Down on the street, Shirou Emiya was taking a little extra walk after his work shift had ended. His mind was whirling with everything he'd learned today, the damaged house he'd visited again, what his classmates had told him during lunch and behind the club… pretty much everything except for schoolwork. He let a clone handle that business, and the collected knowledge now sat in the back of his mind untouched while he pondered the rising worries.
As he walked, he couldn't help but flash back to ten years ago, the farthest back his memories went, when he'd just been a little boy lying amongst ashes and flames so hot, he couldn't breathe, and a tired-looking man in black hovering over him. "You're alive… You're alive…" He remembered peering up at sad, dark eyes that were tearing in relief. "You're alive!"
"T-thank you… Thank you for this…" Shirou could never forget the smile the man gave him while gripping his tiny weak hand. "If I… could save… just one life… I might be saved…"
The one bright moment of what everyone would later refer to as the "Fuyuki Fire."
Then Shirou's memories shifted forward to sitting in a hospital bed surrounded by so many other kids, and that same man had walked up to him, introduced himself as Kiritsugu Emiya, and told him his options were to go to an orphanage or move in with a man he'd just met.
He still remembered how happy Kiritsugu had looked when Shirou chose him, how he'd laughed and cast a big smile over his shoulder even though no one else had been there. He remembered Kiritsugu quickly packing up his stuff while telling him about their new home and a friend who would go on to be one of the most important people in his life.
He remembered being amazed when he heard the words, "Yeah, there's no point keeping this from you… I'm a practitioner of magic."
But despite still feeling this wonder from back then, Shirou couldn't help but wonder about all those other kids, how so many people had died back then trying to save each other. Everyone believed him to be an even-tempered guy, but really, it made him mad when those who tried the hardest still died. Was it so wrong to wish that everybody could be saved and happy in the end?
He remembered asking his dad about this during a Kendo session in the dojo. "You're talking about saving everyone, Shirou," Kiritsugu had told him, the setting sun's light through the window making it hard to see his face before it looked away, "and that's a lot easier said than done."
Kid-Shirou hadn't been happy with that answer; Kiritsugu had saved his life, right? So, he'd asked if Kiritsugu was saying they shouldn't even bother saving anyone.
Kiritsugu had turned back to smile a little fondly at him. "As a friend once reminded me, valuing life isn't weakness, and disregarding it isn't strength. Those who forget the latter rule ruin themselves in the long run." He rolled his shoulder before readying his shinai. "Whatever you decide to do when you grow up, Shirou, never forget how precious life is."
Shirou still felt a little confused even now about those words. Sometimes, it had felt like there were two different sides to his old man. Another moment had been where he'd asked if Kiritsugu with all his magic could've saved every life back when the Fire broke out.
"Shirou," Kiritsugu told him sitting there in the dark, "you can only save one life by sacrificing another." Then he made that smile again. "Though there are exceptions to that rule," the smile faded again, "by and large, people can only help those on their side. Basically, that's what it means to be a Hero of Justice. But you need to be careful about deciding who should be saved and who shouldn't. If you stare too long into the darkness, you tend to lose your ability to see the light in anything or anyone."
Both points Shirou Emiya had come to understand a little better over time. He recognized the logic of saving and sacrificing. He respected the danger of getting lost in darkness, but even so, wasn't that all the more reason to keep everyone else from falling into it? He couldn't accept a way that only saves so many. It was horrible, the idea of strangers being killed like back then, and with him being the only one saved…
Shirou hung his head. Now his thoughts had come full circle again, and he was still no closer to an answer even while wandering halfway across case, he'd return to their last conversation and ponder what exactly the Will of Fire was again. It was time to head home…
He stopped. There was this weird feeling in the back of his head, like someone was watching him right now. On impulse, Shirou rose his head and saw a familiar figure in a red coat, high up on top of a skyscraper.
Rin Tohsaka locked gazes with Shirou Emiya. "It's that guy, I'm positive about it," she muttered beneath her breath from her vantage point.
"See somebody, Rin?" Lancer X perked up next to Archer, craning her head to see.
He stiffened a little beside her. "Is it an enemy?"
The Master closed her eyes and calmly walked away from the ledge. "It's nothing, just someone I know. A run-of-the-mill guy who doesn't anything to do with us."
(On the sidewalk, Shirou had rubbed his eyes and looked back up and seen no one. "Wasn't that Tohsaka just now…?" Eventually, he chalked it up to a hallucination from getting lost in his own thoughts and continued on his path.)
"Anyway," eager to change the topic, Rin turned to her Servants, "you have sharp eyes, too, Lancer X. I notice you have the Mystic Eyes Skill, is this a byproduct of that?"
Ruby shook her head. "Nope, my marksmanship's all hard work," she bragged slightly. "On Remnant, it's usually a pretty bad idea to let the Grimm overwhelm you, so you learn quick to take them down from a distance and fight close-range. Of course, there are plenty like my sister who preferred getting up close and personal or the other way around."
Archer was listening, too. "Your sister was a, what was it you called yourself again? A Huntress?"
"Yeah, Yang's older than me by about two years, and she's always looked out for me ever since we were little." Lancer X groaned a little, noticing in passing how Rin was standing a bit stiffer again. "And she and Dad would always tell me I'd need to do stupid small talk and get to know people to help me grow up. Shows what she knows!" She proudly crossed her arms and declared, "I drank milk!"
