Chapter 9
The first streams of a rising sun began to peek into the room. It was almost empty. There was a small desk free of knick-knacks or dust, a child's suitcase and a futon with a thick yellowish-green blanket. As the room slowly grew to hold a warm orange shade, the lump beneath the blanket jerked suddenly and sat upright. It was Shirou. He didn't scream or shout, but his chest was heaving and his eyes were panicked. A thin layer of cold sweat covered his body and he was trembling uncontrollably.
It was that nightmare again. He was getting used to it, but he still woke up terrified each time. The nightmare had been reality a few weeks ago and it refused to leave his mind no matter what he did. Those cursed flames and endless screams were almost etched into his brain at this point. It was starting to get so bad that the orange glow of flames could be seen every time he closed his eyes.
Wiping his forehead, the boy got up from the futon and looked himself over. He'd need to have a bath this morning for sure. Feeling disgusting, he peeled off his pyjama top and threw it towards one side of the room. He'd put it through the wash after he put himself through one first.
Unlike other children his age, Shirou liked waking up early. It was peaceful in the mornings. Animals were waking up to greet the gorgeous sunrise, breakfast was being made and families were preparing for work and school. Shirou slid the door to his room open, peeking left and right down the hall before stepping out and creeping towards the bathroom.
It was down the hall on his left and looked just like any other door in the house - they should really get some sort of hanger or indicator that someone was inside or that the room was a bathroom in the first place. Since every door in this house - besides a handful of the bedrooms - was a sliding door, there was no lock or way to stop someone from walking straight into the bathroom. Stopping outside, Shirou knocked on the wooden frame of the door. Two seconds passed without response so he slid the door open and walked into the empty room.
It was a simple bathroom, modernized with western elements - specifically the two-in-one bathtub-shower. It was incredibly different when compared to the rest of the house which was traditionalist Japanese. Maybe the previous owner thought this style was better?
Shirou turned on the water and tested its temperature with his hand. Hopefully, a nice bath would clear his mind from that nightmare. When the water was pleasantly warm and the bath was filled, Shirou disrobed and settled in. Immediately he felt the grime of his sweat wash away and the post-nightmare stress left with it. Sitting in the water, he took a moment to look around the bathroom. Above the bathtub was a double-wide frosted window set high on the wall. It was mostly to let sunlight into the room rather than provide any vision to the outside. Shirou wouldn't call it private, however, since it pointed towards the house of their next-door neighbour.
Shirou had taken over cleaning the rooms of his own accord. Kiritsugu had tried the first few days but after Shirou watched what he was doing, the old man was banned from housekeeping. Neither of them minded that decision. Kiritsugu hated cleaning while Shirou found it relaxing, if not slightly pleasant.
Shirou washed his hair and listened to the early spring birds sing outside before trying to relax. The first night he had these nightmares he had woken up screaming. Kiritsugu had thought he was being murdered and had practically cannonballed through the wall. After he found out the cause, the old man made him some tea and stayed up all night until dawn. Kiritsugu suggested Shirou do something he did whenever his past started getting to him. Forget.
Could he really forget something like the Great Fire? Shirou could relive that moment in such vivid detail whenever he wanted - and sometimes when he didn't. If he thought hard enough it was almost like he was back walking through the flames.
There was a soft thump from a nearby room but Shirou was too deep in thought to notice. After a few seconds, footsteps pattered down the hallway. It wasn't until the door to the bathroom slid open that he realized someone was even coming.
There was a splashing noise as Shirou jerked in panic, then another as he ducked his head to sit just above the surface of the water. He squeaked out a noise of embarrassment while looking to see who had stumbled in. It was Illya, standing in the door rubbing her eyes sleepily. She was wearing her pyjamas and had probably come in because she wanted to brush her teeth.
She blinked twice before realizing what was even happening. Her face changed colours to match her eyes and she slammed the door closed while shouting apologies. "The door wasn't locked!" she defended herself.
