Hiiii~ Another chapter is here!!
Don't have much to say other than thank you to my newest patrons: JohnnyDefenitelyNotSoma, Jack2090, FREEKYfreak and Servin Y'all rock!!
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That is all,
Author NimtheWriter out!
Beta read by Shigiya, Darklord331 and special thanks to Gamecrusher55.
-Emiya Residence-
It was rare for Shirou to feel this uncomfortable around a place like this… especially a church of all places. Memories of the past surfaced when he gazed at this building from afar, never truly taking time to visit the interior or even have a conversation with the priest.
Though after this one meeting, he did not feel that to be a bad thing. The man inside felt off, his guts naturally felt wary of that person, especially when gazing at those empty eyes lacking any emotions yet he smiled so easily.
Maybe he was being paranoid.
Fortunately, not much time passed before Bazett came out and both ended up walking all the way back to his house without saying anything.
Something clearly happened inside to change her mood this drastically, her constant focus and lost gaze during the entire walk made it obvious, even when he tried to ask questions she gave him vague answers.
When they reached the gate Bazett turned around to face him "Well it's been fun, but I've got to go."
"Are you sure?" he asked, still curious about what happened inside but unsure if he should push the matter anymore than he already did. "It's late, the streets are mostly empty making it a perfect opportunity for an attack. What if Caster and her Master try to finish what they've started."
The former Enforcer hummed, not disagreeing with his words. "Perhaps, but this time I'll be ready, they won't catch me off guard a second time. While I can't risk fighting a Servant head on, at the very least escaping should be achievable."
Shirou knew this woman possessed incredible prowess, but even he did not feel comfortable with that idea of hers. 'Rider, help me out here a bit.'
The purple haired Servant chimed in, her sudden appearance making Bazett flinch at first. "I would not advise that. Caster seemed incredibly capable. She is not a foe a modern magus should underestimate, even if your main goal is to escape. When we fought, it was clear she had access to ancient mysteries, and was able to use them far more skillfully than most should. My Master was just lucky back then."
"Oi."
Bazett frowned in thought.
"That's true, despite the fact that I am skilled in battling mages, I couldn't even get close to her before she had me on the ground… but don't underestimate me, this is what separates Sealing Designation Enforcer's from regular mages. I am skilled in anti-magus combat. It's how I can bring in those the Clock Tower considers targets. Next time she won't have me so easily."
Even though Shirou could not see it, he was pretty sure Rider rolled her eyes behind that blindfold. "But Caster is not your typical Magus now is she? And she had you on the ground despite that."
The magenta-haired woman's face twisted, turning ugly at that last part. But some trace of stubbornness surfaced soon after.
"I was caught off by the rate and power of her magical energy beams, I can usually power through stuff like that, and take a magus out point blank. Next time, I'll have countermeasures in place along with a better understanding of her powers, allowing me to not be taken down so easily.." Bazett retorted with more bite, probably because it ironically hadn't been that difficult for the Caster to defeat her.
The boy found it pretty ironic that the person who told him to not fight Servants at any point refused to follow her own advice. Still, he decided to add his own two cents. "Are you a hundred percent sure about that, maybe it's the fact that despite you being an "anti-magus" specialist, that really speaks about how capable Caster is in spells that she would be able to overpower you."
"..."
She said nothing, but her frown deepened until a sigh of defeat escaped her mouth. He could see her hands slightly ball into fists.
"Look, what if you just hold off on fighting them for now until you've got better means to handle her? In the meanwhile, if Caster or any other enemy Servants try anything, the three of us can team up and handle it. Our chances are much higher with Rider around."
The woman ended up chuckling at the end, "Look who's talking. I should be the one saying such things instead of the other way around… yet here we are now. Maybe… hah, damn it."
"Does this have something to do with what you discussed with that priest?"
Bazett took a deep breath before exhaling, not giving him an answer and instead she smiled. "I appreciate that I really do, but this is personal. I've got to find them, and put a stop to them."
Now that made him curious. "What did they do to you that made you so focused on taking them down?"
Bazett turned to leave. "Sorry, Shirou, but we're not there yet, for me to tell you about that. I appreciate all the help, but I'll be taking my leave now."
With her back turned, she started walking away. But he still could not end this conversation here when he was left with more questions than answers.
"Even though you said that next time Caster will appear that you'll try to escape. Will that really be the case? Maybe I should accompany you back after all, just to be sure. Come to think of it, where are you staying in Fuyuki? You don't live here so it's probably something temporary… a hotel right?"
She waved her hand dismissively without looking back. "I'll be fine, Shirou. Now that I know they're on my tail, I know how to properly establish defenses enough to make it back, to your correct guess, a hotel."
'She could at least mention which hotel it even was…'
"And just to be on the safe side I'll avoid the sight of anything that looks remotely like a familiar. Also, sorry kid, we're not close enough yet for me to tell you where I've been crashing."
'Was she able to read his mind? Not that surprising or shocking if that were the case.'
"I'll probably move soon somewhere else before the war starts. The place I have in mind is perfect, let's just say the last time I was here, I scouted out a nice perfect hideout, where no one will bother me — there I can just focus on my work. I'll contact you later. We've got a lot to talk about after."
With that he didn't stop her as she walked away into the distance. Stopping shortly in the distance, and turned her head to look at him one last time.
"Also thanks for saving my hide. I'll remember that when all is said and done."
At that, he couldn't help, but smile. "You're welcome, now stay safe at night while you head home."
Bazett turned for the last time, and waved back at him as she got out of sight.
Rider would have been quiet during the latter part of the conversation, but stayed out. Now that it was finished she spoke silently. "Would you like me to keep an eye on her, and make sure she arrives safely?"
It was not a bad idea, he doubted even someone like Bazett could sense Rider in her spiritual form.
Yet he still hesitated.
"A part of me does want to say yes, but I would be going behind her back by doing so and it does not feel right. Let's trust that she knows how to get back home safely and avoid danger. Bazett is more skilled in that than me, plus if she finds out we're trying to tail her to her hideout, it might kiss away any faith she has in us."
Rider nodded her head. "Understood. Let's go inside. I'm sure Sakura is back and is waiting for us."
From the moment he went to the church, the conversation he had with the priest, waiting for Bazett and their walk back — a couple of hours slipped by without him even realizing that.
"Right."
Opening the door they saw Sakura always greeting them with a big fat grin. Whatever troubles they had prior they could worry about later. Of course he would admit that he was slightly surprised that it would be a little later than he thought.
.
.
.
Time passed.
A few months passed since he first summoned Rider.
He had to admit, a lot had happened since then and he could barely keep up with all of it. In just a few days it was finally time as he thought to himself, walking to school, the boy found himself lost in his thoughts upon seeing the banners and several students excitedly wandering around the entrance.
