Disclaimer: I do not own Fate Stay Night, Highschool DxD or anything else.

Fate: Devil Night

Chapter2: Counterfeit I

Human World
Japan: Fuyuki
Emiya Residence

He remembered it perfectly…

It was his first memory after all…

The day that it all began…

He'd been walking endlessly through the flames, slowly fading away into nothing. The air was thick with ash and smoke as the fires burned around him. The dead and the dying were everywhere, their bodies burned beyond recognition. Buildings crumbled, the streets melted, and nothing but devastation was around him. Finally he fell, his body giving out due to the burns he had sustained, and he lay down to die on the charred ground as the rain started. The person he used to be disappeared from the world that day, and the person he was now looked up at the man that saved him in the end.

He could still remember that man's smile…

"Gah!" Emiya Shirou bolted to the side and banged his head on the steel case that was sitting beside him. "Son of a-" he gritted out as he held his now aching head.

Wait—what just happened? Dear Kami, his head was spinning and his vision was blurry. Shaking himself slightly as he felt the pain dull, he looked around him and sighed. He was in his shed-workshop surrounded by useless junk, most of it machinery that he had been trying to fix and sell for extra cash. He figured he'd need the money for a trip to Germany once he was no longer a minor and could finally get around to saving Illya and Chloe from the Einzberns.

Never mind that for now…

Was it morning already? Oh man, Ravel, Sakura and Taiga would be over soon for breakfast. He still needed to make breakfast for them all and take a quick shower before school started. He sighed again and stood up to dust himself off before heading towards the door. Looking down at himself he saw that he was still wearing his work clothes that he wore whenever he did most of his repairs and decided to throw it in the laundry when he got the chance.

It was filthy…

Thinking back on what he was dreaming about before his rather violent awakening, he sighed and shook his head. How long had it been since he'd had that dream? A few years at least, probably more since he had long since moved passed it. Shaking his head as the last of the pain dulled, he looked around as his vision started to clear up a bit. He was sitting up in the center of his shed-workshop, a bunch of mundane tools lying around him. He had stored most of his father's notes in the back of the shed, away from anyone that might stumble in here from time to time like a certain Tiger who will be left unnamed.

Or a certain other girl he knew…

"Sempai?" a voice greeted him the moment that he opened the door and stepped out into the yard.

Speak of the devil and she shall appear…

No, not that devil…

"Sakura?" Shirou blinked in surprise.

Matou Sakura was a girl he knew, one that spent most of her mornings and evenings before and after school coming over to his house. She was kind and beautiful, with long purple hair and currently wearing the Homurahara Academy uniform. Shirou had originally met her years ago after a small altercation between himself and her brother, a really mean piece of work called Shinji. He knew about of the three 'Founding Families' of the Holy Grail Wars and didn't really like Shinji that much. He had seen Shinji yelling Sakura one day at the park and had proceeded to knock the Matou heir flat on his ass with a punch to the face.

"Good morning Sempai," Sakura smiled back at him calmly. "I was just about to come and wake you. It's almost time for breakfast, and both Phenex-san and Fujimura-sensei are already here."

Those two were already here?

Crap…

He hadn't even started cooking yet…

"I'm sorry," Shirou apologized. "I must have overslept."

"No more than usual," Sakura returned with her own shy smile as she blushed. "It's okay Sempai, I've already done most of it. Anyway I will always wake you up when you sleep in, Sempai."

She really was a lifesaver at times…

Still…

"Are you alright?" Shirou asked with a hint of worry in his voice. "Your face is red."

"Never mind," Sakura shook herself and turned away. "We should start making breakfast before Fujimura-sensei arrives."

Shirou blinked as he watched her disappear into the main house…

"…Huh?"

