A/N: Review Addressing Time, also my favorite time to dissect. I'm not channeling Kohaku vibes, I promise. This time, I am beating myself up over it once again, managing to let my schedule kill me instead. I'm not dead, I promise. I had the classic, "Oh wow, I got busy." Oh well, there's nothing I can do about it now. Also, I think I lied about bringing in more characters; I'm sorry.
Anon - She has demonstrated said conscience before in the previous chapters. Regarding the "Silver Timeline," I confess I have not had the disprivilege of subjecting myself to that. Halsey is in the "oh fuck" damage control stoic mindset as of the last chapter. But I've made it a point to portray the other side of her in this chapter more clearly, though the pacing might be slightly off if I have to be perfectly honest.
Guest: Quite. Willshtine will get a bit more screen time in this chapter. After all, we must catch up on what's been happening for the Mages for the last few hundred years. Though I'm going to leave a few breadcrumbs, I think. I think I'm pretty awful at doing that, if I have to be honest.
dwdadw33: Thanks! I plan on continuing this despite all the work I have on my plate as a hobby.
Skittertale: Hmm. You make an interesting point about this. I'm not entirely sure whether or not this will fit in with my grand plan for the story, but alas, we'll see how things pan out.
Avarth: Mmm. It's alright, man. I'm open to fair criticism about how I'm taking this story lmao. Sometimes, I need someone to bonk me in the head for the stupid ideas that run through my head occasionally.
Greatdfret4: I will confirm that I am not dead (yet).
yangn33: I'm back.
Mysterious Heroine X: Thanks! Well, I'm back for now. I'm balancing working, studying, and my social life.
As per usual, I do not own Fate/Stay Night or Halo.
Dr. Catherine Halsey kept the shades closed in her office. She knew it was early morning outside; she wasn't afraid of the soft light interfering with her work. Clair de Lune continued to play in the background as she continued to sort through various digital files, reports from the investigators into the recent escape of a few of the children, her contacts with her field agents who were looking for a way to find the children without causing a stink with the civilian government or other sections of ONI.
She ignored a knock on her door and a whirring sound that it made as she directed her eyes toward a notification and closed a manilla folder titled: "John-117." He who chose to bother her now seemed to be selecting a method of starting small and then unleashing the annoyances all at once.
"You know it isn't healthy to seclude yourself daily in your cave," Keyes finally said as he decided to speak to a woman who was clearly beyond stressed out.
"Not right now, Jacob. A few of the children got lost a few days ago," Catharine was visibly exhausted, and a glance at her reflection in one of the windows revealed she had visible bags under her eyes. She found herself obsessed with the missing children as a part of her was worried for her job, but another part was concerned for the children themselves and their safety. She found it ironic, considering it was her that had landed them in this damned situation in the first place.
"Cat," he called her by the nickname she wasn't particularly fond of. Without waiting for her response, he pressed on with his assertion. "You need some fresh air." Halsey felt excellent sitting right here, but she understood the concern. At least, she thought she was perfectly fine sitting in her chair in a dark office. The void of an office that came to drag in so many fates and interweave them, often to the detriment of many. Like the selection process finally being decided here.
Admittedly, she was tired but still had to do something to correct a great wrong inflicted upon her by the Junior Grade Lieutenant standing before her, "Haven't I told you not to use that nickname, Keyes?"
Keyes smirked at her own annoyance, which only did not help the bubbling irritation that she was feeling, "You did, but I'm doing it anyway because I know," he walked over and opened more of the shades, "... that this is the only way I'm going to help you." Halsey would have them thrown back to OCS if this was anyone else. But Keyes' loyalty kept him around, yet another example of it.
Knowing that, for a reason she couldn't quite place, her anger seemed to temper itself, and she allowed Keyes to continue with his proposal to help her out. She doubted that he knew much about the program itself; he didn't even know how exactly the children were procured, nor did he know of the ultimate purpose of this project. Even the superficial explanation she gave him as a cover probably would have been enough for some moralists to buckle in shock. Jacob finished off his thoughts by calling her by that nickname again, "Cat."
"Jack," Halsey said in a coy voice. Two could play that game, nicknames that didn't quite fit. She didn't want to say this, but she said it because Keyes resembled a hero from one of those hero movies that she used to watch when she was a young girl. She had forgotten it until she first met Lt. Keyes, and those memories suddenly came back to knock her off her feet.
Jacob chuckled at the game they were playing, "You know that's not how names work, right?"
"Jake sounds too informal… Would you prefer to revert to being Junior Grade Lieutenant Jacob Keyes? I'll be glad to arrange that," Halsey replied snarkily as she put away a file on the four escaped trainees back into her desk, making sure to lock it, just in case anyone did indeed break in. Digitization had been the future for the past few centuries, but there was something unmistakable about printed paper and writing, or even better, writing everything by hand. Even if it was far from efficient, there was something different about the whole thing.
