I know this was late. But I'm swamped right now with college homework and studying for tests. So from now on, expect most of these future chapters to be two weeks or more for me to post. Unfortunately, my computer has a common software issue for this brand that makes me unable to charge it when I have it on. It can only be charged when I have it off. And most of my assignments are online, taking so much time that it drains the battery.

Lancer and a blindfolded woman with long light purple hair were running at blinding speeds at each other. They met in the middle of the space between the two at the start, grinding their weapons together. Sparks flew out in a shower as the edges of the blades on the two daggers the woman held clanged against the shaft of Gae Bolg. Then the two broke apart and jumped back from each other. They got ready to strike again.

Then as the dream ended, Akiko saw it was happening just outside the school building. But the area seemed to be bathed with red light for some reason. But the view she was seeing the fight from didn't show what the source was. It seemed to be coming from above their heads.

Akiko awoke to the smell of food coming from the kitchen then groaned. For some reason, it felt like it was important that she saw every last detail. Was it a vision then? If so, she had to let Lancer know.

She saw that Lancer was already awake. But he was groaning in pain, his hands over the bandaged gash. Fresh blood was on a good majority of the bandages and on his hands. Since Akiko was low on mana, he was preserving as much as he could by having less go to healing his injury.

"Are you okay?!" the Master exclaimed. Lancer, who had his eyes squeezed shut in agony, cracked one open slightly to look at the girl.

"Not really. I woke up an hour ago because my wound opened again."

"An hour?!" Then Akiko hurriedly looked at the futon. Blood was soaked into most of it, the pillow, and the blanket. "Okay, we've gotta take care of this right away!"

The door slid open. Shirou poked his head through it. "Did you two sleep well last night?"

"Yes for me, but no for Lancer," Akiko replied. "Do you have any sterile string for stitching I can use?"

He was about to ask her why she needed it, but got his answer an instant later. His eyes fell on the blood that had gotten on the futon. "Just a second!" Then his head vanished from the doorway.

She undid his bandages and peeled off the blood-soaked pads on the man. The wound looked bad. It was crusted with dried blood and had fresh blood oozing out. But at least it didn't look infected.

Shirou came running back a moment later and tossed Akiko a first-aid kit and a lighter. "Here. Come out to the kitchen when you're done!"

"Thanks!" Akiko said back. Shirou disappeared from the doorway again. Akiko pulled out a needle and lit the lighter. She ran the needle through the little flame and then went to work. She softly blew out the flame and threaded the needle. She looked at Lancer.

"Brace yourself."

Lancer nodded quickly and his Master started. He only hissed softly when Akiko rubbed disinfectant on his wound, but had to bite his lower lip to keep himself from crying out when she started on the stitches. The process only took a few minutes, but it felt like hours to him.

"Done with that," Akiko said when she finished off the last suture. Then she got out a pad from the kit, applied medicine to it, and layed it on the stitches. Then she got out a roll off bandages and wrapped over his entire abdomen. While she was doing all that, she spoke to him. "I had a dream, but I think it may have been a vision."

"A vision?"

"Yeah, though I don't know for sure. But for a reason I can't explain it felt important."

"So assumin' it was a vision, what did ya see in it?"

"It was at school, though I don't know what day. You were fighting a strange woman with a blindfold. And I think she may have been a Servant. Her swift movements suggested she was one."

Lancer looked at her seriously as she helped him sit up so she could apply the pads and bandages. "In that case, maybe we should let the others know so that they will be on alert fer anythin' strange goin' on there."

Akiko reached behind her for the roll of bandages she set there. "No. When we become enemies again, they can't know about that thing I have."

"Then how are we supposed to watch fer anythin' strange?!"

"Until it happens, you'll keep a lookout with the other two Servants like normal. I want you to do this so you won't look suspicious. But I'll keep you updated on anything going on inside the school."

"Fine. Just make sure you stay safe."

