Fate Stay Night – Unlimited Boob Works

Chapter 19

"Devils And Angels"

"Are you sure about this?"

Archer asked the question cautiously.

"At this point, I'm not sure about anything", Rin snapped angrily. "But we'll never win the war by sitting back and doing nothing. Something has to change."

"Oh – ho – ho – so now you care about winning the war? All this time, I thought you were fighting for other motives."

Rin scowled, but said nothing. It was true that their present course of action was a bit reckless. But she couldn't stand the thought of just sitting around at home, waiting to see what would happen. And it felt good to be out again, taking action – any action – even if their present course was a bit foolhardy.

At the moment they were standing on a street in the Shinto district, near the neighborhood where the Neo Fuyuki Tower was located. It was a very fashionable area, popular with young people, full of restaurants, lounges, and arcades, as well as shops that sold games, music, anime, and the like. Normally Archer did not take material form – not in public at least. But given the area's wealth of cosplayers, visual artists and street performers, his leather pants with their straps that crisscrossed his legs and long red coat did not stand out one bit.

Though he did make a rather imposing impression. As they walked down the road, Rin found that people tended to give them a rather wide berth, hugging the sides of the nearby buildings or stepping off the sidewalk, into the street, leaving her a broad path as she walked along beside him.

At the moment their chances of running into trouble seemed relatively low. The crowd that swarmed and teemed around them meant that even if they did run into another Master or Servant, it would be impossible to engage in combat without simultaneously announcing the presence of Mages and the Holy Grail War to all of Fuyuki City – and subsequently the rest of the world.

As it was, the cityscape around them teemed with lights, awash with the glow of blinking signs and illuminated billboards, while the air buzzed with sound. Rin paused for a moment to admire her reflection in the window of an electronics shop, letting herself get lost in the images of dozens of TVs on the other side of the glass.

"Hey – where are you going?" she asked as Archer hung a left, onto the stairs of a nearby fire escape that emerged from an alley between two buildings.

"Up", he answered with his usual impertinence. "I'd like to get a better view."

For a moment she watched as he studied the motions of the people and the layout of the streets below. They were standing on an upper story overlook, some seventeen floors off of the ground. A large sign projected from the side of the building next to them, the leg that supported its bottom edge coming down to join with a large steel bracket that partially hid them from view. Every time the sign cycled to a new message, the lights would change, their colors reflecting in Archer's white hair as red or orange or blue.

That was when she caught sight of a familiar silhouette.

"Beautiful – " Zouken said as he laid his hand on the polished granite countertop. "Very beautiful."

Something about the sight of his yellowed flesh touching the same surfaces where she prepared their breakfast that morning made Sakura's skin crawl.

"It certainly is a lovely house. You've done well in that respect – you've brought no embarrassment to yourself, at least. But I trust you've been making – progress?"

Saber looked up from her seat at a desk in the corner, where she'd been going over some papers. She wasn't wearing her armor, but instead an elegant black silk evening dress.

"Yes, well – " Sakura began awkwardly.

"Lancer?" Zouken demanded imperiously.

"I've deprived him of his spear" Saber answered bluntly.

"Archer?"

"We'll be dealing with Archer very soon."

"The Assassin and Rider we already control. And Saber – " Sakura said sheepishly, stating the obvious.

"Eh – heh – heh – " Assassin's laugh reminded her of the neighing of a horse. Rider bowed formally.

"Caster?" Zouken went on.

"She can no longer use her Noble Phantasm. I can kill her any time I wish. Only the Archer and Berserker remain. Soon all of the pieces will be mine."

Zouken looked at her, then nodded, before turning to Sakura with a wicked smile.

"Very well. I trust you'll kill the boy, then – "

Sakura gasped.

"Oh come – it won't do to leave him alive. No Servant can serve two Masters. We don't want any loose ends."

Sakura pressed her arms to her sides, and took a deep breath.

"No."

Zouken raised an eyebrow.

"Shiro belongs to me."

"You'd DARE defy me!?"

As she looked at him, she fought to surpress the quivering in her spine.

"I told you I would win the Grail for you – and I will. But how I go about it is up to me. My methods are my own."

Zouken glared. As he looked at her, Sakura could feel a line of tension drawing across her face. It settled in the back of her neck, making her shiver until she could see the ends of her own hair shake. But she did not look away.

Zouken glared a moment more. And then he began to laugh.

