I do not own Fate/stay night. It belongs to Type-Moon.

Chapter 18: Deception

"Shinji… you look-"

"Like crap?" Matou Shinji suggested, interrupting his friend's sentence. "I know. But don't worry about it, I feel better than ever." He tried to smile energetically, but on his now distorted features, it became more of a grimace. "Can I come in, or are you too busy for a friend?"

Shirou hesitated. For some reason, his instincts told him not to allow Shinji inside his house. But he dismissed them instantly. Why shouldn't he? Shinji was his friend, and there was no reason to refuse. "…Come in, then." He said, moving out of the doorway.

Shinji entered, almost stumbling over the entrance, but catching himself at the last second. "Relax, Emiya." He said to his friend's worried expression. "It's nothing you need to worry about." As if to prove there was nothing wrong he sauntered calmly over to the living room without even bothering to take off his shoes. "Hurry up, there's something I need to talk to you about." He called back.

Yeah, that's Shinji alright. Shirou smiled. If it had been anyone else acting like that, it would've given him cause to be concerned, but Shinji seemed to be his usual rude self, although he really didn't look very healthy. "Just a sec, let me get you some food. You look exhausted, and it's almost time for dinner anyway."

Shirou made his way to the kitchen, and opened the fridge. However, to his surprise it was almost empty. Ah, right. Lancer had mentioned that it was empty earlier… "Sorry, but it seems I forgot to go shopping. I'm running a bit low on food at the moment." He said sheepishly.

"About that, Emiya." He heard unsteady steps, and Shinji limped his way into the kitchen. "Are you talking about this food?" He held up two plastic bags filled to the brim with food products from a nearby grocery store. Shinji frowned. "I was about to knock when Fujimura and this idiot who's name I didn't get ran by. Fujimura recognized me and told me to give you the shopping since it seemed I was visiting." He casually tossed the bags towards Shirou, who barely caught them in time.

"Ah, that's a friend who's staying with me for a while." Shirou said as he organized the food into the fridge. "Although it's scary that he's with Fuji-nee. Alone he's more scatterbrained than her, but if they're together…" He shuddered to think about how such a situation could rapidly spiral out of control.

"He did seem like an idiot, yes." Shinji replied, absently examining an apple he'd pilfered from one of the bags. "It makes sense that an idiot would seek out another idiot for company. Those two are probably meant for each other."

Shirou frowned, but didn't say anything. He knew well enough that asking Shinji to be polite towards his friends was a futile endeavour. Instead, he diverted the conversation to another topic. "What would you like to eat?" He asked. "With what I've got, you can have pretty much anything."

Shinji groaned at that, as if he'd suddenly gotten a stomach ache. "Just… make whatever." He finally said. "Preferably something quick. I won't be staying long."

"Alright. I'll make some soup then. Is that fine?" Shirou said as he took out the relevant ingredients from the fridge and cupboards.

"Whatever." With the grimace growing, Shinji clutched at his stomach. "Just don't put any Wakame in there. And where is your washroom?"

"It's down the hall to the… right." Shirou raised his hand to point but Shinji had already left the kitchen before the question could be answered. "Why did he even ask if he already knew?" He sighed.

"And furthermore…" He wondered as he stirred the soup. "Why is he even here? At a time like this… it's almost dark out, and he doesn't look very healthy…"

No, using the word unhealthy to describe his friend would be an understatement. In the short time he'd seen him, Shinji had seemed weak, as if he'd lost most of his body weight. His skin was sunken, his hair limp and pale, and Shirou even spotted some clearly visible veins on his friend's face, sticking out amidst the sallow skin surrounding them.

No, his friend was most definitely not 'fine'.

"You're over thinking it, Emiya."

"Ah!" Shirou fumbled his spoon, and barely managed to catch it between two fingers before it hit the floor. "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that!" He sputtered.

Shinji just grinned. "I was walking normally, and you were mumbling to yourself like some idiot. It's not my fault you can't hear properly."

"Well I was busy cooking, so excuse me for not paying attention!"

"C'mon now Emiya, is that any way to talk to a guest?" Shinji said lazily. "And after I came all the way to your house, too…"

Shirou ground his teeth. Yes, this was definitely Shinji. No one else would be so rude yet make it seem like he wasn't. In fact, if his friend had actually apologized, then Shirou really would have had cause to worry.

