Fate/stay night and Fate/zero are the property of TYPE-MOON. This story is a work of fanfiction, and the author makes no claim to these properties. Some lines of dialogue have been excerpted from the above works in their entirety in this fanfiction. They are from the translations by mirror-moon and Baka-Tsuki, respectively. Thanks to Da-Guru and my brother for their help editing.
Continuation of the Dream
Part Two: Pursuing the Dream
III
"I ask of you," Saber says to the white-haired woman smiling in front of her, "Are you my Master?"
Irisviel nods, beckoning Saber toward her. Saber follows her out of the chapel and into the snowy forest outside. Her armored boots crunch through the snow. Ahead of her, Irisviel spins gleefully in a clearing amongst the trees, laughing gaily.
Saber leans against a tree, watching with a smile as the white-haired woman dances in the falling snow.
'She looks so happy,' Saber thinks.
The dancing woman stops and calls out to her, but Saber cannot make out the words. With a start, she realizes that while she was reminiscing, the distance between them increased significantly.
Saber runs forward, but her target laughs and runs away from her.
"Irisviel!" Saber shouts, and the distant figure turns around. 'She is too short to be my Master,' Saber thinks as she slides to a halt in a shower of snow in front of the girl with familiar white hair.
"Illyasviel, I apologize, I mistook you for someone else," she says, confused. "But why are you here?"
"Saber was lost, so I came to guide her," Illyasviel explains. "Come on, Shirou is waiting!"
"What? Shirou? But-!" Saber's questions go unheeded as Illyasviel pulls on her hand. Saber stumbles, then follows after her. Her armored boots crunch through the dead, withered grass. Around her, the skeletal trees sway in the wind.
"Where is Shirou?" Saber asks as they walk.
"Onii-chan is right there!" Illyasviel points at a distant shape stumbling through the park. "Saber, hurry up!" She pulls on Saber's hand again.
Saber rushes after Illya, pursuing the figure the girl called Shirou. Hot wind blows past her, shaking the trees. Saber dismisses her armor in the face of the heat, opting for her cooler gown.
"Hurry, Saber!" Illya pushes Saber forward, and she stumbles on a branch. She catches herself and coughs. The smoke in the air makes her eyes water. Saber glances down at the her feet, and freezes.
The limb she stumbled on is not the limb of a tree, but the limb of a human.
Around her are bodies. Dead bodies, or dying bodies beyond salvation. Beyond them, flames crackle. Saber looks for Illya, who was right beside her, but she is nowhere to be found.
"Illyasviel?" The heat burns her throat and she looks around, holding a hand over her mouth. Through the smoke, she sees movement.
"Shirou?" she calls, but there is no response. Or perhaps there was, but she cannot hear it over the roaring of the inferno around her. She runs forward toward the faint movement she saw in the flames, heedless of how they snap at her clothing.
The one survivor of this hell is close ahead of her now. She leaps forward to close the distance and-
Saber jolts awake.
'Avalon!' she commands, her prepared response taking over before her mind has processed her circumstances. The Noble Phantasm responds immediately to her command, dissolving into motes of light that fade around her in a heartbeat. The pressure against her ankle vanishes with the sheathe, and Arturia exhales slowly.
"Sorry, dearie," the woman in the seat next to her says. "I didn't mean to wake you. I was just trying to get my purse back under the seat, but it seemed to be stuck on something." The woman pats her hand. "You can try to go back to sleep if you want, but the plane is landing soon. That's why I was getting up, you see. I was just using the facilities before we had to put our seat belts on for the landing. Sorry again for waking you," she repeats, then shifts her attention to a paperback novel.
Arturia rubs her eyes. 'That was a very vivid dream.' She takes a slow breath and collects her thoughts. 'It is probably due to flying again that I dreamed of Irisviel. I have thought of her more and more often lately. And now that I think about it, her mannerisms in many ways were similar to her daughter's.'
'No, that is backwards.' She shakes her head. 'Illyasviel resembles her mother. I wonder if she would be pleased to hear that?'
"Oh." Arturia is struck by realization. She ignores the confused look from her neighbor, who shrugs and returns to her book. 'No daughter would be unhappy to hear stories of her mother. When I see her again, I should tell Illyasviel about her mother's performance in the previous Holy Grail War. I hope they are all doing well. That was a pleasant dream until Shirou's memories mixed in.'
'I wonder, why am I having nightmares recently? This was not the first time recently, but I never had such vivid dreams in the past. I wonder if I am falling ill?'
Arturia lifts a hand to her forehead to check her temperature, and nearly pokes herself in the eye when the plane jolts. Startled, she looks around, but the other passengers are still sitting calmly in their seats. The woman next to her closes her book with a sigh and bends over to tuck it back into her purse, under the seat in front of her.
Arturia glances out the window next to her, and is surprised to see water. 'Is this a new kind of plane that lands upon the ocean?' she wonders as the plane slows. However, it quickly begins to turn, and she sees that the plane has landed near the edge of a small, suspiciously regular island.
'A artificial island? I was not aware that there were any such structures in Japan.' She considers it as the captain informs the passengers of their arrival. 'An ingenious solution to lack of space,' she decides.
The plane bumps to a halt, and suddenly Arturia is surrounded by frenetic motion. She stands up, but the crush of people in the aisle prevents her from moving, and she sits back down to wait. 'I hope I can find Tai and her grandfather,' she worries. 'I do not believe they would leave without waiting for me, but it would leave a bitter aftertaste to separate without thanking them again and wishing them well.'
Arturia watches impatiently as the line inches forward.
~~~CotD~~~
The wind lashes Arturia's hair against her face, and she ducks back inside the doorway.
"Please wait just a moment," she says when Tai and her grandfather, realizing that Arturia is no longer following them, turn to look for her.
Arturia sets down the luggage she is carrying and ties her hair back into a rough bun.
"What's the hold-up?" Tai asks.
Arturia shakes her head, testing her handiwork. When it holds, she picks up her things and steps outside again.
"The wind was catching my hair unpleasantly, so I dealt with it," she explains.
"Oh." The other girl runs a hand through her much shorter hair. "I had been thinking of growing mine out, but if long hair is really that much trouble, maybe I shouldn't."
"It is barely any trouble at all," Arturia responds, following the others toward a line of waiting buses. "It is not nearly as much trouble as arriving in the airport and finding that my traveling companions have left me behind, taking with them the documents necessary for my progress through the customs office."
"Arturia-chan, is that really necessary?" The old man frowns at her and his diminutive stature becomes suddenly imposing.
"I said I was sorry!" Tai whimpers at the same time. "I had to go, and I didn't make it before the seat-belt light came on. Besides, it wasn't that long of a wait..."
"I apologize," Arturia says, to both of them. "I was... concerned."
'Concerned? I was scared. I was afraid I was going to be detained. I was afraid they would deport me, or arrest me, or take me into protective custody while they tried to find my parents. And then, when they could not find my identity, who knows what they'd have done?'
She follows Tai and her grandfather, who have set off again, seemingly taking her apology in stride.
'It is unfair of me to hold them responsible for my anxiety.' She shakes her head. 'I have been relying too heavily on their assistance. Once we reach the mainland, I will take my leave and make my way to Fuyuki on my own. After that...' Arturia kills her thoughts, unwilling to follow that line any further. For now, she can only worry about getting to Fuyuki. While her immediate goal is to reunite with her friends, her pride will not allow her to even consider freeloading at Shirou's home as a long-term plan.
'Compared to leading a country to war or fighting Hercules, making a new life for myself here seems much more intimidating,' she thinks ruefully as she stows her luggage next to Tai's. After a moment of consideration, she takes the seat away from the aisle, leaving Tai the aisle seat and her grandfather the single seat across the aisle.
Tai sits down, but bounces in her seat.
"I can't wait to get home!" She turns to Arturia. "I bet you're looking forward to seeing your friends and family again, too, right? Especially Shirou, I'll bet!" She nudges Arturia playfully. "After all this time apart, you're going to tell him how you feel, right? You have to! It'll be so romantic... A confession of love after a long separation..." She clasps her hands together, misty-eyed.
