Fate Stay Night Belongs to Type Moon

Mahou Tsukai no Yoru Belongs to them too.

Blue Altered Fate

This was co-written together with Icura all credit should go to him!

*** Fuyuki***

Emiya Shirou leaned against the trunk of a tree, his breath coming hot and heavy. Around him was a small field of grass that lined the embankment of the river. If one were to climb up the flat but slanted slope, there would be a sidewalk and a road. A little off into the distance, following the downstream of the river, was a long bridge that stretched across the river.

It was a hot Sunday afternoon, just after the sun reached its peak, so there were barely anyone here, but that suited him just fine. That was because he found out an important revelation a few days ago. His father was a magic user.

For seven year old Shirou, this was a life-changing event. What more, his father had agreed to teach him how to use magic. The first thing that was taught to him was how to create magic circuits. That was why he was here to practice even on this heated day.

Well, it wasn't really the first thing he was taught. What had been engraved into him by his father was that to be a magus was to walk with death. He closed his eyes and focused.

"Trace on..."

They were unnecessary words, a nonsensical chant, but they helped him concentrate so he recited them. He needed that concentration because it felt like a burning rod was being inserted into his spine, searing him to the core. The pain was real and dangerous, so much that he felt the world become a little fainter, but he could not falter, not now. Death was the only result of failure. Every time he did this, he was putting his life on the line.

For those with so few magic circuits, those that weren't born gifted, this was the only path for magic. He inserted it deep within his body, whether the feeling of being melted from the inside, and connected his nerves to it. Only when that was done did he finally release the tension out of his body and open his eyes. It still hurt, that phantom pain that lingered, but he wiped away his sweat on his sleeve. It was not enough.

He closed his eyes once again and started to begin the process anew.

"Are you stupid?"

Shirou opened his eyes to find a busty red-headed woman staring down at him. No, staring was too light of a word. She was glaring at him as if he was an insect, her lips held in a tight frown. Despite himself, he felt his hostility rise from the pit of his stomach.

"Are you deaf too? I asked if you're stupid."

"Go away."

"Not until you tell me why you're creating magic circuits over and over again."

Shirou blinked in surprise. "You know about that?"

"That doesn't matter. What matters is why you're trying to commit suicide with such a messy way. You might as well drown yourself in the river if you're so determined to die."

"I'm not trying to kill myself! I'm going to be a magus!"

"Keep your voice down. Do you want to tell the world about the existance of magic?" Aoko had a sour look on her face. "Who told you this was the way to be a magus?"

"My dad."

"Does he have some kind of grudge against you or something?"

"No!" Shirou glared at her.

"Calm down already. I'm not going to hurt you, kidnap you, or make you into a meat puppet. I just want to know why he taught you in such a stupid way."

"It's not stupid!"

"Listen, kid-"

"My name is Emiya Shirou."

"Emiya, huh." Aoko's eyes narrowed slightly. That name rang a bell. The Magus Killer. A former enforcer for Clocktower, infamous not for his power but for his method. He used modern weaponry to supplement his magic as well as trickery and traps to kill more powerful magi. To her knowledge, he had no living relatives left, so that meant that this was the son of the man universally reviled throughout the magical society. "Well, Shirou, you're going to become a magus so you can uphold your position as heir of the Emiya family?"

"No, I'm going to become something better than a magus, someone that help people in need."

"Like what? Some kind of hero?"

Shirou's eyes shined.

"Not just any hero, I'm going to become a superhero!"

"...a superhero? Did I hear that right? Let me clean out my ears." Aoko dramatically stuck her pinky into her ear canal and turned it back and forth a few times. Taking it out, she said, "Alright, now say that again."

"I'm going to be a superhero."

"...and why do you want that?"

"So that I can save people from the bad guys."

Aoko's first reaction was to call him stupid, but she held back. The child was only eight years old at most, so she wasn't going to begrudge him his childish dream. Probably from a movie or something. She sighed a bit. She must have looked like some scary stranger. She forced her expression to soften.

"That's quite a dream you got there. What does your father have to say about that?"

"Nothing, my father is already a hero of justice!"

"...really? How so?" To her knowledge, Emiya Kiritsugu was pretty much a rampaging psychopath.

"He told me stories of how he saved people."

...and apparently, he was grooming his son to take his place as a rampaging psychopath. Nothing more crazier than a zealot who wholly believed that what he was doing was right, no matter the cost.

"Well, Shirou, mind taking me to your father? I would like to have a little 'chat' with him," Aoko said with a strained smile.

"No."

"No?" The smile fell. "Why not?"

"Because you're a stranger."

"My name is Aozaki Aoko. Now, we're not strangers anymore."

Shirou shook his head. Did she think he was that stupid?

She was starting to get a little frustrated. "Why not?"

"Because you look like you want to hurt him."

"Ah." The words leaked out of her unconsciously. Children were really perceptive, weren't they? Aoko brought a bright, fake smile to her face and said, "No, I won't."

"Yeah, you will," Shirou said stubbornly.

Aoko rubbed her temple. Damn her sense of morality. If she had a little less of that, she would just leave the damn kid to go kill himself or be turned into a crazy zealot, but nope, those options weren't on the plate. She supposed that she would have to make the kid like her a little bit more first.

"So tell me about the stories your father told you."

Shirou was quick to recall the stories and quicker to say it. Storytelling by a young child had far more sound effects and arm waving than necessary, but she ignored them as she laid down on the grass and listened. Some of them, she had actually recognized and asked some questions about them, which were readily answered by the child as best as he could. They were less gruesome versions, but they were all true nonetheless. By the end of the last story, it had become late afternoon with the sun starting to make its way toward the horizon.

"...and then he brought them back, safe and sound. The end."

Aoko smiled. Despite herself, she was starting to like the kid. He was enthusiastic and cute, not to mention that he had a good enough appearance that she was sure he was going to be a lady killer when he grows up. She got up from her seat, brushing the pebbles and grass off her shirt and jeans. It probably was going to stain, but she didn't really care.

She walked over to the river and crouched down. Dipping her hands into the water, she cleaned off the dust and dirt on her fingers. Shirou followed behind her and mimicked her actions.

"Do you want to hear another story," Shirou asked eagerly.

"Maybe later," Aoko said, bringing up her wet hands and flinging off the water. "I want to talk to your father first. Can you show me the way to your home?"

"No."

