Forward Unto Dawn

Chapter 4: Guide on How to Live with E-rank Luck

She stormed towards me with obvious fury in her face. I had never talked to her so I had never wronged her, therefore I did no understand what her fixation with me is. Now that you mentioned it maybe I have seen her before, long black hair, auburn eyes, buxom figure, isn't this like the girl I saved from the NOVA the other day? I'm almost sure, but it was pretty dark that night so I can't be sure all the same. She stood face to face with me, our faces only inches from each other, by now she had one and holding up front of my collar, I made an offhand note of how strong she is despite her womanly looks, how scary.

I didn't even try to resist her, there was no point, I'd never get away from this scot free if I resisted, my best bet would be just to ignore her, if she is ignored she might leave without complicating things a even further. I could see Yamato laughing into his palm trying his best not to be open with his ridicule at my position, however, he was failing miserably. At this range I could smell her perfume, a scent of lavender, a nice scent really, I vaguely remembered a few women that wore the same scent, or similar ones of course, but I could tell if I made that comment here this girl would skewer me alive. Instead I chose to follow through with my original idea, to simply ignore this and follow through with my training. "Welcome to Lawson Convenience Store." I stopped without finishing my trained automated reply since she looked like she was seriously contemplating murder.

"Do you want to try our new Super Fried Crispy Chicken? It is on a discount for two for 240-yen, the best deal for two Super Fried Crispy Chicken." This was getting uncomfortable.

To my relief she finally let me go, allowing me to slide back onto the ground. I didn't know when, but apparently during our confrontation she managed to heft me into the air with only her slender arms, not even two arms, just one. Yamato just looked at me snickering at my misfortune. "I repeat, who are you, Arthur?"

I just ignored her since I really have no reason to talk to her, she wasn't even a customer. I sat back down on my stool waiting for a proper customer, I tried to tune her out, but I could hear the girl asking general questions that I suppose would count as "unclassified" since there was another civilian here other than myself. Yamato looked at me with slight pity in his face, it almost seemed genuine, that was until he started having a coughing fit from holding in his laughter.

Whispering to me to avoid the girl from hearing him he asked, "Yo, who's that Emiya, your ex?"

I looked at him indignantly with a slight frown, "Not a chance Yamato-san, I've only met her one other time outside today and I don't even know her."

"Oh? Such the lady's man, was she any good?"

I spluttered almost spitting out the water I had in my mouth, "No, not that Yamato-san, I just met her by chance a few weeks ago, frankly I almost forgot about her." This was a lie, although I didn't really remember the girl from appearance, I remembered her sword, Nova Blood was it? It was a beautiful peace of work and it had taught me a lot about a PANDORAs' weapon.

His mouth hooked up into a grin, "Just joshin' with ya Emiya, 'course I know a virgin like ya wouldn't have any chance with a hottie like that." Sometimes he was nice, other times I felt like punching him. This was Sanda Yamato, a truly infuriating person.

"I'm not a virgin thank you very much."

"Oh really? Could've fooled me. Heehee…" He was an incessant teaser at times, and when he had ammunition like this the best choice of action would be to stop talking to him.

"Go grin at your cellphone, you idiot." He laughed at my response and brushed off my insult like I knew he would.

However, the stranger in the distance didn't like how we were talking without her, she looked at us two, "What are you guys talking about?" We both ignored her in favor of doing whatever we were doing before her interruption, Yamato looking at his phone well I just continued doing like, nothing.

"You guys are so rude, is this how you treat a customer here? I'm going to go file in a complaint."

Me and Yamato gave each other a knowing look, then he turned to face her, "Miss." She waited for her to give her name.

"Aoi, Kazuha Aoi."

Yamato nodded, "Aoi-san, you are currently disturbing our business, your continuous speaking has been disturbing the others currently within the shop, and seeing that you are not here to buy anything, we would have to ask you to keep your voice down to a manageable level or we would need to ask you to leave." There was no smugness in Yamato's warning, this was just another one of those 'situational' responses from our handbook, well it is slightly altered but we had the liberties to change it so we don't have to memorize the whole thing.

