Chapter VII

Hello everyone, the newest chapter of CPG is here, hopefully you guys all enjoyed the last one. A few new characters and things were introduced in that chapter so I hope you all liked what was there. If not...uhm...sorry...? Anyway, I'd like to thank my coauthor Bakuto Masaki as well as...I'm not sure what to call him since he's not an official coauthor but something along those lines...person, TheLastNanaya for help with specific areas of the story. At any rate, I think that's everything I need to mention here so...on to reviewer responses. Glad to see I actually got a few of them this time, that's always good. When they have something worthwhile to say anyway.

Jose19: Thanks...I think. I think what you said was a compliment but...I'm not sure.

Mr Beaver Buttington: Hopefully things stay that way for you throughout the story.

I...suppose that's it for reviewer responses. More would be nice but I guess I can't force people to write reviews, well not until the device is complete. Ahem, anyway, on with the story.

Kazuma arrived at school the morning after discovering Rin's involvement with the Holy Grail War and noticed the air about the school seemed thicker than normal. He chalked it up to his own paranoia but couldn't suppress the feeling he was being watched despite his chakra pulses not finding anyone out of the ordinary in the vicinity. Though he did notice a strange brown tuft sticking out of one of the bushes.

Ignoring that he made his way towards the school when he heard the sounds of a small commotion nearby.

Going around the corner he noticed Sakura speaking with a teen with short, curly blue hair that parted over his forehead, gray-blue eyes, and the same Kuoh uniform as all other boys in the school who was visibly angry with her. Kazuma would not have thought much of it had he also not noticed Sakura crying.

Kazuma recognized the teen after a second, someone he had been in the same class with for a couple years, Shinji Matou. It was just then that Kazuma realized they were probably related. However, he was less concerned about that and more concerned with what Shinji was shouting at her for. Flowing chakra to his ears, Kazuma listened in to what they were saying.

"I'm sorry, Big Brother," Sakura said sadly.

Shinji sneered and responded coldly, "You always manage to screw this up. Do you think for once you could not mess things up?"

"I'm sorry…"

Shinji growled and retorted, "Do you ever say anything else!?"

"…I'm sorry…"

Shinji snarled again and extended a hand.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes and immediately walked around the corner. "What's going on?" he asked casually, hiding the fact he was ready to put Shinji through a wall.

Shinji turned and narrowed his eyes at Kazuma. "Soryu, this has nothing to do with you."

Kazuma shrugged in response. "I think it does. Sakura's my classmate, and right now it looks like some thug in picking on her. I'd say that concerns me."

Shinji sneered in derision. "We may have been friends in the past Soryu, but you shouldn't take such a casual tone with me. I am one of the school's vice-captains after all."

Kazuma huffed in annoyance. "Like I care. I don't know what the two of you are fighting about, but whatever it is, I doubt it's important enough to put her in tears."

Shinji looked from Sakura to Kazuma thoughtfully and, remembering similar situations where Kazuma would put the person in Shinji's position around a lamppost, he decided it was best to leave the situation alone. Hissing in anger he walked off.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes as Shinji walked off and then turned to Sakura. "Hey, you alright?"

Sakura looked at Kazuma confused and nodded slowly. "Y-yes. You…didn't have to do that…"

Kazuma shrugged off her remark. "Probably not, but I have a saying I live by for these sorts of situations."

Sakura tilted her head in confusion. "What is it?"

"I can't stand by and do nothing when I have the power to do something."

Sakura looked at him thoughtfully and then smiled.

Kazuma motioned to the school and asked, "Since we're in the same class you can follow me to make sure Shinji doesn't bother you again."

Sakura nodded in agreement and followed behind Kazuma.

The two arrived in class without incident, though Kazuma was aware of some of the murmurings the other students were doing regarding Sakura walking so close behind him.

Murmurs which were continued by Matsuda and Motohama when he sat in his seat in class.

"Kazuma, we heard that you walked to class with Matou," Motohama accused.

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow and looked at Motohama. "No, I didn't. It was just a coincidence. We must have arrived at the same time."

Matsuda slammed a hand down on the desk. "Yeah right, that's just like Akeno-!"

Kazuma pulled two books out of his bag and threw them at Matsuda and Motohama, the two immediately shutting up and sitting down. Kazuma smirked proudly as Kon looked at him in disbelief from inside the bag.

Fujimura made a mad dash into the classroom as the relatively still air was disturbed before she came to a sliding stop and seemed unconscious.

Kazuma blinked curiously as he looked at her. 'Is she…dead?'

Sakura looked at her worried and asked, "Should we check on her…?"

One of the students then recommended, "Why don't we do something else?"

Kazuma covered his ears as multiple students took in a big breath and shouted in unison, "IT'S TIME FOR SCHOOL TIGER!"

Fujimura immediately shot up and shouted angrily, "MY NAME'S NOT TIGER!"

After the energetic start to the day Kazuma was happy to make it to lunch with his friends and have little disturbance.

Of course Saji was still ecstatic and boasting about joining the student council, though a quick boot down the stairs by Ichigo and Kazuma fixed that.

The day was interrupted part way through when a Hollow appeared and both Erza and Rukia were alerted to it.

After spending nearly a minute arguing over who would be the one to kill it, Ichigo and Kazuma eventually let the matter be settled by rock-paper-scissors, which Kazuma won, allowing him to return to class while Ichigo dealt with the monster.

The remainder of the day, for Kazuma at least, passed with little interference. He also made sure to look down the street before heading out so he wasn't nabbed by Aoko again.

Although he at the last minute remembered a prior engagement when a hand tapped his arm. Kazuma turned to the side and noticed Akeno beside him.

Akeno smiled at him and waved lightly.

Kazuma looked up in thought and then twitched an eyebrow. "Oh…that medium thing is tonight…isn't it…?"

Akeno nodded and grabbed Kazuma by the wrist.

"Uhm…ah…where we goin'?"

Giggling, Akeno responded, "To my house, so I can get som better clothes."

Kazuma looked at her surprised as she continued to tug him along.

Soon Akeno and Kazuma arrived at Akeno's house.

Kazuma felt himself somehow both surprised and not. The house itself was a single story, traditional Japanese house with a stone wall around the outside.

Within the stone wall were three buildings. The first and largest was a small, mazelike building that served as the main house with sliding doors.

The second building off to one side was little more than a small shrine.

The third building was a small storehouse with hinged metal doors and several small windows.

As Kazuma looked around he decided to ask about the shrine.

Pointing to it, Akeno answered, "It's one of the only items that survived the Great Fuyuki Fire."

Kazuma blinked curiously. "Great…Fuyuki…Fire…?"

Akeno looked at him curiously and then chuckled happily. "You don't know much about Shinto Teito's history, do you?"

Kazuma shook his head. "Not really."

Nodding, Akeno explained, "Up until a few years ago, this city wasn't called Shinto Teito, it was called Fuyuki. However…" Akeno trailed off as she unconsciously wrapped her arms around herself, "ten years ago there was a massive fire that developed for unknown reasons in the center of the city. Many people were killed in the blaze. My…family…was among them."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow as he noticed the near derision she tied to the word family.

"However, I was discovered by a man who took me in and adopted me. Kiritsugu Emiya. He raised me for those ten years and adopted me as his daughter. We lived here that entire time."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow again and asked. "If he adopted you, and his last name was Emiya, why is yours Himejima?"

Nodding again, she answered, "Ufufufu, that's simple. Despite some of my personal feelings about my family, Himejima was my mother's last name, I wished to keep it. Father respected that and kept that as my name on the adoption certificate."

