Rin walked towards Raynel, her feet gliding across the floor in silence.
He noticed her presence and waved with a grin. “Sorry about what happened here, sister. I’m afraid I didn’t get your name.”
Shaking her head, Rin introduced herself with a polite smile. "My name is Tohsaka Rin. I am a student at the same school as Mr. Emiya."
Raynel nodded in delight. “A pleasure to meet you, Tohsaka! I’m Raynel Medico. I go there as well, but since I don’t recognize you. You must be in a different class!”
“Oh, Medico is his family name. Raynel is his given one.” Iihito raised a finger, noticing Rin mixing up his name. “He is also a foreigner, like me.”
Turning to look at Iihito, Rin pointed her finger into the air and waved it around. "Wait. How did you know what I was thinking?"
“I got eyes that could read intent.” Iihito reached her hand towards her cheek.
Slumping a bit, Rin began to grumble about people who just have all the luck, before taking a breath. "That's just unfair." She murmured.
“I mean, it’s not super clairvoyance at the very least. That skill is just bullshit.” Iihito shrugged.
Her lips turned down, and she breathed a heavy sigh."You know what? You're right. There better not be anyone with that skill in this grail war. That would be a pain."
~~Line break~~
Raynel called over to Rin. “Tohsaka! Can you come over here for a while?”
As she followed after him, he noticed Rin giving him a look of suspicion, trying her best to keep it out of his sight. He turned around to face her with a cheeky grin. “Ah. Don’t give me that look. It’s just nice to see another woman of God around here.”
"I'm glad to hear that." Rin commented.
A slim smile. “So, what do you think of Gabriel?”
After thinking about it for a moment, Rin decided to be blunt about this particular subject. "She's incredibly quick to judge, and actually naive enough to take the word of Beast Four when it comes to humanity and faith. That is a bad combination."
“I agree. Consider this, however. From what she told me, Michael is keeping the angels from observing humanity and learning our tendencies. I have to say, a VERY arrogant decision of him to make.”
Taking note of the way he said it for later, Rin quirked her lips up into a polite smile. "Hmm. That would definitely explain it then. I guess I can't be too upset. After all, I may have to work with her in the future."
“Most likely.” His smile broke into another cheeky grin, “Initially, she was sent down here to spy on me. Apparently, I was using the powers of heaven without ‘permission.’ The first thing she did when she saw me was to physically get my attention. One thing led to another, and I’m here teaching her about our world.”
Blinking in surprise, Rin's jaw slackened. "Wait. Are you actually serious? Even a child knows better than that. At least she's learning how to do it properly now, right?"
“Right. And to be fair to Gabriel, most people don’t learn anything about espionage at all.”
Her lips tilted down into a frown as she put her chin in her hand. "They don't? I thought it was common sense to teach your children such things. How else are they supposed to survive as an adult?"
Raynel waved his hand in light dismissal. “For a magus, yes, it’s necessary. But the average person will never face the hardships that you or I will live through that require those skills.”
Shaking her head slightly, Rin seemed to slump for a moment while she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Right. Sometimes I forget how mundane the average citizen's life really is."
He nodded along. “Depends on how you look at it. Who are the ones that push the arts? That find and improve the sciences? The time that they have gives them opportunities that we are too busy to pursue. To them, it isn’t mundane.”
Staring at him with a calculating look in her eye for only a short moment, she seemed to realize what he was saying. Nodding in approval, She relaxed her guard just a bit. "Not many among us would share the same views, but I do agree. Some of the things they make are just baffling, however. Why use electricity to cook your food, when a gas stove is far superior?"
“I could name a few reasons. Less likely to cause a gas leak and explode. Ease of use. Potentially cheaper bills. Although maintenance on electrical stoves and ovens tend to be a bit more costly. However, when it comes to cooking meats, a wooden grill is the best.” Raynel looked off into the distance with a reminiscing gaze.
Focusing on one part in particular, Rin ignored everything else in that moment. Her eyes, Widened, then narrowed, and she got closer to him. "Cheaper bills, you say? Hmm. Perhaps I should attempt to make a magical variant. It should be rather simple if I can get my hands on a used one for reference."
He scratched his chin in thought. “We could go to a store that supplies them. However, I am pretty sure you don’t know how electrical appliances work if you're calling it simple. I think that it would be best if I tagged along.”
Blushing almost tomato red, Rin's eye twitched for a moment. She crossed her arms and looked away with a huff. "Of course it will be simple. I'm an accomplished Magus already at my age. What could possibly go wrong?"
However, she soon deflated. "Though if you feel like helping me carry it, then I guess I won't stop you."
Raynel deadpanned. “A lot of things can go wrong. Tell me: Is it possible to take apart electrical appliances while they’re running?”
Stopping to think about it, Rin tilted her head and rubbed her chin. "I don't see why not, as long as you take the proper precautions."
He shook his head in disappointment. “Anyone with basic knowledge on electronics would know that doing so is a horrible idea. It is a safety hazard with the current and voltage running through them. The components are also fragile and tend to break when tampered with while they’re working. The components aren’t cheap either, especially if they’re shipped overseas. If you want to know how they’re built, you need to get the factory schematics.”
Rin's face was so red that she almost looked as if she was about to explode for a minute, not from anger but sheer embarrassment. "W-well I knew that. A-anyways, what do you suggest, since you know so much?"
“Let’s go to an electrical hobby shop. They should have the basic components for you to learn how to transfer their use magically. Shall we go?” He held out a hand, waiting for an answer.
Taking his hand with slight hesitation, her blush was given another reason to remain in her face. "Very well. I'll be in your care."
