"Shirou!"
Emiya Shirou, an ordinary boy with auburn hair who was a survivor of the Great Fire that occurred 10 years ago, found himself at the heart of the clash in his own home.
"There is no food in the fridge!" He tried to ignore the look of the lost puppy that Saber was throwing his way. The ancient knight from Arthurian Legends looked as if she had seen the most sinful thing in the world, "A disaster has struck! What shall we do?! There is nothing to eat for breakfast!"
"That's..."
Shirou sighed and sat down in front of the coffee table, supporting his chin and trying to find some hidden meaning in his reflection.
"SHIROU. WE. ARE. HUNGRY. It's a sin!" Fuji-nee looked at him disapprovingly, with Saber nodding in the background. He wanted to bury his head in the ground, "This is not how I raised you, young man. And not so long ago you were so small when I prepared food for you, and now you can't even take a moment for old dear me." She wiped away the fake tears.
"Shirou?" Saber, not now.
Shirou wasn't amused.
"We both know that it was I who cooked for you from a young age and not you." Fuji-nee took a step back as if something had struck her heart.
"Y-you!"
Before she had time to speak another voice called out from the side, a black-haired girl whose hair was tied in twin tails stepped into the room.
Her blue eyes looked at him with a hidden menacing gleam.
"Shirou, you were supposed to accompany me today in my research. Meeting today, outside my house at 8 am, does it ring a bell?" Shirou blinked several times, suddenly feeling very small in her presence, "Do you have anything to defend yourself?"
He screwed up.
Damn it, I forgot!
"He likely forgot, Rin." Archer who materialized in the middle of the room, along with that infuriating smirk whose emergence could only be due to his discomfort, "The fool doesn't even remember small things when it comes to Moonlit World." The Red Servant remarked.
"Oh, really?" Rin's hand was getting dangerously close to one of her pockets, presumably for the highly compressed jewel that was about to smite him — Shirou smartly observed.
"Shirou, is that true?"
I should think of something quick unless I want to start the day today with a hole in the wall to patch.
Think brain! THINK!
"Heh, I wouldn't be surprised for him to come up with an excuse now, but then again, maybe he can't come up with anything." Archer went on to say again, blissfully savoring the fact that he was able to mess with his younger counterpart because he knew exactly his way of thinking from back then.
The dangerous smile that Rin had previously gained even more edge, now downright terrifying, "I think we need to work on your time management, Shirou. Do you know that I had to come here specifically to remind you of that?"
I don't want to die! Shirou shouted desperately and the unexpected rescue came out of the blue.
"Archer-san, Nee-san, please stop pressing Senpai against the wall like that!" Sakura defended him from the sidelines. How could he fail to notice her presence? "It's not right at all!"
"Sakura..." Rin said very slowly, not knowing what to think of her sister's sudden interjection.
"Senpai is very tired, can't you see the bags under his eyes!? You too Fujimura-sensei and Saber-san!?" The purple-haired girl addressed everyone in the room, "Senpai tries to get along with everyone, makes your meals, takes care of the house! He cleans, cooks, goes shopping, pays for everything! I can't stand by while you guys are making him look bad!"
It was surprising to hear such a loud voice from the usually reserved girl, but it wasn't that unexpected, understanding her huge infatuation with Shirou.
Everyone, except Archer who made an annoyed sound as if his plan had failed, looked down in shame at what they had done.
The red-clad Servant looked at Sakura as if she had taken all the joy out of his life.
Bastard.
The first to say something was Saber, who sat down next to him, looking sincerely apologetic, but this is expected from Saber. She is that kind of person, "I'm just used to you always having something for me, that's why I'm ashamed of my previous outburst. I hope you can find it in yourself to forgive me."
"Saber." Shirou couldn't possibly let Saber apologize for such a triviality, everyone should be comfortable in his home.
"You have nothing to apologize for." He tried to lighten the mood, "My memory must be really deteriorating, because apparently I forgot to jump to the market yesterday and buy something."
"Besides..." He looked at the people who had helped him in difficult times, "I enjoy doing all this for you. Right, Saber? After all, hunger is the enemy."
"Shirou..." Saber tried to keep the composture that was cracking when she replayed his words in her mind one more time.
