Chapter 7
Kaleidoscope Travelers
-:-
Chaos theory studies the behavior of dynamical systems that are highly sensitive to initial conditions—a paradigm popularly referred to as the butterfly effect. Small differences in initial conditions (such as those due to rounding errors in numerical computation) yield widely diverging outcomes for such dynamical systems, rendering long-term prediction impossible in general
Tsukumihara Academy is the ideal place to go if you ever want to find an example of chaos theory.
Do be warned though... It is standard practice of the students and faculty members to take the word theory from chaos theory and throw it out the window, hence the daily sound of explosions, screams of pain and an ever changing campus layout. In layman's terms, Tsukumihara is synonymous to the word Chaos.
"Mein students!" roared Freya as she suddenly jumped on her table in the middle of the lecture. "I ask thee an important question... When you hear the word SUMMER, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?"
A brave random student, lets call him Student A, stands in attention.
"Dating! Summer is definitely about picking up wome-"
"DIE!" Freya hurls a dictionary at the poor student, smashing him into the wall and knocking him out "What kind of idiot thinks about girls at this season?! Summer is obviously about THE BEACH!"
As expected of the famed Freya-sensei... That made absolutely no sense.
FYI: their lesson is about William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. How they reached the topic of going to the beach is anyone's guess.
"And with that in mind, we will be going on a field trip to the beach one week from now!" roared Freya, much to the confusion of her students. "Since it's a school event, attendance is mandatory."
"Hold on!" objected Shiro. "Why the hell are we just informed now?! I've got plans for those days!"
"Well... You see... I forgot to tell you all about it... Te he" Freya replied in a manner not befitting her nature.
Naturally, a fair bit of students voiced their dissatisfaction at the sudden announcement, for most of them already had stuff to do at the very first weekend of summer. Personally, Shiro wants to do a bit of digging about the vision he saw during white day. If anything, it gave him a fairly big clue into his future... Or is it his past?
Well... There's also the 6 eroges and a fair bit of new animes in his backlog stack that he plans on marathoning... But no one really needs to know that.
"Whatever your complaints are, they are all irrelevant!" roared Freya. "Anyone who dares skips this trip will kill their chances at moving up a grade!"
The class silently stares at her in disbelief. A few seconds later, the loli nun Debi raises her hand.
"Um, Freya-sensei? May I ask something?" asked Debi
"Shoot"
"I never heard of a school activity at the very start of summer. Is this a new school event?" asked Debi.
"Yup! Its a new event with 3 biggest schools in the continent participating on it, namely Mooncell's Tsukumihara Academy, the prestigious Asagami Private High in Mifune City and Homurahara Academy from Fuyuki City." said Freya, much to Shiro's surprise.
Out of curiosity Shiro raises his hand. "Can I ask something?"
"Ho ho! Finally acting like a student arent you?" replied Freya in an intellectual manner. "Go ahead and make your inquiry, for I am a teacher! I shall enlighten thee!"
"Melodramatics dont suite you sensei." replied Shiro
"Shut it and ask your damn question!" Freya snapped back in a manner befiting her brutish unfeminine nature.
"Can you tell me about the other schools? I never heard of them before" asked Shiro, though he is mainly curious about the school and the city that matches the one from his own world.
"Huh? You dont even know about the neighboring cities? Are you stupid?" asked Freya in a not-so-sarcastic manner.
"Then enlighten me oh-so-knowledgeable teacher" replied Shiro
Freya stares at Shiro with a face that lacked any form of intelligence. A few seconds later, Freya replies.
"Debi-chan, you do the honors" said Freya as she points to Debi. "And I'm not doing this because I dont know, understood? I'm just giving her the chance to show of her knowledge! Im such a nice teacher"
"Who is she trying to fool?" the student of 3-W thought in unison.
With a sigh leaving her mouth, Debi stands and begins her explanation.
"Prior to the great war, there were 3 mega cities that was defacto ruler of our continent. These were Fuyuki, Mifune and Misaki with Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo as the head of each town respectively." began Debi's explanation. "By the end of the war, Misaki City was erased from the map due to a powerful spellcraft by one of the living gods which resulted in a land filled with unpredictable mana storms that made it impossible for the locals to restart their life. Post war records suggests that the Amaterasu government relocated them a few hundred miles inland, which is now the present day Mooncell City. "
That part of history is common knowledge to the residents of Mooncell City so Shiro already knew about it.
"Unlike Mooncell, Mifune suffered moderate damage because they surrendered early, while Fuyuki is completely unharmed for being Amaterasu's home base" said Debi. "Because of that, post war reconstruction and implementation of the Grail War curriculum took little time unlike Mooncell which was delayed about 200 years."
