HOMURAHARA GHOST TOUR
A short story by Daneel Rush
**************
It was a warm summer night. The kind of humid, insufferable night in which your clothes stick to your skin and not a hint of a breeze can be felt or counted on. It is the kind of night people often try to sleep away so that it passes as quickly and unnoticed as possible.
ôThen why in all gods names are we heeeeeeeeere!?ö
Unfortunately, Saegusa Yukika was not allowed even that.
ôWa-ha-ha-ha!ö
Surreal, artificial laughter, the likes of which you only hear in anime. However, it still suited the exuberant Black Panther of Homurahara (self-appointed title), Makidera Kaede.
ôWelcome, welcome! Ladies and gentlemen!ö
ôWho are you talking toà?ö The bespectacled member of the so-called Track Trio, Himuro Kane, said in her usual quiet and somewhat scathing tone.
ôAnd why in Englishà?ö Yukika wondered.
ôWelcome, to the Homurahara High School Ghost Tour!ö Kaede exclaimed, deaf to her best friendsÆ comments. ôYay! Pachi-pachi-pachi-pachi!ö
ôReplacing actual clapping with the onomatopoeia for clapping, is that some sort of new fadà?ö Himuro said.
ôToday, these brave maidens will challenge the schoolÆs seven mysteries!ö
ôIs there even such a thing in our schoolà?ö Yukika inquired.
ôOf course!ö Kaede declared in a voice far louder than necessary. ôDo you know of a school that doesnÆt have a ghost story or two?ö
ôI didnÆt hear anything about HomuraharaÆs mysteries before you brought it up at lunch today,ö Himuro commented.
ôMah, itÆs okay, I forgive you for being ignorant.ö
HimuroÆs silence was surprisingly eloquent.
ôHiiiùscary! YouÆre making a scary face, Kane-chan!ö The caramel-haired Yukika squeaked while flinching away from her friend.
ôSo, lettsu go!ö
ôWhoÆs there!?ö
ôAw crap, the police! Everybody scram!ö
Himuro and Yukika followed with their eyes while Kaede ran away from the school gates like a spaz, not really feeling like going along with their somewhatàidiotic friend. However, the glimpse of the lanternÆs light, most likely belong to a member of the night watch still active eight months after that mysterious series of disastrous events from last winter, urged the two girls to run for hiding.
ôStupid Kaede, IÆll get her for thisà!ö the long-haired Himuro growled through gritted teeth.
ôAaah, mouà! I donÆt like this at allà!ö Yukika just whined.
**************
ôGood, the annoyances are away!ö Kaede spoke, this time in a whispering tone. ôHomurahara Ghost Tour, take two!ö
ôWeÆre still going along with thisà?ö Himuro said in a tired tone.
ôOf course!ö
ôàyouÆre just too afraid to go on your own, arenÆt you?ö
ôYup!ö
ôSo honest!ö Yukika exclaimed.
ôNot moÚ at all!ö
ôAah, sheesh!ö KaedeÆs turn to whine. ôHow will anyone believe I found a ghost if I donÆt bring a second person with me?ö
ôAh, ah, then Kaede-chan and Kane-chan can do this by yourselvesàö
ôHold it right there, Saegusa,ö Himuro uttered in a tone that let no room for arguments. Her hand as well, it had clamped itself around YukikaÆs right wrist and taken away any chance of escape.
ôMuuàö
ôCome on, Yukicchi, itÆs all for one and one for all! Like those Three Buccaneers!ö
ôMusketeers,ö Himuro blandly corrected.
ôWhatever, letÆs do this! MakideraaaaaaaaaaaaaùKaedeeeeeeeeeeee!ö
The other two girls wordlessly watched Kaede dash towards the schoolÆs outer wall and leap high enough to reach the top, clinging to it with both hands. They then watched the dark-skinned sprinter futilely scratch the wall with her feet in a lame attempt to get anything resembling a hold on it. After several seconds of struggling like a fish out of water, Kaede gave up and allowed her legs to dangle uselessly.
