Ayaka dreamed again.
Galahad's father was Sir Lancelot of the Lake, a handsome man with dark hair that had a sheen that made it almost seem purple. He was the knight who boasted the greatest Martial Prowess, even among the other knights of the Round Table, but in spite of his valor, Lancelot could not stop himself from loving Queen Guinevere. But whilst his trysts with Guinevere would ultimately be the catalyst for Camelot's downfall, there was another another affair of significance to him, that of Elaine of Corbenic. A beautiful young woman with blonde hair, she had been smitten with Lancelot ever since he had rescued her in an act of gallantry, and so she had come to him, disguised as Guinevere, and slept with him. Lancelot was furious with her when he discovered the deception, but permitted her to live after learning that she was pregnant.
Galahad had not witnessed these events firsthand, so the details of the dream were more nebulous than the previous one, though Lancelot and Elaine's features were clear. They were her parents, after all. To think that the one who would become the purest of the Knights of the Round Table had been a bastard daughter…
"Good morning, princess," a teasing voice said.
Ayaka blinked as she woke, and reached for her glasses, but they were not to be found in an arm's reach. After a moment, her vision started to resolve, and she saw that Saber was standing above her, playfully waving her glasses. Ayaka sprung to her feet and snatched them back, but if Saber had wanted to keep them from her, he could have. Her reflexes were nothing compared to those of a Heroic Spirit after all.
"Does King Arthur always spy on girls as they sleep?" Ayaka complained, angrily glaring at him before putting her glasses back on.
"So you figured it out then. Yes, that's my true name. I can't imagine that Galahad would have told you unless you had already come to that conclusion."
She nodded.
"Anyways, I was just checking on you. As my Master put it, you were out like a light last night, so he asked me to carry you to the guest room and make sure you were comfortable."
Ayaka flushed at the thought of having been carried by Saber, but she quickly clamped down on the feeling, not wanting to look so obviously flustered in front of him. "Why do you keep taking my glasses like that anyway?" she asked sullenly.
"Because I like Ayaka better without them. Just listen to yourself! You were so much more lively a moment ago when you weren't hiding behind them. I think my Master likes the spirited Ayaka better than the gloomy one too," he said with an easy smile.
She shook her head. "Why? With or without my glasses, I have a terrible personality. I'm either stubborn and quick to anger, or I'm gloomy and boring. Who could like such a person?"
"That stubbornness may give rise to determination, and some of your anger is born from worry, especially where Shirou is concerned…"
Ayaka's cheeks got even redder, and she broke eye contact with Saber. "Stop it."
"You're much too hard on yourself. You overlook all of your good qualities and focus only on the bad."
"Too hard on myself?" Resentment at being lectured crept into her voice, though for now she held herself in check. "How could I ever compare to someone like my sister, or even Rin? You can't understand what it's like. You were special to begin with, chosen to pull the sword from the stone and lead Britain as its king. I'm just average. Manaka's the one who should have lived. She was special too, gifted with talent I'll never have, no matter how much I study Magecraft." Tears were starting to flow now. "Why couldn't you save her?"
"If it had been within my power, I would have saved both of you that night," Saber said, casting his own eyes down now. "But I was forced to choose. In the end, I chose to save you."
"That makes no sense. My sister was your Master. Your duty as a knight should have been to save her before me."
"Neither of you would have been saved if I had tried to save your sister that night. It was simply too late for her."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He shook his head. "It does not do to dwell on the past. We must simply live with the choices and we make and keep moving forward, living as well as we can. You were the one who taught me that, but I suppose you wouldn't remember."
"Huh?"
"It was after Kiritsugu kidnapped you, and we had brought you safely back to your home. You were restless and wandered down to your Garden, where you encountered me. I asked you who had made Garden, and you told me it was your mother's gift to you. It was a simple thing, said in your innocence, but it made me think about what was truly important to me… and that's making sure that this world and those in it continue to have a bright future."