"Sorry." He forced himself to say. "The soup will be ready in a few minutes. Now could you please tell me why you're here?"

"Sure." Shinji leaned backwards against the wall, gazing disinterestedly at his friend cooking. "I heard my sister is staying here."

Shirou froze. "You…"

"What, is it wrong for a big brother to want to see his little imouto?" Shinji idly picked at his fingernails. Almost all trace of his previous awkwardness was gone from his movements. "My grandfather told me that she was staying at your place, so I decided to pay you a visit, and see how she's doing."

"Well, there's nothing wrong about that, and I'm glad you're being so understanding…" Shirou said, hesitant to reveal any information about the Grail War. Was Shinji an ordinary person or a magus? If Rin had managed to fool him into believing her to be normal, could Shinji have done the same? The Matou were a family of magi, after all…

"Of course I am, it's why I'm so popular with the ladies. You should try being more sensitive sometimes, Emiya. Honestly, sometimes you're oblivious to the most obvious things." Shinji sniffed. "Although, I see you're still as good of a cook as ever."

"Is that a compliment or an insult?"

"Don't be silly Emiya, why would I insult my friend?" Shinji said. "Especially the friend she seems to have taken a liking to."

Shirou nearly spit out the small sip he'd taken to taste the soup. "You're misunderstanding!" He cried. "Sakura is just a friend!" The last thing he needed was Shinji angry at him.

"You probably think I'm angry about her liking you." Shinji sighed. "But Emiya, I'm worried about you liking her."

"W-What do you mean?"

Shinji shook his head slowly. "She isn't all that you think she is, Emiya. You'd do good to stay away from her."

Shirou blinked. Of all things, he hadn't expected that. "What do you mean? She's not exactly evil or conniving… I'd have to say she's the sweetest girl I've ever met."

"So she's already got her claws in you, Emiya?" Shinji said. "Disappointing. I'd hoped that you could at least see through her innocent façade, but it seems I'll have to tell you myself-"

"Nii-san!"

From the entrance to the kitchen, a trembling girl yelled. "Please don't!" Sakura panted from the exertion. "Please…" Her clothes thrown on haphazardly, the girl seemed as if she had just awakened moments ago.

"Why, whatever do you mean?" Shinji sneered. "I was just talking with my friend. Leave us, you're annoying."

Shirou frowned. "No you're not. You can stay and help me with this soup. Unlike someone, I'd like to have you here." He threw a glare to Shinji, reminding him exactly why their friendship was strained.

"Eh, fine, have it your way." Shinji shrugged. "I was going to have to talk with her eventually. I'll wait for dinner first, so I can get all of you here." He sauntered to the living room and switched on the television as if it was his own home.

Shirou sighed. Shinji hadn't changed a bit. But still, how could he look so horrible yet seem so fine?

"Ah, S-sempai…" Sakura shuddered. "I'm sorry if I'm… annoying."

"It's fine, Sakura." Shirou smiled. "Don't let that idiot brother of yours order you around like that. I like having you here."

"Ah, thank you, Sempai."

"Is… she still asleep?" Shirou asked hesitantly.

"Yes. Saber-san is a very deep sleeper." Sakura said. "I tried to wake her but she wouldn't get up."

"It's probably for the best." Shirou looked towards the living room. "We wouldn't want Shinji seeing her."

Shirou watched as Shinji yawned and turned up the volume on the television. His friend was certainly acting normal, but still…

"Sakura, did you get a look at your brother's face?" He asked, quietly.

She nodded. "Yes, and no, I don't know what could make him look that way, unless…" She trailed off, and shuddered once more, as if the very thought of that unknown thing scared her. She glanced towards her brother in the other room. He hadn't moved. "Maybe…" She shook her head. "No, it's impossible for it to be that. But…" She hardened her gaze. "I might… need to speak to grandfather."

Shirou nodded. He didn't really understand, but Sakura seemed to have everything under control. "If you're sure." What kind of person is her grandfather? I've never really been to her house before. She's a magus, so he's probably very a very strong magus as well… "How about we bring you there tomorrow?" He suggested. "Until then, and since you're here, we might as well make dinner!"

The girl immediately brightened up.

"That would be… nice." Sakura said. "Ah! The soup! It's going to burn!"

-Break-

"Hehe, and then I made them all take the test again! That'll show them to call me Tiger on my birthday!"