"Senpai..." Sakura tried to hide her jealousy, seeing Saber's face and their touching moment.
Fuji-nee was still staring at the ground, "Yeah, sorry Shirou."
Archer appeared genuinely annoyed, "Tch."
Shirou glared at him, forcing him to look away, clearly not enjoying the show anymore.
Asshole. Shirou thought with gritted teeth.
"Honestly Shirou, you shouldn't take it all on yourself, idiot." Rin pinched her nose, "How many times do we have to tell you that we are here for you? You should finally learn it by heart when we spend time together."
"Ahaha..." Shirou laughed awkwardly while scratching the back of his head.
"If you have too much on your mind, say so next time. After all, you don't want us to be sad about it do you?" A smart psychological move on her part, playing on his wish that no one would cry.
"It's nice to see that you guys have made peace." Rin shrieked at the sudden speaker behind her. Everyone looked at the source of shock, "I thought this argument would never end."
Rider appeared suddenly, or was she here all along? Everyone jumped a little, not detecting her presence. She was dressed in casual clothes just like Saber.
"Rider!" Sakura jumped up from her feet to greet the newcomer, "You came!"
"That's right." The Servant of Mount hugged the shorter girl back, their bond warmly shown, "I couldn't leave my Master alone among enemy Servants could I? I wouldn't be a good Servant then."
"It's not like we're hostile here, Rider," Archer added. Since they all came together to end that stupid worm and rescued Sakura together, their relationship has ascended to a more friendly level. Maybe even an alliance.
Secrets were revealed, and things were clarified. The war was ended immediately.
"Oh dear, I didn't know you received me so warmly Archer. You didn't seem like the type."
The Man in question huffed, not fazed by her teasing, "I am simply stating the fact. It's a good thing that we spared ourselves the bloodshed. I wouldn't want my Master to get into this mess unnecessarily."
"Aaaaah, no more flirting on my watch!" Fujimura Taiga spoke up, stepping in between everyone, "I also wanted to ask if Rider would go with me to that new cafe they opened nearby! That is if you don't have any plans?"
"I don't mind at all, Taiga." The Servant enjoyed exploring new places of the current century.
"Great! Let's go and let kids do their things!" She grinned widely, but not before looking at the girl who was fighting for the spot of sitting next to Shirou. "Sakura, is that okay with you?"
"I won't take away Rider's ability to spend more time with you, Fujimura-sensei. Don't worry about me. Besides, I'm here with Senpai, so I'll be fine. Right, Senpai? You will take care of me?"
"O-of course." Shirou decided to agree with everything they said, having already lost control of the flow of the conversation.
"Then we are off!" It's amazing how Tiger of Fuyuki could easily grab Rider and run out with her under her arm with ease, "We will be back for dinner! Kids grow up so fast!"
"Bye." Rider accepted her fate it seems.
"OH, AND NO DOING WEIRD STUFF UNDER THIS ROOF SHIROU!" His Guardian has called out from behind the slammed door.
"FUJI-NEE!" His face burned red, hearing her words.
He didn't allow his eyes to linger on Sakura who was getting too scarlet to say anything, forbidden thoughts were forming in his head and he refused to satisfy them.
He was no longer the same ignorant boy who started high school as he once was.
"Shirou, what did that mean?" Saber of all people asked him, looking at his face curiously, "Did she mean something inappropriate? Are you hiding something, Master?"
"N-No, Fuji-nee just... Wait, Saber, are you..."
"Okay, stoppp!" God bless you, Rin rescued him from embarrassment, although the sand of red covered her cheeks, "I would like to remind you that there is still no food!" The Genius of Magecraft was able to distract the King of Knights with success, "Shouldn't we focus on that?"
"Nee-san is right." Sakura helped her sister to raise the attention, "Senpai and I still don't have the necessary ingredients to cook."
"Rin, Sakura, you are correct." The blond Servant approved then turned to him with firm determination, "Shirou, should we go to the grocery nearby? It seems as the only option available."
"It seems like it," Shirou said grimly, "Without food, I can't cook."
There was desperation in the air.
"Well, damn it all," Rin replied with a click of her tongue, her words not at all portraying her in the light of the elegant Tohsaka Heiress.
Why didn't they all want to go out from home?
