Fate: Hammer Time

Chapter 15: Escalation

"Get in the busses, everyone. It's time to leave. Say your goodbyes, kiss your mother on the cheek, and hug your dad. Come on, they are waiting for us in Hikone. When you get back, you can show off your new swimming-certificate."

Kishimoto-Sensei's words echoed over the parking lot, but they went almost unheeded by the enormous horde of over-excited students moving around in whatever direction was convenient for them.

Among this horde, Ryuudou Issei was doing his best to get to his destination, the bus he had been assigned to for the journey to Hikone, but the massive crowd made it very difficult for him to move in the direction he wanted. Ultimately however, he made it to his bus, and from there, he had an opportunity to study the crowd in peace.

There were students of four different schools present, as well as many teachers and parents that were supposed to look after the children on the trip. Kishimoto-Sensei and Katsuragi-Sensei, the swimming instructors, were also coming along, claiming they wanted to cheer their students on and see everyone pass.

The confidence they had in their students was heart-warming, and Issei approved completely of their calm and easy-going demeanour, showing that they fully expected everyone to pass.

What he didn't approve of however, at all, were the seating arrangements. True, he could acknowledge the practicality and convenience of separating the students by school and by class, but that left him in a bus without Emiya-kun and with Tohsaka!

Yes, that Tohsaka. The witch. The vixen. The one that was adored by practically everyone except those who could see beyond the shining exterior. That Tohsaka was in his bus!

It wasn't even that she was just seated in his vicinity, no, she was assigned the seat right next to him! Who could be responsible for this... this travesty?

He wanted to scream his rage to the skies above, to curse whatever up there was mocking him like this. The one person who he absolutely did not want seated next to him, was now seated next to him.

Of course, being a well-mannered monk-in-training, Issei made sure to not show this animosity to Tohsaka and had instead sat in polite silence so far. She was after all a friend of Mitsuzuri-san, so he would try his best not to antagonise her needlessly.

Especially since he had to admit that his dislike of her was rather unfounded and perhaps even illogical. Tohsaka wasn't a bully, she didn't abuse her popularity, and she never made any trouble for anyone.

For all intents and purposes, she was exactly what she seemed: the perfect school-idol.

Of course, he knew the persona she displayed in public was merely a mask. Anyone who bothered to pay attention could see that.

Issei could live with that though, since it was clear that she was not a bad person underneath, just less perfect than most people thought she was. Entirely understandable of course, nobody was perfect, and to expect such from idols was both cruel and unrealistic.

What did rankle him about her however was the inexplicable 'feeling' that he had around her. She felt unnatural, like she was not completely human. It wasn't as bad as the feeling he got from the cave near the temple –a good thing, for he would have broken out the exorcist-equipment already if it was– but it still made him feel rather uneasy.

Matou Shinji also exuded such a wrong 'feeling', but far less than Tohsaka. Matou Sakura on the other hand had no such feeling coming from her, or at least, he hadn't noticed any of the sort.

The third offender however, and also the reason why he was hesitating on condemning anyone who exuded such a feeling, was Emiya-kun.

Most of the time, Issei didn't notice anything wrong about his friend, but sometimes, when Emiya-kun was tired or otherwise not in top-condition, Issei felt like tiny blades were scraping all over his skin when he was in his friend's presence. It didn't hurt, but it was definitely strange.