Inverted Inheritance (F/SN AU)
- Thread starter Spectral Waltz
- Start date
Spectral Waltz
Scatterbrained Writer
- Location
- Walking the Endless Corridors
Hello all! Just here to give an update on progress on the next chapter. I had been hoping to get it beta'd saturday night and posted Sunday afternoon but unfortunately midway through writing I realized a rather frustrating research error on my part to do with the workings and traditions of Japanese School Entrance Ceremonies that caused 500 word swathe of my story to become invalidated.
I am re-writing now, but I may not end up posting until Sunday evening due to this. I apologize for the wait.
I am re-writing now, but I may not end up posting until Sunday evening due to this. I apologize for the wait.
Chapter 5: Past and Present
Spectral Waltz
Scatterbrained Writer
- Location
- Walking the Endless Corridors
Rin had never liked Shinji.
They'd known each other for a long time, ever since Sakura had been traded away to the Matou family. The reasons she didn't like him had changed over the years mind. At first she had thought him useless, a weak link in his family thanks to his lack of magic circuits. As she grew however, Tohsaka Rin came to understand better and better that Shinji Matou was not merely a non-mage or a dead end in his family line. He was unpleasant on the most basic of levels, a stain of a human being.
If anything, she might say she had gone from pity in her early life, to hatred as the time wound onwards. The only reason she gave him the time of day was because her little sister lived with him. Even if she and Sakura had barely seen each other for years and seemed to grow only more distant with time's passage Rin could not help but worry.
A child shouldn't have to worry about these things, but she was no longer really a child was she? Worrying after the Tohsaka estate, after that Kirei slowly whittling away at the family holdings bit by bit, after a household that had come to her far too early. Even with Kirei's guardianship attending to many matters there had still been so much to do on top of the learning of her magecraft and her preparations for the war she knew would eventually descend upon this city one day and take up the task her father had left to her.
She held on to determination, unaware of the true full consequences of her eventual ambition.
=======
Shinji had never understood Rin.
He didn't understand a lot of things in truth. Why even though he was firstborn son he was to be passed over in the family inheritance in favor of a sister not even of the same blood, a sister who was barely even a true person. More just a puppet of Zouken and his father than anything else. Why he hadn't been born with any magic circuits whatsoever. Why no one appreciated him as he believed they should.
Rin though… Rin was a particular enigma. Another old house crucial to Fuyuki's magical history. A girl, and a cute one at that. He'd thought of her as an equal once, but she'd always treated him as a nothing, just like father and Zouken did, and he couldn't help but resent that. It was only fair right? To wish to be better than someone who considered you beneath them? Sure he didn't have an inheritance, or magic circuits, but he had other things right? He was of the same class as her, a Matou to her Tohsaka, they were both by name alone well above the rest of the rabble, why couldn't she see that and at least acknowledge him? Why couldn't she look his way?
She even gave Sakura more leeway than him, and in that reflection everything slowly turned in his mind. Sakura Sakura Sakura… Everyone cared about Sakura it seemed, everyone loved the perfect little doll who let herself be soiled by insects.
In the end, Shinji hated Sakura the most, but while he had come to expect Father and Zouken would always care for her a little more. He had never understood what Rin saw in the girl. Why she would rather speak to that pretender to the Matou name.
Maybe though… Maybe if he could just work a little harder. He couldn't do anything to match Rin as a mage, but he could show her in other ways right? He could be cool and popular, magic didn't decide everything right? It couldn't!
...Right?
He held on to hope, unable to recognize his fundamental flaw that would forever keep him from the heights he wished to attain.
=======
They had known each other before, but as Junior High began Shinji and Rin found themselves assigned the same class for the first time since fourth grade. Many of the students were unfamiliar, a side effect of the recommended schooling zones having changed following the destruction of one Junior high school in the fire five years ago. However as the entrance ceremony opened and Rin found herself examining the class lists, she found that the presence of Matou amongst her classmates was not her first and foremost concern.
Rather, it was the presence of one name that had come up most often in her studies of magic.
There near the top of the list for classroom 1-C, lay the name of one 'Einzbern Shirou'.