A lot had changed for Ravel Phenex over the last four years, both good and bad. After first meeting Shirou and discovering exactly what had happened concerning the 'collapse' of the two worlds, she had informed the higher-ups in Devil Society about what she had learned. Needless to say that the uproar it caused was immense, and was soon followed by a number of direct confrontations between the devils and the Mage's Association operating out of Europe.

Because of her discovery she had been given a bit more leeway and was appointed as the devils' primary representative in Fuyuki in order to keep an eye on things. After the 'collapse' all devils had been recalled from the Human world for a while including the little sisters of both Serafall Leviathan and the Sirzechs Lucifer. It was only after she had met Shirou and informed the higher-ups about the source of the 'collapse' that devils started to return to the Human world. The 'Greater Grail' beneath Mount Enzou was being regarded as a highly dangerous magical artefact and the higher-ups wanted to remain informed of any changes in it. Of course since Fuyuki was primarily a Magi-controlled city she had to keep a low-profile and had taken to spending most of her time at the Emiya Residence.

It had nothing to do with the food that Shirou made…

Honest…

Shirou yawned slightly as he exited his room now dressed in his school uniform for the day and closed the door behind him. He'd gone to the bathroom in order to grab a shower before heading to his room to get dressed. He looked himself over to make sure that there was nothing out of place and then proceeded toward the living room where Sakura was no doubt waiting. Indeed upon entering the room he spotted Sakura in the kitchen at the back in front of the stove and Ravel waiting patiently at the table.

"Hey Ravel," Shirou waved as he walked around the table and towards the kitchen. "Breakfast will be ready in a minute," he quickly put on an apron and walked up next to the lone purple-haired girl. "Here, let me help."

"Sempai?" Sakura blinked in surprise for a second before nodding and stepping to the side. "I was just about to start," he nodded in understanding and slipped on an apron. Sakura smiled slightly as the two started cooking breakfast together, something that had become a familiar sight in the morning.

Naturally just as they were finished a certain Tiger arrived…

"Shirou! Sakura-chan! Ravel-chan! Where's the food?!" Fujimura Taiga yelled as she slid the door open and stepped into the living room.

"Good morning to you too Fuji-nee," Shirou greeted with an annoyed look.

She was such a freeloader…

Ravel had met Taiga and Sakura years ago when she first started visiting Shirou. Sakura from what she understood was a member of the Matou, a Magi family and one of the founders of the Holy Grail Wars. Though apparently the Matou family's Magecraft had degraded over the years to the point that they no longer had Magic Circuits let alone a Magic Crest. Taiga on the other hand appeared to be the granddaughter of the main yakuza group in Fuyuki and a mundane teacher at the local academy that Ravel now attended with Shirou and Sakura.

She rather liked them both actually…

They were good people…

"Are you done yet?" Ravel asked starting to get impatient.

She hated it when he overslept…

"And a good morning to you," Taiga smiled back completely uncaring at his tone. "Where's the food?"

"It's right here Fujimura-sensei," Sakura answered as she started setting plates of food down on the table.

"I am starving," Taiga said as she sat down at the table. "I've got a staff meeting to attend today and I do not want to do it on an empty stomach."

"Finally," Ravel breathed as she gazed longingly at the food in front of her.

'Another day, another morning where Fuji-nee and Ravel leeches off of my and Sakura's cooking,' Shirou thought with a sigh as he and Sakura sat down too. 'And I wouldn't have it any other way.'

If only Illya and Chloe were here too then that would be even better in his opinion…

"Itadakimasu."

Human World
Japan: Fuyuki
Copenhagen

Emiya Shirou sighed as he cleaned the tables and picked up the empty glasses. After his father died, Shirou didn't want to rely on others for money or living expenses so he had decided to find a part-time job. Even with the Emiya Residence having been paid off, it was still being managed mostly by Taiga's grandfather Fujimura Raiga. Shirou had been managing it more and more lately but he had still needed a job to pay for food and drink.

