960/Of All The Grail Wars In All The World

Of All The Grail Wars In All The World
Date of Scene:	12 November 2014
Location:	Fuyuki Zero <FZ>
Synopsis:	Kiritsugu goes for a walk to buy illegal weapons I mean get some fresh air. Chloe von Einzbern runs into him through sheer coincidence. Chase scene and Unlimited Tear Works ensue, requiring other Union members to descend upon Kiritsugu's location to help him.
Cast of Characters:	Riva Banari, 536, Ayako Hasekawa, 603, 617

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Emiya Kiritsugu (603) has posed:
A Master walking around without his Servant is like a sign that reads, 'Please, Kill Me'. Actually, none of the Masters have their Servants yet, but that does not mean it is safe to roam around Fuyuki City. Technically, the Masters are not allowed to begin fighting until the Grail War actually begins, but Kiritsugu does not trust the Church. Even so, late at night like this, 'going for a walk' in the city (rea: he is picking up some weapons that are probably not legal to even be brought into Japan, let alone posess, carry, or - heaven forbid - USE), he not really expecting a fight. He is still recovering from his use of Triple Accel, though magical healing has aided his recovery. He's still not at 100% yet, and is ALWAYS on the look-out for trouble, but Kiritsugu Emiya is honestly just thinking he can possibly get this done and get back to the castle. Ordinarily, Maiya would handle this, but she's on a seperate mission, trying to make contact with an Elf King.

Kiritsugu is wearing his usual garments. A long coat, shirt, pants, shoes. He has an unlit cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth, his hands in his pockets, and is almost definitely armed. His dead-grey eyes stare blankly ahead, betraying nothing of his thoughts, his feelings, or his awareness of his surroundings. The street he walks on is fairly deserted at this hour of the night, and there is a bit of fog cover. A good environment for a clandestine meeting... Or an ambush.

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
Conversely, a Servant about without a Master is a hero with a death sentance on borrowed time. It's a good thing Chloe von Einzbern is not TRULY a Servant, but the Archer Class Card within her body may as well make it so; with her body rendered dependant on prana to continue her existence. Thankfully, the Blacksmith Hero from whom her powers are derived had a fair amount of skill in Independant Action.

REALLY independant action, considering how far she is from Dun Realtai once again. The fact of the matter is... She's still a little huffy with Shirou for scolding her, and even after the more than slightly interesting events in Eorzea, tonight she just needs to get away. Maybe search. Possibly to even try and find the Fuyuki she left behind. ... But why though? There's nothing really left there for her. Yet here she is.

It's probably an eyebrow raising sight. Such a young girl all by herself at this time of night; definitely not Japanese. Foreign in appearance, with pink hair and dusky dark skin, just walking along the misty street, with her hands in her pockets, and looking visibly sour about something or another.

It's just a complete and utter fluke that of all people to run into...

Perhaps it's a good thing the street is deserted. The small child halts dead in her tracks, gold eyes widening a fraction as her path puts her on a direct course oncoming with the magus. Funny...

She looks exactly like Illyasviel.

Emiya Kiritsugu (603) has posed:
Kiritsugu knows better to become lost in thought while out like this, but he has a lot to think about. This Lezard Valeth character, the multiple Grail Wars, his agreement not to endanger innocents while pursuing his goal in exchange for the assistance of Psyber and his organization, whether the Grail War here in Fuyuki is even legit, whether there is a way to save Irisviel if they abandon the War now before it goes any further, if there is a way to get his wish still, and if it's even worth it to try. A lot of things to consider. All of them on the peripheral of his consciousness.

But then he sees a little girl ahead of him, and even from just that, everything else flies from his mind. The unusualness of a child being out this late is not lost on him, especially in this city, at this particular moment. His eyes narrow as he sees more of her features however, he gradually slows his pace until he stops where he is. She is looking at him with surprise, and perhaps... Recognition? Whether Kiritsugu recognizes her or not is more difficult to ascertain, but it does not seem as though he is staring just because she is some child out alone.

