In the Japanese town known as Fuyuki City, seventeen-year-old Shirou Emiya was cleaning up his school's archery dojo. It was a task asked of him by his childhood friend, Sakura Matou, and he couldn't bring himself to reject her even though, he knew the actual reason why she asked him to clean up the dojo. After he inspected the equipment one last time, he checked the time to see that the sun was most likely down. He then turned around to see his sister, Miyu Emiya, reading a book on the dojo floor in her school uniform.

"I'm done packing up the dojo. Have you finished your homework?" Shirou called out to his sister, who turned her head around.

"Yes, the work was quite simple," Miyu answered, packing up her stuff into her school bag before putting it on as she stood up. Shirou just smiled before walking over to the entrance of the dojo and picked up his school bag. He called out to her to go before holding out his hand for her to grab. She did so with subdued excitement and the two walked through the halls of the high school. Since it was extremely late, most of the lights were off, but the moon was unusually bright enough for Miyu and Shirou to transverse through the halls.

"The moon looks beautiful tonight," Miyu stated, staring out of the window. Shirou looked at the moon and couldn't help, but agree to Miyu's words. Then, he felt Miyu's grip on his hand tighten and squeezed back in a reassuringly way. The two then walked out of the school building. It was that instant Shirou knew something was wrong.

"What's wrong?" Miyu asked when Shirou stopped walking. She then too felt something from the distance. She turned her head to see two figures fighting each other with wild ambition. One of them wore red and black clothing and wielded twin blades while the other wore a skintight blue outfit and utilized a red spear. Just looking at the spear, Miyu could detect a strong bloodlust from the weapon.

"We have to get out of here as fast as possible," Shirou stated before picking Miyu up and running in the opposite direction. Prana lines appeared on Shirou's legs and his body propelled out of the school grounds at astonishing speed. Miyu and Shirou looked behind to make sure no one was behind them. At first, it seemed like the coast was clear for the siblings. Then, Miyu looked up. She yelled for her brother to look up and Shirou did so to see the Lancer in the air following them. Shirou continued to run faster, but had to stop when the blue man landed right in front of the two of them right in the middle of a deserted street. Shirou knew he had no choice. He put Miyu down on the ground as the spearman twirled his spear in his hand with a cocky grin on his face.

"Miyu, run home. I will be right behind you," Shirou ordered his sister. She was about to argue back, but a quick glance from her brother quickly silenced her. Without another word, she started to run off.

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," Lancer stated before lunging at Miyu with his spear at the ready. However, his battle-honed instincts immediately stopped his body and blocked a strike from Shirou. His eyes widened in surprise to see a white blade similar to his previous opponent in the hands of Shirou.

"I'm your opponent, Cu Chulainn," Shirou stated before a black blade materialized in his other hand. He then made a swipe at the blue-haired man, but was easily dodged.

"Oh, this is interesting. To think I would meet two people, who used the exact same weapons, tonight. How did you figure my identity so fast, kid?" Lancer leaned his spear against his shoulder. Shirou just gripped his short swords tightly in his hands with a sarcastic look on his face.

"Who wouldn't recognize the famed spear of Ireland's Child of Light, Gae Bolg?" Shirou carefully observed the lancer. The older man grimaced at Shirou's words.

"Hmm, I didn't think I would be recognized by a kid, but no matter," Lancer stated before adopting a battle stance. "Now that you know my identity, I have to kill you. No hard feelings, kid." As soon as he said those words, he disappeared. Shirou then felt a presence behind him. A mixture of his quick reflexes and battle experience helped him just narrowly dodge a stab from the red spear.

"Oh, you're not bad," Lancer commented before following up with a slice. Shirou blocked the spear before jumping back to create some distance between himself and the spear. He then prepared himself for the fight of his life. Lancer was the first to close the distance between the two of them. His spear and ferocious tenacity should have given him the advantage over Shirou, but it irked him how he was unable to break the red-head's defense. The more he fought Shirou, the more he was reminded of his previous opponent. Then, he finally broke one of Shirou's swords. As soon as the blade shattered, Shirou blocked a strike from Lancer before kicking the lancer away.

"Not bad. I didn't think there was anyone in this world that could last against me in an actual fight," Lancer complemented the teenager before his face turned serious. "However, my master is not a patient man. Tell me your name before I finally kill you."

"Shirou Emiya, but I don't plan on dying today," Shirou responded before his other sword dematerialized into thin air. Then, he summoned black bow in his left hand and a strange arrow in his right hand.

"Oh, you're an Archer as well. You are truly an interesting opponent," Lancer grinned before getting into a stance. Red magical energy started to swirl around his spear. Intense bloodlust flooded the street that would make any ordinary man faint. However, Shirou just nocked his strange arrow and aimed at the spearman. Red magical energy also started to swirl around the arrow.

"Soar, Hound of the Red Plains, Hrunting!" Shirou exclaimed before firing his arrow. The blue-haired man let the arrow pass by him before smirking.

"You're a lousy shot. Now, it is my turn," Lancer spoke before more bloodlust flooded the area. Shirou stepped back in surprise at the increase in bloodlust, but held his ground.

