A/N: (April 12th)

Final Interlude, I swear! XD

I really did feel bad about there not being any chapter releases the past while, so I hope these Interludes somewhat make up for them. Plus, I really do enjoy expanding on the lore and characters of my story more.

I'm also glad that you liked Caren and Rin's relationship— since Caren is Kirei's kid, I was also hesitant on if it would work or not, but I genuinely think it works.

Will there be more of that in the future? Maaaybe? Posssibly?

Also also, thank you all for the birthday wishes. I don't like not being a teenager anymore, lmao, but hey— I heard the 20s are cool.

Anyway, after this, we'll be at the final Act of Heaven's Fall. Hope you enjoy this one.

Interlude V: Night of Lost Lilac

P.O.V.: A Certain Matou Heiress

Early April, 1994.

On that bleak spring evening, the rain was never ending. The clouds overcast and grey, suffocating and gloomy, blanketing an even darker shadow on the already dark Matou residence.

Despite being the season of new life, no such sparks of hope could be seen in her eyes.

All her little body could do was hopelessly stare up at the ceiling, unable to move as…things moved around her.

Wetting her skin. Every square inch. Above…and below.

Inside, and out.

She was already used to the feeling. She had stopped screaming months ago, and accepted that this is the life that she had to live.

Maybe not forever, but this was her immediate reality. Her new grandfather had told her— one day, she would be free of this pit of depravity.

But for now, here she remained. Every single iota of her innocence: destroyed, broken down, and violated.

She wasn't a person at this moment. Naught but a piece of meat with a pair of eyes.

Her inner voice and will to want it to stop faded long ago. All she could hold on to was the will to keep breathing as she blankly stared up at the high ceiling that gave no comfort. It was cold and distant, and as dark as the greenish black walls teeming with squirming exoskeletal life.

She felt them all surround her. Enrapture her. Tear her insides apart, then put it back together.

It was painful. She had a mouth, but didn't scream. She didn't want to disturb grandfather or her brother, after all.

'…please.'

Even in this darkness, she made a wish. Even with her fire snuffed by the cold, and her warmth taken by the bugs around her, she set the sights on someone in the back of her mind.

A girl that she once called her sister. That she would spend every day, and play with.

That girl always had better luck than her. Maybe, just maybe, she'd use that luck to get her out of here.

It was a wish that her feeble mind wanted to come true, so badly. She waited, time after time, like a child yearning for the tooth fairy to arrive at night— or the Easter Bunny, or Santa Claus.

Would they save her?

'Of course not…they're not real.'

But she was. Her older sister was. So…she could, right?

She had to wait and hope.

Before she knew it, her petite body had grown.

Eight Years Later, September 2002.

Grown several sizes, in fact.

Her body had matured somewhat, as any pubescent would. Her hair had long since shifted from the signature brunette Tohsaka tone, to a faded violet. Her bust had grown- her hips had widened, and her legs and arms had gotten more plump.

An ordinary person wouldn't immediately notice these changes, unless they looked in a mirror or had someone else point it out to them. But she was aware of all of those changes, as they were happening.

It's all she could do, for eight-plus hours a day, every day.

She had hoped, many moons ago, that something would change. But…

'Hope…I…wish I could never hope.'

If she couldn't hope, then she could more easily accept her reality. Most of her has, but there was a nagging will for something, or someone, to get her out of it.

It's been over eight years, though.

'So why bother?'

…

She did go to school— but every day seemed exactly the same. Despite blending in with the rest of the crowd, she couldn't find it in herself to care for anything else but to survive for the next day.

The only stimulation she ever felt…is in the pit she laid in now.

Everything else was blanker than the paper she takes notes on.

She had no concept of day or night under the basement, so only the knock on the door, at the top of the room overseeing a long set of stairs, told her that the night had fallen, and dawn was coming.

Almost pavlovian in cue, the insects and bugs all festered away from her body. They released their jaws, and removed themselves from…certain orifices, as she finally finds the ground with her feet.

Without a single word, she places her bare feet onto the slimy concrete, and steps toward the stairs.

