In The Core of the Jewel
Chapter 10: Scenes from Both Sides
Author's Note: Based on the Unlimited Blade Works Route
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Original Game: Fate/Stay Night
Original Concept: Type-moon
Written by: wrathie
Author's Notes: Thank you for your reviews, it helps me alot =) Hopefully i clarified queries.
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Lancer couldn't believe it, this chick's Noble Phantasm is INSANE, he has not seen anything like that. She's looking more and more attractive by the second but at the moment, protecting the girl that is currently pinned down and covering her head with is more important.
Yes, Lancer is pinning Tohsaka Rin, his master down. He knew he'll get beaten up later for this but he might as well enjoy the moment as Rider's Noble Phantasm is just a beam of light that crushed everything in it's path.
It was only Saber's instinct and his fast movement that prevented them from being killed by that assault and as the dust settled, he stood up and whistled at the carnage from Rider's attack.
Where they had been standing has been totally demolished, the trees had large chunks torn out of them and it was like a large rotating drill had just crashed it way through the woods.
A very fast and furious drill…
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"That, is something I don't want to face ever."
Speaking his genuine thoughts, he pulled Rin back to her feet as she coughed at the dust kicked up by the Noble Phantasm. Even the usually calm and collected Rin was in shock, staring at the damage and clinging to her own arm for comfort.
Shirou and Saber were next to stand up, Saber helping Shirou up as he seems to have a headache.
"Yo Boy, what's wrong? You don't look so good."
"It's nothing, I just used too much magic I guess…"
He flexed his arm, looking at his right arm in concern while Saber just looked to Rin for instructions, the willingness to battle lost in witnessing such damage.
Lancer was certain that even Saber would have problems dealing with something like this and he sighed, waiting for the cue from Rin after he nudged her.
"Master, what should we do now?"
"Ah-!"
She snapped out of it and started thinking furiously while Lancer just stretched himself, checked himself for wounds while waiting. It wasn't long before she declared that they should go back to rest.
"Unfortunately Shinji and Rider will probably activate that Boundary Field soon… It's pointless to destroy the fields now… But he'll only activate it when the school is full of people. We have to be prepared for the worst."
Rin decided and the rest nodded, it can't be helped after all that this happened.
A battle between servants is a battle between Noble Phantasms and since Rider has showed hers, it's up to Lancer and Saber to show theirs too…
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"So do you know who Rider is?"
Shirou asked Rin as he entered the kitchen to see Rin preparing dinner. As promised, Rin was making dinner and to his surprise, Saber is helping her, concentrating on cutting the vegetables while Lancer was sparring with Shirou in the yard, teaching him the feel of battle.
The first hour was Shirou getting knocked around by Lancer and although Saber approved of the exercise, Rin can tell that Saber is a little upset that she is not the one to train Shirou despite him asking her about it.
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"Guys bond well with guys, Saber… It's a good thing."
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Rin's words has not reassured her and it was only when Rin suggested Saber help her with the preparation for dinner did she cheer up a little.
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"No, the Noble Phantasm was too fast for me to even look at it to determine it's property, I'm stumped as well. It is an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm for sure…"
Rin contemplated while Shirou drank some water after his workout with Lancer.
The second hour was Lancer complimenting on how Shirou has quickly grasped the basics for fighting with a spear but he still trounced him anyway and it hurts to get hit so many times, even if it's with just a broom that Lancer had jokingly said wouldn't kill him.
He wasn't sure about that now seeing how Lancer turned into a different person in a fight.
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"I can even be summoned as Berserker, I'm known for going all out in a fight, Kid!"
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Shirou sighed while Rin just smiled at him, Shirou has indeed changed after meeting Lancer and her. She was a bit perplexed on whether that is a good thing. Even she herself had changed after meeting him… whether it is a good or a bad thing, she doesn't know.
"Did he beat you up too badly? I can tell him to go easy on you."
"I think you will need a command seal to do that, Tohsaka…"
Shirou just laughed as he drifted over to help direct Saber on the right way to cut the vegetables while Rin fiddled with the seasoning.
This is like being with a real family and she smiled in satisfaction, even if it will not last long.
Thinking that was enough for the food in her mouth to turn sour and she lowered her eyes, a little upset that she let her emotions take hold of her like this.
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"Tohsaka?"
"Ah, yes, Shirou."
"I just noticed, you called me by my name didn't you?"
She hadn't realized it herself, it must be Saber rubbing off of her and she turned a little red as she looked away, back to the seasoning of the fish slices and asking him if he didn't like it.
"No, I was wondering if I can call you, 'Rin' as well?"
Rin's heart gave a jump and it took a lot of control to stop herself from stuttering as she replied.
"If you want to, I won't stop you."
"That's great Rin, I'd always think it is a little formal to call you Tohsaka, but if you like I can call you that as well."
"I-it's not that! I mean, it's fine if you want to call me either!"
She raised her voice a little too unnaturally and even Saber turned to look at her rapidly reddening face and she turned away in a huff
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'A-anyway! If you have nothing to add, I'm sure you have some training to do!"
She huffed as she returned to her seasoning when Shirou spoke.
"Ah, The Noble Phantasm is at least A+ in rank, that's what I saw. I saw Rider riding something, but I'm not sure what… it was just a burst of light like you said."
Shirou said so casually as Lancer too came into the kitchen, making it very cramped and he held out a hand for a cup of water which Shirou passed to him.
"A+?"
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Rin gasped while Saber and Lancer looked uncomfortable as Rin continued to season the fish, grabbing some flour with breadcrumbs to coat them as Shirou nodded.
