I wrote this as a palette cleanser to get back into the writing habit after a busy holiday season. Hopefully it doesn't suck too much, but if it does, oh well. Free to a good home if someone does want to use it.
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Night at the school was more or less utterly still.
Well, if you didnÆt count the two guys wailing on each other next to the fenced in basketball court, anyway.
Rin Tohsaka was being very still, watching her servant, Archer, go toe to toe with Lancer, trying not to be noticed, and therefore skewered. In this fashion, she mirrored the boy on the other side of the court, Shiro Emiya, who was gaping in stupefied awe at the sight. In another moment or two, heÆd slip up and call attention to himself, but for the moment, he watched the fight, and got to watch what happened next.
Lancer moved in, spear first, going for a decent thrust, and Archer set himself up for the parry, when time seemed to stop for the both of them. Or maybe it was just theyÆd both been rendered relatively motionless by the blur that resolved itself into a pigtailed man right in front of them, holding them both back with relative ease. Lancer was tugging futilely at his spear, which was gripped firmly just under the head by the manÆs hand. His other hand was firmly around ArcherÆs wrist, preventing escape. He was RinÆs gym teacher, and he was holding back two epic spirits with relative ease. RinÆs mind refused to escape the trap it had set itself up in.
His features were set into a vague frown, Rin noted, before returning to the subject of how easily he was manhandling big bad heroes. ôLook, guys, itÆs not like I can say much about violence on school grounds, but have the decency to let it happen when people arenÆt trying to sleep, yeah?ö Warning given, he released the two, and whirled on Rin. ôAnd you, young lady, have a lot to explain. What are you doing on school grounds this late at night? More to the point, arenÆt these two guys a bit old to be having epic duels for a girl your age?ö
ôWhat?!ö Rin blushed and stammered for a moment as her mind was thrown completely off track. ôItÆs not like that!ö
Ranma put his hands on his hips. ôWhat is it like then?ö He held up a hand to stop her spluttering. ôNever mind. I donÆt want to know. What I do know, is that IÆm going to call your guardian, young lady. Gimme the number. Now.ö In her semi-dazed state, Rin blurted it out. Ranma pulled a cell phone out of his pocket and started dialing while he mumbled. ôMan. Gonna have to call in the principle, too. He is not gonna like this.ö
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Across town, Kotomine KireiÆs cell rang at precisely the wrong moment, alerting Bazzette to his presence. Startled into action, she made a run for it. Kirei stood there for a moment, twitching, wondering what else would go wrong tonight.
Then he answered his damn cell phone. With his ambush failed, it wasnÆt like he had anything better to do.
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An hour later, Rin was sitting in the principleÆs office shrinking under KireiÆs glare as the principle ranted as he paced on the other side of the desk in the well-appointed room. Rin had never had much contact with the school faculty, and she didnÆt like the fact that her first meeting was starting so poorly.
ôà of all the thoughtless, irresponsible actions to take! Tohsaka! If youÆre going to pay two hobos to fight over you, the least you could do is hold the fight in the middle of the school day so that the students can watch and take bets while ignoring their classes.ö
Rin had been nodding miserably, but then what the man said caught up with her. ôWhat?ö
The sandy blond man with the mustache hardened his glare at her. ôMiss Tohsaka, the schoolyard brawl is a time honored tradition! In my day we had two or three low key fights a day with a major event at least once a week! Kids today have no fighting spirit!ö He sighed and collapsed in his chair. ôWhen I agreed to this job, I thought it was going to be very different.ö He pushed a button on his intercom. ôDai, is Ranma done with the blue guy yet?ö
ôJust a sec,ö came the vice prinicpleÆs voice. There was a muffled clanging noise, followed by the squealing of bending metal. ôOkay, yeah, heÆs done now.ö
The principle nodded as if the noises were expected. ôHave him bring the guy in then.ö
ôYou sure, Hiro? He canÆt talk too well anymore.ö
The man pondered this for several seconds. ôMight as well. Maybe heÆs got some crazy healing factor thatÆll kick in.ö
ôÆkay.ö
There were a few seconds of furious contemplation going on with the two on the other side of the desk. RinÆs definition of reality had blown a fuse and she was busy wondering just when sheÆd wandered into the twilight zone. She had the uncomfortable feeling that it had happened the moment sheÆd started attending the school. Kirei was trying to figure out just how to get his plans back on track, and how exactly he was going to cover up the deaths of so many school officials.
But then the door opened, and Ranma wheeled in a trash can, into which Lancer had been inserted head first, and the top warped around him to trap him there, though it was moot at this point given the manÆs limp nature. Ranma held the manÆs spear over one shoulder.
The principle ignored the manÆs state, accepting it as ordinary. ôSo whatÆs the scoop, Saotome?ö
Ranma scratched the back of his head for a moment. ôTo sum it up? Undead hobos fighting over a monkeyÆs paw.ö
Rin spluttered and Kirei choked. Hiroshi ignored them both and rubbed his chin. ôWhat kind of undead?ö
ôGhosts apparently.ö
Hiroshi shrugged. ôBetter than zombies, I guess.ö
ôYeahàö Ranma trailed off and both men shuddered, lost in memories.