Taiga had come to him with an answer, she'd talked with her old friend Hotaruzuka Otoko—or Neko as she preferred—and gotten Shirou a part-time job working at the Copenhagen over in Shinto Town. It was a liquor store and pub run by Otoko's father. Shirou had been working there ever since and he couldn't be more thankful for that. While his father was many things, rich certainly wasn't one of them, and it was only thanks to Taiga that Shirou wasn't struggling to get by.

The bar was only occupied by two others who were sitting at a table at the back when the door opened slowly and a man walked in. He was tall, looking to be in his late twenties and wore a long maroon coloured coat. He also had black hair with blond bangs, a black goatee and violet eyes. He looked around calmly at the bar before his eyes settled on the counter and he walked over. He took a seat without a word and waved over at Otoko as she stepped out of the back door.

"Hey Otoko," the man waved. "Got anything to drink?"

"Of course," Otoko smiled back. "The usual?"

"Yes," the man nodded with a grin.

"Coming right up, Azazel-san," Otoko said as she picked up an empty glass and walked over to the taps to get him his drink.

Azazel turned his head and looked over at Shirou as the redhead carried the empty glasses to the counter. He was one of the bar's regulars, usually coming in about an hour or two before the bar closed and drinking until he ran out of cash for the night. Shirou had talked with him a few times but had always tried to stay out of his way, after all, Azazel wasn't human. He wasn't sure what Azazel was, only that he clearly wasn't human judging by the amount of prana he was seemingly releasing subconsciously. One of his abilities as a Magus was that he could interpret foreign prana by smell, and whenever he was near Azazel, it was like standing next to a nesting bird.

Not even Ravel gave off that kind of prana…

"Hey Shirou," Azazel waved with a smirk. "How's it going?"

"I'm doing fine," Shirou nodded as he picked up a cloth and started cleaning the empty glasses. "And you?"

"I'm better than fine," Azazel replied.

Otoko returned a few seconds later and handed Azazel his drink. He paid for it like he usually did and picked up the glass. It wasn't long after he'd started drinking that he asked for another, and another, and another, until finally he'd had enough. After paying for one final drink, he stood up and waved to them as he left. He disappeared out the door and into the night with them both watching him go. Shirou let out a small sigh of relief and turned towards the now empty bar since the other couple had already left too. A few minutes later Shirou started stacking the chairs on the table while Otoko counted up the register and closed up the bar for the night.

"That's it," Otoko spoke with a smile. "We're done."

Shirou nodded and quickly put away his mop and bucket of water. It only took a moment to empty the bucket and dump a fresh batch of bleached water into it along with the mop. He turned away in time to see Otoko finish up in the back and lock the door to the place where they stored all of the barrels. After making their way outside Otoko turned around and closed the door. She locked it a second later and then turned towards him.

"I'll see you later," Shirou said with another nod. "Good night Neko-san."

"Don't push yourself Emi-yan," Otoko smiled as she started walking away. "Good night."

Shirou watched her go with a sigh and then turned away. He needed to catch the bus into Miyama Town and if he missed it he would have to wait another hour for the next one. Deciding to hurry, he quickly made his way through the dimly lit streets towards the bus stop, and hopefully the bus. He admittedly hated night shifts at the Copenhagen because it was usually around midnight by the time he got home but since he only had to work weekends he could sleep in the next day without worrying about waking up early for school or archery practice.

Sweet Kami he was tired…

He was about halfway to the bus stop when he came across an unusual sight, a young girl with black hair was standing in the middle of the empty road looking around for something. Now this might not seem so strange, however that was without taking into account the fact that she looked to be around ten years old and was standing alone in the middle of a dimly lit street. Was she lost? Where were her parents? Why was she out here alone at night?

He decided to ask…

"Excuse me," Shirou spoke up. "Are you lost?"

