He Who Protects the Living
AN: Unfortunately, it's been a while. There are many reasons for this. I started to reread HF like I said last chapter. Then I ended up rereading UBW as well. My robotics meetings are almost every day, so that took time up. Plus the first pre qualifying thing starts on Nov. 3. I needed to go to the doctor for an MRI. My internet hasn't been working right for 2 or 3 weeks. Such is life.
It was also part writers block. Since it has been so long. But Nix's Warden helped a lot with that. Without him, this chapter might have taken even more. Thanks man, stay cool.
I think this chapter is of slightly better quality than my last chapter. Hopefully I can start updating once a week or less again now that rereading and life problems are mostly solved.
I have put a poll on my profile, for my next story. As this thing happened, I decided that if I ever need to take a break from this story for some odd reason, I can focus on the other story while I finish my business. I would of course work on both simultaneously. It wouldn't be that hard. Of course, it is entirely possible that I won't start on that story. It's just a failsafe of sorts.
I made a rather large mistake last chapter. Rider isn't supposed to be that strong under Shinji, only under Sakura. Hehe, I forgot. It's a rather big mistake to go back and fix however, so I'll leave it. My inexperience as an author showing I guess. Someday I'll look back and remark on how badly written this story is after my future ones.
Normally I would have more stuff to say, about the story, and whatever else, but I have nothing today. That's a clue it has been too long.
Disclaimer: I do not own Fate/Stay Night, Bleach, or any other work I may or may not reference in this or any other story.
Last time: Shirou's eyes widened in horror as he heard the familiar voice. His hand trembled a little. In front of him, a figure dressed in black clothes with long purple hair was looking at him and Saber wearily. In front of her, was a person he had not seen in days. Sakura looked uncomfortable at Shirou's scrutiny, and a little scared at his sword.
Shirou choked.
Chapter 7: The Other Master's
Unknown Location
An old frail looking man wearing a white coat over a black kimono looking pair of clothing and a long white beard frowned as he looked down at a report from one of his Captains. 'This location. I know every location in the living world, and yet I don't know where this is.'
Immediately after thinking this, he felt a strong ache in his head. His eyes opened slightly. That was not a good sign. He stood. This was a matter he would deal with personally. It would be of no use to interrogate the konso'ed souls, as their memories would have been lost. But he could start looking for this place.
It looked like it was in Japan at least. The general area at least.
The elderly man felt a bad omen. He knew there was something terribly wrong. He had forgotten something important. For someone such as him, that was a deadly mistake.
-He who walks with death, hand in hand-
Shirou was choking. It wasn't that he was surprised. Somehow, seeing Sakura with Rider was not that surprising. His mind flashed back to several instances that should have clued him in on this. Sakura's worry at his hand's wound. Sakura not being at his house for days. Sakura looking so worried these past couple of days. Shinji saying that Sakura had nothing to do with this.
He should have realized. He supposed that somewhere in him he already had realized. There was no way that Sakura would have nothing to do with this. The Matou were an old line of magi. There was no way she wouldn't be involved if she was still living there with Shinji.
A sword flashed.
He was choking because of his stupid obliviousness. He vaguely noticed Saber looking torn between looking at him worriedly and keeping guard against Rider. Sakura looking down with her bangs covering her eyes. Rider looking at him with a mix of feelings.
In some corner of his mind he wondered whether or not Sakura was here to try and kill him for killing Shinji. Although he had hated Shinji since he had discovered he hit Sakura, she had always defended him. Always felt some weird feeling for him. Shinji, no matter if he beat her was her blood. And he was just her senpai.
"Sakura, you're a magus?" The words spilled out before he could stop them. Sakura looked uncomfortable at the question. She nodded.
"You may not know this senpai, but the Matou were one of the original three families that created the Heaven's Feel ritual. We were once known as Makiri, and we created the system with the Einzbern and the Tohsaka. It's natural that we be involved." Sakura explained to him, never lifting her head.
