"Are you serious?" The man in red asked disbelievingly.
"Deadly." The young woman donning similar colors responded.
"I'm not sure what to say, that certainly complicates things." Emiya sighed in frustration. "I was hoping we could rope my younger self into helping with the taint on the grail, but it seems like that might not be possible now."
"I wouldn't say that," Rin smiled. "It isn't ideal that your younger self is so different, but he isn't all bad."
"Forgive me if I have a hard time believing that, Rin. It was a miracle that Sakura turned out so caring. Someone with beliefs as malleable as Shirou had at that age wouldn't stand a chance with Zouken Matou." He spat out the name of the Matou head with visible disgust.
Rin just hummed. "I see what you mean, honestly. When I first met him in junior high, he was quite the piece of work. Arrogant, closed off, but very manipulative. A "perfect" mage."
"So he's just a more competent Shinji then? Great." Emiya groaned.
Rin shot him a strange look before continuing. "However, he seems to have changed a lot since then. He actively takes the initiative to help people asking for nothing in return." Emiya raised an eye at this. "More importantly, he actually requested my help on something I find… interesting."
Emiya waited, Rin did always like dramatic pauses.
"He asked for me to connect him with someone who was good at spiritual healing, particularly one who could remove familiars."
Emiya's eyes widened. "Please don't tell me you didn't send him to Kotomine."
She glared at her servant. "Do you think I'm an idiot?! Why the hell would I trust anything important with that damn fake priest?" She huffed. "I sent him to the second best in the field. Well, first best now that Kotomine is dead."
"Wait, Kotomine is dead?!"
"Moving on." Rin said, "The person I referred him to is the new overseer, so he should heave no problem using her services."
Emiya decided just to drop the issue of Kotomine dying, it was a headache. "What I can't understand is why you chose to help him." He pretended to not notice Rin's growl. "I mean, I know you're the most generous mage I've had the pleasure of meeting," that calmed her down, "But even you wouldn't do something like that without a reason."
"Of course I wouldn't, carrying someone less talented than me just isn't my style." She smirked smugly, not noticing Emiya's chuckle. "Ever since I learned that the Matou and Einzbern were working together on something, I've wanted to break that up. If Shirou does something without Zouken knowing, it's much easier to sew division."
Emiya paled. "Zouken made an alliance with the Einzbern clan, more specifically Illyasviel von Einzbern, correct?"
Rin nodded.
"Shit, we need to go help the kid."
"Why would we need to do that, I'm sure that Shirou won't be in any danger." Rin asked inquisitively. "I doubt he would have gone to the overseer just yet, it's too early."
"Trust me, if Zouken was active enough to make an alliance with one of the other founding families, he is doing a lot more behind the scenes."
"And that changes things how?" Rin asked.
"It means Shirou can't afford to wait, and that Zouken will notice when he makes a move." He continued in the same dead voice, "And that means Shirou has something much more dangerous to worry about than Zouken or whatever servant he summoned himself."
Illya woke up in her enormous bed, feeling a slimy lump on her left shoulder. She pulled down her blankets and turned her head to face it but was unable to locate the strange object she was feeling. However, she had felt something similar in the past, and so she knew what was going on.
What do you need, uncle?" She asked softly. "Is there something I could help you with?"
A grin plastered her face as she began to listen to her adoring "uncle's" plot. He had given everything to her, everything except the revenge she so desperately craved for Shirou's treachery.
"I'll be there, I can't wait!."
"Hey Sakura, are you ready to go?" Shirou asked her softly.
She nodded after sitting up on the bed, "Yes, I think I'm ready. I'm a bit tired still, but I feel better than I have in years." She sobbed out. "This feels like it's some beautiful dream, like it's going to go away at any second."
"It wont Sakura, I'll make sure you stay safe and happy for the rest of your life." Shirou declared with determination. "You won't have to deal with Zouken again after I kill him. And after that… maybe we can build something new out of the Matou name."
She looked at him, with wide eyes. "You mean you won't leave me after all of this is over?"
He nodded, a bit confused. "Why would you think that?"
