Movement 2
Chapter 2
"So you alright now Kiba?" I asked after all of the O.R.C. members entered the room. Kiba nodded with a smile and continued with the others to sit upon the sofa in front of us
"Now that we are all present, Shirou please explain to us what this meeting is about" Sona said monotonously from her Presidents Table on our right.
"well I have a question …" I started, I couldn't start without knowing this "what would the church's action be if a servant of one Devil –A Heiress at that- Destroys a holy –at this Clarent stirred- Sword?" the silence was so deafening that even Rias was stunned. Well maybe Kiba hasn't told her what exactly was the sword I destroyed.
"Shirou what did you do?" Sona said with a glare that would -and in all honesty should- have scared the crap out of me if only I still have a shred of normalcy in me.
"He did nothing wrong Prez." Kiba answered before I could "in fact he saved my life. I found Freed Sellzen and engaged him in battle" it took a moment off Sona just looking at both Kiba and me before she pinched her nose on a -cute- show of frustration.
"please start from the very beginning" she said exasperatedly
"I guess it started I was walking home after a hunt, I accidently walked on Freed while he was killing a priest and engaged him in battle." Kiba said but stopped when a look of confusion set upon Sona's face.
"A Priest? what would a priest be doing here?" Sona questioned out loud. It was common knowledge that this town is under the control of Devils and anybody connected to the other Factions must first ask for permission from the Owners before they are allowed entry.
Sona seemed to have noticed that everyone was waiting for her so she coughed and motioned for Kiba to continue.
"well, I tried to give a good fight but Freed and his Excalibur-" he said with grounded teeth however he was stopped by half the occupants in the room shouting their impossibilities. Meanwhile I stayed quiet, trying my best to sooth my swords lest they see my best impression of a porcupine.
"No it's true, he had one and he was able to wield it properly too. He wounded me and just when I thought I was going to die Shirou saved me" he said with a nod of thanks aimed at me. "After that I was stuck between losing consciousness and fighting for my life."
"I see … then what was your account on it Shirou?" Sona asked
"not much different from Kiba. I was doing my nightly stroll when I came upon the scent of blood. I followed it and found Kiba kneeling on the found with that Freed guy laughing …" no sense talking about bounded fields for the moment nor about the swords in my world. On a side note I truly feel that I have bad luck when it comes to priests, not to mention that the one that died wasn't carrying anything that could alert my bounded field. "I engaged him as soon as I can and forced him to retreat"
"wait …" Rias suddenly voiced out "you told me last night that Freed sacrificed his Holy sword to escape breaking it in the process, so that means-?" she looked at me like I was holding all the answers of the Universe and I couldn't help but smirk slightly but frowned after a moment.
"yes, I destroyed that Abomination you call a Holy Sword" I said bitterly, it was petty I know from what I can scan from the broken fragments of history embedded on the sword before it shattered, I saw that this worlds 'King Arthur' and Excalibur was not the same as my own worlds. And yet …
"Abomination you call Holy Sword? What do you mean Shirou?" Tsubaki asked looking up from her notebook from where she wrote every important detail. I inhaled deeply, getting angry here wouldn't do us any good so I decided to change the subject.
"It isn't important; Anyway I have the broken sword in my possession. What would you like me to do with it Master?" I asked and though she was reluctant Sona she went along with it stating possible actions and the benefits to them, it was a few minutes later when I felt my bounded field around the school signal me about Three intruders.
"Master, there are Three intruders entering and two of them are carrying Holy swords" that made the whole room froze.
"Where are they Shirou?" Sona asked her body tensing
"at the school Gate and they seem to be staying there" after a moment and no one still moved I decided to take action to myself "I shall go greet them Master, please prepare yourself in the meantime" I could understand they're concern after all this is a school –with innocents- and the fact that two swords that could turn them to mush with a few gashes was here probably unnerved them.
I walked slowly towards them, they looked more like hobos than Church Executioners (based on their weapons) with the way they kept their heads covered in their hoods. With slow steps I walked to them the swords in my world were rattling so hard that my whole body hurt, thankfully Clarent wasn't forcing herself out for the moment. As long as they don't pull the swords out from where they're hiding it I have a feeling it would be fine.
"Good morning" the oldest one said without even looking at me, she had blonde hair and blue eyes, she looked like she was in her late twenty's and though she didn't look at me I know she meant me. The two beside her on the other hand looked more my (current) age, one had her light brown hair in twin tails that were only barely seen from her hood while the other one looked like she had short blue hair. Both girls jumped back and readied themselves while the oldest one only smiled at me.
