An Opportunity of Fate

by PML7

Counter Guardian Emiya is given an offer he cannot refuse. He must somehow save Fuyuki City from the ravages of the Fifth Grail War without being allowed to participate himself! Can he influence his younger self and his friends from his youth enough to save the world before Emiya has to use a Counter Force against the Grail, destroying Fuyuki City and the surrounding area?

27. Chapter 27

An Opportunity of Fate part 27

Interlude One-

Kirei Kotomine took one last look at the girl he had conducted surgery on. It had been a tricky task to work with all the alchemical appliances and preservative Bounded Fields, but then what had been required had been far out of the norm. "Not so defiant now, Miss Einzbern?"

She stared sightlessly at him, her rust brown eyes empty. Her chest was open from her breast bone all the way to her pelvis. There were a variety alchemical instruments keeping the girl alive.

He had never had a request to remove a living girl's sill beating heart. Not when the expectation was for the girl to live. He glanced at the box, at the still beating heart within. Tiny nerve fibers attaching it to the odd seven petal flower looking organ also encased in the clear gelatin inside the box.

The magus, one Victor Einzbern , had contacted to finish the job he and his team had started. He wrung his hands slightly, "Thank you very much for your assistance Father Kotomine. The surgery was significantly more difficult from what we had been led to believe. I can only conjecture that her Grail Core became active when she came within the Greater Grail's direct influence." He smiled, "She was even having dreams of Justeaze and her mother. Quite traumatic I am sure."

"Did you not wish to research these as well?" Kotomine asked referring to the still functioning organs inside the box.

Victor Einzbern shrugged, "It was part of my deal with the Clocktower. It is also significantly safer as they have been activated and would likely draw the Heroic Spirits to her no matter where she was on the globe. No I am content to pass that to you, the Administrator of the conflict. If everything runs smoothly we should be out of Japan by nightfall."

Kotomine hid a smile when he asked, "I am surprised you are willing to experiment on a close relation." Holding his smile back was harder when he saw the pain in the magus's eyes.

"The real Ilya von Einzbern died years ago. This was just a copy. The best homunculi ever made." He closed his eyes, "Ilya's first and last creation." He sighed sadly, "My Cecily loved her, doted on her, but in the end she was nothing but a highly advanced homunculus. One that will further our knowledge in the field."

Kotomine couldn't help but feel the pain of the man before him, "I will keep her in my prayers."

"Thank you."

There was a rap on the door, and a secretary stepped in. "Sorry to intrude but we have an unscheduled guest."

"Gretchen, did you tell him we were closed?"

"Sir, he was quite insistent. He claimed he would attack in ten minutes unless I contacted you."

"Has security been notified?"

"Yes, but our forces have become so depleted. And this Emiya… He is dangerous. Do not take him lightly."

Victor turned to Kotomine, "Emiya…. He is one of the participants in the Grail War, correct?"

"Yes. But unless he uses his Servant to attack you, I am afraid I am obligated to not intervene. Internal Magic Association affairs are of no concern to me. Only the safety of the good people of Fuyuki."

Einzbern nodded. "If you will show our guest the rear entrance? I will take care of Emiya myself."

Kirei almost wished he could stay to watch Emiya's reaction to what had become of Ilya von Einzbern. But despite the pleasure it might bring him, it was safer to simply leave.

He had what he had come for after all. He now had the Grail Core. Now he simply had to stir up the war a little. Things were going as planned.

Issei Ryudou-

Issei was dreaming. At least he thought he was. He wasn't really sure anymore. He vaguely remembered praying for aid, calling any entity willing and able to help him save Ayako.

He had known it was foolish, when the gods had been active attracting their direct attention was a usually a mistake. Even gaining their attention to listen to a request was grounds for a fee. And it was never money they desired, although their price might include giving aid to a cause, whether financial or personal. Typically both.

The payment could be anything really. A portion of your memories. Your senses. Or your life.

And once they were invested in you they would never truly leave you alone.

Ako had already been watching him and had been since he had woken Ayako's elemental nature. She had heard Issei's cry for help. She had swept him off the shore before he drew more attention, and then promptly drowned him. Hard to pray when your lungs are full of water.

As he was busy dying he could almost remember her talking to him, even as she dragged him further out to sea. She hadn't been using words, but Issei could still understand her. Not that he could remember anything she said, but he did remember her telling him something, asking him questions, all of it of the greatest importance.

