"Are you sure this is everything you need?" the red haired boy asked as he latched the suitcase and laid it next to the other on the bed.
Rin nodded, lost in thought. The boy sat on her bed scratching the back of his head. He of course wished more than anything to help his teacher succeed at the labors before her but he frankly knew very little of the Heaven's Feel ritual.
A catchy J-pop song began playing and Rin was shook from her own dark thoughts about the grail war and focused on her pocket as she pulled out the infernal device making the noise. She tapped the screen praying it would work. To her relief, it did.
"I thought you might like to know the catalyst from Iran has arrived." said the smooth voice of Lord El-Melloi II. "I trust you're prepared for your flight to America?"
"Yes." Rin replied. "I've just finished packing, I just need to set some things straight with my apprentice and I'll be on my way."
"Excellent to hear." Lord El-Melloi II said over the phone before he hung up. Rin sighed and put her phone back into her pocket.
"Who was that?" asked her apprentice.
"Lord El-Melloi." Rin replied pulling her purse down from the shelf and slinging it over her shoulder. She could practically her him screaming in her head 'the second!'.
Shiro Emyia grabbed her luggage for her as she knew he would and stepped outside to the waiting car. He loaded the cases without a word but she could tell by his face that he was troubled by something.
"Something's bothering you." Rin stated.
Shiro shook his head, smiling to defuse her worry but causing the opposite effect in turn. "No, no. I'm fine. Just a little worried is all."
"There isn't really much to be worried about." Rin replied. "I can handle myself just fine. I'll be back before you know it."
"I just wish I could come along and help." Shiro blurted out his inner thoughts. "I don't care if I got in the way as long as-"
Rin grasped Shiro's face suddenly and hushed him with her own lips interlocking with his. "That's your reward for being a good student." she said as she withdrew. "Now don't make me regret it. Practice every day and don't call me every single hour."
Shiro didn't say anything. He wanted to say things like: 'You'll probably break your phone again on accident or out of frustration anyways' or 'I promise.' but no words formed out of his mouth.
Rin entered the car and gave him a reassuring look before closing the door and driving off. Shiro watched as she drove away wondering why it seemed he was nothing more than a side character in some greater narrative
Rin sat in the car and refused to look behind her knowing Emiya-kun's forlorn face would just make her feel worse about leaving him behind but she didn't want him to get mixed up in a Holy Grail War. Hell, she didn't even really want to herself. However, if the Matous were somehow involved she felt it was only just that the heiress of the Tohsakas put an end to this foolish endeavor.
The car soon pulled up to the non distinct building owned by the clock tower. Thanking the driver, Rin exited the vehicle with her luggage and left her bags by the street. Entering the building she was greeted by a black haired woman with violet eyes in a black business suit.
"You must be Miss Tohsaka." she said extending her hand and shaking Rin's.
"Tohsaka-Emiya if my father would allow it." Rin joked shaking the lady's hand. "And you are?"
"I am Hildegard Bruneövr. I will be leading this task force." she responded. "Welcome to the White faction Miss Tohsaka-Emiya. I trust you are prepared for the ritual?"
"Indeed I am." Rin replied confidently glancing at the Command Seals on her hand. "When do we start?"
"Well, well." echoed a voice from within the building. "I thought I smelled garbage."
Rin turned her face filled with disgust. Standing there in a blue dress was Luviagelita Edelfelt. Her hands were placed imperiously upon her hips and standing next to her was a rather bored looking man. His body was covered in black hair and he wore a steel breastplate out of place with the modern world In his hands he held a auburn bo staff.
"Luiva." was all Rin managed to growl based on her surprise.
"Where are my manners?" Luvia shrugged her shoulders apologetically. "This is my servant, Lancer."
"This yeti is your servant?" Rin scoffed regaining her composure. "To think even you would stoop to summon such a...hairy thing." Rin couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at Lancer's uncovered hairy feet. Honestly, they looked more like hands.
"Don't you dare insult my servant, you hag!" Luvia retorted.
Lancer just chuckled. "She has every right to, Master. I mean! Look at me. While in this human-esqe form I am disgusting. However, I'll have to maintain it if I don't want to reveal my identity.
"Don't side with her!" Luvia barked.
"Ladies. Please." Hildegarde interrupted rather annoyed. "Lord El-Melloi II assured me you were both mature enough to act like professional mages." Hildegarde had to admit she reveled in the pride-stricken faces of Rin and Luvia. Neither one of them wanted to reveal a lack of elegance to the other. Pitting them against one another worked out in her favor.
"Very well then." Luvia huffed. "I will be awaiting you two at the airport. Come, Lancer!"
Without another word Luvia left and Lancer shook his head following after her briefly before dematerializing into spirit form. Rin turned to Hildegarde who led her to a room where a woman with snow white hair was sketching a summoning circle.
"Are you finished, Rider?" Hildegarde asked.
The alabaster haired woman identified as Rider of White stood at her Master's voice and nodded affirmatively. "It is ready."
Hildegard smiled. "Here is your relic, Miss Tohsaka." she placed a broken arrow in Rin's hands the head of the arrow was strange to say the least. "Good luck."