"I think he will be too surprised to see me to properly appreciate that," Arturia says dryly. "We were not expecting to see each other again."
"Eh?!" Tai shakes Arturia. "But that's terrible! Lovers shouldn't be separated!" she proclaims.
"Tai-chan," her grandfather interjects, looking up from his novel, "please temper your defense of love and justice with consideration of peace and quiet for the sake of other passengers."
Tai looks around, and blushes. "Ehehe... Sorry. But, Arturia-chan!" she raises a finger threateningly, "don't think that leaving your boyfriend behind can be excused. How could you do such a horrible thing?"
"It was necessary," Arturia sighs. "We both had responsibilities we could not abandon."
"Responsibilities?" Tai protests. "But you're no older than me!"
"Even so." Arturia smiles slightly.
'I am most likely more comparable in age to her grandfather, but that is impossible to explain. Besides, I expect she may have more duties waiting for her at home than she expects.'
Tai's brow furrows. "Even so? You had obligations at your age that separated you from the guy you loved? That's... that's not fair!"
"Such is life, Tai-chan."
"And you're okay with that?!" the girl demands desperately, tears welling in her eyes.
"It was my choice," Arturia says firmly. "Whether or not it was fair, I made that decision of my own free will. Furthermore," she continues, not giving Tai a chance to protest, "this is neither an appropriate time nor place for this conversation."
Tai blushes slightly at the admonishment. "You're right," she sighs morosely.
'I am glad she accepted that,' Arturia thinks with relief. Although it is true that she would prefer not to discuss her past decisions on a crowded bus, and that it would have been difficult for her to avoid becoming angry with the girl, that was not her primary concern. Rather, the girl's grandfather was doing his best to appear to be reading, but his eyes kept moving toward her. He was, Arturia feared, attempting to construct a cohesive story out of the bits and pieces she had been telling Tai about her past. While Arturia has no qualms about telling half-truths about herself to construct a believable history, if he asked the wrong questions, she would be forced to lie outright, or reveal dangerous information.
'Better indeed to avoid such lines of inquiry as much as possible,' Arturia reassures herself.
"You're right," Tai repeats, her tone suspiciously even. "This is not the time or place for this conversation. However, Arturia-chan, don't think I won't ask about this later. I'll find the appropriate time and place, and then I won't take no for an answer."
'Then again, it may not be possible at all. At the very least, I will hopefully be able to have this conversation away from the ears of her grandfather.'
"Very well," Arturia acquiesces with a nod.
"Good." Tai stares at Arturia a moment longer, then turns to face across the aisle.
"Hey, Gramps, how much longer until we get home?" she asks.
"We'll get there when we arrive, Tai-chan. Consider this an opportunity to exercise your patience," he suggests with a slight smile.
"But Gramps!" Tai whines, "I'm hungry!"
Arturia settles back in her seat with a sigh. 'I am hungry, as well, but I am not complaining about it,' she thinks petulantly. 'Hopefully we'll arrive at our destination soon.'
~~~CotD~~~
To Arturia's surprise, the bus pulls to a stop and the doors open less than an hour later, soon after it left the bridge connecting the airport and the mainland. Arturia, determined not to be separated from her traveling companions again, sticks close to Tai as she presses into the aisle. A few chaotic minutes later, the three of them stand in a small plaza, next to a stack of luggage, watching the crowd disgorged from their bus disperse into other buses, the small rail station bordering the plaza, and the surrounding streets.
'Japan!' Arturia's head swims as the realization hits her. She has finally arrived in Japan. The ground she is standing on is Japan. Unlike the artificial island of the airport, this is truly Japan. Somewhere within this country, Shirou and her friends are waiting for her. Compared to the distance she has traveled, the remaining distance feels insignificant. Her destination, once a hope she only cautiously let herself believe in, now feels within reach.
Arturia takes a deep breath and forces her mind to calm down. She looks around, taking in the unfamiliar buildings, before directing her attention to her two companions. As she turns to face them, Tai points behind her grandfather.
"Hey, isn't that Hiroshi-san?" she exclaims.
Her grandfather looks over his shoulder, and his countenance brightens. "I believe you're right. He has the car, so he must be here to pick us up." He hefts his luggage with a grunt. "Let's go."
"Coming!" Tai chirps, slinging her bag over her shoulder and grabbing the handle of her suitcase. She takes two steps, then spins around to face Arturia, who is following her.
"Welcome to Fuyuki City, Arturia-chan!"
The handles of Arturia's bags slip from her nerveless fingers.
'Fuyuki City? This is Fuyuki City?' Arturia spins around, looking intently for any familiar landmark, but this plaza contains nothing that triggers her memory. She swallows as a sudden dread builds in her gut. 'I should not get my hopes up. It is possible she misspoke, I misheard her. Even if this is not Fuyuki, I am still in Japan without a doubt. No, before I can even consider whether or not to hope, I should confirm what she said.'
"Tai-chan," Arturia says slowly, "did you say this is Fuyuki?" Her voice sounds foreign to her own ears, distorted by the pounding of her heart.
"Yup! The Miongawa river is just over there!" Tai points past a row of shops on the edge of the plaza.
"I see. Then this is undoubtedly Fuyuki City." There is no reason to question the girl who speaks with such certainty. Arturia reaches for her bags again, and realizes her hands are shaking.
'I could see them today. Fuyuki isn't that big. A few hours of walking at most, once I get my bearings, and I could be at Shirou's house.' Arturia stares toward the river. 'If I follow the river inland, I'll be able to find the bridge. From there, I can find my way to Shirou's home, I think.' The realization that she cannot remember the way exactly is somewhat painful to Arturia, but she she shakes it off.
"Hey, Arturia-chan, come on!" Tai's voice breaks into her thoughts, and Arturia steps forward.
'I should at least thank them again for all they've done to help me,' she thinks, and hurries to catch up.
"Geeze, Arturia-chan, you really spaced out for a minute there," Tai says petulantly when Arturia reaches her side.
"I apologize. It has been a long time since I have been in Japan. I was overwhelmed for a moment."
"It's okay. You can make it up to me by coming over for dinner. I want to introduce you to everybody! You'll love them all, I'm sure," she gushes. "Man, it's been so long since I've seen everyone. And there's going to be a big feast to welcome us home."
She turns to Arturia. "What do you say?" Tai beseeches. "It's been ages since I had a friend over."
"Well..." Arturia responds slowly, trying to buy time as she casts frantically for an excuse that will not hurt her friend's feelings. 'I cannot wait. Not when I am this close. Not after so long. I hope she will understand.'
"Tai-chan," a voice interrupts from beside her. It sounds familiar, but the tone is wrong. Her friend's grandfather steps up beside them, looking grim. "I'm sorry, but going home will have to wait." His voice is flat. "There was an accident yesterday, and a building on property we own was destroyed. It was evacuated in time, so there were no casualties. Your father is talking to the police now. We're going, too. I have some questions I want to ask."
Tai nods, looking serious. Her grandfather turns to face Arturia.
"Arturia-chan, I am sorry for the inconvenience. It is unforgivably irresponsible of me to ask this of you, but if you wait here, someone will come to take you to the house to wait for us."
"I appreciate your offer, but I would prefer to make my own way from here. I did not realize we were flying to Fuyuki City, but I do have friends here. Now that I am back, I would very much like to see them as soon as possible. Perhaps I can visit another time, Tai-chan?" she offers.
Tai nods, and her grandfather, after giving Arturia an inscrutable look, nods as well.
"I understand," Tai says, smiling. "I would want to see my friends as soon as possible, too, if I hadn't seen them for a long time!"
"Thank you," Arturia sighs with relief. She looks in the direction Tai indicated the Miongawa was in, mentally estimating how long the walk will take. "Thank you both for everything you have done for me." She turns, but before she can even take a single step-
"Wait a second!"
