FGA Chapter 8

There are no reasons for bushes to be talking, especially if it is in the middle of the road on a hot summer day. In that kind of weather, the heat will simply kill any desire for conversation

That is the situation I found myself in. I am now a bush, with green leaves and green camo and nothing my hand. If anyone ask, I am just a an ususpecting bush

A very frustrated bush that has been loitering underneath the sun for the past godd damn hour

"Hey, tell me again why we are standing out here catching wind" I said, annoyed "Do you suddenly fancy yourself entitled to my free time, huh?"

"Don't be so impatient, Shinji. It is you who want to meet the main character of the show just several days ago. Now we finally got the chance"

Gil said, sipping on a cup of milk tea. 

He wears a gold-colored summer blazer with black shades covering his eyes, and a cap worn backward. Golden chains covered his neck, attached with a "$" at the end

The look practically screams "Yo what's up Jake Paulers!" to everyone with an eye to see

As for me, my outfit is more humble, consisting of a sleeveless white shirt and a straw hat. I wear rubber sandals on my foot and is holding a pair of binoculars in my hand, observing the scenery

Oh, and I'm also dressed inside a bush. 

What am I doing, standing here on the roadside disguised as a simple piece of greenery? That's a very good question

in short, it is for stalking people

Summer came, school is over. Everything returned to normal back from the previous years. I said this, but not that the pervious year is eventful in itself

What's with me killing my own grandfather for some game points and level up some time, there's nothing of much note

I came off track. Let's start again

Summer came, and I finally have enough time to do what I've planned to do ever since then

Contact Emiya Shirou and befriend him before Canon

I shifted in my spot, lowering myself ot a crouch so as to leave my silhouette unseen from a safe distance. 

The target is usually home at this hour. However, minutes passed, and as I observe from my hiding place, still no changes took place on the outside

"Are you sure we're really at his house?"

"Of course" Gil didn't bat an eye. He slowly finish the rest of the milk tea, sucking the last of them from the ice underneath. I twitch at the noise

For the last few days, we've spent time trying to come up with Shirou's routine in the summer.

When I wasn't at the Tohsaka manor, I was on the street, carefully stalking the Seigi no Mikata himself as he goes on his daily life

First he will go to the market at seven in the morning. He return by eight with the grocery. After that, the redhead goes to his shed and stay there until eleven or later, possibly until the evening

Other boys would say he's doing something illegal in there, and I would agree. Practicing Magecraft without supervision is just dangerous

My plan to befriend Shirou come down to two part

Step 1: Ambush him at his house

Step 2: Ask to be his friend

Step 3: Profit

Alternatively, kidnapping is also an option. However, I'm not planning to become Kiritsugu any time soon

"Ooh, it's the red hair. Shinji, our Hero of Justice finally came home!"

Gil's voice sucked me out of my though. I look to the front door to see the familiar sihouette of a redheaded boy placing a bag of grocery in front of his door

My blood began pumping in excitement. Memories of playing the Fate VN late at night in my past life began resurfacing as I looked at him

Fate. Unimited Blade Works. Heaven's Feel. I spent a month reading this guy's monologue and follow his journey as he reach the end of the Grail War.

I watched as he fought against the strongest of Servants and came out victorious. I warch as he endure countless hardship to reach his ideals

However beaten, however exhausted, he kept moving forward. Shirou Emiya is a certified badass. And that's why I hope the boy in front of me will one day reach it too

I moved with the bush, bringign the camouflage closer to him. Shirou suddenly turned around, and I went still

"...Huh. Must have been the wind"

He turned around, and I moved the bush closer to him again. I glance to the side to see Gil doing the same with his disguise: A cardboard box. We both shuffled toward our unsuspecting target

Closer. Closer, and closer, until he is in assassination range

I sprung up and held Shirou's shoulder with one hand, startling the boy

"ngạc nhiên chưa, motherfucker"

"What-- Who are you?"

