Disclaimer: I own nothing in this Fanfiction.
Chapter IX: Aftermath
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It was a terrifying scene from Rin Tohsaka's perspective. Mere minutes ago, Shiki decided to take on the Vampire by himself. Busy fighting the Gryphon, she and Archer were unable to help him. And now, when they finally got to him, he was facedown in a pool of blood.
The brunette wasted no time, she rushed towards the unmoving body of the teen and started examining it. Turning him over revealed an even scarier sight; Shiki Tohno had a gaping hole in his chest, and was bleeding out rapidly. Rin's hands started shaking, many scenarios flashed across her eyes of what could happen if the representative of the Fifth was to die, terrifying her beyond imagination. "Rin!" Archer's voice snapped her back to reality, "What are you doing?! He's losing blood quickly!"
"I can't close this wound—! I need an enormous amount of Magical Energy or a—" she trailed off, remembering two possibilities. Her heart shaped pendant, the gemstone she inherited from her father and used to store Magical Energy for years. Or the Diamond Shiki had in his jacket.
"The pendant Rin! Use your pendant! Hurry!" Archer rushed her, and she was too nervous to argue back. So, she slid the Pendant off her neck and placed it over the wound.
Behind her, she could hear Lancer's voice saying something to her Master, then the Servant approached and offered to help. "I know he's no ordinary person, we might need him for what's yet to come. I'll help too."
The Queen of Shadows leaned in, drawing a rune in the air above the pendant with her index.
"There, this should amplify any effect your Spell will have tenfold." she explained, creating distance right after.
Tohsaka nodded, then turned her full attention to administer the treatment spell. "Here goes…" she placed every ounce of hope she had left and concentrated like never before on this one Spell, "Erkennen, reinigen und wiederherstellen!"
Red, dim light appeared from the heart shaped gemstone. Soothingly brushing over the wound, causing the bones of the ribcage to rebuild themselves as the flesh and internal organs were restored gradually.
Slowly but surely, the wound was closed as if it was never there in the first place.
One more scan of Shiki's vitals assured Rin and allowed her to let out a heavy breath of relief, picking up the empty gemstone pendant and slipping it back on her neck.
"We have to go now. He needs to rest in a safe place, or he would be at risk of catching a disease or an infection." Mentioned Rin as Archer slowly carried the unconscious Shiki. She then turned towards the other Master and her Servant. "Thank you for your assistance, I do not like to leave debts unpaid, so, if we do somehow cross paths later down the line, and we do not have to kill each other, I'll make sure to return the favor."
"If that was to happen, I'd like to learn more about the boy." Addressed Lancer curiously, "He had definitely picked my interest."
Rin sighed, clearly tired. "Perhaps. Farewell for now, Lancer and—"
"Bazett, Bazett Fraga McRemitz, and I assume you're Rin Tohsaka, the Second Owner." The magenta haired lady said interrogatively.
"Indeed. Pleased to meet you, Bazett. I hope we work together again." Replied Rin after a short pause. She turned her back and walked away right after, alongside Archer.
"Odd bunch aren't they?" Asked Lancer, clearly amused by what transpired.
"Definitely, it's good to know not all mages are power-hungry obsessive psychopaths." The Master addressed as she fixed her tie, "What do you think? Should we take on Saber right now? Or do we hunt after the escaped Servant?"
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The sound of sirens and shuffling of feet overwhelmed the Emiya residence shortly after the battle had concluded. Firefighters and Policemen were all over the place, as well as medical teams. Tragically, there were no survivors. Everyone who was home by the time of the incident was found either crushed under the rubble or burned to death.
Amidst the chaos, the lonely figure of a priest approached the Emiya Mansion with furrowed brows. Kotomine Kirei was pissed off. Not because of the losses or damage done, no. It was because Saber's summoner caused him trouble, easily solved trouble mind you but trouble nonetheless.
The redhead and his sister were given warming blankets as they were asked to stay outside of the mansion while it was investigated. Shirou's head perked up when he noticed the priest's approach, wearing a hostile expression.
"Stand down, Master of Saber." Kotomine announced straightforwardly, "It is my duty as Overseer to watch over the course of the war and correct any issues that may arise. You, Emiya Shirou, have crossed the line."
