I am the bone of my sword.
A sentence in a foreign language that she did not understand. Even if she grasped the translation of the individual words in her head, she could not understand the meaning behind them. Even so, Kuro had spoken those words without hesitation.
Steel is my body, and fire is my blood.
This time, the words did not make it to her mouth. Instead, she poured whatever prana she had into creating her shield of light, hoping to at least weaken Archer's attack.
White-hot pain flooded her head, and a roaring flame was lit beneath her skin. It consumed her, swallowing her tiny frame and threatening to tear it apart. Even with the instrument of her demise right in her face, Kuro could feel her concentration slipping, bit by bit, losing to the unknown pain that had invaded her being.
This is not my technique.
She understood that much. From the very beginning, none of her abilities were hers at all. They belonged to the Heroic Spirit Archer – the man she was currently facing. But who was he?
This is not my magecraft.
The words that were not meant for her did nothing for her. The techniques that were not hers could not be fully utilized by her. It was only natural. It was only natural, and yet…
Why do I… feel like I can use them?
"Pyramid barrier!"
Following the shattering of her Rho Aias, Kuro was violently flung to the side and into something hard and cold. Before she could even try to figure out what was going on, the blinding flash of light from Caladborg had already disappeared beyond the edge of her vision.
"Kuro! Miyu!" Saber was yelling frantically. Oddly enough, it sounded as though the hard and cold object behind Kuro was somehow emitting Saber's voice. "Are you alright?!"
"Y-yes, Saber-san," Miyu's voice croaked from her right. "K-Kuro?"
"I… I'm fine," Kuro managed, lifting her head from Saber's chestplate. "What happened-"
A sudden explosion of sound drowned out the rest of her words. Unable to catch on to the series of events before her eyes, Kuro simply watched as countless beams of light bombarded Archer from above.
"Schneiden!"
Following the yell of a very familiar little sister, a bright pink crescent slammed onto the concrete, further destroying the already battered battlefield. There were people yelling amidst the chaos too, but Kuro could not quite pinpoint their location or identify who they were.
"Trace… on."
Sparks flew briefly in her outstretched hand, but nothing else happened. Clenching her fist and unable to find the strength to slam it down in frustration, Kuro let it fall limply to her side.
Why isn't it working? She screamed inside her head. Why can't I use it?!
"It is not good to over-exert yourself," Saber advised, setting her and Miyu down. "Please wait here; I will return shortly-"
"There's no need for that."
Twirling a beautiful crimson spear in one hand, the Heroic Spirit known as Setanta-san walked over casually, as though there was not an enemy to fight behind him. It was only after hearing his words that Kuro realized the explosions were getting more distant, as though they were now hitting a target moving further and further away.
"Did you… get him?" Miyu asked, cancelling her transformation. Almost instantly, Sapphire (who had been the replica of the Holy Sword mere moments ago) started to fuss over her wellbeing like an overprotective mother hen. "I'm alright, Sapphire. No need to worry."
"Hmph, I wish," Lancer sighed. "We let that bastard go. Saber's Master has a soft spot for his enemies it seems, so we're not gonna pulverize them just yet. Besides, the battle'll be no fun if it's three-on-one."
"It's thoughts like that that will become fatal in this War, you know," Caster added, slowly and gracefully descending from the sky.
"You're acting awfully friendly," Lancer snapped.
"And you're acting awfully hostile," Caster replied casually. "Regardless of the circumstances, we are technically allies now, so could you please direct your killing intent elsewhere?"
"Kuro! Miyu! Saber-san!"
Before Lancer could reply, Illya had already flown towards them dressed in the frilly costume she swore to them was her standard battle attire (which, Lancer had to admit, was at least better than that 'Lancer Install' or the even more atrocious 'Beast Mode').
"Are you alright?!" she asked, frantically looking from one person to another. "Are you hurt?! How badly are you hurt?!"
"We're fine, Illya," Miyu assured her calmly.
"Rather, stop yelling in my ear-" Kuro began.
"Kuro, what's with those wounds?!" Illya gasped, too flustered to hear their replies. "Does it hurt bad?!"
"Illya-sama-" Sapphire began.
"We need to get those wounds treated right now! Quick, the hospital!"
