I flip the handheld cassette recorder in my hand several times as I stand in the center aisle of the quiet, empty 24/7 convenience store. Well, well. I thought I remember this place having stuff like this. After eyeing it up for a couple minutes longer, I make my decision, and begin navigating to the checkout counter.
Upon arriving, the teenage cashier nervously stares at me, stiff as board. Realizing I'm a good two or 3 feet taller than her, it makes sense that she would be so frazzled. Not to mention my clothes are also probably bizarre enough to freak her out.
"I would like to purchase this." I state while placing the cassette player on the counter.
She nods her head and grabs the item with shaky hands. I've never seen a cashier ring up an item so quickly.
"I-It'll be 5,250 yen." She shakily informs me.
"R-Right." I answer while placing my hand behind me. "Trace On." I mutter it barely above a whisper.
After a brief moment, I feel a stack of papery bills form in my hand. I quickly pull it from behind me and offer it to the sheepish cashier.
"Here. You can keep the change."
She wordlessly nods after I place it into her hand. Once she's finished counting it and printed my receipt, I make my way out of the store.
"I feel a little bad for tricking that poor girl…" I mutter while hopping from rooftop to rooftop. "I hope she doesn't get in trouble after those bills disappear once their projected time runs out."
Eventually, I arrive at the front gate to the Emiya residence. I waste no time in hopping over the gate and into the yard. I walk slowly while circling around the house to the backyard and I unwrap the mobile cassette recorder I bought.
I get the batteries and the cassette inserted just as I hop up to perch atop Shirou Emiya's workshop. Hm, I suppose this wouldn't be this Shirou's "workshop", now would it? Well then… woodshop?
I shake my head over the trivial train of thought and stare down at the recorder. All the information I've gathered until now replays in my mind. I thoroughly collect my thoughts before I dare start. As I prepare myself, I look across the yard and to the window of Shirou's bedroom, of which this shed's roof has the perfect view of. If I strain my eyes, I can see his sleeping figure underneath the futon…
Deciding I should get this show on the road before it gets to late, I snap the cassette tray into place and click the record button.
Shirou Emiya Case File: Report no. 1
"Servant: Archer
"Master: Tohsaka Rin
"Under the coalition of my master and the master of Saber, Emiya Irisviel, I have been tasked with the investigation and reporting of the individual: Shirou Emiya.
"These reports will be conducted on a cassette tape recording, which in turn will be encrypted with a magic seal courtesy of my master, rendering the tape inaudible to anyone other than Tohsaka Rin.
"The purpose of these reports, and this investigation into Shirou Emiya, is to determine what strange contrivances, if any at all, are being employed by him to accomplish what he has thus far.
"This is recording number one in the sequence of reports.
"I will preface this by saying I have kept an observant eye on Emiya Shirou near since the moment I arrived in this world. I was immediately struck by the notion there's something amiss about him. The details of which I will mostly cover in this report.
"Two things about him rub me the wrong way: One, his affixation with archery. Two, his affixation with Irisviel Emiya.
"His intent pursual of archery is strange to me because of the large domain over his life he has let it invade. He goes leaps and bounds further than simply attending archery practice and tournaments, to which is the extent of any other practitioner of archery his age should engage. He has prenticed in the art of constructing the bows and arrows for the sport, converted the shed on his property into a workshop for crafting and enhancing these tools, forged a habit of trying to practice the sport for multiple hours in the afternoon post his already established school training, and even rushes into the battlefield, quiver and bow ready, with the intent to combat servant and master alike.
"I can also say with some degree of certainty that the pleasure he derives from the sport is something akin to an addiction of, say, alcohol or drugs. Though I have no definitive proof, I believe that Shirou Emiya, after being deprived of partaking in archery for the past few days due to his coma, took to the backyard this eve and, being without a proper practice target, riddled the property with as many arrows as he could muster shooting. That is, if the myriad of puncture marks dotting the area is any indicator. It also seems his hands were worn raw, likely from the speculated endeavor.
"Before I move on to the topic of his bizarre devotion to Irisviel Emiya, I will mention one other topic falling under the category of his archery addiction. He possesses a single arrow, of shoddy construction, that he holds dearer than any of his other bolts, or even his bow itself. Despite the leaving-to-be-desired craftsmanship of it, I am under the suspicion there is indeed some untraceable mystic quality to it. However, it is totally alien to me, and despite my trying I could not discern the nature of it. He dubs it his "lucky arrow", apparently because he's under the belief that he can hit any target he deems so long as it is with said arrow. This could, if true, perhaps lend into the success and overarching survival capabilities we are currently sleuthing.
"Onto the subject of Irisviel. Shirou Emiya has proven, on multiple occasions, that he believes he lives and breathes for Irisviel's sake alone. No matter the circumstances, his top priority is whether she's safe or not and, if so, is she happy. On paper, it seems like nothing more than a commendable, admirable disposition. However, the degree to which he follows this self-employed rule of life is nothing less than inhuman. Even the staunchest and most devout of knights will at some point question or waver in their loyalty to their king. However, Shirou Emiya seems to believe that Irisviel's beliefs and decisions are without flaw. The only time he seems to cast doubt on her choices is when he thinks they will jeopardize her life, as shown when he shadowed them during their pursuit of Berserker a few nights prior. As you know, this resulted in Shirou Emiya being eviscerated and nearly- no, in all manners except reality, dying.
