[Argent Solbright]

Originally Posted by Moczo

Well, far be it from me to keep you waiting too long, Tir

Spoiler for Chaos Theory, Chapter Six:

Chapter Six: Chance Encounters

Kirei Kotomine sat in the darkness, looking over his sermon for yesterday to see if he should have changed anything, and beginning an appropriate one for next week's mass. It was late, but he generally slept only an hour or two a day, so he'd decided to get a bit of work done while waiting for his scout to return.

He was, despite what Rin might have said to the contrary, a genuine and ordained priest. Not typically the sort of priest who would deliver a Sunday mass, and yet deliver them he did, each week. The congregation for this church was small, but it did exist and he had to keep up appearances for his flock. Granted, he did not actually believe any of the love and forgiveness talk he preached to them, but this was, after all, organized religion. People came in expecting to be lied to, demanding they be told falsehoods. And truthfully, the ritual of it all was mildly comforting, in a way... even he was not totally immune to the lure of routine.

The blue knight entered the small in a manner that brought to mind a chained wolf. Deadly, furious, every muscle filled with lethal fury... and yet utterly harmless. Kotomine resisted the urge to laugh.

"Four Servants," Lancer growled. "Four. Saber, Rider, Archer, Berserker. Rider went down, might be dead, can't be sure. Berserker and Archer took some wounds, but they're both still in the fight, no doubt about it."

"I am aware, as you well know. I see all that you see when you are on these scouting missions, you might recall?" Kotomine said mildly. "And it is fortunate I do, because that report was startlingly detail-sparse."

"Can't talk well. Too hard resisting the urge to tear your spine out, 'my Master'." Lancer said, still sounding for all the world like a snarling hound that had learned to speak.

"Ah. Then you bring up this battle not because you wished to tell me of it, but because you are unhappy I did not allow you to participate, I take it?"

"Four Servants. I might never have a chance at a battle like that ever again." Lancer said. "And you wouldn't let me join in!"

"There is no point. The War can be won just as easily by staying to the shadows and letting the other Masters wipe themselves out. I prefer to observe." All of which was technically true; it was a valid strategy, and he'd never said he was using it to win, had he? "And you... don't you want to win this war, Lancer?"

"No!" The knight roared. "I want to fight this war! I don't give a damn about the prize, I just want to actually compete for it!"

"Well, then, you should conserve your energy for that possibility rather than venting it on me." Kotomine said mildly. He neglected to mention the minor detail that if things went precisely according to plan, Lancer would most likely never get the chance he craved. The spearman might legitimately make an attempt on his life, then, Command Seal or no. For a moment, looking at the sheer rage and frustration in Cu Chulainn's red eyes, Kotomine wondered if Lancer might be making that attempt regardless.

Finally, after several tense seconds, Lancer said, "... Fine. I'll bide my time, for now. But this isn't the last you'll hear of this," And disappeared.

Kotomine, fully aware that the Servant was still in the room, suppressed a chuckle. "Very well, then. Stay here until tonight, I'll see if I can find another assignment for you." There would be nothing, of course... Lancer did need to learn his place to some degree, even if he was in reality only the 'back-up' Servant.

He turned and left the main chapel, walking through a back door and descending the steps into the crypts below the church. Ignoring the soft moans of the... things... entombed within, he said to the darkness, he said, "Well? What do you think?"

"Four at once, huh? Sounds a bit like our War. Still, I haven't noticed anything particularly interesting about most of the Servants, or the Masters," Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes, replied in that familiar insolent tone.

"I wasn't aware you'd been in a position to do so."

"I've been looking around. Scouting." Gilgamesh said. A polite way of saying 'doing whatever the Hell I feel like', which was, when you got down to it, what he always did. "I found something unusual, but I didn't really feel like killing it, yet. If it starts endangering my subjects, perhaps. Beyond that...

"Well, I have some news that might interest you." Kotomine said. "It appears that the Saber summoned into this war is the same Epic Spirit that filled the role in the previous one. You were fond of her, as I recall?"

"I know, I could already tell that she was back. My blood was screaming it from the moment of her summoning." Gilgamesh said, a mad glint in his eyes. "It's her. Not some copy, the same woman. She's come back to me."

"... you realize, of course, that this is impossible?"

"I know. I also know that this is what has happened." Gilgamesh insisted.