Idly he noticed how wrong this situation might look to others, a young girl not even into her teens being confronted by a strange man in the middle of an empty street at night. He cringed at the mental image as he recalled his father's notes on the activities of Uryuu Ryuunosuke from the last Grail War and how he had kidnapped innocent children off the streets of Fuyuki city ten years ago. The man was insane and Shirou was thankful that his father had put an end to that monster.

"…I'm looking for the Hyatt Hotel," the girl answered in a monotone voice.

Shirou blinked in confusion as he recalled the name and where it was located. It was a newly built hotel ten stories tall and stood on the grounds of where the old one used to be. His father had destroyed the old one in order to try and kill Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi, his wife Soli-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri and his Servant Lancer. The attempt failed thanks to one of Kayneth's Mystic Codes, however after the war ended the whole building had to be rebuilt from the ground up.

He had to admit that his father was badass at times…

"It's not far from here," Shirou told her as he pointed down the street on his left. "It's about a ten minute walk in that direction."

"…Thank you," the girl said before she started walking.

Shirou watched her go for a second and looked around at the still empty street. Was he really going to let her walk alone through the city at night like this? There was no telling what kind of sick people were prowling the streets looking for trouble. He glanced back at the path leading towards the bus stop and then sighed having come to a decision. It looked like he would be arriving home late tonight because there was no way he would be able to catch the bus now.

"Hey wait up," Shirou called as he quickly followed after her. "A kid like you shouldn't be wondering the streets at night, where are your parents anyway?"

"…I don't have any parents," the girl responded quietly almost robotically.

What was with this girl?

"I'm sorry," Shirou told her. "I didn't mean to bring it up."

"Why?" the girl questioned as they kept walking.

"Why what?" Shirou asked confused.

"Why are you sorry?" the girl questioned further.

Shirou merely stared at her with an incomprehensive look and his eyes narrowed as he realised something important. Whoever this girl was, she wasn't acting like a normal girl would in her situation. She was alone walking through a dark and quiet street with a stranger yet she barely seemed to even notice that fact. She wasn't running away or screaming like he had expected, instead she was following the path he had pointed out to her.

"What's your name?" Shirou asked her.

"Miyu," the girl answered simply.

"My name is Emiya Shirou, it's nice to meet you Miyu-san."

It wasn't long before they reached the Hyatt Hotel where Miyu bowed her head to him for escorting her and thanked him for his help before disappearing inside. Shirou stood there for a moment before heading back the way he came and then onto the bus stop. He had to wait another thirty minutes for the next bus to arrive but that was fine because he had a lot to think about. There was something about that girl, something familiar, a connection of some sort that he just couldn't pin down.

The bus arrived and he quickly got on. After sitting down on one of the seats it wasn't long before the bus travelled across the bridge and into Miyama Town. He got off the bus soon after and walked the rest of the way home. It was quiet and the streets were empty just like in Shinto but he didn't really notice. It was only when he finally reached the Emiya Residence that he really took note of his surroundings, specifically the fact that the Bounded Fields around his home were registering someone inside.

Someone he knew…

"Ravel?" Shirou asked as he slid the living room door open and saw her sitting at the table.

"Shirou," Ravel responded immediately. "We need to talk."

"About what?" Shirou asked further.

"Not here," she replied as she stood up from the table.

Shirou nodded at her words and despite his confusion he stood aside as she walked passed him. He slid the living room door closed behind him and followed her down the corridor. A short trip outside into the courtyard was followed by them entering the lone shed on the property, Shirou's workshop and possibly the most secure place in the household. The amount of Bounded Fields he now had over it—some of which were demonic thanks to Ravel—had turned it into a fortress. The moment they entered the shed, Shirou closed the door behind him and sealed it shut.

"So what is this about?" Shirou inquired.

He noticed that she was looking both frazzled and tired, like she had been stressing herself out. He hadn't seen her since breakfast that morning, though that wasn't really surprising considering it was the weekend. She usually returned to her home in the Underworld to visit her family on weekends so he never really saw her, which made the current situation all the more confusing. It must have been something serious otherwise she wouldn't be here now, of that there was no doubt.

