An Opportunity of Fate Part 3
Counter Guardian Emiya-
He stood there as she held him. As he wept for all the lost potential. For what he could have been and done. A regular life perhaps? Boring but safe, with kids and a steady job? Or perhaps he would have become a magus and truly learned magecraft.
Who knew, maybe the magus Shirou would have met Rin and fallen in love as they had, only this time as Japanese studying in London. Maybe it would have worked. Maybe they would have been happy.
And it came to him. He never cried. Never.
Sure there had been tears shared with Rin over Sakura's early death. There had been rivers shed over poor Ilya's degenerating body. But he never cried for himself. Never cried over his regrets.
What was the point.
A rage built in him. She was manipulating him. Alaya was twisting him to her purposes, making him into yet another tool. He pushed her away, Kanshou and Bakuya rushing to his empty hands.
And he cut her down where she stood. The look of utter amazement and shock as Rin's body slid to the ground. The look of reproach and pity that filled her eyes…. He swept back Bakuya and removed the head from her shoulders and batted it aside.
"I am not a toy! I will not be used as something to torture for your amusement."
A booming chuckle, "I really didn't think you would kill her. You humans surprise me all the time. But you know you can't kill me." Alaya reformed a few paces away, this time in Saber's body, Invisible Air in hand. "Perhaps a brief duel will cool your blood?"
Emiya attacked. He was strong and fast. His skill had been honed not only by his long and bloody life, but also by countless actions in her name.
But she was always stronger, always faster. It would rain swords and she would simply stand there under Avalon and stick out her tongue at him. When he would use different swords and techniques she could always find a counter. And while she wasn't toying with him, he could tell that he couldn't beat her. Not like this. He backed away.
She stood ready, small smile on her lips. "Do you begin to understand?"
Counter Force. She was using Counter Force against him. She would always be better, always be faster and stronger and more skillful. Only one entity on Earth could stand against her. Gaia. And that was by using Counter Force of her own.
Emiya nodded. He would have to think of some stratagem that could beat her. Something that would counter act her Counter Force somehow. But for now he would have to play along.
Alaya put down the sword, "Good, we have already missed a little more than three and half years as it is. If you want to be successful, you really should try to make some changes before the war starts."
"What?"
She tilted her blonde head, one hand on her hips with a look of sardonic disdain, "Did you honestly think time would stop for you while you pouted?" She tapped her armored wrist, "Tick-tock."
Emiya looked over at the window that had seemed paused. It resolved to an image of what looked like a dank and dreary dungeon….
-Sakura—
Sakura tried not to writhe in pain as she continued her training. The only blessing is that her Grandfather wasn't here. She always got more out of the training when he was here, but it always made her feel even worse.
No better to be alone in the dark as the Crest Worms did their foul work inside of her. Just a few more hours and she would know a little more of the Matou family magic. It would be inscribed on her body, and she was fairly certain even her soul.
She would be just a tiny bit more powerful. And a bit more corrupted and foul.
Why had she been abandoned to this fate? Why had her family tossed her aside? Given her to this dying family? Had her father not known what he had given his daughter to?
Did it matter? There was little point to remembering old sorrows and old pains. New ones arrived every day to take their place. All she could do was accept her fate and do what she must.
She whispered into the darkness, "But why me? Why did it have to be me?"
There was no answer. There never was.
-Counter Guardian Emiya-
"That was, that was…."
"That is the method the Matou chose to train their pupils in. Foolish bastards. And they wonder why their line began to dry up? Short cuts always do more harm than good in the end." Alaya shook her head, "If you want to help her, or save her, you will need to figure some way to do so before the Grail War ends. Without failing in the war, because remember you will get to personally kill everyone you love if you fail."
"But how?" He shook his head, Alaya wouldn't answer that. Likely Alaya didn't even care. "Why did you show her first?"
"Of all the Master's she is the most likely to be involved. If she doesn't die, she will certainly summon something." Alaya paused, "Oh, you were likely thinking Ilya would be first. No, she is a close second." She smiled sadly, "Ilya is more likely to die in adjustment."
A vision of Ilya staring out the window at a snowstorm flashes before their eyes.
