Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate franchise it belongs to Kinoko Nasu and Type-Moon.

Transposition

Chapter 1

"So," the girl's cool voice asked. "What's the verdict?"

Shirou Emiya looked up from where he was inspecting the outer casing of the water heater, and smiled. "Oh," he said. "Well, I can't be completely sure until I check out the insides, but nothing seems to be wrong on the outside. The electrical cord looks fine, and the same goes for the outer casing. So…yeah, it's probably on the inside."

Rin Matou nodded her acknowledgement, her long, silky, violet locks spilling over and past her shoulders gently bobbing with the movement. "I see." He said. "That's good to hear. We're not so short on funds that we couldn't afford to replace equipment if we need to, but still, I'd prefer not to readjust fund allocations outside of official business."

"But," Shirou said. "Isn't replacing council, well, school equipment part of official business?"

"True," Rin admitted with a nod. "But it would mean taking funds away from other, more…pertinent, allocations. Like say clubs and activities."

"Well, they could certainly use the money needed to buy a new water heater more." Shirou admitted. "So I'll do my best."

Rin nodded again. "My thanks." She said with her usual cool smile, and Shirou laughed.

"No problem." He said. "It's the least I can do with all the help you do around the house."

Rin's lips twitched ever so slightly wider, and Shirou began taking his tools out of his toolbox and placing them on the table next to the water heater. "I should get going then." Rin said after a couple of moments watching. "As I recall you don't particularly like people hovering around while you work, and to be honest I sympathize."

"Even though you usually have Shinji hovering around taking notes on council business?" Shirou asked, and Rin laughed.

"Point," she conceded. "But that goes with the post."

This time it was Shirou's turn to laugh. "Guess so," he admitted.

Rin nodded, and then turned to leave. "Well then," she said. "I take my leave."

"As formal as ever," Shirou said without looking up but with a small smile on his face. "Though, I guess it goes with appearances, doesn't it?"

Rin chuckled, but didn't say anything, opting to quietly open and close the door as she left. Shirou waited for a few more moments until he was sure she or anyone else wouldn't suddenly pop in, and then pressed a finger against the water heater.

"Trace on." He said softly, and closing his eyes.

Searing pain burnt through his body at that, like white-hot metal slowly being driven into his flesh. Shirou ignored it, tuning out the pain like he was so used to, keeping his eyes closed as he visualized the structure of the water heater in front of him.

"Components, analyzed. Fundamental Structure, analyzed."

Shirou opened his eyes, finding the break in the heating element which kept it from working properly. "A bit of solder and electrical tape should do, I guess." He murmured to himself, before taking a screwdriver to pry the water heater open and repair its insides.

I am a magus.

Shirou remembered his father telling him that on a tanabata night several years ago, and how surprised and disbelieving he had been when he heard it, thinking it was a joke of some kind. It turned out to be true though, his father – Kiritsugu Emiya – was in fact a magus. A man who studied and uncovered the rules of the World, and by finding and taking advantage of those rules and their loopholes, performed miracles.

And yet, Kiritsugu had opposed Shirou's desire to be a magus, believing it would do him no good, just as it did no good to the world. "Spells only bring about conflict." Shirou remembered him say. But even so Shirou persevered, and eventually Kiritsugu had reluctantly agreed to start teaching him magecraft.

But as it turned out, Shirou had barely any potential to perform magecraft at all, and failed every spell his father taught to him, save only for a bare couple. And it was those spells which Kiritsugu told him to practice whenever he could, and Shirou did so, in the hopes that someday, he too would become a magus like his father had been.

Though, Shirou knew that using what little magecraft he knew like this, to find damages and such to mundane devices and assist in their repair, would ultimately be seen as heresy by other magi, an insult to their way of life. To use it as a tool for such mundane ends…he'd be branded and shunned as a spell-caster at least. But he didn't really care much about that.

They had their way of doing things, and he had his way of doing things. It was as simple as that. And besides, what were the chances he'd encounter fellow magi anyway, considering how few and reclusive they were?

More than likely, he'd live life without ever encountering a fellow practitioner. And he knew enough anyway to know he had to be discreet, or risk drawing unwanted attention.

The supernatural had to remain secret, after all.