She blushed a bit from embarrassment, her sudden shyness brought emphasis to her beauty. I didn't notice it at first since she was angry the whole time but this woman in front of us was the true definition of beauty. She had long black hair that reached down her back almost to her hips. Her mane of soft, black hair hugged her waist further accenting how curvaceous her body was. She wore a tight, blue t-shirt that definitely didn't downplay her figure, her denim shorts seemed to tease me with her long slender legs. And yes those legs were long and very slender, as well as milky white, it wasn't something I would expect from a warrior but I guess in this time frame there are ways to hide your scars so even warriors can be beautiful.

Despite his sudden seriousness Yamato suddenly smirked, "Well, Kazuha-chan, if you wait a bit maybe lover-kun will be on break? Just saying, ya'know?"

I shook my head furiously at him, it was true, my break was due to start in maybe twenty minutes? I didn't really want to deal with this PANDORA though.

She looked at me with her eyes, they really reflect the sunlight coming in from the large glass panels of the store, truth to be told it was really pretty. "Is that so?" Her tone was almost cold, kind of a mix between doubtful and barely controlled anger, how very interesting.

"Ya, ya'know, we do like these one-hour shifts, ya'know, lover-kun here gets a break to snack in like, ten-minutes, ya'know, since ya're so interested I'll let'im off right now, so yeah, Emiya, why don't'cha go take a break right now, just be back in like, ten minutes." I shook my head at him, begging him not to release me to the wolves, he looked at me and gave a devious smile, "What'cha waiting for Emiya, didn't cha motha tell ya not'a keep a lady waitin'?"

I gave him a sour look, then looked at Kazuha Aoi, she seemed to be demanding something from me, for some reason I feel small. I muttered in a low voice, "I didn't have a mother." If anyone of them heard me they didn't give a response.

I gave him one last pleading move but he pointed at Kazuha, I sighed and moved forward, it's okay, I can just keep silent, I have the right to remain silent, right?

It's been ten minutes since I got dragged out by a certain Kazuha Aoi. So far she's been talking, and I've been counting the cars that passed by the alleyway we were in. I was sitting down on a small bench next to the back door of the store I worked in and she was standing opposite to me talking to me. To tell the truth I wasn't really listening to her, oh, another of those cool looking sports car passed, how very interesting.

"Are you listening to me, Emiya-san?" Her voice was somewhat dangerous, it wasn't like she would cut me here, she's just frustrated that I haven't been looking at her for the last ten minutes. Truth to be told looking at her is kind of dangerous, I am a hot-blooded youth, well, if twenty-three is youthful, and she is a very enticing sixteen year old, or at least I will suppose she is somewhere around that age. Our age difference makes me seem like a pedophile, something I definitely am not, I am a very normal person in my own opinion, although I'm sure some people would disagree.

I turned to look at her, first thing to catch my view was her bountiful chest, and of course, as a respectful male I quickly averted my gaze and tried to look into her eyes. It was kind of hard, I was sitting, and she was standing, her eyes seemed to just pierce me with the height difference, those yellow-ish eyes were really unnerving, I wonder if anyone said that about my gray orbs. "Yeah, totally. I was listening, very intently." Her eyes were pretty angry, I think it'd be in my best interest to say what she wanted to hear.

"Oh really, Emiya-san." She stretched the honorifics a bit, from what I experienced with the female race, when someone stretches your name or honorifics it's generally a bad thing.

I nodded my head very quickly, "Yes, really really."

"As I was saying, Emiya-san, I want to know more about your abilities to fight NOVAs, where you learned them, and the source of your strength."

Yes, this was exactly what made me ignore her the whole time, she just didn't get the picture, "Yeah, I'm totally gonna tell you."

She nodded at me, "Then please."

Did she really not get my sarcasm? She is really a sheltered ojou-sama. "Yeah, totally," I took out my cellphone. One thing I do know about my cellphone is that it tells me the time, like a clock, or watch for that matter, "Oh my, look at the time. I must get back to work, sorry but I just don't have time, maybe another time, try never." I tried to fake sincerity into my tone but found it hard since I was so tired of her never ending questions. I pride myself to be a very nice person most of the time, but then again I have been described as cynical and distorted, it's all a matter of perspectives of course. With a quick wave I ran to the back door which had an 'employees only' sign and quickly got in, closed the door, and tried to put the whole incident behind me.

