Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

—-

The Wasteland stretched before him, looking the same as it did everyday. Hot wind buffeted his coat as he crouched in the sand, making yet another sword. It had been a long time since his last summoning and he was beginning to get bored again. He repeated his promise to Rin in his head as he made a copy of a particularly beautiful nimcha from his most recent mission in 16th century Tunisia. He was trying his hardest, he was. And in a lot of ways he was better than he had been. When he was summoned he tried to find the time to live; he spent time learning the local customs, eating food he’d never tried before. Tossing the ball back at the children playing in the town square rather than ignoring them and pushing on with his tasks. He started to care again about the collateral damage, and tried to trick The World into letting just one more person live if he could help it. It was something. But at the end of the day he was still a glorified mercenary for hire, with more blood on his hands then he could even remember.

When the pressure started to build just above his navel, the tugging sensation of his mana being drawn towards a new summoning, he sighed and stood up, brushing sand from his pants, though it would all disappear as soon as he materialized at his destination. He gritted his teeth as the mana surged in him and he lost consciousness. 

He blinks back into existence in the center of a summoning circle, which is his first indication that this wasn’t a Counter Guardian mission. The second, more glaring sign that this was going to be an unusual summoning was that Rin Tohsaka was standing in front of him. She was bent down, hands on her knees, panting with exertion, so he could only see the top of her head, but he would know her anywhere. 

She lifted up her head to look at him, and immediately proved him wrong. 

This girl wasn’t Rin, though they looked very much alike. Her hair was the same deep black, her nose and lips the same shape. But she was slightly shorter than he remembered, and her eyes were gold–a familiar color, but not in that face. Realization crept up on him.

“Oh you’re fucking kidding me.”

The girl put her hands on her hip, looking even more like, Archer presumed, her mother. “Is that the first thing you’re going to say to your Master?”

Archer opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by the door slamming open with a bright green light. The hinges splintered with the impact and Archer ducked to avoid a chunk of wood. The girl, to her credit, only flinched a little as her parents stormed into the room, confirming Archer’s suspicions. 

“Yumi! What do you think you’re doing!” Rin yelled, running up to the girl and grabbing her shoulders. She hadn’t even looked at Archer. She took her daughter’s hand and inspected the Command Seals that were branded on her skin. “Oh no. no no no no.”

Shirou was a very few scant steps behind her, and made a beeline for the young girl as well. He gently took her face in his hands and sighed. “What did we ask you?”

The girl mumbled something Archer didn’t hear, and Shirou just sighed again and pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head while she squirmed slightly. 

“Dad, please. Not in front of my Servant.” she shoved him away lightly. 

He obliged and let go, finally noticing Archer for the first time. He blinked slowly. “Yumi, what did you use as a catalyst?”

The girl shrugged. “I didn’t have one. I was hoping for Saber but I don’t think that’s what I got. I don’t even know what class he is, since you guys interrupted me!” she stomped her foot and crossed her arms in a truly impressive display of teenage irritation.

“Archer.” Rin said. She’d been staring at him since letting go of her daughter, an unreadable expression on her face. “Thank you for not coming through the ceiling this time.”

“Archer?” the girl said, with a tone of awe. “Like the Archer from your War?”

“The one and the same.” Archer said. 

“Wow. Mom’s told me all about you!” she said excitedly, bouncing on her heels. “I can’t wait to be your Master!”

Archer quickly glanced at Rin, who was boring holes in his face with her stare. “She told you about me?” he asked as casually as he could while feeling like he was about to be eaten by a lion.

“Yes, I told her all about my Archer. And what a shame it was that he had amnesia and couldn’t remember who he was.” Rin said pointedly. “I take it that’s still the case?” 

“Yes, that's unfortunately correct.” Archer agreed easily, relieved that particular awkwardness had been avoided. He felt some of the intensity ease out of Rin’s gaze. “I have no idea who I am. But I am here at your command, Master.” he bowed slightly. That irritated Rin as much as he hoped it would and she scowled at him behind her daughter’s back. He flashed her a quick smile.

“Yumi,” she said, ignoring him. “I cannot believe you did this. We explicitly forbade you from participating in the War.”

“Well I just think-”

“No you didn’t think that’s the problem!” Rin cut her off and continued ripping into her with renewed vigor. Archer stepped out of the summoning circle and joined Shirou off to the side.

“Shirou.”

He groaned, looking skyward. “I know.”

“Shirou, there are two of them. What have you done?” Archer pinched the bridge of his nose as Rin and her daughter continued to squabble, their voices reaching a pitch only dogs could hear.

Shirou sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean I guess it's only fair, Rin had to put up with the two of us.”

“We're not nearly as annoying.”

Shirou just raised his eyebrow.

“You two shut up!” Rin said, turning toward them, hands on her hips. “This is very serious! Our daughter just made herself a Master!”

“And that's not what you want?” Archer asked, furrowing his brow. “Is that not the goal of the Tohsaka family? To win the Grail War?”

“There was never supposed to be another War! We destroyed it!” Rin snapped, balling her hands into fists at her side. There were tears gathering at the edges of her eyes and she hurriedly wiped her face. “I failed. And now my daughter is going to pay for it.”

Shirou turned towards Archer. “Rin has worked tirelessly for years toward a permanent end of the Grail Wars. She thought she had been successful, until a year ago, when rumors had started that a mage had been spotted with Command Seals in England. We’ve been preparing for the inevitable since then. The plan was for myself and Rin to summon Servants, win the Grail and attempt to destroy it once and for all.” 

“Well then this plan will only be more effective now.” Archer reasoned. “Having an alliance of three Mages not only makes your position stronger, but also eliminates an opponent. You only have to worry about four other Masters now.”

“That’s what I’m saying!” the girl said. “Why teach me how to do all this if you didn’t want me to fight?”

Rin whirled back to her daughter. “To protect you if something had happened to us! But we’re right here. You didn’t need to put yourself in harm’s way like this! You don’t have to be a hero!” .

“So she takes after you then?” Archer whispered to Shirou. It apparently wasn’t quiet enough, however, as Rin turned to him with fire in her eyes. She stormed over to him and shoved hard against his chestplate. Archer deftly caught her wrists.

“You think this is funny? Archer, you don’t know anything.” she said tearily, wrenching her hands out of his grasp and sagging against him. Instinctually, Archer wrapped his arms around her.

“I am sorry Rin.” he paused, suddenly feeling uncertain in a way that he couldn’t pin down, much to his frustration. “It is good to see you again though.”

She thumped her forehead against him, and Archer felt the muscles in her shoulders relax. “Yeah, it’s been a while huh?”

“100 years.”

