Bloody Path

After seeing the battle unfold between two superhumans, Shirou took a moment to collect himself after the blue-armored spearman left the battlefield. Though the green-dressed swordswoman could hardly be said to have held the field.

Hat in hand, he made his way over to the girl sprawled on the ground where she had fallen after being pierced by that red spear. "Are you alive?" he asked quickly, knowing that the dead were beyond any help.

"I haven't quite died yet." she muttered while pushing herself up and into a sitting position. "You should leave before Lancer returns from whatever that was. He will murder you on sight."

He could tell that her show of strength was just that. Or perhaps more like any living being's struggle to continue living, even as it was on the brink of death. He could empathize all too well with those in such situations. "And what about you?"

"Oh, he'll murder me first," she admitted easily. "I suppose I should do so for secrecy's sake but it isn't my problem. In any case, I can't protect you from him."

"Should I call an ambulance?" He thought quickly at the absurdity of what he had just seen, and her need for secrecy. "Perhaps a place to lie low is more like what you need."

The girl simply blinked at Shirou as the implied offer sank in. In her current wounded and unanchored state, her body was rapidly burning though her magical energy just in order to sustain her consciousness processes, let alone any real healing. "I live alone, and my place is near by," the boy added, making the offer explicit. "You have nothing to lose, right? Sei-ba was it?"

She made to nod, but paused. He lack of recognition towards the class name confirmed her suspicions. "Boy, you clearly don't know what you're getting into. The Moonlit World is-"

"Magic, right?" he said, lifting her up. She was much smaller than he was, but light even for that. "I myself was saved by a miracle, so I suppose a little faith wouldn't be misplaced. Not that I go the church here though."

"Wait," she muttered, looking about. "My sword." The two of them looked about. Actually, the weapon was in her hand but the scabbard just a little behind them where she had dropped it earlier. Shirou walked over to it, with her in his arms, and stooped over a little so she could reach out and pick it up.

"By the way," Shirou said conversationally, if in a hushed tone, while they left the park, "You're younger than me, so don't call be -boy-. The name is Shirou, Emiya Shirou."

"After all you've seen, now you start judging by appearances?" Even chuckling wasted precious energy, but she couldn't help the instinctive reaction to. While her unusual savior mentioned miracles, it was a surprise to realize that once she had settled against his chest, the signature of some sort of actual healing miracle was embedded within him like a pacemaker or other medical implant.

Maybe due to his general good will, though more likely his intent to aid her, the miracle alleviated the odd curse of Lancer's spear. It had pierced downwards from the shoulder, with the tip just nicking her heart. The greater issue was that she was having a great deal of problem attempting to repair any of the damage caused. Simply closing the entry wound and the small bit of damaged heart tissue took a disproportionate amount of energy.

At some point on the way back to Shirou's home, she lost consciousness.

Reaching the Emiya estate at a steady pace, Shirou let himself in and carried his new guest to the guest room occasionally used by a certain Taiga that occasionally made excuses to stay over (either for the dinner, the breakfast the next morning, or both - the glutton). The girl's blood got all over him and the futon he laid her down on, but the mess did not disturb him, rather the tickling sensation that she was about to expire did.

Again considering the hospital while looking for a change of clothes for her, he realized that someone was ringing the doorbell. This was a terrible time for Taiga to- wait! Yes, the her Yakuza family might know something, or at least a way to get medical attention without undue attention. The doorbell was rung yet again. How impatient!

Shirou rushed over, hand on the door as the bell sounded a third time before he could open it.

"Tohsaka-san?"

"Emiya-san. Why do you have blood all over you?"

Damn it.

.

(Earlier)

They say that curiosity killed the cat, and that cats have nine lives. It's probably why the felines are so curious as a species - they can afford the risks. Well to be a magus is to walk with death, but magi don't get even a second chance.

When she chanced upon several drops of non-human blood, Tohsaka Rin followed the trail over to the Emiya estate. Knowing what she did about the "family" living there, she didn't hesitate to ring the doorbell. If she was lucky, only a brief cleanup job would be necessary tonight.

When Emiya Shirou opened the door, with a great deal more of the same blood on him, her first thought was - this will not be a brief cleanup job.

Shirou just looked blankly at the Tohsaka who had caught him at a bad time, to say the least. While Seiba had spoken of secrecy, the school idol was also a quick study and trying to fob her off now would probably only lead to greater problems. So he decided on one of the worse course of actions in human history - throwing himself on the good graces of Rin. "There's a wounded girl. Maybe you can help."

She nodded and followed him to the room where his guest was lying unconscious. However, when he opened the door and stepped in, she didn't follow immediately. Shirou turned around and saw her holding out both hands towards him.

Rin pulled her hands back a bit before stretching them out towards him. Without thinking, he copied her gesture.

Though the last Emiya had a history with the Fujimura group, his well-deserved reputation meant that Rin didn't doubt that he might have brought a wounded person into his home. He probably didn't even know how dangerous such a thing might be... well, let's see who-

Rin's mind froze for a moment as her eyes and other senses fell upon the girl that Emiya had asked her to help. The blood-stained futon, the sword she was clasping to her chest, these anyone could see, but as a magus Rin could also -see- other things. Such as the fact that "Seiba" was a Servant. Which is to say, Rin had probably just walked into the house of a Master with a Saber-class Servant. And was probably moments away from a very quick death.

When Shirou stopped partway to the futon, she did the only thing that came to mind. She held her hands out, twice, and he mimicked her, allowing her to see three sword-shaped icons on one of his hands. Command Seals.

"I... know someone who can help," she managed, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "You probably want this on the down-low, right?"

"Uh, yeah," he replied, with an honest look of relief on his face. "She didn't want the hospital and I have no idea what else to do."

"Leave it to me." With that, Tohsaka Rin rushed out as though her life depended on it. As far as she knew, it did.

Shirou's first thought was not about if he could trust Tohsaka, but rather guilt over getting her involved in he himself did not know what. While the girl wasn't known for offering to help often, when she did, the follow through was always excellent. He could respect that sort of work ethic.

The sound of rustling cloth demanded his attention more urgently though. "Seiba, are you alright? ... You look even worse."