"Like a rebel," Archer snarked, prompting a stink-eye from her. "And given your height, I'd say your milk-drinking days are far from over." He teasingly lifted a hand high above Lancer X's hand while she sputtered indignantly.
However, his smirk and amusement were destined to end the moment she drew back her right foot. Thwack! "Ouch!"
Her mood improving, Rin giggled slightly with a hand over her mouth while glancing between a pouting Lancer X and Archer cradling his left leg. "Aw, what's wrong?" She teased the latter. "A big strong hero like you can't take a kick from an adorable little girl?"
"Hey!"
While his partner was now directing her ire at Rin, Archer rubbed his bruised shin. "An adorable little girl with B-rank Strength," he hissed through gritted teeth, "and steel-toed boots."
That prompted an eyebrow raised at Lancer X from their Master. She in turn got the (unexpectedly deadpan) answer, "I hunted Grimm in my old life." She crossed her arms. "And I am not adorable, I am awesome."
"You're something alright," Rin murmured, her eyes narrowing at the red-hooded Servant's parameters. For someone barely her height to have such stats… "How are you this strong?"
Ruby relaxed a little before closing her eyes in concentration. Rin and Archer watched curiously as a red energy field shimmered briefly over her entire body, including her cape. "It's called 'Aura' on Remnant. We can manifest our souls into a kind of force field that protects us but also boosts our strength, speed and healing, too." She flexed her left arm. "It can break if I take enough hits, but I'm a little stronger than I look even without it."
"Can you show me this 'Aura' again?" Rin stepped closer, openly fascinated by the crimson energy surrounding the other girl. She poked it slightly, prompting a giggle from her. "So, it's active even when invisible, but you can still register pain and other sensations through it, can't you?" Lancer X nodded, and she ran a finger along the right arm with her Magic Circuits active. "As a Servant, it's fueled by mana like the rest of you, and its physical enhancement probably translates to your Strength, Endurance and Agility stats. Breaking Aura might lower them by one rank… Is this force field the extent of Aura's application?"
"Nope!" Ruby suddenly dissolved into a red mass that shot across every corner of the roof and returned to her original spot faster than even Archer could blink. Rose petals drifted in her wake before dissipating. "Everyone that has Aura has a chance to unlock a 'Semblance,' their very own superpower." Lancer X spread her arms with a smile. "Mine's superspeed."
Archer scratched his chin and watched the last of the petals disappear, the pain in his shin long gone. "Now that you're a Servant, a 'Semblance' that flashy almost surely qualifies as your Noble Phantasm," he theorized before stumbling upon a thought. "But does it really just make you faster? I've seen a fair number of speed-enhancing powers in my time, and what you did seems… different."
"Well, I can do a couple other things with my Semblance besides running around. Anyway," she then manifested some big red metal thing in her hands, "seeing as we're talking about what we can do, let me show you guys my baby-"
"No," Rin held out her left palm to make Lancer X stop, "that's quite enough for now. I'll admit to being impressed, but there's no need for you to reveal your spear at the moment. Especially since we can't be sure no one's still watching us."
"But it's not really a-"
Rin frowned at the Heroic Spirit of the Spear. "You've. Shown us. Enough." She then turned away to think, dully aware of Ruby slumping. Perhaps she was a little harsh, but she wasn't in any particular hurry to see that kind of weapon unless absolutely necessary.
Archer studied his partner with a contemplative mien, then he turned his analytical gaze to their Master. "I almost forgot to ask you something." Having their attention, he continued. "Rin, I assume you began your magus training from an early age to become a Master. And you consented to these lessons wholeheartedly, didn't you?"
"Of course." Rin shifted towards him. "The Tohsaka family has been dreaming of winning the Holy Grail for generations."
"Then I hope you're aware of your goal. We can't dedicate our weapons to you if we don't know what you're fighting for, or that's at least how I see it." He glanced over to his partner, but Lancer X didn't seem to disagree. "So, tell us, Rin, what is your wish?"
"Wish?" Rin placed her left hand on her hip. "I honestly don't have a wish."
Her answer clearly shocked the two Heroic Spirits, something she chalked up as another win. "You don't…" Archer was particularly vocal about it. "That can't be right. The Grail is an omnipotent object capable of granting any wish, something that has enticed even heroes of other worlds to come to this city." He nodded towards his unmoving partner. "You could rule the world, maybe anyworld, with such power."
But the Tohsaka Master scoffed. "World domination sounds like more trouble than it's worth. Why should I wish for something that stupid?"
"Okay, so if you don't need the Grail, then why are you fighting for it at all?" Lancer X asked.
Rin turned to them both, hands on her hips and a confident smile on her lips. "I'm fighting because there's a battle to be fought, my Servants. And I'm going to win it."
Archer's jaw nearly came loose, but it wasn't he who spoke. "So, that's it?" Lancer X had long stopped smiling. "You're only fighting in the Grail War for bragging rights?"
"No," her turquoise eyes glittered like gems from rising annoyance, "I'm not fighting to brag, I'm fighting to win." She began walking towards her Servant. "Do you have something to say to me, Lancer X?"
