; he had Traced the wrist watch after all. He knew the ins and outs of it, and this particular gear was actually the prana battery of the magical properties of the wrist watch itself.

He wasn't surprised when the prana inside the gear begin to emanate an aura reminiscent of his teacher's. It was made by her after all.

"Right, let's try this…" He muttered as he placed a hand over the gear, covering it completely. He then closed his eyes and began to channel his od out and into the gear. The reason for doing it like this and not sending his od directly into the gear itself was for the simple fact that if he did try it, he would most likely meet pain and rejection from the gear itself.

His teacher's prana was something else. It wasn't normal, it wasn't like his, and it wasn't like Rin's. It was… more controlled, more efficient. It was, for lack of a better word, perfect, to a fault.

It was so efficient that there really was no need to actually improve something that she herself infused with her own prana. The gear itself, though small and the practicality of using it as a prana battery would be slim to none, was giving the small wrist watch enough power to actually accelerate the user's body enough that it might save their lives if it came down to the milliseconds.

If he tried to override Aoko's prana in this gear with his own, not only would the gear break, it would also cause the prana of his teacher to escape into the air and turn into mana. Which, because the gear itself held enough prana to actually rival one of Shirou's own bastardized circuits, was a dangerous thing.

And though he knew the history of the wrist watch and every part of it, including the gear, he had absolutely no idea how Aoko could possibly fit that much prana into this tiny gear.

He returned his focus to his escaping od, feeling it partially turn into mana, before he allowed the od that he could still control to enter the small gear. He could feel it cracking, but he didn't stop. He needed to stop at the right time or else…

You know, now that I think about it, Aoko never really explained her magic to me all that wel-

CRACK!

A sharp sound reverberated through the area and the small gear exploded into a thousand tiny pieces of metal. Some lodging themselves onto Shirou's fingers and hands, and some embedding themselves on the table.

"Youch!" Shirou shouted in alarm as he moved his hands away and started to shake it frantically. Well, that hurt like a bitch.

Taking a look at his handiwork, he couldn't help but sigh as he stared at the partially marred table and more marred hands. Thankfully, his fingers and hands were okay, but still, the stinging he could feel was far from comfortable.

"Having trouble?" A voice from beside his ear suddenly alerted him of a presence, and all he could do was jump from surprise.

"Wha-!?" He turned his head, only to be met with the smiling face of Geneva Barthomeloi. Her slightly wrinkled face showing a smile as she stared down at him. Shirou eyed her for a few seconds, before he allowed his eyes to close and he let out a sigh. Quietly taking note that Geneva didn't have her previous sword on her person.

"Sorry," He heard the old woman say. Though her tone was more amused than apologetic. "I didn't mean to startle you." She said as she moved towards the empty chair that sat from across Shirou.

Shirou raised an eyebrow at that. It wasn't that he minded the company, nor was it that he minded Geneva being here with him right now. But he could really use some time alone. To think, and possibly think of something else than booking a plane for Rome and tracking down Aemulo on foot from there.

He opened his mouth to ask the old Barthomeloi what she wanted, but was stopped Geneva beating him to the punch. "I'm surprised."

He looked up at her, surprised and confusion evident on his face. Geneva saw his look, and she couldn't help but smile slightly. "Lorelei has said nothing but praises about you." She stated, making Shirou look at her in even further confusion.

It was confusing, because Lorelei wasn't someone that complimented anyone. During the last few days that he got to actually know his student, she wasn't one to actually go out of her way to compliment anyone. Heck, even when they had talked about Geneva, her own grandmother, she had said that she was growing old and senile.

Not that Lorelei was saying that as an insult. She was only speaking the truth; Shirou found that however Lorelei was, her brash and straight personality was attributed towards her inability to tell anything but the truth. No matter how harsh it was.

"Lorelei isn't one to lie," Geneva confirmed his thoughts as he looked up at her. Staring into her dull green eyes. Strange, Lorelei had chocolate brown eyes, were her parents perhaps both brown eyed? "She was taught to speak the truth at all times. No matter the circumstance."