"Gae"

Suddenly, the whistle of the wind reached his ears. He turned around to see a red magical bullet coming straight for him. He stopped emitting bloodlust and spun his weapon around to deflect the shot. The clash formed a large cloud of dust. Lancer wiped a part of the dust cloud only to see Shirou gone.

"This kid is full of tricks," a feral grin emerged on the older man's face.

Shirou opened the door to his home to see it completely empty. He called out for his sister, but heard no response. Concerned, he entered the dining area only to hear a footstep behind him. He whipped around to block a strike from an reinforced wooden rod.

"Miyu, it's me," Shirou said before looking down to see his sister with a relieved expression on her face. She dropped the bokuto before hugging him.

"I thought that Servant killed you," Miyu confessed. Shirou could her a slight crack in her voice and just hugged her back reassuringly.

"That's very touching. As a gesture of kindness, I make sure to end you both quickly," they heard a voice near them. Whipping around, they saw Lancer in the shadows with his spear propped against his shoulder. In fluid movement, Shirou summoned his bow and fired multiple shots at the invader. He then led his sister out to the backyard of the house.

"Stay here and keep quiet. Do not come out no matter what," Shirou told Miyu as he placed her inside the shed.

"No, you can't fight off a Servant by yourself. I can help you," Miyu responded in fear.

"Come on. Have some faith in your brother," Shirou smiled reassuringly to his sister before closing the door in front of her face. He quickly locked it before turning around to see Lancer emerge from the house without a scratch on him. Shirou then summoned the white and black blade.

"Hmm, I thought you would run off by now," Lancer raising an eyebrow at the teen.

"Well, that was because I didn't have anyone to protect, but if I run now, you will just kill my sister," Shirou prepared for another fight.

"True, but I was going to kill her either way. If you want to save her, you will have to kill me," Lancerstated.

"That's the plan," Shirou responded before he surprisingly made the first move. He closed the gap between them in an instant before pressing his attack with more ferocity than before.

"Ah, you were holding back before," Lancer grinned before making a stab for Shirou's heart. Shirou sacrificed one of his blades to the might of Gae Bolg to deflect it. In an instant, Shirou materialized a similar blade before continuing his attack. It was a repeated cycle where neither would gain an advantage over the other. As the two fought, Lancer could hear Shirou whispering something. He was confused by this, but didn't comment on it as he deflected two swords before noticing another pair flying towards him. He whipped around to deflect them before realizing his mistake. His turn contorted into a grimace as he turned around to see Shirou in the air with two longswords in hand. Lancer grunted in pain as his torso was sliced apart by the two longswords. However, Shirou also made a mistake. Embedded into the redhead's chest, there was Gae Bolg. Strange substance started to course around Shirou's wound.

"You put quite a good fight, but I'm afraid it wasn't enough to save your sister," Lancer stated before throwing Shirou into the ground. The man's wounds were quite serious, but any could see that it meant little to the Child of Light.

"No," Shirou spoke weakly before blood started to clog his throat. He was only able to watch as Lancer walked over to the shed. In his last conscious moments, Shirou could feel the curse ravaging his body along with his pierced heart.

All of a sudden, a bright light enveloped Shirou's body. His eyes widened back up as he felt his heart slowly repair itself. Then, it started to pump again. With blood coursing through his veins again, Shirou was able to cough out the blood before he suffocated in it. Through all this, Lancer was just confused by the events. Then, he heard the sound of doors being burst open. He whipped around to see a blond woman in blue clothing with silver knight armor.

"A Servant?!" Lancer exclaimed before he blocked a strike from air by the woman. The two started to engage in close-quarters combat while Miyu ran over to Shirou, who was clutching his chest in extreme pain.

"Onii-chan, we need to get you to a hospital," Miyu stated, trying to lift Shirou up.

"It's fine," Shirou weakly replied, pushing his sister's hands away. Miyu blinked in confusion before looking at his chest. Her eyes widened in surprise to see blue strings stitching the skin back together and coating the strange substance around his wound.

"Is it because of?" Miyu asked and Shirou just nodded his head. He let Miyu help him sit up before seeing the woman pushing Lancer back with great skill. His eyes widened in surprise not at the way the woman fought, but how beautiful she was in all her glory. However, the moment passed and Shirou started to focus more prana towards himself. More blue strings started to appear and seemed to speed up his recovery.

"You're quite good with a sword, miss," Lancer managing to put some distance between himself and the mysterious woman.

"How do you know if this is a sword? For all you know, this could be a bow or a lance," the woman responded with a neutral face.

"Anyone can tell that you're using a sword," Lancer responded before getting into a stance. The woman prepared herself.

"Don't let him use his Noble Phantasm. He's Cu Chulainn," Shirou warned the woman, knowing full well the outcome if Lancer is able to use his spear. Hearing Shirou's words, the woman instantly lunged at her opponent and forced him on the defensive. Lancer tutted before pushing his opponent away and jumping onto a nearby rooftop.

"Come back down and fight, Lancer," the woman called out.

"Sorry, miss, but I was originally supposed to scout out for any Masters and Servants. With what just happened, my Master wants me to return," Lancer apologized before looking at Shirou. "Mark my words. When I return, it will be under proper circumstances." He then vanished into the air. With that, the threat was gone and the two humans could breathe easier. Then, a resounding flick could be heard. Miyu exclaimed in pain before Shirou felt a blade against his throat.