"Sakura."

She hears her grandfather's words echo throughout the room— or perhaps was it in her own head?

She had her senses dulled so much that she couldn't properly tell anymore.

"Yes, Grandfather?"

Her voice flatly responded.

"Your training is done for the day. It appears you must participate in that Festival after school…to keep up family appearances, I permit you to go."

"Yes, Grandfather."

She steps out from the basement, and starts her ever-daily routine.

Shower, dress herself, eat, go to school.

Normally it would be to return from school, do homework, and then…train, but for once, her cycled routine had bent, if a little.

It wasn't nearly enough to truly break the cycle, but it was something.

The Daihasei Festival. The one time a year where Academy City opens to the public.

'The one time a year…where she could be here.'

Sakura turns on the faucet, letting the hot water wash away the slimy gunk from her body. It burned, but she didn't care. She didn't even register it.

After properly cleaning herself and changing into her school uniform, she grabs her bag and starts down the hall.

School began in one hour; if she ate fast, she could be early.

"Sakuraaaa~"

She stops immediately in her tracks, upon hearing…that voice.

Her eyes keep looking forward toward the staircase, but she knows exactly just who is calling out to her in the bedroom to her left.

She didn't want to look. She didn't even want to acknowledge him, but…

'He's my…older brother…'

"Onii-san…not…today…" She bites her lip, and finds the strength in her to move forward—

— but a hand grabs her arm, and stops her from moving. "Eh? Aren't you tired from training all last night?"

"…"

He was right.

It took most of her will to stand and walk. She hoped that breakfast might energize her, but…

"Don't you want…"

The boy leans closer to her ear. Sakura could see the blue locks out of the corner of her eye. "…me to give you some energy?"

His words petrified her, in mind, body, and spirit. "I…"

Before she could even say anything, she was dragged into the room, and the door closed shut with a lock.

Despite the sunlight beaming through the thin curtains, and the pristine white walls juxtaposing the darkness of the Matou basement…

…As her clothes came off, she felt just as trapped as ever before.

XXXXX

Later that day.

Taking a breath, Sakura ties her long violet hair up into a headband as she lines up for the next event of the Daihasei Festival: the hundred-meter dash.

She was planning on transferring to a school within the Garden of Learning next year, since her Ability Level was nearly reaching the ranks of Level 3; the minimum requirement for a school of high-calibur. As it stood, however, she was still stuck in a less prestigious academy, and as such, the use of Abilities during the Festival were forbidden for them so that the Level 0s and Ability-less students could have a real chance.

It all came down to skill— or in this case, naught but speed.

She leans down next to a few of her classmates, and rival students from other schools, as they square up next to the starting line. Along the hundred-meter path, she could spot parents, siblings, and other students and general onlookers watching them— although considering their competition was much more rudimentary compared to other schools, the amount of actual spectators were quite low.

Regardless, Sakura knew.

In that small crowd of people, she'd never see her brother or Grandfather there at all.

Taking a minute breath, she sees the referee— a volunteer student from a high school, raise an orange-tipped, fake gun up into the air.

"On your marks…get set…GO!"

Sakura pushes off with her feet as soon as she hears the fire, and lets her legs carry her as hard as they could. She never had much time for physical exercise— these times in school were her only chance, which did make her fall behind in the cardio and strength department.

Very quickly, she could feel her peers starting to pass her up out of the corner of her eyes. Not wanting to get last place, at least, she pushes her body to the limits. She feels her breathing accelerate, her heart beat out of her chest as she sprints forward with everything she could muster.

And yet.

"…Agh—!"

And yet she finds her foot slamming into the back of her other ankle, and trips herself over.

As she collapses, she feels a searing pain shoot up her right leg as he skids across the ground. 'Ow…scraped…it…!'

The other kids pass through the finish line easily, while she remains in the middle of the racetrack, almost unable to stand.

'Just my luck…'

But before she can admonish herself at all, she feels a tap on her shoulder. Deciding to look up instead of sulk her eyes toward the ground, she meets the gaze of two golden irises.

