fate/first order derivative

Part III.3

> skip to: iteration 29, day 5, afternoon

Okay. Here I am again, in my homeroom, waiting on the red death lightning. My goal this time is to try and stay conscious during the whole mana drain. Got some tips from Shirou and Rin over the weekend. Didn't get much time to practice, but that's fine. That's cool. Gotta run before you can walk... or something.

> really don't think that's how running works

I glance at the clock. Okay, here we go. I close my eyes and brace myself. Just remember, I tell myself. Breathe. Focus on your center. Let the energy naturally flow inwards. Be the rising tide... or something.

Any second now.

Annny second.

...

"Mr. Tomonaga?"

"Eh?" I open my eyes.

Ms. Natsuki looks at me with some concern from the front of the room. "Are you all right?" Someone in the class giggles.

Okay. Mental note, maybe try to take the intensity down a notch. "Oh, yeah. Sorry." I stumble around for an excuse. "Just... uh... focusing. On the problem."

"Well... how about you try to focus with your eyes open from this point on?" That nets her another giggle.

"Oh, sure. Of course."

"Good." She turns back to the chalkboard. I glance outside. Still no red lightning.

Huh.

***

> skip forward

Okay, seriously, what the hell? I check the chem lab after class. Empty -- no sign of Matou being in there at all. Or bloodstains. Lacking any other leads, I head up to the roof.

I find Shirou and Rin up there playing cards. I spread my arms. "What happened?"

"Huh? Oh." Rin glances up at me. "We're not sure. We think Rider might've sensed Archer when she was sneaking in. She got spooked and ran back into the woods."

"... Archer?" I look up. The man in red stands on top of the fence around the roof's edge, a sour expression on his face. As I watch, he pulls out an arrow and launches it towards the forest. I hear a small boom in the distance as the projectile breaks the sound barrier.

"We had Saber waiting downstairs, so she went after her." Rin shrugs. "After I convinced this idiot not to follow her --"

Shirou grumbles something under his breath.

"-- we put Archer in position to snipe Rider if she tries to double back towards us. Pay me." Rin tosses down a joker. Shirou sighs and passes her three cards out of his hand. "Guess she has to be inside the building to trigger those sigils of hers."

"... huh." I scratch the back of my head. "Any sign of Caster?"

"Nope."

Well, I guess that part makes a little more sense. Does that mean Caster's actually taking the alliance offer seriously?

> or she just wants you to think she is

That's possible too. Otherwise, though... I don't get it. This all just seems way too easy. What's different this time? Do Rider and Caster normally work together on this attack, and our alliance offer threw all that out the window? -- That doesn't make sense either, though. If that's the case, how does Rider end up dead? Unless Caster betrays her in the middle of things for some reason? Buh. C'mon, brain! Work it out already!