"Illya-"
"No, a hospital won't work; a spell? B-but we don't have Rin-sa-"
"Ruby chop!"
"Ugh!" Illya and Kuro yelped at the same time.
In one swift motion, the wand in Illya's hand bent upwards and slammed down one of its wings onto her head. Leaving the girl lying on the floor and with a smoking forehead, the Wand of Love and Justice began her lecture.
"Really," she sighed. "Even though our screentime has been short lately, it doesn't mean you need to get all jittery like that, Illya-san! Listen to what others have to say!"
"Y-you could have told me that without hitting me…" Illya whimpered, massaging the point of impact as her transformation rescinded.
"What are you talking about?!" Ruby exclaimed. "Are you telling me to keep all this frustration contained instead of finding an outlet?!"
"Don't use me as an outlet!"
"… Are they… always like this?" Caster asked.
"You better believe it," Lancer rolled his eyes. "This is already pretty tame."
"Lancer," Saber called out, ignoring Illya' and Ruby's bickering and instead looking at Caster. "She is…"
"I am Caster," Caster replied before Lancer could. Ignoring his disgruntled expression, she went on: "The circumstances are a little complicated, but I am for the time being your ally. I will explain, of course," she added as Saber opened her mouth to speak. "But for now, let's move to another location. There's also the matter regarding your Master's injuries, too."
"Shirou is injured?!" Saber instantly overlooked this new 'ally' at that. "Where is he?!"
"Probably trying to find a way up here," Lancer replied, peering over the edge. "We could wait for him, or we could snatch him and discuss this elsewhere."
"… No we should change locations," Saber said. "It would be too risky to continue this discussion here."
"… that was what I said," Saber grumbled. "But what is the meaning of this, Shirou?!"
"Eh?" Shirou, who had just been attended to, replied lamely. "What do you mean?"
"I'm talking about your bringing everyone here!" Saber exclaimed, referring to the entirety of the Emiya Residence, which currently had its living room occupied by an additional Servant.
"C-calm down, Saber," Shirou said. "For the time being, we're allies, so it's alright to trust them, isn't it?"
"It is precisely because this alliance is temporary that we must exercise caution!" Saber retorted.
"Calm down, Saber," Lancer said. "It's not like I'm that pleased with this arrangement either, but you have to admit – it's probably the best choice for some secrecy. Besides, with the two of us guarding this place, d'ya think it matters even if someone does attack it?"
"Lancer…" Saber considered his words for a moment. Indeed, what was done was done, and there was nothing more she could do at this point. "I understand. I will let this matter rest for now. Let us hear what Caster has to say."
All at once, everybody's attention shifted to Caster, who had removed her hood as a sign of goodwill (or so she had told them). Giving Saber a faint nod and trying her hardest to act worried, she complied:
"My Master is a magus from a foreign land," she said. "He came to this land in order to compete in the Holy Grail War, but was captured by the enemy before he could actually participate. The reason I came to look for all of you is because I need your help to rescue him."
"And why would we do that?" Lancer asked. "Isn't it your fault for being unable to protect your Master in the first place?"
"… Yes, what you said is indeed true," Caster replied, sounding genuinely hurt. "It is my responsibility, but… ashamed as I am, I cannot defeat the enemy on my own. For you see… The enemy Master possesses more than one Servant."
The atmosphere instantly changed at that sentence. Even Lancer, who had seemed to be interested in the discussion at hand, sat a little straighter upon hearing that.
"That's impossible," Saber protested. "One Master is only permitted to have one Servant. Those are the rules!"
"Yes," Caster agreed. "So it should be safe to assume that this Master has broken those rules. Not only that, that Master has somehow managed to convince Rider's Master to side with them, so now there are effectively three Servants on their side."
"Hold up," Lancer said. "There are already three of us here, and we've met Berserker, Archer and Rider. That means only Assassin has yet to show himself. Even if we assume one of the three Servants is Assassin, then…"
"Yes," Caster nodded, genuinely pleased that Lancer was quick on the uptake. "The Master is undoubtedly someone you have encountered before. Unfortunately, I have not managed to break past Assassin and Rider, so I do not know who it is."
"So it's either Tohsaka or…" Shirou trailed off, casting a glance towards Illya. The girl seemed to have reached the same conclusion, judging by the distraught look on her face.