-an iron vice seizes her arm.
"You can't leave yet! You said you'd come visit, but you don't know where I live! And besides, you can't leave just like that, without saying goodbye!" Tai wails.
"Oh." Arturia stops. Of course, in order to visit her friend, she needs to know where she lives. 'I suppose I am more excited to see everyone again than I realized,' she thinks ruefully.
"Arturia-chan, take this." Tai's grandfather presses a small wad of folded money into her hand. "Taxi fare," he says by way of explanation. "Ask the driver to take you to the Fujimura residence on the Miyama side of the river, and tell whoever is at the gate that Raiga sent you. Will you remember that?"
"Of course." Arturia nods sharply. 'Fujimura, is it? I will definitely remember the family that showed me such kindness.'
"Thank you again, Fujimura-san. I will look forward to seeing you soon."
"And I as well. After all, you'll have to come collect your things from our luggage." Raiga lays a hand on his granddaughter's shoulder. "Let's go, Tai-chan."
"Yeah. Bye, Arturia-chan!" she says as her grandfather pulls her toward the waiting car. "See you soon! If you don't come by and visit, I'll hunt you down myself!"
Arturia smiles and secures the money Raiga gave her safely in her pocket.
'I do not doubt that she would,' Arturia thinks, amused. 'But first, it is time for me to hunt down my own friends.'
~~~CotD~~~
"Are you sure about that? The Fujimura residence?" The driver frowns at Arturia. She nods firmly.
"Yes. In Miyama. Is that a problem?" Arturia presses her lips together in frustration. After the emptiness of the rundown Emiya residence, she is uncertain what she will do if the taxi cannot take her to her new friends' home. 'Ask for directions, and walk,' she thinks wryly.
She glances over her shoulder. The convenience store clerk who called her a cab would probably be willing to help her find her way on a map, but she'd prefer not to impose. The man smiles at her when he catches her looking, but continues to wait outside the shop.
Arturia turns back to find the taxi driver looking even more concerned. He leans forward and lowers his voice.
"Do you need help? I can take you to the police station, instead," he offers. "No charge."
Arturia shakes her head. "No, that will not be necessary. I simply wish to visit my friend. The sooner we depart, the sooner I can see her."
The driver shrugs. "Well, if you're sure..." He opens the rear door and waits for Arturia to seat herself, then resumes his position behind the wheel. "It shouldn't take long, so just relax and I'll have you there in a few minutes."
Arturia nods, her mind already drifting back to the vacant Emiya estate.
'Perhaps Shirou is traveling? It is uncharacteristic of him to let his home deteriorate to such a state. To say nothing of what Rin or Sakura would think. Although, that would be better than if he has fallen ill, or if some disaster has befallen him. No!' she shakes her head, 'I refuse to fret like this. Besides, even if if Shirou were sick, he would not let that stop him from maintaining his home.'
Arturia casts about for a distraction, and her eye settles on a newspaper. She picks it up. Although she picks it up intending to pass the time by reading the news, her eye falls instead on the date.
January 28th, 1992.
Arturia's mind grinds to a halt.
The knowledge the Holy Grail implanted in her brain upon her summoning contained much useful information about the era into which she was summoned. One of the many facts provided to her was the year as counted by people of that era. Even now, she can still recall it.
'Ten years early!' she boggles. She forces herself to keep breathing evenly in order to avoid alarming the driver. 'Why did I not think of this possibility? It was foolish - naive! - of me to assume that Avalon's spell ended at the same time as I had departed.' Arturia sags back into the seat. 'I am fortunate beyond any measure to have awoken in the same century as I was summoned into! I could have slept in Avalon's embrace beyond Shirou's lifespan, and awoken to a time when all I had ever known was dust. But I did not.'
With a slow, deep breath, Arturia hardens her resolve. 'A mere decade of waiting is nothing when measured against that. Certainly, I will have to find a way to make a new life for myself, but that is a challenge I can overcome. Ten years of mundane life in an age so rich as this one? The greatest threat may be boredom.'
She places the newspaper back on the seat beside her and turns to watch buildings pass outside the window. 'That certainly does explain why Shirou is not home. But now what shall I do? Ten years!' Suddenly, it seems to her an enormous, impossible span of time. 'Ten years alone and waiting. Shirou, where are you right now, I wonder?'
And then she remembers.
Ten years before she was summoned. The fire that created the Shirou she knew. The disaster that stole his memories from him. The fourth Holy Grail War. A chill runs down her spine.
Gilgamesh.
Arturia's thoughts race and split. Part of her demands she set out immediately to prevent the catastrophe the war will bring. Part of her recoils in horror at what the golden Archer will do to her if he should encounter her. And part of her remembers that she has sworn to accept the past and abandon her dreams of changing it.
'But that was different!' she protests the last part. 'Then, I was searching for a miracle. Here, I have been provided one!'
Arturia squeezes her eyes shut and focuses on her breathing. One breath. Two.
'Calm,' she instructs herself, 'I will remain calm. Setting aside for the moment what I ought to do, what can I do? I have Avalon, but not Excalibur. And unlike my time as a Servant, I have a body of flesh and blood. Should Gilgamesh find me...' She shudders. 'Death would be preferable.'
Another possibility occurs to Arturia. 'What if I should encounter myself, as a Servant?. She winces. 'That would not end well. As I was then, I would likely assume myself to be a distraction conjured up by Caster, or perhaps one of the other Masters.' Her head aches just contemplating it. 'No, if I am to act, it would have to be discreetly.'
'And then there's the matter of the Grail. If I, as a Servant, do not use Excalibur to destroy it, and the evil within should escape... That is a great risk to take. Shirou would never forgive me.'
Arturia sighs as the car slows to a halt. 'I suppose I do not need to decide now. The fourth war has not yet begun.' And yet, she feels exhausted, as if she had fought the fourth and fifth wars again. Still, she forces a smile as the driver opens her door.
"Thank you," she says as she steps out of the car. She look hands him the money Raiga had provided her, and waits while he counts out her change.
"Are you sure you're alright here?" he asks as he passes back a few bills. "You seemed to be having some second thoughts."
"I am certain, but thank you for your concern." Arturia looks to the entrance she has been dropped off in front of, a door to what appears to be a large traditional estate. The driver sighs.
"Have a nice day, then."
Arturia hears the car doors closed behind her as she steps forward to ring the bell. The door opens as the taxi pulls away, and Arturia looks up to see a large, heavily-muscled man standing in the doorway. A guard.
"You lost, girl?" he rumbles.
"That depends on whether or not this is the Fujimura residence." She arches an eyebrow. He looms forward, filling the doorway more completely.
"And what if it is?"
"Then I am here to visit Tai-chan. Raiga-san sent me."
The guard frowns. "Wait here," he commands, then steps back inside, slamming the door in her face.
~~~CotD~~~
'I should find some way to warn them.'
Arturia paces as she thinks. Leaving her friends ignorant of the dangers that will soon be present in their city is intolerable, even assuming that they have not already arrived. But she can find no way to tell them that is plausible enough to be believed, coming from the teen-aged girl she has presented herself as.
Arturia ceases her pacing as the door to the living room slides open. She sighs quietly with relief when Raiga steps through and closes it behind him. The Fujimura residence is not unwelcoming, but the intermittent checks by what are presumably guards have prevented her from relaxing. Even if they did offer tea.
Raiga settles himself by the kotetsu in the center of the room. "Come sit with me," he says as he adjust the blanket over his lap. Arturia folds her legs underneath her at the opposite side, and lets the warmth from the heater beneath the table sink into her muscles.
"So, what brings you to our home so soon, Arturia-chan?" Raiga asks. "Were you not visiting your friends?"
Arturia nods. "I did stop by Shirou's home, however-"
"Arturia-chan! You came back!"
That roar is Arturia's only warning to brace herself for a flying tackle, a challenging prospect from the seiza position. However, for a warrior of her skill, a moment suffices. She slips her knee outward to provide additional support, lowers her shoulder, and leans into it.
