[closed] // all of us are heaven sent

[croibhristeoir]

Who: Diarmuid, Shirou, Kiritsugu, and Maiya
Where: The rooftops of your average skyscrapers.
When: Night of 4/26, before the Dark Hour
Summary: => Attempt epic 4x SHOWDOWN.
Rating: call it an R, who knows
Log:

[Enough was enough. Diarmuid knew Kiritsugu was responsible for this, his instinct was never this wrong. Why was he being so foolish and waiting for a reason to proceed? Screw that, he would make a reason. This was the individual that hurt Arturia, he was certain of that and could not let such a thing go unpunished. Not as a knight, not as Arturia's friend.]

[Kiritsugu Emiya had to pay for this.]

[Waiting would serve no purpose here. Kindness and patience were worthless in this situation, and his attempts at them were an insult to Arturia and the pain she must have been suffering at this person's hands. As her left hand it was his responsibility to act and to protect her, so he didn't give it a moment's thought before taking action.]

[This wasn't quite like him, was it? The former Servant couldn't tell anymore, standing on the edge of the highest building he could find. Was this reckless on his part, or was he just so angry at his helplessness that he had once more been pushed too far? Scowling, he gripped the crimson lance in his hand a little tighter. Who cared why he was doing this? It was the right thing to do, and that was all that mattered.]

[One thing at a time. First? Find that trigger-happy bastard. Second, alert Shirou to his location and tell him what direction to approach from. Third...]

['If he were to be caught in an attempt at murdering one of us...']

[Third, maneuver himself into Kiritsugu's line of fire and hope Shirou was in position before the trigger was pulled. If not...idiot though he may have been, Diarmuid trusted Shirou as well as Edgeworth and the others to handle it from there. Death was nothing to him, not after two prior encounters. It probably wouldn't even hurt this time; he didn't really know what getting shot felt like.]

[First things first. This was one of the best vantage points in the city, and Kiritsugu wasn't there. So Diarmuid just surveyed the area as carefully as he could and sincerely hoped he found Kiritsugu before the reverse happened.]

Comments

[maguskiller]

[Being held by Shirou is the only thing that stops Kiritsugu from running down once he hears the crash.]

[He flinches. This is the point of divergence. Now Shirou truly understands that they are not the same person. Maybe this will motivate him to truly make the dream his own. But still... for once, Kiritsugu does feel some emotion surface. He can't simply let his worldview, which he gave so much for, be dismissed like that.]

I compromised. I understood what needed to be done. Even that wasn't enough.

You're searching for something even more difficult. To not have to cast anything away. An ideal even I never contemplated. [A lie. Yet another.]

Why do you think you can get out of that unscathed?

[emptysword]

Because I know that even if the path will bring nothing but pain and suffering...

[And as all this happens, the golden eyes never let those dead eyes out of its sight, as Shirou continued to hold onto his father's coat as a lifeline, afraid of losing him yet again to his Magus Killer persona.

But is this really right? To see his father continue to suffer like this, to see him as a soulless man bent on saving the world no matter the sacrifices he has to make?

It was at this point that Shirou realized that the hatred he felt was not directed at his father, but rather at himself, for lacking the resolve to continue on the path, and fear that one day, Shirou Emiya's mind will turn to steel.

"Trace, on."

It was a simple incantation that he had always used ever since knowing of the existence of magic which he kept until now. To him, it is a symbol of who he is. One who took to the study of magic regarding one's own flaw of not being properly educated.

With that, he finished his sentence.]

I know that I will never regret what I chose for myself.

[maguskiller]

[Kiritsugu never really had that resolution. His willingness to commit anything in the name of his goal was only under the assumption that he would succeed. The possibility of what his mind would turn into if he didn't was never contemplated, his mind being entirely focused on attaining said victory.]

[Maybe they'll never meet eye-to-eye. That may not be such a bad thing. The less Kiritsugu's way of thinking spreads, the better. Even he recognizes that now. Given how Shirou's pursuit encompasses the journey itself, as opposed to Kiritsugu's goal-centric ideals, there's no way they can truly understand each other.]

[If that's the case, then he can't truly dismiss his claim. Is this a realization his self from five years in the future realized at any point? Or did he become too weak and frail to even give that any thought?]

[...Again, doesn't matter. What matters is the person he is now. The one that can't truly discard Shirou's statement.]

[Briefly, Kiritsugu's eyes flicker with the emotion he always gave Shirou.]

...She's not dead. Not anymore. Saber revived yesterday.

[Her influence, as that of any other Heroic Spirit, will only push Shirou further down that path. If so, might as well see him off in good terms.]

[Storing the gun inside his coat, it's soon replaced by a smoke. Whatever conflict happened below has already ended. Kiritsugu blocks thoughts of the last time he couldn't ensure Maiya's safety.]

