Author's Notes: Hi everyone. Sorry for the bad formatting last time. FF net enjoys messing things up when I transfer from Google Docs to Word to FF net. It's really restrictive and drives me nuts that I have to reformat everything for its system. Bleh. Anyways, I'm terribly sorry about the gigantic delay. I have a myriad of excuses and problems you're probably not interested in.

In the gigantic hiatus, however, I also had a nice temp editor to take a look at and flame my work. What that means is things should flow better and scenes/thoughts should be more fleshed out and less abrupt. Granted, I couldn't do this revision for all parts but you should [I hope ^_^()] find it to be better reading overall now and in the future.

In any event, this is actually half of where I intended to original end the chapter but it sorta grew a life of its own; especially the Sakura scene. As such, I decided to just release half of it rather than waiting to complete the entire "day" if you will.

For those of you that don't know, FSN is located in the Nasuverse. I've taken the time to include a short snippet at the beginning for those of you that haven't read Tsukihime and don't know what Dead Apostles and The Dead are. Although, I would suggest taking a look at that VN or a Lets Play. It's a good VN.

[ - Break - ]

Very Brief Story Reminder from last time:

Shirou summons Saber. Archer finds out Saber is slightly different from the Saber he knew. Shirou and Saber go to the Church but leave by themselves as Rin has business in Shinto. Walking back home, they hear a scream on the wind and find Illya and Berserker standing over the wounded Louise. Illya is delighted her Onii-chan is there so she doesn't have to search for him. Saber fights Berserker but is critically wounded. Planning to push her out of the way of an attack, Shirou instead takes the blow and finds he is missing important internal organs.

Before Berserker can finish his attack and kill Saber, Caster arrives and with a single spell, kills one of Berserker's lives. Rin and Archer arrive just in time to see the carnage where the battle took place.

Outnumbered 3 to 1, Illya decides to leave, stating "The next time I see you Caster, I'll definitely kill you." After healing Shirou, Caster leaves and Rin is forced to take the wounded Louise and Shirou back to her home for healing.

From atop one of the sky rises, McNab watches them as they leave. ( Character from the Prologue)

[ - Break - ]

Terminology in this Chapter:

Ojōsan - Respectful address to a young lady. Madam/Ma'am.

Okonomiyaki - Japanese pancake that can contain various ingredients ranging from cheese and shrimp to bacon.

Shinto - The newer business side of Fuyuki. Contains business sky rises and high rise apartments.

Miyama - The older residential side of Fuyuki. Contains mostly one to two story residential houses.

Miyamachou - Suburban area of Fuyuki in Miyama. Includes a small shopping area.

[ - Break - ]

Short introduction to The Dead

From: GDATAEXPUNGED

To: MDATAEXPUNGED

Subject: Dead Apostles and The Dead

Yo, how're you doing Nab? SDATAEXPUNGED hasn't been driving you too mad on her little errands has she? Anyways, like you wanted, here's an intro on Dead Apostles and their "followers". I know you haven't had that much experience with these folk so I tried to keep it to the point. Just whatever you do, don't let your guard down. Some of these bloody sucking bastards have lived for over a century. You don't live that long while getting hunted by the Burial Agency by being sloppy. Trust me on this, I've seen them in action and they're no slouch. Hell, I remember one time this nice Church lady called Data Expunged had to help me out in a bind. Dunno how she did it but she could throw these things called Data Expunged. They were 'bout as big as a mini-sword. Anyways, any undead or vampire that was impaled by them were immolated and burnt to a crisp. That doesn't even get into the part where she wielded this giant staking weapon one handed. Damn thing could pierce through concrete. Musta weighed at least a tonne. Gotta say that Church has some pretty powerful people on their side.

Anyways, I'm ramblin on. Just remember to watch yourself and good luck. Make sure SDATAEXPUNGED doesn't drive you too mad.

The Dead

The Dead are familiars bound to the will of their parent Vampire (also known as Dead Apostles). Having no true will of their own, they move under their master's will and consume the blood and flesh of the living in order to maintain their existence and siphon energy to their Master. Talk about laziness. Anyways, they're most easily identified by looking like a walking corpse. Sometimes they may have illusions around them to hide themselves during the day, although, I doubt you'll be hunting any of these guys while the sun shines. These familiars are what you might consider a classic in supernatural mythology. However, they've actually fallen out of use. You'll mostly encounter them in low numbers of less than several dozen in total. That is unless the vampire has already turned the entire city and the area is overflowing with corpses. Of course, in that case you'll probably be meeting an army of Executors and other Church agents as they proceed to clean and re-decorate the area.

Don't worry though. Vampires prefer to keep themselves hidden and having an army of corpses followin 'em around like that would defeat the purpose. A vampire that reveals itself too much often dies within a short period of time. Most of the time the instant any mention of the Dead is found the Burial Agency sends out Executors to hunt said offending vampire. After that, the jigs up and the vampire either dies or runs to another city.

If you do wind up fighting these undead you shouldn't let your guard down though. These creatures ain't mere corpses. They're kept alive by the power of their vampire and whatever unfortunate humans they get their ruddy hands on. This means they're actually several times stronger than your normal humans and almost as persistent. I've seen Dead break through steel doors as if they were made of plaster and dent a knight's shield with its fingers alone; although in retrospect they probably broke their arms and all their fingers doing that. Anyways, whatever you do, make sure you watch your surroundings and make sure you always have a way out. As long as you have an exit, you can always run away faster than they can chase.

Also, since they're essentially kept alive by "magic" that means their more durable then your regular humans. If you stab 'em a dozen times they'll still keep commin at you. Think of these guys as if they were robots. Heavy trauma to the torso or severing of limbs will net you the good results. However, the most surefire way of keeping 'em down is the destruction of their main body or head (Read: cleave and blow them apart) or the use of the Church's conceptual armaments (Read: Holy weapons).

The Dead actually have an interesting history. Many people in the Church believe...

...

...

...

[ - Break - ]

Day 4: February 4th

- Complications -

[Halo: ODST OST - Rain] .com/watch?v=NQEuBneFi3g

The streets of Fuyuki were deathly empty. There were very few people on the streets of Shinto once the sun went down. The recent grisly murders had everyone sealed in their homes early. Even the Fuyuki police only headed out on patrol in pairs now.

That suited McNab just fine.

The Fuyuki night was cold. As he walked down the deserted streets of Shinto, he could see the vapor trails his breath made and felt the chill of winter through his business attire. He stopped at the entrance to an alleyway before taking a look around. He wasn't sure why he bothered; he'd been the only living thing on the streets of the city for the past hour. He chalked it up to habit.

The odds of any witnesses in the area were slim even before the string of murders had occurred.

Walking into the alley, he spotted the man he'd been tailing for the last few minutes. The man stood silently beside a dumpster; seemingly drunk as he stood listlessly and teetered back and forth. Walking with care towards his target, he gently fingered the sidearm within his suit.

"Excuse me, I don't suppose you have a light?" McNab asked.

Turning around, The man reveal his deathly white complexion and lifeless eyes; most likely due to the gouging wounds in his torso and the hole in his neck. Bloodshot eyes and taut dry skin completed the morbid visage. Emitting a raspy noise from its throat, it recognized a new source of blood for its master. With its unseeing red eyes focused on its new target, the Dead charged.

Gunfire lit up the alley as McNab pulled back the trigger on his sidearm. The bullet penetrated through the corpses' skull; brain matter trailing in its wake. The Dead, not noticing or caring about the wound through its head, simply continued barreling at him. This time, McNab aimed at the torso and pulled back on the trigger until he ran empty. Each bullet slammed into its chest causing it to recoil backwards; it's body jumping to the tune of some unseen puppeteer as it spasmed back and forth.

The Dead, now with several biologically redundant bullet holes through its body, collapsed back down onto the ground. Wordlessly, McNab reloaded a new magazine into his pistol and then gave a sigh of relief.

Feeling his phone vibrate, McNab grabbed the wireless earpiece and placed it in his ear.

"Hello Ojōsan..." He stopped talking as she yelled through the speaker. Her voice fluctuated from anger, to worry and then back to anger.

"Look, I know you're mad I didn't tell you about this but there was no concrete evidence that a vampire was even..." Once again, he was interrupted by the voice that came across the line. On the ground, the Dead business man emitted another strangled gasp as it began to rise again despite the twelve holes in its chest.

"Hold on, Ojōsan" said McNab. Taking careful aim with his pistol, he unloaded three more rounds into its head. Looking more like hamburger meat than an unliving creature, it collapsed back to the ground. Still aiming down the sights, he counted his heartbeats and waited for any movement.

The body lay still.