Akiko nodded as she finished bandaging him. There was a door to another room in the back of the one the two were in. Akiko went to that one to change. All Lancer had to do was simply materialize his. His hair was still down. A regular hairtie would be needed to replace the golden clasp. When Akiko came out a few minutes later, she was wearing a red t-shirt and blue jean shorts. She hung her bloodied night gown on her horizontal forearm. Lancer was slightly disappointed. He liked seeing Akiko in the night gown. It was blue, not as blue as his hair, but more like the blue of the sky. But it was close to that. It was an even slightly lighter shade of blue than that,

"I'm going to put this in the wash and then eat," Akiko told him. "You'll stay in here for now."

"I know," Lancer said. "I'll pass the time by readin' or somethin'."

"Fine," she replied. She went out off the room and headed down the hallway to the mud room she remembered seeing last night. She opened the washer and put her night gown in it and then shut it again. Then she went to the kitchen.

[Tender Scenery]

Taiga - Ms. Fujimura - and Sakura Matou were there eating. Taiga had eyes and hair like Ayako's. She wore a yellow shirt with horizontal black stripes, making her look like a tiger. Over it was a teal apron. Sakura wore a pink shirt over a white one and a white skirt. She had purple hair with a red-pink ribbon in it and purple eyes. Also there was Shirou, Rin, Saber, and Archer. All were eating plates of shrimp and bowls of rice.

Taiga glanced over to the door at the sound of it opening and then just stared at Akiko with her mouth wide open, some rice tumbling out of it. Then, she spoke. Or rather, she yelled. "SHIROU! WHY IS SHE HERE?!"

Shirou winced at the loud volume of her voice. "U-Um...she'll be staying here for a while..."

"WHY?!" Taiga didn't lower her volume one little bit.

Akiko answered. "Because a stupid drunk driver crashed through one of my walls, and I was going to stay at an inn until the repairs were done but Emiya offered me a place to sleep here." And she'd better mention Lancer before Taiga sees him and starts freaking out. "And a friend of mine, Lancer, will be staying here for now too."

"WHY WAS I NOT INFORMED OF THIS?!" Taiga still shouted, at Shirou.

"Because you don't really live here..." Shirou grumbled.

Taiga went red with anger. "I am the granddaughter of the landlord! I have a right to know what goes on in this household!" Then her head snapped back to glare at Akiko. "And why is this 'Lancer' with you?!"

Akiko didn't remember being scolded like this! Was this what a mother is like? "Umm, well..." How was she going to respond to this without giving away the fact Lancer's a Servant?! "He, uh, didn't have enough money for even a room at the inn for the amount of time he would be spending here and still have enough cash left for a plane ticket back to Ireland...So...I offered to let him stay with me during his trip to Japan."

Taiga narrowed her eyes in suspicion that Akiko wasn't telling her the truth. "He didn't take how much he would need to spend into consideration before he left for here?"

"Well, he said it was all more costly here than he expected."

"And you said 'he'."

Then Shirou broke in before Taiga could finish what she was going to say. "I know you're going to ask them about their sleeping situation here. Don't worry. I took care of it. It'll be like with Tohsaka and Archer. They'll be sleeping in two separate rooms next to each other." Luckily, Taiga trusted him so much that she wouldn't check to make sure he's telling the truth.

Taiga sighed, though it was an angry sigh. She clearly was still not pleased by this news. Sakura stayed silent, afraid that speaking would direct Taiga's anger to her. Rin sipped from her tea with a small smile, secretly enjoying Akiko and Shirou being interrogated by Taiga. Archer took his Master's silence as a cue to do the same. And Saber didn't speak up on behalf of Akiko and Lancer. Half of it was because she was still upset with the idea of being allies with them. But the other half was because Taiga also didn't take too kindly on the news that Saber will be staying at the house. If she gave her input, Taiga might turn on her and bring up the argument on whether or not Saber should be allowed to stay.

Then Taiga finally spoke again. "Fine. But I want to talk to Lancer right now." Then she looked around. "Come to think of it, I didn't see anyone with you when you came in. Isn't he going to eat breakfast?"

Akiko sighed. Great. She was also going to have to explain that. "When I was coming here last night, I was attacked by some street thugs. Lancer fought them off, but his abdomen was cut up badly. And just in case anything in his digestive tract was damaged, he isn't going to eat breakfast or lunch." No way in hell was she going to say he got injured by an 8-foot giant named Berserker. And even if she did, Taiga would most likely think she had gone crazy.