Kazuma nodded in understanding and then motioned ahead.

Bowing lightly Akeno led him inside.

"I hope you don't mind the house. Take a seat in the dining room."

Kazuma nodded and walked into the dining which was admittedly small.

From the door on one of the long walls to the left was a television in the corner, another series of doors on the short left wall, multiple windows across the higher section of the opposite wall, with the right side of the room being made up of the kitchen to the right of the door.

In the center of the room was a small Japanese style table which was low to the floor and was longer than it was wide.

Sitting down at the table, Kazuma looked around the room thoughtfully. 'Huh…for some reason I pictured Akeno living in something…grander.'

After a moment Ddraig added, '…I suppose. Though this seems more fitting.'

Raising an eyebrow, Kazuma replied, 'If you say so.'

After a few minutes Akeno appeared again wearing a short, light purple, frilled dress with a dark purple collar that had a small pink bow attached, short puffed sleeves with dark purple bands at the ends, a dark purple band around the waist just under her breasts, and short black socks with simple brown shoes. She also, in a rare occurrence, had her hair own rather than tied in a ponytail, leaving quite a bit to pool behind her as it was longer than she was tall. Giggling to herself, Akeno asked, "So, how does it look?"

Kazuma swallowed nervously some. 'Holy crap…' shaking the thoughts from his head he nodded with a small smile. "It looks good on you, Akeno."

Akeno put a hand on her cheek and lightly laughed happily. "That's good to hear. Though, will you still be wearing the school uniform?"

Kazuma looked over himself and sighed. "Aww, crap. Well we've still got…" checking his watch Kazuma added, "another hour or so before the whole thing starts so that should be enough time for me to grab something more appropriate."

Akeno nodded and asked. "Do you want me to wait for you at the abandoned hospital or at your apartment?"

Kazuma had to think about his options carefully, as he was certain Medea and the others would likely still be at the apartment, but he would also seem incredibly thoughtless making her go by herself or wait outside his apartment. After racking his brain for a few seconds Kazuma answered, "No, you can come with me."

Akeno nodded happily.

Kazuma and Akeno arrived at his apartment, Kazuma gulping at the possibility of Medea and the others finding out about his current situation and the annoyance that will bring, and he opened his door.

To his surprise, and relief, it seemed that Medea, Kazehana, and Kuroka, as well as Erza and Mavis, were not present. He was slightly perplexed as to their whereabouts but was more pleased at the time that it wasn't his apartment.

Turning to Akeno he said, "Just a moment. It won't take long to put something more fitting on."

Akeno nodded in agreement as he walked into his room to change.

As he did, Akeno looked around his room curiously.

Kazuma sighed as he put on new clothes. 'It's a good thing the others weren't here, don't you think?'

Ddraig thought for a moment and then answered, '…Perhaps. But it seems too coincidental. You do realize that this being so convenient means something else tonight will go horribly wrong, right?'

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow in annoyance. 'Yeah, Murl's Law and all…or…is it called something else?'

'Murphy's Law.'

'Right, geez, why did humans have to invent so many complicated terms while I was sealed?'

'Just to piss you off.'

Kazuma walked out of his room wearing a simple grey t-shirt, green shorts with multiple pockets, and a pair of blue sneakers and noticed Akeno standing against a wall with her hand against the wall. Raising an eyebrow he walked close behind her and asked, "Whatcha doin'?"

"Kya!" Akeno shrieked in surprise as she hadn't realized Kazuma was behind her.

Kazuma twitched a smile with a light pink tinge on his cheeks, 'That was really cute…'

After letting his slap mark heal up Kazuma and Akeno made their way towards an abandoned hospital on the east side of the city, though Kazuma did note that upon going further east in the city he felt unsettled. He also had the strange feeling of being watched, though he chocked that up to being a result of there being weak devil familiars all over the place most people couldn't see. He was able to ignore the feelings as he and Akeno made their way to the spot where Don Kanonji's show, Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip, was set to be filmed.

To Kazuma's surprise and chagrin it seems there was a large crowd, roughly three dozen people.

Though that didn't bother him as much as he multiple cameras littering the area.

As Kazuma looked around, Akeno asked, "Why did you bring that bag?"

Kazuma looked down at the backpack he had and patted it roughly, a grunt coming from inside. "I brought Kon in case this idiot stirs up any Hollows."

"Oh, Kazuma, you're here too."

Kazuma flinched and turned around to see Erza, Rukia, and a very annoyed Ichigo had entered the area as well. Kazuma twitched an eyebrow and remarked in annoyance, "Oh lovely, hey guys…"

Ichigo raised an eyebrow and asked, "Why are you here?"

Kazuma sighed as Akeno waved over his shoulder.

Ichigo nodded in understanding. "I see. So I guess it was her idea then?"

Kazuma nodded in agreement.

Rukia looked between Kazuma and Akeno and asked, "Why are you here together?"

Kazuma sighed in annoyance. "Isn't it obvious?"

Rukia tilted her head in thought. "No, not particularly."

Akeno wrapped one arm around Kazuma's and explained, "We're on a date."

Rukia tilted her head to one side and hummed. She then tilted it to the other side and hummed.

Ichigo blinked curiously. "Somethin' wrong?"

Looking up at Ichigo she asked, "What is a date?"

Ichigo, Erza, Kazuma, and Akeno face-faulted.

Kazuma scratched his head and was about to ask something when the crowd suddenly roared up.

Akeno, Erza, and Rukia ran over excitedly.

"Oh, I think he's here!" Rukia exclaimed.

Kazuma and Ichigo sighed as they followed behind the girls.

Looking up, Kazuma saw a helicopter hover overhead as the crowd roared up even more.

The announcer then began to introduce the show. "Welcome ladies and gentlemen, to the show you've been waiting for, Casual Soul Realm Assault Trip, or, as most know it, Cazh Soul! If you listen closely, you can hear the screams of angry spirits!"

Kazuma listened to the announcer annoyed. "Good grief, most people couldn't hear souls of the dead if they tried."

Erza knocked him in the back of the head with a smile and argued, "Regardless of that, it's still enjoyable."

Kazuma looked at her in disbelief and then raised an eyebrow. "Hang on a sec, you weren't at the apartment earlier. Where were you anyway? And where are Medea and the others?"

Erza looked at him confused. "They didn't tell you?"

Kazuma shook his head in response.

"Well Medea said she had something she needed to do, Kuroka said she had someone she needed to go meet, and I assume Kazehana just went out drinking again."

Kazuma blinked curiously. "You know, for you, that was a rather succinct explanation."

Erza looked at him flatly, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing…"

The announcer then spoke excitedly again. "Alright everybody, he's finally here. The man of the hour, your host, Don Kanonji!"

Looking up, the crowd roared its loudest yet as a gaudily dressed man leapt from the helicopter with a cape spread wide and landed on the ground. When he did, Kazuma got a better look at him. Kanonji was a tall, thin, dark-skinned man with black hair swept back in braids, a parted moustache, and deep-set eyes with a long face who wore a tall black hat with white fur, a blue, extravagant tunic with multiple large buttons, a black belt around his waist, thin black pants and matching boots, and a long black cape with white fur on the collar and red on the reverse side.

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow and thought, 'This clown is the night's entertainment? What is up with Akeno? First she seems to have a creepy fascination with weapons and now this nitwit? I'm beginning to wonder if she's all there…'

'You didn't wonder that from the beginning?' Ddraig asked mockingly.

Kazuma sighed and responded, 'Touche.'

