Chapter 6

Back at DIO's mansion, the three allies he had chosen were waiting for him. He sat on his throne, sipping from a glass of wine as he thought through his plans. One of the advisors was giving him a rundown of his current plans and strategy, before suddenly stopping.

"Sir... there's something I need to tell you..."

DIO seemed intrigued, and he put down his glass of wine."And what might that be? Speak."

The advisor breathed in, before speaking with a heavy and worried tone. "While looking into potential allies of the Joestar group, one individual has caught my attention. He's a student of a high school in Japan, and he seems to be worthy enough to become a potential threat. We tried spying on his recent activities, and he is going to speak to Holly in person in about a few hours..."

Dio scoffs as he knows exactly who this person was. It seems that his intelligence group was getting a bit slow on their updated knowledge.

"THAT IS MY RECENT ASSOCIATE YOU NUMBSKULL!"

The advisor looked surprised, and he then looked down as he tried to excuse himself for his oversight. "My greatest apologies, sir. But we weren't aware that you... you..." He stopped before catching himself about to make an even bigger blunder on his part.

DIO sighed, deciding that he had to teach a lesson to this idiot. He then spoke, his voice taking on a tone that radiated anger, even though he did his best to conceal it. "So you didn't know anything about this association I've formed with a human? That I've been meeting with him to discuss matters of our enemy? And you call yourself my advisor?"

The advisor's expression froze as he listened to DIO's anger slowly building up as his words went on. Fearing that he would face DIO's wrath, he then started to apologize profusely. "Please accept my deepest apology, sir. I wasn't aware that this association had been done, and I believe they were only looking into potential allies of the Joestar side. If I may, I will have this person taken care of."

DIO'S anger flared as this fool had said the worst thing possible at the moment:
KILLING ABRAHAM WOULD PUT THE PLANS IN JEOPARDY!

DIO was in rage, and he thought that the advisor was about to ruin all the efforts he had made to ensure the elimination of the Joestar threat, his one and only objective. After taking a few deep breaths, he managed to contain his anger and spoke, but still sounded angry as he spoke. "Then, do the opposite of what you wanted to do. Under absolutely no circumstances, can you or anyone else lay a finger on Abraham. Got it?"

The advisor was taken aback by the sudden change of attitude, even though he was relieved that Dio hadn't done something worse to him. He felt even more relieved when he got the order to leave his new associate alone. He then replied to DIO, with his relief being palpable.

"Y-Yes, sir. I have understood your instructions. We will not harm that man in any circumstance."

As the Advisor left, relieved that he was not made a meal, DIO then moved onto his next business and began to speak to the three individuals he had collected for Abraham's mission.

DIO looked at his three allies. They were waiting for him to begin with their orders. The first one he called out was Hol Horse.: "Ah, Hol Horse. It has been a while since I have talked with you. I do hope the hunting mission I had given you went well."

Hol Horse felt a bit nervous. He had been able to successfully eliminate his target, but he was unsure as to what Dio's reaction would be when hearing about the mission results.

"Yes, the mission went as instructed. The target was eliminated."

DIO raised an eyebrow at Hol Horse's comment about finding specimens. He then spoke to his loyal servant once more.

"What do you mean by specimens? Did you hunt animals and bring them back here, or are you referring to actual people?"

He nervously smiled once more as he realized the potential confusion in his previous comment. "Oh, sorry for my choice of words, sir. What I meant was that I had found a few capable humans that could potentially become allies of us."

DIO seemed to have suspected that's what Hol Horse really meant, but he decided not to say anything this time.

"So you have found people, people that are capable of becoming allies? How many have you found so far?"

Hol Horse then gave a deep breath, and began casually, "Well, so far I managed to collect around seven of such people. I believe all of them have the potential to become quite strong if given the right chance."

DIO was amused by how casually Hol Horse was talking about the potential allies he had recruited. He then spoke once more, and his voice started to become interested in the task his servant had completed.

"Seven people... I see. And how many do you believe have the greatest potential? Is there anyone who stands out to you?"

Hol Horse then thought for a moment, before replying to DIO's question. His smile became a bit wider as he began to talk again. "Ah, well... Yes. There is one in particular that stood out from the rest to me."

DIO then crossed his arms, and he looked at Hol Horse as the latter continued to talk about his mission's success. He started to explain in more detail about the one individual who had caught his attention during the mission.

"Of all the people I met, it was this one young boy in his late teens that caught my attention the most. He had a calm demeanor and a confident attitude. He was pretty smart as well. It is as if he was built to become our next pawn."

DIO was listening intently to Hol Horse's explanation. He was quite interested in whoever it was that caught his servant's attention, especially since he had gone as far to call him "smart", something that he would rarely say about other people.

"You say that he is a confident person, someone with a calm demeanor, and is quite smart; all qualities that are important for a trustworthy ally. But let me ask you further: Just how smart are we talking here?"

The cowboy would then reply, a light smirk appearing on his lips as he did so. "Oh, let us just say that this young lad is possibly even smarter than you. It's almost as if he could see right through me whenever I told a lie to him."

DIO seemed surprised at the news. A bit surprised at how Hol Horse said that the boy might even be smarter than him. He then leaned forwards in his throne, becoming completely enthralled with finding out more about this boy. He spoke once more.

"So, you are saying that this boy might even be smarter than me? You're not kidding?"

Hol Horsewould nod at DIO as he continued to talk with a slight smirk forming once more. "Oh, I wouldn't joke about something as important as this. This boy is a very impressive individual, one who is possibly smarter than you and I. He could actually pose a serious threat to us if he joins the Joestars, which is why I'd like to have him brought here so that we can indoctrinate him to be our ally."

