*type type type type type type type* ( ・ω・)m_

*pause.* ( *ω*)_

*Type type type type type type type* ( ・ω・)m_

*Pause*( =ω=)

*Type type type type type type type* ( ・ω・)m_

*Pause* ( =,=)I'm forgetting something aren't I?

( =,=)

.

( =,=)

.

( =,=)

.

( =c=)Screw it.

*type type type type type type type* ( ・ω・)m_

.

.

.

Muse:

|・ω・)

|・c・)≦(Do forgive, Santo is rather busy with a personal original writing project and has seen himself rather busy.)

|・ω・)

|・c・)≦(His muse managed to make him write this in bits and pieces. Hope you enjoy.)

|・ω・)

|ω・)

|・)

|ノ⌒*

.

.

Strategic Snippet Bomb!

... ... ... Σ且

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

Yagami Hayate sat on her couch with a relieved sigh, her two best friends following her example. "Well that was…something else." She said after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

Fate T. Harlaown and Takamachi Nanoha both sighed. "To think he would be that hard to catch even though he was right in front of us." Said Nanoha tiredly after a few moments of silence.

"You know." Said Fate. "It sort of makes you wonder how often he needs to run away."

When Hayate's 'guest' had asked them if he was still a wanted criminal, there was the very minor hiccup that there was, in point of fact, a warrant for his arrest. A warrant that had been pushed out of the minds of everyone due to the people that he had brought with him.

Fate had begun to explain that yes, he technically was, and she needed him to come with her…

Shirou Schweinorg had jumped over the fence and was three quarters of the way to a crowd down the street, before she had a chance to explain that she needed to get a statement and clear him of those charges.

The chase had lasted a few hours, and they had only been able to catch him thanks to Signum.

They had all thought her insane for making the suggestion of a bribe. After all, who in their right mind would think that a mage's own device would give him up to hostile authorities? For a set of relatively inexpensive cutlery no less?

As it now stood, he had been cleared of most of the charges. The area he had destroyed had been scheduled for demolition anyways, and Signum had volunteered to spend the day with him to 'Keep him out of trouble.'

The rest of the Wolkenritter had decided to shadow them in order to 'Make sure he did not try anything.' They had proceeded to get several of Hayate's more expensive cameras in order to 'Make their surveillance more effective.'

Hayate did not look forward to the great teasing that she would get to do…none at all.

Still, that left the three Aces rather tired and, apart from Nanoha who should really get back to work, with a free afternoon, and so the three sat in comfortable silence, resting from the ordeals of the day.

"Hey." Said Nanoha. "You recall how both Shirous said that earth magic is actually different from Mid-Chilan magic?"

"Yes." Answered Fate after a few moments of silence.

"I think…I think it would be worth looking into." Said Nanoha slowly. "The alternate of Mr. Shirou we met…it seemed that he managed to mesh both of the systems rather well, with some very good results if Signum's report of her fight against the…Trace? Is accurate."

"Yes but." Said Hayate as she sat up from her slump. "We would need a willing subject in order to more deeply study the Earth…Magecraft. Emiya Shirou went back to his home dimension, and Shirou Schweinorg said he is only staying one more day."

"Hrm…true." Said Nanoha as she fell quiet.

The three elapsed into a pensive silence for a few moments before Fate sat up. "Hey…didn't Mr. Schweinorg say that there are an infinite number of alternates? I seem to recall that he borrowed their abilities and memories whenever he saw the need."

Nanoha blinked. "Yeah?"

"So…" Began Fate, only to be interrupted as an understanding light was enkindled on Hayate's eyes.

"So we should see if there is a native alternate in our world!" She said with a smile. "Explain the situation, keep how we heard of him rather vague, and see about recruiting him and learning more about earth mages in general!"

"Do you think Mr. Schweinorg would get upset if we did?" Asked Fate with some worry on her voice.

"I don't see why he would." Answered Nanoha with a smile. "According to him, most of his alternates get into trouble a lot, we would only be helping."

"Well…I think we should strike while the iron is hot." Said Hayate with a smile.

Nanoha deflated. "Ugh…I have to get back to work though." She said with the air of the damned.

Fate and Hayate chuckled. "Well." Said Fate. "I'll go with you, and who knows? Maybe you'll be training him before long Nanoha."