"I hoped that you weren't involved senpai." Sakura told him. She was still looking down. He couldn't see her eyes. Slowly he started to calm down, but remained tense. She might be here to kill him.
But still.
A sword fell.
How could he fight Sakura? That cute underclassmen who had helped him ever since he got hurt. Almost his sister. How could he possibly fight her!?
"I kept on convincing myself that you didn't know. I always knew you were a magus, you exude power almost every minute. It's just like you to get involved in something like this." Sakura continued speaking. Her voice sounded sad. Almost afraid.
"This is a war and you want so desperately to become a hero." Sakrua continued.
"Then Saber-san started to live here and I knew you were involved. I gave my Rider to Shinji, with his promise that he wouldn't kill you. Then Onii-san died." Sakura hit the subject Shirou knew she was here for. He swallowed. Rider seemed unconcerned at the mention of her ex-fake master.
Blood stained his lips. A sword fell to the ground.
"Shinji was abusing Rider. He was going to use her to kill people. Rider, how many people did Shinji make you kill?" Shirou tried to reason with Sakura. He felt guilty for her, but he did not regret his action. It was the only path he could have taken.
Rider responded, if only for the fact that she had hated Shinji. "About half a dozen. I do not need to do so anymore with Sakura as my master however."
Shirou didn't feel too bad about killing Shinji though. He didn't know what Shinji had done to deserve going to hell, but the fact is that Shinji had to have been a bad person who had committed evil acts to be sent to hell.
Sakura lifted her head up, looking somewhat surprised. "When it came down to it, I couldn't let Shinji keep on killing people, and I was stronger than him." Shirou told her.
"It's natural that Onii-san would lose to a magus that exudes power like you senpai." Sakura tried to say weakly. Shirou knew that he had to lie to her. If Sakura was a magus, then no matter how weak and frail she appeared to be, she was one who walked with death, hand in hand.
His arms fell then. A laugh. "I did not think you were the serpent type."
He wouldn't destroy Sakura's hopes that her brother would rest. He couldn't. He couldn't stand to see Sakura in pain like that. He knew he had to comfort her.
"You're wrong in one regard Sakura." Shirou said, eyes closing. Saber shot him an alarmed look, seeing where he was going with this.
"Shirou-" Saber started, but was cut off immediately. Shirou was ignoring Saber, and she shot him a cross look.
"I am one who walks with death, but I am not a magus." Shirou closed his eyes as Sakura looked up for the first time since greeting him in surprise.
His inner organs no longer supported him. He was dead, his body had just not quite realized yet.
"I am what is known as a shinigami." Shirou declared, opening his eyes.
The battle was already decided. The swordsman had not stood a chance and was felled quickly.
"W-what do you mean senpai?" Sakura was starting to get confused. "You exert so much prana naturally, you summoned a servant, so-"
"I killed your brother, and I led him to the next world." Shirou interrupted her.
The mountain was quiet. The body of Assassin, Sasaki Kojirou exploded.
Sakura had tears in her eyes. "W-what?"
"I have always been able to see the souls of the dearly departed. This is because I am one who leads souls to their next life, a god of death." Shirou told her. He would tell her what he was, but not everything.
Rider stiffened at his declaration and shot him a murderous glance. Sakura seemed to understand why this was and was shooting Rider a warning glance. Shirou ignored this.
Bones cracked, body and organs became deformed. A hand shot out of Assassin's stomach.
"Your brother is resting Sakura. I have lead him into the next life, and you don't have to worry anymore." Shirou told her. Tears began spilling out of her eyes. Shirou wasn't sure if it was relief, sadness, or something else.
He smiled, even though he was denied an honorable death. A white mask. The sound of insects. The glee of an animal having his first meal as flesh was teared from Assassin's corpse. The mask became bigger, stronger, more wise like a man. The moon shined as True Assassin came into the world.
Sakura was silent for a while. Shirou and Saber stood while Rider guarded Sakura. Rider was almost gritting her teeth. Sakura broke the silence. "Yes. It fits your character senpai."