Rin leaned back to look him in the eyes. “What?”

“Time works differently for me, you know that. How long has it been for you?” he replied, squinting at her daughter. “Fifteen, sixteen years?”

She lightly punched him again, with no heat behind it. “Idiot, did you think I got pregnant at seventeen? No, it’s been twenty-two years. Yumi is fifteen. We had her when I finished my education at the Clock Tower.”

Archer gently pushed her away to arms length and looked at her. She was very much the Rin he remembered, all fiery attitude and fierce love, but he saw now the grey interspersed throughout her hair, and the soft creases of laugh lines in her eyes and on the corners of her mouth. Glancing over at Shirou he saw his hair was streaked with a brilliant white, and his skin was roped with dark tan scarring. That part was unsurprising, but the tell tale signs of aging on his face made Archer’s heart stop.

He was older than Archer had been when he died. 

“Oh.” he cleared his throat and looked down at Rin again. “Well you look great for 40.”

Rin punched him with gusto. “I’m 39!”

“Okay, let’s focus.” Shirou said, thinly veiled amusement coloring his voice. “Look, what’s done is done.Yumi is a Master now. The best thing we can do to help her is summon our Servants and start coming up with a plan. We don’t even know how many slots are open, we should hurry.”

Rin nodded. “Yes. We shouldn’t waste any more time. Shirou, you should go first. You have the best chance of summoning Saber.”

“And who do you plan on summoning?” Archer asked. 

“You’ll see.” Rin smiled mischievously. 

“I really don’t like the sound of that.”

She patted his shoulder. “Welcome back Archer.”

“Gee thanks.” he replied wryly before turning to look at his new Master. “Yumi, is it? Well, do you have any orders for me, Master?”

She grinned up at him, producing a dust pan seemingly from thin air and holding it out. “You can clean up the dust and fix the door.” 

“Ah, just like old times.”

He set to work putting the door back on its hinges while Shirou reset the summoning circle. Archer let the warring emotions in his heart play out while he worked. It was going to be the first of many long nights, and he didn’t have the energy to bottle them all up just yet. Maybe he didn’t even want to. The promise he made to Rin all those years ago bubbled to the surface.

He was going to try his best.

Chapter Text

Archer chose to make himself scarce as Shirou and Rin summoned their Servants, instead opting to sit on the roof and watch over the house. He needed to get his bearings and he wasn't too keen on any more reunions at the moment, especially if Rin was summoning who he thought she was. Another 100 years in the Wasteland sounded more enjoyable than dealing with that bastard again. He looked out into the woods surrounding the Tohsaka mansion and sighed heavily. Although they had clearly trained their daughter well, she was much less experienced than Rin had been, and the supply of mana he was receiving was less than he was used to. He was exhausted. A problem they would need to solve sooner rather than later, but not tonight. Archer supposed he would just have to sleep tonight to restore his reserves. He waited until the surges of mana subsided, and he felt the presence of the other Servants move to separate parts of the house before he skidded down the roof and jumped off. If he did a little flip just for the joy of it, well, that was his business.

He snuck in through the kitchen side door, and was relieved to find his path clear. He just needed to make it into the living room. He could crash on the couch, sleep a few hours to restore enough mana to discorporate and then he could ignore everyone more efficiently. As soon as he got closer to the living room however, his hopes were dashed.

Rin sat on the nearest chaise, looking as tired as Archer felt, staring at the back of her hand with an expression that Archer might have been able to read a hundred years ago.

“He’s a dick.” he said, in lieu of a more traditional greeting as he stepped into the room.

To her credit, Rin rolled with it, seemingly unsurprised. “Yeah, well, so are you. Besides, he saved my life in the last War.” she replied, leaning back on the couch with her eyes closed. The summoning had depleted a good amount of her mana.

“He killed Shirou in the last War.” 

Rin scoffed. “At the very beginning! Look, if we held grudges over the things we did back then you and I wouldn't be on speaking terms.” she crossed her arms. “We can trust him–at least, as much as any Master can trust their Servant.”

Archer squinted. “If you are certain.”

“What? Afraid he'll pull a stunt like you did and betray me?”

Archer had the decency to look ashamed. “I'm sorry, Rin. I never had a chance to properly apologize.”

Rin deflated, her voice softening. “It's okay. I forgave you long ago. Almost immediately, actually. Which annoyed me.” she smiled slightly. “I really should have been so angry with you. But I never was. I know why you thought you had to do that.” she reached out and gestured for him to come closer. As soon as he was in arms reach, she tugged him down by his coat to sit next to her. “If that had been the extent of your plan it would have worked really well. Too bad you wanted to kill Shirou afterwards.”

Archer closed his eyes for a moment, then opened one to look at her sheepishly. “I never apologized for that either.” 

“Yes you did, in your own way.” Rin squeezed his hand. “Try to forgive yourself.”

Archer couldn’t help but laugh. “Wasn't that the crux of the issue to begin with?”

Rin smiled at him before looking away, her eyes unfocused.“You know, Shirou told me about your fight. What you said to each other. He said you were right, for the most part. I agree with that sentiment; he needed to hear it. That saved him from your path more than my guidance ever could have. He was able to pursue your dream without your regrets.”

It was Archer's turn to look away. He wanted to ask so many questions. Did he go to the same conflict Archer did and survive, or did he avoid it entirely? Did he join the Mage's Association? Archer desperately wanted to pick apart his path, to examine where his own had truly faltered, but he knew that line of thinking wasn't going to serve anyone, so he bit his tongue.

Rin seemed to sense his thoughts, though that wasn't possible this time around. He wondered if she missed that connection as much as he did.

“Hey, what's done is done, right? Let's just focus on the present, otherwise I'll get a headache.” she patted his leg. “Go make me some tea.”

Archer sputtered. “Hey, what? I'm not your Servant this time around, you know.” 

“Then we can call this your official apology.” she grinned. “I know you know just how I like it.” 

He did. Even after a hundred years he did. He sighed dramatically, like it was the greatest imposition to walk ten feet to the kitchen and put on a kettle of water. Rin laughed, as he expected, and he considered his goal achieved. It took only a few minutes for the water to boil and the tea to steep. Chamomile, with just a touch of honey for sweetness. He didn’t bother with a tray, only taking the mug on a saucer. Archer wasn’t surprised to find Rin fast asleep on the couch when he returned.

He placed the cup on the table, and quickly hurried upstairs to the linen closet for a spare blanket and pillow. She hadn’t stirred at all in that time, and Archer knew she’d be out for the night. After tucking her up and ensuring she wouldn’t feel completely awful in the morning, he silently took the teacup back to the kitchen and dumped it down the drain. 