Taiga looked thoughtful. "He's going to be really hungry..."

"He had a big dinner before we left." She hoped that would pass. She couldn't say he was fasting, because Taiga would see in an instant that Lancer had a slender build and wouldn't need to in the first place.

"But still - "

"You wanted to talk to him, right?!" Akiko suddenly said. If Taiga didn't stop with her questions fast, Akiko wasn't sure what she was going to say. "I'll get Lancer!" She got up and went out the door into the hallway before Taiga could finish what she was going to say. Akiko went straight to her and Lancer's room and opened the door. Lancer put down the book he was reading to look up at his Master. He was probably reading literature about the modern era to learn more about it.

"What's up?" he asked.

Akiko gestured with her thumb, pointing it out in the hall, in the direction of the kitchen. "Ms. Fujimura wants to talk to you. She's waiting in the kitchen."

Lancer grinned. "Another woman wants to talk to me?"

Akiko internally rolled her eyes. "Don't get any ideas. She's not going to flirt with you and you shouldn't flirt with her either."

Lancer pretended to pout like a child. "Aw, yer no fun."

Akiko smiled slightly in mild amusement and turned around, facing the doorway out to the main hall. "Come on, you baby. Let's go."

As the two were walking down the hall to the kitchen, Akiko briefed Lancer on everything she already told Taiga. "I said that you're a friend of mine from Ireland here in Japan for vacation. The cost of renting a room here was more expensive than you thought, so I let you stay with me. P.S, I went to Ireland two years ago. And why we're here is that a drunk driver crashed his car through a wall of my house and Emiya is letting us stay here until it's fixed. As for why you're injured, you got in a fight last night with a street gang." They reached the kitchen door. "Now you're up to speed on what I've already told her." She opened the door. "Now it's your turn."

"You must be Lancer. My name's Taiga Fujimura," Taiga said when the two sat down at the table. "I have some questions for you."

"Yeah, Akiko mentioned ya wanted to talk to me. So what is it?"

Taiga rested her right elbow on the table, resting her right cheek in the upward-facing palm. "How long do you plan on staying here?" God, did she already want the two newcomers out?!

Lancer didn't seem to understand the implication Taiga was putting out. Or maybe he did, but he just didn't react to it. "A week, maybe a little more than one. Depends on when Akiko's house gets fixed."

Taiga looked Lancer up and down. "You definitely look too old to be going to school. Do you at least have a paying job here so you're not being a freeloader?"

"Look who's talking," Shirou grumbled. But he said it under his breath so Taiga wouldn't hear him. If she did, she may either beat him up by "sparring" with him or play another nasty prank on him for revenge.

Lancer barked with laughter. "Ya make me sound like an old fart!" That was one of several of the terms used in the modern era he learned from the Grail.

"I'm not saying you are!" Taiga protested, desperate not to get on this man's bad side. Judging by the muscles on his body, he was no stranger to fighting. And if so, he could kick her ass if he felt like it. "You look young, and yet I can tell you're an adult!"

Lancer's laughs finally died down a bit to chuckles. "Don't worry. I knew what you meant. But I got a position as a waiter at Ahnenerbe. So its not like I won't be a source of money too."

"I hope you and Hashimoto aren't...together."

Akiko sweated heavily. Even though both have feelings for the other, they haven't acted on them. Well, excluding Lancer's unconscious attempt last night. But with Lancer's big mouth, he could possibly brag about it. And if he did, Taiga might make sure herself that she and Lancer weren't sleeping in the same room.

Thankfully, Lancer wasn't that stupid. "Nope. We're just friends." Then he said something a little stupid, but hopefully Taiga wouldn't pick up on what it implied. "But I hang around Akiko a lot to defend her."

But Taiga didn't pick up on it. She was more interested in the fact that this guy claimed to be tough. Sure he looked it on the outside, but to openly say that was a challenge to Taiga. "Are you, now? But you got your ass handed to you by some nobodies on the street last night protecting Hashimoto."

