The Slums

[SINIB]

Carin

Time to escalate, while she still had this gloomy girl in the dream! Carin reached down to take her hand, and giggled as she tried her best to move them both to the kitchen. "No better time to learn than now, ne?"

Oh, but how was she going to reach the counters...?

When next Tsumiko blinked, she was looking at an older Carin than before. Taller, more filled out. One much closer to her own physical age.

Smiling.

Tsumiko

Instead of a smile, a hug, or even indifference, Carin saw Tsumiko's eyes roll up into the back of her head, passing out. Her conciousness being temporarily snuffed out. The plesent fantasy faded into static as the girl woke up.

In the real world, Tsumiko's eyes had shot open, blood red, glowing. Curse-marks began slowly encroaching onto her skin like a parasite infesting her.

"Who the hell are you?" A completely different tone hissed out at her from Tsumiko's mouth. Harsher. Angrier. Bitter.

She was most certainly not talking to the girl known as Tsumiko anymore.

[Aiden]

Carin

It was not the most abrupt transition Carin had ever experienced - dreamers waking had happened before. But this, this part was new, and the younger-again goddess flinched in shock at the sudden transformation. "Tsumiko...? No, you're one of the others from before."

She very carefully removed her hands from Tsumiko's hair, allowing the girl's head free reign on her little lap. Now that she looked at her, the similarities were... unnerving.

"My name is Carin. I've been protecting Tsumiko from her nightmare."

[SINIB]

Sakura

"You're a liar. Why else would you take that despicable form!?!"

Sakura roared at Carin with unbridled fury. Her left fist slammed into the crumbling wall next to them, covering them in dust and vausing the old building to begin creaking under its own weight.

"Now. Answer me. Who are you?"

[Aiden]

Carin

"... you consider yourself despicable?" Carin blinked in surprised, not at all intimidated by the show of force. She was more durable than a crumbly old building. Wait, that might wreck her shrine! That would be really annoying to put back together again. The young goddess shook her head, and held her hands up placatingly. "Whoa, whoa! I just told you, my name is Carin!"

And then she motioned to herself. "This is just how I look like! Sometimes I'm older in dreams, but this is just me! This is how my followers conceived me."

[SINIB]

Carin

"... you consider yourself despicable?" Carin blinked in surprised, not at all intimidated by the show of force. She was more durable than a crumbly old building. Wait, that might wreck her shrine! That would be really annoying to put back together again. The young goddess shook her head, and held her hands up placatingly. "Whoa, whoa! I just told you, my name is Carin!"

And then she motioned to herself. "This is just how I look like! Sometimes I'm older in dreams, but this is just me! This is how my followers conceived me."

Sakura

Sakura ground her teeth together, glowing red eyes flashing at Carin. Curse marks slowly encroaching down her arms and legs,staining her fair skin black. Hair slowly turning white.

"You expect me to believe that you just so happen to have that form? I have experience with things like you!" A perfectly black void began to grow in her left palm, the girl panting, shivering in fear. "That you have no relation to me, and just happen to share my form?"

[Aiden]

Carin

"No."

Carin bowed her head respectfully, hoping this girl could not see how unnerved the transformation left her feeling. The young goddess had already begun making room in her heart for this girl, for Tsumiko's desire not to be alone. To see this girl be overtaken like this, to be consumed by an incarnation of her own fear - it hurt.

"I know quite a bit about being made of other people. I know how they feel, because on some level their feelings are my own. Rather, they give me shape. So I know what fear is."

Then Carin turned her own red eyes back to Sakura's, and frowned.

"So I expect you to act on your fears, and to do your best to push me away from Tsumiko until she is alone again."

[SINIB]

Sakura

Sakura's crimson eyes seemed to shine with an unnerving light, staring down at Carin, boring into her soul. She ignored the plea from her sister to stop, smiling a bit suddenly, calmly, for just a fraction of a moment.

For that brief moment, Sakura looked to be at peace, as if she were complete. Her eyes seemed to fade out, looking at something different, something else.

Perhaps somewhere else.