"I…" Now that Saber mentioned it, perhaps she could remember meeting an unfamiliar man in her garden, someone who was working with her father. It could have even been Saber. She couldn't sense any sort of lie in his voice. But all of her memories from that time were fragmentary, no matter how hard she tried to grasp onto them.
"Ayaka…" Saber said, bringing her back to the present.
"Sorry."
"Don't be. And don't keep underestimating your own worth. Take it from me; talented as your sister was, you are far wiser than she was."
"That's not -"
Saber held up a finger. "Don't you finish saying that. You just keep telling yourself those things, and you even come to believe them."
"Whatever." She didn't have the energy or inclination to argue with him for any longer.
xXx
She found Shirou waiting for her in the dining room.
"I'm sorry for imposing upon you yet again," she told him. "I should get going."
"We're partners, Sajyou-san. Even if we weren't fighting in this Grail War together, my home would always be open to you."
She sighed. "You're too kind for your own good. Aren't you concerned that-"
"Shirou!" the animated voice of Fujimura-sensei called from the door.
"Senpai… why is she here so early?" Matou Sakura murmured as she saw Ayaka.
"Exactly! What is the meaning of this!" the Tiger of Fuyuki pounced. "I was told that the two of you would be studying, not having a sleepover! Do you have any idea how immoral-"
"Sajyou-san simply worked herself to exhaustion last night," Saber said, entering the room. "You have my word that your charge didn't engage in any indecent behavior with her."
Sakura looked even more mortified now.
"Well, if Saber-san says so, then it must be true!" the Tiger said, returning to her normal, bubbly self.
"Fujimura-sensei… are you really going to…" Sakura started.
"Not now, Sakura-chan! Let's all dig in!"
As they ate breakfast together (with Sakura nervously glancing back and forth between Shirou and Ayaka), they watched the morning news.
"Breaking overnight, violence grips the docks of Fuyuki City. Six dock workers were found dead, each suffering from horrific injuries. In a statement, the police called the crime a mass murder, but have not yet named a suspect, setting a city on edge."
Sakura let out a little gasp, and Shirou tensed, balling his hand into a tight fist.
"In another crime, which the police are calling unrelated, one of the nation's most prominent businessmen was found dead in his Shinto penthouse early this morning." The victim's picture appeared on the screen, showing a confident-looking man, probably no older than his late twenties, with glasses and dark hair partially covering his eyes. "According to the coroner, he had been dead for several days, and died of a stab wound to the back. There is no sign of a forced entry, suggesting that the murderer was someone whom he was acquainted with. Nothing of value was taken from the penthouse. The police have promised a full investigation."
Ayaka had no proof, but she knew those crimes couldn't be a coincidence. It all stunk of the Holy Grail War. The police would never find those responsible. The dock workers had almost certainly been slaughtered by a Servant, and the murdered businessman had likely been another Master, betrayed by a supposed partner. As she knew all too well, Magi had ways to cover their tracks.
Really, the amazing thing was that it had taken this long for them to hear of fatalities. But it would only get worse.. just like last time, hundreds would die before it was over… not even Shirou or herself would be spared this time… she could see the carnage of the Civic Center before her eyes…
"Hey, Sajyou-san, are you okay?" Shirou's voice said next to her, helping her find her way back to reality. Fujimura-sensei turned off the television, no longer bubbly but with a concerned expression on her face.
Ayaka noticed that she had been hyperventilating, so she took several deep breaths to calm herself. Soon, the feeling of panic had subsided, but Ayaka found that she no longer had an appetite for breakfast. She apologized to Shirou and Sakura for not eating everything they had prepared for her.
"You'll keep an eye on my best student, won't you, Shirou?" Fujimura-sensei asked as she left.