"So? What does it mean?" asked Freya
"Seriously? Are you really a teacher?" thought the students of 3-W.
Even the ever tolerant Debi cant help but sigh at their teacher.
"Freya-sensei, it means that prior to the Grail War implementation, no one bothered to sharpen their combat skills because they were focused in the post war construction" replied Debi. "That means that Mooncell is the least experienced among the 3, which also means that Tsukumihara has the weakest GW team overall."
Once again, this is common knowledge to residents of Mooncell so it's not really that surprising.
"So I guessing Homurahara has the strongest GW team?" asked Shiro
"That is correct." replied Debi. "With the longest history and the hometown of Amaterasu, it's only natural that Humurahara students wouldnt dare want to lose."
"But how strong are they exactly?" asked Cu Chulainn in a hot blooded manner.
"Well... I dont really know" replied the unsure Debi. "I'm not a GW follower so my knowledge about their current standings is little to none."
"Dont worry about that Chulainn, you'll find out how strong they are if you participate the school event... Not like you have a choice though." said Freya. "The entire 3rd year from these 3 schools will be the first participants in the first ever Inter School Grail War Convention. If things goes well in our batch, the 4th years will also have their chance in a month."
"Strong enemies are good and all, but it would be nice to put a some names and faces into my to-destroy list." Said Cu Chulainn in slight annoyance.
Freya sighs at her hotblooded student. "If you really want to know that badly, you could always ask Astolfo about it. She did transfer from Homurahara after all."
"I told you, I AM A MAN!" Astolfo slams his fist into his desk in annoyance
Unfortunately, this does nothing but make him look like a cute and angry bishoujo.
"*sigh* I know you've only been here for a couple of weeks so I'm happy you were able to fit into this crazy class of mine..." said Freya. "But that joke really gets old after a while."
"But it's true! I am a man!" Astolfo complained
"Well whatever. For now, can you tell us about Homurahara's top dogs?" Freya effectively ignores Astolfo complaints.
With a sigh of resignation, Astolfo begins his explanation.
"I'm not part of GW scene back there so I dont know the actual rankings, but I do know who is the current #1 in the highschool department." upon saying those words, the classroom focuses on Astolfo's next words. "Her name is Hellel Lightbringer of 3rd year section A. I heard that she is also one of the very uncommon dual class with an even rarer combination of the Berserker and Caster class. I dont know exactly how powerful she is, but there have been a couple of rumors that she almost killed a few people"
That last part caught Shiro's attention.
"Heh... Either way, I cant wait to face off against Homurahara's finest!" said Cu Chulainn in anticipation
"Well unfortunately, your wait is gonna be a long one." said Freya, causing Chulainn to tilt his head in confusion. "Since this is a trial run of sorts, the higher ups decided to keep the battles among Rulers only. I guess a small sample size is easier to observe than thousands of students."
"Hey! No fair!" roared Cu Chulainn
"Fair or not, the higher ups doesnt want a full blown GW battles erupting at the venue." replied Freya. "On the other hand, you all get to go to an all expense paid trip and frolic at the beach with hot women in swim suites. From the way I see it, this event's highlight is the beach rather than the GW. Girls and boys, I suggest you start buying new swimsuits... The beginning of summer is gonna be HOT!"
While most of 3-W rejoices at the coming fun in the sun, Shiro descend into deep thought.
"So, she nearly killed someone too." thought Shiro "Coincidence? ... I think not"
-:-
ONE WEEK LATER
ON A PLANE HEADING TO ALIMANGO ISLAND, A FEW KILOMETERS AWAY FROM FUYUKI
There was once a saying: With great Power comes great Responsibilities.
Shiro has no idea who came up with the phrase, but he admires the wisdom within those words.
The more one selfishly attains power, irregardless of what form it is (physical, social, economical, etc), that person will always be chained by some sort of burden weather he/she wants it or not.
There is always someone who praises you, as there is someone who scorns you
There is always someone who supports you, as there is someone who hinders you.
There is always someone who loves you, as there is someone who hates you.
In short, the person with power is a person who is in constant suffering.
Such is the current predicament of Emiya Shiro and some of the 3rd year Rulers.
8 Rulers were assigned to chaperon a large group of students who are considered as headaches of the student body. Officially, the Rulers are to act as role models and guide these lost sheep into the proper path.
Unofficially, the second these headaches tries something stupid, the Rulers are given the authority of educating them with as much violence as they see fit... Of course it has to fall short of outright killing them.
