Pine Garden

[Elf]

Emiya

Emiya sighed as the Not-Sakura writhed in pain in his arms.  His medical skills were more combat first aid; or keeping himself together long enough to kill the thing he had been fighting.  Whatever was bothering this girl was beyond him, but he knew she needed help.

So, he took her back to his apartment.

When he got back, Tohsaka was sitting there on the steps, his tail thrashing as he looked up accusingly with green eyes.  Emiya looked at the cat and said, "What, she needs help."

"Mow," was the cat's indignant reply before trotting up the stairs.

Emiya sighed, shook his head and said, "Thank you for your support, Buddy."  He put the girl on his couch with her feet elevated while he put the refrigerated items away.  Once he got back, he noticed that Tohsaka was sitting on her chest and purring loudly.

"Well, at least you're attempting to be helpful," he said with a bemused smirk.

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

4:00 pm

It took a few excruciating minutes before Tsumiko woke up to find herself in a strange and alien enviroment. She groaned, holding the cat gingerly, stroking hia fur, hoping he wouldn't abandon her.

Despite being in a stranger's house, she felt weirdly at home.

It was nice.

[Elf]

Emiya

"Are you alright?  You gave me a bit of a scare just passing out like that," Emiya said as he watched the young lady.

Tohsaka purred and butted his head against the young lady's chin.

"So, I normally don't take girls home without knowing their name," he said with a grin.

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

Tsumiko blushed, turning her head away. She felt an oddly vauge nostalgic longing for him. She reached up and rubbed her forehead. "I don't usually-collapse-like that either. I'm Tsumiko."

[Elf]

Emiya

Emiya smiled at the girl blushing as she reached up and rubbed her forehead. 

"I'd hope not.  Are you hurt?  Do you need something to eat?" he asked her.

Girl of lies, he thought with a slight frown to himself, but didn't want to question her more at this time in case he strickened her again.

[SINIB]

Tsumiko

She slowly shook her head. "Um. I don't-think so. I just have this headache I always have for some reason."

She looked up at him, her big purple eye staring at him along with her watery aquamarine eye. She gulped. "Food would be good. Can I help with anything, senpai?"

She blinked, shaking her head. She lightly smacked her cheeks. "Huh? Why did I call you that?"

[Elf]

Emiya

"That's not good if you always have a headache.  It could mean you're stressed or something's really wrong with you," he said in a soft voice with a smile.

Those mismatched yet familiar eyes looked at him.  One is Sakura's and the other is Tohsaka's, but the expression is all wrong in both eyes, he thought while trying to keep his face pleasantly neutral, or just trying not to scowl.

Then she said something all too familiar.

He did smirk at her and said, "The girl that you look like used to call me that and she used to help me in the kitchen too.  So, yeah, it would be nice if you'd help in the kitchen.  Sometimes even I get nostalgic."

[SINIB]

Emiya

"That's not good if you always have a headache.  It could mean you're stressed or something's really wrong with you," he said in a soft voice with a smile.

Those mismatched yet familiar eyes looked at him.  One is Sakura's and the other is Tohsaka's, but the expression is all wrong in both eyes, he thought while trying to keep his face pleasantly neutral, or just trying not to scowl.

Then she said something all too familiar.

He did smirk at her and said, "The girl that you look like used to call me that and she used to help me in the kitchen too.  So, yeah, it would be nice if you'd help in the kitchen.  Sometimes even I get nostalgic."

Tsumiko

"Y-you know me!?!" She jumped up with a start, headache temporarily forgotten. She ran up to him, grabbing his hand. "Tell me about her, please!"

[Elf]

Archer

Archer blinked as Tsumiko jumped up and grabbed his hand, begging to be told about "her".

"Well, her name when I met her was Matou Sakura, but I eventually found out that it was actually Tohsaka Sakura.  And she was a sweet girl who had been dealt a very bad hand, and helped me when I needed someone.  See, I got this really bad acid burn on my shoulder when I was a few years younger than you," he said.

Archer tilted his head and pulled his T-shirt sleeve up enough to show her the scar that was still there after all of these years.

"And my legal guardian, even though I loved her dearly, wasn't the most responsible person and I might have lost this arm if it wasn't for Sakura.  She came before and after school each day to help take care of me, and then once I got better she still kept coming," he said with a shake of his head.

"So I taught her how to cook and she got really good at it.  And it surprised me when I found out that sweet Sakura had a competitive streak a mile wide, just like her sister."

[SINIB]

Archer

Archer blinked as Tsumiko jumped up and grabbed his hand, begging to be told about "her".

"Well, her name when I met her was Matou Sakura, but I eventually found out that it was actually Tohsaka Sakura.  And she was a sweet girl who had been dealt a very bad hand, and helped me when I needed someone.  See, I got this really bad acid burn on my shoulder when I was a few years younger than you," he said.

Archer tilted his head and pulled his T-shirt sleeve up enough to show her the scar that was still there after all of these years.

"And my legal guardian, even though I loved her dearly, wasn't the most responsible person and I might have lost this arm if it wasn't for Sakura.  She came before and after school each day to help take care of me, and then once I got better she still kept coming," he said with a shake of his head.

"So I taught her how to cook and she got really good at it.  And it surprised me when I found out that sweet Sakura had a competitive streak a mile wide, just like her sister."

Tsumiko

Tsumiko felt her cheeks heating up in a strange way that she wasn't used to. She gulped, biting her lower lip in frustration. Her emotions were all over the place. It was terrible, just terrible, why was she feeling like this!?!