Shirou nodded as he finished the repairs on the water heater's heating element. "That'll do." He said before cleaning his hands with a cloth, and then replaced the outer casing.

That done, he put the water heater away and cleared up his tools, and after wiping the table, left the council room.

"You're done already?" Rin asked in surprise, turning from the two girls who'd been talking with her about some school activity or another when Shirou had showed up.

"Yes."

"That was fast." Rin said, glancing at her wristwatch. She turned back to Shirou with a small smile. "Well, I suppose it's for the best. This way you'll have ample time to eat your lunch."

It didn't need to be said that despite the speed and seeming rushed nature of his work, Rin knew him and his work well enough to know that he'd always do what he set out to do, and do it well. If he couldn't, then he'd say so from the beginning, and let someone else who could do it instead.

"Right then, I'll be going." Shirou said with a nod.

"Thanks for your work." Rin said.

Shirou nodded again and was about to leave when the PA system crackled to life, and Shinji Matou's voice was heard across the school. "Announcement," he said. "Class and organization representatives are requested to attend a meeting with the Student Council this afternoon, in the classroom adjacent to the council's meeting room, after class hours are concluded but prior to any and all club activities. The agenda will be planned activities for the coming spring, and any and all matters that may concern said plans, to issue reminders and announcements, and to address concerns and questions about the aforementioned items. I repeat…"

"Shinji doesn't sound too into things, as usual." Shirou observed.

"He doesn't need to be." Rin said dismissively. "So long as he performs documentation, organizing, and his other duties as council secretary well and as expected of him, his enthusiasm is of little concern. Same with this announcement: it doesn't matter if he doesn't sound particularly lively, only that the message needed to be delivered is delivered."

"That's rather cold, as usual."

Rin's eyes narrowed slightly, amethyst irises turning to Shirou. "I take my duties and responsibilities both in general and as council president in particular quite seriously." She said, and Shirou blinked.

"Sorry about that, I…" he began, but Rin waved him off with a smile.

"No," she said. "Don't apologize. I know you meant well, so it's alright."

Shirou nodded, and Rin continued. "In any case," she said. "You should get going. There's only about thirty minutes or so left for lunch break, so if you want something to eat, then you should go and do so."

Shirou blinked and nodded. "Right," he said, already moving to leave. "I'll see you later then, Rin."

Rin nodded in acknowledgement, and then turned back to the girls she'd been talking to earlier. "Now then," she said. "Where were we?"

Sakura closed the rooftop door behind her before erecting a bounded field around them to keep anyone from listening or just barging in. "So," she began as Archer materialized nearby. "What do you think?"

"There's definitely a Servant here." He said. "In astral form of course, but I can't tell you much more than that – what I can get from their aura like say whether they might attack or the Servant is particularly violent – until we get closer. Or until they appear in front of us."

Sakura nodded, walking over to the railings. Staying silent, she leaned on them to look out at the city beyond, and then turning, hopped back to perch herself atop the railings. "That's dangerous." Archer observed.

Sakura just shrugged, and Archer mentally wondered at how different this girl was to the girl he knew. It was logical though. People's characters were the result of both natural disposition and experience. In terms of experience, Sakura Matou's character was the result of a lifetime of daily rape and torture. Sakura Tohsaka however, had none of that.

That left disposition though, and Archer could only suppose Rin's naturally prideful character had led to her being largely aloof and distant, an idol to be adored from a distance, character traits also cultivated by her lonely upbringing following the early deaths of her parents.

Sakura however – to Archer's knowledge – had never been as proud as Rin, a perhaps natural disposition for a younger sister. The lonely upbringing that she shared with the Rin Archer remembered though…it must have led this Sakura to want to be less aloof and distant from others, quite easygoing in fact.

Unless…it's a mask.

Rin being aloof and distant was a mask too. On the inside, she was irritable, somewhat lazy, and liked to poke fun at people, unwilling to admit what she really felt sometimes to her own detriment, but also a caring and loving girl at heart.

This Sakura…if this is a mask…then what is she really like on the inside?

"…Archer…Archer…Archer…"

Archer blinked, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Sorry," he said. "I spaced out a bit there."

"I noticed." Sakura noticed with a smile, her legs lightly swinging back and forth. "So what did you space out over?"

"Nothing too important."

"It sounds very interesting then."

