I had most of this chapter already typed out.

The next morning, the door to Akiko and Lancer's room opened and Rin popped her head through it.

"It's time to wake up, you two."

Akiko yawned as her head rose slightly up from where her face was close to Lancer's left side. "Can't you wait like five more minutes?"

Rin sighed. "I'd love to get back to sleep myself, but we still have to get ready for school today." Akiko gave a string of muted curses before trying to get the covers off.

Rin closed the door for when Akiko changed. Lancer yawned and stretched as he sat up before rubbing one eye. "What's up?"

"School, that's what. And all I got was about four hours of sleep last night," Akiko said as she got out of yesterday's clothes.

"If yer that tired, why not just skip?"

"As tempting as that is, I don't want to miss another day of school and have more homework piling up. At least we get a day off from school tomorrow, so I have that and the weekend to catch up on the sleep." She gave another sigh and left the room just as Lancer started to get changed. He came out minutes later and they joined the other three in the kitchen for breakfast. Taiga and Sakura wouldn't be discharged from the hospital until tomorrow night.

After eating, the group left for school. The snow had melted more, to where patches of grass were visible. The two Servants split off to hide and keep watch from the trees hen the school came into sight. The three had just walked onto the school grounds when suddenly, both Akiko and Rin grabbed Shirou's left arm. Akiko's hands were at his elbow and Rin's hand was on his wrist.

"Ow! What in the world is wrong with both of you?!" Shirou exclaimed, wincing slightly.

"Be quiet! Don't make a scene!" Akiko snapped back, though in a whisper. "This is about Caster's Master!"

Shirou suddenly stopped struggling to get himself free and looked at the slightly taller girl seriously. "What about the Master? Do you know who it is?"

Rin took over. "Not quite, but we have a good idea of who it might be."

Akiko was back to talking to Shirou. "We know Caster's base is Ryuudou Temple. Well, Issei lives at Ryuudou Temple. So, he may be the Master." Issei was among the students who had been discharged from the hospital yesterday.

"Oh, come on! What if it's just a coincidence?!"

"But what if it isn't?" Rin asked him. "What if Caster actually has him under her control?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I'm saying that it's possible Caster made him into her puppet, unaware of her existence. Think about it. He still supplies her with the mana she needs to stay in this world, and she makes sure he doesn't even remember he's a Master."

"I've already talked to Cu and Saber about whether or not this was possible," Akiko added. "They said it was."

Shirou scratched his head with his other hand. "But still, both of you suspecting Issei just because he lives at Ryuudou Temple? What if it's someone else?"

"Who else would it be?!" Akiko asked.

"I dunno, maybe someone who isn't one of my best friends!"

Rin let out an angry sigh. "I knew you would be stubborn about this, but not this badly! Well, Hashomoto? What should we do now?"

"We'll leave it for now." She let go of Shirou's arm. "But we'll continue our discussion during lunch. The first bell's about to ring and we're starting to get stares from the other students. If we continue this, whispers may be going through the entire school."

Rin reluctantly let go of Shirou's wrist. "Fine. But this isn't over, Emiya!"

During school, some students were still in the hospital and thus were not there for today. Teachers too. But the teachers that were missing were replaced with substitutes. When it was time for lunch, the plan was for the three Masters to meet up in front of the stairs to the fourth floor and talk on the roof. Well, Akiko and Rin showed up,. But not Shirou. Rin was tapping her right foot on the ground impatiently, arms crossed. Akiko was walking back and forth over about three meters, looking up at the clock in the hallway every now and then. Lunch period was already half over.

"God, where is he?!" Akiko grumbled.

Rin sighed. She was at the end of her patience as well. "Keeping us waiting like this...When we find him, he's so dead!"

"Geez, where could he be?!"

"Well, if he's not here, there's only one other place he could be."

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Shirou was in the student counsel office, eating his lunch at the large table in there. Across from him was Issei, doing the same thing. Shirou was going to make Issei strip, to see if the student counsel president had any Command Seals on him. He couldn't bring himself to humiliate his best friend, though. However, he did see Issei talking to Mr. Kuzuki outside of the room just as Shirou was going to eat with him.

"Hey, Issei?"

"What is it Emiya?"

"How close are you and Mr. Kuzuki?"

Issei wiped his mouth off with a napkin, having finished his lunch. It was a simple bento. Shirou was having a similar bento, though he was still eating his. "Ah, right. I've never told you. Well, Souichirou...Mr. Kuzuki, is like a surrogate big brother for me."

"A big brother?"

"Yes. At school, he seems stiff and unapproachable, but he comes to the temple every day and teaches me other things, things about how life works and how to go through it."

Akiko and Rin were just outside the closed door to the student counsel office. They originally went there to needle Shirou with questions about why he stood them up, but they began eavesdropping on what Issei was saying. The part about Mr. Kuzuki going to Ryuudou Temple every day got their attention. Rin grabbed the handle of the door and yanked it open. Then she and Akiko stormed into it.

Issei shot up out of his seat, taking a couple steps back. "Tohsaka and Hashomoto! Why are you two here?!"