Then she had abandoned him deep underwater. He was left alone in the cold and dark water to drown.

Issei did remember his last thoughts had been of his guilt and despair over what was happening to Ayako and his inability to save her. Then he remembered dying. And dying. And dying. But never quite fully dead. The pain was excruciating and there was no release. Finally his heart could take no more and stopped.

That should have been the end. But even as he felt his brain shut down he was still aware, still alive. His thoughts became strange. He could remember being aware of something, of being attached and fully aware of his body. The memories were there and crystal clear, but the mindset was alien to him. He knew it was him, but as he began to wake, as his lungs filled with beautiful precious air, he could not truly understand them.

"Good you are awake. You really scared me Issei."

Issei opened his eyes and stared at Medusa. She had changed. Gone was the archaic dress and blindfold. Now she wore what looked like fitted jeans and cream colored shirt. She wore sunglasses that hid her eyes in the bright moon light shining down on the altar he was resting on. Issei swallowed back a wave of grief as he notice a familiar smile.

Ayako's smile, the one she usually wore before twisting it into a smirk.

His voice sounded rusty as if unused for ages, "I have failed. All of my pain and sacrifice for nothing."

Medusa smirked, "Not entirely. Although what you were thinking, I am not sure." She sighed and looked away, "What was done to you…." She shook her head, "I can only hope it was worth it. That she recovers some of my humanity."

Issei just stared blankly at Medusa, "Your humanity?"

She smirked, "I am Ayako Mitsuzuri after all." She laughed, "Gaia really doesn't know what to do with me. Before I became part of Medusa, she was suffering from a constant pressure to remove her from the world. Servants are a contradiction, just like normal human magecraft. But now I am just a heavily inverted Elemental with a donated form." She stopped for a moment. She looked back at him, "Is it okay if I mix your genetic material with my old body's as a base for my new vessel? Obviously she won't relinquish it to me now. Not after I Named her, but considering the alternative…." Medusa shuddered.

Issei's head was spinning. The being in front of him felt like Ayako, but not fully so. For the indescribable power and beauty that had always been Medusa was there too. On one hand he felt very comfortable; she was a trusted and honest friend. On the other he could still feel the 'reluctant monster' vibe he had gotten from her before.

Medusa would do whatever it took to accomplish her goals. Even if it made her weep. She was one from whom you might receive compassion, but never mercy. If a situation called for your death, the most you could hope for was for her to kill you kindly.

An epiphany struck, "You set Shinji up!"

Another smirk. "My you are the perceptive one. With that damnable Book, I couldn't actually kill him. But I could manipulate others into doing so." Her smile became very broad, almost Rin-like in its malice, "Divination is a tricky business. Not only is it unreliable, but it is capable of being tampered with. That old woman didn't even realize she was being used. Likely she still doesn't. In truth I wanted either you or Ayako to hold the reins. Both of you are loyal to Sakura, and would do whatever it took to save her."

Issei was silent for the moment. "I don't understand why you don't want Sakura as your Master. From what I have learned you are more powerful the stronger the magus controlling you. Neither I nor Ayako have useful Magic Circuits."

Her smile faded, "Power isn't really a major issue. Once I built this Temple I had a secure if slow power source. Most of my magic is subtle rather than powerful. You are right though, if I wanted power both magical and physical I would relink to Sakura. But that would be unwise. She is already half a monster already, and in contact with a being that would only draw pleasure from her falling. If she did fall and had my lease, well I would be unable to save her. She would be lost." She looked at him, "And so would I. I have already been there once. I reveled in my power until I realized it had taken everything I had ever cared for."

"Stheno and Euryale."

"You have no clue how much they tormented me. Teasing mostly." A small smile graced her lips, "I was always too serious. An easy target. Stheno was usually quiet and sultry, letting her actions do most of her talking. But my goodness did she have a sharp wit. Typically at my expense. Euryale, she would never shut up." She shook her head in fond remembrance.

"You loved them."

She nodded.

Issei mustered up what spite he could, "And yet you ATE them."

Medusa looked down. "Yes. I consumed them down to their very souls. They exist only in me now, not as independent beings. When the Source records their existence it will be as part of me. Just like Ayako."

Issei had spent his life learning how to be detached, to not let his emotions control him. That did not mean he didn't have them. He felt them strive to overwhelm him now. Raw grief and rage filled him, for while he and Ayako had only briefly been lovers, they had been good friends for years.

And she was gone. Not disappeared, not even dead. GONE.

Forever.

