14 Chapter 14 Gauntlet

And now back to Takamagahara, 3 days after Tatsurou was given his hospital discharge, it was the morning, of the 21st of May, a Wednesday.

And in Tatsurou's apartment, inside the room that used to be Hime's office, that was turned into a makeshift bedroom, that had a small bed, a desk close to the it, and a closet, Shirayuki was sleeping soundly wearing a long pink nightgown while she hugged the wolf plush, she won at the arcade and she hugged it tightly.

"Tatsurou..." Shirayuki said as she kept hugging the plush, dreaming that she was actually hugging Tatsurou, but her dream was cut short, as the alarm clock on the desk next to the bed began ringing, and as it rang, she rolled to one side of the bed and then to the other, trying to keep that dream going, but after a while she gave up and opened her eyes, as she turned the clock off, and as she got up, she got into a sitting position on the bed and began stretching, she then started looking around, with a confused expression on her face.

"Oh! That's right, I live in Tatsurou's house now..." Shirayuki said as she got up from the bed with a smile on her face, as she left the bedroom to go to the bathroom.

"After this, I'm going to get dressed and prepare breakfast for Tatsurou!" Shirayuki said with a happy tone, as she made her way to the bathroom, and when she got to the door, she placed her hand on the handle and began to open it, but as she did that...

"Huh?" Tatsurou said as he saw the door open.

"Heh?" Shirayuki said as she opened the door and saw Tatsurou shirtless, getting ready to hop in the shower, and for a small moment, they just looked at each other in silence but right after it a skyward scream, was heard from both of them...

A bit later, in the kitchen...

"S-Shirayuki-san?" Tatsurou, that was wearing a t-shirt and shorts, said as he looked with worry at the frozen in place Shirayuki, that was sitting in front of him at the table in the kitchen.

"You don't have to be like that, accidents happen..." Tatsurou said this as he smiled but Shirayuki just looked away from him.

"Tatsurou-san, this can't be just an accident it happened the other day too..." Shirayuki said with an embarrassed tone as she kept looking away.

"Don't worry, it happens and I'm not angry, if anything it's my fault for not locking the door..." Tatsurou said this so that Shirayuki would not be so embarrassed.

"You're wrong, I should have knocked!" Shirayuki said this ignoring Tatsurou's words.

"And I say it again, don't worry, alright, it could be worse..." Tatsurou said to Shirayuki as he turned the TV on and sighed a bit.

"Ok...but I'm still sorry for this, it won't happen again!" Shirayuki said this to Tatsurou, still embarrassed.

"You don't have to worry about that, ok?" Tatsurou said with a reassuring tone as he smiled.

"And in other news, this Friday, Takamagahara's district 3 is going to receive the legendary sword Excalibur, the sword is going to be staying at the district 3's museum and research center, where it's going to be studied for his magic..." A reporter of the news channel on the TV said as it showed images of the sword and the port of the district 3 preparing to receive it, this made Tatsurou remember something as he looked at the images of the port and its docks.

"Oh, that's right..." Tatsurou said as he got up from the table and grabbed an envelope that was on the counter.

"Here, Shirayuki-san, it's for you..." Tatsurou said as he took his seat again and handed the envelope to Shirayuki.

"For me?" Shirayuki asked as she opened the envelope and took out of it a cardholder and a folded paper.

"It's your documents that makes you, an official inhabitant of Takamagahara like that you can go outside without a problem, there's a monorail pass too, this was, of course, courtesy from Yumeko!" Tatsurou said as he took a sip from his mug.

"Oh, then I have to thank Yumeko-san later..." As Shirayuki said this she stooped as she looked at her main Id card that had her photo.

"Kurokami Shirayuki?!" Shirayuki said to herself as her face became red from embarrassment, upon seeing that in the Id, she had Tatsurou's family name instead of hers.

"Is something wrong, Shirayuki-san?" Tatsurou asked as he saw Shirayuki frozen, looking at her Id.