Those silver eyes stared unyielding right back at her. "You think you're ready for this, don't you?" The steel in her voice took Rin a little aback, though she tried not to let it show. "You've heard all kinds of stories, you've been training your whole life and learned lots of spells, and now you think this is it. This is the moment you've been waiting for, and you're ready to take on anybody. There's nothing and no one that can stand in your way."
Rin crossed her arms and nearly scowled. "And now you're going to tell me otherwise? You might be a Servant, but you don't look or act like you were any older than me when your life ended, Ruby Rose. Or does living on Remnant automatically make you an expert on war?"
"I'm not an expert." She blinked. That wasn't the answer she expected. Nor did she see the sadness that seemed to wash over Lancer X where she stood. "When war came to me and my friends, we found out we weren't ready at all." Her gaze flickered away before returning to Rin's with new determination. "Your reason for being in this is up to you, Rin. I've got no right to judge that. But if my life taught me anything, it's that nobody's ever ready for war."
She then shifted into spirit form amid red sparkles, leaving behind Rin who was trying not to show any sign of her being rattled, and a visibly contemplative Archer. Finally, the latter nodded to himself. "It seems I really have wound up with quite the team. And I'm curious to see what happens next."
Unbeknownst to them all, a certain bulldog had been watching them from the shadows. And he wasn't the only observer.
Sakura Tohsaka, for her part, was back in her normal uniform and walking to her bus stop. Aside from the cleanup and the talk with her senpais, her day had been pretty peaceful. However, that didn't mean she wasn't aware that something was going on in Fuyuki. She'd already been sensing embers of magic this morning while heading towards Homurahara, and there was even a slight change in her route because part of the street had been ripped apart. Plus, all the other students' gossip buzzing about wrecked houses, "gas leaks" and then the murders…
And it looks like Big Sister has gone and put herself in the middle of it all, Sakura lamented. Frustration about the lack of communication aside, she truly hoped that Rin's absence today was because she'd succeeded in summoning the Servant she'd wanted. Better that than because some enemy magus or Servant had broken into the house and killed her.
…Well, Sakura might've been really happy if Rin had actually been sick today, because that would've meant she couldn't actually compete in the Grail War. But no, her older sister was too proud and too stubborn to let a little cold stop her. She could've tripped and broken nearly every bone in her body, and she'd still wheel herself into the Grail War; bed, cast and all.
Sakura wasn't expected to get involved in this, of course. She was Rin Tohsaka's powerless little sister, as confirmed by the yearly poking and prodding to confirm the Magic Circuits she'd once had and lost didn't simply turn up again. She could just duck her head and let the sparks fly like Mother, praying that this latest War didn't end up razing the city to the ground like the last one did.
Except she couldn't. She'd told Atto as much last night, and as much as walking about in the waking world dampened her confidence, she had made her decision. Command Seals or not, she was going to get answers.
Thus, Sakura withdrew from her bag a little device of copper engraved with Elvish letters and a gem Big Sister had discarded in its center. She'd designed it based on some of Father's notes and her own theories to gauge her magical wavelength. The jewel pulsed with light a few times as she let a little of her magic flow into it, the intervals between each pulse growing shorter… but not quite disappearing. "Not the right moment…" she mumbled.
She stowed the device away and stepped out of the shadows to nearly collide with a shoulder. "O-oh, sorry!" Sakura hurriedly hopped away from the blonde man, bowing her head to him. "I'm very sorry about that, I was caught up in my thoughts and didn't see where I was-"
"Be at ease," a smooth voice humming with no small amount of confidence cut her off. "You clearly meant no harm, and no harm was done."
Sakura peeked cautiously up a little to see a tall young man waving his hand at her. The other hand was stuck in the pocket of his black pants, same color as the jacket over his white shirt. His blonde hair hung over his forehead, partially hiding his crimson eyes that made Sakura a little uneasy even as they gazed back at her with no obvious malice.
But they weren't looking away, and something told the girl he wouldn't appreciate being silently stared. So, she straightened before bowing again and taking on a respectful tone like Atto's. "T-thank you for your understanding, sir. I had no intention of causing you any inconvenience, and I wish you a good evening."
She risked a glance during her bow at him. The man was staring at her with an indecipherable expression before his mouth slowly curled into a grin. She bristled slightly, wondering if she'd run into a rapist or something, but then he laughed a little. "Such fine manners for such a young yet strong flower," he chuckled, "and it's been some time since I've felt like this from an interaction." He didn't bow back, but he stepped out of her way seemingly pleased. "Enjoy your evening as well, young one, I certainly intend to find some entertainment tonight."
Sakura didn't quite unclench her fist, but she collected her dignity and chanced her way slowly past him with a grateful nod. The man made no attempt to stop her. Just as she was about to round the corner, though, he called out to her. "You appear disappointed. Is something bothering you?"
For a moment, Sakura considered handling this like Big Sister would: politely deny and say a more pronounced goodbye, then grow more passive-aggressive the longer he insisted.
However, some primal part of her suspected that if she didn't show this… man due respect, she would pay for it. So, she turned around. "There's this… personal project. I'm trying to get more involved, but… it feels like there's this big, invisible wall in front of me at every turn. And it's not like anybody expects much of me anyways…" That last part slipped out before Sakura realized it, but she managed to keep anything else sealed up.