But after that momentary joy, Sakura refocused on Carin, pulling his arm out of the wall. She shook it off, the bandages wrapped around it a bit frayed. Carin could see a glimpse of dark skin underneath the wrappings.

And then, Sakura turned away from her, walking away into a shadow. "This time, I'm not making a mistake. This time, I'll protect her properly." She gave Carin a small parting message just before she took the final step. She turned to look at her, the fires of determination burning in her eyes.

"This time, I won't screw up."

Sakura walked into the inky black abyss, protecting Tsumiko in her dream. The girl inside her slept peacefully, dreaming of better times. She dreamt of watching the cherry blossoms fall.

[Aiden]

Carin

12:00 PM

Carin's form grew gradually more transparent as Sakura turned from her - as her heart sank accordingly. She had to, because the little goddess felt something hot and wet building up in the corner of her eyes. "I hope you do not come to regret taking that choice from her, then."

As the abyss enclosed Tsumiko and her self-proclaimed guardian Carin vanished, returning to her pure state as a holy spirit in a spread of light. And there she found -

'WHERE ARE YOU?'

It hurt.

'WHY DON'T YOU ANSWER?'

It hurt. To be gone this long and not know where they were, what had happened to them, if they had asked for her.

'I NEEDED HELP!'

It was like a spear in her side, like thorns digging into her skull, blood pouring out from her soul as she stretched her awareness to once more encompass everyone who held her in their hearts, who trusted in her to watch over and guide them.

How much had she missed? How much did Carin not know about them, not understand about how they suffered? Why had she risked so much to take that form for so long? It was selfish of her - to put one over another, but how could she not?

'... and thank you, for helping Samantha get back home safely.'

Sam had needed help.

'This time, I won't screw up.'

Tsumiko needed it, too. And Carin knew, as intimately as she knew everyone who put their trust in her, that stopping to help someone else could never be wrong. Even if they didn't want her to, she had to try. It was her duty as a goddess...

"Yes. My purpose is to help all of them."

And so she quelled the pain in her heart, and got back to it. Now, who was doing what and where...?

[SINIB]

Sakura
12:15 pm

The fight had only taken a matter of seconds to resolve with how much stronger she was than them, but it had done a lot to take the edge off of the feelings of despair and betrayal she'd been feeling. Now, she simply held onto Shirou's unconcious corpse, hugging him tightly, in the murky depths of the abyss where nobody was going to be able to find her, watch her. Where the only other person around was the sister she knew whom had been watching in horror at what she was doing, fighting against her own desire to forcibly put a stop to it.

This was-the man she loved. The man she wanted to marry. Her lover. He completed her, made her human, and had given his life trying to save her.

Tears flowed freely down her face, dripping off her chin onto his messy orange hair. She was so close to him, it hurt.

She grunted, and they exited her sanctuary, landing onto her messy bed. She sat on top of him, straddling his thighs. She felt his member through her pants, felt Tsumiko's stir in responce. She took ahold of his face, leaning down as if to kiss him, stopping inches away from his face.

Sakura stopped. This wasn't right. He wasn't the same person, she knew that. He had his own Sakura, which made her all the more upset that she'd ever met them. She felt her heart pounding in her chest, finally giving up and resting her forehead against his. "Wh-why is it so unfair!" She bawled, screaming at the top of her lungs. She felt Rin silently take control of the body, and allowed herself to relinquish control, as if a puppeteer was handing it off to a companion. Rin hadn't interrupted her during her stupid outburst, which made Sakura feel oh so guilty. She simply continued crying, sobbing about what she'd done, what she'd ruined as she watched Rin cast spells, projecting a bandage to bind Shirou's broken arm, a cool ice pack which she placed on his head. She began casting spells, speaking softly as to not disturb him, healing his broken arm, repairing the damage her foolish sister had caused. She cast a hypnosis spell on him to keep him asleep, for now. She didn't want him waking up during the delicate operation.

Finally, Sakura spoke up. "Rin, I'm-" her voice quivered, and the girl's body began to shake.

