Chapter 11: A Chance Encounter and the Blood Fort

Any hopes Shira had about things getting back to normal (or as normal as they ever were) between herself and Saber were dashed the next morning at breakfast. Although the tension wasn't nearly as thick as it had been last night, Shira and Saber barely spoke to each other; any words they exchanged were brief at best.

It wasn't long after breakfast was over that the second training session in the dojo began. Just like before, Shira was not able to land one blow on Saber, who attacked and disarmed her more times than she wanted to count, but she was grateful that the sparring gave her something else to focus on. The more time Shira spent crossing shinais with Saber, the less time she spent dwelling on the shower incident, and she wouldn't have been surprised if it was the same for him.

Unfortunately, it couldn't last.

"I believe that is enough for today, Shira," Saber said three hours later.

"Okay," Shira agreed, huffing painfully as she sat up from where Saber had sent her falling to the floor after she'd attempted to exploit an opening he most likely deliberately left.

She lifted her head to look at Saber, whose expression was impassive. A few seconds of silence passed, and Shira quickly averted her gaze as the awkwardness returned.

"Um..." she began, groping for anything to say, "it'll be lunch soon. I saw that we're running out of food, and it'd be no good if we went to the fridge and there was nothing to eat. I'll go to the shopping district to get us something...you know, if you don't mind..."

Her voice trailed off. The truth was that the refrigerator wasn't as bare as she made it sound, but a trip to the shopping district was a good excuse to get out of the house and—her insides gave a guilty squirm—away from Saber.

"I don't mind at all," came Saber's reply. Shira looked up again to see that his gaze wasn't directed at her; instead, he was staring out into space, appearing about as awkward as she felt.

What happened last night must've affected him pretty badly, Shira thought as she left the dojo after telling Saber she'd be back in a while. He didn't even insist on going with me in case I ran into trouble.

She went to the shed to get a bike, and once she was on her way to town, she made a mental note to talk things out with Saber as soon as possible.

It took barely ten minutes for Shira to pedal her way to the shopping district, and another quarter of an hour to buy groceries. When she exited the store, she saw a nearby stall selling snacks out of the corner of her eye and decided she had enough yen to buy a taiyaki.

With that done, Shira went to where she had parked her bike outside the grocery store, placing the two bags of purchases in the bike's basket. Just when she was about to get on the bike and go back home (and hopefully have that talk with Saber), she felt someone lightly tugging on her shirt.

Who could that—? Shira let out a short yelp before she could complete the thought as she turned around to see who it was, backing away so quickly that her bike toppled over.

Hair as white as snow, eyes as red as blood, and dressed from head to toe in rich purple velvet—Berserker's Master!

Suddenly, Shira dearly wished that Saber had insisted on accompanying her—gosh, why did things have to be so weird between them—but no, she couldn't think of Saber now, not now when an enemy Master was standing right in front of her—!

"Hello, miss." The little girl curtsied politely. "I'm glad to see that you're not dead yet."

Shira opened and closed her mouth several times. "Y-you!" she finally managed to exclaim. "Don't tell me you plan to fight me here?"

The girl giggled, completely at ease. "Of course not, silly. We're not supposed to fight when the sun's up; that would be against the rules!"

"Right, right. Uh..." Words momentarily deserted Shira; just why in the world was this little Master talking cheerfully with her as though she hadn't ordered her Servant to kill Saber several nights ago? "What was your name again?"

"My name is Ilyasviel von Einzbern, but you can call me Ilya for short." Ilya beamed happily. "I think our relationship is strong enough to warrant that much."

...What the heck was this girl talking about?

"You gonna tell me your name, miss?" Ilya prompted when Shira didn't reply.

The redhead pursed her lips. "My name's Shira Emiya," she said curtly.

Ilya continued smiling innocently. "Shira Amniya?"

"Shira Emiya."

"Shira Miya?"

"Shira Emiya!"

"Shirou Emiya?"

For Pete's sake, that's a boys' name! "You know what? Just call me Shira." And with that, Shira turned away to get her bike upright, gathering her groceries (thank God she hadn't decided to buy something breakable, like a carton of eggs) and the paper bag containing the taiyaki and putting them in the bike's basket for the second time.

She started walking back home, pulling her bike along; Ilya followed her and went on talking.

"I left Berserker at home today, and you don't have Saber with you, so we're even, right?"

Shira stopped walking to look at Ilya suspiciously. "What are you playing at here?"

"I just felt like talking to you," Ilya stated brightly as she stepped next to the redhead.

"You want to talk to me?" Shira asked incredulously. Somehow, she doubted that Ilya simply wanted to chat with her; in all likelihood, this was just a ploy to catch her off guard and Ilya would try to kill her the instant she was in a false sense of security.

What was that American saying? "You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar"?