Several bold words painted onto the banner that drew his attention.
"Ah, it's the end of the school year already." Shirou murmured, He couldn't help but chuckle as he looked at the banner on his school bellowing in the wind. The end of his first highschool year and soon to start second year, all of it happening so soon.
"Ah!"
A sharp slap on his back caught him off guard, pulling him back to reality. Looking back, expecting to find one of the graduating upperclassmen playing a prank on him or Ayako wanting to scare him — he was surprised to find Taiga grinning at him.
The latter wore a rather formal looking dress which both suited the woman yet looked so odd on someone like her.
"What's the matter a little creeped out that it happened so fast." She looked at him with a bright smile, having guessed everything that went through his mind accurately.
First Bazett and now her… was he that predictable?
'Yes, you are.'
Of course, Rider answered that, having a bit of mirth in her tone.
"It's not like I can't understand the feeling, I still have memories of my last year in highschool. It really feels like it was yesterday…now I feel old." Her face switched to sadness and tears going down her face. "Now you're almost there, just like I was. How can you grow up so fast!? It's too quick! But I'm also so proud of you guys for pulling through… you made it, even after that sudden curveball the Administration threw at us. Even the teacher's were all shocked."
She was an utter mess.
"Uuuuaah! And you even came top of your class again! I couldn't be happier!"
Thankfully, during the last few days after he left the church and separated ways with Bazett. Fuyuki entered a rather peaceful period without much noise, no activity from Caster even as he and Rider continued to scout the area. But he doubted that Servant and her Master were just lying around doing nothing… It was worrisome.
Using the period of peace to his advantage, he caught up with his studies and spent more time helping Sakura with her final exams as well.
"Stop crying, Fuji-nee, you're making a scene. Everyone is looking at us."
"Stop being so shy and come here so that I can give you a hug! Someone take a picture and send it to me later!" Leaving him no time to respond, she got hold of him with enough strength to practically suffocate him.
"Um I can do it" They both turned to the sound of the voice, where they saw a sight they never saw till this morning. Sakura in her new high school uniform who had just been talking to some other students.
Seeing her, Shirou couldn't help but smile.
He kept thinking about all the things that had changed. His meeting with Luvia and her aid in Magecraft, Sakura moving into his house, Ayako discovering the world of Magecraft, his fights with Bazett to clear the streets of Magical Beasts, his summoning of Rider, his encounter with Caster, and the times he had to deal with even more of Fuji-nee's shenanigans.
That wasn't even counting all the events that followed.
The school pushing the exams to occur earlier than scheduled did come out of nowhere and he, just like Taiga, was pretty confused about it — even when he heard her storming into the principal's office and causing a scene. Kinda difficult not to notice when your homeroom teacher barrels out skipping breakfast, all the screaming he heard in his class while the teacher was missing, and finally a messed up Taiga coming into the classroom with nothing but mutters and erratic behavior. 'Poor Gotou got bullied too much that day.' Fuji-nee was not in the mood for his random personality.
Shinji did end up showing his face around more often, quieter than usual and almost blending into the background. They crossed paths a couple of times but the boy always ended up ignoring him.
Extra classes, new substitute teachers and much more stressful periods, most managed to pull through.
"Have you seen Issei, Fuji-nee?" He asked the woman, wanting to meet the one person who went through the most stressful period with how regularly he kept helping fellow students out.
"Most likely helping the student council setting up the ceremony. Most of them are third years and will be graduating, so safe to say he has a lot on his plate today as well." She revealed, dragging Sakura away from who she was talking to, and going around taking more pictures with all the other students.
"She shouldn't have offered to take pictures, now Fuji-nee won't let her go."
With that done, he walked into the school and was met with the sight of several students excitedly talking to one another, some saying goodbyes while others were happy to be promoted to the year above with their friends.
"Emiya-kun?" Hearing someone call his name, he turned towards the crowd to find Rin emerging with Ayako and a few others from their class. He saw them a bunch, weren't they the core members of the Track and Field club.
'Was her name… Kaede?' He recalled the name of the tanned girl, having seen her speak with Ayako a couple of times.
"Ah, Tohsaka, I can take it, everything went well." He approached her, being greeted by the others as well — though the one with the reddish brown hair kept staring at him way too intensely for some reason.
"Hmph, Of course I passed! I just hope everyone passed their exams as well, they all worked so hard."
Ah, that sweet voice paired with that innocent expression the girl was putting on made his heart pound for some reason. He supposed she would act like that around so many people, further making him think about Luvia who called her a savage gorilla. He did not miss the instant she started to worry about the others when she was about to boast about passing the exams easily.
Even Ayako was looking at her weirdly, guess she started to become familiar with Rin's true personality bit by bit.
"Amazing as always, Rin!" The one with the glasses mentioned.
"Don't say that, Kane, you also did amazing."
"Pft, says the second place. Oh right, wasn't Emiya-kun here the first one on the board!? Did you know that, Rin? How did you do that!? Emiya-kun, I am impressed."
The sudden attention did cause him to feel a bit overwhelmed. "Haha well you know I just studied hard, and made sure to go to all the cram study sessions." He scratched the back of his head, coming up with the first thing he could think up at the moment. Even if busy with his magecraft training, patrols, recovering and chores — he never really stopped studying.
'Because if I didn't I wouldn't be able to escape that glare Fuji-nee kept giving me.' He sent Rider all the time to scan Fuyuki to make sure nothing bad was happening, but she kept coming back saying everything was peaceful, and he should stop procrastinating.
Which he totally was not.
The way Rin froze up as well as her eyebrows twitching a couple of times, she definitely knew and was not a fan of losing her place from what he knew about her personality. If she was anything similar to what Luvia mentioned, then the girl was very competitive and her coming second must have damaged her pride to some extent.
"Is that really all?" Ayako asked this time around. "You can tell us your secret, we're friends aren't we?"
He shrugged, "Just daily revision and keeping up with my homework. Not much of a secret, anyone can do it with enough discipline."
Rin's smile became more strained, "Yes, discipline. I am sure many have been studying religiously for the entire year without missing a day despite circumstances out of their control forcing them to divert their attention elsewhere, maybe they could have also been at the top. But I am sure you also put in a lot of effort, Emiya-kun."
Right, she definitely was not happy.
He had to give her credit, keeping up with her Second Owner duties, while preparing for the war, and the sudden school shift couldn't have been easy.
He could still remember all the trouble Issei had setting it up when it came to helping students with their studies. It was so bad that the bespectacled boy was forced to work with Rin of all people, who was brought on as an emergency member of the student council just to meet the deadline, by the teachers.
A miracle in itself that his friend did not just walk out right then and there.