Not even in another life, with memories of their current life stricken from their minds could he meet that shining soul again. The few scattered embers that remained were part of Medusa now.

Issei wept.

"I am sorry." And she held him.

Issei wanted nothing more than to lash out, to hit the monster who had destroyed his lover. But Ayako was in there too. Not to mention Caster could snap him like a twig. Vengeance would have to wait.

When had he lost his balance? When did his self-control slip so much? He needed to regain it, and fast. For the being that held him was subtle and ruthless. His mind needed to be clear if he was to have any chance to avenge Ayako.

And there was still the Grail to consider. Caster might help them come up with a plan to destroy it. They needed her at the moment.

Still he had to get a hold of himself. He began a series of meditation exercises. He started simple but each small exercise becoming more complex, forcing his mind to calm.

Something wasn't right. If she had been completely successful she would be wearing Ayako's body. He pushed her away, "What happened to your body?"

She said softly, "It isn't mine anymore. I left half of Ayako behind." She pulled away and wrapped her arms around herself, "I thought the Elemental part of her was fully integrated. She thought so too."

Issei watched her trying to adjust his glasses. Only he wasn't wearing them. He reached around for a moment before she handed them to him.

"You don't really need these anymore. Fixing your eyes was easy after replacing your lungs, fixing half your internal organs including your heart, not to mention reviving all the dead spots in your body." She frowned, "I am afraid the scratch marks on your back and those bite marks will have to heal naturally. Along with all the other things done to you by that bitch." She sighed, "Euryale might have been able to fix you if she were alive, but as Caster my magic is partitioned between myself and my sisters. I can see a lot of what has been done to you, and I think I know how the remnants of Ayako were salvaged."

"Ayako is still alive?"

She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. "Yes she is alive and standing right in front of you. Her body is also alive and under new management. The Elemental portion of me latched on to a fragment of my soul and would not let go. I tried to force her out but she simply would not die….."

Issei couldn't help laughing.

Medusa' expression became grave, "I wouldn't laugh if I were you. If I am right, the entity you contacted has taken your death from you and through your connection to , hers as well."

"Excuse me?"

"It is partly my fault, this bounded field, this Temple isn't fully attached to Gaia. Things can be done here that are impossible outside of it." She fondly looked around, "A piece of my world placed a hairsbreadth away from the world you know. A god would be free to use some of his power here, not all of it, but some. But only if invited. And you invited one in!"

"It was the only way I could save her!"

Medusa ran a hand through her hair, obviously agitated. "Well it is too late now. That bitch has her hooks in you. Neither you or can die unless she allows it." She raised one finger up, "Mind you she could make you die at any moment, for any reason. But until she does no amount of pain and trauma will bring you release, your body could fall completely apart and you will still be alive. And Issei she did more."

Issei conducted a calming exercise.

Medusa took a deep breath, "Please tell me you placed conditions on the price."

Issei mutely shook his head.

Medusa stared at him for a moment, "Do they not tell fairy tales anymore? Or are you children just trusting and naïve dolts?"

Issei didn't know how to answer.

Medusa simply shook her head and sighed, "We will need to work on that." She made a gesture and a nervous dryad appeared, "Please get me some food and drink for my friend. I presume his clothing has been prepared?"

Issei examined the dryad. She had nut brown skin and greenish blonde hair. There was an unnatural beauty around her, her body and features a little too perfect. She was wearing a very short dress made of overlapping leaves that rustled as she moved leaving tiny gaps that let one see the smooth skin beneath.

She smiled at him, her green eyes flashing. She bowed slightly to Medusa.

Issei watched as the dryad left, hips swaying. She paused and turned slowly, the moonlight silhouetting her generous curves. Her eyes seemed to glow in the pale soft light and she winked at him before giggling and finally leaving his sight.

His face was flushed and his mouth was dry. He wanted her. It felt wrong somehow but that didn't stop his body from reacting to his sudden attraction to the dryad. He closed his eyes and ran through yet another set of exercises.

What had happened to his self-control? He was starting to feel like his brother, or maybe even worse.

Medusa watched her leave as well, her face solemn, "Rena is playing at a dangerous game." She shook her head and turned back to Issei. "When she returns you will need to ready yourself. Our friends are heading into danger. Ilya has been captured and Shirou is heading into danger. Doesn't that man ever… Well Shirou will be Shirou."

Issei grunted and tried to will his body to calm down. It wasn't like he could hide his reaction. He was lying naked on an enchanted altar!

