Chapter 9: Supernatural and Schools

When I woke up this morning, I really didn't expect much.

The owner the pub I worked at felt as though I had been working too much for a 'person of my young age' which was nonsense, just because I'm in my early twenties doesn't mean I'm too young to work for several consecutive months with no breaks.

Regardless, he felt I best I take a week off from work. That meant I had very little to do, except for today.

My day had gone rather normally, I'd woken up early, done some exercise, practice magecraft, go shopping and come back. However, my day took a rather weird turn when after coming back from shopping I was greeted by a knock at my door, I hadn't really expected anyone so I assumed it was Kobayashi or Tohru.

The rather pungent smell of old metal and rot that assaulted my nose before I even opened the door told me it was not either of them.

It was Fafnir, for whatever reason Fafnir had decided to visit me.

I composed myself as best I could and evaluated my options.

1. Flee

I can't do that, he's a dragon. He'll catch me in no time.

2. Pretend I'm not home

He likely already knows I'm home.

3. Reluctantly open the door and see what he wants.

I was left with option 3 and opened the door to find the rather irritated face of Fafnir staring back at me, his one visible eye immediately locked onto mine.

"G-good morning, Fafnir-san." I stumble over the first word in my panic, Tohru didn't really radiate as much hostile intent as Fafnir did. Either way, I didn't really want to appear rude to the dragon. "Would you like to come in?"

"I suppose." He nods to me, I stand aside as he brushes past me. He stops just inside my apartment and looks around "For a magus, you have a rather empty home."

His words throw me through a loop "Y-you called me a Magus." I stare at him dumbly, he turns as looks at me. His eyebrow slightly raised.

"Of course, Tohru isn't as closely tied to mages as I am. The difference in technique is obvious." He looks directly at me and leans in slightly, I freeze as his analytical gaze falls on me "Although...I was unaware any Magi even remained. I have not encountered one in...a long time."

"Well...I'm only a third-rate magus." I awkwardly scratch the back on my head as I gesture for him to enter the living room.

"Obviously." There was no need to be rude about it.

"Can I get you anything to drink? Eat perhaps?" I offer as I close the door and follow him.

"No. I shan't be staying here long, I simply have questions to be answered." He shuts me down as he takes a seat on my sofa. I shrug and sit on the chair to the left of him.

"What kind of questions?" I ask as nonchalantly as possible. I'm sweating bullets on the inside, a dragon whose curious about me isn't an especially good thing.

"I noticed it when we first met several days ago…" He lifts up a finger and points at my chest "You've been cursed. I pride myself on being familiar with every curse known yet...the one which had affected you is unknown to me."

"Oh. You just wanted to know about that." I nod, that's nothing too bad I suppose. "It was a cursed spear."

"Oh?" His eye narrows, there's definite interest there "Did it have a name?"

I could lie. I could lie very easily but I suspect the dragon would see through me. Also trying to lie in front of a creature who could kill me and everyone else in the building before I could even utter the 'T' of 'Trace on' isn't a particularly good idea.

"Gae Bolg." I say after a few moments, from the way he tilts his head slightly and hums in thought it's likely he knows what I'm talking about.

"I'm familiar with the name…" He says after a few seconds "How did you encounter it?"

"I was stabbed." He raises an eyebrow and gestures for me to continue "Through the chest…"

"I see…" He nods his head before turning to me with an inquisitive eye "What are the curses the spear holds?"

"Off the top of my head? A couple." Now he looks really interested, his face remains impassive but the way his eyes are glinting its rather clear to me how interested he is now.

"And those would be?"

"It reverses cause and effect, and any wound it inflicts can't be healed or at the very least, is incredibly hard to heal, until the spear is broken."

"Reverses…" His eyes widen momentarily "Where is the spear now?"

"Gone…" I say after a few seconds, with Lancer dead the spear doesn't exist anymore.

Now he slumps slightly, he's actually looking rather pitiable, like taking a favourite toy away from a child or something "I see…" he sighs and stands up "I was only here to satiate my curiosity… I shall take my leave of you…" he virtually drags himself out of my apartment, I think I can see a cloud hanging above his head, now I just feel bad.

Before I can think on it further, however, my house phone rings. I walk over to it and pick it up.

"Hello, Emiya Residence?" I answer, a few seconds later I hear a reply.

"Shirou-san? It's Kobayashi." I hear her reply to me, I glance up at the clock on the wall, she should still be at work at this point.

"Can I help you with something, Kobayashi-san?"

"Could you pick Kanna-chan up from school? I'd ask Tohru but I can't seem to reach her at the moment." She sighs "I don't even think she's in the house right now, I'd go myself but I have to stay late for work."

"You...sent her to school?"

"Yes, she wanted to go. I think she was jealous of the children."

"I get that...but you sent the dragon...to a school."

"Yes...Is there a problem?"

"Nope. None that I can see, just a little surprised is all." I answer as best I can, keeping back any kind of argument. Kanna is more reserved than Tohru, she'll probably be fine around the small children. "So, which school was it?"

"The elementary school, it's close to the apartment. The one the kids walk to every day."