He exhaled the breath he'd been holding. Kneeling down, he placed the barrel of the gun on its chest just in case. He was relatively sure the thing would be staying dead from now on but he'd experienced too many horror movies to let his guard down now. Fishing through his suit pocket he withdrew a wooden stirring rod, the ones you'd find in a coffee shop or cafe, and used it to prod inside one of the bullet wounds.

It was dry, just like the other Dead he'd hunted down.

The Dead were drained of blood before they became the familiars of a Dead Apostle. If the corpse was dry then the Dead Apostle wasn't feeding. Hopefully the damn vampire would eventually get the message and *fly* off out of Fuyuki.

As he stood up, the corpse began to deteriorate. A macabre scene unfolded in front of him. Freed from its master's magic, the corpse began to breakdown and disappear. Skin slowly dried and peeled away into the air while bone and organs liquefied. The eyes melted into their sockets and its teeth began to stain brown before falling into empty chasm of its mouth. It was as if the corpse was rotting and decaying in seconds instead of months.

Pulling out a hip flask his suit pocket, McNab drank the rather sweet contents of the milk tea inside. He'd have to remember to get a bigger one next time; this one was slightly small.

The body continued to rapidly dry before even the bones finally vaporized into a pile of dust. Eventually, even that too was blown away by an unfelt wind until all that was left were clothes.

"Sorry about that, Ojōsan. I had to finish dealing with someone. Where were we?" he said.

Taking another swig from his flask, he walked out of the alley and returned to the yellow streetlights of Shinto. Looking around he noted the streets were still empty. He continued strolling down the streets looking for other walking corpses that might be active tonight. It was kind of unsettling, really. It was only one hour past midnight and the city was already a graveyard. He revised that statement in his head... it was worse. In a graveyard you didn't expect there to be anyone alive. He'd been walking these lonely streets for over an hour and that single Dead had been the only thing that was alive... well, at least moving... that he'd seen. In Paris, New York, or Hamburg there was always night life. Something to tell you that there was something more than just the shadows to keep you company.

The weary yellow of the streetlights lit his way as he continued walking the empty streets of Shinto; the sound of his footsteps echoing off the building walls.. That... and an angry drunken friend on the other end of the line. He kept his eyes sharp on the corners and shadows while she went on about the dangers of patrolling alone. He had the heart to not mention to her the difficulties of patrolling the streets of Fuyuki when you couldn't even stand up straight.

After a while, the voice on the other end had seemingly calmed down. "Alright, I admit, I probably should have told you sooner but no harm done right? Besides, it's only The Dead. Unless they reach a large number, they're nothing to worry about."

As he continued walking, the lights around him went out. Slowing his walk he stopped in the middle of the street. Glancing instinctively at the sky for any airborne attacks, he drew his sidearm once more. Past the blowing of the light wind came a chilling sound. At first he thought it sounded like chains banging against one another but as the sound multiplied it changed. He could only compare it to a horde of cicadas; a thousand voices that turned into a single giant roar.

He took a pair of sunglasses from his suit and donned them causing his view to be filled with slight static as the low-light vision from the glasses activated.

[Fate/Stay Night OST - Nightmare] .com/watch?v=D1c1UXyYiTI

The Dead filled his view. There were almost a hundred of them as they poured from alleyways and adjacent streets. With worrying speed, they began to close the distance between them and their victim. Behind him, more Dead began to emerge to cut off his exit. At least he knew what response the Dead Apostle had chosen between fight and flight.

"Let the good times roll," he muttered into the wind. That elicited a confused response over his earpiece.

"I'm sorry, Ojōsan. I'm going to be coming back late. Looks like I'm going to have to entertain a lot of guests" he said. Her worried voice sounded over the earpiece in response once more.

"Don't worry, it's nothing serious to worry about" he said. He gave a sardonic grin that she couldn't see. "Anyways, I better get going, the crowds are getting restless." He was rather glad that he immediately took off the earpiece a moment later.

"CROWDS!" she shouted. Her cry was loud enough to hear despite the earpiece already being attached to his hip. He turned his phone off and cut the connection.

The crowd of Dead was still growing, easily reaching over a hundred in number now. There was something odd about this situation that nagged at the back of his brain, but he filed that to the back of his brain for later.

Right now the vast majority of the swarm was concentrated at the front with only several dozen or so behind him. However, at the rate they were flowing from the darkened alleys and shadowy roads that would soon change.

He ran straight at the less densely packed crowd of Dead behind him. He theorized that if could just make it past the initial crowd he'd be fine. After that it'd be a straight run back to the car. Nothing to be worried about; he'd faced worse situation in the past.

"Well... one thing at a time, I suppose" thought McNab.

He fired his sidearm as he ran, static flashing in his view as the glasses compensated for the sudden contrast in lighting. Firing another trio of round at a nearby encroaching Dead, he jumped onto the hood of a parked truck. Using the top of the vehicle like a ramp, he jumped high into the air and over the head of several of the Dead that had been waiting for him. They gave angry gasps as their prey flew past their fingers. In one smooth motion he landed, used his momentum to roll on the ground and propelled himself back on his feet; missing an attack by a nearby Dead by scant inches. He looked for the edge of the swarm of Dead.

Over two dozen meters to go.

He emptied a clip into several closing bodies as he ran. The bullets staggered them but failed to put them down. That was fine. He didn't plan on killing them all anyways.

By now the Dead had almost closed within arm's length. For that reason he was rather happy he'd forgotten to wear a tie today. Fights at distances where you could smell your opponent's odour did not mix well with cocktail dresses or business suits.

At least he wasn't wearing high heels.

In front of him was what may have been an attractive woman in her thirties if she wasn't trying to eat his throat. He gave her a swift kick for the trouble and was rewarded with the sound of her sternum breaking. He put two rounds into her torso for good measure just before leaping over her body.

Time slowed for him and he surveyed the scene in front of him. He was scant meters from breaking past their lines. He could have crawled that distance. Unfortunately, in front of him was a full line of those damned corpses. A man in his late fifties wearing a blood stained dress shirt. A brunette wearing a white sweater with blue eyes. Another man with long messy hair missing a section of his neck. A plethora of faces. Each of their eyes vacant and distant. Each one looking to consume his body for whatever damned Dead Apostle they served. The first real inklings of fear began to form in his mind. Suddenly, a bad idea formed in his mind.

"Well... I've had worse," he thought.

He charging forward with a desperate roar. Firing his pistol at whatever Dead came near, he screamed and rammed his way through the lines of the Dead. Plowing past several bodies, he tackled the first corpse directly in his way with enough force to lift it into the air. Using the body as a shield, he bull-rushed past the ranks of the Dead. He could feel pain flare across his body as they battered and beat the sides of his body. It was at this time he appreciated the extra effort he had taken to procure a Kevlar lined suit. With one last push, he broke through into the empty streets beyond.

Dropping the unfortunate corpse, he stumbled but kept on running. His breathing was ragged as he continued staggering away from the converging horde. He grabbed his chest, each breathe caused a flare of dull pain as he could feel the places where the Dead had struck him. For the first time this night he was beginning to have doubts about coming alone on this patrol.

The mass of shuffling corpses followed behind him; their unintelligible cries and guttural moans like a haunting ghost. Once again, that odd feeling returned to the forefront of his mind. Fuyuki city wasn't some sort of remote village in Europe. It was a bustling urban cityscape with hundreds of thousands of people living within its boundaries. If a Dead Apostle really had killed hundreds of people within Fuyuki then the Church would have had Executors swarming the city.

[Fate/Stay Night OST - Wandering Shadow] .com/watch?v=s-CyOBkm9tU

Running for what felt like forever, he turned a corner and his heart sank. Between him and his car were dozens of the Dead. Noticing his presence, they collectively began to march towards him before halting as if colliding with a brick wall. Behind him, the pursuing Dead stopped in their tracks as well. They stood at the ready like automatons that had been shutdown. Even their characteristic deathly moans had disappeared; his muffled breathing and heartbeat were the loudest things he could hear. Slowly and deliberately, McNab reached towards his hip and carefully reloaded his sidearm.

Through the night air, he began to hear the sound of giggling. The voice grew like a crescendo and seemed to echo and then resound off the tall glass skyscrapers that rose high above him. His senses came alert as he tried to pinpoint the origins of the noise. Careful to keep his eyes between the two swarm of Dead, he swept the surrounding area with his gun.

"Look what I've caught in my trap," came a young voice that echoed through the streets, "all stuck in my web like a bug stuck in my threads."

