SentinalSlice: Yes, and Rin won't brag about it for long! * laugh*
For Shirou trained by Archer... yes and no. Punctually, EMIYA will have to help his "stupid version" but since they do not get along, there will be no regular training. Besides, Artoria will be very suspicious if Archer asks to spar with Shirou.
Thank you for your encouragement.
And stay healthy too.
Decision-making
Fuyuki, Japan, 110 P.A.
"Gosh, I screw it again!"
Toksaka Rin was scratching her scalp with two hands, furious at herself before despair overwhelmed her and she collapsed, her forehead on the low table set up in the middle of the dining room of the Emiya Residence.
Shirou and Saber exchanged a worried look. They were busy filling the fridge and cupboards with the contents of the two heavy bags of food bearing the Japanese Republican Army logo but stopped.
"The negotiations didn't go well?"
But Rin did not answer, she was far too busy with her current despair to pay attention to what was happening around her. Despite his concern, Shirou felt a burst of tenderness. A few weeks ago, Rin would never have shown such despair in front of anyone. She was too proud and too wary to let anyone discover her weaknesses. She would have returned to the Tohsaka Residence to lock herself in her bedroom and only then, in solitude, would she have let out her emotions. But after Archer betrays Rin... and especially after Shirou told her he loved her (in the foreigner cemetery... so romantic... uh no forget this) she had changed.
In a wobble of blue particles, Archer materialized. He was casually leaning against a wall, arms crossed. He smiles in a mocking way:
"Only our little Magecraft genius has the gift of sabotaging her own efforts at the crucial moment."
Saber's expression was hardening. She had still not forgiven Archer's betrayal and the fact that he sought to kill her former Master... although learning his true identity and circumstances softened the angles of her anger.
"Archer, you were supposed to advise our Master, not make fun of her."
But EMIYA winked at Artoria and spread his arms in a falsely innocent gesture. "One does not prevent the other."
Looking alternately at one of the Servants and then the other, Shirou decided to intervene before Saber was really angry:
"What has happened?"
"Well, Rin managed to get the Republicans to admit her position as a Second Owner. And so that the leylines of Fuyuki and its region are under her responsibility."
Saber raised an eyebrow:
"Isn't that good news?"
"If you will," replied Archer. "It's just that Rin played her usual role of 'Miss Perfect' claiming the seniority of her lineage, her 40 main Magic Circuits, and her set of 30 sub Magic Circuits, her Five Great Elements Affinities. In short, she dazzled them and the politicians left the negotiations, convinced that Rin was able to control Fuyuki's leylines."
"Control the leylines?" asked Saber and Shirou at the same time.
For the inhabitants of Fateverse, a leyline is a stream of Mana... an almost dry stream... the Magi are content to draw from this source the energy they use during Formalcraft rituals.
"What do you mean, Archer, by 'controlling' a leyline," asked Saber, her eyes narrowed.
EMIYA shrugged his shoulders:
"Well... as we have been victims of it, the leyline Nexus can turn into 'doors' leading to other worlds. Some magic users are able to close or open a Rift almost at will... at least thanks to rituals that provide them with enough Od (1). Except that...
"Except that no Magi of our time know this kind of spell... if ever there were rituals of this kind in our original universe, they have not been used since the end of the Age of the Gods" cut Rin. The young woman had regained her composure but seemed worried. "I'm not gonna let my... earlier mistake putting Fuyuki's inhabitants at risk. I need to talk to these politicians and explain that they misunderstood me..."
"Wait a minute!"
Everyone turned to Saber, she wore a definite expression:
"They are politicians... they know nothing about Magecraft and even less about True Magic?"
EMIYA agrees:
"Indeed."
"So there's no point in admitting your mistake to them, Rin. All you would do is tarnishing your image without winning anything."
Rin seemed surprised by Saber's proposal. She blinked and seemed to think:
"What do you propose?"
"Ask them to introduce you to local Magi, on the pretext of learning more about the magic practiced here. Then you can ask the Magi what they know about this ritual and how to learn it. If they tell you that they understood that you already knew this ritual pleads to a communication problem with politicians."
