sleipnir34: thanks for the save.

Chapter 9: The Play

Scathach has a class to attend and coincidentally joined Tohka and Shidou along the way. The Queen of Shadows was an early bird as she were. She was glad that her Master recommended this job to her. Even though she has some battle lust tendencies, she enjoyed being a simple teacher no less. Scathach glanced toward Shidou, who stare at her back, before he ended up flushed due to remembering their afternoon conversation.

"Shidou, are you sick?" Tohka immediately said it as she placed the back of her hand on his forehead which made Shidou more panicked.

"N-no, there's nothing wrong, Tokha-chan. I'm really ok." Shidou assured Tohka as he pushed her arms away gently.

Then Tohka noticed Scathach walking together with them.

"Oh hello, Ms.Scarlet."

"Good Morning, Tohka. How's your day?"

"Oh, it's great, Ms. Scarlet. In fact, Shidou invited me for a date this Saturday."

Shidou immediately choked and fearfully glanced toward Scathach, hoping— no, wishing, that Ms. Scarlet didn't hear it. He was now perspiring a lot, even so when he noticed Ms. Scarlet suspicious expression.

"Oh, you're quite busy then, Shidou." Scathach just commented and said nothing more before they fell into silence. Maybe it wise to keep quiet or either Tohka would blurt out something more innocently, much to his chagrin.

But what Shidou doesn't know about Scathach was that they have already aware of Ratatoskr already and how they operate and finally how they are now targeting her to be 'saved'. Scathach just pretended to remain ignorant all of this. It was just amusing to Scathach.

Finally, they reached the campus gates, where a couple of students were also making their entrance. Tohka and Shidou were together as they separated with Scathach as she need to have business to attend to.

Scathach waited by the halls. She knew that they have a new student be introduced. She also knew that it was certain Spirit that came back. Her Master deduced it. Scathach already suspected it.

Speak of the Devil, Kurumi indeed appeared in school uniform no less. Even if Kurumi was acting normal, Scathach could sense Kurumi's odd nature, which is being a 'Spirit'.

"Hello, Ms. Scarlet. I'm the new student of the Tenguu Academy."

"Beat it! You can't pretend nothing happened yesterday, Kurumi."

Then immediately, Kurumi just chuckled evilly. "Ara ara, Ms. Scarlet… or should I say Spirit Lancer… are you planning to kill me again just like the last time?"

"Not at the moment but if I ever find you harm even the hair of one of my student, I will really gut you into nothingness." Scathach warned her with a deadly glint on her eye as she crossed her arms underneath her chest. Kurumi really gets her warning very clear as she swallowed her own saliva.

"Geez, you're really a killjoy huh?" Kurumi said dispassionately. "How about this? Cross my heart and hope to die… I swear I won't touch any student here in the campus. Satisfied?" Kurumi remarked which Scathach just promptly ignore.

"I don't know what kind of shenanigans you have done in order to infiltrate this campus but be warned that a spear of mortality will be hanging behind you, stabbing through your heart if you thought of something malicious." In order to emphasize her warning, Scathach materialized her red spear of real and pointed it in front of her.

"Protective much, eh? Fine." Kurumi said as she entered the room.

After the session of Ms. Scarlet class has been done, Shidou was tasked in touring the entire school campus together with Kurumi. Tohka and Origami became jealous as a result and formed a non-aggression ban before the school is over.

Both of them followed Shidou and Kurumi all throughout the campus, finding various places as a well-meaning hiding place. Hilarity ensues. What they didn't know is that Scarlet also took the privilege to protect Shidou from the devouring Spirit who was named Kurumi. Even though she managed to prevent Kurumi from doing her relentlessly devious deeds to her Master, Kurumi's dangerous quality are still genuine. She won't forgive herself if that thing brought harm to any students not just Shidou.

However, the sight of the two rivals named Tohka and Origami being together just to spy Shidou and Kurumi was quite amusing.

It reached to the point that Kurumi seemed to be willing to show off her underwear for Shidou at the end of their tour, as what Scathach assumed. How bold as what Scathach commented.

The two rivals were also gazing at them with agony until it disturbed so much that they spilled out from their hiding place, surprising Shidou, amusing Kurumi and ruining the moment. Eventually, Kurumi decided to left Shidou on his own, seeing that she was satisfied with all of the events in the campus. Scathach was quite relieved that nothing happened inside the campus.

She quite understands why Kurumi now was aiming for Shidou this time as it seemed to be connected to him able to seal Spirit's power. There's a guarantee that she will try to devour Shidou just like she attempted to do it to her Master, which disgusted her.