Lancer glanced at Akiko quickly. She didn't mention that little detail to him! Akiko blushed in shame and looked away. She didn't tell him the reason he got beat up because it might make him sound like a weakling.

Lancer internally sighed and looked back at Taiga. Her cheek was out of her palm and her elbow was no longer on the table. Now she was leaned forward slightly, staring at Lancer in competitive interest. Lancer continued. "My fightin' isn't as good when I'm defendin' others."

Taiga crossed her arms in front of her chest and had a cocky grin on her face. "So you claim that if you aren't defending others, you're a champ fighter?" Shirou facepalmed. Here she goes challenging the guests again, just like with Saber and Archer...But both beat her in kendo in like three seconds. One second for her to sprint at them, swinging her bamboo sword. The next for her opponent to disarm her effortlessly. And the last was to tap her on the head with their bamboo sword and for Sakura to call the match finished. "Do you think you can take me?"

[End OST]

[Troublemakers]

Lancer looked mildly surprised. "Wait, I never said anythin' about fightin' you!"

Taiga shot up, still having her arms crossed. But the grin changed to an "I challenge you" one, or it could also be looked at as the one she has when she's planning to take someone down several notches. "Don't think you can talk your way outta this! And to make it interesting, we'll make a bet!"

"A bet?" Even in his time, several of the Red Branch Knights would bet on the winner of an upcoming fight, be it a brawl between two "tough" guys or an upcoming battle. The loser would have to give up things like the currency used in Ireland at that time or some dried meat for duties that would keep the person away from home for a while. And Lancer would often participate in the wagering. Something about gambling was a thrill of his other than fighting. "Sure! What are the stakes?"

"If you win, you and Hashimoto can stay here!"

"And if I lose?" That wasn't likely, but his injury could dampen his fighting.

"Then both of you have to leave!"

"Hey!" Shirou stood up. "That's not fair! Lancer's injured!"

Taiga glanced at him, her facial expression changing to a neutral one. "I know, but he thinks he can take me on right now."

Now Akiko protested, but she remained sitting. "He never said that!"

Then Sakura finally broke her silence. "U-Um, Ms-Ms. Fujimura...It's true...He never s-said anything like that!"

Archer closed his eyes and smirked. "No, he did say that." He just wanted to see Lancer get beat into next week.

Rin elbowed him in the ribs. "Shut up!"

Saber stayed silent, sipping the rest of her tea. She was secretly with Archer on the whole Lancer thing for now, but not as much. Even though Lancer was an enemy Servant, she was being forced to team up with him. But that didn't mean she liked it. And even though Archer was also her enemy and she should hate him, she couldn't. Something about him was familiar to her, like she knew him before. And as for the other two Masters, she wasn't as worried about them. Even if they suddenly attacked her, they shouldn't pose much of a threat to her.

Lancer stood up, head tilted down and his blue hair shadowing his eyes. Akiko looked at him in surprise. "Lancer?!"

Then Lancer brought his head up. He was looking Taiga in the eyes, a cocky smirk from one cheek to the other. "Sounds fun! Yer on!"

Akiko smacked her forehead down on the table. When she lifted it again to glare at Lancer, a big red circle was on her forehead. "Are you stupid?! What about your wound?! If you open it again on something this stupid, I'm not patching it up again for you!"

Shirou facepalmed again. "Fuji-nee, you and Lancer are technically adults, even if neither of you act like it! Can't you two settle this with something that isn't physical?! What about a drinking contest?!"

Taiga closed her eyes and smiled, looking confident that she'll be able to beat Lancer. "Nope! Since Lancer's Irish, he's able to drink lots!"

Lancer had read about that stereotype at Akiko's house. "Hey! That was uncalled for! And we're settlin' this with a spar! Nothin' else!"

Rin sweatdropped. "...He's really got his mind set on this..."

Akiko sighed. She had a feeling that since Lancer was being like this, she couldn't talk him out of it. "Fine! But just be mindful of your wound, Lancer!"

Lancer's grin widened. "Don't worry! I'll make sure not to push myself too hard! So, Taiga. Got a place where we can do this?"

Taiga opened her eyes and grinned. "Of course there is! We've got a dojo here!"