"...what?" Aoko blinked in surprise and turned to look at Shirou. "Say that again?"

"I'm not going to. You're still a stran-ah!"

Aoko had grabbed the back of his head and dunked him into the water. He was submerged for a few seconds before she brought his head up again.

"...so like I was saying, can you bring me to your father?"

Shirou coughed, sputtering out the way. He turned his head slightly to glare at her.

"Wrong answer." Aoko dunked Shirou's head into the water again, holding him down even as he struggled. She mentally counted the seconds off in her head.

"Hey! What're you doin' to that boy?!"

Aoko pulled Shirou's head out, ignoring his gasps for air, as she glanced back. There was a police officer climbing down the embankment.

"Oh shit." Aoko was on her feet within a moment and running down the embankment, following the river downstream.

"Come back here!" The angry police officer chased after her.

Dripping wet, Shirou watched them leave.

A few hours later found one smirking yet slightly disheveled red-haired woman and one wet red-haired boy standing in the backyard of the Emiya household.

If Aoko thought Shirou had a sullen face, then Kiritsugu was practically a ghastly corpse. His cheeks were sunken and his eyes were haunted.

When Aoko waded through the bounded field that surrounded the Emiya household as if it had been nothing but paper curtains before her, Kiritsugu had merely bowed his head with the assumption of inevitability. There was no resistance in his features; just dull acceptance. For a man that was once a driven killer with no morals, he was now nothing more than a dull shadow of his former self, simply awaiting death.

"Are you this boy's father?" Aoko asked as she stood in front of him, even though she already knew the answer. The former Magus Killer was seated on the patio, barely making the effort to even bring his eyes to meet Aoko's pitying stare. She sighed, not bothering to even hide it. Even if she were to threaten the man, it would probably not do much. He was already just a living corpse.

"I am," Kiritsugu responded. There was no point in trying to deny entry to one who had the title of Destroyer. Any shield that he could come up with would probably be destroyed in an instant, even if he had been a better magus. "What're you here for, Ms. Blue?"

"I think you know what I'm here for."

A slight emotion passed his eyes as Kiritsugu turned his gaze onto Shirou who was standing beside Aoko. "Shirou?"

"She followed me home," Shirou responded with more than a hint of bitterness.

"Ah," Kiritsugu simply said. "Go make us some tea, Shirou."

"Ah, okay." Shirou obediently ran off to the kitchen.

The two adults, now alone, stared at one another. There was a tension in the air as they gauged one another. It was the red-haired woman who spoke up first.

"I can see in your eyes that you care about the kid," Aoko said. "So why do are you trying to kill him?"

"Kill him?" Even on his gaunt face, there was slight look of surprise.

"I found him making magic circuits repeatedly by the river."

"So he wasn't playing with the other children, after all." Kiritsugu looked even more sullen than before. "Unfortunate. I'd hoped he would give up. I've no desire to teach him things that he won't need."

"So instead, you teach him something half-assed," Aoko said, her voice rising with anger. "Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"I'm well aware, Ms. Blue." Kiritsugu closed his eyes tiredly for a moment. When he reopened them, he had a more determined look. "I'll rectify this problem. Thank you for bringing it to my attention."

"And what do you plan to do? Teach him how to overload his circuits so they'll explode?"

"That's none of your business."

"I'm making it my business."

Kiritsugu's finger twitched. Tucked into an inside pocket in his hakama was his Thompson Contender. It would only take less than a moment to activate his magic to speed up his internal speed and pull out the weapon, and a blink of an eye before a bone dust bullet would be lodged into her body.

"...don't even think about it," Aoko warned with narrowed eyes.

Kiritsugu forcefully relaxed his hand, though he gave no response to Aoko's words. Though, it looked like he had been seen through. "I won't be teaching him any more magic."

"That's not your decision," Aoko said. "You showed him this, so even if you stop, he's going to keep making magic circuits until he's dead. It's your responsibility to at least make your son competent enough to learn magic on his own."

Kiritsugu frowned. "He's not my real son. He's adopted."

"What does that matter?"

"You know why it matters."

It was Aoko's turn to frown, though she couldn't refute it. For magus families, bloodlines were very important as they were ways to cultivate descendants to increase the quantity and quality of their magic circuits. That was why the more prestigious families were those that had been magi for numerous generations, such that most of their descendents were born with large amounts of quality magic circuits.

Still, that was secondary to the problem at hand.

"You started this, so you have to finish this," Aoko said. "I'm not going to watch while you give this kid a death sentence."

"No need for you to trouble yourself in our business," Kiritsugu said with a sigh. "I'll deal with this."

"No, I've a better idea." Aoko stared straight at him. "I'll teach him."

"You?"

"Yes, me," Aoko said. "With his stupid binge on being a superhero and your half-assed teaching, he's going to do something dumb and get himself killed. You don't seem to be motivated to do it, so I'll have to do it. Frankly, I blame all this stupid nonsense on those stories you've been telling him."

"A superhero?" Kiritsugu mulled over his words, looking stunned, before he erupted into laughter.

"Hey, this isn't funny. That damn kid believes wholeheartedly in this crap."

Kiritsugu abruptly stopped laugh, his face suddenly looking more depressed than ever. The contrast from a moment ago was almost disturbing. "This is my fault."

"Yeah, we all knew this problem was your fault."

"No, you don't understand," Kiritsugu said. "This is my fault. Everything is my fault."

"I don't understand what you're getting at."

Everyone that he had ever touched had died because of him. Shirley, Natalia, Maiya, Irisviel. Even his own father, Norikata, had been a victim. It didn't matter that the man was a Philosopher, sacrificing countless innocents to his experiments. In the end, by killing his emotions, he murdered his father to save the rest.

Now, he was about to condemn Shirou to a similar fate. It was not something he would wish even on his worse enemies. Perhaps, his daughter, Illyaviel, was spared because she was kept away from him. Should he leave Shirou to someone else?

No, he couldn't do that. Maybe it was selfish, but he was living only for that salvation, that redemption from the crimes that he had committed knowingly and unknowingly. If he let Shirou go, he wouldn't be surprised if he died the next day.

"It doesn't matter," Kiritsugu said. "I appreciate your offer, but this is my own duty to carry out."

"You think I'm going to let you do that?" Aoko asked.

"It's because I'm the one who caused his family to die. It's my responsibility, not yours."