That's because the summer season has already begun.
Which meant that there was a temperature of over thirty degrees outside, Rin barely managed to get here with the help of Archer. That's why Shirou would go out to the stores in the evening, it got cooler then.
"I will go," Shirou stated solemnly, a fool who sacrificed himself for everyone he was, but at least everyone will be happy.
"Then I'll go with Shirou." Said his Servant as support for his Master's endeavor, "I'm a Servant, so the temperature outside doesn't matter to me. It can't happen that Shirou will faint during such a journey this way. As his Servant, it is expected of me to follow my Master."
"Hmm." Why does Rin sound dubious all of a sudden?
It's not that she just wanted to spend more time with him.
Meanwhile, a confused Shirou is sure he won't pass out during a simple walk outside, "Fine." It won't hurt to have company.
"T-then I'm going with Senpai too! I want it too!" Sakura adds too quickly for her words to register in Shirou's mind, "I also cook along with him, the kitchen is my and Senpai's place!"
"S-Sakura?!" Rin's face warms up as she keeps track of where this is going. Ever since her sister was rescued by Shirou and the rest, but mostly by Shirou, she has become quite bold in her actions, "What are you saying?!"
"W-wait a second...! It's my fault for not buying the ingredients yesterday, so—!"
"And by the way." The violet-haired Matou speaks somehow darkly, her eyes tracking the person who has so far stood quietly in the shadows, "It wasn't Senpai's role to buy food for today, was it? Archer-san?"
Everyone suddenly turns their attention to the person who has said nothing throughout the debate.
"Do you have something on you weighing on your heart, Archer?" Saber asks.
Archer was sweating, Shirou had yet to see him more nervous than encircled by enemy Servants.
"What does she mean, Archer?"
"I have no idea what she's talking about Master, you shouldn't take someone's word for it in the first place." He remarked smugly, trying to remain as calm in any situation as he was known for despite the black-haired magus' deep gaze, "Although I assure you I'm a better cook than Emiya Shirou, so I can make you something instead."
Once Sakura saw this slip, she didn't let it go, "That's right. Yesterday you were arguing with Senpai about the fact that you would be the one to cook for us today. Due to the reason Senpai recently challenged you to a contest about cooking, you were in charge of buying the ingredients for today."
"N-no... I—" Never had Shirou seen Archer this unsettled under someone's glare.
And besides, how did Sakura know this? He and Archer were talking privately at the time. He was sure no one was around.
"Is that true, Archer?!" Saber stood up and slammed her foot on the wood floor, nooo—next thing to fix! He wanted to cry, "So you intended to sabotage Shirou in his noble service! What kind of Servant are you!"?
Shirou was dying internally as he saw the situation unfold.
"Are you okay, Senpai?" A soft whisper came to his ear.
Not now Sakura.
A sudden headache came over him.
The Servant of the Sword turned to the black-haired girl, who was openly staring at her Servant, "Did you know about this Rin?"
"It's the first time that I've heard that," Rin's eye twitched when staring at her Servant with unhidden disappointment, "I would like to hear your explanation, Archer. Explanation. Quickly."
"I don't think—"
"Now." With a smile showing her teeth, she raised her hand on which were the Command Seals.
"Rin, stop please." Greatly to everyone's shock, to Archer's rescue came none other than Emiya Shirou.
Archer would rather die.
"I'm sure Archer will atone for that next time, no? In the meantime, let's not waste time and go already."
Rin huffed while Sakura was still staring at the Red Servant, glaring holes into his head.
"It looks like you've resolved it well Master."
Don't even say it, Saber.
Ahhh right, a normal day at Emiya Shirou's household.
Eventually, they all went together, much to the watching passersby who didn't hide their stares.
The problem is that Shirou was surrounded by three beauties while Archer, in his white shirt and tanned skin tone, attracted the attention of older women.
Sakura openly held his hand while Saber eyed their interaction with something he couldn't identify. Rin seemed the only one sane, or perhaps it would be better to call it the fact that she seemed to melt in the sun while Archer held a sunshade over her head.
Rin was weak to summer it seems. No wonder considering she spent the whole day inside her workshop.
Archer was definitely trying to repair his image with his action.