Shirou gazed back at the priest sharply, a feeling of disgust building up in his stomach.
"We both know this is what happens in a war." Shot back the redhead, "Weaklings die, big deal. It was a fight between Servants, and my opponent summoned a Dragon. What was I expected to do?"
"Boy, I warn you." he said coldly, smiling emptily "If I hear of any more of your actions which might threaten to reveal the Moonlit world, your rights as a Master will be forfeit. I will see to that personally."
"I'd like to see you try, fake priest." Shirou challenged as a pulse of Magical Energy came from the shed, indicating Saber's presence.
"ENOUGH!"
Both conflictors turned their attention to the source of the voice. Illya was both confused and terrified. She didn't know what to think of her brother anymore. How could he have done such a vile act? She second guessed herself however, like he said, it was a war, and with war came casualties.
Disordered and not knowing what was right or wrong, she just jumped into the conversation with that scream.
"Enough blood was spilled tonight already! Leave us!" She screamed out helplessly.
Her reaction invoked no pity from either side, but Kotomine knew when to back down if necessary.
"My words are over. If we meet again under similar circumstances, actions will speak for themselves." threatened the priest as he backed away, earning another hostile glance from the redhead.
"Likewise." Shirou added. He hated that man beyond imagination. He wanted to kill him, erase him, destroy him. To Shirou, he was a blight on this planet. But, as per his instructor's words, he needed to live. For now.
"Rejoice young man! Today alone, you have terminated more innocent lives than your father did in some of his months!"
And with that reveal, the man disappeared into the smoke and crowds.
"Sickening." Illya's eyes teared up, "There! Happy now?!"
There was no response, Shirou only stood there with an empty expression on his face.
"I hope you realize…" she added, voice cracking with emotion, "He was right… and that man… Shirou… Kiritsugu said that man was the worst…"
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It was that hot summer day once again.
A blue sky and large, large columns of summer clouds hung above all.
The scenery slowly wavered in the heat.
The voice of cicadas, the sound of cicadas was churning my eardrums.
Chiiirp. Chirp Chirp.
Chiiirp. Chirp Chirp.
Cicada shells were scattered across the clearing.
As if the sun was right by my side, the weather was roasting hot.
A hot midsummer's day, as if the entire world became a frying pan.
Akiha was crying.
Akiha, who would always obediently stay close behind me, was brimming forth with tears.
A child laid collapsed at her feet.
Soaked in blood. Killed. The corpse of a child, about my age.
A cast-off cicada shell.
My two hands were red with the blood of that collapsed child.
"SHIKI—!"
The adults were coming, but The fallen child was still dead.
The adults were yelling. "Did you kill him—!?"
Enough.
I know it wasn't me who did the killing.
I was the victim in that memory, not the killer.
The scenery changed.
It was a calm midsummer night.
The crimson moon let its cold rays of light illuminate the area.
No sound was heard except the gusts of wind shuffling the tall grass around me.
I stood. Eyes covered in thick bandages that fluttered in the breezes.
There was a familiar warmth behind me.
It was a beautiful warmth. I basked in its existence for as long as I could without bothering to turn around.
"—Ki!"
A voice called out to me.
"Shiki!"
Her voice called out to me.
My two hands were clean, but I knew deep within me.
—There would come a time when I would have to dirty them again.
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"Kid… Hey kid, wake up."
The red bowman's voice reached his ears as he regained his consciousness. Shiki sat himself down without much difficulty, but there was still a feeling of numbness in his chest.
"Easy there, you've been out cold for hours now." Archer was leaning on a wall on the right side of the bed which Shiki used. It was a decently spacious room and pretty well furnished. But there was something wrong.
"Your wound was healed by my Master, but I imagine it would feel a bit uncomfortable. Take it slow."
Lines and points. Everywhere. On the walls, the floor, the bed, the furnishings, and even Shiki's hands.
He closed his eyes as fast as he could.
"Archer! Where are my glasses?" He asked, urgency clear in his tone.
"Hm? Oh, yeah. They're right here. Miraculously without a scratch from the long fall."
The Servant handed him his glasses, which he immediately put on, then opened his eyes.
"Wh—"
The lines wavered in and out of existence slowly, until they faded. Shiki bit his lips in frustration. It was happening already, what Aoko told him. His eyes were already breaking through the restrictive eyewear.
