Day 6 — Nurse Fujimura

—It's hot.

My eyes hurt. My skin feels like it's peeling off from the heat.

"Ahh—"

My voice croaks out as I take in the burning air.

I remember this feeling.

The hot air in my oesophagus eats at me inside, burning me inside out.

—It's hot. It's hot and hot and hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot hot…!

I know this feeling all too well.

"—"

It's the sight from ten years ago. The day a child without a future was reborn as Emiya Shirou.

The oppressive heat continues to close in on me.

—But.

"—"

It's only getting hotter and hotter, like someone has poured molten lead down my throat and into my lungs, like I am being fried on a grill—

—But something is missing.

"—! —Ah…"

That's right. The flames should be both hot and cold. Both extremes sapping away at my existence, the burning flames in me freezing up and inverting the process while more flames invade and burn me…

That's how it was ten years ago.

But it's only getting hotter and hotter.

"—Agh."

I force my melting eyeballs to look downwards at myself.

"—Hnnnng?!"

In place of my flesh are countless blades sticking out, and growing larger and lager, almost as if growing to replace my burning flesh.

And one by one, they cut into me deeper and deeper.

"Ah—Ahhhhhhhhh…!"

And at the heart of it all, in the middle of all the blades is a terrifyingly bright yellow glow that threatens to engulf me faster than even the flames of hell—

"—!"

I wake up with a start, bolting upwards and sitting ramrod straight.

"Hah…hah…"

I look around my room, my mind still fresh from the vivid scenes from ten years ago.

I take a deep breath through my mouth, and fill my lungs with the cool night air.

"—It was a dream."

I tell myself in relief as I sink back into my futon.

How many years has it been since I've been this distressed by that dream?

The nightmare should be something I am used to. After all, Emiya Shirou was forged from those flames. This isn't a new sensation for me. Yes, it is more vivid than usual, when all I usually see is a field of red.

—But.

"…Swords."

My temples feel hot. I raise my arms to rub at them tiredly.

"…?"

That's when I notice.

"Oh. This is…"

My arms. They feel completely normal now. I reach out with my left hand and grasp the bedside table to hoist myself up.

"…this is."

I no longer feel off-balanced. In fact, I feel almost too chipper for someone who went through all that yesterday. It almost feels as if I can now tap into a fraction of energy I used to not have access to.

"…Wow. My body feels so light."

I'm genuinely surprised. It wasn't that I was doubting Illya or anything, but she did say it would take days for me to recover from my Circuits opening. So why…?

I do a couple of light stretches, careful to not make a sound so as to not wake up Saber.

My body starts to heat up and I nod in approval.

"…This feels good. Why, it's just like that hot dream I had, I feel so good right now."

Ah yes, that dream.

That naturally pleasant dream about Tohsak—

"—"

"—Oh."

Oh no.

I quickly dive under my futon, checking every line of cloth as quietly as I can.

This is bad. If anyone finds out about this, Emiya Shirou's image will forever shatter in their minds. Especially Saber, I can see her look of disgust and scorn now as she stares down at the giant white splotch on my futon…

…that isn't there.

…Good.

There is no one in the futon, and there is nothing on the futon.

"…You can't prove anything from this," I say to myself in satisfaction. "Besides, it's normal for a healthy young man to have these thoughts once in a while. Yes. Nothing is wrong with me."

Besides, it's Saber's fault. Yes, it's Saber's fault. I told her not to sleep so near me, so it had to be that. Yes, it's all Saber's fault.

"…Sorry Saber."

My twisted self-reflection complete, I stand up to head to my workshop, making sure to tiptoe out the room as noiselessly as possible.

I sit down in the middle of the shed, and look inside me with practiced ease.

The first thing I notice is the "passageways" in me. It's not easy to express how they feel, but their newfound existence feels similar to a circuit board that finally gets connected to the main CPU.

I feel my way around them, trying to find a way to access them, maybe to turn them on or off.

"…Hmm."

After a while, I open my eyes and frown. I can't seem to find the power button that turns them on. I can feel them no longer blocked and vibrating excitedly with an intention to be used, but I still cannot grasp the trigger to wake them up properly…

"—Ah."

My eyes fall on an old box tucked into a corner of the junk piled up. I stand up and walk over, brushing aside a pink unicycle and a mini retro radio as I pick up the old wooden box.

I dust off surface and open the lid for the first time in years.

"—Old man."

Inside the box rests snugly an old single-shot pistol and a dozen or so bullets.

