The Shortcomings and the Retribution

"You really are a simple minded boy aren't you? Desperation calls out many things may they be good or bad. I guess I got myself a new master. Thankfully it wasn't you Emiya." Said Assassin poking Shiro in the chest with his sword hilt. He then walked up to Sakura and said, "Don't be afraid I'll be the one to carry out your wishes and protect you."

Shiro said, "And what's so wrong about my being a master...Saber was my servant...and yet we won the holy grail war...by destroying it." He said, "Sakura...you managed to summon one of the more honorable servants...I'd be happy if I were you." He turned and said, "Good to see you again Assassin." He walked back into the room and said, "In three days...I have to stop that Servant...the black haired woman..."

"This isn't good Shimei's health is getting worse and if he's as strong as he claims to be you're going to need his help." Said Rin as she sat by the man's beside. Shimei coughed loudly and Rin placed a cool wash cloth on his forehead. "Damn it to hell... This isn't a good time to be like this... I usually go to warmer climates during the fall and winter seasons. But I thought if I tried just once I'd be able to fight through it this year. That and I didn't want to leave Taiga behind..." Said Shimei weakly.

"We know you're upset but it's too late to worry about that. You're here now and we're going to try and help you get your strength back." Said Rin. "Give me a full day and night I'll try and get about after that. But first Shiro come here I need you to do something. This will make the barrier last a couple more days." Said Shimei pulling out a gem. "Let me handle this where do I put it and what do I do? I can do it better then Shiro at the moment since he's still rusty at his skills." Said Rin taking it.

"Place it and fuse it to the center point and trust me even the strongest of servants will be heavily battered if they touch the barrier after this is added to it." Said Shimei. "Got it Shiro stay with him I'll go take care of this." Said Rin leaving. Looking at Shiro Shimei managed a smirk as he said, "So what's your relation with Rin? Can't say you don't like her company considering you willingly let her stay here with you. Is this the beginning of love or something?"

Shiro blushed, "W-well I don't know maybe...I mean she's a really kind girl once you get to know her." He rubbed the back of his head, "Honestly I just don't know..."

Sakura said, "What about me..." Shiro jumped, "W-well uh..." He saw Illiya staring at him too, "What is this love Shiro day?"

Shimei just started laughing so hard he sat up coughing harshly. He was heard wheezing as he coughed and Rin came back and rushed over worried. "I'm... f-fine just laughed so hard I nearly lost a lung...." Said Shimei in between a fit of laughter still. Rin clapped a hand to his back making him yelp. "Ow... the hell is wrong with you girl." Said Shimei shutting up and glaring at her. "If you don't get some rest you're going to get worse now lay down and go to sleep!" Said Rin. Shimei sighed and lay back down after that everyone was pushed out and Rin said, "Now then." She pointed at Sakura saying, "You cook." Pointing at Illiya she said, "You clean." "Lastly Shiro come with me we need to get some more training into you."

Sakura said, "O-Of course..." She went to the kitchen to find Assassin doing prepwork, "I didn't know you knew how to cook Mr. Sin."

Shiro blushed, "Hey Rin...thank you...you've been there for me during and after the Grail Wars...and I just wanted you to know I appreciate it...and I'm very glad you made it through it."

"Everything becomes second nature upon entering this world so cooking is only natural." Said Assassin calmly. "How many times do you plan to thank me Shiro? I only help because that's what friends are for. Now let's begin this lesson." Said Rin.

Shiro said, "Alright what do you want me to do today?"

Sakura meanwhile was busy with dinner preparations, "So will you disappear after this war ends? Or are the servants here to stay? I mean this isn't a Holy Grail War after all."

Rider walked around the grounds and stretched, "I love the moonlight its SO refreshing." She leaned against the wall and listened carefully, "So she is around..."

The girl servant listened, "So he's not coming after all...not by choice either...interesting..." She vanished and left the compound alone for now.

After about an hour of magic training he saw Rin get up to stretch and she tripped. He quickly caught her and said, "Rin be careful will you? I don't want you to get hurt again."

The next afternoon Shiro was dragged off for more training but this time by Shimei who after a nights rest had gotten over his fever. He was still in his pajamas but he didn't care as long as he kept warm. "You seriously going to teach him like that? Speaking of which do you have any family Shimei?" Asked Rin as she helped him carry some books in for Shiro to stuy from. "Sadly no.... they died two holy grail wars ago in that great fire you all heard about."

"Ow!" Yelped Shimei when Rin dropped the books she was holding on his foot in shock. "So... you're a suvivor too... Just how old were you back then?" Asked Rin. "Seventeen just turned thirty five this year I don't know how I made it but when I woke up I was in the hospital suffering from memory loss until about six months later I got it all back." "I see why you're compelled to teach him." Said Rin. "Isn't it a job of a Magus to pass on their magic though? You;re thinking way too highly of me Rin. I know I'm dating Taiga in fact I might just pop the question but you know it's best she and I live away from all this magic so why not pass it onto someone who knows and I can live my life freely after." Said Shimei.

