"Talking"

'Thinking'

"Master/Servant Link"

Noble Phantasm


Chapter 14: One Faker to another

Archer's face was blank following the declaration. His steel grey eyes portrayed no emotion as the young girl stared up at him.

Illya looked between the two in worry. She hadn't seen Archer silence himself like that since they figured out who he was, something that her duplicate had said had clearly gotten to him, enough so that he wasn't reacting much at the moment.

"Well?" The duplicate asked, sneer still on her face "What do you have to say, Onii-chan?"

"You're not just some clone, are you?" He eventually replied, voice monotone. The duplicate stared at him for a few moments before laughing. Illya almost winced, it was the same ugly and hollow laugh that she'd heard Archer release once.

"No…" She shook her head, mirthless chuckles dying down "I'm older...that 'personality' of hers...that buried me...I'm Illya. The real one…"

"I see." Archer nodded his head "The class card...it is a key to the soul. If gave you the opportunity to free yourself."

"Yeah." She sniffed "Can you blame me? Wanting to live my own life!"

"…"

"Well!" She threw up her hands "She stole everything from me!" she pointed at Illya "I was supposed to exist! And she wants to be a 'Hero of Justice'!? Parade around like some fool! With the life she stole from me!?" her voice went hoarse as tears threatened to spill down her cheeks. Illya was looking between the two of them, then noticed something in Archer's eyes that she hadn't seen before.

Pity.

"Your anger is...understandable." Archer eventually said, then raised his bow again and drew back another arrow "However...I cannot have you endanger her life...and we both know you won't stop."

The tanned girl scoffed and wiped her eyes, a copy of Archer's bow came into existence in her arms. The pair mirroring eachother "Well...I am your sister…"

"No...you're not…" Archer denied instantly "You're too much like me…"

Two arrows were released.


Irisviel heard the explosions in the distance. Her eyes went wide with concern, Rin to the side of her similarly paused briefly as the pair listened to the intensity of the blasts. The Einzbern bounded field around the Forest was near enough to this border, if the pair crossed it then anyone would eventually notice the sounds of fighting.

"Hurry Rin!" Irisviel shouted, trying her best to run in her white dress and high heels. She wasn't very good at it, she would admit to herself. Eventually she just kicked the shoes off and reinforced the skin on her feet and broke out into a sprint.

Rin following her as the pair raced through the forest in the direction of explosions.


Kuro, she's taken to calling herself that, the opposite of Illya. She felt it was fitting, she was her replacements opposite. She just wanted a chance to live. She never got that, being trapped in a prison where she could see someone else living her life.

Making friend...

Being loved...

Experiencing joy…

None of what she saw was what she herself felt. It was all her replacements feelings. She was denied her life before she even had a chance. Her entire personality was buried just so her mother and father could make her forget whatever her true purpose was.

In truth, Kuro couldn't remember herself...well...not until the dreams anyway.

She almost released a bitter chuckle when she found out what her original purpose had been, to be sacrificed for some cursed wish...the dreams of Archer were as clear to her as they were to the...other Illya.

The life her parents had saved her from...only to cast her aside and replace her with some bright eyed naive idiot who was taken in by some happy smile and a childish dream.

"Why are you doing this!?" The idiot shouted out at her in shock "We don't need to fight!"

"Yes." Kuro replied in a dark tone "We do." and that was all the reply she needed to give, Onii-chan knew what she meant. She could see it in his silver eyes, the way they darted away briefly in confusion and guilt.

Perhaps it was his Class Card influencing her decision making in why she was so willing to go so far to kill Illya...or perhaps these were her own thoughts on the matter. The Class card had been crying out...guiding her movements in a way that allowed her to keep pace with Archer.

Although she could see he was split on the topic, his movements were stiff and he kept losing focus. He was fighting his own battle in his head about whether or not she was right. Kuro knew it...because they felt the same way about Illya's dream.

"You know how it will end for her…" Kuro muttered as she held the married blades in an 'X' shaped block in front of her. Archer's Kanshou smashed into the guard and caused Kuro to buckle slightly under the force, although she knew if he truly wanted her dead she would be "If she keeps pursuing that stupid idea she has in her head. You know what will happen."

"There's no guarantee of that." Archer replied with narrowed eyes "She was never hollow like him. She might….she might give it up."

