Border of Hearts (Shimizu Intro)

XX.XX.XXXX

The club room was bustling with life. From behind the door which Shimizu was standing before many voices were heard. There were excited ones, agitated ones, sad ones, crying ones and stressed ones. All of these created a bit uncommon concert experienced fully only by few people connected to this particular room. One could think that after entering there you would see something at least dreadful. What could create such ruckus in one single place? Fire? Murder? Rape? 80% discount on anime goods? Loli raging everywhere inside? Some people were throwing a short glances at the club door, averting their eyes shortly after. Truth be told Shimizu wasn't really surprised by their behaviour. It has been some time since this club evolved from a little, peaceful place to a hideout for unfulfilled artists, misunderstood brats and people who were just bored with their life and wanted to change their pace.

Shimizu looked at the sheet attached to a door, with a little help of some nasty glue, with a grin on her face. Today was the day of recruiting new members for each clubs and obviously Theater Club was hoping for new members just as any other club. Even if they're quite famous in the school they still did think about others and decided to do some actual advertising. It was a simple idea - just a poster encouraging others to join the BEST club in this school. Shimizu was the one who thought up content of each sheet and she felt so proud because of it that she wanted to go to everybody in this school and gave a single copy of her work to each of students here. She actually did prepare a lot of spares solely for this purpose but she didn't even have time for doing it. She just randomly throw some sheets on every corridor in this school and was hoping that someone nice would just pick it up from the ground and read words written on it. Then she ran straight here and now she was awaiting new faces who would like to join her club ranks. Her poster was really good, full of really convicing arguments, maybe it may look a little bit unreal, but she knew that she had to add some color to the club's reality in order to interest freshmans. They were freshmans so it was inevitable that they didn't know what was best for them. This poster was an one and only salvation for them.

"Yep, that's it! They will come to me and I'll become their mentor!" she shouted out of nowhere and scared a group of girls passing by. They looked at her with anger in their eyes but after recognizing her they quickly accelerated the pace and disappeared around the coriddor's corner. Shimizu didn't even know about their existence as she was totally lost in thoughts. She wasn't sure if their current clubroom would have enough place for them after newbie's joining. If not she would have to go through a lot of problems to obtain a new room for their purpose and she really didn't want to trouble herself with so trivial stuff. They, people from the student council that is, would demand some papers, they would like to know their purpose, they would stick their noses to their work and would order them to write raports covering their work up til' now. She wasn't good with handling this kind of work in school so naturally she'd like to avoid this situation if only possible, so she planned to strengthen their bounds by working in a close distance or just holding their activities outside. There was always a possibility that some of the new members would have an empty house or room spacious enough to contain their raging hearts and emotions. And their as mass, volume and size of course.

Shimizu looked at her watch. Well, it certainly had passed a lot of time since she got here and started her guard. At first she planned to show them a lot of friendliness and vigor by hugging them and just shoving them into the class behind her but after some time she started boring herself in this one place. She wanted them to come quickly and starts the celebrations for their sake but they just weren't coming. She felt that she is getting angry so she tweaked her mood a little by writing additional informations on a page attached to door. She took a green marker from her bag and started to scribble mindlessly on this poor paper. People were staring at her while she was doing her thing and she knew about it but she didn't give a damn about it. She just wanted to express herself besides she always wanted to try drawing graffiti on the school walls and now she got a perfect chance for it. She started on the sheet but it soon become not enough for her need. She have to think about it just for a little while before applying her marker to the door themselves. Now she was really breaking her school rules. If she got caught while doing it she would have been suspended for some time but she wasn't really terrified by this thought. Maybe it would be even better to say that this particular thought never crossed her mind. She was just like a child who just got a new present - enjoying herself with this much wasn't something which normal adult would do. Even if you were an actual artist you would still think twice before painting or drawing on a door, and now it was a door within a school. She laughed to herself for some time while drawing a caricature of Kaze-kun, her friend from Theater Club who she always fight a lot with. He was a tall, black haired man, always wearing his own tie, even in school where there wasn't any rule about wearing ties. She could swear that he was the only student here stupid enough to wear tie. And not a normal tie too - it always had some strange pattern drew upon it. Once it was pink with elephants all over it. He'd become a laughing stock for all school, but he didn't care a bit about it.