"I would advise you from harming my Master," the woman spoke coldly to Shirou. The redhead looked at the blond while Miyu rubbed her forehead.

"You're not the first blond to threaten me, but you are cuter than the previous," Shirou responded. He was slightly disappointed that his words had little effect on the woman, but enjoyed the pout from his sister.

"Saber, it is ok. He's my onii-chan not an enemy. It's his way of showing his concern," Miyu told Saber, who nodded her head. Shirou felt the blade disappear from his throat. Rubbing his neck, he stood up despite Miyu's concern. He could see Saber staring at his wound or his lack of wound. The curse lines were still visible, but it was not so prominent anymore.

"Miyu, what were thinking of summoning of a Servant? Do you know what you go yourself in? Don't you remember what Dad told us about the Grail?" Shirou scolded his sister. Miyu looked away from her brother; opting to stare at the ground.

"I just wanted to save you," Miyu started to tear up. Shirou saw this and softened a bit. He wiped the tears off her face.

"It's ok. I know you were just trying to help, but I just don't want to see you get hurt," Shirou spoke to her before embracing her in a hug. After the two hugged, Shirou stood up and looked at Saber, who was analyzing him.

"I don't think we got to a great start. I'm Shirou Emiya," Shirou introduced himself, holding out his hand out to Saber. He could see recognition at the mention of his last name in Saber's eyes before she shook the outstretched hand. Then, all three of them felt a similar presence to Lancer outside their borders. Without another word, Saber leapt over the wall. Shirou chased after her and landed on the wall to see Saber attack the red and black man from school.

"Saber, wait!" Shirou shouted, but his words fell on deaf ears. The man fought quite defensively against Saber. Then, Shirou noticed someone behind the man. He was not surprised to see his school's idol, Rin Tohsaka, watching the fight with minor concern on her face. Materializing his bow, Shirou aimed an arrow at where he thought Saber's sword was and fired. A resounding clang of metal halted the fighting. The man, Saber, and Rin turned their heads to Shirou with his bow. With his eyes, Shirou could see shock from Rin, confusion from the man, and annoyance from Saber.

"Enough with the fighting," Shirou de-materializing his bow as he jumped down from the wall. He then landed in front of them before smiling at all three of them. "Why don't the three of you come in for tea?"

"Eh?" Rin responded in shock while the man started to inspect Shirou.

"What are you doing? This is an enemy Master and Servant," Saber exclaimed, marching over to Shirou.

"They may be, but I don't think they came here with any ill intent," Shirou explained to Saber before looking over at Rin. "Am I right, Tohsaka?" Rin quickly agreed much to Shirou's amusement.

"Onii-chan, Saber, are you two ok?" everyone heard Miyu's voice.

"It's fine, Miyu. No one is hurt," Shirou turned his head to look at Miyu, who seemed prepared to utilize one of her Command Spells. If anyone was watching the man, they would have noticed a crack in his calm expression.

"Since everyone is ok, would the two of you like to come in for tea?" Miyu asked. Rin and Saber just gaped at Miyu while Shirou was trying his best to hold in his laughter.

Soon, Rin and Saber were seated around the Emiya dining table while Shirou - now dressed in his simple blue and white sweater and jeans - and Miyu - still in her school uniform - were preparing for some tea. Despite their offers, the man classified as Archer by Rin decided to keep an eye on the household outside. Miyu attempted to push it, but relented when Shirou let the man go. Soon, Shirou carried a tray of four cups of tea and set it onto the table. Miyu handed a cup to the guests before handing one to her brother. Rin and Saber politely thanked her as the Emiya siblings sat down across from Rin and next to Saber.

"So, Emiya, I never knew you were a magus," Rin started off the conversation after taking a sip of her tea.

"Well, you never asked," Shirou responded, enjoying the tick mark appear on Rin's forehead.

"Well, it doesn't explain why you decided to embroil yourself in the Holy Grail War. You seem too much like a nice guy to do such a thing," Rin responded with sickly sweet smile as a dark cloud descended around her head.

"Oh, I'm not the Master of Saber. My sister is," Shirou told Rin before showing off the back of his hands. Rin just gawked before looking at Miyu, who was blushing slightly under Rin's stare. The older girl could clearly see the Command Spells on the back of Miyu's hand and just facepalmed herself for making such a blunder.

"Are you kidding me?! I would have been fine if the best class was summoned by a proper magus, but to think, a ten-year-old of all people managed to summon her is crazy!" Rin exclaimed, slamed her hand on the table. No one flinched at her action.

"Believe it or not, my sister is the Master of Saber," Shirou casually replied. Rin just groaned before placing her head on the table while still managing to hold her teacup straight.

"You know that is not even the craziest thing from tonight. The craziest thing was when I saw Emiya stop a fight between Saber and Archer by himself with nothing, but a bow and an arrow," Rin exclaimed, lifting her head back up.

"Agreed, that was a stupid move on my Master's brother's part," Saber spoke up for the first time since she entered the house.