Medusa's tone was serious, "We need to talk about . I need to know. Do you love her?"

"Who is whatever it is you are referring to. I can't understand the name."

Medusa looked away, "Ah, yes. I named her in the Divine Tongue. It was the only way I could Name her fast enough before she, well that isn't important. You would think of her as 'Ayako'. Although given that everyone will likely call her that anyway, I should simply get used to it."

"But I thought you were Ayako?"

Her voice was quiet, "I am Issei. But my body is still very much alive and the Elemental part of me is with it, not with me. She doesn't have my memories, or at least not many of them, and she isn't me metaphysically. However, my former body's instincts along with memories of the last few weeks still remain in her." She smiled sadly at Issei, "Whatever you did to make her fall so hard for you must have been in those last couple of weeks. I no longer have those memories."

"I see." He got up off the altar slowly. Parts of him felt oddly numb. He turned his gaze back to Medusa. "I promised I would take responsibility. And I will."

"Good." She sighed, "Her well-being is in my best interest and having you care for her is for the best. You need to understand her though. She isn't human anymore. She refers to herself as a Youkai and seems to think this will be an issue."

Issei stood there thinking. This could become an issue depending on what she was. But he had given so much to save her already. He nodded to himself. He would take care of her. Eiko would likely help as would the Professor. He simply said, "I love her."

Medusa nodded, "Her current situation is not stable. Nature abhors a vacuum after all, and her soul is mostly empty. I can think of three possibilities. The first is the most likely. Her Elemental nature will overcome and fill her soul. Should that happen she will become what she perceives herself as – a spirit possessing a human body. Likely she will have issues in human society. What they would be, I don't know as I don't really understand what she is." She paused for a moment, "She will also likely come to resent the limitations of a human body and shed it, becoming a spirit in truth."

Issei frowned, "How do we avoid that?"

Medusa looked at him sadly, "The second most likely possibility is that she Awakens to her Origin. She is half-way there already. Should that occur the compulsion to fulfil and actuate her Origin will likely overwhelm the Elemental aspect. She will still be an Elemental but her Origin will drive her actions," She paused as if lost in thought, "That could be problematic."

"Her Origin?"

Medusa's smile twitched into a sad smirk, "Issei I took every bet, strove to be more popular than Tohsaka, a better shot than Emiya. I don't have the memories from the inside, but as Medusa I watched as she challenged a Servant, even knowing she would fall, simply because it was the only way she thought she could save you. If I were to sum it up in one word it would be 'audacity.' It is more complex than that of course, but…. If it activates she would be even more driven to push the limits, take even more chances." Medusa shuddered.

Issei nodded. That would be bad. They already had one reckless hothead in Shirou. "You said there was a third option? Something more hopeful?"

"Yes. But it is the least likely. She needs to believe that she is Ayako Mitsuzuri. She has to be persuaded that despite the fact that I took the essence of her soul, she remains Ayako."

Issei stared at her, "But you said she was calling herself a Youkai and…."

"She knows that I have taken her soul. That I have taken her name and personality. But echoes of it remain Issei. And, and there is a resonance between us. A connection between the part of me that is Ayako and her body. If we can make believe she truly is Ayako despite what I have done to her, then that resonance will increase and she will likely regain some of her memories. Elementals are more powerful, our souls have more weight than a human. But we are malleable than you are. If she truly believes she is Ayako, she may become Ayako again." She looked away, "That will be hard for me. But I owe her. For what I have done to her, I…." She fell silent.

The dryad Rena came back with Issei's clothes in one hand and a tray with food in another. "Well, it is good to see you up. Maybe you can find some time and we can… talk."

She set the tray down and touched his arm. It felt like a live wire had touched him, inflaming every ounce of lust he had. Once he would have been above such an attack, all his libido rationalized and sublimated. Being with Ayako had changed that.

"Rena, Issei is not a toy."

Issei reached over and touched the dryad's shoulder, his hand sliding to the strap on her right shoulder. She reached up and removed the clasps that were holding it up. The dress of leaves slid to the ground, where she kicked it away.

This was wrong. He didn't want this. He only wanted Ayako!

But he couldn't stop himself. He pulled her closer and they kissed.

"I am warning you Rena. If you keep this up, you will not enjoy the consequences." Medusa warned again.

Part of him was screaming at him to stop. But he couldn't. He simply couldn't. His mind could not focus enough to even start his mental exercise; he wanted this creature too badly. All he wanted at the moment was to bring her pleasure. He kissed the dryads neck, working his way down slowly to the valley between her breasts.