"Yes! I look forward to it!" Responded the brunette with a smile.

"Alright, we'll get ready and let you know how it goes." Said Hayate with a smile of her own. "Let me just tell my knights, they tend to worry." She said as she concentrated on the telepathic link she had to the Wolkenritter.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

"Hey boss check that out! That Multi Dimensional GPS thingy-ma-bob seems like it would be good!" Said OS enthusiastically as his partner browsed some of Mid-Childa's hardware stores.

Shirou Zelretch Scwheinorg did not dignify him with a response.

"…Are you still mad at me because I gave you up?" Asked OS after a few moments of awkward silence.

For all the reaction Shirou showed, he was blind and deaf to the sapient sword's words.

"Aww c'moon boss! It was silver! Silver!" Said OS enthusiastically. "Can you even recall the last time I got to hang out with a silver knife!? And she was so fiiiiiine~"

Shirou finally showed a response to OS' words.

He drew the weapon faster than the eye could track, and smacked it against a concrete support hard enough that the sound was heard several yards away.

"Owww! Boss what's up with th-Ouch! Ok you stop that right now miste-AHH THE PAIN!" Said OS as Shirou repeatedly smashed him against concrete.

Several of the store clerks wanted to tell the young man to stop, but were rather terrified. He had an Intelligent Device, and the way he was mistreating it showed he had the power to replace it.

"E-Excuse me sir?" Said one of the more valiant girls who worked at the store, the stutter in her voice showing exactly how calm she was. "C-Could y-you p-please not d-do that? Y-You are disturbing other c-costumers?"

Shirou turned to her, his stare hot enough to melt through steel caused the girl to be frozen in her tracks.

He then smashed OS one last time before sheathing him at his belt. "Sorry to cause a disturbance." He muttered sullenly as he walked around her, picked a jacket that had been treated with magic to change color, and headed to the counter.

The people that had been making a beeline for the counter all proceeded to freeze and let the enraged redhead through. He stepped up to the person manning the register and set the jacket down in front of the clerk.

The clerk ran the item with trembling hands. "W-Would that be all sir?"

"Yes." Was Shirou's succinct response.

"T-That will be twenty-five hundred credits." Stuttered the young cashier.

Shirou stared at the young man for a full minute. The cashier had sweat several buckets after the first fifteen seconds. His legs trembling after thirty. By the time the minute was up, the poor kid was little more than a trembling wreck.

"You take dollars?" Asked Shirou.

The cashier blinked. "W-What?"

"Dollars, do you take them?" Repeated the slider.

"N-No?"

"Euros?"

"Erm…no."

"Pesos?"

"I ahh…no?"

"Khornes?"

"Erm…no?"

"Pounds?"

"T-The measure of weight?"

"Rupees?"

"…What?"

"Thrones?"

"I ahh…no?"

Shirou stared at the cashier for a few moments more. "I'm sorry to have wasted your time." He said as he turned to the door and walked out.

The cashier's legs gave out from under him and he slumped down on his seat, the whole of the store raising a cheer for him.

Shirou walked down the street in a huff looking for a place where he could exchange currency.

OS popped out of his sheath and spoke in a chipper tone. "Wow boss, that must have been embarrasi-mfptb." Only to be interrupted as Shirou shoved him back into his sheath in a most ungentle way.

Shirou was forced to stop when the jacket he had just failed to buy was thrown unto his face.

"Sheesh, I take my eyes off you for one second and you make a mess." Said Signum with a sigh.

Shirou looked at her for a moment before turning away with a huff.

Only to receive a rather painful chop to the head, courtesy of the lady keeping him company. "I got you your jacket, you could at least say thanks."

Shirou mumbled something incoherent.

Signum smirked. "You are just mad because I outsmarted you."

"As if!" Responded the slider immediately. "You bribed! You bribed OS! It's not supposed to work like that at all!"

Signum shrugged. "And you were not expecting it, therefore it worked. So I outsmarted you."

Shirou immediately launched into a long-winded explanation as to the rules of engagement.

Some distance away, there were three very not-suspicious people standing on a rooftop.

"Urgh! When will they get to the juicy part!?" Said not-suspicious person number one with an angry toss of one of her braided twin-tails.

"This should not be rushed." Said not-suspicious person number two as she adjusted the cap that hid her golden hair. "You can see that they are awkward around one another, this means that there is still hope!"