Emiya reached out for his sister, trying to twist the world in a way that would let her be saved. He wasn't quite sure what he had done. But he felt as a change rippled into the world.
"Is someone there?" Ilya asked. She was greeted as always by silence. She would need to go back to her books in just a few minutes. But for now she watched the snow fall….
"Did that do anything?" Emiya asked.
"Yes, although you won't see any changes for some time. It was an interesting choice. Now on to our third contestant."
"Rin."
Alaya smiled. "Remember that you do have an impact on this. Kotomine has just received a packet of artifacts from the Church. See if you can somehow get RIn to possess something she can summon a capable Servant from. She will need it." Again the smile, "She won't have you this time after all."
-Rin Tohsaka
Rin stared at her luggage. She had hated boarding here for the school break, but honestly it had paid off in her magical studies. As much as she could learn on her own, there was so much more she could learn with someone who could teach her. Someone who she could bounce ideas off of. Even if the false priest didn't have the elemental aptitude to cast some of the spells and arias she was working on, he did have a good working knowledge of magic.
And he was a good teacher, damn him to the deepest pits of Hell.
Even she had to acknowledge that, if only to herself. She had learned so much in just these few weeks….
Rin shook her head and put on her jacket. She smiled at the red jacket. It was her birthday present to herself. It had been a little expensive, but it was warm and pretty. It had been worth the price.
Besides no one else would be getting her anything. No one else would even remember. Rin closed her eyes. Her sister was lost to her. Her father and mother were dead. She hugged herself tightly.
She was so alone now.
She took in a deep breath. She couldn't let that false priest see her like this. She couldn't let him feed off of her suffering.
The man was pure evil. Why couldn't anyone else see it?
Deep breath. Poise. Elegance. For the honor of her family.
She lifted her luggage and walked to find the false priest. She found him staring at a table full of junk. "I am ready to go."
Kotomine Kirei turned to face her, "As you can see I am busy. You will have to walk home." He stared at her, perhaps an echo of a smile. "Unless you feel you are too weak to make it home. I could call a cab."
Rin said proudly, "That won't be necessary." She wasn't going to show any weakness to him. No matter how heavy her luggage felt already. She set them down for a moment and walked up to the table with the artifacts. "What is this?"
"Relics I was asked to look at. Their now deceased owner had a love for legendary items, but there is nothing special here. Just sifting through the dross to see what we donate to museums and what we discard." He looked over at Rin for a moment. "A pity there was nothing of value. Was there something you wanted to take? It is your birthday after all. Even if you won't allow me to hold a celebration for you, maybe you will at least allow me to give you a gift?"
The last thing she wanted was to receive a gift from the false priest. But a quick glance and she saw something. A tiny flicker of gold paint, perhaps, Some odd sense of it calling to her. Telling her to take it. She reached out and picked up what looked like to be a hunting horn. It was old and dirty, but carved from what looked like and elephant tusk. "I will take this. If that is alright?" She quirked an eyebrow at him, daring him to take back his comment.
Kotomine Kirei head tilted slightly, "I am surprised Rin. Usually you are only too ready to leave me. What is it about that horn that makes you pick it of all things?"
Rin smiled maliciously at the priest, "Like I would miss an opportunity to take something from you. As for why it, I just picked something at random." She opened one of her bags and shoved it in. "It doesn't really matter. Thank you for the gift," She turned to go, "Unless you want me to take more?"
He looked at her suspiciously and waved her away. "I will call later this week to check on your studies." He turned his attention from her.
Rin stuck her tongue out at him and left.
Why had she taken that stupid horn anyway. Now her luggage was even heavier….
-CG Emiya—
Emiya looked over at Alaya. "I tried to change it and all she did was pick out a horn? What was the whole point?"
Alaya smiled at the scene that was continuing behind him. Rin was walking down the road way, muttering softly to herself.
"You gave her a priceless gift. One that has spent most of its history as a museum piece. As just another Medieval European hunting horn." Alaya smiled, "It is anything but. I wonder…."
Emiya turned back to the scene, "Did this really happen? In my world? Did he really treat Rin like this?"
"Yes. Now shut up and watch what you have woven into this new tapestry."
