Callback humour! Isn't it the greatest?

Unfortunate Implications

'Time for a patch! It's been brought to our attention that there's a total game-breaker in the North, so we decided that to further the enjoyment of the sekirei plan we need to nerf that! Anyone who captures and brings Emiya Shirou, AKA 'the Ashikabi with swords', and turns him in to the nearest MBI facility or patrol will receive a special dispensation (it'll be good!) once we begin the third phase :) He's a dangerous Ashikabi, so it'll be best to attack as a group!'

I wasn't sure if Minaka was aware that he had also sent me the message or if it was simply a careless mistake. But the moment I read it (and I thank Matsu for her many hours spent forcing the knowledge of how to operate the full features of my phone without having to ask for help into my head.) I knew that horrible things were about to happen.

It had only been a day since the attack from the Fraga woman and my second explanation of magic. This time, after having seen me use my unique repertoire of skills, they were more inclined to believe my explanation. After all, my abilities were just way too varied and outlandish to be anything other than magic.

And now this happened.

It only took a few moments to access the Ashikabi forums to see that everyone was already abuzz with chatter and speculation on just what 'special dispensation' Minaka was offering to bring me in. (I was glad to see that Himura was still warning people against coming after me, but his voice of reason was quickly being drowned out by a chorus of greed.) It wouldn't be long before the North was overrun by invading Ashikabi and their Sekirei. It was likely that even the other cardinal points would get involved, as well.

My first impulse was to flee, or perhaps prepare a battleground. But there would simply be too many for that: there was simply too much ground to be covered, and I could not be wholly certain of the array of powers that would be aligned against me. Certainly I could count on some allies: Yukari and Shiina, for example, would no doubt stand with me. Seo and the lightning twins seemed reasonable to assume as well. That left… maybe around seventy Sekirei.

That was a little too many even for my comfort. And that wasn't even counting the MBI forces that would no doubt be arrayed against me if the company found out that I was holed up somewhere. So, instead of wasting my time trying to set up a more defensible position I had instead decided to put the fear of Emiya Shirou into my fellow Ashikabis directly.

A group would be congregating soon in the shopping district, and at which point they would set off to begin 'feeling out' the North. (It had been laughably easy to find out their supposedly 'secret' plans. One would think they would know they were talking on a public forum and not, say, a soundproof room. The idiots deserved every bit of the righteous beatdown that I was about to drop on them.) My flock and I would make sure they were dispersed long before they could begin, crushing the fledgling assault in its infancy.

The attack would have to be brutally efficient in its execution: there could be no doubt in any of their minds that provoking me was a terminally bad idea. This time there would be more than the panicked urgings of a single student to deter others: this time there would be a great many people who now lived in fear of the day I took it into my head to turn my blades against them once more.

Most of my flock would be with me to ensure that this was done right: the only ones left behind had been Matsu and Kuu, for obvious reason.

And now we waited...

* Some Time Later!*

Kanshou and Bakuya blurred in deadly unison in my hands, quickly tearing through the defences of my opponent. Her single katana had no chance against of overwhelming me: she had never had to fight against someone who outclassed her on a level that surpassed mortal means. Her superhuman speed and strength weren't even particularly impressive in comparison to my own enhanced abilities.

I slapped her blade away with an almost errant flick of Bakuya and raised Kanshou up to deal a blow that would end this fight once and for all.

"Sayaka-san!" Someone shouted in panic from my side, and I had only a moment's notice to turn and take in the arrival of a new opponent before I realized that I would not be able to block her opening strike in time.

My new attacker had thrown what looked like a bladed ring at me. Despite myself, I was impressed: the attack was fatal one, as it had clearly been aimed at my head.

"My body is made out of swords!" I intone quickly, and winced as the painful feeling of an infinite amount of blades forming below my skin filled my being.

The ring struck my face, glancing off my cheekbone and carving off a section of skin before meeting the blades beneath it.

My attacker's eyes went wide with surprise as she took in the sight that was in front of her. I had no doubt that it was frightening: after all, it wasn't every day that you came across someone who could turn himself into a bladed monstrosity at a moment's notice.

"T-t-t-t" She pointed wildly at me, stuttering in her obvious terror. "Terminator!"

Her terrified cry seemed to garner some attention, as soon enough others took in the sight of my mangled face and quickly echoed the Sekirei's horrified outburst.

Well, not everyone echoed it.

"Ah!" I heard Musubi shout out happily. "Shirou-san really is a robot!"

"I knew it."

"I am not a robot!" I protested. "It's magic!"

"Ah! Shirou-san is a magic robot!"

Things had been going so well, too.

Oh well. I might as well play it up for all it was worth. And at least I wouldn't have to do much acting.

I glare balefully at my opponent, hoping that the spreading darkness behind me would somehow cause my eyes to start glowing ominously. Red by preference, but I was sure that simply seeing the blood-stained phalanx of blades beneath my skin would be more than enough to make anyone flinch.

"You will be terminated." I say half-heartedly, deliberately keeping my voice devoid of emotion and inflection.

It depressed me how quickly they fled after that. Were people really that eager to believe in murderous robots from the future?