"We have a few questions to ask you about this 'big brother' of yours!" Akiko replied, crossing her arms. She and Rin turned to face Issei. "First of all, has anything unusual been happening at the temple, things that have occured since Mr. Kuzuki began visiting it?"

"And why should I answer any of your questions?!" Issei demanded.

Shirou stood up from his chair. "Actually, I want to know as well."

Issei looked at him in surprise. "You too, Emiya?!"

"It shouldn't be hard to tell us," Akiko added.

Issei sighed. "Fine. Nothing strange has happened, though when Mr. Kuzuki came to this city, he began staying at the temple with a woman he introduced as his fiance. Right now, they sleep in a quarter seperate from the others."

"Thanks," Akiko said. "That's all we needed to know."

Akiko held her left hand out, her palm centimeters away from Issei's face. Then Issei's eyelids sagged and his eyes closed. He started to fall forward off his chair, but Akiko grabbed him. She then positioned him so his head was on the table.

Shirou stood up in surprise. "What did you just do to him?!"

"I erased his memory of us having this conversation," Akiko replied. "It wouldn't be good if Issei tells Mr. Kuzuki that we were asking about him."

"Why didn't you use that on me when I saw Lancer and Archer fight?!"

Akiko closed her eyes. "The problem is that I need to be practically face-to-face with the person in order for it to work. And in the end, it would have been pointless anyway. Even a novice mage could easily resist it." She opened her eyes again. "After school, we'll check out Mr. Kuzuki to see if he's a Master. I have a feeling his 'fiance' is Caster."

"And how will we do that?!" Shirou demanded.

Rin gave a mischievous grin and a wink. "I'll just use a Gandr on him. If he's not a Master, he'll just have the sniffles."

Shirou sweatdropped. "Somehow, that doesn't make me feel any better..."

Akiko sighed. "Whatever. Issei will wake up soon." Akiko looked at Shirou. "Tohsaka and I will leave before he sees us. All he remembers is you two eating, not even you two talking about M. Kuzuki."

"Okay, I've got it." A few moments after Akiko and Rin left, Issei rose his head off the table, groaning and holding his forehead.

"Ugh, what happened to me?"

"You just fell asleep while eating!"

"Strange...That's never happened before. Well, I have been tired lately, so perhaps I could see that happening."

After school, the three told the Servants the plan and they all went to an abandoned gas station on the road to the temple and hid in the building. The two Servants hid in the trees. This was the way to the Temple that Mr. Kuzuki takes to get from the school to the temple every day.

"I set up a bounded field so that we can be seen outside but not heard within it," Rin was saying. "A missile could go off in here and no one on the outside would hear it."

Soon after they hid, the three humans saw a figure. It was night with some clouds out, but they didn't cover the moon yet. They couldn't see the facial features of the figure too well, but they could tell it was a man wearing a dark green suit. He had a black umbrella over his head.

"There he is!" Akiko whispered. She turned her head to Rin. "Hit him Tohsaka."

"I know." Rin held out one finger, a small Gandr forming at the tip. It was aimed through the broken glass and at Mr. Kuzuki. The dark ball fired and seemed to nail the teacher in the side. His umbrella went flying from his hand, a small part of it on fire.

"I thought I warned you that you may be attacked tonight."

A woman came out of the trees and stood behind Mr. Kuzuki, facing the gas station. Caster.

Mr. Kuzuki turned his head to the gas station. "It does not matter. We caught our prey. So it was not only Matou, but you three as well. To think; four of my students were Masters."

"Damn, looks like it's time to go to Plan B," Rin growled. Then she glanced at Shirou and Akiko. "Do it." The two nodded.

'Saber!'

'Cu!'

Both Servants rushed onto the street, out of hiding, and holding their weapons. White mana enveloped their bodies below their heads as they switched to their battle clothes. The three humans came out of hiding, by one of the gas pumps. Akiko glanced at it.

"Since this station is abandoned, the gasoline to the pumps was cut. But there still may be traces of gasoline left in them, so be careful using fire runes around here, Lancer."

"What about Caster?" Rin asked.

"I doubt she'll listen. Besides, I don't care if a gas pump explodes in her face. And we shouldn't worry if one does. Because of this bounded field, people on the outside won't even hear it."

Rin grinned. "If one blew up in Caster's face, that would be hilarious!"

Shirou sweatdropped. "...You two have sick mindsets."

Akiko turned her head to glare at him, who was on her right. "Grow a pair, you pussy!"

"Saying to do that doesn't help!" Shirou snapped back.

Caster sighed. "Can we end this little debate so we can get to the fight?"

Rin had her hands on her hips. "You want to fight? You do realize you're outnumbered, in both mages and Servants."

"Yeah, an' yer done fer if yer exposed Master dies!" Lancer said with a lust for fighting. He rushed at Souichirou. Saber rushed over in front of three humans to protect them.

But just as he swung his spear sideways at the man, he caught it in between his knee and elbow, holding it with shocking strength. Not even Lancer could wrench it free. Caster smirked at Lancer.