The heiress of the Tohsaka family seemed surprised, and then had this nefarious smile that made Shirou shudder:
"I forgot who my Servant was."
As Shirou looked at Saber oddly, she resumed the filling of a closet pretending not to notice his look full of curiosity... Having not witnessed the destruction of Angra Mainyu (2) Shirou knew nothing about Saber's Noble Phantasm... unlike Rin.
Now, Excalibur was the sword of King Arthur, legendary ruler of the Britain and pupil of Merlin. And if a young blonde woman holds Excalibur and uses it with such skill, there can only be one possibility... the legends are wrong about the gender of King Arthur.
So it was no wonder that Saber knew how to avoid losing face in negotiations. King Arthur had no doubt had many opportunities to face negotiators eager to humiliate 'him'.
The Am-Jet was a Tilt-Rotor plane, this one with Red Cross on its wing was an all-terrain medical evacuation jet that was used in a similar way as 20th/ early 21st-century helicopter. It was placed on the platform of the heliport on the upper terrace of the central hospital of Fuyuki, a massive construction resembling a big cement block painted in white, also adorned on its facade with a large Red Cross.
Military nurses in AT-A14 "Trooper" armor with an armband indicating their membership in the medical corps transported the wounded and the sick that had been fortunate to be offered treatment in hospitals of the Republic.
Kneeling beside Shinji's stretcher, Sakura held his hand with a worried look, looking for her words. She wanted an argument to change her adopted brother's mind, but it was too late. The blue-haired teenager had already signed all the recruitment forms. He was already in the army and it was impossible to go back. He would serve a minimum of 12 years. That might seem like a long time. But the duration of military service had to be put into perspective with the medical progress of the end of the twenty-first century. With a life expectancy of almost 200 years, serving for 40 or 60 years was nothing extraordinary. And then, Shinji did not regret his choice... A lifetime in a wheelchair, needing Sakura's help to even... piss?
Who would call that a life!?
The two stretcher-bearers returned and Shinji thanked Sakura for everything she had done for him, promising her to be a better older brother when he returned. And the pretty teenager with long purple hair let a few tears run down, painfully shaking her head and wringing her hands.
As the nurses secured the stretcher in the passenger hold of the Am-Jet, one of them leaned over Shinji. Through the visor of the armor, the teenager could see his smiling face as he questioned him:
"Is that your girlfriend?"
"My sister" rectified Shinji.
"Ah? Well, that gives you one more reason to get involved. When you have such a sweet little sister, you protect her."
The nurse never understood why Shinji's smile disappeared at that moment.
Matou Sakura was a beautiful and shy teen with violet eyes and violet hair which she styles with a red ribbon on the left side. She wore a pink cardigan, a white top, and a long cream-colored skirt.
She returned to the Matou Residence, walking slowly to give herself time to reflect on the changes in her life.
The last two weeks had been particularly strange, and Sakura's life had at least been as turned upside down as that of the other inhabitants of Fuyuki. However, she was far less afraid than the others.
In fact, even though she felt some guilt towards Shinji... she had to admit that his change of behavior was a relief. A relief... but poor Shinji... Sakura shook her head trying to drive away the disturbing thought that she was lucky that her big brother had been seriously injured.
Since their arrival on Rifts Earth, Sakura had also escaped the grip of her terrible "grandfather". Matou Zouken seemed to have found a new occupation that led him away from Fuyuki, sometimes disappearing for days. And even when Zouken was there, he spent his time crafting plans and hardly took care of her... which completely dispensed her from his "training"... what any sensible person would call rather horrible torture sessions using the parasitic insects that were the basis of the Matou's Magecraft.
Thus, until then, the consequences of the opening of the Rift had been generally positive for her. And with Shinji gone, she might even return to the Emiya Residence, the place she considered her real home.
Unfortunately... since the Grail War, the place had changed. Saber had come to settle there... then Rin. Rubbing shoulders with her real sister was torture... first because she had to pretend to be a stranger, then because Rin's relationship with Shirou was... Sakura made an effort to repress her tears. Why was it always like this? Why did Rin have everything and she had nothing?