DIO seemed rather intrigued by the possibility of having a person even smarter than he is as an ally, especially if he is able to see through his lies. However, he needed to keep his guard up; this boy could very well be another Joestar, after all. He then began speaking once more.

"And have you been able to get his name? And is he still in your grasp?"

Hol Horse seemed a bit less upbeat, but still had a confident attitude as he answered DIO's new questions. "Ah, I did get his name. I heard him mention his full name when he asked some people how to get home. He is Alexander Joseph Luthor or Lex Luthor, as he told some of the staff to refer to him by; and the good news is, he is still in my grasp. He is currently staying in one of the guest rooms in one of the nearby hotels. I took care of the hotel bill too."

DIO raised his eyebrow at the fact that Hol Horse had taken care of the hotel room for the teen; he thought it was a bit much, almost to the point of being suspicious. He then spoke again, but with a bit more caution than before. "Is this boy still in the hotel room, at this moment?"

He seemed slightly confused at the fact that DIO was being cautious this late into the conversation. However, he then answered his question. "Yes, he is. I've had several people watching him during the entire day, I'm surprised he hasn't noticed it yet."

DIO then sighed, as he then finally believed that Hol Horse was telling the truth. He couldn't have any more doubts about the young lad's location. "Good... very good. Then the next time we speak, you should also have this boy brought to me. And make sure to use force, if necessary, to get him here."

Hol Horse then responded with a confident stance. He was used to doing dirty work, after all. "Understood; I'll make sure to have him abducted and bring him here; whether or not he wants to. I'll make sure all the evidence is taken care of too."

DIO then nodded to his servant, which Hol Horse responded with a respectful bow of his head.

"Alright then. See to it that our new guest is brought to me here as soon as possible. I want to evaluate this potential ally as soon as I am able."

"Understood, sir."

With those few simple words, Hol Horse would then proceed to turn around, heading for the exit of the castle. DIO had given the order, and he would carry it out. He would make sure to capture this young boy, and bring him to DIO for his own use.

Once Hol Horse left, DIO turned to see the other two individuals that Hol Horse had brought up during their conversation. One of them being Midler, and the other being Polnareff. DIO's attention then shifted to both of them.

Both Polnareff and Midler seemed to be patiently waiting for him, though they appeared to be a bit anxious, and they were probably wondering what was happening. DIO then looked at them, and his piercing gaze would immediately make them feel a bit unsettled.

DIO then began speaking to both Polnareff and Midler in a firm and intimidating tone. "You two. I have decided to give you another order. In addition to the original one, I want you to join forces with Abraham to kill this priest, Kirei Kotomine."

Polnareff and Midler both looked at each other for a few seconds with a confused expression, thinking that they had potentially heard wrong.

DIO continued to speak, but he was slowly getting frustrated at how the two were looking at him right now. He then repeated his order, this time with a stern tone.

"Did I stutter? I said that I want you two to help Abraham kill Kirei."

Polnareff looked at Midler, who also seemed lost over what DIO was telling them. After a brief silence, and exchanging some more confused expressions, he then decided to speak. "But... Lord Dio... why are we doing this? We have our own mission of recruiting people to aid you in your conquest."

"I know. I am well aware of that. However, this task I am assigning to you is something that I believe has a higher priority, and that you will both be far more effective compared to a mission of recruitment."

Polnareff would then sigh, accepting that he had no choice but to comply. He might have had his own suspicions about what DIO wanted his help for, but it's not like he had any choice in the matter. He would then speak once more. "I understand... I just have a question for you: why is this Kirei person that important to you?"

DIO then looked at Polnareff again, who had just asked him a question about his true motivations. He then spoke with a calm, but serious tone."I will tell you why I want Kirei to be taken down, Polnareff. But first, I want you to tell me this: how much do you know about this man?"

Polnareff then gulped as his eyes widened. He had a general knowledge about the priest, but he couldn't say that he knew exactly everything about him. So he instead just decided to say what was on his mind. "From what I understand, he is a member of the Church, one of the most powerful priests in the Vatican. I do know that he's quite a dangerous man, but I wasn't informed of exactly why."

DIO placed his hand on his forehead, shaking it in frustration. Only his associate, his newest trustworthy friend that understood him, probably more than Pucci, knew about the threat Kirei Kotomine was.

With a low, yet angered tone, "My dear Polnareff. Unless you like playing Russian Roulette every day of the week, then you have no right to question my order concerning this man. HE IS THAT MUCH OF A THREAT TO US, POTENTIALLY MORE THAN THE JOESTARS!"

The frenchman immediately responded to DIO's new explanation. It was a bit more detailed, but Polnareff was still somewhat uneasy about it; yet he quickly shook that feeling off for the sake of following DIO's command. "You're... you're right. You have much more information than I do about everyone. If you believe that this Kirei Kotomine is that dangerous of a man, then there's no doubt that he must be eliminated for our goal to become successful."

The Englishmanseemed satisfied with the response. DIO knew that he had already gained Polnareff's trust. So he then spoke once more in a calm and composed tone. "Very well. Do you accept this new order from me? Will you aid Abraham in the elimination of this priest?"

Polnareff nodded his head once more, confirming his acceptance."Of course, Lord Dio. I shall do my duty in helping Abraham take Kirei down. I will not fail you."

DIO would then turn to also face Midler, who had been staying silent about the entire thing so far. Unlike Polnareff, she had seemed to understand from the get-go why she was assigned to deal with Kirei.

"You know exactly what you need to do, do you not, Midler?"

She responded in a calm manner, though she did seem to have some more anxiety about the whole situation compared to Polnareff."Of course, Lord DIO. I will aid Abraham in defeating this priest."

DIOnodded his head once more, and smiled ever so slightly. He then spoke once more. "Good... we will talk again soon enough. Now then, both of you, get over to the castle's gate. You have your orders, now carry them out."