Shirou stared at her. Sakura stood. "My grandfather wants to discuss an alliance with you tomorrow senpai. Will you come?"
Shirou looked at Saber out of the corner of his eyes. She was standing stiffly. He said, "At what time?" Saber shot him a glare. He ignored her.
Sakura told him what time she would come the next day to lead them, then left. Rider shot him one last glance before she went into spirit form.
Saber started on him as soon as she felt that the servant was gone. "Master, you should have waited to consult with me before you agreed to meet with Sakura-san's grandfather. Not to mention telling her about your powers, how can you expect to win this war if other masters find out what you can do?"
Shirou scowled as Saber ranted at him. "Geez, I know Sakura. It's not like I'm going to be walking into a trap, I trust her. Beside's, all I told her was that I lead people to the next life, it's not like I told her about Zangetsu."
Saber had to concede to that point. "Still master, I am your partner am I not? You should still consult with me before you decide on something like this."
Shirou sighed. She was right. "Yeah, you're right Saber. I'm sorry. I'll talk it over with you first next time." Saber looked pleased with herself. She had finally imparted a bit of sense to her stubborn master.
"Alright then." Still standing, Shirou made his way to the kitchen. Saber got an embarrassed look on her face as she eagerly sat down to await dinner. A lthough she didn't need to eat since she got so much reiryoku from Shirou, she couldn't help herself.
After dinner
Saber sat content after her meal. She and Shirou were draped underneath blankets at the side of the house, kneeling and sipping tea. (Not sure what this is called. The place where Kiritsugu died. If anyone knows what this is called, I'll replace the name.)
They quietly finished their tea and just sat there, until Shirou broke their silence. "What will we do about the servant at the Ryudou Temple? Should we leave her or go after her tomorrow before we go to talk with Sakura's grandfather?"
Saber didn't need to think long. "Should Sakura become our ally our chances of defeating that servant go up by a good amount. I believe it would be beneficial to wait and see."
Shirou scowled but accepted it. "I suppose so. I guess we just have to be patient."
Shirou and Saber stayed there for some time before they went to sleep.
-He who walks with death, hand in hand-
Lancer talked to himself as he walked down the temple. He was wondering at the weak defenses. He figured that Caster would have put up better ones.
Lancer was completely healed from his fight with Emiya and Saber. He wished his master was not such a coward that he could go back and fight properly with them. Eventually, he would.
Suddenly, he stopped. "Oh? Why don't you come out? I assure you, it will be quite fatal for you if you don't. " Immediately, dozens of darks came out at him. Darks were dagger like throwing weapons. A mask hung in the darkness.
Lancer didn't bat an eye and effortlessly defended himself. The mask stopped. It should have been impossible for Lancer to block that many daggers, all thrown at the speed and with the power of a gun. Lancer grinned with bloodlust. Killing intent hung in the air.
Clangs of metal against metal rang out as Lancer charged through, defending and blocking at the same time at the assault. He struck at True Assassin, and the mask was blown off of Assassin's face.
Lancer grinned. "yOu HavE SEEn mY fACe lAncER." The shadow knew not how to properly speak man's tongue. "I sEE. YoU haVE A BlOck, ThAT iS wHY yOu dO NoT kILL ME."
Assassin refrained from wasting his darks. Lancer must have protection against arrows. As expected of a hero like him. Assassin instead led him to the water. Once there, Lancer thought to himself. 'Must not be able to self-heal. Drugs it seems like. My master said not too, but I think I'll kill this one.'
In the water, Lancer was taken aback when a multitude of insects came to entrap him, but he easily escaped, destroying hundreds of them. So many came, it was as if they made the moon disappear into black. The moment cost him dearly.
True Assassin activated his Noble Phantasm. A hand shot out and pierced Lancer. A fake heart was removed and subsequently crushed. Lancer fell. The insects faded away.
True Assassin's Noble Phantasm, Zabaniya, the cursed hand. It was a curse that created a fake heart that would affect the true. In his moment of distraction and his underestimation of Assassin, Lancer had fallen. The eery sound of an animal eating flesh sounded through the area once more.
