Chapter 15: Some things never change
(Tohsaka Rin POV)
It's 7:30 am according to the clock at my house but for some reason the streets are deserted today. I can't even see a sign of a single person. I guess its just one of those days.
Maybe everyone slept in today?
Yeah since the morning is quite cold for the last January morning, I suppose they are all just wrapping themselves in their blankets. Maybe I should have done the same? Too late now I guess.
Anyway, I head towards the Homurahara Academy that is my school, but on the way I encounter no one, not a single person. This is weird.
When I reach the school, I can see that the clubs are just beginning their morning practice.
This can only mean...
"Oh, Tohsaka? You're up early today."
"...As I suspected."
With a small sigh, I turn to the girl who addressed me.
"Morning. It really is cold today, huh?"
This girl, speaking so frankly, is Mitsuzuri Ayako.
She's my classmate in class 2-A, and there are a lot of stories about her.
"Good morning, Mitsuzuri-san. Please excuse the abrupt question, but do you know what time it is?"
"Huh? It's almost 7. Are you still asleep?"
She waves her hand in front of me, wondering if I'm alright.
She is one of the few friends who know I am not a morning person.
...In other words, she thinks I'm not fully awake yet.
"I guess the clocks at my house were an hour fast. All of them. Not just my alarm clock, but the wall clocks as well."
Really, just what's going on here?
Did Father arrange for all the clocks to go mad when the pendant was removed from the basement?
"Tohsaka?"
"Don't worry, it's nothing. Anyways, are you off to morning practice as usual?"
"Yeah. The archery club has lots of problem students and one good member quit. So I have to get them to look good to attract the new freshmen in April."
"I see. There's always something to worry about, isn't there?"
"You can say that since it's none of your concern. Oh, do you wanna come? The guys will love it if you come and watch."
"Archery club, huh?"
I have three acquaintances in the archery club.
One is Ayako, the person before me right now, and the other two are people I barely talk to.
And for one of those two, the word acquaintance doesn't really suffice.
I became friends with Ayako because I had been watching the archery club from afar.
"All right. I'll go if all I have to do is watch. I have nothing else to do this early anyways."
"Great, let's go right now then."
The impressive archery range is one of our school's outstanding aspects.
Perhaps the director is just interested in archery, but the range is much too fancy for a mere school club.
"Come on, there's still time before practice, so let's go in and have some tea."
After that Ayako and I talked about a stupid bet we made with each other about getting a boyfriend before our 2nd year ends, and how both of us aren't making any headway into it. Not for the lack of trying though. I heard Ayako tried to ask a particular guy out but that refused her mercilessly apparently, something about her being like a guy friend. I don't think any girl appreciates a response like that.
Just as I rise after finishing talking with her, someone else enters the archery range.
"Good morning, captain."
A purple haired girl enters and greets Ayako in a perfunctory manner. She is the vice-captain of the club from what I hear.
"Ah, morning, Matou. You're alone this morning?"
"No, he is just outside talking to that former club member of ours."
"Emiya is coming back?"
"No from what I understand he is on his way to helping the Student Council President. We just met on the way to school by a coincidence."
"I see, if he doesn't want to come he doesn't need to."
I honestly feel like I heard something that's none of my business.
"Well, I'll be going. See you later, Mitsuzuri-san."
"Yeah, see you later, Tohsaka."
"...Thank you for coming, Tohsaka-senpai."
"Thanks. You take care too, Sakura."
I leave the archery range trying not to interrupt the club proceedings.
"Good morning Tohsaka, I am quite surprised to see you so early today."
Bad luck. I've run into someone I don't want to meet. He is just too charming, and I don't know what will happen if I get lost in his charm. Well, most likely I would be killed by Sakura if she finds out about it.
Did all the magical inheritance of the Matou household go into improving his charm to inhuman levels instead of forming his Magic Circuits?! Damn it, this guy's charm is too dangerous!
"Good morning Matou-kun, you're early today."
"Of course, as a senior member of archery club I have to set some examples for the juniors."
This smiling guy is Matou Shinji, of class 2-C.
He's the ace of the archery club and owner of the hearts of almost all the girls in this school.
But he is not a playboy or anything like that, but he does seem to have a sister complex from what I have heard from others. I am not too well informed about this since I like to keep my distance.
"Really? Well done, I suppose. I am going to class now, nice meeting you."
I turn around to run away from this dangerous guy.
"Hold on. It's still quite early right? Why don't you come and watch the morning practice in the archery range? You like watching archery right?"
"I'd rather not. I don't want to interrupt the morning practice."
"Don't worry about that. I don't think you can interrupt the practice if you just watch, it would be a different thing if you were to talk though."
"...I'm saying I don't want to be a bother. Besides, it's not like I'm interested in archery. I don't like watching people I don't know practicing."
"Oh okay, I won't force if you don't want to. I was just suggesting that since we still have time till class."
"Thank you for your good intentions but I would like to be alone now please. See you later, Matou-kun."
"Yeah, see you later Tohsaka."
Phew, I got away from him.
He is not a bad guy but he is dangerous for my mental health.
While thinking like this, I enter the school building.
It's past seven, but I can't see anyone in the hallway.
"Oh, Tohsaka-san."
"...Good morning, Fujimura-sensei."
