Fate: False Farce Chapter 6: There Are Many Ways of Molestation. Be Wary and Be Prepared

Chapter 6: There Are Many Ways of Molestation. Be Wary and Be Prepared

A moonlit river

For Fuyuki’s soft night is

such a lovely sight.

Heh, I’m a better poet than Lancer; take that, you hack. Seriously though, I loved wandering around Fuyuki at night. Dangerous, for sure, especially with leftovers of the Fourth Grail War stalking, but…

I remember dragging the old man out to walk with me one night during one of the few short periods he was in Fuyuki. Kiritsugu was… always a busy man. He was a good father, don’t get me wrong, just… distant. When he wasn’t trying to rescue Illya, he was preparing to rescue Illya. Whenever he was free here, the old man was always with Jiisan, preparing a life for me and Ilya when he was gone.

The times where I nagged him into training me were the few times that was just our time, just me and him together. When he started to finally just stay home when the Grail’s curse got too much, he was too tired to do much more than just endure the pain. So that night where he was still healthy enough to wander and had enough time to be with me, just me, no training, no worries, just… a father and a daughter wandering the city streets and listening to the river?

That night was… I couldn’t remember what we did, what we talked about, but… I  remember being content with just having him for myself. No training, no pressure to get better, just my father and myself, sitting on a bench and watching the city lights dance over the river.

…Turning away from the river, I faced the church gates and sighed.

“You done with your wistful gazing, Emiya?” Rin simpered, “Because we haven’t got all night, you know.”

I sense… irritation from her. Was Rin angry about earlier? She’s probably angry about earlier. In my defense, I’m not good at small talk, so I just grunted whenever Rin tried to chat on the walk here. In my further defense, I also knew most of how the Murder-Death-Kill worked and I gave as much a fuck then  as I do now.

Which is to say none.

Any disdain and aloofness that came from me was and is directed solely at this stupid battle royale, Rin. None towards you. Please stop needling me. It’s stressful.

Ignoring Rin’s saltiness, I faced Saber and asked, “You sure you don’t want to come in?”

Please come in with me, I didn’t beg. I’m very scared of meeting my father’s weird archnemesis, I didn’t confess.

“Any meeting between a Kotomine and an Emiya sounds like not my business,” Saber answered

…And she’s definitely angry at me. Was this about earlier? A different earlier from Rin’s, but a definite earlier? No. I think she might be angry about being saddled with an Emiya. And also all the secrets I have.

Why can’t I be stupid like Shirou? My life would be infinitely less stressful if I had his blind optimism and hero complex. Instead, I’m a half-baked copy of him with half the will and a quarter of his insanity which is… not enough for anything of worth.

Thumbing the Calico to borrow a bit of strength from my father, I followed Rin into the Church. Fiery saltiness leading in front, cool distrust and detachment guarding the escape route, I could tell that this was off to a great start already.

Rin was ranting about something, and while I felt mildly ashamed that I wasn’t paying attention, I was far more worried about how the hell I was getting through this without having Kotomine’s attention.

Maybe, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe things would get better once I got past the exposition dump that was this scene and--

I almost threw up as soon as I stepped over the threshold of the Church.

Structural Grasping is a skill needed to even begin practicing Projection Magecraft. In essence, one uses mana to obtain information of an item; dimensions, history, schematics, that sort of thing. Buildings, while large, counted as an object, and I had a habit of doing a cursory Grasp on buildings as I entered them as a way to quickly check for traps.

Fun fact. This Church has a basement. Interesting aside? Those memes about Pastors, children, and basements? Applies here depressingly well.

I didn’t see what exactly was in there because I immediately shut off Structural Grasping as soon as the darkness reached back, but it was too little, too late. Now that I knew what secrets were hidden, it was impossible to not notice. My senses, honed and tempered by constant Reinforcement over the years, could not stop searching for the hidden evils scattered about this Church.

Faded blood at the front, sanguine stains on the pew closest to the image of God, here and there and everywhere in this godforsaken church were hints of the Fourth Holy Grail War. A Father died, betrayed by a greedy magus but still having faith that his son had not fallen. A father’s corpse was used to break a sad man. A mother died by the hands of a broken man. Misery was here like fallen dominos, and despair brewed like fine wine beneath. Faith was massacred on the last night of the Fourth Holy Grail War, and its remnants lingered here.

And the smell. Knowing what happened, knowing what hid here underneath, I wished I could stop. But to stop, I’d have to stop breathing.

Sweet and cloying like gasoline coating skin, yet earthy like bodies burning, the scent was like--

Listening to fading, desperate hope. Like walking in fire and burning amongst so many others. Of being strong enough to continue searching for salvation. Of always stopping to answer a call for help and always starting after failing once more. Too weak to truly aid, too scared to ever stop, I was not enough for them… Not enough for them again. Not enough, never enough again and again and AgAiN and aGaIn aNd AGAin and AGAIN AND again and--

I bit my tongue and blinked twice. I hate blacking out. I miss so much when I’m under. Shirou fucking Emiya never had that problem; why do I have to deal with that? This is why this is never going to work. I’m too weak.

Doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying.

“Are you all right, young lady?” a fake priest asked, an attempt at compassion coloring the tone.

No. I have to talk with you, Kotomine Kirei.

“Yes,” I lied, turning my face to look at one of my father’s many, many regrets.

Clad in the robes of a priest, a golden cross upon his chest, Kotomine Kirei had an expression less dispassionate than a granite gargoyle. Movements measured and performed, the good Priest  stood idly, his demeanor a complete contrast to the words of care.

“Are you sure?” he asked, not quite mockingly, “Because your dear friend Rin--”

“Not my friend,” Rin called out.