"He's so cold... It'd be great if he'd be cool, but no, he has to be cold instead. Stupid freak. What tie might he wear today? Maybe a yellow one with penguins?" She thought while drawing an enormous tie on a guy who were supposed to be Kazu-kun. "Fufufu... There's no way there would be a human that could resist an urge to see if Kazu-kun really has that kind of tie. I should've draw it on other copies. My bad but there's no use in crying over spilled milk now." She laughed to herself again and started to adjust his hairstyle. She planned to made a mohawk for him and then finish this picture with drawing a pair of moemoe eyes when suddenly doors opened to the inside of room. As she was leaning half of her body on the door she was left with no other choice but to fall straight on her face.

"Awwwwwwawa! What the hell! Why did you open it? I said that I'd come inside if someone came, didn't I?" She shouted at person who opened the door. He was a petite, blonde haired little boy who was a year older than Shimizu. She didn't really knew his name but he nicknamed him Tori, as he really resembled a bird, especially when he was eating.

"I'm sowwwiee" he cried "Kazuya-san ordered me to do so"

"I just've some bad premonition. Like someone was planting some kind of bomb on the other side of the door. I'm sure that noone would like to get killed in a bomb attack in the school." Kazu said that while adjusting his glasses, while Shimizu frantically stopped herself from correcting himself with a boring retort. Something like "but you wouldn't have anything against dying somewhere else?!" would only bring a slight demeaning smile on his face.

"W-well, I think we should go home for now." This voice belonged to other person. She was a blackhaired girl with a long, pretty legs which always made Shimizu feel bad about her own two limbs, even if she personally has enough of confidence to say that her own wasn't so bad. It might be that you always feel bad when you came across some who's just better than you at something. Or maybe it was just some personal thing on the side of Shimizu.

"Wait, wait, Miya-chan, we can't! They're still people who might come here. What will they do if nobody'd response to their voice? Wouldn't they feel betrayed by us?"

"That might be the case but... You know what's time now, right?" Kazuya asked Shimizu in a tone which suggested that if she'd checked her watch right now something bad might happen. Kazuya was able to do some dirty tricks, he might as well been tampering with her watch for some time and he wants to see the results of his work on his very own eyes. "Yes, I have watch, you know? I did checked it some time ago, it was a little bit after 5 PM."

"Yeah, that would be right... if I had asked you same question 3 hours ago. We spent 7 hours in this room, not eating anything except Tori's sandwiches which were really tasty!" Shimizu didn't really know if he is angry at her or just wanted to praise Tori's skill so she let Kazu go on with his talk "So you know, right now I want to go home, take shower, eat something, except sandwiches that is, sorry Tori, they're tasty as I said but I'm starving right now and I don't think sandwiches would fill my stomach." Kazu explained himself to Tori who didn't look so sure about Kazu's statement. He kept himself from crying so for now they're safe. Tori was really delicate. REALLY delicate.

"Who cares about Tori's sandwiches..." Shimizu said without thinking much. When she heard crying coming from her smaller friend she instantly got pangs of conscience and she regretted her words. "...when we have Tori himself in front of us! He's so cool! Hooray for Tori!" That was a really poor try, even for Shimizu, but for some reasong Tori got his cheeks red and stopped crying. Everybody has become a little bit more relived after this but they still wouldn't let their guard down while being close to Tori.

"S-so yeah, I think we won't get more people here now. It's time for disband! Good bye everyone!" Miya announced this and take off right away. She was good at escaping when she felt that she was in danger and maybe that was exactly why she had become chief of this club. If she announced that the club time for today has ended there were no helping then. "Good bye" Kazu-kun said after silently watching Miya's back for some time, then she went after her.

