CHAPTER 21:

GROWING CLOSER

Harry, after deciding that Kariya was well enough to handle a couple of Apparitions, took him back to where Irisviel and Arturia were (Iskandar and Waver having left). Kiritsugu had joined them. Harry noted that Irisviel looked like she was flagging, and was subtly but noticeably being supported by Arturia. When Harry, Kariya, and Diarmuid approached, Kiritsugu looked at them.

Kariya grinned painfully. "Tokiomi Tohsaka is no longer Archer's Master."

Kiritsugu nodded. "Is he dead?"

"No. I destroyed his arm, the one with the Command Seals," Harry said. "I sent him back to the church afterwards. The problem is, Archer didn't look too worried. I've got the feeling he's going to hook up with Kirei."

Kiritsugu scowled, but conceded grudgingly, "Archer would have been too powerful to face alone, and there's the Independent Action of the class to consider. Your Berserker may match him, Kariya, but your time using him is sure to be limited given your condition, and even when you have Lancer to back you up, I'm not sure you could have won. Still, Caster is gone, along with his Master. Harry, I'll leave you to obtain the Command Seals from the Overseer if he's still willing to part with them."

"You trust me to deliver them?"

"Assuming you are allowed to obtain mine on my behalf," Kiritsugu said. "If I go near the church, I risk Kirei Kotomine intercepting me. He may no longer have Assassin, but he is still a lethal man in his own right, far more than any other enemy Master, and if what you said about Archer is correct, Harry…"

"I think Archer planned to divest himself of Tokiomi all along," Harry said. "What little I saw of his attitude suggested strong disdain for him."

"Whatever Kirei has within him that interests Archer, it can't be good," Kiritsugu said with considerable understatement. "Our only hope is that Tohsaka still can leash Kirei. Or his father."

After a moment, Harry said, utterly deadpan, "We're fucked. Anyway, I've told Archer about the possible contamination of the Grail. Unfortunately, he seems to think all the treasures in the world are his to own, and he's not afraid of any taint on the Grail. And speaking of treasures, I think he has the hots for Arturia."

"He has what?" Arturia hissed quietly.

"I agree," Kiritsugu said. "He has what?"

"The hots. For Arturia," Harry said, spelling it out. "Given how he acted during Iskandar's drinking party, I shouldn't be surprised."

Kariya nodded, wincing. "He called her a treasure of the world…and thus belonging to him. Sorry, Arturia. We killed off one stalker, only for you to get another." He chuckled bitterly, only to cough hard.

"That is far from amusing," Arturia said coldly.

"No, no, it's not. I'm sorry," Kariya said. "But Archer…Gilgamesh…he's now fixated on you."

"It seems to be a curse, that many a Servant in this Grail War is overly interested in me. No offence intended to you, Diarmuid," Arturia said. "At least your interest is benign."

"Thank you, King of Knights," Diarmuid said. "And you have my sympathies. I too know what it is like to be cursed with unwanted attention."

Kariya nodded. "Listen, I'd better get going to my own place. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep Berserker away from Arturia. I won't be able to face Archer the way I am now. I've only got limited time left, and when I start using Berserker, that time's going to go down the crapper. If you need me to wear the bastard down before you come in to finish him, then let me know."

"You'll die," Irisviel said, plaintively.

"Lady, I was resigned to die when I did this for Sakura," Kariya said, giving a sad smile. "And that old worm I was forced to call a father told me I only had a month left. As long as Sakura's safe, I will die happy. Hell, knowing Zouken's dead makes me happier already. And now that Tokiomi's possibly lost his Servant to that other guy…I've achieved all I need to for the Grail War. I didn't want the Grail for any wish, save for what I would get in exchange for it. Now that I have Sakura out of that hellhole…" His eyes flickered over to Kiritsugu. "Look after her for me, please. If Tokiomi bites it during the Grail War, and Aoi comes looking for her…give Sakura to Aoi, and tell her what Sakura went through, all because of Tokiomi's arrogance."

Kiritsugu nodded. "I will. I have a daughter myself. But if Tokiomi lives…?"

"I don't trust him. Aoi was always too passive for her own good, and Tokiomi might just pimp Sakura out again," Kariya snarled bitterly. "If Tokiomi lives…look after Sakura yourselves. I trust you with that much, Magus Killer…"

They had headed back to their base of operations, with Kiritsugu and Maiya heading back to their hotel. Irisviel had lain down once more in the magic circle in the shed, her eyes closed in gentle repose. They had brought out a futon this time, which, as long as it didn't actually disturb the markings, could be used in a pinch. Harry used a video camera to carefully document Irisviel's symptoms. With Caster's death, Irisviel was definitely getting worse. Diarmuid was guarding Sola-Ui and Sakura, while Arturia was here with Harry and Irisviel. In fact, another futon had been brought out to flank the Homunculus.

"I feel it," she murmured tiredly. "I don't think I would have noticed it if Zouken hadn't pointed it out…but I don't think this is supposed to be. If it weren't for Avalon, I would be much worse. The degradation shouldn't be this bad with just two Servants within me. I'm…I'm scared. What if Kiritsugu can't get his wish?"

"And what if you're dying for nothing?" Harry asked, gently pressing a hand to Irisviel's face. He half-expected her to be feverish, but in fact, her skin was ice cold.