"Maybe you win in that regard. But still, come outside, Catherine," Jacob raised his hands in false surrender as he gave her a look that she couldn't quite distinguish the meaning behind. The one thing she had to attribute to Keyes was his persistence; he was trying to help her in his way. For that, she was grateful. He was much better than any of those ONI spooks who masqueraded as therapists who would probably collect dirt on her.
When she uttered her agreement, she had already walked halfway towards the door before saying, "Fine, Jacob." He hadn't led her into a real game, so she was willing to play his. It was a well-needed break, but she wasn't confident it was well-deserved.
—
"You have to be kidding me," Catherine pouted as the two hopped off the UH-144 Falcon that had brought them up to the mountain. She was sure it probably broke a few regulations to use ONI property like that. But it appeared that, for some reason, Keyes was able to convince the pilot to bring them to the top of the mountain. But, she was glad privately that he was willing to jump through all these hoops to help her. No wonder he refused to testify against his instructor at the OCS. She got a view of the summit of the mountain; others had tread there before them, but in some parts, it was pretty clear to have been left for nature to handle.
Thankfully, the weather had been cold outside, and a bit of snow had fallen in the evening, so she had made the rather wise decision, in retrospect, to bring a winter jacket and snow boots. "When you said come outside, I didn't expect you to ask for the third highest peak of the Highland Mountains." She said as she unzipped her jacket's pockets and pulled out her gloves. Quickly putting them off as the relative warmth of the Falcon promptly retreated from her body, although scarce.
Jacob was similarly dressed in winter gear. Despite how chilly it was at the top of the mountain, nothing seemed like it could extinguish his spirit or his grit to continue going through the path laid out for him courageously and loyally, "It's good to see the world as it is, more than just a screen in a cave. Besides, Catherine. It's just the trip down and should only take a few hours."
"Maybe, but I'd rather read some of the classics to soothe my mind," she replied without thinking much about her comment. She saw that look again in Keyes' eyes and bit her lips before she could spoil this moment. She appreciated what he was doing, even if she couldn't see the immediate benefits. She nevertheless wanted to apologize for that comment, but that courage did not materialize in her voice as she followed him down the path. Was she brave for her work, or was she trembling as she descended the way? She couldn't tell if her legs were shaking as she turned to admire the beauty of the undisturbed trees and the powdery snow that had recently fallen here.
The two continued down the side of the mountain, each step taken with an elegant, measured motion. Rays of sunlight streamed through the trees, illuminating the landscape and casting a soft glow across Keyes' face. The winter's coolness created a serene and peaceful environment. The pathway meandered down the mountainside, providing stunning valley vistas. Halsey privately took in the scenery with awe and admiration.
Her mind wandered between Jacob, the children, the program, the insurrection, her research, and many other projects as she walked with Keyes down this path that few had trod in quite a long time. She didn't know the story of this area other than that it used to be an area of heavy mining activity back when Humanity was just beginning to colonize. Reach wasn't incredibly diverse in material resources, and soon enough, the mining industry had primarily moved elsewhere across UEG space.
Eventually, they stopped at an overpass that overlooked a quarry. In a rare instance on this entire trip, they had actually spotted other people working. They appeared to be excavating something, but she wasn't exactly sure what. She wouldn't have been privy to it if it was an ONI project.
"Apparently, a bunch of eggheads down there have been digging down there, and they found something," Keyes started with a serious tone as he looked at Halsey, already knowing what she was thinking. There was a certain air and energy that surrounded Keyes; how he conducted things and his professionalism tempered by kindness would bring him a long way in his career.
"Really now?" Catherine replied, following it up with a retort, "It seems that all the bigwigs at ONI have been jumping at any of these archaeological artifacts that they've been finding this last decade or two. How did you find out?"
"Well, there are some people that choose to run their mouths as soon as they get a little drunk, and they're not being watched by a supervisor," Keyes shook his head as he continued walking down, seemingly losing any interest in watching a copious amount of ONI swarm around this dig site.
Deeply curious about what was happening, Halsey decided to prod for more information from Keyes. Besides, it would be ample time to make some small talk, and while she usually wasn't interested in those sorts of things, she'd rue the day she'd choose to walk down a mountain with someone without talking with them. The wind stung as it hit her face with great force, "You heard anything about it?"