"Is there a reason you're telling me this?" He asked her, and Geneva could only let out a slight chuckle.

"Of course," She said with a smile as her chuckles died down. She then leveled her eyes to stare directly at Shirou's, and he had to fight the urge to flinch. The transition from entertained to somber was something he had never experienced from anyone as of yet. It was obvious that Geneva herself was someone that held her emotions by her sleeve. "I'm not one for light conversation. I'm a Magus, I always want something from anyone I talk to." She stated without pause.

This time, it really did make Shirou cringe. Right, I forgot. As much of a good grandmother Geneva really is, she's still a Magus. And she's still mad about me bastardizing her family technique.

He took a deep breath before he looked up at her once more. "Then what is it you want? I'm rather busy if you can-"

"The Apostle hunt." Her words were clear, and Shirou stopped breathing for a split second as the words registered into his mind.

Don't tell me she knows about Atl-

"I can see on your face," She said with a disappointed sigh. "You should really learn how to separate your emotions when you're in here Shirou." She warned as she gained a dangerous glint in her eyes. "It might very well save your life." She warned him.

Shirou finally managed to regain his ability to breath as he looked down sheepishly. Yeah, Rin had mentioned something like that befor-

Damn it, Rin again.

He let out a sigh as he thought of that woman, that amazing woman that stuck through with him and fought beside him. And at this moment, he really wished he could hear her voice again, whether to berate him or actually tell him that what he had thought of was a good idea.

Unlike his teacher.

He sighed again, great. Comparing Aoko to Rin again simply because one trusted him without question, while the other didn't trust him as much. Why was it so hard to keep his mind clear? Argh…

Seeing him sigh two times and slump his head after the second one, Geneva couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"It seems that I have caught you at a bad time." She commented offhandedly as she stared at Shirou with raised eyebrows. Shirou looked up as he heard her say that, and he could only shake his head.

"It's not that you caught me at a bad time…" His voice trailed, before he shook his head and looked down. "Actually, you really did catch me at a bad time." He said lamely as he sighed.

"Stop sighing." Geneva snapped at him, surprising him by the firmness in her voice. "It's insulting and irritating, especially to those that you are talking to."

Shirou cringed slightly, before he allowed himself to slump in defeat. He would have sighed, but well, you know.

"Sorry," He apologized as he made sure to look up and make eye contact. "I just have a lot on my mind." He explained.

Geneva looked at him with a mysterious expression, before she spoke up once more. "I've heard about Atlas." She admitted, causing Shirou to nearly fall from his seat in surprise.

"Wha-?" Was his eloquent response as he stared at her rather dumbly. Unable to convey his surprise in words. Well, solid words.

Geneva allowed herself to smirk, before she stared back at Shirou. "Like I had said, Lorelei is someone that does not lie."

"How does that explain why you know about Atlas?" Shirou retorted as he looked at her with narrowed eyes. Though he held no aggression in his eyes, he was still rather cautious as Geneva was the Vice-Director of the Clock Tower. Should she ever suspect that he was a spy for Atlas, he couldn't exactly imagine himself surviving a fight with this woman. No matter how old she was.

That, and the fact that his Traced sword that belonged to Geneva herself held memories that even now, made him shiver in fear and disgust.

Yeah, he would die. An arrogant golden king was one thing, a serious Vice-Director that allowed nothing but perfection was another.

"Quite simple really," Geneva responded to his previous question, and he snapped out his thoughts once more. He looked up at her expectantly, waiting for her continued response. "I had asked her why she looked troubled."

A pause, and then a few blinks from Shirou.

Finally, after a few more seconds of silence, he finally managed a reply. Mirroring his previous response. "Wha-?"

Geneva allowed herself to chuckle, before she looked at Shirou. Mirth and delight seemed to make her dull green eyes shine slightly. He didn't know why, but the slight shine made him see the rather old woman as someone relatively normal.