Due to the nature of their assignment, only the Rulers that can forcefully exert themselves are chosen to do this. As such, the chosen Rulers are as follows:
Saber- Arthur Pendragon
Lancer- Vlad Tepes
Archer- Gilgamesh Uruk
Archer- Emiya Shiro
Rider- Genghis Khan
Assassin- Heinrich Kramer
Assassin- Rashid ad-Din Sinan
Caster- Atlantes Cantar
These 3rd year students are considered by the faculty members as the cream of the crop. By their standards, these students are the dream team of the 3rd year.
Because of their presence, the plane that contains the trouble makers is disturbingly peaceful.
"But I must say, I did expect some problems here and there... " said Arthur as he does a quick check on the passengers. "I cant help but feel a bit disappointed somehow."
"Cant really blame them though, seeing how Vlad activated Kazikli Bei the second we stepped on the plane... No one would dare do anything to piss him off" replied Shiro who was sitting right behind Arthur
"Isnt that a bit excessive?" asked Arthur
Before Shiro could respond, a blue haired, intellectual-looking student with thin rimmed eye glasses replies.
"Dont be so naive Mr. Pendragon. These lot have already proven themselves as criminals. These rebellious brats will get arrogant if we dont do this much" the bespectacled student replies cruelly.
"How can you say that Heinrich Kramer?!" replied Arthur. " These are people we're talking about here!"
"I know they are people... So? What about it?" replied Heinrich with a facial expression of a person dealing with a spoiled brat.
"No one deserves to be treated like animals!" roared Arthur
"Yet here we are, tasked to keep these bunch of drivel collared and leashed." replied Heinrich with a sarcastic smile. "This is the main reason why you are not our group's Ruler."
"Wha- ! You bastard!" Arthur clenches his fist, as if readying himself to attack
In response, Heinrich to put his hand in his pocket and readies some sort of weapon.
Before the two could throw any punches, numerous levitating weapons suddenly appear around them, each with the intention of piercing someone's flesh.
"Silence mongrels." said Gilgamesh without looking away from her book. "I prefer if this trip is uneventful... And I will not hesitate to make sure it stays that way."
After a few tense seconds later, Arthur and Heinrich returns to their respective places in silence.
"As expected of Gilgamesh. There is no more effective means to quell a fight like a threat of being impaled." Vlad, who was sitting behind Shiro, said in amusement.
"Seems empty when it comes from you though" Shiro replies sarcastically.
"Ha ha ha. Touche" Vlad replies.
In Shiro's opinion, the schools faculty members must have been either drunk or high when they chose the line up. They clearly based their selection on pure combat effectiveness and ignored the most important criteria in team building: Synergy.
Quite simply, a fair bit of their member's personality simply incompatible with each other.
Rashid ad-Din Sinan for one is die hard Assassin roleplayer. Shiro has never seen his face because he always wears a black hood and a white skull mask. The guy only talks when absolutely needed and only speaks short precise phrases, thus making it impossible for Shiro to get a feel for his character.
At the very least, the guy does as instructed so it's not really that hard to deal with him.
Heinrich Kramer calls himself a True Ally of Justice. Unlike the past Shiro and his everyone-must-be-happy ideals, Heinrich understands that justice is cold, cruel and unforgiving. If he recognizes someone as an annoyance to humanity as a whole, he will hate the person to death... And if given the opportunity, punish that said person severely.
He seems to have a deep seated hatred for mages which, based on rumors, originated with his short puppy love affair with Morgan Le Fay... Poor guy... At the very least, Shiro finds him easy to deal with, but that does not mean the others feels the same.
Genghis Khan is probably the easiest person to deal with. While he is intimidating due to his tall height (2 heads taller than Shiro) and muscular build, the guy is fairly laid back in most cases. Even in combat, Genghis keeps a relatively calculating calm which makes him a valuable asset.
Atlantes Cantar is the text book definition of a horribly exaggerated romanticist. From his brown, wavy, swept back hair to his overly colorful speaking mannerism, Atlantes has the innate ability to instill in people near uncontrollable urge of wanting to stab him. Atlantes is probably one of the extremely rare few person that can piss Shiro off just by breathing.
While Atlantes means no harm, the guy is the personification of annoying, thus Shiro makes the conscious effort of positioning himself as far away from him as possible... And most people share Shiro's dislike for the guy. They even begged the teachers to assign Atlantes to another plane.
Vlad Tepes is a long standing friend of Shiro so there's no real need to exert effort when dealing with him. The others dont seem to share his point of view though.
Gilgamesh Uruk is exactly as she looks like. Thanks to her arrogant, self serving, pain in the behind twintail beauty, it's no surprise that no one can get her to cooperate with anyone... Yet for some unknown reason, she has been sitting right next to Shiro for the last few hours without incident... This actually warrants a fair bit of caution...