"IT'S TOO HOT TODAY! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH CLIMATE?! APRIL JUST STARTED!" Tohsaka fanned her face as she complained, normally composed, now she seemed unable to stand in the presence of such hot weather.
Sakura in fact disagreed, holding a certain proximity with him despite the heat.
"Aren't you feeling too hot Sakura?" Shirou asked his companion.
"I don't mind at all!" Despite his worries, the girl seemed to move even closer into his space, "It's too good that way."
"What?"
"N-nothing!" Her face was warm and she recoiled, probably from heat - Shirou related, but from a different cause. She was a little too close.
So Sakura didn't like the sun.
Why the need to hide it from him though?
Maybe they could go to the pool soon...
On the side, a watcher, Archer slapped his face. Right, not oblivious.
"Well, well. Who do we have here? A pair of Servants, Rin-kun, a Matou, and you... Emiya Shirou."
"""Kotomine!"""
"It looks like it's good to see me." The Evil Priest said with a smirk that could only spell trouble, "You too, truly, I'm not lying."
The last time Shirou saw him, the man was trying to stop them from destroying the Grail. He didn't like him.
"What are you doing here, Kirei?" Rin asks her previous Guardian, "Kicking puppies? Ruining others' day? Scamming..." The magus took a closer look at him, Kirei was stationed behind a stand with... mapu tofu?
"What the hell?"
"It is impolite to speak like that before the servant of the Lord." Kotomine frowns and chastises as if seeing an undisciplined child, "That's not how you were raised."
"I self-raised myself!"
"Ah yes, that explains it."
"Oh shut it! We both know you are a fake priest!" Rin scowls, "Seems like your dementia is getting stronger."
"What are your plans, Kotomine Kirei?" For the first time, one of the Servants, Saber speaks up, having had enough of the charade. A few seconds are missing before summoning her armor and Invisible Air.
Tension escalates while everyone waits for his answer. Sakura holds his shirt tighter, Shirou feels her grip and sees her violet eyes focused on a possible confrontation.
"What I'm doing is... selling mapu tofu!" His loud exclamation isn't what surprises them. It's the proud way he says it, "You may have a try!"
Shirou doesn't know what to think, but this sounds better than plans for the end of the world. As long as Kotomine doesn't try something, an immediate reaction is unneeded.
Second chances do exist after all.
Out of curiosity, he approaches one of the appetizers, of which there are quite a few, and takes one of them to taste.
Kotomine's smile couldn't be wider, "HA HA HA HA! EMIYA SHIROU, YOU NEVER FAIL TO AMAZE ME!"
"SENPAI!" "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!" "MASTER!" "SHIROU!"
"H-hey, stop it, you guys." He is a little overwhelmed by their reactions as if he had done something extremely stupid. And maybe he did, taking to savoring something made by a man who likes to cause suffering to others.
Yep, this one may not have been such a good idea.
At least something good came out of it.
"Idiot! Spit it out, spit it out! SHIROOUUUU!"
"Rin, stop shaking me!" He feels like he's about to throw up.
"Nee-san!" Sakura stops her, holding her sister's arms in a tight grip.
"Calm down, Master. It's not poisoned." Archer says, maybe to calm down his Master or to help him out because of before. He didn't know. This guy is too hard to read.
"Your Servant is correct." Kotomine nods with this damned smile still present on his face, "I no longer make people suffer this way."
This way? Somehow his words give me shivers.
Aside from Kotomine's creepy laugh, Shirou notes that there's nothing wrong with his mapu tofu. He is sincerely trying to sell it to people.
A-ah, hot.
"So did you finally notice, boy?" Shirou looks up with a sinking realization, "That's right. My mapu tofu is served with the hottest chili peppers. In the summer at that"
"You monster!" These are his last words before his tongue becomes unfit for speech, "Gah!"
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!"
Shirou falls to the ground, cowering from the heat but to no avail.
Rin and Sakura checked his condition, and the black-haired girl prepared to use magic in a public place and set up the Bounded Field just so she could save the redhead.
"Shirou! You idiot!"
"Senpai! Nee-san, we have to do something."
Archer leaves his younger counterpart to them while addressing the preparator.
"So in the middle of the summer season you serve spicy snacks to people to make them suffer in front of your eyes don't you?" Servant of the Bow is strangely not bothered by the suffering boy, Kirei notes.