"It does not matter. Buddy, do you want to be our friend? Do you want to be a harem protagonist? Say yes if you agree, say what if you don't"

"What?"

My face twisted into a scowl

"Do you want to be a Hero of Justice?? say what if you don't"

"I mean what? What are you talking about?" Shirou stepped back from me in surprise. A brief frown crossed my face, as I tightened my fist

He repeated what two times. 

Sweats ran down my brows as I made thousands of calculation per second to our original plan

It didn't work. I thought we could catch him offfguard with [Devil's Tongue] with the offer, but Shirou had shown a natural resistance toward mental manipulation

What is it that intefered with this process? It could have been Avalon inside his body that dispel the effect, or his Reality Marble that twisted his perception of reality

Either way, our plan of making friend in a polite way is no longer a viable option. There is only one choce left

Pure, unadultered violence

My fist met Shirou's face moments later, staggering the boy backward

"He refused, Gilgaboy. Move to plan B!"

The cardboard box was sprung open and Gil stood up behind him

He slammed the chloroform against Shirou's face. The boy struggled fiercely, but it was in vain in front of Gil's divine strength. The Servant exert more strength

"Sorry. It's nothing personal" The boy said to him "Blame Shinji for this ridiculous plan"

The recipe for a successful abduction is haste, quiet, and firm. You have to keep the target in a firm hold, pinning them down before they can make a sound

From then on, weaken them with the Chloroform until they can't fight back anymore

Shirou slumped helplessly against his arm, the chemical having taken an effect on his body. I walked up to him and inspect the unconscious boy

I nod my head in satisfaction

"Tie him up. Make sure he can't escape" He look at me 

"Where are we taking him?"

"I know a nearby place with a basement in it. Let's bring our friend there"

I took out a rope, standing behind Gilgamesh as he covered Shirou's head with a black sack. We work quietly and efficiently, and later carried the bound person back toward our hideout

...

What. I did say kidnapping is an alternative, didn't I?

_______________

Task completed

Meet Shirou Emiya / 50 points (Claimed)

I almost forgot meeting Shirou is also something the System had offered as a quest.

It was done without knowing that, but the reward isn't something I can complain about. I take in the extra points and put it into my inventory

Hm, it's been a long time since I've chekced my status. Should probably double down on that screeen to how far I've came. Thinking so, I opened the window

Shinji Matou

HP:20/20

MP: 290/290 (Atrophied)

Strength: Peak children level.

Agility: Fairly agile as a child

Endurance: Highly durable

Mana: Above average. Can be utilized

Luck: A fortunate fate

Perks: [Survival Instinct], [Resolution], [Devil's Tongue]

Skill: [Pain Resistance], [Fitnesse], [Pocket Space], [Pocket Valley], [Circuit Conversion], [Ugly Bastard Disguise], [Enhanced Projectile], [Luck Up]

Seems like I have collected a repetoire of skill from my point grinding.

Compared to when I first had my ass thrown into this world, the accumulated gain was enough for me to finally feel safe. Though not really so, considering the Servant's existence

We'll cross that brige when we get there

Right now, we have something better to worry about. Namely, Shirou Emiya, who is locked inside the basement beneath us, still in his slumber

"..."

"Did we go overboard with this whole friend thing?"

To be honest, I was panicking at that time. In my old world, I don't have a friend. As a result, my social skill is as close to a negative number as it can get

Forceful means is not something I'd consider otherwise, especially when it comes to a friend request. I let my thoughts stew for a bit. After a moment, the regret settled in and I clutch my head inbetween my hands

"What do we do now?"

"To be honest, I would say the only thing we can do right now is release him from the basement and give our sincere apologies. A mended friendship is better than a non-existing one"

Instead of chiding for my mistake, he thought about it and offer a solution that can work out. He didn't blame me like an adult would. Impressive

I don't know if it's just me, or this Gil is infinitely nicer than the adult version I've came to know

"Yeah" I swiped my nose "Yeah, you're right. "

We both got up and look at the locked door. I grab a nearby crowbar and pry open the cover. Gil followed me into the dark basement

"Three two one let's fucking go"

I flick the light open. There was the sound of movement on the other side of the room. The wide-eyed Shirou clambered away from us as we entered inside.

