What are you supposed to do?
Sakura looked at the scorched corridor, pondering the question over
The question is complicated, but at the same time surprisingly blank. To start with, a hypothetical situation can only be relate to and effectively answered with a general grasp of knowledge on the worm's composition - in which case, a woman would not be able to imagine the feeling brought upon by them, and consequently would not be able to formulate sufficient solutions to dealing with them
With the hundreds of worms squirming their ways across her body, violating her every organs and pulsing with disgusting rhythms as they feed off her neural response, Sakura can imagine not one normal person would know the feeling of being raped from both the inside and outside at the same time
It's simple, she suppose
When life gives your worm, then perhaps life is not as great as people think
<><><><><><><>
Sakura is a pitiful person
Shirou knew it, the moment he meet her back in those distant years in the Ninja Academy. Pink hair and eyes that have yet to see the sins of the world. She is a cute and lovable Kouhai that could do no wrong
Of course, Uzumaki Shirou is aware of her flaws. By one reason or another, the Kunoichi's development arc was centered around fanboying over a fucking emo with edgy eye powers who didn't bother to return her feelings
The Hokage did not understand it. Kakashi did not understand it. And neither does he. In fact, up until the Konoha invasion arc had he realized the true underlying intent behind her actions. That is, Kishimoto had never intended for her to be a fully fledged out Heroin
Oh wait, *Heroine
Point is, Sakura is pretty much useless. Why the fuck do they even add her into team 7 in the first place? She is like the kind of self insert those trash bag author on Wattpad would make to feel satisfied about themselves, or more specifically the female equivalent of the Abused reader archetype
On that matter, it is also wrong of her to abuse Naruto who is a just an orphan kid hated by his village. What amount of sheer bitchiness would it take to continuously beat the hell out of someone who is probably starved for affection?
Least you can say is "no"
Shirou fished out another vial of drugs and injected it through his vein
Shit's high enough as it is. Right now, he must find her before Zouken can determine their location. Judging from some observation, she is within range
Almost right on time, another wave of worms surged forward as he rounded the corner. Time seemingly slowed down for Shirou who instantly perceive the incoming danger with his decades of training as a Shinobi
"Trace On"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu"
The wave of fire shoot out through the Flammenwerfer through the sea of insec, frying down the worms like mere fodders as their charred bodies fell to the ground
Shirou dashed past them without a second glance. If he is fast enough, maybe it won't be too late to save Haruno Sakura....
"...."
"Wait a minute, isn't this suppose to be a Fate fanfic?"
At that moment, Shirou realized he'd gotten the wrong girl.
He turned around and ran in the opposite direction, hoping he isn't too late to save her
_______________'
She looked at the clear blue sky with a look of melancholy. Sakura's hair waved in the wind. Her hand rose up, as if to welcome the breezy feeling of a peaceful day
The tranquil sound of students screaming below
The melodic sizzle of the flamethrower scorching away dead meat
The frightful footsteps clanging across the hallway
It was...so calming. The sound of American nature in its freshest breath is in contrast with her inner turmoil. One that is in regard to a certain Senpai of hers
Shirou Emiya is, for lack of a better word, quite the irregular individual
She wouldn't have realized, all those years ago, that a meeting between them would change her life so drastically
"Do you know that people need air to breathe?"
His gentle voice seemed to soothe her anguished soul. The lasting pain from her grandfather's latest torment on Sakura's body seems to fade away, replaced with an unfamiliar warmth at the core of her chest at those words
"Anyway, I'm going to do these high jumps. They're pretty cool"
Her heartbeat quickened. A shade of red crept across the girl's face as the memory of that day resurfaced. Just watching him in action, with his sweat-covered body glistening in the evening glow as the red head pushed on with unwavering resolve, it had seemingly ignited something within her
It was impossible, for such emotions have eluded her for so long. But somehow the action made way for that intense spark to once again be realized within the little girl
Love. She realized she had fallen for him the moment he failed that high jump
"Yorokube Shounen"
...And along with Sakura, there is the creepy priest gazing at Shirou's exhausted form with a fond smile
"So that was Shinji's friend, interesting..."
Her grandfather is also there, having witnessed Shirou senpai's high jump from start to finish
"O-Onore. It's not like I'm impressed by this or anything, Zasshu"
Along with some rich blonde teen with an unhealthy blush on their face
...Actually, isn't this supposed to be a private moment for Shirou?
How many people have been watching him do that high jump since the start?
The sudden rise of noise caused her to catch sight of several other oddly-dressed individuals standing across the street. Chief of which is the gossiping pair of adult and child talking to each other
"Look, Kama. Isn't he so cool?! I doubt you can find a more perfect man than him! But it's not like I'll go around cheating with my Archer back at Chaldea though..."