Keyes stopped in his tracks and looked her in the eyes. Catherine had to admit that there was something beautiful in those eyes, but she quickly realized she was blushing a little. Promptly correcting said behavior, she recomposed herself and gave an inquisitive look toward Keyes. He wasn't a man who played by the book every time but was willing to bend them to help what he saw as his duty. It seemed that he was ready to surrender on this, just once. "No, it must be important though. They're going to rush it over to New Alexandria, put it on the space elevator, and send it back to Earth under lock and key."
Shirou Emiya wondered what divine power he had pissed off in his past life to be reverted to the body of a child and being driven around on an alien planet by a distant descendant of Luviagelita Edelfelt herself.
"Moa Burgers?" Rin repeated as everyone entered the Second Owner's car, "What do Moa burgers have to do with anything?" They had just entered a fast-food restaurant chain, and their temporary chaperone had decided that everyone would be given burgers. Admittedly, he was willing to try out new things. Rin, on the other hand, was much more skeptical and seemed to be torn as to whether she wanted to eat the burger or not. Neither he nor Tohsaka were huge fans of fast food. Through their own experience, both learned that they preferred cooking for themselves and others. If he had to describe what this Moa tasted like, it tasted similar to how the chefs in those magazines described quail. It was always a little too expensive for his own tastes and for the sake of his own wallet.
Willshtine remained silent as he slid up his aviator sunglasses and turned on the car. He didn't even bother to check that everyone was buckled in before he started hitting the accelerator. Eventually, after they had begun to get into the streets, the Second Owner replied to Tohsaka, "I'm not going to answer your question about magecraft unless you start eating, kids. Wasting food is a big no-no for me."
"Have you considered that a single man with a few children following him may look a little suspicious to the average onlooker?" Illya said rather plainly. Biting into her burger and scrutinizing the meat rather carefully before taking her time to eat it. Seems like Illya really didn't like fast food and preferred them home cooked. This made sense because she would have such needs usually tended to by himself or Stella and Leysritt.
Willshtine scratched his head as if he had just come to a great epiphany, "Well shit, you're right, kid." The Edelfelt descendant lurched back to see if anyone was looking at them suspiciously. Artoria had a similar hair shade, but Illya, Rin, and himself seemed radically different. The fact that he had only realized this conundrum was quite an issue, but thankfully, no one had raised any eyebrows when they entered the fast food restaurant.
"Shirou," Saber said as she looked at him with sparkling eyes, which he could only recognize as being that of her desires being unleashed. She looked firm and stared at him, "We need to experiment more with this unique palette." What the love of his life meant by that was that he would have to experiment with this unique bird. This was only second to that time that Artoria had learned that the production of the mysterious foie gras dish had been banned in all UEG space except for a planet in the Outer Colonies.
"As I was saying earlier," Willshtine started once again as he seemed to lament how much Saber might eat into his bank account, "Mystery and Technology share a complicated relationship; from the bigwig theorists, mystery simultaneously expands and contracts from the advancement of technology, now that humanity has advanced into the reaches of space." Shirou vaguely remembered this theory of technology and the development of Magecraft not necessarily being in conflict. Both he and Rin did; it had been pushed by Lord El-Melloi II while both of them had been alive, and he was grateful that he had been able to study at the Clock Tower as Rin's apprentice.
He gave a look to see if everyone was following. Sure enough, Illya and Rin were at the edge of their seats, deeply interested in what had occurred to the magical world since their deaths. This reminded Shirou that asking Rin how she had died hadn't been made immediately evident. He figured he would ask her later about this but would err on caution.
Willshtine continued to elaborate as he saw that everyone was deeply intrigued by his tale, "There used to be a time when the Mage's Association and Holy Church used to manipulate things behind the shadows. Our collaboration with the United Nations was the beginning of the end of our independence, however." Collaboration with the United Nations? He had only heard of limited examples of that in his own time. The only thing that came to mind was the Animusphere family starting something with the UN and using their amassed wealth to purchase a great deal of equipment. It was relevant because they needed a bulk order from Luviagelita and Rin at some point of some of the finest gems.
But it recreated a good question as to what precisely this level of cooperation meant for the average Mage and how closely they were associated with the Association. Before he could inquire about that, Willshtine got around to the elephant in the room as to why this arrangement had come about in the 26th century, "The Association has a clandestine agreement with UEG for so-called 'mutual benefit.' Similar bargains were made between the UEG and other Mage Associations across Earth." He coughs, "...Among others." Of course, whenever one question was answered, four more would suddenly materialize to give him another headache.
Catherine Halsey chided herself for letting herself enjoy the trip with Keyes more than she should have. She would have to make a note in her journal that she found some sort of pleasure from this whole sort of experience.
The sheer power of will and how such emotions continued to outshine whatever scientists tried to rationalize. Someone like John wasn't just a child that had piqued her interest because the cosmos had made it out for him to be lucky, but also because he was willing to put himself in positions where it would matter and take advantage of it. But to the grit needed to dig out from under, she had to admit that she did not blame those children.