-He who walks with death, hand in hand-
Shirou awoke in the now familiar surroundings of his soul. Zangetsu stood there as always. Shirou didn't need any prompting and immediately created Lancer's lance. "Not today Ichigo." Shirou was stopped short.
"Huh?" Was Shirou's intelligent reply. Zangetsu looked out towards the buildings in the distance.
"Tomorrow you go into a talk with another master. I feel as if you should learn something besides close range combat. It never hurts to be prepared Ichigo. Once, you were the best archer in the school. It is time to see if your skills have rusted." Zangetsu said as a bow appeared in Shirou's hands.
Shirou looked at the bow in awe. It was a replica of the bow Archer used, but a smooth black with a shiny silver colored string. Around him, the various swords that littered his world began to twist.
Arrows soon covered his world. He looked up at Zangetsu who stood with himself in his hands. "Come Ichigo. Try to hit me."
-He who walks with death, hand in hand-
Saber's mind once again took her to a place that she didn't recognize. The same figure, dressed in black armor stood. "Who are you? And where am I?" Saber tried to ask. She felt cold, and faded from her world as soon as she had arrived.
-He who walks with death, hand in hand-
Shirou awoke with a gasp. Looking down, his injuries from his training with Zangetsu were gone as always. Shaking the sleep from his head, he stood and started to dress.
After Shirou's morning rituals, he went down to start on breakfast. Beginning, he thought to his meeting with Sakura's grandfather later that day. He hoped it would go well. It would be a great relief to be able to keep Sakura safe directly, and to maybe get a little help.
Finishing up, he started towards the dojo, where Saber liked to sit until breakfast. Opening the shoji doors, he stopped and stared as he seemingly did every morning. Saber was sitting with her eyes closed, and the sun shining on her. She opened her eyes as she heard him come in.
"Breakfast is ready Saber." Shirou told her. Saber smiled in happiness and followed him out.
As Shirou was taking the plates out, he stopped as he heard a rumbling noise. Looking up, he was startled by a loud cry of, "SHIROUUUUUU! FOOOODDD!" Shirou scowled.
Fuji-nee sat down at the table eagerly awaiting her food. Shirou served her, and sat down. He looked at Fuji-nee, eating with abandon to Saber's slow destruction, and sighed. He would really need to fix Fuji-nee's manners one of these days.
As Fuji-nee was eating, she asked, "Where's Sakura-chan Shirou?"
Shirou froze a little. He had completely forgotten that there would be others that would wonder at Shinji's disappearence. "Ah, Shinji is missing right now, so she's probably talking with her grandfather about that." He came up with something close to the truth fast.
Fuji-nee blinked, then frowned. "Shinji is missing? Right after that poor girl died? That feels like too much of a coincidence."
Right now Fuji-nee was taking her teacher persona. She was about as serious as she could be. "Ah." Shirou began to respond. "I doubt there's really any relation. I mean, he's just missing, it's not like he's dead. It's like something he would do, to get attention."
Fuji-nee did not remove her frown. "Still. I'll tell the principal tomorrow and see if we can look for him. Ah, that reminds me, we're still looking into the cause of the girls death, so there's no school today Shirou."
Shirou felt a pang of guilt at the reminder of his negligence. He took a look at Saber, who was looking at him with something like sympathy and calmed down. "I see. That actually works out for me, I can go and see how Sakura's doing."
Fuji-nee smiled and got lighthearted again. "That's great Shirou. The poor girl's been so busy lately she can't even come over. Tell her I said hi."
"Sure. And actually, she should be back here tomorrow." Shirou told her. Fuji-nee grinned. "Alright! Sakura-chan is getting close to beating you in cooking Shirou! That means more food!"
Shirou scowled and a chill went across his back as he was reminded that his kohai, who had not known what oil was when they started was now about to beat him in that area.