And while the previously mentioned are well known for their unstable personalities, it is actually Arthur Pendragon that is least compatible with them. He is the only person in the group that is bound by a strong sense of honor, duty and ideology. He is simply too pure when compared to the others who can be inhuman if the need arises.
All in all, their group is so unstable that it could rip itself apart at any given moment.
"I hate to admit it Shiro, but it seems you have greatly improved as a Ruler..." said Vlad in a sarcastic manner. "Especially if you consider the two golden flowers you are holding in each hand."
"As much as I appreciate your approval, the sarcasm is not welcome!" replied Shiro
True enough, sitting to his left and right are blond beauties without compare.
"I belong to no one, mongrel" calmly replied Gilgamesh who is sitting near the corridor of the plane
"Hahaha! You called Miki Shiro's flower! You are to be awarded the Miki's Approval badge" Hasegawa Miki, who is sitting near the window, replied with her usual irritating genki girl manner.
Apparently, Hasegawa Miki became a student of Tsukumihara about a day before the Great Cafeteria Incident. After said incident, she proved that she truly worthy of the title Izanami by being confined in an ICU and fully recovering only after 3 days of rest.
She then started her academy life as a member of the elite class 3-A... With certain restrictions of course.
Maybe she has some connections with a bunch of powerful people, but her attempted murder of Shiro did not make the news what so ever. Despite that, her actions still caught the eye of some very powerful, peace loving individuals and was punished for it. She was tried and sentenced by this very powerful individual, resulting in a fairly severe seal being placed on her.
From what Zayd could dig up on the incident, the seal on Miki was so powerful that it effectively crippled her. The vast mana that she once could call upon to devastate her enemies was sealed, hence reducing her overall combat capabilities down to a normal human being.
If ever Miki removes that seal (FYI she has enough knowledge and power to remove it easily), someone extremely powerful will find her and make her regret that she is semi-immortal.
Good as her punishment may be, the task of keeping her in check was given to Shiro for some unknown reason. While Shiro finds this arrangement annoying, Hasegawa Miki's obedience does take a lot of stress off Shiro's mind.
" Better have her within sword range than out of my sight, planning who knows what" thought Shiro.
While still mulling over his predicament, the ever genki Miki moves the armrest and proceeds to use Shiro's lap as her own personal pillow.
"Hey Shiro, have you ever been to the Alimango Island?" asked Miki while making herself comfortable.
"No... Cant say I have. I've never been outside Mooncell." replied Shiro. "What's it like there?"
Truth be told, he finds Miki's clingy attitude as an annoyance, but he would rather have this than alternative. With keeping the peace mind, he decides to play along.
"Miki has been there a couple of times already for a couple of live concerts, and Miki must say, it's really hot there!" replied Miki " It's a place where it's summer all year round! Isnt it awesome? It's no wonder that back water island ended up becoming a first class beach resort."
While Miki continues to talk freely, Shiro descends into deep thought. Since their first meeting, there has been a certain something that has been bothering him. He wanted to ask Miki about it but was not able to because he sent her to the ICU.
"Well, I guess there's no time like the present..."
"Hey Miki, can I ask you something?" said Shiro with a rare serious face.
"Miki lives to serve." Miki replies energetically.
"Do you know Emiya Mikoto?" asked Shiro
The eternal smile in Miki's face fades and is replaced with a near expressionless mask.
"Why do you ask." Miki replied in a low monotone voice, surprising Shiro and Gil whom was the only people in earshot.
"She's supposedly the current Izanami, so I'm wondering why you have the title." said Shiro. "But more importantly, she's my aunt and I have every right to care for her well being."
Miki stares at him emotionlessly for a couple of seconds, then breaks out her ever enthusiastic smile.
"Miki likes people who values their family." replied Miki as she begins her explanation.
The Izanami no Mikoto is a title that is normally given to people with godlike mastery in the arts of necromancy. It is passed from one person to the next via 2 means:
First is by challenging and defeating the current Izanami No Mikoto through combat
Second. If the current Izanami No Mikoto were to give up the title for some reason, the inheritor is to be decided via voting by the highest ranking officials of the Izanami cult.
"Miki heard that the previous Izanami found an interesting work overseas." said Miki "Without a second thought, she dropped the Izanami title and began traveling the world and Miki was elected to take her place. "
"Heh... That's just like Aunt Mikoto." replied Shiro with a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "She's always been a whimsical person at heart. If she gets bored of one thing, she'll drop it without a second thought in favor of a new interest."
"What a carefree woman indeed." said Gilgamesh with obvious sarcasm in her voice.