"Ah, I see. Sakura, huh?" She said. Matou? Tohsaka? It sounds so familar, but-

Whenever she tried to delve deeper into her memories, they faded to static, as if they were damaged somehow. She occasionally saw glimpses of other people's memories, but the impressions she had of them quickly faded away.

Tsumiko got up and marched towards the kitchen, towards the smell of the food. She looked back at him and smiled shyly. "Well, I won't lose. For some reason, I really don't want to lose to you."

[Aiden]

Mira Lashi

3:45 PM

Mira had never been in a place this ritzy before - or this sleazy. Her sharp blue eyes took in the abundant differences in wealth apparent in the style of the homes furthest out. The first thing anyone saw was packed together and cookie-cutter poor housing, but up over the hill the palatial estates loomed over everything else. She scoffed at the display, sticking her hands into her letterman jacket with a sneer on her sharp young face. "What a crock of shit," she said loud and proud.

She could feel the hostility of the gangs, and worse, that were all over this poor area. They didn't matter - the first and last attempt to harass Mira ended in broken hands and knives. The young fighter didn't even have to remove her hands from her pockets before they got the point. It didn't even get that far when she passed the threshold from the poor to the rich districts, her long luxurious hair and expensive-looking earrings getting her by with just a glance.

It was only as she approached one of the houses that Mira pulled a hand out of her pockets so she could look at a slip of paper in it. "This is supposed to be the place, hmm? Nice trees." She looked up from it at the posh yard, and then cupped her hand like a megaphone over her mouth. "OI! YOU HOME, PRETTY BOY?"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

3:45 pm

Cold water trickled down his body, washing off the sweat while perfumed soaps were scrubbed deliberately over his bare form. A hand trailed over his golden hair, and he clutched at the lock before pulling it to the side. Even now, his eyes looked at the reflection of the shower window with longing eyes. A finger travelled down his chest, running over the serpent painted over his smooth skin. Feeling every curve of his chiselled form while the soap washed all away. This felt wonderful, it was like being reborn again.

"...witnesses found the remains scattered in his own study. Once again, it seems as if the mysterious beast appeared in the home unannounced, which puts the currently verifiable death toll of this creature at 17. Police suggest not leaving your residences or visiting the slums after sunset, especially not alone. Currently, forensics are examining the latest victim savaged by the beast to find any link between him and the mysterious creature."

The radio played on the background of his bedroom, the voice of the reporter accounted the past incidents that had haunted the night streets for a while now. And it was such a grisly story to begin with. A beast who hunted at night, chasing rich and affluent leaders of the criminal underworld before feeding off their blood and scattering what was left. Such a grim story utterly lacked beauty or style, it made it seem all so detestable. Perhaps he should look into that. Just as he pondered on that, he thought he heard a voice calling out to him.

"How dull." He uttered with a tinge of contempt, of the arrogance the worthy exert over those beneath them. He smiled, and his hand trailed off and coursed through silken locks. He washed long golden hair with exotic soap and oils, all which he had bought from a trusted merchant. The merchant spoke of them bringing favour and good fortune to the one who applied them. A fitting present for a champion and a king, surely he sought to garter his favour after his victory.

But he did not wish for his company, or any company for the matter. He was perfectly happy and whole in his lonesome, undisturbed in the perfection of his body and the cool water that caressed him. Only weak, imperfect beings needed others to complete them.

So he ignored the voice, hoping whoever was responsible would know better than to prove bothersome.

[Aiden]

Mira

She gave him a couple minutes to answer. It was only fair - for all Mira knew he was with some fangirl or eating lunch or something. By minute five she closed her eyes and focused, reaching out with her refined senses just to check if he was even home. The chi in this place was so... stale. Aside from the hints of corruption suggesting at magic somewhere in the area, everything else felt so trapped and regimented. What an awful place.

Anyway, her target's energy felt strong, if unfocused and unfamiliar, so Mira knew she was at least barking up the right tree. He would be up on the... second floor? It didn't take long for Mira to spot the steamy condensation on the window of one of the rooms after she circled the place a bit, so she cupped her hand again and shouted, "I know you're in there!"

And after that didn't do anything, she tapped her foot on the ground, kicked a pebble up, and flicked it at the wall right next to the glass with her finger. It bounced off with a loud thunk.

"You'd think you didn't know how to answer a challenge or something!"

[Kotomine_Rin]

Vega

Oh. So that is what brought her here.

He closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. No, no, no, no, no. This would not do, this would not do at all. He washed the soap off his hair without a hurry. Then and only then, a firm hand grabbed onto the window and opened it. She couldn't quite see him, but she could catch a glimpse of the side of his hair. He didn't even deign her worth looking at.

"Should I answer to every dog who barks at my presence? Every tree that rustles before my voice? I think not. Besides, I much prefer the sound of the leaves and the mongrels to your bleating. You will wait, my patience will run thin, but my answer will not change."

And suddenly, a well muscled arm slid from the opening, if only to wave at her to leave. But it was most fascinating, that physique was not the sort one could acquire without near fanatical training.

"Allow me to spare you the trouble, since you walked all this way. Waste your breath on another champion, I have no interest in fighting."

[Aiden]

Mira

That was the first look Mira had gotten of this guy since the fight earlier. She'd been too busy at the gym to watch it earlier, or she probably wouldn't have even bothered coming to check him out. It was a pretty nice arm if nothing else, but his attitude left something to be desired. Not that Mira was being much better, she admitted to herself with a shrug. "Suit yourself! I'll be waiting."

With a flick of her hair back over her shoulders she strolled her way across the guy's yard to check out one of those trees. It had some tasty looking apples dangling from it, but were they as fake as the rest of this place? Mira hopped up on to sit on one of the low hanging branches, and picked one off to check out. "It doesn't look fake..."