Arturia slides sideways under the force of Tai's affection. 'This impact is more appropriate for an assault from a wild animal than a teenage girl,' she thinks as she pries her arms free, one at a time.
"I said I would visit," Arturia protests. "Is it truly so surprising that I am here?"
"No!" her friend answers immediately. "But I thought you were just being polite. You were so excited to see your old friends that I thought you'd forget me while you were busy celebrating your reunion and being all lovey-dovey with Shirou and then you'd tell him your feelings and he'd admit he thought about you every day and then you'd go get married and-"
"Taiga-ojou-sama!" An exhausted-looking woman in a rumpled blue suit follows Taiga into the room. "You are in the middle of lessons, you can't-" she cuts herself off and bows to Raiga.
"Raiga-sama, I apologize for interrupting your meeting. Taiga-ojou-sama, this behavior is unbecoming. Please return to your studies."
"Awww, c'mon," Taiga whines. "Arturia is my friend. It's not like this is one of Gramps's super important business meetings."
"Even so," her tutor's reply is unyielding. "You are supposed to be practicing your English conjugations right now. You can socialize later."
"But she just got here," Taiga says, "and who knows when she's going to leave again." She turns watery eyes on Arturia. "Promise you'll come back to visit when I'm free?"
Arturia tries to corral her scattered thoughts. "I... that is..."
Taiga abruptly perks up and cranes her neck to look at her grandfather without loosening her grip on Arturia in the slightest.
"Gramps! Can we have a sleepover tonight? Please? Then we'll have plenty of time to visit!"
Raiga meets Arturia's eyes over his granddaughter's head.
"If Arturia-chan agrees, I suppose," he offers. Arturia nods. "But you still have to finish all of your lessons, and let me finish my conversation with Arturia. But that means you stop causing trouble for Satou-sensei. Understood?"
"I promise! I'll finish all of my lessons without complaint. What do you say, Arturia-chan?" Taiga looks pleadingly up Arturia.
"I would be delighted. Thank you for the invitation."
'Fujimura... Taiga, is it?' She takes the opportunity to take a closer look at her young friend. 'It couldn't be... Shirou's teacher? How could I have missed that?' Arturia wonders. 'Now that I look, the resemblance is obvious. Both in appearance and in mannerisms. I suppose I was only expecting to see her as an adult. But still, to have chanced upon a friend... I suppose this will not be my first sleepover with her,' she smiles at Taiga, 'although this one should be significantly more fun.'
Arturia's thoughts are interrupted by Taiga hugging her even harder.
"Yay!" Taiga detaches herself from Arturia and clambers to her feet. "I apologize for the interruption of our lessons," she says in a formal tone, turning to bow toward her tutor. "Please, let us resume."
Satou sighs. "Of course. Let's get back to your studies." She waits for Taiga to leave, then gives another silent bow to Raiga before slipping out of the room and sliding the door shut behind her.
Raiga clears his throat to break the silence Taiga's departure has left.
"You were saying something about Shirou's home?" he prompts.
"Ah, yes." Aturia takes a moment to gather her thoughts. "He was not there. In fact, the property seemed to have been vacant for some time. It is possible that his family relocated while I was away." She frowns, uncomfortable with lying to someone who has shown her so much kindness, but sees no alternative. 'After all, I cannot simply tell him that my friends will not live there for many years yet.'
Raiga hums in thought. "Is it possible that you misremembered the address?"
Arturia sighs, but takes the excuse offered. "I was certain I would remember the path there from the station. However, I did not know the actual address. It is possible that I misremembered a turn, or perhaps the roads or landmarks have changed."
"I see." Raiga taps his fingers on the top of the kotetsu. "Do you know the family name of Shirou? Or perhaps one of your other friends. If so, perhaps we could look them up in the phone book."
"I do not." Arturia shakes her head.
Raiga stares at her in silence for a long moment, then sighs.
"Arturia, I want to help you. My granddaughter trusts you, and she is, despite appearances, a reliable judge of character. On her behalf, I am willing to assist you. However, I cannot trust you when you tell such obvious lies."
'I knew my story was weak, but I was hoping he would let it slide a little longer. I do not require his assistance, but it would have been helpful.' Arturia grimaces. 'And it would have been nice to have a friend or two.'
"I understand," Arturia bows her head. "Please apologize to Taiga on my behalf." She rises to her feet.
"Are your secrets so important?" Raiga's voice stops her a step from the door. "Arturia, it is obvious that you have not had a normal childhood. I just want to be sure that you and your past present no danger to my family."
Arturia looks back over her shoulder to meet his eyes. "I would protect your granddaughter with my life, should it be necessary. I will swear this, if it would help you to trust me."
In response, Raiga's lips curl into a mirthless smile.
"Arturia, it is things like that which challenge the pretense that you are a normal child." He shakes his head. "And no, your word would not be enough. How can I trust your word that you are trustworthy?"
Arturia whirls, furious. "I suppose asking a criminal to trust my sworn word was futile," she spits.
Raiga simply stares at her. "A criminal? That is a serious accusation to make. I am sure you have evidence to back it up."
"Of course! There is no legitimate way you could have acquired the documentation required to permit me international travel on such short notice. Furthermore, you insisted on the charade that I was your granddaughter. If you had gotten me a legal passport, that would not have been necessary."
"I see." Raiga rubs his chin in thought. "I see. I am sure that every girl your age knows the details of the laws governing international travel."
Arturia flinches. "I am older than I look."
The defense is weak, and Arturia knows it. What is more, she can see that Raiga is aware of how weak it is. As he leans forward and smiles, Arturia realizes that perhaps she has stumbled into a trap.
"I do not doubt that," he says thoughtfully. "What I would like to know is how much older you are than my granddaughter. Will you answer that?"
'He knows! Or at least, he suspects.' Her mind races as she formulates and discards multiple plans for avoiding the truth.
"Your face tells me that the answer is a considerably larger number than you have lead me to believe." Arturia immediately schools her face into a neutral expression, but the damage has already been done. "If it helps you make a decision, Arturia, I am not unfamiliar with the moonlit world."
At that, Arturia's racing thoughts grind to a halt.
"How?"
The question escapes her before she can stop it, and Raiga laughs, once.
"I am an old man, Arturia. I raised a son, and helped raised a granddaughter. I know what teenagers are like, even teenagers who are unusually mature. You act like an adult. You react like an adult." His expression becomes severe. "As you surmised, I am involved in the criminal world. In fact, the yakuza of Fuyuki city answer to me. Now, I have answered your questions, and you will answer mine. Are you some sort of spirit or demon, a practitioner, or something else? Why are you here, and what designs do you have upon my family?"
Arturia shakes her head. "I am human." She holds up her hand to forestall his protests. "My aging was suspended by magical means for several decades. I am most likely old enough to be Taiga's father." Raiga raises an eyebrow at her word choice, but does not interject. "I know some small amount of magecraft, but I do not practice it myself." Arturia pauses to gather her thoughts.
"You most likely would not believe me if I told you my full story." She sighs. "I would not believe it, myself, were I not living through it. I was not lying about having friends in Japan, but I do not know where they are at this time. When I departed for England, I fully expected to die there. I was prepared for that. This-" she waves a hand at herself and the room around them, "-this is a miracle."
"I have no designs upon your family. My only desire now is to be reunited with the friends I left behind. That is all."
Raiga regards Arturia in silence after she finishes speaking.
'Will he believe me?' she wonders. Were their circumstances reversed, she is not sure she would accept such a story as true. Even omitting the more unlikely elements of her story, she thinks it must be a lot to take in. 'Still, it is a relief to have finally told him the truth, even a partial truth.' Arturia had not realized how much it bothered her to lie to someone who was helping her until that burden was lifted.
Raiga drums his fingers on the top of the table. "That is quite a tale. From what I know of magi, magic that could grant extended youth would be highly in demand. Are you being hunted?"