"Yo. Are you alright?"

And a head full of fuzzy red hair.

He extends his hand out to her. Looking in the periphery, she could see the physical education instructor approaching her, as well as other students watching on in curiosity or concern.

But she focuses her eyes onto him, and what a sight it was.

He seemed to be a bit older than her, maybe by a year or so. She was a First Year middle schooler, so he must have been in the Second or Third Year.

His eyes, his smile— even his body language and expression, all conveyed nothing but pure kindness.

The sun radiated behind his head, glowing around it as if it were some sort of halo.

"Uhm…"

Sakura tentatively reaches out her hand. "Y-Yes…I am alright, uh…"

"Good." The boy grips her hand, firmly yet delicately, and helps her onto her feet. "I happened to pass by and watch your race…didn't want to see you all curled up down there, you know?"

"…R-Right…"

The boy stares down at her leg, making sure to keep her personal space intact as he examines the injury. "Uh…yeah, seems like a moderate scrape. Here."

He turns around, and leans down, seemingly offering his back for her to climb upon. "I'll carry you to a nurse, or something…it's not a big deal, I don't have any events for an hour or two, so…"

Despite his words probably seeming like nothing but kind gestures to him, to Sakura…

'…I…'

Every day, she was swathed in darkness. Suffocated by bugs and leeches and horrors that she couldn't describe to another person.

Abused by her family. Abandoned by another.

And yet…

Upon climbing onto the boy's back, she felt something.

A spark behind her eyes. Even if they continued to be unfocused, she could grip just an iota of warmth.

She accepts his offer, and gently wraps her arms around his shoulders. He lifts her up by the legs, and carries her off of the racetrack.

She ignores the adults looking on at what must have seemed like an unexpected, yet sweet moment. She doesn't pay any mind to the girls who glared at her in jealousy, or the boys teasing the person carrying her.

No, all she wanted to feel…was the warmth of his body.

'Warm…'

She digs her face onto his neck. "Thank you…"

"No problem." He mutters, a bit strained. It seemed as if she was a tad heavier than he was expecting— not that it offended her much, of course. "If I see someone in need, I'll help out. My name's Shirou Emiya. And yours?"

"…S-Sakura…"

"Alright, Sakura. Let's get you bandaged up, okay?"

"Okay…"

Even though him carrying her would be but a brief few moments, she accepted it wholeheartedly.

She hadn't remembered the last time someone's handled her so tenderly. Or spoken to her with genuine kindness.

The teachers and the students of Academy City don't pay her any mind. She stays quiet, so no one bothers to ask her anything.

But he…he approached her. She almost couldn't fathom it…but she wanted more of it.

She turns her head away from him, and looks on into the crowd.

'…Eh?'

Something passes by the crowd, lost in the sea of people just beyond the spectators of the next race.

She swore she spotted something familiar. The sight of pigtails roaming around, but it had vanished before her eyes could confirm it.

'…No, of course she wouldn't be here.'

Sakura closes her eyes, and lets the boy continue to carry her. 'Of course…

…since…she…never bothered to save me…why would she be here?'

She hugs the boy tighter, to his slight chagrin.

"You good?"

"Mhm. Please keep walking, Senpai."

XXXXX

'I can't believe I'm doing this…'

Tapping her petite hand on the door to an apartment that she's never entered before, the young Matou girl awaits silently. She had only walked with her Senpai to this door once before— mostly because his apartment was closer to their schools than her house was, so she didn't mind the small detour.

But now, she had come here with her own will, and with no one to tell her otherwise.

She felt her heart beating many paces faster than she was comfortable with— she couldn't tell if it was because she was entering a boy's house, or because she felt as if she was breaking some sort of rule.

There wasn't any training tonight, so on paper, nothing was wrong.

She just hadn't made a decision like this her entire life, however.

Her uniform was damp from the rain blanketing Academy City— and the notable winds only served to make her feel colder than usual.

But she wasn't shivering— not that she particularly could, anyway.

