Now here's the awaited second chapter. It's about Rin as the member of Matou Family. The first part is from Emiya Shirou's perspective(similar to the happenings and storytelling of 1st day of the VN) and the second part is a (VN-)spoilerheavy part about the Matou household with third person's perspective. So be warned about the second part.
31st January:
"Creeeek..."
I hear the heavy, old and rusty sound of the opening door. Light enters the dark shed.
"..."
I do nothing. I sense the cold air and aproaching footsteps. My mind is waking up...
"Emiya-kun? Are you awake?"
"-Uh."
"Hey! Wake up you slacker!"
I hear the shout. I open my eyes and see a girl's face.
"Mm. Good morning, Rin."
" Good mornning. Man, ...you're such a slacker recently. Did you eat something bad?"
She stands straight and puts both hands on her hips like she's complaining now. Wait! She really is complaining.
"Sorry. I wake up soon."
"You should. Fujimura Sensei would get angry if she learns about your lazyness."
It just makes me remember how lucky I am. Fuji-nee always hits me to wake me up. It's ten times better to hear Rin's complaints.
"Ah...right. Thanks for coming to wake me up."
"Huh?...I-it's nothing. Anyways, it's such a rare thing. Ha-ha..."
She laughts off my comliment to hide her emberassment.
"-You're always up so early. It's actually quite fun."
She's more cheerful than usual. Did something happen?
"...But it's a pitty I couldn't poke your nose or play some prank on you. Next time I come in silently."
"What?"
I take it back! Rin's waking up me actually much worse. I am gratefull of being only half-asleep. I would die instead to be seen like fool by her.
I have to wake up now. Taking a deep breath I clear up my mind. The cold air flowing in helps me cease my sleepiness.
In front of me is Matou Rin, my schoolmate and from the same grade as mine. This place is the shed behind my house and it's six o'clock.
"...Emiya-kun?Hey!"
"Yeah. I am awake now. Sorry, I guess I did it again. I have to help you cook breakfast too."
"Aw...You're helpless. You were up late night again, right? Well, I guess I leave you take your time. I'll get breakfast today."
"I can't let you do that. I'll get up right now, so let's go to the kitchen together."
I wake up.
"All right. I'm all set. let's go Rin. What? Is something wrong?
Rin Looks strangely on me.
"Nothing. But I think you should change before you go back to the house."
"--Oh."
That said, I look down at myself. I fell asleep while I was working. I'm still wearing my overals. Being my work clothes, they're pretty dirty.I can't imagine what Fuji-nee would say if I went into the house like this.
"Ugh...I guess I'm not awake yet. I'm bit out this morning."
"Right. So you rest here for a bit and I'll take care of the breakfast. And you know, if you keep this place a mess, Fujimura-sensei will get mad at you."
"...You're right. I'll go after I get changed. You go on ahead."
"Alright. Take your time. And just watch, I will beat your cooking today!"
She boasts full of confidence and cheer. Her cheerfullness warms me up a little.
"We'll see."
I say it smiling.
I have to change into my school uniform and clear up this mess. The shed is built on the endge of our yard, and just as it seems, it's a warehouse we put all our junk in.
But for me, it's a place of treasures as I've enjoyed messing with things since I was a kid. Father didn't allow me to go into the shed, but I always sneaked in here. as a result, it became my base. For me, Emiya Shirou, I guess you could call this place my real room. The bign Emiya household doesn't suit me, and I can only relax in this space full of junk.
"...Besides, it's a waste. Even if it's junk, you can still use it. "
Did I bring all the junk here because I liked it ,or did I come to like it here because of the junk? Anyway, since I was always sneaking in here, it became my hobby to fix the broken things. It's not like I get attached to things. I think it just annoys me not to use thing that can still be used. and just like that I was fixing that stove last night.
"...I guess I'll finish it tomorrow. It seems I don't have enough concentraton, seeing how I fell asleep hallfway."
I shake of the feeling of disappointment in myself.
"...All right."
I change to my uniform. This place's my room, and it holds changes of clothes along with other things I need. It also has lot of plueprints and junk, the result of failures from when I do my training. There's also some kind of old design inscribed on the floor, like an altar or something. As you know, I am a mage, even if I can't be proud of myself. The only thing I can do is reinforcement magic and even with that I fail most of the time. Even after my father's death I continued my training on a daily basis.
"---Well, let's get today started."
Clapping my hands in prayer to the shed, I head for the house.
I emerge from the shed. The Emiya house is a Japanese-style house on the outskirts of town. My father wasn't much respected person in town, but he somehow still had this huge house. That on its own is a mystery, but it also seem he didn't have any relatives in Japan. That's why the house became mine and no one else's when my father died. Though, to be honest, I don't have that kind of management ability. Old Man Fujimura is in charge of complicated things like the inheritance and the property taxes. He's the big landlord in this neighborhood. According to Father: 'The Old Man is like a yakuza boss'.