Above him, balancing on a streetlight, stood a young girl. She wore a school uniform though not of the local schools dress code; a pure white shirt with matching black skirt. Her black hair flowed down easily past her shoulder blades. By his estimate, she looked as if she were a year or so older than the twin-tailed Magus Tohsaka. This, however, told him absolutely nothing. If there was one thing that all his years of work had taught him, it was that nothing was ever what it appeared to be. What did catch his attention, however, were her eyes. Her crimson red eyes.

Damn vampires...

The young girl continued to sing along to the fairy tale song she must have made herself. Vampires really had way too much time on their hands.

"So a Dead Apostle that likes to play dressup as a school girl with the attitude of an adolescent brat. Why do I always get the interesting ones," thought McNab. He rubbed his brow in a show of annoyance.

The girl stopped her annoying sing song at his reaction.

"Really? This is what you're going to go with?" said McNab with barely concealed sarcasm, "come on, drop the act. You ain't foolin anyone here."

"What?" said the girl slowly; her face a look of confusion. Out of all the reactions she had expected, clearly this was not one she had planned for.

"I'm going to guess you're around eighty to ninety right now. Most vampires don't gather this much power without being at least that old. From your clothes, I'd guess you really like the little school girl motif... Classy... Really classy... Though a little creepy given your age."

The girl narrowed her eyes at McNab as if she could burn him away just by her glare. If he looked closer, he might have seen a vein pop on her head.

"That must be a Vampire thing though," he said with a shrug, "I guess you're only as young as you.."

"Shut up! Shut up you miserable piece of meat!" she screeched in her childish like voice. He could detect anger and outrage in her voice; exactly what he wanted.

"Now that's just plain rude. Surely a little girl like you would know better than to interrupt someone while they're talking," he replied casually.

"Why you annoying little..." a single gunshot stopped her words. Moving with nearly Servant level speed, she twisted her body away as the .40 S&W bullet just barely grazed her cheek as it went by.

On the ground, McNab held the smoking gun from his hand. In the blink of an eye he had aimed and fired the gun in one motion.

"How d..." her words were cut off again as McNab fire another round towards her and she had to dodge once again.

Landing on another lamppost she looked down felt the blood from the bullet that had grazed her arm.

"Kill him!" She screamed. He fired another shot but this time she was ready. Jumping from the post, she disappeared into the shadows of the night.

He sighed. He had hoped to catch her off guard while she was mad and monologuing. Hopefully he'd be able to put her down before she could get away. Damn shame... I guess you can't win them all.

The Dead resumed their march towards him; their ceaseless moans returning to echo through the night.

"Wonderful," he said with a tired sigh. Maybe he could do an encore performance of before; though he never did like performing for such large crowds.

He had 21 rounds left; 1 magazine and 9 bullets remaining. Aiming down the iron sights, he fired off nine precise shots. Almost comically, five Dead collapsed onto the ground, their kneecaps now shattered bone and cartilage. Reaching for his last magazine, he heard something above the din of moans and guttural calls. Something closer to the sound of a roaring engine.

[End BGM]

A pair of headlights fishtailed in the distance before rather unceremoniously ramming past several inattentive undead. The car stopped scant meters before him. In front of him was a rather expensive pure white convertible. Sleek and classy... minus the dented front.

"Agent Sable, this is a pleasant surprise," he said to the blonde driver while reloading his sidearm.

"Get in," she said coldly. Her cold voice and angry eyes belied the cheerful demeanor she had previously. McNab vaulted into the passenger's seat before Sable shifted the car's gears and sped away. On their way out they proceeded to crush the same unfortunate Dead under their tires.

Sable gave him a stare that would have melted steel. "Was this your plan? Hang up on me so I could find your corpse in the morning?" she yelled towards him, her long hair flying in the wind.

"Quite frankly, Ojōsan, I had it under control" he said.

"Under control?" she said exasperated, "being surrounded and about to be eaten by the Dead is under control?"

"Maybe," he said rather quietly under his breath.

"Idiot," she muttered under her breath.

The car swerved as Sable took another sharp turn; its tires screeching in protest. McNab held on with all his strength as the car nearly tipped over from the acute angle. The dull thump of tires meeting asphalt once more did little to soothe his nerves. Streetlights whipped by at high speeds as they drove away. A sudden thought jumped to the forefront of his mind.

"Wait, aren't you still drunk?" he asked.

"Maybe," answered the driving blonde cheerfully. She gave a perky smile towards him that scared him more than the Dead they had just left behind. He put on the seat-belt and unconsciously gripped the car harder.

Sable made another sharp turn, her hands a flurry of motion as she switched gears while holding the wheel. More prepared this time, McNab was able to hold on and prevent himself from accidentally head butting Sable in the face from the whiplash. Although with this wild driving he still felt like doing so. Drifting from the turn onto the main street of Shinto, he could see the buildings fly by as Sable sped up the car.

"Ojōsan, can we please slow down?" asked McNab in a rather nervous tone.

"But why?" she said with a slight whine, "there's a perfectly flat stretch of road there." She gestured to the completely empty and straight road ahead of them.

Before he could respond with a "because I don't want to die" response, the car rocked as something fell into the back. He estimated the odds of something harmless suddenly landing in the backseat at a time like this. Not likely...

Acting on instinct, he hurled his body forward as close as it could to the dashboard and heard the sound of tearing fabric and breaking plastic behind him. Looking back, the petite vampire from before was crouched on the seats in the back; her hands in the shape of razor sharp claws. Claws that had shredded the headrest quicker than grapeshot against conscripts. All that was left of his headrest were bits of fluff and foam. That could have been his head...

"Sable!" yelled McNab. He reached for his holstered sidearm but Sable was faster. Casually glancing at the rear-view mirror, she slammed down on the breaks. Already trying to move towards the front of the card, the girl was caught off guard when physics took hold. He thought he could make out the slightest sound of an *eep* as the vampire was sent hurling through the front windshield. Before the girl had even hit the ground, Sable accelerated and was rewarded with two bumps in the car's suspension.

With a sigh of relief, he looked behind them. On the ground, the girl tried to raise herself back up using her only working arm. The only indication she had just been crushed with over a thousand kilograms of steel and iron was her left arm which hung limply by side and the burning stare within her crimson eyes. Behind her, countless undead swarmed around protect their master. Barely able to keep herself up, he could see her hateful glare starring at them even as she disappeared into the distance.

Several kilometers later, they finally stopped the car at the edge of Fuyuki bridge. It might have been the third time she smacked him in the arm while driving and called him an idiot that she noticed him wincing in pain longer than he should have. Stopping the car, Sable finally took a look at his wounds. It was at that time that Sable realized he had multiple contusions and two cracked ribs.

"Hold still," said Sable.

"Ack!" said McNab

"Look, if you don't hold still it'll only hurt more."

"Damnit, cant we do this at the safe-house? It's too cramped and cold in here."

"Oh quit your whining already and take off your shirt."

"What! Hey n.. now just wait... Gah..."

"See? Now doesn't that feel better?" she asked.

A warm sensation spread from where Sable touched him. He could feel his cracked ribs slowly setting back into proper place. The pain ebbed away slowly until all he could feel were Sable's hands on his body. "Does it hurt anywhere else, McNaba-kun?" asked Sable calmly. She stared innocently upwards at him, her eyes almost level with his chin.

He could feel her soft warm hands on his body. This close to his body, he could feel her warm breath gently tickle his skin on this cold winter night... Her face was close eno...

"Keep professional... Keep focused," he thought, "She's already taken. So keep. It. Professional..." He pulled away from Sable abruptly, much to her surprise.

After an awkward moment where they both stared at each other, he said, "A... anyways, thank you for the help back there. I'll admit I may have been in some trouble back there." In an attempt to keep face, he started straightening his suit.

She gave a mischievous chuckle at his odd reaction.

"This is why I like you McNab. You're always so amusing to have around," she said with a sly grin. Failing to find a snappy line to throw back at her, he simply gave her an annoyed glance.

"Why can I stand Vampires, Demons, and Eldricht abominations but not her," he thought with annoyance. He forced himself to relax the fist he had unintentionally been tightening.

Taking a long breath, McNab slumped into the leather seat of the car. Grumbling slightly at the lack of a headrest, he adjusted the seat downward and used the shoulder cushions as an impromptu pillow. Sighing with fatigue, he collapsed into the chair and closed his eyes. "You know... with that vampire staying here this entire war just got much more complicated."

"Mmhmm" agreed Sable. Reaching over towards the glove compartment, she pulled out the half eaten sandwich she had been chewing on previously. Like a kid eating a large bar of chocolate, she bit into the sandwich with a satisfied expression; happily munching into the Rye bread. Unfortunately, in her mad bid to inhale the tasty meal she inadvertently let a dollop of mayonnaise and mustard splatter on to her black pants. Her mouth sealed shut with Gouda and Pastrami, she made a series of "mumphs" and other anguished noises as she searched for something to clean her pants in the car; her one free hand flailing wildly in frustration. From the sounds she was making, McNab guessed she was failing.