ôàummàö
ôYes?ö Himuro inquired.
ôàa little help here?ö
ôàpfft.ö
ôDonÆt laugh!ö
**************
ôWow, that was a surprisingly elaborate means to enter the school at night,ö Kaede pointed out as the trio stepped into the entrance all with the shoe lockers.
ôYou mean walking around the wall and approaching the school from the forest?ö
ôAh, sheesh, you make things sound so boring, Kane-pon.ö
ôWho is thatà?ö Yukika muttered in response to KaedeÆs strange means of addressing their common friend.
ôSo, our first stop: the Student Council Room,ö Kaede announced as they approached the place in question. Her voice dropped in an attempt to create a mood. ôIt is said that, on some nights, strange scratching sounds can be heard inside that room.ö
Turning off her own electric flashlight, Kaede smirked at her two companions before slowly reaching for the knob. The moment she closed her mouth, the heavy silence of the deep night at the school fell upon them, and the realization of what they were doing struck them for the first time. The awareness of their misdeedùintruding in the school grounds at nightùadded a sense of recklessness and danger to their little summer adventure.
Suddenly, in the deep darkness of the schoolÆs hallways, the idea of some psycho with a hatchet popping out of the shadows did not sound as unreasonable.
ôHauuuàö Yukika whined quietly while unconsciously reaching for HimuroÆs hand.
ôSoà?ö Kaede whispered, perhaps more to herself than to the two behind her. ôTime to come out, mister ghostà?ö
Her hand reached for the doorknobà
Click.
The door was opened before Kaede even touched it.
ôGyaaaaaaaaaaah!ö Three girls screamed.
ôUwah! What the heùbogh!ö
A flashlight bounced off Emiya ShirouÆs forehead.
**************
ôAre you sure you are alright, Emiya-kun?ö
ôAh, ah, really, itÆs okay. My headÆs pretty tough,ö Shirou dismissed the girlÆs worries with a calm smile. ôThank you for the bandage, Saegusa,ö he said while getting back on his feet without assistance and pointing to the strip now stuck to his forehead courtesy of the track teamÆs manager.
ôUm! With pleasure!ö
ôDo you always carry those?ö Himuro could not stop herself from asking. Yukika nodded a few times.
ôUm, well, I trip a lot, soàö
ôThatÆsàreally sad,ö Kaede opinionated.
ôSad indeed,ö Himuro agreed.
ôMuuuàö
ôSo, the First Mystery of Homurahara turned out to be Emiya fixing stuff late at night, huhàö Kaede stated while crossing out a line in a piece of paper she took out of her skirt pocket. ôLaaaaameàö
ôSorry to disappoint you,ö Shirou retorted in his least apologetic voice. Once Ryuudou Issei or one of the teachers put a problem in his hands, Shirou did not leave the school grounds until it was solved. That was his way as a Hero of Justice who helps all.
ôWhatever!ö Kaede spun to point at the young man. ôYouÆll make up for it by acting as our bodyguard for the night!ö
ôàsay that again?ö
ôSaa, we had a rough start, but things will only get better from now on!ö Kaede declared while turning away from the group.
ôWhere does she get that confidence fromà?ö Himuro mused.
ôSeriously, I didnÆt get it, why am I supposed toùö
ôLetÆs go, my brave companions! Wahahaha!ö
ôAnd off she goesàö Himuro said before glancing at the boys whose words remained unheard. ôPlease take good care of us, Emiya-kun.ö
The young magus, whose outstretched hand still feebly tried to reach for the distant laughing figure, dropped his head and sighed in defeat.
ôUh, umàIÆm terribly sorry, Emiya-kunàö
Shirou sighed again and looked at Yukika, who looked almost as desperate as a lost puppy trapped inside a washing machine. He had to consciously stop himself from patting her head and say something like ôgood girl, good girl.ö
ôItÆs not SaegusaÆs fault. Now, letÆs get going before Makidera gets in troubleùö
A shrilly scream from the far end of the ground level of the school interrupted ShirouÆs sentence. The boy and the two girls exchanged alarmed glances before hurrying towards the source of that frightening cry. Naturally, Shirou was much, much faster.