Not-suspicious person number one was about to retort, when not-suspicious person number three's lupine ears gave a twitch. "Wait…something's happening!" He said with far more intensity than the situation called for.

"Besides!" Said Shirou as he walked beside Signum. "Why are you the one buying me stuff? In a date it's supposed to be the guy buying the girl stuff, its tradition!"

Signum blushed, grimaced, crossed her arms, and then spoke in a no-nonsense tone. "Well, I've never been on a date. So I don't know how it's supposed to go."

Shirou snorted. "Well if it makes you feel any better I'm not one with great experience on the subject."

"It actually does…a little." Answered Signum with a small smile.

"Well it shouldn't." Retorted Shirou. "Anyways, lunch is on me but it's a tad early for that. Know of any good movies out right now?"

As Signum gave her response, not-suspicious persons numbers one through three jumped to the next rooftop in order to remain in range of their target.

"Did you hear that?" Said not-suspicious person number three as he re-adjusted his shades, his lupine tail wagging happily. "They used the word 'date' and not in a chronological sense."

Not-suspicious person number one smirked. "Yes they did. Yes they did. You know what that means don't you?"

"Blackmail?" Asked number three.

"Blackmail." Answered number one.

A low, undulating, rich, and malevolent laugh filled the two of them with dread. They turned to its source and saw 'not'-suspicious person number two working the camera for all it was worth with a few drops of saliva running down her chin.

"Yes, yes, yesssss. She blushed! Ohh the face of a pure maiden~" Said number two as she continued to take pictures of the most likely unaware couple.

Not-suspicious persons number one and three shuddered.

"Do…you think she is channeling Hayate a little strongly there?" Asked not-suspicious person number one.

"It's…creeping me out." Said not-suspicious person number three with a nod.

"Oh! He bought her something! And she is so awkward! How romantic~"

Not-suspicious persons number one and three shuddered.

Shirou and Signum, blessed in their ignorance, simply went to watch a movie.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

"But I'm telling you that's a complete and utter lie." Said Shirou Schweinorg around a mouthful of steak, he then swallowed noisily and continued with his argument. "Nanoha had not yet matured to the point where she had island destroying capabilities. She had no idea how she would even hit Fate with it until Fate tried a restrict on her. If given the opportunity Fate would have simply evaded the attack and stabbed her in the gut. And the music was a little too dramatic." His points made, Shirou resolutely took another bite of his food.

"It's a dramatization for a reason." Stated Signum with great dignity. "Of course they can't show exactly how it happened."

"But what originally happened was more than emotionally charged enough!" Said Shirou before angrily taking a bite off an onion ring. "Not to mention that you should pay a little lip to accuracy."

"And who made you such an expert?" Asked Signum with a huff.

"Downloaded the memories of an alternate that was present." Said Shirou immediately and in a monotone.

Signum gave him a flat stare. But to say her gaze was flat is as much an understatement as saying 'a mountain is massive'; it was a statement that, while not wrong, did not convey the true power of the gaze in question. It was a gaze so flat, so unerringly pristine in its absolute lack of vertical deviation, it made Vita's chest appear to rival Signum's own in its curvature. "That ability of yours is a little too convenient. How do I know you are not just making it up?"

Shirou looked hurt. "Would I lie to you?"

"Yes."

"The confidence you have in me would inspire legends in the times to come."

Their argument continued in not-too-hushed tones, drawing the unashamed attention of several of the other patrons and a few waitresses.

The workers of the diner had been very surprised to see the redhead appear with the rosette. After all, one would not think that the very same person that had broken one of their windows when making their very dramatic escape from the lady he now escorted, would show their face at the restaurant as if nothing untoward had happened.

But as it turns out…he had. And he had left a gold bar that not only paid for the great amount of food he and a guest had consumed, but it was enough funds to repair the damage he caused, and do some refurnishing that the owner had been itching to do for a while. So they had not turned him away.

The two had proceeded to find seats. The young man had ordered Chargrilled Coulotte Steak while the lady had asked for Steak Diane.

They had then proceeded to chat, then argue about a movie they had apparently just seen. And were now in the middle of discussing its climax and finale.

The staff had been mindful of three very suspicious people that had come in and sat at the opposite side of the restaurant from the arguing couple. And were even now doing things that were most certainly…nefarious.