When he gets a better look at her, his thought is not, 'Is this Illyasviel somehow?' She is clearly much older than his daughter after all, other differences aside. What he is wondering is if this is another Einzbern Homunculus, and if so, why she's here now. He also entertains the possibility of an Illyasviel from another time line. It seems that another one exists or existed whom Saber encountered.

And who died.

But then there was another Kiritsugu who died whom Saber and Shirou both knew. An Illyasviel who is still alive is fully possible here in the multiverse.

There are many possibilities, and he is considering many of them. But then he allows his facial features to relax for a moment, and lowers himself down slightly. Clearly this girl recognizes him. Or his face at least. If she's not from THIS time line... Kiritsugu is probably younger than she has ever seen outside of a photograph. But as he leans forward, with his hands on his knees, the voice is unmistakably the same, as he says in the kind manner he reserves for his daughter, "This is quite a late hour for you to be out. Were you looking for me?"

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
Surprise and recognition are rife in those gold eyes. ... Along with something else. Something harder, something angrier, as the initial shock of crossing paths with Kiritsugu, of all people, quickly fades. This was not her intention, she certainly wasn't looking for him. To think of all the people to just suddenly happen across in the Multiverse is one of the very people she was attempting to avoid.

A passing wind makes the mists roll in thicker, briefly obscuring the small figure. But not her eyes. Those bitter eyes, glowering and full of utter resentment just from the mere sight of the man. This was probably inevitable though. Knowing that Shirou had been in contact with a Kiritsugu other than the one from his own world was enough to confirm that, but for Chloe von Einzbern this was just too soon.

When the mist gusts off, there's a definite change. Silver-pink hair tugged up and bound back, casual clothes replaced by tattered red cloth and black armor. But most importantly...

She's holding a pair of swords in her hand. Black and white, identical and yet not; the twin blades are like night and day, light and dark. Yin and Yang. But they're not TWINS. They are the married blades; Gan Jiang and Mo Ye.

Kanshou and Bakuya.

"No, I wasn't, but I guess I found you, huh."

Emiya Kiritsugu (603) has posed:
The shift in demeanor for Kiritsugu when he realizes the hostile intent of this girl, let alone when she draws weapons, is swift and noticeable. All sense of care or human emotion aside from a down-slanting of his eyebrows vanishes from his features as he straightens up carefully. He puts one hand in his pocket, leaving the other free. His magic circuits activate so that he has more options available - but using Time Alter right now would be a strain it would be best for him to avoid right now, even if he's in danger. It's a last resort, and he doesn't know if that's necessary right now. But he also isn't the type not to take precuations or trust in the 'innate goodness' of others to listen to reason and do what's 'right'.

Such things don't exist in this world unless they're created and forced upon others. Children have to be taught not to be selfish, destructive, and evil, because it is in human nature to be exactly that. So Kiritsugu is not thinking, 'maybe I can persuade this child of the wrongness of her actions'. He is thinking, ((This is a Servant-class enemy, and one who even feels like a Servant. She appears to be an Einzbern Homunculus, but if she has been summoned as a Servant and knows me, then she may be from yet another future Grail War, or to have known me from this one. I am not equipped to fight her, and would probably lose even if I was. On top of that, I'm in poor shape for a battle.))

"Then I guess," Kiritsugu starts calmly, without any hint of the kindness he had before in his voice, as this daughter-look-a-like stands there with two Noble Phantasms drawn, "I should be on my way." He doesn't wait to see if she intends to let him go. Instead, he draws his hand quickly from his pocket, pulls the pin on a black cylinder in his grasp, and throws it underhand towards the threatening young girl. A grenade!?

It hits the ground and begins spewing out a dense clouse of smoke to replace the mist disrupted by the intense mana surge from the girl whose skintone more closely resembles Kiritsugu's than Illyasviel's. And then Kiritsugu simple runs, slipping into a nearby alleyway and trying to lose any pursuit. There is no shame in fleeing from a superhuman being who can easily kill him with a single strike. Not that he would feel shame no matter what. Whether offensively or defensively, whatever method is necessary for success is what will be employed.