"To that end, where Shirou Emiya would follow that devotion to his grave, with a smile on his face, it is undoubtedly, objectively inhuman. Surely, there are those who would probably see it as the most respectable and awe-inspiring of qualities (like our resident Saber, for example), but I stand here now to inform you that isn't the case. For reasons I cannot divulge at this time, I hate Shirou Emiya for this quality of his.
"I will not delve too deeply into the superhuman feats themselves, as you are already aware of them. They are as follows: Surviving being hunted by Lancer, dodging an attack from Berserker on the night of their very first meeting, pacifying Berserker's master into allowing his escape on that same night, managing to best Rider in combat (according to his testimony) and escape with his life, uncovering the identity of the masters Shinji Matou and Illyasviel von Einzbern, locating and allowing the defeat of Assassin, the successful defense of Saber and her master Irisviel on the night Illyasviel and Berserker ambushed them, surviving long enough to be healed after having his intestines strewn out and losing about 40-50% of his blood, and the hypothesizing (and eventual proving, as of tonight) of Berserker Hercules' regenerable lives.
"Any one of these would be a miracle for a normal human such as Shirou Emiya to accomplish. However, all of them in tandem… It is not only improbable; I would venture as far as to say it is impossible.
"The last topic I wish to discuss for this report is actually one I've come to learn tonight, mere hours before I settled into make this recording. Irisviel Emiya informed me that, after asking Shirou Emiya if anything was wrong, he let slip a peculiar interest into the subject of origins. Specifically, he wanted Irisviel to confirm or deny the existence of such a thing, and explain what they are. Furthermore, he wanted to know "what would happen if someone were to awaken to their origin".
"Shirou Emiya claims his familiarity was endowed unto him during a conversation held with my master. After consulting my master on the basis of this supposed conversation, she informed me that such a topic was never discussed between them.
"This, then, begs the question of where exactly Shirou Emiya obtained this information from. We know with certainty that neither from my master nor Irisviel, the only two mages under the same roof as him, did he learn of it. It is also dubious that the information could've been garnered from the master of Berserker, Illyasviel von Einzbern. And, other than these three mages, we know of no other practitioners of magecraft that Shirou Emiya is acquainted with.
"Setting aside the question as to who he became acquainted with that enlightened him of such a topic, there is also the matter of to what extent did Shirou Emiya experience the subject firsthand.
"The mere premise of inquiring about origins, specifically of awakening to them, poses the very-likely dilemma of Shirou Emiya having experienced this personally. Given that he wanted to know what happens to one whose origin has been awakened, it seems to confirm that, if such transpired to him, he does not know what the end result will yield.
"I will now briefly explain the effects of an awoken origin and what we should come to expect, should this be the case. As I have some familiarity in the field, my theories voiced here and now can be treated with authenticity.
"In the event a mage- or even a normal person, for that matter- should have their origin awoken, it inevitably ensures one thing: that person will indeed become the precise definition of that origin.
"It may take years, decades, generations, or perhaps even days, but that is ultimately the end of one who chose such a fate, should they live to reach that point.
"As any mage of at least mediocre standing will know, one's origin dictates roughly how their life will play out. It influences their magecraft, their choices, their lifespan, even what foods they like or disdain. However, the awakening to an origin essentially amplifies that.
"No longer will they merely be influenced by it; they will be driven by it. It will take the reins of their existence and dictate everything they do. It will start slow, but eventually snowball out of control. Soon, they will be consumed by it, and all they'll be able to do is act on the core meaning of that origin. The tradeoff for this hefty toll is, traditionally, more power at their disposal or more knowledge and understanding into the world they inhabit.
"Given the mannerisms of Shirou Emiya that prompted this investigation, it is fair to assume his awoken origin is the root cause of the situation, should we come to find out that he did indeed undergo such a process.
"As for what exactly his origin is… I'm afraid I have no idea. I have one possible guess, but through process of elimination and linear progression, that guess must be considered invalid.
"I must also note, I did not inform Irisviel of my master's denial in a conversation regarding origins having ever transpired between her and Shirou Emiya. Given the current situation in this Grail War, and our time constraint with the dealing of Berserker and his master, I decided it would be to our disadvantage to cause distrust or strife between those two... at least, right now. Their close bond is perhaps their greatest virtue, and to influence that before such a pivotal battle… well, it would be inopportune to say the least.
"So then, my master and sole witness to this firsthand report, I formally request that we practice patience and wait to confront Shirou Emiya on the topic of his origin and potential awakening of such. In the meantime, I will gather as much intel as possible for my next report. As for you, I would suggest hoping and praying that the aforementioned I speculated be completely and wholly untrue and incorrect."
*click*