"That person is not Illya," Miyu stated, a little less confident than she would have liked.
No one agreed with her, and no one offered her a retort. Instead, everyone simply held their tongues, allowing a painfully tense stretch of silence to descend upon the conversation. Fortunately for them, that silence was broken (for the second time and counting) by Lancer.
"All this speculating's not gonna help one bit," he growled. "If we're actually gonna storm their base – and even if we don't – we'll have to fight all of them sooner or later. You can get your answers then. Oi, brat," he added, looking at Illya. "Are you actually a fake of that Berserker's Master?"
"O-of course not!" Illya replied.
"Then you've got nothing to fear," Lancer assured her. "Don't think anything unnecessary now, got it?"
"Y-yes…" Illya replied timidly.
She knew she was real. She knew that she was not a fake, or a replica of any sort. But at the same time, it did not mean that the other side was simply a fake because Illya herself was not. That girl – that merciless, distant girl – was surely Illyasviel as well.
"Anyway," Lancer went on, looking at Caster this time. "I take it you at least know where they're located, right? Otherwise this is just gonna be a wild goose chase."
"Of course," Caster said. "Their base of operations is Ryuudou Temple, and that is also where my Master is currently being held hostage."
"That bugs me," Lancer cut across her. "You say 'held hostage'. Why would they bother with hostages at all? It'll be faster to just kill the Master if they want to win the War."
"Yes, that's correct," Caster replied. "But as I said, this Master has managed to break the rules and has command of two Servants. I believe that the reason my Master is still alive is because they are trying to somehow steal his Command Seals and by extension, his rights as a Master as well as his Servant – me."
At this point, she paused, possibly expecting someone to once more say that something so absurd was impossible. However, everyone present said nothing, having had already seen such a phenomenon with their own eyes (except Kuro, Miyu and Sapphire, but the first two were beyond doubting such things and Sapphire was able to 'witness' it via a direct connection to her sister).
"Oh my, that's quite a lackluster response," Caster said, pretending to be surprised. "You don't seem all that worried about such a possibility. Or do you perhaps not believe my words?"
"It's not that," Saber replied. "It's just that… we were thinking of how to deal with this adversary…"
"Before that," Shirou cut in. "Are you sure about their base being Ryuudou Temple? A-aren't there people unrelated to the Holy Grail War living there as well?"
"There are," Caster replied grimly. "But I doubt the Master cares about them. They should not be a problem even if we attack them."
Or rather, as long as they agree to it, I wouldn't mind clearing out the whole temple.
"If you know so much," Lancer said. "Surely you came up with a plan, right?"
"It's not something elaborate enough to be called a 'plan', but I do have something in mind," Caster conceded. "It's simply a matter of dividing our forces and taking on the Servants one at a time."
Lancer looked like he had something to add, but kept it to himself.
"First off, Assassin," Caster went on. "He's the one guarding the front gate, which is the only safe way to break through to Ryuudou Temple. He may not be in a Class suited for combat, but his combat prowess far exceeds that of what one expects from an Assassin. The only person among us who would have a chance against him is Saber, who is also proficient with the use of a sword."
"Hold up," Lancer interjected. "I can't just let that remark slide."
"Your speed would be much more suited for the battle against Rider," Caster said quickly. "From what I've observed so far, a weapon that can be used in close-range combat and as a projectile would prove most useful against her. That is, unless you're a Heroic Spirit from an age where you don't throw spears at all."
"Where does that leave you, then?" Lancer asked, narrowing his eyes. "From the sounds of it, you'd be free to stab us in the back or do whatever the heck you want."
"Such wariness," Caster sighed. "I did say there were three Servants on their side, did I not? I will handle that last one alone."
"Oh?" Lancer raised an eyebrow. "And you really think things will go so smoothly?"
"As the gatekeeper, Assassin will definitely be at the gate," Caster explained. "When we break through, Rider – being the Servant of another Master – will be sent out to engage the enemy. So naturally, the final Servant will be staying behind to guard their Master and the hostage. It's only logical."
"… I cannot agree to this," Saber said after some time. "I cannot leave Shirou and the others alone and vulnerable to enemy attacks, especially after seeing what happened today."