"There isn't a lock!" Shirou pointed out, cheeks burning with embarrassment.
"Well we should get one!" Illya shouted back. Frustrated footsteps sounded as she walked back toward her room. Shirou let out a breath and tried to relax again. It only took a couple seconds for him to realize that wasn't going to happen - he was too startled now. Deciding that his bath was good enough, the boy left the warmth of the water and wrapped a relatively large towel around himself. Cautiously, he opened the door and looked to the right...nothing. He turned his head left and found himself inches away from Illya's frustrated face.
"Are you done in there?" Illya mumbled with some frustration. She squeezed past him right into the bathroom. Doing his best to avoid her, Shirou awkwardly moved into the hallway while the door almost slid closed on him.
He blinked in confusion as he slowly stepped back towards his room. "Why's she so mad?"
"I don't know," Kiritsugu commented, scratching his jaw as he stepped out of his room. "She usually likes mornings, that is, if she has something to do anyway." He shrugged. The old man hadn't shaved in a while - all the stubble coming through on his face and the poorly cut, half burnt hair made him look wild in Shirou's mind.
Shirou looked up towards his father and felt a pit growing in his stomach. Shirou and Illya had been yelling rather loudly earlier and Kiritsugu wasn't a very sound sleeper; even little movements in the house seemed to disturb his slumber. "Did we wake you up?"
Kiritsugu chuckled briefly before shaking his head. "I've been up for an hour or so."
From the bathroom, Illya shouted a language Shirou didn't understand. "Liar! I heard you moving around four hours ago!" Did Illya know how to speak other languages?
Whatever she said made the old man flinch. "I might not have been able to go to sleep." Shirou frowned, accusing the old man with his eyes alone. Shirou didn't like hearing his father was having problems with rest. Being experienced with lack of sleep first-hand meant Shirou was familiar with the effects himself. "I'll have a nap in the afternoon alright?" He smirked, stepping into the hallway and past his son. "Go get dressed, then you and I can argue about sleep alright?"
Shirou looked down at himself, noticed the state of his appearance and hastily moved to correct it.
… … …
The newly formed family knelt around the table in the dining room. While Kiritsugu knew how to cook, he couldn't execute it properly. Shirou was the exact opposite, so with the two of them working in the kitchen, they were able to make a simple breakfast. Their groceries were rather limited in terms of variety. Rice, eggs and bread were all they had. Still, Kiritsugu combined his knowledge of Eastern and Western breakfast meals to get something on the table. When they were done, they all ate toast with jam and a dish Kiritsugu had called "tamago kake gohan". It was simple after Shirou learned what it was - steamed rice with a raw egg dropped on top while the rice was still hot. With a dash of soy sauce the quick meal was rather tasty.
Kiritsugu took a sip from a mug of coffee he had made himself. "I was thinking of calling Taiga to see if she wanted to do something with you two today," he mentioned, looking into his cup for a second before glancing between his two children.
Shirou didn't even have to think twice. "That'd be cool! Taiga told me stories about all these places in Fuyuki I've never heard of!" He glanced towards Illya, who seemed excited just to be able to explore outside the house.
"That's great, it will give me some time to get a few things we'll need. Just don't cause the girl too much trouble alright?" Kiritsugu smiled as the two enthusiastically agreed. He took another drink from his mug. "I'll give her a call right now and you two can go get dressed." The old man stood with some effort before moving to clean up the dishes.
Shirou was suddenly pushed over onto his side by a giggling girl as she leapt from her kneeling position and bolted towards the door. "Hey!" Shirou shouted with a laugh, scrambling to chase after her.
Illya turned a few steps down the hall and stopped abruptly. "Daddy says I don't have to wear a coat since I'm used to the cold, but you do!" She put both hands on her hips and stuck out her tongue teasingly.
"What? That's not fair!"
"You're both wearing coats!" came Kiritsugu's voice from the kitchen.