I never did get to have the chance to ask him about this box, having only uncovered it after he passed on. And I never thought too deeply about it, as I knew about his dealings with Raiga and the other yakuza in Fuyuki, as well as his numerous exotic souvenirs from his trips overseas.

But now that I've started to uncover bits and pieces of what was once the past of the man who was called the Magus Killer…

…I shake my head and put the lid back in place. There's no use thinking about it now. It's been years anyway, and what's important to me now is the people in front of me that I need to protect.

"Hmm. But, a trigger, huh?" I muse to myself as I slot the box back snugly into the pile of garbage Fuji-nee has so generously donated to the Emiya household.

"…It's worth a shot."

I sit down in my usual place again and look into myself one more time.

This time, I focus on the Circuit passageways and along with a mental command like pulling the trigger of the gun, I intonate clearly.

"Trace, on. (Analysis, start.)"

I swing down the imaginary hammer.

"…!"

In a single flash, my circuits come to live, sparking a brilliant green in my mind's eye as my magical power flows through them.

A slight numbing sensation pricks at me from my left side but I ignore it. I reach out for a random A3 pamphlet lying on the floor near me and close my eyes as I prepare to concentrate.

"—Basic structure, analyse."

Oh, it's something Fuji-nee brought home a while ago, and just left lying around in the living room. I picked it up and dropped it here, then forgot about it ever since.

"—Composition, analyse."

I nod as I feel through the fibres in the paper. Almost unconsciously, I roll it up with both hands until it is a tight cylindrical shape.

"—Basic structure, alter. Composition, reinforce."

I reach into the depths of my reserves and push out what I can through my newfound passageways into the paper. A warm green light flows through the rolled up pamphlet.

I open my eyes again and smile in satisfaction. That felt like it was a success.

To test it out, I swing it against the shed wall a few times.

"Not bad…" I mutter to myself as I inspect the reinforced paper. Not a single dent in it too, after impacting the hard shed wall so many times.

Of course, something like this will easily be cut through like normal paper for Servants like that lance-wielding savage, but it's still better than nothing.

Next, I look into myself again and push my od into my legs.

"—Trace. (Composition, reinforce.)"

I coil down and push myself against the floor to leap forward wait wait no no it's too fas—

"AAAAAAA-mmmmmgblruugh—!"

I crash into a pile of junk lining the walls of the shed unceremoniously.

"…owww. That was a failure…"

No, I correct myself as I groggily pick myself up. That wasn't a failure. It was more like…

"…It worked too well."

That's right. I did not expect to have that much strength in my leap forward. I had meant only a small hop to the centre of the shed, but to think I'd propel myself head-first to the other side…

"…Shirou. What are you doing?"

The tranquil voice breaks into my thoughts and I jump in shock.

"Huh?! Wait, Saber—!? What are you doing here…?"

Saber is standing at the entrance, peering in with a look that displayed equal amounts of curiosity and amusement.

"…Ah, did I wake you up, Saber?"

"Please don't feel concerned, Shirou. It is only natural for me to be aware of my Master's whereabouts," she says as she puts a hand to her chest almost proudly. "Besides, you were making too much noise when you were pacing out of the room. I'm sure even Sakura would have noticed if she was sleeping in the same room."

"Geh. I even tried my best to be as quiet as possible."

I really did too! I even tiptoed!

"For a Servant, even the smallest of noises will alert us to your actions Shirou. You will do well to remember that," Saber adds, smiling warmly.

"Ahaha, I'm still not used to all this yet, I guess. So much for being your partner in this War."

I dip my head in shame as I dust off the grime on me from my fall.

I notice Saber walking closer towards me, and I can see there's a clean white towel in her hands.

"…Ah, thank you," I say dumbly as I take the proffered towel.

She really is wasted on me.

Saber merely nods in response as she patiently waits for me to wipe off the sweat and grime.

"…By the way, Shirou."

"Hmm? What's up, Saber?"

I look up at her to see a ponderous look on her face.

"Forgive me for saying this so bluntly, but on the night we first met, I thought you had no magical potential at all," she begins, her eyes wandering around the shed as she takes in the multiple peculiarities stashed away in the corners. "That is not to say I was displeased of course. I know you are an amateur Master, and I know I have to preserve my prana consumption. This has not changed, so please don't feel responsible for anything at all. It's just…"

Her eyes finally land on me again, and lock onto mine.

"To see you training so hard to improve yourself, and to see that effort translate to such rapid progress…It inspires me, Shirou."

The sincere gleam in her eyes take me aback, and I blush in embarrassment, looking away quickly.