Next to her, Kirei frowned as well. As a guardian he was rarely so hands on in his care for her as to show up for such an event but school entrance ceremonies were important enough that today he had chosen to make an appearance. "Einzbern..." He murmured, reaching out to trace one finger along the printed letters. The Kanji were even the same, and yet the 'von' interfix so often included was missing.
Rin looked up at her guardian, questions on her lips, but with the press of people all around them she was reluctant to give her curiosity too much voice. Kirei appeared thoughtful for a moment, then gave a slow and measured exhale. "We will discuss this later. The speeches will begin shortly." He looked away, deep in thought, and Rin felt the first frisson of uncertainty down her spine. Einzbern. One of the three mage families who had devised the system that governed the Holy Grail Wars.
Rin resolved to keep a careful eye out. Some day this 'Shirou' could be her opponent after all.
=======
Stepping across the threshold into the gym, Kirei Kotomine froze and stared, shocked into immobility as his brown eyes met with a set of all-too-familiar green ones.
"Sa…ber…"
Emiya's servant, even without her armor and weapon that presence of hers - the quiet aura of command she wielded - was unmistakeable to one who'd experienced it before. But this should be impossible, the war ended six years ago, and she was at it's centre! She shouldn't be here…
"Kirei? Is something the matter?"
"Something wrong mama?"
As if the scene could not be any more insane there was a child tugging at her sleeve, a young boy - tall and obviously muscular even beneath the brand new uniform he wore - with a shock of red hair. Human, Kirei could tell that much at a glance, not even a mage that I can sense, though he could have circuits, he called her mother? His mind raced, searching for answers, an excuse, a reason. Something that explained what he was seeing in front of him.
He came up blank on the explanations, but at least he could try to recover. "Apologies, I was merely caught off guard by the presence of a beautiful foreign lady such as yourself. Forgive my rudeness Ms…"
"Einzbern", her voice was clipped, "and this is my son, Shirou."
"Eh?! Einzbern?" Rin blurted that out before she could think and Kirei cursed in the back of his mind, putting a hand on her shoulder before she could say anything more. The small handful of explanations he'd been able to come up with had just been blown apart by that name and he needed to regroup. Was she still working for the family? Kiritsugu had been in the war as their proxy but he had seen his body, and while the man had been skilled at disappearing Kirei was fairly certain that he was truly dead this time. Irisviel had become the grail however, and she'd been the main connecting point. Had Saber pledged her services to the einzbern family as a whole? Had there been some sort of elaborate triple-gambit of proxies that he hadn't known about? And more importantly how was a Servant still active even after the Grail had vanished? Not consumed but rather outright destroyed in the final struggle?
"Ah… Sorry… I've just-uh… I've heard that name before." Rin backpedaled now, and Kirei didn't miss the momentary narrowing of the servant's eyes as they turned from his down to those of his charge. "Oh? And who might you be?"
"Mama you're being scary…" Behind her the young boy had an awkward look on his face as he murmured.
Rin for her part had even half shrunk back despite her pride. "I'm Rin Tohsaka, and this is my guardian Kirei Kotomine."
Kirei winced internally at that, but it couldn't be helped. Not without arousing suspicions all over the place. He resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. Not only was there a servant here but there was also the boy by her side. Who was he? Where had he come from? He couldn't be of the Einzbern family could he? No… Surely not, he had none of their looks. Was he her new Master? No… Kirei couldn't sensed the presence of command seals, and the next war was not due to begin for years yet, at least a decade! So then what role did he play in all of this?
"Tohsaka?" Saber had a faint reaction of her own there before she nodded slowly. "Ah, you're in Shirou's class are you not? Please take good care of him." She bowed traditionally, and Rin nodded slowly, too much wariness showing in her eyes for Kirei's liking.
Then, giving him and his charge one last look, the disguised servant turned back and carried on into the Gym, her and her charge quickly being swallowed by the crowds, though he could still see her blonde hair easily enough against the sea of darker colours as she led her charge towards their seats.
"Kotomine-san… What was that just now?"