As Kiritsugu turns a corner at the end of the alleyway, he flips open his phone and dials a number. ((My best bet is to escape and figure out what's going on later. First priority is putting some distance between us. Beyond that, calling for back-up is also a viable tactic. Maiya is out of range, but...))

He has no doubt that a Servant could chase him down if given the opportunity. So he intends not to give her the opportunity, and uses his knowledge of the city's layout to his advantage.

He doesn't even know if he's being chased, of course.

But if he is, Kiritsugu is unaware of the unfortunate fact that the unknown Servant probably knows this city's layout just as good as he does, if not better.

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
The tension in the air is almost thick enough to cut with those swords in her grasp. That young face is pulled into a hardened expression, slender fingers curling tightly around the grips of the twin short swords. "No, you stay *right* where you are." Chloe snaps back, but then it dawn on her just what Kiritsugu had been reaching for.

"-Hwah!?" Too late, it's already belching smoke and obscuring vision, as the magus tries to buy himself time to escape. It would work against a normal little girl. It would work against a seasoned combatant. It does not work on Chloe. A massive leap carries her skywards, tattered cloak fluttering in the winds as shadows shroud her face. Where she was holding swords, she now holds a bow.

Black and gleaming, whatever material the longbow is made out of is a mystery, but it's strong. Strong enough to fire SWORDS as the string pulls back, drawn with a creak, and unleashing a flurry of actual BLADES down in a hail of steel. Though they aren't aimed DIRECTLY for Kiritsugu, they'll come threateningly close at times. She more than knows the layout of the city...

If he's perceptive... Those arrows and swords are all launched in a pattern that's trying to herd him. Potentially to one certain location. A certain house. It may be familiar. It might not. If it even exists in this Fuyuki.

Emiya Kiritsugu (603) has posed:
Inbetween his attempts to react to the bombardment, he is calculating and taking into consideration a great many things as his attempts to flee are being cut off. The armament and capabilities seems to be similar to what Shirou can wield. Kiritsugu isn't sure what to make of that fact yet, but 'alternate timeline' is seeming more and more likely. The fact that swords are being used as projectiles - a very unique form of combat - aside, he suspects this is an Archer-class Servant. Not ideal for him to fight against like this. He has a submachinegun in his coat, but stopping to fire upon the high-jumping Servant would probably be both ineffective and suicidal. He is aware that she doesn't seem to be hitting him with any of the swords that are stabbing, slicing, and possibly even BLASTING the area around him, but holding still would just make him an easy target.

But why isn't she hitting him already? Is it something to do with this Servant's history? Her capabilities? It seems to be directed though - intentional. Whereas he was in the shopping district, he is finding himself forced more and more towards a residential area. There is an increasing probability of not only witnesses but other people getting involved. He does not really want the other Masters to take notice of this fight - assuming this Servant does not belong to one of them, though Kiritsugu considers that unlikely for many reasons.

Several times, he may almost manage to leave his pursuer's line of sight during this chase, finding ways to distract or change direction quickly, but he is swiftly returned to the path he has more and more clearly being herded along. The phone is ringing, but it doesn't appear that the person on the other end of the line is picking up. Shirou is probably asleep.

Fantastic.

He should try calling the Union line then. He does so as he comes closer and closer to a destination that he had picked out for use as a safehouse and had not had the opportunity to make use of. It's old, in disrepair, extremely spacious. It has sliding paper doors, tatami mats, a tiled roof, weeds in the yard, and an old workshop or storage building in back. It can't be a coincidence he is being led here.

He hasn't reached that destination yet, but he knows this neighbor from prior scouting, and he can't think of anywhere else he could be being brought to. As long as he remains on the streets, he is a viable target. He doesn't know if his pursuer would shoot through a house and hit innocent people - some Heroic Spirits imagine themselves to be honorable.