Of course, not everything went smoothly. Having heard more than enough from Issei about Rin taking the reins and becoming the de facto student council president during that time — further boosting her popularity.
All the stress it caused him, as well as the relief when she finally left.
Heck, even he had to pitch in with the student council, at times even providing them meals to keep their strength up… Rin had looked at him intensely during those moments. Shirou wondered if the girl was going to ask more questions about Sakura or was she suspicious of him? He made sure to not use any form of magecraft at school.
Still, her gaze eyed him like a hawk, kinda like now.
Ayako chimed in, smiling. "Hey, if you feel pissed then just get revenge on him next time, You were busy yourself with all this stuff that's happening right, There are still two more years where you can dominate at the top."
Rin calmed down. "Hmph of course, this was an anomaly no more, no less. Also I am not looking for any 'revenge', Ayako. I am perfectly content and more than happy to see Emiya-kun achieve such results."
Kaede then offered her usual butting in. "Hehe, you say that, but I can still tell you're pissed, that for once everything didn't work out for you. I know, why don't I treat you to some sweets later, there's an awesome Takiyaki stand, right next to the "Singing Bird's Retreat". I know you want to go there."
The twin-tailed Magus turned to look at Kaede, with a surprisingly calm and serene, smiling face which actually made Kaede break a sweat. "Sorry but I can't maybe on my day off, but you know what, maybe you should still go Maki-san. Afterall you love antique's don't you and I know they're hiring. Just imagine being surrounded by wind chimes while spending money to buy all the sweets you want.
"Ah that actually sounds…WAIT, but then I won't have time to goof off." Kaede broke free of her spell, and used her sleeve to wipe away her saliva.
At this point the girls were so engrossed in their conversation that not a single one of them noticed Shirou slipping away and retreating somewhere else.
…Well, except Yukika, who for some reason kept staring at him.
Roaming around the school, he found Shinji speaking to some of the girls, not being as loud as his usual self, but still not missing the opportunity. Continuing to walk around, he did encounter a few members of the student council who were graduating.
And just like always, they all kept saying the same thing to him, and he had to reply in kind.
"Sorry, I can't join the council. I am already busy enough, maybe it's best I remain as I am now and just come by to help whenever I can." He turned down the multiple requests that flooded in due to all the help he had given.
Mostly because Fuyuki required him to be more available to deal with the ongoing threats. Even recalling at one point, while he and Issei were eating lunch, the latter made a joke that stuck with him till the end of the year, "At this rate, you should join the going-home club with Rin…you know what on second thought, forget I said anything."
Of course, that remark riled up Ayako, who for some reason was eavesdropping on them. Barrelling straight toward them, invading their personal space and insisting that he join the Archery Club.
Giving him no room to protest and ruining Issei's lunch. Trying to say otherwise proved fruitless as he learned from past experience, the girl was more stubborn than a mule held onto him with a vice grip.
Not that she needed to go that far, the Archery club remained one of his favorite places to hang out. Not joining it never once crossed his mind back then and even today.
"2-C huh… nothing changed." Same old classmates, no new names or even anyone missing from the list. He did find Ayako and Rin's name for class 2-A — with Sakura being amongst the newest batch in first years in highschool.
Other than this and the graduation ceremony, there was not much to do. Taiga kept dragging Sakura around as her personal camerawoman, Rin, Ayako and that "Track Field Trio" 'He wondered if that would catch on' were all animatedly talking to each other.
So, since no one was willing to disturb him, the redhead went outside for a bit to get away from all the noise and fanfare. Not that anyone would even notice his disappearance for a short amount of time.
"Hm?"
While outside, he ended up spotting a familiar face. Accompanied by a large hulking figure and a limousine which served as a magnet for people's attention. Holding onto the gate's he muttered one name, "Luvia?"
"Sherou! Congratulations on completing your first school year! You look absolutely dashing in that uniform!" As energetic as always, a smile tugged his face when he approached her and she handed him a wrapped box. Looking inside he discovered more books and it didn't take him long to figure out what they were.
"Are you sure your sister won't travel to Fuyuki to assassinate me? At this rate I'll own her entire library — not that I don't appreciate the gift." Going through the pages, most were details on more basic spells and even a bit of jewelcraft at the end. "Are you sure about this?"
"I am not handing you the core principles and teachings of my family's thaumaturgy. This information is available to the public and only scratches the surface, even a random third rate magus picked up from the streets can find this. This is just that, but it also is with a few more insights from my sister added to it."
For some reason he highly doubted that. 'Weren't you the one who told me that mages would kill to protect their research.'
"Are the two of you in a… good relationship?"
She snapped her fan closed and hummed while looking at the sky, "She did end up almost killing me a handful of times which were deemed to be accidents by my father. Let's see… two defective jewels that nearly exploded in my presence, the security around me was pulled for herself, and she accidentally released a dangerous phantasm monster during our last mission. The list goes on. She loves me~!"
"..."
He couldn't tell if Luvia was messing with him or not.
Why hadn't he met a normal Magi family with normal sibling relationships? Hopefully this was not the norm in the Supernatural world, or his hopes for Illya would be that much harder to achieve.
"You didn't have to come all the way here. My door is always open for you at any time."
"Oh my, what a bold thing to say!" She chuckled with amusement but did not decline what he said prior. "While I have come to congratulate you, my goal is to also meet Rin Tohsaka. Since we are…how do you say it… associates? Right, that works. Yes, associates, I find that it is my duty to make sure to congratulate her on such occasions."
Hopefully they wouldn't cause a scene.
"Is that really it?" He asked again, feeling like she was not telling him everything.
Luvia kept her smile, showing no changes to her expression making her that much harder to read. "Private matters, Sherou. As much as I trust you, I can't share everything with you. Unless you are willing to join my family." She asked leaning a bit closer to him.
"Does it have to do with Caster and her Master?"
"..."
Her silence was enough to answer his question.
"There are many things happening at the Clocktower lately that it's hard to keep track of. One side says one story, while another side mentions something else entirely… with the truth becoming indiscernible. Just so happens that many of those people who are involved in those matters coincidentally happen to be present in Fuyuki and I would not waste this opportunity to not gain something useful from this." Vague as they were, he could tell that she hadn't encountered Caster yet.
Why would she for that matter? Without a Servant, doing such a thing was no different to suicide.
"Don't take things too far, make sure you're safe, there's some serious powers, as you keep telling me."
"Hmph you're making me laugh at that remark, If anyone is more suited to this it's me." He shot him a meaningful glare. "Now I believe I must be going to see my associate." He could have sworn he heard a chuckle at that.
"Just promise whatever you're doing doesn't ruin the festivities today, it's special for a lot of us."