It's prejustice, he is not like a yakuza boss, he is a yakuza boss. Well, It's certainly true that he's energetic and scary, but he's actually not a bad person. Just like his daughter, Fuji-nee somehow. Anyways, that's not like I'm living alone in this big house.
It's been five years since father died. The days have passed quickly. I sigh, thinking about how much I've grown in those years. I've trained every day to be like Kirigutsu, my Father, but it's not that easy in reality. It's natural, because I have no talent to begin with, but what can be said about having no improvement at all in five years?
To sum it up, my goal is so far away that I'm not even at the starting line yet.
"------"
No I guess it won't do any good to rush. For now, I have to do what I can.
..That's right. I have to go and help Rin. I'd feel bad, both for letting her do all work, and she coming here so early in the morning.
But I'm too late. It seems breakfast has already been made. I can smell the scent of the breakfast. She finished cooking and is opening the cupboards. I can see all she left to do is set the table.
"I'm sorry. I'll at least get dishes ready, so you go and sit down."
"Huh? Oh, so you're here, at last?"
She says it with a sarcastical tone.
"What? At last? What do you mean by it?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all. What can I expect from someone without any club activites. Of course you're late."
"What? I work on part-time! That's why I can't afford any clubs... But it's really rude for me to make you do the cooking while you have morning practices. Sorry."
Her eyes widens and she seems a bit flustered by my words. My counterattack was effective.
"W-what's with that sudden change of attitude?...Anyways, I do it because I want to. Don't worry about it."
"Yeah, you always say that. That's why I wake up early, clubs or not. It's rude for me to sleep in if you're going to be here."
For me, waking up early is waking up before Rin gets here, and sleeping in is making Rin prepare breakfast on her own...like today. Though, this is only been a habit for a year and half or so.
"Anyways, You take a rest. We only have to set the table. So at least let me do that."
Rin's really stubborn. But I'm well-prepared for a fight.
"No, you're late. It's your punishment to sit calmly and watch me doing it. So act like a good houselord and sit conviently."
"Sit conviently? A head of household who leaves you to do the work by yourself is a failure. It's okay, so go to the living room."
"That's right, be a failure. So sit down and leave everything to me!"
That really was rude, even from her.
"Hey. We're going fifty-fifty on the groceries, so you shouldn't worry about it. Let me help you at least."
We continued to argue for a while then she gave up at last.
"Aw...Fine. Do what you want. If you want to help me so much, go right ahead. We're short on time anyways."
She looks away while she speaks. She pretends to be angry but she lefts out a faint smile.
After that we worked silently. Seriously, she looks like a different person now. Her silky hair and smooth skin catch my eye...How can I put this...it's must be maturing as she seems really feminine these days. Her casual movements and her figure are so beautifull that I instinctively look away.
"Hm?Emiya-kun? Is something wrong?"
"...No. It's nothing. Don't worry. It's nothing."
"If you say so."
...Honestly. Why am I feeling tense around my friend's sister? After all, Rin's not like that. She's a sister of a close friend of mine, but since she's in a different class, we weren't that close.
It all changed a year and half ago into this cooperative kind of relationship. Rin came to cook when I was injured, with the comment:'As a member of the Archery Club and as Shinji's sister I have the obligation to take care of you until you're fine enough."
Something like that. And then we've just ended up like this.
My injuri was healed a long time ago, but some trivial things came up to make her stay with me. Anyways Rin is a good cook, and perfect at cleaning and doing the laundry. It's a big help to have her helping around here in the mornings, but it's been a bit troubling recently.
The problem is not her, but me.
"..."
Frankly, Rin is beutiful. She's one of the best looking girls in the school, and I'm sure there are lots of guys who want to date her. And on the top of that, she's been becoming really feminine.
Maybe I'm just feeling guilty about being attracted to my friend's sister. Usually I'm fine, but when I'm caught off guard like just now, I blush...does this make me despisable?
Suddenly Rin stares on my right hand.
"Emiya-kun? What's this?"
She seems distressed. I look on my hand, it's a strange bruise covering almost the whole back of my hand. If I examine it deeper it may even look like some kind of strange symbol or a tatoo.
"This? I don't know. I didn't remember how coudl I get this. It's strange."
She looks even more stressed and she even seems angry.
"You should take care of yourself better! You repeatedly punched a wall to get a bruise like that?"
"I said I don't know either! It suddenly appeared, that's all."