He laid down next to Rin on the floor and tried to get some sleep.

—

As soon as he had enough mana to disappear, he did, grateful that no one had come downstairs and Rin had remained asleep. He continued watching over her for a while, marveling at how peaceful she looked, compared to the determined, focused air she had earlier. She looked younger in her sleep too, more like the Rin he recognized, less weighed down by worry and years of responsibility. He brushed her hair away from her face and stood up.

As he ghosted about the mansion, he could tell Shirou was awake, talking with Saber. Archer could easily eavesdrop, but there was nothing he wanted less at the moment, so he ignored the echo of sensory input with practiced ease, and kept moving. 

Eventually he ended up back in the study, for lack of a better place to go. He skirted around the summoning circle, which still held the unmistakable stench of Lancer’s mana, and popped open the window. It wouldn’t actually air anything out, but it was a nice night and he indulged himself with a human gesture. He sat on the windowsill and closed his eyes to the light breeze.

“Well you haven’t changed a bit.”

Archer sighed. This was inevitable. They were going to have to speak, to work together. But did he have to bother him right now? He cracked open an eye. “Well that’s what happens when you’re a spirit. What do you want?”

Lancer put a hand to his chest. “So rude! I only came to say hello. I wanted to see what the atmosphere was going to be. Gonna try to kill yourself again?”

“No.”

“Good. That would really upset my Master, you know. Isn’t it crazy? Our little lady has her own little lady now. All grown up.” he laughed. “Just like I asked her to,” he said quietly.

Archer frowned and stood up. “What?”

Lancer waved a hand. “Don’t worry about it. Anyways, I’m glad you’ve sorted out the self-loathing. You might even be tolerable now.”

“I can tell I won’t be able to say the same of you.” Archer crossed his arms. “And I really don’t care, as long as you do your job.”

“I always take my role as a Heroic Spirit seriously. I’ll protect Rin with my life.” Lancer replied, wholly sincere. “I’m offended that you think otherwise. You should be the one under scrutiny, considering your behavior in the last War.”

Archer exhaled. He couldn’t actually argue that.

Delight danced in Lancer’s eyes at having stunned him into silence, but he didn’t rub it in like Archer expected. He dropped his arms to his side. “How long has it been for you?”

Lancer tilted his head. “Uh, twenty two years…why?”

“Hm.”

“You are still a mystery huh? Just when I thought I had you all figured out.” he smiled, then bent down to pick up something silver from the center of the summoning circle. “Ah! Almost forgot what I came up here for.” he swiftly threaded his earrings onto his ears as he straightened up. “Much better. I’ll see you tomorrow Archer, try to wipe the scowl from your face okay? We aren’t enemies this time. Night.” he waved over his shoulder as he shimmered out of existence.

“Goodnight.” Archer replied to the empty air.

—-

Morning was a hectic affair. Archer would have preferred they got straight to business, but there was no deterring Shirou from being a good host; he insisted on cooking a large breakfast for everyone. Archer rolled his eyes, wordlessly falling into place next to him to start the kettle for tea. Shirou looked surprised, but his face quickly changed into a small smirk. Archer huffed and started pointing out the flaws in his cooking, reaching over him to add extra seasoning to his eggs.

As they worked, everyone else filled the living room. Rin had abandoned the couch sometime earlier to shower and dress. She wandered back in, still bleary, accepted a cup of tea from Archer, and leaned over to kiss Shirou's cheek before heading back to the living room. Archer could hear Yumi chattering a million miles a minute with Lancer, who kept up without difficulty. Saber popped her head in the door of the kitchen, ostensibly to ask if they needed her help, but Shirou wordlessly handed her a spoonful of miso soup with a smile. She beamed and took it eagerly, closing her eyes to savor the flavors. 

The two of them made quick work out of cooking, plating and serving the food, which was received with gusto from all parties. It was crowded, but Archer had to admit, it wasn't unpleasant. He wasn't eating of course, he didn't need to, though the other Servants happily partook. Archer contented himself with standing to the side and watching. Or, he tried to.

“Hey, Archer, come sit with us!” Yumi chirped from beside her mother. She patted the spot on her other side.

Archer crossed his arms and closed his eyes. “Thank you Master, but as you know we Servants don't require food.”

“Archer, you should eat.” Saber said, sitting across from Rin. “As talented as young Yumi here is, she is still very much a novice. I know from experience how difficult it can be to maintain your form in such a state. You should take every opportunity for additional mana. Besides, you and Shirou worked hard on this meal. Do you not wish to partake in the fruits of your labor?”

Archer bit back the retort on his tongue, and sat down next to Yumi. He took a serving of tamagoyaki. It was delicious, he quietly admitted to himself. “This is good,” he said aloud.

“Thanks.” Shirou replied. “And thanks for helping. It was a pretty genius move to add karashi to the natto. Where did you learn to–ah well. I suppose you can't remember.” he rubbed the back of his head and looked sheepishly at Rin. 

At this rate, Archer's true identity was not going to be concealed for long if they kept slipping up like that. Rin sighed.

“Alright, enough chit-chat. We need to discuss strategy.” she shifted around behind her, pulling a map out of her pocket. She smoothed it out onto the table, shoving people's bowls and plates aside. Archer dove to steady Yumi's, which almost ended up in her lap. She beamed at him.  Archer gave her a curt nod as Rin continued.

“There are now only two locations where the Grail can be summoned. Here, and the church. We should focus our efforts on defending both locations from the other Masters. It shouldn't be difficult to establish a second base of operations at the church, as there hasn't been any sign of an Overseer this time around. The other Masters won't be thinking about summoning the Grail at all yet, as they most likely don't know everything that we do about its true nature. They will still be following the rules of the war. We have the advantage of knowing that those rules are lies.”

“Did word not spread of the failings of the previous war?” Saber asked. 

“I poked around at the Clock Tower, asked my few trusted associates in the Association, and no. From what I've gathered the Church and the Association covered it all up. Same as always. It would make them lose all credibility if the Grail Wars were discovered to be a hoax.”

“Then why haven't they sent an Overseer like usual?” Shirou frowned. “That will turn a lot of heads once the fighting starts.”

“I don't know.” Rin sighed and rubbed her temples. “We need more information.”

Yumi leaned forward and scrutinized the map. “Then we go out and get it.” she tapped the map. “ I know you already plan on sending familiars to the church, but let's place more around the city; Ryuudou temple for instance. I know the Grail can't be summoned there anymore, but that might not be common knowledge. Either way, it's a good place to hide out.”

“That's a good idea.” Shirou agreed. “We should also think about the old Einsbern estate.”

Saber looked confused. “Isn't that abandoned?”