"Really?" Kuro snarked back and pushed his blade away from her and back-flipped, the blades were dismissed and her bow came back into her hands. Her movements were a blur as she fired forth nearly half a dozen arrows as she flew through the air.

Although she was still too slow for Archer, he kicked off the ground and into the air. His arm flew out and brought forth a shield, Dubán the shield of Cu Chulainn. It had a useful skill for him which worked in a similar manner of his protection of arrows skill. In that any projectile he could see being launched would not break through. It didn't work against high level Noble Phantasms of Rank C or those with the blessings of the Gods...but against the girl, it was more than enough.

Archer remained steadfast as the shield intercepted the arrows, the subtle pangs off of its surface ended and Archer dismissed it. He narrowed his eyes and descended back to the ground. He thrust out his hand as Kuro landed in the tree tops and spoke aloud "Trace On." within moments, nearly a dozen swords manifested behind him.

Kuro briefly widened her eyes before they narrowed, Archer let his hand fall and the projectiles were let loose.

"No!" Illya shouted out "Ruby!" she thrust the mystic code out and let loose a barrage of pink energy projectiles. The swords shot forth were quickly intercepted and destroyed, Archer flashed Illya a look of disbelief which quickly morphed into a glare.

"What are you doing?" He demanded, Kuro let out a bitter chuckle and turned to Archer with a knowing expression.

"Well? What do you think she was doing...Onii-chan?" She smirked, although her eyes showed venom within.

"You…" Illya fixed Archer with the best determined expression she could manage "You were going to kill her…"

"She's going to kill you." Archer replied in an annoyed tone "That's all she's going to do."

"He's right." Kuro spoke up "After that little stunt...I think I'm more determined than ever now."

"Why?" Illya turned to her with a pleading expression "What did I ever do to you?"

"You rejected everything I ever wanted." Kuro snarled "Even seeing what happens to Onii-chan because of that pathetic little ideal...you'll still pursue it."

"Because its not wrong to save people!"

"Even me!?" Kuro sneered "I'm. Trying. To. Kill. You!" she punctuated each word "And you'll still what...Save me?"

"Yes." Illya nodded "Because...because I don't want to see anyone get hurt…"

Archer took in a breath as his face morphed into a frown, Kuro looked over at him and raised a single eyebrow while gesturing at Illya "You see? She's got something worse than him…"

Archer turned back to her, his expression torn between anger and panic "I know…" he muttered.

"She's got hope that it'll all work out...that it'll all be some big fairytail adventure!" Kuro screamed out as her eyes watered "That's why she'll throw away everything! Its because she's got some childish hope in her that she'll never outgrow as long as she has her stupid little dream...She'll never stop…"

Archer faltered slightly as he looked away briefly "She...I can stop her…"

"No you can't." Kuro shut him down "Her trying to save me just proved it." she scoffed "She's dumb enough to try and save her enemies."

"Its not wrong to-" Illya tried to argue, only for Kuro to cut her off with a mocking tone.

"Its not wrong to save people." She sneered "Yeah, but you want to save everyone...idiot. Even knowing that Onii-chan ruined his life doing it!" she pointed at Archer "You think he enjoys this!? You think he thinks of himself as a good old 'Hero of Justice'!?"

Illya bit her lip and looked away "That doesn't make it wrong…" she weakly muttered, Kuro stared at her in disbelief for a few moments before she looked at Archer and frown "If you had come here and found a younger version of yourself spouting this nonsense...what would you do?"

Archer looked down at Kuro for a few moments, his eyes betrayed his concern before he looked over at Illya and Miyu. The pair stared at him apprehensively before he closed his eyes and released a sigh "I would have broken his spirit. Torn down those pathetic ideals he lofted so highly...then, and only when I was certain that the man who was Emiya Shirou was destroyed, I would kill him."

Illya felt as though her body turned to ice, she vaguely heard Miyu gasp next to her as her eyes locked onto Archer's. Desperately searching for any indication that what he said was merely a lie and that he hadn't wanted to kill her brother...kill himself in such a way.

Yet as she stared, transfixed by the silver orbs, she saw no deception in him...He was being truthful...he wanted to...to…

"W-why?" Illya croaked out, Archer stared her down with an unreadable expression.