As I back into the main area of the store, I could see Yamato waiting for me. The store was still as empty as ever, so he was just looking as his cellphone like he always does. "Yo Emiya, how's ya girl?"

I glared at him, "Nothing much."

"Oh really, was she any good?"

"Depends what you are talking about, if you mean ranting, then yes she was very good at fast paced talking."

"LOL Emiya, I wasn't talk'in 'bout, I'mean like, is she good at that other stuff."

"You do realize you're like thirty right?"

He laughed at my comment, "It's never too late, it's never too late…heehaw…" I just sighed at his antics. Until Kazuha Aoi walked back in from the main door, then I just sighed at the promise for a long afternoon.

It was getting late and Kazuha wanted to be back in West Genetics in time for dinner at 6:30. She glared once more back at that infuriating Emiya Shirou, though Kazuha called him Arthur out of pettiness and the fact that it seemed to annoy him. It was hard to believe that guy had been her savior that had taken out two NOVAs by himself, two S-class NOVAs no less. He seemed so normal, so average, yes, he looked a bit like a delinquent with bleached white hair and dark tanned skin, but from what she had seen from his interactions with customers he had been courteous and nice.

Some would call her a stalker staying at a Lawson for two hours 'stalking' one guy but she herself called it "observation and research". What had been irritating about the white-haired male was his ability to ignore her no matter what she did. Kazuha would make faces at him, try to annoy him, but he would ignore her in favor of writing in his small notebook or looking out the large paned window next to the automatic doors. Yamato-san was nice though, he let her in to the cashier booth if she wanted to just sit next to Emiya, but of course she was ignored by the center of her attention.

Having to leave soon Kazuha wanted to make a final impression, however, she knew she would be ignored. She knew that in order to not be brushed off she had to be a customer, so she headed for the aisles. Grabbing a chocolate bar she headed back to the cashier and stood faced to face with an Emiya Shirou trying his best to give his current customer a forced smile. She stood there waiting for the cashier to slowly scan her purchase, the PANDORA had a hidden smile as she watched the man try his hardest to control his emotions. "This will be 140-yen." He finally said reading off the monitor with as much neutrality as he could afford.

Miss PANDORA reached into her bag to retrieve her purse, and to Shirou's surprise she took out a pink cat-wallet. Noticing the man's stare of disbelief at her choice of accessories she glared at him, "Don't say it." She blushed a bit at the embarrassment of having someone see her 'kawaii' wallet that definitely didn't match her age and occupation.

Taking his eyes off her surprisingly pink purse he smiled at her, "I didn't say anything."

"You were going to."

"Maybe. Maybe not," he smirked at her, definitely mocking Kazuha.

"Hmpfff." She puffed up her cheeks and pouted and ignored him in favor of picking up two 100-yen coins and handing it to him.

Without much care Shirou put the two coins into the money machine and waited for the change to come from the dispenser. Kazuha however was not so interested in silence, "I'll be back tomorrow."

Shirou sighed as two coins clanged out of the dispenser, "Here's your 60-yen change." Sighing again at the persistent girl instead of saying, 'please come again,' he simply shrugged in resignation, "try not to come back." His comment was offhand and lacked real volume to avoid the PANDORA's wrath, but she heard it anyways.

"Hn. Is this how you treat your customers?"

He simply shrugged and gave a her slight bow which she returned with one a little bit lower. With one last look at her nemesis she started out of the store to get to the bus that would bring her back to West Genetics.

"Tadaima," I called to nobody in particular as I stepped through the rice paper sliding doors of Izumo Inn. It was a habit for me to announce my entrance home, it was nice when I could get a reply to my proclamation, it made me feel loved to a certain degree.

A gentle voice with a slightly higher pitch called to me, "Okaeri, Shirou-kun." The first few days I would get surprised at being welcomed, a bit of nostalgia and happiness accompanying the shock of course, but I got used to it. As a side note Miya-san greets everyone coming home, it was nice for me at least since I used to live alone.

I could see her lean out of the kitchen doorway to see if it was really me, of course I am sure with her hearing sense there was no doubt she was a hundred percent sure who was coming through the door. At the same time an unavoidable sigh of exhaustion escaped myself.