Ilya, meanwhile, was oblivious to where Shira's thoughts were going. "Of course! Real kids sit together and talk, don't they?"

Shira snorted. "We're Masters, in case you've forgotten. And besides, you attacked me once; as far as I'm concerned, that makes us enemies."

"No one's good enough to be my enemy," Ilya chirped, "but if you don't make me mad, I'll let you leave without a scratch."

"You're insane, kid." Shira jerked her head forward, preparing to continue on home. "This conversation is over."

But before she could go more than a couple of paces, Ilya spoke again, sounding sad for the first time since the encounter began.

"What did I do wrong? Why don't you like me?"

You're a Master in the Grail War. You tried to kill Saber. What do you think? But Shira's angry thoughts stopped in their tracks as she looked at Ilya again. In contrast to the cheery behavior from not even a minute ago, the young, white-haired girl now stood with her shoulders slumped and her gaze downward, hurt evident in her red eyes.

It occurred to Shira that Ilya could be a very good actress and decided to use the "kicked puppy" routine once she realized the "innocent little girl" act wasn't working. But even so, Shira found herself softening. Was it truly out of the realm of possibility that Ilya genuinely wanted to talk to her, regardless of their status as Masters? The sadness she was displaying seemed real enough, but again, Ilya could simply be toying with Shira.

After a few more seconds of thought, Shira sighed. "All right, I'll hang out with you. Happy now?"

"Yep!" Ilya was suddenly all smiles again; she hurried up the road and turned to face Shira. "Hey, come on! If you don't keep up, I'll leave you behind, Shira!"

As Ilya continued running, giggling all the while, Shira shook her head before following her, wondering what she'd gotten herself into this time.

Ilya led Shira to the small park near the shopping district. Shira sat down on a bench, her bike close by, watching as Ilya tried to keep her balance as she walked across a seesaw.

"So, let me guess," Shira spoke. "You want me to answer questions about Saber?" Ilya might not have plans to attack her right then and there, but that didn't mean she didn't have ulterior motives.

But Ilya immediately dismissed the notion. "No; that stuff is boring. There's gotta be something better to talk about."

Okay, so maybe she really does just want to talk, Shira thought. "What do you want to talk about, then?"

Ilya hummed. "Oh, I don't know. I don't really get to talk to people very much." She got off the seesaw and walked towards Shira. "You probably talk to people a lot, so you can pick the subject. Don't normal girls spend a lot of time talking with each other?"

Shira remained silent as Ilya sat next to her on the bench. It was true that she'd spent quite a bit of time making small talk with Taiga, Sakura, and Ayako, moreso before the Grail War began, but she wasn't sure if school or what to have for a next meal would be very interesting topics for Ilya.

A sudden breeze passed through the park, causing Ilya to give a start.

"Feeling cold, Ilya?" Shira asked, putting a hand on the shivering girl's arm and rubbing it lightly.

"A little," Ilya admitted. "You know, I really hate the cold."

"Winters here aren't usually too bad," Shira said, "but the wind's been chilly lately." She paused. "So, Ilya, where did you come from? You have a pretty aristocratic-sounding name."

Ilya smiled at that. "It doesn't just sound aristocratic; it is aristocratic. I was born in the old Einzbern Castle, where it was always very cold."

"But wouldn't you at least be used to the cold by now?"

"It's not that I'm not used to it; I just love being warm much more than being cold. Except for the snow," Ilya added. "My daddy said the snow matched my hair color perfectly."

"I can see why," Shira said. "That hair of yours makes you look like a snow fairy."

"I know," Ilya agreed, nodding eagerly. "I got it from my mother; she looked like a snow fairy, too."

Shira stared at Ilya as the latter giggled. The little girl sitting here chatting with her was a far cry from the bloodthirsty, ruthless Master she had encountered merely five nights ago. Really, it was like Ilya was a whole different person.

Ilya's young voice broke her out of her thoughts. "So, Shira, what good stuff did you inherit from your father? And don't say a Magic Crest; I'm talking about what you got from him as your father, not as a magus."

Shira frowned. "From my dad, huh?" Funny; I would've expected her to ask if I inherited anything from my mother—not that I can actually remember my mother, but still. "That's a little different. See, I didn't get any physical traits from him like you got from your mom, but..."

She paused thoughtfully. "I got a house to live in, for starters. And my surname, for another. And..." My life. I was about to die after that fire, and Kiritsugu found me and saved me. "...that's about it. They might not be genetic traits, but a home and an identity are just as good to inherit."

"True." Ilya smiled happily, then sobered. "But from what you said, does that mean you didn't get a Magic Crest? So, you're not really a Master, then?"

"No, I'm still a Master," Shira explained, "but I'm basically a half-baked one who doesn't have a Crest or a proper family line. What about you, Ilya? Aren't you a magus?"

Ilya shook her head. "I'm a Master, but no one's gone and taught me any magic."