Arturia shakes her head immediately. "No. I am almost certain that no one who would pursue such a thing even knows of my existence."
"I see." Raiga lapses into silence briefly, before continuing, "Have you any proof of your story? You have offered me a plausible explanation..." He trails off with a chuckle. "Well, relatively speaking. But it still depends on your word. No, no, don't get riled up again. You should know that dealing with the moonlit world as a mere human requires a certain unwillingness to take claims at face value."
'I could show him Avalon,' Arturia considers. 'That would provide proof, at least, that I am in possession of a powerful magical artifact. But it would still not prove my story, and it might raise other questions.' Her thoughts are interrupted by an exclamation from Raiga.
"Aha!" He raises a finger. "If we could find your friends, and they are humans with acquaintances, paper trails, and history, that would go a long way toward easing my concerns. I would be willing to give you the benefit of the doubt for a few days, at least."
Arturia winces. His suggestion is reasonable, helpful, and utterly impossible. Worse, despite her best efforts to limit her reaction, she can see that he noticed.
Raiga sighs. "So, not only do you not know where your friends are, but you have reason to believe they will not be so easily located, even for a man of my considerable resources. Is there anything else you'd like to tell me? Anything at all you can offer to support your claims?"
"Please, give me a few moments to think." Arturia returns to her seat and settles back onto the cushion. Then she closes her eyes and tries to set aside her anger at having her word questioned. She has extensive practice mediating disputes and seeing all sides of an argument. However, she thinks wryly, she is not used to being one of the participants.
'He deserves the truth.' That is the conclusion she reaches after considering the situation. 'He may not believe me, but if he does not, then there is no harm done. And if he does... if he is willing to even entertain the idea, then I may be able to prove it.'
Arturia opens her eyes and meets Raiga's considering stare.
"Unfortunately, I do not believe that several days would be sufficient to locate my friends. I think it is more likely that I will have to wait many years. I left Japan in 2002."
Raiga's eyebrows climb his forehead. He opens his mouth, takes a deep breath, and then sighs. After another moment, he responds.
"If this is a joke, it is not a very good one."
"It is not."
"I didn't think so, but..." Raiga rubs his temples. "It is hard to swallow. Do you have any proof?"
"Yes. Fuyuki city is going to play host to a group of magi fighting over a powerful artifact in the near future, if they have not begun already. A hotel was destroyed. Later, a boat on the river is destroyed. I do not recall many details, but I can try to remember more if necessary."
Raiga waves her off. "A hotel, you say? Was it the Hyatt?"
"I don't remember. I'm sorry." Arturia leans forward. "But listen to me. It is important that you and anyone you care about stay indoors after dark from the time it begins until the conclusion. The end was a large fire at the new City Hall." She settles back. "I wanted to find a way to warn you, but I could not think of one that you would believe while still also believing I was normal. This, at least, is something I do not regret."
Raiga studies Arturia's face in silence. Then his face twists into a grimace, and he punches the floor. "Damn it!" Arturia leaps to her feet, but he waves her back down.
"Damn," he mutters the second expletive. "I believe that you believe what you claim." Raiga shakes his head. "This is a lot to take in." He levers himself to his feet. "I will have to make some arrangements to verify what you have said and to mitigate the damage."
"Arturia, you should be aware that the Hyatt Hotel was destroyed early this morning, while we were in the air. The preliminary investigations indicate explosives were used to destroy the foundation. However, the fire alarm was set off beforehand, so all of the guests and employees were able to escape safely."
"You should prepare to entertain my granddaughter. Ask the housekeeper or one of the guards if you need anything. I will let them know you are trustworthy. We will assuredly talk more in the morning. If you are truly displaced in time, then you have nowhere to stay. However, I believe we can come to an equitable arrangement. I am sure someone of your unusual background will have many useful skills, and know many useful things."
Without waiting for a response, Raiga hurries from the room. Arturia stares down at the top of the kotatsu.
'Share knowledge of the future with a criminal?' she thinks, aghast that she is considering it. 'It is bad enough I have told him as much as I have. To tell him more would risk meddling. Or, worse, somehow draw the attention of Gilgamesh.' She shudders. 'No, I think I will do my best to live a quiet and reclusive life for the foreseeable future.'
Arturia leans forward to rest her head on the table, allowing herself to indulge in a bit of self-pity while she is still alone. 'Useful skills, he said. The ability to read and write are not valuable in this era, and I suspect there is limited call for leading armies or ruling kingdoms. I know the sword, but not the style of this country. I suspect few would be interested in learning, and fewer still would respect a woman of my stature as a teacher of the broadsword.'
Arturia remembers the rudeness of the doorman. 'Although,' she smiles slightly to herself, 'perhaps teaching some of these ruffians to respect a woman of my stature would be a valuable lesson itself. I believe I shall be able to find ways to keep myself busy after all.'
She is surprised to find that the prospect of making a new life for herself does not bother her more. 'I did it once,' she thinks, 'and this era is far more hospitable than that one was. Ten years is a long time, certainly... But there are worse fates than to live a quiet life in such a luxurious time.'
~~~Interlude 7-1~~~
The boy slows from a run to a jog as he passes through the school gates. It is not that he is out of breath, but that it is not proper to run on school grounds. Additionally, now that he is at school, there are more people around. It has become dangerous for him to run carelessly. He waves farewell to the girl he is with as they separate. She angles toward the archery range; he presumes she is on her way to greet Mitsuzuri Ayako.
Because of his conversation with Rin, he has arrived slightly later than usual. Shirou proceeds toward the main building, forcing himself to ignore the stares of the students. His persistent association with Rin has overcome the ability of the students to ignore reality. He is uncomfortable with the attention, but, he thinks, there is nothing he can do about it.
'I promised Issei I'd meet him before assembly today!' he thinks as he rushes toward the student council office. He had promised to help his friend again today, and unlike most days, today's assistance cannot be completed after school. He throws the door to the office open.
"Sorry I'm late!"
To his consternation, the room is empty. Puzzled, he steps inside, closing the door behind him.
'It's not like Issei to be late. Perhaps Kuzuki-sensei called-' He cuts off that thought. Kuzuki Souichirou has not been seen since the mass coma incident. Shirou and Rin investigated as best they were able, but were forced to consider him another victim of the Holy Grail War. He frowns but dismisses that thought with an effort and moves to check the whiteboard at the back of the room to see if his friend left him a note.
'Well, maybe it's a good thing if Issei isn't here yet. If he got started about Tohsaka again, there would be no way we'd finish in time.' Although most of the school has managed to accept the unlikely fact that the school idol is associating with Emiya Shirou, Ryuudou Issei has not yet accepted the fact that his friend Emiya Shirou is associating with the devil known as Tohsaka Rin.
There is nothing new on the board. It is filled with budget planning information and notes about upcoming events. Shirou's perusal of the Student Council's planning is interrupted by the sound of the door sliding open behind him.
"I apologize for my lateness!"
Shirou turns around to see Issei close the door with his foot, then set down the folder he is carrying on the table.
"It is somewhat embarrassing, but I overslept." The Student Council President straightens a stack of notecards restlessly. "Emiya-kun, I must thank you again for agreeing to do this."
"It's no problem, Issei." Shirou waves off the other boy's gratitude. "I still think you should have done this sooner, but if this is what you wanted..." He trails of as the other student's stomach growls.
"I had no time for breakfast." Issei explains, looking embarrassed. "Pay it no mind. This is simply a minor inconvenience. We only have twenty minutes before we will have to leave to be on time for the assembly, so if you do not mind, I would like to begin."
At Shirou's nod, Issei glances at the top index card on his pile and clears his throat.
"As President of the Student Council, I would like to welcome you all to another year at Homurahara Academy. Before we begin another year, I would like to ask for a moment of silence in memory of those who were lost in the incidents in February..." As Issei begins his final rehearsal of the speech he will give at the opening ceremonies, Shirou lets his mind wander. He has heard the speech several times before, and he is not here to listen. He is simply providing a practice audience for his friend. Perhaps it is because his mind was primed by his conversation with Rin earlier, or perhaps it was Issei's mention of breakfast. Although he is unsure of the reason why, he finds himself recalling breakfast after that day...