She chuckled a bit, this time completely stopping her work in the kitchen and stepping out of the doorway to approach me from the hall. Her head bobbed as she chuckled at my demise causing her violet hair to bounce around. "Tough day at work Shirou-kun?" She started calling me by my first name a few days after moving into Izumo Inn, it was nice, the false sense of familiarity, to me who had constantly lived the battlefield it was a welcome relief.

I nodded sagely at her question, "Yeah, I had a tough customer, didn't know when to give up."

"Ara, ara? What was she trying to do? Could it be…" She opened her mouth to dramatize, I somewhat expected how she would reply from how I worded my reply, her teasing me was really my fault. "Could it be my Shirou-kun has an admirer?" She used the sleeves of her white and purple kimono to wipe her nonexistent tears, "I thought we had something special. How cruel."

I smiled at her antics, a bit of good-natured teasing is good for me. It brought my mind off things, off things like war and bloodshed.

"Now, now, Miya-san, don't get too happy at my misfortune." I smiled a bit without knowing exactly how to reply to her bantering. To tell the truth I had always been socially awkward and I will be continue being socially awkward in the future, I probably will never grow out of it. I'm just not that good with people in general, even my closest friends are still held at arms length, I have a mission, friends just aren't part of it.

"A difficult customer you say? Was it a she, or oh my god." Her sleeves now covered her wide opened mouth, "WAS IT A HE?" Then she laughed at me who could only frown without a retort.

"Now, now, Miya-san, don't get too carried away, and for your information it was a she, and it wasn't like that, she just wanted me to answer a few questions."

"Oh really? Like your phone number?"

"No, and for the record, I'd have trouble giving people my phone number when I'm not so sure what it is."

"Ara, ara. Then what did she ask you?"

I smiled at her finally finding something I can somewhat get back at her for, "It's a se-cr-et. I'm not gonna tell someone teasing me, am I?" I started to walk past her towards to the stairs that lead upstairs.

"Shirou-kun." I heard her call after me as I started up the stairs, "Shirou-kun. Shirou-kun." I could here Miya calling me, no doubt wanting to ask me more. It was strange, I'm sure she had a good amount of years under her belt but Miya sometimes act like a teenager, not even an young adult, other times she would be all mature and assuring, how strange.

Kazuha watched her red-haired roommate sleep soundly as the window let in a beam of white light from the moon. It reminded him of Shirou Emiya, the "codename Arthur". Due to her own reasons she had not yet told anyone about her findings, it was petty, but she was holding him secret since she wanted to keep him all to herself. It was a strange thought, to 'keep him to herself', he wasn't even hers in the first place.

It was unbelievable that Shirou Emiya had been her savior. He was tall, slim but muscular at the same time, but he didn't express it wearing somewhat baggy clothes to hide his body build. To her he was a giant standing nearly 190-centimeters tall against her 150-centimeter frame, he seemed so gentle too, joking with his employer, helping customers, doing normal stuff you would have expected from anyone working at a store. It was so surreal that under that façade of a gentle giant Shirou Emiya was a warrior, one that most likely exceeded her own elite skills, one that could even solo NOVAs.

She remembered his white hair, somewhat standing up like the remnants of a porcupine, his dark skin that seemed to be a tan rather than blood due to his Japanese descent. He had this delinquent feel to him with a piercing on his left ear and she did catch him smoking out in the back during one of his breaks. His eyes were paradoxical, gold and silver at the same time, a sort of auburn hue like her own but also glittering like cold steel. When he looked into her, when he stared into her own eyes it felt piercing, it was as if he was contemplating how to fight, almost like the gaze of a predator. These traits made him intriguing to Kazuha who was a PANDORA of unparalleled skills. These traits made him stand out, made Kazuha want to know more about him, to learn more, it was such a shame he was so unwilling to share.

But she will not give up, she will force him to talk. In the end Kazuha just couldn't get the infuriating white haired swordsman out of her mind. 'Urg, even now he invades my thoughts, how contemptible.' She didn't understand him, he didn't want to understand her or let her into his life that was for sure. Tomorrow, she will go to him, she will go find him and talk to him again, maybe he will be more willing to cooperate.