Not bothering to open his eyes, he took out a napkin from his suit and handed it to her which she took with an affirmative-pitched, "mmhmm!"

Deciding to crack open half an eye, McNab rotated his head and looked at her with an accusing look, "isn't that mine?"

Halting in mid bite, Sable innocently stared back and forth between her meal and McNab. Finally making a decision, she held the sandwich towards McNab. The fact that in the span of several moments she had demolished almost all of the sandwich most likely hadn't occurred to her.

Rolling his eyes in disbelief, he pushed the meal away and leaned back once more into the seat. Shrugging her shoulders, she rapidly consumed the dwindling sandwich. Finishing the meal with glee, she opened and then leaned on the car door to enjoy the cool night breeze. They both stared at the darkened Shinto skyline in silence; wondering what the future days in this city would hold.

"Ojōsan, I have a question," said McNab, "where did you get this car?"

"..."

[ - Break - ]

Day 4: February 4th

- Jasmine with Serenity -

Crouching atop one of the higher trees near the Tohsaka residence, Archer observed the situation in spirit form. First there was that pink haired Magus, then an odd Saber and different Caster were summoned. Looking into Shinto, it looked like now there was most likely a Dead Apostle in Shinto. He gave a mental sigh. Truly, this must have been Alaya's bizarre attempt at humor.

After Caster left the battlefield, Rin had ordered him to take Shirou and the other Magus back to her home. True to Caster's predictions, Rin had decided to help Shirou rather than chase after her. When they had arrived, however, Shirou's wounds were almost healed. Unfortunately, the other Magus was not so lucky.

Examining her wounds he immediately understood she was in bad shape. Her right leg had been shattered and bent in two different places. Along with that were the numerous contusions on her back. If the damage that had been near her was any indication, she had been thrown hard enough into the side of one of the buildings to break the wall tiling. This wasn't even counting her two broken ribs.

Upon hearing the damage, Rin had briefly turned pale before immediately setting to work. Having already set the leg and done what he could with his skills, he left Rin alone to let her concentrate.

He continued to observe Fuyuki bridge as the pair finally began to drive back into Miyama. As their car finally disappeared from view, Archer wondered who they might be. They didn't look like any members of the Church or the Mages Association. Magi normally never used guns and Church Executors normally wielded holy Conceptual Weapons and wore clothes laden with cross insignia and holy paraphernalia. These two fit neither profile and he made a mental note to keep an eye on these two.

In any case, he'd have to inform Rin of this new turn of events. A Dead Apostle sulking in the shadows while the Holy Grail War was going on could only mean trouble.

[Toradora! OST - Yasashi sa no Ashioto] .com/watch?v=EAEnw0d-Cv0

"Archer, could you come back here?" came Rin's mental order.

Floating through the walls in spirit form, he materialized into the main living room. Rin was kneeling hunched over the prone form of the pink-haired Magus he had gently lain on the floor.

Surprisingly, he found Saber kneeling across from Rin. Though she still wore her armor, she had removed her two gauntlets for better control. In her hand was a damp cloth and she was gently wiping the sweat from Rin's brow as Rin continued healing the hurt Magus. This continued for several moments as Rin healed the pink haired Magus while Saber assisted Rin in any way she could. Not wanting to interrupt their silent team dynamic, Archer kept silent. After all, he might be able to call upon thousands of Noble Phantasms but when it came to healing broken bones and internal bleeding Rin would be the better magical healer.

He glanced at his former unconscious self sitting in one of the chairs. When they had come in, Shirou's shirt had been soaked through with blood and he had to dispose of it. Right now, his chest was wrapped in bandages, even though he no longer had any wounds to heal. However, he was still shirtless and the night was beginning to get cold. With the other two indisposed, he decided to make himself useful and brought out a blanket. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed his former self alive right now.

Despite himself he gave Shirou a spiteful glare even though he wasn't awake. Even when the boy was unconscious he still felt a simmer of hatred bubble forth. "Idealistic fool," he muttered to himself before wrapping Shirou in the warm blanket.

Looking back up at Rin and Saber, he noticed they still busy "Rin will be especially tired after everything today," thought Archer, "I'm sure she'll want some good tea after she's done." Being as quiet as he could, Archer headed into the kitchen. He placed the kettle on the stove before heading straight for the left most cupboard for the tea leaves. He decided to take out a certain ornate metal box; the one that held Rin's exotic Chinese leaves.

"This'll make her feel better," he thought. The fact that he knew she liked it also helped.

In the main room, Rin finally gave out a loud sigh. Collapsing onto her hands she knelt with fatigue for several moments.

"It's finished. She should be fine now," Rin announced. She stayed kneeling there teetering for a moment before toppling to her side.

"Rin!" Archer and Saber exclaimed.

Moving swiftly, Archer caught her before she fell. He helped to lift her up to her feet.

"Sorry for making you wait, Archer. It took longer than I expected," muttered Rin. She was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Rin, you should probably get some sleep," he said.

Lifting her as if she were no heavier than a large cushion, he began to take her towards the stairs.

"No... I'm fine, Archer... Just... make me some tea" she said. She forced him to plop herself down onto one of the nearby seats. The accuracy of his prediction made him hide a grin.

Returning to the kitchen, he finished pouring the hot water into the China set and let the tea steep. Taking a peek out into the main room, he saw Rin soundly sleeping away on the white couch; her head tilted at an angle onto her shoulder. She hadn't even had the energy to lie down.

He gave a slight sigh.

"Such a troublesome Master. You'll wake up with a strained neck that way, Rin" he thought.

He lowered his sleeping Master into a more comfortable position. Taking a comforter from one of the side rooms, he wrapped her in the warm blanket. He brushed some of the stray strands of hair from her peaceful face and admired her sleeping form. She was just as he remembered; too proud, stubborn, and headstrong for her own good. However, that didn't stop her from being the good and kind hearted person she was. Her greatest flaws were also what made him remember her most fondly. Taking his eyes from Rin, he returned to the original issue at hand; the freshly brewed tea still in the kitchen.

"Hmm, with Rin already asleep, it'd be a horrible sin to let such nice tea go to waste..." he thought to himself.

"Saber," said Archer "would you like some tea?"

"Thank you, Archer. I would like some." she replied with her usual dignified tone.

Taking the tea from the kitchen, he gently placed the fine china onto the table. With refined and precise movements, he carefully poured both of them a cup. He waited and observed as Saber took a quick sip of the exotic tea. Her face turned into one of surprise and her olive green eyes turned towards Archer.

"It is quite good" she said with a light nod.

"Thank you" he replied with a satisfied smile. That made two out of two people that enjoyed his tea.

Silence returned to the room as the two Servants drank from their china wordlessly; Saber sat next to Shirou in a kneeling Seiza form while Archer lounged comfortably on one of Rins ornate chairs. Finishing his initial cup, he saw Saber staring absent-mindedly at her cooling tea; her eyes looking deep within the orange tea's reflection.

"Is something wrong with the tea, Saber?" asked Archer.

"Hmm? Not at all. The tea is wonderful," she said as she lightly shook her head, "it is simply that..." Saber paused and looked far into the distance outside the window. Her face showed her mind deep in thought; taking care to choose her words carefully.

"We might be enemies tomorrow, Archer, but this peaceful serenity we hold right now..." She paused as she took a small sip of tea.

"I will definitely miss it."

The room grew still as her odd words seemingly brought a peaceful lull after them. Outwardly, Archer simply continued to gently sip away at his tea. In his mind, however, his mind churned over her words. It was a rather odd thing for the King of Knights to say. He'd never known Saber to be quite so... sentimental. Making a mental note, he carefully stored these thoughts into his mind for later.

Finally breaking the silence, Archer spoke. "My, that was quite poetic there, Saber." said Archer in a slightly mocking tone.

"Archer, you...!" exclaimed Saber. Her eyes narrowed in anger as she turned her face towards Archer. Her anger was tempered, however, when she saw Archer with the warm friendly grin on his face. She smothered her annoyance in an attempt to avoid Archer's playful attempt at goading her. Exhaling a slight sigh, she returned to her normal controlled demeanor.

Archer sipped his tea, "although, there's no problem with a warrior also being a poet."

Giving his words some thought, she nodded in agreement. "Yes, I suppose that is true," she replied before relaxing back into her sitting stance.

A slight murmur caught both Servant's attention causing them to turn towards the pink haired Magus. Looking at her, the young Magus seemed troubled. She had curled up like a shrimp on the couch and was lightly tossing back and forth in her sleep.