Should be waiting for you.

[emaiya]

She won't be for long.

[ Maiya doesn't really understand why Kiritsugu is giving the boy false hope, especially now that she's managed to not only best Lancer, but to arrive in time. Being a hero is so unlike her, but there are things that are important to her. Yes, and it's those things she must strive to protect.

Now that Maiya's remembered all too well who it is she lives for, the pain she feels in her body is nothing compared to the pain of losing Kiritsugu. Should he go weak again what would she do?

She would lose him.

And losing Kiritsugu Emiya is something that Maiya can't handle.

Abandoning Lancer's body in the rubble and piercing metal was easy enough to do. There's no conscience in her mind and if the attack was successful, then Lancer's day was today. That's all it was. If it was a failure, she'll go back to finish the job once she's secured the safety of the only thing in her life. ]

I'll take it from here.

[ Blood pours down the side of her face from a nasty wound along her head, but it doesn't seem to draw any emotion from her. Not even annoyance at the the amount that falls into the corner of her mouth. With that damaged knife, the question of how she was able to find it in the dark unanswered, she flings it straight towards the boy with orange hair without hesitation. ]

[maguskiller]

[Regardless of his emotional state, Kiritsugu's reasoning is unimpaired. From the moment he sees Maiya enter, hears her tone, he knows how the next few seconds will go. And yet, being completely unwilling to see Shirou hurt, emotion quickly overtakes thought.]

...!!

[maguskiller]

[The shout goes unsaid, but Kiritsugu's ever-calm emotional state enables him to summon his Persona. Throne does not have a single ability that could truly be considered an attack. Much like Kiritsugu's magecraft, it can simply provide support. Even if it didn't, Kiritsugu's unwilling to direct any attack at Maiya, his memories of the vision given by the Grail too overpowering to even contemplate so. Increasing his defense would be a possibility, but he can't be certain he'll be fast enough. Pushing Shirou away would be ideal, but now he realizes he doesn't know his son well enough to know how he'll react. He uses Sukukaja, immediately using the multiplied speed it grants to get in the way of the blade.]

[The sickening sound of flesh being pierced. Maiya's aim remains as deadly as ever. Fortunately, Kiritsugu has different proportions from his son. Sharp steel embeds itself just below his liver, slowly turning his coat an even deeper shade of black.]

Tch...!

[Kiritsugu has suffered worse injuries, but the pain from a knife wound is still incomparable to that of a gunshot. Leveling his mind, he stops his mind from being affected by the stress and adrenaline. His left hand goes to the affected area, but does not pull out the knife, what with the assassin being exceedingly aware of what a foolish move that would be. His right hand is raised to his side, as if forming a flimsy, but obvious barrier between the only two people he's ever truly saved.]

[This is an act unprecedented for him. Kiritsugu has attempted to bring salvation to others, many times, but it was always through the act of eliminating threats, not suffering them himself. For a man unwilling to put himself in actual danger most of the time, this is an action that should never be contemplated.]

[As he turns to look at Maiya, the reason becomes evident. His gaze is as determined as ever, indicating that he knows full well what he's doing, but the last few seconds bring him into a more recent state of mind. As he looks at his trusted assistant, he provides insight on himself. His eyes, with as much thought as they may display, also show emotion.]

Shirou's not a hostile. He will not provide a threat.

[As if unbearable pain wasn't afflicting him. As if simply a matter of course. Unlike his eyes, Kiritsugu's voice shows no emotion, apart from trying to keep things as brief as possible with the intent of not incurring more damage unto himself.]

[emptysword]

[The sound of a blade entering someone's body is something that Shirou is a bit familiar with, considering his countless experiences with them during the Grail War.

The face of his father in pain, though, was an alien concept, especially considering that it came from a bladed weapon and not his odd moments of sickness when he was young. Shirou, for the first time in his life as well, also realized that this is the first time he had ever seen his father sacrifice his own body to protect him.

Thus, when Kiritsugu turned to face his unknown assailant, Shirou figured out that he's currently sitting on the ground, where it's clear that he fell on his behind upon seeing his wounded father.]

[emaiya]

Shirou?

[ When he speaks the boy's name, everything becomes clear. It shouldn't, no, she should be left in the blind when it comes to something of this nature. Their shared last name and the fact that Kiritsugu adopted a son after the Fourth Holy Grail War click in her mind.

Of course.

Who else would he allow such risks with? It makes sense now and Maiya wishes that it didn't. Because the blood that spills forth from him is because of her. This twists thoughts into warped realities as she begins to tremble in place. Losing her composure is unlike her, but never would she strike to hurt him. ]

I... I... [ And now she can't even speak. ] Kiritsugu--!!