It had been a tiring day dealing with Kazuha, dinner had been peaceful if nothing else. There was some friendly banter that circulated the tableside, of course Hoover-san had not really contributed to the friendly atmosphere of our meal. It was interesting how that red haired girl seemed to keep to herself at all times, well Takebayashi-san, the young prospective college student had buoyant and chatty like always. It was an interesting contrast and definitely a welcome one at that. If both tenants were gloomy or talkative I'm not sure if I could survive.

Other than the trouble this afternoon there was nothing really going on for me, I didn't have the strength to start on my workshop, nor did I have the will. I just wanted to rest, I've been in war for years and years, a few weeks wouldn't kill me, I had eight years after all. What I do need to do however, is prepare for the upcoming battle tomorrow, with a certain Kazuha Aoi of course. I really don't want to worry about it now as I slowly crept into my futon, it was an eventful day, but it beats war any day. These thoughts ran through my mind as I slowly drifted into the dream realm, slowly falling to sleep

"Sakura, Sakura," I saw her in a distance. She looked different, corrupted, evil from the Grail's hold on her. Her purple hair were bleached white, her originally violet pupils were now red. Angrya Mainyu changed her, encased her in a mana made garment that looked like a black skintight dress with red lines adorning her body. There were many extensions from the hem of her dress, each strip had a sharp looking tip.

Her presence was heavy, making the whole cave relatively unstable under the Grail's prana. Rin Tohsaka stood in a distance, panting. Sakura herself didn't fare any better, barely standing from abundance of mana she had expended. I had just arrived, but from the explosions I had heard from outside the cave I was sure the battle within must have be cataclysmic, the jeweled dagger in Rin's hands was smoking, she must have used it a lot.

The wall of the cave was also filled with this black, slimy substance, seeping from the many holes that surrounded the inside walls. These black substance flowed around, and at the center of the cave stood a pillar of black and red. A spire with three prongs protruding the top with a black mass of energy suspended in the air, it reeked of evil, and I must stop it as an ally of justice.

But first I must save Sakura, so I walked towards her, slowly moving forward with my already broken body. Using Rho Aias to counter Excalibur had been detrimental to my body, the holy sword from Saber had almost shattered the seventh petal of my shield, if it did my body would really have been broken. I was in pain, a whole world of pain, my body kept shifting, blades were underneath my skin, I could feel them sliding against each other, trying to knit my body back together. My red shroud had been abandoned for increased abilities, but it was the only thing keeping the foreign substance at bay, and once removed the blades within Archer's arm continued into my body, changing me, recreating me.

I walked slowly, each step creaking from the mass of swords working to heal me, each step was painful with some sword points spearing out of my body. My flesh was slowly being replaced, the few open gashes I had revealed the thousands of intercrossing swords moving beneath my skin. But my love for my kohai drove me forward, I kept walking towards her, the woman that I love.

Sakura finally noticed my presence, turning to meet me. I noticed that she was barefoot, what concerned me even more were the tears streaming from her eyes. She looked at me with sadness, it broke my heart to see her cry, I couldn't stand it. "Senpai, Shirou-senpai," she cried at me, her hands were outstretched, reaching for me, and I extended my hands also, to grab her with my arm. Then she shook her hand and crossed her arms, "No senpai, no, don't come any closer." I didn't listen to her, I just kept advancing. "No senpai, no, you'll get hurt…" She screamed at me with no avail. Her tentacle-like spears charged at me but I did not fear. The black spikes speared through my flesh, grazed me, only to be blocked by the swords protecting me, the swords working to protect me but at the same time killing me.

"No senpai, don't come any closer." She flailed her hands trying to keep me away, to keep me at a distance, but I will not be stopped.

I smiled at her, smiled at the beauty that is Sakura Matou. "Sakura, I'm coming, just wait for a bit, I'm right here." I advanced ignoring her dark whips of malevolent energy striking at me.

"Senpai…" she stopped resisting when I was almost upon her, her tears streaming down her eyes even more, it definitely broke my heart, her tears falling like rain. "Senpai."

"Sakura, I'm here Sakura, don't be afraid."

"Kill me senpai, or you'll die." I couldn't bear watching her tears fall. Each individual drop was like a pearl, beautiful, exceedingly beautiful.