“Yes, but we're going to need some things from there.” Rin replied. “We need a vessel for the Grail after all. Normally, the lesser grail wouldn’t begin to activate until at least four Servants have been killed. But, if we’re lucky, we can summon the Grail without a single Servant sacrificed. Without any mana in it, it will be incredibly weak, and easier to destroy.”

“You can do that?” Lancer asked, leaning over Archer's shoulder.

“I’ve been studying the Grail for over twenty years now. I will make it bend to me.” Rin replied, fist clenched. “I’m not going to allow this cycle to continue any longer. The old ways will die and I will have killed them.”

“Well alright little lady, I’m impressed.” Lancer grinned.

“The lesser grail?” Yumi asked.

Archer raised an eyebrow at Rin, who avoided his gaze. It was quickly becoming apparent that the picture Rin and Shirou had given Yumi of the Grail War was more selective than he originally thought. Well that wasn’t going to work anymore, not with her as an active participant. Archer wouldn’t put his Master at the same disadvantage he had been in in his own war. 

“Think of the lesser grail as a conduit for the Greater Grail to manifest. It needs a vessel to become corporeal on this plane. As the War goes on and more Servants die, the lesser grail begins to activate. The Einsberns created homunculi specifically for this purpose. Your mother’s plan is to go to the castle and salvage anything left behind to create one to house the Grail.”

“The Grail is a person?” Yumi gasped. “Mom, you can’t do that!”

“A homunculus isn’t a person, Yumi. It’s a construct.” Shirou explained. “They just look like people.” His voice was flat and devoid of emotion, but Archer picked up on his inner turmoil easily. Ilya’s face flashed before Archer’s eyes, and he pushed down his own feelings to continue.

“The only other option is to use one of the Masters themselves as the lesser grail.” Archer finished. “Unfortunately, the homunculus route is the most humane. Not that anything about this war is humane. Which is why your parents have worked so hard to stop it.”

“Yumi.” Rin said softly, taking her daughter’s hand. “This is why I didn’t want you to be involved. We’re going to have to get our hands dirty to end this once and for all and I didn’t want to burden you with that. It's not that I didn’t think you were capable. I just want you safe.”  she brushed her hair back from her forehead and Yumi leaned into the touch. 

“Yeah.” Yumi sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Shirou said, “I was in over my head too and it all turned out okay. We’re gonna be fine.” he smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Now let’s clean up here, and then we can start putting familiars into place. I think we’ll all feel better once we’ve done something.”

Lancer stretched. “Couldn’t agree more. All this sitting around and talking has made me antsy.” 

“If you are so keen for action, Lancer, might I suggest a sparring match in the garden?” Saber asked. “I also could use an excuse to hone my skills. It might also be advantageous for Miss Yumi to witness a Servant battle up close, to prepare her.”

Shirou gave Saber a look of gratitude as Yumi sprung to her feet with excitement. She started to rush off before Rin scolded for leaving her dishes behind. As she sheepishly gathered her bowls and utensils and carried them to the kitchen, Shirou mouthed a silent ‘thank you” to Saber, who nodded.

“I’ll meet you outside.” Lancer said, disappearing.

“He can’t walk ten feet to a door?” Archer huffed.

Saber glanced at him. “Would you care to join us?”

Archer laughed. “No thanks, I’ve seen that idiot fight plenty of times.” He closed his eyes and tilted his head. “Though I will regret missing you schooling him. Another time perhaps.”

It was really nice to see Saber smiling at him again. “Alright,” she said. “Well thank you for letting me borrow your Master. Miss Yumi?” 

Yumi poked her head around the corner. “Ready when you are!” 

Saber nodded to Rin, Shirou and Archer once more before following her outside. This left the three of them alone, for the first time since he had been summoned here. Archer immediately felt the urge to gnaw off his own leg like a rabbit stuck in a snare and he got the sense he wasn’t the only one. Rin picked up her tea cup to take a drink before realizing it was empty and sat it back down. Shirou was methodically stacking the remaining dishes without making eye contact with either of them. Archer fought the urge to dematerialize and leave. As tempting as it was, it wouldn’t do any good in the long run. This may be their only opportunity to discuss the elephant in the room.

“Do we really have to?” Shirou asked, the slightest hint of a whine in his voice. For a brief moment he looked sixteen again.

“”No.” Rin said at the same time as Archer replied “Yes.”

He glared at her. “Rin, we have to have some kind of plan for this.”  Archer gestured between himself and Shirou.

Rin crossed her arms. “The plan is if you say anything, I will make your life a living hell.”

Archer put up his hands. “Hey, I'm more than okay with not telling Yumi anything. I don't want to open that can of worms any more than you do. I'm just wondering how we hide it. We're one bad hair day,” Archer ruffled his hair until his bangs flopped onto his forehead. “from her figuring it out on her own.”

“See, we look so much better with our hair down!” Shirou said.

“Shut the hell up.” Archer snapped. “Rin? You okay?” he added with a frown. Her face looked flushed all of a sudden.

“Y-yeah.” She shook her head and waved her hand. “Just a hot flash. Joys of growing older.”

Shirou looked confused. “You don't get-”

Rin silenced him with a glare.

Ah. It was Archer's turn to blush.

“Anyways,” Rin coughed. “Yes. You two look a lot more alike than you used to. But really, it's not that noticeable.”

“Forgive me for not being convinced.” Archer said, quickly tidying his hair back into its usual style. “Besides that, how are we supposed to explain our magic? Kanshou and Bakuya?”

“Oh, Yumi knows I thought your swords were really cool and I copied them in the last war.” Shirou explained. “That's not even a lie.”

“Yeah that's why I copied them too.” Archer muttered, staring at his fingernails, which he was suddenly very interested in trimming.

“Who did you get them from anyway?” Shirou asked, his face curious.

“Archer.”

“Wha-”

He shook his head slightly. “Yeah, don't think about it too hard, you'll only get a headache.”

“The point is ,” Rin said firmly. “It’s not a problem.”

“Fine.” Archer said, crossing his arms. He could continue poking holes in her logic; he could mention that both of them using Rho Ais or Unlimited Bladeworks would give them away or a dozen other things that would at least make Yumi curious, but he held his tongue. He knew that Rin knew all this already. She was playing at denial, and he would let her, for now. It wasn’t their most pressing issue anyways, just the most uncomfortable. “But if she does figure it out, I’m leaving the explanation to you.” he looked at Shirou.

Shirou held his gaze. “We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it. Don’t think I’m going to let you weasel your way out of explaining yourself to our daughter.”

“Woah. Hey, you're being very generous with the word ‘our’.” Archer panicked. 