"Message received I will hold myself back just the necessary amount… however I can't make promises for the gorilla."
They exchanged a few more words until he remembered something. "By the way, Luvia. Just out of curiosity, have you met or seen someone called Gray lately?"
"Gray? Isn't that El-Melloi's assistant? You know her?"
He nodded his head, "We met once and had a good talk. I was worried if she's doing alright, I haven't seen her around for a while and I'm worried if she got targeted by Caster or someone else."
The blonde thought about an answer for a few seconds but ended up shaking her head. "Sorry, I have not seen that woman lately as well but I am also not keeping an eye on her to begin with. Fuyuki is not my territory, I can't send my familiars roaming the street without getting noticed by several entities. Those worms are everywhere. They have gotten far more numerous lately as well, troublesome and disgusting."
Shirou's body froze up when he heard that last part. Right, on top of Caster he needed to keep an eye out for Zouken as well. The old man, strangely enough, had not come after Sakura yet. But he feared that this could change at any moment.
It was not normal how easily he let her go.
"Be careful of Zouken. That man is…. He's not a human." He warned Luvia.
"Fufufu~! Don't worry, I know my limits."
With that said, he walked back inside the school grounds after bidding her farewell. Having kept the box in hand before carefully stashing it away inside his bag.
Yet right as he entered the school ground, someone else left with hastened steps.
"What are you doing here!?"
"Hohohoho! Just here to congratulate you on this momentous occasion! Take a picture, Clown, I want to show my colleagues that even a savage gorilla can get an education~!"
"Why you… !"
"Not the hair!"
Immediately he got swarmed by a sea of students rushing to see the commotion. He should have known Luvia came here to mess with Rin.
"Quick, Sakura! Take a few shots of this, I don't want to miss anything! The newspaper club will pay good money for this!"
"A-Ah, please, the memory is already full!"
Oh poor Sakura, Shirou wondered if he should go to her rescue or not. Though seeing as she was held by a ferocious Fuji-nee, perhaps that would not be the best option.
'Sorry, Sakura. I'll be going back inside first.'
'Traitor.' Rider whispered, to which he shrugged.
'Not true.' That girl was with the safest person in the school right now.
They had all assembled in front of the podium placed in the middle of the field located at the center of the school, the place where many sports clubs performed activities. This place was basically used for Track and Field, Soccer, or High Jumps.
The student's were all arranged in rows and columns, sitting on chairs that had been placed beforehand. He gave a glance at what most of the school was staring at instead, a disheveled Rin who's hair was a mess clearly tired from her confrontation with Luvia. She was working non stop fixing it, scaring a nearby girl named Kirishima who often helped Issei, to hold up a mirror to help.
Slowly as the music started, the principal came up to the stand, and gave a speech, saying how sorry he was for the sudden proceedings while giving his reasons.
Meanwhile Issei had silently moved to pull Kirishima away from Rin who had almost finished with her hair, the woman then turning to Ayako while holding it to her, which she took while having the cheekiest grin.
'She definitely enjoyed watching Rin let loose and fight Luvia, it was probably an eye opener for a lot of people here who didn't think she was capable of that.'
As the Principal's speech reached its end he began calling each student to receive their diploma. When it all came to an end he called the two representatives of the graduating class. The former third year representatives, a male and female who'd once served as the student council president and vice-president, approached the bench and spoke into the microphone. Oddly enough he could have sworn he saw something hidden under their clothes.
"My fellow student's, it appears that it happened far faster than it should have, but it looks like we have to say goodbye quicker than expected. To be honest I would have liked more time as a third year getting to spend time with each person at this school, and I know that all my fellow third-years feel the same way. We can't keep thinking of "what-if's" all the time though, while there can be a certain sense of salvation in looking at what could have happened, we also can't ignore the now."
Shirou listened, though slowly the words started to blend together and his attention went elsewhere. 'Did you sense anything with Luvia, Rider?'
'Nothing as of yet, I don't think she has summoned a Servant yet.'
While he saw nothing on the back of her hand, that woman could easily use a simple spell to hide such a mark. 'I guess it's only a matter of time.'
'Will you be able to become her enemy?'
That was what he hoped to avoid, putting aside Luvia's capabilities as a Magus — he just did not want to find himself in a position to hurt her after all she did for him. He was not sure what her wish was in the first place, maybe reaching the Root like many mages or something else.
If that wish could be accomplished without the aid of the Grail then he would be willing to help and hopefully not have her be as involved. But in the end, all of this was just a thought. He could not be certain what the future held for him.
"...am especially proud of all the student's who pressed on, and managed to survive the surprise entrance exams. Whether you passed or failed, the fact that you fought on in this stand-off so's your real pioneer's paving a way to the future."
A resounding amount of claps echoed throughout the school grounds, as the speech came to an end. He followed along while looking around to find Ayako talking to Sakura while Rin managed to bring back that innocent smile after her scuffle with Luvia.
"Well said Takita, all of you should feel proud no matter what, and hold it up on your chest like a shining sheriff's badge. To be honest I would have liked to have stayed and helped the successor's for the student council, but after the way they pulled through this time I feel confident leaving the school in the hands of people like Issei Ryuudou and Rin Tohsaka."
There was a resounding amount of claps as individual's turned to the mentioned individual's. Issei had a deep red shade of blush on his face, but stood up with pride as if to not insult his predecessors. Rin also had curtsied at the audience her hair now properly combed to the point no one could notice it was a wreck before.
"We know you guys will be okay, so please be okay with us as well. All of us are moving on to uncharted territory, but we won't let that stop us from living lives we can do right by, in particular please with both me and my old sheriff, good luck as…
They then removed their clothes much to the shock and surprise of the audience, when rather than naked forms, what greeted them were outlandish outfits.
"While the both of us mosey down to the good ol U.S.A. for our education. America's calling to us, and we're about to show them how adventurous and gung-ho we are. They won't know what hit them!"
What appeared underneath their clothes were fully dressed cowboy outfits from America's old west. They look like they were about to go back to the past where the gun decided everything, and people hunted for gold. They'd even worn full gallon hat's that weren't there before.
"Not again!"
"Woah dramatic costume change."
"For a second there I thought they'd gone crazy."
"There it is our former co-captain's love of the old west rearing its head."
'You had quite the exciting seniors.' Rider commented in his head.
'Tell me about it, from what I understand they are big fans of historical characters like Billy the Kid and Calamity Jane.'
All in all, the day went well.
{Break}
-Emiya Residence-Dojo-
(A few days later)
When it came to combat, confrontations that required close contact with the opponent and a sturdy overall physique was something— Shirou had to admit that he was somewhat lacking in that department.
There was only so much damage he could sustain, so many broken bones, torn ligaments, and internal bleeding to bear before everything broke apart.