"Don't, Sakura. Just don't." Rin sounded tired, measured and exhausted. She didn't want to explode at her sister. She didn't want to damage the delicate bridge she'd finally built. She sighed as she finished up, her own naturally blue eye returning to Tsumiko's face. She gritted their teeth and ground them. "You really messed up, Sakura." She finally said, climbing off Shirou. It was uncomfortable, watching her sister almost molest an unconcious man. She didn't know what she would have done if Sakura hadn't stopped where she did. She took them out of the room, and splayed out on the couch, grabbing a plush pillow and squeezing it tightly. "Sakura?" She asked, wondering if she was still there, or if she'd retreated.

"Y-yeah?" It seemed she was.

"Do you want me to take care of the cleanup, or can you help?" She reached up, awkwardly rubbing her own head, stroking it. Or rather, she stroked Sakura's hair.

"I-I don't know... I'm sorry, Nee-san..."

"...It's okay. I could have stopped you, so I'm also responsible. Let's just try to get this behind us before she wakes up, ok?"

Rin sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I don't want her to have to deal with our traumas on top of her own."

[Cherry Lover]

Sakura
12:15 pm

The fight had only taken a matter of seconds to resolve with how much stronger she was than them, but it had done a lot to take the edge off of the feelings of despair and betrayal she'd been feeling. Now, she simply held onto Shirou's unconcious corpse, hugging him tightly, in the murky depths of the abyss where nobody was going to be able to find her, watch her. Where the only other person around was the sister she knew whom had been watching in horror at what she was doing, fighting against her own desire to forcibly put a stop to it.

This was-the man she loved. The man she wanted to marry. Her lover. He completed her, made her human, and had given his life trying to save her.

Tears flowed freely down her face, dripping off her chin onto his messy orange hair. She was so close to him, it hurt.

She grunted, and they exited her sanctuary, landing onto her messy bed. She sat on top of him, straddling his thighs. She felt his member through her pants, felt Tsumiko's stir in responce. She took ahold of his face, leaning down as if to kiss him, stopping inches away from his face.

Sakura stopped. This wasn't right. He wasn't the same person, she knew that. He had his own Sakura, which made her all the more upset that she'd ever met them. She felt her heart pounding in her chest, finally giving up and resting her forehead against his. "Wh-why is it so unfair!" She bawled, screaming at the top of her lungs. She felt Rin silently take control of the body, and allowed herself to relinquish control, as if a puppeteer was handing it off to a companion. Rin hadn't interrupted her during her stupid outburst, which made Sakura feel oh so guilty. She simply continued crying, sobbing about what she'd done, what she'd ruined as she watched Rin cast spells, projecting a bandage to bind Shirou's broken arm, a cool ice pack which she placed on his head. She began casting spells, speaking softly as to not disturb him, healing his broken arm, repairing the damage her foolish sister had caused. She cast a hypnosis spell on him to keep him asleep, for now. She didn't want him waking up during the delicate operation.

Finally, Sakura spoke up. "Rin, I'm-" her voice quivered, and the girl's body began to shake.

"Don't, Sakura. Just don't." Rin sounded tired, measured and exhausted. She didn't want to explode at her sister. She didn't want to damage the delicate bridge she'd finally built. She sighed as she finished up, her own naturally blue eye returning to Tsumiko's face. She gritted their teeth and ground them. "You really messed up, Sakura." She finally said, climbing off Shirou. It was uncomfortable, watching her sister almost molest an unconcious man. She didn't know what she would have done if Sakura hadn't stopped where she did. She took them out of the room, and splayed out on the couch, grabbing a plush pillow and squeezing it tightly. "Sakura?" She asked, wondering if she was still there, or if she'd retreated.

"Y-yeah?" It seemed she was.

"Do you want me to take care of the cleanup, or can you help?" She reached up, awkwardly rubbing her own head, stroking it. Or rather, she stroked Sakura's hair.

"I-I don't know... I'm sorry, Nee-san..."

"...It's okay. I could have stopped you, so I'm also responsible. Let's just try to get this behind us before she wakes up, ok?"