Emiya sighed and rubbed his head. What good would watching Rin walk alone several miles in obvious discomfort. She hadn't gone far when she sat down on a bench in the Memorial Park.
-Rin Tohsaka—
Rin sat down heavily. She hadn't even gotten half way and she was already tired. It wasn't her legs or feet. She was used to walking long distances. It was her arms.
She needed to build up a little more arm strength. It would help with her magic and her martial arts training. But that didn't mean that she was excited about it. Or in any hurry to do so.
She was paying for that now.
Rin glared at the bag she had carelessly stuffed that odd hunting horn in. Why had she taken it? She wasn't really sure herself. It had just seemed to call to her.
She opened up her bag and pulled it out. But why? She brushed it off. She thought she had seen a bit of gold flicker when she had first seen it, but it was mostly just a brass bound ivory hunting horn. Nothing special.
But why did she feel something from it. Why did she care? She should probably just toss it away here and lighten her load.
Her hands tightened around it. No. She wasn't going to do that. Her instincts told her to keep it, and she had to trust them. She looked around the park. It was always quiet here. No one ever really came here.
Memories of the fire.
She shook her head. Not her problem. She would just take a little break and then carry on her journey. She wasn't going to give Kirei the pleasure of knowing she needed a cab. She was going to carry it all home.
In a few minutes.
She stroked the horn and looked it over. Cleaning it. There. She hadn't been just seeing things. There was something written. She rubbed her hand over it and felt a tiny prickle as a trace of her odd flowed into the horn.
And runes appeared. She stared at it. Had she found some ancient mystic code? Some legendary device that was once held by a hero?
No. That wasn't possible. Was it?
The runes began to fade. Once more she rubbed them and tried to study them. They were entirely unfamiliar. They looked similar to Nordic Runes, but not quite.
She smiled. She had taken a treasure from that damn priest. Sure this was going to be a hard day, but it was suddenly worth it.
Once again she rubbed the runes, and once again a trace of her od flew into it. And the runes twisted and she could read them;
Gaze upon these runes and heed,
For those of worth in direst need,
Tilt back the horn and blow,
By ancient pact, succor shall show
She dropped the horn. She noticed as the golden letters disappeared.
This was a find. A potentially dangerous find. She should head back up to the church and return this.
No. She wasn't about to give that man anything. Certainly not something like this. Let him find out what he had let slip from his hands some other time. She reached down for the fallen horn, astonished and a little worried at how dizzy she felt. It must have used more prana than she thought.
The runes once more flared to light in her hands. Should she be worried? Should she be worried that it felt right in her hands, like a long lost friend?
'Mine. It is mine." She held it close. She didn't feel very good. Her magic was roiling through her. Those last few circuits she had been trying to open during the holidays had picked now to open. She looked down at the horn. Was it manipulating her somehow?
And why did it feel so dark all of a sudden? She didn't feel so safe anymore.
She stood again and looked around. The sky was bright and blue. And yet a darkness clung around her. "This park…. What happened here? That fire…. It wasn't natural, not natural at all." At the edge of her mind she could hear voices calling her. Asking for aid, praying for assistance. For freedom from the curse that held them. To be let free from the darkness.
She needed to leave. Needed to escape. But she was tired. Too tired to keep going. The very land around her sapped her will to go on. Sapped her will to live.
Rin was very frightened now. "No wonder no comes here." She wrapped herself in her jacket, fighting a sudden chill in the air.
She walked a half dozen paces when she stopped. Too heavy. Her luggage was too heavy. She looked at it. Maybe she should just leave it. It would probably still be here. Right?
She shivered again. She wasn't just carrying clothes in her luggage, but books and materials for her studies. She couldn't just leave them on the side of the road.
Rin was in trouble.
She slumped back to the ground, trying to think of a way to get home, or just a way out of this park.
The horn. She was in trouble, right? It would save her.
Unless it was a trap of some sort and it had set her up. Or was it Kirei? Had he set her up for this? Was this some sort of prank or was he actually trying to kill her. He would have complete access to all her funds and property if he did.
