Transfer Student (Fluff - mostly)
"I wonder if Tiger overslept again, a bleary-eyed boy sitting behind Rin moaned. "I wouldn't mind sleeping some more myself..."
Rin happened to have a pretty good guess about why Taiga was late. It was probably due to underestimating the paperwork she had to do for Sasaku, thus running out of time before class started. The Fujimura was not the most reliable, though at least she wouldn't give up until getting things done eventually.
She glanced at the time when Taiga appeared with Sasaku following - only about a minute late. Not bad, given her record.
"Ok, ok, settle down!" their homeroom teacher announced enthusiastically, as always. "I know you're all excited that it's Friday, but we have someone new joining the class."
You're the one excited for the weekend. Rin groused to herself. Since you'll get to eat more of Shirou's food. Though as things stood, handling Taiga with a deft hand would be invaluable.
The new student was, of course, Sasaku. Some of her classmates seated at the back of the room had to stand up in order to be able to see her. "Emiya Sasaku. I'm a returnee from the West, I'll be in your care." She dipped her head elegantly and stopped.
A few people somewhere behind, she couldn't see who due to sitting in the front row but could make out the voices, whispered to one another. Silence fell as as Taiga scanned the room looking for where to place the newcomer.
"There's only vacant seats at the back, so pick one for now," she said finally, seeing their math teacher stepping up to the door. "Right next to Emiya." Sasaku nodded and quietly made her way to the indicated place.
Rin took a look at the problem, which was set out in prose form. Since the relevant information and equation were already set out in front of them, that part was done...
(A while later)
"So, does anyone have an answer?" Rin slowly looked around to see, unsurprisingly, everyone else carefully avoiding eye contact with their pacing teacher. Who noticed Rin. However, at that moment, Sasaku muttered the mentioned answer in a low voice, that nevertheless was quite clearly audible in the silence.
"Ah," the lifeline was quickly seized. "Emiya-chan seems to have an idea, why don't you show us what you have?"
Hmpphm..
Rin wondered how many people, like her, were having trouble fighting the urge to giggle when Sasaku awkwardly began writing. She might be (secretly) a Servant, but her simple lack of height even when standing on tip-toe meant there was still a substantial gap between what was already up on the board and her first line.
Though, since she finished with only two lines and the answer, it wasn't even needed.
"Right," the girl said before pausing and raising her voice (probably so those at the rear could hear her). "First simplify. Next, you could solve symbolically, but it's faster to just put in the numbers since we won't be re-solving. Then calculator work." They didn't actually use calculators, though she probably just meant mentally.
"Well," the teacher said after a moment had passed, making it clear Sasaku wasn't about to elaborate. "That's correct, though... you've skipped a lot of steps." Sasaku nodded in understanding.
"Long version, first you chop it up into bits-" Someone, actually several someones, laughed because she was actually making chopping motions with one hand.
"Why don't we let someone else try the explanation," came the interruption. "Tohsaka, what do you have?"
Rin shrugged while taking Sasaku's place in front of the class. She had noticed that when the Servant had been told that she "skipped a lot" her enthusiasm took a sudden drop.
(Start of the first break)
"Tohsaka-san," Shirou said conversationally before she left the classroom to get something to eat. "Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Out with it Emiya-kun," she replied, noticing Sasaku hovering a little behind him. And several of the class' girls behind them.
"Could you switch places with Sasaku? She, er, can't see from the back." Taiga had probably not even thought of that.
"I sort of like my spot though..."
"But Tohsaka, weren't you one of those that wanted to sit at the back, but then you moved because Fujimura was getting annoying at how everyone left the front places open?" She glared at Shinji for directly contradicting her. "I've gotten used to it, ok?"
"Don't worry, Emiya-chan," he continued insincerely, "I will happily trade with you." He was one of those that was actually dragged up front. Neither his behavior nor moods were helped much by the relocation.
Rin and Shirou shared a brief look.
"I'm closer to the middle, so it's probably better for you to take my spot," Rin said with an air of don't-mess-with-me.
"Tohsaka-san has a good point," Sasaku said after another moment of tense quiet. "But thank you for offering, er..."
