Bordertowns

[Aiden]

Sage

The dragon blinked once, twice, and then forced her lips to stretch into something like a smile without showing her teeth. "Aha ha. Yes, yes that was a joke. A test of your resolve!"

She turned around then, and began stalking her way toward the split in the path.

"A test you have passed, of course!"

[SINIB]

Thorra

"Bwahahahaha!" Thorra's boisterous laugh did not match the singsongey high-pitched voice which she usually spoke with. No, it sounded an octave deeper, sending rumblings through her form and causing her mounds to tremble in a manner quite pleasing to Sage's eyes.

Could they be—even bigger than her princess's, perhaps?

Thorra stepped close to Sage, draping an arm around the much smaller woman's shoulder to shield her from any attacks that may come. "That said—you're in the form of an alf, correct? How powerful are you, and how much force would it take for someone such as myself to injure you? If I'm going to protect you as a bodyguard, then it's important for me to take the proper steps required to do so."

[Aiden]

Thorra

"Bwahahahaha!" Thorra's boisterous laugh did not match the singsongey high-pitched voice which she usually spoke with. No, it sounded an octave deeper, sending rumblings through her form and causing her mounds to tremble in a manner quite pleasing to Sage's eyes.

Could they be—even bigger than her princess's, perhaps?

Thorra stepped close to Sage, draping an arm around the much smaller woman's shoulder to shield her from any attacks that may come. "That said—you're in the form of an alf, correct? How powerful are you, and how much force would it take for someone such as myself to injure you? If I'm going to protect you as a bodyguard, then it's important for me to take the proper steps required to do so."

Sage

Sage stiffened up for a moment, her elven form's soft face red, and then obviously forced herself to relax. It was entirely just about the physical contact and not the sight that awaited should she return her eyes several degrees to the right. "W-Well, yes, this form is that of an elf. You could in all likelihood crush me like a melon in this state."

But then she let out a huff through her nose. "But I can return to my true state in little time, so you needn't worry yourself!"

[SINIB]

Sage

Sage stiffened up for a moment, her elven form's soft face red, and then obviously forced herself to relax. It was entirely just about the physical contact and not the sight that awaited should she return her eyes several degrees to the right. "W-Well, yes, this form is that of an elf. You could in all likelihood crush me like a melon in this state."

But then she let out a huff through her nose. "But I can return to my true state in little time, so you needn't worry yourself!"

Thorra

"You dragons sure do huff and puff a lot. I guess habits stay around through the shifts between different forms, huh?" Thorra got off her, and began following close behind her into the mists.

[Cherry Lover]

Shirou

Normally, Shirou would have gone with Sakura to Columbia but, aware that she wanted to get him a gift and not having anything he needed himself, he had instead elected to remain home and take advantage of the spare time to perform a few chores around the house. Now, though, it was lunchtime and, as such, Shirou was making what was, by his standards, a simple lunch. Some Miso soup, along with some fried rice made with last night's leftovers. Yet, even as he cooked the basic meal, he was pondering what to cook for his wife on her return, the thought of providing the woman he loved with a delicious meal bringing a smile to his face.

[Kotomine_Rin]

? ? ? ?

There was a sudden, irresistible feeling. Like a hunger, a craving - the feeling of cold iron under your skin. Without warning, as the sky's final lights waned, a sudden suffocating sensation emerged from the veil of dusk. If someone with enough instinct laid behind that mansion's walls, it was a feeling all too familiar. The sensation you experience moments before being killed.

A massive red crystal as large as a dump truck floated, barely restrained in its fervor. In a second, it'd crash against the kitchen window with irresistible force, hitting whatever was in its path with full destructive intent. Was it a warning? Or something else? For certain, the cause's presence had remained hidden until now. The perpetrator might have claimed, if one truly wanted, he'd have annihilated the mansion right there and then. But in that case, would it really be a hunt?