"Well," she fidgeted shyly, "I thought you'd go back to being an Emiya. I'm sure your memories of your father are far more pleasant than the ones you've had ever since. It would be harder to attend the Clocktower without being the head of one of the approved non-European families, but you still could if you asked Rin for an apprenticeship."
Shirou shook his head. "I understand the sentiment, and why you'd think that; hell, you'd probably go back to being a Tohsaka in a heartbeat and I understand that." His eyes grew steely, "But for as much as I love Kiritsugu, I am a mage through and through. He wanted me to choose my own path, and I have for the most part. I still lack a dream, but the path to the root I have chosen is deeply linked to the Matou magecraft. Losing the resources being a Matou would give me would be foolish. Plus, I see myself as one at this point."
Sakura smiled softly. "I'm glad," she blushed a bit, "I don't want to lose you."
Shirou blushed too after remembering his earlier thoughts of romance, his face noticeably more red than hers. "Anyways, let's change the subject then. You aren't usually this meek." He tried and failed to make a joke."
Sakura deadpanned.
"Avalon! Yes, I need Avalon back of course." He stammered awkwardly. "I'll walk you through the steps, just do absolutely everything I say."
She raised an eyebrow.
"In regards to Avalon!" She softly giggled at his goofiness. Honestly, Shirou could be so easy to tease. It was one of her guilty pleasures.
The process went smoothly. Sakura was quite used to sensing and using magical presences in her body, so finding Avalon and removing it went by quickly.
When they were done, they left to enter the main chapel of the church. Their servants were waiting for them there, having given the two a moment of privacy out of consideration. Caren had gone back to bed, mentally and physically exhausted after staying up so long in order to complete both operations back to back.
She didn't forget, however, to remind Shirou to not clue any participants into how she worked with them. Doing so would only raise questions and reveal how impartial of a judge she truly was. That wouldn't be beneficial for either of them, so Shirou quickly agreed.
Moving to exit the building, Shirou firmly grasped Sakura's hand. He would not lose her, he had made a promise. He did not fully understand his ideal yet, but he wouldn't let any innocent die if he could help it. Much less an innocent person he cared for so deeply.
They had to walk for a few kilometers, but soon enough they made it to the edge of the 'yakuza district' of Fuyuki.
"Shirou, why are we in such a filthy place? I can practically feel the sorts of crimes that must be done here." Arturia asked him, anger dripping from her words. She wasn't the kind of king to tolerate crime back in Britain. Maybe she had made some mistakes, but she certainly didn't think clearing up the vermin was one of them.
"I know a guy here that is willing to offer us shelter for the next couple of weeks." He cleared his throat and continued before anyone could voice their objections. "He knows the situation. Not all of it," A wave of guilt poured over his face at that, but he quickly adopted a neutral expression to keep the explanation coming. "But he knows enough for this to be an informed decision."
Atalante was visibly annoyed, but nodded. "As long as he knows what he's getting himself up to and you made sure no other mages would find out about you telling a regular human, I have no problem."
"Would this man happen to have a hand in the activities around here?" Arturia growled.
"Yeah, he's actually the head of the Fujimura clan. His group mostly deals with keeping the local criminals in check though. It's beneficial for both sides of the law, so Raiga operates without much trouble." Shirou told her.
She softened a bit at learning that the group wasn't too nefarious, but it still bothered her to be working with such scum. If her master vouched for him though, Raiga must have some redeeming characteristics.
"Anyway, we should almost be there. The hideout is just around this corn-"
Flames.
Flames as far as the eye can see.
Shirou choked. He couldn't breathe.