Even two months later, he cannot recall the walk home from Ryuudou Temple. He only remembers fragments of his return to the house with the unconscious Illyasviel. He distinctly remembers putting her to bed in a spare room, and bringing out an extra futon for Tohsaka. He only recalls this because he had a clear thought that the blood on her clothing would ruin the futon. He knows he must have carried her into the room with Illya and left her there, because that is where she was the following morning. He also does not remember returning to his room, but he surely must have, because that is where he woke up. His first clear memory after watching Saber vanish is waking up in his room at his usual time.
Shirou wakes at five-thirty AM, as he does almost every day. He stares at the ceiling, mind clouded with sleep, and attempts to shake the strange feeling of lassitude from his mind and body. 'Why is it,' he wonders, 'that I don't feel like getting up today?' Minutes pass, and still he does not move. He simply lies on his futon, trying to figure out why he does not feel like moving.
"Ah... That's right..."
She would have had no tolerance for his laziness, he thinks, but he still cannot convince himself to rise. There is no pressing need for him be up. The War is over, after all, and she is gone. As soon as he thinks it, pain like knives stabs his chest, and his arm rises to clutch the blanket over his heart. He blinks dumbly at it, then waves it slowly in front of his face.
'So I can move, after all.'
He was not certain. He knows he had overexerted himself badly in the battle with the false priest. He had pushed both his body and his magic circuits past their limits, and after that, he had pushed himself further to carry Illya home. He remembers the numbness after projecting her sword, and he thinks it would not have been a surprise if this time he was paralyzed for even a month or two. However, now that he knows he can move, there is no reason to stay in bed.
He forces himself upright. Despite the fact that he can move, his body is still heavy and slow to respond to his commands. It is enough for him that it functions, and he staggers out of his bedroom, clenching his teeth against the pain. No matter how much it hurts, after all, the pain she returned to with a smile must have been far, far worse.
He completes his morning ablutions in a daze, and limps into the kitchen. The familiar surroundings and familiar motions sooth him, and help him focus his thoughts.
'Rin is still here, so... A Western breakfast? Something easy to digest would be best.'
He nods to himself, and collects the things he will need from the kitchen. Everything is in its proper place in this orderly space, and it only takes him a few minutes. He greases a pan and breaks eggs while he waits for it to heat, frowning at the effort it takes to manage that level of careful motion.
'One... two...' He counts to himself as he breaks the eggs. 'Three... Four...' He picks up a fifth, and stops, hand shaking. 'That's right, she won't be eating here anymore.' His head spins, and the eggs slips from his fingers. 'I made too much toast.' Mechanically, he kneels to wipe up the broken egg, carefully picking up the pieces of the shell. 'She's gone, and all I can think now is "I made too much toast"?' He punches the floor in frustration. The pain in his hand does not diminish the pain in his heart, but it helps him focus on the present moment. He pushes aside thoughts of the happy face she would make while eating, a face he will never see again, and turns his attention back to the stove.
The smells of cooking must have spread through the house, because he senses movement behind him before the food is ready. Or perhaps it was a different smell, he thinks, glowering at the burnt toast. He steps to the side silently to allow Rin access to the refrigerator. Although he feels he should tease her while she is unable to defend herself, he cannot muster the energy the effort would require. Instead, he looks her over carefully, evaluating her condition as she gulps a tall glass of milk.
Despite the evidence of the dried blood still staining the living room, the girl appears to be unwounded. She moves cautiously, favoring her left side, and she keeps that arm held carefully against her body. However, there is no sign of the injuries that left her barely conscious to wait for his return.
"That is some amazing healing magic, Tohsaka."
He does not mean to say it aloud, but it slips out, and she turns to face him.
"The eggs are burning."
He moves the skillet to a cold burner and turns off the stove.
"How is Illya?" he asks as he separates the food onto two plates.
"Still sleeping. I checked on her as soon as I woke up." He nods in response and hands her one of the plates. "Shirou..." He looks at her quizzically, and she shakes her head. "It's nothing. Let's eat."
They sit at the table in silence. Eating a peaceful meal and sipping hot tea while surrounded by dried blood and the signs of battle is surreal, and despite his preference for a quiet breakfast, he finds himself speaking.
"Sorry about the food." It is the first thing that comes to mind to say. As a cook who takes pride in his cooking, burning both the eggs and the toast of this simple meal is embarrassing. However, the girl sitting across from him only laughs quietly.
"I would love to tease you about this," she says bluntly, "but I'll let it go just this once in light of extenuating circumstances. Besides, I don't think I could have done any better this morning."
Her uncharacteristic admission surprises him, and leads his thoughts in uncomfortable directions, so he forcefully redirects them. '"Just this once," is it? Fuji-nee would never be so understanding about food.' That thought should be funny, but he cannot laugh. 'Sakura would worry, though. I only ever mess up cooking when something is wrong. Speaking of which...' He focuses his attention on Rin again. She is watching him with an inscrutable expression while chewing slowly.
"Tohsaka, Sakura will be coming back tomorrow, right?" he asks, concerned. If she is coming back, he will have to make sure he can cook well enough to keep from worrying her. 'I'll have to act as though nothing happened. That's part of being a magus, too, I guess.'
Across from him, Rin chokes. "Ugh," she says, still coughing, "I had forgotten about that. I did promise her I would go home if she stayed away for a week, didn't I?" He nods. "I'll go home today, then," she says firmly.
"Are you recovered enough for that?" he asks, concerned. "You can stay another few days if you need to."
"That won't be necessary. I had enough prana to speed my healing process. I'll be perfectly fine by lunch time." She stops eating. "Shirou, Sakura may not come back immediately. Her brother did die, after all."
He flinches, but nods. He refuses to think about how Shinji's death is his fault, or how by failing to save Shinji he has certainly made Sakura cry. He cannot bear to face that, so he puts it off for later.
"I'll go check up on her soon if she doesn't come by. For the time being, what are we going to do with Illya?"
"You're the one who took her in, so she's your responsibility," she says with a hint of her normal teasing tone. "I'll help out if you want, but you're the one who is going to have to take care of her. Of course, you should ask what she wants as well."
He nods, and finishes his tea. "Of course. I'll talk to her about it as soon as she wakes up." He takes Rin's dishes with his own and carries them to the kitchen.
"I'll go start packing, then."
The living room behind him falls silent, and he thinks that Rin must have left.
"Emiya-kun."
He dries his hands and turns around. Rin is still sitting at the table, watching him. She stands. "This should go without saying, but you have to take care of yourself, too." With that, she leaves without waiting for a response.
"Of course," he answers the empty room.
'This life that she suffered and bled to protect, I can't treat it so carelessly.'
"Emiya!"
Shirou starts. "Huh? Issei?"
"I know I did not ask you to actually listen to my speech, Emiya, but I thought you would at least pay attention to the time." The other boy points impatiently at the door. "If we do not leave now, we will both be late."
"Ack!" Shirou leaps to his feet, catching his chair before it can fall. "Thanks, Issei! Let's go!"
~~~CotD~~~
Shirou rushes into the auditorium as fast as he can without running, and slips into the first empty seat he can find with a sigh of relief. The headmaster is only just now stepping forward to begin his speech.
"Ahem." The man clears his throat and taps the microphone. "Ah, good. Hello, everyone, and welcome to the beginning of the of the two thousand and two summer term, and the beginning of the new school year. I would like to take this opportunity especially to welcome our new students to Homurahara Academy."
Shirou suppresses a yawn. Two years of experience with the headmaster's long-winded speeches are ample supporting evidence to his presumption that this speech will be boring. Instead, he thinks about his plans for the afternoon. Fujimura Raiga will be dropping Illya off for the archery club welcoming party after classes, so he will have to be at the front gate to pick her up. After the party, the two of them and Sakura will walk back to his house for dinner. Taiga took her motorcycle to school today, so she will probably go back to her own home first.