"What happened? Where's Tohsaka?" Shiki asked after some silence, trying to recall the latest events.
"Don't worry, my Master is safe. She's resting in her room as we speak." Archer explained, then raised an eyebrow. "You don't remember trying to fight the Servant alone?"
That's right, he remembered taking on Chaos… and then… they fell… and he was about to kill him… but then…
"I remember… I almost had him! But then, he transformed his body… and I…" Shiki trailed off, placing a hand over his chest.
"Relax, you did well." Archer assured, with a genuine proud smile drawn across his face. "Taking on a Servant as a human… if you were any other person I'd call you suicidal."
The image of someone familiar flashed across Archer's mind, making him cringe at himself.
"Yet, you were the one to kill that Servant in the first place. Making you the bane of his existence and our strongest weapon against him."
Shiki stayed silent, thinking about what Archer said. Nero Chaos was a malicious beast, and his power was a force to be reckoned with. Even now, he was most likely hunting for more prey, trying to regain the energy he lost. There was a question that plagued his mind however; "Who in the world could've summoned him? I didn't see a Master nearby when he attacked."
Archer simply shrugged, "I didn't see anyone either. Whoever they were, they hid themselves pretty well."
He fixed his stance, and walked up to the teen on the bed. "In any case." he added, closing his eyes and extending an arm forwards. Magical Energy appeared on his palm as he projected a copy of 'Seven Nights'. "I know everything about you. From the moment you were handed this knife by that maid, until now."
Shiki stared at the copy of the knife, thinning his lips. "And that means?"
The red Bowman played with the knife dexterously while the bedridden teen watched. "Bottom line, I'm offering a choice to tell Rin about your eyes before I do so myself." Revealed Archer straightforwardly, "Keep them a secret any longer, and she would start losing trust in you."
"Why?" Shiki asked, staring at the knife as if hypnotized.
"Well…" Archer cleared his throat and sheathed the blade in his hand, dismissing it into particles. "You might've noticed that this house is empty. Rin lived on her own ever since she lost her parents to the last Holy Grail War. The only remaining person whom she could consider family is a fake who never tried to play the role of a guardian. She lived alone here in this empty mansion for years, during which she was getting attached to a person. He recently turned out to be a pretender as well."
Shiki listened attentively while Archer explained, his tone was very different than usual. Was it sympathy? Or maybe regret?
"I'm worried she might start developing trust issues. That's why I'm asking you to tell her instead of just telling her myself."
The black haired teenager stared at the Servant, reading his expression while looking for any signs of deception or lying.
"I know this doesn't concern you all that much, which is why I will offer you something in return." Archer added, lifting a hand to his side. "You come clean with her, I'll let you know what else I learned from the knife, about the people who wielded it before you."
Shiki weighed his options.
Come clean like Archer suggested and gain further trust from Rin as well as potential information about his real parents, seemingly without negative effects. Or alternatively, keep his secret and get busted for it anyways when Archer tells Rin himself, making him lose her trust as well as valuable info about his predecessors.
The right option for him was pretty clear.
"Fine." He agreed with a sigh, "You better keep your word, Archer. If I get a Sealing Designation for this, I'll never forgive you."
"She wouldn't report you if it killed her." The red Bowman assured with a confident tone, "You know, it wasn't easy for her to save your life, she had to sacrifice a very expensive gemstone. After that, I bet she would never let some idiot from the association steal you from her that easily."
"I'll hold you for that." The teen commented then yawned. Looking at the time, it was already the next day.
"Hey, is that a TV over there?" Shiki asked, pointing at an old box shaped device which sat in the corner.
"That piece of junk? Yeah. It's very old though, I doubt it still works." Archer walked up to the TV as he spoke, placing a hand over it and closing his eyes. "Trace… ON…"
Some silence followed as green stripes of Magical Energy appeared from the Bowman's hand and spread all around the device's hull.
"Surprising." he commented, eyes still closed, "The circuitry is still intact and well preserved. It just needs a hotwire here and…!"
The device's screen flickered to life. "Woah, nice." Exclaimed Shiki. The Servant walked over to him again once the channel signal stabilized.