Rena sighed in contentment, she then said, "Surely you can spare this mortal for a brief time. It has been too long since I have felt a human's touch and you declared those girls of limits. He has dallied with our kind before; I can smell it on him. Please Lady Medusa, allow me to use him for a time. Have I not served you well?"

Medusa's voice was dry, "It is not I who has the claim on him. He is 's and I don't think she is inclined to share."

Issei's body trembled as if his blood had been turned to ice. The lust and compulsion vanished immediately and he fell as he backed away. He looked up at the dryad.

Her face was white and her eyes were wide. "I, I am s-s-sorry, my Lord. Please forgive my hubris." She bowed to him, her eyes never leaving his.

She was absolutely terrified.

Medusa said, "You may go, Rena."

The dryad fled, not even fetching her dress.

Issei was shaking, his body trying to return to some semblance of control. "What was that?"

Medusa watched as her servant fled, "I really do need to find an outlet for them. Hmmm." She turned at smiled at Issei. "Sorry about that." Her smile turned to a smirk, "I wonder what would happen if I brought Emiya? Would he even notice?"

Issei began to put on his clothes, "Somehow I doubt even he would be able to ignore that. Can you please tell them to leave me alone?"

Medusa's smirk deepened, "Oh, I don't think that will be a problem. Let's just say made an impact before she left. We leave in ten minutes."

Issei nodded and got ready. He had a lot to think about.

-End Scene-

Shirou Emiya-

Shirou was pleasantly surprised when he was escorted into a well decorated office. The entire building smelled sickly sweet, with an odd spiciness added to the mixed honey taste of active and consumed prana. From the saccharine touch, he could tell there were several readied homunculi waiting in the wings.

Well he had been expecting that. What he was doing was extraordinarily foolish, as he was quite well aware. CG Pendragon was likely pulling her hair out if she was able to observe him.

Maybe not. Both of the Arturia's he had known were very stoic. Perhaps she would simply frown slightly.

It didn't matter. There was a small possibility of this being handled without bloodshed, a chance to save everyone. That he was probably walking into a trap was unimportant. He was ready for it. Countless weapons were just a thought away.

The office was empty, but there were variety of pictures on the shelf behind the desk. The largest was of a blonde woman. But it was only one of many. Many featured the blonde woman with a stunning homunculus clad in purple and white.

Irisviel. He didn't know who the blonde was, but the homunculus was Irisviel. And in some of the pictures Irisviel, alongside a proud and young Kiritsugu, was holding a tiny baby.

Ilya.

There were pictures of her all over. A tiny little child in purple and white, with red eyes and pure white hair. She was adorable, but in all of them she was very small, nothing like the normal sized girl she was now.

Not one picture showed her as a teen, although there was one of a tired and sick looking Ilya laying in a bed. Next to her bed were a variety of alchemical tomes, and the notebook she was writing in was covered in alchemical formulas.

Very strange.

There was not a single picture of Ilya as a teen. Not one.

Shirou turned, Taming Sari all but materialized in his hands.

A smiling middle aged man walked through the door. He was flanked by two homunculi. One of them was wearing a large sword and the other seemed unarmed. Probably a mage.

The man said, "Greetings, I'm Victor Einzbern. My apologies for the wait, but my bodyguards insisted that they accompany me. Surely you can understand, you did threaten to attack us if I did not meet you."

"I have come to reclaim Ilya."

Victor ignored him and walked over to a cabinet and fixed himself a drink. "I know you are a bit young for the liquor laws of this country, but would you like me to fix you something?"

The two homunculi remained quiet and took places on either side of the large desk.

Shirou tried to keep all of them in his view. A part of him, the instincts trained by CG Pendragon, were already formulating a variety of angles of attack. It was best to be prepared.

The rest of his mind was mildly horrified at how easy planning violence had become for him. He dearly hoped that this could be resolved peacefully. "Mr. Einzbern, I am sorry, but I must insist you release my sister into my custody."

Victor continued fixing his drink. "How very direct. I was under the impression that the Japanese were unfailingly polite. You haven't even given me your name, Mr. Emiya."

Shirou blushed, "Pardon my rudeness. It is my worry for the well-being of my sister that is the cause of my regrettable forwardness." He bowed slightly, "The name is Shirou Emiya. It is a pleasure to meet you."