Kirei looked down at his charge, then sighed. "We should discuss this later. At home."
"Eh? But wasn't she… Weren't they?"
"Later." Kirei's voice was firm, and Rin pouted. "The Ceremony is about to start."
Besides, he needed time to figure out how to explain all this in the first place. One misstep could place light on far too many things that should remain hidden in the dark.
Assuming he could even figure out what was going on in the first place…
Thanks to @TheBleachDoctor , @Crow , and @BlackHadou for helping me out with this chapter and the story so far~ Hopefully as long as I can stick to my schedule I'll see you all on Wednesday with the next one!
As always, if you spot any issues or typos that the helpful Betas or I have missed, please do let me know and I'll do my best to correct them!
They'd known each other for a long time, ever since Sakura had been traded away to the Matou family. The reasons she didn't like him had changed over the years mind. At first she had thought him useless, a weak link in his family thanks to his lack of magic circuits. As she grew however, Tohsaka Rin came to understand better and better that Shinji Matou was not merely a non-mage or a dead end in his family line. He was unpleasant on the most basic of levels, a stain of a human being.
If anything, she might say she had gone from pity in her early life, to hatred as the time wound onwards. The only reason she gave him the time of day was because her little sister lived with him. Even if she and Sakura had barely seen each other for years and seemed to grow only more distant with time's passage Rin could not help but worry.
A child shouldn't have to worry about these things, but she was no longer really a child was she? Worrying after the Tohsaka estate, after that Kirei slowly whittling away at the family holdings bit by bit, after a household that had come to her far too early. Even with Kirei's guardianship attending to many matters there had still been so much to do on top of the learning of her magecraft and her preparations for the war she knew would eventually descend upon this city one day and take up the task her father had left to her.
She held on to determination, unaware of the true full consequences of her eventual ambition.
=======
Shinji had never understood Rin.
He didn't understand a lot of things in truth. Why even though he was firstborn son he was to be passed over in the family inheritance in favor of a sister not even of the same blood, a sister who was barely even a true person. More just a puppet of Zouken and his father than anything else. Why he hadn't been born with any magic circuits whatsoever. Why no one appreciated him as he believed they should.
Rin though… Rin was a particular enigma. Another old house crucial to Fuyuki's magical history. A girl, and a cute one at that. He'd thought of her as an equal once, but she'd always treated him as a nothing, just like father and Zouken did, and he couldn't help but resent that. It was only fair right? To wish to be better than someone who considered you beneath them? Sure he didn't have an inheritance, or magic circuits, but he had other things right? He was of the same class as her, a Matou to her Tohsaka, they were both by name alone well above the rest of the rabble, why couldn't she see that and at least acknowledge him? Why couldn't she look his way?
She even gave Sakura more leeway than him, and in that reflection everything slowly turned in his mind. Sakura Sakura Sakura… Everyone cared about Sakura it seemed, everyone loved the perfect little doll who let herself be soiled by insects.
In the end, Shinji hated Sakura the most, but while he had come to expect Father and Zouken would always care for her a little more. He had never understood what Rin saw in the girl. Why she would rather speak to that pretender to the Matou name.
Maybe though… Maybe if he could just work a little harder. He couldn't do anything to match Rin as a mage, but he could show her in other ways right? He could be cool and popular, magic didn't decide everything right? It couldn't!
...Right?
He held on to hope, unable to recognize his fundamental flaw that would forever keep him from the heights he wished to attain.
=======
They had known each other before, but as Junior High began Shinji and Rin found themselves assigned the same class for the first time since fourth grade. Many of the students were unfamiliar, a side effect of the recommended schooling zones having changed following the destruction of one Junior high school in the fire five years ago. However as the entrance ceremony opened and Rin found herself examining the class lists, she found that the presence of Matou amongst her classmates was not her first and foremost concern.
Rather, it was the presence of one name that had come up most often in her studies of magic.
There near the top of the list for classroom 1-C, lay the name of one 'Einzbern Shirou'.
