A Dishonored Demigod

One Last Day

Perseus doesn't flinch when a torrent of blue fire slams down on him and Thrafsma snaps back into place within his soul,"You get your answers?"
He feels the equivalent of a slight nod and nods in return,"Good. We'll talk about this once we get home."
He gets no answer but takes the silence as an agreement. He's pulled from his musings when he feels a small form press into his side,"Joker. I'm hungry."
He can't stop the laugh that escapes his mouth,"Ha! Truthfully, so am I. Maybe your uncle would be up for going out to eat?"
He turns his head to look at Kariya,"You game?"
"I could do with some food. You gonna join us, or astralize?"
Perseus shrugs,"I'll be out of sight while you two pick a place. I don't want to needlessly alert every magus within a 100 mile radius that a servant is still walking around more than I have to."
As he gets to his feet his form flickers before dissolving in a shower of golden sparks,"Shall we go?"
Sakura nods and a quick use of shadow travel drops them in one of the side alleys at the heart of Fuyuki,"See anything good?"
Sakura takes her time looking around before settling on a small cafe that serves brunch and lunch. Perseus leans over her shoulder to look at the menu,"I haven't gotten a chance to see what these sort of places have. I have to say it's very interesting."
He stays silent as the two order gyuudon and takes a smell when the plates of beef are quickly brought out and placed in front of them,"May I?"
Sakura gives a barely noticeable nod and Perseus freezes time for a split second to snag one of the thin pieces of meat and pops it in his mouth before resuming time,"It isn't Auntie Hestia's, but that's more than decent."
Sakura has a small smile on her face as she takes her time working through the meat and rice while Kariya goes a little quicker, but still takes time to savor the dish. When both are finished the duo and their invisible third member make their way into the shopping district to pick out some extra clothes for Sakura since dress she's been wearing has the hole from when she was hit with the origin bullet, regardless of the quick fix Perseus did with magic. As the uncle and niece go enter the clothes store Perseus stands at the entrance, watching for anything suspicious just in case Kiritsugu Emiya tries anything
As he leans against the entrance of the building his nose twitches and his eyes open just slightly to see two heads of white hair,"Mama, can we go in? Papa did say we should get some new clothes."
Irisviel gives her daughter a soft smile,"Okay. We have to make it quick though, your father wanted to meet up with us in an hour."
As they finish speaking Sakura and Kariya exit the store with the latter carrying two medium sized bags of clothes,"Illya-chan!"
Said girl's eyes widen before she grins,"Sakura-chan!" and races over to her fellow white head.
Irisviel is a little more hesitant and slowly approaches before tilting her head,"Kariya-san."
He returns the gesture with a slight chill in his greeting,"Irisviel-san. You out shopping as well?"
She nods and her eyes dart around,"If you're looking for Joker, then he's around. Joker?"
Perseus shrouds himself in mist before appearing a few feet to the right of Kariya,"Emiya-san. Please don't worry too much. My morals may be few, but I have a policy of no killing parents in front of children. After all, I don't want them to grow up and try to get revenge. As of last night, our battle ended. Any further actions will only come to pass if your husband tries something against my master."
She nods and the relief she feels is clear on her face and the way her shoulders loosen up as Perseus disappears. When he's fully out of sight Kariya asks,"So are you going to be staying here?"
Irisviel nods,"Yes. My husband bought a place a few days ago just in case we needed a safe house. I only hope the Einzberns don't try and retake their experiments."
As the two keep talking Perseus moves towards the two young girls and lightly flicks the back of Illya's head,"Ow!"
Said girl cradles her head while looking around and Sakura sighs,"Joker."
Perseus chuckles before materializing,"Ah, relax master. It was all in good fun."
She gives me a dull stare,"Your idea of fun involves blood, screams, and insane laughter."
"Meh," he shrugs,"what can ya do?" He tips an imaginary hat towards Ilya from Sakura's left,"Ilya-san. It's good to see you in good health. How've you been feeling after I adjusted your body to get rid of the lesser grail function?"
She beams,"Very well thank you!" And suddenly becomes very quiet before bowing to both of them,"I know what my papa did to you, Sakura. What he did to both of you. I just ask that neither of you try to take revenge for what he did to protect mama and I."
Master and servant share a look before Perseus gives Sakura a slight nod and the girl sighs,"Ilya-chan...I can't say that I forgive him for what he tried to do to me, because I most likely never truly will. For a magus our magic circuits are our most important asset. They determine our standing amongst the families. Your father tried to kill me by causing mine to explode. However," and Ilya looks up with hope and a bit of desperation in her eyes,"I can promise that I don't have any intention to kill him. And I can also say that I still see you as a friend."