Kotomine resisted the urge to laugh once again. Gilgamesh was... possibly the closest thing he had to a friend, but he had no illusions that he was completely safe from the King of Heroes' mercurial temper. Saying the wrong thing would be a good way to end up with a sword down his throat. "And because you know it, it must be true?"

"HA! Yes, yes, you do understand me!" Gilgamesh said with an almost childlike grin. "If I say something is true, then it is true. Even if it isn't."

Kotomine shook his head in amusement. "Well, whatever you choose to believe, I suppose. I would, however, prefer you not move on her for the moment. There are some... oddities in the flow of the current conflict. I believe the old Makiri might have been involved."

"Hmmm... Makiri, Makiri... oh! The worm mage you told me about, the one who was behind Berserker's Master in our war!" Gilgamesh said. "I can see that being irritating. That Berserker was certainly an annoyance, can't imagine his sponsor being less so."

"Well, all I know for certain is that if he desires something, I desire he not have it." Kotomine said frankly. "I know I can't stop you from getting involved if you really want to, but I would prefer you do not, for the moment."

Gilgamesh shrugged. "I don't mind holding back a little, for now. Though I might change my mind."

"How magnanimous of you."

Gilgamesh smiled. "I'm not really doing it for you, Kirei. I'm doing it for her. If I move on her now, then I'll have to go to a lot of effort to keep her alive until the Grail is formed. Better to wait and handle that part later, when I can make her mine quickly.

"Besides, the wait will make it all sweeter when the moment comes."

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"Saber, I can walk. Really."

"Nonsense. Supporting you is simply my duty, Master." Saber said firmly, having inserted herself under Shirou's arm in such a manner that he had basically no choice but to lean on her. "I have already failed by allowing you to be wounded, please allow me to do this much."

"You saved my life. Again." Shirou said. "You have nothing to apologize for. And don't call me 'Master'."

"Of course, Master." Saber said.

Shirou sighed in not-quite annoyance. She hadn't done anything wrong, but she seemed to be under the impression she had. She wouldn't even call him 'Shirou'. He wasn't even hurt that badly! Sore, certainly, and it was hard to walk, he admitted. But he could walk. Maybe he'd broken a few ribs, but clearly nothing more than...

... he tried to move futilely, his limbs jelly, his broken bones and torn muscles sending fresh shocks of agony as they rubbed raw against each other...

... no, that was wrong. He'd been hurt. Badly.

And he was still hurt, but not nearly as badly. As he was now, he felt as though he'd need first aid and a considerable amount of rest before he felt truly 'good'. Back in the park, after Rider had first wounded him? He'd felt as though he'd never move again.

It's not like I'm unhappy, but it's kind of creepy. Like... I don't know my own body anymore. He thought. And of course, there's plenty of other things I don't know...

Shinji had tried to kill him. He might even be a murderer already.

Tohsaka had... at the very least, her Servant had made an attempt on his life. She seemed to be going through on her promise to treat him as an enemy.

And then, of course, there was...

"Saber. About that... that big thing..." Shirou said.

"Ah, yes." Saber said, seemingly pleased to be providing some help that he wasn't trying to escape from. "I cannot be certain, but I believe that to have been Berserker. At the least, that seems most likely... although I have certain doubts."

Berserker... Shirou considered this. Tohsaka had explained the classes to him, and Saber had elaborated, but...

"I thought you said Berserker was a class that traded sanity for power, so it was usually a weak hero who took on that class. But that creature felt..."

"Yes," Saber agreed. "I do not know what Heroic Spirit that was, but his power was obviously immense. A Heroic Spirit of with such natural strength has no need of the Berserker Class's ability boosts and would likely benefit far more from its sanity and Noble Phantasms, so that was my first point of confusion; why call such a great Hero into a position that offers so little advantage? Still, that could be as simple as a summoning error. I am more confused by..."

"Why he let me live?" Shirou finished for her.

"Indeed. Not merely spared you, but actively tried to protect you," Saber said. "Berserker is difficult to control, regardless of Master. To order it to do anything but kill all in its path is an arduous task... and yet, only its Master's command could have held it back in such a manner. So Berserker is under the control of an extremely powerful Magus who also seeks to preserve your life. Shirou, is it possible that Berserker's Master is someone you know? Someone who would wish to protect you?"