Kanonji then stood up and shouted what Kazuma assumed was his catchphrase, "The spirits are always with you!"

He then crossed his arms over his chest and belted out, "Bwahahahah!"

Everyone in the crowd, excluding Ichigo and Kazuma, copied him, leading to a loud echo of "Bwahahahah!" Kazuma grunted as he cleaned out his ear from the loud sound.

Kanonji then addressed the gathered crowd. "So, how are you all feeling tonight!?" Not giving them time to answer he continued, "As a special treat, I'll allow all of you to hear the whispers of the spirits here in this place!"

One of the reporters on the stage walked up to Don and asked, "So, what do you think of our location, Mr. Kanonji?"

Don sniffed the air and then answered emphatically, "My nose is filled with the scent of horrible spirits!"

The crowd then chorused, "Smells like bad spirits!"

Kazuma sighed as the crowd and Kanonji yet again laughed maniacally.

"Alright folks, time for a commercial break!" the announcer declared as smoke covered the stage.

Kazuma sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "This is part of the reason I've grown to hate these reality shows." Akeno wrapped her arms around his, resulting his arm getting nestled between her plentiful bosom. "Come on, it can't be that bad," she asked pouty.

Kazuma attempted to ignore the wonderful sensation he was getting as a result of her paper thin dress and just smiled back. "Well, with you here it's rather easy to suffer through."

Akeno laughed lightly in amusement. "My, my, fufufu, you sure can talk smoothly, can't you?"

Kazuma chuckled in response. "I can when I need to."

At that moment the stagehands began directing the crowd to another area of the hospital where the supposed exorcism was to occur.

Kazuma and Ichigo sighed as they walked with the crowd.

As they walked, Kazuma asked Ichigo, "So, why exactly did you come? I assume you and the pipsqueak aren't on a date."

Ichigo twitched an eyebrow and then pointed to the side where his family, though mainly Yuzu and Isshin, were off making the laugh and pose for Kanonji's show.

Kazuma nodded in understanding. "Though considering you dislike this kinda stuff even more than I do I'm surprised you came."

Ichigo shrugged in response. "Well Yuzu and my dad enjoy it so I came along."

"Kazuma, Ichigo!" a familiar voice called out.

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow and saw Orihime and Tatsuki behind them.

Orihime ran up but stopped when she noticed Akeno hanging of Kazuma's arm and then asked, "Uhm…why are you two so close…?"

Tatsuki grinned deviously and Kazuma knew he was screwed. "She probably just tripped and grabbed onto his arm to stand up."

Kazuma blinked curiously and Tatsuki gave him a small wink in response. Kazuma sighed in relief and the group made their way to the new area where Kanonji would continue his show.

Erza then raised an eyebrow as Kazuma ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. "You know, you seem rather wound up."

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow in annoyance. "Can't imagine why…I've got several people from my school here while I'm on a date with Akeno, something that I try very hard to hide from the people at school."

Erza blinked and then asked, "I didn't know you were going out with Himejima."

Kazuma slumped his shoulders in defeat. "I already friggin' told you, remember?"

Erza shook her head. "Not really, no." Folding her arms, Erza then asserted, "I think you're just wound up from the Soul Reaper work. You should take this chance to relax and unwind some."

Kazuma sighed in defeat and responded, "Sorry but my definition of relaxation doesn't involve me in a crowded place with a bunch of cameras everywhere."

Erza looked at him curiously and asked. "Then what is your definition of relaxation?"

Kazuma thought for a moment then answered, "Me, a woman, and a dark room."

Erza thought deeply for several seconds.

Kazuma looked at her in disbelief. 'She cannot seriously not know what I mean…she had a husband for crap's sake.'

Erza flinched before her face turned as red as her hair. "Y-you pervert!"

Kazuma shrugged in response. "You asked…"

Sighing in response and with a thick blush still on her face, Erza added, "A-anyway, I still think you should take this chance to unwind while you still can. I think there are tougher battles to come."

Kazuma scratched his head in frustration. "There always are…"

As they stood beside each other, Ichigo was about to ask Rukia something when she asked, "So what kind of festival is this anyway?"

Ichigo looked at her in disbelief and sighed in exacerbation. "Why would you attend something you know nothing about?" Sighing, he then pondered, "So, you think there are any spirits here to begin with?"

Kazuma interjected, "Yeah, there are a few."

Ichigo looked at Kazuma annoyed. "I didn't ask you. Besides, how would you know?"

Kazuma shrugged. "It's just something I can do. There are a few human souls wandering around here, though there is one who seems very intent on making his presence known. He's honestly starting to piss me off a little." Kazuma scratched his head then asked Erza, "Hey, if there are spirits here, why haven't the Soul Reapers taken care of them yet?"

Erza answered, "They might be earth-bound spirits. Ghosts like that usually end up getting absorbed into the ground of an area important to them when they were alive. They don't normally show up on the Soul Society's sensors. There's also only one reason they would show themselves: if a human or other living being enters their territory."

"Well with all these mouth breathers around I say it's only a matter of time before one of these spirits gets pissed."

Erza looked at Kazuma incredulously. "You really don't like humans do you?"

"I don't like anybody. Except hot women. So you're okay."

Erza thought about what he said for a moment and then turned bright red again and began sputtering.

At that moment, one of the cameramen took a step back towards the hospital and a loud scream erupted from the hospital.

Only a few heard the scream, Kazuma, Ichigo, Erza, Rukia, Akeno, Karin, Yuzu, Orihime, and Tatsuki, and they all looked towards the hospital as the wails made them uneasy.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes in thought. 'That…doesn't sound good…'

Karin mumbled annoyed, "I could've stayed home tonight."

Isshin asked her "Are you scared?"

Karin answered sarcastically, "Everything's just fine. This place is just annoying."

Tatsuki and Orihime looked at each other concerned.

Kazuma then asked Erza, "Lemme guess, earth-bound spirit?"

Erza nodded in agreement. "I'm surprised, they actually picked a place where a spirit had taken root."

"I told you there were some here already. Though it seems more like they're passing through than anything else."

Ichigo asked confused, "Well that's odd, I thought it was the howl of Hollow."

Rukia explained to both Kazuma and Ichigo, complete with third-grade level drawings, "Earth-bound spirit cries, while similar to Hollow howls, are actually made by souls attached to areas that are being neglected, and thus the soul degrades into a Hollow the longer the area is neglected."

Kazuma looked at her and chided, "I'm glad you explained that so well, since your drawings suck ass."

Rukia stomped on his foot.

Ichigo raised an eyebrow and then saw the soul in question, a loud, boisterous man whom none of the audience could seemingly see, that had a partial hole in his chest, though he still looked human and had no mask.

This time Erza explained. "It's in a state called Demi-Hollow. As Rukia explained, the Hollowfication happens over time, so if the soul receives Konso before it becomes a full Hollow it can be saved. However, once that hole is fully opened it will transform into a Hollow."

Rukia added, "Yes. And that hole in their chest is a sign that they have lost their heart and live purely on instinct. The white mask of a Hollow protects those instincts from the outside world. And neither the mask nor the hole are necessary when one has a heart."

Kazuma looked at the ghost thrashing around asked, "But…what's up with the chain in his chest?"

"It's called a Chain of Fate," Erza began, "that is the chain that ties a soul to their body. Remember that chain that connected Orihime's soul to her body?"

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and then widened his eyes minutely before nodding.

"When a person dies that chain is severed and the soul will usually linger and wait for a Soul Reaper to appear and guide them to the Soul Society. However, humans who have regrets in this world are chained to the object of their regret. This soul's heart is tied to the hospital."