"They're right, onii-chan. You need to stop being so reckless," Miyu joined in. Shirou just gaped at his sister before placing his cup of tea on the table. Shirou just sweatdropped at the looks from the girls before setting his tea cup on the table. Then, he turned serious.

"Rin," Shirou spoke in a serious tone. "Do you know why the Fifth Holy Grail War has started early?"

"No, it was a surprise to me to see Command Spells on the back of my hand," Rin taken aback by Shirou's sudden shift in tone. Even Saber was surprised by what she saw. Only Miyu wasn't affected by the actions of her brother. Shirou nodded his head in response to Rin's words.

"Hmm, it happened sooner than Kirtisugu and I planned. It doesn't affect much, but it means I'm on a clock," Shirou thought to himself.

"Next question. Who is the supervisor of the War?" Shirou asked. Instantly, his fears were cemented when he saw a look of disdain emerge on Rin's face.

"His name is Kirei Kotomine. If you wish to participate any further in the War, you will need to be registered by that fake priest," Rin answered with a large amount of a annoyance in her voice. Shirou nodded his head before looking at Miyu. The two seemed to communicate without the use of words before they looked back at Rin.

"Do you think you will be able to call the priest and inform him that Saber has been summoned?" Shirou requested.

"I could, but I already reached weekly limit of talking to that man," Rin replied.

"Ok, can you give me his phone number, so I can call him?"

"Sure, but don't be surprised if that man shows up here out of nowhere."

"Thanks for the warning," Shirou said before standing up. Rin stood up before following Shirou out of the dining area. Miyu and Saber watched Rin and Shirou leave.

"Saber, I have something to tell you," Miyu stated, placing her tea cup on the table.

"What is it, Master?" Saber responded, repeating the same action as her Master.

"It is about the catalyst I used to summon you. Tell me do you feel anything strange with your body?" Miyu inquired, staring at Saber. Saber blinked before closing her eyes. Miyu waited patiently for Saber's answer.

"Impossible," Saber whispered before opening her eyes. "I am receiving no mana from you. No, that is wrong. I am receiving mana from you, but it isn't being transferred directly to me, but to something else. Yet, I don't feel the need to conserve any mana. Also, there seems to be no mana from the Grail." Miyu nodded her head before looking at her hands.

"What is wrong, Master?" Saber asked.

"Ah, nothing," Miyu answered, adorning a sad smile on her face. "It is just that I never thought I would be a Master in a Holy Grail War."

"What do you mean by that, Master?" Saber eyed her Master in a cold tone.

"Onii-chan might not say to me, but I know he never wanted me to be part of anything Grail-related. Me, being a Master, just adds unnecessary pressure on him," Miyu explained before a look of determination emerged on her face. "But, it is the only way. Tell me Saber, what is your wish?"

"My wish?" Saber responded before she inhaled deeply. "It is to bring salvation to my homeland."

"You sound just like onii-chan."

"How so?"

"Well, his dream was to be a champion of justice. Someone, who fought not for others or oneself, but fought to save the world."

"It is a good dream. Tell me, Master, what is your wish?"

"Ah, you don't have to call me Master."

"That is not appropriate etiquette."

"It my be so, but we are partners in this War. To obtain the Grail, we need to help each other and we can't do that if there is a barrier of any sort between us."

"That is quite a mature outlook for one as young as yourself. If you wish, I will no longer call you Master anymore. What do you wish to call you by?"

"Miyu is fine."

"Miyu. You still have not answered my question."

"Ah, yes," Miyu blushed in embarrassment. As she was about to answer, the two of them heard footsteps. They turned around to see Shirou return alone.

"Where's Miss Tohsaka?" Miyu asked.

"She decided to go home. It is a school night after all," Shirou answered before giving his sister a look. Miyu understood and quickly got up. Saber watched in confusion as Miyu quickly left the dining area.

"She's just going to take a shower and get changed. It has been a long night after all. She may be a Master, but I won't let it impact her studies," Shirou told Saber, who nodded her head.

"She has quite a good head on her shoulders to be able to handle the situation in such a mature way," Saber replied.

"Well, this is not the first Holy Grail War we've participated in," Shirou stated, sitting in front of Saber. Saber looked at the redhead in shock.

"Since you are my sister's Servant, I think you need to know a few things about us. I know you must be curious how my wound miraculously healed itself. It is because of this," Shirou continued before placing a hand over his chest. A bright light enveloped the entire room, which forced Saber to cover her eyes. Soon, the light died down and Saber could see again. Her breath hitched when she saw a beautiful golden and blue scabbard in Shirou's hands.

"Avalon," she said in awe before shakily picking up the scabbard from Shirou's hands.

"This was implanted into me ten years ago by Kirtisugu Emiya," Shirou told Saber, who just stared at the sheathe like it would be the last time.

"Why give this to me? It could be greatly beneficial to you during the War since it seems you plan to involve yourself greatly," Saber pointed out, placing the scabbard onto the table.

"No need. I have my own version," Shirou stated before holding out his palm. Right in front of Saber, a clone of Avalon manifested above Shirou's palm.

"Ten years of Avalon inside my body has given me the ability to trace a perfect copy of it. However, I can only do it with you in the vicinity," Shirou explained before Avalon dematerialized into thin air.

