Before the battle

(Rin's pov)

Our group had a strategy session on retrieving the 8th card. During this meeting August delivery a letter. All of us were surprised as what kind of letter was so important to interrupt us at such time.

Luvia: "Who is it from?"

August: "It's from Archer."

Hearing who wrote the letter we all visibly tensed. Normally he would come unannounced and annoy us without stopping but if he sent us the letter instead it's not a good sign.

Luvia was the one that took the piece of paper and started reading it.

Archer: "As you are reading I'm probably dead..."

All of us were shocked by this information. How could we not. Archer afterall is very powerful, on par with Bazett as we have seen. For him to be dead it would mean that someone or something very powerful just emerged.

Illya: "W-what how can Archer-san be dead?"

Chloe: "Calm down Illya. Let's read the whole letter before we try to theorize about anything."

Luvia nodded her head.

Luvia: "Chloe is right. If Archer really is dead this letter probably has informations that would help us with incoming danger."

We all nodded our heads in agreement thus Luvia resumed her reading.

Archer: "...is what I would say if I would be dead. Unfortunately for you I'm still alive and kicking."

Hearing what Luvia had read I was on my way to grab the letter and tear it to little pieces.Before I could realize my desire Luvia dodged with the letter so my hand met only the air. Meantime Chloe had 'as expected' look.

Luvia: "Calm down Rin, you know what kind of man Archer is and this letter could still have valuable information. He doesn't come to us without purpose."

A vain popped on my forehead.

Rin: "Did you forget for what he did come the last time."

Luvia: "Yes, while his visit didn't have a lot of importance, it still wasn't without any purpose ."

Rin: "That's my point. What if this letter is just to mess with us."

Hearing enough Chloe stepped between us. It startled me a little as her words are still fresh on my mind. Seeing this she smiled at me 'innocently'.

Chloe: "Enough of your what ifs. Just read t to the end and we'll know the answer by then."

Agreeing with Chloe Illya stepped in as well.

Illya: "Chloe is right, let's just read to the end and make our decisions after that."

Rin: "*Sigh* fine..."

I returned to my place more annoyed.

Archer: "I don't want to take too much of your time so I'll just get right to the point. I won't be able to help in the next battle. You see I got a girlfriend and I want spend time with her so you are on your own. Bye."

Rin: "..."

Luvia: "..."

Illya: "..."

Miyu: "..."

We all were speechless. The only one who was not was Chloe who was laying on the ground holding her stomach and laughing.

Chloe: "Hahahaha. I can't believe that he is letting us fight just to be with his girlfriend, hahaha."

She laughed so much that you could see tears in the corners of her eyes. After a whole minute of laughin Chloe finally stopped and got up. She looked around seeing that I gave her a strange look.

Chloe: "What? Knowing him he is just messing with us, I'm mean about his girlfriend not him not coming."

Now that she is saying this, she is probably right. I even said before that he likes to do that. Argh, why am I always pulled in his tempo.

Luvia clapped her hands a few times to get our attention.

Luvia: "Ok, let's better not think if what he says is true or not but we should make a plan that doesn't involve him."

We once again all agreed and statted making a plan to retrieve the 8th card.

---

In the evening I went looking for Bazett. Not only because she will be helpful in the upcoming operation but I need to clear up some things.

After a short while I found her sleeping on a bench covered by cardboard.

Rin: "You know as a mage I have a certain amount of respect for you but as a woman I just want to smack you."

She looked at me confused but hearing her a vain popped on my forehead a second time today.

Bazett: "Huh, why?"

I crossed my arms.

Rin: "You kissed my boyfriend."

Bazett: "Archer is your boyfriend?"

Rin: "Huh?"

(Shirou's pov)

Today is the day of a battle. I sent the girls the letter explaining that I wont be coming but I think Truck-chan influenced me little too much. I mean our personalities are similar so it's not that strange but it's not important at the moment. What is however is what I'm going to do.

I am currently in the woods at the top of a tallest tree. From here I can see everything around me so I'm positive that I'll be able to spot Gilgamesh when he'll emerge.

In my hand I'm holding a letter. The one that I got from Truck-chan on the night I became Shirou and the one that I hid in my room. Some people would say that hiding this letter I was illogical and this would create a drama in case someone would discover it... and they would be right.

I shouldn't hid it in my room. There was even a time when Irisviel discovered it. She then proceeded to have a 'talk' with me how a boy should behave towards girls. It was very awkward for the next few days. Remembering this makes me smile wryly under the mask.

I once again read the content of said letter. It's badly written letter with grammatical errors and even have misinformation in it. Reading this a natural smile formed on my face but my purpose in doing it wasn't just to look back on myself. I was really lost at the time and made a lot of irritation decisions.

I followed up Shirou's footstep to the extreme levels. The only exception was that I dodged all attacks directed at me from all the girls that I knew. I started helping everyone around, learned how to cook, joined the archery club and tried behave as Shirou as much as I could. I even befriended Issei just because Shirou did that.

The letter in my hand is embodiment of this. I kept it hidden to remind myself that I'm not him but because of my amnesia I still behaved like Shirou since I didn't know any better at the moment. Ironically I acted more as myself with the mask than without one.

In the last, week I experienced a lot of changes. I met Cu-san who helped me sort out my thoughts and having someone I could talk to helped me stabilise. He also helped me figured out that the past is unimportant and I should not concern myself with something I dont have control over. During the date with Rin I realise that I don't need to be Shirou, being myself is enough.

I look down on letter the last time and tore it apart for wind to blow away a small pieces from my hand as I looked at them vanishing from my sigh. It is now the end of thinking about a past that doesn't matter, a future that is uncertain and just live the life in the present because as someone wise once said, today is a gift and that's why it's called a present.