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… … …
Taiga had been more than happy to show Illya and Shirou around town. She had come by like a lightning bolt after Kiritsugu called even though they weren't even ready to leave. Was everyone around here a morning person?
Shirou noticed something in Taiga's eyes everytime she looked at Kiritsugu but for the life of him he couldn't figure out what it was. She seemed to move closer to him whenever he could and she listened to his words like gospel.
It was a mystery for certain. Shirou stood on his toes to peer into a window of a nearby shop. This one was smaller than the others and it held all sorts of rings, bracelets and earrings. Shirou noticed they were all very small and discreet but the prices posted nearby were anything but.
Taiga leaned over top of him. "Have you already found a girlfriend, Shirou?" she teased, smirking as the boy flustered and tried to defend himself. "I can only guess how many girls would want to date the strongest boy in Fuyuki," she teased, ruffling his hair and snickering.
Illya suddenly joined the conversation, looking between the two. "Shirou has a girlfriend already?" she asked, almost sounding upset. Was she pouting? Suddenly her face turned to confusion. "What do you mean the strongest boy in Fuyuki?"
"Huh? Kiritsugu never told you? Shirou was one of the few survivors from the Great Fire..." As Taiga began telling the story, Shirou closed his eyes while still facing the store. He didn't really feel like looking at anyone right now. The cursed flames filled the darkness of his mind and Shirou found he couldn't escape. His eyes weren't listening to him anymore and they refused to open. The ambient noise of a busy morning shopping street was overridden by the screams and wails of the dying. The scent of blood, burning hair and burning flesh clogged his nose and made him want to gag. Shirou tried to force his eyes to open - he didn't want to live through this again. He wanted to scream in frustration but before he could, Illya shook him.
The outside contact seemed to break the trance. "Shirou? Were you even listening?" she asked, giving him a shake.
He couldn't tell Illya that he was having problems. If he did, she would tell Kiritsugu and Shirou didn't really know what he would do. He had to come up with an excuse, and fast. "Sorry, I was looking at the man in the store." It was pitiable, but it was better than nothing. He turned to face his sister, who stepped forwards and leaned close to him. Shirou made a noise as he leaned back but Illya grabbed onto his shirt and held him in place.
Illya squinted, peering into his eyes and examining his very soul. "Don't lie to me Shirou, girls can always tell when you're lying to them you know." There was something smouldering in those eyes that warned him not to test her words. She was way too close to him right now and Shirou rapidly came to realize that crimson eyes could be terrifying if they were angry.
"I was just - uh - thinking about some things?" Even though it wasn't a direct answer it was evidently enough to satisfy the girl. She leaned back and seemed to return to her happy self as if on a switch.
Shirou caught Taiga smiling fiendishly at the display and he silently cursed her for allowing this. "Well I won't punish you since this is your first time, but don't ever lie to me again alright?" Illya didn't even wait for an answer before turning and continuing down the street with Taiga.
"Listen to your sister, Shirou. She's a very smart girl," Taiga added, snickering while she followed the albino.
Shirou gaped in shock before realizing they were walking off without him. Calling out, he jogged a bit to catch up before falling into step with the other two. A few minutes of window shopping later, the conversation changed from comments about what they were seeing and what they wanted to buy to questions.
"Have you kids ever been to Koshuensaikan Taizan? It's the only Chinese restaurant in Fuyuki," Taiga pointed out with pride. "It's got some of the spiciest food in town as well, that chef loads everything with chilli peppers." Taiga fanned her mouth as if it was on fire.
Illya giggled at the display while Shirou only shrugged with a smile. "As far as I know, I've only ever seen the hospital and my house…and I guess everywhere we've been today."