Not to say he did not have experience or training, but compared to the people he met so far. The discovery of how far behind he was in that aspect struck the boy like a wrecking ball. From getting overwhelmed by Luvia when they first met to getting absolutely pummeled by Bazett and nearly dying in the process of escaping.
Granted he personally believed his current specialized field lay in long-range shooting than anything else but having an overall balanced arsenal felt ideal. A small part of him wanted to believe that he at least managed to get better, to have improved to a certain degree so that past incidents would not repeat themselves anymore.
Bang!
"Gah!"
Yet here he was, coughing out blood and spit, rolling onto the dojo's floor with his body drenched in sweat. Breathing haggardly and seeing two from his vision. Overall… a pretty miserable situation.
"Stop trying to rush your opponent, keep your guard up, as well as your distance. Your form is not bad but you lack proper strength and technique for your strikes to incapacitate your opponent as quickly as possible."
How many times had he been tossed like this? Ten? Twenty? Thirty?
He lost count honestly, not bothering to keep track of the numbers with the multiple head traumas he sustained. "I think you turned me into a crippled man, Bazett."
At his response, a damp towel flew at his face with a loud splat. "Stop whining, brat. You're the one who asked me to help you with these lessons. I am not one to let my debts go unpaid, and I also don't do things half-assedly… so you have no one to blame but yourself."
Looking at the person standing in front of him, wearing a simple blue tracksuit that clung to her figure. Sweat trickled down her forehead from their spars, yet not a single presence of bruised skin or anything similar. She was completely fine while he suffered plenty of torment by those unnaturally powerful fists.
'Back when she was supposed to still be recovering I was barely able to keep up with her, but now I feel like she has become more powerful than her past self.'
What a monster.
It is still not as hard to deal with compared to Rider. Of course, the latter was a Servant after all, but Rider's kicks felt more painful due to her heels, which felt no different from getting pierced by a metal rod.
"Also you are the weird one, It's good to have the drive to get better and improve — but pushing yourself to this extent won't gain you any results." His solar plexus ached, every joint in his arms screamed in protest from the smallest movements and his legs were basically jelly at this point.
But he didn't share Bazett's opinion about not gaining anything from pushing himself so far. "I become more familiar with your style." He said with great effort, pushing himself off the ground after feeling some of his energy recover. "And your lessons have helped me learn how to take a hit without something important in my body breaking. I would not have been able to learn this in such a short period of time without your help."
"Tch, trying to flatter me won't get you anywhere." She said quietly, neither sounding angered by what he mentioned nor trying to disapprove of his statement. "Still, you do recover quicker than I anticipated. I will comment on one thing, next time, you better not try to grab onto my body like that if you don't want a broken skull."
A chill ran down his spine, forcing him to look at the ceiling and be unable to meet her gaze for a few seconds. During their battle, he would occasionally use moves taught to him by Luvia, trying to get a hold of Bazett and immobilize her movements as much as possible believing he couldn't beat her without pinning down her shoulders. Using offensive attacks proved to be useless so that was his only option which he believed had a fair chance of succeeding.
But he forgot to account that in trying to get a proper hold of Bazett and with her struggling to break free, the result was he would end up ripping apart the shirt she had on at first.
Frozen in shock, Shirou's eyes widened as he found himself gawking at Bazett's barely concealed chest, her sports bra clinging on for dear life and revealing an ample amount of her large firm, bouncing cleavage that her suit and gym clothes had hidden. His gaze lingered a little too long, catching a tantalizing glimpse of pink peeking out from the fabric. Before he could fully process the sight, Bazett's fist ruthlessly connected with his face, the sheer force behind the blow launching him clear across the dojo like a ragdoll.
She pretended nothing happened after changing into a tracksuit, but that faint blush on her face was very telling.
"Why are you not asking that Servant of yours to help you? I haven't seen her fight but she is a Heroic Spirit at the end of the day and her power and skills outclass mine. Surely she is the better option than me."
"..."
It was not the case of Rider not being good enough as a teacher because she was, but rather the issue was something completely different.
Every time they trained lately, Rider seemed to favor close-quarters grappling over her signature kicks. She'd trap him in holds that left him gasping for air, his neck locked between her arms. But even as she cut off his oxygen, all he could focus on was her body pressed against his and the overwhelming scent of lilies that clouded what little sense he had left.
Add that Rider wore tight clothing that hid only the bare necessity, so the slightest contact made him feel her warmth as if it was her bare skin. This got worse when she once used an arm bar to move against him to hold him in place. Pulling his arms which were fully in contact with her chest and her legs locking his head into place.
He was suffocating in more ways than one that day, an urge he would not feel normally during such a scenario washing over his body with Rider beside him. Heat was rising and his heart felt like it was going to explode that day and he had to cut the session short in order to take a long cold shower.
The lingering touch of her entire body and warmth made it impossible for him to come out of there any sooner.
It was genuinely driving him insane.
'Is she doing it intentionally?' Her tendency to do things just to get a reaction out of him started to become bolder lately. They were subtle but definitely noticeable.
This is one of the reasons why he wanted to try out a couple of sessions with Bazett instead just to get a hold of himself. When she was over once planning for the war, he approached her, asking for her to give him combat training. He could have sworn Rider was looking at him at the time, but he couldn't tell what she was thinking.
As their little sparring session came to an end, Shirou was lying down on the dojo floor panting, exhausted, and sweating. He turned his head to find Bazett with barely a sweat putting on her shoes and preparing to leave. "You can stay here if you want."
"Hm?"
"Here. The place is big enough to house multiple people and is far away from the main area of Fuyuki to be considered peaceful. I don't know where you're staying in Fuyuki, but the war's starting soon and we can work together better if we stay in one place. Feel free to take one of the rooms."
He did not have much of a reason to extend this offer to Bazett other than plain convenience for the other party. She mentioned only doing this for him as a way to repay a favor for saving her from Caster.
"I'll have to decline," she replied curtly, having taken a few seconds to consider his offer at the very least. "I appreciate what you are offering, do not get me wrong, but it is not necessary for you to go this far for me. I already have an old residence registered under the name of my family. I purchased it right around the time I found out about the war. It's well hidden in itself and I've already established its magecraft defenses, so staying there is more than enough."
"You never told me where this house of yours is."
"Because that information is private and none of your business. If you need my help then a phone call is always better." So she said, but he knew it wasn't the entire story. She'd gotten her shoes on and was about to go out. Shirou picked himself up and followed after her, as they walked to the front door.
"You know in Japan a lot of people feel it's custom to not only take off your shoes when going into someone's house, but to put your shoes back on at the entrance before you go out, not at the dojo.