Akeno then asked, "So does that mean that those who die with regrets are doomed to become Hollows?"

Erza twitched an eyebrow, having forgot Akeno was there and not realizing she had just explained that all to her as well and sighed. "Yes, if a person dies while having regrets, their soul will become an earth-bound spirit and they will become a Hollow."

Hearing that caused Akeno to frown sadly.

Their conversation ended as the ghost began shouting loudly, though none of the regular humans in the area could hear him. "This hospital is mine! I won't let anyone have it! I'll keep all of you out! It'll make me a millionaire!"

Kazuma sighed in exasperation.

Ichigo folded his arms and remarked, "Wow, this guy sure is…er, was, shallow."

As the lights dimmed, Erza added, "Either way, there's nothing to worry about. Even with his hole as deteriorated like that it will still take several months for his transformation into a Hollow to be complete. If he were transforming into a Hollow he'd be writhing and screaming in pain. And aside from being pompous this one seems just fine. So long as no outside stimuli are incurred on the hole in his chest, there's still about six months before his transformation completes."

Don Kanonji, who had reappeared on the stage while the group was talking, then pulled a long, gem-topped cane from his cape and announced, "Alright boys and girls, I shall now perform the exorcism with my Super Spirit Stick!"

Kazuma and Ichigo looked at him in disbelief.

"Is that seriously the best he could come up with?" Kazuma asked flatly.

Kanonji then looked around and, looking at the earth-bound spirit, shouted, "We've got ourselves an evil spirit here!"

Kazuma narrowed his eyes, not liking where this was going.

"Be gone evil spirit!" Kanonji then plunged his cane into the soul's chest hole, causing the ghost severe pain as he did.

Erza and Rukia's eyes widened.

"Crap!" Erza snarled, "He's speeding up the Hollow transformation! Kazuma!"

Kazuma nodded and gently took Akeno's arm off of him before attempting to run up and stop Kanonji, but found himself tackled by the security staff instead.

Erza picked up Kazuma's bag to take Kon to him but also ended up tackled.

The earth-bound spirit continued to wail violently as the chains around his body began to shatter.

Suddenly, Kazuma's Soul Reaper form jumped out of his body. He looked around puzzled and saw Kisuke standing above him with his cane jammed in Kazuma's forehead.

Tessai also stood behind Kisuke.

Kisuke then said plainly, "Go, stop this guy from transforming that spirit into a Hollow."

Kazuma nodded in understanding and ran up to the stage in attempt to stop Kanonji.

Kanonji looked at him surprised. "Who are you?"

Kazuma raised an eyebrow. "You can see me?" Shaking his head he then demanded, "You've got to stop this, if you don't-!"

The spirit then wailed its loudest yet before smoke erupted everywhere as the spirit vanished.

"No!" Erza shouted, having been freed from the security group by Kisuke, "The spirit's only vanished to reappear as a Hollow."

The crowd then cried with excitement, believing the spirit to have been successfully exorcised.

As Erza put Kon in Kazuma's body Kazuma looked around for the Hollow. He looked up when he sensed it and saw the Hollow, a large salamander-like creature with the usual bony Hollow mask, on the roof.

Kanonji then pushed Kazuma out of the way and declared, "I shall fend off this evil spirit! I am certain it is that other evil spirit's boss who has come for revenge!"

Kazuma then grabbed Kanonji by the cape and ordered, "Get the hell out of here you clown! This thing's way out of your league!"

Kanonji shoved Kazuma's hand off and argued, "You should be the one to get lost kid, I'm the real exorcist here!"

The Hollow ran down the side of the building and barreled towards Kanonji, however Kazuma kicked it in the chin and sent it flying back at the the building and through the wall.

"Thanks for the help, but you should really get going," Kanonji reinforced.

Kazuma knocked him on the top of the head and strongly reiterated, "You're the one who should get out of here you clown!"

Kanonji looked at Kazuma puzzled and wondered aloud, "Why is a random teenager interfering with my exorcism and trying to protect me? It should be the other way around."

Kazuma, ignoring Kanonji turned and shouted, "Ichigo!"

Ichigo nodded silently and ran around the side of the building, pulling off his mother's pendant as the mana shuriken once again formed around it.

Akeno narrowed her eyes and followed behind Ichigo.

"Huh? Hey!" Erza shouted, but was stopped by Kisuke.

"Let them deal with it," he recommended.

Erza looked at Kisuke unsurely and then hissed in frustration.

The Hollow howled and charged back out at Kazuma, who unsheathed his Zanpakuto as the Hollow neared and slashed downward, putting a gash on its mask and forcing it back into the building, pursuing it.

Kisuke narrowed his eyes and remarked, "It's just as I thought. Too bad it's happened in the worst possible scenario."

The Hollow attempted to run past Kazuma to get at Kanonji once more but Kazuma grabbed its tail and threw it deeper into the structure.

Kanonji charged towards the Hollow and attempted to strike it as it once more charged at him, but Kazuma jumped in the way, grabbed Kanonji's cane and threw him out of the way, before Kazuma roundhouse kicked the creature through the wall again in a different spot.

Kanonji attempted to capitalize on the chance but was grabbed by Kazuma and dragged inside the hospital.

As the cameras rolled and witnessed something invisible drag Kanonji inside the hospital, the announcer narrated, "O-oh my! Something is dragging Mr. Kanonji inside the hospital. Ohh I wish we could see the epic spirit battle Mr. Kanonji is involved with!"

Seeing Kazuma drag Kanonji and lure the Hollow inside the building, Kisuke smirked knowingly. "Well, well, so that's the kind of battle he intends to make this."

Again Erza and Rukia and attempted to pursue the three and the Hollow, but Kisuke raised his cane in front of them. "Don't worry. Knowing Kazuma, a Hollow like that won't give him any trouble. Besides, we don't need this mess getting any bigger. Besides that, Kanonji seems to have a few powers of his own. Plus, don't forget, Ichigo and Akeno also went in there. I'm sure the two of you don't need to worry at all."

The two Soul Reapers looked at him unsurely but acquiesced all the same.

Inside the hospital itself, Kazuma continued to drag Kanonji, who was thrashing around.

"Young man! Release me at once! Why are you draggin' me around?!" Kanonji demanded.

Kazuma dropped Kanonji roughly and snapped, "Don't forget I told you to run away and you just ignored me. Besides that, this thing has a particular obsession with you so I might as well use you as bait."

Kanonji stood up perturbed and argued, "And I also told you to run, since fleeing is not something I can do!"

Kazuma grabbed Kanonji and slammed him against a wall. "Give me one good reason why I should run and leave you behind! Besides wanting to just chop in you half myself!"

"Kazuma!"

Kazuma turned to the side as Akeno and Ichigo approached. He noticed Akeno and asked irritated, "Why are you here, Akeno?"

Akeno giggled in amusement. "Ufufufu, I want to help you kill that Hollow. It seems like fun."

Ichigo looked at her slightly concerned and slowly inched away from her.

Kanonji stood up and shouted, "You don't really expect me to leave beating this evil spirit up to a bunch o' kids, do ya?!"

Kazuma sighed and insisted, "Be that as it may, we're far more qualified to kill this thing than you. Besides, why are you so dead set on this?"

Making a dramatic pose with an arm outstretched, Kanonji replied proudly, "I am a hero with one in four Japanese citizens watching me on television!" After calming down some, he then added seriously, "And those children, all those children watching. They need to see my courage, not my cowardice." Kanonji turned and stated, "If you've got this under control then I'll go back to the event."