"Are ya feeling alright? I'm not exactly the kind of guy who should be saying this, but haven't you had a bit much to drink?" Lancer asked, as an inebriated schoolteacher giggled and skipped along the road in front of him. Thankfully it was already dark, and the streets were empty. Otherwise he would've had to keep her on the sidewalk.

She just nodded, and then realized he wouldn't be able to see her, so she settled for an empathetic yes. "Great! I haven't gotten a chance to relax like this for ages!"

"Well I'm glad I could help." Lancer said. Unlike his companion, his stride was perfectly even and his voice clear. Whether it was his status as a Servant or simply his own, ridiculous fortitude, he had managed to stay mostly sober, aside from a slight buzz. "That friend of yours sure was generous to let us have some of that stuff of hers."

"Ha! Neko-chan's a great girl!" Taiga laughed. "Always knows how to have fun!" She stumbled, but managed to keep her balance. "And unlike her stuffy dad, she's never afraid to actually drink instead of just look at the shiny bottles."

"True, she did know how to have a good time."

"The best!"

"Well, I admit, I can see why you two are friends." Lancer said. "You cats have to stick together, after all."

The air froze. Killing intent could be sensed, exuding from the suddenly still woman in front of Lancer. He was going to die. He had made a grave mistake, and now he would pay for it with his life-

"Hey, don't call me a cat!" Taiga whirled clumsily, pointing a finger in Lancer's general direction. "I'm a lady, not some jungle animal!" She pouted.

"M-my mistake, sorry." Lancer breathed a sigh of relief. "You are a beautiful, cultured and intelligent lady."

"And ferocious!" Taiga giggled once more. "The most ferocious lady in all of Japan!"

"Y-yeah, that too." Lancer added quickly. Damn, this lass is crazy when she drinks! I've never seen anyone swing between moods like that since Aife! And she was a bipolar warlord!

"Did you know…?" She suddenly stopped and whispered loudly. "I'm the best swordsman in all of Japan!" She pumped a fist into the air. "And it would've been official, but those dummies disqualified me just because I had that personalized strap on my sword!" And then she yelled quietly into the night sky. "I could've conquered the world!"

"I'm sure." Now he was getting worried. Sure she seemed fine, but in his experience with drinking loud boasts was most often followed swiftly by violence and brawling. Not that he disliked that, but fighting against an ordinary human woman was not something he wanted to do again. "Maybe we should sit down for a second? You're looking a bit woozy there."

"I'm fine! I can walk-"She slipped on a wet patch of ground and Lancer swiftly caught her before she could make contact with the ground. "Okay, maybe just for a few minutes." She said.

"I'm pretty sure there's a park nearby." Lancer scooped up the protesting woman in his hands and swiftly carried her over to the park. He spotted a bench and made a beeline for it, gently setting Taiga on it. "There. Now stay there for a bit, and then we'll go, alright?"

"…alright." She mumbled.

…I didn't know girls like her even existed anymore. Lancer thought as he looked up at the starry sky. She would've fit right in with the Red Branch Knights, even.

Well, she wasn't the only one…

Bazett.

Damnit, why am I remembering now of all times? This is just ridiculous. I'll fulfill my promise, so wait-

"Lancer."

"Hm?" He blinked as Taiga began speaking once more. "What is it?"

"Do you know what this place is?"

He blinked. "It's a park, right?" It looked pretty normal to him, all things considered. Nothing special, no creepy people hanging around, no puddles of mysterious liquid. A perfectly ordinary park.

"Huh. You really must not be from around here if you don't recognize it." Taiga's drunken grin had faded from her face. "This is where the great fire happened many years ago." She scraped some dirt from the bare ground. "Nothing's grown here since then. Nothing. And not many people go here anymore."

Lancer looked around. Sure, it was empty, and there wasn't much plant life to speak of… he tried extending his senses.

Death. Pain. Life. Fire. Agony. Smoke. Tears. Destruction. Perseverance. Failure. Anger. Grudge.

"…This place…" He muttered to himself.

"Not the prettiest thing, is it?" Taiga stared at the barren dirt. "No one knows what caused it, but one second it was a peaceful night, and the next an entire city block had been destroyed."

Lancer knelt on the ground and brought up a handful of dirt. Now that he had caught its trail, the telltale traces of decade old magical energy remained. Almost nonexistent, but it could still be there, like the last drop in a bottle of water. He would never have noticed unless he was specifically looking for it. Whatever disaster had occurred here was most definitely not manmade.