"Ah, Yes. I know the one. I'll be sure to pick her up."

"Thanks again, Shirou-san."

"It's no pr-"

"Problem." I hear her chuckle over the other end of the line, I feel like I'm being made fun of "Honestly, that selfless nature of yours...one day someone is going to take advantage of you."

"It's not taking advantage if I let them."

"…"

"Kobayashi-san?"

"You really are weird aren't you?"

"I've been told that on occasion."

"I'll bet. My breaks over, I'll be back around five, hopefully. If you spot Tohru while you're out tell her to sit with Kanna-chan until I get back."

"I will. Goodbye, Kobayashi-san."

"Goodbye, Shirou-san." She hangs up after that, I do the same and then look at the clock. The time is two thirty, If I recall school times correctly, Kanna should be heading towards the end of the day.

I slip on my shoes and put on my coat before leaving the house, if I slow my pace I should be able to get to Kanna's school as it ends to pick her up.

Waiting outside of the elementary school, I notice that a few other parents are already there and collecting their children. I stand alongside them, waiting rather awkwardly until I see Kanna walk out with another girl next to her.

Kanna immediately spots me, her eyes slightly widening in surprise before she walks up to me.

"Shirou." She stops in front of me and looks up, I can see the unasked question in her eyes.

"Kobayashi-san asked me to pick you up from school."

"Oh." She nods, then turns to the girl next to her "This is Saikawa." the girl in question stares up at me, a slightly puzzled expression.

"How come you don't look like Kanna-chan?" she tilts her head.

"Her guardian was working late, so she sent me to pick her up." The girl nods at my explanation before turning back to Kanna.

"See you tomorrow, Kanna-chan!"

"Bye." Kanna responds in a rather dull tone, I hold in a chuckle at the unenthusiastic farewell as the girl runs off back to her parents.

Kanna and myself begin to walk off, after a few moments I turn to the small girl holding my hand "So how was school?"

"Strange."

"Strange?" She nods and I hum "I suppose that dragons don't have a similar institution do they?"

"No."

"Did you enjoy yourself though?"

She stops as I stare down at her "It was...fun." we continue on.

"That's good. I assume Saikawa-chan is your friend?"

"Tricked her."

Now I stop and look down at the girl with a raised eyebrow "Tricked her?"

"She challenged me in front of the class because she said I was too good. So I pretended to cry." She responds rather nonchalantly.

"I...see…" I nod, not really sure what to say.

Kanna then reaches into her pocket and takes out a small candy for me to see "She gave me this as an apology."

I lightly karate chop the top of her head "It's not nice to trick people, Kanna-chan." she frowns and then I see tears start to build-up in her eyes "I don't think crocodile tears are going to work on me Kanna-chan." I fold my arms and smirk at her.

The tears disappear and she looks rather disappointed "Oh." I shake my head at the girl and gesture for her to hold onto my hand again.

"Oh? Emiya-san?" A voice sounds out from behind me, I turn to see Tohru staring at me with a rather confused expression "What are you doing with Kanna?"

"Kobayashi-san wanted me to pick her up from school, she also asked me to tell you to sit with her until she gets back from work." I reply, Tohru jogs up to us.

"I see, how did Kanna's school day go?"

"Aside from tricking her classmates..." I smirk at the pouting expression the small girl makes, she huffs and turns away "I'd say it went rather well."

"I see." Tohru nods her head before walking around and taking Kanna's other hand "Why did you want to go to school anyway?"

"Because it was fun watching them." Kanna answers immediately.

"It was fun?"

"Yeah."

"Aren't you worried that there will be aspects of it that aren't enjoyable."

"Not really."

"We're not like humans, there is no real need for us to live with them." Tohru nods to herself, I can't really fault her arguments. She's not human, I very much doubt that she can understand human behaviour in the same way I can't understand Dragons.

"But they're close by, and we share time with them…" I feel Kanna squeeze my hand slightly, well slightly for her I suspect. For me I had to reinforce my hand at the last second to avoid her breaking my fingers, even then I wince slightly "Maybe that's why I want to be with them."

Our little group stops at the crossing, the elderly couple next to us look over and the old lady smiles.

"You both must be very proud of your daughter."

"…" Tohru freezes and turns her head to stare at me.

"…" I stare back at her. Neither of us show any emotion at the remark.

There's a tense silence, Tohru makes a face like she just sucked on a lemon and I cringe slightly. Kanna doesn't appear to be affected however the way she suddenly releases my hand tells me she's probably also embarrassed.

The old man simply smiles as the light turns red "Ah...to be young again." the couple cross the road, leaving myself and my two compatriots standing at the crossing looking rather dumbfounded.

"Emiya-san?"

"Yes, Tohru?"

"I think we shouldn't tell Kobayashi-san about this."

"You're right."

"...Just so you know, I still love Kobayashi-san."

I sigh "I know Tohru… I know…"

AN: Sorry this chapter took longer than the others, was working on other stories which you may or may not be reading.

Still, next time we'll be moving onto dodgeball, and magic tricks...