"Really?" Shira questioned. "Does that mean you didn't get a Magic Crest either? But you come from a noble family, right?"

"Yeah," Ilya answered, "but isn't a Crest something you need to have in order to be a Master?"

"I have no idea." Shira furrowed her brow in confusion. So Ilya's in a similar situation as Matou: being a Master without being a magus. Still, something seemed off. "Why do I get the feeling that we're not talking about the same thing?"

"What do you mean?" Ilya wanted to know.

"Never mind," Shira said quickly, deciding to change the subject. "So, Ilya, where are you staying now?"

"That way," Ilya replied, pointing east. Shira looked up to see that the other girl was indicating the large forest in the distance. "There's a big, Western-styled house deep in the forest, and I was told to live there during the Holy Grail War." She smiled cheerfully. "I sneaked out when no one was looking. Sella and Leysritt are my maids, but they're really bossy sometimes. They always lock me in my room because they say the cold is bad for my health, so being outside today is like a special treat for me."

I guess she wasn't kidding about not getting to talk to people very often, Shira thought with a pang of sympathy. Without stopping to think why, she reached for the paper bag in her bike's basket, taking the taiyaki from the bag as Ilya looked on in puzzlement.

"What's that?" she asked.

Shira held out the fish-shaped cake to Ilya. "You've never had a taiyaki before?"

"No." The white-haired girl was now looking hesitant. "Is it okay if I have a bite?"

"Sure," Shira replied.

That one word was all it took for Ilya to accept the taiyaki. "This is yummy!" she said in between bites. "Thanks!"

Shira chuckled a bit at her enthusiasm. Sitting here and talking with Ilya in a moment where fighting wasn't an immediate issue was a little similar to how she'd felt yesterday with Saber in the dojo after they'd finished training—similar, but not quite the same.

It's kind of like having a little sister, she realized. A little sister who's several years younger, anyway. Sakura had gradually become like a sister to Shira since their friendship began a year ago, but Ilya gave off a more obvious "little sister" vibe.

Ilya had just finished the taiyaki when a rumbling growl could be heard in the distance. Shira gave a start at the sound, while Ilya quickly stood up.

"I gotta go! Berserker's waking up!"

And with that, Ilya ran away, leaving Shira alone in the park.

As Shira finally rode back home with her groceries in tow, she decided against mentioning that she'd run into Ilya to Saber or Rin. After all, Ilya hadn't attacked her or even really threatened her; instead, she was friendly, playful, and acted as any little girl would. There was no need for Shira to say anything about her encounter with Ilya simply because there was nothing to tell.

"Saber, I'm home," she called out as she entered the estate. "Saber?"

Shira frowned slightly as she went to the kitchen and set the groceries down on the counter. She hadn't heard anything to indicate that Saber even knew she was back. Was he in his room? Or maybe the dojo?

It can't hurt to look. Shira left the kitchen and went into the hall. She was about to head to her room when the bathroom door opened.

"Shira, you have returned," Saber greeted. Clearly, he had just taken a bath; he had a towel in hand and his blond hair was damp and messier than usual.

Shira started at the sound of his voice. "H-hey, Saber. I was just looking for you." She paused. "Um, you were taking a bath?" It was a stupid question, but it was the only thing she could think to say.

"Yes, I was," Saber answered, his expression unreadable.

"Oh." An awkward silence followed Shira's monosyllabic response. She looked down as her face flushed with heat at the idea of Saber in the bath.

She mentally shook herself and brought her gaze to her Servant again, deciding that now was a good time as any to clear the air.

"Saber, listen," she said, "I'm sorry about what happened last night. I shouldn't have screamed at you like that. You know I wasn't actually gonna use a Command Seal on you."

"No, I should be the one apologizing." Saber bowed slightly in humility. "You were right; I should have knocked first before assuming the bathroom was not occupied. I invaded your privacy, and for that, I am sorry."

"Apology accepted." Shira smiled warmly as the weight on her shoulders lifted. Now that was relatively painless. "Well, I guess I better get started on lunch, then."

"Show me how you'd reinforce this," Rin instructed that evening in her room, placing a small, antique lamp in front of Shira.

"Okay." Shira slowly placed a hand on the bulb and closed her eyes. Trace, on.

Her magic circuits hummed to life.

Basic structure, established. Components, determined. Basic structure, altered.

Mana started to flow into the bulb.

Components, reinfor—

The bulb broke; Shira opened her eyes and cursed softly at the sight of the shattered glass.

"Unbelievable," Rin commented with the slightest hint of scorn.

"What, that I screwed up?" Shira asked tartly. "It's not that unbelievable; obviously, this spell hates me."

Rin rolled her eyes. "I was talking about how sloppy that was. You're just lucky that I came prepared for this." She reached into her bag, pulled out a can, and grabbed a small red gem from the can. "Here, swallow this."