"You must be our escort inside" she said
"Yes, my name is Shirou Emiya a servant of Sona Sitri, Heiress to the Sitri Clan. am I correct to assume that you are agents from the church?" Play it safe, I've never really had good experiences with the church faction –even in my old world. I blame Kotomine kirei for that- so this must be played properly.
"yes, we are. My name is Griselda Quarta and these are my Subordinates Xenovia Quarta and Irina Shidou. Could you take us to you Mistress?" she said
"Master actually, please follow me" I turned around and walked without looking back, I knew they would follow, it was when we entered the building where the Students Council Room was, did the Oldest one spoke once more.
"Mr. Emiya-" she started before I cut her off
"Please you can all call me Shirou" I said
"Very well then you may do the same with us. Now then Shirou, may I ask a personal question?" she said with a bit of uncertainty, but I just nodded my head.
"Thank you, are you perhaps Human?" she asked with a confused face, ahhh it seems they were trying to discern what type of species I was and was probably shocked to find me human.
"Yes I am" that sent the two Exorcists eyes wide with disbelief
"You are?!" they both asked in shock stopping their movements and proceeded to gawk at me. I turned my head back just a bit and reconfirmed my answer.
"I see" Griselda answered calculatingly, her experience on the field showing "is it perhaps your choice to remain human?" it was this statement that clued me in on her plans however I just nodded.
"S-so If you wish to remain Human then why are you serving a devil?" Xenovia asked her voice high in indignation. Griselda looked appalled probably because that was too personal but could probably understand why she had that kind of reaction.
"I have my reasons" before they could speak once more I decided to change the subject "now if you do not mind me asking, were you supposed to have another member? a male priest perhaps?" the two younger girls change were clear however the older one just glared at me coldly.
"Yes, we were supposed to meet him last night when he failed to show up. Did you have anything to do with that?" Griselda asked in a monotone voice
"no, from what we collected, he was attacked by a fellow named Freed Sellzen" I informed her not the least bit bothered by her glare. Come to think of it girls have been glaring at me ever since I was summoned here.
"Freed Sellzen … the excommunicated priest" Griselda said more to herself than us "Could you tell me how you came upon that information?" she asked however before we could continue our questions we have arrived at the Student Council room.
I opened the door and let the three enter first before following in and locking the door. The three of them sat at the new couch which was placed directly in front of Sona's President Table –which was where she was currently seated.
"Oh … were we expected?" Griselda asked jokingly whilst her hand was placed on her right cheek
"actually we were just talking about a different matter" Sona said dismissively
"Actually master …" I said beside her "not entirely, it seems that the priest Freed killed was their ally, if I were to guess he was part of a different branch of the church with information of some kind" it wasn't new to me after all I was an Executioner back in my old world, dancing amongst it's different branches was part of the job.
"you seem to be familiar with the workings of the church, Shirou-kun" Griselda commented and I just nodded my head.
"I have experience in being a part-time Exorcist" I answered dismissively as my master was a moment ago
"Y-you w-were-" Xenovia said slowly before a shout beside her cut her off
"Ahhh I knew it; you must be Issei!" The twin tailed girl –Irina- suddenly shouted and pointed to the said pervert, who dumbly nodded his head. Clearly the twin tailed girl wasn't listening to the discussion.
"It's me Irina, don't you remember?" She said and fetched a picture of her and Issei as a kid. "see!" she said smiling
"No way, you were a girl?! I thought you were a boy?!" he said pointing at the twin tailed exorcist who looked hurt at the word before she scratched her head and smiled sadly "Yeah, I guess I did act too much like a boy back then, still I couldn't believe that Issei is now a devil"
Griselda coughed loudly causing both of them to blush and sit back down. "Anyway, why don't we get back to business"
"Yes I am curious what the church seems to be doing here in my territory" Sona said ignoring the slight glare Rias gave her. Ahhh the need to look united.