"Well that does sound interesting, but these shoes are unique. I outfitted them with runes to make me faster and tougher. If I were done training I'd like to put them on as soon as possible." Bazett mentioned taking her boots on the wooden floor.
Runes? He was not aware those could be used in such a manner and well… he barely knew anything about them. The books Luvia gave him only mentioned rune magecraft but never went into details about it.
"Alright, but still though at least let me walk you out, and besides there's one last thing I want to talk to you about."
"Oh really, what is it?"
He took a deep breath and decided to bring up a certain topic that had been bugging him for a while. This time he was going to get it out of her.
"Is one of the reason's you're being so secretive because of what that priest mentioned at the church?"
Her body went rigid before she turned to fix him with a sharp glare. "This again? Listen kid, some things are better left alone. Getting mixed up in business that doesn't concern you will only bring trouble you're not ready to handle."
Shirou grumbled a bit at her stubbornness. To be honest he wasn't surprised with her response! She'd been dodging that question for months now, and she always gave him the same response.
"Oh come on. I am a Master involved in a war where spirits capable of destroying the entirety of Fuyuki, fight one another for an all-powerful wish-granting device. I am already involved with matters that will cause nothing but trouble for me. I don't think your situation is any worse than what I'm dealing with right now, you know." He didn't get to hear exactly the conversation the woman had with that weird priest. Only managed to catch a few stray words.
But he did notice her bad mood as she left the church a few minutes later. She did not give him any opportunity to listen to his questions before walking away and telling him she would stop at his house the next day.
"Are you perhaps aiming to become a master as well?"
"And what if I was? She did not deny his words and instead gave him a sharp glare. "That is even more reason for me not to be invited to live here. Bringing in a potential enemy to where you are most vulnerable is not only unwise, but also I could kill you at any moment."
"So… is that a yes or a no? If you still think I'm going to betray you this late in, then you don't have to show me."
Her eyes twitched, she stared at him for a good long while, sighed.
"While I appreciate your concern and am indebted to you for saving me — there are still matters I'll keep to myself." There was clear frustration in her tone. Enough anger that she clenched her newly revealed fist hard enough to almost draw blood. He saw her eyes staring at the back of her hand and hesitated as she was about to remove her gloves but gave up in the end. "But… I will say this. If you happen to encounter Caster or her Master again, a man named Atrum Galliasta, do not underestimate him. He is a snake who will use deceptive means to hurt you."
"Is that all?"
"For your own sake, just focus on getting out of this mess alive rather than thinking about helping others. I have some matters to settle with someone here who forced me in my current state and practically painted a target on my back."
"I can't do that."
His answer came immediately as she finished her speech, further annoying the woman who was forced to let out a deep sigh.
"You said that you owe me a debt, but so do I. If it were not for you taking out those monsters that were prowling the city then I don't want to imagine how many people would have fallen victim. Especially with that massive monster we faced at the shipyard, There's no way I would have been able to kill it all by myself if you weren't there. You're the one who defended my hometown so yes, I also owe you a lot."
"That was already paid back long ago. You saved my life against Caster. We're square."
"Not for me it isn't." Were she not present, or had he not been at the right place at the right time, then these monsters could have easily targeted some of the people he personally knew. His mind went back to the corpses of the policemen who were eaten alive when he encountered the monster for the first time. He truly believed this to not be a death that could be completely repaid just after helping Bazett one time.
"If you don't wish to tell me even now, then I won't force, but I will find out the answer by myself instead through other means."
"Don't push it, stubborn brat."
"It's you who is being stubborn. I'm just trying to help!"
"You can't just go on helping every single person that just happens to cross your path!"
"I don't see why I can't! If someone is in trouble then it makes sense to help them!"
This back and forth went on for quite a while, and eventually she realized the longer she tried to dissuade the boy the more intent he became about not willing to back down a single step. 'Something is seriously wrong with his head!' Perhaps she struck his skull in the past a bit too hard and gave him permanent brain damage which made him like this, but if that were the case it made her feel even more guilty!'
"Fine then, if you're not willing to tell me what this problem you've been facing is, then I'll just ask the only other person who knows about it, and might be willing to share. I'm going to that church." They hadn't stopped walking and by now they could see they had returned to the main house, and could see the front door. He went ahead of her to leave for it.
"Wait, you idiot!" Bazett lunged forward and snagged his collar, yanking him back with enough force to make him stumble. She pinched the bridge of her nose, looking thoroughly exhausted. "Of all the thick-headed, nosy brats I could've gotten stuck with... What did I do to deserve someone who can't mind their own damn business for five minutes?"
Thinking about this carefully, and after getting to know him for a bit longer, Bazett truly started to believe that somehow he was going to get involved with her affairs even if she tried to hide it from him.
"Hah… fine, you win. But if this ends up killing you then it's your fault entirely."
Her resolve broke and both ended up facing one another in the middle of the hallway.
Shirou waited patiently to hear her side of the story, already coming up with his own ideas on what could have happened but not voicing them out yet.
She massaged her temples for a few seconds and then spoke, "The story isn't that complex to tell you the truth. I myself got wind of it the same day you found me facing off against Caster. Back then, some of the incidents that happened here in Fuyuki while I was here, and others that happened when I went back to London were being blamed on me."
"You're being hunted down?" Both of his eyes and eyebrows widened at that revelation, this was way worse than he imagined.
Bazett scoffed, "Ironic, isn't it? I, an Enforcer, have to experience the same thing my prior targets had to deal with. It has not deteriorated to an extent that I have multiple people flying over my head, but I can't exactly disregard the possibility of that happening if I don't resolve this issue."
"Mind telling me the details of these incidents? What exactly are you being framed for?"
She wouldn't give him an answer immediately, visibly pondering on her next course of action and whether or not to tell him the entirety of the story. "I will not tell you everything no matter how much you ask me to do it, but if you had to know the basics, it's because of those Chimera monsters and the one who was behind their creation. Somehow, I ended up in a situation where people were led to believe I was an accomplice to an extent."
It was that bad huh… "Then all the more reason for you to be open to stay here. I have Rider with me, if people come to hunt you down then we can help you ou—ouch!" His phrase was cut short as her fist struck his head with a light thud.
"Don't try to be a hero, Shirou," Bazett mentioned it with a softer expression this time. "I am still more than capable of taking care of myself and the last thing I would want to have is a stranger who had nothing to do with me get involved with my own problems. Just let me handle this, I won't fail like last time."
Seeing that he didn't say anything else, the woman felt satisfied that she finally managed to get through that thick skull of his and was about to leave the room when she heard his voice ring out from behind.
"Bazett," She hoped he wouldn't try to act stubborn like he did previously. "If you ever find yourself needing any kind of help, even something very trivial, then please don't hesitate to come and see me here or in Copenhagen."