"I agree with Saber," Lancer added. "This all sounds way too fishy. We can't just trust her words like that."
"I also object," Miyu spoke up.
Shirou and Illya, however, kept silent.
"… Shirou?" Saber asked uncertainly.
"Uh… well…" Shirou mumbled. "I think what you and Lancer said are correct, Saber, but if she's really telling the truth, we have to go save her Master."
"I-I feel the same way," Illya added. "We can't just leave someone in need there…"
"There's no guarantee that what she said is true, brat," Lancer reminded her.
"But there's no guarantee she's lying either, right?" Illya asked, sounding somewhat hopeful.
"… You do realize you're trusting the words of an enemy, right?" Lancer asked.
"I…" Illya looked down, fumbling with her words a little before speaking up again. "I don't know anything about the Holy Grail War, or of being a Master, but I know that Saber and Seta- I-I mean, Lancer-san as well as the other Servants are all heroes from myths and legends, right? I don't think anyone like that could be a bad person. Besides," she added, looking at Saber before looking back at Lancer. "You've shown me how loyal to your Masters you are and how much you care for us, so I want to help Caster-san save her Master! That is, um…"
Muttering a series of inaudible things under her breath, Illya simply shrunk back to her spot by the table. For all the confidence she displayed earlier, she seemed completely embarrassed by her own actions and words.
"Illya-san's the kind to get carried away easily, huh?" Ruby chirped into her ear.
"Ugh…" Illya whined.
"Well, it's like she said," Shirou chipped in, putting a hand on Illya's head. For some reason, his body seemed compelled to perform that strange action, and while he could not understand why, he did not mind it that much. "If her Master's in trouble, we should definitely help her save them. Besides, we should be able to protect ourselves if anything goes wrong. Even if the worst case scenario occurs, we still have these, right?"
He held up the Command Seals etched onto the back of his hand.
"… Shirou," Saber said seriously. "I will ask this just in case, but are you intending to join in the battle as well?"
"Of course," Shirou replied, as though it was something obvious. "They've got two Masters on their side, right? I don't know anything about Shinji, but the other Master must be pretty strong right? We-"
"Shirou!" Illya and Saber yelled at the same time. Being the more chivalrous of the two, Saber let the young girl speak first.
"Of course you can't do that!" Illya exclaimed. "You have to find somewhere safe and hide until the battle's over! Me and Miyu and Kuro will be the ones battling!"
"That's rig-" Saber paused, her head stuck in mid-nod. "Wait a moment, Illya! That is not acceptable either!"
"Eh?" Illya shot Saber a bewildered look. "Why not?"
"This battle is far too dangerous for you to participate in!" Saber replied. "I cannot allow such a thing!"
"Well, isn't that fine?" Lancer interjected. "Go wild if you wanna."
"Lancer!" Saber now turned to what appeared to be yet another adversary – the blue spearman whom she had come to consider a comrade. "Are you saying you condone this madness?!"
"Calm down, Saber," Lancer said. "While I agree that this is a bad idea in general, if we're going to actually do it they should be in the fray. You and I both know what my Mas- that is, er… what that brat's capable of. In a fight against other magi, they won't lose."
"That may be true, but…!"
"Besides," Lancer added. "If we're busy fighting the other Servants according to what Caster said, it'd be better if we're nearby rather than leaving them somewhere ripe for the picking. Don't tell me you forgot about the attack by Archer earlier."
Saber fell silent. Indeed, she acknowledged the points he made, and if her Master and Illya were truly obstinate about helping Caster, this was the lesser of two evils. With the wild card that was Illya's group, they had better chances overall if they all moved together. Above all, if the enemy Master was able to steal Command Seals, Illya's own ability would be able to counter it.
"… I understand," she said at last, turning back to face her Master. "However, I wish to verify Shirou's decision. Do you truly intend to go, Master?"
"Yeah," Shirou replied readily. "Definitely."
"Understood," Saber nodded. "Then, until the rescue of your Master, I will lend you my power, Caster."
Caster, whose expression was one of great relief, bowed her head in gratitude.
"You have my thanks," she said.
You have my thanks indeed.
"Archer, explain."
Faced with the sudden command by his Master, Archer kept silent. Even the inclination caused by Rin's first Command Seal did nothing, since he was truly at a loss as to what she meant.