Archer mentally berated himself. He'd completely forgotten about the most vulnerable person in the room. Quietly walking over, he checked her condition. Prana flowed through his circuits and he used his abilities as a Magus to analyze the damage still within her body.

His eyes opened in surprise when he found none. It was truly a credit to Rin's Magecraft that the girl was completely healed. Even after everything that had happened today, she was still able to completely heal the girl's horrible wounds. No wonder why she had passed out on the couch.

Despite her improved condition, though, she was still cringing from the night cold. Having already brought blankets for Rin and Shirou, he figured he might as well get another for their last guest.

Finding one in a closet, he returned to the main room and placed it across the girl's small form and she instinctively relaxed at the new warmth. He finished off by tucking in the edges and turned to leave but two soft warm hands grabbed his arm. Looking back, he saw the girl was still soundly asleep but had latched onto his arm as if it were a lion plushie. He gave several light tugs but the sleeping girl simply held on tighter each time.

"S... ou" muttered the girl in her sleep. The pinkette snuggled further into his arm.

Despite his attempts at getting freeing, the pink haired Magus was still firmly attached to his arm. Unsure of what to do, he gave a quick glance at Saber for guidance. Unfortunately for him, she had closed her eyes and was too busy enjoying the taste of her tea; although, he swore she was hiding a broad smile behind that teacup.

He gave a resigned sigh before sitting down in defeat. The small Magus seemed to calm down after using his hand as a pillow for a few moments. He supposed he could comfort her for the night. After all, she had been through a huge ordeal. Looking at her, the girl was sleeping with such a sense of tranquility on her face now. It'd be a crime to disrupt a peaceful moment such as this.

The sound of light clinking china alerted his attention back to Saber. She had thoughtfully moved his cup closer to his new sitting position and, with graceful movements, began pouring him a new cup of tea. He nodded with appreciation and took the cup.

With hot tea to accompany them during the night, Archer and Saber both sat in silence as they kept watch over the three Magi; ever vigilante yet enjoying the quiet serenity of the night.

[End BGM]

[ - Break - ]

Day 4: February 4th

- What is Burned In -

Shirou coughed as the scalding hot air burned his lungs. He hobbled down the smoke-ridden streets looking for any help. In this excruciating heat, his arms and legs felt weighed down like wooden logs. Not even the hottest summer in Japan could measure up to this heat. It was like standing over a gigantic bonfire; a scorching pain that seared your skin yet you couldn't escape.

It seemed as if the entire city had been hit by the fire. All around him were the burnt out husks of buildings. The sky was painted shades of red and orange as fire raged out of control across the landscape.

The sound of cracking and splintering wood from a nearby house caught his attention. Looking at the house, it was an old brick building that held up against the fire; only the second floor seemed to have been destroyed. Perhaps someone was still alive there. Dried grass crunched under his feet as he slowly moved towards the building. Looking through a window he saw what he thought might have been a living room. On the floor unmoving was a child; he couldn't be much older than he was. Over him was a man with a cloth wrapped around his mouth as he lifted the child with utmost care. Perhaps it was the father?

Over the sound of crackling fire, Shirou could heard the wood giving way. The man must have heard it was well as he quickened his pace and made his way towards the door. They wouldn't make it. Even as the man ran, Shirou saw the avalanche of wood, brick and mortar falling towards them. At the last moment, the man saw him looking through the window. For that one moment, he saw the fear and despair in his wide eyes.

Shirou reached out with his arm as if his will alone could save them. He wished with all his might that he could save them; but it was not to be.

In less than a heartbeat, they were gone, buried underneath the rubble. Like a chain reaction, the rest of the brick house crumbled in upon itself and he stumbled backwards to avoid the rain of debris. Running as fast as he could, he saw the pile of rubble finally come to a rest; a giant tombstone to the two people inside. He wanted to cry for them but he was too tired even for that. The unrelenting heat stole even that small mercy from him. He stared for long moments at the spot where the father and son had been.

There was nothing here now; only the dead. With what little strength he had in him, he forced himself to keep walking.

It was the same dream again; the fire from ten years ago. In it he walked and he ran as he always did but the outcome was the same. Nothing ever changed. Death and destruction surrounded him no matter where he went. He continued onward but he knew there was no end to this hellfire. Even though it was a dream he could never find the end to the fire and death around him.

In the distance, he could hear someone crying...

[ - Break - ]

- Rise and Shine, Emiya-san. Rise and Shine -

Shirou slowly opened his eyes, the fragments of his dream fading like frost in the summer sun. He coughed as if to expel the smoke and ash from his lungs; still shaking the image of his dream away. Immediately, dull pain swelled across his abdomen with each cough and he grimaced. Looking down, he saw bandages across his chest and stomach.

"Ugh, what happened yesterday?" he said to himself.

Two things immediately registered in his mind. First, the light floral patterns on the roof indicated that he was definitely not back home. Secondly, the two feminine voices yelling at him meant he'd probably done something bad.

"That should be the question I'm ask you, Shirou," said Saber sternly.

"Idiot! You almost died, Shirou, that's what happened," yelled Rin.

Beside him were Saber and Rin who were both staring at him with irritation in their eyes. A chill went up the back of his spine that spread to the front of his naked chest...

Wait... Naked?

"Gah! Where'd my shirt go?" said Shirou as he reached for the blanket that had been covering his bandaged torso. He also noticed his regular blue jeans were splattered with blood; most likely his own. Giving a slight sigh, Rin picked up a bundle of clothes and handed them to him before looking away.

"Here, Archer retrieved them from your home. The washroom is down the hall," said Rin with a look of annoyance as she diverted her eyes.

Almost comically, Shirou grabbed the clothes and rushed towards the washroom. Stumbling through the door, he locked it behind him with a click. With a door finally between him the girls outside, he breathed a sigh of relief and then felt the pain return in full force. He could feel nausea rising from his stomach and he stumbled onto the porcelain sink. With heavy breathes, he fought back against the pain in his chest and the bile within his throat. That was good though; the pain reminded him he was alive. After a moment, he could feel the pain and nausea eventually fade away and he breathed a sigh of relief.

Searching his memory, scenes from yesterday flashed through his mind and he remembered what happened. He had tried to protect Saber by pushing her out of the way but instead he'd only taken the blow head on. Gingerly, he gently touched his bandaged abdomen as if to make sure it was still there. It felt slightly sore but he supposed that was better than having nothing there at all.

Rewinding his thoughts, the reason he met Illya there was... The scream. And that girl!

Splashing water onto his face, he quickly got dressed and went out. Walking through the hall, he suddenly noticed the warm sunlight streaming through the old curtained windows. Stepping back into the main room, he could see both Rin and Saber sitting calmly waiting for him while drinking tea. On a central wooden coffee table lay a tray with an assortment of biscuits and fruit pastries as well as an ornate tea pot; hot steam still rising from the mouth.

As he headed towards his seat, he couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between his home and Tohsakas. While his house had been built to model a traditional Japanese home with tatamani floors and thin shoji room dividers, Tohsaka's house looked closer to one you would find in Victorian London. Ornate wooden furniture adorned each room with slightly floral wallpaper design. There even had an old grandfather clock in the corner.

Oddly, Archer wasn't here; though he supposed the red Servant was simply hovering behind Rin in spirit form.

"Emiya-kun, I assume from your ability to run that you're feel all better now?" asked Rin as she calmly took a sip of her tea.

"Yea," replied Shirou. He decided to keep the sudden pain and nausea a secret. There wasn't a need to worry them with that. He returned his focus to the girl, "What happened to the wounded girl from last night? The one that was hurt by Berserker? Is she alright?."

"Ah, yes, the girl," said Rin as she put down her tea, "she's resting in my room currently. I was able to heal her completely last night so she should be fine. Hopefully she should be better and on her way before the end of the day. But I suppose we'll have to wait and see."

"I see..." said Shirou, the sound of her screams still played in his mind. "Thank you, Tohsaka. I doubt I would have been able to help her much myself."

She gave a tired sigh as her eyes looked straight into him, "I didn't think you'd understand."

"Listen to me," said Rin as her tone went serious, "you're acting as if we're friends. I told you yesterday but it seems like it didn't stick into your head." Rin paused and stood up for effect.

"We. are. enemies." She said by emphasizing each word, "You don't thank your enemy. You're still acting as if this was nothing but a game. Don't you understand? The enemy Master is just another obstacle to be removed; even if they were your own family. If you refuse to take this war seriously then you will die!" she said, shouting at the end.