"Is there something you want to say to Miki?" replied Miki in an aggressive manner
"Oh no no no. I am just stating my thoughts. No offense ment" said the sarcastic Gilgamesh. "Besides, I suggest you concentrate on enjoying what little remains of this flight. We are almost there"
True enough, they could all feel the plane slowly descending towards its destination. From the window, they spot a beautiful tropical island among the blue canvas of the sea.
"Alright! The mandatory beach episode is about to begin!"
-:-
LATER THAT DAY
ALIMANGO ISLAND BEACH
Women will always stand above Men.
Harsh and unfair as it may be, this is a sad and painful truth of the world.
Though men are naturally gifted with a stronger physique, we are nothing more than beasts with a higher intellect and greater self control.
As the saying goes "Beauty sooths the savage beast", the beast that is called men are generally weak to a woman's inherent charms.
This why a fair number of men, armed with binoculars, have secretly gathered in a forest near the beach. With numbers nearing a thousand, this group of young testosterone driven monkeys have one purpose and one purpose alone...
"Ahem... Mic test 1... 2... 3... Is this thing on?... It is? ... Good." said Zayd as he stands in front of many of his brethren. "Anyway, my name is Zayd and I will be your host for the 1st ever, Tsukumihara Secret Bishoujo Appreciation Convention!"
A round of applause shakes the air so violently that Shiro cant help but wonder how no one has noticed them yet... Not that he's complaining.
"Like the name suggests, this gathering is comprised amateur and professional girl observers." said Zayd. "Here we watch the most beautiful women of 3rd year Tsukumihara and make detailed analysis on what makes them so moe. But before we move one, I would like to introduce the experts that will be joining us today..."
Beside the massive screen that you normally see in concerts, lies a table with 3 people occupying it.
"First expert is a very special guest and probably the one that many of the GOB aspires to be. A superstar among the international GOB community due to having a harem so large, no one bothered doing a head count!" Zayd said with enthusiasm. " Everyone, please welcome one of the leader of the International GOB and an advocate of boobs, hips and MILFs... Mr. Grand Seraglio!"
At cue, a large 7 ft man of 30+ years of age stands from the judges table. With a brown skin, thick mustache and a big round belly, Grand Seraglio is a man of imposing presence. Just the action of standing up caused everyone into silence.
He takes a look at his audience, and with a loud and commanding voice, he speaks...
"A woman is the most beautiful flower in existence and only in full bloom can you appreciate her beauty!" said Grand Seraglio.
With eyes filled with perversion and lust, a fair number of the audience roared like battle hungry warriors. A perfectly natural reaction, seeing how 99.99% of men loves boobs and curvy waists, though varying from person to person.
After the audience settles down, Zayd continues his introduction.
"Thank you for that empowering words Mr. Grand Seraglio." Zayd announces with enthusiasm. "Next up is a person we all know and love. He is the head of Tsukumihara's GOB and the foremost expert in the field Lolithology. The person who needs no introduction ... Gilles De Rais!"
Once again, the audience waits in bathed breath for the words of wisdom to be shared by the speaker.
Gilles observes the audience, and with the face an enlightened saint, shares the knowledge that shook the very core of their existence.
"Flat is Justice" said Gilles in a soft and understanding voice.
Silence fills the air for a few seconds until a calm round of applause spreads through out the audience. Though it may seem like a lack lustered response compared to that of Grand Seraglio, the truth is actually the opposite.
If you observed the audience a little closer, it is instantly noticeable that a large majority has stream of tears flowing from their eyes. Gilles words were so beautiful and moving that they cant help but feel that they have seen the light for the very first time.
Without a shadow of a doubt, Gilles De Rais have touched the heart of the audience. He isnt the GOB leader for nothing. Even Shiro was compelled to shed some manly tears.
"Thank you Gilles De Rais for those enlightening words. Truly a magnificent speech." said Zayd as he dries his eyes. "Last among our judges is nothing short of a hero to the Tsukumihara GOB. He is the one that led us through the Bloody Valentine incident and the Great Cafeteria War. He is also a pioneer who indiscriminately accepts any and all fetishes on the moe genre. Allow me to introduce my good friend... Emiya Shiro!"
Shiro stands at attention and speaks the phrase that he painstakingly practiced for 2 days.
"As long as he/she/it is cute, then there is no problem!" said Shiro.
The crowd applauds with approval. Unlike the Seraglio and De Rais, Shiro does not limit himself to one genre alone. He understands that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and no one should be ashamed of those guilty pleasure that many of them has kept secret. The audience understands this, thus Shiro receives the largest applause among the 3 judges.
Satisfied with the response, Shiro takes his seat and allows Zayd to continue his MCing.