"Well we are here as representatives of the church and we came with two requests" at this Tomoe appeared from the kitchen and had set tea for the new arrivals which she was thanked for. "First is we would like full disclosure of anything you may now pertaining the Excalibur's"
"you mean like the one Freed Sellzen used last night?" Sona asked
"Oh? And do you perhaps know what happened? And where this character is?" Griselda asked
"He ran away" I informed them and they immediately deflated "However I have the – sword he had" at this the exorcists eyed me with wide eyes "Though the sword is currently in non-working condition" I continued
"Where is it?" Xenovia exploded "What have you done with the Holy sword?" Griselda took Xenovia's hand and she immediately relaxed
"Please calm yourself, we had every intention of returning it, actually that was what that meeting was about earlier" The blue haired exorcist stood and apologized though I felt it was more for her benefit than us, seeing as the Oldest one of them was glaring at her. "Shirou would you need a transportation circle to get it?" Sona asked beside me
"no need it's in my locker" Sona who was drinking her tea choked and I felt it was only through a miracle that she didn't do a perfect spit take, Rias was completely gob smacked as she looked at me and my small grin while Griselda was looking at me with a small glare probably appalled that I would do such a thing to a Holy sword.
"Shirou" she said quietly "are you telling me that you kept a holy sword, and an Excalibur no less in your locker where it could be taken at any time?" she asked
"I kept a few boundary fields on it Master" I walked towards the door. When I returned the scene hardly changed though Irina continued to Question Issei about his parents. I placed the bag on the table in the middle of the room.
"Shirou I feel nothing from it" Saji said with confusion and so I dispelled the bag and the sword was revealed in all its broken glory.
"I-it's broken" Griselda said as she held the pieces of the holy sword in her hand "B-but how?" I can understand her confusion; from what I could read upon the swords history it didn't break once after it was reformed, it probably gave the effect that it was unbreakable.
"Anyway" I said not bothering to answer her question "about your second request" I said in an effort to move the plot along. I didn't really want to answer her questions and her eyes though focused on me continued.
"yes" Griselda said handing the shards to Irina who placed them in a magic circle "Now for our second request. We would like permission to scout your city for the other Excalibur's and for you not to interfere with the retrieval." I see politics.
"How many others are there?" I asked.
"The church had always had six accounted for, now we have only two not including this so there are Three more Excalibur's to find" she answered with a small blush probably due to the blunder their faction did.
"I see; then could I offer my services?" I asked and the room stopped, before anyone could speak I continued "while true that I am a servant of Sona Sitri, I am also Human –at this I heard Saji and Issei snort- and so I can be given a bit more leeway than pure-blood devils and Reincarnated ones" I explained
"but for whatever reason would you have joining us?" Griselda asked
"Freed Sellzen" I said simply and at their confused faces I decided to explain "Freed Sellzen isn't the type of person to blend with the common populace, call him a walking troublemaker. And you do not just give people like him a holy sword and expect him to hide in a corner, which means …"
"Someone wanted him to cause a ruckus" Griselda Realized "This would explain how we found the Excalibur's general location quickly" she muttered
"Someone's setting up this town as a net, and everyone inside is in trouble" Sona said "Alright Shirou, should they accept your proposal you may join them" I bowed and muttered a thanks to my Master.
"you're not worried about you're Master's safety?" Griselda asked
"A Servant who does not need to be worried about her Master is an unneeded Servant" I said to her with all the seriousness I could muster " but rest assured, I have taken precautions for this and have set up Bounded Fields both around the school premises and upon my Master's and in extension my home" I said ignoring the scrutinizing gaze my Master sent me "They shall alert me should anyone try to enter them with harmful intentions and bite them to at least give my Master time to escape or me to appear"
I wasn't afraid of telling them this after all though this 'Barriers' used in this world are also called Bounded Fields; they are different for the sole reason that their languages are different from each other also this world's bounded Fields takes up a more active power source as the Od of the caster or the persons inside the field is the one used as 'battery' and whilst while my old world also has that application it can also be transferred to the world itself or leylines so as not to place a heavy burden to the caster. And this world was just overflowing with magical energy anyway.
My musings were cut when Rias spoke "oh and was this how you were able to discern their location?" she asked with a smirk as she eyed Sona and her slight glare towards me.
"Yes" I answered simply, not bothering to look at my master. Griselda eyed me for a moment before nodding.
