DISCLAIMER
The following is a fan-based
FICTION
Tokyo Ghoul, Tokyo Ghoul Root A and Tokyo Ghoul:re and other products related to the TG Series are all owned by Sui Ishida, Shin Towada and Shueisha.
F/SN, F/Z, F/KPI and other products related to the Fate Series are all owned by TYPE-MOON, Kinoko Nasu and Takashi Takeuchi.
Chapter 13: Rivalry Rekindled?
Shirou sighed loudly as he stopped for few moments by a park near his appartment.
It was nighttime and he was still trying to understand the mess he had been put into.
Once again, his life had turned into something incredibly complicated and he could already hear Rin yelling at him about going stray from the simple life he had promised her and Sakura to endure.
Eyes blinking at the barely illuminated path to the exit, the Emiya just rested his back, sitting in one of the many empty benches of the desolate park.
He could also hear someone already lecturing him of being outside at this time of the day all alone since the Magus has seen first-hand the dangerous predators living in the capital but...
The 1st Ward was the safest ward in the city, plus the CCG main headquarters was just few steps away from the park he was resting his mind for a moment.
He had become a Sensei for four people, a Sensei who actually didn't teach anything to his students- What he was supposed to teach to a bunch of teens that were studying to become professionals in Ghoul killing?
Magecraft was a clear no as it would have brought way more issue than he would have liked and it would have been difficult to keep someone as subordinate to authority like the young Urie to hid this fact.
Shirou didn't doubt Saiko's loyalty and trust in keeping such a secret and, seeing how much dedicated she was in her homework when properly motivated, he was sure she could have easily become the second coming of Rin... or that was in an idealistic vision.
The Yonebayashi owned dormant Magic Circuits, possibly inherited from some old, forgotten Magi family, but she lacked maturity in learning Magecraft.
To be a Magus means to walk the thin line between life and death, something Saiko would probably fail to understand with mere words.
Tooru and Shirazu were a big No too as they were still unknowns to him and he wasn't that much daft to teach them anything too dangerous to them.
Not that he had something against them.. it's just that it's better to avoid having to truly resort to mindwiping half of Saiko's classroom for his life's sake.
Cooking? Maybe with Saiko that could work but Shirou knew that Kuki Urie wouldn't have accepted to just learn how to cook as a way to speed up his progress in turning into a proper Investigator.
Repairing equipment? That was an interesting approach, one the Emiya already knew that the only girl of the group was a prodigy at. He could highlight the importance of being able of repairing Quinques on their own during a fight to the brunette and thus have two of the four sold to the idea.
The other two would probably be dragged in anyway from the clearly more charismatic duo, thus solving this mess without much of a fuss.
His eyes closed as the cool wind splashed softly on his tired body and a yawn started to build up in his mouth, then released to the silent park.
A feminine laugh echoed in the previously empty place and Shirou's eyes snapped open in attention.
"To see the heir of the infamous Magus Killer as tired as a little child is quite dull."
Shirou stared at the approaching young woman with a wary expression and proceeded to stand up from his seat, turning to face her.
Silver hair reacher her back, her voluptous body covered by a nun dress which lacked the customary hat.
Her yellow eyes stared bored into him and he felt a familiar chill spreading to his body, to his soul.
An Executor?
He had heard from Rin about those dangerous members of the Holy See, those who were trained to the extreme to deal menaces up to Dead Apostle-level.
But..why?
Shirou had been sure that the Church wouldn't have risked attacking him in Tokyo, especially so close to the CCG Main HQ.
"Who are you?"
His voice had some stern edge, as if his body recognised the pale nun walking towards him.
Could this be Ciel, the one who gave Archer the robes he used during his period as Counter-Guardian?
No.
His own body almost screamed murder, as if he had terribly misunderstood whom was before him.
"Oh? Forgive me, signor Emiya, I've barely studied the common Japanese etiquette and I forgot to even follow the one I know best."
She gave a small curtsie, her face showing a tiny, empty smile plastered on it.
"My name is Caren Ortensia, Exorcist of the Church and.. daughter of Kotomine Kirei."
Panic surged into his body as his Circuits flared and traced two familiar falchions in his hands.
Kanshou and Bakuya glinted softly in the moon light, bringing a sense of nostalgia in the Emiya's heart.
It has been so long... and now he was forced to fight against someone related to his past-
Caren covered her mouth as she laughed at his display and stance, unnerving the Magus even more in this tense predicament.