Saber merely tried to hide her eagerness. Fuji-nee soon left, telling him that she wouldn't need lunch again that day. He and Saber soon after left for the dojo to resume Shirou's training.
"You have learned well from me so far Shirou, although we have not had too much time to train. Actually, prana burst isn't something that you can really teach, because it is simply enhancing yourself with so much prana you become many times stronger." Saber complimented Shirou.
Shirou blushed, looking down. "Well, I don't have nearly as much prana as you do Saber, so I can't use it nearly as well. Well, reiryoku."
Saber nodded. "Yes, that is true but you have your entire life to build your reserves up. Reiryoku is not like prana, you can build your reserves up. Back to today's training; today I will simply have you build your experience up. I want to get you used to being in life threatening situation's."
Shirou smiled, something he had been doing a lot since Saber had come into his life, and summoned Zangetsu. Zangetsu sighed at Shirou, though Shirou didn't notice. It was just like him to not notice that when he was with Saber, he was happier than he had ever been.
-He who walks with death, hand in hand-
Caster pulled out a strange dagger that looked as if it would easily break, but was easily cut down by Archer. As Caster's body began to fade, Rin frowned. That was much too easy. Caster had already seemed off when she had gotten there, and if the corpse on the ground was her master, they had already been attacked. She wondered by who however, as Caster was left alive.
Rin's thoughts took her to Shirou. It seemed like something he might do with his character, leave the servant alive while killing the master. Then again, Shirou wasn't that stupid. 'He might be a threat though. If it was him, maybe he left Caster alive on purpose.'
Archer thought differently from Rin. 'No matter what version of myself it is, he would be stupid enough to do something like kill the master and leave the servant alive. He would have taken her though. I don't think it was this world's Shirou.'
Archer had accepted the fact that this worlds Shirou wasn't him. Besides the way that the grail war was progressing, it was his weapon, his powers. Something in the way he looked...
Archer cursed as head pains assaulted him. That had been happening a lot lately. His eyes flashed as he saw the image of a woman reaching out. This time, he also seemed to catch words flying through his mind. -ch- -s-ki-
Rin noticed her servant staring into space. "Archer?"
Archer quickly snapped out of it. "Just wondering who would kill the master but leave the servant alive. I was thinking that Emiya kid. Seems in his character."
Rin shook her head. "No, he isn't the type."
Archer wondered at that. The sheer idea that any teenage version of himself wouldn't do something stupid like that was mind boggling.
"Anyway, let's go Archer. That's enough for today." Rin told him, turning around and walking away.
Archer followed her, turning into a spirit. 'Even if this isn't me, it would be best to kill this version anyway before his ideals crush him.'
-He who walks with death, hand in hand-
Shirou was slammed into the ground, gasping for breath. Above him stood Saber, having barely broken a sweat. Shirou could not believe how strong she was. He was like an insect in comparison to her. That was why he had to get stronger. If he was going to be a hero, he needed to be at least as strong as Saber.
"Let's take a break Shirou." Saber told him, putting away her sword. That was one of Shirou's bigger issues. Even if he got used to Saber's fighting style, it was incredibly hard to fight someone who's weapon you could not see. Shirou supposed that's why servants are heroes; even in the face of an useable weapon they could still fight almost perfectly.
"N-no. I can still go on." Shirou said, leaning on Zangetsu and panting. Saber pushed him a little. Shirou fell on his back. "Okay. I think rest would be good."
Saber looked pleased. He was learning.
She went ahead and sat down next to him as he sat up, regaining his breath. Shirou closed his eyes, thinking about the fight, and about the sword that caused him such trouble.
"Say, Saber." Shirou got her attention. "You know, as King Arthur you would think that your sword would be Excalibur. So why is.." Shirou trailed off.
Saber did not seem to mind answering. "I am something of a well known servant Shirou, so servants would recognize me just by the sight of my sword if I did not keep it encased in Invisible Air, my sheath."
Shirou made an ahh of understanding. "But why haven't you unsealed it at all so far? I mean, we have fought some really strong servants."