Shira accepted the gem, frowning in confusion. "Swallow it?" she repeated.

"Yes." Rin's voice left no room for argument.

Reluctantly, Shira did what she was told. She threw her head back and popped the gem into her mouth, nearly choking as she swallowed as quickly as she could.

"Ugh, Tohsaka, why'd—" But Shira interrupted herself with a pained grunt, a burning fire coursing through her body. Her vision became blurry, and her heart thudded against her ribcage. She heard Rin speak as if from a long distance away.

"It might be painful, but try to deal with it. If you're a magus, you can control your mana by simply switching your natural circuits on and off. Every time you create an artificial magic circuit, you're wasting energy, so by swallowing that gem, the switch inside your body is forced to turn on."

"A switch...?" Shira managed to ask as the burning feeling finally began to subside.

"You'll soon understand," Rin said. "In order to activate a magic circuit, it helps if you can visualize a switch in your head."

That doesn't really explain how a switch can be in my body, Shira thought, irked that Rin neglected that little detail. Out loud, though, she straightened up and asked, "Is this the part where I thank you?"

Rin turned to rummage in her bag before answering. "No need to thank me. We are working together, so if you're incompetent, it causes me problems. Alright, back to it," she added, retrieving another lamp and setting it down next to the broken one. "Reinforcement magic is beginners' stuff compared to projection."

"Projection?" Shira repeated. "What's that?"

"Well, to keep it brief, projection duplicates things," Rin explained. "The duplicated object is created from your own mana, so the degree of difficulty is much higher. However, anything you project will disappear after only a few seconds, and you don't have the talent for it, anyway, so let's work on you mastering reinforcement first."

In the end, no matter how many times Shira tried to reinforce a lamp, it always broke. After she had broken about thirty lamps, Rin finally decided to call it a night, and Shira wasted no time in leaving the older girl's room before she could get criticized for her failures again.

At present, Shira was sitting outside on the porch, allowing the wintry air to cool her frustration.

It's just because of this switch thing, she told herself. Once I get the hang of controlling my mana, reinforcement should get easier, right?

Shira was torn away from her thoughts by the sound of approaching footsteps. Her expression soured as she saw that it was Archer.

"So, you managed to open your magic circuits," the older woman stated, a condescending edge to her smile. "How long did it take Rin?"

"What are you doing here?" Shira demanded. "If you're gonna complain about me being an inconvenience to your Master, then save your breath."

Archer merely chuckled in amusement. "Rin might be a genius, but that genius of hers prevents her from understanding the problems of an ordinary person. She doesn't realize that normal teaching methods won't work on a talentless child like you."

Shira bristled. "If you have a point, get to it."

"I'm only going to say this once, so pay attention." Seriousness replaced Archer's initial mockery. "When it comes to fighting, Shira Emiya doesn't have a prayer. The only thing you can do is visualize. If you come across an opponent you can't defeat on your own, then visualize something that will allow you to defeat him." She turned away from Shira. "This is the only skill you have; I suggest you perfect it."

The glare on Shira's face faded slightly; as much as she'd love to simply dismiss whatever Archer said, she found herself thinking that what the swordswoman was saying was something she shouldn't forget.

"My, am I getting soft?" Archer mused, the bitter smile evident in her voice even if Shira couldn't see it on her face. "I'm giving advice to someone I so desperately want to kill."

Wordlessly, Shira watched as Archer went into spirit form. Perhaps the very last thing the latter said should have frightened the former to the core, but Shira had already experienced almost getting killed by Lancer and Rider, so the only thought running through her mind was:

Jeeze, what the hell is her problem? Is she this irritating with Tohsaka?

The next morning's sparring session was just as one-sided as the first two. No matter how aggressively Shira rushed at Saber, he was always ready with a stronger counterattack. Honestly, the only thing positive about this bout of training was that there was no awkwardness between them after it was done. On the other hand, Rin (who had decided to skip school today as well) had practically ordered Shira to commence with magic lessons as soon as Saber declared the sparring over, so maybe any discomfort just hadn't had a chance to settle in.

When the girls entered Rin's room, Shira stifled a groan as she saw that the majority of the floor was covered with no less than forty lamps.

"We'll continue from where we left off," Rin said. "Reinforce these lamps."

Shira stared at all the lamps in disbelief. Right, because I made such good progress last night. "Please tell me you're joking."

Rin went on as though Shira hadn't said anything. "I'm going out for a little while. I expect you to be finished by the time I get back. Have fun."

A sigh of resignation escaped from Shira's mouth as Rin left the room. Well, practice does make perfect, doesn't it? she thought, sitting down in front of the lamps. I can't get better if I just give up before I even try.

She selected a lamp at random and placed her hand on the bulb. She took a deep, calming breath, then closed her eyes in concentration.