"Hmm." The priest's silence is enough to confirm that.
"So you are still cruel after all this time? Kotomine Kirei!? As a knight, I cannot allow this to continue!" Just as she was about to cut him down with her sword, Archer stopped her, "What is the meaning of this, Archer?! My Master is rolling on the ground in pain!"
"We can't fight in such a large crowd of people, and maybe you've forgotten what we could cause with our blunder? Do you wish to start a commotion that much, Saber?" Archer warns before his hawk-like eyes find her emerald glare. Unflinchingly, he says, "Besides, it's your master who is responsible for his fate. Not giving people a shred of doubt. He is nothing but a fool."
"Archer, my Master may be a fool in times but most are spent in helping others!"
"Hmpf."
"I... very well. This time, I shall listen to you." Saber doesn't like it, but the logic of her accompanying Servant is too well thought out in this case.
"Besides, it seems my Master already fixed him up."
His words made Saber turn around abruptly. If it weren't for the fact that she was a Servant, Archer was sure she would have snapped her neck.
Finally, it seemed that her Master got up from his awful state, it appeared that he still couldn't get a word out. His eyes watered, Kotomine certainly proved that he cannot be trusted.
Shirou twisted slightly when he got that disappointed look from his Servant, "Shirou, you must stop being so reckless. I do not wish to see you hurt more than this."
Sorry. His eyes conveyed.
Saber softly sighed at her sincere Master, for a moment it was like her heart stopped, "Please never do that again." She knelt to his level and gently caressed his head despite his friend, despite Sakura's protests.
Rin Tohsaka had none of it.
"Seriously, Kirei? Bullying people by burning their throats in the summer? What kind of psycho are you I wonder!"
"Everyone have their hobby, Nee-san." The Matou heir defends, "Even if it includes making people eat spicy mapu tofu in summer."
Kirei finally stopped laughing, but it looked like he continued to hold it in. His unreadable eyes cast a shadow over them all.
"You know me too well." Her eyes sharpened upon hearing his reply.
"No, you Evil Priest. You crossed the line, even Actually Satan wouldn't do something like that! Kicking puppies, okay, it's understandable for ultra-evil individuals, but poisoning people with mapu tofu in the summer?! What kind of sick bastard are you?"
"Tell him, Nee-san! Roast the Priest!"
"Sakura?!" Shirou stares in shock at the sudden 180 change in attitude.
"Who?" Kotomine raised a brow incredulously at the 'Actually Satan' and took out a Bible from the pocket, "Did I miss a page?"
"Archer!" She pointed at her Servant as if it was obvious who she was referring to. The red-clad Servant, in turn, stared at her in total disbelief.
"What?!" Archer was shell shocked, first time hearing this. For some reason, it pissed him off more than ever, "Master!?"
"You know what I'm talking about! You—!"
In the meantime, Shirou felt sick. Albeit that was an understatement.
His hands embraced his stomach while he started to better his breath.
But he had to go to the toilet after that. He will never trust the Evil Priest again.
"Sa...ber..."
Something in the air twisted, Shirou swallowed and instinctively called out to his Servant, but through his half-functioning tongue, it was difficult to gather words into something other than gibberish.
Something was wrong.
He was sure of it.
