Title: Inversion

Author: Cecil Kain Cerberus

Characters (central focus): Shirou, Gilgamesh

Pairings: Rin/Shirou, Arturia/Shirou, Rin/Gilgamesh, Arturia/Gilgamesh

Rating: T

Warnings for the reader: Two characters are considered one identity, in a sense. :3

Setting: Fate/stay night

Summary: Shirou has always felt different from the others. Almost like a subconscious arrogance, one he cannot control. However, one night changes everything when he finds himself forced into a competition called the Holy Grail War. Accidently summoning a servant who calls herself Saber, Shirou soon discovers that he is not all he thought he was. Did this have something to do with an event that occurred over ten years ago? Just what—or who—is this person in his head, claiming to be the King of Heroes?

Genre: drama, romance, friendship, adventure, action, mystery, supernatural

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Type Moon does. But if I did . . . well, let's just say some people would lose their sanity, while others would . . . erm . . . yeah.

A Matter of Truth

Was it truly arrogant of me to think of myself as better than everyone here?

I know I shouldn't. My father once lectured me on this sort of arrogance, telling me it will only give me nothing but trouble if I continue to hold myself higher than the rest of my classmates.

Yet I can't help. It's not like I'm ignorant of my position in the school. It was simply a matter of truth.

I was more capable than anyone here. I had the aim, the precision of a sniper. I never missed a target, even on a bad day.

And besides, it wasn't my fault I was better at archery than everyone here. It was simply natural talent and homegrown skill. No one hear took archery seriously, nor did any of them have the natural gift I had. So it wouldn't be arrogant of me to say I'm better than anyone in my archery club if it was the simple truth.

It was just like in everything else. I was the most responsible worker at the shop. I was always on time to both work and school. I did my schoolwork, never cheated, and never did I hold back if I found myself at a loss. I would go to the library and research, consult the higher level students who I knew took a certain class, or spoke with the right teacher over a certain test problem.

I was simply better because I used my time more wisely. I made wiser decisions. I knew my limitations. I did not need to make a fool out of myself in order to prove something.

I guess it's just weird from someone who's so average to understand my reasons. After all, they're not at my level yet. They could get there, if they bothered themselves enough.

Like Matou Shinji. In comparison to my skill, he was mediocre, lacking completely in the natural talent I possessed. It was simply the truth, yet he became very offended when I pointed it out to him.

Maybe it had something to do with me announcing that among the rest of the club, or maybe it was because of the girls watching him that made him outrage that much.

Either way, I now found myself in a "competition" of sorts with him. Really, I saw no need to humiliate him like this, but he kept insisting.

THUNK!

The arrow flew, hitting the target. It didn't hit dead center, like my arrows always would. However, that didn't seem to matter to Shinji, who seemed to think that hitting the target at all was the greatest thing ever.

"See that, Emiya? That is the result of my "skill," as you put it." He held up the bow to me, his face smug and mocking. "Now let's see how your "talent" compares to my "skill.""

"That's pointless," I replied back immediately. "What's the point of showing off when it's not even for practice?"

"It is practice!" he snapped back. "Only our honor is at stake here!"

"Honor?" I asked. "What are you going about, Matou?"

"You heard me!" he continued eagerly. "If you win, I'll leave the club. But if I win, you leave the club. This is a battle for our position in the archery club."

At the sound of such a stake, my heart began to race. It wasn't out of excitement or the thrill of such risk. Really, I knew who was coming out of this in the end.

No, the reason my heart raced was the thought of teaching this brat his place. This wasn't exactly a side I was proud to show, so a bit of shame entered my mind as I confirmed what I dreaded to admit. Yet still, there was a law that motivated me to reach out towards that bow, gripping it hard and pulled it away from Shinji.

It was the law of natural order, the truth that controls all living things. Matou Shinji, who dared to remove himself under me, his superior, had preformed an unforgivable act.

It was my duty to uphold this natural order in the archery club. I was the vice-captain. Those who challenged my or the captain's positions with hollow threats needed to be taught a painful and cruel lesson.

My arrow did not miss, as I knew it would. It hit the dead center with a soft thunk. A boy ran up to the target with a measuring tape, only to pull back moments later, lifting his arm up. "Emiya hit dead center."

A murmur washed over the crowd. Everyone began to huskily discuss the results and the implications it held.

I didn't bother listening to their chatter. Instead, I walked straight up to Shinji, my eyes never wavering from his. "You heard him. I win."

Shinji clearly didn't see that coming. Perhaps he didn't know me well enough? Either way, he was left gasping like a fish, trying to form words when none would come.

Behind me, the captain, Ayako sighed, placing a hand on her hip. "Geez, Shinji, how did you manage to screw this up?"

"I-I-I—" He couldn't find words. Finally, I had had enough. "Matou, if you don't want to embarrass yourself further, you should leave. Come back when you have everything together."

That didn't seem to hold well with him, because the next thing I knew, Shinji had cried out, shoving me down to the ground, shouting obesities into my ear as he beat my body.

I, of course, fought back, and within seconds pinned him to the hard, wooden floor. He looked shocked and even more enraged at my actions.

"You didn't use to be like this, Emiya!" he snapped viciously at me.

"You mean I used to be a pushover, Matou?" I replied, my voice calm and void of emotion.

Growling, he struggled, but by then, a few older students arrived. Apparently, someone called for help, and with that, the students dragged Shinji away, most likely to the principal's office or the student disciplinary council, depending on the degree Shinji continued to struggle.

Brushing myself off, I looked up to see both Ayako and Sakura, another member of the archery club, looked at me.

I bowed to Ayako. "I apologize for making a scene, Mutsuduri-san." The captain waved her hand dismissively, scoffing. "Honestly, Emiya, can you go a day without angering someone?"

It was said in a joking manner, I could tell, with the tone in her voice. But there was a truth to her words. I seemed to cause problems with certain students and teachers for simply speaking the truth of the matter, and to many, even the ones not directly affected by me, seemed to agree that it caused problems.

"I'll remove myself from the club if that's what you need."

"And lose my best archer? Not a chance," Ayako retorted. "Look, Emiya, just… try not to be so vocal next time, kay? And maybe not bother humoring Matou. He's got a thick head and an slippery tongue."

"Gotcha. I'll resist the urge next time."

That ended the conversation. I could tell Ayako wanted to say more, but she merely sighed, shaking her head, chuckling, "Still thought you showing him up was funny," while Sakura stood there, watching me.

Not bothering to acknowledge her gaze, I turned heel to clean up. While it might have been started by Shinji, I played a role, too. So, now it was clean up time.