Archer couldn't help it. He laughed at that, Sakura's smile twitching wider as she shrugged. "Point," Archer admitted. "I was just thinking about my memories, that's all."

Sakura's eyes widened, and blinking, nodded. "I see." She said. "Sorry about that."

"No, it's fine." Archer said, waving it off. "As I said, nothing seems to be missing, and it may be they'll eventually resurface."

"Your memories, you mean?"

"Yes."

Sakura nodded. "That's true." She said, and falling silent for a few moments sighed. "Anyway, you heard the announcement earlier, didn't you?"

"I did."

"I'll be attending as class representative later." Sakura continued. "I don't doubt the Servant you can sense is Matou-sempai's, so you'll have the chance to examine her Servant's aura up close and see what you can get from it later."

Archer nodded. "That sounds good." He said. "Though, they might do the same to us."

"Then it all comes out even." Sakura said with another shrug. "Matou-sempai's a prodigy as a magus, but when it comes to planning battles and all that, I'd like to think we're just about even."

"And her grandfather?" Archer pointed. "He'd probably give her advice and other help when it comes to planning and conducting battles between Servants, magi, or both."

I wonder how Zouken treated Rin. The worms are still probably there, damn it, but Rin and Sakura's magical potentials lie along different axes. What was done to Sakura, may not, no, would not be applicable to Rin.

And certainly, things are very different. Sakura's told me after that broadcast earlier that Rin's Student Council President, and Shinji's the Student Council Secretary. The latter I can believe, Shinji had the ambition and talent just never the right direction, but the former…

…there's no way it could have happened had Matou done things as I remember.

Zouken must have bent Rin to his designs differently, enough for her to stay similar if obviously not as I remember her. But how?

Archer blinked again, and raised an eyebrow as Sakura snapped her fingers repeatedly. "Spacing out again." She said laconically.

"Sorry."

"Hmm," Sakura hummed. "I'm starting to think you might be thinking of heavier things than your lost – hopefully for now – memories. That, or they're understandably weighing on your mind. Memories are who are, after all. If we lose them, then who are we?"

Archer nodded, and Sakura continued after a moment. "Going back to Matou-sempai's Servant getting some feel for you from your aura like we plan to do to them later," she said. "I think it's a risk we're going to have to take. Information is vital after all. And it's not like I can skip out on that meeting."

Archer slowly nodded his agreement. "True," he said. "On both counts. But what of Matou's grandfather."

"Not much we can do about him." Sakura said. "He was old when my dad was around, and old magi are powerful. I'm not going to try and challenge him on his turf, and not outside it without proper preparation. Or I'll let you do it."

Archer smiled and briefly closed his eyes. "Isn't that against the rules?" he asked as he opened them.

"He's a relative and a known magus associate, no, teacher of the likely Matou Master." Sakura replied. "He's a valid target."

Archer nodded. "True," he said. "Well, I too have some experience fighting magi, so if my memories come back, I can help you out against the elder Matou."

"Comes out even, eh?"

"Quite."

Sakura nodded, and leaning back into the air much to Archer's concern looked up at the sky with a faint smile. "The sky looks good, doesn't it?" she asked wistfully. "So clear and blue, if not as clear or blue as in summer."

Archer blinked and looked lost for a moment. And then he chuckled. "Somehow," he began. "I think you didn't bring me up here to just talk about our plans for later. You could have done that telepathically."

"Oh?" Sakura said with a smile at him. "If so, then why'd I come here?"

"To laze around and watch the clouds in the sky."

Sakura laughed, and hopping off the railing stretched once before sinking down to sit against the concrete, arms folded behind her as she looked up at the sky. "Lunch needs to settle down anyway." She said with a wink, and Archer laughed in his turn.

Maybe…maybe she's not too different from Rin. Rin used to act like this too at times, and it would make sense.

They were sisters after all.

And maybe Rin would act like this all the time, if she were and always had been honest with herself, instead of becoming so used to wearing a mask. So much so, that part of the mask actually became real.

The school bells rang the end of official class hours, students bustling around in and out of their classrooms. Some went home straight away, or off to spend some time out at town before doing so. Most stayed at school however, a few to handle their assigned cleaning and other housekeeping duties before packing off to someplace or another, but most went to their clubs and other extracurricular activities.