Î̵̜̖̹̦̮͕̀̔̉͗͌̍̑̕͝ ̷̬̪̙̥͈̮͎̺͚͔̗̤̹̉͑̈͛̾̍̀̾̅̈́̀̐͝͝͝Ą̵̦͈̦͉̲̮̗̹̳͊̾̈́̓̋̊͒̿̑̄̌͘̚m̵̨͉̜̍́̎̇̾̃̽́͜ ̵̢̧̱̥͇̼͋Ţ̷͖̰̙̮̟̤̭̇̅̾͑̉̉͛̚͝ͅḩ̸̲͊̈̅̈͊͜͠͠e̶̢͓̫̐̇̆͊̀͂̄̄̄͌̂͠͝ ̶̧̭̖̘̮̱̮̬̎̾̊͐̀̾̈́̈́̀̉͝B̶̲͓̪͍͂͐͛̃̐͂̈́͂͒̆̿ō̴̧̨̫͙̼͙̥͔͉̫̥̬͔͍̇͗̓́n̷̠͍̅̔͂̂̃̀̑̏̄͐̔̓ȩ̵̨̞̲͔̤̩̋̃̆͛̏̍̒́͆̃̒́̂̓͝ ̵̠̿ơ̶͓̪̏̾̾̎̾̄f̸̟̪̫͖̠̲̙̲̲̖̬̊͜ ̵̡̮̠̣͎͖̘̘͚̀͛͜͝M̴̢͚̘͎̭̼̤̝̻̈́̆̀̎̐̔̇̚͘͜ẙ̶̛͓̪͎̪̳̐͛̇̈̔̿͆̃͝ ̸̜̗̯̥͔͙͎̫̮̥̜̎͐́͜ͅS̵̡̺͖̝̝͔̈́́̒̀͐́̿̌̉̏̕͝͝͝w̷̖̦̻̹͎̮̑͊̐̔͆̓͊̇̓́̈̃̂̚ȍ̶̰̈r̸̨̢̫̫̖͍̾̍d̷̞̪͕̭̦̮̫͇̬̩̪̝̝͗̑͋̓̔̾̉̌̔̀̚ͅ
"Shirou!" Sakura yelled. "I know this must be hard for you. But you need to get a hold of yourself!"
S̵̡̱̫͎̥̮͑́͋̊̃̾̚t̶͎̖̻͓̲̪̳̪͇̳͖̓͋̅̑̒͘͠͝ë̷̯̬̓̄̀̄̿̈́̑͘͝e̶̡̛̗̼̥̮̮͕͇͈̺̥͌͆͊͆́͘͘̚͜͝͠ͅl̶̨̖̘̥͚͇̝͚̞̝͈̺̜̈́ ̴̨̛͎̥̪̗̝͗͆̒̽͐̄̓̂͠i̷̛̛̯̐̀̿̇̉̿͊̾͂͛͌͠s̵̛̰̮͈̱̻̭̊͠ ̵̯̥͌m̵͙͎̹͈͎̏̚̚͜͠͝y̸̛̬̙̺̹͕͉̤̖͕̭͉͙͗̇̆̈́̓̓̓ ̷̧̧̤̲̭̱̦͎̪̒̏̈́́̀͋̎͆͒̈́̉̈́̿ͅb̴̞͙͕͔́̀͂̈̂̌̃̆͊̈́̿̀̚͝͝o̷̻͔̯̠̲̼̽d̶̛͍̏̌̋͋̾̚y̴̡̯̟̺̬̬͚̦͔̫͇̘̒̈́̌͆̀̈́̕͝ ̸̡̠̦̻̎̈͊ą̴̛͖̝̆n̶͚̣̐̈́͛̆̆͆͝d̴̡̧̩̹̲͈̙̟͙͈̳̠͂̒̊̒̆̃̽́͑̒ ̵͈̘̟͚̜̟͕̠̓̈̏̇̀̾̿͑f̵̡̧̪̰̟̊͗́̏̏̀͐̑̔̽́̓i̴̧͇̤̗̜͖̟̓̆͌͋̎͝r̸̛̯͗̇̔̋͒̔̈́̿͜ė̸̡̨̲͍̯̰͓̦̣̭̦̰͕̤̫̾͛̌̑͛̽̃͛͝ ̶̡̼̼̼̗̯͙̭̯̫̓͋̎͊̓́̎̽͗̕ḯ̴̡̪͕͓̮̹̜͙̳̗͓̞̠s̸̫̘̯̓̔̒̓̋̒͛̿̍̑ ̸̨̰̩̖̯̄̈́̾̍̅̑́̆́́͐͋̈́͌͠m̵̡͉̟͇̞̝͎͈̰̜̹̼̯̫̃̽͗͑̂y̶̛̤͎̺͖͔̳̪͙̩͇̯̞̳̞͌͌͜͠ ̵̘̂͌b̷̢̓̐̔̓́́̓͐̂͝l̵̥͖̆̊́̐̌͋̂̔̉͌̓̾̕ó̷̭̊o̷̢̡̥̙̤̞̞̙̬̫̖̮͇͋̾͗̽̂d̴̛̛͉̲͍͍̫͐͐͛̕̕͝ͅ.̸̢̱͈̼̘̬͎̻̤̜̺̥͙͍̈́͋͗̍̾̉͆̕͝
He couldn't hear her, or either of the servants trying to warn him.