He could see the anger mixing with her cold Magus demeanor. Of course it was natural for her to be mad. She had probably been trained for years to be the heir to the Tohsaka family. For an amateur to be chosen as a Master and only take it half seriously would have been a serious affront to any Magus. By not taking it seriously he was insulting her. Still... something seemed off.

"I understand," said Shirou after a quiet moment of silence, "but if that's the case, Tohsaka, then shouldn't you have killed me while I was unconscious yesterday? Doesn't that just leave you with another Master and Servant to deal with?"

As if her hand had been caught opening presents before Christmas Day, she froze on the spot. Quickly recovering, she gave a quick "hmph" before looking away at a distant point on the wall.

"It's not my style to kill someone in their sleep," said Rin before twitching her mouth in annoyance, "besides, you helped reveal Berserker and Caster for me so I did owe you. Again... Anyways, that's enough chatting. I'm sure your Servant can fill in the details about what happened after your... idiotic actions yesterday." She quickly ushered Shirou and Saber towards the front door.

Walking outside, his eyes were blinded by the bright sunlight. Waiting for a moment for his eyes to adjust, he guessed it must have been sometime mid afternoon. A well trimmed lawn lay before him with grey tiling leading to the street. He inwardly chuckled at the thought of Rin tinkering and straining against a lawn mower to cut the rather large yard.

Come to think of it, he'd never even seen the entire front of Tohsaka's house let alone been inside of it. It really was an act of kindness from her to have taken essentially what was an enemy in for the night. Turning to look behind him, he saw Rin standing at the door, her Magus demeanor having returned. Her cold blue eyes stared at him as she watched them leave.

"I suppose this is where we part?" he said, already knowing her answer.

She nodded. "Emiya-kun, this will be my last warning. The next time we see one another we will be enemies. Remember that." With that final message she closed the door.

[ - Break - ]

[Fate/Stay Night - Madder Red Town].com/watch?v=pdPg8tYGEgM

After leaving Tohsaka, they headed towards home. It was Sunday and sunny today so more people were out and about than normal; hoping to enjoy their free time and the limited sunlight. Saber received curious stares from several people. Given Fuyuki's past as a city of commerce, foreigners weren't completely rare but they did attract attention. Shirou was rather glad Rin had the foresight to provide her with clothing. Of course, that provided a new problem for him. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with the proper white shirt she wore or that the dark blue skirt and obi around her waist might hinder her combat movement. It was the fact that even outside her armour she had a beautiful radiance that drew his eyes to her.

"...And that is essentially what happened after... Shirou, are you even listening?" said Saber.

"Of... Of course..." said Shirou, quickly turning his head to hide the fact he had been staring at her. He rapidly tried to come up with something to change the subject, "I was just thinking about those clothes Rin gave you..."

"Yes?" said Saber as she waited for a response.

"They look good on you..." he felt heat rise to his head as he realized the implications of what he said. "I... I... I mean, they're good at hiding your status as a Servant."

"Yes, that is true. I would certainly have looked suspicious with my armour on," she said while idly sizing up her own clothes. If there was any indication she noticed Shirou's pause or the blood rushing to his face, she hadn't shown it.

Shirou took a breath. She was his partner and was depending on him to win the war. In order to do that they would have to communicate and work together. He'd have to get used to working with Saber inside and outside of combat. Steeling himself, he looked up to see Saber staring at him; a serious expression on her face.

"Saber?"

"Shirou, about last night," said Saber. He nodded his head to signify she had gotten his attention. "Do you know Caster? She says the only reason she saved you was because you saved her life before."

As they waited for the light to change, Shirou searched through his memories. Nothing came up. Even before the war started he barely qualified as a Magus. He found the mere thought of an amateur Magus like him saving the powerful Caster ridiculous. "I don't think so." he said, "why do you ask? Isn't it a good thing that Caster saved me?"

"Shirou," she said sternly, "Servants are summoned to win the Grail. There is no reason for a Servant to save another Master; especially if she is not one of the Knight class Servants. If you don't know her then she lied and that means you're part of her plan to win the war. Now think hard, Shirou, is there anything no matter how small that might link you to Caster?"

They crossed once the lights finally changed green.

"I don't think so... although..." his voice trailed off in thought, "I remember her voice yesterday, before everything blacked out. She was..." he wasn't sure what to call it. When he thought about it, all he could think of was a memory. Before the fire had destroyed everything he remembered a young boy living a normal life. Thinking about it after all these years, it seemed as if it was someone else's memories.

He'd been unable to sleep that night. The heavy rain and wind had battered the windows and kept him wide awake as if there were a horrible creature outside. Thunder struck nearby and his nerve finally broke. With a loud yelp he ran out of his room. He finally found her out in the living room and immediately hugged her knees.

"There's nothing to be afraid of, Shirou. It's just the weather," she had said.

She picked him up and gently lay him on the soft sofa. Holding him close to her body, she whispered comforting words to him as he drifted to sleep. Being around her felt like nothing in the world could harm him even as the loud wind continued fluttering the windows. Under her protective embrace he'd finally fallen asleep.

He had been so caught up in the memory that he didn't notice he'd stopped talking until Saber began shaking him.

"Shirou! Are you alright? Talk to me," she said with concern. "Did Caster put a spell on you? Shirou! Wake up!" She shook him a few more times for good measure.

Saber's grave concern made him inadvertently chuckle. Saber placed her hands on her hips as her brow scrunched in annoyance. She was not amused.

"This isn't funny, Shirou," said Saber, "I was being serious. She could have easily cast a spell on you."

He finally stopped laughing and spoke, "I'm sorry, Saber. Anyways, I'm fine. I don't think Caster used any sort of control spell. It's just that I was remembering how Caster reminded me of my mother when I was small. I know it isn't much but maybe Caster's Heroic Spirit had a family?"

"Oh. Hmm... it's possible" she said while pondering, "regardless, if you feel strange in any way you should tell me immediately. I am a knight class Servant and you are not a strong Magus. There's no telling what enchantments she may have cast on you with her back turned."

"Alright... Alright, Saber, I will," he said trying to reassure her. "Besides, if there was anything wrong with me I'm sure Tohsaka would have noticed it."

It appeared his comment only annoyed the small Servant even more. "Shirou, you should stop underestimating the enemy. Caster is a Servant, not a normal Magus. Have you not considered the possibility she may have hid a spell with her skills?" she said.

"Saber really doesn't like Caster Servants, does she?" Shirou thought to himself. Maybe it was something to do with her legend. He'd have to ask her that later. Opening his mouth to reply to Saber a sudden nausea rose from his stomach. Collapsing to his knees, he felt dizzy as he willed the nausea away. He supposed it was only natural. Saber had said his healing was possibly due to an odd connection between their status as Servant and Master. However, even with this healing there was bound to be some lingering pain; wounds always took time to heal. Most people died after being stabbed in the heart. He supposed he should count himself lucky.

After a moment the nausea and dizziness receded and he felt better. Opening his eyes, he saw Saber at his side. She was kneeling right next to him, her face was slightly pale as she looked at him; the same look she had right after he had taken Berserker's blow.

He broke a pained smile to try to reassure her, "Heh, don't worry Saber. It's just lingering pain from the wound. I'm alright now."

"Are you sure?" she said with concern. She had never been this close to him. At this distance, he could see she had really beautiful olive green eyes. Sunlight seemed to dance across her blonde hair. He felt a sudden uncomfortable heat flush through his body and his breathe was caught in his throat.

"Shirou?" asked Saber.

Realizing just how close they were, Shirou immediately stood up and backed away to open the distance. Waving his arms in front of him to ward her away, he said nervously, "I'm perfectly fine, Saber. Really."

Saber tilted her head slightly in confusion. Unsure of what to make of Shirou's condition, it appeared he had recovered so Saber simply took Shirou's words as the truth. Shirou took a deep breath both as a sigh of relief from putting distance from Saber and to let his nausea pass.

"Shirou, what shall we do now? It is still several hours before night falls," said Saber.

Thinking for a moment, he said, "Hmm, you're still new to Fuyuki, right? How about I show you around the city?"

"That will not be necessary. I already know this area well," she said.

"Really? You don't look like you're born here. Did you perhaps come to Japan in your past?" said Shirou. He wracked his brain for any famous Western hero that would have travelled to the Asiatic.

Then Saber said something that surprised him. "No, Shirou, you misunderstand. The reason I know this area is because I fought in a previous Holy Grail War," she said.

"Eh! Really? Did you survive until the end of the war?" he asked. When she didn't respond right away, he turned to see her staring at the ground. Her blonde hair covered her eyes leaving him seeing only the frown on her face.

"I... can't remember..." said Saber. Her brow wrinkled in annoyance as she seemingly tried to recall distant memories. "I know every place we visit but I can't place when I was there or what happened there during the last war. I'm sorry I cannot be more helpful, Shirou."