"Now that we know our expert analysts, lets not waste time and start appreciating the women of 3rd year Tsukumihara!" Zayd roars which the audience responds in kind. "With that said, please turn your attention to the big ass TV."
The massive monitor flickers to life and the image of a beautiful white sand beach appears on screen. On that beach lies some of the most beautiful specimens that the female gender has to offer, causing all of the men to imagine some very indecent scenes.
"Before we begin, please bare in mind that the one holding the camera is a professional stalke-... I mean, wild life documentarist." said Zayd. " Remember, Do Not Try This At Home. I cannot emphasize enough that my associate's work is filled with danger and should not be attempted by anyone less than a professional stalke-... Wild life documentarist. Anyways, with that out of the way, let us begin appreciating our first subject! "
At Zayd's cue, the camera begins to move through the beach with swift ease. Shiro instantly notices that no one seemed to notice the camera despite being in close proximity to him/her, which leads to Shiro deducing that the one holding the camera is that of the Assassin-class.
"They really thought this through... impressive"
After a few seconds of searching, the camera lays its lens on its first victim.
"Ho ho ho! Will you look at that!" roared Zayd in enthusiasm. "Our first specimen is no other than the reigning lolita queen of the 3rd year, Deborah Lapidoth"
Sporting the classical japanesse school swimsuit, the pink haired loli is playing in the waves with her friends. The very sight causes every loli lover in the audience to roar like lions.
"Mr. Gilles De Rais! Your thoughts?" asked Zayd
"The classical swimsuit is a mythical apparel that chooses those who suite it best, and Debi is one of those chosen ones" said Gilles with a very serious voice. "From her petite sized breast which are noticeable through the blue fabric, to her slightly developed hips that are further emphasized by the swimsuit. Its as if she was born to wear the classic swimsuit while the swimsuit was made for her. This sacred union is as beautiful as the auroras in the sky, and we should be thankful for being able to witness it."
The loli lovers of the audience makes a round of applause in agreement.
"Thank you for the words of wisdom Mr. Gilles De Rais." said Zayd. " Well then, may I ask how do our 3 experts rank the Lolita Queen of 3rd year Tsukumihara?"
The experts writes something on a white board then shows it to everyone.
Gilles De Rais- EX
Emiya Shiro- A+
Grand Seraglio- B
"Wow... Thats a fairly high score you're giving there Mr. Grand Seraglio" said Shiro who couldnt suppress his surprise. "Care to explain?"
"Prior to attending this convention, I made an effort to further my knowledge of the Loli genre so that no one would say that I am biased of my judgment" Grand pauses for a bit, as if thinking of something, then continues. "I read a thesis called The L Factor which was written by Gilles De Rias himself... And I must say, my eyes were opened. While I still stand with my belief that women are judged by their bust size, The L Factor's scientific reasoning, cultural evidences and religious significance has convinced me that Lolis are not to be scoffed at."
Once again, the loli lover in the audience expressed their approval through cheers and applause.
"Well there you have it. Write this down on your notes my moe brethren! Our sages has given Deborah Lapidoth a rating that befits her title The Lolita Queen! " said Zayd
Once again the camera moves around until it spots a very unusual combination. Underneath an umbrella lies 3 beautiful woman, each with a charm that differs from the rest.
Sporting a conservative white two piece bikini, the super model Date Masamune lies lazily on the mat. While conservative is the word to describe the design of her swimsuit, the voluptuous volume of her breast makes her look very erotic.
Sitting beside Amu is the twin tailed Gilagemsh Uruk in her black laced swimsuit. From her decent sized breast to her thighs, it is no wonder why she is labeled as Tsukumihara's Most Beautiful.
Last but not the least (and certainly the most unexpected of all) is the tanned skinned Spartacus Thracian in a black tank top and a blue mini shorts. From her short brown boyish hair to the scars that is visible all over her body, one could say that her tomboyish look is the most exotic among the 4.
Sparta is a famous person in the school due to her incredibly bad track record. As a well known battle nut, she currently holds the record for most battles participated. Weather it is on or off campus, there is always a news of her getting into some fight with someone.
She actually fought against many of the strongest in the campus with varying result. Hell, she even fought against Amu and Gil a couple of times. This is the main reason why the sight of her talking casually with the others comes as a very big surprise.
... Well, not that it matters right now...
The audience (and even the experts) lets lose a roar that could easily be heard by the heavens.
"Now this is what I'm talking about! Amu, Gil, and Sparta in one spot?! The perverted gods has blessed us with such a treat! REJOICE!" roared Zayd.
The audience follows suite as their lustful roar grows in intensity. A few seconds of mindless screaming later, the crowd becomes silent as they await the expert's analysis.