"Last night, after I had just finished my day's reports screening. I had stumbled upon a rather pensive Lorelei walking towards her room here in the Clock Tower." Geneva explained as she stared at Shirou with unhidden enjoyment in her eyes.

"I had approached her and offered her tea and a talk in my office," Geneva explained further. "and imagine my surprise, when I had asked her what had her in such a brooding state, she simply stated that, and I quote," Geneva paused as she straightened herself slightly, before she stared at Shirou with a glint in her eyes. A glint that made Shirou uncomfortable. "'I'm worried about Shirou'."

With those words, Shirou couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in surprise. Seeing his surprise, Geneva couldn't help but chuckle.

"Yes," She said as she stared at Shirou. "That is exactly my reaction as well when she said it to me," A pause, before Geneva shook her head. "Let me rephrase that. She didn't say that to me directly, but it was rather an offhanded comment made under her breath that I wasn't supposed to hear."

Shirou didn't know how to react to that, he wasn't even sure if he heard her right. Did Lorelei, the rather distant student of his, actually say that she was worried about him? No, there must have been some mistake. Geneva must've heard wrong. Maybe what she heard and what Lorelei said were two different things.

"I assure you," Geneva interrupted his train of thoughts again as he looked up at Geneva once more. "I didn't mishear, nor am I making this up. She legitimately muttered those exact words."

…

…

…

"Well, damn." Were the only words that Shirou could really say. He didn't exactly know what to say about that, and he most certainly didn't know how to react to it.

Geneva finally narrowed her eyes, all traces of her previous entertainment disappearing as she stared at Shirou. "Listen well Shirou." She began, her words warning as Shirou couldn't help but swallow nervously. "Lorelei is not someone who worries about other people. She is coldly pragmatic, and she never wavers in her path if she thinks she is right." Geneva closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, before she re-opened them and locked her green eyes with Shirou's golden ones. "So for her to actually worry about someone else, it is either a telling sign that the person she is worried about is someone she considers a friend and an equal, and for her to worry about said person could only mean that she knows that that person will do something so incredibly stupid, that she would have no choice but to stop them, or join them." Geneva explained, making Shirou sigh in resignation.

Yeah, that… That sounded like Lorelei. She wasn't one to worry about anything if she knew she was right. And if she was proven wrong, she would take that in stride, and never look back...

Come to think of it, that was exactly like him. Wait a minute…

He looked up at Geneva, and was met with her smirk. He couldn't resist but sigh in resignation. This grandmother knew too much about Lorelei it was scary.

"I see you know what exactly I'm getting at." Geneva commented as she looked staright at him. "Lorelei, she isn't one to worry about someone that was unlike her, she isn't one to place her trust in someone, she only trusts herself and believes in herself. Yet, at the same time, she doesn't worry about herself at all. She would meet any problem head on, and she would do everything in her power to squash that problem in the most efficient and perfect way that she could." Geneva continued, before she narrowed her eyes at Shirou. Who met her eyes with his own. "And most of all, she never wavers. Unless of course, someone actually talks some sense into her, she sounds familiar to you doesn't she?"

Of course, how the hell would he not see her as someone familiar? Lorelei was someone that would keep walking down her path, without regrets, and without falter. And would only stop if they were guided to another direction, or if they were stopped outright by someone close to them.

Lorelei was just like him.

Yet…

"She sounds like someone I know," Shirou commented as he closed his eyes and nodded his head. This comment made Geneva smile a little, though it was hidden from Shirou. But before Geneva could comment, Shirou continued. "But we're not the same."

This stopped Geneva in her tracks, unable to formulate a sentence at the sudden abruptness of the statement. Of course they were the same! They were both hard headed, and they we-

"Lorelei is better than me." That halted all thoughts as Geneva looked at him in confusion. Shirou for his part, could only smile sardonically. Though Geneva knew that it was not directed at her, but rather, at Shirou himself.