"Ok, ok. I'll give you the whole 'dramatization' bit, and that a movie without good music would not be all that good." Said Shirou as he waved a french fry. "But there is one thing that bothers me more than everything else combined."

Signum took a bite of her mashed potatoes before replying. "And what would that be?"

"Ok so bear with me here." Said Shirou, putting his fork down to show the seriousness of what he was about to discuss. "So…at the end there. Nanoha put together what was basically all the left over magical energy from their entire fight."

Signum nodded.

"She then transformed all of this magical energy into one enormous ball of doom that makes the words 'complete annihilation' seem an understatement."

Signum nodded a second time.

"She then proceeded to aim her staff at it in order to create a magic circle from which she could fire it at Fate."

Signum stabbed a mushroom with her fork, placed it in her mouth, and began to chew before nodding.

Shirou blinked, shook his head, wiped a little drool off his lips and continued. "Now, not going into the whole 'Fate was not restricted therefore she would have dodged rather than try to block it' argument. She proceeded to fire it at Fate, who blocked it. Causing fractions of its power to rain around their battlefield, annihilating buildings and countryside as far as the eye could see."

Signum took a sip of her drink, then nodded.

"Fate's shield collapses, she takes the full brunt of the attack. It proceeds to drive through a building, completely vaporizing a perfect circle through it."

Signum nodded.

Shirou took a sip of his drink to wet his now-dry throat. "And Fate did not die because Nanoha's device was set to stun." He made his final statement while raising a questioning eyebrow.

Signum stared at Shirou for a full minute.

She then blinked.

Opened her mouth.

Closed it.

Opened it again.

Blinked a second time.

Closed her mouth with a 'click'.

And emitted a pensive huff.

"You know..." She said after a few more moments of silence. "I…never really thought about that."

"See that's what I'm talking about!" Said Shirou as he picked up his fork again. "And I'm not even going into the whole 'Yuuno can bind tornadoes' thing."

"Wait." Said Signum as she held up her left hand. "Yuuno can bind tornadoes?"

Shirou blinked. "Erm…yes…yes he can. Didn't you know?"

"I…but…that doesn't make any sense!"

Their argument degenerated into a certain blond librarian's abilities.

On the other side of the diner, not-suspicious person number two tortured a handkerchief in frustration. "Why are they only chatting!? They should have advanced beyond this now!"

Not-Suspicious person number one looked up from her cheesecake. "Hu? Did you say something?"

Shamal looked at Vita and Zafira, both of whom concentrated more on their food than on spying on Signum, with disgust. "Have you forgotten what we are here to do!?" Whisper-yelled Shamal reproachfully.

"Erm…" Said Zafira, taking a moment to look up from his food. "I ahh…eat and then continue spying on them?"

Before Shamal could berate him for his lack of diligence, she was interrupted by Hayate. "Hey guys. I'm glad to see you're all enjoying yourselves." Hayate's voice chimed in the group's heads.

Before either the group of conspicuously suspicious people or Signum could retort to her, the chipper voice continued talking.

"No nono, don't stop yourselves on my account, I'm relieved and happy to see my cute knights out having fun. I just wanted to tell you that I'm going on a field trip with Fate to scout out some new talent.

"I shouldn't be gone for too long, so don't worry about a thing. It's just a routine scouting trip. And before you say anything about it not being my job or whatnot, Nanoha's busy and it doesn't hurt to stretch your legs a bit." There was a pause so brief, it may as well have not been there to take advantage of, even if the knights hadn't been dumbstruck by the out of the blue announcement. "We're dropping by Fuyuki, Japan. I'll see you soon and I'm bringing back souvenirs~"

She then cut off the telepathic link.

"And she does it again." Murmured Shamal after a few moments. "C'mon you two, we need to track her down."

While Zafira settled the bill, Shamal sent Signum a message not to worry and that they would take care of it.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

"Dammit Lady Hayate!" Murmured Signum as she set her utensils down and massaged her temples, her appetite completely vanished.

"What was that about?" Asked Shirou as he took the last bite of his steak.

Signum closed her eyes in an attempt to stave off the building headache. "Hayate just went to Japan to look at some 'new talent' and she did not take any of the knights with her. Zafira, Shamal, and Vita will find her and keep her safe."

