yamaboshi | ( open ) emiya shirou voice-testing post

[ OH BOY.

Here came the moment of truth. Of course, he knew that this would come eventually, but he knew that it would simply be rude if he didn't introduce himself properly, especially considering that he recognized him. Though he'd be lying if there wasn't some slight hesitance as he says his own name. ]

Emiya... Shirou.

. . .

[Emiya? None of Tokiomi's reports had indicated Kiritsugu had any relations at all outside of the Einzberns. But then again, considering how impossible he'd just admitted this place was...it answered several questions and raised a thousand more. How did he know Kirei at all? Was he prepared to kill him because Kirei did--would--fight and defeat Kiritsugu after all? Did that even apply to him as an individual considering the nature of parallel worlds themselves?]

[As it was, Kirei seemed to be having a processing failure as he stared at Shirou with the first real show of emotion: not hatred, anger, or even smug satisfaction, but astonishment.]

. . .

[ Shirou is caught slightly off guard. Not because he's not saying anything — which, truthfully, is a surprise in itself — but because he's actually showing a shred of emotion that he had never seen before in the man's face.

And it's just plain strange. At the same time, he doesn't exactly want to remain quiet. Just the idea of sheer silence in a room with Kotomine Kirei makes him feel more uneasy than when he's actually talking. With a nervous gulp from his throat, he decides to bring up the question.

Even if he already knows the answer. ]

Is there something wrong with my name?

[The implications of the situation at hand felt like a swarm of hornets; numerous, loud, and just a little terrifying. What had he done--would he do--to Emiya Kiritsugu to earn something like killing intent from his...son? (That was Kirei's best guess as to their relation, at least. Shirou looked nothing like the one picture of Kiritsugu he'd seen, but it still seemed the most likely possibility.)]

It's...one I've heard before. [He made a visible effort to regain composure, taking a breath and trying to focus. Killing whoever this was would accomplish nothing; if it was Kiritsugu himself this would have been a very different scenario. He stood to gain nothing here--except information, if he was lucky.]

[As it was, Kirei didn't show any sign of open hostility.]

[ Hearing his eerily calm voice still made him feel unease, though he knows that Kirei's not going to strike. There's no reason to here unless he openly showed hostility, and as far as Shirou himself could tell - and he was good at telling at this point - he wasn't.

And as long as there was no Holy Grail, as long as there was no conflict between the two of them, things would work out just fine. ]

You're speaking about my old man, aren't you? Emiya Kiritsugu.

[ It was the only explanation, after all, but he won't pry too deep. There's no need for that. He already knew enough about the Kotomine Kirei from back home, there was no need for him to know too much about the man.

Delving too deeply would just cause him unnecessary pain that he didn't need to have. Especially from this fake priest. ]

...You can sit down, if you like.

[It wasn't an answer to Shirou's question. It was, in a way, confirmation that there was no point in hostility between them.]

[Kirei seemed entirely calm, but at the mention of that name his grip on a half-empty cup of coffee had turned suspiciously rigid.]

[ Shirou feels rather uncertain about sitting with Kotomine - not that he hasn't done it before - but it's probably just nerves getting to him. Even though his anxiety dropped slightly as he pulled himself together. If worse comes to worse, he'll just take off the Shroud around his arm and Project.

He can do it at least one more time.

But without a word, he pulls out a seat, sitting down. He's still rather tense, but... at least Kotomine's not trying to do anything to him. Yet. ]

So it goes without saying that you know Emiya Kiritsugu, then.

[Violence wouldn't really be of any use here. It hadn't helped interrogate the Einzbern homunculus, and Kirei doubted it would accomplish much here. So his voice was quiet and steady--unnervingly so--as he spoke, empty eyes fixed upon Shirou.]

[One thing at a time. If fighting right now would accomplish nothing, then he'd seek information through simply asking.]

Tell me about him.

[Even so, it wasn't a question.]

That's right, I do.

[ Although he wasn't as tense as he was before, Shirou is still rather wary of Kotomine's actions, but harmless so far. But he doesn't really want to talk about Kiritsugu himself if mostly because

A) He kind of betrayed Kiritsugu's ideals
B) He's not exactly sure why Kotomine's asking

Which is why he'll do the obvious choice in this scenario! ]

Why do you want to know?

[Kirei was very quiet as he considered how to answer this, folding his hands and continuing to watch Shirou with those empty, dark eyes.]

[Did he have anything to lose by speaking honestly? Logic said no, but being particularly forward about these matters was a concept completely foreign to Kirei Kotomine. He didn't even understand himself, so how could he expect anyone else to?]

...There is...something I am searching for. I believe that I can find it through Emiya Kiritsugu, and so I need to know more about him.

( open ) emiya shirou voice-testing post

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