"I... suppose it's not impossible." Shirou admitted. "I don't think I know anyone who could control that creature, but... well, if you'd asked me a few days ago, I would have told you that there was no way Tohsaka could be a great Magus. And if she was hiding it from me, who's to say someone else wasn't?"

But who, really? He didn't actually have that many close friends, to be frank. Who would be trying to save his life?

Issei? Potentially. Shinji had said something about 'that witch on the mountain', and the only location of interest on a mountain in these parts was Ryudou Temple. Even if he wasn't the Master, he might know something.

Sakura? If... if Shinji was involved, he couldn't discount the possibility she was too. He hoped not, though... she didn't really have the personality for something like this. There had to be some way to find out without worrying her. Perhaps he could find Shinji and force admission out of him?

Fuji-nee? He tried, for a moment, to picture Taiga Fujimura hiding the fact that she was a Magus from the whole world. Or really, keeping any secret at all from anyone.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Shirou laughed suddenly, stopping only to hold his aching ribs.

"S-Shirou?" Saber inquired. "Did... did you hit your head, or...?"

"N-no... I just thought of something so impossible that it made me laugh, is all." Shirou said, wiping tears of mirth (and pain) from his eyes. "Th-though... though I guess Berserker would fit her personality!"

Saber sighed. "Perhaps you need rest more than I thought..."

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It was close to three A.M. before the pair finally reached the Emiya household. Shirou directed Saber to the guest room and said, "Well... here's the best guest room we have. I hope it's good enough... try to get some rest, I have something I need to ask you in the morning." He then began to limp towards his own quarters, intent on wringing what sleep he could from the night.

Saber followed him.

"Um... Saber?"

"Yes, Shirou?" Saber asked as though nothing at all were out of the ordinary.

"Why aren't you staying in your room?"

"Oh. You wished me to sleep in that bedroom? I wondered why you were showing it to me." Saber said calmly.

Shirou blinked a few times. Where did she think she was sleeping? "Well, anyway, that's the guest room, so it makes sense for you to sleep..."

"No."

"... eh?"

"Before this evening, I might have considered it," Saber said calmly. "But after seeing Archer's skill with projectiles, it will not be acceptable. The boundary field around this house is effective as a warning system, but with an enemy who can target the house from such a distance acting against us, I'm afraid that I must be by your side to intercept attacks at all times."

"... I'm sorry, but it sounds like you're asking to sleep..."

"In your room, yes. Preferably in your bed." Saber said matter-of-factly.

Shirou considered this for a moment. Well, to say 'considered' is a bit of a lie, because at that moment the very idea of that being a possibility tore into his mind like a power drill and briefly made thought totally impossible.

Once his brain started working again, Shirou began considering the situation for real this time.

No... no, of course that isn't acceptable. If I'm hurt, I need to rest, of course. And if Saber is in the room, I certainly won't get a wink of sleep, that's obvious. She might say things like 'she's my sword' and 'she has to protect me', but when you get down to it Saber is an attractive girl and I can't relax if she's too close by. Maybe it sounds stupid, but it's the simple truth and I'll just have to calmly explain that to her. Shirou thought.

"N-no! No, that's not... it's dangerous to have you in there!" Shirou said.

It bears mentioning at this point that Shirou's brain and Shirou's mouth were not always in perfect sync.

"No... just the opposite. It will be dangerous if I am not by your side to intercept incoming arrows." Saber said in confusion. "Shirou, I am aware you said the majority of the impact was to your abdomen, but are you certain Rider did not strike you in the head...?"

"It's... you're! Girl! Room!" Shirou said.

"... ... ... what?" Saber said, blinking in rapidly growing befuddlement. "Shirou, you are making no sense. It is becoming apparent we both need rest... you, perhaps, more than myself... so let us go to bed."

"Yes! But not to the same bed!"

"... why not?"

"Because you're a girl! I won't get any sleep if you're in the room, believe me!"

"I... what? Shirou, I am a Servant before I am a woman! Sleeping with me in your bed is no different than sleeping with your sword in easy reach, mere common sense during times of danger!"

A sword isn't all... warm and soft and nice-smelling! Shirou thought. Out loud he said, "Do I have to use a Command Seal? I will if you make me!"

"... you cannot possibly be serious."

"Look, there's a room right next to mine. You can stay there. That should be close enough, right?"

"Not even remotely! If you are under sniper fire, even a fraction of a second could be vital!"

"Well... I'm willing to take that risk." Shirou said, stepping into his room and slamming the door in her face.