He doesn't like that his movement is being controlled, but honestly... If she wanted to kill him, she could have already done so, and without this chase through multiple districts. Leading him into some sort of 'trap' seems pointless. Overly convoluted. Something else is going on here. That or she is as childish as she appears and didn't really think this through. She DID say she wasn't looking for him. This doesn't seem like a planned encounter for either of them.

Emiya Kiritsugu (603) has posed:
Attempting to figure out motive at this point seems unnecessary. Instead he should be trying to figure out how to save himself. He dials up another number that will hook him into the Union 'chatter' line - the one he has access to.

Even as he resigns himself and chants in his mind, *Time Alter: Double Accel!* He suddenly becomes much faster as the effects of time upon his body change. His body begins suffering damage immediately as he abruptly changes direction after cooperating with this Illya-look-a-like, clearly knowing where she is herding him, and heading there of his own will. She wouldn't even need to keep shooting!

But now he suddenly moves with superhuman speed to run up the wall that surrounds the property, leap over while already drawing his gun, and then, in that moment when he is out of sight, attempt to find some cover, and lie still.

*Release alter!* he chants, and tries to slow his breathing as the pain of Time Alter floods through him again so soon after recovering from the last time it was used.

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
If she had wanted to kill him, Kiritsugu would probably be a porcupine with very sharp, steel quills. Some form of sword hedgehog. A sword-hog if you will. But no, that doesn't seem to be the case as she follows the magus in leaps and bounds, always keeping herself in an elevated position- some place where she could regain line of sight very quickly, if he darted out ot it.

A brief glow of circuit-like lines gleams on legs, a visible display of self-augmentation magic that allows her to leap to inhuman heights.

For the record, she most certainly does not shoot through houses to get to him on this wild chase, completely uncaring for witnesses and havoc. It's when Kiritsugu speeds up that her legs carry her FASTER. She's not even winded as she works to keep up, but that burst of speed does give the Magus a brief moment of respite. Unfortunately...

The creak of that bowstring sounds off again, a black sword with multiple serrated edges is knocked into place like an arrow and aimed down from where she crouches on a wall just overhead.

"Found you... Daddy..."

Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
Saber of Black has arrived.

Jeanne knows Fukui City pretty well at this rate; after all, it's a city where many of the Grail Wars occur in, and hers is no different. She's not quiet, either; her metal clanks slightly as the armored dress wearing woman shows up /behind/ the Archer, on the rooftop nearest the little girl.

"Archer." Jeannes' voice is smooth, warm. "Stay your arrow, so I will not be forced to draw y blade." For indeed, one hand rests on the hilt of a sword at her hip, but the other one holds a gorgeous white and gold standard embroidered with fleur-de-lises.

Riva Banari has posed:
Kiritsugu happens to have an ace up his sleeve.

That happens to be the ability to call in backup. Riva called that she's on her way in the Rivamobile! The Rivamobile happens to be an old Ford Taurus. Riva's got the pedal floored as she speeds through the streets of the city, using her phone to get a GPS lock on Emiya's location. The sound of something approaching is audible, as Riva screeeeeeches around the corner and lines up on the situation. The target? The one with the bow and swords, clearly. "Here wo go!" Riva yells, as she prepares to enact her plan to get Emiya out of the situation he's in, by using the most powerful technique at her disposal!

That technique is called 'hit a little girl with a car going 60 MPH'. The Ford Taurus swerves down the street, plowing through some construction and hitting a ramp intended to help people get up into some scaffolding. It was /not/ meant for this, but it does give the car enough lift to make it a viable threat. "HEY KIRI! MOVE!" Riva pitches herself out of the car while it's in the air, hitting the ground with a painful crunch, possibly while the car engages in a majestic arc to hilariously interrupt Jeanne's attempt to get Chloe to stand down.

No one said Riva made /good/ plans.