"You can expect Hol Horse to meet you later. Do not fail this mission." Dio added, knowing that those three would work particularly well should they allow Abraham to guide them.

He may have been catching up with the man's updates, but he did wonder a bit of how he was doing in Fuyuki after 6 weeks in an enemy's territory, playing his role as an exchange student.

Meanwhile, in Fuyuki

Abraham finished Shirou's latest lesson: understanding double speak.

Abraham then looked over to Shirou as he seemed to understand the concept a bit more than before. This was good progress, though he still believed that Shirou needs a bit more experience when it comes to understanding more subtle words.

"Alright, I believe that would sum up your latest lesson. You seem to have understood the idea of double speak a bit more now, yes?"

"Yeah, I guess I get it now. I think I understand your idea a lot better: I should be able to pick up on things people would say and not mean in order to get a good read at them, right?"

Abraham was glad that the concept was settling in. "Yes. This is because when you see the subtle muscle movements on their face, the message they are attempting to convey can be interpreted as either the direct meaning or the hidden meaning. It's why politicians make all those hand movements. Additionally, keeping eye contact will make you less vulnerable to deception, thus the reason for gaining self confidence."

Shirou would nod his head once more, signaling that he understands the advice that Abraham has given to him once again. "I get it now. So keeping eye contact will make me less vulnerable to deception by making me more confident and giving me a better chance at reading others."

"Indeed. Although, I should inform you that there might be times where maintaining eye contact is rather counterproductive. You may need to look away once in a while should you be nervous. That way, the deception would not happen due to you staring at people. But for the most part, keeping contact with your eyes should help. Do you understand this?"

"... Yes... but... you said that it could be counterproductive at some points. When exactly might that be the case?"

Abraham sighed, recalling some experiences he hated living through. "Ever had someone call you a weirdo just because you were focused in their particular direction without noticing them?"

Shirou immediately recalled one particular incident where that happened to him. "Oh yeah, I have. Someone on the bus to school once called me weird for looking at them when I was just trying to think. I was still staring at the spot they were sitting at."

"Those are the moments you want to avoid at all cost. It brings negative attention to you, and makes you seem like you were in the wrong."

"Oh, right, right... but... aren't there also moments where staring into one's eyes can be very powerful and intimidating as well?"

"That is our next lesson: Domination. There are many methods to accomplish this, but the best is to make the person want to give into you, not have them fear your presence. You'd only use fear when you need them to lose control of their actions and not remember anything about you in those short moments that their heart is racing."

"So, you're essentially saying that when I want to use eye contact to intimidate someone, I have to be very careful and selective with it. Because some people fear it, but others simply will find me odd when I stare at them."

The hispanic nodded as he was enjoying the progress they were making. "Correct. These are the type of people that are "enforcers" as they are bound to pay attention to their surroundings. Their awareness can be particularly useful sometimes, when you need the public to stand by your side, but when alone and just trying to get by, it will be annoying when you just want to be left alone. It's why a lot of people that are introverts don't go outside so much."

Shirou thought about the new piece of info. It seemed logical to the boy. If the boy had to be honest with himself, he was often like those introverts; he didn't really do too much to attract unwanted attention to him.

"Alright, so... enforcers. People who focus a lot on their surroundings. People like me... and introverts probably would also fit into that sort of type."

Shirou then seemed a lot more interested. "So, what other types of people are there?"

"Ever heard of the Capital Vices? You might know them as the 7 Deadly Sins."

"I have heard of them before, yeah."

Shirou would recall what he knew about the Seven Deadly Sins."So, pride, gluttony, Wrath, greed, sloth... What's the last two again? I think lust was also one of them?"

"Lust and Envy. These vices are based on people's base personality traits. While I don't think it's a negative, once a person no longer keeps them controlled, then they become an issue. I hate how the Church only tells you that it is bad to allow it, and not why you have them and need to keep them under control."

"So, basically they're traits we have inside ourselves, right... and if we let them go wild, we will become the very thing we shouldn't be and it will impact us negatively." Shirou nodded. "And those traits aren't inherently negative either... they can be positive, but only if we have control over them; is that it?"

"Correct. Many people have accomplished great things by letting it grow healthily. Art is best created by Passion, a healthy example of Lust. Justice can be achieved by Determination, which is controlled Wrath. Are you understanding, Shirou?"

Shirou thought about what Abraham had explained to him. "Yes... I kind of get it now... letting our personality traits grow and be positive and productive. Although I still have one more question... you didn't specify how Envy fits into this situation."

Abraham's mood drops to melancholy. "Envy...is when depression has kicked in and begun pulling you deep into the darkest depths. It is our natural response to attempt to escape depression, but primal man has never understood emotions as well as we've managed to study it so far."

"Oh... that makes sense. So... essentially..." Shirou then recalled one particular experience he had with a person who was very envious of him. "... Envy is what happens when a person's negative emotions are not controllable because their ego has been hurt, thus making them want to make their opponent miserable or take everything away from whatever or whoever they envied."

Abraham nods slowly, knowing that the boy was getting through all this smoothly. "In the end, they are inadequate, and have not resolved the issue at hand. Thus the stories of people crying when miracles from the times of old have arrived. Don't misunderstand me Shirou, but depression can take many forms, and there are times when people live their lives through it, causing destruction in order to rid themselves of this pain. Thus, it is Envy that we're yet to understand where its positive opposite is experienced in our lives, but we are fortunate as it can still serve as a warning of our actions."

Shirou had never thought of it like that. The emotions themselves weren't inherently negative but rather our responses to them were. It was as Abraham said; we use it as a warning for our actions so that we don't become the villains of our own story by letting our emotions overcome us. The boy would then speak up. "If the emotions themselves are not inherently negative, then what would be the positive counterpart to Envy?"