A smile graced her face and she hummed in agreement. "And you make sure you don't end up in scenarios you shouldn't have been involved in the first place, especially trying to take on a Servant all by yourself."
"I can't make any promises."
Oh well, at least she tried.
{Break}
While Shirou and Bazett had their session inside the dojo, in the main house both Sakura and Rider were sitting at the table in the living room silently watching the news on the TV.
Each had a cup of tea which they drank ever so often.
Yet that was not truly the case given Rider kept noticing the violet-haired girl in front of her kept getting distracted and would move her head in the direction of the dojo, as if to look outside every so often. A worried light flashed within her eyes, though it was not that hard to figure out what was going on inside her mind. "You do not need to mind the crashing noise, It is most likely Master getting thrown around a bit or getting punched in the face."
Sakura gave her an incredulous look, "How is that supposed to help? That only makes me more worried than anything else!"
"Ah," Rider realized that she made a mistake and tried to change up her words. "Master and the Enforcer are wrestling one another which ended up with her clothes getting ripped."
"..."
"It sounds weird, but I assure you it's exactly what happened. I checked." Leave it to that boy to end up getting beaten to an inch of his life even in the safest of environments. She did not pity him, even feeling a bit satisfied by his suffering given he just had to ask Bazett to help him with combat when she was readily available as his Servant.
Was it jealousy? Not really.
More accurately a tiny part of her pride got hurt because she felt like he did not find her capable enough to help him in that regard. While she acknowledged the Enforcer had talents herself, so did she.
"You have been worried, more so than usual Sakura. I am not talking about Shirou training and getting injured, but something else entirely." Rider pointed out, Having long since decided to help the girl in front of her in any way she could.
Sakura was a bit caught off guard by what she said but did not deny it. Caressing the cup of tea in front of her she whispered quietly, "I feel like there is a wall between us."
"Pardon?"
"I-I have been here for a while now since he took me away from my house. This has been some of the happiest moments of my life, I get to see him every day and become a more intimate part of his life than before. But despite being physically closer and spending this entire time with him, I do not feel like anything has changed between us."
"..."
Rider wanted to deny that claim but she was unable to do so, for the girl was correct and she could not even blame her Master for it. These past few months had been rather hectic for everyone involved, and Shirou continuously kept finding himself in precarious situations or was busy improving his abilities for the future.
For someone who was doing so much just so he could protect those he cared about and to lessen their burden on themselves, she just could not blame him whatsoever.
"You see it too right? It's as if nothing between us has really changed at all. I want to be more involved in his life, I want him to look at me more often and I really wish I could help him with everything he is dealing with right now. Instead, I am here, living in a safe environment while he keeps smiling at me and telling me everything is going to be alright."
Rider looked at Sakura's trembling hands.
"... Is it getting worse?"
"Not as frequent as before, but it is getting increasingly more intense. I almost lost control of myself when I came to his room this morning to wake him up, I was able to leave and relieve myself in the bathroom."
She knew of that, given she was there as well but did not plan to stop her even if she had lost control. As a part of her knew that Shirou would have tried to help Sakura in any way he could if he knew about her condition. But it was unfortunate that Sakura begged her to keep this a secret, a promise she regretted making considering how slow things were going. Now she felt she needed to be more bold if she wanted those two's relationships to develop.
"You cannot keep it hidden for long."
"I know… I know." She answered, a trace of exhaustion flashing within her eyes. "But I am afraid he will be disgusted or put off when confronting that part of me. I don't want to shatter the version of myself he has in his mind, I want him to keep thinking of me as being someone pure rather than discovering what kind of tainted individual he's been protecting all this time."
"I don't believe he will act like that, I know that Master genuinely cares about you and won't abandon you, Sakura." This was the same person who she suspected already had an inkling of her true name, yet despite that never changed his behavior around her.
If a monster woman such as herself was not enough to draw negative emotions, then Sakura would be safe from such judgment.
"Can you be sure of that, Rider?" She asked with a saddened smile. "Can you really tell me right now that if I tell him everything will remain the same and Senpai will continue to look at me in the eyes like he used to before getting to know the truth?"
"..."
No, as much as she knew her Master, Rider just could not guarantee the kind of reaction he would have. If she was wrong and things failed to go as told, then the damage done to the girl would be too much.
"I know I will not stay here forever. Grandfather has been struggling with taking me back, but with war coming it's only a matter of time. Maybe it is a matter of days, less than two weeks at best… I will be forced to go back and complete the preparations set up for me. It is inevitable, so before that happens, I want to make my time here as memorable as possible.
…
Maybe I am being too greedy after all."
Even if Sakura could not see Rider's eyes, the latter frowned heavily when presented with this situation. At the end of the day, she was Shirou's Servant and not Sakura's, so making decisions solely around the well-being of Sakura at the potential expense of her Master was tricky, to say the least.
But she was not going to give up so easily.
"You need to be more active if you want Shirou to see you in a different light." She said sternly, slapping the table to gain her attention. She'd made her decision.
"Ah!" Sakura was not prepared for such a thing, almost dropping her tea. "R-Rider?"
"Sakura, I want you to understand that Shirou will not just take the first step if you continue behaving like this. It may be wrong for me to say this but he is someone who can be described as… blind. Until you just don't directly kiss him or sleep with him he will remain clueless."
"Kiss!? S-Sleep with him!?"
"What's stopping you?" Rider gripped the girl's shoulders firmly, preventing her escape. "Trust me, I've spent enough time with Master to notice how his body responds during our spars - he tries to hide it, but he's still just a teenage boy. And between you and me..." She leaned in closer, a hint of amusement in her voice. "I think he might actually enjoy getting roughed up a bit. With a figure like yours - which rivals even mine - all you need to do is get him alone in your room and drain him until he can't get enough."
Sakura's face burned crimson as her mind wandered to dangerous territory, those suggestive scenarios playing out in vivid detail despite her best efforts to suppress them.
"Just imagine - pinning him down, kissing him until he can't think straight," Rider continued with a knowing smirk. "Trust me, a few well-placed touches in the right spots and he'll be completely at your mercy. Men are simple creatures, after all."
"I-I c-can't do that!"
"Yes you can, I believe in you. He is a teenage boy with a working libido. He is not as pure-minded as you like to think, I have seen him sneaking glances at your chest along with mine as well."
Sakura stopped struggling and looked at her with bewilderment. "He… did?"
"Many times. I promise you. A single wet dream and he will be unable to look at you properly without wanting to make you his woman." He was a dense person but still a man, and if she remained consistent with her pushes then he was bound to break.
Her own experiments gave her a few ideas of his threshold.
"Don't you want him to push you down every time he comes back home from a long day at work and have you for dinner and seconds during a bath?"