The vice principle chose that moment to enter the already crowded room, holding a file with the ominous black labeling of æTohsaka,, RinÆ. He glanced between the other two men. ôThe Halloween That Shall Never Be Spoken of Again?ö
Hiroshi nodded. ôYes, so letÆs not talk about it. More detail Saotome. HowÆd Tohsaka get mixed up in this?ö He frowned. "And whereÆs Emiya?ö
The girl in question huffed, mind blocking out the previous experiences in favor of one she could handle. ôWhy canÆt you just ask me?!ö
The blonde man glared at her. ôImpartiality. Now hush.ö
ôEmiya was waxing the floor of the archery dojo. Again. That boy needs to start teaching people to fish. I sent him home with a warning and a smack to the head. Anywayà Apparently these ghosts latch on to gullible teens and convince them to provide the ghosts with energy so that they can be all fleshy.ö
Hiroshi looked disturbed. ôNecromancy?ö He rubbed his forehead and scowled at the blue man in the trash can. ôWeÆre going to have to call the school nurse in on this one before too long, arenÆt we?ö
Ranma shrugged. ôWell, Gos is the only one I know with both a med degree and something approaching success in magic.ö
Daisuke grunted from the corner where he was leaning. ôYeah, well, it still sucks.ö Then he paused as a thought occurred to him. ôSo what does miss guli- I mean, Miss Tohsaka get out of this.ö
ôA wish off the monkeyÆs paw.ö
ôItÆs the Holy Grail.ö
Everyone in the room glanced at Kirei, who had finally figured out that there was no help for it. To correct a screw up of this magnitude, he was going to need help from the Council of Magi, who might even strip him of his position of overseer for this û or kill him if they discovered Gilgamesh.
Hiroshi shrugged. ôWhatever. All wish granting objects are the same really, A McGuffin that grants your heartÆs desire with side effects and or consequences that range anywhere from hilarious to horrifying.ö He paused. ôAnd which it is tends to depend on what side of the equation youÆre on, really.ö
Ranma grinned fiercely. ôAh, pop, only six years left on that sentence.ö
Daisuke chuckled. ôYou guys tore up the district for a couple years and no one really cared, but the moment Genma wished for all that money, the government swooped in, arrested him for tax evasion, and confiscated the money for æevidenceÆ.ö
Hiroshi coughed into his fist. ôWeÆre getting a bit far afield here.ö He focused his gaze on Kirei. ôMr. Kotomine, can you assure me that RinÆs fights will take place on campus during normal school hours from now on? If so, IÆll let this go at a warning. If notàö He trailed off, and in the corner, Daisuke eagerly opened his folder and took out an ominous looking red pen.
ôFine,ö Kirei gritted out. The entire school, he thought, would need to be purged in fire. Perhaps Rin along with them.
ôHowà why?ö Rin shook herself like a dog and started again. ôWhy does this need to happen on school grounds? And why where everyone can see? ArenÆt you supposed to be enforcing discipline?ö
Hiroshi nodded slowly. ôI suppose I can understand where youÆre coming from. He got up from his desk and strolled over to his closet. ôLet me answer you by way of an example.ö He reached into the closet and yanked out a startled looking student with glasses, holding a video camera, though what he could be filming in the closet was beyond her. ôThis,ö Hiroshi gestured to the bewildered boy, ôis Ryuudo Issei. Issei-kun is on the student council. This council is so low on funds that he makes money recording all my important meetings at school. As well as upskirt shots of popular students like yourself. The Student Council is so low on funds that they have to beg Emiya to magic their heater back together for free so that theyÆll have heat for the winter. The Student Council, Tohsaka.ö He grunted and sat in his chair, ignoring the glare the girl was throwing Issei. ôAnd here you are paying these bums to fight over you.ö
ôSo what do you want me to do,ö Rin mumbled, ôdonate money?ö
Hiroshi shook his head. ôNo. Well, that might be nice, but the point is that if you set up the fights where other people can see them, Issei can run the betting ring around it all and generate the needed funds that way. Then, your hobos can fight to their heartÆs content without all the æstaying hiddenÆ hassle. Everyone wins.ö
RinÆs eye twitched. ôWould you stop calling them bums and hobos?! TheyÆre epic spirits!ö
Ranma shrugged. ôIn my experience, most heroes are hobos. Wanderers without a home willing to do just about any task for room, board, and maybe a modest cash payment. Heroes are hobos who do moral work.ö
Hiroshi nodded. ôYes. The hobo comment stands, though I suppose I will retract the æbumÆ statement.ö Then he turned and pointed at Issei. ôAnd you! I can call you a bum! Keep filming!ö
ôR-right!ö Issei stepped back into the corner and brought the camcorder back up to his eye.
Kirei had had enough. He slammed his hand down on the principleÆs desk. ôI oversee these events, not you! You canÆt just start dictating rules here!ö
Hiroshi wasnÆt really paying attention at this point, still staring at Issei, which was creeping the boy out. ôFine, fine, youÆre the official ref, whatever. Only you or Kuno would be nuts enough to jump into that ring. Ranma, give him a whistle.ö After a momentÆs pause he continued. ôActually, full uniform, do him up.ö
Ranma nodded and strong-armed the man out of the room. ôRight.ö
Once they were clear, he turned back to Daisuke, completely ignoring Rin, who was still trying to process everything that was going on, despite her moments of clarity; which had been more like stumbling into clearings while lost in the woods than anything else. ôDai, call Nabiki. We need to jump on this now before anyone else does.ö
The vice-principle frowned. ôDoesnÆt she work for that TV station now? She wonÆt exactly be happy to be woken up.ö
Hiroshi grinned. ôExactly! We can get this televised. WeÆll call it æCelebrity Hobo Deathmatch!Æö
Ranma chose that moment to drag RinÆs insensate guardian back into the room. HeÆd been dressed in a black and white vertically striped jersey, with a matching cap, and a whistle where his cross used to be. Over the robe heÆd come there in.
Rin chose that moment to pass out. Rin had never had much contact with the school faculty, and she never wanted to see any of them again. Too bad it wasnÆt an option.
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You are now requested to feed the writer's ego.