"Hm – hm – mm – mm – Shinji could learn a thing or two from you. Perhaps the Matou line is not truly dying after all. There may be hope for you yet.

'Very well. Have it your way. I'll leave you up to your own devices – at least for now. But I'll have you know, if at any moment you should falter, I won't hesitate to intervene. And then I shall do things as *I* see fit."

Sakura nodded, then bowed.

"If I should fail, you can use my body as a vessel to summon the Grail. Either way, you will have your prize."

"Oh ho! You cannot possibly know what you are saying. First the White Grail of the Einzberns, and now a Black Grail for the Matou – things are finally beginning to get interesting at last. Yes, I think I shall let them go on for a while longer. But remember what you have said – you will either win the Holy Grail for the Matou family – or become one in its place.

'Come along, Assassin – my granddaughter is going to win the Holy Grail for us."

With that Zouken turned, and went his way. For a moment Assassin lingered, the skull mask grinning as he studied Saber, curious to see if she harbored some grudge, but she had already gone back to her papers, regarding him with indifference. Next he turned to Sakura, but the poor girl was clearly exhausted. Last he turned his eyes towards Rider. For a moment he studied her closely, but the straight line of her mouth where it showed beneath her mask betrayed no hint of emotion whatsoever. And so he made a small, courtly bow, and then he too turned, and went his way, following after his Master.

Looking over, Rin could see the unmistakable silhouette of Illya's winter hat, her long white hair flowing out beneath it, over the dark purple cape that wrapped her shoulders, with the rest of her coat emerging beneath, making a long, elegant profile against the darkness.

Beside her Kiritsugu stood, his hair a dark haze, while his long coat billowed, his shirt and tie showing beneath it in layers of black on black. Rin looked at the way the darkness emerged from the bottom of it, spreading out along the floor to wreath them both.

"This isn't good", Rin breathed.

Illya smiled demurely. Kiritsugu reached out his hand, gesturing without touching her, and she followed the line of his arm, up the stairs. For a moment he stood, looking at both of them. Rin couldn't see his eyes, but she could feel them, reaching out to strike her like a gunshot in the darkness. And then he too turned and disappeared.

"An invitation", Archer observed.

"Do you think we can win?"

"He's stronger than me", Archer admitted candidly. "And the Madness Enhancement makes him stronger still. But that's also his weakness.

'If he was summoned as an Assassin, I would tell you to withdraw, and quit the Grail War, even if that meant humbling yourself and asking for protection from that damned priest. There's be no way we could win – he'd be willing to blow up this building just to kill the two of us, and wouldn't care if he killed everyone else in the process. But as a Berserker, his class limits the best of his abilities.

'As for Illya, she's probably the stronger Master. Don't be offended –she's got more mana than you, and thanks to the Einzberns' tinkering, she has an inhumanely large amount of magic circuits. That means she can produce more magic energy, and use more of it at once.

'But she's not without her weaknesses too. That same Madness Enhancement is also affecting her. At any given time, half her magic energy is spent keeping Kiritsugu in check, and if she unleashed him completely, she risks becoming a Berserker herself, and she might not be able to come back. Under these circumstances, I'd say we've got a fifty-fifty shot."

"Fifty-fifty", Rin repeated. "I'll take those odds, and trust your abilities and my wits to tip the balance in our favor, and make up the difference.

Archer smiled.

"As you wish, my Master."

When they got to the top of the stairs, they found Illya and Kiritsugu waiting for them at the end of the roof. The bandage that had covered the back of her hand hung down, its two loose passes doing nothing to conceal the red lines of her Command Seal underneath.

"So – we come to it at last. Does Shiro know you're here?" Rin asked, unable to resist a little taunt as she smiled her fox eyed smile. "If I'm going to die", she thought, "I'm not going to go out cowering."

Illya shook her head, smiling sweetly.

"He's at home, asleep. By the time he wakes up, it will all be over."

Reaching up, she undid the knot that held the gauze around her wrist. For a moment it flapped loosely between her fingers. And then she let go, watching it slip over the side of the building, getting lost in the wind.

For a moment they stood staring at one another, Archer and Rin in their red coats, the color of devils, while Illya's pale skin made her look like an angel, contrasted against Kiritsugu's black coat and hair.

"Archer – get ready – "

Illya held up her hand. Her Command Seals glowed red, answered by a flicker from her magic circuits, as the resulting energy discharge swatted that the ends of her white hair.