"Sounds pretty bad." He said. "Sorry for bringing you here. Am I bringing up any unwanted memories?"

"Nah." Taiga sighed and leaned back on the bench. "Just a coincidence. I'm telling you about Fuyuki's illustrious history. I am a teacher, after all, so pay attention, because there's going to be a quiz later."

"Sure."

…

There was silence. For what seemed the longest time neither Lancer nor Taiga spoke. The silence was punctuated by a mournful wind, and some fallen leaves blowing about.

"…There was only one survivor." Taiga finally said. "Everyone else died, but one lived through it."

"Who?" Lancer finally asked. With a magical energy powerful enough to remain in the earth for ten years and keep any living thing from growing, there should not have been anything capable of living through such a strong energy.

Taiga looked at the sky. "A young child. Barely alive, he was rescued by a man searching for survivors. Later, the child was adopted by that same man."

"…the kid?" So it wasn't just his imagination. Emiya Shirou must've had extraordinary luck to live through a disaster of that scope. Perhaps the kid wasn't just some half-assed magus after all.

"Yes. He survived where everyone else died. And because of it, he's not an ordinary child." Lancer glanced to the side. Taiga seemed sad. "I don't know much about it, but even I can tell he's not normal. He's too much of a nice boy for his own good."

"…what's this got to do with me?" Lancer finally said. "Sure, this is interesting, but I'm just some guy who showed up a few days ago."

"Shirou would do anything to help a friend." Taiga continued. "Even if it killed him." She turned to Lancer, and the fire in her eyes kept him from moving. "I don't know what it is that he's doing, but I've got some ideas. The deaths that have been occurring, Saber showing up out of the blue, then you arriving in that horrible condition… I know Shirou's gotten himself involved in something dangerous."

"…maybe. But I can't tell you about it. If I did, I'd have to kill you." Lancer smiled sadly.

"…heh." Taiga chuckled. "Fair enough. Just… try to make sure he doesn't get himself into even more trouble, okay? I know you're a good guy, and it shouldn't be a problem for someone as strong as you."

Lancer smirked. "I'll do my best."

"I'm feeling better now. I think I'm ready to walk." Taiga said as she stood up. Her movements were already much sharper than before, and the night air had done her plenty of good.

"Shall we go then?" Lancer sprung up beside her. "Where's your home?"

Taiga shook her head. "No, take me to Shirou's place! My instincts are telling me that he's in big trouble!"

Lancer raised an eyebrow.

"And… um… he's also cooking something delicious?"

"Better."

-Break-

Seated at the dinner table, the three high-schoolers ate an awkward dinner, with almost no speaking or even communicating. Sakura tried her best not to be noticeable, and Shinji just asked for seconds, ignoring her. Shirou had tried to start a conversation earlier, but his feeble attempts died soundlessly.

"Not bad, Emiya." Shinji said as he finished his second bowl of soup. "You haven't gotten worse, at least."

"…Thanks." Shirou grudgingly accepted the praise. Although he couldn't quite put his finger on it, something was very wrong…

"You know, I've been thinking…" Shinji said. "Is it just you, or do I sense the presence of another person here? Perhaps a guest of yours?" He sneered.

Shirou blinked. When had his reluctant friend become so perceptive? He couldn't show Saber to him, though. He couldn't involve yet another innocent in the war. Best to use an excuse to divert attention.

"Yeah, an old friend of my father's is staying here for a few days. She's still sleeping, though." He finally said. A lie, but a believable one. Hopefully Shinji would fall for it.

"Sleeping, you say?" Shinji said. "You're not trying to hide something from your good friend, are you?" Despite the scarred state of his face he seemed more relaxed, more than Shirou had ever seen him.

"It may be late, but she's tired and needs to rest." Shirou said firmly. "So yes, she's in bed right now."

"Then who's that standing behind you?" Shinji asked, bemused.

"Eh?" Both Shirou and Sakura spun in their seats, only to see a fully dressed Saber standing in the doorway with her eyes narrowed, staring at Shinji with something approaching the disgust one feels when they realize a mosquito has been feeding on them. "Saber?"

"Yes, it is I." She walked in and sat down stiffly next to her Master. "Shirou, why was I not informed it was time to eat?" She kept a blank expression, but even Shinji spotted the slight anger in her twitching eyes. "It is vital that I am fed." She repeated. "Please do not forget to tell me again."