Kazuma grabbed his collar and shook his head. "No. That thing is after you. If you go back out there all those civilians will be in danger. It will stay away from the spectators and go after us instead if you stay in here."

Kanonji chuckled. "I'm impressed by your ability to deduce our battle conditions."

Kazuma nodded and added offhand, "I wasn't called the General for nothing."

Ichigo looked around and asked, "So where is this thing?"

Akeno closed her eyes and then looked to the side. "He's not very far from us."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and asked, "You can sense its spiritual energy?"

Akeno nodded with a smile. "Yes. It's just one of my talents."

Kazuma nodded in understanding and then turned to face the direction she indicated.

Of course what he didn't expect was for the Hollow to come from below.

Kazuma snarled as he jumped back to avoid it.

"I demand souls!" the Hollow shouted.

Kazuma smirked and shouted, "Ichigo! Get its legs!"

Ichigo nodded and reared his arm back, throwing his large shuriken at the Hollow but it merely used its tail to deflect the weapon back at Ichigo. Fortunately he managed to catch it before it impaled him, however the force with which it was hit back knocked him off his feet.

Kazuma grumbled and swung his sword out to attack the monster but grunted as it stopped. He looked to the side and saw it lodged in the wall. "Oh you gotta be kiddin' me!"

The Hollow leapt forward but was stopped when it was suddenly struck with electricity. The Hollow looked around angrily. "Who did that?!"

"Ufufufu," Akeno giggled in amusement, getting the monster's attention.

Howling the Hollow leapt towards her, but she raised her hand and fired a powerful bolt of electricity at it, slamming against a wall. She then proceeded to strike it with electric bolts over, and over, and over again for several seconds.

The Hollow twitched angrily, covered in burn marks from the lightning magic, before standing up and growling. "You're going to pay for that!"

Akeno giggled playfully and beckoned the beast over.

It growled and lunged at her, though Akeno easily hopped over the beast, however Kazuma had to slam Ichigo and Kanonji's heads into the ground as Akeno's jump caused her skirt to fly up and expose her black panties to anyone that could see.

As Akeno landed the Hollow spun around swiftly and slashed a claw at her. She managed to dodge but not before the Hollow ripped off most of her shirt, exposing her bountiful breasts to the world.

"Woohoo!" Kanonji shouted before Kazuma knocked him out with a karate chop to the head.

Ichigo immediately slapped his hands over his eyes so he didn't see Akeno.

Kazuma activated his Sharingan to imprint the image and thought, 'I am going to sleep well tonight.'

Akeno looked down at her dress and then smiled sweetly as her eyes were shadowed by her bangs. She then began to laugh sweetly as well.

So sweetly that even the Hollow got worried. "I'm in trouble…aren't I?"

Akeno raised her hand in the air and a magic circle appeared, sending a bolt of lightning up that arced down and struck the Hollow, striking him in a constant string of electricity nonstop for nearly half a minute before Akeno stood over the Hollow with both hands encased in electricity, smiling sweetly still as she asked, "Had enough?"

The Hollow, who was nearly solid black from scorching, could only twitch silently.

Akeno gave a closed eye smile and said, "I suppose that means you want more. Unfortunately I need to change from this dress you so rudely tore, so I believe we're done." Akeno then raised a foot and stomped it on the ground.

This had the effect of causing a stone spike to raise out of the ground and impale the Hollow through the head, killing it.

Kazuma could only whistle in astonishment as the beast's body faded away.

Putting a hand on her cheek and giggling innocently, Akeno asked, "Did I go too far?"

Kazuma shrugged in response. "Can't say, but," he paused as he pulled out a small piece of paper and went through several layers of seals to get a coat and put it around her, "you might want to cover up. After all, I don't want anyone else seeing them."

Akeno chuckled slyly and lightly tapped him on the face, "Kazu, perv."

Kazuma could only snicker and then turned to Ichigo. "It's okay, she's covered up."

Ichigo peeked through his fingers and saw that she was and sighed in relief. He then looked to the side and saw the passed out and drooling Kanonji and pointed to him.

Kazuma looked at him thoughtfully and then smirked.

Kazuma, Akeno, and Ichigo walked out of the hospital to find Rukia and Erza waiting for them concerned.

"Kazuma! What happened in there?" Erza demanded.

Kazuma chuckled and explained, "Akeno singlehandedly kicked that thing's ass."

Akeno put a hand to her cheek and laughed innocently. "Aww, you're embarrassing me."

Rukia then noticed Akeno was wearing a coat and asked, "Where'd the coat come from?"

Kazuma chuckled weakly and diverted, "It's a long story."

Erza narrowed her eyes and, seeing through a small split in the middle, scowled at Erza. "You didn't…"

Kazuma shook his head frantically, "No, no! The Hollow did it!"

Erza sighed in disbelief and then grabbed Kon by the ear and said to Kazuma, "Just get back in your body."

After returning to his body Kazuma stretched to get more comfortable and then said to Erza, "Okay, you go on ahead. I need to escort Akeno back to her house."

Erza nodded in agreement, suspicious however.

Several stagehands remained after the show ended anticlimactically and were astonished to find Don Kanonji hanging from a pole unconscious by his pants.

Kazuma and Akeno arrived back her home shortly after departing from the rest of the group.

As they reached the front gate, Akeno pulled the coat aside some and asked slyly, "Want your coat back?"

Kazuma waved a hand with a smirk. "Nah, you can keep it. Besides, there are other people here, I want to keep that special sight to myself."

Akeno nodded with a giggle. "Selfish," she chided playfully.

Kazuma shrugged in response.

Smiling, Akeno then asked, "I enjoyed tonight. Mind if I come along on future Hollow hunts? We can have them be our dates."

Kazuma chuckled uncertainly and responded, "You can come if you like. Though I'd say these would probably make for crummy dates."

Akeno shook her head and then added, "No, they say you should do what you enjoy on dates."

Kazuma smiled with a bead of sweat down his face in concern. "Uh…right…well, guess I'll see you later then."

Akeno nodded in agreement and walked through the front door into her house.

Walking down the street towards his house, Kazuma noticed a small park and raised an eyebrow. "I could probably save some time by cutting through here." Nodding to himself he walked into the park and proceeded to walk through the darkened area.

Looking around he was surprised by how little the buildings seemed to affect the park, he then stopped when he noticed a small, white, bowl-shaped flower with a blue center.

Kazuma clenched his fists as he looked at the flower. 'A white and blue anemone…those were always Arturia's favorite flowers.' Sighing to himself Kazuma flopped down on a bench and put a hand on his face. "Dammit…Arturia…I wish we never had to fight then…then my heart wouldn't still be this heavy." Kazuma then chuckled weakly as he looked at the ground. "Who am I kidding? My whole life is just punctuated with people I care about dying around me. Milla, Arturia, Medea, Chiaki…what a farce."

"Abraxas."

Kazuma's eyes widened before narrowing. "Great, I must be going crazy again, I heard her-"

"Abraxas," a female voice said beside him.

Kazuma's eyes widened immensely as he looked beside him in shock.

A young woman who appeared to be in her late teens with shoulder-length, golden blond hair tied in a bun with a blue ribbon, emerald green eyes, and soft, white skin, wearing a simple white blouse with sleeves that extended to her wrists and a blue ribbon on the neck, a knee-length blue skirt with an attached corset around her waist that tied in the back, short brown boots and long black stockings.

Kazuma stood up in shock, his eyes impossibly wide and his mouth hanging in disbelief.

He walked over unsteadily and muttered, "I-it…can't be…Ar-…Arturia…?"