That was so unfair!
Her steps followed her thought, arriving in Miyama Town, Sakura stopped in front of the Tohsaka residence.
She was not the only one interested in the house, two Taoist monks in blue Hanfu and shaved heads stood in front of the front door discussing in a language what seemed to be Chinese.
The eldest of the two monks turned to Sakura:
"Excuse me, do you live in this area?" As she replied that this was the case, he smiled. "Perhaps you could help me. I'm looking for the Second Owner, Tohsaka Rin. I rang the doorbell, but no one answered. Perhaps you would know where I could find this honorable young lady?"
Sakura blinked... that must have been fate. A perfect excuse to return to the Emiya Residence was offered to her. Sakura bowed politely:
"Tohsaka-san resides almost all the time at... Emiya-san's house, please follow me."
"Thank you for helping this humble monk." He bowed in turn. "My name is Lo Fung, this is my student Fang-Lo." (3)
"I'm Matou Sakura, pleased to meet you."
Sakura looked at the two monks. She could not help feeling certain reluctance... an alarm had sounded in her mind. Although not properly trained as a Magi, the teenager had innate faculties. And she felt in these monks a presence that reminded her of that of Saber... there was something in these two men... something supernatural maybe inhuman. Nevertheless, she did not feel any danger. On the contrary, Lo Fung radiated goodness and wisdom. He had the aura of a teacher and seemed to look at the humans around him as a kind grandfather looked at turbulent children.
"Please, follow me," she repeated.
The "Emiya family" this strange little tribe gathering individuals of which only one was called Emiya, had a number of custom that was its own. One of them was sharing meals. As Shirou was an excellent cook, it was a real celebration.
The householder, with his back to the kitchen, sitting next to the rice cooker, watched the other guests with a bit of anxiety. The food distributions organized by The Republic were fortunately made of basic ingredients of Japanese cuisine such as mirin (4), soy sauce, Japanese noodles, seaweed, and rice.
However, as it was an emergency aid to the rifted populations, the choice of ingredients was limited and accordingly reduced the choice of recipes. But seeing that Saber was eating for four - with elegant and precise gestures- competed by Fuji-nee - who was filing her stomach like a half-starved tiger- Shirou smiled.
There were things that didn't change. Fortunately.
The young redhead's smile waved.
Taiga had reacted much better to the discovery of the Magecraft and the Servants' existence than the rest of the people they are affiliated with.
In fact, Rin and Shirou had begun to apprehend the resumption of classes at Homurahara Academy, suspecting that their former friends would probably refuse to approach them. Finally, things could change by the next school year. It must be said that the reopening of the school was still not on the agenda... because the classes provided until then were not adapted to their new world, and that adopting the school curriculum of the Republic without adaptation would lead to a generalized school failure. We were talking about sending the teachers to Hiroshima for a refresher session and only reopening the schools within three months.
Hearing a sudden noise, Shirou stirred from his own thoughts and turned to his former Servant.
Artoria had jumped up, leaving the table where the strange family shared the meal. With her eyes fixed on the ceiling, she displayed a calm and concentrated expression... but her initial reaction betrayed surprise and concern.
Rin and Shirou exchanged a surprised look. It was the latter who spoke:
"What's the matter, Saber?"
"I sense two presences... dragons, they're approaching."
The statement silenced all conversations as everyone turned to her. Taiga was the first to react, still holding her bowl with one hand and her chopsticks with the other:
"You says you feel the presence of two dragons?"
Saber nodded, without changing her posture. After a slight hesitation, she added:
"I am a dragon in human form. My sword is my breath."
Rin focused on her connection with her first Servant. She explained what Saber had felt and then asked Archer what he saw.
On the roof, Archer had just appeared in a shimmer of blue Prana's moths, ready to invoke his bow. The sky was empty except for a few clouds and a Republic transport plane that had just taken off from the airport. In the street, there were only the three people that he had already spotted. But as he focused his attention on the newcomers, he felt that two of these people have only the appearance of human people.