In the classroom adjacent to the Student Council's meeting room, class and organization representatives chatted and wandered around as they waited for the council president to arrive. Most of the room's desks and chairs had been pushed to the sides, many occupied by some of the representatives.

Several desks and chairs had been moved to the front however, arranged in a semi-circle with the teacher's desk in the middle, facing the rest of the classroom. A few chairs were empty, but most had the student council's officers sitting in them, the officers quietly talking amongst themselves.

Eyes turned to the door as it opened, Sakura taking in their gazes without batting an eyelid. "Hello." she said cheerfully as she closed the door behind her, the rest of the room's occupants turning back to their business as she did so.

Sakura stepped forward, and after looking around for a bit for familiar faces, went off to meet with one such familiar face. "Hey cap." She said.

"Tohsaka," Kikuchi Saito, captain of the track team said with a nod. "If I remember right, you're a class rep, aren't you?"

"I am." Sakura said, leaning next to the wall next to her captain. "So if you're here, who's in charge of the team until you get back?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Kikuchi asked. "Yukika's handling it."

"Yukika-sempai," Sakura murmured. "Oh man, once she graduates at the end of next year it's going to be a pain to find a replacement for her."

Kikuchi laughed shortly before shrugging. "Probably," he admitted. "But, it'd be easier if you didn't think of it as replacing, and more like succeeding her."

Sakura didn't reply at once. "I don't see how." She finally said.

"Yeah, you're probably right. It's not going to be any easier at all." Kikuchi admitted before grinning and shrugging. "Well, at least it won't be my problem anymore. It's something for the next captain to handle."

Sakura laughed. "How irresponsible." She remarked.

"I guess." Kikuchi answered, the two runners sharing a laugh. "Though, you talk as though you aren't in the running as the next captain."

"Please tell me you're joking."

"Oh no, I'm quite serious."

"I can handle the job well if I have to," Sakura replied. "But, it's not really optimal for the team."

Kikuchi laughed. "Just say it already," he said. "You becoming captain would mean crippling the team as the best runner after Maki gets sidelined handling the post's responsibilities, that's what you want to say, don't you?"

"I'm not nearly so confident in my abilities to say so." Sakura said with a small smile. "For one thing, she still has quite a lead on me."

"True," Kikuchi admitted. "But, you're getting close."

"Maybe," Sakura admitted, falling silent as she crossed her arms over her chest. Kikuchi fell silent as well, the two runners sweeping the room around them with their eyes. A few minutes later and the door opened again, allowing a girl inside, who wearily took one of the council seats. "Mitsuzuri-sempai looks like she really regrets taking the sports officer post on the council."

"It suits her though." Kikuchi pointed out.

"Maybe," Sakura agreed. "But it's a strain on her, seeing as she's already kyuudo captain. And of course, it only further sidelines our school's best archer."

"True," Kikuchi agreed with a small nod. "But from what I hear her taking the post, well, running for it in the last election was a personal favor to President Matou."

Sakura actually started laughing at that. "What's so funny?" Kikuchi asked.

"You know what." Sakura replied with a grin. "Whenever someone actually calls Matou-senpai 'President Matou', I find myself thinking that maybe in a couple of decades…"

"…she'll be Her Excellency Rin Matou Prime Minister of Japan, right?" Kikuchi said with a matching grin, before the two of them burst out laughing to the curious glances of others nearby. "Though, do you really think she can pull it off?"

"Why not?" Sakura asked.

"Not trying to be insulting here," Kikuchi said with raised hands. "But, she's a girl, and well, this is Japan. In general, we're not really the most gender-equal culture and society in the world."

"Hmm," Sakura hummed in thought before nodding slowly. "That's certainly true. But, while it'll be very hard, I'm sure if she puts her mind to it, she could pull it off."

"What makes you so sure?"

"I just am."

Kikuchi raised an eyebrow at that, but Sakura didn't elaborate. After a few moments, she turned back to the captain. "Anyway," she said. "I'm going over to say hi to Mitsuzuri-sempai, is that alright?"

"Yeah, sure, go ahead."

"Alright then."

Sakura nodded and began to make her way through the classroom. "Excuse me…coming through…excuse me please…oh sorry, sempai…" she found herself saying as she made slipped through the crowd. Finally, she slipped free and after smoothing her uniform vest, approached Ayako Mitsuzuri. "Hey, sempai."