"I told you." He replied, face blank "Emiya Shirou was a mistake...My life was a mistake, thus if I could prevent it...I saw no reason to deny that task." he looked down at his hand and clenched it "It also remained my hope that I could use his death to erase myself...although as you can imagine that is no longer viable…" he looked back to Illya "Considering what has become of Emiya Shirou now…"

"Y-you were...you were going to…" Illya stuttered and backed away slightly.

"I was." Archer nodded "If he had developed any of the signs, I was more than willing to end him."

When Illya didn't reply and instead looked on him in shock with Miyu sporting a similar expression, he scoffed and turned back to Kuro with a hardened glare "Which is why I know she'll never give up in trying to kill you." his hands opened up as blue energy began to form around them "And why this is for the best."

Kuro stared Archer down before she huffed "Honestly...to think I blew my one chance of getting her before you got here..." she shrugged "Still... May as well give it my all!" She dashed forwards, the married blades forming in her hands as she threw everything she had into her strike.

Which Archer blocked with only a single blade. Kuro had barely a moment to realise what had happened before Archers armoured boot slammed into her sternum. The girl gave a soundless cry of pain as the air was forced from her body and sent her sprawling along the ground.

Kuro landed on her face and wheezed, she attempted to stand but only dissolved into a coughing fit.

Archer traced his bow and pulled back an arrow, preparing to kill the young girl.

"Archer! Don-" Illya attempted to shout out when Archer released the arrow.

The young girl watched in muted horror as the arrow streaked towards Kuro... Only to be intercepted by a wire dove.

Archer had barely a moment to realise what had happened before a wire sword struck his side and sent him launching into the trees.

The servant blinked in surprise, he wasn't injured in anyway, but it was still the shock of actually being hit which caught him off guard.

By the time he got to his feet, he could already feel the scowl forming on his face as he saw Irisviel standing protectively in front of the girl, with a rather confused Rin standing off to the side.

"Irisviel." Archer spoke on a steel tone as he got to his feet "Move."

"No." The woman replied with a look of determination "Because if I move, you'll do something you'll regret."

"I doubt that." He pulled his bow back again and prepared another arrow "A servant killing an enemy of their Master is natural. What is there to regret about serving my function?"

"Function?" Irisviel frowned "Us that how you see yourself? As a machine... Will that let you kill this little girl?"

"She's not the first child I've killed and I doubt she'll be the last." He instantly replied "You still don't seem to understand that by every definition of the word I am a killer."

"You're my son as well." She narrowed her eyes "Don't think I didn't hear you saying you were going to kill Shirou. If you even think... For a single second that I would allow something like that... You're every bit the dense idiot he is right now."

"Move...or I will move you."

"No." She blanked her expression "If you want to kill her. You'll have to get through me first."

"Now she cares..." Kuro muttered under her breath and scoffed as she watched the standoff.

"Why does it matter so much?" Archer asked "It was your daughter she was trying to kill."

"And its my son trying to kill his sister." Her face morphed into one of anger "And its my son apparently trying to kill himself as well... And we will have words about that..."

Archer clicked his tongue "You've already decided to take her in... Haven't you? Despite the risk she represents."

"Of course I have." Irisviel huffed and crossed her arms "She's my daughter."

Kuro released a bitter chuckle "Oh... Now I'm your kid? Little late for that isn't it?"

"And as your mother..." Irisviel continued as she turned to the tanned girl "I believe we have to discuss some things..."


"Old man…" Shirou asked as he continued to reassemble the Calico as best he could, is was taking a while although Kiritsugu would admit that it was certainly a bit faster than when he first attempted to reassemble a gun.

"Yes, Shirou?" He asked as he looked up from his book.

"I just got...a really weird feeling just now…"

"Like a shiver up your spine?"

"...Yeah…"

"That'll be your mother." Kiritsugu sighed "I feel sorry for whoever she's angry with."

"...Huh…" Shirou shrugged and went back to work "Last time I got this feeling was in that...weird dream with Sa-" he cut himself and the gun fell limply from his hands as his eyes went wide.

"Shirou?" Kiritsugu looked at him with slight concern "What's wrong?"

"S-Sakura…" Shirou choked out in realisation, he snapped his head to Kiritsugu with panic in his eyes "She's still with Zouken...The...he's still with her…." his breathing picked up as he pushed away from the table.