Victor walked over to his desk. He calmly sat down and took a sip. He then proceeded to glare at Shirou, "Somehow I doubt that. You are much like your father. He too was quite direct."

"You knew my father?"

Victor smiled sardonically, "Oh yes, I knew the man. I was one of Irisviel's designers after all. I was one of the men who helped her carry little Ilya." He looked down and studied his drink, "Do you know how rare it is for a homunculus to successfully give birth? Particularly in light of the alterations we had made to Irisviel in light of her purpose."

"To die as the Grail Core."

Victor sighed and took another drink, "Yes. That was her purpose. She was an early model too, one that we lucked out on. She turned out to much tougher than expected, both in body and personality." He smiled, "She was my masterpiece. We might not have shared DNA, but I cared for her as a daughter. Even if Acht demanded her Imprint." He laughed, "Not that he got to keep it, you father managed to steal it from him." He swirled the drink in his hand, "Most homunculi take years to develop full personalities, not Irisviel: she had your father wrapped around her dainty little fingers in no time."

"But we are not dealing with Irisviel. She died in the Fourth War. Her daughter is still very much alive. And I have come to claim her."

Victor finished his drink and slammed the glass down. "What, so you can have your own Einzbern homunculus die for no reason? You are willing to watch as her mind is torn apart by the weight of the 'Heroes' of legend? Well you are too late. Ilya von Einzbern is dead."

Shirou took a step forward. "What?"

-Scene break—

Rin Tohsaka-

Rin ran as hard as she could, trying to keep up with Ayako. Ayako had always been fast, fast enough that the Track team had asked her to join them. But Ayako had come to love archery and had stuck with that. Rin herself was an accomplished athlete that several clubs had tried to get her to join. She had kept her seat on the Student Council, not that she regularly attended.

Rin was used to being competitive and she was using as much Reinforcement as she dared and Ayako was still easily out pacing her. This was compounded by the fact she was wearing a robe. Not that it interfered with her running as much as she thought it would. The fabric flowed around her easily, allowing full movement.

Unfortunately Rin could feel the belt slipping slightly as she ran, growing progressively looser.

This was a problem as Rin was wearing only the robe.

When she had left her house to deal with Ayako, she had just come out of the shower. It had been in there as she had felt the warm water sliding down her body that she had remembered that ritual. So when she had finished toweling herself off, if not completely drying her hair, she had rushed to her library, clad only in the robe Medusa had gifted her. (It was probably the warmest and most comfortable thing she owned. Magic was obviously involved in its creation.)

Once she had the wording right she had marched out and confronted Ayako, certain that the Elemental would not be willing to harm her. It was her friend. She wasn't going to let the mere fact that her soul had been taken get in the way of that.

She would find a way to salvage her friend. And in the meantime she would do what she had to make sure that the Elemental possessing her body was not a danger to herself or to the City of Fuyuki. And she had been right so far.

When Ayako began to leap from lamppost to lamppost to avoid crossing the streets, Rin slowed down and tightened her belt. She watched as her ridiculous friend slowly disappeared from sight. Only to gasp as Roland scooped her up and began to chase Ayako.

Rin hit Roland, "Warn me next time."

"Yes, oh fearsome Master. The next time an opportunity to save one of your friends arises, I will be certain to let the chance slip through your fingers while I explain how I will aid you."

Rin just glared at the Knight and tried to ignore the sensation that she was flying. It ended all too quickly as they arrived. Ayako was communing with one of Caster's strange familiars. "Well?"

"Shirou is already inside. He went in about five or six minutes ago." She sighed, "Rin, he knocked on the door and told them he was here to rescue Ilya. The man can make explosives. According to Medusa he can pull phantasm class weapons from nowhere. And he knocks on the front door?"

Rin shook her head, "Shirou, Shirou, when we get out of this we are going to have a little talk."

Ayako smirked at her, "Do you honestly think it will do any good?"

Rin shook her head, "Probably not. The blockhead is immune to common sense."

"And that is one of the reasons why we love him so."

Rin sighed and looked at her friend, "Yeah." She turned to Roland, "Looks like we have to add saving Shirou to the mix."

Roland just shrugged. "I am at your service."

Ayako wryly asked Rin, "I presume we are going to be a little more subtle about this?"

"Yeah. Give me a moment to think. We will have to think of a way to get inside without drawing attention."

Ayako shrugged, "Why not go through the back door?"

Rin laughed, "Right, like the back door is going to be unlocked."