How she wanted to vent to someone, someone like Keyes. Things were feeling lonelier and lonelier as she was considered one of the great scientists of 26th-century humanity. But Keyes was not permitted to know as much as she wanted to vent about. Those who did know would not be nearly as supportive or see it as a sign of weakness. That was not an option for Dr. Catherine Halsey or Cat.
Still, she looked to the person she placed unparalleled trust into her right, and she felt… safe around him. Had it been any other person, she would not have become this informal or harbored these thoughts about someone she had barely known for months. Trust was a fickle thing when working as a clandestine researcher. Everyone else was out to get you and your funding, usurp your position, or even arrange for your fall. It was a sink-or-swim environment where she had learned quickly to swim and play the game. Still, there was something about Keyes she couldn't place that made her happier the more she spent with him.
The man was too wise for his own good, however. No matter how much she wished she could trust him with the entire truth, she knew he would have to be transferred back into active service the minute he found out. Such a thought tore her up on the inside. She knew how Keyes looked at her now. It wasn't entirely out of concern. He had feelings for herself, no doubt. And she knew she felt similarly for him. But expressing it publicly was a different question altogether. They would be busy souls in the future; would such a love be feasible? Dozens of thoughts permeated her mind as she wondered about the possibilities. Her heart and sanity left her at odds with what she truly wanted. Was it that desperate for comfort after all the blood on her hands and all the blood she would soon spill?
If Jacob Keyes was like that hero, she had seen in a cinema all those years ago. Someone who acted outside the bounds of the law to be that hero for his loved ones and for the greater good, Catherine's path couldn't be any more different. Did she deserve such love for what her profession indeed was? She knew what would happen. ONI was a self-cannibalizing animal of those who were more than eager to advance their career and snitch to superiors. Did she really want to subject Keyes to such troubles?
Did she deserve that Lieutenant's love? It was a question that was now beginning to haunt her as the snow started to melt at the base of the mountain, revealing a beautiful scene the white snow soon turned to a vibrant green landscape, and they soon found themselves bit by bit, much warmer than they had been earlier in their trip. The path was beginning to clear, and soon, it became apparent how active this area used to be. She soon saw a myriad of trails ahead of her, but she stuck to following behind Keyes.
It was now the early afternoon, and hopefully, the teams could get back on the progress of finding the missing children. They weren't just numbers to her. Could she count herself as their new surrogate mother? She didn't know; they had every right not to treat her as such. She had stolen them from their homes under the cover of night. But she still felt a great deal of responsibility for their welfare. She cared for them; She cared for the four missing; She cared for John; She cared for Jacob.
So she chose to hold his hand as they boarded the Falcon at the foothills of the mountain. It was something small, insignificant to any outside looker, especially as Jacob switched back to a slightly more formal tone of voice as he addressed her as "Ma'am" and the pilot as "Sir," but that small thing, she could see it in his eyes, and she could feel it herself. It was an acknowledgment. It was now a question for her about how far she wanted to go with it.
"So, to round off, you need my help to get you kids off this planet," Willshtine repeated to the group as if trying to hammer it into his head. Granted, Rin had to suppose that they were basically asking him to smuggle out fugitives wanted by the intelligence agency of the world government. This sort of gambit involved a great deal of risk, and she could see some of the doubt in his eyes that they could pull this off. But he seemed motivated despite that doubt. That was good, but when she looked into Shirou's eyes and a look in Saber's eyes, she could tell they still felt conflicted about leaving behind those children back in the camp.
"I–I don't know," Shirou said with a great deal of uncertainty underlying his voice. Even if he had become more grounded over the years, Rin was sure that this kind of situation would be one that the vast majority of people would see as morally wrong to just let people stay in those conditions. She saw it as bad, but she felt that, given her previous mistakes, she would go along with whatever the others did. Shirou and Saber could even decide to return, and she would follow them.
"He means yes," Rin said before an awkward silence engulfed the room. Shirou gave a confused look to Rin while Saber's expression seemed almost entirely unreadable. Illya flashed a face of relief before quickly returning to a neutral one and hugging her brother. But even if she respected his decisions, unless he was dead sure that he wanted to go back, she would drag his ass over to freedom.
After a minute of silence, now that the conversation's subject had completely elapsed, Willshtine decided to slice the palpable silence in the room by bringing up a new one that Rin did not expect: "So, I did a little bit more digging, and one of my cousins has a few connections in the Clock Tower." Despite him probably being a branch of a branch, she had to admit that the Edelfelts had lasted quite a long time. Her personal relationship with Luvia had been… tenuous at best. But she had an intense love-hate relationship with that girl. She would never be caught admitting that she missed having squabbles with her, but her reaction to the painting was rather embarrassing in retrospect. Her feud with Luvia had primarily ended, and the two had parted on good terms, more or less. But the stress of the escape while in a child's body probably was why she had been so angry at that woman for no discernable reason.