Shirou stopped before taking a sip of his drink, he then set the glass down very carefully on the table. "Did she ahh…tell you where she was going?"

"Yeah, she's going to Japan, Fuyuki-" Signum blinked before crossing her arms. "Wait…Fuyuki…that's a familiar name." Said Signum slowly with her brow furrowed.

Shirou steepled his fingers and set his hands carefully down on the table. "Did…Did you say 'Fuyuki'?"

Sinum nodded. "Yeah, that's where she said she was going, 'a routine scouting trip'…Fuyuki, wasn't that the name of the town your alternate said he was from?" Asked Signum as she turned back to look at the slider.

She then noticed that he was white as a sheet.

"Shirou? Shirou what's wrong?" Asked Signum with worry in her voice.

"I ahh…n-nothing…it's just…" Vacillated Shirou as he stared at his hands, his breathing starting to gain speed.

With a tortured scream, the duct tape holding OS in his sheath tore, allowing the weapon to pop out and speak once more. "Boss? Boss you are not looking too good."

Shirou jumped. "N-No I'm fi-"

Signum cut him off before he could finish his lie. "Shirou, what's going on?" She asked in a steely tone.

"I ahh…I'll…we need to get to Fuyuki, I can't explain right now, but we need to get to Fuyuki!" Said Shirou, he then raised his hand and called for the check.

It should be a testament to the readiness of the Wolkenritter that Signum did not even blink, she nodded, accepting the Slider's statement. "Why?"

"She's not in any danger but…She…She's not going to find what she is looking for." Said Shirou, he then left a credit chit with enough in it to pay for his food a few times over and stood up.

Signum was not far behind. "What will she find?" She asked as they stepped out the door.

Shirou grit his teeth.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

A Belkan Dimensional Transfer held very few similarities with the Second Magic.

The Second Magic could be used to access, monitor, and affect universes that ran parallel (or, for that matter, perpendicular, neither, and everything in between) to the one the user was in.

It could be used to open a portal that connected one's home reality, to one in which humanity had never evolved. It could connect one from there to a place where Man has evolved and ascended into a Higher form, each of their doings more wondrous than any form of magic, their weapons so vicious they would give even the most belligerent pause. It could take one to a universe that is but a shadow, a set of possibilities that is barely held together and could fall apart the moment the likelihoods they represent become an impossibility.

It could even connect one to a world that was exactly the same, except that the only used currency was pudding.

A Dimensional Transfer spell worked differently, its function but a facet of the Second Magic. The only thing it could do was to map Coordinate A and Coordinate B, then take an object from A, and place it in B.

But even so, its limitation was also a boon. For while a grievous enough error could prove fatal, there were safeguards set into the spell itself to prevent this. Ensuring one would not end up in the incorrect universe by the misplacement of a decimal point.

This flashed through Shirou Zelretch Schweinorg's mind and was promptly discarded as he set off running the moment the transfer was finished. Shooting out of the alley they had teleported into and rushing through streets that were both alien and familiar, streets he could recall both growing up in and having seen only a few times in passing.

Signum kept pace a few steps behind him. The only coordinates Shirou knew perfectly were those leading directly into the Emiya residence, as such it had taken her a few minutes to find an alternate place that they could teleport to. They could only hope that Hayate and Fate had had some difficulties finding the house.

Shirou turned the corner of a house and they came into view of a large white wall, the roof of a very traditional Japanese residence could be seen peeking over the wall's edge.

At the door stood two ladies, one with long blond hair, the other with shoulder length brown hair.

The hand of the second girl raised to the doorbell.

"STOP!" Screamed Shirou desperately, causing the two girls to jump and turn around.

They were treated to the sight of a very flustered Shirou Schweinorg, panting heavily with sweat falling in rivulets down his face. Signum emerged from the same alleyway he did a moment later.

Fate blinked. "Mr. Schweinorg what-?" She stopped when she saw a look of outmost horror pass by his face and he jumped back into the alley, dragging Signum with him.

Before she could say anything else, the door sprang open and she was almost run over by a girl with lavender hair.

"Sempai-!?" She called happily with dewy eyes before she gasped and jerked to a stop.

The three women stood flabbergasted until the lavender haired girl blinked away the tears in her eyes. "Ah…how may I help you?" She asked with a polite smile, her tone feminine and her voice mellifluous.

