Chapter Eight: Vacation by Moonlight (Part One)

Shirou could hardly help the instinctive shock as he and his father entered Misaki in their SVU. He had spent his entire life in Fuyuki, an area linked to one of the strongest leylines in Japan and yet the difference between the two lands was obvious. It wasn't just as something clearcut as the potency of mana, the natural energy of Gaia, though that was a clear level above Fuyuki's. With every inhalation through his nose, his own innate way of sensing energy through smell was almost overcome by the…extra spice that the land held.

"What do you think Shirou."

In Eastern thaumaturgy, leylines were called 'dragon pulses' and Shirou had never felt the term more accurate than now. Though if Fuyuki was a Phantasmal level dragon then Misaki was without a doubt Divine. No wonder the magic association kept an eye on this place even from a half a world away.

"Wow….this place is so…weird. But in a good way?"

Kirisugu gave a light chuckle at that, before he felt his son begin to emit some minor amount of prana. He refrained from commenting on it as he had to let the boy decide when to use magecraft on his own. Besides unlike Fuyuki, this wasn't somewhere they would be living so some leeway could be allowed.

As they drove towards their first stop, he noticed Shirou looking outside the car window with some focused curiosity. Considering what spells Shirou knew and the minor pressure it was most likely his 'spiritual grasp' which made him wonder just what his son was seeing.

Well 'Wha? Huh' would be an accurate summary of Shirou's thoughts at that point. He expected to see something strange by witnessing Misaki's spiritual influences but this was insane. Looking at the roiling sea of Gaia's strength, so close and primal, made him almost expect it to reach out and touch him. Even stranger was the feeling that he had that what he was seeing was not even the leyline at full strength.

And if that wasn't enough, he soon realized that his random thought was a lot closer to the truth than he could have ever expected. It wasn't just something that he saw in the ground or atmosphere but also in the everyday people on the streets. The people who had lived for years in this land, had been born exposed to this kind of raw energy.

It wasn't something ridiculous like they were all magi in hiding or even had the talent but there was a deliberate twist to the energy around some of them that was absent in the people in Fuyuki. It was strange and quite it was different from the polished feeling that his parents and Sella had or even like martial artists like Issei's brother had possessed.

He took his eyes away from a brown haired girl whose energy was especially twisted and contained like a shaken soda to think about what he was seeing. It was not unheard for people outside the moonlit world to possess some special traits like magic circuits or even esp abilities dormant in them. These things can pop up without any outside interference whatsoever but a push could definitely help and the strength…the virility of Misaki's pulse was one heck of a push.

Even he could feel the influence just by using magecraft in the pulse's range. His focus with his personal ether influenced grasp was notable increasing as he picked out more and more details from the volatile energy surrounding him.

Their stay would only be for a couple of weeks but Shirou already had a good feeling that he would learn a lot here.

When Shirou heard that they would be stopping to pick up crafting supplies he wasn't quite sure what to expect. Maybe he had been watching a bit too many crime movies but the idea of his father conducting a deal in a shadowy warehouse or perhaps in one of Misaki's many dark alleyways had gotten in to his head. He would of course have to prove his rep by casually taking down some uppity kid who doesn't know who he's talking to.

Of course part of Shirou knew that such thoughts were coming from what he liked to call the Iri part of his brain but a child could dream.

But not even in his dreams did he think they would go to a place like this. From one perspective it made sense, the old fashioned furnishings and general atmosphere certainly did give the place a 'mystic' type feeling. But that was from a Japanese point of view and Shirou didn't get any sense of active prana or even a general boundary field around the area. Stepping aside to let a man with an aura to some of the Fugimura-sensei's 'friends' pass, he entered the clinic.

The Jinan Clinic seemed to be just what it looked like, a place for people to pick up herbal medicine and for the old to get treatments like acupuncture done. His impression changed when he meet the aged owner with a rather impressive mustache.

Not because of the mustache…well not just that but the man walked in a smooth gait that was already reflex. It strongly reminded him of the way Fujimura-sensei and Ryuudou-san moved in spars but on a purely higher level. He didn't recognize the style but that was probably because the number of martial artists he knew could be counted on one hand.

He factually knew that it wasn't just magi that walked in the moonlit world so it shouldn't be surprising that a person without the ability to use prana or even the church's secret techniques could live there. Still sometimes Shirou wondered just how or maybe why people like that could live in that kind of world. Well he supposed as golden eyes studied at the various herbs on display in the store, that even if you couldn't defend physically, knowledge could be its own kind of weapon.

"Heh the first time you come see me in what was it…six or seven years? And it's to be your glorified postbox."

Kiritsugu took the proffered hand and shook the retired demon-expert, silently remembering his stay in Misaki and the little good he was able to help realize. It wasn't on the same level as his old jobs or how he was able to save his son but it was still a good memory.

"It's good to see you again Sougen too. Irisviel sends her regards and is sorry she couldn't make it."

The now named Elder gave a cajoling smile at that.

"Ah Little Miss Iri, how did a dour guy like you ever trick a flower like that into putting up with you? Plus don't you have that maid with you as well? Honestly I know your type likes to keep that stuff secret but can't you share that kind of mystery around?"