"Alright! Mr. Grand Seraglio, since this is obviously your area of expertise, may we have your opinion?" asked Zayd.
"Fu fu... Fu fu fu fu..." Grand laughs creepily while staring at Amu with lustful eyes. "She'll make a fine addition to my harem... Fu fu fu fu"
Naturally, Shiro decides to crush his delusion.
"Sorry Mr. Grand Seraglio, she's already mine" said Shiro in a threatening manner, much to Grand's surprise
"N-no way... It cant be!" replied Grand in dismay
"Well unfortunately for you, that is the truth. I suggest you give up" said Shiro
Grand thinks deeply for a couple of seconds, then looks at Shiro with a face of a businessman.
"How much is she? Name your price" asked Grand, much to Shiro's annoyance.
"Mr Grand Seraglio, as a man that possess the largest harem in history, was there a time that you decided to give your women to others?" Shiro leaked so much killing intent that caused Grand was taken aback.
As expected of a non-GW harem leader, Grand shrunk back out of fear
"I-I guess not... Forgive me Emiya Shiro, lady Date Masamune's beauty blinded me for a short while there" replied Grand
"As long as we are clear." said Shiro.
An awkward silence follows until Zayd breaks the ice.
"O-okay... Date Masamune is so beautiful that the 2 of them almost started fighting!" said Zayd in a desperate attempt to stabilize the mood. "Well then experts, how do you rank Ms. Date Masamune?"
Gilles De Rais- C
Emiya Shiro- EX
Grand Seraglio- EX
"Well there you have it folks! Aside from the expected low score of our lolicon leader, Amu gets high praises from the generalist and the boob lover!" said Zayd. "Well then on to the next one, Gilgamesh Uruk. Emiya Shiro, looks like this one is on you."
"Really? I think it's pretty obvious why Gil is hot." said Shiro. "I really dont need to go into detail her perfectly balanced body, good fashion sense and natural beauty right? The only real gripe about her is that personality of hers... Though it could also be a moe trait depending on who you ask."
"True... There's a fair bit of magazines, interviews and internet sites that go into that... Well then, I guess we'll go straight into the ranking then!" said Zayd
Gilles De Rais- D
Emiya Shiro- B
Grand Seraglio- C
"Ho... I guess even with her perfect beauty, she still doesnt get a perfect score" said Zayd
"It is as to be expected Mr. Hassan" Gilles states in a serious manner. " Beauty is subjective."
"I agree with Mr. Rais on this one" Grand adds his opinion.
"Very well, the experts has spoken!" said Zayd. "Let's move on to the last of the 3, Spartacus Thracian! Emiya Shiro, looks like this is still in your field."
"Indeed it is... Well then lets get into it" said Shiro as he focuses his attention to the screen. "Spartacus Thracian is actually fits the typical tomboy genre. She loves to fight more than anything, but she also wish to be more feminine. Physically, her tanned skin and dark brown hair gives her an exotic look. Her scars doesnt really damage her beauty one bit. In contrary, this is actually a moe point in my book."
"Ho... Is that so..." said Zayd. "Well, as a fellow brown skin, I do admit that our skin color is a moe point... But as for the scars... Well... Whatever. For now, let us proceed with the expert's ranking!"
Gilles De Rais- B
Emiya Shiro- A+
Grand Seraglio- B
"Oh my... You all gave Spartacus a higher rating than Gil?" asked Zayd in confusion.
"I've delt with Spartacus before... Even gave her a couple of scars to remember my by." said Shiro in amusement. "One thing I can say about her is that her straight forward personality is much more desirable than dealing with Gil"
"Well, I cant say I disagree" replied Zayd with a meaningful nod. "But what about the others?"
"I heard rumors about her, so I'm not completely unfamiliar about her" Gilles states.
"I, on the other hand, love sporty girls. Her bust may be modest but she looks like a fine woman to me" Grand says while giving a thumbs up.
"I see. Inner beauty is just as important as external charm" Zayd said in agreement. "Well then, we should move on to the next subject of our observation"
Once again, the camera moves swiftly yet unnoticed... But suddenly, it stumbles backward and hits the sand, as if it was hit by something. A pool of blood slowly creeps up the viewfinder, a very bad sign that something has happened to the camera man.
"Voyeur?! Are you alright?! Answer me damn it!" Zayd shouts in desperation.
In response, the camera unsteadily moves until it comes across a beautiful pink haired person, which Shiro instantly recognizes as Astolfo. Astolfo was wearing a light blue mini shorts and... Nothing else...
Yes... Astolfo is not wearing anything on the top
"Oh cra-"
Before he could even think, Shiro's (and all of the men in the convention) nose explodes in a massive nosebleed fountain. All of them hits the floor hard, never to rise again.