[I see only Matou Sakura and two Taoist monks. They head towards the house, apparently, she accompanies the two Taoist monks, a young and an old... Rin, I think there are two dragons in human form. Their aura is clearly non-human. Even, the young monk must be much more powerful than a typical Magi... but the older one is much more worrying, I believe that his power is comparable to that of Saber! ] (5)
Just then Lo Fung shook his two hands together and turned to the roof, bowing politely to Archer.
[ Uh... I don't think they're coming to attack us. Or our assailants are very polite. ]
Inside the house, Rin finished recounting Archer's report:
"... if the monks are in front of the house, they must have already entered the Bounded Field."
Shirou nodded:
'Right, and the alarm didn't go off. So I think Archer is right and they're not hostile. Besides, if they are with Sakura, we must avoid a fight at all costs."
Rin nodded nervously, suddenly a little paler. Despite the adoption of Sakura into the Matou family, the last of the Tohsaka had never been able to bring herself to stop loving her. She often watched her little sister from a distance... which is how she discovered her interest in Shirou. What made her feel strongly guilty moreover... contrary to the red-haired blockhead, Rin had not been mistaken on the real feelings of Sakura. And to steal from her sister the boy whom she was 'secretly' in love with, would certainly not help to reconcile them.
As the doorbell was ringing, Shirou could not help but smile:
"I sometimes wonder why I gave her a key. Sakura has been coming almost every day for a year and a half and yet she always rings the doorbell like a stranger. How many times should I tell her she's here at home?"
"Shitsurei-Shimatsu" (Sorry to disturb you).
After taking off her shoes in the Genkan, Sakura had just arrived in the dining room. As usual, she had made her entrance with timidity and politeness; the two monks following her.
Sakura immediately passed to the presentations. Lo Fung and his pupil bowed deeply to the inhabitants of the residence:
"I apologize for our untimely arrival. We certainly didn't plan to disrupt your meal." The oldest of the monks bowed a second time, this time to Saber, still standing and visibly ready to invoke her armor from one moment to the next. "No need to be so tense. I have not come to invade your home, daughter of Maglocunnus."
Saber was overwhelmed for a moment, then understood that if she had immediately realized that the newcomers were metamorphosed dragons... the reciprocal was true. Nevertheless, the monk's perception was extraordinary... much more developed than her own. Lo Fung had even recognized her Dragon Core lineage (6).
But in spite of the politeness of the two monks, a draconic instinct pushed Saber to distrust. The dragons were territorial... and that another dragon (a rival inevitably!) entered Shirou's house that she considered as her... lair was almost a declaration of war.
Although she did not really understand the reasons for the tension between Saber and Lo Fung, Rin sent a mental message for her second Servant to calm down. Then - with her Miss Perfect's patented smile- she turned to the two monks:
"And can we find out why you're here?"
"Of course, Tohsaka-san, I've come to give you an invitation from the Kyoto Magic Guild."
The two dragons did not linger conscious that their presence disrupted their host's meal. After their departure, they made a place for Sakura.
Once the meal was over, the table cleared and the dishes made, Archer made tea... Contrary to his "stupid version" he was not satisfied with tea in sachet and knew how to brew subtle mixtures, a habit that the teenager's version of Shirou had not yet acquired.
While the clan was gathering to drink tea and eat some cookies, Sakura at one end of the table, Shirou next to Saber, Rin, and Taiga facing them, Archer standing leaning on the partition, behind his Master, the discussion began.
It was the Tohsaka Heiress who spoke first:
"In fact, this invitation is exactly what I need. Once I get to the academy, I'll find someone who will teach me spells that will allow me to protect Fuyuki from supernatural threats from the other side of the Rift."
After absorbing a sip of tea, Archer shook his head:
"Precisely I think this invitation comes a little too timely."
Saber nodded slightly:
"I agree with Archer. It's obvious that Kyoto's Magic Guild and therefore the... The New Empire we've heard about from the Republicans... a nation firmly opposed to technology and ruled by a regime inspired by medieval Japan, I remind you... want something from you, Rin."