The two hug for a while before Perseus nudges Sakura's shoulder,"Little master, your uncle is waiting for us."
Sakura releases her grip and takes a few steps back with a small smile,"I'll see you later, Ilya Emiya."
She makes her way back towards her uncle while Perseus trails after her before stopping,"Girl."
Ilya looks at his back in fear until his shoulders sag with his sigh,"Like I told your mother, my war with your father is over. Spend time with your family. Grow up and make friends. Go to school to learn about the world, then go out to experience it. My point is," he looks over his shoulder as the red bleeds out from his eyes to leave behind a soft green,"enjoy your new life. Goodbye, Ilya-san."
Hie piece said Perseus astralizes once more to take his place at Sakura's side, leaving Ilya to speak to the air,"Thank you, Joker."
****
The sun has almost completely set when Joker takes Sakura to the side and flies them both out to the temple where they spent the war,"You're leaving."
He looks down at her,"Yes. My work is done, and the grail is no more. And there is no risk to your safety left alive. My time is up and my master is calling me home."
She looks down and kicks the stone floor,"Why can't I come too?"
Perseus kneels down so he's level with her,"Sakura, look at me."
She does and he places both hands on her shoulders,"The world I come from is much more dangerous than this one. The Age of Gods is still ongoing, and you would become a main target for anybody wanting to hurt or gain control of me. And before you say I can protect you, I know I can't. I'm just one existence. No matter how powerful I become I will always worry about the people closest to me. And I can tell you that you're definitely on that list."
He sighs and hangs his head down,"Something's going to happen back home, something very bad. I can feel it in my bones. And I don't want you getting caught up in that."
He raises his head and lets go of her shoulders to stand straight,"Now that I've said what needs to be said, I can do what I brought you out here to do. Sakura Makiri!"
She stands straighter as her servant's presence fills the air,"Do you swear yourself to mastering the magics I've taught you during our time as master and apprentice?"
"I do."
"Do you swear that you will become the best magus possible you're able to become over the course of your life?"
"I do."
"Will you promise me that you will never pass on anything I've taught you to anyone but those of your future descendants that you deem worthy?"
"I will."
Perseus reaches both hands into the inside of his leather jacket,"Kneel."
She does so and he withdraws one hand to show an azoth dagger in his grip, and the other holds a small journal,"Over the course of our time as master and servant we have lived, eaten, fought, and bled together. I have deemed you worthy enough to entrust to you the secrets of the planet's waters, and the secrets of your own soul. In this journal are copies of my personal notes, observations, and spells regarding both subjects. Do you vow on your own soul that you will become my legacy upon this world, to be a reminder that I once walked among these humans?"
She bows her head,"I solemnly swear I will do so, my teacher."
She raises her head and he hands her the book,"Then I declare your apprenticeship with me completed and present you with this dagger."
She takes ahold of the handle offered to her,"Within this dagger is a power equal to your three unused command seals. That means three times in your life you may summon me, or give me an absolute command. The gem at the end is a flawless diamond that will hold however much power you pump into it. The blade itself is enchanted to be unbreakable and unable to be stolen."
She holds both the book and the dagger with tears in her eyes as she sinks into her own shadow,"Goodbye Joker. I won't forget you."
His eyes soften and his presence relaxes,"I won't forget you either, little master. Until we next meet, I wish you a good life full of joy and success."
With his words she disappears, sent back to her uncle as a tear in reality forms in front of Perseus. He gives the foreign world one last long look before stepping through and vanishes from the presence of the planet and humanity.
****
"Congratulations on a successful job, my chosen one."
I bow slightly,"Thank you, Lord Outsider. I can proudly announce that the influence contained in the grail has been transferred onto myself to serve you."
He smirks,"You've done exceedingly well this time around. Go home, and take a break with your loved ones. I will deposit you at the moment when you left so that you may avoid you woman's rage."
I chuckle before expressing my concerns with my instinct,"Milord, what is this, this feeling I'm experiencing? It started just this morning and has become increasingly worse."
He sighs and closes his eyes for a minute before opening them,"Your instinct is telling you something is about to happen. Something that will impact your existence greatly. And I fear my meddling brother is at the center of all this as I have felt him becoming more active as of late. He fears you, for good reason I might add. He fears how much you've grown in such a short period of time. With End's laws binding me all I can really tell you is that it would be smart to prepare for the worst. Your ability as a leader will be put to the test in the coming days."
He waves his hand,"Now, off with you! Go home and rest. If anything else happens I will let you know."
I hesitate for a moment before tearing a hole in reality and slip through, back to my home.