"You are deranged!" Saber snapped through the closed door.

Shirou recognized that he had, perhaps, really pissed Saber off. But as he collapsed into his futon and darkness overtook him almost instantly... he found he was far too tired to care.

He slept, dreamless, until morning.

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Rin Tohsaka lay in her bed, staring up with sleep nowhere in sight.

The night's event had turned the world against her in a big, brutal way, and she wasn't remotely sure how to deal with it. Saber and Berserker, Berserker and Saber... no matter how she wrapped her mind around it, her only option for overcoming that was to seek help. Archer, as surprisingly multi-talented as he had proven to be (Projection? It had to be projection, no one Servant could have that many Noble Phantasms. But Projection magic couldn't... argh, she'd think more on it when she could think of something other than how screwed she was), was simply no match for the two of them at once. She would need a partner.

But that was where things fell apart, wasn't it? Rider might be dead, and in any event she would not ally herself with Shinji after he'd had the temerity to steal souls in her city. She didn't know Lancer's Master and had no idea how to find him. Archer seemed to have an idea concerning Caster's identity, but... she... had both of the above problems.

So where exactly was she supposed to get this ally she needed so desperately?

What. Was. She. Supposed. To. Do?

Outside her room, Archer was equally confused. Something had definitely changed... Ilya should not have been making an effort to defend Shirou Emiya, not this soon. This... threw his entire plan into unknown territory. He understood as well as Rin that he was no match for those two Servants at once... even one would be a serious threat.

And more than that, he wouldn't harm Ilya. He would not. There were few things even he simply wouldn't do, and that was one. So... so if it came to a situation where he had to harm her to get to Shirou...

He wasn't supposed to be this confused. He'd thought he had grown past these feelings a long, long time ago.

In essence, there was not much sleep at the Tohsaka Manor that night.

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Shirou rolled over in his futon, moaning softly. Ummm... three hours might not have been enough. Maybe I should skip school...?

"You said there was something you wished to speak to me about? It is morning." A calm feminine voice said by his head.

There are good ways and bad ways to wake up in the morning. For most men, finding Saber in their room would be a very good way. Shirou just happened to be the sort to panic because of it.

After a fairly mild heart attack, Shirou and Saber went to the kitchen. Shirou was getting the impression that, perhaps, he should have been a bit more considerate of Saber's feelings. For one thing, he was firmly under the impression that she had awoken him in the manner she had simply because she was angry at him. And that now, she was quite firmly sticking as uncomfortably close to him as she could because he had asked her to keep some distance.

In essence... Saber could hold a grudge surprisingly well.

The prospect of breakfast seemed to cheer her up, though. And to make matters even better, Sakura arrived right on time to ensure that breakfast was up to her exacting standards. And best of all, Fuji-nee never showed up at all, for some reason! It made things easier.

"So... Sakura." Shirou said as the two of them cleaned the last bowls of German potato salad (He had absolutely not prepared a Western dish with breakfast to appease Saber. He definitely hadn't done that. Not at all. He was not intimidated by her or feeling guilty in any way.) "I need you to... um... do something for me."

"Hmmm?" The younger girl asked, turning from the dishes she was cleaning to stare curiously in his direction.

"... ... I'm not going to school today. Could you please let Fuji-nee know?"

"Eh? Senpai, what do you mean?" Sakura asked. Her eyes narrowed slightly. "... I've noticed that you seem a bit stiff this morning. Did... did something happen last night? Are you hurt?"

"Eh? No, I just came down with something," Shirou said soothingly. He hated to lie to her, but it wasn't as though he could tell her what had actually...

Oh. Oh, that's right. What actually happened. He thought. "Sakura... speaking of hurt... your right cheek."

Sakura's eyes widened. The bruise was not large or easy to see, and she'd hoped he hadn't noticed. "I... um... I tripped, and..."

Shirou sighed internally. This was... not the first bruise. Usually it was the arm, or somewhere easily hidden... Shinji had never struck her face before. He must be especially crazed following yesterday's events. And between that and all the other problems...

"Come back to the house after school today. Don't go to your home." Shirou said firmly. "I'd prefer you not go anywhere near Shinji for awhile, okay? You can move into the guest wing here."

"No! It wasn't nii-san, really it..."