Next to her, Kirei frowned as well. As a guardian he was rarely so hands on in his care for her as to show up for such an event but school entrance ceremonies were important enough that today he had chosen to make an appearance. "Einzbern..." He murmured, reaching out to trace one finger along the printed letters. The Kanji were even the same, and yet the 'von' interfix so often included was missing.
Rin looked up at her guardian, questions on her lips, but with the press of people all around them she was reluctant to give her curiosity too much voice. Kirei appeared thoughtful for a moment, then gave a slow and measured exhale. "We will discuss this later. The speeches will begin shortly." He looked away, deep in thought, and Rin felt the first frisson of uncertainty down her spine. Einzbern. One of the three mage families who had devised the system that governed the Holy Grail Wars.
Rin resolved to keep a careful eye out. Some day this 'Shirou' could be her opponent after all.
=======
Stepping across the threshold into the gym, Kirei Kotomine froze and stared, shocked into immobility as his brown eyes met with a set of all-too-familiar green ones.
"Sa…ber…"
Emiya's servant, even without her armor and weapon that presence of hers - the quiet aura of command she wielded - was unmistakeable to one who'd experienced it before. But this should be impossible, the war ended six years ago, and she was at it's centre! She shouldn't be here…
"Kirei? Is something the matter?"
"Something wrong mama?"
As if the scene could not be any more insane there was a child tugging at her sleeve, a young boy - tall and obviously muscular even beneath the brand new uniform he wore - with a shock of red hair. Human, Kirei could tell that much at a glance, not even a mage that I can sense, though he could have circuits, he called her mother? His mind raced, searching for answers, an excuse, a reason. Something that explained what he was seeing in front of him.
He came up blank on the explanations, but at least he could try to recover. "Apologies, I was merely caught off guard by the presence of a beautiful foreign lady such as yourself. Forgive my rudeness Ms…"
"Einzbern", her voice was clipped, "and this is my son, Shirou."
"Eh?! Einzbern?" Rin blurted that out before she could think and Kirei cursed in the back of his mind, putting a hand on her shoulder before she could say anything more. The small handful of explanations he'd been able to come up with had just been blown apart by that name and he needed to regroup. Was she still working for the family? Kiritsugu had been in the war as their proxy but he had seen his body, and while the man had been skilled at disappearing Kirei was fairly certain that he was truly dead this time. Irisviel had become the grail however, and she'd been the main connecting point. Had Saber pledged her services to the einzbern family as a whole? Had there been some sort of elaborate triple-gambit of proxies that he hadn't known about? And more importantly how was a Servant still active even after the Grail had vanished? Not consumed but rather outright destroyed in the final struggle?
"Ah… Sorry… I've just-uh… I've heard that name before." Rin backpedaled now, and Kirei didn't miss the momentary narrowing of the servant's eyes as they turned from his down to those of his charge. "Oh? And who might you be?"
"Mama you're being scary…" Behind her the young boy had an awkward look on his face as he murmured.
Rin for her part had even half shrunk back despite her pride. "I'm Rin Tohsaka, and this is my guardian Kirei Kotomine."
Kirei winced internally at that, but it couldn't be helped. Not without arousing suspicions all over the place. He resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. Not only was there a servant here but there was also the boy by her side. Who was he? Where had he come from? He couldn't be of the Einzbern family could he? No… Surely not, he had none of their looks. Was he her new Master? No… Kirei couldn't sensed the presence of command seals, and the next war was not due to begin for years yet, at least a decade! So then what role did he play in all of this?
"Tohsaka?" Saber had a faint reaction of her own there before she nodded slowly. "Ah, you're in Shirou's class are you not? Please take good care of him." She bowed traditionally, and Rin nodded slowly, too much wariness showing in her eyes for Kirei's liking.
Then, giving him and his charge one last look, the disguised servant turned back and carried on into the Gym, her and her charge quickly being swallowed by the crowds, though he could still see her blonde hair easily enough against the sea of darker colours as she led her charge towards their seats.
"Kotomine-san… What was that just now?"
Kirei looked down at his charge, then sighed. "We should discuss this later. At home."
"Eh? But wasn't she… Weren't they?"