ôHeeeeeeeeeee~eeeeeeelp!ö
The redhead was about halfway there when KaedeÆs sprinting figure appeared right in front of him and made a sharp turn towards the shoe lockers and the schoolÆs main entrance.
ôWait, Makidera, that doorÆs loùmmhmm!ö
ôHiiii!ö The frightened Kaede turned around the moment she confirmed a chain indeed held the schoolÆs main entrance locked for the night. ôEmiya?ö
Emiya Shirou had disappeared, but her two friendÆs approaching footsteps gave Kaede a measure of relief.
ôMakiji!ö Himuro called out as she reached the lockers, closely followed by a frantic Yukika. ôWhatÆs the deal with that screamùö
ôMore importantly, Himuro; whereÆs Emiya!?ö An alarmed Kaede interrupted while closing the distance between them. ôHe was here a moment ago, butà!ö
**************
Just a few meters away, hidden within the shadows under the stairs, Emiya Shirou gasped desperately for air. His entire body, with the exception of his head, was restrained by a long red cloth, and held in place by the weight of a girl straddling his waist.
A delicate index finger fell on his lips.
ôShhhàö
Caren Ortensia found herself the target of ShirouÆs flat stare. She was none other than the person dispatched by the Church to take care of the house of the faith formerly assigned to Kotomine Kirei, who died in the Fifth HeavenÆs Feel ritual eight months ago. She had only spent a bit over three months in Fuyuki City, but Shirou already had a very good idea of what kind of person the fourteen-year-old priestess was.
The white-haired lady of the faith paid no heed of ShirouÆs ôwhat the hell, Carenö face. Leaning on top of his seated form, she quietly listened to the conversation just a few steps away. Shirou too turned his head to get an idea of what the track trio was doing.
ôEh?ö YukikaÆs frightened voice reached them easily. ôE-Emiya-kunÆs disappearedà?ö
ôHe could not have gone too far; he was just aheadàofàusàö
HimuroÆs words were broken by the appearance of the very reason Makidera Kaede had screamed just about a minute earlier. As the two other girls caught sight of what claimed HimuroÆs attention, they fell into a threnody of pathetic, barely audible whines.
The three paralyzed young women could only stare at the eerily floating balls of flame just a few meters ahead of them, leaving disorderly trails of incandescence as they slowly, patiently, approached the terrified schoolgirls.
ôHiiiàö Yukika, the poor girl, squeaked pitifully. Himuro, who struggled to find a way to deny what her eyes were showing her, had not even noticed the uncontrollable trembling of her arms and legs.
ôHiiiiiiiiiiiiiùyaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!ö But it was Kaede who first voiced her terror and turned it into motion; her trusty legs taking to a mad sprint in the opposite direction from the supernatural phenomenon.
ôYukika!ö Himuro managed to gasp out and then grabbed her friendÆs wrist, urging her to run along and away.
ôNo, wait!ö Shirou gasped out. ôItÆs notùhmmmhmgh!ö
He was interrupted by a tongue shoved down his throat. His bound body made it impossible for Shirou to fix his poor balance, and he ended up completely prone on the cold hard floor while Caren cleaned his teeth with her tongue.
ôPuah!ö The two gasped, filling their lungs with valuable air the moment their lips separated. The track trio was long gone, and Caren looked down on the captive Shirou with a satisfied smile.
ôRejoice, Emiya Shirou,ö she said. ôYou have just claimed my first kiss.ö
ôIÆm the one who feels like IÆve lost something precious!ö He immediately retorted.
A Reality Marble was not the only thing he absorbed from a certain Servant.
ôReally, you wicked priestess, just what are you thinking!?ö The young magus hissed, although his anger was not as large as he wished it to be.
ôYes, Sister Ortensia, just what are you thinking?ö
ôUrk.ö
Caren found amusement in the strange sound that escaped ShirouÆs throat.