She walked over to Kazuma and grasped his weakly outstretched hand in both of hers. Smiling warmly she nodded.

Kazuma's eyes widened further before tears began to edge in them and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. "This…this should be impossible…" Kazuma said as tears slowly fell from his eyes.

Arturia returned a hug of her own and nodded, before saying, "But I am here, Abraxas."

Kazuma pulled back and smiled at her. "I can't believe I'm actually seeing you again…" His face then filled with horror before he slumped to the ground. "You…you probably hate me…don't you…?"

Arturia looked at him surprised and knelt down, putting a hand on his cheek. Redirecting his gaze to her she shook her head. "No, I never have, and I never could."

"But…but I…"

"I let you. I could not bring myself to kill you, so instead I let you kill me. I see now that was likely a mistake. But one of many I have made."

Kazuma looked at her concerned and then smiled weakly as he put a hand on her head. "Out of all the people I can think of, you're the one who made the fewest mistakes."

Arturia looked at him curiously and then smiled.

Both stood and then Arturia asked, "Do you have somewhere you are currently living? I think it would be best to get out of the open."

Kazuma nodded and put his hand around hers as he led her to his apartment.

Kazuma completely forgot about the fact he had others living with him when he brought her there, though he honestly felt no concern for that, he wasn't even certain if they saw him or not and he truly didn't care as he led her into his room.

Inside Kazuma's apartment the next morning, Erza woke up, still annoyed and looked around to find Kuroka and the others sitting on the couch. She asked, "Is Kazuma awake yet?"

Kuroka put a finger on her chin and shook her head. "No, he hasn't come out all morning, nya."

Erza grumbled and walked over to his room annoyed. "He doesn't come home in time, I don't even know when he came home, and then he's sleeping in despite needing to get up?" Erza slammed open the door and shouted, "Kazuma! It's time…to…get…up…"

Erza trailed off as the others came to investigate why and saw both Kazuma and Arturia sleeping in Kazuma's bed, both nude.

Kazuma groggily sat up and then realize what they were seeing and shouted, "Get out of my room!"

Arturia also sat up slowly and then noticed the others, pulling the blanket over herself with a shocked, "Kyaa!"

Medea looked at Arturia in shock, "S-Souji? No…her hair is too dark."

Kazuma stood up, not doning to put any pants on and walked over to the door.

Kazehana and Kuroka immediately fell over with nosebleeds while Medea giggled perversely and Erza turned bright red before Kazuma slammed the door angrily.

Coming out of the sheets just enough to expose her head, Arturia asked in embarrassment, "Are…they gone?"

Kazuma sighed in exacerbation and put a hand over his face. "Yes…I believe so…or rather…they can't see…"

Arturia nodded and then asked quietly, "So…shall we…go for round two?"

Kazuma raised an eyebrow in thought. "I'm certain this would be about round four, but I'm not going to argue."

Erza stood still for a moment, her face still reddened as she attempted to process both what she had just seen and what she was hearing at that moment. Eventually she simply gave up and collapsed on the floor.

Eventually Kazuma and Arturia were prepared to leave with Erza and Mavis, both of whom could not stop looking at Kazuma incredulously, and Kazuma turned and said a temporary goodbye to Arturia.

She nodded and gave him a kiss on the cheek before leaving.

Blinking curiously, Kazuma noted how Arturia seemed to have changed ever so slightly since he knew her.

Unfortunately the day was not to begin well for Kazuma nor Erza as they, Orihime, Tatsuki, Ichigo, and Rukia were in the school's large gymnasium being confronted by Kagine, the large, muscular gym teacher.

Kagine looked at the group angrily and shouted, "You, Kazuma Soryu, are unbelievable! How you acted during the great Don Kanonji's show is reprehensible!" He then looked at the supposedly uninvolved party and shouted, "And I can't believe that none of you attempted to stop him!"

Tatsuki interrupted by raising a hand and saying, "Sorry, but we were there but had nothing to do with what he did, so we'll be going."

Ichigo attempted to follow behind them but was snatched by Kagine and kept in place.

Rukia began to tremble before crying.

Kagine froze and asked concerned, "Wh-what's wrong?"

Through her tears Rukia said, "I'm so sorry…for…for not stopping them…"

Kagine leaned in to comfort her but the act turned out to just be a ploy for the others to escape out the window. "Hey!" He turned back around to scold Rukia but she had herself dashed out the door. Kagine was left silently fuming.

The relieved escapees walked away from the gymnasium with a sigh.

Ichigo folded his arms and accused, "You were just trying to sell us out to save your own neck, weren't you?"

Just as Rukia was about to argue his point, both her and Erza's Hollow detectors went off.

Nodding the four took off.

Seeing this from afar, Orihime wondered aloud as she and Tatsuki walked to class with Sado, "I wonder if they're dating…"

Tatsuki chuckled and patted Orihime's back. "You don't need to worry about that. There's no way Erza and Kazuma would be dating, and I'm pretty sure Ichigo and Rukia aren't either."

Orihime blinked curiously as she thought about what Tatsuki said.

Sado stopped and looked up to see a figure watching them from the second year floor.

Kazuma and Erza had been selected, due to Kazuma losing the game to decide who would take the hunt, Ichigo or Kazuma, to go after the Hollow and made their way into an alleyway expecting to find a Hollow but only found a frightened ghost.

Kazuma looked around and then wondered, "Uhm…what happened…?"

Erza sighed and then asked the ghost, "Did you see a monster here?"

The soul nodded scared and answered, "Y-yes, there was one, but it disappeared. I didn't see what killed it though."

Erza nodded in understanding and then turned to Kazuma, who quickly sent the soul to the Soul Society with a Soul Burial, tapping it on the head with the butt of his Zanpakuto.

Above them, a figure watched curiously, its glasses reflecting the light brightly.

Back at the school, several of the girls celebrated after learning Orihime had placed third in a recent academic assessment.

However, Kazuma had no time to celebrate as Saji demanded, "Dude, you betrayed us! You got twenty-second! What about our 'Below Fifty Pact'?"

Kazuma shrugged in response. "What can I say? Everyone else in the school is an idiot?" He then suggested, "Make that pact with Sado."

Sado pointed to his own score of eleventh place.

Even Kazuma was impressed by that. "Geez, guess I need to try harder if a mortal is beating me," he whispered.

Saji then ran off despondently.

Kazuma sighed and then looked back at the scoreboard and was curious who came out on top. Raising an eyebrow he mumbled, "Ametatsu…Ishida…? The hell kinda name is that…?"

Orihime corrected, "It's a boy in our class named Uryu Ishida."

Kazuma looked back at the board and nodded in understanding. "Uryu…Uryu…that name is not familiar at all…"

In another area of the school, Arturia walked through a series of dark hallways before ending up in a large, extravagant room and bowed. "I apologize for being late Master."

"It's not a problem at all, ufufufu," Akeno mused as she sat on a long couch.

At the same time elsewhere, Erza was busy growling at her cell phone as she attempted to make it work and call Kisuke. Sighing, she wondered, "Is my command receiver not working properly?" It suddenly started beeping again, warning her of a Hollow.

Kazuma stood with the others in the hallway in front of the large board trying to remember Uryu when Erza suddenly rushed by and grabbed him by the arm and dragged him off.

As they ran down the halls the two bumped into a bespectacled student and Kazuma was barely able to shout out an apology as they continued running.

The figure turned silently to them with its glasses glowing in the sunlight before calmly brushing his shoulder off and walking away.

Kazuma and Erza then rounded another corner down a street to find, yet again, no Hollow.