"You think they're together?" Tori asked unexpectedly. Shimizu didn't really know about it so she only nod her head in a motion not really displaying any serious thought about this case. "Well, I thought so. I'd go too. Take care Shi-chan" he said shyly and go his own way.

Shimizu was left alone speechles for a moment. They all were awaiting this day for so long and that's how it'll end right now? They all will go to their own homes and they will forget about everything they've done and what they sacrificed for the sake of succesful signing new transfers to the club? No real manager would do that! A true manager would stay at his workplace even if it would mean that he wouldn't go to home at all and won't sleep even a little bit that day! Even if it was unbelievable Shimizu still thought that there may be somebody who would come here even late at night and he'll be totally cool unlike someone she knew. Well, he would be at least unusual to wander around in school at this hour. She went to her clubroom and closed door after entering it. Then she turned off the taperecorder which she used as a semi-bait for people who has been interested in this club. She made a record which was supposed to sound like many people doing something together - that's why weird noises were heard from this room. Actually Theater Club didn't get its reputation from behaving in a loud manner but just for being eccentric. If someone was really loud that it must've been herself. Anyway she decided to wait for someone to arrive. She had time, she can wait. She even borrowed a certain book from her father and she might be able to finish it right now.

Last time she was reading this book some strange pattern showed up above her right breast, and as it took shape of the flower she really hated she thought that it was some joke coming from her father. She came to complain to him right after witnessing it appearing, but she wasn't really angry at him, she just wanted him to remove them from her body because she didn't seem really comfortable with them on but her father got all worked up and said that he didn't have antyhing to do with them appearing out of nowhere. He also said that she had to read this book as soon as possible and return it to him as he would need it for his own research. Shimizu knew that her father in fact did a lot of studies so she considered his request seriously. She read a little from the book whenever she had time. When she was on train, when she was waiting for her classes, she even calmed down a little and somebody had spread a rumour that she had fell in love with somebody. People just didn't understand how important for her was her own father's words. Well, they couldn't know about it so she wasn't blaming them at all for spreading this kind of lies. Either way it was just a triffle considering what she was reading and how stressed her father was upon discovering symbols on her body.

"Ok, let's read it all this night. Father would be pleased if I'd return it to him tomorrow so let's surprise him and get done with it immediately!" She told to herself with a high spirits. She took a blanket from the closet inside the clubroom and spread it on the floor then just jumped at it (as it wasn't as soft as she thought it would be she almost broke one of her bone, but fortunately it wasn't anything serious) and started reading vigorously.

Time passed really quickly and knowledge about certain ritual entered her head. It was a little before midnight when she finished reading. She undestood why her father was so agitated before. She also did recognize strange pattern drew upon her body. Suddenly everything made sense for her. She didn't know if her father prepared that book especially for her to make this thing possible or he got his hands on this even before her arriving in his home, she also didn't know if he had know everyting about her but he must've know enough to predict that she'd be more than pleased after obtatining all this information from him. She smiled triumphantly even while knowing that her smile is slightly improper at this certain moment. But she would had to train this kind of smile before doing it one day for real because she was sure that the day when such a smile would be needed would come.

The book she read was called "Holy Grail" and it contained a vital information about war played between 7 people in order to obtain a wish fulfilling device. At very first she was astonished when she got to know that something like this really exists in the world and it can really bring forth any miracle its user wished on. She also got to know that it was the Grail who choose people for candidates to become owner of its. People who were chosen almost always have some important goal in their life to fulfill.

Shimizu did have one too. And she was going to make it real.

