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FICTION

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Chapter 8: The Treasure in Pink, Part 2

It was a curious day for a very worried Executor.

Fixing his glasses, his gaze was aimed at the buildings in the distance as their bus finally reached Florence and… yes, he was outright frightened by what he was meant to do now that he was at destination. Despite his threatening looks, Mr. Dawn was no monster like his fellow Executors. He was a faithful member of the Church, yes, and surprisingly effective in any mission he was sent to. Him and his partner. One would normally question how a man of his pacific mindset was still part of the Burial Agency as the Sixth Saint, but the truth to it was far too complicated or… just plain stupid, as the man was keen to confess when the director wasn't around to glare at him.

Director Narbeck was an exceptionally dedicated servant of God, there was no doubt about it. But her zealotry sometimes amounted to an impressive cruelty that she eagerly aimed at her own group when not out to slay any heretics. To Mr. Dawn, that cruelty was displayed the best by the way she expressed her 'reasons' to keep such a 'valuable part' of the Agency such as himself. Something that was false in all senses, especially since he always needed someone experienced to be a Saint to escort him around. He was no Kirei Kotomine or Argaleon, he shouldn't be there to handle someone like the Strongest Vampire with minimal backup. Despite the brazen and hotheaded attitude of his current partner, a young man that went by then name Gianmaria Franceschi, Mr. Dawn had no doubt about it: Narbeck wanted his demise, but she wanted it to happen slowly and via mission. Which explained why she was so 'eager' to send him out into deadly missions and… why she would get particularly 'excited' when he would return from those slightly hurt.

It was dreadful. And embarrassing. He could have found a way to escape her wiles many years ago now, but he was unable to pull the needed words to break his oath. He could. And he wouldn't be punished. His hard work had been praised by Cardinal Noi many times now, and the man had made it clear he would be willing to vouch for a peaceful retirement for him. No tricks, no sudden assassinations, only Mr. Dawn getting his long overdue rest after a decade or two of bowing to superiors, dodging death and doing a fine job through it all. He was hopeful that it could happen after this one. After all, it wasn't a common thing to face someone like Arcueid Brunestud. What really made the task not as simple as it sounds was that Narbeck didn't want her dead. She wanted her captured alive.

Despite how bold he sounded, even young Gianmaria knew this was no easy task. Far from it. In fact, in a way, Mr. Dawn knew that Narbeck had said this just for the sake of finally ending him. Why not set him against the worst kind of threat and see if his luck got him out of that situation once more? Like a mouse left alone with a pack of cats, Mr. Dawn knew he had a single choice. A direct confrontation couldn't work. He had to step back from that mindset and discover the girl's pattern. Surely the Crimson Princess followed a determined daily pattern and had a reason to have picked Florence as the place where she was currently staying at. The city held no significance to her- there was nothing majorly essential for someone like her to be lingering within this location… beyond the chance it was going to be the setting of a rendezvous of some importance.

It had been one of the many good assumptions Mr. Dawn could make out from little scraps of clues they got from her profile. For it to be confirmed, or any of the other theories, he needed time and quiet to study the phenomenon itself. This wasn't exactly a well-known threat, with most of their data tracing back to numerous centuries ago… and lacking anything major compared to other entities of that time. Gainmaria didn't seem to care about reasons, preferring to 'focus on actually getting the mission done' by planning any weaknesses and beating her himself.

"You're too much of a wimp. I swear, I can't even imagine why Narbeck had picked you up as an Executor."

The mocking was common in this line of work, especially from foolish partners that were going to die a stupid way. It didn't bring him any comfort as a thought, but it was enough to merely reduce his reaction to a mildly truthful nod. It wasn't like he was wrong with that assumption, but his folly, Mr. Dawn knew, was going to be his own undoing. He just had to focus on his plans, ignoring the whining of a brat that could potentially kill him with his sheer stupidity, and plan his own survival out of this mission. That was priority, for, as far as he cared, he didn't see a reason why he should put his life on the line to satisfy a sadistic witch such as Narbeck. She could have sent Ciel- in fact, from a logistical and efficient-wise standpoint, Ciel would have gotten an easier time with this task with her unique predicament. Sadly, that wasn't what the director wanted and, while Mr. Dawn's mindset on the case held some genuine merits, he would soon learn one thing as he got sight on his targets.

Despite her power and personality, Arcueid Brunestud was a child. And not just by appearance alone. Not when he would see her wander off and visit the same ice cream parlor so many times in a single day. It was baffling, yet quite amusing as it confirmed some suspicions he held on her. If she had fallen asleep as a youth, perhaps he could try to trick her as an extremely arrogant and proud one? It was too early to say, but Mr. Dawn still could tell that, one way or another, this girl was going to be his ticket to survival.

And perhaps a much deserved retirement from that crazy place he ended up working in.

Sakura could tell something was wrong.

She just couldn't tell why, or what precisely, but she knew that something foul was coming their way. It all started when they ended up making their way where their goal was staying, with the group finally arriving at the public bathroom where Polpo's treasure was held… so Bucciarati could give it to Pericolo, a crime boss of Passione operating in the area, in exchange of influence and 'respect'. The true gain in this mission was not to receive cash, but to put Bucciarati in a higher perch with the rest of the team. The 'higher up' they were, the higher the chances of ending Passione's drug trade were going to be.