"Unlike ordinary Masters, mine does not need to have a Servant protecting him at all times. I assure you, he's very capable of taking down other Servants."

"And you're wrong about one thing. Taking me out will not cause Caster to vanish!" Souichirou snarled at the demigod. He punched Lancer back, making him let go of his lance. "That's because she does not feed off of my mana. Instead, she does from the mana in Ryuudou Temple."

The man threw Gae Bolg to the side and rushed at Lancer, right hand drawn back to grab. The arm shot out at Lancer's neck. The knight took at step back. But then it felt like a wave of mana came at his neck and the next thing he knew, his body was pulled to Souichirou and the man's hand was on his neck, squeezing hard. Lancer was left struggling for air. If nothing was done, his neck would be broken.

1. Try to save him in time.

2. Use a Command Seal

Chose 1.

Akiko rushed forward. All she thought about was saving her Servant right now.

"Saber! I need your help!"

Saber was able to guess what Akiko's intentions were and she broke into a full sprint right at Akiko's left side, ready to swing her sword at Mr. Kuzuki's arm.

"Master!" Caster cried out. Souichirou glanced briefly at the two coming at him before the hand around Lancer's neck tightened and a crack resounded. Lancer's body went limp and the man threw him at the two girls. His body hit Akiko, throwing her down. Caster was helping Souichirou deal with Saber, and Rin and Shirou, who had joined in.

Akiko positioned herself and Lancer so she was on her knees on the ground and cradling the top half of Lancer's body in her lap. Because of his Battle Continuation, he was still alive. However, the spinal cord in his neck was completely crushed, making him unable to move anything other than his head. He was still trying to breath, as his brain was unable to signal his lungs to work.

Tears were falling from Akiko's eyes, knowing she was helpless to save Lancer. Since he was unable to cough, the blood that filled his crushed throat was choking him. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Without air from his lungs, he wouldn't be able to make a single noise. He wanted to tell Akiko that he was sorry for leaving her and that he will always love her. Instead, his eyes began to close and blue mana began to fly up, his body fading into the substance.

"No! Don't leave me!" Akiko cried, more tears than before hitting Lancer's now-translucent skin. When he faded completely, Akiko wanted to get revenge for his death and looked up, fire blazing in her eyes. But Caster and Mr. Kuzuki were gone. Rin looked back at the teen, seeing what Akiko wanted to do.

"They got away."

Shirou also looked back at Akiko. "First Archer, and now Lancer. We seem to be losing Servants going after Caster." He glanced at Saber. "I can't lose you too."

Akiko growled as she stood up. "Saber won't die, 'cause I'll kill Mr. Kuzuki before that happens!"

Bad End.

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Chose 2.

Akiko bit her lower lip. Knowing Mr. Kuzuki, the teacher would crush Lancer's throat by the time she or the other three tried to help the knight. There was only one other way to save him in time.

"Come to me, Lancer!"

The symbol on the left on the Command Seals faded as it was used up. Lancer instantly vanished from Mr. Kuzuki's grip, the teacher's hand closing all the way. In the next instant, a dome of white light appeared next to Akiko. When the light faded, Lancer was in its place, coughing as he took air in his lungs. Caster growled.

"You all are annoying! At this rate, I won't be able to use Rule Breaker on either Servant! Fine. It looks like I need them restrained." She snapped her fingers. At the same time, a figure came leaping out of the trees. It landed on all fours, like a cat.

"Rider!" Rin growled, still wanting to tear the woman up for her killing Archer. Souichirou glanced at Rider without any surprise.

"Ya know 'bout Rider?!" Lancer exclaimed to Souichirou.

Caster grinned darkly. "Of course he does!" She pulled out a zig-zagged dagger from her cloak. "Rule Breaker is able to nullify all contracts. He knows I used it on Rider to make her mine."

"So that's why she did not disappear when Shinji died!"

Caster continued to grin as she glanced at Rider. "Restrain them so I can use Rule Breaker on the two Servants. If you can't, you have my permission to kill them."

"Very well," Rider replied as both daggers materialized in both hands.

"Wait, Rider! I'll take ya on. Everyone else will handle Caster!"

Caster laughed. "Dividing your forces?! I admire your boldness! Very well. You two can fight just each other."

"Let's do this in the trees," Lancer said. If Rider was in fact Medusa, then her Mystic Eyes will put everyone else i danger. So he'll fight her where her exposed eyes can't put the others in danger.

"I'll back you up!" Akiko exclaimed.

"I already expected that."

"One more joining the fight should not pose a problem for me," Rider said. She turned to the trees. Let's go."

She took a massive leap and disappeared into them. Lancer glanced at Akiko. "Remember to stay away from the fightin' if she uses Mystic Eyes. Ya can still support me, but leave the actual fightin' to me. I may be the only one able to fully face 'em."

"I know," Akiko replied. "Let's finish this!"

Just to clarify, if Akiko dies it is considered a Dead End. If just Lancer dies, it is a Bad End.