Before the expert's consciousness could fade, they mustered what remained of their will power and used their blood to write their ranking of Astolfo on the floor
EX
On that day, nearly a thousand male students were rushed to the hospital due to blood loss.
It was also decided by the International GOB comity to ban such large scale stalki-... Observations, due to the existence of people like Astolfo whom are too beautiful and too shameless.
-:-
MIDNIGHT OF THE SAME DAY
ALIMANGO BEACH
"Nasa huli ang pagsisisi"
This phrase is a widely known saying used by locals in Alimango Island.
The rough translation is "In the end lies regret", which is a fairly obvious yet often forgotten lesson that all people had to experience at some point in their lives.
There is always regret at the end of every event that doesnt go as planned. The what-ifs and maybe's will always be crystal clear in hindsight and nothing can be done about it.
This phrase rings true to Emiya Shiro as he contemplates a number of rushed decisions he has made over the past 48 hours.
"I knew I shouldnt have agreed to be an Expert in the Tsukumihara Secret Bishoujo Appreciation Convention" Shiro thought as he jogs on the beach. "If I didnt participate, I wouldnt have wasted an entire day in the freaking hospital!"
It took about 5-8 hours before he and many of his GOB brethren to be discharged from the hospital. The doctors even wanted them to stay overnight for observation, but the students insisted that they were fine already.
In every sense of the word, Shiro cant help but feel regretful for not being able to play with the flowers that he stalk-... Admired a few hours ago.
"In the end lies regret... It really hurts when it's true... *sigh*"
He could have played with Debi on the beach...
He could have slept beside Amu underneath the umbrella...
He could have done so many more exciting things if he didnt participate in that stupid convention
"But then again... Even if I didnt participate, Astolfo would have knocked me out with those nosebleed inducing attacks of hers... Seriously, would it kill her to have some shame?!"
There is simply just some people that are too beautiful and too stupid for their own good.
"Oh well, what's done is done... I'll just have to hope that tomorrow is a better day"
For now, he continues his relaxing jog underneath the cloudy night skies.
After 30 minutes of going up and down the beach, Shiro ends his jog with a slow relaxing walk back to their hotel. During that walk, he thought of nothing but the sound of the waves, the calm breeze of the night's air and gentle shifting of shadows as the clouds above goes about their business.
If anything, Shiro could wish that this peace could go on forever
... But as you'd expect, Fate has always gone out of it's way to make Shiro's life as painful as possible.
At the distance, Shiro spots a figure of a silver haired woman walking down the beach. Normally, Shiro would have dismissed her presence as nothing more than a girl that suddenly got the urge for a late night stroll, just like him.
But this time, it's different.
He cant explain it clearly, but he can smellsomething from the woman. It is not a stench that can be picked up by the nose, but something similar to a bad feeling.
The silver haired woman in the distance smelled similar to Shiro...
It was an unworldly smell...
A smell that only an extremely few people seems to possess...
It was the smell of a person who has bathed in blood... And in this world of peace, no one should possess such foul stench.
This leads Shiro to conclude one simple thing... Just like him, the girl is not an original resident of this world.
From the looks of it, the girl seems to have concluded the same thing.
"N-no... No! Why?! Why are you still chasing me?!" the girl screamed at Shiro, clearly mistaking him for someone else. "Havent I suffered enough?! Havent you people taken enough from me?! Cant you let me live in peace?!"
While the girl's circumstances remained a mystery, it is obvious to Shiro that this girl did not come to this world willingly. If anything, she may have come to this world in order to hide from whatever pursuers she has.
Before Shiro could even have the opportunity to clear the misunderstanding, the girl bursts into a blinding light. When the light receded, Shiro suddenly realizes that he might be in for a bit of pain.
The girl is covered from head to toe by pure silver armor and a white robe.
On the girl's back lies 6 pure white wings, clearly signifying that she is an angel.
On the girl's hand is a familiar mace that is commonly known as a Morning Star
It didnt take long for Shiro to piece together the girl's identity, and even with that information, Shiro could help but curse his fate for being such a trouble magnet.
I am the bone of my sword...
Steel is my body and fire is my blood...
I have created over a thousand blades...
Unaware of loss, Nor aware of gain...
Yes... Shiro could tell that this is an opponent that can kill him if he holds back.
"DIE!"
The angel charges at him
Trace on!
Kansho and Bakuya fades into existence.
Though Shiro curses his luck with women, a single guilty emotion surges through his veins...
"How long has it been since I fought to the death?"
His bloodlust spikes in response to the enemy's killing intent
"This is gonna hurt you more than it will hurt me"
-:-