̴̛͙̝͇̳̖̯̱̈̒͋̒̀͒̚͠ͅĮ̴͚͓͇̰̱̱̑́͝ ̴̢̧̊̔̅͂̾̕͝͝h̵͍̙͎̮͉̲̣͇͑a̷̦̹͉̖̿͑̃̓̑̓̚̕v̴̲̭̙͍̹̹̱͎̳͇̆̆́͘ͅͅe̶̮͖̗͓̰̮̹̼͓͎̞̪̮̜͕̅̑̈̀̽̓͠ ̷̬̼̥̖̐͐̀̾̒̈́̎̕̕c̶̺̗͕̭͚̬͙̰̳̜̬̪̀͗͗͆͆̏͠͠ͅr̶̢̢͈̜̘̣̤̙͖̲̬̫͑̐̊̕e̶̢̳̥̻͓͉̣͓͚̪̜̰̝͆̈ä̵̧̂́̆͆̉ͅţ̸̨͍̳͉̦̤̻̱̲͖͛̿̈́̊̐̈͌̔̆̀͂͒̀̓͘ė̴̳̳̝̓͂̊͛̓͛͒̽̊̕͝ḑ̴̦̘̯̤͚̩̞̞̠̖̱̀̂͛̂͂̏͒̃̍͒̚͠ ̷̨̨̩̎̀̆͗̓̂̚ơ̶͎͛̽̐̄̾̈̈v̸̮̣̲̝̞̙͙̭̫̻̈̌̒͋̈̉̊̿̕ͅę̸̠͙̼̰̺͎̹͚̻͂̎͠r̶̢̙͈̗͇̙̩͎͙͉̬͍̹̒͑̀̀̇͂̓̄͛̽͒͝ ̸̧̡̛̛̤̮̜̮̼͓̯͙͑̎̊̃͆͊͋̊̂̌͘͠ą̴̛̦̳̙̪̣̭̤̥̳͕̲͋̀̀̌̈́̽̆̍̅̽̿̀͠ ̸͕̻̘͗̊̀̎̾̅̀̇̋͝t̸̢̧̢̠̹̹̱̟̪͔̮͈̠͖͍̅͌̚h̸̛͚̤͑͐̊͗͒̃̉̎͂̽̍̑o̴̡̼͙̾͗̇̍̏̚u̶͓͕̠̣͈̭̱̞͉̞̤͖͆͌̂̋̑͗̄̓͜s̷̢̠͍̽̄͂ä̵̘̜͋̄̂̓̌̔͌͘n̶̖̯̪͔͇̅̋̔̇̿̃̇̈́̀͊̚ḍ̶̝̼̹̺̻̮̫͔͓̲̱̎̏͛̋̓͂̌͘̕̚͜͜͜ ̵̹̖̯̥̎́͆̓͌̏̋̈͐̏̚͝b̴̡̬͍̻̠͙̝̗͓͚̪̋̂̏̅l̶̨̮͈͔̞̺̜̺͖̰̻̂͂̽̆͛͒͜ͅą̸̛͚̦̪̳́́̾̉̇͗͠͝d̸̥͈͚̎͊́͌̓͐̑͌̈́̌͛͒̔̇ḝ̸̡̫̼̰͈̖̞̟̺͕͌͂̇̓͐̊͋̑̂͝͝͝s̸̮͓̪̦͖͎͉͕̞̹̎̈́̿̃̎͑̎̔̀͐ͅ.̴̢̯̺̬̥̩̞̄
He was barely conscious enough to dodge the flaming piece of debris flung towards him.