ôMy, how cute,ö she idly commented.
Both apprentice magus and church priestess looked up at the young woman standing there with crossed arms and a foot impatiently tapping the floor with a heated rhythm.
ôTo-ToùTohsakaà!ö A suddenly very, very frightened boyfriend called out in a rather unmanly voice. ôThis is, this is not what it looks likeùö
ôIt is exactly what it looks like. Emiya Shirou obviously favors younger girls with white hair.ö
ôIf that were the case then the Holy Grail War would have proceeded quite differently, Sister,ö Tohsaka Rin retorted in a dark tone, never taking her eyes from the girl straddling her manÆs waist.
Caren calmly returned the other girlÆs glare while thinking of her next sentence.
ôàEmiya Shirou was about to reveal our position, and thus I undertook measures to keep his mouth shut. My tongue was the only tool available to achieve the short-term objective.ö
ôThe Cloth of Magdala,ö Rin responded flatly.
Caren looked down at the red cloth binding Shirou; an artifact of the Church with the power to efficiently capture any member of the male gender.
ôàah.ö
ôAh, she saysàö Shirou muttered. ôWait, was there a long-term objective!?ö
CarenÆs eyes glinted with a hint of future mischief averted.
ôWhat the hell, Caren!?ö
**************
ôSo, you heard those three talking about coming at night and decided to pull a prank on them?ö Shirou summarized. The two magic-wielders and the priestess were walking down the hill in the direction of the Emiya residence. ôI didnÆt think you that kind of person, Tohsaka.ö
ôAh, wellàö The twin-tailed beauty responded with a slight smirk. ôThink of it as one last school memory, or something. Besides, it would be bad if they somehow found the real ghosts.ö
ôYeah, I guess that would beùwait, what?ö
From Rin, Shirou only got her trademark ôoh, could it be that you donÆt even know that?ö face.
Tohsaka RinÆs face can be extremely eloquent. In the end, the boy just gave up; if she did not want to tell, then she wouldnÆt.
ôWonÆt you get in trouble from using your Magecraft like that?ö He asked instead.
ôHmmàtheyÆll rationalize it in one way or another. IÆll muddle their minds a little tomorrow just in case. And itÆs not like anybody will report it to the Clock Tower or something.ö A pause. ôIÆll looking at you, priestess.ö
ôMy lips are locked.ö
ôOn my boyfriendÆs!ö
Shirou winced. While he was a little happy to hear such a bold declaration of their relationship, the situation was not precisely one he had looked forward to.
ôConsider it part of the payment for services rendered,ö Caren offered. ôAnd I do not mean just todayÆs little outing.ö
ôHmmàö
ShirouÆs expression hardened a bit.
Tohsaka Rin was a talented and skilled user of Magecraft, but she was still but a fledgling. Caren Ortensia was not a skilled Executor like Kotomine Kirei had been, but she had contacts, and access so some of the ChurchÆs resources.
Rin did not like the idea of becoming indebted to the Holy Churchùin fact, having the Church indebted to her was one of her fatherÆs final pieces of adviceù, but she needed everything she could get if she wanted to deal with the likes of Matou Zouken.
And Tohsaka Rin had a very good reason to deal with Matou Zouken as soon as possible.
The black-haired girl glanced at Shirou, then at Caren, and then at Shirou once more, her cheeks turning redder and redder as she did so, but in the dark of night it was hard to tell.
ôàjustàkeep it to a minimum, alright!? Hmph!ö She finally declared with a harsh tone, as if unwilling to admit she had just lost in some way.
ôUnderstood.ö
ôEeeeeeeeeh!?ö Emiya Shirou exclaimed upon realizing he had just been pawned off.
ôSa-saa, letÆs get going!ö Rin insisted in a slightly higher pitch than usual. ôIÆm hungry, and Fujimura-senseiÆs probably still waiting for us this late.ö
ôYes, dinner sounds lovely at the moment,ö Caren added.