"Trace, on." Her magic circuits flipped opened, filling with mana. Slowly but surely, the mana flowed into the bulb.

Shira's heart quickened in anticipation. It's working, it's work—!

The bulb broke.

"No!" Shira cried, her eyes flying open. After sparing a few seconds to stare at the glass shards on the floor, she put a hand on the bulb of another lamp, trying for another attempt at reinforcement.

About an hour and a half later, thirty more lamps were broken, and only nine had been successfully reinforced. Shira figured that should satisfy Rin for now.

Shira jumped slightly as she heard the sudden ring of the telephone. Wondering who could be calling, she hurried to the living room and picked up the phone from where it sat on a small table.

She pressed the phone to her ear. "Hello; Emiya residence."

"Hello, Emiya."

Shira froze. "Matou?!"

The sneer in Shinji's voice was almost audible. "Yes, it's me, Emiya. You're not at school again today. Are you not feeling well?"

"Oh, like you care. How the hell did you get my number?" Shira demanded, her grip on the phone tightening.

"There's no need to be so temperamental," Shinji said, ignoring her question entirely. "I'm only calling because I have some information I think you'll find profoundly important. Is Tohsaka with you?"

"No, she just stepped out," Shira answered, keeping her voice even. Is this guy trying to pull my leg?

"Good. I wanted to speak to you alone, anyway. Come to school as quickly as possible."

The call ended before Shira could say anything more, the dial tone filling her ears. She hung up the phone, biting her lower lip. Shinji was up to something, no doubt about it. All that "important information" stuff could very well be a pack of lies. Dare she take him up on his invitation? It sounded like a trap, but then again—

The barrier! Was that what Shinji's call was all about? Did he plan to lure her to school, then activate the barrier? But if he did that, everyone on campus would be—!

Without a second thought, Shira ran to her room to change clothes, throwing on her uniform as quickly as she could, and proceeded to race out of the estate and towards school. She realized she was rushing headlong into a trap, but she didn't care—she couldn't care, not when peoples' lives were at stake.

She stopped running only when she reached the school's entrance, huffing and clutching a stitch in her side. A glance at the building showed that everything looked normal. But where is everybody? Shira thought as she went inside school and walked up a few flights of stairs. Break should've started by now.

It wasn't long until Shira arrived in an eerily deserted hallway. Before she could resume walking, however, a sudden, dizzying nausea assaulted her senses, her body breaking into a sweat as though she had spent hours inside a sauna. W-what...? She doubled over painfully, her breath coming out in heavy gasps, and struggled over to a window. Through streaming eyes, she could see the sky was tinged in a blood-red color.

So her suspicions about Shinji activating the barrier were right.

With some effort, Shira moved away from the window and stumbled to the nearest classroom. She opened the door, and what she saw caused her body temperature, already unnaturally hot, to go through the roof.

Many students, plus a teacher, were lying on the floor. Some were already unconscious, but others were convulsing, even hyperventilating, and—was it just her, or was the skin of a few students melting? Shira let out a shuddering gasp at the sight, feeling sick to her stomach. These people...they'll die if I don't do anything...

Just like ten years ago, just like when the fire was burning, burning, burning and people were begging to be saved and no one listened, she hadn't listened—

At once, Shira forcibly swallowed the bile rising in her throat. Focus on the present; you can't save anyone if you get lost in a flashback!

She turned away from the classroom and felt her left hand burn. Looking at her hand, she saw her Command Seals glowing brightly—an enemy was approaching.

"Hey, Emiya. Glad to see you're in good health today."

Speak of the devil, and he shall appear, Shira thought, looking up and across the hallway to see Shinji standing there, as casual as if he were out for an afternoon stroll.

She glared at him with as much vehemence as she could muster. "You bastard, Matou."

"Oh, so you don't like my handiwork?" Shinji asked, feigning hurt. "But I did it all for you. I activated the barrier as soon as I knew you were on your way. It wasn't easy to get the timing right, you know. Too soon, and you'd escape; too late, we'd bump into each other first and ruin everything."

A leer crossed Shinji's face. "It's important for me to see the life drain out of your eyes. With that in mind, I had to time everything just right."

I'd tell you how sick in the head you are, but I'm not wasting my energy, Shira thought. "Let me guess, you lied about having important info for me. And you also lied about not wanting to fight." Not that I believed you, anyway.

Shinji was no longer leering. "Hey, you and Tohsaka brought this on yourselves!" he snarled, pointing at Shira accusingly. "I ask you to fight with me, not against me, and both of you turned me down!" He folded his arms, his usual smugness replacing his sudden anger. "I didn't want to activate something of this magnitude unless I truly had to."

"Well, then deactivate it!" Shira snapped. "Now!"

"I'm sorry; you're in no position to order me around. But...if you really want me to turn it off..." Shinji smirked, slow and dirty, "why not show me what you can do with your tongue?"