"So, you know who I am," Saber replied. Shirou nodded his head.

"This is the only reason why I am going to tell you who Miyu and I really are. If you were another Servant, I would think twice before telling them this, but who is more trustworthy than the King of Knights," Shirou spoke seriously, earning a blink of surprise from Saber.

"Is this related to the Holy Grail War you participated in?" Saber asked. Shirou confirmed so before telling Saber about the Holy Grail War he participated in. Being respectful, Saber never interrupted Shirou as he spoke, but he could see a multitude of emotions on her face vary at different parts of the story.

"It is quite a hard story to believe, but I can sense only truth from you, Master's brother," Saber stated after Shirou finished his tale.

"Yeah, it would be. You don't have to call me Master's brother. Just call me Shirou. It will save me the hassle later," Shirou responded.

"What hassle?" Saber inquired. Shirou just waved his hand before standing up.

"Miyu should be done with getting ready. I'm going to tuck her in before going to bed myself. Should I lay out a futon for you in Miyu's room?" Shirou spoke.

"There is no need. I do not require any sleep to sustain myself," Saber told Shirou. Shirou nodded his head, leaving Saber in the dining area to contemplate what Shirou told her. Then, her eyes settled on Avalon, which rested on the table in front of her. She summoned her sword, which resonated with the scabbard. With steel determination on her face, she sheathed her blade before standing up.

"Miyu, Shirou, I will protect you with all my might from those beyond this world and within," Saber swore a personal oath before walking out of the dining area.

Waking up in the morning, Shirou rubbed his eyes in exhaustion. In his bones, he knew today would be a long day and just wanted to sleep the day away in peace. Then, he saw Saber kneeling right next to his futon. He was surprised to see her dressed in some of his old straight jeans and blue winter sweater. Her hair was still styled the same as before, but she had a white ribbon instead of a blue one. She was quite an alluring sight for anyone. Now then, Shirou was a healthy teenager, so he did what any boy would do at that situation.

"Want to join me?" Shirou asked, lifting up his blanket and indicating for the blond to join him. He was once again disappointed to see a lack of reaction on Saber's face.

"Shirou, I advise you to cease such frivolities and wake up. Miyu is currently cooking breakfast with her friend," Saber stated before standing up and walking out of his room. Shirou just smirked before getting out his bed. He quickly got into his school uniform and walked to the kitchen to see Miyu and Sakura in the kitchen while Saber was sitting patiently at the table. Shirou greeted to his sister and his friend before sitting down in front of Saber. Sakura was the first to bring a tray of food to the table. She placed the contents on the table before being shortly followed afterwards by Miyu.

"You're getting better and better everyday, Miyu. Soon, I will be forced to retire early and hang up my apron forever," Shirou complemented before picking up his chopsticks.

"You can't let that happen, onii-chan. You still have so much to teach me," Miyu responded as she sat down next to her brother. Shirou just smiled before ruffling Miyu's hair. Sakura smiled at the sight as she too sat down next to Miyu. Only Saber felt uncomfortable in the situation. As she watched the three non-Servants, she felt somewhat apologetic for disrupting their peaceful lifestyle.

"Ah, Sakura, I don't think I introduced you to Saber," Shirou interrupted Saber's thoughts.

"Miyu introduced the two of us earlier. I never knew you knew someone out of the country," Sakura responded and flashed a warm smile to Saber.

"Yeah, her family was friends with my father. It seems that Saber wanted to move here to study Japanese culture and her father contacted me to see if she could stay," Shirou explained to Sakura, who nodded her head in understanding. Saber was astonished at Shirou's ability to lie and couldn't help, but shudder at the similarities between Kirtisugu and Shirou at that moment. All four members of the table started to eat their meal. Shirou was the first to finish his meal. He then was followed by Sakura and Miyu, who helped him wash the dishes. Saber was the last one to finish her meal, but anyone could see she greatly enjoyed it. She placed her dishes next to the sink before sitting back down at the table. Then, the doorbell rang.

"I will get it," Shirou announced, wiping his hands on a towel before walking over to the front door. The doorbell rang again and the teen called out for the person to wait. He then opened the door to see Rin smiling at him. Without another word, Shirou closed the door, locked it, and walked back to the kitchen.

"Who was that?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, just someone, who got the wrong house," Shirou answered, returning to his prior task. Then, the house was flooded with the sound of the doorbell. Shirou just sighed as Miyu elected herself to go to the door. Saber followed her master as Shirou continued to clean the dishes. Sakura seemed worried for a moment before returning to her task. Shirou could hear some voices from the distance. He noticed Sakura tense like she recognized one of the voices. Shirou was about to ask if she was alright, but he was interrupted by the arrival of Rin, Miyu, and Saber.

"Ah, Tohsaka, I didn't know you were here. What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?" Shirou greeted with a smile. He just received a glare from Rin while Sakura stared at him suspiciously.

"You're going to be late for school if you don't hurry up, Emiya," Rin crossed her arms before she noticed Sakura.

"Ah, yes, Miyu, Sakura, let's leave the dishes to dry for now. I will put them away later," Shirou told the two girls before he washed his hands. He quickly got ready before assembling with the others at the front door. As they walked out to the gates, Shirou held back both Saber and Miyu.