"Father – kill them!"

At Illya's words, they both lunged forward, Archer flexing the magic circuits in his legs, feeling his body strain in the joints of his knees, making them move with a speed that the human body was ordinarily incapable of, while Kiritsugu took a different approach, altering the flow of existence itself as it pooled around him, hurrying time, skipping frames as his limbs seemed to move of their own accord while time itself remained a static backdrop behind him.

Two different Servants, wielded and commanded by two very different Masters, but the results were the same, as they met in the middle in a devastating clash that threatened to set fire to the very fabric of the universe and destroy all around them.

As they drew close, Archer could feel himself slow down as the time around him began to accelerate, locking his arms, wreathing them with a sluggard slowness as existence itself outran him, threatening to leave his heavy body behind.

"Shit! He can control the time around me too if I get too close!" he realized. Kiritsugu was making the time around himself slow down so that he outpaced it, seeming to move with an infinite speed, while his own time sped up, leaving his own awkward actions sluggish and slow by comparison, so that he lost on both counts.

Vaulting back, he confronted a new problem, as Kiritsugu immediately began shooting, alternating between bursts from his submachine gun and loud, thunderous reports from his pistol.

"Well that isn't good", he thought.

Glancing over, he checked on Rin, anxious to see how she was doing, only to find her making a beeline straight for Illya.

"Damn it! What are you doing!? Get the hell away from her!"

Archer shouted, but then he saw Kiritsugu hesitate. Tracking his gaze, he realized that Kiritsugu was looking past him, to where the two Masters stood. As he lowered his pistol, Archer suddenly realized Rin's purpose.

"So long as the two of them are close, he can't risk a shot for fear of hitting Illya. She's buying me time – Better not waste it."

Rin smiled triumphantly, only to frown as Illya stretched out her arms, then curled her fingers and clenched them into fists, drawing up a series of white threads on either side of her, slicing the air. Several strands of Rin's beautiful brown hair got caught in their web, shearing off, becoming the fight's first casualty, as a magic thread sliced through one of her black ribbons, loosing the ponytail beneath so that her hair spilled to her side.

"Damn it! Now I'm really pissed!" Rin said, clasping her hands together as she pointed her finger at Illya.

"I have to be careful how much I use – It has to be enough to stop her, but if I use too much, it will –"

Gripping her wrist, Rin froze, looking down at her hands as she realized that she was seriously considering the possibility of killing her friend.

"Wauugh!"

Suddenly Illya lunged, moving with a supernatural quickness, seeming to flash in and out of phase, appearing before her flanked by a pair of her icy dove familiars on either side. There was no more time to calculate.

"Gandr!" Rin shouted, feeling the pulse in her finger as the energy discharged.

The blast struck Illya directly in the chest, making her magic circuits flare as the excess energy shot through her, causing her to shiver as each and every one of her muscles involuntarily contracted and twitched.

"Oh my God, I – "

Rin shrank, fearful that in the next instant she would watch Illya explode.

But instead the shiver ran through her, flowing through her body, and then down her legs to the ground, where it dispersed, leaving Illya standing, her hair down in her face, long and disheveled, and glaring angrily.

" – I didn't do anything at all!?"

"Hrk!"

Illya groaned, coughing as a spurt of blood issued from the corner of her mouth.

"Damnit, Tohsaka! You've gotten soft!" Rin berated herself. "Shiro, this is all your fault – "

For an answer, Illya balled up her fist and sank it into Rin's stomach.

"Oofh!"

Archer, meanwhile, had his own problems.

"Shit – shit – shit – shit!"

He cussed, dodging to one side, then the other, then back, and then back again.

So long as he didn't get too close, Kiritsugu couldn't use his time magic. But if he was too far away, that meant it was open season, as he let off volley after volley, bracketing him with bursts from his automatic pistol, trying to pin him down so that he could finish him up off with a blast from the larger pistol, which split the air each time it went off, sounding less like a handgun and more like a hunting rifle.

That left him in a kind of hazy no man's land somewhere in the middle. Here, his bow was useless, being too big and too slow, and with no hope of catching up with the machine pistol's murderous rate of fire. But to use his short swords was equally useless – they couldn't possibly reach him, and that left his only option to run and dodge, unable to reach his enemy, a losing proposition for sure, for it was only a matter of time before he guessed wrong, and Kiritsugu blew his head off.