"Sakura." It wasn't just Shinji, that he might have been willing to let her stay with. But Tohsaka would be hunting Shinji down too, now, and he couldn't let Sakura get into the line of fire. She'd be in danger anywhere, at least here he could make sure Saber was watching her. "I never said it was. But... I'd feel better if I could keep an eye on you, all right? So if you can, come back to the house after school. And let Fuji-nee know I'm calling in sick when you see her."

Sakura was torn. On the one hand... nii-san would be furious if she did this. And she didn't like the thought of leaving senpai alone with Saber for a whole day, particularly after it was becoming more and more clear to her that Saber had gotten him hurt somehow, last night. She... oh, she hoped it had nothing to do with why nii-san was so irritable this morning. She had felt Rider return to her control, felt how pained the Servant was. She could feel her own mana draining away far too rapidly as her Servant involuntarily drew in more and more to attempt to heal herself; it was getting harder and harder to pretend nothing was wrong, but she could last a bit longer. But if... Rider had been hurt because nii-san and senpai had fought... what should she do? Was there any way to stop this before one of them... one of them...!

But through all of this panic, one thing shone through. Senpai wants me to stay with him. He asked me himself to stay at his house! We'll... we'll be together all the time...

The little surge of glee made her feel a bit guilty, yes... to think of herself at a time like this! But she couldn't crush it no matter how she tried.

Sakura smiled softly. "... all right, senpai. That... sounds nice."

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After seeing Sakura off, Shirou turned to Saber. "All right. Now... about what I needed to say to you."

"If this concerns our sleeping arrangements..." Saber said, that stubborn light leaping to her eyes.

"Nothing like that." Shirou said, taking a deep breath. "... all right. I was... I was useless last night. Rider manhandled me, and when that giant showed up... all I could do was... nothing. I was helpless. Totally helpless."

Saber's expression softened. "I have told you before, that was my fault. You are only human, Shirou, you have no hope against a Servant as you are..."

"No. Not as I am. So I want you to make me better. Please... teach me how to fight, Saber!" He pleaded, bowing to her as he said it. " I know I'll never be able to beat a Servant by myself, but... maybe with your help, I can at least survive without you for a little bit!"

Saber blinked a few times, taken briefly off-guard by the sincerity in his tone. Finally, she smiled very slightly. "... very well. We won't have much time, but if nothing else, perhaps we can get your body used to fighting a Servant. Any strength we can give you will be helpful, I suppose."

Shirou smiled. "Thank you! I swear, I'll be the best pupil you've ever had!"

Saber nodded. "I have no doubt of that, Shirou. None at all.

"Now, we have eaten, so it would be best to start immediately. Since it is your first lesson, I will go somewhat easy on you, but understand that for this to be of value I must be vicious in my strikes."

Shirou smiled even more widely. "Bring it on, sensei. I can take whatever you can dish out!"

Four Hours Later...

Shirou gasped for breath, a mass of bruises and sweat. His every move was pain. He could barely breathe.

"Would you like to continue?" Saber asked mildly, still clutching the shinai she had been using to beat the crap out of him.

"... maybe... we... should... stop... for... lunch."

"That would be acceptable, yes."

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Shirou sighed as he made the long, somewhat painful walk to the store to pick up lunch ingredients. Now that he didn't have shinai repeatedly slamming into his skull, he could think a bit about his situation, and it wasn't good. Shinji, Sakura, Tohsaka... the Holy Grail War was a huge pain in general.

Had he made the right decision asking Sakura to stay at his house? He wasn't sure, really. The problem was that the only person he could think of to really talk to about both Sakura and magic was Tohsaka, and she... well, he had to believe she wouldn't be talking to him freely at this point.

Ugh, what should I do? This whole mess is just ridiculously complicated, and it's only going to get worse. It seems like every time I turn around, some new problem is running right at m-

"Onii-chaaaan!" Said a delighted musical tone from behind him, and rapidly getting closer. He turned to see a tiny white-and-purple rocket speeding toward him, skidding to a stop just in front of him. After the brief surprise had faded, he found himself smiling warmly at a semi-familiar face, seen in good light for the first time.

"Oh, hi! You're the ojou-chan from the other night, right? Nice to see you again! How weird that we ran into each other twice like this..." He said.

"Er... yeah!" the girl said. She chose not to mention, at this point, that they hadn't actually 'run into each other', she had been following him since he'd left his house, working up the courage to try talking to him. He was so adorably unable to sense anything at all...