They both set the stacks of books in front of Shiro and Shimei said, "Wake up slacker you got two weeks to cram all this in your head and then maybe just maybe you'll survive that fight you're going into."

Shiro said, "Alright alright..." Sakura grinned then pushed Rin so she landed on Shiro's lap. "Rin sorry but you have to stay right there...you see Sempai has a habit of running off so you need to keep him down so he doesn't...not that he'll complain." She began laughing and ran away.

Shiro blushed then began reading and having Rin smack him everytime he made a mistake was helping...somewhat. After he had read one of the books he was led into the Dojo, "Hey Rin...do you mind sticking around? It'd be nice to have you around."

"I suppose I want to see if Shimei is any good anyways." Said Rin. "Little lady is that a challenge if so I gladly accept. Just because you're a woman don't mean I'll go easy." Said Shimei. Rin looked at him frowning saying, "I sure hope so because as a fellow Magus that would be an insult to me if you did go easy." Though when a vine suddenly creeped up Rin's leg she squealed and fell onto her back and it disappeared under the floor boards. She stood up and said, "You are so dead!"

Pointing her finger at Shimei she shot a dozen or so bursts of energy at him. They bounced off him and had no effect. "What the hell you don't even have a barrier around you." Said Rin. "Basic magic lore 101 little lady. It's called enhancing the body so you can withstand most magic if you get hit. Now then let's show Shiro how it's really done." Said Shimei. He pointed his finger at her and used her same technique. Though she ducked fast and and it hit the wall behind her making a huge hole. "You really tried to kill me!" Said Rin fuming. "I told you I wasn't going to go easy on you." Said Shimei.

Shiro said, "Would you two stop?" He caught Rin and sat her down next to him, "I'm not going to let you two keep fighting, not because Rin is a girl or you are a guy but simply because we're all friends here..." He mumbled the next part, "That and I really like Rin."

Rin said, "Consider yourself lucky old man because Shiro stopped me. Wait what did you say!" She looked at Shiro blushing. Shimei started laughing loudly and said, "You just now heard that?" "Shut up stop laughing!!" Yelled Rin but Shimei continued until Rin ran and rammed him in the stomach sending him falling onto his back. "Ow..." Said Shimei laying there coughing. "Good god you're worse then Taiga you know that..." He said sitting up wincing. "Are you all done screwing around or shall I come back later when you people are done being clowns?" Asked a voice. Both Shimei and Rin saw Assassin standing there with Sakura. Sher just kicked Shimei a good one as the man started laughing loudly again. "Act your age!" Said Rin before she slammed the dojo doors shut.

Shiro said, "Look can we just get on with this please?" He held out his hand and said, "Trace...On...." He closed his eyes and created a legendary weapon out of a kendo sword. "This is all the magic I really know...being able to make weapons or other objects out of other objects...or like this..." He raised his hand and said, "Trace...On....connection established....materials prepared....creation..." He created a bouquet of flowers and handed them to Sakura, "I don't know why I am so good at that but I am." He looked at the door, "So what do you want to teach me?" He laid the weapon beside him on the floor.

"Basic deflecting and conquering up a barrier. If you can master this you'll be even harder to hit." Said Shimei. "You swordsman come at me with everything you got." Said Shimei. "I don't take orders from you." Said Assassin in a blunt tone. Shimei sighed and said, "Fine fine... must I do everything myself. One second Shiro I gotta conquer up some bone heads to do the attacking for me." "I evoke The One-thousand Bones Of Vi'phuro!" Said Shimei and a bunch of skeletons appeared. "Now then watch closely Shiro." Said Shimei. As they all rushed at him Shimei held up a palm and said, "I evoke Resistance Conjuration!" The skeletons all hit a barrier that came up around him from all ends. Once they stopped attacking Shimei said, "Now your turn repeat the same thing I just did."

He blinked then raised his palm and said, "I evoke...Resistance Conjuration!" Rider walked in and saw him practicsing and said, "I think I'll test out his barrier!" She dashed and slashed at him and his barrier caught the blades. Shiro closed his eyes and grinned, "Trace on..." The barrier got stronger then blew back Rider. He blinked, "I didn't think that would work..." Sakura's jaw dropped, "Did he just...use enhancement magic to enhance his barrier?" Rider nodded, "He did...fluke though." Shiro said, "Hey I was trying something new it doesn't mean its a fluke." He suddenly had a brainstorm and pointed his finger at Rider, "I recommend you dodge this..." He called out the same words that Rin said once and a black beam shot towards Rider who deflected it. "Rin's gem of course...she activated that switch and it...allowed me to tap into powers I just need to know the right words...am I right Shimei?"

Shimei just said, "Amateur at best and I'll show you why." Pointing his finger at Shiro he shot point blank and the sound of glass was heard as the barrier shattered and Shiro got hit in the stomach and went sliding across the dojo floor. He bumped against the wall and Shimei dusted off his hands saying, "Your central point was weak."

Shiro coughed and got back up and said, "One more try...I can't just give up leaving myself vulnerable like that..." He closed his eyes and created the barrier again, "I evoke Resistance Conjuration..." As he did so he imagined the barrier and found the weak spot he had failed to protect and made it stronger in that spot and said, "Alright let's see if it holds up this time..."

