After school, as the sun dipped lower in the sky, Rin Tohsaka and Archer arrived at Shirō's house. Rin had her usual air of confidence, the kind that could intimidate anyone, while Archer followed with his ever-present aura of detached amusement. They were here for one thing: to make plans for the Holy Grail War. Shirō had no choice but to let them in, but the tension in the air was palpable.
Shirō, still adjusting to her new reality, greeted them at the door with an awkward smile. "Welcome," she said, her voice just a little too bright, betraying the nervousness she was trying to hide.
Rin raised an eyebrow as she stepped inside. "Still weird to see you like this, Emiya-kun," she said, deliberately using Shirō's original name. "I mean, this entire situation is just bizarre."
"I'd appreciate it if you called me Saber in public, by the way," Shirō said quickly, closing the door behind them. "It's easier for everyone that way."
Archer smirked, folding his arms. "Pretending to be someone else, huh? That's rich coming from you."
Shirō shot him a look, but said nothing, focusing instead on leading them to the dining room. The table was already set with tea and snacks, an effort to maintain some semblance of normalcy in a situation that was anything but.
They sat down, Rin taking her usual commanding position at the head of the table. "Alright," she said, clasping her hands together. "Let's talk strategy. The Holy Grail War isn't going to wait for us to get comfortable. We need a plan, and we need it now."
Shirō nodded, though she felt a pang of guilt. She wasn't supposed to be here, not as this. How could she make plans for a war she wasn't even supposed to be a part of? "I'll do what I can to help," she said, her voice steady despite her inner turmoil.
Rin gave her a sharp look. "You will help. You don't have a choice. You're a Saber, and that means you're a key player in this war, whether you like it or not."
Shirō hesitated. "But... I'm not the Saber you think I am. I don't even know my Noble Phantasm."
"That's exactly why we're here," Rin said, leaning forward. "We need to figure out what you can do. The other Masters and Servants aren't going to wait for us to get our act together. If we're not prepared, we're as good as dead."
Archer, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke up. "It's true. You're at a disadvantage, but you're not useless. With some training and a solid strategy, you might actually stand a chance."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Shirō muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Don't get snarky with me, Saber," Archer said with a smirk. "I'm here to help, but that doesn't mean I'm going to coddle you. You need to take this seriously."
"I am taking it seriously," Shirō shot back, her frustration evident. "But it's not like I can just magically become a proper Saber overnight."
Rin sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is going to be a long war." She straightened up and fixed Shirō with a determined look. "Here's the deal: you focus on unlocking your abilities, and we'll handle the rest. You don't have to fight right away, but you need to be ready when the time comes."
Shirō nodded, though the weight of her situation pressed heavily on her shoulders. "Alright. I'll do my best."
"Good," Rin said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Now, let's talk about the other Masters and Servants. We need to figure out who our biggest threats are and how to deal with them."
As they discussed their plans, Shirō couldn't help but feel like an imposter. She wasn't supposed to be here, wasn't supposed to be fighting in this war. But for now, she would play the part and do what she could to survive.