"Yes, good morning, Tohsaka-san. I'm so happy you greeted me properly."
The strange woman seems to be crying of happiness.
...It's hard to believe, but this person of surpassing friendliness and cheerfulness is a teacher at this school.
"Uh, Sensei... is there a way to greet you improperly?"
"Of course there is. First years always greet me properly, but the older ones never greet me by my last name. You shouldn't copy their rudeness, okay?"
"...I don't really understand, but I won't be rude to you, Sensei."
"Good girl. Oh, I wish everyone was as good as you, Tohsaka-san."
Fujimura-sensei waves goodbye and leaves.
Fortunately, she isn't my homeroom teacher.
Fujimura-sensei teaches English.
She has such a kind face, but she also has a black belt in kendo, and I hear she was respected as the "Tiger of Fuyuki" in her student days.
...Though, that's a bit strange.
Wouldn't a tiger normally be feared, not respected?
Apparently in a good mood, Fujimura-sensei heads for the archery range.
For some reason, she's in charge of the archery club and not the kendo club.
I then meet the Student President Ryuudou Issei and have an interesting chat with him. There was also his friend who interrupted our chat. If I remember right, this guy along with Student President are good friends with Matou-kun.
Hah why did that thought pop up in my mind, I don't even want to think about that guy. What a terrifying foe he is, reminding me about himself while not even being present here.
After finishing the talk, I head towards my class.
It's seven thirty in the morning, and there's no one in class 2-A.
"Well, I guess I'll study ahead."
I sit at my desk and work on a few math problems.
There's thirty minutes until homeroom... I guess I'll just be bored until my classmates arrive.
***
School ends. I head straight home.
It's not like I don't have any business with the archery club or the student council, but I haven't had enough free time for them these past few days.
Once I leave school, Tohsaka Rin is no longer a student. The rest of the day is not for myself as a student. Instead, I must become a magus of the Tohsaka family.
Back at my house, I'm greeted by the blinking light on my answering machine.
"It's unusual for me to get any messages. It was... just as I thought, it's you, Kirei."
I already know what he's going to say, but he'll be scary later if I don't listen.
When I press the play button, I hear a familiar voice.
"It's me. I'm sure you know, but tomorrow is the deadline, Rin. It's a problem for me if you take it easy. There are only two remaining seats. I must ensure all the Masters are arranged quickly."
This priest shows no mercy as he gets right to the point.
"If you wish to abandon your right to become a Master, contact me today. It takes some time to dispatch a substitute magus."
Liar. Someone like you would be able to arrange a substitute in no time.
"You already show signs of the Command Spell. Quickly, summon your Servant and open the Command Spell. Unless, of course, you're not planning to be a part of this Holy Grail War. If you value your life, you should run to the church quickly."
The message ends there.
...His words are concise.
He's telling me that if I am to fight, I should get ready by today and if I'm not going to fight, I'm an eyesore and should just retire quickly.
"...Heh, you don't have to tell me that."
Well, it can't be helped.
Today is as late as the deadline can be extended. Fortunately, I was able to decode Father's will last night.
My preparations are ready.
All that remains is to obtain the qualification to enter this fight...
******
(Kotomine Kirei POV)
"...run to the church quickly."
After saying that to Rin's answering machine I put down my receiver.
Now that ought to spur Rin on, enough to participate in this Holy Grail War just to reduce variables that can affect my plan. There are definitely some unknown factors at play here that I can't recognize.
Like the disappearance of Gilgamesh a few years ago.
That old man of the Matou family, just disappearing from the face of the earth. I wonder where he is hiding?
The mud in the Grail becoming restless and choosing me as a Master again this time.
Initially, I planned to kill the Enforcer from the Association who I know very well but I decided not to do that so that I don't alert this unknown factor that might actually interfere.
"Master, I have returned from scouting Lancer's Master. Do you have any special orders for me?"
"Assassin, first tell me the details of their base."
Assassin then proceeds to tell me about the results of his reconnaissance. It seems that the Association is not the one interfering here.
"Did you find out who the new Master of Caster is?"
"No Master. Caster seems to be hidden by some force. The most suspicious place is the that mansion since it has unbelievably strong boundary field but I can't be sure."
"But that's the base of Rider's Master. Is that old man upto something again? It's quite possible. Good work, Assassin. Keep an eye on all the movements of different Masters but don't attack them until the seventh Servant is summoned."
"As you wish, my Master."
Assassin vanishes from my view after saying that.
Maybe I have some fate with Assassin class, since just like last time I summoned an Assassin class Servant. Maybe some things never change. I wonder if I would get to re enact that betrayal too?
Haha that's not very priestlike.
Other things aside, this time my wish is quite simple. I just want a certain being to be born in this world. I think my desire to see someone being born is quite appropriate for a priest.
I wonder how this story of mine will end?
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
KenTheSlayer
KenTheSlayer #Ayakodeservedbetter
Did you like the chapter? It was similar to Canon, since Fate is quite strong plus Tohsaka is not really directly affected by MC as much though certain things like memory of high jumps have changed because of obvious reasons. Also MC being a bit pushy towards Tohsaka wasn't because of any romantic connotations so you can rest assured. I am still quite sick and it's getting worse but I wanted to give you guys a chapter so here it is. If you don't like something, forgive me.
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