Epilogue: Fresh start

One day after the end of the Holy Grail War. Itadori and Choso took Sakura to the hospital, since her grandfather, Matou Zouken, may have done something to the girl.

She was under observation and the only ones who stayed in the hospital were Itadori and Kiritsugu.

Itadori ran through the hospital corridors, breathing heavily and his heart beating wildly in his chest. The urgency to see Sakura drove him with every step. Finally, he saw her room and, without hesitation, opened the door.

Inside, Sakura was sitting on the stretcher, looking out the window. When she heard the door open, she turned to see Itadori. Despite her smile, he could see the tiredness in her eyes and the slight paleness on her face.

"Sakura!" - Itadori exclaimed, moving forward to hug her gently. - "I came as quickly as I could. How are you?"

She hugged him back, feeling his warmth and concern. - "I'm fine, Yuuji. It wasn't anything serious. The doctors said it wasn't anything serious. I just needed to do some tests to be sure."

Itadori stepped back a little, still holding her hands, and looked directly into her eyes. - "When I heard that you might be hurt, I became desperate. I can't imagine what I would do if something worse had happened."

Sakura squeezed his hands, trying to convey reassurance. - "I'm fine, really. It was just a scare. But I'm glad you came."

Itadori nodded, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. He sat on the edge of the bed and started talking about what had happened while he was on the way to the hospital, trying to ease the tension he still felt.

The two chatted for a while, the atmosphere in the room gradually becoming lighter. Itadori told funny stories and Sakura laughed, the color slowly returning to her face. His presence there made everything seem a little better.

Finally, a doctor entered the room and explained that Sakura was free to go home, but that she should avoid physical exertion for a few days. Itadori offered to walk her home, making sure she had everything she needed.

"Sakura, I…" he started, hesitating a little. - "I was thinking about something... important." -He looked at her, trying to gauge her reaction.

"Sakura, I was thinking about... adopting you. But I was afraid that you wouldn't like having the surname Itadori and so on..." - Itadori said.

A silence hovered around the room.

Itadori noticed the discomfort and tried to talk away. - "You know what... FORGET IT, IT WAS A RAVERY OF MINE."

Sakura was silent for a moment, her eyes wide and curious. Then, a smile lit up her face. - "I would love to be an Itadori!" - she said, enthusiastically. - "You are like a big brother to me, Itadori. I would be very happy."

Itadori felt his cheeks flush slightly, surprised by her response. - "Serious?" - he asked, almost in disbelief.

She nodded vigorously. - "Yes... I-I want it."

Itadori felt a cozy warmth in his chest and pulled Sakura into another hug, tighter this time. - "You don't know how happy this makes me, Sakura."

The two stayed like that for a moment, enjoying the new connection they had just made.

Itadori and Sakura walked through the Hospital corridors and went to the room where Kiritsugu was.

Kiritsugu was talking to the boy he saved. - "Hello, you're Shirou, right?" - said Kiritsugu with a somewhat excited voice. - "I'm going to get straight to the point and ask you what you prefer: being sent to an orphanage or staying with the man you just met?"

The question was so sudden that the boy didn't know exactly what to say.

He closed his eyes, thinking hard about the matter. Placing your hand on your chin and then crossing your arms.

It didn't take long for the boy to simply point the finger at Kiritsugu, accepting his proposal.

"Great!" - said Kiritsugu, taking the boy's clothes. - "Then get dressed soon. You need to get used to your new home as soon as possible."

Itadori was just listening to the conversation from afar. - 'I forget that Kiritsugu is completely different when talking to children.' - Itadori said, remembering Illya.

"Oops, I already forgot something important. Something extremely important that I need to tell you. Ready? I need to tell you straight away, I'm a wizard." - said Kiritsugu, turning around and telling Shirou the truth.

'He said it so naturally that it's scary, even...' - Itadori thought.

Some minutes later...

Itadori was marching through the park, the sun starting to set over the horizon, hitting the sky with shades of orange and pink. Sakura walked beside him, holding his hand. On the other side, a little behind, Kiritsugu was with Shirou, both in a tense silence.

Itadori felt anger boiling inside him. All the destruction, pain and suffering caused by the Holy Grail War were fresh in his mind. He couldn't understand how anyone could have allowed all this to happen. When he looked at Kiritsugu, he saw a worn-out man, full of scars, both physical and emotional. But that wasn't enough to appease his fury.

Finally, Itadori stopped and turned to face Kiritsugu. "What do you want?" - asked Itadori angrily.

Kiritsugu sighed, eyes fixed on the ground. - "I ask myself that every day, Itadori..." - he replied, his voice low and hoarse. - "I know I made a lot of mistakes. But all I did was try to achieve an ideal of peace. But in the end, I paid too high a price."