After only a few beats of waiting, she could hear footsteps approach the door on the other side. Her breath hitches as she sees the doorknob turn and the person inside swing it open.

"…Sakura?"

The innocent golden eyes of Shirou Emiya gleam back at her with some confusion. "What're you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at your dorms at this time of the day?"

Indeed, Sakura went to a strict all-girls' school, similar to the ones in the Garden of Learning. She couldn't be anywhere out and about later at night, lest they break curfew.

"Um…I'm an exception to that rule, Senpai." Her light voice hushes over to him, only barely loud enough for him to hear her. "…If you don't mind…may I come in?"

At first, the redhead seemed slightly concerned. She couldn't see herself in any mirror, but she figured she must have looked a mess— in order to not be in the rain for too long, she had taken a light jog to his apartment— it must have meant her hair looked a bit dishevelled, on top of being wet along with her uniform.

She also internally knew the ramifications of a boy letting a girl inside of their residence without any adult permission or supervision, but she also didn't care for tradition such as that, either.

'I just want…to be somewhere warm.'

After pondering for a few seconds, the redheaded boy nods. "Alright. Come on in."

He holds the door open for her, as she bows politely and steps through. Upon her skin hitting the heated interior, she realized just how covered in rain she had been. The warm, and especially dry, twenty-three degree celsius air waved against her like a sauna, evaporating the moisture off herself.

The interior was neatly kept, if a bit sparse in decoration: immediately to the left of the entrance hall was the kitchen, which had a small bar that doubled as a countertop, which connected to the living room. The kitchen itself had a medium-size refrigerator, stove and oven, as well as a portable microwave that seemed seldom used, since it was unplugged and sitting lifelessly atop the fridge.

The living room was a mix of western in decoration and eastern in structure, as a square coffee table that likely doubled as a kotatsu in the colder months sat nearby a couch and flatscreen television. On the opposite end of the room to her was the balcony door, which had enough space for a table and pair of chairs outside.

With a bathroom door to the left, and a door to the main bedroom to the right, Shirou Emiya's apartment was much more akin to a business-class hotel room than a dormitory room for a young teenager.

And much like a hotel room, it was only sprinkled lightly with decoration. A few family portraits here and there signified a modicum of character, but it was clear he didn't want to riddle the place with unnecessary trinkets.

"I don't really have much in the way of accommodations…sorry." Her Senpai admits. "It's just me in this apartment, and I only really use it to eat and sleep."

After she removes her shoes, he directs her to the kitchen, where she spots a small pot boiling with a brown liquid that smelled distinctly of chashu.

On the opposite end of the stove was a countertop with colored chopping boards— a few miscellaneous vegetables on the green, and what seemed to be some cooked pork on the red.

"Speaking of eating…I was planning on making some ramen for myself tonight. I was about halfway done, so…want some?"

Sakura blinks at him.

'He's not even asking me for anything in return…'

She shakes her head adamantly. "No, Senpai. If I'm going to eat, I'll help you make it…it's the least I can do."

"Well…okay." The boy nods his head, but then raises a brow at her a second later. "But uh…do you know how to work with a knife?"

"That's a different issue."

XXXXX

After some time, and at an hour far past curfew, dinner had finally been completed at the Emiya residence.

"Thank you for the food!"

In front of the two students was a pair of quite sizable bowls of chashu ramen, its steam filling the room with its alluring aroma of smells. After giving thanks, the two of them dug in.

And if she had to be honest…

'This tastes good…'

Not anything like the meals she had at home.

A part of her wanted to truly pig out, but she kept her polite and ladylike demeanor, and only ate as fast as she saw her Senpai eat.

In between bites, he sets down his chopsticks and asks her a question. "So, Sakura…I still don't completely understand why you wanted to come over?"

Even though she had been in his place for well over an hour at this point, the elephant in the room was still very prevalent. She had asked to come in and he had let her, but that was about the end of her reasoning, at least to his knowledge.

Sakura slurps down a lump of noodles before setting her utensils aside as well.

The question puzzled her, too.

'I…don't really know why.'