It seemed enough to placate the man, though, standing there thoughtfully as he was. "Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing," he finally said as he turned sideways, "but do not let any walls bar you. Bide your time so that when the moment comes, you can seize it with both hands." He then began to walk in the direction she just came from, no hurry in his steps. "Do not let others' expectations stifle your potential, young flower. Bloom as you see fit."
Sakura stared blinking after the man, half-wondering if there was some punchline or attack waiting for her, but he made no motion to even look behind him. O-kay… The sound of the bus's motor startled her out of her confusion, and she quickly made for the stop. Tonight being the night or not, she didn't want to worry Mother by arriving home any later than usual.
High above her, a small cluster of insects gathered buzzing about to watch her every move. A closer inspection would've revealed them to be rather irregular, horrifyingly unnatural specimens that could only have been created for unspeakable things. At a telepathic signal from their creator, they made to follow the young dark-haired girl as she stepped onto the bus…
And like all the others that were given this task before them, a sudden flash of golden light was the last thing they would ever see.
Back home, Shirou had changed into his street clothes, a white shirt with blue sleeves and dark jeans, and slid open the dining room door to find Taiga sprawled out in front of the television, snacking on rice crackers. "About time you got home from work," she mumbled between bites. And even after I told you not to come home too late!"
As he sat down at the table and turned off the TV, Shirou wondered if she'd heard about the murder yet, and if she was genuinely worried for him… "I've always got to wait so long for dinner on your workdays!" Taiga whined while on all fours.
…Then again, she was most likely just interested in him cooking for her. Called it, Aunt Maiya. "You could just get some dinner at your own home, you know?"
"Haven't I told you enough times by now that this is my own home?"
Shirou started at that and her face before looking away, trying not to smile. "Give me a break…" He glanced down to find a paper all rolled up by his cushion. "What's this?" He unrolled it to find a poster of some kiddie thing.
"Oh, yeah." Taiga crawled smiling over to him on all fours. "I needed to pick that up, but I'm giving it to you now because I don't want it anymore."
Shirou calmly rolled it up. "Why would I want it?" He then swiped at her with the poster…
Only for Taiga to evade it, snatch up another rolled-up sheet and bonk him on the head with it. She snickered triumphantly at his deadpan face. "Poor Shirou, thinking you could get a hit on me with skills like that." The former fourth-dan swordswoman stood up while balancing her dented weapon on her shoulder.
"You just like to pick on me because you've never beaten Aunt Maiya…" he grumbled rubbing his head.
Taiga's smile became strained while wagging the poster at him. "That's because Big Sis is always taking cheap shots! In a fair fight, I'd whoop her butt!"
"Uh huh…"
It might've been wrong to take pleasure seeing your surrogate sister fuming like this, but if it was wrong, Shirou Emiya didn't want to be right. "Oh, just hurry up and whip up some dinner, mister! I'm starving!"
"Alright, alright," the little brother conceded before getting up and walking towards the kitchen. He made a note to prepare a little extra for his "bodyguards" and then wondered if he should call up any others. The house did feel a little lonely without Maiya around…
She said she'd be back tomorrow evening, Shirou reminded himself while getting some ingredients out of the fridge. His eyes lingered on the eggs. Maybe I should surprise her with something fresh. Aunt Maiya did take the last of the brownies with her… Plus, it's been a while since I've baked cookies.
The Tohsaka manor was similarly empty when Rin arrived, and she had much less interest in making any noise at this time of night. She simply had dinner, told her Servants she'd been turning in, not even bothering to look at Lancer X directly, and retired to her room. "Who does that sugar-powered dolt think she is, lecturing me like that?" She fumed while slipping out of her uniform and pulling on her nightgown. "I know what I signed up for. I will not be looked down by a mere Heroic Spirit, especially one no older than me. What could Ruby know about war anyway?" But even as Rin said the words, that sadness in the other girl's eyes came to mind again.
She trudged towards her bed with a sigh. Figures that a Lancer would give me such a headache.
On the ground floor, Archer was walking through the halls until he spotted his partner in the living room. Lancer X stood by the window with her back turned to him, gazing up at the moon. "Is it surreal?" She turned to him with a tired yet questioning look, and Archer nodded at the sky outside. "You mentioned Remnant's moon is… shattered. I imagine it must be strange being on a world with an intact one."
"…I guess so." Something about how she sighed made his heart wrench a little, but he put it aside. "A little while before I… died, I found out alongside my team how our moon was broken in the first place. Who broke it… and why… and a lot of other revelations." Ruby put a hand to the glass and stared at this world's moon. "Didn't have much time to process it all before we needed to keep moving…" She tried to smile as she pulled out that 'Scroll' of hers to show him an image of a moon with half of it in floating pieces. "This one's not so bad." She briefly opened the window and snapped a picture of the one above them.
Archer walked over to join her as she closed the window again, his own silver eyes drifting up to the partially veiled white object among the stars. "Magi of this world sometimes refers to their own society as 'the Moonlit World.' I guess it's their way of highlighting how magic is kept hidden from normal people, conducting their business in those moments where any sane person wouldn't be around to watch. It's why the Holy Grail War proceeds at nighttime." Lancer X nodded a little, though he knew she wasn't completely listening to him. Not that he could blame her. "…What you told Rin on the roof wasn't wrong."