"Damn it", he muttered, looking down at his hand. "I didn't want to use it so soon. But I've got no choice."

And then he stretched forth his arm.

"Unlimited Blade Works!"

At these words, the surrounding rooftop was replaced by what to Archer was by now a familiar scene of a descending hilltop, with himself at the bottom, looking up as the ground spread out and the sky was replaced with somber hues of brown and grey as the walls of his reality marble came closing in, momentarily transforming the world around them into an enclosed space – a world he could shape and that he could control.

"Wait, how did he - ?"

Rin looked at her hand in confusion, finding her two remaining Command Seals both intact.

All around them the sky was filled with swords. They hung suspended, floating in the air. Swords of every description, from every time and place, from the short one handed blades of antiquity and Rome to the longer, cruciform hilts of knights, and the two handed greatswords that came after, along with rapiers, sabers, the katanas, tachii, and curving scimitars of the east – every shape and pattern of blade the mind could imagine and that human hands could devise all floated in the air around them.

And then with a gesture of his hand, Archer closed his fingers into a fist, and the storm of steel came crashing down all around them.

"Y – A – A – A – H – H – H !"

The sudden barrage caught even Kiritsugu off his guard, and he ran in circles, zigging and zagging as he sought to evade the torrent. Archer ran with him. Given the closeness of his target, he too was in the line of fire, but dodging the descending blades meant that Kiritsugu's options for movement were limited, and that brought him within range of Archer's short swords.

The edge of the sword he wielded in his right hand met with the trigger guard of Kiritsugu's great pistol with a clang, biting into the place where the metal flange met the underside of the barrel. The closeness of the range and the narrow width with which he had to parry made Kiritsugu's position precarious. He had to time every movement perfectly, or with one mistake, the broad blades would slice him through.

With no intention of letting up, Archer swung the sword in his left hand, its edge biting against the guard of Kiritsugu's machine pistol. He tried letting off a small, controlled burst, thinking this might make Archer flinch, but he did not fall for the ruse.

Looking over his shoulder he glanced at Rin, who was still staring at him dumbfounded.

"When did you!? HOW did you!?"

Archer smiled.

"When you give someone an order like 'Use your Noble Phantasm!' it helps to be specific", he smiled. "You should have said, 'Use your Noble Phantasm right now.'"

"But – of course! At Ryudo – " Rin said, suddenly remembering. "You cheeky bastard!"

"You were being rash, and impulsive, so I decided I would follow your order at a place and time of my choosing. I knew I would use it eventually, I just decided to hold onto it for a while – "

Rin stared at her hand in disbelief.

"Damnit! You're still MY Servant – !"

She was still looking at her Command Seals when Illya tackled her.

"Damn it, you're strong!"

Illya was looming over her, a long jagged spike of ice in her right hand. Reaching up, Rin grabbed her pale wrist to halt the frozen dagger's descent.

"Ugh! And heavy too – AARRGGHH!"

She groaned as Illya dug her knee into her stomach. The once slender, wispy waif of a girl had become a full grown woman, and did not hesitate to use her every advantage – though she did not appreciate Rin's comment about her weight, and ground her knee into her abdomen for a reply. Seeing Rin still resisted, she reached down, and seizing a handful of her hair, gave it a savage yank.

"WAUGGHHHH!"

Rin cried out. In her distraction, the knife surged downwards, halting just inches from her face.

"Damnit, I don't have any choice", she thought, feeling the gems between her fingers.

At this range, there was no room to throw them. But if she smashed them against Illya's face –

"I'd lose my hand, but – "

The thought of being maimed – not to mention what it would do to Illya – made her pause. Guessing her intentions, Illya reached down, using her other hand to grasp Rin's wrist.

"HRRNNGG – "

Hearing his Master cry out, Archer turned. Seeing his distraction, Kiritsugu wove the larger pistol against the blade, and fired off a shot whose thunderous report tore a hole in Archer's red coat, just inches from his body, then grabbing him, threw him against the metal awning that covered the stairs that went down to a maintenance corridor. Turning, he used a burst of supernatural speed, and leapt towards Rin and Illya.

"Nooo!" Archer called, reaching out his hand, but there was no way he could reach him in time. As Kiritsugu ran, moving with inhuman quickness, he let go of the machine pistol, and reached into his coat, producing something shiny.