He wants me to do WHAT?! Shira actually flinched back at those words; the meaning behind them couldn't have been clearer than if it was flat-out stated. "You're disgusting."

Shinji remained unfazed. "And you're just the same as Fujimura; neither of you seem to know your place."

The blood in Shira's veins suddenly ran cold. Oh, God, Fuji-nee! "What did you do to her?" she demanded, using an icily calm tone that would've made Saber proud.

"After I activated the barrier," Shinji replied, "Fujimura could still get around fairly well. Everyone else was dropping like flies, but she somehow managed to hobble her way over to me. Then she started spewing out garbage about calling an ambulance or something." He chuckled darkly. "Well, I certainly wasn't calling any ambulance, but she was so obnoxiously persistent that I do something that I connected my boot with her head. After that, she went down and stayed down."

He let out a full-blown laugh, oblivious to the fact that Shira had been trembling with rage all throughout his speech. "I wouldn't be surprised if that did her in for good."

At that moment, it was as though a hammer had struck down in Shira's head. Her magic circuits were not humming with mana—they were roaring, filling her body with magical energy eager to be used as she saw fit.

"I'm not saying this again," Shira growled. "Shut. The barrier. Down."

Shinji gestured towards the windows. "Tear it down yourself if it bothers you so much."

Shira's body tensed. "If that's the way you want it, fine. Don't say I didn't try to be nice!" She charged towards Shinji.

"You really are stupid, Emiya." Shinji held out a small book, and three shadowy tendrils of darkness leapt from the floor and shot forward.

But Shira wouldn't be deterred. "You're the stupid one here, Matou!" She continued running, the three shadows passing harmlessly around her. "Compared to Saber's training regime, this is less than nothing!"

For the very first time, Shinji was not smirking in arrogance. In fact, as Shira got closer to him, she could see that he was looking terrified.

"No, please!" he cried, all superiority forgotten. "Get back!"

Shira was almost there—Shinji let out a scream—

Clang!

And Shira stopped short and pulled back as Rider suddenly appeared, brandishing her chain-like daggers in each hand. Damn it, I almost had him!

"Excellent, Rider," Shinji said, regaining some confidence. "Now take her down."

With those four words, Rider leapt forward, throwing a dagger. Shira had only enough time to lift her arm to protect her face, resulting in the dagger piercing her wrist. In quick succession, Rider had stabbed Shira in the shoulder, leg, and side, not allowing the redhead time to formulate any countermeasure.

In seconds, Shira had been forced to her knees, grunting in pain.

"What are you doing, Rider?!" Shinji snapped impatiently. "Finish her off already!"

Shira straightened up, ignoring her injuries. But before she could do anything, Rider had lunged for her again; she couldn't resist screaming as the black-clad Servant sliced at her neck.

She vaguely heard the sound of the tip of Rider's dagger breaking.

"That's odd," came Rider's comment as Shira pressed a hand to her neck. "For whatever reason, my blade can't kill her." Rider paused for only a fraction of a second. "In that case..."

Rider launched a powerful kick at Shira. Glass shattered as the redhead found herself knocked out the nearest window. Her arms and legs flailed uselessly as she fell through the air, the red-tinted sky filling her vision.

Is this...how I'm going to die?

Was Shira going to die now? Was she going to die and leave all those people at the mercy of Shinji and Rider? Was she going to die without saving anyone?

No. No, that was unacceptable. It didn't matter that Shira was wounded, that she was currently falling from a third-floor window. Taiga, the other teachers, and the students would be saved, Shinji and Rider would be defeated, but Shira couldn't do it alone.

If there was ever a time to use a Command Seal, now was definitely it.

"Saber!" Shira cried out, her Command Seals glowing. "Saber, come forth!"

One Command Seal disappeared, and Saber, fully armored, appeared in a column of light, caught Shira bridal-style in midair, and skidded to a halt on the ground.

"Shira—" Saber began after he set her down.

"No time for details," Shira interrupted urgently. "Matou and Rider have activated the barrier—we have to stop them!"

"But you are wounded," Saber protested as he helped her to her feet. "Let me—"

"That's not important now," Shira cut him off again. "Just focus on Rider; you're the only one who can beat her."

Saber still looked concerned. "Shira, if your injuries are not treated—"

If she were truly honest with herself, Shira would admit to being flattered by Saber's worry, but that was something they really didn't have time for.

"Saber, my injuries are not important," she repeated firmly. "This barrier has to be taken down before Fuji-nee and everyone else are killed. If I have to use another Command Seal—"

"No, you don't," Saber said quickly. "I will do as you wish, Master."

Shira nodded shortly. "Take out Rider. I'll deal with Matou."

And with that, Saber and Shira hurried into the school building, making their way upstairs to the third-floor hallway. Without any warning, Rider lunged towards them. Saber shoved Shira out of harm's way and deflected Rider's dagger with his sword.