"...We have received reports yesterday of a small explosion in the residential area of Miyama. Specialists and investigators explained the strange phenomenon as an 'unprecedented gas leak' in the underground pipes system. The local authorities, me and everyone in the studio is sending their honest condolences to the families of the deceased. The head of the police department also promised that they have sent their best investigators to the scene and will return with more information…"
It was the morning news report. Shiki and Archer exchanged looks as they continued listening carefully.
"...Yet another strange occurrence that took place yesterday was an uncontrolled leak of what the detectives described as a 'liquified freezing agent' in the top compartment of Fuyuki City Hyatt Hotel. The owner confirms that the substance was not brought in by their workers, suspecting that it was 'a strange tenant' who caused this incident. The freezing agent solidified in the shape of a big ice formation which blocked off and covered the top three floors of the Hotel, rendering them completely inaccessible until a later notice. The tenants who occupied those floors are also nowhere to be found. But the question still remains; How can a large amount of such a dangerous substance make it all the way into the compartment?"
"Okay so, I assume it was the overseer covering up the real reason for the fires in Miyama. but what was that about the Hotel?" Shiki asked, lowering the volume of the TV.
Archer raised a hand to his chin. He hadn't sensed anything through the night while he stood guard, so he could only assume it happened earlier while he wasn't monitoring the city. "No idea." He announced, shrugging, "Maybe it's worth investigating… I'll tell Rin about it later."
"I see…" Shiki stood up, yawned and stretched. It still felt weird in his chest but nothing too drastic.
"Oh, it appears she's awake." Added the servant, "She's calling us to the kitchen. Come with me, you must be starving."
The teen obeyed, following after the Servant. They walked down some stairs, then arrived into the empty living room which was connected to the kitchen. Shiki excused himself to the bathroom to take a bath, but not before raising an eyebrow and laughing internally when Archer put on a kitchen apron and started to scavenge the fridge for ingredients.
"What? Just because we Servants are mostly Legendary Heroes doesn't mean we don't have other skills, like cooking or repair." Was what the red Bowman said in his defense.
A little more than half an hour passed. Shiki, Rin and Archer were all gathered in the living room, the last two sat facing the table, steaming coffee and some plates with food opposite them. The brunette was clearly not a morning person, although it seemed like she was trying to hide that.
"Enjoy your meal. We got a long day ahead of us." Announced Archer, heading towards the corner of the room and leaning on a wall.
Rin yawned slightly, "Yes yes…" then she took a sip from her coffee.
"Thanks for the food." Shiki said, crossing his hands in front of him as if praying, then he dug in.
"So…" Rin addressed as she put her cup down, "How are you feeling?"
Shiki noted a tone of genuine concern in her voice. If what Archer said was true, then she must've lost a fortune when she healed his wounds.
"Yeah I'm feeling alright, still a bit stiff but that'll go away eventually." he replied with a smile.
"That's good to hear..." The brunette followed with a sigh. "I don't know what's going on anymore… Why did you just jump off alone? And what was that about you killing him once already? So many questions…"
Shiki stared at the girl silently at first.
She could've just taken the Diamond in his jacket and left him there to die. Clearing out a potential competitor in the future while also gaining a powerful Spell tool or a fortune. But instead, she saved his life, and at a cost too.
If that didn't scream that this girl was a good person who genuinely cared for others and wanted to prevent a potential end of the world, he didn't know what would.
"Well…" The glasses-wearing teen cleared his throat, "If I was to answer your questions, would you promise that you won't report me to the Mages Association? The last thing I need to worry about right now is a Sealing Designation."
Rin's eyes focused on his own. "Oh." She exclaimed in realization, "That's a given. Not even the Wizard Marshall himself can take you from me now. Especially after you made me use my valuable pendant." Taking off her heart shaped pendant, she displayed it for Shiki's eyes to see. "Years' worth of storing Magical Energy in this thing… Gone in one spell."
"Hm…" Shiki pondered. It didn't seem like she was deceiving him. "Fine. What would you like to know first?"
Closing her eyes, Rin took another sip from her coffee. "Start from the beginning. I want to know you better if we're actually going to do this." A demanding tone was in the Second Owner's voice. Shiki Tohno let her ask, and she was going to exploit it to the fullest.
"You sure? It's a long story…" The glasses-wearing teen sweatdropped, only then realizing how far deep he fell into her trap.