Kiritsugu recognised it as a panic attack and pulled himself up "Shirou." he crossed the distance and placed his arms around his shoulders "Shirou. You're having a panic attack. Breathe." Shirou was still panting as his eyes darted around the room "Breathe...calm yourself Shirou...deep breaths…."

He pulled Shirou in a hug and began to stroke the back of his head "I'm right here Shirou...I'm right here…"

"Sa-Sakura…" Shirou pleaded "She's...she's still with Zouken...Oh...Oh God….We...I've got to…"

"Calm down first…" Kiritsugu replied "Sakura...she's that girl from your dream. Tell me...Why do we need to get her away from Zouken?"


"I did nothing wrong here!" Kuro argued "I have the right to be angry with myself."

"And I have the right to be an overly concerned mother." Irisviel smiled as stared down at the tanned girl, then frowned "For starters...we'll need to do something about that outfit."

"No!" Kuro shouted "Let me go!" and then struggled against the wires restraining her, she'd expended much of her magical energy in her duel with Archer which had, rather unfortunately for her, left her unable to break free of the restraints.

"If I do that you'll just misbehave again." She shook her head "What I'm going to do is take you home...then we'll have a nice...long talk about what you were thinking of doing...yes?"

"Take her home?" Archer raised an eyebrow "She's not some stray dog."

"She's not." Irisviel agreed "But we are in need of answers." she stared down at Kuro "...We all have questions...I suppose…"

"Tch." Kuro clicked her tongue "Fine…" he glared at Illya "We're on a time out...don't expect it to last however."

"What the heck is going on!?" Rin screamed out and pulled at her hair "Will someone please explain that to me instead!?"


"Welcome back, Iri." Kiritsugu greeted the woman as she opened the door, then looked past her with a raised eyebrow at the gaggle of people following her "I...see you've been busy." his eyes travelled along the group then eventually fell on Kuro and Illya before narrowing "Hmph." he grunted and walked back into the house.

"I'm sure he'll warm up to you~" Irisviel sang as she pushed the tanned girl into the house "It'll just take time."

"Tch." Archer grunted and walked into the house "Where's the idiot?"

"He's…" Kiritsugu sighed "We've got some things to discuss…" he turned around "He's...remembered something important from his dreams…He's upstairs right now...he'll be down in a few moments."

"Seems to be a running theme around here." Archer grunted and shook his head "We've got the duplicate...And now we're going to get some answers from this whole mess…"

They both sighed out loud and pinched the bridge of their noses, Irisviel giggled when she saw the pair mirror eachother.

"Now then!" She white haired woman announced "We're going to do 'Ask mama Iri anything'"

"Great…" Archer muttered under his breath. Rin shook Luvia slightly, the woman still tired exhausted from having her mana stolen from her and given the murderous look she was shooting the innocent looking duplicate of Illya, he could guess what happened.

"Now then!" Irisviel began "Who wants to ask first?"

"...Who the hell is Archer?" Rin asked "You're all acting way too chummy with him." she narrowed her eyes "Don't think I didn't see you calling him your son."

"He's Shirou from the future." She replied immediately. Rin blinked once, then twice. Then looked at Archer. Luvia scrunched up her face as well as the pair stared him over.

"Counter guardian." Archer shrugged his shoulders, then smirked at the panicked expression he got in return from the pair of them.

"...What the…" Rin looked between everyone then let out a sigh and palmed her face "Nevermind….I don't want to know anymore…"

"Its not too bad." Irisviel gave her a slight smile "Now, does anyone else-"

"Why did you seal me away?" Kuro asked in a dull tone, everyone turned to her with confused expressions.

Kuro looked around at the dumbfounded expressions, then released a bitter laugh "Oh...Oh I see...you…" her laugh got louder and more exaggerated "You didn't even know, did you!? Hahaha...You trapped me in her mind...and you didn't even mean to do it! Hahahahaha!"