"Did you find your family okay? They came to get you?"

"Erm... yes! My guardians came to pick me up, so thank you for helping me!" The little girl said, smiling cheerfully.

"I'm glad to hear it," Shirou said, feeling an answering smile come to his own face almost instinctively. "And I'm sorry if I was annoying to you or anything like that. I just didn't think I should leave you alone. I'm glad you're okay."

"Oh, um..." The girl said, blushing slightly. "No. I didn't mind... it made me happy, actually. You were much nicer than I thought you'd be."

Shirou blinked in confusion. Nicer than she thought I'd... ooooooh. Heh, I get it... He glared in mock-anger. "I don't look that scary, do I?"

"Hee, hee... I don't think you look scary at all!" the girl said. "A bit simple, maybe, but that suits you."

"... ... ..." Was... was that a compliment or...

"Um... my name is Ilyasviel! We didn't talk a lot the other night, so I never told you that..." The girl... Ilyasviel... said. "I'm not from this country, I'm visiting with some... relatives."

"Ah... then it's even worse for you to be wandering alone." Shirou chastised her. "It's dangerous these days, even if you know the town. You shouldn't be out by yourself... even during the daytime, to be honest. And yet, here you are again, all alone."

"I'm not alone." Ilyasviel said, frowning. "You're here. You'll keep me safe... won't you?"

Shirou felt the attack like a punch in the gut. Really, he barely knew the girl, yet she was showing such trust in him it was a bit embarrassing. "Oh. Um... thank you. I mean... yes, of course, if you're near me I'll protect you, yes. But... I thought you said you were only going to trust me one time."

"I did, and you were nice. So I decided to trust you again." Ilya said, her tone indicating she was educating a particularly stupid child. "And what exactly are you waiting for?"

"Eh?" Shirou asked. Honestly, following this girl's train of thought was a bit like working his way through a maze blindfolded.

"Your name. I told you mine, so it's rude not to tell me yours, Onii-chan."

"OH! Sorry, um... Shirou. Shirou Emiya."

"Shiroushirouemiya?" The girl asked. "Hmmmm... that sounds a bit weird."

"... Just Shirou will do."

"Um... okay! I like that much better!" The girl said, seeming inordinately pleased with this response. "I didn't mind the thought of you having a long name like me, but a simple, pretty name suits you. 'Shirou'... yeah, I like that a lot! So you be Shirou, and you can call me Ilya if you want!"

Shirou couldn't help but shake his head in bemusement at the girl's quicksilver personality. It seemed next-to-no stimulus was required to catapult her from irritable to happy to embarrassed to any other emotion he could name. Frankly it was... well, just cute. "Sure. Ilya it is, then."

"Hee, hee..." The girl giggled, blushing slightly again. "Well, come on, onii-chan! Let's go, let's go!"

"Er... where?"

"What do you mean 'where'?" Ilya asked in confusion. "I don't really care where we go. I just want to spend the day with you."

... huh? Shirou thought.

"... huh?" Shirou said.

Sometimes, his brain and mouth were in sync.

Ilya narrowed her eyes in irritation. "What, did you think I went to all this trouble to meet you again just to say hello?"

Shirou blinked in confusion. "Wait, all this trouble to meet me aga-"

"I was interested in you after you helped me, so I wanted to spend time with you, onii-chan." Ilya interrupted before he could finish the thought. "And I'm a visitor to this country, so I thought you could show me around this town."

"Um... look, Ilya, I'm happy to see you again, but I need to get..."

"U-unless... you don't want to spend the day with me..." Ilya said. Suddenly, she looked very, very small. "I... well, I guess if you really don't like me, I understand if you just leave..."

Oh. Oh, that's just not fair. Shirou thought numbly. All that exuberance just drained out of her in a heartbeat to be replaced with what a sort of nervous resignation that just did not suit the girl. He wasn't sure why, but she seemed really, genuinely afraid that he was going to leave her here. They barely knew each other, but she seemed to be pinning a ridiculous amount of hope on the thought that he would accept her.

This is ridiculous. Saber is waiting at home, I'm already skipping school... I'm supposed to be training. I'm supposed to be getting stronger. This is a war, and I have to win it, don't I?

But...