Rin nodded and stepped before the circle. She recalled suggesting summoning a servant at random with her pendant but Lord El-Melloi was quick to explain the fruitlessness of such a plan.
Extending her hand over the circle with the arrow in it she recited the incantation she'd been keeping Shiro awake with her constant practicing at night. She felt the sudden heat of her command seals as they flared with red light. A gust of wind and the incantation was done.
Standing in the center of the circle was a man. He wore bronze armor all across his body. It seemed to be fused with his skin. His exposed head stared at Rin with grey eyes as his dark skinned lips curled into a smile. "I ask of you, o summoner…" he said brushing his long white hair out of his face "Are you truly worthy to be my master?"
Rin was taken aback. Despite being 99% positive of success at such a deceptively simple ritual she was still taken aback at the actual power radiating from the servant in front of her.
"I asked you a question." he said after a moment of silence.
Rin shook her hand displaying her command seals. "These seals prove that I am." she responded.
He didn't even look at them but he still smiled and nodded his head. "Very well then. Tell me Master what is your name?"
"I am Rin Tohsaka of the Tohsaka mage clan." Rin responded rather boastfully.
In turn her servant crossed his arms saying. "I am Archer. My true name is that of the crown prince of Persia: Esfandiyar." he looked up into the rafters briefly his face masked with that of one in deep thought. "Rin…" he mumbled. "Yes. That will do. Worry not Master with my immortal body we will surely win this war!"
Rin stepped off the plane after the dark haired magus Hildegarde. She felt Archer nearby in spirit form and had to silently admit the charming servant's presence was reassuring in the unfamiliar surroundings of the United States. Luckily, she was rather good when it came to speaking English.
Hildegarde turned to look at Rin. "I am going to meet with the Master of Saber. You and Miss Edelfelt will go to the workshop set up inside town. The rest of the masters of white are there currently. Rin nodded and struggled to ignore Luvia's presence as they boarded the taxi to take them to the rather fancy hotel that would be their headquarters.
Entering the common room of the top floor there sat three mages reclining in their seats regarding the two magi Rin and Luvia with interest. One of them a man with dirty blond hair and a white dress shirt with the collar sticking up stood up greeting them, "Hello there, ladies. You must be the Masters of Archer and Lancer, miss Bruneövr mentioned. I am Taliesin Cordaunahart, the esteemed Master of Berserker." He turned and gestured to the other masters.
"These fine folks are our other allies."
The other two did not stand up. Taliesin gestured over to the woman "That is Niera Nverga. She's nothing more than a mercenary." he said with mock dismissive tone. He obviously wasn't much for tradition or manners as a mage."
The other was a balding man with sharp grey eyes. "That dude there is Sterling Midasin. You know the second best alchemists in the world." Sterling's eyes flashed with anger for a moment.
"After this war, no one will remember the Einzberns." he replied curtly. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I am the Master of Caster. I apologize she is busy setting the last finishing touches to our base here."
Niera did not say anything and merely closed her eyes as if to rest but she remained alert. Taliesin gestured at her. "Best not to try talking to her. She isn't very sociable. I haven't seen her servant. Assuming there is an Assassin of White!"
"It's alright." Rin replied rather put off by Taliesin's dramatic flair.
Taliesin grinned. "I would show you my servant but he's rather murderous when it comes to living things so I'll keep him in astral form if that's all right with you."
"Quite." Luvia muttered.
Some days later Rin and Archer found themselves standing atop the hotel surveying the city. "Have you got a good lay of the city?" Rin asked.
"Yes.' Archer replied. "My Clairvoyance skill allows me to see quite well from up here."
"That's good to hear." Rin replied. "I wonder when the fighting will really start."
"If Lancer and Saber have any luck we'll be out there soon enough." Archer responded sitting down on the edge of the building. "You shouldn't be too eager to fight. Fighting always comes though.
"You should know." Rin replied. "From what I know of your legend you fought countless monsters for your father."
"I like to thing I served him well despite how it ended." Archer spoke fondly.
"I think you're father was a dick." Rin said bluntly.
Archer just laughed. "Most would get that impression. And while he never did fulfill his promise to me I don't feel all that troubled. I guess if I had wish for the grail would be to finally become king of Persia. Or Iran, now I guess." He glanced at Rin's face as she studied him with her eyes. "What about you Master? What is your wish?"
"My wish!?" Rin asked suddenly flustered. "I…" she stammered. "I honestly don't have one."
"That can't be true." Archer retorted. "It is part of being human to desire something even if it is as small as wanting to be king."
"You call that wish small?" Rin asked incredulously. She hugged herself tightly as the cold air was getting to her. "I guess if there was anything I wanted…" she trailed off. Archer waited patiently before Rin spoke. "..It would be to be reunited with someone dear to me…"
Author's notes: I just want to say how surprised to see such a lovely reaction to each passing chapter. I honestly didn't meant to write this but your positive reviews and minor speculation just got my creative juices pumping and I managed to write this bad boy out rather swiftly. I suppose I should thank you dear readers for your support. I promise to make a badass fanfic the best I can.
