Trace Attempt #1

[emptysword]

[He woke up feeling like something had hit him in the head. And apparently that something had dragged him into an alley and left him to die.

He blinked.

While he is still feeling bleary, he can clearly remember that this alleyways was not fam-

KSHHHT

...?

Why is he in this alley-

KSHHHT]

Urk.

[This is Pr-KSHHHT- Fu- KSHHHT]

...Ah.

[Memories that are not there and memories that are there collided.

His head hurt.]

...Kh.

[He has to get up. To find where he is. To get back-KSHHHT- to Saber - KSHHHT - to his home - KSHHHT.]

[To those just walking around in Dark Hour, might notice a man grabbing his head leaning on a wall in an alley.

And surrounded by Shadows.

Help? Ignore? Berate him for being an idiot?]

Comments

[croibhristeoir]

[Out in the Dark Hour? Of course he is. And on the sight of Shadows surrounding someone? Well, there was only one thing to do. Dual lances were twirled as if they weighed nothing, the air humming and crackling with electricity--]

Cú Chulainn!

[Lightning crashed from the armor-clad knight's spear, its summoner moving in sync with his Persona to strike down the others nearby...only to hesitate in otherwise perfect motions upon catching sight of just who he was guarding.]

You--?!

[emptysword]

[Who is this ma- KSHHHT

Why is Lancer saving him-?]

W-what...?

[Clearly he is still disoriented from the trip, since he can't really comprehend things well enough.]

[croibhristeoir]

[That frustration was a familiar sentiment. Though a little welcome, if he was to be honest. At least Emiya was around to frustrate him.]

Shut up, make yourself useful, and fight. [Cold? Check. Short? You betcha. But hey, Shadows first.]

[ex_cashcow493]

[ Even though Diarmuid and Gilgamesh both might scold her for being out during the Dark Hour this day, she can't help herself. Some might say fate called her out or some might just claim the woman's stubbornness was at play here. After some time out though, she'll stumble into a wall in an alley as well, heavy pants the only thing audible in the air as she tries to catch her breath. ]

Media!

[ A behemoth of a Persona appears on a dark stead to cast a rejuvenation spell on her and possibly Shirou should he be close enough before dispersing back into the dark of the night. ]

[emptysword]

[His head felt lighter. But that's not because of the healing spell.

KSHHHT

"I ask of you, are you my Master?"

S...a...ber...

KSHHHT

Everything is starting to make sense...

BEHIND HER!]

HAAAH!

[Guess who just leaped at the Shadow behind you with a lead pipe, Saber?]

[ex_cashcow493]

[ That cry was enough to snap her out of the lull of her pain killers, whirling around to watch the boy.

Shirou..

No, he couldn't be here. No, he shouldn't be here. He returned to his world, one free of danger, and she was meant to remain here as per Gaia's instruction. Sluggish in everything, including thought, she doesn't grasp the situation until a minute later or so. ]

H-Hey!

[not here well sorta but YOU KNOW HOW HE ROLLS]

[king_of_heroes]

[ He's just gonna stand on the top of some building and watch you burn.

But it's alright because you like the way it hurts?

IDEK but Shirou may feel holes being burnt through him due to such an intense glare before the feeling sort of just vanishes away like a cold wind in the night.

There's also the fact that a sword may or may not have just been thrown at the redhead. It misses on purpose.

Consider yourself warned, brah.

Also stop being such a failure jeez. ]

[emptysword]

[He's a T-M hero, bro. He's required to be a failure sometimes orz.

In any case, he's going to thank whoever threw him the sword.

EVEN IF THAT STUNT COULD'VE KILLED HIM.]

[maguskiller]

[The Shadows are hit by a hail of gunfire. Kiritsugu stands as the creator of it, holding a .243 Thompson Encore with a stock for his shoulder. Quite a different mechanism from the Contender, but not without reason. Switching to the Encore changes the strength of the barrel, which has forced Kiritsugu to opt for the aforementioned stock. The reason why he considered it a worthwhile tradeoff is the fact that Shadows are much slower than magi. Slow enough to be considered wild game, which is exactly the type of environment this gun was made for.]

[The rate of fire is still a problem, and normally, Kiritsugu would never use a one-shot firearm in such occasions, but now he has access to a time-accelerating technique with no downsides. He has no issue with abusing Throne's benefits, which resulted in the rate of fire and reloading looking like the shots of a regular semi-automatic.]

[And yet, none of it passes through Kiritsugu's mind right now. Because the moment the Shadows are gone, the only thing he can do is look at Shirou as if he just revived from the dead (which, to be fair, he's wont to do).]

S...Shirou?

[emptysword]

[The fire.

For some reason all he could think off is that fire.

The fire that robbed him of himself.

The fire that allowed him to meet this man.]

...Dad?

[maguskiller]

[The Encore is holstered, ammunition no longer within it. Unbelieving, as if this is just another illusion the world has made him suffer through, he steps forward, putting a hand on his son't shoulder as if to confirm he exists.]

You're back...

[It's a conflicted feeling. He doesn't completely want Shirou in here, with all the dangers it implies, but to see him in front of him again... At the very least, now he knows he's there to protect his son.]

[Kiritsugu doesn't smile a lot, but Shirou has always had a way of bringing out the exceptions. A relieved expression, not void of melancholy, comes to him.]

I missed you.

[Action]

[unknownrival]

[What about 'as soon as Issei gets past the group of Shadows, slap in the face'?

Because that is what Issei is doing.]

[Action]

[emptysword]

[Well, that works too, for the slap actually jarred him back for. while-]

Issei? What are you doing here?

[Sort of.]

[Action]

[unknownrival]

What are you doing back after leaving?! Who gave you the right to just leave me like that?!

[scorpiospider]

[Help? Nah. Cackle manically as her path of destruction includes the Shadows surrounding him? You betcha]

[emptysword]

[Considering the cackle that came from her?

Don't be surprise when she finds the one she unwittingly saved staring at her.]

...Er, thanks, I guess.

[scorpiospider]

Ohhhhhhhh, they were after you? [Troll grin, all fangs and blue lips] Stupid for a noob to be walking around like this without his Persona!

[Action]

[monohoshizao]

[Not his intention to help you, Shirou... But he sees Shadows, many Shadows, how could he not step in!?

Yeah, slashing here and there through the hordes of Shadows.]

[Action]

[emptysword]

[Well, that's definitely a thing to do, as Shirou has got well enough to use the sword that someone graciously loaned to him.]

[Action]

[monohoshizao]

[Le timeskip. Shadows = Done!

He'll... quirk an eyebrow at Shiro.]

Saber's Master, if I am mistaken not?

[cybeles]

[ Joining the fray is none other than the fifth Rider, who's fortunate enough to have her weapon of choice in her hand: a pair of iron nails chained together. ]

[ When she notices a figure surrounded by Shadows, she waste no time to go to the person's aid. After single-handedly greased the Shadows, she quickly recognizes the identity of the figure. ]

Shirou?

[emptysword]

...

[Pardon him just staring at her with confusion clearly etched on his face.]

Rider?

[cybeles]

[ Yeah, she looks pretty chill, considering the post HF true end. ]

You're here as well?

[ A small pause. ]

...Well, considering Saber's here, I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised seeing you here.

[ But Sakura ;~; ]

[dancingdeath]

Please, be careful!

[ Have an ancient beauty of China whipping the shadows and actually beating them. ]

[emptysword]

[...whoa that was pretty am- DUCKING A SHADOW ATTACK AND BEATING IT BACK WITH A SWORD.]

Y-yes ma'am!