"S-sorry, Saber." Shirou gulped. He quickly piled some of the food onto a plate and gave it to Saber as a peace offering. She glared at it for a moment, before finally relenting and digging in.

"So, Saber? That's an unusual name." Shinji commented. Sakura opened her mouth to speak up, but a glare from Shinji silenced her instantly. "Are you perhaps… foreign?"

"Yes." She said, not even looking up from her food. "I am an old acquaintance of Emiya Kiritsugu."

"So it would make sense for you to stay here." Shinji nodded, but he seemed displeased at something. "What I don't understand, though…"

"…is why this idiot over here is your Master."

Clank

Shirou's spoon dropped from his hands. Saber had paused mid bite, and Sakura just lowered her head and tried to shrink into her seat. Their surprised expressions told the whole story.

"What? You thought that while she knew magecraft, I didn't? You thought that I, the Matou heir, wasn't a magus?" Shinji sneered. "That's exactly why you're an idiot, Emiya. You probably never even suspected for a moment until she decided to reveal herself to you." The unintentional double entendre caused Shirou to shiver.

"What? It shouldn't be that surprising. Of course I know everything. About magecraft, about Servants, and about the Grail War." Shinji set down his spoon and rose to his feet. His scarred face seemed even uglier in the light. "And I'm amazed that you, of all people, managed to summon the greatest Servant, Saber." The last part was almost a hiss of anger.

"S-shinji, I…" Shirou tried to talk, but Saber beat him to it.

"You… are you a Master?" She instantly materialized her armour, and her seemingly empty hand was instantly pointed at Shinji.

"Whoa, calm down!" He raised his hands, though his expression didn't change at all. "I'm Emiya's friend! He won't let you kill me!"

Shirou frowned. "Saber, please don't threaten my friends." He gently pushed down Saber's invisible blade. She sighed, and lowered her sword, but the armour remained.

"Hmph, can't even control your own Servant? You probably summoned her by accident with how lucky you've been." Shinji said. He began to pace around the dinner table, drawing everyone's gaze. "At least I know why you've survived this far. Your Servant has been doing most of your work for you."

Saber's glare increased in magnitude. "Do not insult my Master, cur."

Shinji ignored her. "And it seems you can't even control her properly either. How pathetic, Emiya."

Now even Shirou was angry. "Shinji, stop it." He growled. "Are you here just to insult me?"

"No, of course not!" Shinji put up a hideously transparent expression of mock surprise. "Why, I'd never insult a friend!" Sakura shuddered as he said the last word. "This is simply some constructive criticism! You should be thanking me for my generous advice."

"Nii-san, why are you here?" The person who finally spoke up and interrupted the tirade of insults was not Shirou or Saber, but Sakura. She trembled from the exertion of standing up to her big brother.

"…" Shinji glared at her. His ugly face hosted an even uglier expression of hatred and loathing. "I'm here to take you home. Grandfather has spoken, and you're…" He seemed disgusted with what he was about to say. "…needed."

"…no…" Sakura fell back, and it was only her seat that prevented her from falling to the ground. "But…"

"No resisting." Shinji hissed. "You're going back. You should be thanking me. When this idiot gets himself killed in the war you won't be there to see it."

"I'm not dying, Shinji." Shirou growled. "And Sakura doesn't have to leave if she doesn't want to." He stood up abruptly. "Now get out of my house."

"I'm not leaving without her, Emiya." Shinji stood right in front of his supposed friend, and the two stared at each other nose to nose, neither willing to relent. Saber stood by, unsure of whether to interfere or not, and Sakura clung to Saber's armour, to horrified to speak.

"I'm not repeating myself, Shinji. Get out of my home."

"Like I said, Emiya. I'm not leaving without her."

"If you want her you'll have to go through me and Saber."

"The day I fear you is the day I die, Emiya. Bring it on."

"And what about Saber?"

"Oh, her? She's already being taken care of." Shinji smiled, a cruel and wicked thing that seemed to compliment his now monstrous features.

Shirou blinked, and then his eyes widened as the realization sunk in. "Saber, move- OOF!" His warning was cut short as Shinji sank a fist into his stomach, shoving him into the living room. He tumbled over backwards and his roll was only stopped by the television.