"Your readiness isn't as dull as your soul, signor Emiya. Maybe I can still find what I am searching for in this little holiday of mine."
What? Holiday? It felt like he was speaking with a younger, female version of the fake priest and Shirou could feel his mind on the edge of screaming for him to act against this threat.
"If I truly wanted to maim you, signor Emiya, I would have done it already and finished your pathetic life without the inkling of a thought.. but-"
She turned around, starting to walk away from Shirou, clearly unfazed by the threatening swords in his hands.
"I do seek to find answers. Answers that I fear I cannot extort from you by words. I need to find them through your actions."
"What are you talking about? What do you seek?"
The nun silently continued for her merry way, leaving a confused, tired and shocked Emiya stuck on himself, unable to understand what had just happened.
Kishou Arima stared in curiousity at the craftmanship of the swords that had appeared out of thin air and into the King's hold.
While he had decided to restrain himself from actively stalking the Emiya around every day, the Reaper had noticed the curious silver-haired nun watching the King from afar, studying him with concealed reasons for him to understand and counter.
The Investigator took notice of the curious ability he had just seen happen in front of his eyes, duly putting a mental note to check upon this curious phenomenon.
This, and the names 'Caren Hortensia' and 'Kirei Kotomine' as they seemed to hold a major meaning to his King, something Arima could thankfully search and learn from to get more information of the man he was pledging his support for.
Kishou had long understood that the Emiya wasn't someone humanly normal by the concept he knew regarding humanity but he admired how the King held a strong morale and capacity to harm those who could seriously halt the grand plan.
Part of him was amused by all of this, knowing that this peculiar trick the Emiya could pull was more than an edge to use against whoever Eto will try and bring as her candidate to the throne.
Somehow that thought tasted sour in his mouth, as if it was meant to ever happen.
Maybe Arima was just now depending too much from his ultimate gamble to win against the Washuu or maybe he was starting to see how good it felt to actually give his lot to something greater than him.
With a silent, small smile creeping in his face, Kishou Arima started to walk back to his office, the gears in his mind spinning rapidly as to prepare his body to the small research he had to complete before the end of the day.
The only thing he didn't want to see happen was being limited by his father as his little plan had yet to reach its initial phase, something he couldn't allow to happen and will happily avoid even if murder is needed.
After all, he was merely a vassal to the unsuspecting, soon-to-be One-Eyed King and he cannot fail him.
AN
Caren approaches Shirou, Shirou is put on his toes and Arima wants to make his King (nothing kinky nor yaoi there, ya pervs) easy to understand by learning more about Shirou's past.
A bit short for an average chapter but.. I'm building up some stuff so... bear with me a tiny bit longer!
ALSO!
I've been seriously thinking of setting up a account and do some One-Shot commissions to whoever pays but, after some serious thinking, I have decided against it, since I don't think I could actually sell the only thing I consider the number one hobby of mines: writing.
Maybe someone will call me dumb and naive, but I don't feel like creating divisions in my relatively small fanbase and I feel that it would not be something honest for me to do to both you all and me.
I hope you understand why I am not selling my soul! xD
Lastly! I think I found a very good character to colour in Caren since she is fluent in Italian thus... *Mamma Mia Mode* is now engaged!
Review Q&A!
ThatIdioticMelody: It's part of my scheduling. I always leave some soft chapters before dropping some serious twist. I hope I managed once more to surprise everyone! Thank you!
Steamguy: I actually didn't do that. You could say I did something much softer as Urie still has this 'getting stronger' obsession but now rendered rewardless by Shirou's words. He will keep his arrogant behavior as he still thinks himself above Saiko and the others but... *Spoiler*.
PervyPanda: Irimi will possibly get her date... maybe... and thank you!
KRKing: I forgot to put your review in the previous chapter's 1st edit but now I fixed it! I actually messed up not seeing your name as my eyes just blitzed with the reviews as I was quite tired yesterday. Also Caren is coming back quite soon, very soon.
Yolea Irk's: Arima's creepiness is carefully regulated as to not go full-yandere nor be too much dull to read and Shirou managed to pique his interest by his 'knowledge' of Arima's deathwish, curious experience in handling people like him and the fact he is a sane human. Urie is not as cold as in :re because he has yet to grasp the truth about the job and still keeps his ideal with a slightly immature light. Also maybe.
Kayen1024: Arima might know about Yoshimura.. or not. It's not like Eto actually talks about her family to everyone she meets, even someone like Arima. And thank you!