There was a loud crash as a ceramic teapot shattered against the wooden floor. Standing above the mess of shards with an empty tray was Shirou, his eyes wide and his mouth agape.

"Shirou." Kiritsugu looked over at him with a worried face. He reached out his hand. "I…"

Shirou turned around and ran down the hall.

"Shirou!" Kiritsugu stood up from his seat on the patio, but Aoko slapped him across the cheek, sending him sprawling.

"You've done enough," Aoko said coldly before climbing onto the patio and walking on the path Shirou took.

Within the workshop, Shirou huddled in one of the darker corners. The only light that came into the room was from a small window nearer to the ceiling, but it was dim at best. Finding out that revelation should have been shocking, but what had surprised him was how he felt about it.

He felt nothing. It was like meaningless words that had no relations to him, but that wasn't right. It had everything to do with him. Whoever he used to be was destroyed that night. There was not a single memory left to him, not even a scrap of feeling. All that he was began when he had looked up at the sky to see the black sun, to find his father above him with tears of happiness in his eyes.

He should have felt hatred, he should have felt anger. Yet, all he felt was emptiness. For the man who had raised him for years, he felt neither righteous vengeance, only singing gratitude. Maybe it was because he couldn't remember anything before the fire. If he did, would that have changed things? He bit down on his lip.

A superhero. He had always thought of his father as a hero of justice, saving lives and defeating the villains. To find out that his father had caused the fire, that he had made that unnatural sun that created the calamity, shook his faith. Was his father a villain?

No, a villain wouldn't have saved him.

Just what was he then?

Shirou wrapped his arms around his legs tighter. In the end, there was a single question that occupied his thoughts.

"What is a hero of justice?"

"An idiot. A stupid idiot of the highest degree." Aoko took a seat next to him, startling him.

"So it really is stupid," Shirou sullenly said.

"I don't mean it that way," Aoko responded. "They're good people, but sometimes, they make bad decisions. Costly decisions. For themselves and others."

"Was the fire one of those decisions?"

"Fire?" Aoko blinked in confusion until her mind connected the dots. She had heard about the giant fire created at the end of the Fourth Holy Grail War, but the details about it had been sparse. Most of the information had been covered up by the Church, though there were still some things that got through that net. So that was probably caused by a Servant fight, no doubt with Kiritsugu being one of the Masters present at the time. "Ah, so that's it. You don't have to worry about that. Kiritsugu may be an idiot, but he wouldn't have done it on purpose. It's more likely that he's just blaming himself for something he couldn't prevent."

"You know father?" A slight tinge of hope leaked into his voice.

"Nope," Aoko said, grinning at Shirou's falling expression. "But I've heard about him. He may be a crazy, but he's not a mass murderer."

"Really?"

"...probably." Now that Aoko thought about it, she did hear about Kiritsugu shooting down an airliner, but that was to hunt down a renegade magus. Oh well, she already said it so it was too late to take it back now.

Shirou slowly began to smile.

"That's the spirit." Aoko ran a hand through his hair, mussing it up. "I'm probably still a stranger to you, but I know a way we can become great friends."

"How?" Shirou asked curiously, innocently.

Aoko's smile became predatory.

"I don't see how we can get closer by doing this."

"Trust me. By doing this, we're practically family now."

Aoko was relaxing in the furo with Shirou on her lap. There was so much steam rising that it was a little hard to see.

Shirou blushed red as he could feel Aoko gigantic mammaries pressing against the back of his head.

"Awww, how cute. You're all flustered," Aoko cooed teasingly. "Don't worry, you're too young to be gobbled up. This is skinship, Shirou, skinship. With this you can even turn enemies into friends!"

That caught Shirou attention. "Really? I don't feel any different."

"Are you uncomfortable?"

"No…"

"Then it's working!" Aoko nodded. "The more we do this, the better we'll understand each other. Do you get it now?"

Shirou was still a bit confused, but he supposed it made sense. It felt nice to be hugged from behind like this. "Skinship, huh."

"Skinship," Aoko responded sagely.

"Mrs. Aozaki-"

"That's Miss," Aoko interrupted, bristling at his mistake. "But you can just call me Aoko."

"Aoko," Shirou began timidly. "Will I ever become a superhero?"

"Are you an idiot, Shirou?"

"No..."

"Then no. If you still want to do it, come back after you hit your head against the wall a few times," Aoko said. "You can try falling down the stairs a couple of times too just to be sure."

Shirou made an annoyed face.

Aoko sighed. "Shirou, what is a superhero?"

"Someone who saves people." The answer came without hesitation.

"And what's the necessary component of saving someone?"

"Um, you've to be strong."

"No, it's time, location, and sacrifice," Aoko said. "You have to be at the right time and place to save someone, but more than that, you'll often find yourself in a position where you must be willing to sacrifice someone. Do you understand?"

Shirou slowly shook his head.

"It's not like a buy one, get one free crap. You've to choose one and stick with it. When you see many people in danger from like a falling plane-"

"Why'd a plane be falling?"

"Humor me. A plane is falling on a large group of people, but you only have time to save a few. That means you have to leave the others to die. They're the sacrifice."

"Why can't I save them all? If I'm strong and fast enough, I can do that, right?"

"It helps, but at some point, it won't matter. You can't save them all," Aoko patiently said. "A superhero, unlike in movies and comics, is someone who chooses who lives and who dies."

Shirou's frown deepened.

"In the end, a superhero will also sacrifice himself. There's no way you can be normal when you have to decide and keep deciding the life and death of others."

Shirou was silent as the words churned in his head. It was a bit hard to understand, but what he did understand made him feel worse.

Aoko hugged him from behind, squishing her breasts against the back of his head.

"Do you think I'm stupid for wanting to be a superhero?" There was a pleading note in his voice.

"Your father is a superhero, right?" Seeing Shirou nod, Aoko gently smiled. "Does he look happy?"

"Sometimes." Shirou construed his face. "Sometimes, he just stares at the sky and won't say anything even when I ask him something."

"Before you, I'll bet he never had a family. Probably had no friends before he settled down here," Aoko said. "You sacrifice a lot of yourself when you become a hero. For him, it's too late to save himself. All he can do is regret and regret his stupidity until the end of his days."

"Is there...is there a way I can help him?"

"Just try to be there for him. That's all anyone can do now."

Shirou mulled it over as he looked at his reflection in the water

"Do you think it would be okay if dad joins us in the bath?"