"Really? It sounds suspicious...Alright. I believe you. But promise me to keep it remain hidden from anyone. Don't let anyone to see it, right?"
She's really is worried about something. I don't question her about it. She must have her reason and I take her advice.
"Okay. A bandage would do, right?"
"Yes. It's enough. You get injuries quite often, right?"
Her tension dissapeared. My quess was right.
...
we're finished with the table and start eating.
"Itadakimasu"
"Itadakimasu"
We enjoy the breakfast silently. Rin isn't much of the talkative type even if she likes to tease me. The only thing she questions:
"Emiya-kun, how long do you plan missing from the Archery Club?"
I was a member of the Archery Club and Rin frequently asks me that question in the name of Misuzuri-san, the Club President. she asks it about two times a week. She really doesn't want to give up.
"I said it many times. I have to work part time. I hvave to work, otherwise I won't get enough money for living."
"You have the inheritance from your father, right. It's not like you're poor or something."
"True, but I feel more like I'm freeloading if I'm just using Father's money. I have to work."
"Huh? Do whatever you like, it's not as if I am really care!"
"What? Then why are you asking me the same question over and over?"
Rin turns red.
"W-whaa...nevermind!"
We're eating Japanese breakfast. Rin likes to cook Western food. She learned how to cook Japanese food after she started to coming here to help. Me and Fuji-nee prefered Japanese food so she had to learn cooking in Japanese style for our breakfasts. Now she's close to surpass me, her teacher.
We eat silently. It's strange. Usually the breakfasts are loud. Something is missing.
"Rin, where's Fuji-nee? She tends to being late, but she it's rare even for her being late this much. She would never miss out a breakfast."
Fuji-Nee was originally an aquintance of Father's, and she's been coming to the house a lot since I was adopted. She started to show up even more after Father died, and she's now almost a dependent, eating breakfast and dinner here... No. Maybe she's why I was able make it on my own even after my father died. Fuji-Nee, Rin, and I are now the residents of the Emiya household.
Naturally, Fuji-nee doesn't know my father was a magus.
"You weren't listening yesterday? She said she must have something to do today moring."
How could I forget it? Fuji-nee almost cried for not being able to taste our cooking today. She said something about the doctor and her father's illness. But nothing really serious. That old yakuza boss Fujimura is much thougher than being threatened by a simple illness.
I turn on the TV and the news running curently. It's about the same thing, series of gas leak incidents in the neighbooring city. But Rin seems intrested in it.
"Are you worried?"
Rin with a short delay answers. Like she's getting out of a daze.
"Huh? No, nothing. Just something has catched my ear. But isn't theese kind of things happening quite often recently?"
"Yeah. Maybe because something made poorly at the reconstruction of the city. Even the news mentions that possibility."
"Well, maybe you're right."
But she kept her slightly worried face. I continue eating. I start with the miso soup, but...
"Rin, you put a bit too much salt in the miso soup."
I look up and see Rin. She's tasting the soup too. Her face's slightly disorted as the spoon reached her mouth. She's noticed it too.
Rin usually does everything perfectly, but sometimes she can mess things up at the most important times. Looks like beating me in cooking was one of those 'important times'.
SPOILERS WARNING:The following part of the story contains important parts about the Visual Novel's story(to be exact, about the Heavens Feel route). The anime hardly mentions any of them so if you still haven't finished the Visual Novel and you're planning to do it, then be warned. It's greatly changed thought to fit the "new" Rin.
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Matou Household, late at night.
It's a dark room devoid of light. In the corner lies a human-shaped figure swarmed with hundreds of worms. Normally the man would've eaten in seconds but he's still alive. On the contrary. The man's figure is starting to get more complete and complete as more worms are entering. The worms are eaten by the man and not the other way.
This grousome scene continues for a while.A girl is present at the scene. She watches it with both disgust and awe. She saw it a few times but this is something unconciously disgustiong for a human to see. Her eyes are directly staring on the figure, showing slight enmity.
"You said the Emiya kid shows signs of the Command Seal. Then, the seventh master has chosen. The Holy Grail War soon begins."
"Yes, Grandfather..."
The girl answers obidiently, but she shows some worry.
"Something is wrong? Do you have anything more to say?"
"No...nothing at all."
The man smiles and continues.
"Is it alright with you? With the Emiya kid, two of your aquantances are participating in the War. You must fight with them sooner or later. Especially your beloved sister."
The girl clenched her fist on the 'beloved' part. Her grandfather surely enjoys it. She's trembling with a mixture of doubt and anger.
"I will participate."
"Ho-oh. Do you certain? The daughter of the Tohsakas is especially well-made. She's going to be a really though enemy."
The girl's trembling even more. Her eyes are catching a rare kind of fire.