Itadori clenched his fists, feeling the tension in his shoulders. - "Apologies won't bring those people back. They won't undo what we did..."

Kiritsugu nodded, pain evident in his gaze. - "I know. But I'm here, trying to do something right now. Taking care of Shirou, trying to give him a better life."

Itadori looked at Shirou, who was next to Kiritsugu, looking at the ground, not knowing what to say. He felt his heart sink when he saw the child. It was impossible not to notice that, despite everything, Kiritsugu was trying.

Sakura tugged on Itadori's sleeve gently, getting his attention. "Yuuji…"

Those simple words hit him deeply. He looked at Kiritsugu again, seeing not just a man who had made mistakes, but someone who was trying, in his own way, to make peace with his past.

Kiritsugu, sensing an opening, stepped forward. - "I don't expect you to forgive me, Itadori. But I hope we can somehow move forward. For their own good."

Itadori took a deep breath, fighting the conflicting feelings within himself. - "I... I can't just forget what happened. But I will try. For them."

Kiritsugu nodded, slight relief visible on his face. - "That's all I ask."

The four continued walking together, the silence between them now a little less heavy. Itadori, still holding Sakura's hand, looked at her and smiled. They had a long way to go, but at least now there was a small glimmer of hope on the horizon.

After a long conversation. Itadori and Kiritsugu decide to live in the old base, but not in that state. So they decided to rebuild the old house.

Taiga's family helped build the new house. A few days have passed and the house is almost ready.

Everyone went out to buy more equipment and materials, only Itadori and Sakura were in the house. Choso and his brothers appeared.

Itadori was hammering the last plank of his new house. The sun was shining brightly, but he was determined to finish the job. The house, situated on a quiet patch of land, was a refuge he was building for himself and Sakura. While he worked, Sakura ran around the yard, happily playing with some wildflowers.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching. Raising his head, he saw Choso approaching with Esu and Keshizu. He put the hammer aside and walked towards them, smiling.

"Choso! What a nice surprise. And you must be Esu and Keshizu, right? I've heard a lot about you." - Itadori said, pretending he didn't know the two, the boy extended his hand.

Esu and Keshizu looked at Itadori's hand with a mixture of curiosity and caution before shaking it. Choso, on the other hand, seemed a little more at ease, but still maintained a serious expression.

"It's nice to finally meet you." - continued Itadori. - "Come on, come in. The house isn't quite ready, but we can get comfortable."

They entered the house, which was in a state of near completion. The walls were up, and most of the furniture was in place, but there were still tools and materials scattered across the floor. Itadori led them to the makeshift living room, where he offered drinks and snacks.

"So how have you guys been?" - Itadori asked, trying to break the ice.

Keshizu, who seemed the more talkative of the two brothers, responded first. - "It's been... interesting. Choso told us about you and everything you've been through. It's kind of strange being here, but I think we're trying to adjust."

Esu, more reserved, nodded in agreement. - "We're still getting used to it. But it's good to see we have a good brother like you."

Choso, who was sitting at the side, looked at Itadori gratefully. - "You did a lot for me and my brothers, Itadori. I just wanted them to see with their own eyes the person who helped us so much."

Itadori smiled. - "You are family, Choso. I know things haven't been easy, but I hope we can build something good together."

While they were talking, Sakura ran into the room, curious about the new visitors. She looked at them with her big inquisitive eyes.

Esu and Keshizu looked at the little girl. - "Who is she?" - asked Esu.

Keshizu and turned to his older brother. "She... Isn't she afraid of us?!"

"No, she has a good heart." - said Choso, smiling internally.

"Who are they, Yuuji?" - asked Sakura.

Itadori smiled and bent down to her level. "These are Esu and Keshizu, they are my brothers. In other words, they are your brothers too."

Sakura smiled shyly. "Hi, I'm Sakura."

The brothers responded to Sakura's greeting with genuine smiles. The atmosphere began to relax a little more as everyone settled into each other's presence.

The conversation flowed, with Esu and Keshizu sharing stories of their experiences and Itadori talking about building the house. Choso watched with a satisfied look, happy to see his brothers beginning to integrate into a more positive environment.

As the sun set, casting a golden light over the room, Choso cleared his throat, signaling that he needed to talk about something important. - "Yuji, I need to tell you about our other brothers."

Itadori frowned, noticing the seriousness in Choso's voice. - "What there was?"

Choso took a deep breath. - "Our other seven brothers... They are cursed fetuses. I brought them with me. We need to leave them in a safe place."

After a while, Kiritsugu and Shirou arrived. It wasn't easy to explain to them everything that happened, in short, it was a long conversation.

A few days later...

The house was already ready. The morning was cool, with a light breeze rustling the leaves on the trees around the property. Itadori had organized an outdoor training session for everyone. He wanted to make sure Sakura and Shirou were prepared to defend themselves if something happened. The field behind the house turned into a small training ground, with targets set up and designated areas for different types of training.

