11

The morning of Friday at Homuhamara Academy was calm for most, except for Shirou. Stepping into the school came with a heavy feeling of tension from the moment he stepped through the front gate, knowing what he was going to have to do. Confronting Shinji was something he was dreading, even with Rin by his side. The boy had slipped by his fingers last time, and would be even more on alert than last time.

Classes went by as normal until lunch. As Shirou sat in his homeroom, a head of brunette hair peeked through the door. "Shirou?" Came a familiar voice.

"Coming." As planned, Shirou followed after Rin as she led him up to the roof. It was typically populated by a few students, but today they'd lucked out- it was empty as they stepped out into the sunlight. Either that or Rin had convinced them all to disperse.

Rin leaned against the wall of the building, sitting down and patting the ground next to her. "Sit." She said, and he obliged, resting his back against the cold concrete. He felt a shiver run down his spine upon contact, contrasted by the warmth on the sun on his face.

"So, you're still in?" Rin asked, looking forward at the skyline. From up here, you could see the Fuyuki river, crystal blue as it was, and the towering complexes of the modern district of the city. A lot of students chose this spot to eat for that very reason- it was a calm spot to relax after the stress of the school hours and remember the good times of your life. Even now, Shirou felt more at ease sitting here. He turned to Rin, remembering her question. He'd zoned out.

"Yeah, I'm still in." He turned his attention back to her. "I doubt it'd stop you either way, really, so I'm tagging along."

Rin smirked. "True. And I also doubt you'd be able to stop yourself. No matter how terrifying it is for you, you'd charge into the scene."

"Isn't that why you're around? To keep me in line?"

Rin sat up straighter, suddenly turning her gaze to meet his, her eyes staring him down. "It's not just that, of course. You'd know that better than anyone after what we've both been through together." She frowned. "We both know what could happen if you're left unchecked… you-"

"-Archer."

Shirou just outright said it. He wanted to confront it. He wanted to fight what he could be. To be different, and he knew that wasn't going to happen by running, whether from the fire or into it. But as Rin's face fell, he realized he'd cut too deep. "I… I didn't mean to…"

"It's okay." Rin's expression was melancholy, as she brushed a hand through her hair. It was not okay, and they knew it. But Rin was too proud to admit the sadness she felt, so Shirou left it. She needed to be able to admit it herself, and he needed to give her that time. Still, he needed to talk about the subject, not wanting to let it go entirely. He spoke in a softer tone.

"I want to save everyone, or at least try… And I know it's impossible, Rin. My ideal is a dream I could never wake up from, born from that damned fire. But I have to try."

Rin wasn't looking at him anymore. Her voice was quiet as she spoke, unable to say more than a sentence. "Shirou… Why?"

He sighed, knowing exactly why. "Because it's too beautiful to let go. I can't stop fighting for something like this."

He knew the stupidity in what he was doing. He knew the dangers of the path he walked, and yet walked onward. But it was with a new outlook, a warning clear in his mind that there was a balance- the acceptance of futility, or the refusal and chasing of the dream. If he was able to keep trying, but know that he'd never save anyone, he would be a hero knowing he'd fought for the dream without it destroying him. But if he chased after the notion he could 'save every person he saw' no matter what, he'd die a hero who chased after the dream into the fire that consumed him once before.

But it was hard to avoid veering towards the wrong path. Sometimes, in his sleep, he thought of being unable to save people. Seeing faces in pain, reaching hands out to him. And then they'd blacken into ash, and the faces contorted into bastardizations of what a man appeared to be, and he'd wake up bleeding from the lip from biting down to stop the screams of anguish at the thought. But, as he looked back at Rin, he remembered her support. What she'd done for him, every hand on his shoulder, every time she'd reminded him what he could be. It was like that now, the look in her eyes telling him she wanted to stop that outcome more than anything else in the world.

She was silent, processing his decision. She sighed, resting her head on her knees. "I… I can't say I'll ever support that for you, Shirou. Not after what I've seen. But I can promise you this." She held his hand, her eyes meeting his. "I will not let you fall into that same fate. You won't, because I won't let you. Because I'll try my hardest every day I'm with you to stop it. Because I love you, damnit."

Shirou smiled as he responded, his hand drifting to hers all the while. "I love you too. And I'll try as well. I promise."
"You'd better." She smiled teasingly, wiping her eyes, before wrapping her arms around Shirou in embrace.

The two spent the rest of lunch agreeing on the plan- confront Shinji after school in a place that was secluded. They went their separate ways until the bell rang, at which point they met up under the stairwell. Once the mob of students was nothing more than an echo, they began walking.

"You did your part?" Rin asked, a hand in her skirt pocket, gems at the ready.

"I planted his textbooks in the lab, like you said." Shirou nodded, his pace brisk. "I pointed it out so he'll be looking for them." Indeed, as they peered into the chemistry lab, there he was, picking up the books Shirou had discreetly placed in the room earlier in the day. He had to admit, he was proud of his sleight of hand.

"Ready?" Rin asked, her hand on the door.

"Ready."

The pair burst into the room, catching Shinji by surprise. He stumbled back, throwing a textbook at Rin. She responded by firing Gandr at it, burning a clean hole through the center and eliciting a panicked shriek from the boy. "Misplaced something, Shinji?" She asked, her voice snide.