Hayate blinked. "Ah! Y-Yes, please pardon me. We are searching for one Emiya Shirou?"

The polite smile in the girl's face evaporated.

"Ahh…I see." She said in an empty tone, "May I inquire as to the reason you need him?"

Hayate grinned and waved a hand. "Ohh it's nothing too important. We are just in town for a few hours and decided to drop by and have a chat. Is he home?"

The lavender haired girl stared at the two women for a few moments. "Please come in, senpai is not in right now, but I'm sure he'll be back any moment." She said as she motioned them in.

"Ah, pardon the intrusion." Said Hayate with a smile as she walked into the house with Fate.

"Would you like tea or coffee?" Asked Sakura as she gave the outside one last searching look, before closing the door.

Shirou Zelretch Schweinorg waited a full ten seconds after the door closed to start breathing again. He then very carefully peeked from the corner he was at, and stared at the closed door for a few moments.

"Boss?" Asked OS in an uncharacteristically subdued tone.

Shirou moved back, sat against the wall, and planted his face in his palms.

"Shirou…Shirou are you well?" Asked Signum worriedly.

"I just…I just…dammit." Answered Shirou slowly.

And sobbed.

X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-X

"When I said that most of my alternates manage to wrestle a win out of the bad situation they get into in their youth…I was lying." Said Shirou slowly, leaning so far back on the park bench that he was staring at the skies.

"What do you mean?" Asked Signum after a long moment of silence, a lonely breeze passing through the small park ruffling her hair and making the rusty swings sway with a lonely creak. She made a telepathic connection with Fate and Hayate, relaying what she saw and heard to them through the link.

Shirou smirked, when next he spoke, the bitterness in his voice weighed heavily in the minds of the three ladies listening to him. "Think about it. They are outnumbered, outgunned, and outclassed in a life or death struggle. Fighting Heroes from ages past most of whom move and fight at speeds they cannot even perceive. One single wrong choice means death…sometimes the right choice would mean death. Most are thrust into this conflict…and they don't even know how to activate their magic correctly."

Signum blinked. "That…that most certainly sounds like a severe disadvantage."

Shirou laughed, a somewhat hysteric edge to it. "I'm honestly surprised that there are those that live to the end! And you won't believe some of the things they get to experience before dying." Said Shirou as he pointedly refused to meet Signum's eyes. "Torn apart so that only his head remains but he does not die, and that taken away for torture. Killed off as an afterthought. Have their soul taken from their body and placed in a doll. Or a personal favorite, digested by a physical representation of all evils humanity is capable of." Shirou barked out a laugh. "Oh get this one! Turned into a magic wand! That can happen to a person! And me? Well…I get to experience them all when I let my guard down."

"I…" Signum fell quiet, the link she had set up with Hayate worked both ways, and she could see Matou Sakura sitting in front of Hayate.

Sakura gave a small smile. "I've brought the tea, it's not much but please make yourselves at home."

Fate took a small sip of the tea, it was delicious. She coughed delicately into her hand, drawing Sakura's attention to her. "Excuse me, I do not mean to be rude, but do you know when Emiya Shirou would be back? The matter we are here to discuss is important."

Sakura smiled and took a sip of her drink. "Would you mind telling me what it is about?"

Fate returned the smile. "I'm sorry but it is a rather private subject, I'm afraid we would not feel comfortable discussing it with anyone else. Do you have any idea when he will return?"

The smile left the girl's face, she turned to the side and directed her gaze at two flower pots arranged neatly against the wall. The flowers on them were strong and healthy, it was evident they were meticulously cared for. Sakura turned back and looked the two of them in the eye. "You mean…that you actually do not know?" She asked slowly.

Hayate tilted her head with a smile. "Do not know what?"

Sakura sighed. "Sempai…has been missing for five years." She chuckled quietly. "When he comes home I'm going to be very cross with him. Why I remember when he-"

Neither Hayate nor Fate paid attention to the girl as she continued. Instead they silently beseeched Signum for an answer.

Signum returned her attention to the Slider who sat patiently beside her. "Shirou…where is you alternate?"

Shirou sighed.