"Ah, no, nothings wrong, it's just that I'm impressed, by how fast Yumeko-san got them!" Shirayuki said as she looked to all sides blushing.

"Well, being a high-ranking member of the Soteria unit has its perks!" Tatsurou said as he smiled at Shirayuki.

"I see, so that's how it is..." Shirayuki said as she placed her Id face down and opened the folded paper.

"Wise told me all about it, go get him, girl! And you can thank me later!" Shirayuki looked at the paper with a dumbfound expression upon reading what was on it.

"Wise-san!! You promised you wouldn't tell anyone!!" Shirayuki thought to herself as she imagined Wise laughing with a mischievous smile on her face.

"I know it's better not to say my family name or having it on the Id, but this makes me look like I'm...m-married to Tatsurou..." Shirayuki thought to herself as she blushed thinking about the "being married" part, she was both happy and embarrassed about it.

"It's better, that I keep this a secret from Tatsurou for now..." Shirayuki thought to herself as she drank the milk in her mug trying not to act suspicious...

After eating breakfast, Tatsurou helped Shirayuki clean the table and dishes, and after that, Tatsurou took a seat on the couch stretching and getting ready to do nothing.

"Tatsurou-san, don't you have to go to school?" Shirayuki asked with a curious tone as she approached Tatsurou.

"Nope, this week is the founding week of Takamagahara, so the schools are closed..." Tatsurou said as he kept stretching.

"Founding week?" Shirayuki asked with a curious tone.

"Yes, the founding week celebrates the creation of Takamagahara..." Tatsurou said to the now impressed Shirayuki.

The Founding week, the week in May where the island of Takamagahara celebrates its creation that took exactly one week, it was done by its founder, mostly to prove to the world the existence of magic, 40 years ago.

"Then since you will be staying, go ahead and rest I will go change my clothes and do some chores..." Shirayuki said as she turned her back to Tatsurou and began walking towards her room.

"Wait a sec, Shirayuki-san!" As Tatsurou said this Shirayuki stooped and looked at him.

"I would feel bad lazying around the house, while you work, let me help!" Tatsurou said this to Shirayuki, but she wasn't taking it.

"No way, Tatsurou-san, I don't want to be just a freeloader so let me do it all!" Shirayuki said with a serious tone and expression refusing to let Tatsurou do anything.

"We already talked about this, didn't we? We share the house chores!" Tatsurou said as he tried to dissuade Shirayuki from working, again she wasn't taking it.

"But..." As shirayuki was about to come up with another excuse, she was interrupted by Tatsurou.

"Alright then, let's compromise, and let's go out together!" Tatsurou said as he crossed his arms, this caught Shirayuki off guard.

"Going out?" Shirayuki asked a bit surprised.

"Yes, I noticed this past 3 days that you only have your shrine maiden clothes and the nightgown and other things that Yumeko gave you, so let's go buy you some clothes and other things you might need!" Tatsurou said with a determined expression, but Shirayuki on the other hand.

"Wait, I can't let you do that Tatsurou-san..." Shirayuki said this but no excuse she could come up with would dissuade Tatsurou.

"That's not a problem, so let's go get changed, and no excuses you hear!" Tatsurou said as he pushed Shirayuki to her room, and then went to his room to change clothes...

After a few minutes both Tatsurou and Shirayuki got dressed, Tatsurou was wearing a black hoodie jacket with a t-shirt under it and black jeans, Shirayuki was wearing her usual shrine maiden clothes.

"Well then, shall we go?" Tatsurou asked Shirayuki as he placed his right hand on the door handle.

"Sure..." As Shirayuki said this to Tatsurou, she became silent for a brief moment as if she saw something weird.

"T-Tatsurou-san...there's something wrong with your hand..." As Shirayuki said this Tatsurou looked at her confused, it was just when he looked at his right hand that he understood what she meant.