Abraham spoke only one word, as if that was the only thing that resonated with meaning to his lessons.

"...EMPATHY..."

Shirou was surprised by this word.

"Empathy... so, a person who is very empathetic is the counterpart to one who is envious... because they feel for others and want to resolve problems?"

His roommate nodded, glad that he was understanding the concepts. However, he needed to get Shirou to understand that it was still a risk that humans are taking.

"That is indeed what it is, but keep in mind that it is only empathy when it is healthy. Done incorrectly, you are risking the pull of depression, and will fall into it, eventually destroying your own humanity."

"Oh... oh... yeah, that makes sense... because when empathy isn't done correctly, you aren't just empathizing with others, you're making yourself suffer and making those around you suffer by taking responsibility for their pain... at least, I think that's what you mean... am I right, teacher?"

Shirou waited for confirmation from Abraham.

"Exactly. Now. When shall we begin with my Paella that you promised to cook for me?"
He felt that the boy needed to get some rest from their discussions, because while he was more knowledgeable than Shirou, if he asked too much then Shirou would begin to suspect that his housemate was more than what he claimed to be as a foreign exchange student.

"Yeah, yeah. I do believe that is the best choice. I don't want to overdo this, and I feel like you deserve to relax too... besides, we talked way too long. Let's go for the promised Paella!"

With a mocking tone, Abraham added a little light-heartedness to their moods. "I'm glad you aren't mad at me for having you accept my bet, as I knew I had the better hand with Rin tolerating me, Shirou.

The redhead boy chuckled."Well, even if I was mad, what's the point of getting mad? It was definitely a fair bet, one that I knew I had a disadvantage in. Although, I really want to get back at you for that!"

The School

Shinji came up to Abraham after noticing how close Abraham and Rin were getting. He liked that Rin was in the same classroom as him, but while he could control the other guys from playing their moves on Rin, he did not like how Abraham and Rin were getting along as classmates.

He especially disliked hearing from Ayako about how Rin was now seemingly in a story writing club activity with the boy, during their own archery club.

Shinji couldn't help but feel more and more irritated seeing how close Abraham and Rin were with one another. He had been trying his best to avoid the two becoming close indirectly, but the boy simply could not keep Abraham away from his crush, and even worse, he had seen how his sister was also a friend of the foreign exchange student.

A natural expectation, considering he was Emiya's roommate.

"There you are. I'm surprised you've not been busy, trying to hook her, eh?" Shinji said to Abraham in a very agitated and mocking manner, wanting to get some sort of reaction.

"Trying? I don't know how her interest in my story building is getting her interested in me, Shinji." The exchange student calmly defended.

Shinji scoffed in disbelief, unable to believe that Abraham wouldn't be using this as some way to get his hands on Rin. "Are you kidding me? You're telling me that the whole time you weren't trying to get closer to her? Like you wouldn't want to be in a romance with her. You're just using the excuse of a story-building activity to disguise the fact that you want a relationship with her. You're not fooling me, mister."

Shinji was annoyed with how much of a gentleman Abraham was. His face was filled with disbelief, and also rage. He wanted to lash out at Abraham for trying to steal his crush away from him.

Giving him truth from an outsider's perspective, Abraham rebutted. "Look, I was minding my own business, writing my own stuff. I was wondering why she was coming and watching me for a while now, outside of the room. Now I agree with you that there's something going on, because if she was trying to join a story writing club, she'd have done it with the official school club. Instead, she seemed interested in what I was doing, and after a week of this, I asked if I could help her. Things moved from there, and that's why Tohsaka is spending time with me as I'm writing my story."

Shinji was left speechless by the explanation he was given; Abraham was speaking facts and it was not something he couldn't deny or dismiss. Everything the boy said was true, which only left Shinji more jealous and angry.

"You're just... you're... ugh, I don't get it. Why can't you understand why I'm jealous? I don't want you to get close to her, she isn't in love with you, just like how she isn't romantically fond of anybody. She's not like you, she isn't a flirt."

"I'm sorry? I'm a flirt?"

"Well, yeah! You're a foreign exchange student. All foreign exchange students are either flirtatious or assholes. It happens during culture festivals, and those guys really hit it off with our girls. They even have the nerve to call them Rice Bunnies! I wouldn't be surprised if you end up manipulating her and then screwing her over. Do you have no shame?!"

"That's kinda fucked up, Matou."

At this point, students began to listen in on their conversation, which Shinji didn't pay much attention to as he needed to get Abraham to back off from his crush.

"Okay, okay, you may not be a flirt like those foreigners specifically. However, you are an attractive, charming, and interesting person that girls would have a hard time turning you away should you come up to them. You've been in my class for 6 weeks now, and I know damn well that girls are interested in you, and that includes my sister. I mean, look at how you flirt with my sister all the time with your gentleman attitude. You're just pretending otherwise cause you're in denial." Shinji was getting more angry with Abraham as they talked, finding it really frustrating as he was unable to deny this boy's charm with Rin and how he was able to interact with her with ease.

"Come on, I know you like her. You're only trying to get close to her so you can date her. Yet, I can't figure out why you aren't with anyone. You don't look the type that would be interested in anything serious, so why aren't you in a simple, meaningless relationship?"

"That's because I'm not viewing these girls as 'Rice Bunnies', Shinji. Why are you assuming that I'm doing the same as those other guys?"

Shinji was confused by this reply. "Rice Bunnies" was just a derogatory term for Asian women, but Abraham didn't seem to know what it meant. He seemed a bit naive in this regard. "Well, you're clearly trying to get in a fling with Rin, or perhaps even a romantic relationship considering how much she's been hanging out with you and how much she's been telling me about her time with you."

"So what? Are you the chief of the morals committee?