But as much as she hated the man, he wasn't money grubbing. He was more of a sadist. He would enjoy her pain or fear, true. Rin couldn't see how he would witness the payoff though. If he were here somewhere then maybe.
No, if the horn were actually cursed, it was an honest mistake by the priest. And at this point wasn't it really too late to worry about anyway? If it was cursed, she was probably already affected. Besides, it didn't seem evil. It seemed… protective somehow.
But then if it were cursed, how would she be able to tell?
Rin rolled her eyes at the never ending circle her thoughts were forming. Either it was cursed or it wasn't. It didn't matter. She was stuck here needing to move a bunch of irreplaceable items while too fatigued to do so. And if the horn itself wasn't cursed, this park definitely was.
She had played here only a few years ago. How hadn't she noticed how stunted the plants were. How twisted the trees. Rin shivered again.
She nodded to herself and raised the horn to her lips. And stopped to clean it once more. So old and dirty. After a few moments of listening to that background of cries for help, of feeling the darkness waiting to claim her, she stopped.
Clean enough.
She took a deep breath and blew into the horn.
A small weak sounding note came out.
She glared at the horn. And blew again, this time harder. She could feel her temples tense at the intensity of her blast.
Still nothing happened. Just a tiny tired little note escaped.
Wasn't she good enough? Were her troubles not severe enough to warrant aid? Wasn't losing her father and mother enough? Wasn't basically losing her sister, watching her every day and yet not being able to be close to her…. Wasn't that enough? Giving up her chance at being who she wanted to be, all in the name of keeping up the honor of the Tohsaka name, of risking death and madness from being a magus.
Was she meant to be alone? She would walk this path if she must. She would crawl from here and survive. She would never give up.
But didn't she deserve some help from time to time? Did she have to do this all alone? Or was it her fate to lose everything she held dear in her path to power?
Rin snorted and shook the tears from her eye, "Happy birthday, Rin." And blew the horn once more.
Again nothing noteworthy.
At first.
She was about to pull the horn away from her lips and fling it into the park when she felt something change. Once more she felt as the horn sipped at her od, as her circuits began to light up one after another.
The trace of power flowing through her became a river and then a torrent, her body overheating with all of her circuits firing. Flow upon flow of power flowed into the horn, and the alignment wasn't solely ether or fire or air. It was everything. Earth and water were being pulled too.
The sound it made was again unimpressive. It was too dirty to make much noise. But the magic that had been inlaid on the horn millennia ago worked just fine. And so a note of pure golden bliss sounded from the horn.
A note not heard with the ears, but with the soul itself. It was heard throughout Fuyuki City and beyond. Most paid no attention. Those few who did turned and looked, then shook their heads and carried on about their tasks.
Some did listen and react however…
-Sakura Matou
Sakura was almost finished. Soon she would be able to return to the light filled world upstairs. It was a little late for lunch and Shinji would be hungry. Perhaps an early dinner?
She was preparing In her head what she would make for dinner while the worms were still crawling over and under and through her….
A sudden golden note rang through the chamber. Sakura sat up and looked off into the distance, unknowingly looking right at where Rin now lay. "Rin?"
-Ayako Mitsudiri—
Ayako stared at the archery target and sighed. She didn't particular care for Kyudo, but her parents had forced her to pick at least one old fully Japanese based sport. She didn't really see why this was any different than the track she loved. Japanese people have always ran, just like people everywhere else. Why was there anything special about shooting a bow?
What did her parents expect them to be, samurai or something? In this day and age?
She sighed. The sooner she finished her two hundredth shot and cleaned up the dojo, the faster she could get out and do something fun. Just sixty-five more arrows to go.
Thunk. Make that sixty-four. At least she was hitting the target now. She sighed again. She looked over at some of the other kids. Some were actually worse than she was. But too many were good.
Damn them! She hated not being best!
She calmed herself down and tried to work her way through the eight steps. She chuckled, maybe it would be better if she actually remembered them. She took aim at her target and shot.
A little better. The coach called a few comments to which she replied. Not really paying attention. No it was on the target. And she pulled back the bow once more, eyes solely on the target.
There was a golden call that resonated through her soul. It tried to draw her attention away from the target. But she knew that if she turned away, even if just to look she would miss.