Ayako smirked, "But it is. Why don't you try it?"

Rin just stared at Ayako in bemusement, "Even if the door was unlocked, there are several mages inside. Surely there is a bounded field of some sort, either protective or at the very least something to warn them."

Ayako tilted her head to the side, "Yeah, they do. But it is sloppy. Powerful but sloppy. A temporary field that is already showing gaps. My guess is that it would be gone by late afternoon probably earlier. I can most likely keep them from noticing us unless we do something to draw attention to ourselves."

She gaped at Ayako, "But how?"

Again the smirk, "Well far be if for the Youkai to tell the Magus, but my guess would be magic."

Rin said quietly, "Magecraft doesn't work that way."

Ayako shrugged and opened the door, "Maybe I use something different."

Rin gasped in shock. For down the corridor, approaching the exit was Kotomine Kirei.

End Scene-

Arturia Pendragon-

Arturia sped along the relatively quiet road to Fuyuki. It was still early and the traffic was light, although heavier than she remembered from last War.

Fuyuki had grown.

The device given to her to find Ilya was pointing to a newer section of the city. One that she wasn't familiar with as it had been built in the last few years. Despite her speed it would take her precious minutes to reach her.

A sudden piercing pain laced into Arturia through her bond to Shirou.

Shirou had been wounded. He had been wounded and she had not been there to protect him. Why had all of her decisions of late lead to disaster? Why did she continue to fail?

She had failed her nation. She had failed Guinevere and Lancelot. She had failed first Irisviel and then her daughter. And now she was failing Shirou.

It was too much. She could feel herself collapsing inside, feel herself wanting to curl up and sob uncontrollably.

She. Would. Not. Break.

With one hand on the handlebar, with the other she summoned Excalibur, clad as it was in Invisible Air. "I am Arturia Pendragon! King of the Britons!" She raised her blade high, letting the wind barrier fade, making it speed her progress. Slowly the glory that was Exclaibur began to show in her hands, as she effortlessly rode her motorcycle at high speed through the winding road. "Hear me world, I have stood against endless forces that have tried to crush me and my nation. I took a broken land and raised it to glory! Even when my friends abandoned me, even when my wife betrayed me, even when my very child rose against me, I did not yield. I will not do so now."

She called upon her armor.

And it came. Covering not just her, but her vehicle as well, shaping it into a thing of beauty. Blue and silver and gold. A worthy mount for the fabled King of Britain.

"Hear me world! I go forth to bring salvation and glory to my friends and colleagues, and death and despair to those who bar my way. I charge to glory and to victory!"

She pressed down on the throttle of the engine that had been crafted from her armors influence and sped at a speed far greater than a motorcycle could conceivably go. Each turn required a prana burst.

'Hold on Shirou. I am coming.'

End Scene-

Interlude Two

Gilgamesh sat on top of a nearby building watching the show. So far the faker and two of his harlots had arrived. But Arturia was nowhere to be seen.

"You better be right about this, priest. If you fail me, I will not be amused."

Gilgamesh continued to observe.

End Scene-

Shirou Emiya-

Shirou stared at the mindless body of the girl he had once called his sister. They had sutured up the lower half of her body, but the upper half was covered in a transparent gel.

It was obvious that her heart had been removed. There was a box sitting on a table nearby, an alchemical device that was circulating the blood through her body.

Victor was standing next to him, his demeanor emotionless. "We are of course building a replacement heart for her. Just a temporary one for the trip. The real heart will need a better lab than what we possess here. Once I get set up in London, it should only take a day or two before she will be able to move about. That is when we will reprogram her." He shrugged, "Likely she will get some of her memories back in the reprogram, but there will have to be some alterations. Control protocols and the like. She will be too dangerous otherwise. Leaving her without them was a risk in the first place. She is the strongest homunculus we have ever made. Outside of the Winter Lady, of course."

"Why? Why would you do something like this!"

Victor pointed at Ilya, "That thing was never Ilya in the first place. Your sister died six years ago. That thing is just a replacement demanded by Acht so he could fight his little war. That it was perfect, a new step in homunculus development did not sway him in the slightest in his use of her. If they had just given me more time, more resources, I could have built a damn grail for them. But no, they wanted to waste all of Ilya's hard work. All that she had done in her brilliant short life, just so that her masterpiece could face Irisviel's sad fate."