Taiga's face split into a rather angry looking snarl, one fist raised up to rest on her forehead. "That's right, I forgot about that." She chastised herself, suddenly returning to her normal smiling self. "Well then we can go anywhere! I don't know if grandfather would let me use a car today but we can check out all the places around here! I can show you the main bridge between Shinto and Miyama, then maybe Mount Miyama and that restaurant I was talking about." Taiga listed off plans in her head. "Then after that, I can show you where you'll be going to school in a few years, Homurahara Academy! I'd show you Ryuudou Temple, but it's still closed to the public for repairs." Taiga's head lifted and her eyes locked onto something in the distance. Shirou followed where her eyes were looking and spotted someone who stood out from the crowd.
A man with navy-coloured hair cropped in a clean no-nonsense style extended a hand to wave at Taiga. From this distance, Shirou thought his eyes were closed but upon looking closer he realized they were only near-shut. With his wide inviting smile and pleasant face, the visage was actually rather fitting.
"Taiga!" he called out, crossing the street to get closer. He noticed the two children upon nearing and spoke while smiling at Illya. "On babysitter duty? That's good, you can learn some maternal skills early," he teased, laughing at his own joke. The man's voice was deep but in a jovial sort of way. Shirou could only guess how intimidating it would be if he spoke in a serious manner.
"You're lucky I don't have my shinai or you'd be on the end of it, Reikan," Taiga growled, spacing her feet like she was prepared to strike him at any moment.
Reikan only laughed harder. "Yes, you've never been one for… Well, it doesn't matter. Who are you babysitting for?" he asked, turning his gaze to Shirou who suddenly felt as if he was being examined like a lab subject. As if all his flaws and weaknesses were being displayed openly. It made him want to hide behind something or someone. Reikan had looked at Illya first and if she had felt the same way Shirou had it was no surprise she hadn't spoken yet.
"You know that man, Emiya, who moved in down the street a week ago?" Taiga began. As she spoke, Shirou lost interest and tried looking around to find something to eat up his boredom. Illya seemed to be in a similar state and the two siblings looked at each other.
Illya leaned over behind Taiga and whispered to him. "This guy gives me the creeps. We can probably make a break for it before they notice we're gone - I wanna go to the playground and play with Emiri, Taiko and all the others." Shirou glanced back at the two teens lost in conversation with each other. Illya was definitely right about Reikan, he was weird. If they left without telling Taiga they might get in trouble, but how bad could it be? Also, if he declined, Illya would probably leave anyway and Shirou had been told to protect her. In a sense, his decision was already made for him. Carefully, Shirou slid around Taiga and closer to Illya.
"I think I know the way, but we have to stay off the street so Taiga doesn't catch us," Shirou complied, looking around for somewhere they could hide before Illya tugged on his arm.
"Let's just go through these alleys, we can figure out where to go from there."
Shirou verified their guardian was still distracted before silently sneaking off towards the alley with Illya. Looking at Reikan, the man's eyes snapped onto his and they exchanged glances. Strangely, he remained silent and allowed Shirou to follow Illya into the nearby alley.
Illya was so much faster than him and it wasn't fair, she must have been gifted or something because she was almost twice as fast as him even though she was just as small. Shirou bet she was using magic, but Kiritsugu told them not to use magic or reveal their status as magi in public. He had said an organization would blow up the whole city if they did. Shirou didn't want to believe someone could do that, let alone would.
His sister turned and waited for him to catch up like he was a lame dog, she wasn't even winded! "Shirou you need to get a lot faster," she complained, placing her hands on her hips as he bent down to catch his breath.
"Did you just run around your whole life? How can you be so fast?" Shirou huffed, sucking in lungfuls to try and level his breathing.
"I ran around the castle lots," she mumbled, twisting the sole of her shoe nervously into the dirt below. "It was a big castle." She spoke sheepishly as if it were embarrassing.
"You lived in a castle?" Shirou asked, stamina returning to him. "Like a princess?"
Illya's face split into surprise and immediately her cheeks grew several shades of red. "Idiot!" she shouted, flicking him on the forehead. She was a lot stronger than she looked because even a simple hit like that hurt a lot. Shirou recoiled and held onto his head in pain. "Don't say stuff like that! I'm not a princess…I don't think." She barely sounded out the last part. She turned away from him and tried to hide her face.