"Explain what, Rin?" he asked.
"Your actions tonight," Rin said, her tone making it quite clear she was in no mood for jokes. "I thought I told you I didn't want you killing anyone other than Servants."
"So you did," Archer agreed.
"So what was with that 'smash that stubbornness to pieces along with your life' part?" Rin questioned.
"… I got carried away in the heat of the moment," Archer replied. "I merely wished to intimidate the girl. Or did you perhaps think I would kill a gradeschooler in cold blood?"
"That's not the only instance," Rin said sternly. "When you brought out your bow against Saber, did you really think she would be able to save those two in time before firing?"
"Naturally," Archer replied. "After crossing swords with her a few times, I was able to ascertain for myself the extent of her abilities. I can say with much confidence that she would've saved both of the kids with time to spare."
"And what was your reason for that?"
"You saw our exchange up close," Archer said. "A battle of that magnitude would surely have caused damage to the surrounding area. Had I not forced Saber to withdraw for the sake of her allies, they as well as you would have been dragged into it, Master."
"… Well, I guess you're right," Rin muttered. "Somehow I didn't get that kind of murderous vibe from you anyway… Maybe I'm overthinking things…"
Sharp as ever, Rin, Archer thought, fighting back the urge to smile.
"Ah, whatever," Rin said, giving up. "We have bigger fish to fry: that tanned Einzbern mini-Archer girl who challenged you."
"… I would appreciate it if you don't call her that," Archer sighed. "Her friends called her 'Kuro', as I recall."
"What is she, a pet dog…" Rin muttered. "Anyway, it seems she's capable of doing more than just mimic your gear. It's safe to say that she can copy your techniques too."
"No, that's not entirely true," Archer denied. "While similar, her techniques are far inferior compared to mine. I can't see her being able to oppose me in any way."
I am the bone of my sword.
He recalled the words she had said back then. Whether she had simply been mimicking him, or perhaps she really knew the words, he could not be sure. But if there was one thing Archer managed to gather from that fight, it was that she was unable to use that.
For all he knew, she might have tried to invoke it. In all honesty, if she had been successful, she might actually have stood a chance. Not much of one, but certainly a far cry from her previous attempts. If it had actually succeeded.
He did not know the reason, but that tanned Illya had been unable to use that specific technique. For all her copying of his abilities, she had been unable to use the sole magecraft that was permitted to Emiya Shirou. Normally, that would have been the end of that thought, except that Archer himself knew that it was not so simple.
During the fight, he had felt it. Even if it was slight, Kuro had been improving with every blow exchanged, be it in her movements or the quality of her weapons. It was as if the very act of battling Archer had allowed her to glean his abilities, possibly even his memories. It was the only hypothesis that he could come up with.
"What's wrong, Archer?" Rin asked, noting the look on Archer's face.
"… It's nothing," Archer replied. "I was just wondering what Caster intends to do to Saber's Master by saving him, that's all."
"That was on my mind, too," Rin said. "It could be problematic for us if they decide to join forces, even if we're not their main target…"
"Berserker, huh?" Archer offered.
"I can only assume defeating him is their real objective," Rin agreed. "That said, there's no guarantee their alliance will simply dissolve after beating him. We might just get targeted as well after that."
"Well, if we knew exactly when and where they're fighting, we could jump in and finish them off in one go," Archer shrugged. "That was your initial idea before Caster entered the picture, wasn't it?"
"… That's it," Rin suddenly said. "We just need to be able to control that situation. It's a little risky, sure, but it just might…"
"Rin, what on Earth are you talking about?" Archer asked.
"Let's go, Archer," Rin said without answering him. "We're going to pay a visit to an obnoxious little kid."
… Oh, Archer thought, finally catching on. Oh boy.
Amidst the heated debate at the Emiya Residence, there was one person (discount Sapphire) who did not speak up. Normally, said person would have at least added a comment in here and there, but this time the mini-Archer Chloe von Einzbern was utterly silent.
"… Kuro-san?" Ruby called out.
If the battle with Archer had not been enough, Lancer's question to Illya certainly did the trick. To begin with, Kuro had never seen the Archer Class Card's power as her own, and understood that they would never truly be hers. But the term 'fake' had never hit her that hard before.
