By the time the sun dawned over Fuyuki, Illya had already forgotten her pain. It was time for another small adventure with her new friend, the one she hoped Sakura was just as excited as she was.
After having a quick breakfast with Fuji-née, Illya rushed off to meet Sakura on the way to school. This was where most students met in the morning and then continued to do their own thing across the town. Sakura would be there, too, and when the two find each other, they can begin their little voyage to the Ryuudou Temple and its surrounding wilderness.
Illya liked how lively Fuyuki looked during the summer, seeing all those people around her smiling and simply pursuing their hobbies without a care in the world…It helped Illya smile herself. After spending her entire life in gloomy castles and cramped rooms, Illya finally got a taste of freedom that she had never been able to afford.
By the time she reached Sakura, Illya was surprised to see that the girl wasn't alone. She was standing near a tall boy in glasses, looking at her with serious eyes and busy explaining something. Illya had seen this one a few times before; it was Issei Ryuudou, another of Shirou's friends.
"The monks can be busy during the day, but as long as you don't disturb them or anything, it should be fine." He talked before noticing Illya's approach.
"Heya, Sakura. And you're Issei, right? Don't think we ever talked before."
"Hello." Issei turned towards the girl. "I've seen you around many times, actually, no offense, but you really…Stand out."
"None taken. That's how I prefer it." Illya said confidently before looking at Sakura, who allowed herself to smile again.
"I was waiting for you." The purple-haired girl said. "Issei was going the same way as I and if we are still planning to go to the temple and its surroundings, I thought to ask his permission."
"That will probably clear up a lot, so great idea!" Illya said in an encouraging voice. Eventually, she turned to Issei. "You don't mind if we go check it out? The Tempe and some of the nice places around it."
"No, of course not. We love it when people get interested enough, but be mindful and don't disturb anyone, alright?"
"You got it!" Illya nodded confidently. "You know we're known for being very considerate, careful, and polite, right, Sakura?"
"I mean…" Sakura began meekly, but her voice was quickly drowned out by Issei's.
"Sakura is, but I can't say the same about you, so…I wouldn't be so sure." The boy crossed his arms, to which Illya could only smile and chuckle.
"I can always try my best if someone asks really nicely."
"I'll ask you very nicely, then…Please, be mindful."
"Promise!" Illya said playfully. "Come on, Sakura, let's check it out!"
After those words, Illya rushed in the direction of the temple with Sakura following her, both of them smiling to themselves. Illya had visited the temple before, though it had never been a carefree visit. The war took its toll on Fuyuki, especially Ryuudou temple…But most people simply preferred to forget the chaotic incident that occurred back in January. The temple must have been the same; everyone had already forgotten or purposefully ignored it that night, and instead of being a prisoner, Illya could finally be a guest. As she and Sakura approached the steps that led to the temple area, they began discussing their news, as usual.
"How was your evening? Did you do anything fun?"
"Oh, no, not really…I have a long reading list from school, so I mostly go through it." Illya wondered if Sakura could name any particular books, the voice she spoke with when describing her evening was far from confident. Illya was curious, she didn't know if it was worth pushing it, but the desire to know whether her intuition was correct got the better of her.
"What did you read? Maybe I'll pick some of those out." Illya said casually, making Sakura immediately avert her gaze.
"Eehh…It's nothing interesting. Honestly, I don't want to bore you with maths and all." Sakura quickly reassured her friend in an attempt to switch the topic, Illya expected that much, and the signal was clear enough. "By the way, why Ryuudou Temple? I mean, it's pretty and all, but I felt it came a bit out of nowhere yesterday." Sakura asked carefully, and Illya hesitated for a moment.
"Not sure…I guess it's because Shirou liked this place; I thought it would be neat to see what he likes about it."
"Ah, I think Senpai said something about it…" Sakura said thoughtfully, her tone immediately mellowing out the moment Shirou was mentioned. "I would've gone with him, but we just never found the time; he was so busy…" Sakura sighed with shame and visible disappointment. "How did you and Shirou become such close friends?" Sakura suddenly asked with curiosity, a question that was rather disarming to Illya.
Upon hearing it, there were immediate images and associations that came into Illya's head. The thought of Kirei carrying her to the temple, going through this exact forest, and climbing up the staircase leading to the temple. The memory of the grail's energy fueling her. The memory of entering this long, endless dream, from which she could never wake if it wasn't for Shirou's heroism. Illya thought of him holding her in his arms, comforting her after the dust had settled…The girl remembered seeing him cry as he watched the rising sun, tears of both sadness and joy, of mourning an experience that he will never relive again. Yet, at the heart of it all, he was happy that he saved a little girl who tried to kill him only a few days ago.
"Hm…" Illya pondered. "I think he's funny. You know, when you prod him a little, he doesn't get angry at all? I was looking for some new friends when I moved here, and Shirou…You can see he's a good one." Illya smiled. "And the way he wants to help absolutely everyone, it's so sweet!" Shirou was a unique person; indeed, the one Illya couldn't hate after getting to know him.