"Hey Sakura."

Sakura blinked. "You look and sound tired." She observed, and Ayako sighed.

"I am." She said. "Between my responsibilities as kyuudo captain and sports officer, I've got a lot on my plate. And Rin's been breathing down my neck for the past week about finishing the drafts and other paperwork for the sports committee's proposals and other business for the coming spring."

Ayako sighed again, and Sakura smiled sympathetically. "She's only trying to keep things running smoothly." She said.

"I know that." Ayako admitted with a tired smile. "It doesn't mean it isn't any less tiring, or her any less bossy."

"Bossy, huh?" Sakura echoed before glancing at the door. Ayako did so too, but the door stayed closed. "She takes her responsibilities seriously, that's all I'll be saying on the subject."

"Too seriously, in my opinion." Ayako replied. "And nothing in excess is a good thing. Then again, she's got plenty of pressure and expectations on her, this country being what it is when it comes to gender roles."

Sakura laughed briefly. "First cap, and now you." She said. "For some strange, inexplicable whim of the universe, conversation about our dear miss president today turns to gender issues in this beloved country of ours."

Ayako laughed as well. "Considering how talented Rin is," she said. "And the ambition expected to come with or grow from it, it might be unavoidable."

Sakura laughed again. "True." she said.

"Well," Ayako finally said, shuffling the papers on her desk. "I ran for this post as a friendly favor in the first place, so I can't really blame her for all the work. I knew the expectations that would come it."

"Sempai," Sakura said softly before briefly closing her eyes and nodding. "Do your best, sempai."

Ayako nodded. "Thanks…" she began, only for them – and everyone else in the room – to turn in the door's direction as it slid open. Seeing who was about to enter, Sakura turned back to Ayako.

"Well then…" she said, and Ayako nodded before the girl stepped back into the crowd.

Long, luscious locks of rich violet flowing down over her shoulders and down her back, Rin coolly stepped into the room, her sheer presence quieting all conversation down into polite silence. Only her measured, soft yet firm footsteps could be heard, the tall girl walking behind the teacher's desk where she gently but firmly pulled the chair back before sitting down.

Meanwhile, her half-brother and so-called 'shadow' Shinji took a seat to the right of her desk, the wavy-haired, violet-haired boy having his usual, veiled expression of sourness. Placing the stopwatch he carried to affairs such as this on his desk, he pulled a notebook and pen out of his bag and placed them on the desk as well.

Rin – her beautiful, sharply-featured face schooled in a cool, neutral expression – examined the papers she carried with hard yet clear amethyst-like eyes. The afternoon light shining through the window further accentuated her pale, alabaster-like skin, and after a moment, she glanced to one side in irritation.

"Someone please close the curtains." She said softly but firmly, and despite the low volume her words could be heard clearly through the classroom.

The curtains were quickly closed, but even then, the reduced amount of light only seemed to make the president stand out even more. Finally, several moments later, she looked up, placing her papers back on the table. "Is everyone here?" she asked.

"All council members accounted for." Shinji replied.

"And representatives?"

Shinji glanced into the crowd. "The numbers match." He said.

"I see." Rin said, shuffling through her papers one more time. "Very well then, we will begin today's meeting. Council Secretary, begin recording the minutes."

"Understood, miss president." Shinji replied, starting the stopwatch and opening his notebook to a blank page.

Rin nodded at him, then turned back to the rest of the classroom. "As you've heard at lunch earlier today," she began. "Today's agenda will be…"

A/N

And that's a wrap!

Just for clarification, Kikuchi Saito is an OC, since we don't know who the actual captain of the Homurabara Track Team is. Yukika is not an OC though, and is one of Rin's friends in canon and both there and here manager of the track team (and cross-country club). Ditto for Maki, or Kaede Makidera, aka the 'Black Panther of Fuyuki' though no one actually calls her that (to her annoyance). Also one of Rin's friends in canon, and both there and here the best sprinter in the track team (though as mentioned above, Sakura here is a close second).

Together, Yukika, Maki, and Kane Himuro form the 'Track Girl Trio'.

Oh and before you ask, what happened to Issei, well what do you think?