Rin sighed, rubbing her forehead. "I don't want her to have to deal with our traumas on top of her own."

Shirou

3 PM

As Shirou slowly began to regain consciousness, he attempted to take stock of his situation. His head was throbbing, as he might expect, but other than that, his body felt perfectly fine, as if all the damage had been healed. And, even more unexpectedly, he was lying on a comfortable bed without any kind of restraint. And, as he opened his eyes and began to look around, despite the way in which his head was spinning, he noticed that his presumed kidnapper was not present. Further, the room he was in did not feel like it was Sakura's room. It was comfortable but spartan, with none of the decorations that he'd expect his wife's room to have.

But, if she had not kidnapped him, then how else could he have got here? The girl was far too strong for Sakura to defeat and, if someone else had rescued him, Sakura would be there too. Unless....

"Sakura!" Shirou shouted, suddenly as he attempted to sit up, desperately looking around for his wife.

"Sakura, where are you?" he said as he attempted to get to his feet.

However, with the concussion he had received in the fight, he could barely stand, and he began to stumble around, his brain addled with confusion as he desperately searched for his wife, fearful of the worst. Then, he collapsed to the floor in a heap, his eyes tearing up as he considered what might have become of his beloved wife.

[SINIB]

Rin


Rin laid on the couch, louging around as Sakura took a nap. One of them had to be awake and present to supress Tsumiko, so she didn't have to deal with this. She'd tied Sakura's signature ribbon around her arm, idly fidgeting with it, running her fingers along it, wondering how things could have turned out differently. Some chinese food, braised beef, steamed vegetables, and wide noodles, laid on a plate next to her, while her own second plate had already been picked clean. She looked down at Sakura's chest, and frowned, feeling oh so alien and just a twinge of jealousy of her sister's figure.

Her idle musings were interrupted by the sound of a man desperately crying for his wife. The girl sighed, stirring, and tying up her hair in a lazy side ponytail with the ribbon, picking up the food and taking it to the room. She muttered a smiple spell, reheating the food just before she entered the room.

"It's good to see you awake, Emiya-Kun."

[Cherry Lover]

Rin


Rin laid on the couch, louging around as Sakura took a nap. One of them had to be awake and present to supress Tsumiko, so she didn't have to deal with this. She'd tied Sakura's signature ribbon around her arm, idly fidgeting with it, running her fingers along it, wondering how things could have turned out differently. Some chinese food, braised beef, steamed vegetables, and wide noodles, laid on a plate next to her, while her own second plate had already been picked clean. She looked down at Sakura's chest, and frowned, feeling oh so alien and just a twinge of jealousy of her sister's figure.

Her idle musings were interrupted by the sound of a man desperately crying for his wife. The girl sighed, stirring, and tying up her hair in a lazy side ponytail with the ribbon, picking up the food and taking it to the room. She muttered a smiple spell, reheating the food just before she entered the room.

"It's good to see you awake, Emiya-Kun."

Shirou

Shirou slowly dragged himself back to his feet, his head still pounding, only to find himself staring at the girl who had beaten him up, carrying a plate of food with her signiture ribbon now being used to tie her hair into a ponytail. But, even more confusingly, her method of speaking and acting was exactly like that of Tohsaka Rin, Sakura's estranged sister.

"W..what?" he said, his confusion not helped by the concussion. "Why are you talking like Tohsaka, Sakura?"

Then, his addled mind recalled why he'd ended up on the floor and what he had been searching for.

"Where is my wife?" he demanded, the anger and confusion clear in his voice. "What have you done to her?"

[SINIB]

Rin


Rin laid on the couch, louging around as Sakura took a nap. One of them had to be awake and present to supress Tsumiko, so she didn't have to deal with this. She'd tied Sakura's signature ribbon around her arm, idly fidgeting with it, running her fingers along it, wondering how things could have turned out differently. Some chinese food, braised beef, steamed vegetables, and wide noodles, laid on a plate next to her, while her own second plate had already been picked clean. She looked down at Sakura's chest, and frowned, feeling oh so alien and just a twinge of jealousy of her sister's figure.