Saber looked at him. "There is no need master. Zangetsu allows you to fight above a normal human, and your Getsuga Tensho could be dangerous even to a servant if caught off guard, as Heracles was. Besides that, my Noble Phantasm damages the earth a lot, so if I used it someone might figure out about the war. As such, it is a last resort."
Shirou nodded. His Getsuga Tensho did damage the earth, but not so much that someone might find out about the war just from that. Shirou decided to change the subject to something else he had been wondering about.
"By the way Saber. I meant to ask, if you liked what I cook. If you want, I can make some more Western food, if you're not used to Eastern yet." Shirou asked her. His face was very serious, as the question was even more important than the first he had asked.
Saber's face blushed by an amount Shirou did not see. "Ah. No, I like your cooking Shirou, there is no need to change to satisfy my needs."
Shirou pressed on. "But still, if I knew what you liked, the quality of my food might get better. There must be somethings you don't like, or some things that you like better than others."
Saber's face turned awestruck. "You mean the quality of your food could get better if I helped you?" She breathed out.
Shirou nodded. Saber stood, well, sat, at attention. "Question me as much as you like Shirou. I am ready." She had the cutest serious face on, enough so that Shirou got a small blush on his face. Trying to clear his head, he coughed a little, then started.
"Well, alright then. Let's start with this: do you like vegetables?" Shirou asked her, ready to take mental notes.
Saber nodded. "Yes, they are good nutrition to build your body up, important. You also cook them very well."
Shirou made a mental note. He had figured she would say something like that. "Alright then. How do you like meat then? I don't make it too often, but I could start to make more if you like."
Saber said, "Yes, I like meat a lot. But you don't need to make it more often than you do, as all your food is excellent."
Shirou made another mental note. She seemed to like meat anyway, so he would at least try to make it a little more often. "Alright, well how about fish?"
"Fish is very good, I really like the way you make it." Saber responded.
Shirou started to get a feeling. "Saber, are there any foods that you don't like?"
Saber shook her head. "No, I like everything Shirou makes." Saber got a blush thinking about the meals Shirou had made her. At first she had just humored him, eating, as she got enough power from the contract that she didn't need food. Then she had tasted his food and decided to humor him a little longer. It wouldn't do for her master to get upset and unfocused because she wouldn't eat his food after all.
Shirou felt his feeling get confirmed. "Ah I see. Well, how did they make food where you come from?"
Saber looked down sadly and shook her head. This alone spoke volumes for Shirou. Then he started to sweat. If Saber looked forward to every meal, then he could not afford to let the quality of his meals go down. If Saber got angry because her meals weren't good...
Shirou shuddered just trying to imagine it.
"Okay then." Shirou tried to distract her. "How about some lunch then. I need to go out for some ingredients, so lets go out and see what we can find."
Saber nodded eagerly. She quickly stood and walked for the door, waiting for Shirou to follow her. Shirou knew he had to follow her.
Some time later
Shirou and Saber had just about finished. Shirou was set to make lunch as soon as they got home. Then he saw something good. "Hold up a second Saber."
When he came back, he had an extra bag of something that smelled good. "What is that Shirou?" Saber asked, getting a little hungry. Well, hungrier.
"Come on, let's sit at the park a bit and share it." Shirou told her, smiling and leading her. The park was full of normal kid stuff, swings, a slide, a sandbox. It was deserted for some reason. Perhaps because it was still school time.
'Oh, wait.' Shirou thought. There was one person there. A little girl with silver hair. Wait...
Shirou and Saber both froze and got ready to bolt to a bigger place. "Onii-san!" Ilyasviel cried with delight as she went up to him.
Saber dropped the groceries, carefully mind you, and was about to put her armor on when Ilya stopped her, saying: "Don't worry Saber, I'm not here to fight. It's still daytime after all. Unless, you want to fight..." Ilya trailed off.
Saber stopped. She didn't want to fight in broad daylight either. "Then what are you here for Ilya." Shirou voiced the question in his mind. Ilya giggled at him.