Her shoulders sagged a bit, but the Heroic Spirit of the Spear's voice was strong. "Didn't do any favors for our team. Besides, you looked like you were on her side."
"Better to let her think that than risk compromising our cooperation. But for the record, I agree with you. Our Master is taking this entire situation far too lightly." He crossed his arms. "I think you might've sparked something in her, though, and if it helps her realize that the Grail Wars aren't a game, all the better."
"Rin's smart and talented," Lancer X chewed her lip, "but she's got her pride, too, and I get the feeling she doesn't like me much. You saw how ticked off she got all of a sudden when I wanted to show her my baby, right?"
Archer nodded, privately amused at hearing her dub her weapon her "baby." "I don't think her reaction was aimed at you, specifically, Ruby. I'm not sure what exactly set her off, but it wasn't your fault. You haven't done anything wrong since we met last night."
A snicker escaped her. "Well, aside from headbutting our Master right after I got summoned…"
"I stand by what I said." Lancer X giggled, and Archer himself couldn't hold back a slight chuckle. It was… unnerving how much he was tempted to lower his guard around this girl, especially since he pretty much had her personality pegged from their interactions throughout this day and two nights. Optimistic, energetic, so helpful she almost stepped out of spirit form on their tour just to assist an old grocer with loading a few crates onto his truck… It was all so nauseatingly heroic.
Hence what he said next. "Then again, I think Rin might've had a point about familiarizing ourselves with the city. I feel like doing some reconnaissance now that it's dark. Maybe I can pick up a few leads on the other teams' whereabouts or even figure out who'd been spying on us."
Lancer X hummed thoughtfully at the suggestion, seemingly on board with it. "Sure you want to head out alone? There are probably other teams out and about right now, and your world's Servants will have partners like you and me. I wouldn't get in the way if I tagged along."
"I appreciate the offer," and much to his own annoyance, the Servant of the Bow really did, "but it's better if one of us stays behind to guard Rin." Archer tugged at his coat's lapel. "My clothes carry some enchantments that help me stay beneath notice, and I can move quietly better on my own." Ruby still didn't seem completely convinced, so he added, "If I end up in a tight spot, I'll call you over our link. You're the speedy one with that Semblance, right?"
At the reminder of her Petal Burst, Lancer X relented. "Okay, guess I'll keep a lookout. Good luck out there." Archer then opened the window again and stepped onto the ledge, but not before she grabbed his arm. "Just don't think twice about calling for backup, okay, partner?" She grinned at him. "Another thing I learned on life is the plus side of being on a team: You don't have to fight on your own. And I'm looking forward to us fighting side-by-side."
Archer stared at her before doing that weird smirk/smile of his. "Well, let's see how it goes." He turned back to the open field as she let go of him, though something compelled him to say one last thing. "But for what it's worth, I do think you'd make a fine partner."
And so Rin Tohsaka's male Servant sprang out into the night while the other watched him go.
Rhythmic pounding echoed across the walls of the Matou family's basement while Shinji sauntered down its steps. Every leathery crack sent a small shiver through his body, old bruises acting up again, but he kept his steps even and his face cool. Oh, joy. He's in a good mood.
He soon reached the bottom to find his dear uncle bare-chested and making a sandbag rue the day it had been stitched together. Fists wrapped in thick bandages struck it again and again with lightning speed, a startling contrast to the silver-grey hair that hung from Masao's sweating head. Shinji idly inspected the various scars lining his open back, trying hard not to compare them to the ones he sported. "Fighting off rheumatism, Uncle?" He called over as he walked over to a nearby table.
A single red eye snapped towards him, and it took all the boy's strength not to flinch away; he'd received plenty lessons about the consequences of showing weakness. "If you spent as much time honing your body as you do your wit, boy," Masao sneered before finishing another combo, "you may become a real threat."
"What makes you think I'm not already?" Shinji made to lean against the table's before suddenly snatching up a trench knife and hurling it straight at the man's broad chest. The knife was caught, but he'd already grabbed another and was lunging forward with it in one hand, his other peeling off his school jacket. Shinji tossed it into his uncle's face and stepped in for a lunge-
A knee to the gut blasted out the air from his lungs, then broad fingers closed around his throat. He was hefted off his feet before slammed down against the stone floor. Shinji coughed against the hand holding him down, the knee pressed onto his chest, and the blade now hovering near his eye, barely holding onto his own. Masao loomed over him, the dark eyepatch over his right eye pronounced by his smirk. "There's your answer." He gently rapped the knife against Shinji's cheek. "A decent maneuver, but far too predictable."
Shinji struggled in vain against the larger body before slumping… only to smile back. "Is… that… so?"
Only then did Masao register the slight buzzing of Blade Wing Worms hovering near his neck and ready to tear into his flesh. Despite that, his smirk only widened. "Finally learning to use the unorthodox, eh? Hah!" He then got up from Shinji, allowing him to breathe unimpeded again. "You may survive this yet, Shinji."
"Oh… surviving is the least I plan to do." The younger Matou rubbed his throat even while mentally recalling his Worms, then rose to his feet himself. A hiss of pain slipped through his teeth, and he felt a cruel look from the man who'd been "mentoring" him this last decade, but he refused to let it taint his next words. "Rin Tohsaka skipped school today, and based on a little investigating via some of my 'pets,' I suspect she was showing off the city to her new Servants."