Shinji tried to stutter out a response. "Y-y-y-y… You." He slowly regained his ability to speak as anger seemed to flood his veins instead of fear. "You. You little BITCH!" He suddenly charged at her, a fist outstretched, but Shirou was faster. In a moment his fist collided with Shinji's stomach, sending the boy crashing into a table. He coughed up saliva, crumpled on the floor and shaking, as Rin and Shirou watched with a degree of satisfaction.

"You know why we're here so I'll cut to the point." Rin stormed over, aiming Gandr at Shinji's forehead. "Zouken Matou. Why did he travel to Europe in the wake of the 5th war?"

Shinji attempted to grab at Rin, but she stamped a boot on his hand, causing him to shriek again. "I-I-I don't know, damn it!" He placed his free hand over his head, as if that would somehow protect him.

"Wrong answer." Rin, not wanting to play games anymore, fired Gandr right beside Shinji's head. The blast singed a lock of his sea-blue hair, and left behind a smoldering hole in the concrete floor. Shinji took one look at the miniature blast site, and seemed to shrink into himself as he screamed once more. "NO! No, no, NO! Okay, I'll tell you! Just don't KILL MEEEEE!-"

"Good." Rin pushed her foot off of him, and waited for him to stand. He looked miserable as he leaned agaisnt the table for support, drool and tears across his face. She waited for him to speak, her face twisted in a grimace.

"Look, grandfather wants to do something with that damned grail, okay? Said he had a plan to remake it or whatever." He spoke through sniffles, clearly deathly afraid.

Rin nodded. "So the man was responsible for this mess. Go on." She pointed Gandr to emphasize the point, and Shinji raised his hands in fear.

"Okay, okay! He did some kind of ritual with some pieces of what I assume was that thing… the grail…" Shinji tried to recount the memories. "...He made a summoning circle, and then apparently something went off… But I don't know what! He made some calls to a few magi to check things, and the only other thing I know is that he seems pretty happy with what's going on. That's all, I swear!-"

By this point Shinji looked like he was about to pass out. Rin seemed to notice this, finally relenting. "Get out of here, and if you tell anyone or mention this at all, we're going to have a chat. Without the civility." And with a small kick to the ass, she sent the snivelling boy off.

Now it was just Rin and Shirou left. She eased up at this, a smile now on her face. "Well, I'd say that went well. Better than your attempt." She teased.

"Hey!" Shirou retorted. "I got interrupted, is all."
"Sure. But back to the point." She went back to being serious, rubbing her chin. "So Zouken actually pulled it off. He used the pieces of the Grail we destroyed, and managed to redo the whole thing. But there's still loose ends. There's no Lesser Grail, or at least, not with the Einzberns. And why contact magi unrelated to the last war? All the Masters save for Kirei and Illya are still alive, and I doubt he'd want to draw much attention."

"And why Europe?" Shirou asked. He was curious about that.

Rin shrugged. "I would say that was to avoid suspicion. If he'd been here doing this, I'd have caught on. The Holy Grail War isn't something participants don't notice in advance, and I already had suspicions. I couldn't prove them if he was out of the country, though. It makes sense."

Shirou nodded in response. But now that they knew how it had happened, they needed a plan to stop it. "What do we do now?" He asked.

Rin thought again for a moment. Finally, she nodded to herself. "For now? We wait. Attacking the Matou manor now, head-on, would be suicide. So we'll investigate further, and if anything happens in the city, you and I look into it. Got it?"

The pair soon began to head for the exit, but as they were approaching the staircase, they both spotted a figure leaning against the wall next to the steps. Rin seemed confused, and a little tense, judging by the way she reached for her skirt pocket. Shirou was too, but moreso when he saw a pair of emerald eyes. He knew this kid.

"Kaito?" Shirou exclaimed. Rin looked at him. "Who?" She asked, confused.

He whispered in her ear as Kaito looked up. "The kid who interrupted me the last time I talked to Shinji… Why's he here?" Shirou tensed up as the boy walked over, despite his cheerful smile.

"Hey, Shirou, was it?" Kaito mused to himself, remembering the name he'd been given. "Hey, look, I know I really shouldn't be here, but I happened to miss something on my way out, and then saw some kid running by crying! What's going on?"
"He got rejected." Rin said, quickly coming up with an excuse, and a believable one at that, considering Shinji. "He came onto me after school, and I had to say no."

A look of understanding came across Kaito's eyes, as well as a hint of… amusement? "Ah. Young love, eh? Some kids don't know the fine line between determination and being perverse. Ah, well." He placed his hands in his pockets. "I can't help but feel bad for the kid."

Rin's response was immediate. "Trust me. You shouldn't." Shirou couldn't help but agree, nodding. Kaito simply shrugged.

"I guess I'm just ignorant then. Welp, I'll be heading home. Look after yourself, Shirou Emiya." He turned to leave, but as he walked down the steps he turned back to say something. "Oh, I forgot. You, uh…" A smirk appeared on his face.

"...You might wanna stop being so nosy. People bleed for that."

And with that Kaito was gone, walking down the steps and into the fading light of the evening, leaving behind him two confused and on edge magi. Suddenly Shirou didn't feel so comfortable anymore.