But if she maintained her focus she would hit about one centimeter from the center. She could feel it.
'Sorry. Sorry I cannot help you. I am not ready.'
She let the arrow fly. It landed right where she had thought it would.
'Not yet.'
She heard a few compliments, hushed by the coach. Who then said a few things to her which she also ignored. And tried to regain that focus. It was hard, so very hard.
'But I will be.'
Patience and practice. And she might actually be good at this herself.
'I will be.'
-Shirou Emiya—
Shirou and Issei were returning to his house after a day spent in the rabidly building city. Both of the over serious youngsters had been ordered to have fun. So they had visited an arcade, batted around a few baseballs. Shinji took part in a lot of these enforced fun days, but today he was busy.
Just as well. Shinji could be mildly annoying at times, and Shirou was not amused when Shinji and Issei began yet another philosophical fight.
He stopped.
Issei stopped as well, "What is wrong Emiya?"
"I thought I heard something." He shook his head. He must be imagining things. He started walking again. This time he heard something. 'Okay, is someone trying to play a prank on me?' He changed his direction and stopped when he saw the park.
This place. The place he had almost died. Grass was growing there now. A few straggly trees the local government had put in to provide shade. A few benches scattered here and there.
Shirou shivered. Who would spend time in such a desolate place. Even the bustle of the expanding city behind him didn't seem to touch this place. "Shinji, show yourself!"
Shirou heard a scuffle behind him and looked over.
It was only Issei, who was looking at him strangely. "Is there something wrong? Your house is that way." He said pointing towards the bridge.
"Yeah. It must have been my imagination. I could have sworn I heard something." He'd had the oddest feeling that someone had been calling for help. But they would be more open about it, wouldn't they.
Issei just stared at the park. "This place is wrong. Something bad happened here."
Shirou only looked back at the pathetic attempt to make a tragedy into a park, "Yes."
Issei nodded to himself. "It was the fire wasn't it. This must have been the place."
Shirou looked at his friend in askance, "You have never been here before?"
Issei shrugged, "My father warned me of it. Said it was haunted and perhaps even cursed." A moment of silence passed between them. "I think he was right. We should go."
"Yeah." Shirou looked back at the park and waited.
Issei asked, "I thought we were going."
Shirou shook his head, "You can go on ahead. Tell Taiga I will be back with groceries for dinner in just a little bit." He looked over at Issei, "You are staying for dinner, right? Or do you need to bike home right away?"
Issei shrugged, "Either way, it doesn't matter. But I am concerned that you are not moving. What is wrong Emiya, you have been acting strange."
Shirou sighed, "I just feel like I need to wait here for something. That something is about to happen and I need to be ready for it."
The golden note swept by both of them. Issei said, "That sound… So beautiful."
Shirou didn't know if he said anything else. He was running at full speed into the park. He thought for a moment he could hear echoes of that horrible day when his old life ended. He paid it no heed.
Someone needed his help. He had failed on that day to save anyone.
He would not fail again.
-Rin Tohsaka—
Rin had never been this exhausted before. She had been close. There had been a ten aria spell that she had worked on with Kirei simply to show her what working a great magic would be like.
Working an active spell with another magus was hard. Particularly with one she hated so much. But she had done it. Talking with the Elemental they had summoned had been interesting as well.
Not something she would ever casually consider doing herself, but interesting nonetheless.
But now…. She felt empty. Completely drained. She could still feel some prana lurking in her circuits, but she was simply too tired to shut them down. But it made her feel uncomfortable.
And there were the voices. They were still calling for her to save them. But the darkness that had surrounded her was gone. Or pushed back. Either way, it wasn't bothering her.
The horn had done her that much good anyway.
She laughed wanly and stared at the sky. It was so beautiful. So very clear and blue. Close to those her sister's had been. "I miss you Sakura. Why did you have to go? Maybe if I had talked to Dad. Maybe I could have made him see…." Rin closed her eyes.
It had been a long time since she had seriously thought about her sister. Oh, she watched her from afar, and while Sakura seemed a bit detached from most of the other kids, she seemed content. Maybe even happy.