"Alright, alright!" Shirou acquiesced, rubbing the spot on his forehead. "I just thought since you lived in a castle and you're so pretty you were a pr-" He was cut off as another flick hit him on the same spot.
The shade on Illya's cheeks was almost bright enough to illuminate the alley. "You - you idiot!" she nearly screamed. Amidst the pain on his head, Shirou looked back towards the street to make sure nobody had heard that.
"Illya, keep it down or else Fuji-nee will find us!" Shirou whisper-yelled, grabbing onto her hand while running further down the alley. Shirou could see there was a turn to the right up ahead and the light on the far wall revealed it opened up into the street. They could take that and double back around to head towards the park. Shirou might not be very fast or smart like Illya but at least his memory was good!
"Do you even know where we're going?" Illya asked, easily keeping up with him and actually tightening her grip on his hand.
"Of course! Just follow your big brother and we'll get there safe," Shirou toted confidently. The kids rounded the corner and entered a much less traffic-laden street. When they hit the sidewalk, Shirou took a moment to look around and get his bearings. He realized he was still holding Illya's hand and let go only to find she was still squeezing tightly.
If she was scared of going out on her own, why did she suggest running away from Taiga? Oh well, he wouldn't comment on it for now. In the distance, Shirou spotted one of the few three-storey buildings of the area he had seen before while at the playground. It wasn't very much of a landmark, but it was something to go off of at least. Pulling his sister behind him, Shirou crossed the street and began walking to where he believed the playground would be.
"Shirou, is what Taiga said true? Did you really survive a big fire?" Illya asked suddenly, making him twitch instinctively. There was no doubt she had felt that.
"Yeah, but I don't really know how," he replied with a dark tone. "All I know is Kiritsugu rescued me and that I'm here now."
"Well of course, Daddy is the best! At least now you get to have the best family ever right?" Illya tried to look at it optimistically but Shirou couldn't feel the same way. It was hard to think about it, but Shirou really didn't know whathe'd lost. He might have had a big happy family but he couldn't remember anything before the Great Fire. An awkward silence descended over them until Shirou tried to wash away the sadness and move the topic away from himself.
"You used to live in a castle right?" An agreeing noise sounded from behind him. "So why do you think Kiritsugu wanted to move to Fuyuki rather than live in a big castle?" he asked, turning back to look at his sister.
She bit the corner of her mouth as if she didn't want to talk about something. "It was too far away and there was nothing to do. When Mommy and Daddy left, all I did was wait for them to come back."
"When did Kiritsugu and your mother leave?" Shirou asked, scrunching his face in confusion. He never knew Illya had been separated from Kiritsugu. Then again, Shirou didn't really know all that much about the old man anyway. Illya took a second to think about the answer.
"Two weeks ago?" she answered. "I think a little bit longer."
"Huh?" Shirou replied intelligently. "If they only left you that long ago, where's your mother?" Shirou raised a good question that had been unaddressed until now.
"She's gone," Illya quietly answered. It was something he hadn't been expecting and it made Shirou want to take his questions back. If she had been lost so soon, all that pain would still be fresh. Shirou couldn't relate to such trauma himself but he at least had the decency to understand it would be damaging. The two were sort of similar then, they had both lost something recently.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know," Shirou replied. What had initially begun as a simple topic change had brought them right back to square one: awkward silence. Shirou decided that it would be better if they just finished travelling to the playground. Illya must have shared that thought because she didn't try to speak again either.
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… … …
When Daddy had told her Mommy had died, Illya had cried for hours. He had told her in the plane and she had cried hard enough to pass out and hadn't woken up until they landed. When she did finally wake up, she had resolved to be strong for her mother, because Mommy had said she would always be there for her. Mommy was always watching her so she couldn't cry her whole life.