Aoko burst out into laughter and mussed up Shirou's hair. After her laughter subsided, she smiled softly at him.

"Over my dead body."

Several months later...

Shirou fell scream from high atop a mountain. Falling down, right next to him, was Aoko who was wearing a demonic smile.

"What's the matter, Shirou?" Aoko taunted, projecting her voice over the raging wind. "You're a superhero, right? Fly!"

"Aoko-sensei!" Shirou exclaimed in a panic as the ground dangerously close in to meet his face.

Just before Shirou could become a red splotch on the ground, Aoko grabbed him and tucked him underneath her armpit. The moment that her feet touched the ground, the surface shattered under the weight and a heavy cloud of dust rose into the air. When it cleared after a few moments, there was a large crater in the spot where she had landed.

The moment that she let him down, Shirou collapsed on the floor. To his dismay, this kind of scene was becoming more and more common. Ever since he had first met the red-haired woman a year ago, she sporadically came back to visit every few months to train him in magic. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate it, but…

Her methods were insane.

While his father was teaching him methodically and slowly, patiently going through magic with a cautiousness that befitted a retired magus, Aoko was like an unhindered storm. She used the fastest methods for the highest yield in the shortest amount of time. The fact that they were highly dangerous did nothing to deter her.

"You're insane!" Shirou shouted at his teacher.

"So are you," Aoko countered as she picked the boy up and set him on his feet before giving him a teasing look "Mister superhero."

Shirou blushed looking down at his feet. He still wanted to be a hero, but no longer as fanatically as he once did. His teacher literally beat it out of him. She once compared him to a sword and said that she was going to change his shape to be a different type of blade. He wonder what she meant by that…

"Well, that's it for the lesson. You need to get over the fear of falling so we'll do it a few more times later," Aoko said as she ruffled her pet project's hair. "You got my lesson itinerary?

"Yes, Sensei." Shirou nodded and show her the notes that he scribbled under her tutelage. His teacher said that she was like him at one time and to not be discourage by poor practical magical use, but he couldn't ever believe his teacher could be bad at anything. She seemed so much stronger than him that the gap between them wouldn't ever shorten.

"Good boy." Aoko grinned making the boy eyes widen in fear. "You know what we do when we celebrate, Shirou?"

"Get lunch?" Shirou nervously backed away.

"Nope!" Aoko took a step forward. There was a familiar gleam in her eyes that Shirou recognized all too well.

"Uh, dad says that it's not appropriate to take baths together anymore."

"Did he now?" Aoko slowly asked as her face turned demonic. "I'll have a talk with him later."

Shirou silently apologized to his father in his heart as Aoko advanced on him with a strange expression.

In the Emiya household's furo, Shirou started to feel nervous when he noticed his teacher giving him an appraising gaze. "Sensei?"

"Mmmm, you're coming along nicely," Aoko muttered softly before turning the kid around and hugging him to her breasts. They remain silent for a while before Shirou looked up at his teacher.

"So what will be you teaching me next, Sensei?"

"Hmmm," Aoko said, leaning back into the tub and cupping her cheek. "You know, for a sword origin, you're pretty handy with your eyes. Let's try archery for now and see if it helps."

"Archery?" Shirou asked shocked. Thanks to his teacher, he had learned about his unique origin. "That has nothing to do with swords!"

"Hey, don't knock it until you try it," Aoko reprimanded. "Even though I'm good with my fist, I'm still known as a magical gunner, you know."

Shirou looked pensive, but it would make him more versatile. Still, what did sword have to do with bows?

"Beside, who knows, if worse comes to worse make you can chuck your swords at them or something," Aoko said with a grin as she started to lather up shirou's hair.

"Sword chucks..." Shirou mused as the wheel in his head began to turn.

Several years later...

As Shirou stood in front of the tombstone, he closed his eyes and clapped his hands together. Several years had passed since his father had died, but he had never forgotten to visit his gravesite. It had been hard the first couple of years, but after that, it had become somewhat normal again. Fujimura Taiga came over practically every day at the time, supporting him through the hardship. Even Aoko stayed longer on her visits, taking over the entirety of his magical studies.

Shirou cracked a small smile as he opened his eyes. He still remembered the first time that Aoko bribed-or was it coerced-Taiga into a skinship bath. Of course, he had been dragged into it too, but he would never forget Taiga's expression. They were memories that he treasured.

That was when he noticed her out of the corner of his eye. It was a young girl around his age, standing in front of a much shabbier tombstone. It was a girl from one of the other classes in his grade. He had never personally talked to her, but he did vaguely remember her name.

What was it again? Matou Sakura?

Yes, that was it. He sort of remembered her.

Why had he never talked to her?

Shirou began to make his way over there when he felt it. A feeling, a notion of wrongness. The moment that he focused on her, he felt the need to run away.

It was in that moment that her eyes stared at him.

Those eyes...

They were like father's.

Despite the need to escape, despite his body's earnest wish to flee, Shirou moved forward. It was like wading through a sea of mud. Every step he took, it clung to him, making the next heavier than the last. It was only now that he realized what it was.

A minor compulsion spell. Someone was trying to keep her from being noticed. Did she cast it on herself or did someone do it to her? Well, it didn't matter. He would just have to ask her directly. If his greeting was an inconvenience, he would just quickly apologize.

With his motivation solidified, Shirou continued walking towards the girl, wading through the thickness that told his body to turn back. It was only when he reached a few feet from the girl that the power of the spell finally stopped. In that moment, he gasped for breath. He didn't know how heavy it weighed him down until it was gone.

The girl merely stared at him with dead eyes and an unmoved expression, but that was to be expected. They were strangers in every sense of the word.

Yet, it was the familiarity of her eyes that brought him to her.

"Sakura." The girl seemed startled that Shirou knew her name. However, he could not falter now. These next words were the same ones that he wished that he had told his father before he passed away. "Would you like for me to save you?"

Sakura stood stock still, her eyes widening very slightly, but it was noticeable enough.

Shirou smiled nervously as doubt started to infect him. She was probably going to tell him that he was an idiot, a stupid stranger that shouldn't have butted in on something that wasn't any of his business. He knew that because her eyes were wide, filled with skepticism and disbelief.

Under the afternoon sun, Shirou prepared himself for the abuse to come.

Minutes passed in silence as they stared at each other, each unable to break it.

Until a teardrop rolled down her cheek.

"Uncle…"

It was like a whisper on the wind, nearly inaudible, but he heard it nonetheless.

