Ashes

Wandering Souls

9-15-21: Finally removed the discord link.

Chapter 3

Wandering Souls

Shirou Emiya just went through shit, mostly insect shit. To be honest, he was surprised by his lack of scars or maiming from that night.

The night in which his recklessness almost got him killed.

Skin that was hard as steel and as white as snow. A wickedly evil mask that screamed incarnate of evil. An aura that was so overbearing that just by being in its expansive vicinity, you would feel as if you were a bug just underneath a merciful boot.

This oppressive picture he described of Berserker is at the whim of the little girl seated across from him. A little girl that looked and sparsely acted like an elementary schooler.

A little girl that claimed to be his older sister.

"Did you take Kiritsugu's name?" she asked curiously while childishly stacking snowballs on each other in a vague semblance of a miniature snowman. Once completing her second snowman, she directed her ruby eyes to Shirou's amber.

"I don't think... Hm..." Shirou pursed his lips as he stumped on his words and reevaluated his next words. "I..."

"You didn't think Kiritsugu had married?" Illyasviel said bluntly, her words doing nothing to her as she continued to look at Shirou in the eye without a waiver of solemn emotions. "Don't worry, when you dig enough into him, it is a surprise that he even had me."

Shirou cringed at her words. The delivery and maturity of the words seemingly solidifying Illyasviel's image as a mature lady rather than a spoiled child. In combination with her appearance, he felt his chest churn from pity.

However, the remark on his surrogate father, the same person who had saved him those many years ago did rub him the wrong way. He would have rebutted Illyasviel in defense of his memory of Kiritsugu right there.

If only it didn't feel correct.

"So... You are my sister...?" Shirou inquired slowly, his mind comprehending the other meaning of Illyasviel's words.

Illyasviel merely smiled faintly as she redirected her eyes to her snowmen. "Tell me, how old are you, Shirou?"

"Uh... 17 years old."

"17 years... Hm..." she hummed childishly. "Yes, I am older than you by somewhat a year."

Their conversation then was awkwardly followed by a silence as Shirou digested the new information and Illyasviel awaited for said digestion.

The Einzbern signed as her hot breath contrasted with the cold air. I do wonder if I should've played the little sister role... She sent a covert glance at Berserker's astralized form, his imposing form giving him a sense of safety.

"So..." Shirou began, his form visibly uncomfortable in what he was going to ask. "What was dad like to you?"

Illyasviel's smile fell as an unpleasant expression marred her doll-like face. "He abandoned me," she stated with no sign of hesitation. "But before he did so, he smiled, however faint, when he was around me... We often played games with each other, Dad was good at hiding and seek," a faint smile graced her expression, giving her a serene and almost innocent aura.

Shirou frowned at the beginning parts of Illyasviel's statement. An expression of deep thought reflecting his conflict. "I don't think he abandoned you..." he said carefully.

His follow up was interrupted by Illyasviel's swift words.

"Why had you not recognized me back then?" she inquired with the same faint smile but her eyes shifted themselves to her snowmen instead of Shirou. "Did Kiritsugu ever keep a photo of me and Mother?"