"Right. Right. Just release me, Parvati. Why the hell are we here in the first place? This isn't even the same Fate game"
And another pair of twins with different colored hair. The blonde one is struggling to hold back her black-haired counterpart
"I-I swear to Anu. Ishtar, your libido is starting to get out of control. Restrain yourself if you don't want me to punish you!"
"Shut it, sis. That boy is mine and mine alone. I'll get him home. I'll get him to worship me. I'll teach him about divine pleasure never known to men. Soon, I'll ingrain every bit myself on his flesh like it was a piece of paper, and on it I shall do LEWD things to him. Do you know how rare ofa chance I would stumble upon someone like thi---"
"The fuck you doing here, whore?"
Her rant was interrupted before it could go on an M-rated direction: The blonde teen from before is now looking at the sisters with a scary look in his eyes
Ishtar didn't bother batting an eye in his direction
"Oh wow. It's the cute little Babylonian I've had the displeasure of meeting. How was Enkidu? Still fine, I presume?"
"Your mouth is still as loose as your pussy, I see"
It was imminent that a fight is about to break out. One that will, most likely, end up with the whole neighborhood being decimated by a rought estimate
Powered laser beams and Enuma Elish's starts flying through the air, much to Sakura's and everyone's chargin
All the while, Shirou Emiya continued going on with his vigorous training routine without taking heed of what's happening around him
'Fuck all the bitches' He thought 'I just want to do my high jumps'
________________
Smoke wafted through the air, entering his lungs in painful intervals that sent him breathless. He bumped and crashed his way to the balcony, remnants of a half-burning, half ashen school stood behind him
Maybe he went too far with the Flammenwerfer projection
Granted, it's not that locating Sakura is a hard thing by default, or burning down those worms is a difficult task in itself
It's just that...the drugs made him hella trippy these days
Were Cocaine always this toxic? Shirou shook his head at this notion
No, it must have been because he haven't had lunch. That must be it.
Just like how people die when they are killed, people get high when they are injected with C21H23NO5. And when they are high, certan things happen in contrast ot their expectation
He arrived at that place. The smoke cleared out, having found an outlet to escape from. The door to the rooftop lies in front of him
When Shirou opened it, what greeted him was the sight of Sakura standing on the ledge of the building, looking down passively at the ground
It's hard to judge what she is thinking in that moment
"Hello there, Senpai"
"Matou Sakura. You are a bold one"
The Master of Rider smiled at him. A part of Shirou couldn't help but feel slightly betrayed by that expression
It's like one of those smiles in porn movies where the wife is assuring her husband she is still fine over the phone. Completely fake and unsincere
"What's wrong, Sakura?" He questioned quietly, taking a step forward
"You have been acting all weird this morning, and then when I go to class to find you Shinji was already there with your Servant"
"Ah, so you found out about that" Pink eyes lowered in resignation "I was hoping you would not get involved in this. It's still not too late to get out of this Grail War, Senpai"
"Absolutely not. There are still things I want to do"
Behind his back, the creampie sausage donut is held in one of Shirou's hand
"Besides, you look like you need some help. I'm not a Hero of Justice, but maybe I can help you with those problems"
It was not a question, but a statement.
Sakura eyed the smoke rising from the burning classroom underneath them, smoke that, to his realization, the cause of which was due to Shirou's recent activity
"...Considering what your solutions to any problem is, I don't think I can trust you with it. Your sentiment is appreciated though"
"Uh, yeah"
He only now realized the precarious situation they're in. Here he was, standing just meters apart from the girl who herself is one step away from plummeting down to the ground at a height of 20 meters
One small mistake and it will be all over
"How about we start with you. Step away from the ledge, Sakura"
Something flickered within the younger girl's eyes. She smiled at him
"Unfortunately, I cannot"
"Why? People die when they are killed. I don't want to see you accidentally killing yourself"
"I don't think that's what I should be worried about"
What does she mean by that?
"You know, Senpai. When I met you all those years ago, you made me realize something" before he could decipher the meaning of those words, Sakura began
Yes, he still remember the day they met
"That look in your eyes back then is the same as mine. Someone who has lost their purpose in line. Blank. Empty. Void of something fundamental that makes us human. I almost thought we were the exact same. And for some time, I did"
"But then you did the high jump, Senpai"
The mood in the air changed to a somber tone
At this, she paused, seemingly to consider her words
"...I know it may sounds weird, but...seeing you do it gave me hope. In the evening light, you seem to truly come alive as you strive toward that ever reaching goal, as if...as if you are battling something beyond my perception"
The goal he set for himself is not impressive at first glance. It is the degree to which he kept trying that is admirable
She turned forward once again. Sakura's grip on the railing loosened just a little
"I have always wondered what it was. A part of me wants to find out. Emiya Senpai...no, Shirou"
Sakura Matou smiled
"Do you think if I do a little high jump, will I finally become determined like you, too?"