"So how're we gonna do this? Wrestling? Martial arts? Weapons?"

"We have shinntai."

Akiko spoke up. If Lancer went through with this, chances are good he'll break the stitches. "Well, sorry! It looks like Lancer won't be able to do this after all! He fights with long weapons like spears!"

Lancer glanced at Akiko, his face falling until he had a normal expression on it. "I can fight with swords. Granted, I'm not as skillful with 'em as I am with spears. But if I'm forced to fight with one, I can at least kick ass with it."

Akiko grit her teeth and let her face fall onto the table. She kept doing this over and over, frustrated that her Servant wasn't taking the hint that he shouldn't do this! "Dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit, dammit!" She said dammit each time her forehead hit the table.

Saber sighed, finally speaking. "Boys will be boys..." She sympathized with Akiko's frustration. Shirou facepalmed then glanced at Taiga again.

"Hold on. Wouldn't it be more of a challenge for you if the guy you're about to fight isn't injured? Why not wait until he heals?"

"Who knows how long that will take? Hashimoto's house could be fixed by then," Taiga replied.

Actually, he would probably be better in a couple of days, thanks to the healing speed of a Servant. But Taiga wouldn't know that. As far as she knows, Lancer is just a normal person.

Lancer grinned, once again showing two rows of white teeth and two small, pointy canines. He cracked his knuckles, them giving a loud 'pop!' "Even though I'm injured, I still feel I could put up a good fight!"

Taiga crossed her arms and grinned in excitement. "Then let's go! Follow me!"

She left the kitchen, an eager Lancer following closely behind her. Sakura took off after them when they first entered the main hall. "W-Wait for me!"

Akiko sighed as she got up, heading to the hall. The other two pairs of Masters and Servants followed her. "Ugh, why'd I get paired with a reckless Servant like him?!" But it was quiet enough that Taiga or Sakura wouldn't hear her. Just the other Masters and Servants.

Rin giggled. "You say that, but in reality, you actually care for him a lot, don't you?"

Akiko inwardly groaned. She knew what Rin was implying. But the silver-haired mage would play dumb. She wasn't about to play Rin's game. "Of course I do. He's my partner after all."

"Actually, Akiko, what Rin means is that you - " Saber started to say, but Akiko cut her off.

"I know what she meant, Saber!"

Archer grinned. "It seems that she has trouble expressing her love to another man."

"Fuck off, Archer!" Akiko shouted. Archer sighed.

"...However, you and Lancer's responses to me are identical..."

"Well, you really grate on my nerves! And Lancer's too!"

"Come on, guys! Can't we all get along?!" Shirou pleaded.

"We can if he doesn't try to piss me or Lancer off!" Akiko yelled, pointing at Archer.

Archer just huffed a single laugh. "I can't make any promises..."

Rin sighed as the five came to the dojo. Taiga was getting the shintai and Sakura was sitting down on the floor at the back of the room. "Look, Archer, let's just finish off Berserker before you make Hashimoto and/or Lancer want to rip your head off first." They went into the large room, crossing it and sitting by Sakura. Rin made Archer sit with her at Sakura's right while Akiko, Saber, and Shirou sat to the junior's left. Rin had a feeling that if Archer sat on the same side as Akiko, it would just result in a fight between the two.

Taiga held her shintai in her right hand. She threw Lancer another with her left hand. The man caught it easily in his right hand. The two went to the center of the dojo. They both faced each other, about five meters between them. Both held their shintai at the ready, but only Taiga held it tightly with both hands. Lancer still held his loosely with one, confident he would need to try hard in order to win.

"Remember to be careful not to reopen your wound, Lancer!" Akiko yelled out. Lancer grinned and turned his head to look at her.

"Don't worry! This will be over in three seconds flat!"

But while Lancer's head was turned, Taiga ran at him, holding her sword over her head. "Don't get cocky!"

"Ms. Fujimura! I didn't say start yet!" Sakura exclaimed.

Lancer grinned wider and Shirou facepalmed. "Oh boy..."

Akiko sighed in agreement. "This is over. It's Lancer's win."

Sakura glanced at her. "How do you know?"