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow and asked, "Is that damn thing broken or something?"

Erza examined her phone in annoyance when a white-clad figure jumped down in front of them, his eyes obscured by the glare on his glasses.

"It is good to meet you, Erza, Kazuma," he said with venom in his voice.

Kazuma narrowed his eyes and asked, "Who are you? And how do you know our names?"

Ignoring him, the man said, "I know about your powers, Soryu." The man then looked to the side as he said, "Another Hollow."

At that moment Erza's phone went off again.

The stranger turned and went exactly to where the Hollow was without any form of apparent aid. He then looked back at Kazuma and scoffed. "I'm surprised you aren't able to sense them on your own, Kazuma, and yet you call yourself a Soul Reaper." The silver cross hanging from his wrist suddenly released a burst of blue energy that took the form of an archer's bow made entirely of mana. The man reached up and pulled on the bowstring and an arrow also made of mana appeared. He released the arrow in a seemingly random direction, causing it to strike a far off Hollow.

Kazuma's eyes widened in surprise. He then narrowed his eyes and demanded, "Who are you?"

The man turned to him and Kazuma got a better look at him, a bespectacled teenager of average height with straight, chin-length raven hair framing his face, fair skin, and blue eyes wearing a white uniform with a cape and blue lines. He said to Kazuma angrily, "My name is Uryu Ishida. And I am a Quincy, who hates all Soul Reapers. Including you, Kazuma Soryu."

Kazuma sneered and readied his blade. "Is that so? Well if you're wanting to fight I'd be happy to."

Uryu adjusted his glasses with a single finger and glared at Kazuma. "I've no interest in confronting you right now. But if you so choose, I will fight you any day." With that, Uryu jumped off and vanished.

Kazuma sighed and sheathed his sword. "Damn, that guy reminds me way too much of Wingul."

"Wingul?" Erza asked.

Kazuma shook his head. "Not important, let's get back to school. I don't want to give Kon another chance to screw with me."

After the school day ended, Kazuma was preparing to leave when he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Rin Tohsaka behind him. Raising an eyebrow he asked, "Tohsaka, need something?"

Nodding, Rin answered, "Yes. Remember, I was going to explain to you the Holy Grail War? I assume the business you had last night has concluded?"

Kazuma blinked curiously and thought, 'Maybe she doesn't watch the TV?' With a sigh he then asked, "So where will we be going?"

"Kotomine Church."

"Mind if I come along?"

Kazuma turned around and saw Akeno behind them. He frowned in thought as he tried to find a way to get Akeno out of the situation.

Rin put up a hand and said, "Don't worry, Akeno is an ally. She and I are working together."

Kazuma raised an eyebrow and then asked in surprise, "Akeno you're…a Master?"

Nodding, Akeno displayed the Command Seals on her hand and said, "Yes. I am the Master of Saber."

"Saber" then walked up behind her, causing "Saber" and Kazuma to gape in shock.

Akeno and Rin looked between them and Rin asked, "Have you met Saber already?"

Kazuma chuckled and said, "Ah, well…you could say that…"

Akeno blinked and then giggled. "Ufufufu, so I was right…Abraxas?"

Kazuma's eyes widened. "H-how do you…?"

"It is part of the custom that a Servant explains to their Master who they are and their history, I must say it is rather amusing to find this out."

"Saber" was in fact Arturia. She looked at Kazuma and returned a small smile. "I had no idea that you were one of the seven Masters Ab…Kazuma."

Rin sighed and then recommended, "Well, since we're all here we might as well show our Servants. How about you first, Kazuma?"

Kazuma looked to Rin annoyed and then to Akeno and Arturia and sighed. Raising a hand he snapped his fingers and Medea appeared next to him in a flurry of light, wearing her robes rather than her casual clothing.

Medea looked around and asked, "Why are we here with other Masters?"

Kazuma put a hand on his head and responded with a sigh, "It's a long story." He then motioned to her and explained, "This is my…Servant M-er, Caster."

Rin raised an eyebrow at the derision he expressed with the word Servant. Shrugging she waved a hand and her own Servant appeared. "This is my Servant, Archer."

"Archer" was a girl who appeared to be in her late teens with long, unkempt, dark blonde hair that faded to white at the ends, verdant green bangs that hung down over her forehead, with part framing her face, a long cowlick on top, tall, furry cat ear, fair skin, a cat tail the same color as her hair, and dark green, slitted, cat-like eyes who wore a short black dress with a pleated skirt and multiple green and gold markings on the front, detached, puffed, teal sleeves that covered only her shoulders with black ribbons tying them tight, a short waist-cape that was also teal with black markings on the bottom, short black gloves with black and gold cuffs, and long, thigh-high black boots with green markings on the front that were attached to the inside of her skirt. "Archer" opened her eyes and looked around before seeing Kazuma and she smiled brightly.

"Oh no," Medea said plainly.

"Archer" jumped forward and tackled Kazuma, shouting happily, "Abra!"

"Whoa, gah!" Kazuma grunted as "Archer" tackled him to the groun exuberantly.

Rin paled and demanded, "What the hell is going on!?"

Kazuma laughed as Archer rubbed her cheeks against him happily, almost purring before Kazuma finally managed to regain enough self-control to push her off and say, "E-enough! C'mon Atalanta, get off!"

"Archer" or rather, Atalanta, stood up to allow Kazuma to stand.

Looking at her in thought, Kazuma then sighed. "So, you're one of the Servants too?"

Atalanta smiled and nodded. "Yes. Is that…bad…?" she asked with a frown.

Kazuma noticed her disappointed expression and shook his head with a sigh. "No, not at all." Patting the top of her head, Kazuma then looked at Rin. "Something wrong?"

Rin tapped her foot with a growing number of tic marks on her head and then shouted, "How does my Servant know you, and how do you know my Servant?!"

"Eh…" Kazuma grunted in confusion. 'I…hadn't thought about this…shit…'

Atalanta huffed at Rin and argued, "How do I know him? Why wouldn't I know my own husband?"

Rin looked at the two of them in disbelief for a few seconds as her brain attempted to process what she just heard. "Your whaaat?! This is just too insane to believe!"

Akeno giggled in amusement, however Arturia was not as amused. "His wife? I find that highly unlikely, after all I…I…I am his wife…" she sputtered out with some embarrassment.

"Huhhh!?" Atalanta groaned. "You? Abra, did you really marry this blondie?"

Kazuma sighed in frustration and slapped his hand against his face. "Somebody save me…"

Rin waved her hands frantically and shouted, "Time out!"

Everyone stopped and looked at her surprised.

Rin face-palmed and released a heavy sigh. "Could somebody please tell me what's going on here…?"

Kazuma frowned in thought. 'Damn…I hadn't expected this to become an issue like this…it's not really something I can hide at this point…'

Akeno put a finger to her mouth in a "shh" motion. "Don't you think it is rude to ask another Master their history so soon?"

Rin looked at Akeno annoyed and twitched an eyebrow. "Perhaps, but his history appears to have a bearing on my Servant's. I'd like to know how."

Akeno smiled sweetly and reiterated, "I think for now it's best we just leave it at that, no?"

Rin felt chills up her spine and nodded emphatically. "Okay, okay…"

"Good," Akeno chirped.

Kazuma sighed in relief.

Rin, who was still annoyed and confused, led the group to a church located on the northern most section of the city, though at one point they walked past an old-fashioned inn that gave Kazuma a strange sense of déjà vu, before finally reaching the church itself.

Kazuma looked around and was confused at its remoteness. "Why would a church be this far away?"