Bruno effectively replaced Polpo as the 'owner' of Napoli, but he was also entrusted with another kind of treasure that, at first glance, didn't seem much, but Sakura soon learned to dislike. Trish was a year or two older than she was but… she instantly 'clung' at her due to Sakura being a girl like her. Which was true… to an extent. After all, she didn't exactly know about half the answers to the questions Trish had about fashion and 'how she kept her hair so smooth'. The pinkette was the daughter of Passione's boss, a 'treasure so immeasurable' for the boss as he wanted her by her side. Their newest mission? Bringing the girl back to her father. And while this looked more like a chore, the truth was that it gave Bucciarati the leverage to finally cease the drug trade. That was the kind of favor they needed to impose a change in the mafia situation in Italy.

But as the group focused on getting all the needed effort to keep Trish safe by the very moment they got back to Naples, Sakura had the horrible task of 'babysitting' Trish for the time being. Which, in the pinkette's mind, translated as the two going out for a shopping spree. So, here Sakura was, playing the part of the reluctant 'friend' that is trying out the various clothes Trish was picking for her. And that's where the problem was. The pinkette picked stuff only for Sakura, and nothing for herself. It was appalling that she had to be subjected to this kind of torture, even more that she was being targeted this much because of it. It didn't help when they started to bicker on a point Sakura was unwilling to budge from.

"Why keep the hat? It doesn't match with-"

"The hat stays, or I'm just leaving you with no money to pay this whole… mess."

It was one of the few prerogatives that Sakura wasn't willing to let go. It was a gift, something that she got back when she didn't have much to herself. It was her father's kindness given form, it was a memory from a time where she finally felt free and able to live happily as a child. Away from the horrors of the Matou's basement, and free to be Sakura Kujo, no more Matou or Tohsaka. So, Trish didn't know just what kind of critical button she had pressed with that pressure but… she was about to learn. That Sakura could swear an oath on.

Trish's eyes narrowed. "You have no reason to be this rude."

And that was a nice way to piss off the plum-haired girl. It was just hypocritical and plain provoking at this point.

"Rude? You think this is 'rude'. How about being yanked in numerous shops and becoming a doll for someone that, by correlation of the fact we're both girls, seems to not care about what I think about this?"

"T-That's not like it-"

"Is it not now?"

Before Sakura could have pressed on the now-embarrassed Trish, her chances were dashed away when a new voice joined in.

"Is there any trouble?"

The shop-keeper, a motherly-looking brunette, had decided to come and check how things were doing for them. Two other workers, slightly younger women, came to check too.

"N-Nothing." Trish replied weakly and one of the workers hummed.

"'That' doesn't look 'nothing', dearie. Are you sure? I think we can give them coffee so they can calm down a little bit."

"There is no need-" Sakura tried to reason, but the shop-keeper insisted.

"Oh, none of that, huns. You both need a moment to clear up your thoughts. There is no need to be this angry this early in the morning. We make use of hand-made coffee, so it's none of those yucky ones made in offices."

Despite her reluctance to go for it, Sakura could feel that she was being too stressed. Just a tiny bit too much. A nod, and she was soon sitting by the counter together, they waited for the coffee to be ready. It was a swift process, one that still felt… odd as she added some 'honey' into it. She could see it had the same texture, smell and consistency as normal honey… but something was off about it.

"I hope you will like it. I put a lot of effort into making it the most delicious, Miss Matou."

Sakura froze instantly, realizing what the mature woman had said before her lips had the chance to sip at the coffee. Panic rushed into her mind, but instead of allowing it to dictate her decisions, she decided to play it carefully. As slowly as she raised the cup, she put it back to the counter.

"I don't feel like drinking it actually."

The reaction was instantaneous from the rest of the ladies.

"Aren't you the rudest child?" One of the shop-workers lamented. "We just offered you some coffee-"

"Now, there is no reason to be this harsh on Miss Matou-"

"How do you know that old name, hag? It's not even mine."

As the owner tense up, Trish looked a bit confused.

"What do you mean? What is- is going on?" The pinkette asked, her voice slurring as she felt her focus on reality faltering.

The coffee had been drugged, and they planned to take them away with that. Were they part of the ones that were trying to get Trish? How did they intervene this quickly? It made no sense!

"Well, so much for the element of surprise," One of the workers admitted. "Well, too bad on you, brat. Our master wants you so- GAH!"

CRACK!

The bad woman was sent slamming on the wall behind her, stunning the other two at the sight. They might have expected a cheap win out of this, but they excluded that 'Miss Matou' had something they couldn't see and could easily create trouble for them. ｢One Vision｣ matched her anger from the way it itched for a fight, and the Stand was instantly taking care of the two harlots. Grasping both their heads, the humanoid proceeded to slam both their skulls against each other, depriving them of consciousness just like their already-downed friend. There was a moment of silence, with Sakura checking on Trish and confirming that the girl was just unconscious. Relief washed within her mind as she prepared to make a hasty retreat to the temporary house they were meant to use for emergencies in case something bad happened on the island. From there, it should have been easy to get support and help from the others.