"Shinji," he said with the sort of greasy smile that Rin hated the most. Having to deal with that brat was one of the things she pitied Sakura for having to put up with, doubtless the reason why the girl showed up early to school so frequently.
"You haven't been introduced, sorry." Shirou apologized while putting himself between the two. "Sasaku, this is Matou Shinji, a friend of mine." The boy's smile slipped a bit. "Shinji, Emiya Sasaku. As you might have guessed, my sister."
"It's nice to meet you Matou-san," Sasaku said politely. "I hope we can be friends as well."
"Well, yeah. Don't let your brother drag you around on his errands though. Or Tohsaka for that matter," Shinji replied curtly before walking off.
"He's always like that," Shirou frowned at his friend's back. "Don't take it to heart."
"You're too kind, he doesn't know how to treat a girl," Rin shot back sourly. She hoped he could hear.
Shinji wasn't his usual sarcastic self, which meant he was probably angry. That jerk always went for the quiet girls, thinking this time he could get his hands on them. Hopefully he wouldn't take it out on Sakura, the one girl who couldn't get away from him...
Rin quickly beat a retreat as their classmates crowded towards Sasaku. Interestingly enough, it was all girls. There were a few reasons that came to mind.
While one might be tempted to guess that after seeing what had happened with Shinji, the other boys decided to bide their time, actually he was the only one that seemed directly interested earlier. Keen senses and a habit of human observation showed her another reason, namely:
'Isn't she a bit early for our year?'
'Was she really born here though...'
'That's a dangerous age isn't it?'
'Doesn't look like Emiya at all...'
and other such comments.
That's right, they simply didn't know what to make of her. Humans tend to fear the unknown, and shy away from engaging with it. Well, actually - Rin watched with amusement as Shirou was subtly but quickly separated from Sasaku, who was immediately questioned by her now-classmates.
Of course curiosity and the need to find hidden truths was all too human, magi or not.
Rin returned in time to hear the girls switch to another favorite topic: romance. She felt a tinge of guilt as they pressed the small newcomer for any interesting tidbits about herself - did she have anyone back west, was there anyone here in Japan, did people in the west start dating much earlier than here, what did she think about the boys in their class?
Wow, that's just bloody terrible, and intrusive.
"That Matou-san, he's quite a thing, huh?" Rin nodded to herself in agreement. Shinji's terrible character was totally well-known, and the girls were constantly pulling away heh, rescuing more like anyone he tried to get his claws on.
"Eh, what?!" several of them exclaimed at once. Rin immediately took note of their surprise and tried to recall what Sasaku had muttered to herself just a before it.
"I'm already taken though."
Is what she had said. Rin sweated heavily, remembering what she had accidentally revealed to one of those girls earlier that day.
She wanted to curse, but actually, this isn't my fault right? I mean Sasaku herself said that, I had nothing to do with it, or whatever conclusions people draw from it. She thought about her earlier slip-up.
Yeah, those two can be loud-mouths, but they won't reveal their source, which is to say me, so... I'm just going to pass on this.
.
(Shirou)
"Tohsaka, is something wrong? You look like, uh wait what?"
Returning with some food for Sasaku, Shirou blinked as Rin started upon hearing his inquiry and immediately dashed off. Before he could wonder what was up, or think to follow her and ask, a couple of the girls from his class had broken off from the group around Sasaku and cornered him.
"Hey Emiya-kun, what's Sasaku-chan to you?"
"Sasaku, what's this about?"
"I... I made a mistake." his Servant replied morosely.
"One moment," Shirou muttered noncommittally as he saw his friend Issei coming down the hall. "Ryuudou, I was just looking for you."
"Emiya." The other male saw his friend's situation and immediately caught on. "Is this a good time?"
"Excuse me," Shirou apologized while freeing himself to join Issei. The two of them hurriedly made their way to the student council room before anyone else could interfere.
"Thanks for the help." After closing the door and locking it, Shirou turned to see his friend wearing a serious expression. "Was there actually something you needed?"
Issei hesitated before replying in a delicate tone "I've heard that you might be having some problems. No, not just problems, Tohsaka and the new girl are ganging up to take your father's estate?"
"Er no, they hadn't met before. Actually I asked Tohsaka to help my sister settle in since, uh." He couldn't give the real reason which was Tohsaka already knew about the War and Sasaku's status as a Servant. However, Issei took this as a sign that he needed help.