Shinji took this as his opportunity. "That's what I'm assuming. It's normal for foreign exchange students to do that, and if they haven't done something to prevent you yet, I'm going to do it."

"Bro… I love that you're worried for your fellow classmates, but I'm not planning on doing that. Why don't you let this go?"

"Cause you're a foreigner! Foreigners can't resist the attraction that Japanese women have towards them! They're always trying to get them as a girlfriend because they're such attractive ladies."

Shinji tried to keep on a serious tone, but his words ended up sounding like compliments he was giving towards his female classmates and any other girls out there to Abraham. The more he spoke, the more he acted like an idiot with a growing smile on his face, not knowing that he was making a mistake with the growing number of students observing.

"I think you should shut up, Shinji."

Shinji was going to shout back at him, but then he noticed how Abraham's tone shifted to a solemn one, and he looked back.

There was Rin, having seen the majority of Shinji's argument, and she was giving her signature smile which people have associated with her "Glare Stare of Daggers" towards him.

"Hello, Matou-kun~ I'm glad that you're giving our fellow classmate a lesson in morals. Why don't you have a rest and I'll take care of this for everyone's sake."

That statement Rin gave was essentially saying that she didn't need his help, and that he left the room before making himself more of an imbecile.

Shinji's jaw dropped when he heard Rin speak in that tone. He wanted to retort back, but he couldn't say a damn word as Rin was giving him the most intense stare in the world, and every single person was just focusing their attention on the boy. He immediately complied and shut himself up, looking down and feeling embarrassed.

He was also feeling useless at the sheer number of mistakes he had made in this confrontation. Instead of trying to protect his chances with his crush and get rid of Abraham, he basically unintentionally complimented the boy and his entire race to his face. And then to add insult to injury, he got told to back down from the very girl he's trying to protect. The boy's face was covered in embarrassment and shame. His classmates' gazes didn't make him feel any better.

A wave of humiliation washed over him as other students, particularly girls, started to laugh at him. The boy was left speechless as he could only give a fake smile and look away, not making eye contact with anyone else other than the ground.

"You know how annoying and insufferable you can be? Let me handle this."

The boy looked back at Rin with a completely shocked expression on his face. He was still angry and upset with Abraham, but he didn't want to make an ass of himself any further, so he followed Rin's advice and left the room.

He couldn't figure out how or when Rin became part of the argument, but he had an idea that she was probably listening in on him and Abraham; still, he was not ready for any of this. This exchange had not started the way Shinji would have imagined it to be, and he now left the room, his face filled with even more anger than before, the heat of his red face radiating like a burning sun.

Abraham attempted to make things de-escalate so that the other students go back to their own business. He tried his best to bring the situation back to normal, but it wasn't that effective for the students that were watching. Some girls came up to Abraham, wanting him to sign something, so they could brag to their friends that an attractive foreigner had signed it.

Abraham didn't seem bothered and was willing to sign if it would benefit him or the student who requested the signature.

However, Rin made it so that people backed up and resumed their usual activity, which gave the two students a bit more breathing space. Rin looked at Abraham with a bit of concern. And also sympathy.

She came up to Abraham and they spoke calmly.*

"So... Did you hear all that or did-?"

"Emiya-kun came to get me. He knew you would be okay, but he didn't think that Shinji would let this go. He could have hit you, Ruel."

"Well, he has his reasons, and I'm not going to stop him forcefully because I'm bothered by his words."

"Thank goodness he left. Weren't you bothered by his insults at all?"

"I've had worse." He responded nonchalantly.

Rin, upon hearing his uncaring response, decided to make things more easier for her to get the information she wanted. "Abraham, I want to talk with you privately."

They moved to another room when he agreed to her request. They were the only ones who were there. Rin looked somewhat angry and annoyed, while Abraham maintained his calm demeanor.

"You were really going to let him hit you?"

Abraham had a serious warrior's composure at this. "No. He could definitely try, but it wouldn't have done much against me."

Rin would try to keep herself as the sort of person she wanted to be towards Abraham, but her magus training and responsibilities made her follow the obligations she had to do as the Second Owner, thus making her continue this conversation with the intentions of learning more about him.

He kept his expression calm, not letting the intense glare that Rin was giving him make him back down.

"You're quite calm considering what happened. This is the second time I see you handling situations without getting too riled up."

"That is true. I've been through quite a lot of situations more stressful than this; not only that but I'm trained in self-restraint. I've learned that, to avoid unnecessary conflict, I must hold myself back from acting rashly. But I can tell that you're not satisfied with this answer."

Rin's annoyance and hostility faded away as she heard that. She was now filled with curiosity and interest. She was a little surprised by how calm and composed Abraham was when it came to standing his ground in an argument.

"Okay, let's drop all this, I just have one question."

The hispanic simply nodded.

"Why did you not strike Shinji?"

"I needed to assess his character first. I don't need unnecessary enemies. Like I said before: I must hold myself back to avoid unnecessary conflict."

Rin was left with another question after hearing this answer. Was this man really not going to hit Shinji back just because it would only cause more trouble, and he doesn't want to have enemies?

"I see. Are you always like this? Always being logical in conversations with people despite how rude they are?"

Abraham, seeing that she had another question, chose to answer it immediately, although he was a bit confused by her question. "Of course; although the natural response is to be angry, it's only my discipline that lets me be a rational person. Besides, I used to be a kid with anger issues, so I learned different methods to handle the irrational, and sometimes that means I look at things as jokes."

Rin's attitude changed again, but this time she became more gentle hearing his own confession. She was surprised by how Abraham was able to keep himself calm. However, his calm was slightly intimidating to her, as she wondered what could happen if Abraham was actually provoked to a high degree.