He sighed. Once again, he cursed his inability as a Magus to summon Saber correctly.

A sullen silence descended upon them as they kept walking. Reaching the main road, Shirou decided to turn right and began heading in the direction of Shinto.

"Shirou, should we not return back to your home?" asked Saber.

"I was thinking we could walk around Fuyuki. Its been ten years. Some parts of the city have changed since then and its best to have the most recent picture. Besides, the walk might refresh your memory and I could do with the air," he said.

"Hmm... I do not believe that is completely necessary, Shirou. However, if that is what you believe will be helpful..." she said with resignation.

Without another word, Shirou continued onwards with Saber trailing behind.

[ - Break - ]

- You've got a friend in me -

[Princess Waltz OST - PM 3:00] .com/watch?v=590ufZryLvs

The sun began to set on the horizon as the archery club finally closed. Shutting the door behind them, Ayako, Sakura, Taiga and the rest of the archery members left the building.

"Anyways, I have something to do in the teacher's office," announced Ayako before waving goodbye to the rest of the group, "I'll see you all tomorrow."

Normally the club would stay open for another hour or so however with the recent grisly murders the school had issued a mandatory time restriction on after-school activities. The sky was painted a warm orange as the students finally split off and headed their separate ways at the school gate. Waving goodbye to the others, Sakura and Taiga started heading in the direction of the Emiya residence.

"I thought that was a good practice, don't you think? Tanaka-san and Sato-san appear to be improving quite well since last week."

"Yes, that's right," said Sakura, "for being new to Archery they're learning quite well." Tanaka and Sato had recently joined at the beginning of this semester. Despite only have several weeks of training they had a natural talent at Archery. Sato herself was quite outgoing when she wasn't shooting and often helped the other first years with their Archery chores before the club closed for the day. "I think they're a great addition to the club."

"Although I am disappointed with Shinji performance. He's the vice-captain," she said in a scolding tone, "he shouldn't be skipping meetings like this. It's really irresponsible of him. Just because the tournament is still several months away doesn't mean he can simply shirk his duties like that. Don't you think, Sakura?"

Knowing what Shinji was doing and why he was skipping school, she kept silent and let Taiga continue. Unconsciously, she idly rubbing her left hand where her command spells lay.

Taiga gave a loud sigh. "I wonder what would have happened if Shirou had decided to be vice-captain instead of Shinji. He was always so serious and focused when he practices with us.

As they turned the corner they saw a cloaked figure, its back turned to them, casually walking in the same direction. She was clad in a navy blue cloak; its edges embroidered with a lattice of white crosses. Approaching closer, Sakura thought she recognized the person.

It had been raining heavily for three days straight before finally breaking that morning. Before leaving the house, she had decided to take an extra umbrella just in case. Shirou had left in such a hurry she doubted he remembered to bring one in case it began raining again. Catching up with him during the afternoon break, he said, "That's alright, Sakura. I have one in my locker.'

"Oh..." she said glumly. She should have known. Of course he would have kept one at school; it had been raining for three days already. She felt so stupid.

With a slight smile, he rubbed the back of his head nervously, "If you hadn't reminded me this morning I would have forgotten to bring one," he said, "thanks for looking out for me again, Sakura."

Warmth spread to her cheeks at his words. Thinking back, she did remember reminding him to bring an umbrella before he rushed off to school.

The bell rang and signaled the end of lunch.

"Anyways, I'll see you after school," he said cheerfully before heading off. She kept watching as his body eventually disappeared in the rush of students.

"Bye, Senpai," she said quietly as she watched him leave. She hoped he hadn't noticed the redness on her face.

The rain had begun pouring down after lunch before turning into a pleasant drizzle slightly before school ended. Shirou was busy helping Issei, the Student Body President of their school, with repairing one of the heaters in a classroom so she headed home alone. It was her turn to prepare dinner so she decided to stop by Miyamachou's shopping district to buy groceries. As she walked in the light rain she was met by an interesting sight. Walking slowly along the road was a woman dressed in a navy blue cloak looking at a large unfolded pamphlet that Sakura recognized was for Fuyuki's bus schedule. As Sakura walked closer she noticed her flipping the large sheet of paper back and forth and looking at the road signs in frustration. It appears she had been walking for a while as her cloak and dark hair were wet from the rain. Her curiosity getting the better of her, Sakura approached the woman.

"Do you need help?" asked Sakura.

Giving a sigh, the woman lowered the paper. "I don't suppose you know which bus around here would take me to Shinto? I'm trying to buy food for a large dinner and can't figure out which bus will get me into the city," she said.

"Shinto?" said Sakura, "that shouldn't be necessary. There's a shopping district nearby if you're just looking for groceries. It's only a few blocks away. Here, I can show you," said Sakura motioning down the road.

"Eh? I mean... I don't want to waste your time," she said hesitantly.

"It's no problem. I'm going the same way, anyways," said Sakura.

After hesitating for several moments, she eventually gave in and began walking with Sakura. Without a second thought, she pulled out the extra umbrella she'd brought for Shirou and gave it to the woman.

"I... uh... Thank you," she said. Her cheeks seemed to bloom red as she took the umbrella. "you're a really kind person." Opening up the umbrella, she then proceeded to remove her wet cloak hood, revealing her tangled dark hair across her face. Sakura gave a quick smile before pointing out her disheveled hair to the woman.

"I forgot to mention," said the woman as she moved the stray strands of hair aside, "my name is Elesia. What's yours?"

"My name is Sakura. It's nice to meet you, Elesia-san."

That had been over a week ago. It started as a chance meeting but now they had bumped into one another several times after school. Sakura discovered Elesia was staying at Ryuudouji temple and acted as the new cook in payment for the monks allowing her to live there. Every other day Elesia would come down from the temple for grocery shopping and walk with her before they parted ways. In many ways, she enjoyed it. She didn't have many friends at school and enjoyed talking with someone during the silent walk back home.

"Eh? Elesia-san?" called out Sakura.

The cloaked figure turned around to reveal a young woman in her late twenties. Without the rain pouring down, her long raven hair flowed smoothly past her shoulders. Recognized Sakura, Elesia's blue eyes softened as she gave a warm smile. She gave a gentle wave towards them. In her other gloved hands was an empty wooden basket for groceries.

"Hello, Sakura. Good day," said the woman politely as she bowed slightly towards them.

"Hello, Elesia-san," replied Sakura as she bowed in response.

"Eh? Sakura, you know this person?" said Taiga in surprise.

"Yep, I met her several weeks ago when I was going for groceries," said Sakura. "I guess it's kind of funny, but we meet each other occasionally after school. She lives with Ryuudou-san up in the temple."

Taiga perked up at Sakura's comment, "I remember now. Issei did mention a nice woman living at the temple recently. He said she was quite beautiful with fascinating jewel-like eyes. Oh! Don't tell him I told you that," she said sheepishly.

"Not a word," said Elesia with a chuckle. "And you must be Fujimura-san, Sakura's homeroom teacher. I've heard quite a lot about you from Sakura."

"Ooooh?" said Taiga as her she eyed Sakura using her peripheral vision. Like a predator smelling blood, Taiga moved in closer to Elesia. "And what exactly has Sakura said about me?"

Alarm bells sounded in Sakura's head. With her eyes wide, she waved her hands in a quick "no" gesture towards Elesia.

"Hmm... well... lets... see..." said Elesia while feigning deep thought. Each purposefully strung out word only heaped more worry onto Sakura. Behind Taiga's back, Sakura began silently waved her arms back and forth frantically trying to catch Elesia's attention.

"I do remember her saying you did like a good okonomiyaki. Come to think of it I did have a good recipe I wanted to share with her," Elesia finally said. With the mention of food, Taiga's investigation into Sakura evaporated. For a new set of reasons, Taiga leaned closer to Elesia.

"Okonomiyaki? Are you good at cooking, Elesia-san?"

"You could say that. I would like to think of myself an excellent cook," said Elesia with pride, "my most recent experience involved Indian food, but I would like to think my Japanese cuisine is still up to people's standards here. Maybe I could cook you dinner one of these days."

"Really?" said Taiga, her eyes wide like a child waiting for candy. "Maybe you can come by in the future! We have a very good cook at our home. Maybe we could test your dishes side by side."

What was clear to Sakura and anyone else that was watching nearby was that Taiga was in a world of her own. Images of Han feasts and luxurious banquets flowed through her mind; each one greater and grander than the last. Taiga was on the verge of drooling.

Standing politely while holding the basket, Elesia gave a slight chuckle before nodding lightly in agreement, "I would be honoured to cook for your house, Fujimura-san."