His following statement caught her attention, "It's complicated for families to avoid being registered under the Mages Association, even unknowingly." That was somewhat different from what she was experienced with. Occasionally, Second Owners make mistakes, and unregistered Mages sneak into their territories and set up their own magical workshops. That is what happened with Shirou's father, and the old her probably would have continued getting angry at herself for not finding it sooner. The Association seemed much more centralized than it used to be.
Illya interjected, seemingly confused by this new revelation, "I thought you could barely find any information on us?" It was a genuinely fair question; Willshtine had gone off their lineage based on their surnames in this life. Now, something different had emerged about their families in this world. Perhaps this could enlighten them more about what landed them there.
Willshtine scoffed as he pulled out a cigar and lit it, letting out a few puffs. He made sure to face away from the four as he dabbled with the tobacco, "I've been holding this off ever since you arrived. You can't believe how bad the withdrawal was. Look, even if your records had been formally erased, there are still traces. Namely, through your lines, it would be too much trouble. And even if your parents and grandparents did not practice magecraft," he left that answer floating in the air for a few seconds before letting it disperse like the cloud of smoke coming from his cigar, "their ancestors still left behind Magical Workshops that were registered by the Association. Your families were still under close watch by the Second Owners; I'm not sure why or how ONI got a hold of you all. That sort of stuff is generally against the deal." That actually made sense; unknowingly, magical artifacts being passed to descendants of those of the Moonlit World was one of the extensive duties of Second Owners to neutralize. After a few more minutes of pondering, they eventually wandered back to getting them smuggled out of the world and to a more appropriate home for the time being.
The Second Owner pulled off his aviators and disposed of his cigar. Rin could still smell the second-hand smoke lingering through the air. "Look, kids, for all intents and purposes, I never met you. Let's just say that." As expected of a Mage conducting something like this pro bono without any meaningful reasons to take such a risk himself. Every Mage had to play this game. After all, to be a Mage is to walk with death. Nothing could quite beat that.
"So you're agreeing to help us?" Illya's head perked up as she sent this straight to the descendant of Luviagelita Edelfelt. Rin understood where the girl was coming from; she was arguably one of the most skeptical and was looking out for her (technically) younger brother. Rin could more than relate. Illya was achieving something that Rin herself had failed earlier in her life. It wasn't a pang of jealousy, but it did make her feel a little hollow just thinking about the past.
Willshtine rubbed the back of his neck and laughed anxiously, "Well, I'm in deep trouble either way." That confident persona he had assumed earlier had immediately evaporated for some inextricable reason. Now, he seemed to be Willshtine the Concerned. She was left somewhat astounded by this shift, given that he had no problems ferrying them around via car earlier today. Then he revealed another card in this game that the Mages played: "Plus, you lot have grown on me. As brief as our meeting has been, maybe I'm getting too soft these days." So, he overtly claimed he was doing this with no strings attached. She had her doubts, but on the bright side, their card was the ex-Servant being Saber, and the team would make light work of any moderate obstacle if he decided to betray them.
"How could you get us past all the security they have in the space elevator?" Rin asked skeptically about the plan he had devised earlier during the car ride. It sounded way too good to be true, and he had gone through it faster and less precise than an old man talking through an old radio set. She was all for getting off this planet as soon as possible, but they had to play this carefully.
Willshtine looked at her and put on a smug smile. It annoyed her, but despite how much the Edelfelts had in terms of ability to ultimately push her buttons, her intuition still said that she could afford to trust this man. He answered finally, "How do you think we Mages have gotten past things before? There's a reason that we still have Second Owners after all." Because he did still have a rational side to him, he could see any obvious flaws in his plan and go from there, "Well, we can't get you anywhere for now. I know a place where we can hide out for a while." There it was. There had to be a catch to this whole operation, but the heat would be too intense at this point in time to even attempt sneaking into the New Alexandria space elevator.
"Will we be reunited with our families?" Saber asked Willshtine with an authoritative look that would probably make anyone do their best, to be honest with her. It made sense why she lasted so long as King of Camelot and held out against the odds until the end.
"I'll see what I can do about that," Willshtine said with the most sincere look Rin believed he could muster. He was giving them a white lie; it was apparent to her and likely Illya. But Shirou and Saber have forgotten that returning would almost certainly bring trouble to their families. It was too obvious of a place to run to once they left Reach. She knew it, Willshtine knew it, and Illya knew it.