"Sorry kid." A sincerely apologetic voice rang out. And then, a moment before the crash -

[Cherry Lover]

Shirou

As Shirou continued to make his simple meal, taking pleasure in the process of cooking even without his beloved wife there to assist him, he suddenly had a disconcerting feeling, one that made him feel that his life was in imminent danger. Reacting quickly, he put down the utensils he was holding and summoned up his twin swords. Turning around, he saw a large red crystal hanging in the air, his eyes widening as he suddenly heard the sound of the bounded field indicating an intruder, someone with hostile intent. Sending a mental signal, he activated the traps dotted around the house, shadow traps that would fire out spikes of shadow if anyone other than he or Sakura came close, and others which would trap anyone foolish enough to step on them. Then, just as he heard an apologetic voice call out, he dodged desperately to the side, doing his best to avoid the attack, even as he looked around to find the person who was assaulting him.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Costin

Shirou dodged with a hair's beath, and the moment his footing was regained, he could clearly see the massive blood spke gradually evaporating, turning into a red mist that was seeping all around the kitchen and the house's halls. Costin sighed with a half-smile on his face. Without much care, he took a step forward, walking towards the house with a calm stride.

And yet, suddenly, his footstep stopped short in the middle of his walk. His foot frozen mid-air, his expression shifted as if struck by electricity.

Traps, huh. Clever, clever.

The feeling of prana was a familiar one. When he followed up his stride, a barrage of thorns came flying towards him like dozen black arrows. A sudden sadistic grin flashed on his face, and without warning, he swung his arm with full force. The Apostle's swing bled, and the streak of blood slashed away at them like a liquid whip before being sucked back into his middle finger. A slow piece of meat might not even tell that though, and might just see the arrows being mysteriously parried by something. But the kid wasn't slow.

"Nice moves." He held back a pleased chuckle before his foot boomed on the ground, smashing a gigantic crater on the street beneath him. It sounded like a targeted bombing, but the truth was even more menacing. The next thing you knew, he was shooting into the adjacent wall behind Shirou. A vampiric projectile, though it was nothing more than his own self, crashed right behind the magus to greet him with a nonchalant expression. As he wiped the dust off his coat and pushed his shades back, he spoke with a calm, dry tone.

"The door was locked. Had to help myself in." He reached for his pocket and turned up his mp3's volume, tuning in different songs nonchalantly despite the intrusion - or because of it. "I hope you don't mind. I'm looking for a Sakura. Makiri Sakura."

[Cherry Lover]

Shirou

Shirou was surprised to see the spike evaporate into what seemed to be a cloud of blood, the red mist seeping around the house. However, he kept his concentration, focussing on the man who had broken into his house as the traps triggered. To Shirou's surprise, a small tendril of what seemed to be blood came from the man's fingers, swatting away the tendrils of magic from the trap as if they were nothing. Then, the man spoke up, his praise of Shirou's fighting skill making it clear that he wasn't taking this whole thing entirely seriously.

Still, it was clear that the man was a threat and, unlike him, Shirou had no intentions whatsoever of playing around. This man had broken into his house and attacked him, he clearly needed to defend himself with full power. Yet, even despite his best efforts, he could barely manage to react when the man stomped down, before charging towards him. Shirou did his best to evade but, to his surprise, the man made no attempt to attack him, instead simply rushing behind him, crashing through the wall and causing further damage to their home, something that made Shirou even less keen on this man.

Then, the man addressed him once more. Shirou ignored his bullshit excuses, not even slightly interested in bantering with his attacker, but his follow-up question left Shirou shocked and worried. The latter because of the fact that this man who, presumably, was some kind of mercenary, was searching for his wife, and the former because he had used a form of Sakura's former adoptive family's name that hadn't been in use for centuries. For a moment, Shirou considered his response, torn between wanting to know the man's intentions and not wanting to put his wife in danger but, ultimately, there was only one answer he could give.

"Sorry, I don't know anyone with that name", he said, entirely truthfully.

Not that he had any objection in principle to lying, of course, but he suspected the man knew more than he was letting on, and openly lying might offend the man's sense of "honour".

[Kotomine_Rin]

Costin

"Is that so." The dead apostle didn't sound quite convinced to the response, yet he didn't sound unconvinced either. He sniffed the air, taking in the scents intently as a wolf ought to do, and tapped one more button on his mp3 before setting it in his pocket. One hand rested there, while the other dangled casually. Step. Step. Step...

He's got good nerves. Steeled, like a blade. Damn, okay that one was bad. Anyway, I wonder what I should have for dinner....

"You're not lying, and I can't sense any hesitation in your words. Your body temperature isn't rising either - not abnormally anyways." He looked totally disinterested, but he still took a step forward, then another. Baring no weapon or claw, he slowly walked towards the man. He kept taking short, deliberate breaths. Man, I feel like a dick. Was that fried rice he was cooking? As if looking for some scent, probing for something. A reaction maybe? A feeling? Or maybe he was going to kill the boy there and then anyways. Egg fried rice... should I get some rangoon on the side? Maybe the orange chicken... His steps were like a clock, ticking, flowing in one single direction.