Shirou stared at the body lying on the table. Her bright mind forever stilled. If shadows of it were allowed to reform, it would be twisted, changed to suit the purposes of this man. She would become little more than a slave. One that would happily accept her status as a tool and toy and research experiment. "She was my sister."

"Good God, man! She was nothing more than a fucking homunculus! A mere replacement copy! The real girl has been dead for years! You saw my documentation. You saw her death certificate. You saw the legal binding documents from the Magic Association stating that that thing was never Ilya, was never human. That she is just a homunculus that I can do whatever I wish to!"

Shirou just stared at Ilya's body. His mind was full of clamoring blades all calling for him to draw them. For Shirou Emiya was angry. He had never felt this level of rage fill him, and he was trying, trying so very hard to control it.

They had KILLED Ilya. He had not only failed her, he had failed his father. What good was he, what good was all his training and power if he couldn't save his loved ones? How could he consider himself to be a hero if he failed in this one crucial task?

His father had made him promise, made him swear. That he would protect the ones he loved. That he would save those he failed to protect. Shirou had insisted that was enough.

Kiritsugu had just sighed. "Sometimes you can't protect them and sometimes you fail to save them. What will you do then, my dear hero?"

"I won't fail. I will save them and then I will save everyone else too."

"Oh, Shirou. My poor son. What will you do if you fail? For in time, you will fail. The world is a harsh place. And it will test you."

"But I won't fail!"

Kiritsugu had given him a hug and said quietly into his ear, "Son, the day may come when you fail. When it comes, remember to avenge the fallen. I let Irisviel die in vain, and I will never be able to forgive myself for that. I have done what I could in her memory. I would ask the same of you in turn." His voice became bitter, "May you have greater success than I did."

And Shirou had known he had been thinking about Ilya.

Victor continued his tirade, "And even here I have done better than you. She won't have to worry about the Grail anymore. The Church now has a replacement. I can take her safely back to London with me. How would you have saved her."

Shirou's voice was quiet, but he could not completely contain his anger, "I would have found a way. We could have worked together. We could have saved Ilya."

"Ilya is dead."

"No. That body was Ilya. Perhaps she was a replacement, that doesn't change who she was. She was Ilya von Einzbern. And you KILLED her."

Victor just stared at him, "I don't have time for this. Get out." He motioned for the homunculi to escort him out.

"Trace On."

Blades had been begging for use. And he called one. Many considered it an evil blade. Cursed. But it was simply a sword. It had been forged by the Dwarves to kill people. And that was what it did.

There was a look of utter surprise as Dainslief swept Victor's head from his shoulders. The homunculi guarding him were temporarily stunned by the sudden violence. He used it to good effect, striking down the mage.

Molten from the forge

Hammer Strikes Anvil to Shape

A Blade forged Anew

His Reinforcement magic was still working, but somehow chanting this simply felt right. The combat homunculus swept her great sword at him. He dodged. He knew she would be stronger and likely faster than he.

He didn't care.

Strengthened by Hope

Polished by Love

Dedicated to Protection and Salvation

For he was one with Dainslief. And it was a Noble Phantasm, even if his copy, this fleeting memory was not as strong as the original. It was still mightier than the strongest of modern blades. And the skill that had been woven into the blade by those who had wielded it came to him as well.

Each blade was different. Each had its own temperament, its own strengths and weaknesses. Its own style.

To Emiya Shirou, each one of his blades, every single one on the proving grounds that surrounded his internal world, was his friend. He knew each of them, he cared for each, even if there were some he dared not wield yet. To him, they were people, and when he called for them, they wielded him as surely as he wielded them.

Hardened by Anger

Sharpened by Loss

I Avenge and Defy!

A couple passes between himself and the combat homunculus. He can see her shock and her fear. He is stronger than he should be and faster. He stands unwounded and she has been cut.

Shirou could feel his world just moments away, so close he can almost touch it. Somehow it is granting him this speed and power. And yet he hesitated to take that last step.

He honestly wasn't quite sure what would happen. He knew it would be dramatic, but he didn't quite know how. A risk he did not yet need to take. He swung at the homunculus.

She attempted to block with her enchanted Osmium sword.

Dainslief cut through it and into her, nearly bisecting her torso. She fell heavily to the ground. Shirou swept through the office killing any who resisted.

He would regret it later. But at the moment he was one with Dainslief. And it was a weapon made to kill.

And so was Shirou.

End Part.

A/N- Battles are difficult to write. This is about half of what is coming. I will do what I can to get this out sooner.

Hope you folks enjoy.