Rin raised an eyebrow, amused. “Pretty sure he was referring to me, Archer. Though technically…”

Shirou's eyes widened. “That's it. That's how she summoned you without a catalyst. She was the catalyst. You share DNA, there's an innate connection!”

“Please stop talking.” Archer groaned. 

“Oh calm down,” Rin rolled her eyes. “It's just genetics, it's not like we're asking you to co-parent. She's not going to find out, it's immaterial.” she grabbed her tea cup and stood. “This conversation is a waste of time, we should be setting up our surveillance. I'll take the church. Archer, escort Yumi to the temple, she can set up her familiars there.”

“Saber and I will check out the Einsbern Castle.” Shirou said, gathering his own dishes and following his wife into the kitchen. He glanced back at Archer and Archer saw his own expression of concern mirrored back at him. 

“Be careful.” Archer said.

“You be careful.” Rin replied coldly, her back still turned. “That's my daughter you're protecting.”

“I know.” Archer replied as the door clicked shut behind them.

Chapter Text

Archer couldn’t help but play the conversation over and over in his head as he and Yumi made their way to Ryuudou Temple. They were walking–well, Yumi was walking and Archer was following her in spirit form, so Archer was free to ruminate in peace. Rin had been so angry and Archer was at a loss as to why. She’d gotten her way, after all. 

Archer?

He was startled from his own thoughts by another one scrabbling against his brain. Despite having felt it before, it was an odd sensation and it took him a moment to adjust. Yumi’s mind felt familiar, but distinct from Rin’s. Busier, and louder, less focused. It was taking more effort for Archer to pick out what she was deliberately sending him and not accidentally reading every fleeting thought that crossed her mind.

Yes Master?

“You’ve been very quiet. Is everything okay?” she asked aloud. Even with a psychic connection, humans seemed to naturally revert to verbal speech. It was as endearing as it was impractical.

Everything is fine. I’m just conserving energy. Archer replied, leaving out the part where his silence was largely because he had no idea how to talk to her. His experience with children was painfully limited, and this kid in particular posed unique challenges he would rather just avoid dealing with. Of course, fate being the fickle bitch she was, he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter.

Yumi kicked a rock sullenly. “Yeah.” she muttered. “I’m sorry I can’t provide more adequate mana for you. I think…maybe I’m not as good at this as I thought.”

Archer couldn’t frown in his spirit form, not technically, but he hoped it came across. You’re doing fine, Yumi. It’s not an uncommon problem for Servants to need additional mana from other sources. Even your father couldn’t provide Saber with enough in his first war. The job of a Master isn’t designed for someone so young. Rin was only able to do so because she was trained rigorously her whole life.

Yumi sighed. “Yeah, mom is always telling me to spend more time being a kid and less time studying magecraft.”

Well your mother is usually right.

“I’m telling her you said that.”

Please don’t.

Yumi's smile was in no way reassuring. “We're here!” she chirped, apparently in a much better mood now. She practically skipped the rest of the way. 

Archer looked up at the stairs to the front gate uneasily, remembering the last time he set foot here. He wondered how long it took for the blood to wash out of the stone. He shook himself out of his thoughts. He couldn't afford to dwell on the past, lest his memories visit Yumi tonight in her sleep. Yumi took the stairs two at a time, and Archer followed silently behind. 

How close do you need to be to set your familiars?

“Not terribly,” she replied, “but I wanted to see Issei while we were here. He could tell us if anything strange has happened.”

Archer paused. By a combination of deliberate avoidance and luck, he hadn't actually run into many people from his past last time besides Rin, Shirou and Fujimura. He hadn't seen Issei in literal millennia, and he wasn't exactly keen on breaking his streak.

An excellent strategy Master. I will keep guard from the temple entrance. 

Yumi's steps slowed. “Alright . ” She sounded disappointed, but continued moving. He positioned himself on the rooftop and watched as Yumi ran up to a tall man in the courtyard, who beamed at her. He put down the watering can he'd been holding to wrap her in a familiar hug.

“Yumi! What brings you by today?” Issei asked as he steered her by the shoulders through the courtyard. Yumi began chattering up a storm, peppering in innocuous questions as she did so. It was quite smooth; Archer had to hand it to her, it had been a smart move to ask around the temple, rather than simply setting up familiars and leaving. The likelihood of a Master using the temple as a base of operations again was high.

He watched as they disappeared into one of the buildings. Yumi would be perfectly safe with Issei, and he sensed no other mana users in the area. Still, watching the door close behind her had put him on edge. After a quick internal struggle, he sighed and followed after them, resigning himself to awkwardly eavesdropping on his old best friend.

Issei had taken her into the kitchen to chat. The restoration efforts must have been impressive; Archer couldn’t tell at all where the new construction had been done. Granted, it wasn’t that new anymore. He watched silently as Issei offered Yumi tea, which she graciously accepted. She glanced surreptitiously at the door and Archer gave her a small nod, forgetting that she couldn't see him. She smiled anyway before turning back to Issei.

“How are you settling into school this year?” Issei asked. 

“It’s been okay.” Yumi replied, her cheerfulness dulling again. “I like being in the drama club, but I’m still really struggling with math.” she rolled her tea cup back and forth in her palms. “The numbers just don’t make sense. I can barely remember my multiplication table, and now that we've started algebra I'm totally lost. The letters and the numbers jumble together for me.”

Issei gave her a look of sympathy. “Your father had similar difficulties, did he tell you that?”

Yumi shook her head and Archer furrowed his brow in confusion. He'd never struggled with math anymore than his classmates.

“I'm not surprised. If you ask him he probably would deny it. If you’d like, I can talk with your mother about getting set up with a tutor.” Issei put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Thanks.” Yumi sighed and took another drink. “How are things here?”

“Surprisingly busy. A lot of curious tourists are coming around. Fuyuki is becoming quite the destination it seems.”

“Oh?” Yumi asked politely, “Anyone interesting?”

“Mm, a few. It has been nice to see some fresh faces, and I always love educating people on temple life. There are a lot of misconceptions floating around.” he paused.” You know, there was this one lady, visiting from England who was very misinformed. Quite rude actually. One of those people who finds themselves very important, you know the type.”

That sounded like a mage to Archer. He could sense Yumi thought the same, and she pressed Issei for more information. “That sounds irritating.” she said. “Has she moved on then?”

“She left just yesterday.” Issei replied. “She was in quite the hurry.”

Yumi glanced at Archer. “Did she say why?”

Issei looked at her curiously. “Why so interested in our visitors all of a sudden Yumi?”

“No reason.” Yumi said quickly. She steered the conversation to other topics then, and they chatted amicably while Yumi finished her tea. 

