The Huntsman of Red V2

Chapter 5 First Seal: Part 2

Holding her too tightly was a big no-no from the mother behind him, and holding her too lightly would enable Ruby to escape again.

Shirou's current dilemma was a direct result of the situation and it was with a sinking dread that he pictured what the future had in store for him.

The sounds of clattering furniture and giggling echoed throughout Rose Manor before he decided that enough was enough.

Taking one last look at Summer who stared back at him unblinkingly, he dashed forward towards where he predicted Ruby's next location would be.

He stretched out a hand, and low and behold, he snagged the little tyke by the leg, dangling her upside down in the air and preventing her from using her semblance due to a lack of leverage.

"NO, I won't surrender!" Ruby bobbed up and down, trying to reach out for Shirou's clasped hand to release herself. However, she didn't possess the means to haul herself up against gravity and reach for her bound ankle. Therefore, she just continued to dangle with a pout.

Shirou waited one second, then two, and like he expected, Summer wasn't going to keep quiet.

"Do you not know any propriety?" Summer lectured, coming over to give him an ear-full. "Who holds a child like that?!"

Considering that Ruby could use her Semblance to kick off with her feet to get away again, Shirou knew that securing an ankle was the most efficient method to conclude the entire matter. Now if only Summer could get passed her maternal instinct, there would have been no more problems whatsoever.

Ignoring Summer, he brought Ruby to the bathtub within Rose Manor and directly splashed her into the bubble surface. The warm water immediately soaked Ruby's clothes but he'd been able to take off the majority of her garments before he dunked her in.

"You've been caught, now stay and take a proper bath," he lectured as Ruby's head surfaced from the bubbly foam of soap, her silver eyes blinking at him.

Before she could even open her mouth to speak, he simply moved to the bathroom door and closed it behind him, ending all discussion.

As Shirou progressed towards the living room area of Rose Manor, it was difficult for him to ignore the piercing stare constantly trained on his person.

At first, he had thought that Summer was still angry at him for ignoring her warnings, but apparently it was because of something different.

"It's not fair," she directly complained to him by appearing in front of his face, her lips pursed. "If we're both spirits, how come Ruby can see and talk with you but not with me?"

Shirou sighed, a hand pinching the bridge of his nose before he sat down on a recliner.

"I've already explained this before," he said calmly. "Even if we're both spirits, we're not entirely in the same category. The reason I can interact with the world is because I'm a Heroic Spirit."

Summer's lips curved downwards.

"B-But there has to be a way," she insisted, a passion in her eyes.

He scratched at the back of his head.

"And what do you expect me to do about it?"

She stared at him as if he already had an answer. The hope she placed on him caused him to consider the options available to him, but as of the moment, he really did have nothing he could use to help her.

Regardless of all the swords and weapons he had seen in his life and stored in his Unlimited Armory, none of them truly had the ability to grant new life to a spirit. As such, he had to think outside the box which was admittedly not part of his expertise.