But looking at that girl, standing alone in a strange town, mingled fear, disappointment and just a hint of hope that refused to quite fade in her eyes... he didn't know why his acceptance meant so much to her, but it clearly did. It meant the world to this girl that he not turn her away. He wasn't sure how he knew this, but he knew, deep in his heart...

... if I leave her like this, I'll be breaking something irreplaceable.

Saber could wait a bit... it wasn't like one late lunch would kill her, right? For the moment, he smiled and held his hand out to Ilya, just as he'd done on the night they first met. "You know what? Sure. I have about an hour free. There isn't much to see, but I can give you a little tour of my neighborhood if you want."

The brief moment of shock at his acceptance, followed by the practical flood of joy into the girl's eyes as she latched onto his arm like a vice clamp, convinced Shirou that he had made the correct decision.

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Rin wasn't surprised to find Emiya not attending school. Not like he had any reason to, and he couldn't bring Saber with him. Best for him to stay where his ally and his Servant could watch over him at all times.

Frankly, Rin wasn't sure why she was at school. To check out that stubborn boundary field, she supposed. It had not grown any stronger since her last check-in; one more sign that Rider had been responsible. The violet haired Servant from last night would certainly be in no position to strengthen her boundary field at the moment, that was obvious. Still, the fact that it still existed told Rin that the Servant was probably still alive, so it was still a threat. And she doubted Shinji would be coming to school any time soon, not without his Servant for protection. Not with her there.

It made her a bit happy to think of him afraid of her, she could admit that. Really, someone ought to be afraid of her.

She wasn't sure what had brought her to the first-year's hall, really. Looking for mana points on the boundary field? She couldn't really detect them through the thick aura of the field's magic. More likely she was just wandering to clear her thoughts after all the upsets to her world that had hit the last few days. But whatever the case, she was there, when she had no real reason to be.

It was a small change. But enough.

She turned the corner, to see a plum-haired girl, sweating, pale, all alone and clearly struggling to stand, propped against a locker.

Sakura Matou gasped for breath, her chest burning, her vision blurring. She had overestimated herself, underestimated how much mana Rider would need... whatever the case, something had gone wrong. The dizziness had come on so suddenly, she could barely even...

"Sakura? Um... are you okay?" Rin asked softly. She knew she wasn't supposed to care, but...

"O-oh!" Sakura said, shooting upright. "T-Tohsaka-senpai! I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't hear you! I was just... just a bit tired, and..."

"You look like Hell." Rin said frankly, concerned in spite of herself. "You should head to the nurse's office if you're sick..."

"No! No, it's nothing like that, really!" Sakura said quickly. And it wasn't... this had been a momentary thing, really. The dizziness was already mostly gone, and she didn't want to worry anyone and... and...

... and if the nurse says I'm sick, Fujimura-sensei might make me go to my own house for the night.

"It was... I'm fine, really. Th... thank you for worrying, though." Sakura said with a fragile smile, turning and walking away from the older girl as fast as her unsteady legs could carry her.

Rin watched her go with a confused expression. Something was up there, she knew it. Maybe she should keep a closer eye on Sakura for a few days? She... she her training said 'no'. She had enough to worry about as it was. But... well... she could always justify it by saying that any Matou was worth watching if Shinji was a Master, couldn't she?

Yes. Yes, that was acceptable.

And although she didn't know it at the time, this decision... made in the heat of the moment, when she wasn't quite in her right mind anyway... would have a tremendous impact on the Holy Grail War for Rin and Sakura alike.

Sometimes, small changes will do that.

---------------------------------------

Shirou walked down the streets, the girl on his arm expressing borderline-amazement at just about everything.

They progressed like that for awhile... Ilya was shockingly attached to him, with no prodding at all. It seemed no matter what he showed her in their little 'sightseeing tour', she was enraptured... even simple things, like the little store he bought most of his groceries at, or the park near his house. She just happily latched onto his arm and followed it all. And she wanted to see everything, so he obliged. Forget 'new to Japan'... he was beginning to wonder if she'd ever been outside her house, considering how she reacted to every little thing. Still...

... you know, maybe it's silly, but I feel a lot less worried about this whole situation. Just being around someone so cheerful is making me feel better. He thought, smiling fondly at the exuberant girl. She had a small red stain on her lips from some taiyaki he'd bought her... she had gulped down the snack so enthusiastically he was surprised her whole face wasn't covered.

He heard some harsh whispering behind him, and turned to see two women standing close together, glancing at him occasionally and exchanging words. He wondered, vaguely, what they were...