I put my arm around her neck embracing her. I ignored her whips striking into my back, the magic entangling her trying to push me away. "No Sakura, everything's gonna to be okay. Everything's gonna be okay." I put my arms around her back holding her warm body close, she also grabbed my back despite the whips attempting to lash against my body made of swords.

"Senpai…senpai, Shirou-senpai."

"Sakura." We both embraced each other, tears falling down our respective faces, "Sakura."

Then we slowly broke apart, she was smiling, I guess I must be smiling as well since her smile immediately brightened up my whole world. "Senpai, I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you so very much."

I smile at her words, they are everything I need, the words I abandoned my ideas for. I abandoned my dreams for her, for her I would do anything, even at the cost of my own. "I love you too Sakura, now do you trust me?"

She put her hands on my arm, gently holding onto me, "Of course senpai, of course I trust you."

I already knew her answer of course, "Everything's gonna be okay Sakura, we're gonna be okay." I already had a plan, I will save her.

I loaded an image into the proverbial gun within my mind. A certain dagger with a jagged purple blade. This was the dagger of Medea the Witch of Colchis, the Witch of Betrayal. This dagger can severe all magical contracts, this will free my love from Angrya Mainyu, this will save her. "Trace on: RULE BREAKER." I plunged my hand forward. BUt the only I saw was not the purple of Rule Breaker, but red.

"What…what the…" My mind was in chaos, what appeared in my hands was not the purple dagger I imagined, it was not the instrument that could be used to save Sakura, no, what appeared in my hand was a lance, a red lance that I was very familiar with.

"Senpai…senpai…I love you…" The color was leaving her face, the heat draining from her body. She still smiled as sad tears again streamed from her red pupils. "Senpai, it's okay senpai, it's okay senpai. Don't be sad. Don't cry. Don't cr...Don.."

"Sakura. No. Sakura No. Don't die."

"It's okay sen...pai. It's really okay." She gently held onto my arms, still smiling. "Thank you senpai, thank you for everything." She smiled at me again as the light left her tainted eyes, "I'm so tired. I think I need to. Sleep. Senpai, Aishteru. Sayonara. Shirou-senpai." She was formal and with her last breath she thanked me.

"No. Sakura. You can't die now, you can't, no. No. No. No. No." I hollered into the cavern at the unmoving body that laid there on the uneven ground, by now Rin had approached us from the far end of the cavern.

"What the, Shirou." She shouted at me in horror seeing the red lance in my hands.

I turned to face her, the blood still warm on my face, "No. Sakura. No. Rin. No. I. I. I killed. I killed. I killed her." I couldn't talk, I couldn't think. I couldn't do anything.

She was enraged, definitely angry, tears fell from her normally unexpressive face. "Shirou, what the. What the hell are you doing?" Her was stuttering, she didn't know what to do. Neither did I. "No, this can't be true, my sister. No. This can't be. You murderer. No. Sakura, don't die." She screamed at me and Sakura alike.

My body was broken, my mind also broken, no. I will not fall here. I will be a hero. I cannot fall here. "NOOOOOOOOOOOO." I hollered again, howling into the empty cavern. "NOOOOOOOOOOO."

"Wake up Emiya-san, wake up." I heard a distance voice.

"NOOOOOOOOOOO." I bolted upright, a knife in my hand as I intended to stab the person closest to me. I felt warm hands grab both my wrists, one of my hands holding the scruff of the assailant's collar, the other hand holding a combat knife ready to be plunged into the invader.

"Emiya-san, it's okay, it's just me." I recognized the voice, I recognized where I was, I wasn't in that cavern anymore, I saw a woman with long purple hair looking at me.

"Sakura?" I asked doubtfully, under the moonlight coming from the window she looked just like Sakura did, her violet hair let down behind her, it was breathtaking, beautiful. "Sakura?" I asked again at the lack of reply.

She held both of my wrists, whoever it was was powerful. I had unconsciously reinforced my body with od but I was still restrained. She gave me a sad smile before replying, "No Emiya-san, I am not Sakura, I am Miya, Miya Asama, your landlady."