ôWhy are you still here!?ö Shirou sharply retorted. ôGo home already!ö
**************
THE END
A short story by Daneel Rush
**************
It was a warm summer night. The kind of humid, insufferable night in which your clothes stick to your skin and not a hint of a breeze can be felt or counted on. It is the kind of night people often try to sleep away so that it passes as quickly and unnoticed as possible.
ôThen why in all gods names are we heeeeeeeeere!?ö
Unfortunately, Saegusa Yukika was not allowed even that.
ôWa-ha-ha-ha!ö
Surreal, artificial laughter, the likes of which you only hear in anime. However, it still suited the exuberant Black Panther of Homurahara (self-appointed title), Makidera Kaede.
ôWelcome, welcome! Ladies and gentlemen!ö
ôWho are you talking toà?ö The bespectacled member of the so-called Track Trio, Himuro Kane, said in her usual quiet and somewhat scathing tone.
ôAnd why in Englishà?ö Yukika wondered.
ôWelcome, to the Homurahara High School Ghost Tour!ö Kaede exclaimed, deaf to her best friendsÆ comments. ôYay! Pachi-pachi-pachi-pachi!ö
ôReplacing actual clapping with the onomatopoeia for clapping, is that some sort of new fadà?ö Himuro said.
ôToday, these brave maidens will challenge the schoolÆs seven mysteries!ö
ôIs there even such a thing in our schoolà?ö Yukika inquired.
ôOf course!ö Kaede declared in a voice far louder than necessary. ôDo you know of a school that doesnÆt have a ghost story or two?ö
ôI didnÆt hear anything about HomuraharaÆs mysteries before you brought it up at lunch today,ö Himuro commented.
ôMah, itÆs okay, I forgive you for being ignorant.ö
HimuroÆs silence was surprisingly eloquent.
ôHiiiùscary! YouÆre making a scary face, Kane-chan!ö The caramel-haired Yukika squeaked while flinching away from her friend.
ôSo, lettsu go!ö
ôWhoÆs there!?ö
ôAw crap, the police! Everybody scram!ö
Himuro and Yukika followed with their eyes while Kaede ran away from the school gates like a spaz, not really feeling like going along with their somewhatàidiotic friend. However, the glimpse of the lanternÆs light, most likely belong to a member of the night watch still active eight months after that mysterious series of disastrous events from last winter, urged the two girls to run for hiding.
ôStupid Kaede, IÆll get her for thisà!ö the long-haired Himuro growled through gritted teeth.
ôAaah, mouà! I donÆt like this at allà!ö Yukika just whined.
**************
ôGood, the annoyances are away!ö Kaede spoke, this time in a whispering tone. ôHomurahara Ghost Tour, take two!ö
ôWeÆre still going along with thisà?ö Himuro said in a tired tone.
ôOf course!ö
ôàyouÆre just too afraid to go on your own, arenÆt you?ö
ôYup!ö
ôSo honest!ö Yukika exclaimed.
ôNot moÚ at all!ö
ôAah, sheesh!ö KaedeÆs turn to whine. ôHow will anyone believe I found a ghost if I donÆt bring a second person with me?ö
ôAh, ah, then Kaede-chan and Kane-chan can do this by yourselvesàö
ôHold it right there, Saegusa,ö Himuro uttered in a tone that let no room for arguments. Her hand as well, it had clamped itself around YukikaÆs right wrist and taken away any chance of escape.
ôMuuàö
ôCome on, Yukicchi, itÆs all for one and one for all! Like those Three Buccaneers!ö
ôMusketeers,ö Himuro blandly corrected.
ôWhatever, letÆs do this! MakideraaaaaaaaaaaaaùKaedeeeeeeeeeeee!ö
The other two girls wordlessly watched Kaede dash towards the schoolÆs outer wall and leap high enough to reach the top, clinging to it with both hands. They then watched the dark-skinned sprinter futilely scratch the wall with her feet in a lame attempt to get anything resembling a hold on it. After several seconds of struggling like a fish out of water, Kaede gave up and allowed her legs to dangle uselessly.