"I know exactly what you mean," Sakura said, letting out a warm smile and momentarily closing her eyes as if remembering the happy times they spent together. "He was always very kind to me and helped me with house chores…Always told me that I should relax and let him do all the work, always so eager to help!"
"He's going to have plenty of opportunity wherever he is now…" Illya said, still wondering what Shirou might be doing now. A hero's job is taxing, perfect for someone who likes to shoulder all the burns he possibly can.
"It's not good for him." Sakura shook her head. "He really changed this year. He always had this idea about being a hero, but something pushed him even more now…Sometimes, I wish he was simpler and was fine with staying home and living a quiet life, but…That wouldn't be Shirou, then." Sakura let out a saddened smile, mourning Shirou's departure.
"Sometimes people make stupid choices…" Illya shrugged. "But they're still their own. I just hope he learns sooner and not later."
"You're right…We shouldn't make those decisions for him. I'm glad he has that choice at all…Not everyone does." Sakura spoke with pain. Her words clearly came from experience, something that stayed with her forever and likely went back to Zouken. Something she tried not to think about, only to come back to it every single day.
It was hard to focus on fun when both of them hid so much, Illya hoped that in a few months this tension will erode, but that day simply never came.
But it didn't mean it wasn't worth a try.
Instead of going up the steps directly, the girls decided to explore the wilderness around it. It was a small area, a natural park that was a breath of fresh air in a large city like Fuyuki. They could hear birds singing and flying from one branch to another. There was not a soul around, and all the monks were gathering at the top of the hill.
"Look, it's really pretty!" Sakura pointed at a small lake emerging between the few trees and water flowing from small rivers on different sides. "I'd love to have a picnic here someday."
"See, I told you it will be a nice place!" Illya said before jumping right into the water, surprising Sakura with her decisive action. The sound of splash was music to Illya's ears, a reminder of the playful side of their lives, the small moments during which she could forget all of her troubles and simply enjoy the blessings of life. "Come on, don't you want to try?"
"My dress will get wet, it would be a hassle…"
"You sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. I'd rather go see the birds; there must be a lot of them here."
"Wait a minute, I'll go, too," Illya said, closing her eyes and trying to enjoy the fresh water soaking her. The clothes might have gotten wet, but it was worth feeling a sweet sensation on her withering skin. Who knew, it might have been her last opportunity. Illya had to live every day as if it was her last. The girl closed her eyes and enjoyed the flow…Yet before she could fully relax, a sudden chuckle interrupted her. It didn't come from Sakura, yet it was very close. The voice was soft and quiet, yet Illya could recognize that it belonged to an adult man.
"Sakura…?"
Another voice responded to her.
"Such peculiar guests…I'm surprised you decided to come back here; your memories of this place must be very harrowing."
Illya opened her eyes, only to see a Samurai standing behind Sakura.
…
Just when Sakura thought she could have a fun day, feeling safe and secure journeying with her friend, all of those hopes were shattered by a shadow that loomed above her. Illya's expression said enough; the girl was as shocked as Sakura herself, but they had no choice but to face the mysterious man who emerged before them. Sakura could feel him emitting an aura of magic, an incredibly powerful being, yet still chained by the force he could do nothing about. It reminded Sakura of herself. Bound by Zouken's chains and magic, she was nothing but a slave to his will, short moments of respite only served to further wound her.
Eventually, both she and Illya stared at the stranger. He was well-refined, wore a bright violet robe with pale skin, and tied black hair. A skilled warrior from a different time, a katana on his belt was enough to evidence that. Both her and Illya must have known who it was, yet Sakura had to feign obliviousness, just like grandfather would have her do. It was one of the servants, the Assassin, whom Zouken mentioned seeing once. But how could he still remain in this world? And what did he want?
"W-what…" Sakura spoke with fear, only to have the Assassin take a step back with a faint chuckle.
"Are you scared? Don't worry; I am not a threat to you or anyone. I am but a silent watcher of this temple, an unsung guardian of this sacred place. Few things pique my curiosity, but you…" He said as he looked at Illya. "You are a unique one."
"Who are…Who are you?" Sakura said in fear. In part, this shock was genuine, as she did not expect a servant to last for so long after the end of the war, and Sakura hoped it was enough to convince Illya that she is being entirely genuine.
"I am Sasaki Kojirou, the one my summoner deemed 'Assassin.'"
"Summoner?"
"You don't know?" Sasaki raised an eyebrow before turning to Illya. "And here I thought…Ah, no matter."
"What do you want from us?" The white-haired girl jumped up and rushed to Sakura's defense with a stern expression. "Why are you even still here? It makes no sense!"
"A side effect of my summoning." The Samurai explained. "My 'master' wanted an obedient and restricted hound at her service, so she bound me to this place."
"What do you mean?"
"The temple and its surroundings, I am bound to them; I feed from their natural energy; it allows me to persist even after my 'master' is gone." Sasaki looked at the lush area around him. "It has been a lonely vigil…Sometimes I wish the grail would've simply absorbed me in like all the others, but perhaps it never considered me a true servant, and so decided to leave me behind." The Assassin said in a somber tone before looking at the girls, specifically Illya, with a playful smile on his face. "But you would know all about that, wouldn't you?" He looked at Illya as the girl stared back with her sharp eyes. Eventually, what confusion still marked her face dissipated.