Ayako Hasekawa has posed:
    Ayako sits sidesaddle on her broomstick, floating a good 20 meters up above street level. The wind is quite violent up here, but her witch hat at the very least stays on. Once in a while, the brush of the broom she rides on expells a burst of fine mist, propelling her and turning her rather slow float into a much faster flying speed. Of course, she's here after hearing Kiritsugu's call for backup. She is constantly looking around and... well, it's pretty obvious where Kiritsugu is once Riva makes her appearance courtesy of a Ford Taurus.

    A few bursts of mist later, she's floating just above Kiritsugu-and quickly drops off of her floating broomstick, grabbing it with her right hand as she falls down in front of him, opposing Chloe's aim gently with her broom's brush pointed outwards defensively. Water Bubble already given to herself and Riva, of course!

Emiya Kiritsugu (603) has posed:
Out-maneuvered. He knew he was no match for a Servant, and even as sweat trails down his face from both the long run here and the exhaustion resulting from the usage of Double Accel, he is lying between the interior of the wall that surrounds the estate, and a well with a roof that he had hoped would provide enough cover to buy some time. But the enemy was able to identify his location regardless. The fact she hasn't already shot him provides an opportunity, however. He slows his breathing and composes himself as much as he is able, as he looks up determinedly - but passionlessly - into the sword-arrow ready to kill him in a fraction of a second if this Servant lets go. He responds to her words quite simply.

"My daughter is eight years old, is not a Servant, and would never do what you're doing. I'm not the man you think I am, and I accept no responsibility for whatever he did to cause you such bitterness and resentment," he says calmly. Buying time, but also speaking truth. "And unless you're willing to tell me what your problems are, without threatening me with weapons, I can't help you." There's sounds in the distance, including the sound of armored feet clashing with rooftops, until a woman who looks... Really similar to Saber, actually, now that Kiritsugu sees Jeanne for the first time, arrives and speaks her own wards of warning. And then Ayako falls from the sky and aims to shield Kiritsugu. And then the Rivamobile goes flying through the air attempting to slam into the mystery-Servant on her wall, and possibly endanger the wall itself and the yard within the wall's confines, and possibly crash into the house or other structures.

Not the support he was hoping for, but it might work. As Kiritsugu works himself up onto his feet despite the damage to his body, the pain, and the exhaustion, he calmly says into whatever stillness follows Riva's automobile attack, with allies all around him. "Your choice."

Maybe he wasn't outmaneuvered after all.

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
Well this here has just turned into a real Mexican standoff. Crouched as she is, sword still drawn on the string of her bow, Chloe's aim does not shift nor falter. But Jeanne d'Arc appearing on the roof close by does cause the girl's lips to quirk into something of a small smirk.

"Hohhh...? You snuck up on me? I must have used more energy than I thought, if I missed you." She remarks to the Saber class Servant. But she still doesn't lower her weapon.

The creak of the string and arc of the bow means, if anything, she's putting more of a draw on Hrunting, when Ayako puts herself in the path. "I'll shoot through you if I have to. This isn't any of your business, so get out of my way!" Is her only warning. Because she only seems to scowl at Kiritsugu. "That's it? You're not responsible?" ... Technically he's right. But the girl's thoughts are clouded by that bitterness. Her grasp on the sword falters only a fraction. "You're here. In Fuyuki. So where is she then? Did you leave her behind? Did you lock her up? Seal her away before she even had the chance to live? Did you ABANDON H--"

"Huh?"

See that thar Riva's always getting herself into trouble with the law.

It's as though everything seems to freeze for a moment, the silver-pink haired girl turning her head to the oncoming ford sailing through the air right at her.

"... Ah..."

The impact is stunning. It would be more than enough to paste a normal ten year old girl, but Chloe is made of sterner stuff. She takes it like a wall. Made of plywood. The CRUNCH of the front bumper connecting with her side sends her in a tumbling spiral off the roof, bow TWANGing loudly as the sword goes wide and wild, embedding harmlessly in the ground as 'Archer' lands on the grass with a bad THUMP.

"U-ugh..."