"To play of course, Onii-san. I get very tired of that castle you know." Ilya told him, a bright smile on her face. Shirou had a hard time equating her to the master that had tried to kill him a few days ago.
"By the way, what's your name, Onii-san." Ilya asked him, tilting her head.
"Emiya Shirou." Shirou responded to her. Ilya frowned.
"Emiyashirou?" She asked. Shirou shook his head.
"No, don't worry, you can just call me Shirou. That's my name." Shirou told her.
Beside him, Saber looked to have calmed down a bit, though she was still tense and on her guard. She clearly did not expect this to happen, or for Ilyasviel to be courteous.
"Shirou. Yes, I like that name. Simply, but good somehow." Ilya said, smiling.
"How about we talk Onii-san, I have a lot I wanted to ask you you know." Ilya told Shirou and Saber. Saber and Shirou both hesitated. "Ara?" asked Ilya, tilting her head. Her eyes had changed, become dangerous like that night.
"You don't like me?" she asked. Although Shirou and Saber could take her, they decided to err on the side of caution. A fight at this time of day would not be good. Not to mention if she called Berserker out, there was no telling what she would do.
They both agreed to talk for a while and sat down at a bench. "Oh." Shirou suddenly remembered. He rummaged through the bad he had gotten, and grabbed pastries that were shaped like fish. "Here Saber, Ilya. It's daro-yaki." Saber seemed delighted, momentarily forgetting about the situation.
Ilya grabbed it a little more shyly. When she bit into it however, her face lit up. Shirou, Saber and Ilya all finished their snack quickly.
"So what did you want to talk about Ilya?" Shirou asked her as they finished eating. Ilya shrugged.
"I don't know. I don't really talk to other people much." She told him. She shivered a bit.
Shirou blinked. "Are you cold Ilya?" It was a bit cold that day.
Ilya nodded. "Yeah. I don't really like the cold, even though I'm used to it. I like snow though, my daddy told me that it was white just like it."
Saber's mind melted a little. The girl was so cute when she wasn't trying to kill them. Inwardly she frowned a little however. What she had just said made her think of something. Ilya reminded her about something, but she couldn't quite place what.
"I got my hair from my mommy. It's really the only thing that's girly about me." she told him brightly.
Shirou nodded. Saber remained silent as she had throughout the conversation. "Your dad was clever. Your hair is very beautiful."
"Right! What about you Shirou? Did your parents leave you anything?" she asked him.
Shirou thought about it, remembering the woman from the fire. His mother. He could just recall that she had the same hair color as him.
"Well, I get my hair color from my mother too I think. I also got my last name from my pops. And my house I guess." Shirou said. He scratched the back of his head, trying to think a little deeper.
Ilya got an odd look on her face. "Your mother? So your father and she are both-"
Shirou cut her off. "No, my mother died in the fire ten years ago. My father, Emiya Kiritsugu found and saved me during the fire. I took on his last name."
Ilya went back to her normal expression. "Oh? Not your father's magic crest though?"
Shirou shook his head. "Then how are you a master? I thought that you needed a crest to be a master." Ilya looked confused.
Shirou shook his head. "No, I'm just a normal amateur magus." He ignored that he was lying about being a magus. It was okay telling Sakura because he trusted her, but he wasn't about to tell a potential enemy.
Ilya giggled. "Hardly an amateur magus. That mystic code of yours is really something, to take three of my Berserker's lives." She almost shuddered thinking back to that day. She was convinced that there would not be a repeat however.
Suddenly, Ilya stood. "Berserker's woken up." She disappeared before Saber or he could stop her.
For a moment, Saber and he just sat there, then they both stood. Shirou looked at Saber. "What just happened?"
"I'm not too sure. I believe we just had a pleasant conversation with Ilyasviel. Do not get too comfortable however Shirou. She is the enemy, and she will not hesitate to kill us." She responded back. With that ominous warning, they both headed back home.