"You saw what happened here on the night the grail emerged, didn't you…" Illya said sternly, making Sakura turn around in confusion. What was she talking about? Did she know something? What did she do at this temple last time?
"I did…And judging by the reaction of your friend here, you don't speak of it often, do you? Oh, words cannot describe my temptation when I saw the King of Knights and her master coming up those stairs…They followed the priest that carried you here." He was talking about Shirou and Saber, and the priest must have been Kotomine…It sounded like the very night Shirou and Saber claimed the grail and battled Kirei at Ryuudou Temple, the story that Zouken told her about…What did it have to do with Illya? Even if she was a master during the war, why would Kirei care for her? "But I decided to stay away and watch from the shadows. They fought for you, King of Knights, against the King of Heroes, as did their masters. Is it because of the holy energy I sensed pulsing through you?" He countinued taunting her, and eventually, Illya spoke up, barely able to hide her annoyance.
"Yes, you're right. You could've said your piece without causing a scene, but I guess that's how it is with your kind…' Vaunted heroes', bleh!"
"Illya, what is he talking about?" Sakura asked.
"Yes, I was the vessel that the grail chose." Illya continued as she stared at Sasaki. "Is that what you wanted to confirm?" Sakura couldn't believe her ears…She knew that the holy grail could imbue lesser grails with its power, that it could choose people as extensions of itself…And even though the thought hadn't crossed Sakura's mind before, she shouldn't be surprised to hear that it chose someone from a noble magus family. "Too bad you stayed back like a coward; now you will never get a crumb of that sweet grail, right?"
"What can I say? We all have our moments of weakness. It isn't the grail I wanted out of this world anyway; it was a fight that would be worth singing songs about, the fight that I would enjoy to my very core. I missed my opportunity, I admit, but it will be a long time before I fade away from this place…A part of me is still waiting." Kojirou smiled and turned around. "You are lucky you survived your metamorphosis, one of a kind, even. If I were you, I'd do my best not to waste this opportunity." The Samurai said before turning around and leaping forth, disappearing among the trees like a fleeting shadow. A phantom of the war that watched the future from a place he was tied to, clearly finding it amusing. It was as if he came here to destroy the fantasy that Sakura has built, that of an innocent friendship between two girls who just happened to meet during difficult times. But this was no accident, and Sakura couldn't run from it any longer.
Illya was connected to the Grail War, and didn't come to Fuyuki by accident or chance. Perhaps von Einzbern family sent her here to act as the vessel for the grail, that meant that the dark cloud she saw on the final day of the war, Illya must have been at the core of it…
"So…" Illya sighed before looking at her friend. "You probably have questions." Sakura saw shame in the girl's crimson eyes. She must have felt as if she owed her friend an explanation. Sakura's heart sank at the thought of discomforting Illya, and in the moment, she made a swift decision, no matter how foolish it might have been.
"I…I know." Sakura said quietly, making Illya look up in surprise.
"Huh?"
"You wanted to talk about the Holy Grail War, right? The one that went on here back in January?"
"Yeah…" Illya said cautiously, carefully looking at her. Sakura felt that her sudden confession made her friend even more uneasy, but it was too late to back down.
"My brother was one of the masters…I know about servants and what they do."
"Oh, I see, I…" Illya paused, unable to put her thoughts into coherent speech. "I probably should've told you earlier…"
"It's fine. It was already over by that point, right? We shouldn't have focused on it!" Sakura spoke up, trying to reassure Illya, though she didn't feel particularly confident herself. "That said, you're on the von Einzbern family and…"
"You're a Matou." Illya said, confirming that she was just as aware of Sakura's 'bloodline.'
"Yes…I always had this thought in the back of my mind, but I never could ask…Was it all really an accident? You aren't some spy who is supposed to befriend me and then…"
"No, no, not at all!" Illya spoke up, as if offended at the suggestion. "My mentors sent me here so that I could oversee the war and eventually channel the grail's energy, but that's all over now."
"So…You don't answer to them anymore?"
"Of course not! Life is short enough without serving some power-hungry magi! And the feeling is mutual. By the way, they don't need me anymore, either." She spoke with anger in her words, but eventually, it faded, turning into something far more somber and pained, although Sakura couldn't quite understand what emotion this was. Her new friend was good at concealing her emotions, the same way Sakura was.
"I…Alright, if that's settled, then I guess…I guess it's alright."
"You can trust me, Sakura, I promise. The past's in the past, and I couldn't care less about those wars anymore…That pesky Samurai probably thought it would be fun to watch us argue, so let's award him with a big fat nothing!" Illya encouraged Sakura, making the girl smile.
"Yes, you're right…Let's check out the birds like we planned."
It was still worth clinging on to this sense of security, to pretend as if nothing was wrong at all and that there was only a pure, innocent friendship between the two of them that wasn't affected by the past they carried.
Of course, it soon proved to be an impossible task.