"Save me…"

"What the hell is this, Shirou?"

The boy stared up defiantly at his teacher in the living room of the Emiya household. Sakura was hiding behind him, peeking only half her face out at the angry-looking red-headed woman.

"First. how can you just bring home some random kid off the street," Aoko said. "Secondly, that's not just any kid either. She's the Matou heir. What were you thinking?!"

"She asked for help."

"And who's going to help her? You, Mr. Superhero?"

"Yeah."

"This! This is what I mean by sacrifices. You're going to give up your life for someone you just met an hour ago? Are you stupid?"

"Yeah, I'm stupid." Shirou's glare intensified. "I'm the stupidest idiot in the world, but I don't care. I'm going to save her."

"Do you even know what you're saving her from?"

"Her grandfather."

Sakura chose this time to speak up. "He...worms…"

Aoko sighed. Crest worms were pretty much the signature magic of the Matou family. She didn't see anything wrong with that, but she guessed it would be fine to humor them.

"Yeah, yeah, fine. Come over here. I'll see for myself before I decide." Aoko beckoned Sakura to her, but the little girl only complied when she saw a nod from Shirou. Once the girl was close enough, Aoko put both of her hands on the side of Sakura's head. "Now hold still. I'm not good at these kind of spells so I got to concentrate."

Aoko closed her eyes and began to produce prana from her magic circuits. The words, the incantations, came from her memory and left her mouth, flowing together like a song. The moment the last word left her lips, she felt clarity…

...and horror.

Aoko shoved Sakura away, ignoring her cry of surprise as the little girl fell down. She stretched her palm forward as a ball of blue light gathered in front of it.

Shirou stepped in front of Sakura, stretching both of his arms out to the side to shield the girl.

"Move out of the way, Shirou."

"No."

"Move out of the way or I'll move you." When the boy refused to respond, Aoko's eyes narrowed in anger. "Do you know what she is?"

"No," Shirou said, "and I don't care."

"Hundreds, thousands, maybe tens of thousands will die if I don't do this," Aoko said. "Being a superhero means making sacrifices for the good of the world. Does her life have the same worth as a thousand people?"

"I'll save everyone!"

Aoko held the energy aimed towards Shirou, tempted to release it anyways, but she relented. The ball of blue light flickered out as she dropped her hand in exasperation.

"Thank you, Aoko-sensei."

"You're going to be the death of me, you know that, Shirou?"

"Stupid apprentice. If it weren't for the project, I'd have dumped his ass by now," Aoko grumbled as she stood in front of the main door of the Matou mansion. There was a gate, but she had hopped over it, nonchalantly piercing through the bounded field that covered the grounds in the process. Before she could even knock, the door opened.

A blue-haired man in a wrinkled hakama stood in the doorway, inspecting her. However, there was no sense of perversion or lust in his eyes. There was only tired resignation. Even his voice only served to nail down that image.

"What can I do for you, Aozaki Aoko?"

"Seems like you know my name. Don't know yours, don't care. Where's Zouken?"

"He is inside, awaiting your presence. I will lead you to him."

"Nope." Aoko pointed her finger over her shoulder towards the gate behind her. "Get out of here. I got some business to settle with him."

The blue-haired man's eyes widened slightly in comprehension.

"I see. My name is Matou Byakuya. I don't believe we will see each other again." Byakuya stepped down the front steps and walked passed Aoko. Just before he stepped past, he whispered, "His strength lies in the basement."

Aoko didn't bothered to acknowledge the statement as she walked forward and through the door. The interior was one befitting the household of someone who had lived for the last five hundred years. That was to say, it was spartan and lacking in glamor.

"Welcome to my humble abode." An old, bald man with a walking cane stepped into views from the shadows of the stairway. His pupils and irises were white, while the sclera was completely black. With a tap of his cane to the floor, the main door swung shut with a booming report.

"Cut the crap. I got some things to settle with you." Inside her body, Aoko forced her internal energy through her magic circuits, producing wave after wave of prana.

"I'm afraid I don't know the reason why. Could you enlighten me?"

"Let's just say that you pissed me off."

"I don't suppose you'll settle for compensation," Zouken said as the walls of the mansion began to bulge and writhe at random spots.

"If it includes your dead body, I'm all for it."

"A pity then." The wallpaper burst outward as swarms of blade wing worms flooded out. Looking like armored dragonflies with viciously sharp teeth and bladed wings, they could rip through flesh like a air became saturated with blade wing worms, but they held themselves back. Zouken merely stared at her with a frown on his wrinkled face. Even with this, he knew that his chances of winning were slim. "What about a compromise?"

"Get out of Fuyuki and don't come back." Aoko gathered her prana, creating a visible blue aura around her.

"The Matou family have lived in this city for many generations."

"They stay, but you leave. Otherwise, I'll blow this whole mansion away," Aoko said with iron in her voice. "I was planning to hunt you down to the last of your worms, but I'll settle for never seeing you again."

"I don't know what I did to offend you, but very well. I have no desire to fight against the master of the Fifth Magic. I'm a researcher, not a battle magus," Zouken said. "Give me a few days to allow my family and I to gather our possessions."

"You got one day. And I don't think I made myself clear. Your descendents are staying. Only you are leaving."

"What-"

"They're my hostages. In case you try something,"

Zouken's frown deepened.

"I don't need to be this lenient."

Zouken narrowed his eyes. This whole situation was strange, but there wasn't much he could do about it. If he wanted to survive, there was no other way. "I consent to your terms."

"Then let's seal this with a blood contract."

"Sakura, I'm your new mother."

"Huh?" The spoon in Sakura's hand froze just as it was about to reach her lip with a scoop of rice. Across from her, Aoko was staring at her with a grin and steepled fingers. Shirou looked at the scene with a helpless shrug before he continued eating.

"Didn't you hear what I said? You're now my cute daughter."

"Um, wha-huh? Ehhhhhhhhh?"

"Look, look! I even have adoption papers." Aoko held up a stack of papers. "Signed and sealed. Government approved."

"But...but…"

"Aozaki Sakura. That has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Aoko smiled widely at Sakura's shock. Legally, Byakuya was Sakura's official guardian. After Zouken was forced into exile, it wasn't hard to convince Byakuya to give her guardianship of the girl. In fact, the man had been happy and eager to please her. It did seem like the guy had some kind of grudge going on with the old man, but she didn't care enough to find out about it.