"It's complicated," Ravel began. "I went home to visit my parents and brothers like I normally do every weekend but something came up. My family are trying to keep it a secret but it's only a matter of time before it becomes known, and we can't let that happen."

"What happened?" Shirou asked the question.

"My family is known throughout the Underworld as the incarnation of the mystical birds called 'Phoenix' and since our abilities reflect that there are certain qualities that many have tried to take from us. We can control fire and wind like we can our own arms and legs. We can resurrect ourselves if we die, and our tears are capable of healing even devils. That last one is the issue here," Ravel explained. "Yesterday a shipment of Phoenix Tears being sold to the armed forces was stolen by what we've identified as Stray Magicians, specifically Magi."

"Magi?" Shirou narrowed his eyes at the revelation. "When you say 'Stray' Magicians you mean…"

"Our contacts in the Mage's Association have confirmed that the ones responsible are a family called the Ainsworth," Ravel continued. "Because of their Magecraft Flash Air they were given a Sealing Designation by the Clock Tower and the heirs fled before the Enforcers could get them. The head of the family—Zachary Ainsworth—was killed but the Enforcers weren't able to recover his body or the Phoenix Tears."

"…Why are you telling me this?" Shirou asked as a sudden feeling of cold dread hit him like a freight train.

"Because we've tracked them down," Ravel answered knowingly. "They're here in Fuyuki city."

Well shit…

That changed things…

No wonder Ravel looked so exhausted right now, her family's reputation was hanging in the balance not only because of the theft but also because of Ravel's own interest in Fuyuki. If it became known that a group of rogue Magi were in possession of her family's prized Phoenix Tears then not only would the 'rivals' of the Phenex clan use it as ammunition against them but there was no telling what the Ainsworths were going to use the Phoenix Tears for.

"I'll help anyway I can," Shirou said finally.

Long ago his father had pulled him from the fire that spread throughout Fuyuki city and saved him. The man had raised him as his own son and Shirou thanked him every day since then. He had inherited Kiritsugu's ideal of 'Salvation' and his desire to be a hero, however Shirou had no idea how to pursue either one. How can someone be saved? Should he save their lives? Should he save them from their fates? Should he save them from living in a harsh world? What was a hero? One person's hero was another person's villain, so what did it mean to be a hero? What about Illya and Chloe? How was he to save them?

He didn't have an answer…

What did it mean to 'save' someone?

He had spent the last five years since his father died searching for the meaning of salvation, and still he had no answer. But that was okay, he didn't care if it took a lifetime, he would find the answer and become the hero his father could not. That's why when he saw just how distressed Ravel actually was, he had chosen to help her. He would save her family from the embarrassment that could befall them and become her hero.

Yes…

That sounded good to him…

"Just like that," Ravel said in partial disbelief. "You'd help me just like that, why?"

"You're my friend," Shirou told her. "I don't need any other reason than that."

She was a friend, someone he cared for, and someone he wasn't about to abandon just because it might be inconvenient for him. She'd come to him for help, even if she hadn't outright asked him for it, and he wanted to help her. He wasn't doing this for her family, he was doing this for her because she was his friend and that was all that mattered to him. It didn't matter that she was a devil or a phoenix, she was still his friend.

Nothing else mattered to him…

"Idiot," Ravel muttered as she looked away.

Honestly, how could he say something like that with a straight face?

"Let's get started."

Author's Notes:

Here is chapter 2 and as you can see everything is progressing in its own way. No Issei this chapter and in all honesty he won't be in it for a while yet. I have plans for him but that's two whole story arcs away and won't be happening anytime soon. As for Shirou, as you can see he's developing differently than in canon and is searching for an answer to what it means to be a hero. On another note yes I have introduced Miyu and the Ainsworth family into the story. Cue the squeals…

Please Read and Review.

See Ya Later…