Kiritsugu narrowed his eyes as Irisviels expression dropped, unperturbed Kuro continued on "Absolutely brilliant...What was it you wanted, huh!? Did you want her to live a normal life!? 'Oh Illya, you can just forget all that nasty mage business and live as a normal girl' and just snap your fingers!" she sneered at them "That was it wasn't it...that's what you wanted from her...a normal little girl...So you just locked away all those nasty little secrets of yours didn't you! I bet you didn't even realise that all those memories you sealed away were part of a personality...my personality!" her laugh died down "So I got a front row seat to watch someone else live my life…"

"Listen...I…" Irisviel went to speak "I never…"

"I wouldn't care that much." Kuro shrugged "Sure...It sucked...it was Hell...but at least she was happy, eh? But then came the class cards...and I got to watch her spit all over what was taken from me...she couldn't even appreciate what I was denied…" her eyes fell on Archer "I don't know which of us had it worse...You get to see your little Sister turn into you...and I get to see everything ever hoped to have turn to dust…"

"But you're here now…" Illya argued "You can live your life…"

"As what!?" She snapped to Illya "Your shadow? Some clone of you!? Its the other way around! You stole my life and then threw it away! What's worse is that I can't have it back!" she turned to Irisviel "Because I'm not human...I can't live without magical energy or the class card." she scoffed "You live the life as a mage...and I can't even live the life as a normal girl…" she looked Irisviel in the eyes "You may as well send me to the Einzberns...at least they'll have some use for me."

Irisviel and Kiritsugu looked at eachother before looking back at Kuro, Kiritsugu eventually spoke up "That...is no longer possible."

"What?" Kuro blinked in surprise "Why?"

"They are gone." Archer spoke up "I should have figured. They'd have never allowed the pair of you to escape with the Grails vessel." he shook his head, Kuro looked at him in shock "They're dead. What lives in this house is likely all that remains of their thousand year family."

"W-what?" Kuro recoiled in shock and looked around "Then...What...What am I?" she slumped herself "Just kill me...Onii-chan…" she looked up at Archer and gave him a shaky smile "...Please...just kill me...I don't care anymore…"

"Do you want to die?" A voice cut through, Kuro looked to the side to see Shirou staring down at her with an unreadable expression "Do you really want to die?"

"Yes…" Kuro choked out and looked away "I don't belong anywhere...what's left for me here? Some shadow existence as a fake being…"

"So you're fake…" Shirou shrugged "Who cares?" Kuro snapped her head back to him with a confused expression "So's he." he nodded over to Archer, who scowled at him but said nothing "So what if you're a faker…" he smirked "No one ever said a fake existence holds no value...its your life isn't it...if you can't find a place for yourself to belong...then make one." he awkwardly scratched the back of his head "Also...I don't think Irisviel is going to let you go that easily…"

"No I most certainly am not!" The white haired woman stated, then picked Kuro up in a hug "I don't care what you think of yourself. You're as much my daughter as Illyasviel is...What is your name?"

"...You're just asking this now?" Kuro chuckled "...I've been calling myself Kuro…"

"Chloe then!"

"You just..." Kuro shook her head as the tears fell from her eyes "You can't just accept me all these years later...its not fair..."

"I'm your mother." Irisviel hugged her tighter "I'm not suppose to be fair..." she stroked the back of the girls head "And...I'm so, so sorry...my little Chloe..." her own eyes began to tear up "I'm so sorry..."

"I'm not talking about that." Chloe shook herself free "It's not fair to me! You think you can just... Just say 'Sorry' and I'll decide to accept it just like that?" she scoffed at Irisviels hurt expression "You don't... You think you can just say 'But I'm your mother' don't you?" she shook her head and threw up her arms "I'm too tired for this... You want to accept me as your family? Fine... I'm going to my room...not the same one as little miss Hero of Justice over there." she huffed and pointed at Illya. She stomped out of the room, ignoring Irisviels calls for her name.

Kiritsugu turned to Illya and seemed to age nearly thirty years with how horrified his expression was "L-little miss...what?" he whispered to himself.

"Terrific…" Archer and Kiritsugu muttered "You all seem to have a lot to think on...I've got homework to mark so-"

"W-wait...Archer…" Shirou called out, the tanned man turned to him with a raised eyebrow "I...I need help…"

"Help." Archer replied "Help with what?"

"That…" Kiritsugu stepped forwards "That is what we needed to discuss." he sighed "It concerns the...other...matter with the Class Cards...and Matou Zouken…"


AN: Hello guys.

Decided to Re-write a couple of moments, add some more.

Also some of you were complaining about Chloe forgiving them too easily it's not all been washed over in this chapter. It will be a running issue.

Which will continue into the next Chapter

Anyway…

Considering we've effectively cut out all that nonsense with Chloe in the second season we've got something new…

Zouken…

*Chuckles* Yeah...We're going there…

We're going into the Matou basement...