New Lease In Life

Looks like the reception went well, and I got a request for an update. It wasn't easy making new chapters if you didn't re-read the previous chapters, so it took me a while before I beef up this one. Moreover, I had to check the character lists from both series (Jigoku Shoujo and Fate/Stay Night) to see who would get the spotlight for this chapter. Thankfully I found one.

Now here's chapter 5.

Disclaimer:

- Jigoku Shoujo is owned by Aniplex and Well-Think

- Fate/Stay Night is owned by TBS, Crei, Type Moon and Fate Project

At the Mato residence, Shinji Mato is inside his room, and thanks to some "informants" he hired, he is facing his laptop, and after some time, he is able to locate the website he's been searching: the "Hell Correspondence". At first he brushes them off as a "sham" as well as being but a groundless rumor for being an urban legend, but after learning the news three years ago that took place at Lovely Hills, thanks to an unknown source, he became intrigued, and uses "other means" to research it, and now he has found it. The time is also shown to be near midnight, but since he hasn't chosen a target yet, he opted to keep things low and see who will be the target of his grudge, though Shiro is likely in his list, because he turned down his offer to be his ally yet Emiya chose Rin as his partner.

"Hmm...Shiro...he would be a good target because he turned me down and chose Tohsaka...moreover...he owed me something bigger..."

Another reason that Shinji harbors a hatred for Shiro is because of his participation in getting Sakura away from the Mato mansion after he and Rin caught him in the act of about to rape an unconscious Sakura, and that was enough to make him hate Shiro. Shinji appeared to harbor hatred for Rin for her numerous decline in rejecting his advances. Despite this, he still holds perverted desires for Rin.

By then, he turns off the laptop and retires for the rest of the night, unaware that outside, Ren, Wanyudo, and Hone Onna are outside, displeased that their next would-be client would be a bad person, yet they had no choice given that Kikuri is the new Hell Girl and had to follow orders.

-x-

Two days later, it was Saturday, and the scene shifts to Fuyuki High, where the school is hosting a school fair for the summer, and all of the students are enjoying themselves, while some of the boys are noticing Rin waiting by the gate, finding the right time to ask her to be their date for the school fair, though she politely turned them down after telling them she already has a date and is waiting for him to arrive, which surprised them.

"Um, Tohsaka-san..."

"...would it be possible..."

"...would you like to be my date for this fair..."

"...I have no date..."

"Thank you for your offer, everyone...but I already have a date and am waiting for him..."

"Eh...?"

"You have a date...?"

"...I see..."

Sakura and Shiro are there are are also enjoying each others' company, though they are standing by to help Takuma if something arises, though they believe that Rin can handle things from here, though Sakura confided to Shiro that if some of the students learn of Takuma;s traumatic past, they might fear or bully him, which Shiro assured that it won't since that news of three years ago didn't even reach here in Fuyuki.

"Having a good time, Sakura?"

"Yes..."

"What's wrong? Is there something bothering you...?"

"I'm worried about Takuma..."

"No need to worry...Rin can cover for him..."

"But...what if someone learned of Takuma's past...? Someone might..."

"I doubt it...we never heard about the Lovely Hills incident and even this school is unaware of it..."

"I see..."

After a few more minutes, Takuma finally arrived, and Rin is there to greet him, which he greeted her in return and the two went to the various stalls to begin the tour of Fuyuki High School, which immediately caught the eyes of every student, including the other boys who were turned down by Rin, dumbfounded that her date is an ordinary junior high school boy, drawing a lot of responses from them, some in disbelief.

"What the...?"

"Am I seeing things...?"

"No way..."

"That kid is Tohsaka's date...?"

"That can't be...?"

"He's a bit shorter than her...?"

"He looks like he from junior high..."

"Why would Tohsaka-san choose him as her date...?"

"What does he see in him...?"

"No way...how did he get so close to her...?"

"Let's follow them..."

"Yeah..."

"I want to see what kind of guy he is..."

Even the girls are surprised to see this, since they know that Rin doesn't have a male sibling, and seeing that he is close to her, they assumed that he may be a suitor, though they aren't sure since he resembles a junior high student, being that he is a bit shorter than her. Even Ayako Mitsuduri is taken aback, wondering if Rin is actually entertaining Takuma as a suitor, knowing that she is smart and would prefer a boyfriend her age or a bit older.

"No way...did she really want to date a younger boy...?"

Rin started to give Takuma a tour within the school, from the school fair's stalls, up to inside the school building, not noticing the prying eyes that followed them as they are curious to see if Takuma is Rin's suitor or not, hoping that this is not the case. Some even asked Shiro if he knows this since they know him being a friend of Rin, though Shiro reluctantly kept mum, not wanting to ruin Rin and Takuma's day.

Takuma appeared to be having a nice time, as it slowly eased his stress about Kikuri, and this slowly makes him closer to Rin.