It took a moment before the words registered into my mind as my right hand let go of the blade it was holding. Tears streamed down my face, "Of course not, of course you're not Sakura." I looked at Miya, who looked very much like Sakura, "Of course not, I killed Sakura. I killed her." My hands clasped my face as I threw up the contents in my stomach. It wasn't much, but it was still unpleasant.
Her hand immediately started softly patting my back making sure I did not choke, "Emiya-san, Emiya-san, Emiya-san, are you all right?" She continued to stroke my back, "Emiya-san."

I couldn't say anything, I just continued to cry.

A/N:

Translations

Aisteru: I love you A/N: as opposed to the normal Daisuki which means I like you -or really like you, Aisteru is formal and actual "love". In fact it is pretty rare for a Japanese (exclude married couple) to use this form of wording for affection (or so I was told in Jap. class). It is much stronger, since daisuki could had been for dogs or anything you like, I felt like I needed to make a distinction.

Tadaima: I'm home

Okaeri: Welcome home

So Chapter 4

I was somewhat okay with how it turned out, content wise at least. I tried to build a sort of backstory to my version of EMIYA. I know some people won't agree that Shirou would want to rest, but I disagree. I think anyone who's been through would like to rest for at least a while before rejoining the fray again, but that's debatable.

The dialogue is kinda hard and stressed out and I'm not sure if it works, it seems kinda awkward to me but it's probably because I'm not a native speaker so it's really hard for me to get the dialoguing right. I'll work on that.

Grammar mistakes, there is bound to be many, and I mean MANY, as I said I'm not a native speaker, I'll correct it maybe. College Apps is hard stuff. I did get in IUB(Indiana Bloomington) though, not bad?

I tried hard, this chapter is a bit dry and almost like an interlude, the next few chapters will be all interlude-ish, but he will go into battle, cause even though he just got respawned there are still apostles and deads out there, not all of them died, same for magi too.

Some people said Shirou should work a diff job like a repair man, I'm like...why not clerk? I think a mundane job will be fine. I know it's kinda bad last chapter he like forged a ID really badly, but it's only a convenience store, their not that strict, I'm sure.

Read and Review, I worked hard, sorry if I disappointed anyone. BTW, their not gonna just fall in love, nobody just falls in love. I read a fanfic another day when Ria just went like "OHMYGOD HE"S HOT"(thoughts) towards ICHIGo( DXD /Bleach cross) i just exited tab.

YEAH

REad and Review, I appreciate and reply (most of the time?0_*)

-Wiltheavatar

A/N:(edit 12/5/2013)-some grammar changes and slight addition for the descriptions and slight deletion. only for the ending three scenes through, I didn't scroll up any further.

So someone complained about saying LoL in normal speech? really? Maybe it's an Asian thing but me and my peers do use LOL, not a lot, but it's there. I dunno what's wrong about it so I'm just making a point.

And yes, he/she is right, I should give credit to Sekirei.

I do feel slightly offended that he/she said the reason I added Izumo Inn was an inability to think of something new myself. I seriously thought I said in a previous A/N that the reason I added Izumo Inn and a slight Sekirei character cross was because I originally had a Sekirei/Fate cross planned, and I felt that I should pay tribute for cutting it down without even working on it a lot, to kind of make peace with myself, you ever have the feeling of ditching something halfway and finding yourself needing to do something about it? Well that's pretty much how it is. Other than the fact that it just fits.

Trust me, I'm not mad at all, just slightly confused at being judged.

Anyhow I appreciate anyone who reviewed, if you aren't a guest (the dude I talked about was) I generally replied

I understand that some people are disappointed at the chapter, or even want me to change it? LOL: say what? CHange it? Probably not. IF you don't like it then you don't like it, I don't cater to audience, I write what I planned, and I plan what I think.

Shirou's response to Kazuha had mixed reviews, well, as I said, I don't cater to the whims of my audience just because they are my audience. You chose to read, I didn't force nobody to read.

And for those who liked this chapter and previous chapters, Kudos to you.

12/07/2013 (GMT+8)

And I appreciate Shintouyu, who gets a special mention here since he/she mentioned in a review that I did well for Miya's teasing personality. I am quite happy I'm at least getting one char right, I get multiple complaints on how Shirou's not being "shirou/archer", well that really sux but I will try harder.

There had been some edits for grammar mistakes, there should be relatively less now that I did one read through...well, there's always room for improvements.

Read and Review :P Love u guys