"Just watch."

As soon as Taiga swung her sword down at Lancer's head, the demigod flicked his own up at the bottom of the opposing sword without even turning his head back to look. An instant later, Taiga was left blinking in confusion. Both of her hand now held onto nothing. Where did her sword go? But less than a second later, she got her answer. Behind her, she heard the clatter of something made of wood or something similar hit the ground. It was her shintai.

Lancer sighed in disappointment and tapped Taiga on the head with the one he held."Yer grip was strong, but yer attack was sloppy. You left yerself open fer any other attack. A stab to the heart, stomach, or any other vital organs. And with how tightly ya gripped the handle of yer sword, it was easy fer me to use that strength against you."

Shirou breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. Or was it?

Taiga grinned and reached behind her, pulling something she had hidden inside the back of her shirt. It was another shintai. "I'm not done yet!"

"Hey! That's cheating!" Akiko shouted.

But Lancer had already suspected this Taiga lass wouldn't just accept defeat that easily. Before she even had time to position her sword for a slash, the edge of the "blade" of Lancer's shintai was barely touching the left side of her neck.

"I'd say yer done now."

Taiga's face scrunched up like she was trying to keep herself from crying. "Give me a break! You're the third newcomer I've lost to!"

Lancer grinned and pulled his sword back. He rested the top of the "blade" on his right shoulder. "Just accept it! Ya may claim to be one of the best here in Japan, but it's different in other countries!"

Taiga hung her head and slumped her shoulders. Her bottom lip stuck out in a pout. "I hate you foreigners in that regard..."

"So I take it Lancer and I can stay here for now?" Akiko asked Taiga.

"Fine..." was Taiga's disheartened reply.

"And, um..." Akiko bit her lower lip nervously. Geez! She'd never seen Taiga look this unhappy! "I'll be inviting Mitsuzuri over...Will that be okay..?"

Taiga groaned. She was still upset over her loss. "Whatever..."

Akiko got up and decided to leave the room before...well, she didn't actually know what was going to happen if she stayed. But she had a feeling she should get out right away. "Lancer! Let's go."

[End OST]

"Fine, fine," was Lancer's reply. He walked past a still-sulking Taiga and put his shintai back into the weapons' storage. Then he followed Akiko out of the dojo and into the main hall. He ended up following her back to their room.

The Master looked around. "I swear my duffel bag was right here..."

Then Lancer spoke up. "Oh, that? I put it in the other room with mine so they wouldn't get in the way."

"I'd wish you told me earlier!" Akiko snarled. She went into the other room.

Lancer scratched the back of his head. "Well, sorry fer tryin' to clean up a bit!"

Akiko didn't reply. She just growled again. After fishing through her things in the bag, she finally found her cell phone and pulled it out. Then she went through her contact's list until she found Ayako. Well, she didn't have to really search through it. Ayako's name was at the top of the list. She hit 'call' and held the phone up to her ear. After about three rings heard on the receiver, someone picked up.

"Hey, Hashimoto! What's up?!" came the voice on the phone.

"Um, Mitsuzuri, I'm at Emiya's house..."

"Emiya's? But why?"

"A drunk crashed his car into my house wall last night, and Emiya offered for Lancer and I to stay here until my house is repaired."

"Sorry to hear about that. But I can come over and meet Lancer?"

"Yeah. How does tomorrow sound?"

"That's fine. I don't have anything going on then. Should I come at 2?"

"Sure."

"Great. See ya then!" Then there was a long beeeeeeeep sound as Ayako hung up. Akiko hit end and went into the room she and Lancer were sleeping in, putting her cell phone next to her unused futon.

"Hey, Lancer? Mitsuzuri is coming tomorrow to see you," Akiko told the man.

"I know. I heard both of you."

"Sooo, do you want to do something specific today?"

"Nothin' I know of. If ya wanna do somethin', that's fine."

"How about we go into town again?"

Lancer, who had been laying on the ground on his back with his hands behind his head, gave a massive groan as he sat up. "Fine, whatever."

The two went over to the front door where their jackets were hanging. The kitchen door opened and Shirou stuck his head out into the hall. He and the others were already back there as Shirou prepared lunch. "Where are you two going?"