As the group prepared for the car ride to the city that Willshtine mentioned outside of New Alexandria, he made an offhand remark about the whole situation: "I'm going to be honest, kids. You make for a strange situation where you simultaneously know too much and too little." Rin knew precisely what he meant by this, but the others were less tuned in and more concerned with getting much-needed sleep. It didn't add up; their advanced knowledge in some areas of Magecraft and limited expertise in things that should be basic to the modern mages of the future.
"It's almost like I'm talking with a mummy," he murmured.
It was afternoon now; Rin was standing in the yard of Willshtine's house in this city, Pálháza. Undoubtedly, it was one of those properties he had inherited from a dead relative. The location of the magical circle for the workshop was right under the dinner table back inside the house. She was busy looking at the sunrise when she heard leaves crunching under the weight of feet behind her. She knew it was Emiya from a mile away. After exchanging the usual greetings, he shot a rather pointed question at Rin, but something she knew was coming at some point, "Rin, how exactly did you end up here?"
She knew what he meant by it, but she decided to play the old game she used to play with him. "Why does that matter, Emiya?" It was a rather infuriating game for her to play as a way to tell someone that she didn't talk to them about it. However, she also knew this idiot wouldn't take the hint about that sort of thing.
He did not take that hint, but if Rin had to be honest with herself, she did want to talk about it; she was just being an idiot herself. "Well, I've been thinking. I died in the deserts, betrayed by those I saved, but with a smile. Illya died shortly after. Saber—" That one was obvious to anyone, even a mile away. She had watched herself as Archer faded away and, from afar, Saber faded away, saying her goodbye to Shirou.
Rin let her emotions roll out, even if she looked weak. After all, she was in the company of a friend, "Oh, I see." She said in mildly faux realization. She had already realized seconds ago, but it showed Emiya that she would be honest with him about what happened. He was trying to piece together how all four of them had miraculously met one another again after being reborn in the far future; it was not a disingenuous question to ask.
Rin could already feel her eyes starting to get damp, and she sniffled a little as she looked her close friend back in the eyes, "Let's just say that helping each other was a two-way street. Guess that some of your idealism got into my head." It was an awful way of phrasing the truth, but it was true. Even if she was there to help Shirou remain grounded so he could eventually reach his final goal in Avalon, she had to admit that being selfish around him became much less of a priority.
Shirou was noticeably taken aback, "You mean that—?" He knew what she meant by that. Even if he didn't fully realize.
More sniffles as Rin replied with words for a friend she had traveled the world intending to help, "I told you plenty of times that you have to stay rooted even when chasing something that's," a tear rolled from her left eye before she wiped it up with her sleeve, "...beautiful in of itself." What was she now? A fucking kid who couldn't even confess that she meaningfully learned from her friend and tried to live the rest of her life in a way she hoped he could make him proud? Was that so hard? Pull yourself together, Rin!
Shirou had noticed that she had grown sad thinking about how she went down the road to her own death. "Tohsaka." But she decided she couldn't give him another moment to talk. Rin needed to clarify that she was not sad that she had died; she was not happy. But instead, why she died was another question altogether.
Before letting Shirou get another word in, she began answering it, holding up her hand to stop Shirou from saying another word, instructing him to listen to her, "If you are wondering how I died, it was not even that long after you." She seemed to whisper out as another tear rolled down her face, this time from her right eye. While she was in the body of a child again, she was confident she had not adopted the mental maturity of one.
In her following words, her voice began to tremble as she struggled to utter why she died: "I failed Saber; I failed Archer; I failed you." That was it; she failed. And she had failed far more people than that. "Just like how I failed Sakura," at those words, she could barely finish the sentence before she began openly weeping. Between the tears in her eyes and sniffles, she could see even Shirou had a rather sad look at what had happened with Sakura. There wasn't a night where she didn't think about the what-ifs and investigating Sakura's situation earlier instead of acting like a Magus and shoving her away.
After a minute or so of open weeping where Shirou had actually gone as far as embracing her so that she would have a shoulder to cry on and wallow in self-pity once again, "You remember that there were a series of failed Grails, facsimiles of the real thing." Shirou nodded at this; they had participated in a few false Grail Wars together to shut them down alongside the Clock Tower.
"What if I told you I died taking out the final one." Rin finally uttered the cause of her early demise to a friend she had known for many years.
"Rin—" Shirou tried to say as he comforted her, only for her to shush him and tell him to keep listening until she lightly pulled out of the embrace.
"Working as the pupil of the greatest Mages of our time—" Rin listed the great things that a Magus would see if they looked through her biography, but that entirely missed the point. After all those years, she had come to the striking realization of what she actually wanted to value after all those years.
