Hunter of The Red Plains

In The Middle of Nowhere: Chapter II

Being a Counter Guardian required expecting the unexpectable. Any threat might show up even in the most unexpected of times, but let it be Emiya himself or another Guardian who had the experience of beyond hundreds of years, no one would expect to find a tea party within this creepy forest. 

A little girl with her bunch of friends, which were dolls, sitting around a small table, taking little sips from her tea. She was paying no attention to him, despite the fact that Emiya was staring at her, with a questioning expression. He coughed into his fist fraudly, to gain attention, and from how it showed, he managed to do so. The little girl turned her violet gaze to him, and her eyes got widened with a high-pitched "Oh!" She was covered by a dress which was pitch-black and white. Its skirt was a crinoline, and she had a cute hat upon her white hair in plaits, to complete the clothing.

"How rude of mine." She said cutely. Archer had forgiven her just at that moment. "I apologise, since I could not notice you, mister." She stood up as she spoke, to bow for her apology. As she did so, Archer noticed the banner hanging from her neck, but could not read what was written there. 

"It is alright." Archer mentioned, making his bow vanish. "May I ask you what you are doing in the middle of this forest?"

"I am having a tea party!" She said excitedly, hopping with her little, 8-years-old body. "Wouldn't you join?" She asked as she came closer, saying "Please!" for each step she took. 

"I am quite busy and lost, so I am not sure if I should be enjoying a tea." He replied. The little girl's eyes become saddened after his reply.

"Won't you join?" She asked purely, conquering his heart. Yet, he had no time for such plays. He was about to say that he had to go, but the girl interupted. "Hmph, then I will not tell you where to go!" She crossed her arms and sat back. 

"Wait, do you know where we are?" Archer asked, but got nothing as a response. Really, dealing with little ones surely was bothersome. He quickly checked the table which had a tea pod and four-of-tea cups on it, and smiled victoriously. "If I were to give some cookies with the tea, would you forgive me?" Archer acclaimed his victory internally as he catched the interested look on her face. "Allow me have a second." He said, and turned his back to her. He projected a plate of cookies in his hand, but of course, he could not promise that they would taste good. Since he became a machine of murder, such skills as projecting cookies had lost their worth. 

After a minute or so, he was taking a slow sip from his cup of tea, while sitting on a completely unconfortable seat, since it was quite short for him. 

"Mister, where did you find those cookies? Do you take them with you wherever you go? Even the plate?" She asked questions one after another. Archer sighed before replying her millionth question within this minute. Before that, she asked if he was older than fifty, since he had white hair, wasn't he way too old to roam within such forest, how did it feel to sit on such chair, how did her tea taste, which was delicious yet to be perfect, and lastly, how could he find such bad-tasted cookies. She even mentioned that he had to make an effort to make them taste that awful. She surely had a sharp tounge that was even more effective than the spear of the curse of one-stab-kill, Gae Bolg. 

"No, I do not take them with myself." Archer replied under his breath. 

"Then how do you do?" She asked within curiousity.

"Magic." Archer replied, half being honest and half joking. She stared at his face blankly before replying.

"I see, makes sense." And just like that, she took another sip from her tea. She fell for it? That easily? Really? Then Archer shook his head, returning to reality.