"Kuro-san~"
She had never really thought about it, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that she tried not to think about it. She knew that she was not truly Illyasviel von Einzbern, and no matter what she did or said that fact would not change. She was nothing more than a phenomenon, one that was supposed to have disappeared that night in Luvia's mansion.
"Ku~ro~sa~n~!"
A fake. Even if the word had not been directed at her, Kuro knew that the term fit her. She was not needed, nor wanted, in this world. After all, she was simply something created by accident, without a soul or even an identity to call her own-
"Ruby~~~ Chop!"
"Ouch!"
"Ow!"
The unmistakable pain that came from Ruby's trademark move burst across Kuro's forehead, just as the flying Mystic Code slammed her wings mercilessly onto Illya's head. For the second time that night, the annoying reminder that was the pain-sharing spell had transmitted Illya's pain directly to Kuro.
"W-what was that for…?" Kuro muttered feebly while massaging the recent injury.
"It's because Kuro-san was actively ignoring me!" Ruby justified. "So I had to get your attention somehow!"
"Then why did you have to hit me…?" Illya whimpered.
"Well, you see, Kuro-san's reflexes are pretty good, so it was likely that she could dodge it," Ruby replied nonchalantly. "Illya-san, on the other hand, being the dojikko-comic-relief-slash-healing-cute-mascot kind of side character, does not have those reflexes…"
"What's with the overly offensive verbal abuse?!" Illya exclaimed. Lancer massaged his temples at the outburst and proceeded to sigh very heavily.
"No no no, I was actually praising your qualities Illya-san!" Ruby chirped.
"How?!"
"Well… I said you were cute…"
"That's all isn't it?!"
"… Hey," Kuro suddenly spoke up. "Where did Caster go?"
Sure enough, the Class Card (or 'Servant', as they called them now) Caster was no longer in the room with them. Funnily enough, no one else seemed concerned or was even surprised about it.
"She left some time ago," Miyu explained. "We were going to discuss our next move when Ruby noticed that you were spacing out, so she called out to you."
"That's right, Illya-san!" Ruby said. "Now's not the time to be messing around! We have important matters to discuss!"
"I'm- I… Fine," Illya relented. "But first, I have something I need to make clear.
"Miyu. Kuro."
The room instantly went dead quiet. Just by hearing their names, Kuro and Miyu instantly froze, and even the two Servants in the room could not help but direct their attention towards Illya. That tone of voice was definitely not something they had expected to come from a ten-year-old, much less from one who had been so docile up till this point. Even Ruby completely and utterly shut up, and Shirou – the one most oblivious to danger – edged away from his 'little sister'.
"The two of you went off on your own, right…?" Illya asked, her Aura far more fearsome than Berserker's. To Kuro and Miyu, it was like incurring Irisviel's wrath on a really, really bad day. Ruby still had the video recording (which was effectively a horror movie to them).
"I-Illya… c-calm down…" Miyu said timidly.
"Without telling anyone?" Illya went on, completely ignoring Miyu as she approached slowly. "You just engaged the enemy without so much as a word…?"
"U-um…" Kuro protested, but nothing came to mind. "E-er… that is, um…"
Then, without warning, Illya dived onto them, wrapping her arms around each of them and pulling them close. If not for her trembling arms, she might have knocked them over with the impact.
"… Don't ever do that again."
The voice that came out this time was extremely weak and soft, which rendered everyone speechless for entirely different reasons. Saber and Shirou looked genuinely surprised, while Lancer's expression was a mixture of bewilderment and amusement. Ruby was recording the whole thing.
"I-Illya…?" Miyu asked, unable to keep up with the sudden turn of events.
"… I was scared," Illya said. "When I first came here, I didn't have Ruby with me and almost died. I didn't know what to do, and even when I thought I finally found onii-chan, he turned out to be someone else… I was alone and… I was so terrified…"
Neither Miyu nor Kuro said anything in response to that. Even without moving to look at her, they knew that she was surely on the verge of tears. Just being in her shaky embrace told them volumes about how she was feeling just then, and it was not pleasant.