As Shira raced after Shinji (who could be heard yelling at his Servant for not killing the redhead when he told her to), Rider charged forward again, throwing a dagger at Saber. The knight deflected the dagger again, but his opponent threw the second dagger at that same instant, managing to wrap the chain around his wrists. The next few seconds consisted of a twisted tug-of-war, ending when Saber grabbed the chain and launched himself at Rider, who blocked his own attack. Undaunted, Saber struck at Rider again and again, his flurry of blows forcing her back.

Meanwhile, Shira was still hurrying after Shinji.

"You can't run forever, Matou!" she shouted.

"Stay away from me, you crazy bitch!" Shinji's voice was high with fear. As he continued running madly through the hall, he knocked over a janitor's bucket containing a few mops. Three more shadows shot out from his book, and Shira stopped only to grab a mop, break it in half, and reinforce the handle into solid steel. As the shadows rushed towards her, she deflected them away with her hastily constructed weapon.

The look of abject terror on Shinji's face as Shira shot a glare at him was priceless.

The chase resumed, but it wasn't long before the end of the hallway was reached. At last, Shira caught up to Shinji and proceeded to do what she'd subconsciously wanted to do for years: she slapped him in the face—hard.

She didn't give him a chance to recover as she grabbed him by his throat.

"Shut down the barrier!" Shira ordered.

"Yeah, like I'm gonna do that!" Shinji gasped out. "You think I'm just gonna do whatever you tell me to?!"

Shira tightened her grip. She never wanted to have to do this, but the stupid bastard was leaving her with very few options.

"If you don't shut this down, I'll kill you." She mentally apologized to Sakura. "That'll solve a few problems."

The barest hint of a sardonic smile crossed Shinji's lips. "Heh; you're bluffing. You couldn't kill a fly, let alone me."

Shira's eyes narrowed. "What exactly has your family taught you, Matou?" she asked rhetorically. "Don't you know the saying, 'To be a magus is to walk with death'? It means that a magus must be prepared to kill other magi. So, either you turn off this barrier right now, or I kill you. It's your choice."

Shinji squawked as Shira squeezed his throat some more. "Okay, okay! You win, Emiya! Let me go! Rider! RIDER! SHUT DOWN THE BLOOD FORT!"

In seconds, the barrier vanished, the sky returning to its natural blue color, but Shira's hand remained around Shinji's throat.

"Alright, you got what you wanted!" Shinji exclaimed. "Let me go already!"

"Give up your Command Seals," Shira ordered. "Do that and we won't have to fight again."

Shinji's mouth dropped open. "Are you insane?! There's no way I'm gonna do that! If I give up my Command Seals, I won't be able to control Rider! Without her, I'm as good as—!"

"Then go to Kotomine Church," Shira said. "It's his job to protect any Master who's out of the War."

"Shira!"

She turned her head upon hearing Saber's voice, then abruptly let go of Shinji and took a few steps back as Rider suddenly zipped to her Master's side.

"We need to get out of here," Rider told Shinji coolly, ignoring his spluttering.

"Shira, get back!" Saber called again as he began hurrying to her. "Rider intends to release the mana she was using to maintain the barrier!"

"What do you mean?" Shira wanted to know.

"What secrets have you been keeping from me, Rider?!" Shinji demanded. "Whatever you're planning, don't do it! You're no match against Emiya's Servant; it'll only get you killed!"

"I know all too well that I'm no match for Saber," Rider said, "but my Noble Phantasm surpasses all other Servants'. It doesn't matter who they are; there is none who can match the blinding speed I'm about to unleash."

With a smirk, Rider held out her dagger—and stabbed herself through the neck without any hesitation. Bright red blood spurted in all directions, forming a solid, scarlet sphere in front of Rider and Shinji. A red, glowing magic circle etched itself onto the sphere, followed by a burst of white light.

Saber put a protective arm in front of Shira, squinting his eyes against the light's brightness. A huge pair of white, feathery wings burst into existence, and—

Shira was pulled to the ground by Saber as a huge boom sounded and another flash of white light engulfed the area. She closed her eyes as a terrible gust of wind coursed through the hallway—and then it was over. Shira and Saber got up to see the hall completely destroyed—the windows were broken, the walls were ripped to pieces, and the floor was riddled with debris—and no sign of Shinji and Rider.

"She was true to her word," Saber stated. "She only used her Noble Phantasm as a means to escape."

But Shira was barely listening; she sank to her knees in sudden exhaustion, her magic circuits giving out on her now that there was no more reason at present to fight. The mana that had been flowing through her body disappeared, and the wounds she'd been ignoring chose that moment to throb.

The last thing Shira heard before blacking out was Saber calling out her name.