Rin answered, "Officially it's because it allows the church members to wash away their sins away from the material world or some nonsense like that. The real reason is that the church doubles as a safe-haven for Masters who have lost their Servants, so that other Masters who still have their Servants won't try and hunt them down."

Kazuma nodded in understanding. "I see…you seem very dismissive of religion."

Rin huffed in derision. "It's all a bunch of nonsense. People who need some greater being to explain their problems."

Kazuma and Akeno chuckled in amusement.

"What's so funny?!"

Kazuma shook his head and redirected, "Don't worry about it. You just keep thinking what you want to. At any rate, so who's the guy that owns, or runs, or does whatever with this church?"

Sighing Rin responded, "Kirei Kotomine. He's also my legal guardian and a serious pain in the ass."

Kazuma looked at her in thought. "So…what about your father…?"

Rin folded her arms uncomfortably. "I'd…rather not talk about that right now. For now let's go into the church."

Kazuma and he and Rin stepped forward, but after a few seconds he turned around and noticed Akeno standing at the entrance. Raising an eyebrow he asked, "You coming?"

Akeno apprehensively took a step forward but raised an eyebrow when she stepped onto the property. Sighing minutely in relief she turned to Arturia and said, "Stay here and keep watch."

Arturia nodded in response. "Understood."

Akeno walked up to the other two and joined them.

As they walked ahead, Kazuma paused a moment to look back at Arturia before smiling lightly, Arturia returning her own smile.

"Come on lover boy," Rin chided as she grabbed Kazuma by the arm.

Inside the church, Kazuma and Akeno looked around curiously.

Kazuma noticed that the church was disturbingly dark. "Doesn't this place have electricity or candles?"

"It does," Rin answered plainly, "but part of the goal of the church is to protect the Masters that take refuge. So it's easier to do that with no light at night."

Kazuma nodded in perplexed acceptance.

Rin put a hand on her hip and looked around annoyed. "Kirei! Where are you?!"

"You needn't be that loud, child," a deep voice answered.

Kazuma and Akeno turned as a tall man with shoulder-length, unkempt, dark brown hair, and dull, featureless brown eyes, wearing a priest's vestment with a long purple robe, and a golden cross hanging from a necklace walked towards them.

Akeno tightened one of her hands while Kazuma narrowed his eyes.

'This man…' Kazuma thought, 'he…reminds me far too much of Forbesii…and yet he apparently masquerades as a priest…'

Rin folded her arms obstinately. "Honestly, Kirei, must you always sneak up on people like that?"

Kirei apologized with a smile and asked, "So who are these two?"

Rin motioned to them and explained, "They are Akeno Himejima and Kazuma Soryu. Akeno is my partner right now and Kazuma is someone I was hoping you could knock some sense into."

Kirei raised an intrigued eyebrow. "Oh? And why is that?"

"Because, he accidentally got involved with the Holy Grail War and he says his goal is to put an end to it. That's just stupid, right?"

Kirei chuckled in amusement and answered, "Perhaps. Perhaps not. As long as one is willing to participate in the War and not forsake their position as a Master, they may do so for any purpose. Even if that purpose is to undo the War itself."

"Wh-what?!" Rin asked in shock.

"The Grail chooses those it deems worthy. And obviously, it saw Kazuma as a worthy Master if he was able to summon a Servant."

"But that's just it! He didn't summon a Servant. He found his by pure accident!"

Kirei raised both eyebrows in thought. "Is that so? Tell me boy, what knowledge do you have of magic?"

Kazuma twitched an eyebrow. 'I can't believe this bastard, who's probably not even forty, is calling me boy…'

'Careful, your heart rate's going up again,' Ddraig warned sarcastically.

Kazuma sighed and replied, "Some. Who I was taught by and how are things I'd like to keep to myself."

Kirei nodded in understanding. "That's understandable, it is a mage's pride to keep their secrets to themselves. Let me ask you this then: why do you wish to dismantle the Grail War? For what purpose?"

Kazuma narrowed his eyes and answered, "Simple. The souls of the dead are being used as pawns for others, to help fulfill the wishes of people who use them like tools. Besides that, the 'Holy Grail' is far from the omnipotent wish-granter most see it as."

Everyone in the room looked at him in shock, though Rin appeared more insulted than surprised while Kirei appeared intrigued.

Before Kirei could say anything further Rin scoffed and asked, "Do you hear yourself? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard! You insult the-!"

Kirei raised a hand to quiet her. He then directed his attention back at Kazuma and asked, "How do you know this? How can you be certain that it is not what they say it is?"

Kazuma tightened a fist and then retorted, "I have my sources. Unfortunately that too is something I would prefer not to reveal."

Rin narrowed her eyes and accused, "You know, for someone who knows so little of the Grail War, and wants so little to do with it, you certainly have a lot of secrets to hide."

Kazuma huffed and rebutted, "And you don't?"

Rin slunk back some, surprised at his response.

Kazuma then turned to Kirei and asked, "Now it's my turn. What in blazes is a member of the church doing, getting involved with a war between wizards?"

Kirei smirked and complimented, "Very shrewd. The answer is simple. The different mages and Servants often have powerful and destructive abilities. These have a very high possibility of endangering the lives of innocents. As a result, the church appoints an overseer for each War to act as a mediator, and to intervene when matters become too…conspicuous. Sometimes, the overseer may even send out decrees for the Masters to team up in the event one particular Master or Servant proves to be too dangerous."

Kazuma nodded in suspicious understanding. "I see…you don't consider me a threat like that? I have explicitly state my goal is to tear down this whole charade."

Kirei chuckled darkly and retorted, "I see no reason to stop you. As long as you follow the rules and laws of the War, and do not attempt to involve outside parties, your reasons and actions may be as you please. Even if they happen to be for taking down the War itself. After all, if you're to undo the Holy Grail War, you must participate in the Holy Grail War."

Kazuma narrowed his eyes and folded his arms. "True. But I don't intend to win the war and take the Grail for myself."

Kirei raised an eyebrow curiously.

"I intend to obliterate it completely."

Akeno looked at Kazuma surprised, Rin gasped, and Kirei widened his eyes before chuckling and then laughing loudly.

Rin looked from Kazuma to Kirei several times before demanding, "What's so funny Kirei?!"

After subduing his laughter, Kirei responded, "Splendid! Quite the interesting goal for the War. Naturally, as long as your goal focuses on the Grail you are still legally participating in the Grail War, so I shall take no action against you. Though…don't believe that Grail will do the same."

The three looked at him puzzled.

"What do you mean?" Kazuma asked.

"The Grail does in fact have a will of its own," Kirei explained, "beyond that I can say no more. However, I am glad to see you still intend to participate in the War, regardless of your motives."

Kazuma sighed and then asked Rin, "Is there anything else or are we finished here?"

Rin sighed, exhausted and surprised by the whole event, and answered defeated, "No, nothing else."

Kazuma nodded and turned to leave the church, though Kirei left him with parting words. "Watch yourself, Soryu. If the other Masters learn of your goal to destroy the Grail, they may very well ally against you."

Kazuma scoffed and retorted, "Then I will simply cut them down." Without another word he left the church.

Rin snarled angrily and left as well, Akeno bowing before leaving.

As the door finally shut, Kirei could only smirk. "Things have gotten very interesting…haven't they…?"

And that's the end of that. Hopefully you guys enjoyed the chapter and some of the things that happened in it. If so a review is always nice. If not a review would be okay if you're not just going to bash the story. But I'd say that's about all for here so I'll see you, no...no I won't see you but...whatever, next chapter, bye bye.