"Maybe they're talking because we look like we're on a date." Ilya giggled, nuzzling closer to him from her perpetual grip on his arm.

Heh, she's more observant than I gave her credit for. Still, what a ridiculous thing to say. Just like a kid. He smiled fondly down at the girl hanging off him and began to voice as much, getting out, "Oh, come on, Ilya, that's..." before something very, very unpleasant occurred to him.

Oh Hell, she's not wrong!

When he thought about it logically, Ilya was a foreigner, so they didn't look like relatives. Between their age difference and her general clinginess, they didn't really look like friends. Considering it from the perspective of someone looking on from the outside... crap, he totally did look like he was on a date with a little girl!

And that's just ridiculous! I wouldn't do that, that's a crime, and further I wouldn't be...

...

...

Showing her around town. Taking her to various places and enjoying her enjoyment of them. Buying her little gifts just to see her smile.

Shit, I am on a date with a little girl! How the Hell did that happen?

"Er... Ilya, I don't mind walking around with you, but I think maybe you should let go of my arm..."

"No." Ilya said with a cheerful smile.

"Um... look, it's not that I have a problem with you being affectionate, but I do have a problem with going to prison, and..."

Ilya looked up at him with narrowed eyes. "So you're saying you want me to leave?" She asked, her tone icy cold.

"No! Not at all, I'm having a lot of fun, really! Just... er... don't stand quite so close, is all, before all of my neighbors start to think I'm doing something illegal..." Shirou said, feeling his face rapidly reddening. Between Ilya's obvious disapproval and the increasingly obvious stares of everyone around them in the street, he was starting to feel a growing pressure in the atmosphere, like all of his potential options ended in death...

The girl sighed in annoyance. "Well... you're warm, so I don't really want to, but I guess I can do you this favor. But you owe me!" She said, finally breaking her grip.

Shirou felt a tingling in his hand, and realized it had fallen asleep. She hadn't been clasped on too tightly, so how long exactly had she been clamped on his arm...?

The sun was in the wrong place in the sky.

He checked his watch, and his face went deathly pale.

"O-onii-chan?" Ilya asked in sudden confusion. He looked really sick. "Shirou, are you okay?"

"I've been walking you around town for six hours?" He said in disbelief. Oh... oh God, school is over... Fuji-nee and Sakura might already be at the house! After I told them I was going to spend the day at home... if they get to the house and I'm not there...!

... ... ... ... I didn't bring Saber lunch.

"Ilya, I need to go, I'm sorry! I need to get home right now, before..." Shirou babbled in supreme panic. He was dead, he was so dead if...

A small hand gripped his shirt firmly. "You... you're leaving me all alone? I was having so much fun with you, onii-chan..." Ilya said, that familiar sadness coming back to her eyes.

... ... oh, come on. He thought in exasperation as her sadness struck him right in the soul. "... I had a lot of fun too, really. But I need to go home. And I'm sure your relatives are worried about you, aren't they?"

Ilya considered this. She had snuck out past Sella and Leysritt, so... "Yes, they probably are." She admitted glumly.

"... how's this? Remember that little park we saw before?" He asked. "How about tomorrow I meet you there? Around lunch time, like today. Not for as long as today, but we can talk a little more."

The girl fairly well glowed at that. "You mean it? Really?"

"Of course."

Ilya smiled brilliantly. "Okay! I know you won't lie, so... even though I shouldn't, I'll definitely sneak out to see you again!"

"Um... well, you shouldn't sneak out, if..." Shirou began, wondering just exactly what he'd just encouraged Ilya to do.

"I'll see you tomorrow, onii-chan! Byeeeeee!" The girl screamed happily as she took off into the distance, waving over her shoulder.

Shirou, as firmly aware as he was that when he got home he was so dead... couldn't help but smile one more time.

Spoiler for Author's Note:

A bit of a breather chapter, but Shirou bonding with Ilya is a major plot point no matter what I decide to do, so they needed to start at some point!

And no, despite the fact that they've run into each other early, I'm not stealing RB's Rin/Sakura thunder

... OR AM I?! DUM DUM DUUUUUUM!

I'm not.

You just rob the 1 hour spare time have to sleep, you know that!? Well, It's not like I'm unhappy . Saber is going to be really really angry at him.

BTW, Tiresias, I just realized we live in the same city.