As he appeared over Illya's shoulder, Rin could see the outline of Rule Breaker, with its strangely curving blade, as he drew it from his coat. In one motion he brought the knife up, over his head.

And then plunged it down, into his own chest.

All at once, the space around them became filled with a terrible roaring. As Kiritsugu withdrew the knife, instead of blood, a dark liquid spurted out, inky black. At first it flowed like water, then became something more abstract, like a thread pulled from a sweater, growing longer and longer, stretching from Kiritsugu to Illya, widening as it oscillated back and forth, filling the space between them until the whole rooftop was polluted with a vague haze. And then suddenly, like a canopy, it folded up and rolled away off of them, leaving the sky a deep, midnight blue set with twinkling stars.

Illya arched her back, the jagged icicle spike falling from her hand, half melted, to where it shattered into several pieces. She sat up straight, then lurched forward, tilting to one side, and would have topped over had Kiritsugu not caught her with his arm. And then he looked down at Rin.

Never before in her life had Rin felt such terrible pressure radiating from one person. Beneath the wispy clouds of his dark hair, his piercing eyes took in everything with their broad gaze – the position of her hand, with its jewels clasped between her fingers – every possible motion and action that she might take, all plotted and planned and already accounted for – even the thoughts of her mind, her emotions – he could see through everything, so that she might as well have been naked before him.

Faced with such an opponent, Rin could come to only one conclusion. The only way to win – or to at least survive – was to not fight at all. Relaxing her hand, she let the jewels slip from her fingers, scattering on the ground.

Kiritsugu's eyes softened. Holding the large pistol off to the side, so that its muzzle was no longer pointing directly at her, he gently squeezed the trigger, his thumb carefully letting the hammer move forward until it rested against the back of the chamber without firing.

Rin breathed a sigh of relief.

Carefully he helped Illya up, steadying her as she was still wobbly. And then he reached down and took Rin's hand. With one powerful motion, he lifted her off of the ground, setting her on her feet again.

"You're the daughter of the Tohsaka estate."

Rin nodded sheepishly.

"And one of Shiro's classmates."

She nodded again.

"You keep looking down."

Rin's eyes trailed to the glittering jewels that lay scattered on the ground.

"I – I'm sorry. It's just – they're very expensive, and they took a very long time to make . . ."

Kiritsugu looked down at the gems, then nodded.

"I'll just pick them up – very slowly – "

As she stooped, she heard an audible 'click' as Kiritsugu cocked the hammer of the pistol again. The sound made her freeze, the back of her neck tingling as her hair stood on end.

"Do you know what this is?" Kiritsugu asked.

Rin nodded.

"Depending on where the shot was placed, an Origin round might not necessarily kill you. But it would destroy all of your magic circuits. To a Mage of the Tohsaka Clan, one of the Three Great Families, that would be a fate worse than death."

Rin nodded again. Slowly, being careful to avoid any sudden movements, she picked up the scattered jewels, and placed them back in her coat pocket. Then, with equal care, she withdrew her hand, holding her fingers apart, and turning it over to show that her palm was empty.

Kiritsugu eased the hammer off again, then placed the large pistol back inside his coat.

"I'm glad to know that Shiro has made some sensible friends –"

Rin sighed again in relief.

" – But YOU on the other hand could use some work – "

"Wha – " Archer asked, staring in disbelief.

"Your technique is sloppy."

"ACHOO!"

That next day, Illya came down with a terrible cold. Rin's Gandr shot was actually a very dangerous spell. In the right hands it could be deadly. But at the last moment she had pulled most of her magic energy out of it, so that the blast only came in at about ten percent. The result was that it did very little physical damage, but it did make Illya terribly sick.

"Thag you berry much – " she said, gratefully accepting a cup of hot tea. At the moment she was sitting on the couch in the living room of the Emiya estate, with a blanket around her shoulders and a box of tissues beside her, while her feet were tucked into her pair of fluffy white slippers. Rin had stayed the evening, sleeping in one of the guest bedrooms.

"I guess we're back to this again", she fussed, but truthfully she was glad. It seemed like things were getting back to normal again – or what passed for it, anyways.

"Do you need anything? I could get you another blanket, or an extra pillow – "

"Toohsahka – " Illya protesting stuffily.

"I could get you some soup – "

"Tohsaka – " she said, her voice clearing as the steaming liquid soothed her throat.