Irisviel nodded. "That too. My life had a purpose, Harry, and I am glad of it, even if you don't agree. Not only that, but Kiritsugu enriched it so much, instead of leaving me as a doll, a tool. To my family, I would bring about the emergence of the Heaven's Feel. To Kiritsugu, I would bring his dream of world peace. And to Arturia…I would bring about her own wish. But…if that's for nothing…" She closed her eyes, and began to weep, softly. "The only consolation that I have, if this taint is truly dangerous, is that at least we know, at least we can try to stop it. And I can then save Illya from the same fate."

"It's cruel," Harry said quietly. "It's cruel to create you, a sentient being, all for the sake of sacrificing yourself. And for what? Is it worth it, this whole wish thing? The Heaven's Feel? This connection to Akasha?"

"For Magi, that would be worth a great cost in human life, if it could be done discreetly," Irisviel said sadly. "A Homunculus wouldn't even matter to them. I'm not saying it's right, Harry. But…I was willing to help my husband achieve his dream. And if I can't achieve that, then I will have to content myself with knowing that I was a canary in the coal mine, warning of dangers within the Grail. In any case, we still do not know for sure if there truly is a taint within the Grail."

"Zouken might have been saying that to spite us, but we can't dismiss it," Harry said. "Irisviel…"

"Harry…please, call me Iri. You may not be my husband…but I know you are a friend." She turned her crimson eyes to Arturia. "And you may call me that too, Arturia."

The King of Knights knelt down next to Irisviel, taking care not to disturb the circle, clasping the Homunculus' hand. "Iri…you show yourself to have a valour on a par with any one of my knights. Even with your artificial nature, your courage and tenacity is all too real, as is the love you have for Kiritsugu and Illya. I am glad to have met you."

"And I am glad to have met you too. Who else can say they've met King Arthur, not to mention Alexander the Great, Diarmuid of the Love Spot, and Gilgamesh? Few can. Arturia…regardless of how this Grail War turns out, regardless of whether you get your wish or not, promise me this. Promise me that you find a way to get some happiness for yourself. Especially if you do get your wish."

"…I promise, Iri," Arturia solemnly declared.

"Can Servants exist beyond the Grail War, Iri?" Harry asked after a moment's thought.

Irisviel's eyes flicked over to Harry, a little confused. She eventually conceded, "It's possible. It depends on the Servant and their class. The actual summoning needs far more power if the Greater Grail isn't active, so outside of the Grail War, it would be a dangerous drain, even on the best of Magi, especially if it's Berserker. Berserkers, as you saw with Kariya, are very mana-hungry. But if a Magus has summoned a Servant already during the Grail War, and the Servant somehow survives…then they can be contracted as a familiar, effectively anchoring them in the world. It would be draining, true, but not dangerously so. Why do you ask?"

"If the Grail is corrupted, and we have to destroy it…well, I'd rather not let either Diarmuid or Arturia fade away," Harry said. "Iskandar's dangerous to leave alive, given his desire for world conquest, and Gilgamesh, well, he'd be even worse. But Diarmuid and Arturia…if we can't get the Grail, then they deserve at least a second chance at life. Free from their obligations."

"You believe that, Harry?" Arturia asked.

"I do. You're both in the Grail War because of your regrets. Diarmuid regrets that he couldn't show true fealty to his Master and, that incident with me taking him from Lord El-Melloi aside, he's getting it. And you, well, we know your wish. If you can't get it, then you deserve at least another chance at life, to feel happy."

Arturia walked over and sat down next to Harry, and peered into his eyes, so much like her own. "I appreciate the offer, Harry."

"You offered to bring me back with you. If you can't, then I'd be more than glad to help you stay in the modern day. After all, this time would be all the better for King Arthur still being in it."

Irisviel giggled. "I wish Kiritsugu would get along as well with you two. I know you two have issues with him, but…you haven't seen him at his best. And perhaps I haven't seen him at his worst. I see his pain, his weariness at the injustice in the world…but I haven't seen what acts have given him the title of the Magus Killer. And perhaps that ignorance is best for me…"

After leaving Arturia with Iri, Harry made a phone call to the church just outside the shed. He needed to make possible arrangements for Command Seals. "Yes?" Risei's voice asked.

"Harry here. Listen, has there been any decision as whom to grant Command Seals to for the destruction of Caster and his beast?"

"Yes. We have decided, in the end, to grant another Command Seal to Kiritsugu Emiya."

"Is that so? I'm not greedy for another one, but Lancer sacrificing one of his Noble Phantasms and Rider delaying the beast helped. And Lancer killed Caster's Master."

"…Very well. You may have another Command Seal if you wish, if only for killing Caster's Master. Come to the church when you are able, and we will also discuss means to bring a Command Seal to the Magus Killer. A geas contract, perhaps."

"Okay, got it. I'll be there soon."

As he finished the phone call, Arturia came out. "I overheard your call. It may be a trap. If Kirei Kotomine is there, or else Gilgamesh…"

"I know. I don't know whether either have anything that can put me down for good. But I don't want to take too much of a risk. Risei doesn't look like the sort to make a trap, but Kirei and Gilgamesh are another matter. And Tokiomi might want revenge on me. Don't worry, I'll be careful."

Arturia raised a golden eyebrow, as if to say, Really? However, she sent him on her way with a nod of assent. "Stay safe, Harry," she said.

"I will." Well, that was a lie right there and then. Trouble seemed to have a bad habit of homing in on Harry. But first, he needed to call Kiritsugu, and tell him what was going to happen…

CHAPTER 21 ANNOTATIONS:

Well, that just happened. A nice bit of calm before the storm…

Review-answering time! God-King Ghidora: Merlin's not appearing.

No numbered annotations this time.