At home
Shirou sighed as he finished his meal. Besides him, Saber also sighed as she finished her fourth serving. He stood to gather the plates and begin to brew some after meal tea. It was time he and Saber talked about what they would do when they went to Sakura's home to talk about an alliance with her grandfather.
A few minutes later, Saber and he started to sip at their tea. Shirou put his cup down.
"It's almost time to go talk with Sakura's grandfather." he commented to her. Saber knew he meant to talk about their plan. She also put her cup down and gave him her attention.
"I trust Sakura. She wouldn't do anything to us. I don't know her grandfather though, so I can't say whether or not he will do anything." he told her. Saber nodded, thinking.
"I believe it would be best to be on guard and ready to fight as soon as we get there. I do not believe he would notice if I kept Invisible Air out, so I will keep it ready to fight." Saber told him.
Shirou nodded, thinking. "If we do get their help, it would undoubtedly be a good thing."
"You mean with Ilyasviel and Berserker." Saber said. She frowned, thinking on that days events. Ilya reminded her of something, but she couldn't quite remember.
"Yeah. I had practically forgotten about her. I'm not too sure how I could forget about someone as terrifying as Berserker, but today was a wake up call for me." Shirou admitted.
"Rider was strong when we fought her. Now that she has a better master, I assume she will be stronger." Shirou said. Saber shook her head.
"I do not believe so. Shinji would not have supplied her with the proper prana as he was not a magus. It is more likely that Rider was still receiving prana from Sakura." Saber told him.
They talked for a while longer, then Saber told him she was going to go take a bath to rest a little before the time to go to Sakura's house came. Shirou nodded.
A few minutes later
Shirou entered the bath after Saber was done using it. He had trained hard and he smelled a little, although Ilya nor Saber had said anything. It would be good to soak his muscles and relax a little before he might have to fight.
Shirou took his bath slowly. Soon, he was done, and as he was standing to dry himself and dress-
Shirou froze as Saber suddenly opened the door, coming inside. Saber froze and blushed a deep crimson as she saw Shirou's state.
"S-sa-saber!" He yelped out. He fell backwards, trying to cover his private area, asking "What are you doing in her!?"
"I-i'm deeply sorry master. I forgot my towel, you didn't tell me that you were going to take a bath. I didn't know you would be in here." Saber stuttered out. Neither noticed how this was an almost perfect reversal of what Shirou had done a few days ago.
Saber quickly backed out and ran away. Shirou, still blushing, dried himself and dressed as quickly as he could. He wondered why his heart was pounding, and why the idea that Saber had seen him naked appealed to him so much.
Coming out of the bathroom, he caught sight of Saber, awkwardly standing and waiting for him to finish. He looked down as he saw her, she did the same. Saber opened her mouth to apologize once again when they both froze as they heard the doorbell. It was time. In light of the situation, they both grew a little more serious.
They would put this incident behind them, and perhaps talk about it later. Right now it was time.
-End Chapter 7-
AN: And there you have it. You can be assured that the next chapter won't take nearly as long as this one. Actually, I'm very ashamed of how long this chapter took. It is also about my regular length, which must be a disappointment, as you must have though, "He took a month, it must be long."
I admit, I am weak. I spent 40 hours playing Pokemon Black 2 that I could have spent working on this chapter. I am deeply sorry about that.
NIX'S WARDEN helped me a lot with my writer's block, from such long pauses between writing this chapter. Once again, thank's man, I appreciate it.
Rest assured that next chapter will not, I repeat not, take a month to come out. It should be out by next Friday, 11/09/2012. Maybe a day later or earlier, but that's what I expect. I'm going back to once a week chapter's after some very long pauses. Progress will be on my profile as it always has been, even during this break.
For all of you who haven't notice, there is a poll on my profile for my next story. I will be writing the sequel to this story next, but I meant the poll to be more of a, simultaneously written story. Or, story after sequel. So this break thing doesn't leave you without anything from me, should I ever need to do it again for some odd reason.
Look forward to the next chapter.
Ja ne!