"Out into town," Akiko replied.

"For a date?"

[Troublemakers]

Akiko's cheeks heated up. She snapped her head in Shirou's direction. "No, it's not a date!"

Then Taiga's voice went into the hall. "Did I hear someone's going on a date?"

Shirou spoke back into the kitchen. "Yeah. Hashimoto and Lancer."

Akiko's face was completely red now. "Didn't you hear me?! IT'S NOT A DATE!"

Then Taiga spoke again. She had completely blown Akiko's protest off. "Fine, they can spend time together. But I'm putting my foot down to it leading to anything else."

And while Akiko was putting on her jacket, still red from embarrassment, she heard Rin. "A date? He sure works fast."

[End OST]

And then Akiko went out the door, yanking on Lancer's arm behind her, and slammed the door shut before she could hear any more comments or opinions on this. She faced Lancer. "Look, this isn't a date!"

"I know," Lancer replied. But that cocky grin of his showed he actually thinks it is.

Akiko growled something under her breath that sounded like a string of curses and walked out onto the sidewalk with Lancer. "Why in the world do they all think it's a goddamn date?!"

Lancer, still grinning, put his right arm around Akiko's shoulders and pulled her in right against him. "Aw, c'mon! Let's just have fun together!"

Akiko went redder than what was originally thought possible for her. Lancer was warm. His body heat was contrasting greatly with the cold air surrounding the two. She had the sudden urge to just sink into his warmth. But she resisted it, pulling away from the man. "P-Please don't do that!"

"Why? What's wrong with it?"

"J-Just forget it!" Then she cleared her throat in an effort to hide her embarrassment. "A-Anyway, onto our first stop!"

[Surrounded by Smiling Faces]

She led Lancer to the entertainment district and into a video game store. While Lancer was gazing at the other available games, Akiko wanted to see if enough time had passed for the price of the game she had her eyes on went down. It had only a little, but not enough. Akiko would wait for more time to pass.

She went back near the entrance of the store to spot Lancer gazing through the PS2 games. "Come on. Let's go."

"Aww, but I wanted to browse a bit longer!"

"No, we're going to look for a food vendor. I'm getting hungry."

The two went out the store and only had to walk a little ways before they encountered someone at a food cart. Lancer sat down at a nearby bench while Akiko ordered herself a hotdog. She went back to Lancer and sat down next to him. She was about to take a bite from her hotdog when she saw Lancer looking at it with disgust out of the corner of her eye.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing'. It's just the thought of eatin' dog meat makes me feel sick."

"Dog meat? What do you mean?" She knew about his geas, but that wasn't the issue here.

Lancer pointed to Akiko's hotdog. She glanced down at it and broke out laughing.

Lancer looked slightly angry. "What's wrong with me not likin' dog meat?!"

Akiko's laughs had died down to chuckles. "I'm not saying there's something wrong, but the name is misleading!"

"Huh?"

"It's not made from dog meat! It's made with pig's meat!"

"Then why isn't it called a hotpig or somethin'?"

"Hell if I know!" Akiko laughed as she took a bite. "I can't believe you thought I was eating dog!"

"What's wrong with me thinkin' ya were?!"

Akiko tried to control her laughter so she wouldn't choke, but she was still giggling. "You really need to get acquainted with certain food names."

After Akiko was done eating, the two went to a library. While his Master was looking through a magazine there, Lancer was looking through the mythology section. She sighed and put it back. It wasn't interesting enough for her to want to check out. she decided to find Lancer in the mythology section. She found his reading a book about himself.

"How accurate is that copy?"

"I've just skimmed through it so far, but they have my hair color off! They describe it as blonde!"

"Well, there aren't exactly any photographs of you, so the depiction of you varies."

"Meh, whatever!" He shoved the book back and stormed out of the library, following Akiko. Then she looked up at the orange sky.

"It's this late already?! I must've lost track of time in the library!"

"Not much of a date today," Lancer said. Akiko's hands balled into fists and her cheeks flushed.

"For the millionth time, IT WASN'T A DATE!"

[End OST]