"When I died, all I wanted to see, all I wished to do was see you, Saber, Illya, Sakura, and even my parents. Just one more time." She returned to tears after she uttered the names of those that she had failed over her life. Her vision was blurry from all the tears running from her eyes, but she swore she saw something shuffle around in the bushes behind Shirou. She paid no attention before she looked at Shirou again, "Look at me now; you all are making me tear up again like an idiot. Come and hug your friend, you gracious idiot." Shirou promptly did so once again. There was a relief as if Rin had been absolved for failing him in the end, as he still perished in the sands.
After a few more moments of embracing Shirou, she perked her head up, and her eyes found themselves looking at the bushes right in front of her, "Guess I got my wish. At least most of it."
Artoria and Illya got out from hiding in a nearby shrub. They emerged with comforting smiles as friends. It was almost like a burden was being lifted off her shoulders; now, she had met them again.
Rin Tohsaka had to wonder if she had utterly failed in a twisted sense. She at least helped stop Shirou from becoming Archer, but that still was little recompense that he had already died his first death (or third, depending on how you counted). It was the reason she believed she had failed. One could only imagine her surprise when she saw Saber standing next to Shirou again. She was beyond awe in itself, happy for them and happy to see them. But also reminded about how much she failed them. No, she wouldn't waste this second chance. If she is going to die again, then she's going with Illya, Saber, and Shirou.
Sakura would have wanted me to make sure he was happy.
Nevertheless, she was more than glad when Illya and Saber had joined in the embrace, even though her face was as scarlet as a cranberry once she realized the two had been eavesdropping on herself and Shirou. Illya was her close confidant, given they both shared similar opinions of Shirou's ideals. But Saber and Shirou… well, there was a certain level of attachment she had for the two of them.
After a few moments of enjoying the cool breeze, a serene pause enveloped the entire group. Thankfully, they were on the city's outskirts, where the city transitioned to the suburban areas. Since it was a smaller city, that didn't leave them all too far from the city center. Nevertheless, Rin noticed that Shirou and Saber eventually wandered close and soon found themselves holding hands, almost like they were drawn to one another like magnets.
Like a Sword and Scabbard.
"Is this what the breeze in Avalon feels like?" Shirou turned to Saber; Rin could see the melancholy enter that man's heart as he presumably remembered how he technically failed to reach her in Avalon. He had failed, yet he did not become Archer.
"Shirou," Saber said as she put her hand over his. Turning her body so they could face one another, she said, "Even if you had failed to reach me in Avalon. I would have found a way to reach you. It's not your fault you did not make it to Avalon."
"Saber," Shirou spoke, taken aback by Saber's dedication, even more significant than his own. Rin could see how palpable the love for the other was in their eyes; it was a reminder of how strong the bonds of love are, no matter the circumstances. As the person who helped arrange their first date, she was still left amazed sometimes about how far they got in their relationship.
"We're here now, Shirou," Saber reminded him of that lesson that Shirou had ironically taught her: one cannot be enslaved to the regrets of their past. Pressing forward is their only option now: "Wherever you go, we will go together." It was a rather strange look; Shirou was now in a similar outfit to the one he had worn in Fuyuki, albeit the baseball shirt was red and white this time because they ran out of blue and white ones at the store that was his size. On the other hand, Saber leaned in and took off the hat she had worn since the escape. The eyes of the two sparkled as they both leaned in to kiss one another.
Nothing had changed since Rin had witnessed these sorts of moments earlier. But Saber and Shirou had little opportunity to publicly express their feelings for one another in that training center. She figured it was a breath of fresh air for the two, for the first time in a while, that they could be overt with how they felt. Nevertheless, watching them reaffirm their love for one another felt nice. Maybe she felt jealous that she wasn't in the midst of that, but she had to mentally slap herself for that thought crossing her mind. Not that she minded, but out of respect for the two lovers who had perhaps spent centuries separated.
Illya gave Rin a look that told her she knew precisely what Rin was thinking about. Rin decided it would be the most wise not to engage with such. If she had to guess, Illya would have likely joked about nosebleeds. But Illya seemed to lose interest in watching her brother be romantic with her father's Servant from the Fourth War and walked over to Rin, "We should probably give them their space."
"That's a good idea," Rin replied as the two walked away from the scene to find themselves something else to do. Eventually, that materialized when they walked down the street and saw it relatively empty. At some points, it felt more open than some parts of Fuyuki. When they circled back toward their temporary residence, the two bumped into the person who had brought them here, "What's the matter, Willshtine? The neighborhood streets seem rather empty."
"The neighborhood is a little on edge at the moment. One of the neighbor's sons is deathly sick. He's around your age," The Second Owner of New Alexandria remarked as he nodded towards the house wherein said person lived, "They're talking about some genetic disease. At least that's what the doctors claimed."