It wasn't something that could be put to words, only a feeling. And if she had to describe that feeling…

'…Argh…I really can't. It's…strange.'

Sakura knew she simply couldn't give such a vague response to her Senpai, though. At best, all she could muster was a white lie.

"Because…well, it's cold outside, Senpai. I…didn't want you to feel alone. And…"

She remembers back to a week ago, when they had first met. When he had innocently helped her up after she had scraped her knee during the Daihasei Festival.

"…I guess I felt grateful, after what you did for me."

It was the closest description to the amorphous reasoning she had in her head, but she still couldn't figure out what it was specifically.

Luckily, it seemed the young teenager was satisfied with that answer. "Like I said, it was no problem, Sakura."

"I know, but…"

"It really wasn't a problem."

He was quite adamant. When Sakura lifted her gaze to meet him, she found his irises to be filled with steel. "I'll tell you what. If…if you ever feel like it, then come over. My doors will be open for ya."

"Th-That…Senpai, I…"

A quite forward offering.

Yet so tempting.

The young Matou bites the back of her lip, still unsure of what to say. 'Will it interfere with homework? With club activities? With…training…?'

She logically knew it wasn't the right thing to say, but…

"…I accept. Thank you, Senpai."

…she wanted it.

A place where everything was calm.

And especially with…

…someone who, for once, had the comfort of humanity in their eyes.

2nd of March, 2003.

A familiar image sits in front of her.

Huddled in the kotatsu, wrapped in the warm, thick blanket, the heat underneath greatly juxtaposing the cool air of the living room, were two students of Academy City.

The TV is on in the background, but its volume was at a minimum. It wasn't the main focus, anyway.

Sakura Matou gives a light smile, as she places her hands together before the bowl of chashu ramen. Her Senpai had done the quite cute gesture of placing faux sakura petals on the top as a garnish.

It was her fourteenth, after all.

"Happy Birthday, Sakura." He says. "And…thank you for the food!"

The meal that they had when she had first came over, they had once again. This time, Sakura had been careful to chop the vegetables and pork more cleanly, so there would be smooth, flat cuts rather than shredded chunks like before. Taste-wise there was no difference, but presentation meant a lot to her.

She had just been recently accepted into one of the schools within the Garden of Learning: Shidarezakura Academy, specifically, thanks to her high grades and her Esper Ability moving up from Level 1 to 3 in such a fast time period. Her Senpai had joked that it was meant to be, since Shidarezakura shared the same kanji as her name.

As such, this small birthday celebration also was a celebration of her admittance into a pretty prestigious school, that she would enter in the coming school year.

For now, however, it was a time to relax.

The violet-haired Matou happily slurps up the ramen noodles, making sure to eat as much as she could for a long life.

'Long life…'

That thought stews in her mind as she drinks down the stew of the ramen itself. 'Long life, hm?'

Every year she had gotten older, the thought of the future always came to her. She supposed it was natural for any person to think of what's ahead every year they get older; but for her specifically, on this day…

…it was different.

'…This is the first time…I'm celebrating my birthday…outside of…'

The smell of that basement she had long since become blind to, was instead replaced by the harmonious wafts of the savory ramen and the general cool, crisp atmosphere of her Senpai's apartment.

The future— every person was ideally supposed to have a long, fruitful future. In many cases, it involved a life partner.

Her eyes look over to the one other person in the room.

'Long life…with…'

"Sakura?"

"Eh?" She blinks out of her stupor, and her eyes focus onto her Senpai's face. "You've been staring at me for a few seconds. Are you okay?"

"Ah! Y-Yeah, I'm fine." She shelves the thoughts for, ironically, the future. "…This ramen's really good, by the way. Thank you, Senpai."

"It was both of our efforts, so I have to thank you just as much." He sets the bowl down, showing that it was already half empty, Sakura figuring he must have been pretty hungry after a long day. "As a thank you…"

He reaches underneath the kotatsu, to Sakura's confusion.

She hears the crinkling of paper as he produces a small, white bag from underneath the table. There was a good amount of violet-colored filler paper obscuring her view of what was inside.