Besides, Illya always had Engel Note to remember her mother by. Ever since she was shown it, Illya had been practicing Storch Ritter before going to sleep and sometimes when she woke up in the middle of the night. The bright blue construct was comforting and calmed her down. It also was how she knew Daddy wasn't sleeping properly. He had been staying awake the past few days through the nights. Her mother had never disturbed him when he got like this, so she wouldn't either.
Shirou had managed to get them both to the park without much trouble. For a plain boy, he was surprisingly dependable. Illya liked that about him, he finished everything he said he would and always tried his best even if he knew he couldn't win. When Daddy had told him to play with Sakura, he had put in as much effort as possible to make her have fun. When Illya challenged him to races, he put in all his effort to try winning even though he had no chance.
It was actually sort of scary how determined he could be.
"I wonder if Fuji-nee is looking for us," Shirou commented to himself absently. The two were walking back home. After playing some games with the other children they had met yesterday, both siblings unanimously decided they were hungry and elected to see if Kiritsugu had come back with groceries yet.
Taiga might be mad at them for leaving for a few hours - but they could take care of themselves! They were powerful magus children that could cast spells to protect each other. Well she could at least, Shirou couldn't. He seemed to be much more nervous than she was at the moment. Maybe it was because he thought they were going to get in big trouble for leaving Taiga. Daddy wouldn't punish them for this, no way, he was too nice!
"I think so, but I don't think she'll be too upset." Ilya tried to calm her brother down. He always worried and seemed to think too much about things. "Why do you think all the other old people were looking at us so weird?" While they had been playing games, the other parents were whispering to one another and pointing at them both from the sidelines. Illya thought it was because Shirou looked so weird, but if that was the case why hadn't everyone been doing that yesterday?
"Because we were there alone. Usually, kids don't go off to their playground on their own without someone watching them," Shirou pointed out, keeping his eyes forward as they walked the path home.
Illya realized he was right, people didn't leave their kids alone because strangers might try to take them away. But they were magi, nobody could kidnap them, right?
Almost on cue, a flash of sunlight off a piece of metal hit Illya in the eye. She stopped and turned to see who it might be but as she did they vanished out of sight. Illya briefly thought she saw something purple, but who would wear something that oddly coloured? It had been dark purple, even darker than Sakura's hair in fact.
"What's wrong?" Shirou asked, stopping himself and turning to look at her. He followed her eyes to look in the alley she was still peering in. "Did you see something?"
"N-nothing, let's just get home quick ok?" Illya rushed past her brother at a jog. Someone had been watching them. Since Illya left the playground she had sensed eyes on the back of her neck. She had brushed it off after she couldn't find anyone around them but when that person in the alley had left, the feeling had gone with them. She didn't like it one bit. She didn't want to make Shirou go into a panic and berate her idea of going alone so she didn't bother to tell him. "Last one there gets to take the blame for leaving Taiga!" she shouted back at him.
"Wait a second, you got a head-start!" he called back, sprinting and blowing past her to try and gain some ground. Poor Shirou, he had no idea just how fast she could be. It was funny to make him think he could win only to crush his spirits near the end when she decided to run for real.
… … …
Shirou was bent over trying to catch his breath. His legs were actually wobbling from how much strain he had put them through. The two had raced a little less than a kilometre back home and Shirou had put all his effort into trying to beat her. It was all in vain of course since Illya could run both faster and longer than he could. She had let him lead most of the way but in the last couple blocks, she sprinted past him as if he were standing still.
"Almost - got you - that time," he wheezed, getting her to giggle.
"If you put in a little more effort next time you just might big brother," she teased, giving the back of his head comforting pats. Having had enough fun with him for now, she slid open the door to their home and stumbled backwards.
Kiritsugu was standing there with arms crossed over his chest. Taiga was behind him with anger written on her face, but that wasn't what scared her.