ôàummàö
ôYes?ö Himuro inquired.
ôàa little help here?ö
ôàpfft.ö
ôDonÆt laugh!ö
**************
ôWow, that was a surprisingly elaborate means to enter the school at night,ö Kaede pointed out as the trio stepped into the entrance all with the shoe lockers.
ôYou mean walking around the wall and approaching the school from the forest?ö
ôAh, sheesh, you make things sound so boring, Kane-pon.ö
ôWho is thatà?ö Yukika muttered in response to KaedeÆs strange means of addressing their common friend.
ôSo, our first stop: the Student Council Room,ö Kaede announced as they approached the place in question. Her voice dropped in an attempt to create a mood. ôIt is said that, on some nights, strange scratching sounds can be heard inside that room.ö
Turning off her own electric flashlight, Kaede smirked at her two companions before slowly reaching for the knob. The moment she closed her mouth, the heavy silence of the deep night at the school fell upon them, and the realization of what they were doing struck them for the first time. The awareness of their misdeedùintruding in the school grounds at nightùadded a sense of recklessness and danger to their little summer adventure.
Suddenly, in the deep darkness of the schoolÆs hallways, the idea of some psycho with a hatchet popping out of the shadows did not sound as unreasonable.
ôHauuuàö Yukika whined quietly while unconsciously reaching for HimuroÆs hand.
ôSoà?ö Kaede whispered, perhaps more to herself than to the two behind her. ôTime to come out, mister ghostà?ö
Her hand reached for the doorknobà
Click.
The door was opened before Kaede even touched it.
ôGyaaaaaaaaaaah!ö Three girls screamed.
ôUwah! What the heùbogh!ö
A flashlight bounced off Emiya ShirouÆs forehead.
**************
ôAre you sure you are alright, Emiya-kun?ö
ôAh, ah, really, itÆs okay. My headÆs pretty tough,ö Shirou dismissed the girlÆs worries with a calm smile. ôThank you for the bandage, Saegusa,ö he said while getting back on his feet without assistance and pointing to the strip now stuck to his forehead courtesy of the track teamÆs manager.
ôUm! With pleasure!ö
ôDo you always carry those?ö Himuro could not stop herself from asking. Yukika nodded a few times.
ôUm, well, I trip a lot, soàö
ôThatÆsàreally sad,ö Kaede opinionated.
ôSad indeed,ö Himuro agreed.
ôMuuuàö
ôSo, the First Mystery of Homurahara turned out to be Emiya fixing stuff late at night, huhàö Kaede stated while crossing out a line in a piece of paper she took out of her skirt pocket. ôLaaaaameàö
ôSorry to disappoint you,ö Shirou retorted in his least apologetic voice. Once Ryuudou Issei or one of the teachers put a problem in his hands, Shirou did not leave the school grounds until it was solved. That was his way as a Hero of Justice who helps all.
ôWhatever!ö Kaede spun to point at the young man. ôYouÆll make up for it by acting as our bodyguard for the night!ö
ôàsay that again?ö
ôSaa, we had a rough start, but things will only get better from now on!ö Kaede declared while turning away from the group.
ôWhere does she get that confidence fromà?ö Himuro mused.
ôSeriously, I didnÆt get it, why am I supposed toùö
ôLetÆs go, my brave companions! Wahahaha!ö
ôAnd off she goesàö Himuro said before glancing at the boys whose words remained unheard. ôPlease take good care of us, Emiya-kun.ö
The young magus, whose outstretched hand still feebly tried to reach for the distant laughing figure, dropped his head and sighed in defeat.
ôUh, umàIÆm terribly sorry, Emiya-kunàö
Shirou sighed again and looked at Yukika, who looked almost as desperate as a lost puppy trapped inside a washing machine. He had to consciously stop himself from patting her head and say something like ôgood girl, good girl.ö
ôItÆs not SaegusaÆs fault. Now, letÆs get going before Makidera gets in troubleùö
A shrilly scream from the far end of the ground level of the school interrupted ShirouÆs sentence. The boy and the two girls exchanged alarmed glances before hurrying towards the source of that frightening cry. Naturally, Shirou was much, much faster.