She went back to home to get her hands on materials needed in the ritual of summoning a legendary hero, a Servant who would serve his Master in this Battle to the very end. She found materials really fast, they were stocked with other magecraft's utilities in her father's workshop. They were sitting there like there were prepared for her beforehand. She didn't think about it even for one while. Her father gave her this book for a reason and he was wise enough to prepare everything which was needed before. He might not be sure about her decision, he might not know what will she do after reading all of this but he must sensed something from these three roses appearing on her body. He'd have more than enough time to make this ready for her.

"Thank you father" she whispered to herself and shed one single tear. She wasn't really crying for such a long time that this one tear almost terrified her. She quickly returned to the school, to the place abandoned at this time of night. It was a midnight when she finished all of her preparations. She drew magic circle on the floor. She prepared candles, lit them and arranged them that they would've been in a right place. She quickly memorised appropriate formula needed to bring forth Servant to her, she even used all of her magic circuits designed to managing her state of mind to make sure that she is totally focused on her task and she won't be disturbed by anybody and anything. She blocked her sense of hearing. She started imagining places and persons she need to in order to bring to her face tears - symbol of the sadness, emotion which she really didn't want to remember anymore.

She stepped into the magic circle. She started to recite formula at the same time she started gripping her hands with a lot of force. She needed them to do last part of her ritual, ritual maybe not so normal, but is there even a normal way of doing ritual this important? She just needed all of her to do it. All parts of her 'existence' should do this. She would recite with her body. Her mouth was moving continously, not stopping even for a second. She put everything she was taught into this ritual. She was more than a dead serious. And then...

She cried.

A single tear fall into the middle of a magic circle which she had drew not so long ago.

When a tear make a contact with the circle a room got filled with white color. It was so unbelievably bright that she had to cover her eyes with her hand. She was on her knees and she didn't ever known when had she took this position. She saw some kind of silhouete taking shape, slowly, slowly becoming more and more human. When HE was complete and she knew that she didn't failed HIS summoning she breathed out of relief than she turned off her circuits. Stress from this ritual showed up right now. If she wasn't already on knees she would just fall miserably right before her own Servant. She support herself with her right arm and looked up to the face of her partner while gasping for air. And then she had heard his voice for the very first time.

"So it seems that you, my lady, won't be a little bit less problematic... It seems that I'm just fated to tie my life with people like you. Anyway, pardon my manners..."

He came closer and knelt before her. He still had his head above her own though but it was more like her own fault for not being able to rise from her position and properly welcome her own Servant.

"I'm Saber. I shall win this war for you, my lady..."

She looked at him in amazement. She didn't know who he really is but he was quite an gentleman. Well, she was aiming for the Grail for the very beginning but it's nice to see that your partner is motivated no less than you and he isn't some kind of barbarian or anything like that...

"... but for now that is just a "maybe" for now unless you'd learn how to take care of yourself, because right now I'm really disappointed. What if you'd collapsed before summoning me here? What should we do if I wouldn't have some of my limbs? Or what will we do if we won Grail, got your wish fulfilled and then or maybe before that we got you injured to the extent that your wish would become meaningless? You should always look into the future and plan carefully, you know? Because if you won't do that even I won't be able to...".

Oh... Yeah, it was too beautiful to be true. He wasn't some kind of prince on a white horse, without any defects. Well, even if he'd speak like this for a longer time it's still...

"... a real pleasure to meet yo--." She said before passing out.

***

***

So... Generally speaking that was only beginning. Even while knowing about that Shimizu still wasn't able to hide her excitation. It wouldn't be too much saying that she felt just like people were supposed to feel after winning on a lottery. She had just made few steps in the general direction of her own goal but she couldn't help herself feeling really happy. She still wasn't in her shape after that summonign but she knew that it's just a matter of few hours of rest and she will be her good, energetic self once again. That's why she couldn't sleep at all. Even after being told to get some sleep by her own servant who was sitting nearby her bed and just silently observing his new master. She didn't mind. She wasn't even sure how and when did he transport her to her own home. Maybe she blurted something about her home location after passing out? Or maybe he followed her smell to this particular house? Nah, he wasn't a dog after all. Well, it didn't really matter right now so she stopped thinking about that.