U̵̢͉̱̞͍͙̓̇̈̃̈́͌̆͜͝ń̷̢̪̫͚̺̺̯̯̮͚̻̈́̔̈́͋͛́̀̎̉́́̎ͅă̶͈̺̞̆̂́̓̐͂͆͘͝͝͠ͅw̷͍̖̖̆̃͑̔̌͋ă̸̬̱͕̭̭͚̪̪͂͒̂͒̓̀́̂͛͘̕̕͠͝ŗ̶͚̲̳̼̘̝̹̮̺͌́͊̈̂͒́̎̆͛e̴̡̡̠̱̣̬̘̭̼̼̥͍̓̈́̇̓̀̄́͒̃͑͠͝ ̴̫͑͑͋̈́͐̀̈́̂̇͆̑̀̚ỏ̵̡̪̺͍̥̯̆̒̕f̷̨̳̫̲̐͋͝ ̵̫̱͍̊̊̐͌͋̅̚̕̕ļ̶̢̰̗͚̩̽̊̌̏̿̒̉̈́̋͐͜ǫ̶͊̂̈̎š̸̢̳̖̭̙̘̮̽͋͠s̵͖̰̬͎̩͈͎̏̓͋̅͝,̵̛̼̈́̅͛̀͑̋̉̅͠͝ ǹ̵̡̺̜̠̝̩͙̟͚̻̲̜̟̥̈̂́̊̉͒ỏ̵͚́͆̐̓͋̚r̷̡̠͈͍̲͓̞͈̹͐̊́̂̿̽ ̵͈̗̪̦̳̤̯̜͎̂̋͛́͆͊̑̏̀̈́ä̴̛͕̣̤͂̇͛͊̄̊͂w̵̙̙̫̾͛̂̚͜á̵̢̛͓͕̣͍̼͔̝̄̾̔̈͐͒̈́̏r̷̲̉̋̊̅̐͌̑̒͆̅̇e̴̳̫̮̮̗͓͙̯̻̜͍͇͈̅̍͛̌̍̋͆̈͑̕͝ͅͅ ̸̡̢͖̪͎͇̭̗̩̥̒̋͐̆̍̑̌͑̅̆̀̓̀̕͝ő̵͖̳̪͚̤̹̠͐͝ͅf̴͖͍͖͔̹̫̫̜̭̳̱̤̟̗̙̈́̀̍̃̑̾͌̀ ̸̲̜̻̞̞̋̌̉̌̈́̔͐̓̐̃͌̕͝g̷̛̠̯͙̘͖̐̔̈́̈́̀͊̀́͑a̵̩̼̩̳̘͛̏̿͊̔͆̀̅͐̆͑͌̏͘͜͝in̷̤̺̞̗̠͉̊̓͗͌
He didn't manage to dodge the next one.
W̷̧̙̖̬̥͙͕̙͔̹̳̘̜̄̄́͐̀̀͌͜i̶̺͎̖͔̽̾̊̐̄̈́̾̚ṭ̵͇̠͍͙̝̹͉̦̘͖͎̫͛̎̈́ͅh̵̢̛͓͚̘͈̥̙̹̻̳̭̍͒̂̔̔͂̐̀̃͆ͅś̸͎̜̬̜͔̻̜̆̃͂͊̏̎͂́̐̈́̕͝t̸̡̰̜͍̯̳̯͙̑͒̽̒̑̃͗̿̍̽̊̂̆͜ͅo̵̢̻̘̲̠̩͌̌̕ͅở̸̖͎̻̽̒̇̊̃̇́̈́̉͐͑̚͝d̷̨̧̟̥̦̬̥͉͎͚́̊́̔̽̓́̑̔͒͌̇̓̈́̚ ̵̨̦̙̭̥̪̮̙̃͑̌̌̆͛̾̂̇̄̾͋͊͝͝p̵̡͙̳̼͙̄̓ȧ̵̡̡̡̛̞̯̞̩̬͍̗̲̣̎͗̊̒̈́̉̅̾̚i̴̮̝̥̠̯͚̱̹̗͍̳̯̅̅̇̒̽̊́̚͜͠n̸̩͓̣̦̏̀̈̆͐̃͋͊͋͆̎͝ ̵̬̩̤͍͉̑̑͗t̶̨̨̘̥͉̼̟̹̙̹̝͔̆̚ͅő̷̟͈̄̇̃̃̉͊̈́͛͌̅͝ ̶̛̛̼̙̯̻̻̗̝̭͈̜͍̺̪͉̿̍̅̉̃̎̈́͒͂̎̀̕c̴̳̼̻͙̺̜̙͓͖̻̘͙̓͛ȑ̵̩̩͊̈́͐̽͒͌̓͂ĕ̶̛̞͔͕͍̬̽̉̀ḁ̸̢̙̊͐̓͐̿̋́̾̈́̂̓͗͘ṯ̸̢̜̮̣̩̬̙̍͊̔̽͑͂̔͘ę̴̢̦͉͖̜͆̽͌̋̄͠ ̴͍̞͓͖͊͊̋̉̉̋̏̽͌͂̕͘͝w̶̜̜̦̋̔͆̈́͊̔͝ĕ̵̛͓͙̙̫̩̲͆̐͗̑̀͋́̈́̇͋̒͌a̷͉͍̞͍͕̦͔̲͌p̸̡̭͎̱͚̩͎͑͐͐͂̋̉̋̐ö̷̧̭͚̪͈̭̬́̿́̕͠ņ̷̞͉̞̖̬̜̌̋̒͋͑̐̌̍͠s̵̠̺͔̞̮̈̆̒̎̓̿̇̓̀̌̽̅̕͝,̵̪̑̌̈́͆̔̄̈́̕̚͠ ̵̛͎͔͕̩̺͉͕͔̹̜͕̇ẅ̴̛̼̝͉̠̰́̍͋̑̅́͑͝a̵͎̖̩̘̲͎̗̝̥̘̗̞̞̓̍̀̑̋̆͌̋̀͠ï̵̭̣̩̭̝͚͓͙̜̹̖̓̎̒͌͐̆͛͘̕͝t̴̢̧̛̜͐̾̃̓͗̕͝i̶̜̼̲͒̅̽͊̍̌̎̚͠n̸̢̙̪̦̏͑̇̊͗̎̐̊́̀̓͋̐̕͝g̸̢̩̗̭̞̫̺̝̗̭͋͗ ̷̢͆͋̓̀͊f̸̨̡͖̦̭̪̮̙̜̜̗̓͊̊̈́͂̏́͆̚͝o̵͖̝̻̔̄̔͒̓̈̈̔̽̆̚̕r̵̩͌̅̉̽̈ ̵̧̩͍̣͈̟͈͚̙̣̯̄̏̀͌̅ó̵͍̼̖̯͆̏͑͝ň̴̺̋̄̂̏ȩ̸̧̘͎̝͕̙͍͎̮͚̌̒̈́͛'̷͎̬̓̑̃̄s̷̡̛͕̜̦͍̥͋͒̿̐̆̍̏̽̀͘͜͠ ̶̢̛̗̼̱͔͕̣̺͎̮̪̙̩̇̈́͊͂̂̊̿͂̆́̚͝͝a̵̳̖͌͋̽̈́́̀̋͊ŗ̶̡̡̛̺͔͍͍̝̭͍̫̻̭̥̅͌̃͂̀̅r̷̛̭̤̥͑̎̎̓̐̚̚͝ḭ̸̧̓̅̒͘v̷̛̟̖̬͔̊̽͗̀̏̀̎̽̔͌̏͘a̴̜͓͇̭̥̝͎̤͓̦̟̱̭̐̒̑̀̀̿̕͜l̵̛̥͎͎̮̳̲̜̜̯̾̅͌͒͠.̴̦͈͔̩͎̲̫͔͈͖͈̟̠̯͑̾̒͗̅͗̒̈͋̓̃̕͠͝
Arturia grunted as she picked her catatonic master up.