ôHeeeeeeeeeee~eeeeeeelp!ö
The redhead was about halfway there when KaedeÆs sprinting figure appeared right in front of him and made a sharp turn towards the shoe lockers and the schoolÆs main entrance.
ôWait, Makidera, that doorÆs loùmmhmm!ö
ôHiiii!ö The frightened Kaede turned around the moment she confirmed a chain indeed held the schoolÆs main entrance locked for the night. ôEmiya?ö
Emiya Shirou had disappeared, but her two friendÆs approaching footsteps gave Kaede a measure of relief.
ôMakiji!ö Himuro called out as she reached the lockers, closely followed by a frantic Yukika. ôWhatÆs the deal with that screamùö
ôMore importantly, Himuro; whereÆs Emiya!?ö An alarmed Kaede interrupted while closing the distance between them. ôHe was here a moment ago, butà!ö
**************
Just a few meters away, hidden within the shadows under the stairs, Emiya Shirou gasped desperately for air. His entire body, with the exception of his head, was restrained by a long red cloth, and held in place by the weight of a girl straddling his waist.
A delicate index finger fell on his lips.
ôShhhàö
Caren Ortensia found herself the target of ShirouÆs flat stare. She was none other than the person dispatched by the Church to take care of the house of the faith formerly assigned to Kotomine Kirei, who died in the Fifth HeavenÆs Feel ritual eight months ago. She had only spent a bit over three months in Fuyuki City, but Shirou already had a very good idea of what kind of person the fourteen-year-old priestess was.
The white-haired lady of the faith paid no heed of ShirouÆs ôwhat the hell, Carenö face. Leaning on top of his seated form, she quietly listened to the conversation just a few steps away. Shirou too turned his head to get an idea of what the track trio was doing.
ôEh?ö YukikaÆs frightened voice reached them easily. ôE-Emiya-kunÆs disappearedà?ö
ôHe could not have gone too far; he was just aheadàofàusàö
HimuroÆs words were broken by the appearance of the very reason Makidera Kaede had screamed just about a minute earlier. As the two other girls caught sight of what claimed HimuroÆs attention, they fell into a threnody of pathetic, barely audible whines.
The three paralyzed young women could only stare at the eerily floating balls of flame just a few meters ahead of them, leaving disorderly trails of incandescence as they slowly, patiently, approached the terrified schoolgirls.
ôHiiiàö Yukika, the poor girl, squeaked pitifully. Himuro, who struggled to find a way to deny what her eyes were showing her, had not even noticed the uncontrollable trembling of her arms and legs.
ôHiiiiiiiiiiiiiùyaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!ö But it was Kaede who first voiced her terror and turned it into motion; her trusty legs taking to a mad sprint in the opposite direction from the supernatural phenomenon.
ôYukika!ö Himuro managed to gasp out and then grabbed her friendÆs wrist, urging her to run along and away.
ôNo, wait!ö Shirou gasped out. ôItÆs notùhmmmhmgh!ö
He was interrupted by a tongue shoved down his throat. His bound body made it impossible for Shirou to fix his poor balance, and he ended up completely prone on the cold hard floor while Caren cleaned his teeth with her tongue.
ôPuah!ö The two gasped, filling their lungs with valuable air the moment their lips separated. The track trio was long gone, and Caren looked down on the captive Shirou with a satisfied smile.
ôRejoice, Emiya Shirou,ö she said. ôYou have just claimed my first kiss.ö
ôIÆm the one who feels like IÆve lost something precious!ö He immediately retorted.
A Reality Marble was not the only thing he absorbed from a certain Servant.
ôReally, you wicked priestess, just what are you thinking!?ö The young magus hissed, although his anger was not as large as he wished it to be.
ôYes, Sister Ortensia, just what are you thinking?ö
ôUrk.ö
Caren found amusement in the strange sound that escaped ShirouÆs throat.