Alarm bells rang through his head
"Wait, no, Sakura!"
Yet it is too late. A dash of her feet as Sakura's hand parted from the only lifeline withholding her from death. After that, the feeling of weightlessness settled in as she plummeted down to the ground below
She truly admire Shirou Emiya for his resolve. To live life knowing full well he will not find a meaning in it
Meanwhile, she is a coward who only know to choose the easiest path of escape
But what else can she do?
With her death, Rider would be gone. Her grandfather's plan, consequently, would never come to bear fruits
Shirou would live for a chance to see his dream
Rin would be happy to get rid of an unwanted sister
Perhaps this was meant to be her fate
Such were the last thoughts crossing through her mind, before the Matou's world crashed into an unending darkness
________________
What do you do when life gives you worms?
Shirou always consider such unconventional scenarios as infeasible.
But, hypothetically speaking, if there exists such an individual, surely they would abhor their existence
The girl in front of him is the same. Her bitter smile full of hatred at the world and at herself reflected through those blank canvas, akin to a portrait of her tainted soul
People die when they are killed
That's why he'll try his hardest to save them.
Not because he is a damn hero, but because no one deserve to die before they can have a taste of the heavenly heroin
"I am the ______ of my ______"
________________
He rushed forward the instant her hand left the railing. Shirou's reinforced speed would not catch up with her in approximation of the ratio between distance, time, and angle. By calculation, it would take only one third of a second for Sakura's body to hit the event horizon
Impossible with his current limit. On the other hand, wholly possible to bypass his current limit
"I am the ______ of my _______"
Shirou's instinct had seemingly guided him to the chant, like a long lost part of himself
He felt the blood pumping faster in his vein
"______ is my body"
As though a hundred vials of Heroin has been injected into his body
"_______ is my blood"
Or several pounds of Cocaine had been poured through his nose
"So as I ______- Knhhh!"
"!!!" Blood erupted through his mouth
With an explosive burst of speed, Shirou crossed the distance of fifteen meter with a single dash
Bakuya and Kanshou tore through the railing with ease as he jumped after Sakura's falling body. He caught her midair, feeling the girl's finger digging into his clothe
With theoackage secured, he soon felt gravity taking effect as both of them fell toward the ground. He tightened his grip in preparation for the impact
At the height of four stories equalling almost 17 meters, he was sure to break his kneecaps even with Reinforcement
Shirou closed his eyes and awaited the inevitable dolm
Yet still, in the end he landed without feeling the minimal amount of pain
"H-huh?"
Oh wait. That must be because he is still high. shirou breathed a sigh of relief
"Shit, Sakura. Next time don't pull that on me again"
Shirou said to the unconscious girl. She didn't move, but the steady rise and fall of her chest indicate she is still much alive
He took out the now deformed cream-filled sausage donut and stuffed it in the girl's mouth
"How does my Weiner tastes like?"
The still unconscious Sakura mumbled incoherently, but ultimately swallowed all of them
____________
"What's with that annoying expression, Archer?"
"I just somehow feel proud all of a sudden. Don't worry about it"
Rin's eyes twitched
"Your damn smirk is showing. At least get more serious. We are guarding a Servant after all"
"Heh" he only smiled. It has been a long time since Archer saw that expression directed at him
Archer isn't sure about this timeline being different from the rest, but this just confirmed it
The murder of the Masters. The capture of Rider. The assault against Berserker. In all of those encounter, a boy had barely survived with nothing more than his wit and ruthlessness
The Shirou Emiya here is different. There is no desire to be a Hero of Justice in him
That thought alone made him uncharacteristically...happy?
Archer is not sure what he is feeling, but this is a change he welcome, to say the least
"Seriously, if you continue on smiling like that I might just freak ou--"
The spike of Mana stopped him from his musing. The Counter Guardian barely had time to grabbed Rin out of the way before a beam of destructive energy swept through them
Twenty more beams shot up from the ground and destroyed the school cafeteria in a flash of unbearable heat, sending flaming hot debris hurtling in all directions
Magic-based attack. There's only one class who would willingly dispense that much energy for an ambush
"Caster" Archer mumbled
From above, the figure of the Servant descended on wing-like figures formed from her cloak. In her hand laid the dead body of Kuzuki
"It must have been you who did this to Souchiro-sama"
Caster's dead eyes glanced at them underneath the cowl of her hood
"Prepare to die, Archer"
______________