It was the face of her own father. His eyes were colder than the coldest night in Germany and they seemed to bore holes right through her soul. There was no compassion, happiness or anything in them and the pure emptiness shocked her more than anything. He was usually smiling when he saw her, eyes bright and happy. Who was this?
"Illya, Shirou." He greeted them, voice as cold and heartless as his eyes. "It's nice to see you."
Illya gulped audibly, this wasn't going to be good, was it? "Daddy?" she croaked out in the cutest voice she could muster at that moment. It sounded more like an animal looking for mercy.
He nodded as if recognizing that was his name and nothing else. "I believe you both have some explaining to do. Come inside and you can start from the beginning." He stepped to one side, motioning with one hand for the two to enter.
Shirou looked like he had just swallowed a live toad and it was caught in his throat. Reluctantly, he stepped in first and took off his shoes. Illya followed behind him and the two shambled down the hall as if they were sentenced to an execution block.
Even Taiga was afraid of Kiritsugu. She normally sidled up right beside him but now she trailed a few steps back as he ominously walked behind the two children. They were really in deep trouble. Abruptly, he stopped and turned to Taiga.
"I appreciate what you've done Taiga, but could you please wait outside while I speak with my children? It should only take a moment." His words asked a question but the tone demanded obedience. The Emiya family stepped into the dining room and Illya turned to look at her father. He closed the door as he entered and looked between them with those dagger-like eyes.
He crouched to get on their level then suddenly lowered his head and sighed. "I was so worried about you two when Taiga told me you were gone. I'm just happy you're both safe and weren't kidnapped." He extended both arms and grabbed his children by the shoulders, pulling them close into a hug.
Illya had expected yelling and shouting, maybe even a beating. For Kiritsugu to wrap them both up like they were dying stunned her into silence. He had only hugged her a couple times in her life but each time had been special - this one included. He seemed depressed when he embraced her and held her tight. This hug was almost identical to the one she had received back in Germany before he left with mommy. Illya realized it was because he thought he would lose her.
Was she that important to him? Would losing her actually be enough to destroy him? He had always seemed to strong and stable but at this moment he seemed frail. A sudden well of sadness rushed up from within her and brought tears to the corners of her eyes. "I'm sorry Daddy, I won't ever do something like that again." Illya broke down, hugging onto her father tightly. She didn't catch what Shirou was doing but she heard him apologize at least.
She wouldn't do something mischievous like that ever again if it meant she would hurt her father like this. She would do her best in preventing him from ever getting like this again. She squeezed her father as tight as she could, sniffling against his shoulder.
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… … …
The Magus Killer was at it again. Brooding over ideas in his head during the late evening hours. Ten years, he had ten years to put Illya and Shirou into a position where they would unquestionably come out victorious. Illya was doomed but he could at least give her a good life. She would become the Grail unless he could stop it from ever forming in the first place. One hand toyed with a pen, spinning it around his fingers while the other sat over his lips in deep thought.
He had options, he had time. If he was going to make the most of it, he had better get on something now. News had spread through the Mage's Association quickly. Kayneth El-Melloi had died and the Archibald family needed a new head of house. Rumours of the young upcoming Waver Velvet claiming such a role were swirling around. Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri had apparently committed suicide following the slow death of Lancer. Kiritsugu hadn't even been aware and he hadn't cared about her existence. Apparently, the Cursed Love Spot struck rather deep.
The Archibald debacle was important for a very specific reason: Kiritsugu needed someone to teach his children magecraft. While he might be able to teach them runecraft to a decent level, he was inept in fundamental spellcraft. Kiritsugu doubted Shirou would survive a crest transplant until he was older which eliminated the possibility to learn Time Alter. Kiritsugu only knew a handful of magi willing to help. His first idea had been to ask Waver to teach them. Waver was a skilled magus and Kiritsugu knew him personally. Unfortunately, asking him to renounce his upcoming responsibilities to help teach the children of a freelance assassin was preposterous.