Choso stood in the center of the field, holding his blood bow. Beside her, Sakura held a lighter bow, made especially for her. Her eyes were full of determination, ready to learn.

"First, Sakura, you need to understand the correct posture." - Choso explained, positioning himself next to her. - "Keep your feet firm, a little apart, and relax your shoulders."

Sakura imitated her stance, trying to keep herself balanced. Choso gently adjusted the position of his arms and shoulders. - "Now, pull the rope slowly, keeping your elbow high. Take a deep breath and concentrate on the target."

She tugged on the rope, feeling the tension increase. Choso watched closely, correcting small details. - "That's right. Now, release the rope gently."

The arrow shot and flew towards the target, hitting the edge. Sakura smiled, excited. - "I achieved!"

Choso smiled back. - "Very good for a first try. With practice, you will improve even more."

Across the field, Itadori was with Shirou, showing him basic hand-to-hand combat moves. Itadori was wearing training clothes and demonstrated each movement with precision. Shirou, still a little hesitant, tried to follow his steps.

"First, Shirou, let's work on your position." - Itadori said, adjusting the position of Shirou's feet. - "Keep your feet firm, knees slightly bent. The base is essential for any movement."

Shirou nodded, trying to follow instructions. Itadori began demonstrating basic punches and kicks, and Shirou imitated his movements. - "Remember, it's not just about strength. It's about technique and precision. Use your body weight to power your strikes."

Shirou punched the air, concentrating on making each move correctly. Itadori watched, correcting postures and offering words of encouragement. - "Good, now let's try a little defense. Raise your arms to protect your face."

While Choso and Itadori were busy with their students, Kiritsugu was sitting on a nearby log, watching everyone train. His eyes were filled with a mixture of melancholy and pride. He saw in Itadori and Choso hope for a better future for Sakura and Shirou.

Kiritsugu knew that his time as a warrior was in the past, but finding young people willing to protect and teach gave him a renewed sense on purpose. He observed each movement, every correction, enjoying their dedication.

Sakura launched another arrow, this time closer to the center of the target. Choso praised her, and she smiled, determined to continue improving. On the other side, Shirou was starting to take the pace, his movements becoming more fluid under the patient's patient orientation.

The morning passed quickly, with laughter and words of encouragement filling the air. When the sun was tall in the sky, they all paused, gathering around a picnic table Itadori had set up.

"You are doing very well." - Itadori said, serving juice to everyone. - "With time and practice, you will become very skilled."

Choso nodded, drinking his juice. - "I'm impressed by how quickly Sakura is learning. She has great potential."

Sakura blushed lightly with the compliment. - "Thank you, Brother. I will keep working hard." Choso started to cry and that worried Sakura.

Shirou, still breathing a little heavy from training, looked at Itadori. - "Thanks for teaching me, brother Yuji. I want to get stronger."

Itadori smiled, putting a hand on Shirou's shoulder. - "And you go, shirou. Together, we all go."

Kiritsugu, sitting a little away, watched the scene with a discreet smile. He knew that with guidance and support, these children would have a better future. And for a moment, he felt a little peace in his heart.

The afternoon continued with more training and laughs, the house and the training camp fills with a new energy, a renewed hope.

--Five years later --

Itadori was walking through the huge hallways of the house, when he became distracted by something.

"Hey... Hey, Dad."

Kiritsugu and Shirou were sitting outside the house, they were both in the backyard looking at the moon, Itadori was in the corner just watching the two from afar.

The older man seemed distracted. He turned to Shirou.

"If you're going to sleep, do it in your bed." - Shirou said.

"It's okay... Not really, I'm fine..." - the boy looked at his father. - "When I was little, I wanted to be a hero." - said Kiritsugu.

"What?" - said Shirou

'What?' - thought Itadori.

"You 'wanted' to be a hero? Did you give up?" - Shirou asked, confused by his father's answer.

"Yes... It's unfortunate, but... Being a hero is limited. When you grow up, it's difficult to consider yourself one..." - said Kiritsugu.

'You really are indecipherable, Emiya Kiritsugu... But I think I can understand you better now.' - Itadori thought with his arms crossed and his eyes closed.

Kiritsugu continued. - "I should have realized that before..."

"I see... It's a shame." - Shirou said.

.....

"Really... You're absolutely right..." - Kiritsugu looked at the heavens. - "The moon is very beautiful today."

"Yes... Since you couldn't be, I'll do it for you." - Shirou said.

This answer left Itadori and Kiritsugu surprised.

"You're an adult now, so you can't. But I can. Leave it to me... Your dream." - said the boy with orange hair. His eyes shone as he said those words.

"It's okay...it's...I can rest easy now...Well..."

"I want to be a hero of justice."

End of the Epilogue..