His eyes are bloodshot, and there was the distinct feeling in the air that the guy is just about to do something stupid the moment he saw us

I kich him with a spinning motion. The boy staggered, letting little Gil rush forward and tackle him to the ground. I followed up and began restraining Shirou's arm

"Good job Gilgaboy. Untie him!"

It would take another few minutes before we successfully untie the Emiya, mostly because of how hard he is struggling from the binding. However, once we did, Shirou surprisingly chose not to punt me in the face

Instead, he stepped back from our hold, and look at us with wary eyes

"Who are you, and why did you kidnap me?"

"It's not kidnapping, it's just...unlawful abduction"

He raised an eyebrow, and I cringed. I look at Gil and signal for him to leave us alone, lest I embarrass myself further

Once the door to the room has been closed, there exist an awkward silence between us. 

"...So, where did you put my grocery?" He asked 

"In the fridge. The pork is still fresh by the time we got here" I replied, shifting my foot awkwardly

"Your name is Shinji, right?"

"Yeah. Someone told you?"

"A girl from next to my class. Her name is Rin Tohsaka. Said you are the brother of her kouhai, Sakura" His bronze eyes seem to inspect me, he smiled

"Then I believe you would be Shirou Emiya. Our classes are on opposite block, so we hadn't met each other" I offered a hand "Anyway, I would like to be your friend"

"It would be a pleasure"

Smiling, the two of us shook hands. Thus Shinji Matou and Shirou Emiya had officially met and acquaintance themselves, keeping the plot in a linear line

Unknown to them, this would be the start of an unbreakable friendship down the line. A bond unbroken between brothers, stronger than that of steel

"So we're just going to gloss over the fact that you kidnapped me?"

"I thought we're already passed that" I replied, still smiling

Well, only time will tell 

__________________

I never did expect befriending Shirou would be this easy

For someone as broken as him, I expect there to be more resistance to being open with other people. But as it turns out, all he need is being kidnapped

Damn, my social skill turns out to be good, too!

"Nii-san. You're being very creepy right now"

My smile froze on my face at Sakura's comment. She set the tray in front of me and began eating, heedless of her brother whose mouth is hanging wide open

"W-was it? Your brother is under the impression he is an adept expressionist. Do you mean to say my laugh is repulsive to other people?"

She wave the spoon in her hand playfully. After a moment of contemplating, Sakura answered again

"Yes"

"You're hurting me" I slumped in my seat

"Don't worry, nii-san. Even though your laugh may be uncanny and your face may sometime make these weird expression, I'll still love you"

So declared Sakura in an effort to save me the embarrassment. Unknown to her, that only serve to make me feel more conscious of my look

I don't exactly expect a harem protagonist look upon being reincarnated. Just this body is fine to me. Doesn't mean I'm fine with not being handsome

"Well, your nii-san's repulsive look aside, how have you been adapting to the Rin girl so far" Looking from the table, I leaned my face on one hand and probe

A twitch of the eye from my sister. An indication that what comes next out of her mouth is guaranteed to be bullshit

"She and I got along well" Sakura smiled "There are some complications here and there, but nothing you should worry about"

"Of course"

I decided not to worry about it

Evidently, she didn't know that I knew of her origin as a Tohsaka

Chances are that sakura don't want me to find out about her connection with Rin. Knowing the two might be sister would produce nothing useful

'There's no way to help her if she didn't want me to help' I thought

Thinking so, I couldn't help but sigh

Sakura has always been the kind of person who rarely open up about her feelings. Years of mental oppression under Zouken is not easy to undo at once

I only hope their relationship as siblings may once again be reformed. 