"Mm, I can just see it you see…"
Rin did not doubt him for a moment and she looked at Saber and Lancer, both of which turned silent. The atmosphere from earlier was ruined by the serious talk but it still felt right somehow, like it was just something that is more serious than usual.
"But A+, that's out of my league… I don't think anyone of you can match it right, Saber, Lancer?"
"Uh, Probably not… It's too fast for me and I can't fight something that flies, I saw wings, Ojou-chan."
Lancer shrugged as he gulped down the water and even Saber placed the knife she is using to cut the vegetables up to the side, and joined in the conversation.
"I can meet Rider's Noble Phantasm with my own."
There was a pause and everyone turned to Saber with a surprised expression.
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"As expected from the strongest Servant!"
Lancer quipped and Rin just looked impressed, Shirou on the other hand looked away uncomfortably.
"But she probably shouldn't do that, I can't provide her Mana, if we ask her to use that, it'll be…"
The kitchen went silent again till Shirou sighed and spoke his thoughts.
"So I guess the only strategy is to attack and defeat Rider before she can use the Noble Phantasm or to attack the Master."
His plan is indeed the truth but for Shirou to say that to everyone made everyone feel a little, awkward.
"Yep, that's about right, Shounen."
Nodding to himself, Lancer slapped him again on the back and Shirou grinned like he was a kid being praised by an adult and he quickly added coldly.
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"Kid, you… ready?"
He meant was he ready to kill Shinji if it came down to it and there was a long paused where everyone just looked at Shirou, waiting for his reply.
"If it comes to… I wouldn't want to."
He replied slowly as he thought it through.
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"I never want to hurt anyone, I think even Shinji can be saved… "
His beliefs has not changed and although Lancer sighed and Saber looked away, they did not seem too disappointed with his answer.
"Ah!"
Rin started as she realized that her marinating is not done and she hurried to finish it, breaking the tense atmosphere when Shirou started to take over from Saber to prepare the vegetables, causing Rin to shout at him to get out of the kitchen.
"I'm preparing dinner, Shirou!"
"Geez Tohsaka!"
Shirou groaned but laughed anyway as Lancer too was quickly pushed out by Saber, who bowed and left with a smile lingering on her face as she went back to assist Rin.
"shounen, let's see what you got left, eh?"
Lancer picked himself up and grabbed the broom while Shirou nodded, jumping back to the yard to practice with him.
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"Tohsaka, this is amazing!"
Fujimura-sensei praised her as she dropped by for dinner again and Rin couldn't help but smile at the praise, she and Saber had done well. Even if Saber has little experience in cooking, she had managed to churn out the taste she wanted in the end.
"So what do you think, Emiya Shirou?"
She could not help but crow at Shirou who had remained speechless when he tasted the food, taking small bites and biting slowly. Rin wasn't sure how he'll take it but she didn't expect that Shirou would smile and praise her as well.
"Mm, it's very delicious, Rin. Like they say, you need love to cook good food."
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How can he say such embarrassing things!
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Rin turned red at being praised like that and she nervously played with her hair as Lancer just dug in, enjoying the food along with Saber, who seemed to just focus on… eating.
"Ah, as long as you enjoyed it, I'm happy, isn't that right, Saber?"
Recovering after a few minutes, she beamed at Saber, who nodded and bowed back.
"Yes, although I did not cook the dishes, I do feel pride in assisting Rin in her endeavor."
Saber smiled while the rest chimed in on how good it is.
Flushed and happy with the praise, Rin urged everyone to dig into dinner while she handed Saber another bowl of rice.
This indeed, felt good, she wished the Grail War was not her concern and that this can go on forever.
And all of it comes from merely looking at the satisfied looks of Saber as she tucked in to her food, the exchange of words between Lancer and Fujimura sense and the laughter of Shirou as he listened and ate at the same time.
All of it, is just an illusion, a miracle granted to her during the middle of the war.
To find the warmth of a family, even if it is just for a while…
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"Tohsaka?"
As they relaxed in front of the TV, with Rin reading up on her magic study and Saber training with Shirou, Rin looked up to see Fujimura-sense looking at her. Lancer was nowhere to be found, most likely guarding the house and they were alone.
"Yes, Sensei?"
"Thank you very much."
She bowed to her formally as she sat down in front of her, causing Rin to panic, helping her up in surprise. Why would she want to do that?
"Sensei? What are you doing?"
"Thank you for staying over, Tohsaka. Shirou seems depressed lately but with Tohsaka, it seems that he is back to normal."
She smiled as she recounted to her that she had sworn to look after Shirou since his father, Emiya Kiritsugu passed away. With Saber's arrival, claiming to be tasked with guarding Shirou, she was afraid that she would lose him.
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"But that boy has grown up, without me noticing he has grown up to be a fine man. He said he wanted to make a difference, this is not the Shirou I know. The Shirou I know would only anything that you asked him, but never do something by himself."
She sighed as Rin listened to her, her hands being grabbed by the energetic sensei and she smiled a little too.
"It must be your influence, Tohsaka, I thought that Lancer-san was your fiancé, but I looking at it, I think he was just kidding."
"He is kidding."
Rin enforced that firmly but she still laughed when Fujimura-sensei laughed as well.
"So, Tohsaka, please take care of Shirou, he might be a troublesome kid, but I think with you, Saber-san and Lancer-san, he's in good hands."
"EHH!"
Rin turned red as a cherry, she lost track of how many times that she has done that today and she tried to beat off her hands, telling her that she and him was not in that kind of relationship.
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"You can use Shirou as you see fit, if it's Tohsaka, I don't think it'll be that bad."
She added and Rin paused, somewhat torn between explaining herself or just accepting her words. After all, it's just Fujimura-sensei who believed that…
It isn't that bad actually, to have Emia Shirou on a leash and collar…
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