"Thanks." breaking silence she said. She was greatful for his action, she really wouldn't like sleeping in school while she knew that her own bed was waiting for her. And, well, it would just look weird sleeping there with her own servant standing near and just looking at her. She was glad that he was so understanding and caring as to do that much for her.

"Don't mention it. I wouldn't want my master to catch cold, you know?" he answered with his warm, gentle voice. She was really impressed by his calm right now. She remembered something about him grumbling about how she wasn't careful with her summoning so she kinda expected that she will be lectured again after waking up but it didn't seem to be the case. She would like to be happy for some more time too and she couldn't help her condition just after summoning so what would mere lecturing do to help her? Absolutely nothing beside killing her good mood.

So... she started talking again, her voice kinda cracking with excitement. "You're... Saber, right?" she asked. She didn't really mind any class to be honest but she wouldn't be very happy about him being from Berserker class. She did read that Berserkers aren't really obedient and it was tough to control them too. She just couldn't imagine herself trying to calm somebody so stron as Servants were supposed to be down. But really, that guy didn't look like Berserker for her any way she looked at him. And she was sure he mentioned to her that he actually is Servant Saber.

"Yes, I'm Saber, I believe I told that to you before though" he looked at her suspiciously. He was afraid that she might've damaged her brain with that tough summoning ritual before. It wouldn't be good to start this war and have some issues at the very beginning so he was extremely careful about her condition. He came closer to her bed looking intensively at her body. Well, not exactly body, as she was covered by blanket but Saber wasn't so insensitive as to tear that blanket off and inspect her entire body... "Or maybe should I do that too?" he wondered for a moment.

"H-hey, what are you looking at?" Shimizu stuttered a little bit trying to guess what his own servant is getting up to right at this moment. She knew that she had almost complete control over him and could use one of her three wishes to force him to behave properly but... wouldn't it be the the most stupid reason for using Command Spells? Luckily, her servant didn't do anything beside looking so she was safe, for now.

"I'm just looking at your body" said blonde guy in very calm voice still looking at her and not understanding that his own words didn't really calm his master. At all. "You were really tired after that summoning, right? I hope you didn't sprained any of your muscles or didn't lose feeling in your limbs..." he said with worry on his face.

Girl looked at him vacantly for a moment, just before breaking in laughter.

"Hey, that's a serious topic, you know?" Saber wasn't really happy with her reaction. He was just trying to check her own medical status and she didn't care at all, more, she wasn't even trying to be serious.

"I'm sorry, I know" she said and jump out of her own bed. She then started stretching a bit, she made few squats and few jumps. Saber for a moment there thought that the girl has lost her mind because of that ritual but he soon understood what she meant by that moves. "Okay, I get you, you're fine. Now go back to bed before you'll black out again" he said, now with that gentle expression back on his face. She really prefered him in that state. She wasn't really used to being the source of worry for other people so she gladly did what he wanted. And even though she wasn't so tired and sleepy she understood that she should sleep for a bit. It was 03:00 AM right now, not especially a good time to go for a walk or anything. The best way to spend some time and make the morning come quicker was... to sleep.

Saber, you should sleep to she said out of her kindness, forgetting that servants don't really need to sleep. But you know, wouldn't it be kind of creepy to have some guy looking at you in your sleep entire time? She would really prefer him to go sleep too so she would feel more sure of herself.

Saber just smiled. Just as she thought he didn't really need sleep but he decided to rest a bit. He vanished promising her that he will be back her when she will fully recover.

Even though I don't really need to recover from anything... she said, just before falling asleep. Next day was supposed to be definately more interesting than those before meeting that blonde guy. She was sure that her one in life opportunity just knocked on her doors and now, after letting that opportunity come in, she was sure she isn't going to regret doing that.