L̶̤͂Ǫ̶̲͒ͅV̸͍͙̔̾͗ͅḘ̶̱́L̴̬̥̊O̵̺̘̻̽͋̃V̸̝͎̙̑̇̈È̶̥̮̀̃L̶̳̜̝̔̇̀O̴̯͌V̵̦͍̊̍͛Ĕ̶̘̟Ĺ̶̗͙̥̾O̸̼̫̙̊̃̚V̴̻̩̤̈E̷̥̥͒̈́͜L̸̻̦̍͝͝O̶̢͊̃̓V̴̺̯̈E̵̱͖͙̎̽̀L̶̼̄͒͝Ò̸̢̯̗͠V̵̳̆E̵͖͍͒̐̚L̴͇̖̥̅̌O̸̩̫̳̎V̸͇̂̋ͅĚ̶͈̂͝L̸̼̗̟̽O̷͍̍͊̄V̸̗͓͒Ȩ̵̡͔̒͛́Ḷ̸̗̏O̸̭͎̟͑̍V̶̛̺̰Ḙ̵̙̙̆̇́L̸̫̼̟͛͋̽Ơ̸̩͋͊V̴͎̤̀E̶̗̐͂L̸̗̞͛͝͠Ò̷̪͇̔͝V̸̲̽E̷͎͋͛L̵̡̛̤̓̍O̸̠͙̫̒̿͘V̴̘̿̃E̷͇̍̆̌L̶͚̗͖̈́̈́͝Ơ̴̛͙̝V̵͓̅͒E̴̤̿͝ͅĽ̵̼̖̠͐̓O̶̥̙̟̓̑̕V̵̱͖̗̽Ȅ̵̼͚̥L̷̫̫͑̊O̸̯̼̐̓V̵̢̜͙́͛E̶̡̛̺͉L̶̰͐̄͒Ơ̵̗̪̑̐V̷̗̣͛Ḛ̸̭͕͊̓̀
"—!"
One moment everything was fine, and the next he felt as if an invisible, omnipotent force grabbed his arm and started pulling.
"SENPAI!"
Surprisingly it was Sakura who reached him first. He didn't know how she managed to do it, but in less than a second she was hugging him close and wouldn't let go.
"Sak..ura." He started to speak again.
Unlike her previous expressions, this was the first time he had seen such concentrated loathing on her face toward the invisible hand.
"LET HIM GO!" She snarled, "HOW DARE YOU!"
Dark Sakura route unlocked.
Wait, what? Shirou shook his head.
Was it his imagination, or were her eyes blood-red for moments?
The invisible hand wouldn't stop, on the contrary, it only began to add more pressure on his arm. Until finally the force was too heavy and began to drag them both along.
"RIN!"
"WHAT?!" The girl exclaimed heatedly to Archer, and after a moment ran out of words when she saw what he was pointing at.
Shirou was half caught up in something. It seemed as if time itself was curving around him, half of his body was no longer visible while Sakura tried to pull him out.
"This idiot!"
"Rin-Master, there is no time!" Archer says as he dashes to them, "This thing is trying to take the fool!"
"You think I don't know that?!"
"Rin! Archer! Help me out there!"
Saber who reached in front of them and grabbed her master by the other arm seemed to be in trouble, her face twisted into a grimace. Archer noticed, despite her improved strength as a Servant, that the ground beneath her began to crack from the defiance she was showing.
Soon he and Rin also joined, Archer noted that his C rank strength would make little difference here.
"It seems you need a hand." A familiar voice said.
"Yo!" Second voice called, "Who said you could have fun without me?"
"Kirei?! Lancer?!" Tohsaka Rin's eyes bulged, not believing that Kirei, of all there is, would lend a hand in need. She would rather have that blond bimbo with a fake British accent than him, "What are you here for, you evil priest?!"
And what was Lancer doing here?
"You're probably wondering what am I doing here, right lass?" Lancer asked and Rin nodded reluctantly.
"Not really."
"Well, this bastard over there give me this shit stuff too. So I was unconscious as well."
"Oh, ok."
"It's the only thing you have to say!?"
Rin shrugged, not that interested in his story.
"Anyway," She pointed, ignoring Lancer's 'hey!', at the second person here, "What do you want with Shirou?! You already give him this... thing."
"Shit, you mean." Lancer corrected. No one asked.
Kotomine Kirei smirked, "Emiya Shirou is mine to torment." He said as if that explained everything, and maybe it did.
The Priest barely dodged Gandr sent his way.
"STOP SAYING NONSENSE!"
Kirei shrugged, clearly enjoying all of this.
"Ugh," Archer wanted to facepalm if not for his hands being currently occupied by both holding his cursed younger counterpart's hand and not letting Rin claw at Kotomine's face, "You both!"
"Archer, stop it in an instant!" Saber called out, too focused for her to face them.
"It's not me! Damn that boy!"
"Archer! Language!" She sounded furious, that is not the way to call people, "Shirou is not—eep!"
A moment of distraction was all it took for Saber to stumble and everyone was drawn toward the source of the abnormality.
Damn my E rank Luck! Archer cursed. Damn this accursed boy!
And they knew no more.