"Two of them, just as the other Masters have summoned," Masao confirmed while adjusting his right arm's wraps. "And she was indeed prancing around Fuyuki with her new entourage." A bark of laughter. "As overconfident as her father… Our own spies couldn't risk shadowing them too closely, but we wager Tohsaka has the Archer and Lancer X under her thumb." He shot a glare down at his bare hand before promptly covering it. "Leaving only two Servants who have yet to be called."
Shinji replaced his knife on the table. "Saber and Assassin X." He tilted his head as though to mull it over. "Hard to say who else might qualify as a Master in this tiny little city. The Einzbern castle's being inhabited at the moment, according to Assassin, so that brings all three Great Families into the game. Maybe the Einzberns have more than one Master fighting for them this time around."
But Masao shook his head. "Our intelligence suggests that only one Master has been sent by that family. They might have another waiting in the wings as a secret weapon, but I doubt it. Not after the fiasco their last Master made for them." He chuckled to himself as he moved back to the sandbag. "And there's the Magus Association's lackeys, of course. Any excuse to try and secure a treasure like the Grail for themselves."
"They will have sent professionals, Uncle. Trained magi who've spent years honing their magecraft and gathering experience."
The older Matou scoffed. "You think we haven't factored that into our plans yet, boy? We have kept track of their movements since they first announced their participation to Kirei." Something resembling fondness creeped into his tone as he said the priest's name, and a sick feeling curled inside Shinji's stomach. A feeling that only grew at the laughter that followed. "And it appears both seasoned magi have gotten into a bit of trouble with their summonings. They may already be no longer of importance."
Shinji waited for an elaboration on this declaration, but his dear uncle was already back to punishing leather. He sighed quietly to himself. Still testing me after everything I've done to earn my spot in this development? He eyed the flame-like symbol on his left hand. Right… I have no allies in this mansion. Uncle and Grandfather's goals aren't mine. We're just lending each other a hand for now. He turned to leave-
"We aren't done yet, Shinji." The subtle warning in the words made him halt and face Masao cautiously. "What about your former sister?"
A brief scowl crossed Shinji's face before he could stop it. "Sakura Tohsaka doesn't show any signs of being a Master," he countered in a forcibly neutral voice. "She hasn't for over a year now. Besides, her sister's the only one in the family who's still capable of magecraft. Grandfather checked that himself."
He felt some satisfaction at watching Uncle silently concede to that. But his next words put him back on edge. "And what of that idiotic friend of yours? Emiya?"
Shinji shivered yet again, not just at the name, but at how Masao had practically spat it out. He tried to cover it up with a sneer. "What about him? I've been keeping an eye on that dope for years. Emiya might have some ability for magecraft, but his Circuits all stink of little development." Can't say the same about his od, though, he added to himself. "No way he could be a threat to us, Uncle."
"None of that necessarily means he cannot become a Master yet, boy," Masao chided him in between his punches. "One of the Masters in the last Grail War had a deranged serial killer who'd never even heard of magecraft beforehand. And while he was no threat, the Servants he called about caused no small amount of trouble." One of his broad legs snapped up into a roundhouse kick that nearly knocked the sandbag loose. "Talent or no, if no other candidate has been chosen by this point, Shirou Emiya will surely become involved in this Holy Grail War. But if that becomes the case, and he is every bit as inept as you believe him to be…" He turned his head just enough for his eye to lock the youngest magus of this family in place.
Shinji Matou smirked back at him. "Then he's as good as dead already. Why should I waste my Servants' energy on him when I have so many other targets?" His violet eyes gleamed with an unspoken threat, and after a moment, Masao nodded once, a wordless dismissal. So, he turned on his heel and walked confidently back up the basement's steps.
Once he'd returned in the main house, his knees began to buckle, and his breathing turned a little ragged. A hand shot out to brace against the wall while Shinji ran his other hand through his hair. He tried to fight these tremors, tried to prove himself stronger than the fear beaten into him, he was stronger… "Hey, none o' that, boy," a raspy voice washed over him while a heavy hand smacked his back. "Don't let 'em see ya sweat."
Shinji took one more deep breath, let it out, and leered up at a pair of brownish-red eyes. "Tell me something I don't know, old man."
"Yeah?" A toothpick was plucked from a set of crooked teeth curled into a grin not too unkind. "How 'bout this? Rider's been casing the mountain. Temple's sealed up tighter than a bank vault thanks to them bastards, almost got burned for lingerin'. But she's just about set up her show for that school of yers. She can have it up and runnin' tonight." The grin grew a little more crooked, but the Servant said nothing else.
"Good." By now, the Master had fully recomposed himself. "Let's start off small and see what happens." He shot a glare over his shoulder, past Archer X and into the dark pit worse than any nightmares in his entire life. Ten years of hell, ten years of bracing myself for this fight… Once all the rest are dealt with, Grandfather will be ashes in the wind, and you'll be the one under my knee, you rusty old one-eyed bastard.
Below, his uncle hadn't been so caught up in his workout that he didn't notice the energy in Shinji's step. "Ah, the vigor of youth. And arrogance." He, too, remembered a time where he was still making a name for himself and believed the possibilities were endless. Well, life had taught him much since then, including to keep as close an eye on his subordinates as he did on his enemies… and his allies.