"That's an interesting answer. Let me ask you something: You did assess Shinji's character, but what were the results of it?"

Abraham had his usual, stoic look. However, Rin could feel a bit of aura coming from him, showing that her assumption had hit the mark. "He's a kid that's unfortunately a slave to his emotions. It's worse for him now, because he's listening to his hormones, and while he's attempting to get me from being near you, I've noticed several clues of what Shinji's mindset is like: an insecure boy that has an inferiority superiority complex, and wishes to prove himself by being top dog of his own design. I feel sorry for him."

He kept a constant calm smile throughout the conversation, even when Rin's hostility was still there, just not as much. Seeing her calm down more as he continued speaking, he found her reactions quite amusing.

"I see. That is a quite admirable quality….. to be capable of picking up on that….. But, the way in which he tried to pick a fight with you, and he was not shy about it at all. Did you consider the possibility that he was trying to provoke you so that he could escalate things? Also, I'd like to ask you if you have any intention of trying to date me."

Confused and with an eyebrow raised, he replied back with a quick defensive statement. "We have entered the engagement prank together so that we look like a couple when it really isn't the case. While the notion that you're wondering that I'd be like any of those regular guys trying to get to your pants is reasonable, I'm not a person that wishes to do it in such a deceptive manner. So I'll ask you, Rin Tohsaka: Are you expecting me to fall in love with you and ask for a date? Because if you are…. Then I'd have to know if that's what you want."

Rin didn't know how to answer, and was taken aback by Abraham's sudden bold question. Her face got red from embarrassment. She had not expected to have to answer any of these types of questions.

She gulped as she tried to maintain her composure and think about her next words. "...No? I mean, I know we're doing this 'betrothal prank' thing to get the student gossip ring off of my back, which is great, but…"

"The rumors have started to shift from you being bi, to that of us being a couple, and Shinji has noticed. You worry about this result having unforeseen consequences."

Rin gulped again as she heard Abraham's accurate observation on her situation. She was still slightly embarrassed about him asking her if she wanted him to date her.

She decided to answer his statement.

"Well... you're right. I don't want people to take this to a whole different level. This whole engagement is just a joke that will put a stop to the gossip. But, I don't want people to think that we're actually... you know, in love."

He had reacted like a joker upon hearing that, placing his hand above his heart as if to indicate his heart was harmed. "God damn, right in the feels! You really know how to handle yourself against unwanted suitors."

Rin, seeing Abraham's joking manner, felt an immense wave of relief wash over her. She was glad that he was just being playful about the thing and not too serious. This allowed her to also begin seeing his personality a little more, and it was more endearing than she thought. It was nice to have a more lighthearted guy like him around in this place where everyone was either too pretentious or too much of a workaholic.

"Oh, please. You're not being serious about this, are you? You know that I'm aware of this just being a whole prank, right?"

Rin would try to play along with his sarcasm, but she was too embarrassed to do the heart-hurting motion. However, she was slightly intrigued about how Abraham was handling the whole situation. She would not admit it to him though.

Still, it was nice to see that Abraham could crack a joke.

So she also jokingly placed her hand on her chest like he did. "Ohhh yes. I'm so sorry for hurting your poor heart. Here's a band-aid for your heartbreak." She then pulled out a random band-aid she had in her pocket and handed it to him in a joking manner.

Rin would try to play along with his sarcasm, but she was too embarrassed to do the heart-hurting motion. However, she was slightly intrigued about how Abraham was handling the whole situation. She would not admit it to him though.

"Such a kind hearted woman..." he said whilst pocketing the item. Then changed the topic and tone to one of inquiry. "Is it true, what Shinji said about the girls liking me? Because he seems to have included Sakura in that group, and I know that she likes Shirou. I don't want to make her lose her sight."

He then continued in a more delicate and meek manner. "Also... what's a Rice Bunny? I can tell it's an insult... but it sounds derogatory and unprofessional to include other people, especially the girls, into the insults if the main focus is me."

She was now visibly confused by Abraham's sudden change in manner. "Uh, well, it's true that the girls seem to like you and have been talking about you, as I noticed the same thing. Though, I'm not sure how they feel on a personal level."

Rin had to make sure to not give too much information to him for her purposes, but this was actually an enjoyable conversation with him.

"Oh, and... a 'Rice Bunny' is just a... racial stereotype given to foreign people, especially Asians. Shinji probably used it as his way of telling you that you have a lot of girls after you. However, I don't think that you have to worry about Sakura. Her only interest is in Shirou."

He was relieved to hear that. "Good. I think those two already get along as they are. Like they're already in an ideal marriage." Then, he shifted to being a bit irritated. "And I'm not a player, as Shinji said. I believe in a true, honest love, monogamous relationship."

"That's true... I can't imagine Sakura dating anyone but him. I think that they like each other enough to get married."

"You don't have to worry about being labeled a player, you aren't one. Although, I do have to say that I'm a bit surprised someone like you isn't in a relationship, at least not one that I know of. I guess I'm not the only one that's trying to keep a lid on their romantic life." She nods her head after thinking about his confession of personal beliefs. "I see... so, you don't want a relationship in which you have multiple partners; you just want one true love?"

Rin also agreed on Abraham's idea of a monogamous relationship; honestly, she had to wonder if he really had no romantic interests and if that was just an act. But she decided not to bring it up.

She would let that statement hang in the air, as she wondered if her assessment about Abraham would be correct. She would give him time to answer her next question, which she would be curious about.

(Abraham, internally): I want my student back...

"It could be said so. I just want to be with a person who would reciprocate and understand our feelings... and how we are as a person."

Rin would feel his sadness, as it slightly caught her off guard to see someone this expressive. It was odd how he would also admit to wanting a person to understand his emotions; most people she knew tried too hard to put a facade, and that was very tiring to witness.