"May we see for ourselves?" Illya inquired as she leaned into the conversation, deciding that Rin would come with her for some reason. And if Rin had to be honest, the way that Willshtine phrased his answer made it sound like he had his own doubts that what the child was suffering from was indeed a genetic disease. Could it be some sort of supernatural development? For some reason, she doubted that a perfectly healthy child would suddenly have a rapid onset of a genetic disease that would make him bedridden. It was possible, but she didn't see it as likely today.
"I'll distract the parents, and you two sneak in," Rin remembers Willshtine articulating as he got another cigar from his pocket and took out a lighter to ignite it. Once the group of three actually made their way over to the house in question, the Magus of New Alexandria demonstrated his unique take on hypnosis magecraft that put the parents into a daze. Thankfully, the most questionable thing Willshtine did with the two was sit down to have coffee with them. Rin shook her head as she remembered the wild turn the day had taken.
One of the strangest aspects of reincarnation was being reincarnated with some benefits, but not all. Rin was more than glad that she still had her magical crest in this new life; one thing that did not seem to come included with the reincarnation bundle was her war chest of gems, "There are times that I wish that I still had gems on hand," Rin murmured to Illya as the latter twisted open the door to reveal a somewhat stereotypical room home to a young boy's toys scattered about and notably all the posters being in a language she could not read.
Her attention was immediately removed from the posters when Illya pointed out something remarkable about the boy: "He looks just like one of those kids back at the camp. Look! Even his name is the same." Now that Rin thought about it, she recognized that kid. And Illya was correct; there was a child who looked exactly the same and had the same name as the one lying in bed in front of them.
"It could all be just a coincidence— wait a minute, we had our own copies that filled in for us when we left," Rin recalled, her memory is very blurry from that night. Undoubtedly, those who kidnapped her must have drugged her because she distinctly remembered violently resisting before someone put a rag over her mouth and nose. She remembers someone vaguely looking like her getting into bed in her stead before she was carted off, and Rin recalls that she finally succumbed to sleep. "Could it—?" She said to Illya, who was actively checking the boy before she came to her conclusion.
Illya confirmed her worst fears, "It is. They made copies of us, but imperfect. It's like the homunculi but an even more dire situation. They're living on borrowed time…" Borrowed time, the unsaid sentence was that it was like Illya after the Holy Grail War. She was condemned to a shorter life full of pain through no fault of her own, and this clone would not be very much different in that regard.
Rin did not speak, trying to absorb all this new information, a brand new revelation about the nature of this program. She vaguely knew she was replaced with a doppelganger, but not like this. Illya capitalized on Rin's silence to give her a severe glance, "We should leave him alone; let him live what's left of his life in peace."
"No, Illya," Rin stated plainly with a hint of determination, "We're going to tell the others what our findings are." It made too much sense, perfect copies. Or at least copies that would pass superficially before eventually dying from flaws in their design. Therefore, no one would know since many children die from genetic diseases, albeit less common than in the 20th and 21st centuries. Whoever had done this had made a calculated move to prevent any suspicion from getting out. While she did not know how to respond to this, she at least knew one person to be allowed to weigh in on this delicate issue.
Shirou wasn't wrong in wanting to help people. She stood in the dark outside of the house, allowing Shirou to do what he could to heal the boy. She didn't know what he could pull from his sleeve; nothing came to mind. What kind of Noble Phantasm in a Reality Marble filled with blades and the like could bring the boy back from the brink? Only one. Hope and easement filled her heart as she realized what Emiya had projected…. The golden light soon consumed her vision as a single word rang in her mind… Avalon.
A/N: Keyes is figuring things out much faster than he did in the original Halo Timeline, which may have some implications. I am probably also writing this as the last chapter before the big event coming soon™. But let's all pray that my schedule doesn't crucify me again. Anyway, I wish to confess that what made this a lot longer to produce was figuring out how Shirou could accept the program. Also, I will be honest and say it's tricky to write a budding romance, so I hope you guys are at least alright with that. Sorry, I forgot the timestamps I've usually kept in earlier chapters but got lazy.
Also, I will relay the same message I'm posting in the first chapter of the other story. I might make a server on our favorite originally gamer-oriented messaging app that Microsoft tried buying a few years ago. You know what I mean; if I make such a server, it will be shared with the folks who join from the other story I haven't named as of writing this chapter. To be perfectly fair, I currently imagine it as an instrument for you all to nag me to get another chapter out. I'll probably do due diligence to post the link in both the second chapter of the KnK/Fate/Young Justice crossover and the tenth chapter of this story. But there is also a chance I forget to do it for one story, so keep that in mind.