"She is someone that acts on reason and logic," Shirou commented as his eyes seemed to brighten slightly. This act wasn't missed by Geneva, and she could tell. All previous worries had been erased from Shirou.

"And I-" He hesitated, before he allowed steel to enter his mind and body. He felt his heart beat fire as his fervor was re-ignited. I am the bone of my Sword. "I'm someone that acts on what he thinks is right."

With that statement, he stood, leaving behind the still disassembled wrist watch and a deep in thought Geneva.

Fate: Zero/Night

XxX

"Yes, he is currently preparing to leave his castle." Maiya relayed into the phone, her tone suggested that she was talking to someone that she deeply respected, either as a business partner, or someone she idolizes.

"….. ….? …. …. …. …."

"I do not know. He has not mentioned where exactly he is heading. I only know that Atlas will meet with him when we reach our destination and they would relieve us of escort duty." Maiya responded to the person on the other line. She took the time as she was speaking to take another look at her surroundings, not because she hadn't. But because she was paranoid.

And in her line of work, paranoia was a good thing.

She eyed her 'partner' for this job, and she couldn't help but shake her head in disappointment. There, sitting by the corner with a blank look on her face, was the homunculus known only as Riza.

Riza looked like any typical Einzbern homunculus, white hair that shined silver in the light, red eyes that stared into your soul, and a lithe pale body that was covered by more white. Though, for this job, she was dressed more for combat and movement. She wore tight white pants that accentuated her long legs, and her feet were bare. Her white shirt had no sleeves, and over the shirt itself was chain mail that protected her arms and torso. Her long pale hair fell towards her shoulder, tied to a ponytail to make sure it didn't disturb her from any fighting that she might be doing.

It was a great upgrade then when she was shown to Maiya for the first time. If Riza had actually came here in a long white dress with a white headdress, not only would she slow her down, but it could potentially hinder her fighting ability should they ever get into a fight.

"…., … …, … …..?"

"As far as I know, no. The Church has Executors camping the outer forest itself. They're afraid of actually getting any closer after their last attempt." She was referring to the literal forest of swords that surrounded the castle. And the last attempt that she was referring to, was the attempt of the Executors to actually traverse the sword forest. Needless to say, it went bad. They had soon found out that not only had Aemulo himself created all these swords using his magic, but they were also semi-sentient to the point of actually stopping anyone that had hostile intent against their master.

Maiya grimaced. No, that was wrong. The swords weren't sentient, they were being controlled. She would, without a doubt, kill Aemulo if given the chance, and that would count as ill will. But the swords parted themselves when she had come across it. Giving them a clear runway straight for the castle.

The memory of the swords moving to create a wall was still fresh in her mind.

"… …. …. …. …. ….."

"The Executors themselves have the entire castle surrounded. But," Maiya trailed, her lips twitching slightly as she tried to think of the right words.

"…. …?"

Maiya didn't respond immediately, but before long. She sighed and spoke up. Her tone resigned and worried. "Why seek help from Atlas at all? He is safe in this castle without the need to actually leave. Exposing yourself so needlessly, either he has something that he can't do here. Or that he's really scared of something going wrong."

"… …. ….. …..?"

"Perhaps," Maiya nodded her head in agreement. "I'll contact you should the situation escalate." She finished with a nod of her head. An act that was caught by Riza, who was staring blankly at Maiya. Listening to the conversation without blinking.

"… ..?"

Maiya raised her eyebrow at the words that had been relayed. She didn't know how to react to those words, so she allowed for three seconds of silence, before she put down the receiver and hung up.

She stared at the phone, before she shook her head and turned towards the other occupant of the room. Her blank gaze unwavering as she stared at her.

"Everything….. okay…?" Ah yes, she almost forgot. Maiya thought as she frowned. Riza herself didn't hold conversation well, she could only speak in a few words that, just enough, made a whole subject. But it was rather disconcerting trying to discern everything she said, as not all her sentences made sense at all.