Saber moved to help, but before she could a flurry of dark streaks shot towards her and Sakura. She hissed in anger as she was forced to put up her guard and deflect them. In that split second Shinji ran out the door after his once closest friend, shrieking in joy. "You've always been a fool, Emiya! I don't even know why I was friends with an absolute doormat like you!" He threw a kick into Shirou's stomach, lifting the redhead off the floor and flinging him into one of the walls. Miraculously the thin wood and paper held with only a few creaks, and Shirou dropped, coughing, onto the floor.

"This is the power of a magus, Emiya!" Shinji laughed. "And that's what I am, and you aren't! You're a failure, a weakling, and a talentless wreck!" Another kick. And another.

"Shirou!" Saber heard a yell of pain, and growled in anger. She swiped at the next wave of projectiles. Only an Assassin could attack like that, but where was he? She couldn't any enemy, and the projectiles came from almost every direction. "Gr… Sakura, go help him!" She called to the only one who could still move: the girl behind her.

"Y-yes!" Sakura ducked out of the room, as Saber jumped over the table to slice at her invisible enemy.

"You won't hold me for long, Assassin!" The warrior roared.

Sakura made her way to the living room, where she could hear sounds of flesh striking flesh. What she saw almost brought her to tears.

"Guah!" Shirou stumbled backwards. The hastily projected wooden blade in his hands splintered as it took the force of Shinji's fist. "Shinji, why-"

"Shut up!" Shinji lashed out wildly with unhuman strength, rendering Shirou's weapon nothing more than splinters. "This is all your fault, Emiya! You shouldn't have tried to stop me! I'm a magus now! Nothing you have can hurt me!" He swung wildly, but his untrained blow seemed to blur in Shirou's vision, even as he ducked to avoid it.

How is he… "Guh!" …getting all this strength? This is almost as strong as Kuzuki was! He shouldn't be this powerful- "Argh!" He stumbled backwards as the splinters from his broken projection were blown backwards into his skin. "Why are you doing this?" He swung his now empty hands, and another wooden sword materialized into existence.

"Because grandfather said so!" Shinji retorted. He raised a hand and grunted as the blow his arm. Yet there was no crack of bone. "And as the new heir to the Matou family, I follow the orders of the head!" He grabbed the sword with his other hand and yanked it backwards, pulling Shirou forwards at the same time. "She's unimportant! I'm the heir! Me! Not her!"

"Shinji, you idiot!" Shirou released the sword with his left hand, and at the same time projected another one. For a moment that mysterious longsword came to mind, but he dismissed it. He wouldn't use deadly force against his friend! And he swung at Shinji's unprotected side.

"You're the fool, Emiya!" The sword smashed against Shinji's head, but apart from his neck bending at an unhealthy angle the grinning boy seemed unharmed. "Now shut up and stay down!"

Shunk!

"…ah…" Shirou collapsed, onto his knees, as he felt something pierce his stomach. He numbly glanced down, only to see Shinji's hand there, palm open. And protruding from his friend's palm was…

…a sharpened bone, bleeding with both his blood and Shinji's.

"I told you Emiya, I'm a magus!" Shinji crowed. He removed his hand and with a painful grinding sound the bone sword retreated into his arm. "You should be thanking me for not killing you! Regardless, you won't be able to move like this. Just stay down and I might let you live." He stepped back and Shirou fell numbly to the floor clutching his bleeding stomach and groaning.

"No, sempai!" From the door, Sakura cried as she saw Shirou collapse. "Nii-san, please don't!" Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I'll go with you, just don't kill him!"

"Heh, about time you learned your place." Shinji calmly walked over to her and unleashed a powerful backhand, whipping her head to the side. She let out a gasp of pain, but otherwise didn't move. "Now come. Assassin should be holding off Saber right about now, so don't even think about trying to run."

"I… I won't." Sakura said.

"Good, good! Perhaps you're not so useless after all. But it doesn't matter! After grandfather is done using you, I'll be the only Matou left to inherit the family!" He laughed, even as he shoved open the door. Sakura numbly followed. She looked back one more time at Shirou's prone form.

Fighting back pain, he raised his head from the floor. "Sa…ku…ra…" He groaned.

Blinking back tears, she smiled an empty smile. "Thank you Sempai. Thank you for letting me believe I could be saved."

And the door shut out her figure from Shirou's eyes. Even as he screamed at his bleeding body to move, the world slowly… turned… black…