"What...what about grandfather?"

"What about the old geezer? He left town," Aoko said, clapping her hands together a couple of times as if it clean the imaginary dust off them. "And that's that. So who wants a skinship session?"

"Eh? Eh? Eh?!" There were practically swirls in Sakura's eyes as her brain overloaded.

"You don't have to be so mean to her," Shirou mumbled in between bites.

"But it's fun!" Aoko poked his cheek with her index finger. "Now, how about that skinship?"

"I'm too old for that," Shirou said with a disgruntled expression, though his cheeks had a dusting of crimson.

"Nonsense." Aoko waved it off. "This is skinship, Shirou. Nothing is more awesome then skinship!"

Shirou and Aoko were settled into the furo on opposite sides. Although the water wasn't high enough to completely cover her modesty, years of bathing with Aoko had made Shirou become used to the sight. Not that it didn't make him feel funny, but he held it in well enough.

"Oh and Shirou, we have someone new joining our skinship party," Aoko smiled broadly making Shirou look up in alarm.

"Wait, you can't mean..." Shirou stumbled through his words. "I thought you said you wouldn't-"

"Sakura, you can come in now." Aoko called through the door before turning to Shirou. "She's younger than you so you better take good care of your Kohai, alright?"

Shirou whipped his head to the door and in came a very shy, red face Sakura with a towel wrapped around her body.

"S-Sakura!" Shirou squeaked.

"S-Shi-Shirou-senpai," Sakura greeted as calmly as she could which wasn't much as her entire face was still as red as a ripe tomato.

"You said it just like I taught you. Come in, come in," Aoko motion for the girl to join them. "And lose the towel. After all, Shirou is completely naked here, so it wouldn't be fair."

"Ye-yes." Sakura nodded. Without much fanfare, she dropped the towel, completely showing off her young and slender body as she walked over to the furo. She idly noted that Shirou couldn't keep his eyes off of her, partly because his teacher was behind him with her hand on his head to keep him from moving.

"D-do...do I look okay, Senpai?"

Realizing he was staring, Shirou turned away. "D-don't ask me that."

Sakura only blush before she daintily eased herself into the water.

Aoko whispered in Shirou ears. "Isn't skinship great?"

Shirou didn't respond. Still, he couldn't help but agree in his heart. Despite being something broken that his teacher glued back together, he was nervous for a number of reason. Chief among them was because of the two female next to him in the furo. On his left was his purple hair friend, the ever gentle Sakura. On his right was the greatest mage in all of existence (her words), his teacher, Aozaki Aoko, the Blue.

To compare and contrast, Sakura was still a budding teen while his teacher oozed something that he didn't want to think about too much. It made him feel funny.

"Soooooo," Aoko drawled out looking at the purple hair girl looking levelly at her. "I finally meet you at last."

Sakura blinked. "But we knew each other already."

"I mean as skinship companions!"

"Ah…" Sakura squeaked as she sank a little lower into the furo.

Aoko appeared to look over Sakura before nodding. "You realize you got worms in you, right?"

Sakura face paled. "W-what are you…" she stammered while looking over nervously to her secret crush.

Shirou looked confused by the question and looked at his purple hair friend in concern. "Is that a STD?"

"No!" Sakura and Aoko both yelled.

"Ah, what am I saying?" Shirou scratched his head. "Sakura isn't like that."

Sakura looked away ashamedly.

"Idiot!" Aoko kicked him in the face with the sole of her foot while the boy flailed out his arms to keep balance even though he was still sitting down in the furo.

"Ow." Shirou rubbed his nose when Aoko retracted her foot.

Aoko placed her hands on Sakura's shoulder and raised her upper body above water while Shirou hurriedly turned his eyes away. She placed her hand on the teenage girl's chest.

Sakura appeared to shake in on the spot while still glancing nervously at Shirou. "Pl-please n-not here…"

"Sakura, skinship is all about trust," Aoko said. "Don't worry; if that changes his opinion of you, I'll break his head over my knee."

"O...okay…" Sakura timidly said.

"You...you don't have to say it like that," Shirou complained even as he firmly keeping his eyes off the situation.

"I'm raising you for a reason so shut up," Aoko told him him before she continued to examine Sakura. "I couldn't sense them earlier when you had your clothes on, but they're squirming around in there."

Sakura looked downcast at that.

"I can get them out if you want." Seeing the purple-haired girl's face light up, Aoko hurriedly added, "But it'll be long and difficult. It could take months or even years, and it's guaranteed to be painful."

"I'll do it," Sakura responded immediately with no hesitation.

"Really? Just like that? Even with all that pain?"

"I don't care. I'll do anything." Sakura bowed her head. "Please."

"Now, now, raise your head." Aoko put her fingers under Sakura's chin to tilt her face up. She smiled at the determined look in the younger girl's eyes. "That's the spirit! As expected of my daughter."

"D-d-daughter?"

"Oh right, you're still in denial about that."

Sakura was looking shell-shocked and dazed to the world.

Aoko shrugged. "Oh well, you'll get used to it."

Shirou merely glanced at Sakura with pity in his eyes. He knew all too well the pain of being the focus of Aoko's attention.

Several more years later…

Shirou gasped and writhed as he struggled to push himself up from the floor. He had woken mere moments ago to nausea and pain that racked his entire body, but he moved in spite of that. It took a few seconds to stumble to his feet, and a couple more to recognize the sound of something dropping and hitting the floor with a klink.

There was a ruby necklace lying on the floor. Had that been on him? His mind was too confused and dazed to make sense of it, so he grabbed it and shoved it into his pocket. He would figure it out later.

He knew he had been stabbed, but when he pressed his hand against the rip in his uniform, all he felt through the slit was unblemished skin. When he looked at his hand, he saw a thin layer of filmy blood covering his fingers. That confirmed it; there was no doubt he had been pierced by that spear, but why was he still alive?

It must have been that person. The one he had heard just before he lost consciousness. Was it Sakura?

No, she would have stayed with him. Whoever it was, he would have liked to have thanked that person for saving his life, but it didn't looked like he was going to find out any time soon. He had a hand to his hand, trying to ease the sharp headache that resounded with each heartbeat. That was when he noticed it, the hallway clock. The time displayed made his eyes widen in horror.