Shimei just grabbed a kendo stick and said, "Kid you're going to hate me but oh well. Trace on..." Said Shimei . The kendo stick became a full fledged sword. Shimei ran at Shiro and slashed his barrier down breaking it. He then struck the kid in the stomach with the hilt sending him sliding back once again.

Shiro created a staff and used it to get to his feet, "There's more to reinforcement magic and creation magic than that...I took Archer's advice and mastered that..." He touched the wall and made it come alive with weapons. He drew them all and laid them along the wall, "There's more to that type of magic...the more you create the weaker it becomes...if you create a lot at once like this they are weak...if however you create this..." He held out his hand and an extremely well made copy of Excalibur and its sheath appeared in his hand. He tossed them to Shimei, "Well what do you think?" He said, "I know it's not the best in the world...I just wish I could actually make a blade like that..."

Meanwhile Sakura went to Rin and said, "Hello sis...so tell me do you like Shiro huh? I know he thinks you're amazing..."

"I heard you won the last holy grail war with just this magic alone. It's something one shouldn't take too lightly. The first rule to being a Magus is never underestimate your opponent. Even the weakest opponents have something up their sleeve that could win them fight. And cost you dearly." Said Shimei ramming the sword into the floor. "It's easy to see a certain someone over exerted himself. Your mana is draining at an alarming rate." Said Assassin who had been watching the whole time.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Said Shimei forcing a smile. Last thing he wanted was Shiro to know this and insist he stop training him for the day. Though when Assassin appeared in his face Shimei stepped back fast saying, "I evoke Resistance Conjuration!" Though his barrier shattered when it was hit by Assassin and he hit the floor laying there wincing. "Only a fool doesn't follow his own body's limitations." Said Assassin sheathing his blade and calmly walking off.

Shiro said, "Shimei...either you go willingly or I'll force you to, but you need to get some rest...Assassin is right...you have overexerted yourself. If Saber were here she'd be dragging you to bed so you could rest...so please get some rest..." He turned and said, "We will continue this training tomorrow..." He walked out and sighed sitting in his room. He picked up his picture of Saber...he also looked at his picture of Rin, Illiya and Sakura. "What am I really supposed to do..." He thought. He closed his eyes and a blade floated over to his hand from the wall. "Something Rin taught me...magic that acts like Telekinesis...its definately been helpful..." He sighed and laid down on his bed looking at the ceiling, "Only a few days left...then I have to figure out what to do about that black haired servant..." He rolled on his side.

Sakura gave Rin a hug, "I don't blame you if you like Shiro...after all he's an amazing guy." She rested her head on Rin's shoulder, "I'm glad you're back in my life sis...I missed you while we were apart."

Though when a sudden explosion shook his room. It sounded like it was from outside. Shimei had not been happy with Assassin's interference and nearly took the guys head off when his magic and his own personal weapon. "Shit and here I almost had your head. You're not bad for a servant but you need to learn to keep your nose out of business that don't concern you." Said Shimei.

"Honestly you're just as hot headed as they come and if it's a fight you want it's a fight you get." Said Assassin drawing his sword. "Trust me you won't win and I can care less if I take your head off." Said Shimei. Rin had come running with Sakura and saw part of the dojo destroyed thanks to their conformation. Assassin came in fast and Shimei said, "I evoke Resistance Conjuration!" After the attack was blocked Shimei said, "Too bad now then I Invoke The Five Havens Of Riaun!"

Before Assassin could react he found some chains come up and grab him . A pillar appeared out of the ground and he was slammed against it held there by them. "Both you stop this what if an enemy attacks! All you're doing is wasting your mana and destroying this place!" Yelled Rin. Shimei obviously didn't seem to care what Rin was saying. Instead he used the reinforcement magic he picked up from Shiro and held a sword in his hand. Running forward he got ready to impale Assassin through the heart and kill him. "STOP IT!" Yelled Rin loudly.

Sakura picked up a broom and smacked Shimei into the chest sending him back into the wall, "Enough already Shimei!" She stood between Assassin and Shimei but Shiro came out and said, "Would you two stop already?" He stared at them both and saw Assassin staring back, "Assassin you should know better than this...and Shimei I'm dissappointed...Assassin was pointing out something that is true when you need rest you should be resting...now stop this...Sakura please go make some tea and both of you stop." He said, "Shimei we need Assassin he's not a weak servant by any means and we need you Shimei as you're a skilled magi so enough with this senseless fighting. If we start trying to kill each other we work right into what our enemy wants."

The broom got snapped into several pieces the moment it hit Shimei. Sliding back he frowned and stood up straight dusting himself off. With a snap of his fingers he released Assassin and just left in a bad mood now. "Wait a second you need to fix this place!" Yelled Rin but Shimei just ignored her and disappeared going to his room. "What a moron!" Said Rin fuming. "It amazes me what Taiga sees in the guy. Other then the looks he's quite a brute." Said Illiya appearing.