"I guess the quickest way to Taiga's heart really is through her stomach," thought Sakura with a sigh. Only when Sakura started tugging on Taiga's shirt did she finally snap out of her stupor.

"Oh, ahem. Anyways, I am curious, Elesia-san, your name is a bit odd. Are you not from around here?" said Taiga.

"Taiga, its rude to ask those kinds of questions," protested Sakura.

"That's alright, Sakura. You're right, Fujimura-san. My parents moved to France before I was born and decided to give me a western name. I'm really lucky, in a way, as that allowed me to see the world," she said, "and allowed me to learn many different types of cuisine."

Sakura smiled. She could already see the images of new foods forming within Taiga's head. Her fantasy, however, was broken when Elesia spoke again.

"In any case, it was nice meeting you Fujimura-san, however I believe this is the road where I leave. Good day," said Elesia. With another elegant bow, she began to walk away.

"Well, she seemed like a nice person, Sakura," said Taiga cheerfully.

Waiting for the lights to change, Sakura stared backwards at Elesia in thought. Her hands fiddled together idly as she debated something within her mind. Finally resolving a decision, she blurted out, "Actually, Taiga, I remember Senpai was really running low on food during yesterday's dinner. I think it'd be a good idea if I bought some food home in case we run out today."

"Eh? Really? I didn't think we were running that low," said Taiga.

"We are. And I wouldn't want to bother Senpai with the shopping today. Especially since we're quite close to the shopping district," said Sakura speaking quicker than normal.

After thinking it over for a moment, Taiga said, "Welp, I suppose you are the apprentice chef of the house."

"Alright, thanks!" said Sakura rapidly before rushing in the opposite direction.

Turning around, Taiga called out, "Don't forget to get some..." but found Sakura had already sped away into the distance.

Running towards Elesia, Sakura gave a shout to catch her attention. Explaining the situation to her, they both continued towards Miyamachou. An odd silence descended on them as they continued on the sidewalk. After several minutes, Elesia finally broke the silence by saying, "Hmm, it's odd. I didn't really expect to see you today given that it is Sunday. But in any case, how was school?"

"Today wasn't a school day," said Sakura correcting her, "we met together for Archery practice."

"Ah, of course. I completely forgot. You haven't really talked that much about Archery recently. How is everything going?"

"It was fine..." she paused and thought for a moment, "well... Taiga did make quite a scene today."

"Fujimura-san? That doesn't sound like her at all," she said, her voice dripping with feigned sincerity.

Sakura smiled lightly at Elesia's comment, "She forgot to pack a lunch to the dojo. By the time it was noon she started crawling as if she was dying from starvation. In the end, Mitsuzuri had to go and buy her Bento because she was causing too much noise."

She stopped her tale to watch Elesia chuckle before continuing on, "But the rest of the day was fine. Even though the competition is still months away, Mitsuzuri is diligent and makes sure we train hard. She's really looking forward to the competition this year. Oh! That's right. I forgot to mention we also let some of the juniors finally begin practicing with bows this week. It looks like we have some very talented juniors this year; Especially with Tanaka-san and Sato-san."

Elesia's eyes perked up at Sakura's words, "Tanaka-san again? I remember you talking about him before... Something about challenging Shinji?" They moved to one side to avoid sidewalk construction before they continued walking on.

Sakura nodded, "Yes. Despite being just a junior member, his technique is very good. I could see him being a great archer by his senior year. When I was watching him shoot it seemed like he could even beat Nii-san. Not to mention he's only started using a bow for just over a week." said Sakura. She wasn't even boasting. Tanaka had a natural skill even she didn't posses. It reminded her a lot of Shirou.

"Oooh, 'when you were watching him'? So you like watching him practice?" said Elesia mischievously. Nudging herself closer to Sakura, she asked, "Do you enjoy watching him practice. What's Tanaka-san like? Strong muscles? Athletic? Maybe piercing blue eyes? Does your heart flutter when you think of him?"

"Eh!" said Sakura. She waved her hands in front of her with wide eyes. "It's nothing like that! Elesia-san. He's just a friend. Really!"

"Ohh, he's a friend now? Didn't you say he was just a team member? Is this the one you've set your eyes on now?" said Elesia as she moved in for the kill. Sakura's cheeks flush red at Elesia's words.

"I told you that's not true! He's just a teammate. He's nothing like that. He's not..." she was about to mention Shirou's name but stopped in time. She felt as if her entire head had turned into a tea kettle

"The one?" said Elesia finishing her sentence as she slowly stopped Sakura's frantically waving hands. "I believe you, Sakura." She gave a small dignified laugh before saying, "Don't worry, Sakura, I'm sure you'll find him someday."

They both stopped at a sidewalk and waited for the lights to change, Elesia with a slight grin on her face and Sakura with her still reddened cheeks. She stared at the older woman with an annoyed look, trying to hide her previously flustered demeanor. However, despite that, Sakura liked talking to her. There was a sense of normalcy when she was with her; the same sense of belonging as when she was with Taiga or Shirou. It made her feel less alone in this world.

"What about you, Elesia-san? Did you ever find...?" Sakura stopped the question; unsure if it might offend her.

The older woman stared off into the distance.. Deep within thought, Elesia looked far away at an image only she could see. They crossed the street without a word. Sakura looked idly down the road as several cars passed on by. Had she gone too far?

Finally, Elesia spoke with a tinge of sadness, "I did. Once. But I gave that up long ago."

Sakura nodded silently in acknowledgement. Walking onwards a gently wind blew across them; tossing her hair and rustled the Hiba trees leaves that grew nearby. Organizing her hair, she looked at Elesia. It was the very first time she had seen her with such a sullen face. She knew she should keep quiet, let the conversation rest and leave Elesia's past be. And yet... there was something that was bugging her. She wanted to... no, she needed to know...

"Did you regret it?" said Sakura, breaking the silence..

"Not at the time," she said soberly. "But I was naive. Foolish. I made a mistake and then he was gone. I guess we were all different back then."

Sakura thought back to Shirou and the Holy Grail War. Lowering her head, she rubbed the spot on her left hand where her Command Spells lay. Even though she had given her right as a Master to Shinji, the decision still lay heavily on her mind. Maybe she was making the wrong decision?

As they continued walking, glanced towards Sakura and saw the sad frown on her face. Elesia's brow rumpled slightly before she broke out a big bright grin and put an arm around Sakura. "That includes you too, dummy," she said energetically before shaking Sakura's shoulder, "make sure you don't let life just pass you by either. Life isn't just about school and clubs, Sakura. Take the advice from someone who's lived it." She finished by ruffling the top of Sakura's head.

Even though it was blatantly obvious Elesia was attempting to cheer her up, Sakura couldn't help but smile at Elesia's goofy behavior. Still trying to fix her hair from Elesia's rubbing, they stopped at an intersection waiting for traffic to pass.

"Oh, I just remembered, Sakura," said Elesia. Her demeanor turned serious. Turning to her, she withdrew a plum-colored umbrella from her cloak; the same umbrella she gave her the day they first met. Bowing down as if she were the Emperor himself, Elesia offered the old umbrella back to Sakura. "I'm truly sorry, Sakura. I should have returned it the day after but I completely forgot. Please forgive me."

Surprise was the first thing that came to Sakura. The umbrella itself was nothing special. In fact, it was the same as any normally umbrella you could find in Fuyuki. Then came the sound of muffled chuckling as Sakura tried to suppress her laughter at the lunacy of Elesia's actions.

"You're an odd person," she said with a smile, "I forgive you, Elesia-san, but please keep it." Grabbing a hold of it, Sakura gently pushed it back into Elesia's hand. "Think of it like a present. Besides, don't you need it more than I do? You didn't even bring a new one just in case it were to rain."

"Oh... I... umm... Thank you..." said Elesia. Her cheeks buffed red at the realization of her mistake.

Clasping her hands behind her back, she continued walking, "Now why don't you tell me about that recipe you mentioned to Fujimura-sensei. I'd like to surprise Senpai and Fujimura-sensei when it's my turn to cook tomorrow."

Elesia recovered quickly and kept up with Sakura's strides. Continuing their walk towards the supermarket, they continued talking, "Its relatively simple really. I would like to think of it as a fusion between Japanese and Western styles but..."

[ - Break - ]

End Author's Notes: Well how was it? This chapter definitely went on longer than planned. The entire day was supposed to be as long as this chapter. Sigh... I guess nothing goes as planned. In any event, I plan on getting the next chapter out before the end of January hopefully. Back to typing I guess...

With regards to the tracks suggestions I post, since the current poll is at about 50/50 approval, I'll keep them in but try to keep them minimal.