"So, what's the plan? Is Saber going to dematerialize and keep watch over you at school?" Shirou asked as he locked up. Saber and Miyu looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Shirou.

"The thing is that Saber can't dematerialize, so I thought that it would be best for her to hang around my school," Miyu told Shirou, who just mentally facepalmed himself for forgetting something so crucial about Saber from his father's story.

"What is your range like?" Shirou asked Saber.

"I am able to detect enemy Servants within the immediate vicinity. If any Servant enters the school grounds, I should be able to sense them," Saber answered. Shirou nodded his head before looking at his sister.

"Be smart, Miyu. I don't want you unnecessarily fighting in battles you could easily avoid. Saber may be a strong Servant, but you are still human," Shirou told Miyu, who nodded her head.

"Keep her safe," Shirou looked at Saber, who nodded her head. Then, the three of them walked to the gates where Sakura and Rin were waiting for them. With that, the party walked to their respective schools. After Miyu and Saber turned a different corner, Shirou could sense an uneasy tension between Rin, Sakura, and himself. He thought about starting the conversation, but he decided to hold his tongue. Once they arrived at the school gates, he instantly felt a life-draining and uncomfortable feeling wash over him. He mentally grimaced as he waved bye to Sakura, who bid him and the twin-tail a quick farewell before dashing off to her class. This left Rin and Shirou by themselves amongst a crowd of students.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Shirou asked as he ignored the looks of astonishment from his fellow students.

"Too late to discuss now. Meet me on the rooftop at lunch," Rin whispered, so only Shirou could hear before she marched off. Shirou just shook his head and waited for a moment before entering the school building.

"So why the meet-up here?" Shirou greeted Rin, who was quietly eating her lunch on the rooftop of the school. The ravenhead looked at her fellow student before setting her lunch down and walking over to the fence on the rooftop.

"Did you sense it?" Rin asked.

"You mean the bounded field? Even now, I can feel it draining me. Do you think someone in this school is a Master?" Shirou grimaced as he walked up next to rin. The two of them looked down at students eating or chatting with their friends.

"Not sure. This bounded field is strong, so my guess is that it was created by a Servant to supply them with mana. However, the only person I can think of capable of summoning a Servant in this school is not the culprit," Rin frowned.

"Oh, who would that be?" Shirou responded. Rin just glared at the redhead, who then finally realized who she meant.

"So, what do you think we should do? If this field stays up any longer, innocent people will get in the crossfire and possibly expose magecraft to the public, which I'm sure this is something the Church or the Mage's Association will not accept," Shirou stated.

"That is why I am willing to offer my assistance to help you find the culprit," Rin ran her hand through her hair. Shirou blinked for a moment.

"Are you offering an alliance, Tohsaka?" Shirou smirked, which seemed to infuriate Rin.

"No, you idiot. As soon as we find out who is behind this field, we're back to enemies," Rin blushed before pointing a finger at Shirou's face. Shirou just smiled before pushing Rin's finger away.

"You're a nice person. I don't think anyone has told you that enough in your life. I accept your alliance," Shirou stated. He mentally grinned when he saw Rin turn another shade of red at his words.

"G-good. A magus such as myself should help those who need it," Rin crossed her arms. Shirou just chuckled in response and Rin demanded to know what was so funny.

"Look at you two acting so cozy next to each other. Some would think the two of you were friends," a voice interrupted the two. Rin was surprised to see Shirou's eyes turn cold and hard like metal before turning her head to see Shinji Matou waving at them. She noticed that there was book in his hand. She found it slightly suspicious, but couldn't confirm anything.

"What do you want, Matou?" Shirou asked in a harsh tone that set off alarm bells in Rin's head.

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to talk to Rin about something, so be a good friend and leave, Emiya," Shinji spoke in a smug tone as he walked over to them.

"I'm not your friend nor will I ever be. If you want to say something to Tohsaka, you can say to me as well or you can leave," Shirou crossed his arms. Rin was slightly impressed at Shirou and enjoyed the look of pure rage on Shinji's face.

"This doesn't involve you, Emiya, so if you knew what was good for you, you will leave right now," Shinji seethed as if he was ready to hurt someone, but anyone could see that Shirou was not fazed at all by Shinji's words.

"Make me leave then," Shirou dared. Shinji glared at the redhead as a sign of defiance. A passing of the wind was the only sound on the rooftop.

"I will remember this," Shinji was the first to break the silence before storming towards the rooftop entrance. Shirou and Rin watched him leave.

"What was that about? I thought the two of you were friends," Rin commented on the entire situation. Expecting an answer from Shirou, Rin was surprised that the redhead just walked towards the rooftop entrance. When he grabbed the doorknob, he turned back to look at her.

"Let's meet up after school and investigate the entire school. Call your Servant here. Most likely, we will need his help," Shirou told Rin before walking down the stairs. Rin was slightly annoyed at being ordered at, but she couldn't deny the fact that Shirou had point. With nothing more to do, she walked back to her lunch and resumed consuming her meal. However, she couldn't focus on eating when her mind was addled with more questions than answers about her fellow student, Shirou Emiya.