"Spare me the details then. We have some time to kill before we go out." was the brunette's answer.
"Alright fine…" Shiki took a deep breath, then he started storytelling.
"So… Like I already told you before, I am the last remaining member of the Nanaya family. I was found and adopted by a man called Makihisa Tohno as a child simply because it just so happened that his son's name was also Shiki."
"Talk about reasons for adoption…" Rin commented, listening attentively. Shiki simply shrugged at her reaction, then continued. "Fast forward a couple of years and I was caught in an accident which ended up with me transported to a hospital. When I woke up, I started seeing weird red lines everywhere."
"So there was something going on in your eyes… I noticed that you'd place your hands on your glasses any time a battle was approaching, and you weren't wearing them when Archer swooped down and picked you up in the Emiya Mansion…" Tohsaka stated suspectedly, "I have previously read that the Nanaya family was able to add Eyes of Purity to their lineage's hereditary qualities. Is that the case for you?"
"Might be part of the reason. I also skimmed through the books, but no… Wanna take a look?"
Rin nodded positively. He raised his hands to his glasses and slightly nudged them upwards, they instantly fell to cover his eyes afterwards. "These are Mystic Eyes."
Rin was able to get a glimpse of his eyes without restraints for the first time, and she immediately jumped up as if stung or pinched. She stared at him in disbelief for a good moment, before her lips moved again.
"... No way…" she exclaimed in clear denial. Her reaction was justifiable, since she just saw a connection to the Root itself. "…This has to be…This cannot be real…" Words simply escaped her.
"Uh… Are you okay?" Shiki asked, oblivious as to why she was so shocked. He knew his eyes were extremely rare but didn't expect this reaction.
"NO… I AM NOT OKAY!" Fired the girl furiously, "HOW CAN I BE OKAY? YOU JUST SHOWED ME RAINBOW MYSTIC EYES! DIVINE SPIRIT CLASS! HOW IN THE WORLD CAN I BE OKAY WHEN I JUST LOOKED AT DEATH IN THE EYES?!"
Oh. Ohhh.
Shiki suddenly felt guilty, but couldn't lie and say he didn't enjoy seeing her react like that. "Sorry! But like… You kinda agreed to it?"
"Oh you little—!" Rin trailed off, her mind still processing what just happened, "HOW?! JUST HOW?!"
The teen shrugged. THE GUY WITH THE FABLED MYSTIC EYES OF DEATH PERCEPTION SHRUGGED! Rin barely, BARELY, restrained herself from punching him in the face. "Nevermind. Don't answer that."
"In any case. Where were we?" Shiki resumed, "Oh yeah, so, the doctors and nurses had no idea what lines I was talking about, and they got creeped out when I cleaved a bed in half by using a fruit knife once."
"Must've been pretty hard, for both you and them I mean." Tohsaka commented with a calmer voice this time, "You were only a child. But I'd be pretty creeped out if I saw you do that as well."
Shiki smiled bitterly, "Yeah I guess. But I didn't stick around for long, eventually, I was able to escape the building. And more than once too."
Rin's eyes widened in exclamation, "How? Was the security that bad?!"
Shiki shrugged again, "Dunno, don't remember." he said, invoking both wrath and curiosity from the brunette. "What I remember is that I met Sens— I mean Aozaki-san during one of those escapes."
Shiki went on, explaining the rest of his story, with Rin making comments every now and then. He told her how he received the Mystic Eye killers from the Fifth, lived with the Arimas for years, how he received Akiha's letter, and how he came back home. Naturally, he also told her how he 'killed' Arcueid and how he had to repay her by helping her hunt down the Dead Apostle Ancestors which plagued Misaki.
"... I stayed in the Hotel. Naturally, I didn't want to get hunted down and murdered. So, I obeyed her command."
Rin was listening with great anticipation, "I've never heard of a True Ancestor who hunted down Dead Apostle Ancestors, but after what you did to her, I wonder how she didn't just kill you on the spot… Not only that, but she also felt comfortable enough to sleep with you in the same room. Talk about blind trust or straight up foolishness…" she stated with astonishment clear on her face.
"I still wonder about that until today…" Shiki sweatdropped, then resumed his storytelling.
"I waited… and waited… and waited… but sleep overtook me as well. She was the one who woke me up at sunset, not the other way around."