"But something's strange..."

His grin grew like the cut of a blade. Was the boy really fine with that? With an apostle approaching him like this?

[Cherry Lover]

Shirou

Despite the fear that he felt as the powerful man began to approach, Shirou stood his ground, a sense of relief coming over him as the man took his claim not to know Sakura at face value. Yet, he could tell that the man was still a threat and, as such, he held the twin swords which he used as his main weapons in front of him, ready to defend himself against any attack that might come. Hearing the man's words, his concern grew once more, but he still did not waver, instead responding to the man's statement.

"The only thing that is strange is that you smashed a big hole in the side of my house and attacked me", he said, clearly irritated.

"Now, given that this Sakura girl who you're looking for is clearly not here, there's no reason for you to be here either. All you're doing is wasting time, both mine and yours", he added.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Costin

Step.

Step.

Step...

The dead apostle walked forward with the same nonchalant swagger. Before long, they were both in each other's range. If either wanted, they might just hack at eachother's limbs away with wild abandon, cutting into their flesh again and again. And yet, it didn't happen.

Costin let out a stifled chuckle. Then, he shook his head.

"Heh, I guess you're right. Sorry about that." The mood instantly relaxed, as if it were a ticking time bomb that was defused at the last second. He grinned amiably, with genuine respect to the kid for holding out his ground like that. He had balls, and he liked that.

BOOM!

Without warning, he dashed away straight into the opposite wall behind Shirou, smashing it into bits and fleeing the mansion with the speed of sound. And so, he was gone. He couldn't be sensed anymore.

[Cherry Lover]

Shirou

As the man came closer, Shirou tensed up, preparing to react at a moment's notice if the man showed any sign whatsoever of attacking him. The closer the man got, the more tense Shirou became, the distance between them rapidly becoming far too close for comfort given the man's earlier hostility. But, then, to Shirou's slight surprise, the man let out a slight chuckle, before admitting to his mistake, apologising and, then, without further ado, leaving, smashing through the wall of the house once more. Angered by the man's total lack of respect for his home, Shirou glared angrily in the direction of the hole in the wall for a few moments, before relaxing, aware that, as annoying as it was to have his house wrecked, things could have been much, much worse. As it was, he'd managed to convince the man to leave and, what was more, he'd also convinced him that he was looking in the wrong place.

Sighing, he returned to the stove, trying his best to salvage the food that he'd been so rudely interrupted whilst cooking, intending to do something about the holes in the house afterwards, even if Sakura was somewhat better at the magecraft necessary to do so than he was.

[Kotomine_Rin]

Almost a minute later

With all the holes cracked in the Emiya household, the winter chill was far less merciful than before. The winds scattered small traces of snow into the halls, but thankfully the weather was kind tonight. It was naught but a brisk breeze. Still, the stifled moan of the chill scraping against the walls was eerie at best.

No one could fault him for trying to fix whatever disaster befell the house. Let alone cooking a nice meal for the one he loved. These sorts of thoughts are common when one is blessed with a peaceful, leisurely life.

It was truly unfortunate.

It wasn't just the cold that the winds brought to Emiya's house. Soon, something rubbed against his cheek softly, before slowly gliding to the kitchen floor. It was a ticklish, cold sensation. As if some cloth was brought to him by the wind. But it wasn't just any cloth. If it were, or if it were any cloth to that man, perhaps his peaceful life could continue uninterrupted.

Falling down next to him was a tattered mess that was once a beautiful cloth, its charming hibiscus now stained with red.

Falling... falling... falling.

It is

your

wife's

ribbon.

[Cherry Lover]

Shirou

Still angry at the man's intrusion, Shirou was working on his meal, the cold wind whistling through the holes in the wall that he knew he would need to fix soon. Until, suddenly, he felt something soft rub against his cheek. Looking down, he saw a familiar, blood covered ribbon, his eyes widening in response as a sense of fear gripped him. He instinctively recoiled at the sight, even as his mind told him that it was surely a trick of some kind, that there was no way the man could have found his wife this quickly and, even if he had, the ribbon couldn't possibly have reached here already. But, despite that, he knew that he had to be sure. So, this time making sure to turn off the heat on his food so as not to burn it, he took out his phone and selected his wife's number, attempting to call her.