"What the..." Tatsurou said with a surprised and confused tone as he looked at his right hand and saw the gauntlet that was used by Wilma on him...

A while later in Emma's office in district 4's public hospital, Tatsurou was sitting in a chair in front of Emma, that was wearing fancy clothes with her lab coat over them, as she looked at his hand while she smoked

"Hmm...when did this happen?" Emma asked as she held Tatsurou's hand analyzing the gauntlet turning it to one side and the other, and running her fingers through it.

"It happened, as I was about to leave to go out with Shirayuki..." Tatsurou said as he looked at Emma, that kept analyzing the gauntlet.

"So, Emma-san, what do you think it is?" Tatsurou asked with a curious yet nervous tone to Emma and as he did, she let go of his hand.

"Well...I have no idea." Emma said with brutal honesty to Tatsurou as she took her cigarette out of her mouth.

"And you call yourself, a doctor?" Tatsurou said with a stoic tone to Emma.

"Hush now, I don't have the answers for all the problems, this is a first for me..." Emma said as she took a seat in her chair while she put the cigarette on her mouth again and crossed her legs.

"Isn't there, any way to see what's wrong with it?" Tatsurou asked curious about what Emma thought.

"Hard to say, I had to do some research on you to know..." Emma said as she looked at Tatsurou, but upon hearing the word research his eyes opened wide and he got chills down his spine.

"Ah, I'm sorry about that Kurokami-kun...I didn't mean to..." Emma said with a worried tone upon seeing Tatsurou's face.

"Don't worry about it, Emma-san, it's ok as long as it's you..." Tatsurou said as he looked down, Emma couldn't help but to feel bad for what she said, Tatsurou of course noticed that.

"Anyway, Emma-san, it's ok but let's save that for another time, and for starters, let's see how we can take this gauntlet out!" Tatsurou said as he saw Emma's reaction.

"Ah! Right, sure, so have you tried pulling on it?" Emma asked with a curious tone.

"I did, but it wouldn't come out, feels like it's glued to me..." Tatsurou said while remembering how he tried to take it out, before coming to the hospital.

"I see, well, if we go with the idea that this gauntlet works like equipment magic, since it appeared suddenly, perhaps if you concentrate while thinking "go away" it will probably vanish from your hand..." Emma said to Tatsurou while she rubbed her chin.

"You think, it will be that simple?" Tatsurou asked, a bit skeptical.

"It won't hurt trying, right?" Emma said as she signaled Tatsurou with her head to go for it, and so he did, Tatsurou closed his eyes and began concentrating asking for the gauntlet to go away, and after a few seconds when Tatsurou opened his eyes again, he saw the gauntlet beginning to disappear in a small cloud of smoke that looked as if it was being pulled by the wind.

"It's gone!" Tatsurou said with a relieved tone as he looked at his hand

"Huh, never thought it would work!" Emma said with a impressed tone and expression as she looked at Tatsurou's hand.

"Wait, so this was just was a wild guess for you?" Tatsurou asked Emma with a stoic tone.

"What? It worked didn't it!" Emma responded in a humorous tone to Tatsurou, he just sighed.

"Well then, since it has been taken care of I will go now..." Tatsurou said as he got up from the chair he was sitting on.

"I will come here some other day, so you can have a better look at it, Emma-san..." Tatsurou said as he turned his back to Emma and went for the door.

"Sure thing, Kurokami-kun...and enjoy your date with Shirayuki-chan!" Emma said with a mischievous tone and expression to Tatsurou as he placed his hand on the door handle.

"W-W-What do you mean, by that?" Tatsurou asked as he turned to Emma and blushed.

"You told me, that you were about to go out with her when the gauntlet appeared and since you don't have school today, I figured..." Emma said as she took the cigarette from her mouth and put it in the ashtray on her desk, Tatsurou kept just blushing.