On a tag latched to one of the handles was the phrase: "To: Sakura" in kanji.

She knew immediately what it was.

"S-Senpai, you didn't…you didn't have to…"

She almost didn't want to accept it, but she knew what he would do whenever she'd try and turn things down. Especially if it was for her.

"Well, I did anyway." He chuckles. "It's the first time we're celebrating your birthday, so I had to get you something."

"No, like…you really didn't have to. We're students— we don't have a lot in our wallets as-is, and you went and spent money on me…?"

Her Senpai sighs, and instead gives a childish smirk that immediately tells the young Matou that he wasn't up to anything good. "Tell you what, Sakura?"

"Y-Yes?" She responds, hesitantly.

"If you can eat your ramen bowl faster than mine, then I won't give you the gift."

"Wait, Sen—!"

"Three, two, one, GO!"

"S-Senpai, that's no fair, you're already halfway…! Argh, fineee!"

XXXXX

Needless to say, there was only ever going to be one winner.

After proudly defeating the girl who not only had a smaller stature, but a smaller stomach, Shirou had washed up all of the dishes as Sakura scoured through his collection of DVDs for any movies to watch.

The evening was still relatively young, so they could fit in a two-hour flick before she had to leave.

Apparently, her Senpai would give her the gift just before she had to leave, which made her begin to overthink what it could possibly be.

'It can't be anything expensive, right…?' She thinks, as she fingers through the stacks upon stacks of DVDs hidden in the living room cupboards. 'It's probably something simple like a necklace, or a small stuffed animal. Yeah.'

She finds a movie that catches her eye: an adaptation of a novel series about robots turning evil and warring against humanity. While action movies weren't entirely her forté, she had grown to appreciate them thanks to her Senpai talking about the films that his father, Kiritsugu, would take him to watch.

She sets it in the DVD player, just as she hears her Senpai plop onto the couch with a satisfied sigh and burp.

"Excuse you, Senpai."

"Er— sorry, Sakura."

She herself sits down a seat separate from him as the movie begins playing.

The cold opening of the action sequence caught Shirou's attention. "You picked an action film, Sakura?"

"Y-Yes." She nods. "I wanted us to both enjoy it. I don't really have a particular favorite genre, but I know this is yours, so…"

"…I gotcha." He nods, contently. "Alright, let's get into it."

…

The film was so enamoring, that Sakura could barely keep track of the time.

So she couldn't exactly recall when a certain reddish-haired teen had fallen sideways next to her on the couch, fast asleep.

It petrified her for a moment. The gesture was simultaneously surprising, yet unexpected.

'He told me he had had a long day…' Sakura thought. 'Still, wish he'd at least watch this with me…'

Not wanting to disturb his sleep, but also wanting to make sure he was in a more comfortable position, Sakura gently picks up his head and neck.

She stares at her lap.

'We're not at that stage.'

She grabs the pillow next to her, and places it on her lap, then places her Senpai's head onto it.

'Better.'

Now seeming much more comfortable, Sakura lets her Senpai wander the realm of dreams as she continues to watch the movie in silence.

Occasionally, she looks down from the screen to see the picturesque view of the side of his head. Despite the room being dark aside from the flashing television screen, she could make out every single one of his red hairs.

A part of her wanted to touch them, but she refrained.

She was…content. Just like this.

At that moment, she remembered that every birthday comes with a wish. Luckily, she easily came up with one.

'I wish…

…for my life to be something like this.'

XXXXX

"We're rewatching that movie from the start next time, Senpai."

She crosses her arms with a slightly dissatisfied expression, her cheeks puffed with mostly feigned, yet a tad genuine, disappointment.

"I know, I know…sorry, long day…"

Sakura was quick to forgive him, though.

After making sure she had all her belongings, the young Matou slips on her shoes and starts toward the door, her Senpai just a step behind her.

"Alright…" She takes a breath of anticipation. The mystery had been eating at the back of her head for over two hours at this point, and she couldn't take it anymore. "…What's in the gift bag, Senpai?"