Archer didn't stick around, instead opting to check the guest quarters for anything suspicious. If the mage left in a hurry, maybe they’d get lucky and she left something behind. The first three rooms he checked yielded nothing, but the fourth contained traces of mana. It wasn't enough for a positive ID, however. 

There has definitely been a mage here recently. He reported . Good instinct.

Thanks . she replied silently. I'm finishing up here, then I'll set the familiars as we leave.

Very well, Master.

Archer met back up with her at the gate. Yumi glanced over her shoulder one last time, and satisfied the coast was clear, walked into the vegetation rather than down the stairs. Crouching down she dug three stones out of her pocket and began murmuring her incantation. The jewels glowed softly for a moment before crackling as they grew larger and changed shape. Archer expected a bird familiar,like her mother's, so he was surprised as they took a different form. Three little dwarf flying squirrels scurried around Yumi, their jeweled bodies catching the light before taking off in three different directions.

Yumi stood, brushing off the knees of her stockings. “Done. Let's report back.”

They began the trek back, and it was Archer who decided to break the silence this time.

That was very clever. We gained a good amount of information today, well done. You are proving to be a very capable Master. 

Yumi smiled softly. “Thanks.”

They fell into a more comfortable silence on the return home and Archer felt some of his apprehension fade. It wasn't so hard to talk with her after all. Maybe they could get through this war without any undue complications. 

There was a tugging sensation in his gut, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he felt the echo of his magic circuits activate. Archer sighed. He spoke too soon. A flash in his mind, like an afterimage, of Shirou summoning Kanshou and Bakuya.

He glanced at Yumi, oblivious, happily walking down the street, and he weighed his options. Shirou was with Saber, arguably one of the strongest Servants. She was at full capacity this time, and Shirou was an accomplished mage now. Most likely they could handle whatever situation they had gotten themselves into.

On the other hand, if Shirou died, Rin would kill him.

Fuck. 

He materialized in front of Yumi with no warning, causing her to bump into him. “Ow! Archer!” she griped, rubbing her nose.

“Yumi, your father and Saber are in danger.” 

“What?” Yumi asked. “How do you know that?”

“That's not important. Yumi, I need you to use a command seal to teleport us to their location. We'll not make it otherwise.” 

Yumi clutched her hand. “Are you sure? Mom said not to waste them.”

“Your mother used her first Command Seal one minute into being a Master and I think helping your father is a perfectly good reason.” Archer explained as calmly as he could. He could tell she was frightened. “Yumi, please.” 

“O-okay.” she said shakily. “Where are they?”

“Still at Einsbern Castle.”

Yumi took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Right. Archer, by order of Command Seal, take us to Einsbern Castle immediately!” she pressed the circles on her hand with determination.

Mana swirled around them and Archer grabbed Yumi tightly. She squeaked as the wind rushed around them and the world disappeared. There was a feeling of weightlessness, then gravity and physics came rushing back in as they rematerialized. Yumi swayed in Archer's arms and he steadied her, gently grabbing her shoulders and turning her away from him.

Yumi vomited a second later, Archer holding her hair and rubbing her back, grimacing. He hated being right. “Get it all out,” he said.

“Errgh.” Yumi moaned, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “That was awful.”

“I was worried about that. Humans really aren't designed to travel that way.” Archer sidestepped the mess and took in their surroundings. They’d landed in what used to be the basement, though it was now a blackened pit, all the wood burned away and the stone charred. The ceiling was completely gone, whatever room that had stood above it collapsed to join them on this floor. Broken furniture and glass littered the ground. The stairs were still intact but Archer was apprehensive about the integrity of the rest of the house. 

“We need to find Dad.” Yumi said, looking around. “What happened here?”

“I'm not sure. It wasn't on fire last time I saw it.” Archer stepped over a fallen stone. “Follow me, and watch your step.”

They picked their way up the stairs and through the ruined remains of the rest of the mansion. Not much was left except for the main hall, the craters from previous battles eerily preserved. Archer looked down at the spot he had died and repressed a shiver. They needed to keep moving. Shirou and Saber weren't here, he couldn't sense either of them. 

“Holy shit.” Yumi murmured, coming up beside him. She kicked a pebble into the crater. “Do you think Dad is okay?”

“This is old damage from the last War. Come on.” he nudged her forward. “There's nothing here, we should check the forest.”

She nodded and led the way out of the rubble. As soon as they were outside, Archer knew they were on the right track. “This way.” he said, breaking into a run. 

“Hey!” Yumi yelled as she struggled to keep up.

A thundering boom shook the earth under their feet and Archer skidded across the dirt as he scrambled to stay upright. Through the trees he caught a glimpse of light and heard the clashing of weapons. He dove behind a bush and summoned his bow.

Yumi, stay back.

“Like hell I will!” Yumi caught up and crouched next to him. “I'm going to fight.” She pulled four gems from her pocket.

Archer knocked an arrow and aimed through the trees. There was no doubt that Saber and Shirou were fighting another Servant in there, but he couldn't find an opening to fire or see much of anything. Dammit.

A blood curdling howl ripped through the air, and Yumi covered her ears in pain, dropping her jewels. “Augh!”

Archer winced, pressing one ear against his shoulder to at least partially block the sound, but kept his grip firmly on his bow. A Berserker class, then. 

“Trace on!”

Yumi whipped her head up. “Dad!” She bolted out from behind the bush and ran headlong into the forest.

“Yumi wait!” Archer shouted. He huffed and dropped his bow to follow her. So much for the element of surprise. He quickly projected his swords as he hit the treeline. 

A massive beast stood in a clearing of its own making, dozens of trees uprooted and trampled beneath its huge paws. Black, with piercing red eyes, it was a wolf the size of an elephant, but with a long, tufted tail. Archer caught a glimpse of its teeth, the canines bigger around and longer than his forearms. It paid no attention to Yumi or Archer as they approached, all of its rage focused on Shirou, who had driven Kanshou into its back and was using that to hold on for dear life. Saber was nowhere to be seen.

“Shirou!” Archer called. “What the hell is going on? Where's Saber?”

Shirou pulled his sword out and slid down the monster's back, rolling across the ground but landing on his feet. “She went after the Master. Why the hell are you here?” he ducked as the creature turned and swiped at him. “And you brought Yumi?”

“Stark Groß zwei!” Yumi yelled, throwing a blue gemstone at the wolf’s face. It shattered brilliantly, blinding it. It reared back and swiped at its snout, howling with pain. “Ha!” Yumi grinned, pumping her fist in the air.