"Oh no. Sensei!" Just how long was he out? There was almost no time left. Using his od, Shirou reinforced his entire body as he pulled open one of the hallway windows. Without a single hint of hesitation, he leaped out of it, falling down the two stories. The moment that he landed on his feet, he was off like a bullet.

The headache got sharper and the pain in his body felt more acute, but he ignored it as he rushed out of the school and down the sidewalk. The familiar scenery, overlayed by the shadows of the night, passed by him in a blur as he moved along the path he had used for years between his school and home. At this point, he didn't care if anyone saw him; this was just far too important.

So intent was he on his task that he nearly missed the girl standing in the middle of the street, bundled in a purple coat and hat. If he had to be honest, the girl was pretty cute, in a pixie-like way, with her short stature and white hair.

"You better hurry and summon your-"

"Sorry, talk to you later! In a rush!" Shirou apologetically shouted as he ran passed the stunned girl, making his way towards his home.

Spotting his house, he rushed through the gate and into his home. It was only now that he stopped to take a breathing, letting the air rushed into his abused lungs as he walked through the darkened house. This was odd; was Sakura not home at this time of night? He flipped the light switch as he went into the kitchen, letting the light illuminate the room. There was a note on the kitchen counter.

"Went to get fresh steaks. Will be home later. Sakura," Shirou said, having read it out loud and smiling a little bit even with how tired he felt. That was just like her, being so thoughtful. From doing homework together to shopping and even helping him wash his back everyday before they shared a soak, she was always paying attention to the important matters. He wondered sometimes what his life would be like without her.

Still, there was not much time left. There were already some plates of food wrapped in saran wrap on the counter, but they were going to need more. It would probably be best to get started.

Shirou took out a large pot and put it in the sink, turning on the faucet to fill it up with water. In the meanwhile, he walked over to the refrigerator and opened it. It was fully stocked with vegetables in preparation for today. Grabbing a bundle of them into his arms, he used his foot to close the fridge, only to see the same blue costumed man from earlier, leaning against the wall next to the refrigerator.

"Sorry, kid, but my Master wants you dead," the spiky, blue-haired man said as he began to raise the red spear in his hand.

"Oh, come on!" Shirou cried out as he looked up at the ceiling, lamenting his fate even as he analyzed and hardened the vegetables he held in his arms.

Shirou sighed as he stared at the mirror hanging from the kitchen wall. The mirror was an ancient one with a peculiar snake-like design around it that originally came from a temple in the Greek city of Eretria. It was a last parting gift from the Matou family when Sakura moved out, though unique as it was, his attention was focused more on his reflection in the glass. He looked pretty haggard with his arm bandaged up and his clothes stained with blood. He could see himself pouring boiling water from the kettle into the teapot.

It was a ridiculous sight, all things considered, but a lot had happened ever since he woke up from death several hours ago.

"Senpai, is the tea ready?" Sakura's voice echoed in from the other room.

"Almost," Shirou said loudly from the kitchen as he placed the steaming teapot onto the tray, gently shoving aside the small stacks of teacups.

For Shirou, living with Sakura had been a very different experience.. Her demeanor was like timid like a mouse, and she kept avoiding him at times. Fortunately, Aoko had put a stop to that on her next visit. Nowadays, it was a more comfortable living arrangements. It was like having a sister, except for some of the quirks that she had.

All in all, life was going pretty well. Aoko visited every once in a while to check up on them and continue their lessons in magic. Everyday was pleasantly normal.

Except today.

Shirou tried to keep the frown off his face as he walked over to the table with a tray of teacups and a teapot. Going around the table, he placed a teacup on the table in front of each occupant.

One for Sakura.

One for Rin.

One for Archer.

One for Saber.

One for Rider.

And finally, one for himself. He set down the teapot before taking a seat.

Yes, it was this kind of situation. Shirou could feel a headache coming on. He looked down at the back of his hand. Three symbols were marked on his hand, though the top one had a dull, worn out look to it. It was obvious why; he had used it only minutes earlier to stop Saber from attacking Archer, though he hadn't known its purpose at the time.

"So, we're 'Masters'?" Shirou asked. He didn't know what was more surprising. The fact that he was a Master or the fact that Sakura was a Master. Then again, if someone like him could be one, he supposed that he shouldn't be too surprised that Sakura got dragged into this as well.

"Yes, though I didn't think that you, Sakura, would be a Master as well, but I guess you still have some connection to the Matou family." Rin picked up her cup of tea and took a sip.

"I...I do…?" Sakura looked more than a bit confused.

"Geez, how dense can you two be?" Rin asked, irritation lacing her words. "Summoning involves an intent, a ritual, and a catalyst. You can't accidentally summon a Servant."

"Well…" Shirou scratched his chin with a finger. "I just kind of stumbled into the storehouse…"

"I was cooking…" Sakura trailed off as she looked down and began to fidget.

"You two…" Rin's face darkened as the teacup in her hand began to rattle.

Across the table, Saber was watching Archer and Rider tensely. For his part, Archer just looked bored while Rider was… Actually, it was hard to tell with the blindfold over her eyes. She still picked up the teacup and took a sip.

"I'm a bit surprised you were out grocery shopping this late, Sakura," Shirou said. "You usually get to bed pretty early."

"Senpai…" Sakura blinked. "You remember what day today is?"

"Yeah, it's-" Shirou cut himself off as his eyes widened in realization. He was on his feet in a flash, causing all eyes to fall on him. Even with all the recent clamor, how could he have forgotten?! "Sensei is going to be here any moment now! I need to clean."

"Master, what should I do?" Saber asked.

Shirou blinked and paused in organizing a stack of books, as if just remembering Saber was there. "Oh yeah...um...you help clean too."

Saber was stunned. However, an order was an order. She mimicked Shirou's actions, picking up and moving the books.

Archer snorts in derision. "So your Master is actually a servant, Saber."

Saber glared at Archer, wanting to slice him apart but knowing that she couldn't do that in this situation.

Rin slammed her hands on the table, rocking the teacups still on it. "Hey! I'm talking to you here. We're not done yet."

"I don't have time for that crap!" Shirou frantically rushed about. "My master is almost here!"

Rin grinded her teeth together as she attempted to hold back her anger. "And who is this vaunted master of yours?"

Suddenly, there was a polite knock at the door that froze Shirou in place. Undaunted, Sakura daintily rose from her seat and walked over to small passageway, disappearing around the corner with a happy smile.