He nodded.
xXx
Even if she hadn't been spooked by the news, Ayaka wouldn't have wanted to go to school that morning. It was unlikely that Caster would be back, considering the extent of the enemy Servant's injuries, but one period fighting through that fake school was more than enough for Ayaka. Moreover, while the unspoken truce between Masters at school had been followed thus far, there was no guarantee that that it would hold for even another day. If fighting broke out there, she could only trust two masters to prioritize the safety of the student body over their own chances of victory: Rin and Shirou. She was ashamed to know that it wasn't a sacrifice she was willing to make herself, though her goal would not be victory, but simple survival.
But just like she couldn't entirely refuse her late father's command to make daily sacrifices for her Witchcraft, the societal demand for her to attend her classes was too strong for Ayaka to ignore. She really hated being so weak-willed at times.
Ayaka tensed as she neared the school gate, but there was no sign of any hostile Magecraft at work, so she let out a sigh and crossed the threshold.
The first thing of note that day was that there was a substitute for Kuzuki-sensei when it came time for World History. Indeed, that had the student body abuzz. As far as Ayaka knew, Kuzuki-sensei had never missed giving one of his lectures, much less shown signs of being in anything but the best of health.
But far more concerning to Ayaka, Shinji seemed far more full of himself than usual today, practically preening himself. The type to bear a grudge, he couldn't have forgotten that both Rin and herself had rejected him yesterday. In a way, it made the lack of any obvious trap at the school even more worrying.
She almost felt sorry for Shinji when she saw the reason for his behavior: he had formed an alliance with Reiroukan Misaya.
"Well, don't you wish now that you had accepted my offer the other day, Sajyou-san?" Shinji said. "It could have been you next to me. Of course, a lady like Reiroukan-san is obviously one of high class and taste, so she knows how to appreciate a proper gentleman."
"Ufufufu. You flatter me, Matou-kun. Of course, you must be honored that I would deign to work with you."
"Yes, I- what?"
"You do show a certain drive and ambition, which I can admire in a man. You even possess a measure of intelligence. But don't think that you're my type. Still, you might yet change my mind. Dealing with the trash would be a good start."
"Hmph. You'll see…" Shinji took a step forward, a menacing look on his face.
Ayaka tensed. They were going to start a fight here? Instinctively, she wanted to glance over her shoulder, to where Shielder was in spirit form, for reassurance, but she dared not take her eyes off Shinji and Misaya for a second.
"Not so fast, Shinji," Shirou said, suddenly stepping in front of Ayaka. "Are you really going to do this?"
"Emiya…" Shinji said, shaking his head. "I've tried to be patient with you. I really have. But what am I supposed to think when you start hanging out with Sajyou rather than me? Aren't we friends? It's not too late you know. You can still join us."
"I'm not going to let you hurt her."
"I would never dream of harming a lady such as her… so long as she knows what's good for her."
"You're wasting your time, Matou-kun," Misaya said with an airy laugh. "Emiya-kun isn't going to betray his little girlfriend. She could have done so much better for herself. Such wasted potential…"
"Says the one who was trying to seduce him not a -!" Ayaka started indignantly, before catching herself. She hadn't meant to say that out loud. For one, it clashed with the unassuming glasses-wearing persona she had built for herself. That personality was as much of a survival mechanism as anything else, not just to blend in with normal people, but to avoid antagonizing more powerful Magi… like Misaya.
"Ufufu…. And I thought you were completely without a spine, Sajyou-san! But then you scurry back in your shell! It's almost adorable, in a pathetic sort of way. But enough talk. Let's-"
"Stop it, all of you!" A familiar voice commanded. There was Rin, down the hall, her arm outstretched, as if she was just itching to fire a Gandr Shot at the first one to make a move.
"Tohsaka…." Shinji muttered. But after a moment, he threw his hands up. "I say she's right, Reiroukan-san. There's no need for us to make a scene here. Let's just be on our way."
Ayaka warily let him pass.
Misaya nodded, and followed Shinji. But as she passed Ayaka, she whispered, "Next time, I'll make sure to finish the job."
Even though Shinji and Misaya had left, Ayaka couldn't feel any relief. All she was left with was the dread of a suspended sentence.
