Third POV:

Emiya Shirou loved his relatively normal life.

He woke up, greeted his parents and sister, argued with Sella over who gets to make breakfast, and went to school while helping people along the way.

It was normal, at least to him.

"Hey, Shirou!" As he walked through the halls of Homurahara High School, Shirou heard someone call for him and turned to see them.

"Ah, hi, Shinji," Shirou greeted.

Makiri Shinji is one of his close friends in school. They would frequently talk about video games and Shinji, being the playboy he is, would try to get Shirou to start dating.

"You're a bit late," Shinji commented as he walked closer to match Shirou's pace. "Got stuck helping people on the way again?"

"Yeah, an old lady wanted to carry a few things across the street," Shirou replied.

"Man, wish I har half your energy to always run around like that," Shinji mumbled, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, I saw you in that video game tournament over the weekend," Shirou stated, which piqued his friend's interest. "I really thought that guy had you. How did you get the jump on him?"

"I just used an old road most veteran players tend to forget," Shinji replied with a rather proud smile. "That road is only used by new and low leveled players, which is why new players skip it for faster routes. People really shouldn't forget the basics."

"Senpai! Shinji!" Both boys stopped and turned to see a purple haired girl, Xin Qiu Sakura, running towards them while waving her hand.

"Oh, good morning, Sakura," Shirou smiled as the girl slowed to a stop in front of them.

"Why don't you call ME Senpai?" Shinji grumbled.

"Because lousy flirts don't deserve to be called that," Sakura replied with a smile, causing Shinji to groan.

"Did you just get here?" Shirou asked, remembering how Sakura came running. "It's not like you to be late."

Sakura chuckled nervously. "Yeah, the Karate Club tried to recruit me again. This time, they were waiting at the School Gates."

"Man, they're really hell bent on getting you to join, huh?" Shinji said, looking up in thought. "Not that I blame them. With you on their team, they could probably reach nationals."

"Don't be silly," Sakura waved off the compliment. "Dad may have taught me a few things, but I'm not as strong as they make me out to be," to demonstrate, she threw a few mock punches... one of which struck the wall. "Oops!"

Sakura pulled back her fist and a revealed a dent where it struck. As a piece of the wall crumbled, both Shirou and Shinji sweat-dropped at how she proved herself wrong right after her own statement.

"Good morning, students," one of their teachers, Fujimura Taiga, greeted them as she walked by. However, she immediately stopped and her friendly smile vanished upon seeing the state of the wall. Almost instantly, she glared at the purple haired girl. "Dammit, Sakura! Again!?"

"I'm so sorry!" Sakura immediately bowed in apology.

As their teacher began chewing out Sakura, Shinji leaned closer to Shirou. "I pity the idiot that tries to mug her," he whispered.

Shirou could only nod in agreement.

Time Skip:

As their school day came to an end, Sakura and Shirou were walking out of the school. Shinji had excused himself for something related to his family.

"Don't you have club activity today?" Shirou asked.

"Ah, I excused myself to help dad with the café. He's been busy with something else recently and hasn't been able to keep up the work all by himself," Sakura replied, looking regretful.

"I could come help if you need an extra pair of hands," Shirou offered.

Though she was happy at what he said, Sakura still shook her head. "Thanks, but Rin is also coming over to help. She's been working part time there for a while."

"Is that why she's so busy lately?" Shirou asked, realising that he hadn't seen much of Rin Tohsaka outside of class.

Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "I don't really know. She asked dad if her shifts can be shorter for the next few days. She told me she has a personal project to work on."

Of course, Sakura suspected that it might be related to Rin's family 'business'. But, she didn't want to include Shirou in that side of the world, as such she kept her thoughts to herself.

"Well, say hi to her and your dad for me," Shirou said as they reached the crossroad where their paths separate.

"And do so to your family from me," Sakura replied before giving the young man a quick bow. "See you tomorrow, Senpai,"

"See you tomorrow. Get home safe," Shirou nodded and smiled as the girl headed her own way.

Time Skip:

"Shirou, sorry for intrusion," Emiya Kiritsugu entered his son's room after knocking.

"Oh, dad, do you need something?" Shirou turned from his desk where he was doing his homework to face his father.

"Can you move a few boxes to the shed in the back?" Kiritsugu requested. "I promised your mother to take her 'somewhere fancy', as she puts it, tonight and I can't do it myself. Sella and Leysritte are cleaning after dinner and your sister is studying for a test."

"Alright," Shirou agreed immediately. "Where are the boxes?"

"Just next to the backdoor," Kiritsugu replied, giving his son an apologetic smile. "Sorry to have you do this."

"It's alright, dad. I'm almost done anyway," Shirou shook his head, seeing no reason for his father to apologise.

After thanking his son, Kiritsugu left to go out with his wife. Shirou finished whatever was left of his homework and left to fulfil his father's request.

Just as his father instructed, he found a couple of boxes near the backdoor. Picking them up after opening the door, Shirou walked out and headed for the shed.

Managing to open the door with his elbows, the young man walked in and looked around. The shed was mostly filled with tools and similar boxes, souvenirs from his parents' travelling.

Seeing an empty spot in the back, Shirou walked deeper inside and raised the boxes he was holding to place them on the shelf. When he did, he accidentally knocked over one of the boxes.

"Ah!" Shirou barely dodged the falling box as its content spilled on the ground. "Dammit. Did anything break?"

Inside the box was a few items alongside what appeared to be a piece that was broken off from some kind of really old furniture.

What was odd, however was that a book was with the piece and it opened on a particular page with an odd circle filled with symbols in it.

Shirou, curiously, picked up the book and looked at the writing in the circle. "... I hereby declare," he began reading out loud. "Your body shall serve under me. My fate shall be your sword. Submit to the beckoning of the Holy Grail. If you will submit to this will and this reason then answer. An oath shall be sworn here. I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven. I shall have dominion over all evils of all of Hell," unknown to Shirou, the piece of broken furniture began glowing. "From the Seventh Heaven, attended to by three greet words of power, come forth from the ring of restraints, protector of the Holy Balance," as soon as he finished, Shirou looked over the book, wondering if his father got it from some form of religious temple, only to drop it as he felt a sudden burning in the back of his hand.

Looking at the back of his hand as the pain kept burning through him, Shirou saw a glowing red mark slowly form. He didn't even get a good look before the piece on the ground exploded in a flash of light.

Shirou couldn't help but fall back and cover his eyes. When the light died down, Shirou lowered his hands and looked to see... a person.

A young gair with blond hair styled in a bun, wearing a blue dress under a silver armor. She looked around his age. Her green eyes looked at his hazel ones as she held a golden, glowing sword in her hands.

"I ask of you," the girl spoke. "Are you my master?"