She once had a little sister. Shy, and timid. She wasn't as bright as her big sis, but possessed a really rare attribute in magecraft. She hasn't understood the basics exactly but still surpassed her older sister in sorcery in the end. Two years before her father had a thought choice. He choose the younger sister and the older sister had to go.
The older sister met the world of many hells. She pained and pained, but no one from her old family ever came to save she met her little sister again at last, she's and cold. Even if she feigns kindness all the time. her stare was like dagers and her smile was poinson. That's how she felt. She surelly should know how she's treated. She
That was one of the memories came into her at that time. The other was abouut a person who won't give up no matter how impossible to get through an obstacle. A kind person with really strong will. Her younger sister may surpassed her in sorcery but she never admited that even to herself. That boy was the first person who showed her defeat, by just watching him alone. He has brought the greatest change to her since a long time.
Yes, she must protect that person no matter what. If he participates too, her sister's going to kill him. It's sure. As ruthless as she is, she kills him without any second thought as she finds out he's a Master. And the wounds of past hasn't healed. She must settle it with her sister for sure. 'Who's the better magus?' That question's going to have it's answer for once and for all!
Those were the thoughts torrenting in her head as her Granfather was speaking about that 'beloved sister'. But she didn't lose sight of who's the man standing before her.
A twisted old man, playing with her like a pawn. He enjoys every bit of pain of her. Since he planted 'that' inside her she really don't have a choice. He can control her like a doll. It's even lucky he left her free will. She don't know why he did that way, but certainly has some hidden motive. That man's unknown to even the simplest kindness.
"I will participate. I have to settle something once and for all!"
The old man shows a huge smile.
"Good. You're dismissed. Your adjustion of today is released."
"Thank you, Grandfather."
She bows and leaves.
The old man laughs.
" 'It' has grown up as an excellent pupil.... Maybe a little bit too excellent. It thinks too much about overthrowing it's master. I should't pampered it so much."
He looks up, like remembering something.
"The cries were more than statisfying. Maybe a little too much. I've lost my interest a way too fast after 'it' put up a resistance. I'm really not overworking myself. It's good I noticed my error before being too late."
He lets out a smirk full of confidence.
"Everything is going after the shechlude. The Emiya kid being a Master surely was a surprise, but it doesn't change the plans...yes, it may serve as a backup to awaken 'it'"
Author's Notes: Zouken's supposed error. If he continues that harsh "training" like he did in Sakura's case in the VN(Visual Novel), we get somone really desperate, but with really steeled willpower. That kind of girl is unsuitable as puppet that Zouken realised that his actions leading up to this and because of that(and because Rin's resistance spoiled his fun). He wants Rin to held her guards down and the pressure later crush her. It has a certainly high chance so if I have to say Zouken's plan is more foolproof now than the one he uses in the VN. As you noticed this Rin has quite an amount of anger. Both to Zouken and to even Sakura. That's one of the pillars keeping her personae. The other's Shirou like with Sakura from the original VN. Her hatred is a motivation for her too to learn as much about magecraft as possible, so she's reading the old books in the library at her free time.
Oh and I changed something. I came up with that after analysing Tokiomi's character. It's impossible for him to choose Sakura isntead of Rin. That's why I changed their elemental attributes. sakura has the "Average One" attribute(affinity with all five imaginary elements) and Rin has the "Shadow"( subpart of the mysterious sixth imaginary element, the Devil) attribute. Everything after that only it's direct or indirect coincidence and some "re-rolls"(where somone had more options to do something and chooses a different path now, like Zouken's action).
Lastly I failied to maintain the VN's style at the spoiler part. I just really needed to put as much informations as I can into that part.
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That's until the spoilers are. You should be safe of them then.
Author's Notes:
First about the reason why I remind of spoilers. Those parts are really only means much for the ones played through the Visual Novel. Others shouldn't know those information I implied on and perghaps the ones I revealed. I don't really mind if they read it, but it may give strange ideas to them. Now back to business. I really had a hard time with this one. I thought out Rin's "new" character over and over(at least 10 times) when I came to that conclusion. Of course I wanted to keep her as somewhat tsundere and much of the main points were clear. My only problem was the minor parts. But this "new" Rin needs my previous workThe one about Tohsaka Sakuraa) to be modified somewhat. I came to that conclusion. I change the description or else to warn you to the changed first , the next one's about Rin's summoning. 'What if she summons Gilgamesh?'. I'm half-done with it already. I know it's an used idea by some fanfics. Even I know a fanfic and even a doujin with that kind of twist. But I try to take it to serious level. God be merciful on Rin!XD
I hope you enjoy my work and review it if you want. I am gladly accepting suggestions about the next 'What if?' theme.