Her idle musings were interrupted by the sound of a man desperately crying for his wife. The girl sighed, stirring, and tying up her hair in a lazy side ponytail with the ribbon, picking up the food and taking it to the room. She muttered a smiple spell, reheating the food just before she entered the room.

"It's good to see you awake, Emiya-Kun."

Shirou

Shirou slowly dragged himself back to his feet, his head still pounding, only to find himself staring at the girl who had beaten him up, carrying a plate of food with her signiture ribbon now being used to tie her hair into a ponytail. But, even more confusingly, her method of speaking and acting was exactly like that of Tohsaka Rin, Sakura's estranged sister.

"W..what?" he said, his confusion not helped by the concussion. "Why are you talking like Tohsaka, Sakura?"

Then, his addled mind recalled why he'd ended up on the floor and what he had been searching for.

"Where is my wife?" he demanded, the anger and confusion clear in his voice. "What have you done to her?"

Rin

"Ehehe..haha..."

"..."

Rin's laughter faded into an awkward silence. She looked pained in her expression, and deeply uncomfortable with answering that question. "Hahaha, I don't look like myself, do I?"

She grabbed her long, purple hair and held it in twintails. "Is this better?" She smiled awkwardly at her joke, frowning. She took a deep breath, sighed, and looked at him. "I don't know where she is, probably out looking for you, I'd imagine."

[Cherry Lover]

Rin


Rin laid on the couch, louging around as Sakura took a nap. One of them had to be awake and present to supress Tsumiko, so she didn't have to deal with this. She'd tied Sakura's signature ribbon around her arm, idly fidgeting with it, running her fingers along it, wondering how things could have turned out differently. Some chinese food, braised beef, steamed vegetables, and wide noodles, laid on a plate next to her, while her own second plate had already been picked clean. She looked down at Sakura's chest, and frowned, feeling oh so alien and just a twinge of jealousy of her sister's figure.

Her idle musings were interrupted by the sound of a man desperately crying for his wife. The girl sighed, stirring, and tying up her hair in a lazy side ponytail with the ribbon, picking up the food and taking it to the room. She muttered a smiple spell, reheating the food just before she entered the room.

"It's good to see you awake, Emiya-Kun."

Shirou

Shirou slowly dragged himself back to his feet, his head still pounding, only to find himself staring at the girl who had beaten him up, carrying a plate of food with her signiture ribbon now being used to tie her hair into a ponytail. But, even more confusingly, her method of speaking and acting was exactly like that of Tohsaka Rin, Sakura's estranged sister.

"W..what?" he said, his confusion not helped by the concussion. "Why are you talking like Tohsaka, Sakura?"

Then, his addled mind recalled why he'd ended up on the floor and what he had been searching for.

"Where is my wife?" he demanded, the anger and confusion clear in his voice. "What have you done to her?"

Rin

"Ehehe..haha..."

"..."

Rin's laughter faded into an awkward silence. She looked pained in her expression, and deeply uncomfortable with answering that question. "Hahaha, I don't look like myself, do I?"

She grabbed her long, purple hair and held it in twintails. "Is this better?" She smiled awkwardly at her joke, frowning. She took a deep breath, sighed, and looked at him. "I don't know where she is, probably out looking for you, I'd imagine."

Shirou

Shirou, still concussed, simply looked at the clearly-insane version of his wife with utter confusion as she continued to act like her sister, even forming her hair into Rin's own signiture twin-tails in a bizarre attempt to prove her point. His confusion continued momentarily when she mentioned his wife, only to be over-ridden by a sense of relief at the fact that she was apparently not harmed in the attack.

"W..wait, so you're saying that you just left without harming her?" Shirou asked, a mixture of relief and confusion on his face. "You're saying that she's OK?"

[SINIB]

Rin

Rin settled down onto the floor, handing Shirou his plate and a cold, wet towel to put on his forehead. "Well, yeah. Unless she got into another fight after we left, she's probably just desperately searching for you.