"-and with that, I would like to introduce Ryuudou Issei, who is serving the student body as Council President again this year, as well." Hearing his friend's name draws Shirou's attention briefly. "Ryuudou-kun, if you don't mind?"
'Well, I've heard the speech enough already,' he thinks wryly as the lanky boy nervously stands to take the podium. 'I'm sure he'll forgive me for not listening this time, as well.'
"Erm..." Issei swallows loudly enough for the microphone to pick it up, and scattered laughter erupts in the auditorium. Issei flushes, but ignores it and begins his speech. "As President of the Student Council, I would like to welcome you all..."
'I hope Illya gets along with the students at the party,' Shirou thinks. 'If nothing else, at least Sakura, Rin, and I will be there. I hope Mitsuzuri isn't mad at me for bringing a kid, though...' That thought raises a worse one. 'I hope Mitsuzuri doesn't try to force me into joining the club again. I had enough of that last year.' Something must have changed around the time of the Holy Grail War, he thinks. Last year, after he recovered from his accident, she had argued with him over leaving the club, because she did not want to be left alone as captain. He had dodged that one by offering Shinji as a substitute co-captain. She had still pleaded with him to return, because she felt that her position was undeserved. 'Something about how she never beat me, I guess.' However, once school resumed after incident with Rider's Blood Fort, she had taken to ordering him to return, saying things like, "It's a disgrace that such a talented archer is not contributing to the club or the school!" Honestly, he found he change in attitude somewhat frightening.
'I wonder how Sakura is dealing with it...' From what Sakura had told him, Ayako had begun grooming her to take over the club, or at least to take over the position of captain of the girls' archery team. 'This will be her first act as captain... I hope nobody mentions Shinji.' It would be a natural comparison to make. The younger sister was stepping into a role previously filled by her deceased older brother. 'At least she can handle talking about him, now.' When she had first resumed coming to his house for breakfast and dinner, she had been very depressed. 'I have to remember to thank Illya for helping her.' Even now, it pains him to recall the awkward atmosphere of the first meal they ate together after the Grail War.
At five-thirty in the morning, the boy wakes as he does almost every day. He calmly climbs out of his futon and pads down the hall to the bathroom.
'My body feels mostly fine now, so I should be able to exercise this morning,' he thinks as he washes his face. He returns to his room to change into a gi and heads for the dojo. The winter air is cool and bracing. Shirou lingers in the yard for a few minutes, enjoying the tranquility, then continues inside before his fingers become numb.
To his disappointment, he discovers as soon as he begins exercising that his body is not as recovered as he had hoped. He is only able to do fifty situps and one hundred pushups before he has to stop because his body is giving out. Disappointed, he returns to the house to wash up. He notices the smell first, while he is changing. As he nears the living room, he hears definite sounds of movement.
'I wonder if Illya is making herself breakfast. I didn't know she could cook, though...' Worried, he hurries toward the kitchen, berating himself for leaving her to fend for herself. 'I should have cooked breakfast first so she'd have something to eat if she woke up before I was in!' Since the girl had finally woken up yesterday afternoon, his fears about her recovery had been eased. She was weak and tired easily, but was as cheerful as ever.
Stepping through the door, into the living room, Shirou took a deep breath to apologize to Illya for not feeding her, and froze.
'I thought Tohsaka said she wouldn't be back so soon.' Unmistakably, the girl standing in his kitchen was not Illya, but Sakura. 'Wasn't she supposed to be mourning for Shinji? Besides that, there's no school today anyway!'
"Good morning, Sakura." He greets her as usual after recovering his composure. She turns to face him with a surprised squeak, and he feels a sudden surge of guilt at how tired she looks. Her eyes are red and sunken, with deep bags, and he feels another stab as he realizes that she is wearing makeup to disguise it.
"Sakura, are you alright?" He asks, but he knows how she will answer.
"I'm fine, Senpai," she says with a smile. "Breakfast is almost ready, so please be patient for just another minute or two." Shirou nods and prepares tea while he waits.
They eat mostly in silence. Sakura prepared a simple traditional meal of grilled fish and miso soup. There is rice, of course, and pickled vegetables as well. The fish is grilled perfectly, the skin crisp and flaking, and glistening with tamari, but the inside is still moist. Shirou sips at the miso soup, which is rich and salty. Sakura opted to make it without tofu today, but the sliced daikon in the soup contrasts pleasantly with the pickled daikon on the side. 'She would have appreciated this,' he thinks, and suddenly his appetite is gone.
"Senpai, is everything alright?" Sakura asks with a worried expression. "Is there something wrong with the food? You're not eating..."
He shakes his head. "Just thinking." With an effort, he begins eating again.
"Mmm." She nods slowly, and the conversation dies.
Although Shirou prefers quiet meals, he finds the current silence uncomfortable.
"Hey, Sakura..." She looks up. "I'm sorry about Shinji." She flinches, and he kicks himself. 'Stupid, that just made things more awkward.'
"Please don't worry, Senpai. Grandfather and I are persevering."
"Ah, I see." He takes another bite. 'Grandfather, is it? Come to think of it, she never really talks about her family.'
"Senpai, where is Saber-san?"
He should have expected her to ask. He knows he should have, but he was trying not to think about it. He did not expect it, so her question takes him by surprise. He swallows carefully, trying not to choke, and sips his tea before answering.
"She went home." It is all he can trust himself to say.
"Ah... Did something happen to make her leave suddenly?"
Shirou shakes his head. "No, it was time for her to return, is all."
"I see." She says, eyes downcast.
'Is she upset? She's probably just tired and depressed about Shinji.'
"Don't worry, Sakura. She left with a smile." It pains him to say it, but because it is true, Shirou feels no guilt for misleading Sakura.
"Ah, is that so." She does not meet his eyes, and picks at her food.
Shirou, uncertain of how to continue the conversation, resumes eating in silence. The heavy atmosphere persists, and Shirou's perception of time slows. He glances at the clock, and is shocked to see that it is already seven thirty.
"Good morning, Onii-chan. Who is that?" A sleepy voice from the doorway breaks the tension. Shirou's head snaps up, and he stares at the girl standing there.
He knew Illya would be getting up soon. He knew it, but he forgot. The shock of seeing Sakura in the kitchen made him forget. 'This... is really dangerous.' He shakes off his surprise.
"Morning, Illya!" He greets her with a smile. "This is my friend, Sakura. She sometimes comes over to help out. Sakura, this is Illya. It's complicated, but I've been taking care of her for the time being."
"I am pleased to meet you." Sakura bows slightly from her seated position. "My name is Matou Sakura."
"Illyasviel von Einzbern." The white-haired girl dips into a curtsy. "The pleasure is mine, Matou-san."
Sakura starts, and glances at Shirou, but immediately returns her attention to the other girl. "Ah!" She stands up quickly. "Please forgive me, Illya-chan! Since I didn't know you were here, I didn't make you anything for breakfast. I'll prepare something right away." She hurries toward the kitchen.
Shirou looks back and forth between the two girls, and breaks into a cold sweat when he notices Illya glaring at him.
"There is nothing to forgive. After all, it's Shirou's fault that you didn't know I was here." Illya takes a seat at the table next to Shirou and leans toward him to whisper, "Does she know about the War?"
Shirou shakes his head. "No. Her brother was a master, though. You killed him. She's still mourning."
"Oh." Illya seems taken aback, and falls silent. She stares contemplatively into the kitchen, watching Sakura cook.
"Illya?" Shirou looks at the girl beside him with concern. "Is something wrong?"
"It's nothing," Illya says, shaking her head slowly. "Look, food!"
Sakura smiles faintly at her enthusiasm. "It's not much, but I hope you enjoy it."