"I see... So, you're pretty lonely, aren't you?"

"If you view it in the romantic aspect of love, then it would be true, but I do have friends, and they haven't let me down."

"Hm... that's a good way to look at it. I agree with you. But..." She wanted to ask him something more directly now.

"Do you already have that someone in mind?"

Was it just pure curiosity, or was Rin genuinely hopeful now? That was her thought, as she waited calmly for his answer.

"She's never coming back. I failed her..."

She would notice his slightly pained expression once she asked the question. There was probably some regret in his mind as he answered her. She decided to wait patiently at his response. Abraham's answer made her curious about something, so she continued gently.

"...Who is it? Was it someone you once knew?"

Her thoughts would run off to many different possibilities that could have led to his current state. However, she decided to keep those thoughts to herself for the moment.

"She was someone I was tutoring. She apparently wanted me to help her run away from her broken family, but I was too young and didn't want to get into legal trouble with her parents, so I went to the authorities, but that took too long, and I made the wrong decision. It's safe to say that things went to the worst possible outcome, as all of them died..."

Rin could only stare at Abraham as he confessed to these words. She could only imagine his regret. He was already trying to hold back his emotions so well, he didn't realize that she noticed it.

"...I see. I'm sorry to hear that."

She kept quiet for a while, but she was too curious to not ask the next question.

"Have you not been able to let go of her since?"

(Abraham, internally): I have memories of lifetimes I've lived for over 5000 years. Not once have I given up on letting go of her…

"I feel like if I do, then I'm going to break my promise of never abandoning her."

As she saw the sadness on his face, she realized one thing: She struck in the heart of the target. It was clear that his emotional scars ran deep through the years. The fact that Abraham refused to leave his guilt and regret behind, even after all these years, made her heart wrench slightly. It was a little endearing, as well as sad.

"...I see... so, the promise you made with her was real, huh?" Rin still had a hard time grasping the entire situation. Abraham had been tutoring someone who wanted to get away from her broken family, they had a promise, and it all went to the worst possible outcome. If he let go of her, then he would be breaking his promise.

Rin could detect that Abraham was trying to suppress a large number of emotions in his reply. She was curious about this promise of his, so she asked another question in a more delicate manner. "And by not moving on, you're keeping a promise to her that she's still out there…."

Her thoughts were starting to go more... personal levels. She was beginning to wonder if this boy secretly had a soft spot.

Since she wanted to find out more about this whole situation, she decided on letting him keep answering her questions, and maybe even ramble more as he would like to vent himself out.

"It's not just that. I also try my best to help others. If I can't help her, then I should at least help others in need to be safe and happy."

She was starting to notice a pattern. He was a very compassionate and kind person, wanting to protect that girl's smile and to give her happiness, as well as help people to make up for his actions. It was an interesting development.

She realized the real reason for his determination. He felt like he failed that one person who he knew personally for a long time. He wanted to at least compensate for it by helping people he did not even know. He felt like he was in debt to both others and himself.

Rin could tell that she was starting to get a better impression of him. She thought that he was actually a really kind and wise person. She was even starting to see some of the softer sides of him that were being covered up with a serious and cool demeanor.

"Ah, I see your reasoning. You're trying to honor her by helping others out as much as you can to make up for... things."

She was beginning to wonder whether or not Abraham's resolve was strong enough to endure forever. Would he remain stuck in this mindset where he would be helping others for all his life?

"That's great, that's a very admirable trait to have, that kind of resolve. I'm surprised not more people do it. Honestly, I would think that you're also pretty busy as a student yourself, considering that this is a prestigious school. Do you still have a lot of free time?"

She also kept her thoughts going in different directions…
(Rin, internally): Maybe he's not as tough as he seems, with so much emotional burden on himself... He keeps a serious front, but he can be a softie when the opportunity presents itself…

Rin was beginning to understand Abraham's resolve to do good, after he gave his explanation on why he does all of these good deeds. He was an interesting man, and she was starting to see beyond his serious exterior. She was starting to feel herself getting a little... excited? Maybe not romantically, but she was interested in knowing more about him.

She was indeed beginning to have an interest in him; she started to get a feeling that she had never had before. She couldn't tell whether or not she was getting feelings for him, but it was pretty suspicious... her cheeks were beginning to slightly turn red. Was it possible that what was making her feel this way for him was...

(Rin, internally): ...Is it... possible that these are romantic feelings that make me blush...?

She noticed that Abraham seemed to be looking at her more now compared to before; there was something going on in his eyes, but Rin was still not sure. However, she was noticing that the more she was listening to his answers, the more her heart was starting to flutter a bit. She was beginning to get more interested in him, and she was actually getting slightly excited in the thought that she was having a conversation with this guy. However, she still had a job to do... She had to continue with the 'flirting'.

Before she could continue, Shirou Emiya came in and stopped her from getting more information off of Abraham.

Rin was snapped out of her little moment at the sound of Shirou's voice. She then began to realize who had entered the room, but she was too busy blushing to even care. She then saw that Shirou and Abraham were talking. She couldn't exactly hear what they were saying since they were a bit too far away from her.

(Rin, internally): I hope Emiya-kun doesn't ruin my hard work...

She was already annoyed by his presence, but she did not show any contempt in her demeanor as she casually glanced at him.

"Well, I have to go. Sorry I can't stay for our usual after-school story writing project, Tohsaka."

(Rin, internally): Aww, just as I was getting good answers! Well, it's not like I was gaining feelings for him or anything...

She would notice Shirou giving her a strange look, unlike the usual looks she'd receive from boys in the past, she had forgotten all about him since she was too focused on Abraham. She would then turn around to hide her face, now a bit disappointed in the fact that her 'interrogation' was cut short... and embarrassed to show to them how she had a blush, which they'd likely interpret as being caught in a romantic situation.