As soon as the bells rang for the end of school, Shirou and Rin met on the rooftop like before. The two were watching all of the students departing the school grounds except for those with club activities after school.

"The bounded field is still up, so the Servant must still be here," Shirou grimaced as he stretched out his body.

"It makes it easier for us to find them since there is a limited amount of people here. My guess is that the Servant needs large amounts of mana. With the lack of students in the vicinity, they will have to reveal themselves sooner or later to conserve mana. I'm having Archer constantly check every hallway for any sign of a Servant," Rin told the redhead, who nodded his head in understanding. Then, Shirou noticed something in the distance.

"Do you see something in that classroom over there?" Shirou asked as he pointed to a window opposite them. Rin walked up next to Shirou and squinted.

"I see something, but I can't make anything out of it," Rin answered. Before she finished, Shirou already scaled the fence and jumped off the rooftop much to Rin's shock.

"Are you crazy?" Rin shouted. Shirou just ignored her as a chain with a blade at the end materialized in his hand. He then hurled the blade at the window, which puncturing the glass and embedded itself into an inside wall. Shirou then pulled and completely shattered the remaining pieces of glass. As the chain dematerialized into blue sparks, Shirou landed on the ground before surveying the area to see a purple-haired woman raising a dagger with a chain attached to it above an unconscious student. In one fluid motion, Shirou materialized his black bow and fired a simple arrow at the weapon. The arrow was unable to loosen the woman's grip, but it did get her attention. Then, Shirou's eyes widened in recognition.

"What are you doing here? Were you the one who set up the bounded field?" Shirou demanded to know, nocking Hrunting into his bow. The woman didn't respond and opted to just slowly get into a pouncing position. Shirou aimed at the woman.

"I won't ask again," Shirou stated. Then, he noticed a sliver of movement around the corner. Adjusting his aim, he fired his arrow. The woman moved to dodge before she realized she wasn't the target. A portion of the corner was destroyed. After the smoke settled, Shirou just frowned when he saw a quivering Shinji clutching the strange book in his arms.

"Why am I not surprised? Of course, he's involved in this," Shirou groaned to himself before nocking another Hrunting in his bow. He then aimed at Shinji, who tried to scramble away.

"E-E-Emiya, it's me, Shinji," Shinji stuttered in fright.

"Yeah, I know it's you," Shirou responded before firing Hrunting at Shinji. He tutted when the woman knocked his arrow out of the air.

"You just tried to kill me," Shinji was shocked before a look of pure rage emerged on Shinji's face. "Kill him now, Rider!" With that, two things occured: Rider lunged at Shirou while the teenager dematerialized his bow and summoned his white and black blades. He blocked Rider's initial strike before following up with a slash of his own. His opponent easily dodged his attack before retaliating with her own. Soon, the two engaged in a repeated cycle, which neither gaining an upper hand on their enemy. As the fight progressed, Shinji slowly started to become scared of Shirou, who stayed calm throughout his fight with Rider. He turned around to run for it only to come face to face with Rin, who had Archer right behind her.

"Matou, why am I not surprised?" Rin spoke in a neutral tone as she stared at Shinji like he was a filthy animal. Shinji spluttered out a flimsy response, but Rin wasn't accepting it. A ball of black magical energy flew out of her finger. It smacked Shinji's book out of his hand and landed on the floor.

"No!" Shinji exclaimed, running over to pick up the book only to see a foot on top of it. Shinji looked up to see Shirou staring at him coldly.

"Y-Y-You defeated Rider?!" Shinji exclaimed in shock.

"No, I just managed to knock her out of the window," Shirou answered before a standard English longsword materialized in his a moment's hesitation, he stabbed Shinji with the sword. Rin stepped back in shock, Archer just stared at Shirou with wide eyes, and Shinji just cried in pain as he collapsed onto the ground. Blood dripped out of his wound.

"W-W-Why?" Shinji gasped out with genuine fear and panic in his eyes.

"Welcome to the Holy Grail War," Shirou stated before turning around to see Rider just standing there. Looking away from Shinji's bleeding corpse, Rin was prepared to fight Rider, but stopped herself when Shirou raised a hand.

"Your false master is dead. You can take down the bounded field. Tell your real Master I wish to speak with them," Shirou told the woman. She nodded her head before dematerializing into thin air.

"What are you doing, Emiya? She's an enemy Servant," Rin was surprised at Shirou's action before noticing the disappearance of the bounded field.

"Matou wasn't her real master," Shirou told Rin as he picked up the book, which was now starting to vanish. He chucked it over to Rin, who easily caught it before examining it. What she discovered was surprising.

"Who do you think her real Master is?" Rin inquired, dropping the book. The book was gone before it even touched the floor.

"The only person I can think of is Sakura," Shirou grimaced before looking at Shinji's corpse. Rin paused for a moment.

"So, what happens now?" Shirou moved his gaze upon the ravenhead.

"I have to call that fake priest in about this. He should get this sorted out before anybody finds out. However, just in case," Rin answered before pulling out an orange gem from her pocket. She pushed prana into the jewel before it shattered. Shirou could feel a wave of energy phase through him.