" – Or another cup of tea – "

"Tohsaka-san", Illya said firmly. "There's no need for this. Really. I'm not mad. We were enemies. And we fought. That's all. That's what enemies do. I don't blame you. And you shouldn't blame yourself, either."

Rin looked down and to the side, as though suddenly very interested in the texture of the carpeting.

"If that's the case, I would really prefer it if you called me Rin. I've never liked being called Tohsaka – it all sounds too stuffy and formal."

Illya smiled.

"In that case – I prefer my friends to call me Illya."

Rin nodded.

"Right, then. Illya."

"Rin Tohasaka – you're an idiot!"

She berated herself, once she had gotten out into the hall.

"And Shiro is an EVEN BIGGER IDIOT! And now you've let his stupidity rub off on YOU – AARRGGHH!"

She sighed.

"But I'm glad. Even if it does mean that I'm a fool. At least I am myself. And that's something, I guess."

Rin looked back through the door into the living room. Illya was sitting on the couch, watching reruns of some old cartoon that used to be popular ten years ago, but now was relegated to late nights or midday time slots when nothing else was on.

"Ugh, how can she stand to watch that stuff?" Rin groaned, feeling a portion of her own intelligence draining away just by association.

But even as she thought it, she regretted it. Growing up as a Mage in the Tohsaka family had been tough. Right from the start, she had always known what was expected of her – that she was to grow up to become a Magus and fight in the Holy Grail War. Family, friends, her own hopes – her own life – everything else came second.

"I can't imagine what it must have been like to grow up at Castle Einzbern", she thought.

"She looks so happy sitting there, watching that stupid show."

For a moment Rin smiled fondly to herself.

"Idiot . . ."

That was when Illya collapsed.

"Oh my God – this is my fault! I thought after last night she would be okay, but – I've killed her – I actually killed her – "

Kiritsugu glared. But as the tears welled in her eyes, there was no hint of defensiveness – only panic and genuine concern. She looked like she would have plucked out her own heart out and given it to Illya, if only it would make her well again.

"This isn't anything you did – "

"But – "

"It's the Grail."

"The Grail – " she sniffed, "But how?"

"The Einzberns wanted to hedge their bet. They truly are despicable. They artificially enhanced Ilya's body, giving her additional magic circuits to give her a better chance of winning the war. But as a backup plan, they also made her capable of becoming the Holy Grail."

"Becoming the Holy Grail – ?"

"There's a reason no one discusses the way the ritual works – at least not with the participants. There are actually two components to the Holy Grail – the Greater Grail and the Lesser Grail.

'It's the Lesser Grail that most mages are familiar with. This is the ritual with the seven Servants and their seven Masters. But that's just the summoning part of the ritual.

'Once the seven Servants have been consumed, the Grail appears, tearing a hole in the fabric of time and space – of existence itself – forming a pathway directly to the Root, the origin of all things, and granting a wish. That's the Greater Grail. In order for that to happen, in order for the Greater Grail to manifest, a vessel is needed.

'In the first Holy Grail War, Justeaze Von Einzbern became the Grail. The daughters of the Einzbern family have carried this ability ever since. It was the same with Irisviel, and now it's the same with Illya. She's carried a fragment of the Holy Grail inside of her for so long that her body has come to be dependent on it.

'In the battle with Caster's dragon, that fragment was damaged. And a piece of it was lost. That's why her body is struggling to heal itself, even with Avalon, and inspite of Shiro's best efforts."

"So then what do we do?"

Kiritsugu considered.

"There is one place we might look."

It was dark when they climbed the steps to Castle Einzbern. No matter how many times he visited, Shiro never lost his sense of wonder at the place. The porch alone seemed as big as his own house – the entryway was massive, with carved stone steps and a canopy that echoed the tracery of the stone mullioned windows.

At night the white stones seemed to glow, whether with the light of the moon or some magic that dwelt within, he could not tell. Illya leaned against him, her white skirt peeking out beneath the purple coat they had wrapped around her shoulders as Kiritsugu went to knock on the door.

Shiro had some trepidation at how their visit would be received. After all, a fight had broken out between his Father and Saber the last time they were all here together. And he was pretty sure the carpet in Illya's old workshop had been utterly destroyed. In light of the circumstances, he wasn't sure what sort of reception they would get, but when Sella answered the door, her reaction was far different than he had imagined.