Maiya nodded her head. "For now," She responded as she approached Riza and the chair that she was sitting on. "I'm heading out to assess the situation regarding the Executors. Stay here." She emphasized the last part, and though she knew Riza would follow orders, a niggling feeling in her gut told her to keep an eye on this homunculus. She may look and sound fragile, but the old Einzbern had said that she was designed as a battle homunculus. Whatever that entailed.

But it wasn't just that, Riza was made by the old Einzbern himself, she was designed, and she was created with the intent of serving as that man's battle maiden. And knowing him, he would have manipulated this homunculus to follow an order that she didn't know about.

"….Under-…..-stood…." Riza nodded her head, her blank eyes closing and opening as she bobbed her head slowly.

Maiya took her jacket from the chair Riza was sitting on and put it on. A deep frown marred her face as she did so.

She buttoned her jacket, before she took one last look at the blank eyed homunculus. She stared Riza in her blank red eyes, before she sighed and turned around. Unable to figure out something so…. Blank.

She wasn't like her teacher. No, to compare them both would be an insult to her teacher.

Kiritsugu wasn't blank, he did everything with a cause. He merely shut his heart so he wouldn't feel anything at all. He still had his emotions, and Maiya knew, she knew, that Kiritsugu was sad and lonely.

But Riza…

Maiya felt nothing from this homunculus, and, unlike Madam. This one clearly had nothing in her brain save for her main objective. Which was to do battle and obey orders. Yet, Maiya felt like Riza herself was hiding something. Perhaps a hidden intelligence? Or maybe an objective that she herself wanted?

Maiya looked back one last time, taking in Riza's blank look. Before she shook her head and headed for the door.

No, she was blank, and that was it. She thought before she opened the door and exited. Closing it behind her.

XxX

She has… Left?

Riza stood, her legs began walking towards the door that her temporary partner had just exited from.

Tentatively, she reached for the doorknob. She twisted it and pushed it open slightly, she then leaned forward to allow her head into the hallway. She twisted her neck left, and then right. Seeing her partner was nowhere to be found. She opened the door fully before she herself stepped out into the darkened hallway.

She eyed her surroundings with a blank face. The grey stone castle walls didn't make her react, the red velvet carpet didn't make her react. Not even the sudden bat appearing in front of her and squeaking madder her so much as blink.

She closed the door behind her, before she turned to her right and began walking.

Must…. Find….

Her thoughts were on those two words alone. Before she had left the castle with her partner, she was given an objective by her creator. An objective she would follow as it was optimal to her creator.

She needed to find Aemulo's workshop and read his research notes. Perhaps take them as well.

Her thought process was slow yes, but her memory was abnormally high. She had been designed that way as a way of learning the different magic and martial arts, and a way to counter each and every one of them.

Her steps echoed around the walls as she stared straight into the darkness, her gaze unwavering as she doggedly pursued her objective. But before long, she encountered her first dilemma.

She tilted her head in confusion. Left…. Right…. Straight…?

A three way split in the corridor halted her advance, and she could only look left to right in a confused manner. Unsure of where to actually go.

Before long however, she resolved to just continue heading straight.

Her steps began once more, and soon, she found her first door. She opened it, only to find a spare bedroom just like the one she and her partner had been given.

She didn't show any outward reaction other than looking away and closing the door once more. She then continued on walking, each door she passed she opened as she searched for her objective.

No…. Not this….. where?...

Her thoughts were muddled, but her objective was absolute, and she would see through it was accomplished. But once more, she found herself at a crossroads, the way split in two this time instead of the previous three.

Left?... Right?...

She turned right, and was met with another door to her right. She opened it, and was met with the same background of a bedroom once more.

But that didn't halt her, nor did it slow her down. She continued on towards the path, she wouldn't stop. No, her creator ordered her, and she would obey.

Another… Door…

Another door was approaching on her left, and she opened it without hesitation.