̴̨̲͖͙͓̺͎̣͊̀̄̇͑̇̂͋̅̉͘̚͜͝Ì̷̛̼̯̩͛͌̈̄͋͗̂͗̚͝ ̶̡̧͔̻̞̹̥̬͔̯̖͚̱́̂̑h̵͉̩̺̪̻͙̺̯͙̯̹̺̙̀̔͑͐̂͑͛͠͝ͅḁ̶̈́̋̀̎̍̄͒̌̚̕͝͝v̵̧̨͎̥̖̞̮͈̺̜̲͂̏͐̿͆e̵̦͙̪̾̆͐͛̊̈̎̏̾ ̸̢̻̮̰̗̦̫̩̃̂͐̑́̕͘͝ņ̴̡̘̜̹̥͌̊͋̋́̊̾͂̉̓̿͋́̕o̵̬̗͉̐̎̿͗͂̀͐͊̈́̐̒̚ ̴̡̧̪̭̼͖̭̩̱̿̍̊̉̿̽̋̅͛͒͘͝͝͠ř̷̟͑̈͆̈́͒̓̽̚̕͠ḛ̵̻͔̯̦̲̄͐͗͗͠g̶̙̻̮͙͐̒̂͗ͅr̸͔̈́͌͌̀̀̕͠ȩ̴͉̙̿̉̍͜ͅt̸̨̧͎̜̩́́̃̏̓̈́́̈́͛̕͠s̴̨̯͇͎̝̖̟̦͛̓̋͛͑͆̏̿̓̈́͋̕͜͝.̸̛̬̮̝̪̗͚͈͓̼́̆̍̿͊͒̾̋̅͛͌ ̴̢̺͚̖̬͍̫̗̟͗̂̔̾̆͒̄̉̌ͅT̵̛͉͖̙͍͚̣͇͈̰̞̺̑̏̃͋̄̎̎͜͝ḧ̵͖̜̼̺͓̺͍̺̠̯̱́͆͛̇ͅi̷̤̱̿́̾̓̐̀͝͠s̶̲̭̬̲̏ ̷̦̐͋̐͋̌̀̋̈́̄̾̍̕̚͠͝į̵̧̱͖͚̬̞̻̫́̔̈́̏̄͒̐͗͋͝͠s̴̹̭̣̭͑̀ ̶̨̋̈́̂̿t̴̛͔͓̝̽͑̔̑̇̑̓̂͠h̸̢̲͍̗̪̱̬̳͛͋̀̽͂̀͑̃̈́͠ę̴̝̬̜̦̘̖̱̌͂͛̈̔̑̅̚͘ ̷̢͔̠̝͎͔͕͠ò̶̟̥̥̦͖̤̲̣͎̝̤͔̤̻͔̾̆̾̿͊̃̎͝n̶̩̙̻̭͌̑͝ļ̴̧̰̭̜̗̫̹̂y̷̢̨̖͖͇̹̤̙͎̲͓͗̈̂͑̔̊͛̅͘ ̴̲̳̪̼͙͍̙̒͋̏͘p̷̢͖̜̤͔͓̲͕̰̃̿̂͐̍̄͑̋͒̿̽͝ǎ̸͐̆̇͗̑̔͊͘̕ͅt̸̻̝͙͚̩̖͖̹͇̖̼̟͂̈́̿̂̓͠h̵͓͐̑̇̔́͆̈̈́̃̐̒͂͊̓̐
Saber threw her master down for some odd reason.
Memories flooded his mind. They were his, they were not his. What the hell was going on? Finally regaining some semblance of consciousness, he looked up.
Atalante stood over a horrified Raiga Fujimura, battling what seemed to be a grotesque parody of a tiger. The weird thing was, the monstrosity was clearly in immense physical and emotional pain. Shirou knew who it once was. He knew what he had done.
Arturia was fighting a young woman, if you could call her that, scantily clad in purple silks. The enemy servant was giving off waves of malice, so deep and poisonous that no one could mistake her for human. That wasn't to mention her stood next to her, ruthlessly cackling. The surprising thing was that Arturia seemed to be struggling, performing at almost half her usual parameters, things weren't looking good.
But that was not what gained Shirou's attention. He was fully focused on the fight happening right in front of him. A sea of flying white and black falchions filled the air around two figures. One was a hulking monstrosity, bearing down heavily on the other whom was protecting himself with somewhat longer versions of the blades around the two. The blades around them kept tearing into the servant who Shirou was sure fit the Berserker class, but they didn't seem to be doing much.