Archer swapped his swords for his bow again and fired a volley of arrows at the thing’s face. “Your daughter is my Master, she's going to see battle.” he jumped in the air to avoid a blind swipe, flipping backwards over Shirou, who ran underneath him to stab the wolf's flank. “And she's doing incredibly, actually.” he glanced over at Yumi, who had created a gem shield to protect herself from the creature's tail.

Shirou managed to get under the creature and sliced Bakuya down its middle, showering himself with viscera and blood. Archer grimaced as the thing howled and retreated into the woods. 

Archer started after it but Yumi stopped him. “Wait! Dad's hurt.”

Shirou was indeed cradling his side and breathing heavily. His projections disappeared as he landed hard on his knees. Archer hurried to catch him as he fell, grabbing him under his arms and gently sliding him down to the ground. 

“Dammit Shirou, why wasn't Saber fighting that thing? You're an idiot for taking a Servant on alone.” Archer pressed hard against his ribs to staunch the bleeding.

“Yeah, well, I've done it before.” he smiled weakly. “Twice. Won both times.” he coughed a little and Archer felt a gush of blood under his hands.

“That first one the Servant let you win.” Archer replied with an air of calm he didn't feel. “Yumi, go find Saber, your father needs Avalon's power.”

Yumi was rooted to the ground in shock, her face pale. 

“Yumi.” Shirou smiled at his daughter in what he probably thought was a reassuring way, but the blood staining his teeth gave a different impression. “It's gonna be okay. Go.” 

“W-which way did she go?”

Shirou pointed and Yumi took off, Strengthening her legs to run faster. He sighed and dropped his hand like it was made of lead. “Did we kill it?”

Archer shook his head. “I don't know, maybe. Doesn't matter right now.” he projected the heaviest cloth he could manage and balled it against the wound. He had to stop the bleeding. 

“I'd just hate to die if we didn't kill it.” Shirou's eyelids fluttered.

“Hey, don't you fucking dare die on me. If I don't get to kill you, then you don't get to die. Stay awake.” Archer pinched Shirou's arm hard enough to bruise, which got the desired reaction. Shirou screamed, his heels digging into the earth. His head knocked against Archer's knee as he thrashed around. 

“Hold still dammit.” Archer swore. The cloth was soaked through already, and Shirou was starting to feel cold. His eyes slid shut again.

“Tell Yumi‐” 

“Shut up.” Archer cut him off. “We're not doing that.”

“Shirou!”

Archer looked up as Saber raced across the clearing, leaving dents in the earth as she ran. She dropped to her knees and took Shirou's hand in hers. Yumi followed behind, stopping several yards away.

“Is he okay?” Yumi asked in a timid voice. 

They collectively held their breath for several tense moments as Avalon set to work, slowly knitting Shirou's flesh back together.

“He’s lost a lot of blood.” Archer said honestly. “But he's still here. Avalon did its job.”

“I'm okay.” Shirou coughed even as Saber shushed him. “C'mere.” He held out his arm on his good side and Yumi rushed over, collapsing into him with a sob. “Shh, hey I'm okay. I'm good. How's my girl?”

Yumi wailed and buried her face in her father's shirt. Shirou rubbed calming circles into her back. “ It's okay. Get it all out.”

Archer glanced over and made eye contact with Shirou. He looked back with a tiny smile, unaware. Archer cleared his throat. “The wound is almost closed now, we should be able to move you. We need to leave as quickly as possible. Did you find the Master, Saber?"

“She disappeared.” Saber said, hanging her head. “I should have been able to catch her, I'm sorry Shirou.”

“S'okay,” he said with a grunt, gently moving Yumi so he could sit up. “We got what we came for and now we know the identity of another Master. Not bad for a day's work.”

“Who was it?” Archer asked.

Shirou sighed. 

“Luviagelita Edelfelt.”

Chapter Text

“Who is Luviagelita Edelfelt?” Saber asked as she helped Shirou to his feet. 

“An acquaintance from our time at the clock tower.” Shirou grunted. Saber steadied him as he swayed slightly. “Her and Rin…don't get along.”

“Well that certainly isn't going to change now.” Saber replied. She kept hold of Shirou and allowed him to lean his weight on her as they walked.

Shirou cracked a grin. “Definitely not. Yumi, here, take this from Saber.” he nodded towards a pack on her back that Archer hadn't noticed.

“Is that…” he grimaced. “Will it work?”

Shirou started to shrug but seemed to think better of it. “Rin should be able to fortify them with magecraft. They are in surprisingly good shape.”

Yumi started to open the bag and Archer swiftly grabbed it from her hands. Shirou shot him a grateful glance and he nodded in return.

“Hey!” Yumi pouted.

“Trust me, Master, you don't want to see this.” Archer slung the pack over his back and began leading them out of the forest.

She huffed. “Fine.” Yumi turned to her father. “Are you okay?” she asked again, timid.

“I'm good, I promise. Just really tired.” Shirou gave a weak smile. I've had worse.”

“That's not reassuring Dad.”

“He's going to be fine.” Saber said gently. “We just need to hurry home.”

“Actually there's something I want to do first.” Shirou said. “Head back to the castle please. I need to see my sister.”

—

The grave was barely visible, overgrown with weeds. Shirou carefully untangled himself from Saber's grasp and knelt to clear the biggest of them. Yumi looked on, confused, while Saber glanced around warily.

Shirou ignored them both as he continued dutifully tidying Illya’s resting place. He swept some excess dust off her headstone, which had been made permanent at some point, her name etched into the grey slab.

“How did you find out?” Archer asked, his voice low, to prevent Yumi from overhearing. He projected a small bouquet of white flowers, lilies, and placed them on top of the stone.

Shirou shrugged. “Rin did a lot of digging into the mage families in her efforts to end the Holy Grail War for good. I was looking into Kiritsugu's past. There was a lot of overlap.” He rubbed the dirt from his hands onto his pants and stood on shaky feet. “I’m sorry I haven't been here in a while, Illya.”

Yumi stepped closer to her father and slipped her arm through his. “I didn't know I had another aunt.”

Shirou gave his best apologetic smile. “I should have brought you here sooner. I think Illya would have really liked you.” He put a hand on Yumi's hair.

“What happened to her?”

“She was a Master in the previous war.” Archer replied when Shirou didn't answer. “The intended Lesser Grail.” The backpack he wore grew heavier with grief. He avoided looking at Yumi, even as he felt her eyes bore into the side of his face. “She was killed by Gilgamesh.”

Yumi knelt down and touched the soft grass that had grown over Illya’s grave. There was the glow of mana, and she moved her hand away. A purple crystal rose lay on the ground.

Shirou wiped at his face and sniffed. “Oh Yumi. I bet she would have loved that.” He pulled her into a one armed hug and winced.