“Because Rin spent the past few minutes attempting to get your attention. You seemed to freeze up as if you saw a ghost when you walked in.”

It was only now that I noticed that Rin was squeezing my shoulder, with a… was that a worried glare? Aww. Was she concerned with me? It’s fine, Rin. Sometimes a girl just dissociates from time to time. At least there was no cleanup needed this time.

Patting her hand twice in reassurance, I addressed Kirei, “Yes. I’m sure.

“Are you sure?” Kotomine raised an eyebrow.

Was he… He was. Kotomine fucking Kirei was wheedling, trying to… I don’t know what he was trying to do, but I don’t fucking like it.

Aborting the motion for my gun, I ground out, “Yes. I’m sure.”

A small pause, and then Kotomine continued, “Well, I suppose that’s that then. Do you know what the Holy Grail War is? I would hate to have to explain it yet again”

“Yes,” I nodded. I really wanted to correct him to Murder-Death-Kill, but there was a time for jokes and a time for trying to get the fuck out as fast as possible.

“And am I to understand that you do not wish to obtain the Grail?” Kirei turned away, examining the cross at the head of the Church.

“Yes,” I answered, short and curt as could be, “The Grail is useless to me.”

“Yeah, which is why you should give me, Saber, Shiho,” Rin cut in.

Rin. I have fed you for most of our high school career. I can easily stop doing that.

“Well, that is your choice,” Kotomine shrugged, mind visibly already elsewhere. “We can transfer your command seals elsewhere and you may find sanctuary in this Church for the remainder of this war.”--Walking to one of the siderooms, he pulled out a key to begin the process of unlocking, “If you would call your Servant in, we can begin the transfer process--”

“I reject this farce of a War,” I clarified with a glare, “I never said I would surrender.”

“How droll,” Kotomine drawled, sanctimonious in a way only a Priest of the Church could be. Even as his motions paused midway through unlocking the door, something changed in his demeanor, something that made my spine crawl, “And you shall keep your Servant with you?”

“If she wishes to aid me in my goals, so much the better,” I explained. I didn’t want to answer, but it’d be more suspicious to not answer, “If not, then I’ll keep her close until she can be free.”

I was trying to be as boring as possible. For some reason though, that explanation caused Kotomine to turn around.a strange glint to enter the damn Priest’s eye.

“Is that not hypocritical?” Kotomine tilted his head. His hands firmly clasped behind his back, locked in the same position as earlier, I couldn’t help but feel as if he was still leaning in, “To hold her chain even as you decry the evil of it?”

“No more than any other justice wrought by humans in this world” I answered, forcing my hand to stay still and not reach for my gun, “Hypocrisy is the lube that lets systems work.”

The priest was silent for a bit and then… he started laughing. Soft ones at first, that slowly built up into full belly ones. Stepping away from the side door, Kotomine began walking down the left side of the window, seemingly gazing at the moon but most definitely examining me closely

…Fuck. He was interested now. I don’t know what the fuck I did, but Kotomine fucking gods damned Kirei is now interested in me.

Kotomine’s priestly facade returned just as easily as it had left. Calm, controlled, his soft smile held no fang but was sharp with strange lust, “Forgive me, forgive me, what’d you say your name was again?”

I never told him my name, but… fuck it. I’ll tell him. It’d be more suspicious not to.

“Shiho,” I answered. And then because I have fucking brain damage or something, I said my family name too, “Emiya Shiho.”

Have you ever seen a sociopath have an orgasm? Neither have I… is what I like to think, but based on the way the damn priest shuddered when he heard Emiya, I think I just got violated by the Church.

“Emiya…” Kotomine whispered as if he was caressing the ear of a long lost lover. Eyes closed, he shook his head ruefully, “Hah. If you weren’t one to keep an eye on, you certainly are one now.”

…Gods fuckign damn it. I very specifically went into this meeting, hoping to not get Kotomine Kirei’s gods damned attention, and what do I do? Make myself flipping irresistible.

Also, how the fuck is he leaning in without actually leaning in. He’s fucking two pews away, and it still feels like he’s leaning over my shoulder, lightly massaging my shoulders. I hate it. Hate it. Hate it. Hate it.

“...What are you doing?” Rin growled, sensing the subtle change of tension. I really wish I hadn’t dissociated earlier. I wish I knew what Rin had told Kirei, what their relationship was like, but what’s past is past, what matters now is action.

“He’s predating,” I grunted, dispensing with  any hint of subtlety. Hand on the grip of the Calico, I found comfort in the preparation of violence the way a baby found peace in gnawing a pacifier. WIth my other hand, I grabbed Rin’s arm and pulled her behind me, putting myself between Kotomine and her.

“Sometimes a man’s just got to predate,” Kirei smiled blandly, “Don’t worry. The only thing I hunt for is answers as per God’s Will.”

I wanted to say something, but at this point, all my bones were in attack mode. This cursed Church, the evil radiating beneath, Kotomine fucking Kirei, I was set to drop every explosive I had, run away, and then return to raze the ashes.

Thankfully, Rin was here to pop the tension.

“...That’s not comforting, Kirei.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. Just one short laugh, but it was enough for me to re-center myself. While Rin side-eyed me with confusion, Kotomine chuckled softly, and it made my skin crawl to realize that we had found similar humor in even one thing.

“The search for Answers rarely is, Rin,” Kotomine eventually answered, but even as he addressed Rin, Kotomine couldn’t help but look towards me. Nodding his head to the both of us, Kotomine spoke in the cadence of a prayer, “May we all find what we’re hoping for in this War.”

“...And may it be less tragic than the last,” I murmured, hopefully too softly for him to hear.

Then, gripping Rin’s arm, I pulled the both of us out of this shitshow.