"Good evening, young Master – rrr – RRR – UWAAUUGGHH!" she shrieked. The height of her gaze suggested she had expected to find Illya, or perhaps Shiro on the other side of the door. At the sight of Kiritsugu, she fainted dead away, leaving Leysritt standing by herself in the doorway. She looked at Kiritsugu, then down at Sella, laying on the floor, then back to Kiritsugu again.

Kiritsugu smiled slightly.

"It would seem your barriers don't work on ghosts."

Leysritt frowned.

"Do you mind if we come in?"

"Master!" Sella called, once she'd been revived with a sniff from a bottle of smelling salts that Leysritt kept in the sleeve of her robe.

Leysritt gave him a much cooler reception. She didn't seem at all surprised by their sudden visit. If anything, she seemed to be expecting it.

"Right this way", she said, leading them to a set of double doors.

On the other side was a spiral stair. Shiro followed as Leysritt led them – down – down. He could feel a change in the air. The temperature grew colder, dropping by nearly twenty degrees, but without the usual jump in humidity that would normally accompany such a change. There was nothing dank or damp about the tunnel – if anything it seemed to be very carefully controlled, and that made him wonder about it all the more.

Whatever its purpose, their curving descent seemed to have a very marked effect on Illya. She drew closer and closer to him, the further they went. At first he thought it was just the effect of the cold, as he could feel her shivering, but when he saw the expression on her face, he could tell that there was something about the place that filled her crimson eyes with a sense of dread.

"I want you to know, I never agreed with the decision of the Einzbern family – "

"Leysritt – " Kiritsugu said.

" – It was impossible to oppose the main house. There was no way they were going to listen to a lowly homunculus – "

"Leysritt – " he said again, trying to still her protests.

" – But then, as now, Sella and I only want what is best for Miss Illyasviel."

"Then I'm going to need your help."

By now they had come to stop. On either side the tunnel widened, rising overhead to form a vaulted arch ceiling, with a stone structure below. It was a massive box, carved with images of angels and demons, along with cups and vases and sheaves of wheat, and all sorts of other motifs. Shiro couldn't decipher the language of the imagery, or what it was depicting, but even to his untrained eye, there could be no doubt as to the purpose of the structure. It was a tomb.

A plaque off to one side bore the name of its owner. It read:

Irisviel Von Einzbern

The stone sarcophagus was quite large, taking up most of the room. It was set between four columns, one at each corner, with two large urns on either side of the front. Evidently someone still regularly paid their devotions, as the two vases each bore fresh flowers.

Going over to one of the columns, Leysritt pulled a lever, then set her hand upon a large wheel that emerged from its side. All at once the box began to shudder, and then its upper half began to rise.

As the stone slab that comprised the lid of the tomb lifted away, Shiro felt Illya squeeze his hand as looked away.

"That was ten years ago – " he thought. "Now eleven – Illya was only eight – "

Suddenly his mind was filled with nauseating horror at the thought of what they might be about to see. Illya felt it too, her hand gripping his like a vice as she pressed against him, until he could feel her trembling. Shiro resolved to be brave for her sake, and to keep a strong stomach. But what he saw next made him gasp.

"I'm sorry, Master. We performed the ritual that you taught us. Leysritt and I did the best we could, but the spell wasn't expertly cast, so – "

"Nonsense, Sella", his Father said gently. "You and Leysritt did everything perfectly."

Looking inside the stone chamber, Shiro could see a glass structure, something like a conservatory, with clear panes set between borders of silver leading. There beneath this canopy was Irisviel.

Her skin was pale like Illya's, and her hair was long and white. At the corners of her eyes, Shiro could see something like tar, the black ichor that had spilled from the Grail as it sought to make her its vessel, consuming her life. It stained her cheeks and the lips of her mouth.

"I'm sorry," Sella said again. "We did our best to prepare her, but there wasn't much time."

Her hands were folded atop her chest, holding a clump of white lilies mixed with purple irises in what looked like a bridal bouquet. Similar sprays of flowers were arranged on either side of the pillow beneath her head, and at her feet, while at each corner sat a votive candle, somehow miraculously still burning.

"It's time magic", Shiro whispered, feeling Illya's hand shift in his own. "He taught Leysritt and Sella one of his spells . . ."

Kiritsugu put his hands on one of the glass panels in the center of the canopy, then hesitated.

"She still loved you, you know? She loved you right up until the end – "

"You don't have to lie to spare my feelings, Sella. I'm sure at the very end she hated me."