Illya shakes her head again, more vigorously this time. "It looks delicious!" She picks up her chopsticks with the hesitance of recently unfamiliarity and lifts a bite of fish toward her mouth. Shirou taps her free arm and arches an eyebrow at her. She pouts at him, but sighs.
"Itadakimasu!"
Shirou chuckles quietly to himself before recalling where he is and stifling his laughter. 'If Fuji-nee catches me laughing now, she'll make me regret it. At least Illya has become accustomed to chopsticks and etiquette since then," he settles back in his chair to listen to the end of the welcoming speech.
~~~CotD~~~
By the time the welcome speeches, introductions, and addresses are over, it is almost noon. 'I guess I'll catch Issei in the Student Council office for lunch,' Shirou thinks as he leaves the auditorium. 'No point in fighting the crowds to check the class assignments immediately.' He turns away from the flow of students pushing toward the bulletin boards, sighing with relief as he escapes the press of students. The walk to the office is peaceful, and he is unsurprised to find that he has beaten Issei there.
"Oh well," he sighs. 'I guess Issei went to check the class rosters first. He should have had a head start from the stage, though.'
As he expected, Issei enters the room a minute later, looking flustered.
"Oh, Emiya. You're already here."
Shirou raises a hand in greeting. "Is it too much to hope you checked which class I was in while you were there?"
Issei nods, pushing his glasses up as they slide out of place. "Indeed. While I remain in 2-C, you have been moved to class 2-B. Unfortunately, I did not have time to read the full rosters."
Shirou shrugs. "I'll find out when I go to class. Thanks, Issei." The other boy has begun digging his lunch out of his bag, so Shirou reaches for his as well.
"Itadakimasu!" The two are about to begin their lunch when the door slides open. Standing in the doorway is someone who should not be there.
"Sorry, Ryuudou-kun, but I'll be borrowing Emiya for lunch today."
"T-T-Tohsaka! What are you doing in the Student Council office?" Issei splutters indignantly. He has the look of a man who has discovered that his last haven is unsafe after all.
"I told you, I'm collecting Emiya," she responds, looking at him with an expression of faint amazement. "Is it wrong for me to want to eat lunch with my friend after vacation?"
"Your friend?" Issei turns to Shirou. "Is this true, Emiya?" he asks desperately.
"Ah..." Shirou looks between the two of them frantically. There is no safe way for him to answer this question. However, one answer will certainly result in serious consequences. 'Sorry, Issei.'
"Yeah, we've become friends recently. I guess I forgot to tell you."
Rin nods in satisfaction at his answer and turns to leave, but Issei grabs his arm and whispers urgently, "Shirou, be careful! I'll expect a full report after school!"
"E~mi~ya~kun, it's not polite to keep a lady waiting," an ominous voice interrupts the one-sided conference. Swallowing, Shirou nods to Issei and hurries out into the hall. Waiting for him there, tapping her foot impatiently, is Tohsaka Rin. As soon as he closes the door, she turns around and starts walking.
"The roof?"
She nods without slowing down, and he jogs after her.
"Fujimura-sensei's grandfather is bringing Illya for the party, right?"
"Yeah. It's not that I don't trust her to take the bus alone, but he offered."
Rin nods. "And after the party?"
"She'll come home with us for dinner." He clears his throat. "You are welcome to join us. I'm already cooking for four; one more wouldn't be any trouble."
"Oh ho?" Shirou feels a shiver run down his spine at her smile. "I can't promise I'll come for dinner, but it would probably be a good idea for you to make extra."
"I see. I'll do that." He pushes open the door to the roof, and they step out into the warm spring air.
"Hey, Shirou..." Rin speaks quietly as they eat. "What are your plans for the future?"
"Geh-!" Shirou chokes and coughs. "What are you asking something like that for?"
"Do I need a reason?" she snaps, "It's the start of a new semester! It's natural to think about the future at times like these!"
"If you say so, I have no choice but to believe it," he concedes, sipping his drink.
Rin harrumphs, but Shirou think she seems pleased with his answer. "Would you prefer we talked about the past?" Apparently taking Shirou's silence as an affirmative, she continues, "I first met Lancer up here, you know... I was scouting around with Archer and found signs of Rider's Blood Fort. Lancer interrupted me and attacked. For the longest time, I thought his Master was responsible for the barrier at the school..." She shakes her head, "You really saved us by distracting Lancer, you know?"
"What?" she asks defensively, when Shirou gives her a skeptical look look.
"Did you think it would make me happy to hear you say that?" he finally says, after overcoming his disbelief. "I was killed that night! Lancer stabbed my heart, and I died!" He takes a deep breath to calm himself. "I don't know how I survived..." He touches his chest in remembered pain. "Someone healed me, I think. There was a pendant with a heart-shaped jewel on it with me when I woke..." He trails off and eyes Rin appraisingly.
"W-What are you thinking?" Her voice is dismissive, but she refuses to meet Shirou's eyes. "It was probably Avalon inside you that healed you!"
"Yeah... She certainly saved my life more times than I can count..." he responds pensively. "I owe her so much..."
Rin smirks slightly and nods. "Oh? Is that more or less than the debt you owe me for the jewels I used? They weren't cheap, you know." It is clear she is trying to tease him, but even Shirou can tell that her heart is not in it. "I know what you mean, though. I owe Archer, too. We all do. And Illya feels the same way about Berserker."
"Really?" It surprises him to hear that. He had not thought anyone could feel anything but fear regarding the mad warrior. 'I guess there are things I still don't know about her,' he thinks curiously.
"Yeah." Rin nods slowly. "Although I guess I can't say that either of us really feels the same as you."
"Eh?" Shirou blinks at the distraction from his thoughts. "Do you or don't you?"
"We didn't love our Servants, Shirou. Not like you did." Rin sips her milk tea. "You'll have to ask Illya if you want to know about Berserker. That's not my story to tell." She shakes her head. "I really admired Archer. For all that he was rude and annoying, he was an admirable guy. But I didn't love him." Rin unconsciously covers the back of her hand, where her Command Seals once resided. "And Saber definitely loved you."
They both fall silent. 'Yeah, we definitely loved each other. But even though we loved each other, we couldn't leave anything behind.' He stares at his hands. 'I could probably project her sheath if I wanted to, but I have the feeling Rin would kill me. Besides, I don't know if it would even work without her here.'
"Oh!" His hands clench, and he looks at the girl sitting next to him. "You know, Tohsaka, Avalon didn't heal me before I summoned her," Shirou points out. "So that couldn't have been what saved me from Lancer..."
"Oh, is that so?" Rin seems caught off-guard, and stares at him frozen, like a startled animal. "I screwed up again," she finally mutters, and sighs. "Fine, I healed you!" With a huff, she turns away.
"I thought so." Shirou nods to himself with satisfaction. "Why, though? Why would you save me? Isn't it the rule of magi to dispose of all witnesses?"
She does not answer, and Shirou shifts uncomfortably. 'I wonder if she even had a reason,' he thinks. 'She always acts cool and composed, but she's actually very impulsive.' He stares at the back of the silent girl. 'Or maybe...' He shakes his head, dismissing that thought before it fully forms. 'That's impossible.'
"Hey, Tohsaka... was there even a reason?"
"Of course there was! Who the hell do you think I am?" she snaps, spinning around to face him. "Hmph!" She tosses her hair.
"Tohsaka." Shirou drags her name out and waits for her to look at him again. "What was the reason?"
"That was..." She looks at the ground. "Never mind that, Shirou. Did you say there was a pendant with you when you woke up?"
Shirou nods slowly, annoyed with the sudden change in subject. Rin slips her finger under a delicate chain around her neck, and lifts a familiar ruby pendant out of her shirt. "Did it look like this?"
"Yeah," he nods, "exactly like that."
Rin says nothing in response, but Shirou can see her facial expression changing rapidly as she thinks. She stands suddenly and looks at him with a smile he easily recognizes as fake.
"The bell is going to ring soon. We should go back to class."
Without waiting for a response, or even acknowledgment, she hurries away.
~~~interlude out~~~