If it wasn't for the fact that she was made for combat, she would have had a hole in her stomach.

Riza twisted her body to the side, her back meeting with doorframe as she managed to dodge a sword strike that had been thrust towards her.

Riza tilted her head in confusion as she stared at the silver sword, she trailed it's length, seeing the silvery gleam of steel and the cross shaped guard and leather pommel. A pale hand held the sword, and she found her eyes trailed the hand, up towards the arm, and towards the pale face. A face that had a long mop of black hair that reached just towards her shoulders.

"What are you doing here?" Lilly demanded as she pulled back her sword and readied to strike. She knew who Riza was, she had been the one to greet the two women when they first arrived. Though, much to her chagrin, her master had kept the information that he had asked Atlas for escorts in the first place. If it hadn't been for her master interrupting and the fact that she knew the Forest was something only her master controlled, she would have attacked them outright and killed them.

Though, for some strange reason, she felt that this homunculus was something dangerous, even to her.

Riza tilted her head, before she turned around, completely ignoring Lilly's question as she exited through the open door.

"Hey!" Lilly protested as she went after the homunculus. She watched as Riza continued walking before she spotted another door and opened it. Lilly frowned as she reached forward, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder.

Riza didn't react, only closing the door that she had opened and twisted her body so that she was facing the hallway again. She then promptly kept moving, leaving Lilly's hand in the air as she stared dumbfounded at the audacity of the homunculus.

"Damn it." Lilly swore as she chased after the homunculus once more. Her sword ready to strike and stab through her stomach. It probably wouldn't work, judging from her previous reflexes, but she needed to stop. At once.

Lilly thrust the sword in her hand forward, and like her prediction, it met only air. Riza dodging left and was hugging the wall as she stared at the sword, before her gaze moved towards Lilly's face.

Riza tilted her head, before she spoke. "…Don't…Stop…" She muttered, further confusing Lilly as she stared incredulously at Riza.

Don't stop? She didn't want her to stop? Or did she mean, don't stop me?

Riza was in the action of turning around, but again, she had to dodge as the sword once more was thrust towards her. This time however, instead of leaning towards the wall, she dove for the ground, her torso skidding on the ground as she dodged completely.

"I said stop." Lilly's tone was something that was familiar to Riza. The tone itself made her stop completely her body stop completely.

Lilly raised an eyebrow, before she moved forward, grabbing one of Riza's arms and started to pull her back towards her room.

Strangely enough, she was dead weight. What had happened? Did her tone set off a reaction from her?

"Yes…. Master…." Riza muttered. So that was it, her tone reminded her of her master, whoever he/she was.

Lilly took a look at the body she was dragging, perhaps she could get something important from her if she used that same tone. But right now, she wanted to get back to her room. Being out in the hallway for an interrogation wasn't something ideal.

XxX

"You're talking to a brick wall." Touko happily reminded her sister as said sister quietly worked through papers. Some of which were job offers for other possible targets and Designates she and Shirou could possibly go after aside from Aemulo.

Aoko just as happily ignored her sister as she found one target worthy of interest.

Helio, age 43, human, fifteenth in a generation of second-rate magi. Last seen in Northern Mongolia researching his family's Thaumaturgy which involves harnessing solar power as a means of using it as a prana battery. Designated because his research has been causing noticeable damage and effects that cause the climate to warm and snow to melt.

Has merit, she would put this in the 'maybe' section.

As Aoko placed the stack of papers on one side, she quietly tried to ignore her sister's voice as she continued to try and talk to her.

Touko had known that she was yapping without anyone listening, so she allowed herself to smirk. Maybe this will catch her attention.

"Shirou's more than likely to ignore your order you know that?" She goaded, and finally, she got a reaction in the form of a snort.

"Yeah, right." Aoko muttered as she rolled her eyes. Clearly she didn't think Shirou would do that. She had known Shirou for the longest, and while she knew he was a hardheaded idiot that would risk his life for people that he barely knew. And that he would go against everything if it meant saving people… Damn.