But the Second Owner of Fuyuki did not seem surprised by the distrust of her two Servants:
"Oh, no matter what the world, the Magi all look alike. What they want is obvious... my knowledge, my secrets, my authority in this territory." She had an evil smile. "But this is the favorite game of the Magi. Obviously, I'm going to have to teach them a part of my Magecraft to get a part of their knowledge. This kind of transaction is always given and take, but... I was prepared from childhood for this kind of situation. And after Kirei's 'practical lessons'... I'm certainly no longer willing to blindly trust a teacher even in priest's cassock or in Taoist's hanfu. I would certainly be tougher in business than they think. Plus, I start with an advantage."
As everyone looked at her without understanding, she had a new Machiavellian smile:
"Finally, it is they who have come to seek me! This means that they need me more than I need them! Think... how long has magic been back on this variant's Earth? Three hundred years? The Clocktower's modern Magecraft is at least three times older."
"You seem to be sure of yourself," Shirou remarked.
She crossed her arms on her chest, straightening up with a haughty sniff:
"Of course, who do you think you're talking to? I'm a genius... And I've studied many examples of this world magic in the past few weeks. Do you know what my conclusion is? Rifts Earth residents practice the True Magic and True Magic is inherently superior to Magecraft. There is no debate. Nevertheless, they practice it like children! Their spells, for example, require horribly long and impractical incantations with plenty of unnecessary redundancy. My Finn Shot - a form of Magecraft- is much faster and more efficient. In addition, this Runic Magecraft has been perfected for millennia for the most efficient Prana's cost/efficiency ratio possible. By comparison, all the attack spells I've studied are crude constructions where you waste a lot of Prana in a totally ineffective way."
Rin stopped for a moment and rubbed her chin before lifting a finger like a teacher giving a masterful lesson:
"When you think about it, these differences are the product of our respective environment. With so much Mana at hand, the Magi of this world never cared about efficiency. They became lazy. They have never even created a true theory of magic. They are empiricists. While the Magi of our world, with the rarefaction of the Mana, have rationalized the little magic that remained accessible to us, making a true science - the Magecraft- based on theories, demonstrations, and laws, all this to turn Mana and Od into Prana in the most effective way possible. The quintessence of this evolution is the appearance of Magic Circuits and Mage Crest. There is no equivalent on Rifts Earth."
Shirou went on to say:
"So you want to leave?"
Rin's eyes lit up:
"Of course I want to leave... imagine... all the knowledge of this Magic Guild, all that knowledge at hand. How could I refuse to go to Kyoto? It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. You realize it, Shirou, I could probably completely revolutionize their knowledge of magic just by teaching them what we teach kids at home. And in exchange, they'll probably be willing to give us all their knowledge. They will line up to give us their greatest secrets in exchange for knowledge crumbs."
Tohsaka's greed (especially for gems and magical knowledge) was probably the worst flaw in her personality, and as she warmed up, Saber, Archer, and Shirou exchanged anxious glances. They had already seen her... not ' in this state'... but much less excited (they had in fact never seen her so possessed by her greed) and each time the result had a catastrophe of the first magnitude.
However, before anyone could say anything, Sakura's sobs turned all the heads in her direction.
The shy Sakura had not said a word since the beginning of the "family council" content to wring her hands in despair while lowering her head. But, understanding that Rin and Shirou were going to leave the city leaving her alone with her "grandfather", the terror, the feeling of abandonment, and despair had been too strong for her.
"I don't want Shirou to leave!"
She shook her head and cried, and the rest of her words made no sense.
Shirou leaned over his friend and wrapped her shoulders with an arm to support her head on his chest and kissed her hair. Although he was often mocked by Archer for his direct and impulsive temperament, the redhead teen understood perfectly that there was no point in talking, and he contented himself with lulling the teenage girl like a child.
Strangely, Saber, usually thoughtful and patient, was the one who misunderstood the state of mind of the violet hair's teen:
"Sakura is important to Rin and Shirou they are Magi. You don't know what it is but...
Rin opened her mouth to interrupt her Servant. Her expression was panicked... she knew that Sakura understood perfectly, on the contrary, and that Saber's intervention was about to make the situation worse.