However, she felt that there is a lingering reason why she was doing all of it and will try to reveal it as what her Master would probably do. There's a reason why Kurumi is doing this but for now Scathach was content that the day passed on without any repercussions.

Scathach was already satisfied that Kurumi has the decency to act like a normal human or else she has already gutted her on the spot.

Outside the school, far from it. Kurumi was found to be alone.

Actually she chose to be, seeing that she's hungry. Kurumi changed herself into a vulnerable, weak, fragile girl that seemed to be lost.

Eventually, a bunch of delinquents took bait and decided to have fun with her. Little did they know all of this was Kurumi's plan.

*SPLATTER* *GASH*

Sound of human agony echoed against the empty lot. A blood stained on the wall and on the ground messily. Decapitated bodies everywhere, littered. Kurumi at the center, feeling satisfied.

Then a Wizard came out of nowhere, a CR-Unit with a unique armor among the AST. She has the same blue-hair and the fair complexion… just like Shidou. Quickly and without a beat, this girl in turn killed Kurumi in one strike, before 'Nightmare' could ever raise her gun.

All of these things were witnessed by Francis Drake, with a pair of binocular in one hand and a liquor in other. She was busy observing the Spirit on a whim at the safe distance. Why didn't Drake didn't respond to that Spirit's massacre, because her Master didn't say so until it is absolutely necessary. To Drake, this is something not necessary, in fact, it's the delinquents' fault, so she never did try to act at least once. If it involves her Master, then she will act no doubt.

Master does not need to be involved in this petty killings. Drake just wanted to watch this Spirit that her Master encountered and maybe discover something new. She was also aware that this specific Spirit kept on living after being killed.

Kurumi might not have noticed Rider but the new arrival Wizard noticed her immediately. Oh no…

Drake dropped her binoculars, which she 'borrowed' from Origami (Telescopes are still superior for Drake though), and chugged from the bottle, not caring for the world.

Immediately, this unique Wizard faced Drake for the first time and the first thing she noticed was the large scar on her face and her pink, wild long hair.

She was certain that this is not a common civilian.

"Ahoy, Matey." Drake greeted her in an old fashion and continued chugging on her nearing-empty bottle. The unique wizard named Mana was suspicious who ever she was, and with swing of her hand, pointed the energy blade at Drake's neck, slicing the bottle cleanly into two. Luckily, the bottle was licked clean before it can spill on her clothes.

"Barnacles!" Drake cursed to herself.

"Name." Mana threatened her as she pushed the blade into her neck.

"My bad, lass. Name's Francesca Drake, ugly right?" Drake raised both of her arms up to show that she was no threat. Also, she hated the name given by her Master but she unhappily obliged. Wanting some dumb entertainment, Drake failed it, seeing that Mana in front of her was deadly serious.

"Hmm. Francesca. What did you see today?" Mana said inconspicuously, depending on what she will answer, she might kill her on the spot or spare this curious civilian.

"Relax, lass. Even if I say it to all of the people here in this neighborhood that I've seen ya cleaved that lass or somethin' to a brisket, they won't believe such grog blossom like me. Sadly, they will just scorn me like some hysterics or whatever…"

Drake peeked at Mana once more and seemed to be unmoved to her less, believing words. The energy blade was still buzzing near her chin.

"…Alright, it seems that I really need to convince you to spare my own unworthy life…" Not that this girl could scratch her no less in that cool armor. "… say I've seen someone similar looking boy… your brother, somethin—"

Immediately, Mana's ears perked up and her serious expression changed into something surprising. "My brother? Is he here? Where is he?" Mana dropped her energy blade down, eager to know more about him.

"Does Shidou ring any bells?"

"S-Shidou!? So he's here! Tell me, civilian, where is he!" Mana was now invading Drake's personal space, not that Rider wouldn't mind.

"Relax, lass. Have we forgotten something? About how you'll threaten me life down fathom because I've seen something?"

"Forget about that, Francesca! I mean I'll spare your life… just tell me where Shidou is."

Drake just squinted at her curious. "Allright, ye' then… glad that you spare this one drunken meager's life…Shidou, the lad's me neighbor. I can lead you to him."

Mana was overly excited that she forgot one thing.

"Blimey! Have you forgotten something, lass. Dress or somethin'… Can't bring ya lass dressed in weird attire."

"Ok got it." Then Mana's body was covered in a light and then she was suddenly in her casual attire. "Bring me to him, now!"

"Savvy, Mate!" They immediately gone back to where Drake lived, where in front of their dorm was Shidou's house was located and where she'll guide Mana to them. It's too bad that Mana didn't give her the first blow she needed to excuse a deadly fight, but too bad, Drake can't exactly break the law made by her Master, right?