Jeanne d'Arc (536) has posed:
Jeanne turns to look at Riva.

She /radiates/ disapproval.

She moves, then, one hand still on her standard as the armored Saber jumps off of the roof, watching the Archer fall. "What War do you fight for?" She asks, her voice calm.

Ayako Hasekawa has posed:
    Ayako winces when the Ford Taurus impacts with Chloe. Yes, even if she was threatening Kiritsugu! Getting hit by something like that? Ouch. She lets go of her broom and it simply floats there. "Healing Water!" Her hands clap together softly in front of her body and three balls of water materialize, floating in the air in front of herself. One red, one green, and one purple.

    The red and green balls of water fly towards Kiritsugu and help relieve his tired muscles and help recover his spent magical energy. The purple one goes straight towards Riva who is on the ground and helps heal the wounds she no doubt suffered from... you know. Jumping out of a moving, airborne car.

Riva Banari has posed:
Once the car is in the air, it doesn't care about family issues. It's like a ton and a half of metal rolling along at high speed, it stops for basically gravity and stone walls. Chloe is vaguely reminiscent of a stone wall, but the house she's on is a lot closer to one. Thankfully, the car settles for making an excellent accordion impression as it hits the wall. That thing isn't going /anywhere/ now.

Riva lies on the ground, staring up at the night sky. "Ow. I think I'm just going to... lie here a while." She comments. She's pretty sure she broke like half the bones in her body with that stunt. Ayako lends healing goodness, however, and she starts tenativly wiggling as her wounds begin knitting themselves back together. "You are the best enabler, Ayako." Riva comments.

She does, however, wave at Jeanne with a smile. "Hey! It worked!" She calls in response.

Ayako Hasekawa has posed:
    Ayako walks over to Riva, her broom still floating by Kiritsugu. She cups her hands in front of her body and red Healing Water fills them. Her hands spread apart and the red healing water balls up and floats onto Riva's mouth. "You probably have like... tons of broken and fractured bones. This should work, but you need to drink it!" She nods her head once and goes back to Kiritsugu and her floating broomstick, still on guard.

Emiya Kiritsugu (603) has posed:
Kiritsugu heard this Servant's words. He doesn't know what connection she has to a different iteration of him - or possibly a future one, if it is a timeline issue again, like the Shirou one - but she clearly regards him as her father. Is this an Illyasviel after all? A future one? Kiritsugu's mind is a well-oiled machine, capable of quickly taking factors into account, extrapolating answers, and taking action. It may be no surprise, thus, that he considers something, when taken together with both what the Illya-looking-girl said, and what he has been told of the potential future. If he is unable to win the Grail War, what would happen to Illya? All this time, he was planning to come back for her when the War was over. She would be his reason for living after all the killing he had to do, and the loss of Irisviel he had assumed was inevitable - that still causes him such pain. The woman he loves, the mother of his daughter... Doomed to death in order to save the world.

But what if he fails, as happened in Saber's timeline?

Would the Einzberns allow him back to see Illya, the prepared vessel for the Grail in the NEXT Grail War? He doubts it. He reaches the conclusion that, an Illya he was never allowed to see again, and a Kiritsugu who died with only Shirou to protect in her place, without ever getting to contact his daughter and tell her the truth... Could very well feel as though she were abandoned. He doubts the Einzberns would tell her. And if what Saber said was right, the Illya of her time wound up dead, just like her mother.

And here is a girl who looks just like Illya... Summoned as a Heroic Spirit... Meaning that...

This is Kiritsugu's daughter (or A Kiritsugu's daughter), from the future, dead and summoned back to this world as a ghost. That's a logical conclusion to come to based off of the evidence. It's not quite right, but it seems plausible based off what he knows.

And while he aches at the thought of this happening to HIS Illyasviel... Even if he feels guilt, while knowing HE is not responsible for THIS Illya's circumstances... He can not bring himself to spare an enemy. Not even one whom he believes now to be an incarnation of his own daughter, whose bitterness and hostility is solely a result of another Kiritsugu's failure - and possibly his failure in the future if he continues down his current path. He has already asked on the radio for people to kill her if she does not stand down.