It took a moment for Shirou to notice that he was falling.
Well, that is unexpected.
At least it wasn't high in the air.
"Senpai!" A voice called out from afar, the redhead noticed that Sakura was about to be left scattered on the hard ground.
Without wasting a moment to think, his body automatically grabbed onto the nearest structure to catch itself. Reinforcing his hand to keep it from breaking due to the interruption of the force of his flight, the boy barely managed to keep his balance. After this, he bounced towards her.
Shirou caught her in flight, holding her to him while Sakura tentatively embraced his neck.
He soon caught momentum and slid down one of the wooden railings that threatened to break under their weight and then landed on the ground. It looked like they were in some dark alley.
"Are you well?" He asked his dear friend, searching for any bruises.
"I'm fine," She assured with a smile, more than comfortable in his arms, "Thanks to you, Senpai."
"Shirou!" The boy in question kept telling himself that he didn't jump up startled at the sudden voice behind his back.
Turning around, he and Sakura saw Saber holding Tohsaka Rin in a similar position to Shirou holding Sakura.
"Comfortable, aren't you, Sakura?" Tohsaka blankly stared at her sister and Shirou.
"You as well, Nee-san." Sakura's smile was steel, "Are you alright as well, Saber-san?"
The Servant of the Sword nodded, "There doesn't seem to be any problems. Whatever attacked Shirou was frighteningly strong. However, other than that, I am wondering about our location."
"Our location?" Shirou asked, "You mean that we aren't in Fuyuki."
"Well, it's certainly not Fuyuki." Rin stated with a matter of fact to his statement, Shirou also thought so and probably not only him, "We are in some dark alley, in other words, we should figure out where exactly."
"Is something wrong Rin? You seem absentminded." Saber inquired, worried about her friend.
"No... It's just that I can't see or feel Archer around us, and that stupid Servant usually doesn't leave my side."
Silence.
"Maybe he landed somewhere else...?" Sakura threw her own few words, "Or maybe he's already looking for you? I'm sure he wouldn't leave the rest."
Asshole he is, but not in the long run. Shirou thinks quietly.
"Rin." Saber addresses, "Can you feel Archer the way you are now?"
A moment passes before Rin is able to respond, albeit hesitantly, "The connection is still there, but it's as if I can sense him very, very far away."
"So he landed somewhere else." Shirou answers the unknown, "I know he will try to find us. Especially since he feels the connection between Master and Servant."
"Nee-san, I think you should let him find you for now. And if not, you'll use Command Spell to summon him, right?"
"I—"
"You assume well, heir of Matou." Kirei Kotomine emerges from the shadows, so far only listening attentively, "These are uncertain times."
Until now, that is.
"Were you here all this time?!" Rin asks calmly, "What the heck!?"
"The dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural." He says ominously.
"Since when did you watch Star Wars movies?" Shirou asks him, cringing upon hearing the quote.
Kirei shrugs, refusing to elaborate.
"Kirei!" Rin starts but Shirou interrupts her, "By the way, where is Lancer?"
For a moment, everyone - including Kirei, looks around the place and notices the legs sticking out of the dumpster of all things.
"..."
"Lancer?" Shirou asks hesitantly.
The legs aren't moving.
"Lancer's dead!" Rin throws what is on everyone's mind.
"Nee-san, you shouldn't shout like that."
"Sorry, all this stuff got to me already. My head hurts."
Kirei wants to add something, "This—"
"KOTOMINE!"
.
.
.
"Oh."
What?
"Y-you," Rin calls out with her whole frame shaking, "What are you doing here?"
Shirou wants to ask the same. Saber prepares for the fight, and when her eyes land on the intruder, she is tense like never before. And Sakura still doesn't want to let go of him, fearing that something wants to take him away.
Standing in front of them is the Golden Servant with raised sunglasses. Looking so furious as if someone forcefully pulled him out of the pool and dragged him here.
And maybe that's the case.
This level of disrespect is unacceptable to the King.
Shit, Gilgamesh was pissed off.
"Faker."
A/N: And that's it for now. How did you like this crack-fic? There will be more in time. I just had to chill a little from all the studying I'm doing for my exams so I created this.
That's mostly why there are no updates for other stories.
Thank you for reading, see you next time.