ôMy, how cute,ö she idly commented.
Both apprentice magus and church priestess looked up at the young woman standing there with crossed arms and a foot impatiently tapping the floor with a heated rhythm.
ôTo-ToùTohsakaà!ö A suddenly very, very frightened boyfriend called out in a rather unmanly voice. ôThis is, this is not what it looks likeùö
ôIt is exactly what it looks like. Emiya Shirou obviously favors younger girls with white hair.ö
ôIf that were the case then the Holy Grail War would have proceeded quite differently, Sister,ö Tohsaka Rin retorted in a dark tone, never taking her eyes from the girl straddling her manÆs waist.
Caren calmly returned the other girlÆs glare while thinking of her next sentence.
ôàEmiya Shirou was about to reveal our position, and thus I undertook measures to keep his mouth shut. My tongue was the only tool available to achieve the short-term objective.ö
ôThe Cloth of Magdala,ö Rin responded flatly.
Caren looked down at the red cloth binding Shirou; an artifact of the Church with the power to efficiently capture any member of the male gender.
ôàah.ö
ôAh, she saysàö Shirou muttered. ôWait, was there a long-term objective!?ö
CarenÆs eyes glinted with a hint of future mischief averted.
ôWhat the hell, Caren!?ö
**************
ôSo, you heard those three talking about coming at night and decided to pull a prank on them?ö Shirou summarized. The two magic-wielders and the priestess were walking down the hill in the direction of the Emiya residence. ôI didnÆt think you that kind of person, Tohsaka.ö
ôAh, wellàö The twin-tailed beauty responded with a slight smirk. ôThink of it as one last school memory, or something. Besides, it would be bad if they somehow found the real ghosts.ö
ôYeah, I guess that would beùwait, what?ö
From Rin, Shirou only got her trademark ôoh, could it be that you donÆt even know that?ö face.
Tohsaka RinÆs face can be extremely eloquent. In the end, the boy just gave up; if she did not want to tell, then she wouldnÆt.
ôWonÆt you get in trouble from using your Magecraft like that?ö He asked instead.
ôHmmàtheyÆll rationalize it in one way or another. IÆll muddle their minds a little tomorrow just in case. And itÆs not like anybody will report it to the Clock Tower or something.ö A pause. ôIÆll looking at you, priestess.ö
ôMy lips are locked.ö
ôOn my boyfriendÆs!ö
Shirou winced. While he was a little happy to hear such a bold declaration of their relationship, the situation was not precisely one he had looked forward to.
ôConsider it part of the payment for services rendered,ö Caren offered. ôAnd I do not mean just todayÆs little outing.ö
ôHmmàö
ShirouÆs expression hardened a bit.
Tohsaka Rin was a talented and skilled user of Magecraft, but she was still but a fledgling. Caren Ortensia was not a skilled Executor like Kotomine Kirei had been, but she had contacts, and access so some of the ChurchÆs resources.
Rin did not like the idea of becoming indebted to the Holy Churchùin fact, having the Church indebted to her was one of her fatherÆs final pieces of adviceù, but she needed everything she could get if she wanted to deal with the likes of Matou Zouken.
And Tohsaka Rin had a very good reason to deal with Matou Zouken as soon as possible.
The black-haired girl glanced at Shirou, then at Caren, and then at Shirou once more, her cheeks turning redder and redder as she did so, but in the dark of night it was hard to tell.
ôàjustàkeep it to a minimum, alright!? Hmph!ö She finally declared with a harsh tone, as if unwilling to admit she had just lost in some way.
ôUnderstood.ö
ôEeeeeeeeeh!?ö Emiya Shirou exclaimed upon realizing he had just been pawned off.
ôSa-saa, letÆs get going!ö Rin insisted in a slightly higher pitch than usual. ôIÆm hungry, and Fujimura-senseiÆs probably still waiting for us this late.ö
ôYes, dinner sounds lovely at the moment,ö Caren added.
ôWhy are you still here!?ö Shirou sharply retorted. ôGo home already!ö
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THE END