“We should go.” Saber said, not unkindly.

“Yeah.” Shirou inhaled. “Yeah okay.”

They made their way as quickly as they could out of the forest, but it was still after dark by the time they started to see the edge of the city. Shirou had perked up considerably in that time, and was now walking under his own steam, but they were all exhausted and sore, twigs in their hair and rocks in their shoes. Archer had to pass the bag back to Shirou and return to spirit form to reserve mana.

They were still almost a half hour away from the mansion when Archer sensed a familiar mana signature. He couldn't even muster the energy to be annoyed when Lancer materialized in front of them; he was just relieved to have confirmation that Rin was alive. By the look  on Shirou's face, he had been worried about the same thing. The War was now in full swing, and there was no telling when the next attack could happen.

“You guys look terrible.” Lancer quipped. He was leaning on his spear casually, but Archer could read the tension in his face. “What happened?”

“We were attacked.” Saber replied. “Berserker, most likely. Though it was like no Servant I have ever seen.” 

“Is Rin okay?” Shirou asked.

“Yes. Our reconnaissance went off without a hitch. The lady waits at the house. She sent me out because she was worried. It seems for good reason.” Lancer straightened up and pointed with his spear. “That what I think it is?”

“Yeah.” Shirou said, shifting the pack in front of him. “We need to get these home and find a way to store them so they don't spoil.”

“Let’s hurry then.” Lancer agreed. “Hey kid, grab that pack from your Dad and come here.”

Archer and Shirou's brows furrowed in unison. What was Lancer playing at?

Yumi snagged the bag from her father's slack grip and slid it onto her back before Shirou could protest. She walked up to Lancer with an air of curiosity. He crouched down and threw a thumb over his shoulder. 

“Hop on. We can get back to the mansion and your mom the quickest if I carry you.” Lancer said. 

Yumi’s eyes lit up with delight as Archer bristled, suddenly feeling irritated. 

He watched as she slung her arms around Lancer’s neck and wrapped her legs around his waist piggy back style. She giggled as he stood up. 

“Ready kid?” 

She nodded excitedly. “Let's go.”

“We’ll meet you at the house.” Lancer called back to them. “Hang on tight okay?”

Yumi buried her head in Lancer’s ponytail as he bounded away into the night.

It was smart thinking to send the homunculus hearts ahead to Rin, who could begin preserving them until they needed to use them, and Yumi was the lightest member of their party, Lancer the fastest and currently most able Servant. 

Archer still didn't like having her out of his sight and range of protection. To his left he could see a steely faced Shirou struggling with his own thoughts. He was almost tempted to rematerialize and ask him about it, but he really was exhausted, and the conversation would most likely just unnerve him more. He mentally shook himself. Since when did he care to pick Shirou's brain anyway?

They arrived at the mansion and as they walked into the bounded field, the three of them all shuddered with relief. Rin stood on the doorstep, arms crossed, worry visible from across the yard.

Shirou staggered up the steps and all but collapsed in her arms. She held him there for several long moments, her hands running through his hair. “You're an idiot.” she murmured.

“I'm your idiot.” Shirou replied as Archer ghosted past them. He knew without looking exactly what self deprecating smile he was sporting on his face. 

Archer felt Yumi's mana before he saw her, sitting in the living room with Lancer, her eyes drooping with exhaustion. Lancer looked up when Archer entered the room and they made eye contact, despite the fact that Archer was still invisible.

“Hey kiddo,” Lancer nudged Yumi. “Your Archer is back.”

Yumi's eyes blinked a few times as she fought off sleep. “Archer?” 

Hello, Yumi. We're all back. You should get some sleep. 

Yumi shook her head. “I know you are all going to stay up and talk about what happened. I should get to know what's going on.”

And we'll tell you in the morning. Archer replied gently. Go sleep. Replenish your mana. 

“Are you okay?” Yumi asked, suddenly worried. 

I'm fine. I'm in this form to prevent strain on you, not because I'm in any danger.

Go.

Yumi nodded and dragged herself up the stairs, a mumbled goodnight tumbling from her mouth.

Lancer watched Archer carefully for a quiet moment.

“How’re you really doing?” he asked.

Archer materialized with some difficulty and collapsed into the couch. “Great.” he responded dryly. He rubbed his eyes and exhaled.

“You're really selling it.”

“Shut up.” Archer said wearily. “I'm not in the mood.”

Lancer winced in sympathy. “That bad?”

“I don't know how Saber did it.” Archer replied.

“She's just that strong as a Servant.” Lancer shrugged, settling back into the couch, one leg propped.up on the opposite knee. “The more well known your myth, the more you can stand on your own, as it were. But you have your Independent Action, is that not helping?”

Archer looked at him. “It's the only reason I can materialize at all right now.”

Lancer winced.

“You should go lie in the summoning circle, then.” Rin said from behind him. Archer startled, which really told him how dire it was. If his senses were that dull, he wouldn't be any good in the next fight.

“I will after we're done here.” 

Rin nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer. “What happened out there?”

Shirou came up the other side of the couch and sat down, exhaustion visible in every inch of his body, Saber a few short steps behind. Her face was unreadable. 

“Saber and I went to collect the materials from the castle. That went off without a hitch. But as soon as we went back outside to leave, she was waiting for us.”

“I cannot believe her!” Rin huffed. “To attack you like that was just cruel. After everything you did for her at the clock tower.”

“She's a classic mage.” Archer said. “Ruthless, someone who will do anything to get what they want. I’m not surprised she's a Master. And Berserker's Master at that.”

“You're sure it was a Berserker class Servant?” Lancer asked.

“It was more beast than man.” Saber replied. “I've never seen anything like it.” 

Shirou nodded. “It looked like a giant wolf, but wrong, somehow.” He reached up and touched his side tenderly. “If we didn't manage to kill it tonight, I'm not sure how we can take it down. I almost sliced it in half and it still ran off.”

“You gravely wounded it. Even if it did not die, I don't suspect it will be a threat again any time soon.” Saber replied.

“That gives us time to plan then.” Rin said, glancing briefly at Lancer, who held her gaze, an unspoken agreement passing between them. She turned back to Shirou.

“As far as the first battle goes, it could have gone much worse.”

“Could have gone a lot better.” Archer couldn't help himself.

Rin glared at him. “You should get some rest.” she said coolly.

Archer didn't say anything as he returned to spirit form and retreated to the summoning circle. He wasn't in the mood to entertain Rin's bitterness, which he still failed to understand the cause of. He could barely hold himself together. Collapsing onto the cold stone, his spirit shuddered and he knew nothing but darkness.