Shirou noticed that the other servant, the one clad in red and black, was almost directly in front of him almost as if he had jumped in to protect Shirou from Berserker. That wouldn't make any sense though! Why would an unallied servant jump in to protect someone else's master?
But what he noticed about the servant made even less sense! The servant was
̷̢̧̟͎̟̖͈̠̼̌́̀͑͐͌̓͑̍̓̈́̋̈̔͜M̸̛̭̱͎̺̹̞̘̗̍̈̆͐̍͐͌̀͌͜ỳ̸̞̤́̐͋̓͛͋̀̀̑̇͑͌̑͠ ̶̥͈̞̟̯̤͗̄͂̅̾̐͛̈́͂̉̀͠w̸̡̨̠͖̳̭̮̺̙̞̥͇̖̭͗̄̉̓́͒̚͝ḧ̶̥̬̤̖̱̮͈̮̔́̉ǫ̴̨̣̪̩̰͕͖͂͂̒̎̀̓͌͗́͛͂̌͠l̷̤̼̟͎͚͙̘̤̾̃̑̓̊͛̿́͠e̸͓̞̣̗̩͓̟͎͖͚̝̹͚̝̓̈́͜ ̸̯͖͈̺̯͍̤͙̤͔͌̆̋̊̎̃̌́͋l̶͍͋͌̾̎̓͐͊̂̆́̀̑̾͝͝i̸̢͈͉̖̼͖͔̠̮͑̑͋̓̊̃̌̇̌̊̆͆̚͠ͅf̴̡̡̛̦̪̱̺̼̫̟̬̙͒́̋̒͂͆̍͛̊͘̚e̷̢̗̺͈̐͋̚͘͝͠ ̵̞͇̖̮͔͎̮͛́̌̽̅͗̈́̏̓̇̔̓̚͠͝w̷̡̻̦͕̼͙͉͍̗͓͔͈̝͔̟͛̂͋͛̉̌͛̃̚a̸̠̟̲̣̥͍̣̩̱̓͛̄̂̊̾̄̋s̸̢̢̱͚͉̬̦͍͖̤̜̄̅͘ ̷̰̦̞͎̟̖̜̖̟͙͚̬̮̔̾̃̊́̀̊̈́͑̈́͘͜͠Ư̷̻̺͖͓̄̎̿̇̽͆͂̍̓͗n̴̡̨̨̰̬͓̉̆̽͌̃̐̌͊̀͗̑̀l̶̟̟̘̙͖̩̻͙̇͆͒̔̕ḯ̶̢̫̯͕̩͈̂̆̊̇͆͝m̷̡̥̳͙̰̥͚̮̘̪͓̬͕͕͎̀͊͌̈́̋́į̷͎͍̗͕̯̙̹͕͚͔̰̪̪̈̇̓̈́̌̓͠͠ț̸̟͌͛̽̅͑̐̑̃̇͘͘͠ḛ̸̥̺̣͊͊͑͊͒͛̄̇͐̂̒̇̄̈́͝d̸̢̮̲̳̞͎̱̬̔̽̍̑̚ ̸͕̞̬͚͔̽̂͑͌͌͋͝͝͝B̶͈̣̞͚̙̣͗̾̀͌̈́͒̒̒͛̚ĺ̴̡͇̤̑̚a̸̢̡̨̢̻̘̙͓̯͔͇͍̩͋̎̂̾̚ḑ̵͇̹͙͠ḗ̴̱̹̭̣̑̚ ̴̧͓̆̊̂W̴̰̗̫̺̠̮̤̒̾͐̅̄̌̄͝ǫ̴̧̯͎͚̼͉͍̂͘͝r̷̡̛̗͎̦̝͚͚͎͈̘̖̹̣̂́̅̑̎̋͌̈́̎̀̕ͅͅķ̶̯̟̟͙̹̗̜̯̲̋́̂s̷̯̳͍͍̘̭̳̆̑͜
AN: I may have overdone it a bit with the glitched text.
This wasn't exactly how I planned for the chapter to go, but oh well. It was just going to Zouken, Shuten, and Taiga verses Shirou and co, but I decided to mash the next conflict in with it to. I was planning on having Shirou and co run into Berserker and EMIYA right after this fight, but that would mess with the pacing.