"You know…this park we are at? It's what I like to call a 'Nexus'." He said as he leaned forward and rested his forearms on his legs, letting his head hang down. "I call it a Nexus because it is a sort of…to use the words of a certain seer…a 'gray area' a place where a person's life will change, a moment in time that marks a pivotal point in how they will lead their lives."

Shirou closed his eyes and fisted his hands to hide their trembles. "I can feel it…five years ago…five years ago the Holy Grail War raged in this city. It took one of the bloodiest turns that it can take. Things changed, events escalated. Until he was here…right here, sitting just like I am now." Shirou shuddered. "He was speaking to someone...but that is a story that is not mine to divulge, suffice it to say, a great many of my alternates would die to protect her.

"Now…at this moment…at this moment in time three things happened. One, Emiya Shirou died." Shirou's statement was made with a conviction as strong as steel, he had stated a simple fact, nothing more.

Before Signum could ask anything, he continued. "Second, a…a monster was spawned. Something cold and unfeeling, human in name only. Colder than the most Arctic wind, as soft and forgiving as a steel beam. Something so terrifying I shudder to even thinkof it…something that killed eight people in four days, then just left. Killing hundreds more in the name of saving thousands…never once feeling even a single ounce of guilt.

"Third, a man was born…one who would give up his very Soul in order to keep his word." Shirou sighed and kicked a small stone by his foot. He turned back to Signum and for the first time since they had arrived, met her eyes.

The pain in them was utterly evident. "That is the Shirou of this dimension. The man who was too weak to do what was necessary, and so strapped what was for all intents and purposes a bomb to his chest, gaining power in exchange for his life. The man who stood up to what can only be described as an avalanche and halted it cold. The man who discarded his heart, tore it out of his chest with his own hands in order to ensure without a shadow of a doubt that he could keep his word. Sakura waits for a man who expended his soul so that she could live free…She waits for the return of a man she utterly destroyed."

Shirou leaned back again and stared at the clouds. "In the end." He said slowly. "In the end it was all for nothing. The girl I told you of…the girl he and many an alternate would give their life to protect; died. The woman for whom he tore out his heart, the one for whom he expended all that he was; mind, body, and soul…She lies trapped in a memory; a delusion from which no one will be able to rouse her.

"In the end…all he did went to nothing." Shirou barked out a bitter laugh. "That's all that we are…all that we will ever be. Nothing." He then turned to Signum and met her eyes again. "Fate…Hayate. I know you are watching. When she asks, tell her that he helped you out in the past, you were in the city for a little while and were in need of help. That you were impressed with his spirit. Tell her you are there because a job opportunity opened up, and thought of him even though you fell out of contact. Tell her that you had not heard of his disappearance and hope for his speedy return. She should buy it." He returned his eyes to the skies and exhaled nosily. "Don't try to breach the subject that he is dead…she has been denying that for five years."

Signum saw Sakura turn back to Hayate, and allowed the link to die away as she began to say what Shirou Schweinorg had suggested. After that, Signum turned back to her companion. "Shirou…what's wrong? You do not look well at all."

Shirou gave her a pained smile. "So you can see it eh? Its…I guess you could say it's all crashing on me." He hugged himself in order to stop the trembling of his arms.

It did not work.

"I ahh." Vacillated Shirou. "It's…everything. Seeing Hell in that universe we were at…getting my body hijacked by a Trace, almost dying a few times…and now?" Shirou shuddered and turned away from Signum to hide the tears that wanted to fall from his eyes. "Now…I'm getting bombarded with two sets of memories. One of an alternate that would not hesitate to kill a child if it served to save two others. The other of one who lost every piece of himself bit by bit until nothing remained. It's…it hurts." The last word was delivered in a choked voice as he sought to rein in the sobs that kept trying to escape him. His breathing forceful and even.

Signum remained torn, not knowing what to say or do to alleviate the obvious pain her companion was in. In the end, she settled for what Hayate always did when Vita woke from a nightmare.

She stood in front of him, and hugged his head to her belly.

Shirou remained frozen for a few moments, then took hold of Signum's upper arms with the intention of pushing her away. He had dealt with bad things before, she did not need to worry for him.

His grip tightened until he was sure it would leave bruises, it tightened further, causing Signum to suppressed a pained grimace. His grip tightened until Signum was the only thing holding him up.

Signum held the trembling slider, gently ruffling his hair until his façade of strength finally cracked.

And he wept.