The sun was still shining when Shira came to. She found herself back in her room at the estate, and although her wounds had been bandaged up, they were almost completely healed, just like the last couple of times she had sustained injuries. When she questioned Rin about what happened at school after she'd passed out, the older girl explained that many people had been taken to the hospital, but no one was in serious danger. School would also be cancelled until repairs to the building were completed.

It wasn't long after Shira woke up that she left her room to head for the dojo, thinking that she might find Saber there. Just as she thought, Saber was sitting in the dojo, still dressed in his armor.

"Saber," Shira spoke, walking over to him.

Saber looked up, his expression flat. "Hello, Shira. I am glad to see you are awake." He stood up; although his face was calm, Shira could see his eyes shining with reproach.

"...You're going to scold me, aren't you?" she guessed.

"Where do I even begin?" Saber's tone was now tinged with frustration. "You deliberately saw an enemy without me. You proceeded to fight that enemy by yourself. You only summoned me when you were about to die." He was now sounding quite agitated. "What if you had not used the Command Seal in time? What then, Shira? I would certainly not be talking to you at this moment!"

"Saber, I—"

But he talked over her. "Why must you make things so difficult for me?! Do you enjoy it?"

"No; I just—"

"Then explain." Saber fixed Shira with a stern gaze. "Explain to me why you do this."

There was a momentary pause as Shira stared back at Saber; finally, she sighed, bowing her head slightly. "I'm sorry." I've had to apologize a lot lately. "You're right; running after Matou like that was stupid, and I'm sorry I made you worry. I've been going about things the wrong way."

Saber frowned in confusion. "Shira, does this mean—?"

"I can't get through the Grail War alone," she continued. "If I'm going to beat the other Masters, I need your strength; I need you."

There was another pause as Saber digested what Shira had just told him. "I see," he said. "Then I assume you realize that your actions thus far have been a mistake. Going forward, I can count on you to back me up in a supporting role and let me do the fighting."

Shira's gaze snapped back to Saber. "I don't think so. I still don't want you getting hurt, but I need you to fight, so I'm going to be there next to you, fighting right by your side."

Saber's earlier frustration returned. "You still insist on this?"

"This isn't something I'm budging on," Shira informed him. "If I'm not fighting alone, then neither are you."

They stared at each other in silence, neither willing to look away as if doing so would mean one yielding to the other. At last, a small smile curled onto Saber's face.

"Well, at least you are consistent in your stubborn streak."

Shira had to chuckle at that.

"After all we have been through, I would hope you realize that I am your sword," Saber went on. "Who else but me should be the one to lend you strength?"

Without another word, Saber offered his hand to Shira, who clasped it firmly. It was a confirmation of the compromise they had just come to: neither Master nor Servant would be fighting alone, but stand together against their enemies.

"Hello? What's going on between you two?"

The moment shattered at the sound of Rin's voice. Shira jerked back, withdrawing her hand away from Saber's as though she'd been burned.

"Nothing!" she blurted out as Rin stepped into the dojo with a bundle of clothes in hand. "Nothing at all!"

"Really?" Rin raised an eyebrow. "Because it looked to me like you and Saber were holding hands. What, were you having some kind of strategy meeting behind my back?"

"Of course not," Saber assured her. "We would never do anything of the sort."

"What do you have there, Tohsaka?" Shira asked, desperate for a change in topic.

"Just Saber's clothes." Rin handed the aforementioned clothes over to the knight. "You be careful, now. When Shira summoned you and you transitioned to your armor, your clothes went flying everywhere."

Shira's face suddenly felt uncomfortably hot. Stay out of the gutter, stay out of the gutter...

Saber looked over at the redhead. "You look overheated, Shira. Do you need some fresh air?"

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Shira insisted hurriedly, hoping her face hadn't flushed even more at the fact that Saber had noticed enough to comment. "I was just...thinking?"

She could've slapped herself for saying that.

"Thinking?" Saber repeated. "What about?"

Rin smirked. "Yeah, Shira, what about?"

Shira just scowled. Like you don't know.

Author's Note: Stupid Shinji. Doesn't he know that every rose has thorns?

And yes, I had Shinji suggest that Shira perform oral sex on him if she wanted him to shut down the barrier. Originally, I wanted it to be more subtle, but I couldn't really think of any innuendo that would've been appropriate (appropriate innuendo? That's an oxymoron!), and Shinji's not the most subtle guy anyway. Then again, I once heard "get on your knees and beg" used as (accidental) sexual innuendo, so that may have worked...

I might do some editing on this chapter; I feel like I kinda rushed the end there because I wanted to get this posted today.

In summary, Ilya pays a second, much less violent visit to her Onee-chan; Archer sweeps into the spotlight to be the cryptic broad she is; Shinji, who is the Jerk of the Week, gets PWNED; Saber and Shira take steps both forward and backward in resolving their raging UST; and Rin gets her kicks out of trolling Shira.