"Where did you learn that!?"
"Not important. So, what is your answer?"
The violet-haired girl hesitated and ended up nodding her head. "Then if you follow my lead, take advantage of every opportunity I prepare for you then I guarantee that he will be yours in a matter of days. Wouldn't you be sad if he ended up in the arms of another girl? He is already being swayed by me."
She tried to ignite the competitive spirit most young girls around Sakura's age would have, but seeing the confused stare threw her off a bit.
"Ah, I don't mind if you also like Shirou, Rider. After all, you have kept him safe so many times. I don't have the right to stop anything happening between you two…"
Alright, perhaps she went a bit too hard on the girl and now she was saying nonsensical things due to her lower self-esteem.
"That is why I will trust you, Rider."
Her Master had no idea the gem that resided within his grasp and she was going to show him one way or another.
{Break}
(A few minutes later)
After his conversation with Bazett, Shirou returned to the main house feeling sore all over his body. He felt satisfied with what he accomplished today and was looking forward to future lessons with the woman.
"Ah, Rider." Walking in he found the servant sitting all by herself in the living room for some reason. "Why are you sitting here all by yourself?"
"Just looking at the news." She said while humming and he took a seat as well, wanting to drink some tea to quench his dried-out throat.
"Is Sakura still in her room? Maybe I should call her to have dinner, it's almost time." Good thing their sparring did not go overboard and he still had enough stamina left to cook up a few simple dishes which also helped to relieve some of his mental stress. "Do you have anything you want to eat in part—WOAH!"
His soul nearly left his body when he found the blindfolded woman's face less than an inch away from his neck. Her tantalizing scent reached his nose making his eyes go hazy and his imagination into overdrive. The prior fatigue he felt instantly evaporated as that same sensation he wanted to avoid started to creep in ever so slowly.
"R-Rider?"
Her nose twitched, and he just found himself staying completely still, completely immobile like a statue.
"Master, you reek of sweat."
"..."
Her words hit him like a punch to the gut, sharp and unexpected, snapping him back to reality. For a moment, Shirou just sat there, stunned, his composure slipping as the color in his cheeks deepened. It wasn't often he found himself at a loss for words, yet here he was, blindsided and blushing.
After a steadying breath, he glanced down, buying a moment to gather himself. But even as he did, a familiar, unpleasant scent drifted up, catching his attention. With a quick, embarrassed sniff, he realized it was him—the stale, sour smell of hours spent sparring with Bazett clung to him, seeping through his clothes and into the air around him.
He gave a small, resigned sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess so. I don't think Sakura will like sitting and eating next to someone who stinks hahaha… I forgot about the blood as well."
The injuries were not remotely severe but he did bleed a bit after getting pummeled a couple of times.
He tried to lighten the mood, yet instead of just agreeing with him, Rider's face came closer and he felt her breath touching his ears, her hair tickling his neck and then sensing her hand resting on his knee. "You don't smell that bad Master. Your scent is almost… sweet." She whispered that last word closer to his ears with a different tone.
Goosebumps rose across his body yet he was not afraid of Rider, rather he started to fear what he might end up doing if she continued.
"I'm going to take a shower!"
He quickly summoned every ounce of strength his will could muster up and left the living room with heavy steps. Uncaring whether his reaction may have conjured up any misunderstanding from Rider, it was the best course of action.
"I see, I already prepared the bath for you, Master."
She did?
Why?
Not important right now.
His mind played back the image of her face so close up that he could see her glossy pink lips.
'What am I thinking!? I am going crazy…it must be because of the fight. I just need to cool off!' It wasn't like him to lose control of his emotions so easily just from a few seconds of physical contact, in fact, he was pretty sure he was not like this just a few days ago.
Was Rider really not aware of her actions!?
Uncaring, he barreled into the bathhouse not even bothering to look, took off his tattered clothes, and did not even notice the lights in the bathroom were already on. Pushing the door open, he walked inside till he was faced with a face full of steam and a fragrant scent of lavender.
"Urgh!"
The steam finally cleared enough for him to see something that made him stop. Shirou choked as soon as he turned his attention to the bathtub and noticed a familiar gifted figure calmly lying in the water. Her violet strands of hair floated on the surface with her chest being submerged enough where that he could only see the cleavage.
She looked back at him with an equal amount of surprise with a completely flushed face.
"S-Senpai?"
"S-Sakura?"
She was here….
Sakura, who he believed to have been in her room previously, was actually taking a bath and he barged in without noticing.
His prior confused state turned into complete chaos.
"I'm sorry! I didn't know you were here." Grateful that he still had the towel around his waist, Shirou turned around swiftly and planned to rush out.
Bam!
Only to have his hopes burn to cinders when the door slid closed. He quickly tried to open it back up, only for it to not budge an inch.
"Rider! Rider! Quickly open the door for me!" In his desperation, he called for his Servant to come to his aid as quickly as she could.
Poor Sakura must be shaken seeing him just barge in like this.
"Oh dear, what terrible timing - the lock seems to be jammed. How unfortunate," Rider called out with barely concealed amusement. Through the fogged glass, he could make out her silhouette casually leaning against the door. "I suppose these things just happen sometimes."
"How is it broken!? I made sure to check it out last week!" Shirou rattled the handle frantically, his voice cracking slightly with panic.
He tried to use more strength only for it to be a futile attempt with the entire thing just refusing to budge. How did the door lock become so difficult to break!?
"Rider, try to open with force from your own side."
The sound of water splashing to the ground came from behind.
"I do not think that is a good idea, Master. You did mention how to be careful with household items." She said, her tone carrying a clear trace of mirth. "Maybe we should wait a bit and see, perhaps the lock will get unstuck by itself."
"That's not how locks work!"
The wet footsteps drew closer and closer.
"Forgive me, Master. Modern technology still confuses me to some extent."
"Break it then!"
"Ah, I believe I heard something outside. Please stay here while I go check, it can be an enemy for all we know."
"Rider! Come back! If I stay here Sakura will be very uncomfortable!"
She was messing with him!
He knew it!
Then he realized that the footsteps sound came to a stop near him, warm wet fingers grabbing onto his wrist hesitantly. The scent of lavender grew stronger and his heartbeat reached a level it never had before. Shirou gulped, trying to calm down his nerves.
"Senpai," she called him, her voice both soft and gentle to his ears. Sounding louder than usual due to the confined room. "You can… you can look at me, please…"
His head slowly turned around, and it felt as if the world had come to a complete halt. He stared blankly at the naked girl standing there, droplets of water streaming down her inner thighs, face, and chest.
"I… I don't mind that you are here."
Her grasp on his wrist tightened ever so slightly.
The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.