There was a divide between them now. There had been during those first few years when they had been deliberately kept apart. And Rin had never truly seen a way to bridge the gap.
She herself had simply immersed herself in her studies.
How she wished she had family or even friends now. How long would it be before anyone even looked for her? Would anyone even notice she was gone? Would anyone care?
She heard the sound of footsteps approach her. She tried to sit up. But she couldn't do more than rock fitfully.
"Hold on, we will make sure you are okay." Said a lanky red-headed boy. His eyes were a golden-brown and they were almost empty. It reminded her a little of Kirei, but different... purer somehow. Where Kirei had an element of malice to him that was almost palpable if you had any wits at all, this boy seemed… compassionate.
Another voice sounded out, but she was too weak to look. "Tohsaka? Why are you here?"
Rin didn't react to the new voice at all. She tried to reach up and touch the red head's cheek and check if he was real.
"So your name is Tohsaka. Well we will take care of you." He turned from her, "Issei, go get someone to help us. I will stay with her."
"Good thinking, Emiya." There were more footsteps, this time moving away.
The boy turned back to her, and smiled sadly at her. "He will be right back."
Rin looked up at him and tried to smile. She said softly, "Rin." She felt oddly safe with him. Her eyes were still acting up, and all across his healthy skin there seemed to be a wall of burning black mud that had seeped into him. She had seen it before on Kotomine.
Over extending herself tended to make her see things.
And while Kotomine was a solid black, this boy, this Emiya, seemed to have sparks of gold that ran through him. "My name is Rin."
He smiled at her, "Your name is Rin?" He looked so worried. Why did he look so worried? "It is good to meet you, although I wish it were under better circumstances. You just stay with me okay?"
Rin nodded.
"Oh, sorry, my name is Shirou. Shirou Emiya." He looked off into the distance. "Come on Issei. Run."
She just lay there, wondering what those gold sparkles were. Was he a magus of some kind? He wasn't really radiating any significant energy. Although to be honest, she was really too weak to seriously look.
There was the sound of more foot prints.
Shirou looked away from her, "That was fast."
A different voice called out, "That is because I was looking for you, son."
RIn watched as Shirou's eyes lit up.
"Dad! You are back! I thought you would be gone for another month."
"There was no point. So what do we have here." Another face appeared above Rin. He had dark hair just starting to grey and brown eyes. He took a look at her and hissed.
"Dad, her eyes…."
The older man patted Shirou on the shoulder, "I am glad I came home. I have seen this before. Can you carry her to the car? I am afraid I am still tired from my trip."
Rin's eyes tracked the man as he limped away, one hand resting on a silver inlaid cane. There was a slight trace of magic to the cane and the man's body was full of the same darkness that was inside Shirou and Kotomine. Only in him, the darkness was alive and… slowly eating him.
She felt as she was lifted up and carried by the red headed boy. "Don't worry, everything will be okay. Dad will fix this. He can do anything."
She felt herself losing consciousness.
The older man called out, "Issei, make sure you bring all of her belongings. It isn't safe to just leave them here. Make sure you get everything."
The last thing she heard before the world went black was, "I have you RIn. Dad said you can rest. You can sleep now. I will protect you."
For the first time in a very long time, RIn Tohsaka felt safe. And she slept.
-Author's note—
This was a very long chapter for me. While at times I can write at a decent speed, don't expect me to keep up this pace. Figure a chapter every week or ten days. That will be my standard pace. At the moment? Well hard to say. If the muse keeps firing away and nothing interferes….
Anyway, this is the first chapter where the major changes start. Sure Archer wasn't going to be involved, or rather directly involved in this Grail War, but to the regular world nothing had changed yet. Until now. This will obviously have a major impact on the war, don't you think? Oh, as to the horn, its from a real legend, but the runes are mine. Its legendary user wouldn't have been able to see or read them anyway. And yes it will be used as a catalyst for Rin's Servant. I am curious if anyone can guess whom that Servant will be.
One more note, CG Emiya and Alaya are the framing devices for the story, but most of the story will be told from the POV's of the characters directly involved. It was used to explain why Emiya isn't Archer but still have him involved. Expect them to drop by from time to time, but they won't be in every chapter.
Let me know what you all think.