It wasn't long before the sound of a door was heard opening. Another woman's voice could be heard conversing with Sakura. A moment later, two sets of footsteps could be heard by the Heroics spirits and their masters before Sakura returned. Behind her, wearing a white dress, with a dark blue chinese cut blouse, was a woman with long flowing red hair.

There was a sharp gasp from the Tohsaka heir as she stared at the new arrival with wide eyes. The woman ignored all of this as she calmly walked over to Shirou, who was slightly sweating. Stopping in front of him, she stared down at him.

"Sensei, there's-"

"Shiiiirrooooouuuuu!" She picked him up high as if he weighed nothing before mashing his face into her breast. "I missed you so much!"

That action elicited a gasp from Saber.

"Buh-Buh-Buhh-Blue!" Rin audibly gulped as Aoko turned her attention to her.

The red-headed woman examined at the younger girl from top to bottom, assessing her. She turned back to Shirou, who she was suffocating with her chest. "You have a girlfriend now?"

"What! As if I'd ever date him!"

Aoko looked offended. "You're saying my apprentice isn't good enough?"

"Your apprentice?! You're his master?!"

Aoko gave her a look that said that this was obvious.

Shirou reinforced his arms and pushed Aoko away, gasping for air the moment he was slightly free. He took a few moments for his lungs to greedily fill up with oxygen before he looked over at Rin. "This is my master, Aozaki Aoko."

"I know who she is!" Rin shouted as jealousy leaked into her voice. "I just never realized she was your teacher."

That was when Aoko noticed Archer standing by the table, watching the entire scene with wide-eyed surprise. Blood started to drip out of her nose as she turned away.

"Master?" Shirou asked, concerned.

"Wonderful, Shirou." Aoko wiped away the blood with her sleeve. "You'll grow up wonderfully."

Sakura glanced over at Archer. He did look familiar, but now that she thought about it… Her eyes slowly widened as blood started to drip out of her nose as well. She quickly wiped away the blood. "Wonderful, Senpai. Absolutely wonderful.

Archer started to get a chill down his spine as he watched both of them stare at him. They couldn't possibly…

Rin looked back and forth between everyone. "Can someone explain this to me already?!"

"Ah, you still don't see it?" Aoko stood up, letting Shirou go free. She pointed at Archer. "He's Shirou from the future."

"Wait, what?!" Rin turned and stared at Archer.

Saber stared between the two with a shocked expression. Shirou was on his feet and gaping at Archer. Rider simply sipping her tea at the table, ignoring the entire scene.

"Congratulations." Aoko put a firm hand on Shirou's shoulder. "You become a superhero. That's the only bright side of finding out that you and Sakura somehow entered a magical deathmatch while I was gone. Seriously, Shirou? The Holy Grail War? Couldn't you two have just watched a wrestling match or something?"

Shirou turned his eyes to Aoko. "You...you knew about this…?"

"Of course I do. It's not like it's a secret. I just didn't think you'd do something stupid like this." Aoko tapped her cheek. "Though, I suppose it makes sense since you do become a superhero in the future."

Archer frowned at those words.

Aoko walked to Rin and leaned down to whisper into her ear. Rin, for her part, blushed and simply nodded. Archer watched the two warily, but there was not much he could do when there was a very powerful magus and two other Servants in the room. He didn't like his chances in this kind of situation.

"Archer," Rin said, catching the red Servant's attention. "I command you to pleasure Aoko-sensei for the entire night!"

"What?!" Archer gaped as the command seal on his Master's hand briefly glowed before blinking out.

Rin clapped her hands together in apology. "Forgive me, Archer, but I can't refuse a chance for an apprenticeship. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity."

"You can't...that's...that's…" Archer was at a loss for words.

"S-Sensei?!" Shirou said in shock, unable to believe what he was hearing. Sure, his master could be brazen sometimes, but…but…just what was this?!

"Let's go, Future Shirou," Aoko cooed, hooking her arm around his.

Archer was sweating as he tried to resist the effects of the Command Seal.

Sakura walked up to Aoko and Archer with a hard and serious expression on her face.

"Can I come too?"

Shirou stretched his arms out as he yawned. He didn't exactly get a good night's sleep, but he got just enough to keep on his feet. Still, he wasn't looking forward to seeing everyone at the breakfast table. He took a deep breath before he entered the room.

"Morning, Shirou!" Aoko was sitting at the table, wearing one of Shirou buttoned-up shirts.

"Morning, Senpai!" Sakura was sitting at the table, wearing another one of Shirou buttoned-up shirts.

Rin and Rider were off to the side, eating toast quietly. Rin had bags under her eyes and a disoriented look, but for Rider, being silent was her natural state of being.

"Morning," Shirou greeted awkwardly. That was when he noticed that Archer was looking sickly. "Archer, you're looking pretty pale there."

Archer glared at him. "You don't know what I've been through."

"Oh, suck it up, you big baby," Aoko said cheerfully. She turned to Shirou. "Your future prospects are looking better and better."

"...do I want to know?"

"Well, you see-"

"I wasn't asking. That was a rhetorical question," Shirou said briskly. "I heard you enough last night."

Saber's cheeks were dusted with red as she too had heard the vigorous moans and screams.

"Fair enough," Aoko said as she took a sip of her coffee. "Still,I can't wait to try you out, my little Hikaru Genji."

Shirou froze. "Wha...why? You already tried out my future self!"

Aoko looked at Shirou weirdly. She exchanged a look with Sakura before they both started laughing hysterically. "Oh, Shirou sweetie, that's not your future self. That's your alternate future self."

Shirou gaped like a fish.

"You'd never have hair that white or skin that dark. If anything, you would be look more bronze-ish," Aoko explained before her eyes took on a dreamy look. "Mmmm, bronze Shirou…"

"Yummy," Sakura said, licking her lips.

Shirou boggled.

Aoko noticed this and elaborated. "He was using his magic the wrong way so he turned out like that, but you were trained under me. Trust me when I say you're going to turn out differently. And I can't wait."

Shirou gulped at the little purr Aoko gave him.

"Better you than me," Archer said as he took a sip of his coffee.

Saber could only gawk. Just what kind of den of debauchery had she been summoned into?!

The End.

AN: This was written by me and Icura who submitted this story into a contest. It lost or the contest just didn't finish. Whatever the case, I've decided to put it here. It would be nice to have actual feedback.

Thanks for reading.

As always C+C Welcome, Reviews appreciated.