Leysritt smiled wryly.

"That isn't true. She wouldn't have bothered hating you if she didn't still love you."

Carefully Kiritsugu removed one of the panes of glass, setting it aside, then reached into the coffin. Shiro couldn't see what he did, but when he removed his hands, he was holding something glowing and silver.

"Illya, hold up your shirt", he said, after replacing the glass.

Dutifully Illya lifted the hem of her t-shirt. Her back was to him, but the sight of her bare waist and shoulders made Shiro blush, not to mention the motion her arms made in front, which told him her breasts had clearly fallen out.

"Shiro, avert your eyes!"

"Yes sir!" Shiro shouted, whirling to face the other way, trying to focus his eyes on anything – the walls, the floor, the ceiling – anything in order to take his mind off of what was happening behind him.

"Hngh – "

He could hear Illya strain.

"There. You can turn around now.'

When he turned back, he could see Illya, standing in her white skirt and t-shirt, with their Father's hand on her back.

"Does it hurt?"

She nodded.

"I'm sorry. It may take a day or two, but your body will adjust, and assimilate this fragment of the Grail with your own. Once that happens – "

Clumsily Illya took a step forward, toward Shiro, leaning so that her head came to rest against his chest. For a moment her magic circuits flickered, glowing red. Kiritsugu regarded the two of them thoughtfully.

"Come on. We're done here."

It was quite late by the time they got back from the Castle. Rin had waited up for them, evidently quite anxious about Illya's condition, and was relieved to find her looking and feeling much more like herself again. She even announced she wanted to take a bath, in spite of the lateness of the hour, in an effort to wash off the events of the last few days.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Shiro asked, also still full of concern.

"It'll be fine. I used to take baths at this hour back at Castle Einzbern, and there wasn't even any heat in that part of the house."

"Do you need help?"

At this, Illya shifted her eyes to the side, and batted her long lashes coquettishly.

"On second thought, I do still feel a bit wobbly – "

"*I* will sit up with Miss Illyasviel", Rin said bossily, making Illya glower.

"Why Miss Tohsaka, how kind of you – "

And so they went. Honestly, Shiro was glad to hear them fussing. It meant at least some things were getting back to normal. And he had other reasons. The thought of Illya sitting naked in the steaming water sounded like heaven, but it was also a bit more than he could take. That and if their Father caught them, there was no telling what he might do.

"I can't believe Dad is actually with us . . ."

It wasn't really the strangeness of it all that stood out to him. Rather it was how strange it didn't seem.

"This is what Illya wanted – we're a family – "

He was so distracted by his own thoughts, he didn't notice anything was amiss until the sharp spike embedded itself in the wall next to him.

Shiro stared at the deadly dart, trying to grasp what was happening. Looking around the room, he saw that the window was open, with a chill breeze filtering in from outside.

"The barrier didn't go off – " he thought to himself. "Why?"

As he wondered, at the end of the spike, a long chain began to form, materializing out of the nothingness. He followed it across the room, to where a purple haired figure was sitting in the dark.

"Rider – "

This was bad.

"I don't have a Servant. There's no way I can win against her."

In a single motion, Rider hopped down from the corner of the table that had been her perch, moving with a catlike grace. With a flick of her wrist, she retracted the chain, calling it back to her hand.

"I didn't have to miss."

Shiro swallowed hard.

"Where's Sakura?"

"Sakura isn't here."

Shiro looked down at the blurred lines on the back of his hand.

"If you try anything, then Saber – " he bluffed.

"Saber isn't here, either. She's rather busy", she said, stalking towards him. "Your Father is with Illya. He's her Servant – not yours. She can call him, but you can't. And Archer is off with that noisy girl with the red sweater. You're here alone."

Shiro swallowed again.

"What do you want?"

" . . . Very well. Meet me at the place we agreed upon. And don't be late."

"But why are you trusting me?" Shiro asked as Rider turned to go.

"My goal is to protect Sakura. And it's a goal I believe you share. To that extent, we're not enemies. As for how much I can or can't help her with her other wishes . . ."

Rider turned away shyly, her cheeks tinged with red.

"Huh?"

"You've got a good heart, Shiro Emiya", she said, resuming her usual frosty, businesslike demeanor. "And you're honorable. I think Miss Sakura can depend on you."

And with that she leaned out the window, loosed her chain, and was gone.