"But how quickly did she get involved? It's suspicious, doesn't she have links to western families as well? You must admit, it's over a decade after everything was settled with the Emiya estate."
Well, that's true... huh, he's actually onto a real conspiracy by Tohsaka here, but how inconvenient.
"That's true I suppose, but it isn't like Sasaku is staying with Tohsaka, she's in the Emiya house with me, and Taiga will be taking care of the paperwork. We've got it covered as well as can be."
"That's not the real danger," Issei continued darkly. "It's possible that she's aiming for you directly."
.
(The Matou house)
(Shinji)
An interesting play, Tohsaka - but careless. The events of the last few days, or rather nights, now made the chess board clear to Shinji. Though he had kept Rider out of the house to avoid detection, Sakura had been able to tell that his neighbor's Servant had been coming and going since being summoned.
Unfortunately for her, he wasn't foolish enough to think that the Grail would let the last Tohsaka skip out on the War, especially as he knew even someone like Sakura was selected. Thus, the appearance of "Emiya-chan" was a major red flag. Though it was risky, Sakura was apparently hard to tag as a magus, so he had been able to use her to confirm that Shirou's suddenly-appearing sister was most likely Rin's Servant.
He nodded to himself upon seeing Sakura returning - early for her, but even if suspicious, necessary. Tohsaka knew too much and might guess she was the Matou's Master or not. She might take action too.
Hmm, either tonight or tomorrow night will be the critical battle. "Rider, how are your prana levels?"
"Last night Sakura filled up my prana reserves, however, she herself is very low currently," the Servant replied clinically.
"She'll have to endure it for a night or so, I don't know exactly when we'll encounter Tohsaka, but if it isn't tonight then we can prepare more." Shinji frowned, trying to balance the books. It was a hard problem given that he simply couldn't tell how much his sister and Servant were holding. They didn't have convenient little blue bars to show.
"If we get more prep work in tonight, will you be able to refill from her tomorrow during daytime?"
"That would not be possible without killing her." Damn, that's what I get for trying to play too close to the line.
"Ok, instead just go and watch the school. Definitely don't get too near unless you've seen both Tohsaka and Emiya leave. If the latter does without a girl following him, then come back immediately. Or if you spot Tohsaka returning. Also, if there's any tampering with the foci for your Bounded Field."
"What about you?"
Shinji shrugged, halfway out of his room. "I'll have to take care of Sakura. If the coast seems clear then you'll have to keep working by yourself. Ball's in Tohsaka's court on when her funeral is."
If she goes for it tonight, then being too low myself would be bad. I'll have to hedge and pass a little to Sakura.
.
(Later, outside of school)
(Shirou)
Sasaku's Master sighed as the two left the school and casually strolled towards the shopping district. Somewhere along the way a small girl popped out of a side street and joined them. "What a bloody mess. Oh hello Kuro, what are you up to?"
"Just wandering around. So, onii-chan having girl problems?"
The trip walked a little further before Shriou finally replied. "You already heard about it while hanging around Tohsaka, right? There's no need to mess around with me."
"Well..." Kuro paused with a smile as Rin appeared and joined them. "It's not like Rin gets involved in regular girls' gossip, huh? Right?"
"What are you talking about?" Rin muttered, flushing slightly as attention was called to her.
"Not you too, oh wait, no. You actually do know what's going on, what was I thinking..." For some reason Kuro seemed very interested in what was going on, not that he could figure out what her angle was, other than messing with everyone.
"Tohsaka-san, you've dealt with things like this before, can you give me some advice?"
"Oho~ well Rin, she-"
"Shut up Kuro," her Master snapped, before replying. "This one will be free, since it's, er... well, just do nothing."
"That's good advice, Shirou-nii," his Servant added. "After all a lot can be solved by just ignoring it. Though that reminds me, um, I need to pick up something... it won't be long."
Sasaku walked off, and after a moment Kuro bounced after her. Rin turned to Shirou with a serious expression. "Hey, I've been wondering for a while now. About Sasaku, that is."
"What about her?" He muttered, distracted by something in one of the shops.