"P-Please Saber, what's this all about?"

"No, it is nothing big at all. As I told you once before, I was summoned by you. I did not make a contract with you out of choice. But once again tonight I have been reminded of how fortunate I am to be summoned by a Master like you, Shirou."

"Really? After seeing me crash into a wall?"

"Especially after that, Shirou. You are an inexperienced magus in every sense of the word, and compared to the likes of Rin you are no doubt inferior in terms of both experience and talent. However. That determination in your eyes to reach your goal, and your endless perseverance in bettering yourself for the sake of those around you.

"And through all that, you survived the first night and chose me to guide you. You may call it an accident, but to me, I see it as fate. And I regret not being able to consciously choose you in return as I was summoned. Therefore—"

She holds out her right hand, a perfect mirror of me from two days ago, in front of the church. As if on cue, the first rays of dawn breaks through the shed entrance, engulfing her petit figure in a golden glow.

"Once again, I swear to you, my Master. I shall be the sword that brings you your promised victory in this War."

"Saber…"

"Will you fight alongside me to grant my wish, Master? Will you grant me your help and your strength?"

"—"

Wordlessly, I reply by walking forward to her and taking her slender fingers into mine, clasping them in a firm, warm handshake.

The trust we hold for each other, and now the mutual respect for our respective qualities.

Emiya Shirou and Saber exchange oaths for the third time in three days.

Together we spend the early hours of the morning bathed in the growing soft golden glow of the morning sun.

"Wait, Sakura is—?"

"Yes yes, now calm down already you big doof! You'll be late for school if you continue to mope around like this."

Later this morning.

After my training and subsequent chat with Saber, we bump into Taiga in the living room, who has arrived earlier than usual.

"Sakura-chan had a bit of a fever last night, but you were clearly tired too so I didn't mention it to you," she says as she peels an orange. "I've just checked on her, and she's still feverish but most of it has died down."

I frown at this and internally berate myself for not checking up on Sakura when she didn't come to greet me in the shed early in the morning as per usual. I was far too absorbed in speaking to Saber about meaningless things, and didn't notice that time has passed so quickly.

"In that case," Saber speaks up from beside me. "Shirou should stay at home today to look after Sakura then. There's no need to go to school today."

"…Huh? Of course not, Saber-san. What kind of homeroom teacher would I be if I let my charge skip school for such a mundane reason?"

Mundane?

Fuji-nee pops another slice of orange into her mouth.

"Why, you don't need to worry at all, Shirou. I will stay at home today to look after her!"

This damned tiger…is she doing this to just slack off?

"Hmm? What's with that look in your eyes, Emiya-kun? You don't trust your homeroom teacher? Also what's with that disdainful look? I'm sure Kuzuki-sensei will follow-up on anything I've missed.

"It's not like I'm doing this to skip work or anything," she adds as she pops the final slice into her mouth and gets up.

I rub my temples in frustration.

I know how Fuji-nee is. If someone is injured or unwell in the archery club, she would do her very best to treat them, to the point of even walking them home. And considering Fuji-nee considers Sakura a part of our family just like I do…

"I get it, I get it. I'll go make breakfast now. Please take Sakura's portion to her when I'm done, I'll head to school immediately after this."

I should still make it in time if I make something quick, but I should also make sure it is full of nutrition so Sakura can get well soon. Hmm…how about a quick miso soup, salmon and fried eggs combo, with a side of healthy greens on rice?

As I picture what I want to make, I nod to myself and stride into the kitchen.

"I'm leaving. Please look after Sakura and Fuji-nee, Saber."

"No problem, please have a safe journey, Shirou."

I leave Saber with the duo as I sprint out the manor entrance. In the end, I had no time to go check up on Sakura. Preparing the salmon took too long, and by the time I was done making the meal, Fuji-nee had already stormed into the living room demanding me to leave for school already.

It had taken the better half of Saber's strength to restrain her as I put the final touches onto Sakura's meal, and I gulped down my breakfast immediately after.

Still, Fuji-nee wasn't wrong. There's little over ten minutes till the first bell. It would take an Olympic sprinter to make it on time now.

"…Unless."

I quench the slight bit of guilt inside me as I consider the idea. It's not like I'm doing something bad, and it's not like any Master would attack me in broad daylight.

I just need to put more control into it and make sure it's not too obvious—

"Trace on. (Analysis start.)"

The hammer falls and I direct just a trickle of prana into my legs.

My Circuits spark excitedly again, and I burst forward at the speed of a speeding bicycle.