Emiya Kiritsugu (603) has posed:
Doing so makes him hurt inside worse than a dozen Triple Accels. It is on a whole other level from mere physical pain. But she is an enemy - a threat - and that is what the Magus-Slayer does. He eliminates enemies.

But still... Against his better judgement... Maybe because he can no longer be as ruthless as he used to be nine years ago... He decides to offer her a chance. It might just be to assuage his own guilt. But he truly loves his daughter, and he thinks that if more violence can be avoided... Well, that's what he was fighting for to begin with.

Besides, this one has suffered enough. "She's safe," Kiritsugu answers as the Archer lands after being hit. He seems to show little concern for Riva, though he is no doubt taking into account her potentially injured state. "Though your presence and your words make me think she might not be as safe as I thought she was. If you keep fighting, I will do whatever I must to protect myself. But I fully intend to retrieve her from the care of the Einzberns as soon as possible, and make sure she can never be locked away or abandoned as it seems you were." The steady calm and seriousness in his voice becomes kinder again, along with his empty-looking eyes.

"I may not be responsible for what another Kiritsugu did, but I'm sorry for what happened to you. I promise you, I will do everything in my power to ensure my Illya doesn't have to go through what you have. I will not make the mistakes that another version of me did. And, if you stop fighting now, we don't have to be enemies."

Saber of Black seems ready to act if necessary, but if her sense of honor is anything like Arturia's, she would be reluctant to kill a child - even an enemy. Ayako is healing Riva - something Kiritsugu could probably use himself when this is all over. But he has no interest in continuing this fight if he doesn't have to. There's too much going on in his head now. For once in his life, he is looking at a clear enemy before him, and trying to figure out a way to make peace with them... And putting their elimination as 'Plan B' instead of 'Plan A, B, C, straight through to Z'.

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
For a time. For what seems an eternity, all Chloe is aware of is the pained, sore, feeling of... Having been hit full on by a car. A dizzy haze of nausea and the buzzing hum of a ringing in her ears; she almost misses Jeanne's question. "I'm..." Croaked in the process of rolling over, holding her ribs and coughing in a fit of pain. And then she says something that might just turn all assumptions on their head, and anser a question with only more questions.

"I'm not a Servant." Spluttered amid another racking cough and grunt. But she's slowly starting to wobble to her feet, holding her left arm where it hangs limp and injured at the shoulder. Eyes glazed with pain, the child wobbles in place where she stands, breath coming slow and ragged. "... She's safe? ... Lucky her." Nearly spat as she curls fingers into her injured arm, as if trying to focus more on the physical pain than the clear roiling tumult of emotions behind golden eyes. "I wanted to go back to the Einzberns!"

Her voice rings loud and shrill. "He sealed me away! Because he wanted to run off with mama and end the Grail War. I was eight months old! It took ten years for the seal to break, and when it did, and I was finally free to have my own life and belong somewhere, the Einzberns were gone."

Oh she's not fighting now. She's doing something else entirely, eyes wild and glistening. But she calms herself with a deep, slow, breath. It's not much. But it works a bit. "I couldn't just lay down and live like a normal girl, knowing I was made to be a magus. But there was no magus family for me to return to."

"I had *nowhere* to belong!"

Riva Banari has posed:
Riva drinks more Healing Water form Ayako, letting it do her job. she can't interfere in what comes next, but she does listen to Chloe pour out her heart ae Kiritsugu.

Her eyes widen and she looks from Chloe to Kiritsugu. Holy /crap/ does that girl need a hug. "Wow." She summarizes simply, but she does look at Kiritsugu with the Squintyeyes of Doom and gives him a chance to respond.

Besides, it's not like she can to charging in to give anyone hugs or anything yet, her bones are mending.