Before I could finish my meal, somebody sat down on our table. She seated herself opposite from me and beside Sakura, who narrowed her eyes

Weird...have we alwyas had lunch with another person? 

For as long as I could rememebr, it's just us alone for the course of elementary school. Given that Sakura and I are kind of weirdos, we prefer to stick to each other

I look up at the new arrival, and nearly spit out my meal upon seeing the twin-tail girl standing before us

"Good morning. What are you guys talking about?"

Rin's smile was positively radiant. That perfect posture, and the vibe she gave off would not be out of place for a high-class lady

And she just...sat down next to me?

I snapped my head back to see numerous other students looking at us, and mentally groaned. 

Perfect sister confront young sister in front of her adopted brother. Ha fucking ha. The last thing I want on my hand now is a highschool drama ruining my meal

"Rin, what a pleasant day for you to appear" Sakura spoke up beside me

"Oh, Sakura. You don't have to be so formal with me" Rin's eyes seems downcast somewhat "After all, we're friends, aren't we?"

"Perhaps"

Hurriedly, I held out  a hand and place it on Sakura's from across the table. The girl's freezing eyes glanced at me, before she looked away

"Don't mind her, Tohsaka" I smiled nervously "We're just talking about how our stay with you have been pretty enjoyable so far"

"Is that so? I'm glad you are comfortable here in my home" The heiress smiled

I smiled brightly at her

"Well, in that case, we would be glad to have you at our table"

Before I could say anything, my sister stood up from her seat. I could see her fist clenched behind her back

"No, nii-san. I wouldn't want Rin-san here to bother with us"

Sakura cast a glance at me, before exiting the cafeteria, leaving the two of us behind. From afar, the first wave of whispers rose up among the student

An awkward atmosphere descended on us

I look at Rin, whose smile is still plastered on her face. But that was just a fake smile. There were no substance behind them but a hint of pain

"...Sakura has been through a lot" I spoke up, looking sideway

"No, I understand perfectly" Rin shook her head "I don't know what she went through at the Matou's house, but even if it's unpleasant, there's nothing I could do about it"

"Is there something between you two?"

She diverted her eyes

"No"

I decided not to push. Now, with both of us not willing to make eye contact, it became somewhat like there's no more point to it

But still, reputation is still a thing to uphold, and she stayed eating with me until the start of a new period, from which we depart in silence

__________________

In the evening, school is over. I walked back to home with thoughts whirling through my mind

Normally, Sakura would accompany me home, but today she has been oddly silent. She stayed at school to take care of club equipments

Or at least, that is what she told me so I could go home first

"It's Shinji. What are you doing here?"

Unexpectedly, it's Shirou who met me just as I exited the school gate. From afar, his red hair is soaked with sweat. I wonder if he's been exercising

"Nothing much. I'm just going home. Sakura's staying at school to...do whatever that is" I shrugged

"The purple haired girl, right? I saw her looking up club posters in the hallway just minutes ago"

"You've met her?"

"I think" Shirou hummed, as he soon neared and walked near me "She look like she's finding something to pass the time, so I introduce her to the archery club"

I stayed silent. The information elicit many emotions from me

It's obvious Sakura's just finding a reason not to stay at home. 

At this time, it is important that I fix her need to distance herself from Rin. Whatever relationship they may have had, it's not too late to salvage

On the other hand, Canon Sakura is also on the same club as Shirou, so that's one more thing in line with the proper plot line

I'm just going to ignore that it's for entirely different reasons 

A new quest has been made

There's apprehension between your sister and the Tohsaka heiress. If let fester, this may lead to something far more atrocious in the future. Prevent it at all cost

-- Fix the relationship between Rin and Sakura

Reward: 

Improved relationship with Rin and Sakura

Tohsaka's family Magecraft

I sighed and palmed my face

Just fucking great

_______________

Author's Note: not much plot in this one. This one is seving as a transition to the next arc