On the other hand, Kiritsugu could ask for a few favours and get the children placed into the Mage's Association. But if he did that, Illya would have a target painted on her back. The Einzberns would know where she was and wouldn't stop until she was dead.
So then only Shirou could go, but his identity would need to be hidden. Unlike Illya, a new alias would be the only requirement. But that was just a hypothetical. Shirou would need to prove his ability with magecraft before the Association would even consider taking him on.
So who did he know that was skilled with magecraft and could be persuaded to help? It took a moment, but Kiritsugu suddenly determined the perfect person for the job. He would see them tonight and see if an agreement could be made. The Magus Killer threw on his coat and prepared to leave. He gave one last glance at his desk, namely the Contender which sat illuminated by a lamp. Taking a second to decide, he figured it would be better to have but never use. Picking it up, he placed the weapon snugly in his coat and put on his boots.
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It was a few hours after sundown when the doorbell to the house chimed. A visitor at this time of night? They must have very good reason. Nobody was supposed to be living in this house so who in their right mind would ring the doorbell of a supposedly abandoned home?
Rin set the dustpan she had been using down. Since she had arrived back home with her mother, they had been doing nothing but cleaning. Dusting and mopping the floors. Someone had broken in during their time away. After breaking the glass to the back door, they managed to track mud through the entire house. It was rather aggravating and as a consequence, Rin had been steaming mad since she first arrived. Sighing to herself before putting on a brighter disposition, the girl walked towards the front door. "I've got it!" she called out, hoping her mother on the second floor was listening.
She was a big enough girl now, she was eight and could answer the door on her own! Confident, the little magus walked toward the main entrance. Peering up at the small window set into the door, a black silhouette stood in the evening gloom. Why hadn't she reactivated her father's bounded field? It could at least tell her if this stranger was a magus or intended to cause harm.
Since Rin's father had first left for the Grail War, Rin had been acclimating herself to the idea that he would never return. She had cried the first two nights even though she would never admit it aloud. Now, the thought of his absence hardly affected her. Returning to the matter at hand: whoever was on the other side of the door was wearing black clothes in the middle of the night. Were they some sort of burglar or murderer?
Wait, criminals don't ring doorbells. Rin forced the paranoid thoughts from her mind and reached up to pull the door open wide. "Good evening, I hope I'm not imposing myself at an inconvenient time," the man greeted, bowing formally. He wasn't very tall but he held himself confidently. His stance seemed primed to move in a moment's notice and his face seemed locked into a blank slate. This style seemed to extend beyond just his body language. His eyes seemed to be empty, analyzing emotionless streams of data rather than taking in colours, faces or emotions. It was rather intimidating in a strange, professional way.
Rin felt as if she was just another face to be catalogued or someone who was just standing in his way. "Good evening to you as well, sir." Rin returned the bow before glaring up towards the stranger with a convincing smile. This man was an absolute stranger and the vibe he was giving set off all sorts of alarms in her head.
"My name is Kiritsugu Emiya and I understand how peculiar this may sound from a stranger, but is your name Rin Tohsaka?" he asked, stunning her entirely. Lights were flashing behind her eyes. This man, someone she had never seen before, knew her name and where she lived. What would he want with her? He wasn't pulling or holding a weapon, and he wasn't channelling mana, he had just walked right up to the front door and rung the doorbell. He had even introduced himself! There was such a conflicting array of signals, Rin's head started aching from the sheer stupidity of it all. Was he here to kill her or here to offer a basket of complimentary muffins?
"Unfortunately no, I'm the daughter of the maid hired by the Tohsaka to clean up their house for their arrival." She thought on her toes. Rin had been expecting a lot of things. Anger, attempts at her life or doubt in her words. Surely if he knew her name, he would know what she looked like. She definitely had not expected the man to slouch onto himself and take on a depressed look.
"I see," he dejectedly spoke while letting out a sigh. "Do you know when the Tohsaka will return? I have a matter of utmost importance to discuss with them, specifically with Rin."