Emiya Kiritsugu (603) has posed:
Not a Servant. An anomaly then? Like Shirou? Also, 8 months old... Kiritsugu is not sure if he is following the math here, but... Does that means... After Illya was born... In whatever timeline this girl comes from... Irisviel survives and the two of them... Have a second daughter?

It sounds as though whatever the other Kiritsugu did didn't work out well after all. An entire magus family wiped out - and one of the 'major' ones too. And this left this 'second daughter' with nowhere to go? Why didn't she just stay with Kiritsugu and Irisviel? Was that not possible somehow? Shirou insisted on being trained in magic as well. The other Kiritsugu of that timeline eventually gave in, if only a little. Did this girl's Kiritsugu fail to give her what she wanted? There are so many more questions to ask, and while the guilt over the potential future death of his daughter remains to a degree, knowing that at least this girl is not a ghost summoned to fight for a Grail.

Her answer may leave Jeanne as confused as Kiritsugu, not to mention Ayako and Riva. But Kiritsugu, despite his lack of information to go on, decides to act upon one of a number of possible solutions to this problem.

"The path of the magus is soaked in blood," he answers the distraught girl. No words of comfort come from him, just a lecture. "It involves great pain, and a loss of humanity that leaves one cut off from other people, even those you should be able to care about. I can't speak for the motives of the other Kiritsugu, but if he is anything like me, who once wished to be a hero of justice when he was younger, he wouldn't want his daughters - either of them - to have to suffer and see the horrors that he - and I - have. The War I'm preparing for right now is to end violence and bloodshed forever, to make a world where no one has to fight, no one has to abandon anyone, or hurt anyone else."

Though still suffering the strain of energy throughout his body, blood vessels ruptured and the strain on bones just recently healed from being cracked and splintered sending jagged agony through him with every step, he walks towards this girl who uses the powers of the Archer without actually being Archer. "Again, I don't know what the other Kiritsugu did exactly, or his motives. But I can find a home for you, and a place for you in my life, no matter what any other Kiritsugu did. And..." He is now really close. Close enough she could kill him if she wanted to, and the others might not have the ability to react in time.

He goes down on one knee, and reaches out a hand to pat this mysterious girl on the shoulder. Did Riva's squint of doom have an effect after all!? Well, unlike Shirou, he has more of a connection to her. He knows his daughter... And he can relate even to a daughter he has never met. Shirou? He was taken in by another Kiritsugu due to exceptional circumstances. This girl... Not just who she is, but also her abilities, are something he would rather have with him than against him. Again, in the voice he uses when speaking to his daughter, he says, "If you're willing, any daughter of mine, even from another timeline, with gifts like yours, would be welcome to fight by my side to make that world a reality."

He feels awful. He should. But he means it too.

"You weren't made to be a magus. You were born to be a hero, and to be the daughter of Emiya Kiritsugu."

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
Daughters? Either of them? After that explosive outpouring of her feelings, it's enough for Chloe to collapse to her knees. She's used up far more mana in the past few days than she's been able to replenish, and the fact of the matter is... Exhaustion is starting to set in.

"Just one... Just me." Illyasviel. A name she didn't even get to KEEP, and it's a fact that makes her chin dip.

It's when Kiritsugu rises and actually approaches, that she looks back up. Chloe near flinches at the touch. But it's what the magus says that results in a small hand grasping at his shirt, and soon enough leaning against him.

Emiya Kiritsugu (603) has posed:
So, even she has limits. It makes sense. If she's not a Servant, using this much prana is bound to have an adverse effect, much as it does for Shirou. Though she is far beyond him, and at a much younger age (or he is assuming. For all he knows, she ages more slowly... Like Illyasviel). Everything seems to be settling down, so Kiritsugu turns towards Ayako, Riva, and Jeanne, and calls out, "If I could trouble you all for a bit more assistance, transportation to the Einzbern Castle, just outside of the city, would be appreciated. I think both of us could use the rest."

He should probably ask her name too, but for now, he thinks they've both been through enough.