But it was sweet Sakura who cut off Saber's words, with a dark passion that no one would have associated with her:
"I know perfectly well what the Magi are capable of doing to have a little more power. The Matou is a family of Magi. You have no idea what I've been through!"
The silence fell in the room as Sakura detached herself from Shirou's arms to wipe her tears. She began to speak forcefully, looking with intensity at Rin and Saber, her rivals:
"What do you think? That it was Shinji who summoned Rider? He didn't have a Command Marks nor Magic Circuits, hasn't it struck you? That's because he was using a book to give order to Rider, The Book of the False Attendant was created by grandfather from one of my Commands Marks. Yes, I'm the one who summoned Rider. Want proof? Do you know Rider's True Name? Her name was Medusa and she was my friend! Yes, it was me, the True Master of Rider... But when the Command Marks appeared, I refused to participate in the Grail War. I don't want to kill someone. So I agreed to hand Rider over to Shinji... you know the rest...
There was a long moment of silence. Taiga, the only person not concerned by Magi's stories, had taken Sakura in her arms and spoke softly to her, calming her little by little.
Even if the pretty teenager had not detailed what she had suffered, her anger and despair were too palpable to leave anyone indifferent.
Curiously, it was Archer who broke the silence:
"I also think Shirou should stay in Fuyuki."
As Sakura straightened, very surprised and grateful, EMIYA seemed embarrassed. He raised a hand to prevent her from speaking:
"I'm not saying this to support you, Sakura. It's just the best answer to the current situation. Rin must go to Kyoto, first because the invitation is for her, then because she is the Second Owner and of course, because she is the only one among us who can benefit from this trip. Shirou knows almost nothing about Magecraft. His presence at the Kyoto's Magic Guild would bring nothing to Rin... other than shame" he ended, wearing that mocking smile that always boiled the blood of those who were subjected to his sarcasm. "So he better stay here. Conversely, Saber and I are Fuyuki's only defenses in case of a supernaturals monsters' attack. If the two Servants leave the city simultaneously, it will remain defenseless. Nor could we let Rin go to Kyoto alone. One of us must stay and the other must accompany Rin to protect her. Shirou and I hardly get along. On the contrary, Saber is the former Servant of Shirou. Moreover, she swore as a knight to protect and obey Sirou, an oath which she considered not to have been lifted by becoming Rin's Servant. She will not allow Shirou to be left alone to defend Fuyuki. So to accomplish at the same time the Kyoto and Fuyuki missions, you have to divide Servants and Masters into two teams. The first team should be formed by Rin and me, the second by Shirou and Saber because it is the only realistic option."
(1) Open/ close Rift spell is an exception to the rule that a Magi draws energy (Mana) from the environment for a ritual. Actually, it makes sense, you can't use the leyline energy to manipulate that same leyline. Therefore, the Prana comes entirely from the ritual's voluntary participants... or from sacrificed individuals!
(2) Apparent destruction indeed but Saber who has already "destroyed" Angra Mainyu once (in Fate/zero) has her doubts!
(3) Note that Lo Fung already appeared in chapter 1.
(4) Mirin is soft sake or low-alcohol rice wine with a slightly syrupy texture, widely used in Japanese cuisine, especially in teriyaki sauce.
(5) Canonically, Saber has the power of a great dragon as she just explained to Taiga. Also, Lo Fung is one of the true heroes of Rifts Earth, a powerful Chinese dragon who fought the incarnations of the four horsemen of the apocalypse and survived the clash. (See Rifts Africa, "the gathering of Heroes")
(6) Maglocunnus is the Great Red Dragon Protector of the Isle of Britain. It is still on the contemporary flag of Wales. The Dragon Core of Artoria Pendragon is a gift from this dragon. And King Arthur is both the daughter of Maglocunnus and his incarnation. In the Fate/ Stay Night's anime, when Rin allows Shirou to enter the soul of Saber, he discovers a volcanic landscape inhabited by a horrible dragon. This dragon is Artoria, as Maglocunnus' incarnation.