"When you just left like that, I was afraid," Illya went on, almost as if she was talking to herself. "I was scared. I was so worried that you would get hurt, and… and that you'd leave me alone…"
Lancer, who no longer looked amused anymore, grabbed Ruby and flung her violently out the window. While he was not one for watching little girls cry, he at least offered Illya some peace of mind without that annoying recording device hovering around.
He exchanged glances with Saber. Unlike Lancer, who was still rather surprised, Saber no longer seemed to find Illya's reaction out of the ordinary; unlike Lancer who had only met her recently, Saber had been acquainted with Illya since ten years ago, during the previous Holy Grail War. Even if they had hardly interacted back then, Saber had seen enough of Illya to know that she was just a child. A child who, after both of her parents left her, was left all alone without anyone to comfort her. Regardless of her actual age, it was perfectly normal for her to act the way she did – honest, and afraid.
"Why?" Kuro asked before she could stop herself. "I understand Miyu, but why do you care about me?"
I'm not even human.
"I even tried to kill you once."
I'm just a fake. A copy of you.
"Isn't that obvious?!" Illya said furiously, pulling away and glaring at Kuro with a fierce expression on her face. At least, it would have been fierce, if not for the tears streaming down her face. "You're important to me as well! Why wouldn't I care?!"
If she had thought about it, Kuro would have known that Illya would say something like that; she was the one who had been raised as a normal girl after all. But in that moment, with her thoughts a jumbled mess, Kuro could not help but be stunned.
"… Ah, geez," she said at last, putting a hand on Illya's which was still on Kuro's shoulder. "I got it already. Stop crying."
True enough, she was a fake. There was no denying that, and she had no intention to, but right now Chloe von Einzbern did not care. Right now, she of all people was needed by someone. Someone who accepted her for who she was.
"You're supposed to be the big sister here, aren't you?" she asked with a smile. "You have to act like it, dummy."
Thanks, Illya.
"B-but…" Illya sniffled.
"Alright already," Kuro said gently. "I won't do it again. Promise."
"Mm," Miyu added, nodding to show her agreement. "Sorry, Illya…"
"W-well, as long as you understand…" Illya muttered, hastily wiping her tears in an attempt to hide her embarrassment. "A-anyway-"
"Shirou~" a woman's voice called out from somewhere outside the room. Saber and Lancer stood up and prepared to engage the possible enemy, but Shirou started panicking a little.
"Shirou?" Saber asked, noting her Master's reaction. "What's wrong? Do you know who it is?"
"Y-yeah, Shirou nodded. "This is bad… You guys need to hide."
"That voice…" Miyu said. "Is it… Fujimura-sensei?"
"You know her?" Shirou asked. "Wait, that's not important; she doesn't know about-"
But before he got any further with that, the sliding door to the room opened and Fujimura Taiga walked in.
Sporting light brown hair and matching eyes, the woman who seemed to have not aged since she was twenty looked like a cheerful little girl as she raised a hand in greeting.
"Ya-ho, Shirou!" she greeted energetically. "I know it's kinda late but-" she paused, having seen the sight of Shirou in a room with a foreign blond in a blue dress and three underage girls (one of whom had tears in her eyes). "M-my Shirou has become a criminal!"
"How did you come to that conclusion?" Shirou groaned. While he was thankful that Lancer had gone into spiritual form, he was also quite peeved that the spearman had left him to fend for himself. "Why are you here, anyway?"
"Before that, explain this!" Taiga demanded. "What's the meaning of this, Shirou?!"
"Doesn't look like she recognizes us," Kuro whispered. "For a moment there I thought onii-chan was going out with her."
"Stop calling him that!" Illya whispered back. "But you're right; she's a complete stranger to us… What do we do? We can't just say we're from a parallel world…"
"Ufufufu…" Ruby chuckled, poking her head out from inside Illya's hair. When she had hidden herself in there was anyone's guess. "Leave it to me, Ilya-san. Just follow my instructions and say what I tell you to say…"
Illya gulped. She had no idea what Ruby had in mind, but at the moment she had a bad feeling about the ominous way she was laughing. Not that Ruby's usual ideas were any good either.
"W-what are you thinking…?" Illya muttered.
"Nothing much~" Ruby replied. "Just breaking out the Magical Girl's greatest weapon~"
"Greatest wea-" Illya began, before something dawned on her.
Oh, she thought. Oh, this is bad.