text | username: archer

[anti_altruisms]

"Bring peace to Chantes, and restore the sun."

I've seen and heard a lot of talk over how we're meant to accomplish this task.

To those of you who are new and those who have been here from the start, I'm curious- ideally, how would you like to see such a goal accomplished?

Comments

[defenceless]

As opposed to prompting an apocalyptic nightmare itself...?

[she audibly scoffs. it's easy to tell rin doesn't think that's the case—or if it is, she's not convinced that's all there is to it.]

No, I think he's aiming to destroy everything and everyone completely. [go big or go home, right?] Otherwise, what would be the point? He wants to be the star. And it's up to us to save life as we know it.

[anti_altruisms]

That is what the apocalypse means, doesn't it, Rin?

[ The end of everyone and everything. Something he's faced even though she hasn't. Not yet.

He's quiet for a moment, then- ]

I have sworn my blades to you, Rin. The course you wish to take, what you believe is right -- I will follow where you lead to the best of my ability.

[ Even if he's pulled in other directions, even if he sees another path, a bloodier, more expedient one, he will try stay with her as he didn't before. That is all he can offer her now. ]

[defenceless]

[to be honest, rin was expecting this. his obedience is hers because of his betrayal. his confession nevertheless takes her breath away, somewhat. she's silent for longer than she should be.

he's effectively quelled her attitude.]

That's right, Archer.

But what is the course you would choose?

[anti_altruisms]

[ It's not a confession he makes lightly.

Even so, to her question, there is a moment of silence. She's only the second person to ask, and though he deflected once, he doesn't this time. Not with her. ]

I would kill them.

[ The words are soft, yet cold, almost clinical in their precision. It's the answer of a "cleaner" -- someone who has witnessed many situations like these in the past and resolved them all with bloodshed. ]

Those pushing others out of the seat of happiness, those who disrupt and stand in the way of order in this world, whether they be human, goblin, or anything in-between, they would die by my hand.

[ That is what it means to be a Counter Guardian. Sacrificing the few for the sake of the many, one becomes an executioner, a killer that shows no mercy. ]

[defenceless]

[she knew it.

it's the correct course, the accurate course, the only course for them: magi and counter guardians. rin would prefer to say it's the course they will take when they have no other option open to them, but life is never that easy.

to both stress her point and make sure:]

That's not the same as murdering everyone. Yes, Archer?

[you would be no better than gilgamesh.

you would have fallen further than i thought.]

[anti_altruisms]

[ In the deepest, darkest moments of his own personal despair, of course, he'd considered it.

A world swept clean of humanity, eliminating the need for counter guardians like him -- Gilgamesh had even taunted him with it, painted a vision of a world reborn out of the ashes.

He wants to rest, to be free of this cycle more than anything, even if he's resigned himself to the fact that it can never, ever happen.

Still, even in the midst of all his regrets, he clings to the conclusion he reached at the end of the Fifth Holy Grail War -- the answer he sought for many, many years.

I was not wrong.

After a long moment, he finally answers her. ]

It isn't.

[ He hasn't fallen that far yet, and he's determined he never will. ]

We sacrifice the few for the sake of the many.

[defenceless]

[he can take as long as he likes to answer. in the end, the sound of it reassures her.]

... We do. And we will, but first we have to figure out who those "few" are, and we need to ensure we aren't acting in error—that we don't just make everything worse.

[she's his levelheaded advisor, sometimes. she reigns him in; she keeps him in control.]

[anti_altruisms]

[ It's his nature to choose the ugliest, most efficient course -- tactics and practices that have been ingrained in him for countless years. He's level-headed too, most of the time, but she does provide a much-needed measure of balance.

It's why they work well together and ultimately why he trusts her. ]

I'll see what else I can learn from the locals.

[ A beat, then- ]

I do not believe there will be a solution where everyone is happy, Rin.

[defenceless]

[bluntly:]

Do you think I would assume there is one?

[anti_altruisms]

No.

[ Rin is practical. Despite their disagreement over Emiya Shirou, he knows, generally speaking, she has the right outlook for a mage.

Still, this is something he's done for hundreds, if not thousands of years, and it's worth stating, at least once. They won't get a second chance at this. ]

I'll contact you if I hear anything significant.

[defenceless]

Don't just wander off on your own, and decide what you're going to do without running it by me. [to her credit, she has the foresight to sound righteously irritated.] We have to be more direct with our actions.

[anti_altruisms]

I have no intention of doing anything of the kind.

[ Have a little faith in him, Rin, gosh. ]

I am your Servant.

[defenceless]

Helping me think of suggestions is a lot more useful than fluffy words, Archer.

[she means to say they're extraneous or not necessary, but it's phrased awkwardly. (she's just giving him a hard time, anyway.)]

[anti_altruisms]

[ Master, you're so bossy, gosh. Archer lets out a sigh. ]

There are other people here besides the king's men and the Order, Rin.

If it's peace you're after, eventually those individuals will have to be given a voice.

That is my suggestion.

[defenceless]

So we've decided on a more detailed course of action. Will you search for these specific individuals and talk to them?

—Well, it's sort of hokey to go around knocking on doors or stopping townspeople in the streets. We're not asking if they saw a lost dog.

[anti_altruisms]

You'd be surprised what you can find out listening to people gossip in taverns.

I'll see what I can find and report back to you.

[defenceless]

You? In a bar?

[she's trying to sound disbelieving, but it just comes out more amused.]

[anti_altruisms]

[ Wow, Rin, this is a worldly Heroic Spirit you're talking to, all right. ]

Rin.

[ He sounds exasperated -- the same way he did that night she remarked how the Archer class was really made of archers.

Have a little faith, pls. ]

[defenceless]

Fine, fine.

[he could practically hear her waving her hand dismissively.]

Skulk around the bars and come to me when you hear anything—or you even find anyone, goblin, human, or otherwise, who sticks out. Ta-ta, Archer.

[yeah, she's hanging up on him ;-;]