Speak of the devil… a cane rapped harshly against the stone blocks as Zouken Matou approached, two spiritual presences right behind his saggy shoulders. But his black eyes gleamed with excitement. "Sounds like our little champion thinks himself ready. Just in time, too. The stage is set, the curtain stands ready to be drawn back, and nearly all the cast has been gathered." He grinned, a terrible expression. "You can sense it, too, can't you, old friend? How the audience awaits this latest performance most eagerly."
"And what a script we've written for them all." "Masao Matou" bared his teeth into a feral grin before delivering one final punch to the sandbag. Sand exploded and scattered across the floor, trickling down into the cracks, while he studied the gaping holes his blow had made. This time, no one will deny me what is rightfully mine.
And here we are, our chapter for Christmas Day! Ho ho ho!
I surely don't need to remind you all who this Attoinside Sakura's dreams is. As for her choice of name, well, looking at canon/Paradox Rin's interactions and memory of her father, I confidently conclude the Tohsaka sisters are both daddy's girls. Just different daddies in this setting.
And now, for the moment some of you might've been waiting for, our first (but not last) X Servant sheet for the story! As always, Noble Phantasms yet to be shown are blended out.
Lancer X-
Class: Lancer
Master: Rin Tohsaka
True Name: Ruby Rose
Titles: Red like Roses Huntress, Leader of Team RWBY, Crater Face
Sex: Female
Source: RWBY
Region: Vale
Alignment: Neutral Good
Strength: B
Endurance: C
Agility: B+
Mana: C
Luck: D
NP: B
Class Skills-
Magic Resistance: Grants protection against magical effects.
C: Lancer X has seen and battled with magical threats in her time. She is capable of resisting mid- to low-level spells and curses without too much effort. She cannot counter High-Thaumaturgy and Greater Rituals, though, nor can she truly perform magic herself.
Personal Skills-
Aura: The ability to harness one's soul in the form of an energy field that surrounds its user's body. It enhances their physical abilities and healing as well as provides protection from attacks that could prove crippling or life-threatening. Upon its breaking, the user's Strength, Endurance, and Agility Stats decrease by one rank, but Aura can recharge with time and Magical Energy.
B: Lancer X appears young and did not officially complete her Huntress education in life, but she has ample training and experience in the field. Her Aura has protected her time and again against enemies that would have torn her to pieces. It is not fully developed, thereby easier to break with multiple consecutive hits, but with Lancer X's speed, this is easier said than done.
Clairvoyance: Is a visual ability that is also called Hawkeye. This is generally a must-have ability of the Archer class. It is also frequently used during scouting. Simply looking from a high location is sufficient to fully survey a town and search for enemies. In addition, Clairvoyance will affect the accuracy of bows. It connotes superior visual perception and dynamic occipital capture, such as to supplement the long-range aiming of projectile weapons. At higher ranks, it is possible that the bearers of this Skill have acquired abilities such as precognition ("future vision") and other forms of perception beyond standard eyesight (X-ray vision and so forth). It is a Skill furnished on the flesh.
C: Lancer X's proficiency with the sniper function of ? would allow her to qualify for Gunner as well as Lancer class. Her shots are accurate enough to counter missiles in mid-flight.
Tactics: Is tactical knowledge used not for one-on-one combat situations, but for battles where many are mobilized. Bonus modifiers are provided during use of one's own Anti-Army Noble Phantasm or when dealing against an enemy Anti-Army Noble Phantasm.
C: Lancer X's excitable personality belies an innate talent for organizing the movements of her allies. She can also notice miniscule details of her opponent and devise reckless but impressive strategies to win the battle, both alone and as part of a team. The headmaster of her school specifically named Lancer X leader of her assigned team because of this strength.
Charisma of Hope: A Skill similar to regular Charisma, yet different; this is where one has the ability to inspire others in times of great sorrow. They do not succumb to despair easily and invigorate others with their presence.
B-: Lancer X has been described as possessing "a simple, honest soul," one with a near-bottomless optimism. Her adventures have tempered her originally naïve worldview and at times nearly disheartened her completely, she even perished in battle with a conflicted heart. Yet this Skill, albeit diminished, is still a core part of her being. Even older, more cynical characters will feel a lifting of their souls in proximity to Lancer X.
Mystic Eyes: A Skill where one has possession of Mystic Eyes, capable of imparting magical effects upon a subject and interfering with the outside world.
B: Lancer X's eyes are of a silver color, a sign that she belongs to an ancient lineage of warriors from her homeworld. These eyes, an exceedingly rare trait, can call upon light and the user's desire to preserve life to turn malevolent spirits or beings of destruction to stone. If concentrated enough, she can even vaporize the targets. However, Servants are both too powerful and not mere creatures of destruction; they are not easily affected by this silver light. Overuse is also mana-consumptive, and Lancer X doesn't have complete control over her eyes' power.
Noble Phantasms-
?: C (Anti-Unit): ?