She turns, to find that he had already offered the bag up to her. "Let's find out together, Sakura."

Nodding with a smile, she accepts it with both hands and a bow, and digs through the wrapping paper discreetly, not wanting to make a mess on the floor.

Eventually, she finds something solid hidden within the parchment. Pulling it out, she finds…

A small, white box.

Very similar to something that would carry an engagement ring. Too similar, in fact.

'Wha—?!'

It made her heart skip a beat, but her mind quickly told her that they were far too young for that, and to get her mind out of the gutter.

'We're just friends.'

She sets the bag down, then grips the top of the lid to reveal what's inside.

It could be anything. Knowing her Senpai, it was probably some sort of affordable jewelry that still had meaning and thought behind its purchase.

But instead…

"…Eh?"

A keychain.

Attached was a laminated tag that had her name on it, along with a singular key.

She picks it up with apprehension. "Senpai…what is this?"

He puts his hands on his hips with a prideful grin across his face. "What do you think it is, Sakura?"

"I…"

She swivels her head to the key rack, which was right next to her. She had a feeling, that…

She grabs Senpai's housekey, and compares it to the one he gave her.

They were…

'…exactly the same.'

She looks between the keys, and her Senpai, and back at the keys, and back at her Senpai.

"…I…"

Once again, she couldn't accept it.

But once again…

"It's my spare key. I haven't really had a use for it, so…I figured I would give it to you. You've been coming over a lot, so I figured that you should have a way into my apartment when I'm not home."

"…"

"I can see the look on your face, Sakura. It's yours, now. I made up my mind."

He steps up to her, and places his hand on her head.

It was an intrusion of her personal space, at least a little, but she honestly didn't protest or mind it at all.

"…You've helped me with a lot. Cooking, cleaning, the laundry…even though you never had to. Heck, you even organize my trash for me.

Remember, a while back, when I told you that 'my doors will be open for you'? Well, with this, they always will be. Thank you for spending time with me, Sakura. I really do appreciate it."

"N-No…thank you, Sen…pai…"

Her eyesight was getting glossy, but she stopped herself from truly tearing up.

It was a time to be happy, and nothing else.

"Alright. Let's get you home, now?"

"Mhm…"

She stares at the small keychain, and grips it in her hand tightly.

She would never let this go.

Ever.

"Thank you, Senpai.

"Senpai…

Sen…

…pai."

She opens her palm, and in it is her keychain.

Even though her clothes were bloodied from earlier, they had remained pristine and spotless.

29th of September, 2004.

10:40 PM.

Sakura Matou places the key into the apartment door, and it clicks open effortlessly.

His doors would always be open to her, after all.

'So why…'

The door comes open, revealing the room within.

The daughter of Matou grits her teeth.

'So why…is it now open for other people, Senpai?'

She takes a step inside. As she does, the lights in the room flicker from just her presence alone.

She had expected someone to face her.

But instead, unexpectedly, she saw them collapsed on the floor. Not moving, but still breathing.

'No matter.'

She continues to move forward.

Her first target, funnily enough, was the closest to her.

A twintailed brunette, with that slutty miniskirt that showed off too much skin. 'Disgusting.'

Just beyond her were two more figures.

A white-haired child that she recognized to be the White Grail. Too young to be a threat— although, she knew that she would eventually need her.

However, even Illyasviel von Einzbern was not her highest priority at the moment.

'…Senpai…'

Just next to that child, was the one she had been searching for.

'I'll talk to you soon, Senpai. First…'

She reaches her arm out toward the girl at her feet.

Instead of her hand, something else much darker wraps around the brunette's neck.

'…First, let me take out the trash.'

A/N:

Have you all figured out the pattern, yet?

As a hint, go ahead and take a look at the last few chapter titles ;)

Oh! And today is April 12th— Which just so happens to be Mahoutsukai no Yoru's (Witch on the Holy Night) 11th Anniversary! Also Soujuurou Shizuki's birthday. Nasu definitely did that on purpose, lol.

I'll see you all really soon.

Act III Release: 20th of April, 2023