Their escape started sluggishly. Not by choice, but because Trish was… heavy. Her height added extra kilos, and it didn't help that Sakura wasn't exactly a super-buff person like her father. Still, she didn't shy away from the challenge and swiftly picked up the pace. The streets were mostly empty as it wasn't one of those 'tourist months' where a large influx of people would visit the renowned holiday destination. She rushed as quickly as she could, but, somehow, she ended up tripping on something sturdy and solid… even though there was nothing like that under her.

Crashing on the ground, Sakura tried to pull herself and the pinkette out of that bad spot, but she soon found out she couldn't for some reason. Dread fell on her as she finally realized that there was something that was preventing her from standing up. The floor, there was a strange seal chalked on it. One that had activated the moment she stepped into it. She hadn't paid attention to it, leaving her helplessly stuck on the ground and struggling to free herself and Trish out of this trap. Three women turned the corner in front of her, smiling smugly as they approached their helpless forms.

"So, our 'sisters' have failed? Such a shame. Well, I guess we will graciously take the reward master promised us."

Gritting her teeth, Sakura struggled again, but failed to free herself. The three dangerous individuals kept on approaching giggles and- The three women fell down, the dark blades having slammed on their throats and killed them on the spot from the looks of it. Sakura heard footsteps approaching from behind, feeling like this was a familiar sight… yet not. She heard someone hum and soon, she gazed behind to see her 'savior'.

"Ciao."

Sakura blinked at the familiar voice and soon was smiling at a certain white-haired girl. She looked slightly worried, but her expression softened look. She looked to be fine, unscathed, and only more concerned than anything else.

"Ciao Caren."

A petite smile appeared on her face at the happy response she got. It was a rare reaction from Caren towards many things and people, but one that Sakura knew she was able to bring out with ease. Not because of any bizarre imposition or reasoning, but because… they were friends. Closer than that… sisters? Possibly.

"I see you were in some trouble," The childhood friend pointed out and Sakura groaned.

"You don't know half of it. Can you help me, she is getting very heavy now?"

A nod and the girl was soon destabilizing the seal that was keeping both her and the pinkette stuck in that awkward situation. She sighed in relief, her calm brief as she noticed Caren frowning at the unconscious Trish.

"This is Trish. She is someone we're escorting. The boss' daughter."

The 'mini-nun' nodded. "I see. I'm sorry for being a bit… awkward there."

"You are not awkward. You are Caren."

A little dad joke, but one that warmed up Caren as both started to make their way to their destination and well away from that trouble they had finished dealing with. For some reason, both girls could tell something was off about it as they discussed this matter. Something just didn't feel right to believe it was tied to Passione. Not when magecraft was involved in this mess.

But who was currently tracking down Sakura… and how did they know of her previous last name?

"They failed."

The emptiness in his voice sent a shiver down the other women that had waited to 'deal with the rest' once their allies were done retrieving their target. Their master looked disappointed- no, furious as the news set his plan back a lot. It would have been so simple, especially now that there was a chance to do what he was destined to do. To win, to succeed, to conquer the Magus Association through the tools left behind by the Three Founding Families. It took him a great amount of his family wealth and years spent studying the tedious relics recovered but… he found it.

The path that transcended the Root and went back to the 'material world'. Absolute control, absolute supremacy. He just needed the little Matou playing like a normal person. Silly girl thought she could run away from her dual legacy as a Magus, but that was soon going to be her undoing for failing to become strong through these chances. A fool that was going to be his toy the moment he got his hands on her. And he was going to play with her a lot~. Still, he would have to adapt to make sure that the next plan worked. He had a limited window of opportunity from the looks of it.

The Association was going to notice that something was off here in Italy, and the Church was definitely going to react the moment they got news of a limited boundary-field being used to contain someone within Capri. If they managed to get to him… the situation would definitely end poorly on him. And that wouldn't do, not when the glorious future before him was mere days away from unfolding as it shall be decided through a single act of rightful power. Something that would potentially bring back Magic and faith back in this disappointing world as he would become the restorer of the Age of Gods. He needed to invest more in his workshop, more sacrifices shall be employed to channel the best kind of spells, the artifacts in his arsenal fully employed for the sake of that final lap into pure divinity.

Oh yes, he could see it and…

Atrum could swear it upon his family's name and life. The Galliasta shall rule over all!

AN

Poor Mr. Dawn. He got stuck capturing the previous form of Neco Arc!

Also, Caren is here and… Oh boy, what is Atrum planned to do? And why is Sakura vital for this kind of plan?

REVIEW Q&A!

Nantono: I think someone already asked this question. I think anyone that could manipulate reality beyond the single dimension (so beyond GER's reach). Foreigners- maybe a few Beasts too.

Guest 1 and 2 (Chapter 7): It would be odd, but he would know they aren't his daughter. And I don't think he would care if Ritsuka dates any of the Sakurafaces if they aren't his daughter to begin with.

BBMakiri: There will be something about it, but nothing beyond a really major reference. I don't plan to explode readers' minds… too much.