"What did you do?" Shirou asked.

"I just set up a bounded field to stop anyone from finding Matou's body before that fake priest gets here," Rin explained. Shirou nodded his head before standing up. He then materialized his swords much to Rin's surprise.

"What are you doing?" Rin responded, shocked at the sight of Shirou's blades.

"Since we discovered the culprit behind the bounded field, our alliance is over, isn't it? As both of us know, there can only be one winner of the Holy Grail War," Shirou stated as he carefully analyzed his marked targets. Rin gulped as she saw how serious Shirou was. She then noticed movement behind her. Archer materialized the same blades as Shirou's in his hands. Both males looked at each other; each seemed ready to pounce on one another. As Rin glanced between both of them, she couldn't help, but notice some similarities between the two. Then, Shirou dematerialized his blades.

"But, I'm not in the mood to a fight a Servant again. I'm going to go home and take a long soak in the bathtub," Shirou stated before walking away. Rin just stared at Shirou's callous action while Archer just observed the younger male.

"What was that?" Rin burst into an indignant fury.

"It seems your classmate is rather strange," Archer commented, dematerializing his sword.

"You think. How the hell was he able to create the same swords as you?"

"I do not know, Master, but I advise you to keep an eye on that boy. If he is able to fight Servants, he could be a deadly opponent especially with Saber as his ally."

"Grrr, we will have to cross that bridge when we get there. I got to go clean up this entire mess and call that fake priest about this. It sucks you're not able to create gems out of thin air," Rin groaned to herself before walking off to perform her duties. Archer then vanished into the air.

A cleaned-up Shirou arrived home to see Miyu doing her homework while Saber was watching a show on the television set. He noticed that there were discarded scraps of food on the table and a half-full cup of tea.

"How was school for the two of you?" Shirou asked as he sat down across from Miyu.

"It was fine. I thought I saw someone watching me from the distance, but Saber reassured me it was nothing," Miyu told Shirou. The redhead glanced over at Saber, who signaled that the two needed to have a conversation later.

"Did Taiga come by?" Shirou looked back at his sister.

"Yes, she had some food, but seemed to be distraught when she learnt about Saber living here for now. Once I gave her Saber's cover story, she allowed Saber to stay here and was quite adamant about helping Saber adjust to Japanese culture. She even introduced her to some TV shows. Then, she ran off to do something," Miyu told her brother. Shirou nodded his head before standing up. He then walked to the kitchen to cook dinner for the three occupants of the house and Taiga. The time towards and during dinner were quite peaceful. Miyu and Shirou chatted about the current affairs while Saber quietly devoured her meal. The Emiya siblings were quite surprised at Saber's appetite, but didn't comment on it in order not to disturb Saber's serene atmosphere. Once everything was cleaned up, Shirou and Saber were sipping some tea while Miyu was taking a bath.

"So, Saber, what exactly happened at school?" Shirou placed his cup onto the table.

"I detected a nearby Servant within the school vicinity, but when I went to investigate, all I saw a short white-haired girl in purple clothing observing the school. I attempted to talk to the girl, but she seemed to evade me. I didn't want Miyu to worry, so I told her that it was fine," Saber answered. "However, judging from the mana being exerted from the girl, I would safely assume that the Servant is quite strong."

"Hmm, I also met a Servant today at school," Shirou told Saber before he recounted the events during school.

"It was quite foolish of you to let Rider leave," Saber stated after Shirou finished telling his story.

"It might have been, but if my guess was right, Rider's true Master might be Sakura. If that is the case, I want to help her not hurt her," Shirou responded.

"I cannot fault you for wanting to help your friends especially her, but don't let your friendship or guilt blind the fact that she could be an enemy Master and a threat to your sister," Saber pointed out.

"I know that," Shirou clenched his hands in anger. "It's just." A moment of silence passed between the two.

"However, I believe we should discuss this later. The bigger concern is the mysterious Master and the Tohsaka girl," Saber broke the silence.

"We don't know enough about the new Master do anything, but I do have my suspicions about who it is. If it is who I think it is, let me handle it. With Tohsaka, I think we can leave her for now," Shirou released his fists. Saber nodded her head in response before she placed her cup of tea on the table. The two then just sat there for a moment. Soon, the hours passed. The lights were off inside the Emiya household. The only signs of movement was Shirou as he rummaged through the still-broken shed. As he parted some boxes away, he took a quick glance at the summoning circle on the floor.

"Why did you make one, Dad?" Shirou muttered to himself. He then shifted a box to reveal a trapdoor. When he opened it up, he was shocked to see a black briefcase open. Inside the briefcase, there was a Thompson Contender, three custom bullets, and a card with the image of an Archer aiming their bow upwards diagonally. Shirou then picked up the card before closing the briefcase shut. He then closed the trapdoor and covered it up with boxes. Curiosity brimming within his mind, he walked out of the shed and moved towards Miyu's room with a clear purpose in mind. When he opened the door, all curiosity was replaced with horror at the sight of an unconscious Saber and empty futon.

A/N: This is my first Fate story. Please tell me if the characters seem off or some of the lore is out of place. Thank you for reading. All rights belong to Type-Moon. Reviews are welcome.