This was the first time Rin had been given a look that was not one of interest or admiration; the one she was given by Shirou was one of curiosity. She could see it in his eyes; he had noticed that she was blushing at Abraham. The boy started to piece together the information and made a conclusion: that she was actually having a romantic relationship with Abraham. She was both disappointed and a little flustered that her 'investigation' had been interrupted so early, but she was now more focused on keeping face and letting things end positively.

She kept her blush from showing by hiding her face as well as she could. She was pretty irritated, since it seems like her job got interrupted by Shirou.

"Good bye, then." Rin was about to say more, but she held her tongue back. She was definitely starting to get embarrassed, as the stares from both of them continued. What would they even think of her now?

She would keep her annoyed look hidden, trying her best to get away from Shirou's gaze, which she felt he was observing her quite a lot. She didn't want him to think that she really was falling for Abraham or getting intimate with him. She felt a mix of annoyance and embarrassment as she turned her head away.

Damn him, now I look like a blushy idiot... Why did he have to come now?

She then realized how suspicious her situation looked from the outside; after all, they were already seen as a fake couple to keep up the charade, and now that she was having such an intense conversation with someone else. She wasn't surprised that she was starting to get suspicious looks from him now.

She was still too embarrassed to let them see her face with her blush; for all she knew, those two knew how to read faces very well. She still felt very embarrassed about her blunder as the two boys left, despite the fact that it was just a little slip-up.

Did I go too far with that conversation..? No, it's fine... it was normal flirtation, right?

Rin was still slightly blushing even after they had been gone for a few minutes. She could still feel the burn on her face from the embarrassment. She was surprised by her actions and wasn't sure how to handle the situation. She was both surprised at herself and annoyed at that brat. Maybe she did go a little too far...? Oh well... It doesn't matter now. She had to get the job done. She couldn't afford to be acting like this.

No... it was fine. That was just a small slip-up... I just shouldn't be so careless next time.

She kept thinking to herself as she sat there, still a little bit flustered since she let herself go too much and had been talking to Abraham, which now gave Shirou some strange ideas about her in her mind.

Rin was already feeling a little insecure about her actions. She was now doubting herself a little. She wondered if she was actually getting a crush on Abraham, which would mean her feelings would actually be hurt if he had rejected her. She was even feeling guilty, considering the fact that she had a 'boyfriend' in Shirou, but after her conversation with Abraham, she realized that it was becoming too much of a love web: She liked Shirou, but she also liked Abraham, and Sakura was heavily in love with Shirou, and the boy seemed to like Sakura back.

In a sense, it felt like Rin was the odd one out, as she could tell that her sister only liked Abraham as a friend, and he would treat Sakura back in the same platonic manner. Was she just being too selfish here if she continued liking Shirou as a potential 'boyfriend'?

She then snapped out of her thoughts and decided that it's time to stop. She was supposed to be getting information out of Abraham, not thinking about all this other nonsense.

I really need to get my mind in gear... I've been focusing too much on other things, like Abraham... Well, at least I have more to ask when I speak with him again... I just have to try not to get embarrassed and have these stupid slip-ups again.

Meanwhile, in the hallway outside of the room

"...And what was that about?"

"...what do you mean, Shirou? We were just having a talk. Nothing special."

"That didn't seem like 'nothing special' to me. I could hear you guys in there, Tohsaka was blushing like crazy after you guys were done."

Shirou was confused and a little bit suspicious about the exchange, as he was aware that there was something weird going on with Rin and Abraham.

Understanding that Shirou needed a distraction to keep him focused, he gave the boy a compliment on his lessons. "Good work Shirou. It seems my lessons on social awareness have been put into good use for yourself today. However, knowing about peoples' thoughts and feelings is a higher level than just the basics we went over. You'll learn eventually."

Rin continued to feel a little bit insecure as she sat in the room, still thinking about what had happened. She continued to wonder if she had really been getting more into a romantic relationship with Abraham, and if it was even fair of her to do so.

Was I really getting embarrassed for him? I mean... I guess so? But... am I acting out more than I really am with him? Did I really slip up and show my feelings for him?... God damn it, this is going to haunt me in my mind tonight…

Rin wasn't looking forward to telling Kirei what she had gathered today, because she knew that she didn't have anything to report. She had actually taken the risk of speaking with Abraham too much, which turned into a flirting session. She was worried that Kirei might think she was wasting time talking about nothing but love with the boy.

She sighed, not wanting to look Kirei in the eyes right now, feeling like he might see everything just from her face. She was already thinking that it was probably going to be a rough talk with Kirei, considering how hard he presses on her. She knew that she would have to tell him the truth... and he might find out that she's actually growing more attached to this student, which he may use against her later.

For a moment she hoped that it was true that Abraham was really on a reconnaissance mission for the future Holy Grail War, but she felt guilty about that as well. How could she wish such a slander on someone so compassionate and kind?

She was feeling guilty about something that she really shouldn't be ashamed of: She had grown an actual appreciation for someone. She was worried about what her own true feelings were, considering that she had grown pretty fond of this boy. Was it really okay that she liked him? Wouldn't this have been considered wrong by someone like her, the one who has always only seen men as enemies and tools that she could use and discard afterwards…? She was so confused by her own emotions right now, and she hated it, especially since she was thinking if Abraham was going to call her his "Rice Bunny" as a status indicator of their fake betrothal prank.

Rin had thought about that, and was actually wondering about his opinion on their status as well. In her last moments of talking with Abraham, she did expect him to call her that, since that was what they had been doing in the past, just for the sake of their fake engagement, but then when he didn't call her that at all... she was thinking about what this could mean, and if it meant that he actually had a liking in her as well.