"Later." Kirei's voice was firm, and Rin pouted. "The Ceremony is about to start."
Besides, he needed time to figure out how to explain all this in the first place. One misstep could place light on far too many things that should remain hidden in the dark.
Assuming he could even figure out what was going on in the first place…
=End Chapter Five=
Thanks to @TheBleachDoctor , @Crow , and @BlackHadou for helping me out with this chapter and the story so far~ Hopefully as long as I can stick to my schedule I'll see you all on Wednesday with the next one!
As always, if you spot any issues or typos that the helpful Betas or I have missed, please do let me know and I'll do my best to correct them!
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- Location
- United States
Always a joy to see Kotomine caught flat footed.
Spectral Waltz
Scatterbrained Writer
- Location
- Walking the Endless Corridors
Oh he did try to take care of her at first, but this is at present six years after the start of the grail war. At this point in the timeline, Shinji hasn't outright raped Sakura yet, but he's going over the edge slowly but surely.
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ecs05norway
Zenryoku Zenkai!
Can't wait to see what's going through Arturia's head at the sight of Kirei and Rin.... 
Can't wait to see what's going through Arturia's head at the sight of Kirei and Rin....
Well I'm not sure about Rin, but Kirei's is probably going " Oh Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!"
Spectral Waltz
Scatterbrained Writer
- Location
- Walking the Endless Corridors
Accurate representation of his subconscious at that moment.
Rin is more confused than anything.
Altria_Pendragon
(Verified - SG-i13 Rhongomyniad)
- Location
- World's End Pillar
I wonder what happened to Archer, then...
- Location
- Planet Ultra
Man after read this why i want to see Mordred appearing in this story as Ilya servant ? I can see Mordred will hate Shirou because Arturia love him as son than her .
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You are not the only one. Welcome to the club.
Spectral Waltz
Scatterbrained Writer
- Location
- Walking the Endless Corridors
Pretty low on account of no training whatsoever in magecraft. Could happen still, but that depends where the story takes us.
With Shirou's luck, he ends up summoning Mordred for family shenanigans .
Anyways, just found this story and I love how different this is. I'm still chuckling over the image of Saber working at a clothing store. Though I'm wondering why Taiga uses the -nii sufix with Shirou. As far as I know, doesn't that mean an older sibling?
.Anyways, just found this story and I love how different this is. I'm still chuckling over the image of Saber working at a clothing store. Though I'm wondering why Taiga uses the -nii sufix with Shirou. As far as I know, doesn't that mean an older sibling?
beorn91
Ours mal léché
- Location
- France
"Mordred! you're grounded, young girl!"With Shirou's luck, he ends up summoning Mordred for family shenanigans
Anyways, just found this story and I love how different this is. I'm still chuckling over the image of Saber working at a clothing store. Though I'm wondering why Taiga uses the -nii sufix with Shirou. As far as I know, doesn't that mean an older sibling?
" Don't act like if you were my mother, Father!"
Edit: Or maybe we'll get an "original" Servant who will be the first Saberface Caster. (Look pointedly at the OP)
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If you go off Grand Order, you can summon Nero as a caster if you want Saberface
Lone Courier 6
Devilish Fool
- Location
- United States of Quests
Considering Gilgamesh Berserker is a woman? I would say it's probably possible to summon any other non Saber version of Artoria..So long as they aren't connected to the hill like she is...So ...You know, Lancer and Berserker?
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beorn91
Ours mal léché
- Location
- France
I was thinking to someone for the Arthurian lore.
Spectral Waltz
Scatterbrained Writer
- Location
- Walking the Endless Corridors
I thought it was younger? Though I admit I only did a cursory check...
Spectral Waltz
Scatterbrained Writer
- Location
- Walking the Endless Corridors
Mmm... I will go back and fix those then...
Still might want to figure out an appropriate suffix to make those sentences flow well then...
RexLapisCultist
She who thirsts for Morax
- Location
- Yilong Wharf
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Usually people use -chan for younger siblings
Or you don't need to use one. IIRC, I don't think Taiga used a suffix with Shirou normally.