"Thank you, Tohsaka...you're helping me get over what Kikuri told me...but...is it okay for me to pursue you...?"

Not far, one of Rin's admirers became jealous seeing that an "outsider" has gotten close to Rin, and developed a hatred for Takuma, and unfortunately, Shinji happened to be there and saw Takuma, as he used his "resources" to find out more about the Heel's Correspondence, and having learned about Takuma, he decided to have some fun and used the admirer as a "pawn" to make Takuma's day miserable.

"Why that brat...he dare he get close to Tohsaka...she should be mine...and mine alone..."

"Looks like you got some competition..."

"I hate that kid...he has no right wooing her! It is I who should be courting Tohsaka!"

"Hmm...you might have a hard time...those two seem to get along well...but...she turned you down several times, if I'm correct..."

"I hate him...I hate that kid!"

"Perhaps I can help you..."

"Really, Mato?"

"Sure...just follow me and I'll explain the rest..."

Leading him to his classroom, Shinji told the admirer about Takuma being the "Devil's Child", and about the incident at Lovely Hills, and "introduces" to the admirer the Hell Correspondence and manipulated him into using it to to get revenge on Takuma, but advised him to access it later at midnight, but for now he gives him a fake straw doll, and use it to scare Takuma, and the admirer gladly took it and heads off to confront Takuma.

-x-

Meanwhile, Takuma and Rin are sitting on their chairs and are eating lunch together, talking casually as he thanked her for inviting him to attend the school fair, though he questions her if it is okay to invite an "outsider" which Rin cheerfully responded that it's no big deal as she can invite a friend whether he or she is from Fuyuki City or elsewhere. The students, especially the boys, continue to watch over them, eyes glanced at Takuma, feeling "threatened" as he and Rin are getting along well, while Shiro and Sakura saw this, seeing that they are surprised.

"Rin is enjoying herself..."

"Yeah...and so is Takuma..."

"I can't help but wonder...did Takuma really followed Rin to our school based on what you saw...?"

"Yeah...and I can tell he's really interested in her...and I have a feeling those two would make a good match..."

"But...Takuma is...how old is he...?"

"Fourteen..."

"Rin is 17...would it be alright with the age gap and all...?"

"Rin's in senior high...Takuma's in junior high...I don't see any problem...sine high school is high school...and it's about time she entertain suitors since the Holy Grail War ended...huh?"

"Shiro...that guy...he's heading for Takuma and Rin"

"That's the guy whom Rin turned him down several times..."

However, someone came to ruin the mood, as the "admirer" showed up, which Rin recognized him as she turned him down several times, and saw him approaching Takuma and that's where the problem started, as he brought out a straw doll, and there Rin, Shiro and Sakura stared wide-eyed, as they recognized the straw doll from the visuals that Ilya showed a few nights ago, and even Takuma went still, guessing that he is being targeted.

"Hey, you brat!"

"Me?"

"See this...?"

"That's..."

"Yeah...and that what I'm going to do to you...Devil's Child!"

"Eh...?"

"I contacted the Hell girl and she agreed to send you to Hell!"

"N-no...you can't..."

"Perhaps this straw doll will convince you..."

"No...I'm the target...?"

"Yes...and if you don't want me to pull this string...stay away from Tohsaka and never come back! and admit to everyone that you're the Devil's Child!"

The "admirer" is forcing Takuma to admit that he is the "Devil's Child", and threatens to pull the red string and send him to Hell if Takuma doesn't do what he said, and Rin went to Takuma's defense, telling the "admirer" to leave Takuma alone, which he didn't take it well, and even said that Takuma doesn't deserve her affections, but this didn't go well, as the "admirer" makes gestures that he would pull the string if Takuma doesn't stop pursuing Rin and "admit" that he's the "Devil's Child."

By then Kikuri shows up among the onlookers, flashing a "V" sign, and Takuma saw her, and this made him go in to shock, believing that the "admirer" has indeed targeted him, but Rin and Shiro saw her as well, able to sense her supernatural powers and even saw her "disappear", while a security guard was able to tackle the "admirer" an Sakura took the straw doll. Rin saw Takuma's state and tries to rouse him up but he is not responding well, and so she and Shiro took Takuma to a clinic to help him, while Shinji snickered, seeing that his plan worked at first, and opted to see how well this goes before he makes another plan to get Rin's affection and drive Takuma away.

To Be Continued…

Rin's date with Takuma went well, which surprised most of the boys at school that a younger boy got close to her…but this got ruined no thanks to Shinji…

Kikuri shows up again and is also tormenting Takuma, but Rin and Shiro saw her, so now they may know her if Takuma tells them. It won't be long before Hell goes for Takuma...

Preview:

Rin and Takuma gets closer as he finally tells her his sad past, but then Takuma's tormentors from "Jigoku Shoujo Futakamori" appears and are about to attempt on his life…while the Spider gets a visitor...