He beamed. “Wonderful! I think I know a place nearby. Do you want to walk or ride a scooter? I have a friend next door that is willing to lend one.”
Pondering on what a scooter was, Rin turned her gaze in the direction of the front door. "I would prefer not to walk if we need to carry a lot. It would definitely make it easier if we had an efficient way to transport our purchases."
Walking over to the front door, they put their outdoor shoes on and walked to the neighboring manor.
“Okay! Let’s hope Taiga’s home.” They knocked on the door and waited in relative silence.
A blue-suited man opened the door, and his eyes darted from Raynel to Rin. “Who’s the girl?
With a lazy wave, Raynel replied, “A new friend of mine, Ichiro. I wanted to ask Taiga if we could take her scooter.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Where to?”
“An electronic hobby shop. My friend is interested in how they work, and I think a hands-on project would do wonders.”
Ichiro leaned his head back in thought. “I think I got a better idea. The boss has some chick that’s hurt real bad. If you can heal her, I think he’ll let me drive you two there in a car instead.”
Raynel nodded his head, letting go of Rin’s hand in preparation. “Of course! Take me to her, and I’ll work my magic.”
Taking the two of them into the building, he instructed them where to put their footwear and led them deeper inside. They quickly moved to a side room that seemed to be made of steel rather than paper, with a western-style door attached. Knocking on the door in a specific pattern, a slide in the door opened, and a doctor in full scrubs peered out. "Ah. Ichiro. And you brought the medic. Good timing. We could use some of that mystic crap right about now."
“Where’s the patient, sir? It’s best that we get it done as soon as possible. Do you know her full name?” Raynel’s face set in determination.
Opening the door with a sigh, the Doctor led them to an unconscious woman with magenta hair and a missing left arm. "Yeah yeah. Right over here."
Rin looked unbothered by the state of the magus in front of her despite the gruesome sight. "That is Bazett Fraga McRemitz. She's a fairly famous enforcer from the Mages Association. I'm not surprised to see her here, but to see her so wounded, however…"
Raynel placed his hands on the woman’s head and took a deep breath. “Bazett Fraga McRemitz. By the power entrusted to me. I command thy arm to restore itself to its proper form, so that you may be healed and unburdened.” Everyone averted their eyes from the bright glow that emanated from her stump. When the light subsided, her haggard wheezing eased into peaceful breaths.
Eyes fluttering open, the woman named Bazett scanned the room. She soon found her eyes landing on what she assumed were the two magi, based on how close to the bed they were, and that the second owner of Kouh, Rin Tohsaka was standing beside him. Stretching her arm and checking to see how natural it felt, she saw it seemed almost exactly the same as her old one. Looking between the two of them, she attempted to smile, though understandably it didn't look quite right.
"You healed me pretty well. It feels just like my old arm." She paused for a moment, taking a breath. "How much do I owe you?"
Raynel smiled. “You? Nothing. Don’t worry about any debts. I’m just glad to see you’re doing well!”
Taking a moment to seethe at the missed opportunity, Rin pouted but decided to tell him about it at a later date, preferably when she wasn't in range of an enforcer. "Well, that's dealt with. What are you going to do now that you're healed?"
Frowning at the reminder, Bazett glared down at her hand. "I need to get my servant back. I'll do whatever it takes."
Raynel glanced at Rin before stating a proposition. “Well, I’m a bit busy right now, but I believe a few of my friends would be willing to help you with your predicament.”
Bazett shifted in her bed, seeming uncomfortable. With her face wracked with apprehension, she opened and closed her mouth multiple times before speaking. "Well, I guess if they don't mind, I could use a bit of help."
“Sounds good! They should be in the manor next door. Just ask for Iihito and Aiko and tell them that Raynel sent you. Do you need anything else, Bazett?” He leaned forward a little in anticipation.
She got up with a quiet sigh and began to look for her clothes. "No, I should be able to take it from here."
Raynel gave her a thumbs up. “Wonderful! If you need anything else in the future, you know who to call.”
Nodding her head in respect, Bazett appreciated his help and offer. "Thanks."
She was handed a set of Japanese formal clothing as they were ushered out of the room. Raynel turned to Ichiro with a slight smile. “Did we get the green light on the ride?”
Ichiro huffed in amusement. “I haven’t heard anything yet. I already got the keys, though, so let’s get moving.”
Walking back to the entrance, they picked up their footwear and continued to the garage. Getting into a black nondescript four-door sedan, the three of them began the drive downtown.
Turning to Raynel, Rin began to stare directly into his eyes with the look of a woman about to lecture a man for being stupid. "Raynel. I know you're really powerful, and so are your friends, but that was a major waste of a potential resource back there. It's not like the Yakuza aren't going to ask for compensation, and even if you just asked her to do you a favor later, it would have been immensely worth it. If a magus says they owe you, it's really not wise to turn them down." Pausing for a moment, she continued. "I'm actually surprised she wasn't insulted. Most magi would be."
He stared back into her eyes with gentle conviction. “I admit that I know next to nothing about magus society. But what is a favor compared to a friend? Personally, I hate people owing me favors and would rather build a good relationship with them. It’s better for both parties as well! Do you know why?”
Rin was a quick learner, and highly intelligent. She could tell what he meant as soon as the words left his lips. "I see where you're going with this. Yes. If someone simply owes you a favor, they will be uninterested in helping you after they have repaid it. Allies and friends, however, would have a vested interest in your continued wellbeing, and you in theirs."
He nodded at her, his lips tugging into a grin.“A symbiotic relationship where burdens are eased and joy is shared.”
Rin hummed in thought, and they sat in content silence for the rest of the trip.
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