Aoko sighed before she stopped sifting through her papers. She looked towards Touko and narrowed her eyes. "I'm more than inclined to throw you out of my workshop, you know that?" She taunted as she glared at her sister.

Touko's only response was to smirk and to shake her head. "Changing the subject are we?" Touko reprimanded Aoko.

Aoko scowled before she looked away. Huffing slightly as she did so. "Well, whether he likes it or not. He can't do anything about it." Aoko explained. "He doesn't have money to go to Rome, and he doesn't even know where in Rome he's supposed to go in the first place."

"Don't forget that he'd be going alone should he actually have the means to get to Rome in the first place." Touko smirked as she said that. Aoko looked at Touko with surprise, before she nodded slowly.

"Yeah, that too." Aoko reluctantly agreed with her sister. But the way Touko was smirking really worried Aoko.

"Yeah, shame there isn't anyone that would actually give him information and funds to get to Rome in the first place." Touko whipped out her cigarette box and lighter once more, quietly eyeing Aoko for any outward reactions as she ignited one more stick and took a deep whiff.

To her disappointment however, Aoko's only reaction was to scowl as she saw her smoke. "Damn it! Don't smoke in here!" Aoko reprimanded as she stood up and slammed her hands on her desk as she pointed an accusing finger at Touko.

Touko raised an eyebrow from the desk she was sitting on. Is her sister really this sl-

Aoko's eyebrows rose, and she couldn't' help but swear as she slammed her desk one more time. This time, a little more forceful than before as she vaulted over it and quickly made her way towards the door.

"Damn it!" Aoko swore once more, making Touko smirk in triumph before she quickly made to follow her sister.

But before Aoko could even reach the door, it slammed open, revealing a slightly disheveled Lorelei as she had a look of irritation and slight panic in her eyes.

The sudden appearance of Lorelei, and the fact that she looked un-Lorelei like at all made Aoko stop in her tracks. While it made Touko shake her head in frustration and slight admiration. Really, you gotta admire someone for doing something so hopelessly reckless and stupid, and still think they'd get away with it unscathed.

Lorelei stared at Aoko, and then at Touko. Without words, Aoko already knew what had transpired, and what could possibly happen. "Shirou took Atlas' offer. He's on his way to Rome."

And right then and there did Aoko finally realize just how distorted Shirou really was.

XxX

Had to cut this short. The next part is gonna be long. Three things will be happening, Shirou meeting Aemulo, the three women chasing after Shirou, and Riza going *bleep*. Oh wait, that was a spoiler?

I won't guarantee that in the next chapter Shirou will meet Shirou, but I can guarantee the two other things happening. And we're well on our way to actually 'fixing' Shirou. Trust me, by 'fixing' I actually mean *bleep*. Fuck, I can't tell you that too?!

Anyway. I'm surprised at the reaction for the previous chapter. 31 reviews. The most any chapter I've written actually had. And though most of it was just people rebuking me and my views and theories. Is still awesome.

Again people, I'm not trying to censor anything. I'm merely trying to keep everything relevant to the story itself. If you want to just point out the mistakes in my views, don't do it in a review, where some would make me look stupid and misinformed. Do it in a private message. Because seriously, why do other people need to know about all my flaws? You guys want that shit done to you too?

Anyway. That's it. I'm going to go out on a limb here and actually think this chapter will get this story up to 300 reviews. And if it does, I'll be doing another question time.

Again people, if my previous warning sounded kinda douchey, I apologize. But I didn't mean any ill-will with it. I was doing it for not only my sake, but also for you. If you guys don't fix that kind of reviewing. Then sooner or later, someone from or someone that thinks that you sounded like a douche will report you. And if you report a review, you get the option for saying it is because it isn't relevant in the story at all. Why do I know this? I clicked that report review button, and looked at the options. And also because I read the terms and conditions. Why did I do this? Boredom. Plain and simple.

C.O.Y.L out, peace!