"Don't let Shinji scare you," Shirou said, putting a hand on her shoulder, causing her cheeks to feel quite warm. She fidgeted nervously, and pulled away after a moment.
"It's not Shinji I'm worried about."
"Exactly. Reiroukan should be your main concern," Rin agreed.
"I'll keep that in mind, Tohsaka," Shirou said. "And thanks again."
"You can save your thanks." Rin huffed as she turned. "I didn't do it for you."
xXx
When Ayaka left Homuhara Academy that afternoon with Shirou, she had been expecting to see Isemi by the school gate, or perhaps Shinji and Misaya waiting to ambush them as soon as they stepped off the campus.
She was not expecting to Sancraid Phahn again.
"It is good to see that you are well, Sajyou-san," the priest said. "And I see you have found a new friend." He turned to Shirou. "I don't believe we have been properly introduced. I am Sancraid Phahn, of the Assembly of the Eighth Sacrament. What is your name, young man?"
"Emiya Shirou," he said, regarding Sancraid suspiciously. "I thought Kotomine was - "
"He is," Sancraid nodded. "I am here on my own account."
"What do you want?" Ayaka asked nervously. Sancraid may have warned her back in the graveyard, but the experience had been less than a pleasant one for her.
"I mean you no harm, Sajyou-san. Observe that I have come here without my Servant, as a show of my good faith."
"I don't sense any Servant nearby," Shielder confirmed through her bond with Ayaka.
"You'll find that I am a pacifist, and that I would like to see that any casualties of this war are kept to a minimum, Sajyou-san. I hope that it is a goal you share with me."
"So what are you proposing?" Shirou asked.
"I would like to share some information with you. But not here. It's all too easy for others to eavesdrop on private conversations when out in the open like this. But I happened upon just the place for a situation like this."
xXx
They found themselves in a coffee shop near the Fuyuki Bridge. "Ahnenerbe" was its name. Ayaka couldn't say that she had visited the establishment before, but Shirou said he had been there a few times. It was quite cozy, welcoming customers with the aromas of coffee, pies, and curry, and it had a stylish interior with a European feel to it. But it also had a secretive feel to it, tucked away seemingly in plain sight, and the dim lighting within further contributed to this mood. It felt like a place where anyone could meet, perhaps even crossing realities to do so.
No… That thought was ridiculous. Why would a humble coffee shop ever be a locus of the Second Magic?
Few of the patrons of Ahnenerbe seemed to question the arrival of the priest with a pair of teenagers. They were a motley lot themselves, and gave the impression of having seen far stranger things. Was Ahnenerbe a front for Magi after all?
Impossible. Even with a Holy Grail War going on, there couldn't ever be that many Magi in Fuyuki. On another glance, most of them just seemed to be ordinary people enjoying their coffee.
Or were they?
Ayaka shook her head, writing the whole thing off as paranoia induced by the stress of the Holy Grail War.
Sancraid bade Shirou and Ayaka to order something for themselves before being seated. He would treat, as he had invited them there.
Shirou ordered Ahnenerbe's signature curry, topped with squid rings and served with salad.
While Shirou undoubtedly had a large appetite, Ayaka had to fight the urge to be a glutton herself when confronted with the dizzying array of fruit pies, meat pies, tortes, cheesecakes, and more, all hand-made and delicious-looking. But Kirei's voice echoed in her mind, chastising her for such sinful impulses, and kindly as he was acting now, Ayaka couldn't help but see some of Kirei in Sancraid as well. She had a rule not to fully trust anyone who was both a priest and a Magus.
In the end, she ordered a single slice of strawberry cheesecake and a cup of coffee.
Sancraid was the least extravagant of the three of them, simply ordering tea.
They took a booth in the back, and with all of the other conversations going on, it would be difficult for any eavesdroppers to follow theirs.
"I could weave a simple Bounded Field to assure further privacy," Sancraid explained, "but it would hardly be worth the effort. The use of Magecraft itself would draw far more attention here than anything we might discuss. I trust this is acceptable to you?"