Petal Burst: "Thus Kindly I Scatter": B (Anti-Unit (Self)): An extension of Aura known as a "Semblance"; an ability unique to each user. Lancer X can basically dissolve her physical body into rose petals to move at extreme speeds for a period of time before reassembling. She has excellent control of her Semblance and uses it regularly in combat. Aside from wielding it to quickly charge or retreat, she can also blind enemies with the petals, create slipstreams to pick up objects, disperse into clusters to avoid attacks, or carry her teammates while their forms blur together. There is, however, a limit to how much she can physically carry, as well as the fact that Petal Burst still requires Aura. If that is broken, it is unusable.
Truth be told, a very big inspiration for this choice was the fic, "RWBY Zero" by TheMaster4444, a real gem (pun intended) of a crossover IMHO. And yes, the obvious choice of a Team RWBY-Servant for Rin would be Weiss, but I don't think Ruby's quite so different from her, once you delve into their characters. Rin isn't quite as worldly as she thinks of herself, IMO. Besides, Ruby's a kind of prodigy, too; she got into Beacon Academy two years early and was perfectly capable of keeping up with and/or leading her peers combat-wise.
As for why her class isn't Archer/Gunner, the Fate wiki officially states that Lancers, "are very agile, display excellent close combat skills, show proficiency in hit-and-run tactics that capitalize on range and speed, and are skilled with long-range melee weapons such as spears and lances." Nobody can tell me that none of these qualities apply to Ruby Rose, or that a scythe isn't a long-range melee weapon.
Before anyone questions her Strength being B-rank, keep in mind the weapon she uses on a regular basis. You gotta have some muscle for that, Aura or no Aura. She's also from the final episode of Volume 6, specifically an alternate ending when she wasn't quite fast enough to activate her Silver Eyes. Why I chose this moment and not a later one involving her falling, let's just say that I think Volume 6's Ruby is closer in character and spiritual resonance, so to speak, to current Rin than Volume 8/9's Ruby.
I didn't write down an exact number for the tiles thing because I never was any good at geometry and have zero knowledge of architecture, but Ruby did give the correct answer in-story. She's optimistic and playing up her childishness (a bit), but she's not stupid.
Oh, yeah, and because I'm so excited, here's one last goodie:
Paradox Carnival: A Master's Morning
It was a Sunday morning, and a peaceful, beautiful one at that. Inside her bedroom, Rin Tohsaka was snoozing a little fitfully beneath her covers even as the morning sun shined in through the windows. On her nightstand sat a pink cat-themed alarm clock, a gift from her Servant. As its digital display shifted from 06:59 to 07:00, it began playing a jaunty whistle; not bad, a little irritating but much better than the raspy "Ha, ha, ha! Ha!" that came with it. Seriously, who did they record for it, an asthmatic old geezer?!
Her lovely well-earned slumber disturbed, Rin glared out from beneath her sheets and quickly pushed the snooze-button (as explained by Archer). She then turned around in her spot, snuggling in. Last night had been a bit of a handful, what with the new Master getting used to her familiars (two Servants, amazing!); she'd completed her schoolwork and handled a few other projects, and to reiterate, today was Sunday! She could sleep in if she wanted to.
But ten minutes later, she was rattled awake by another round of whistling and "Ha, ha, ha! Ha!" Snooze button.
7:30, "Ha, ha, ha-" She grabbed the thing by its neck and slapped the snooze. Stupid thing's lucky it's cute…
8:20, "Ha!" Where were the batteries, why couldn't she get it to stop? Ah, too tired… snooze…
8:52, Rin groaned at the familiar whistling-"Wake up!" Her hand paused in mid-reach. "You are lazy and worthless!" The hand balled into a fist and rammed down on the stupid cat's head.
9:48, "Ha, ha, ha… Aaand powerless to stop me!" Turning the clock around didn't work, so how about a one-two?! Rin dug herself snarling into the covers. "Damn cat…" At this point, it was a matter of pride! No stupid machine would get the better of her.
10:37, "You think I'd go away, but I'm still here! Ha, ha, ha!" Hiding behind the lamp didn't save it from her kick. It had already lost an ear, and an eye was dangling out, much to her schadenfreude.
11:19, "You want peace and quiet? Toooo bad! Ha, ha!" "Shut UP!" She actually sprang up and unleashed a spinning axe kick on the battered monstrosity.
12:12, Impossible! It was practically scrap by now, but… "I'll never let you sleep again! Ha, haaaa-" A fully charged Gandr blasted the cat back to the infernal pit from whence it came.
"And ha, ha, haaaa to you." A heavily frazzled but smirking Rin lowered her outstretched left arm and sank back against her pillow in triumph, a few last seconds of sleep still within her grasp…
"Not broken~"
Two bloodshot eyes snapped open, the left twitching savagely, as that damned laughter filled her bedroom. Homurahara Academy's top female student launched herself off the bed, her arms alight with Reinforcement and her face warped from unbridled fury. "RAAAARRRRRRRRGH!"
Safely outside the increasingly demolished bedroom, an apron-wearing Archer was preparing breakfast (well, at this point, it may as well be lunch) while idly listening to his Master's screech-filled rampage. As one particularly loud crash sounded out, he turned to the kitchen's other occupant with a muted expression of astonishment, apprehension and a little awe. "That… was diabolical."
Lancer X snickered deviously into her sugar-laden coffee. "Teach her not to confiscate my sweets…"
"…Lancer X… Ruby… I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." While the sounds of sleep-deprived, banshee-wailing battle intensified above them, cups were clinked to commemorate this occasion.