"Very well, we shall accept your help" She stood up and we shook hands. "well then shall we officiate this Agreement?" in translation paperwork, rules and a bit of money exchange. Then I guess they'll continue this in Master's Private –not to me and Tsubaki- study. The Two kings and the Senior exorcist quietly proceeded to the room quietly as if they were expecting this leaving us alone in the main room. The room's aura was so thick and heavy that most people fidgeted in their seat not knowing whether they should talk or not leaving silence in abundance, but I didn't mind instead I just jumped back to my world and continued exploring. Best to reintroduce myself to a few of my swords since it's almost a certainty that we will encounter conflict, between the Holy swords in their back and the psychopath named Freed Sellzen and his mysterious employer of that I have no doubt.
I was brought back when I heard shouting, opening my eyes I found the blue haired Xenovia having a verbal battle with Issei
"I don't want to Hear it!" The boy with the red dragon said "You're the ones who decided to put her on a pedestal of Sainthood not her. That wasn't her choice!" tears appeared on the boy as he thought of a memory "She was always Alone!"
In a fraction of a second I wasn't in Kuoh Academy, hell I wasn't even in Japan anymore. I was at Camelot watching the king of Britain stand atop the tower of her own castle alone, watching the sunset whilst everyone looked at her with disdain as if she wasn't Human.
'The king dies not understand the feelings of her people'
"That's enough, quiet the both of you!" I said without thinking causing the two look at me "if you have nothing more to say then keep your opinions to yourselves"
"close your mouth heathen" the blue haired exorcist said gritting her teeth "It is not merely an opinion-" she tried to say but I cut her off, sending a wave of raw bloodlust to shut off anyone who would dare try to speak.
"First of all I am Agnostic. Second, it is your Opinion that if she sacrifices herself by your blade she'll be able to enter heaven" seeing her clenched fist and glare I gave her archer's infamous smirk "or did God himself tell you that?" her posture lost its intensity at that "Maybe you should be the saint here and not Asia" She sat down with a huff but kept quiet nonetheless. Issei tried to speak but with a glare from me he quieted down.
And so the Awkward silence returned full force with the devils (Issei and Kiba especially) Glaring at Xenovia, the girl disregarded it completely to glare at me, not that I care. It was a few minutes later that the three heads walked out of the room. Quickly sensing the tension Griselda asked.
"Did something happen?" The Blue haired exorcist stiffened and started to sweat profusely but stayed quiet, taking pity on her I spoke up.
"Nothing more than a discussion about personal opinions" I said as if I didn't know that they heard everything that transpired here. The room may block sound leaving but that doesn't mean sound can't enter it.
"Then I'll have to thank you for acting as the middle ground on this surely" she said with a small smile that seemed to be invoking a different feeling for Xenovia.
"It's fine, I shall find you later after school. I would rather be absent for the duration of this debacle however I don't think my Master would approve of that" by the corner of my eye Sona nodded.
"very well, in the meantime we shall start our search" I nodded and with the courtesy goodbye to the devils we left the room, the exorcists to start their search and for me to escort them out of the School.
"Thank you very much for escorting us" Griselda said with a smile
"It's no problem at all" I said waving my arms "It's me who should be thanking you for respecting the inhabitants of this city" Irina giggled at me as if I said something funny
"But of course! We are the church faction after all, we try respect other peoples wishes as much as possible" by her side Xenovia nodded, my mind briefly flashed towards Freed and Asia but I kept my mouth shut and I didn't fail to notice that Griselda did as well. I see so they truly are greenhorns, I wouldn't be surprised if this is their first mission.
"well then, I shall find you later at noon" we waved at each other as we went our separate ways.
As I walked back I started planning possible moves and motives for such a thing but I only came up with few of them and not one of them gave me happy feelings.
"Master" I told Sona as I entered to which she nodded back Rias and the others were also still here.
"what did you think of them?" Sona asked adjusting her eyeglasses
"should it come to blows I shall have no problem disposing of them" I said honestly, not only are they in a disadvantage when it comes to the weapon I can hold (and launch) the two of them are still green and are more likely to be a liability than an Asset.
"I'm not asking in regards to your abilities but in ours" Sona clarified and Rias nodded
"Should they attack all of you together then you might survive granted not without losses on both sides, should they target one peerage at a time … then my only advice is to run" I answered however with a few of them still skeptical I continued "while it is true that your peerage can handle the two younger girls they cannot –you cannot handle Griselda, I have a feeling she's hunted her fair share of monsters that not even you have Master."
"I see then we shall take that into account. Now about those Bounded fields you've placed without my permission …" her voice was the same tone as it always has been but for some reason I felt a twitch that almost made me summon my swords to defend myself with.