"Y-You got it wrong, it's nothing like that we're just going to buy her some clothes!" Tatsurou said to defend himself, but it was a mistake as he gave more ammo to Emma.

"Oh, so you telling me that a boy and a girl going out alone, to buy clothes, is not a date?" Emma said and it felt as if Tatsurou was shot.

"Poor Hime, when you were little you always said that you would marry her when you grew up, now her little boy has grown into such a man in such a short time and already found his woman, ignoring her completely!" Emma said as she pulled a handkerchief to clean the fake tears she was shedding.

"I-I never said that!" Tatsurou said with an embarrassed tone to Emma as he pointed at her.

"You didn't? Well, I still remember it like it was yesterday "I will marry Hime and I will always protect her" you said that a lot of times!" Emma said as she smiled even more at the embarrassed Tatsurou.

"S-S-Shut up, Emma-san..." Tatsurou said as he opened the door and left Emma's office closing the door with force, this made Emma laugh as she took out another cigarette.

"They sure do grow up fast don't they?" Emma said to herself as she lit her cigarette, thinking about the first time she met Tatsurou...

After getting out of Emma's office that was on the 3rd floor of the hospital, Tatsurou went to the 1st floor, to the waiting room in the entrance, and when Tatsurou got to the waiting room, he saw Shirayuki sitting in one of the chairs with a worried expression on her face.

"T-Tatsurou-san!" Shirayuki said as she got off the chair and did a small run towards Tatsurou, when she saw him.

"So what is it? Are you ok?" Shirayuki asked both curious and worried, but more worried, if anything.

"I'm alright, you see!" Tatsurou said as he showed his arm to Shirayuki.

"That's a relief!" Shirayuki said as she placed her hand in her chest and sighed.

"But, do you know, why it appeared in your arm?" Shirayuki asked but unfortunately, Tatsurou didn't have an answer.

"No idea, but I will come here some other day, so Emma can have a look at it, but let's forget that for now, we still have our plan today, right?" Tatsurou said as he placed his hands in his pockets.

"You sure, you want to go?" Shirayuki asked with a worried tone as she got close to Tatsurou.

"Of course, and don't worry about this, it's going to be alright!" Tatsurou said as he gave a confident smile to Shirayuki, and she smiled back as they began to walk out of the hospital.

After a quick ride on the monorail, Tatsurou and Shirayuki arrived in the shopping square, that was even more packed with people than usual today, and as they walked side by side, Tatsurou looked at Shirayuki that had been mostly talking during they're trip to the square, but she became suspiciously quiet, since they left the station.

"Is something wrong, Shirayuki-san?" Tatsurou asked with a curious yet worried tone to Shirayuki.

"Huh? No, everything's alright you don't have, to worry..." Shirayuki said this as to not worry Tatsurou, but it was obvious something was wrong.

"I can tell, that you are a bit nervous, what's wrong?" As Tatsurou asked Shirayuki became a bit embarrassed, but she then began speaking.

"Well...do you remember, what I told you when we met, the thing about people being scared or treating me differently because of my family?" Shirayuki asked as she looked a bit down.

"Yes, I do..." Tatsurou said as he nodded and Shirayuki proceeded.

"You see, when I lived in japan I rarely left the shrine, but the few times I did, something bad always happened, like when I went into a store and people recognized me or they asked my name, they would either treat me badly or like I was superior to all of them, that's why I slowly began to go out less and less until I ended up never leaving again..." Shirayuki said with a depressed tone but Tatsurou placed his hand on her head.

"You don't have, to worry about that kind of thing here in Takamagahara, nobody knows you and people don't care about who you are, so rest assured what happened in Japan, won't happen here and I will be with you, so don't worry!" Tatsurou said with a confident expression, as he patted Shirayuki's head, she smiled in relief, as she heard Tatsurou's words.

"Thank you, Tatsurou-san..." Shirayuki said as she smiled and then they proceeded to continue on their way to the mall of the Shopping Square...