Rin couldn't help but giggle. "Be it as a murderer and his victim, or as a vampire and a boy who she kidnapped, you two really sucked at playing your roles."
"I guess you can look at it this way…" Shiki followed his words with an embarrassed smile. Once Rin stopped giggling and mocking him, his face took on a serious expression.
"Now this is when things got ugly." He said bitterly, earning a concerned glance from the brunette. "A black crow stood by our window, staring at us with red eyes. I could never forget the terror that animal carried in its gaze. It spoke to Arcueid, telling her that HE was heading there right now before flying off with a sickly laughter."
Shiki swallowed a taste of sickness that was stuck on his throat. Rin noticed the uncomfort on his face, "If you don't feel like continuing—"
"No." he interrupted, "I will tell you what happened, just give me a second."
Shiki took a deep breath. He had to overcome his fear if he was ever going to defeat Chaos again.
"Suddenly, the building shook underneath our feet. Arcueid immediately froze, and no matter how hard I tried to make her say something, she wouldn't talk. Two minutes passed and the hotel was awfully quiet, so I decided that staying in the room any longer was useless. I took out my knife and walked out to the hallway. I couldn't hear it from inside, but there was so much noise coming from the floor below. I called up the elevator, and once the door opened…"
There was some silence. The teen with the glasses felt sick to his stomach, "There was blood, human flesh and body parts all over the ground and the walls. Inside, two black dogs were feasting… I hid myself, but the sounds of the gorging, the chewing and the cries for help didn't stop."
Rin covered her mouth with her hand. Shiki's description made her terrified. She wanted him to stop, but couldn't bring herself to say the words.
"... The dogs finally noticed me. Only then, all the ruckus from below ceased. The two dogs rushed towards me, as to them, I was the last remaining prey."
Another deep breath. Shiki wasn't just retelling his story, he was reliving it inside his head and Rin knew it.
"Something inside my brain clicked, my hand automatically thrust forward, directly into the forehead of the first beast which pounced on me. It was almost mechanical. Had I wasted even a split second, the dog would've decapitated me." The teen with the glasses raised a hand and touched his throat as he spoke, "Its body dropped down and just as it did, the second dog was flying straight at my face. Another thrust, but this time, it was a mistake which almost cost me my arm. But miraculously, and after some struggle, I managed to kill it before it ripped off my arm."
The brunette was horrified. Every word that came out of Shiki's mouth made her feel even more uncomfort, and she was sure he was going through much worse. Yet, he persisted.
"... In the heat of the moment, I was not paying attention to my surroundings all that much. So, when I heard the ringing sound of the other elevator reaching my floor, you could imagine my shock."
The girl nodded silently in response.
"The elevator door opened. Inside, stood Nero Chaos. He wasted no time and came out into the hallway, walking right towards me. He didn't seem to acknowledge my presence at first until he noticed the corpses of the dogs on the ground. At that moment, he looked at me with what I could only assume were his Mystic Eyes of Enchantment, since I immediately lost control of my body when we made eye contact." The third heavy breath followed right after Shiki paused. This time, it wasn't fear which was visible on his face. It was burning rage. Rin noted that as her eyes focused on him.
"There was barely a meter between us. He raised an arm and from under his coat, a crocodile's mouth emerged, easily large enough to swallow a man whole. It reached out to me, but before it could get me, I felt my body being pulled back and saw someone get in the way. Yes. Arcueid, the girl I killed, saved my life and got even more injured in the process." Tohsaka's eyes widened at the revelation. Just as Shiki looked at his right hand which was shaking.
"She stood there with a pained expression, I assumed a battle stance thinking he might attack us again, but the vampire named Chaos took one look at her and disappeared back towards the elevator."
The hand that was shaking stopped, closed firm into a fist. "I had no idea what would happen next, but then I turned my attention to the wounded girl next to me. Surprisingly, her wound was already closed, but her face was still contorted into a painful expression. I took her to her room where she fell into a deep sleep once again, and just as I tried to stand up, I collapsed..."
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Author's note:
Completely new. This was not in the original fic and was only written during the remake. This will help make the relationship between Rin and Shiki more acceptable and develop it healthily. Too much Tsukihime in this chapter true, but the next one will make up for it. See ya soon.