They nodded.
"Thank you. As I am sure you have heard on the news," Sancraid continued, "something has been preying upon laborers at the docks. This is clearly the work of a Servant."
Ayaka nodded again, and took a sip of her coffee. Her eyes went wide as she burned her tongue.
"Sorry, Sajyou-san!" Shirou said with sincere contrition. "I forgot to warn you that Ahnenerbe serves its coffee extra-hot. It is actually quite good… when you let it cool down a bit."
"If I have any taste buds left…" she muttered.
"May we return to the matter at hand?" Sancraid asked. "I have located the hiding place of this murderous Servant. It strikes out from an abandoned factory in Shinto."
Ayaka poked at her cheesecake anxiously with her fork. She should have known that the conversation would put her off her meal again.
"If you know so much, then why haven't you stopped it yet?" Shirou asked.
"I wish that I could," Sancraid sighed. "But it is more than a match for my own Servant."
"So why come to Sajyou-san?"
"While I may have approached her first, let's not forget you," Sancraid replied. "My reasons are twofold. Firstly, both of you are not fighting of your own will; that is, you were forced into the Holy Grail War, and did not enter it for yourselves. I am sick of all of mankind's petty, selfish, twisted desires. I loathe the individual's lust for wealth, power, fame, carnal pleasure… I cannot abide these things as a holy man, and the Holy Grail that offers these things is an affront to the true Grail."
"And you want our Servants…" added Ayaka warily.
"But of course. Why would I not seek out the most powerful allies possible? When I heard that both of you summoned mighty Servants, I thought that with my help, the two of you might be able to end the madness of these Grail Wars."
"I'm in." Shirou said without hesistation.
"Shirou…"
"People are dying, Sajyou. I can't let that go on if I can do something about it."
Ayaka hesitated. She didn't even know these people. If she wasn't ready to risk herself to protect the school, why would she do the same for strangers? The idea of bringing a stop to the Grail Wars was of course appealing to her… if not for the fact that it would put an even bigger target on her back. The whole thing, from their meeting with Sancraid to their arrival at the factory could also be a trap…
No… Those weren't the real issues here. Could she let Shirou go out by himself and get killed, mysterious healing factor or not? Especially if it was a trap, Shirou would need help. Even if he had one of the most powerful Servants, he was still a novice compared to her at being a Magus.
She nodded. "Then I'm coming with you."
"Excellent," Sancraid smiled. "This is the address of the factory. Be there tonight and ready to fight." He stood up. "Until then, enjoy yourselves while you still can…."
"For there is nowhere you can run," he chuckled out of earshot as he left Ahnenerbe.
It took Ayaka a moment to process what had happened.
Sancraid had left.
She was sitting at a booth in Ahnenerbe.
With Shirou.
Was this a…
She flushed. No! This was definitely not a date! It had been strictly business! Shirou hadn't paid for the meal! That had been Sancraid! If that counted as a date, it would be the creepiest date ever!
"Sajyou-san?"
"It's nothing."
"Okay… I was just wondering if you were finishing that cheesecake?"
She stared at Shirou in disbelief. Was he just oblivious to how he was coming off? And how could he still be hungry after polishing off that curry? When had he even had the time to eat it?
"I can manage it myself."
She lifted a piece of cheesecake to her mouth and…
Mmmm…. Smooth and blissfully cool, it was just the salve her scalded tongue needed. The strawberries had just the right sweetness and texture to accompany the cheesecake…. If only she could have this every day…. But she wasn't like Tohsaka, who worked out daily with Chinese martial arts… instead…
She would be fighting for her life in the Holy Grail War.
She sighed.
"Let's just get this over with, Shirou."
A/N: My apologies for the long hiatus. My first "real" job started a few months ago, and I was busy with that and distracted by some other things going on in my life for some time that didn't leave me with much energy to write. So I hope you enjoyed this long overdue chapter! Special thanks to those who beta read for me and gave the idea for the expanded cafe scene.