"Well, you're quite lucky to have met her," Rin said after a while, watching him closely. "But I have been wondering how you're able to support her. A girl like that isn't trivial to keep around, after all."
Shirou froze, which wasn't missed by the other magus. "You'll have to explain that to newbie me," he said after a while. Rin's eyes narrowed as she looked at his hand which no longer visibly showed the Command Seals she had seen earlier.
"No, I, well forget that." She switched to. "Did you or Sasaku notice anything odd at school?"
"Besides Issei really being suspicious of you, half the guys looking at me like I'm some sort of criminal, along with the half of the girls who weren't just randomly giggling, and I only just realized why?"
"Eh. Deal with it." Rin replied tersely and waited for him to continue.
"But anyway, what is it, you think there's a Servant around? Sasaku never mentioned anything to me."
"We'll have to discuss this later," Rin stopped him.
(Sasaku)
"So, what are you getting?" Kuro asked after sidling up to her.
"Clothes." Sasaku replied while heading towards one of the shops that she remembered seeing the previous day.
"I thought you already picked those up yesterday?"
"Underclothes." "Huh." The smaller Servant just shrugged as Sasaku grabbed a couple of the mentioned item and paid for them. "I thought you said you had that."
"Well, in the first place, I meant -" Sasaku stopped in the middle of her explanation. "You knew what happened, you tell me."
"I did, Rin actually only heard some random things that filtered through. But I see what you're getting at. So it's all of that type?"
"Yeah."
Sasaku and Kuro just looked at one another, each waiting for the other to do something. After a moment, Kuro simply laughed, "Not that I mean anything by it, but your husband must have very interesting tastes."
"I don't generally look like this when we - ah, you know that's not how legends work. I tend to look like this outside, so that's what I look like."
"Ooh, I see," Kuro said after a moment. "It must be troubling huh, after you got the guy and all, but outsiders don't realize it."
"Well among my own people everyone already knows though, and I've always looked like this since the beginning so it's not an issue."
"But it is here, right? That's why you-"
"It's not really that important. Stupid gossip is inevitable," though Sasaku was fuming about it. "Let them have their cliche web novel story and forget about it when the next edition comes out. Let's go back before your Master tries to arm-twist mine into something we'll both regret."
"That won't really happen though," Kuro followed her. "I mean, you can tell she's quite interested in him, right?"
"Maybe," was all Sasaku would give. "I've quite the experience with boy-girl relationships, and I wouldn't put anything on that one."
"You really think she's trying to lead him on?"
"No, though more because would he even notice? But I can tell she's serious about, or at least prepared for, the War."
"Hmm," Kuro mumbled. "It's a pity how these things go... oh right, so do you have any in my size? You can't use them right?"
"I'm going to pretend I have no idea what you mean, since you totally have no need for that."
"You're such a spoilsport."
.
(Earlier that morning.)
(What happened with Rin)
"So, so, isn't that like the story from a manga?" her friend concluded cheerfully. "The pair are pushed together by circumstances - check. Even if they're supposed to be siblings, they aren't actually related - really check. As they fight over something important - check - they then discover that the greatest treasure is their relationship. And then, and then..."
Rin jumped in as the other girl ran out of breath. "Don't you think that's drawing it out much? I mean she's only arrived and they haven't even seen the will to know if there's anything to fight over."
"No, no," Having recovered her breath, and seeing another curious classmate join them, she continued with aplomb. "Of course the twist is - if they do get married then it all works out right? Since they'll both be living in the house regardless, and their children will inherit it all anyway. But maybe that's too obvious a conclusion."
"Perhaps if suddenly another guy or girl shows up and throws a wrench in everything. Or one of them made a really stupid childhood promise or something. Emiya-kun's history before the big fire and getting adopted is a big mystery, even to him, after all."
Rin groaned. Making up a story for Taiga was not a big deal, she had every reason to want to keep everything as quiet as possible. Sasaku had actually done the fabricating to start of with.
But letting her in particular get carried away, meant some sort of karmic justice would reach out from the Root (or Throne of Heroes, since that's basically Servants' homes) and bite her. Probably when either Sasaku or Shirou heard about it and realized the 'leak'.
.
Notes:
This is Day 3, which is Friday, for the record.