Shirou tilted his head at the conversation and its implications. So apparently both his parent had come here along with Sella or Liz…eh probably Sella. But it had been years since they had last put on those maid uniforms though Sella didn't let go without a fight.

Shirou was now experiencing the strange sensation when one comes to the idea that their parent may once have had a life and goals outsides their children. To shake off the feeling of disconcertion he began to look around the various medicinal plants that were on display. If he had studied herbalism then perhaps he would know just Jingan-san would make with them but Sella had not covered such fields yet.

Still…

Maybe he should pick some stuff while he was here to take back home. While Sella was basically an encyclopaedia of general magecraft and especially specialized in Alchemy, it wasn't like she had any supplies to work with leaving her with just what she accomplish with prana. That was admittedly still quite a lot but magi needed their tools to effectively perform their mysteries.

Sella had taken the job of educating him without complaints, in fact she probably enjoyed it since she was made to educate, but Shirou had to do something to repay her. But he didn't really have the money to just buy random ingredients and hope that Sella would find them useful.

He was still thinking over what to do as Kiritsugu called him back, now carrying a case that probably held the materials for the Azoth Sword. Shirou considered what he knew about that type of mystic code as he grasped the container.

While that mystic code was a relatively simple one that did not require a special forging process or even specific material as long as it could conduct prana properly, Shirou was curious as to what his father decided to make it from. He had never seen spiritually influenced steel and was captivated by the way that it held a comforting aura unlike other prana inert materials, it actually reminded him of how an ether clump would look when his prana was run through it.

The closest thing he had ever seen to that type would be Liz's halberd and that was only for a few moments before Sella came into and berated the two for waving weaponry inside the house. It wasn't like they even damaged anything important but Shirou still went and bought Sella a piece of cake from Verde to make up for it.

Shirou was getting ready to leave before Sougen looked at him with analytic eyes.

"What do you practice boy?"

He looked at the man's trained gaze then to his father and back again.

"Uh…I'm in the judo club and I do some kendo too."

Sougen tilted his head almost quizzically as he looked at the boy…no at his feet. Shirou restrained from shuffling awkwardly.

"Judo…yes in Fuyuki, I remember there was an interesting variant there. Taught by a dragon wasn't it? But that's not it, no this style is…hah! Yes those buffoons, I forgot about them…"

Well at least Shirou knew which buffoons he was talking about. Oh how had their legend reached even this far?

"Ahh ha…yeah I go to their dojo a bit but they're not that bad…"

Sougen just kept chuckling as he remembered the trip he took to Fuyuki back when he was young and full of vitriol…ah good times. He wondered if that Raiga fellow was still angry about the little scuffles they got into or if the Liger let it go after he took out that rival yakuza group.

"Bad? No they're actually fairly skilled but that style isn't a good match against bajiquan at all."

A style built around reacting to your opponents against one that takes the shortest route without showing initial movement? There was little that the Gakumazawa could do once someone took that countering ability away from them. Hah those would strike first strike last! Even those proud maniacs could not overcome that rule.

"Baji…quan? That's like Chinese martial arts right? Can you show me?"

Shirou's eyes sharpened as he thought about seeing another martial arts style but felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning away from the martial artist he looked questioningly to his father.

"Sorry Shirou but we need to go. I want to see Daidara before his place closes down for the day and get started."

Accepting that with only a slight bit of evident disappointment, Shirou headed back to the car also taking the case with him. Looking at his son slightly grunting at the weight, Kiritsugu started to say goodbye when he noted the look on Sougen's face.

"What is it?"

The elder just chuckled knowingly and he responded with a slight shift in his stance. Not quite that of the man he once was, but still separate from the one he portrayed to his children.

"What."

Sougen did not give any indication of realizing anything different but inwardly decided to stop poking the magus-killing bear, he was way too old to deal with that kind of nonsense.

"Nothing serious but you know that you're too late right? He probably already knows that you're here."

The time magus let out a sigh of disappointment. Even if he got to the metalworker in time, that man had a strong grasp of the area. Yes, he would likely keep an eye on all the people who lived between the worlds.

"I figured…still that kid was so obvious that I hoped it wasn't going to be an issue. His standards are starting to slip a bit."

That martial artist stretched his aged yet still toned body as he consider how long it would take for the report to make it way through and for the response to come.

"Nah the boy was just a fresh one, they get sent here for busywork and to give me a few extra hands. Seeing you was the highlight of his time here I'm sure."

Kiritsugu was really hoping to get at least finish meeting Daidara before getting caught up in unnecessary events.

Really he should have just accepted the situation but Emiyas were a stubborn breed. Not a minute later the duo was barrelling out of the clinic with Sougen waving languidly behind them. It looked like the mercenary had picked up some driving skills from that winter rose. Hopefully the copper hair could cope and those yells were just another mysterious illusion born of the moonlit world.

Heading back inside to prepare some tea, Sougen consider that it was nice to see the magus again and still on a good path. It was always good to see a person succeed in building a life even if their hands could not be considered clean. He didn't bother asking why the man would adopt a child against the customs of his position as both a magus and a mercenary, to learn every story would be bothersome. Still the son was a bit interesting to start learning a style that those bears were always so picky about teaching so perhaps he could give some advice.

Heh considering that the boy didn't seem to attached to any art wouldn't it be just amusing if the boy was to use his style over theirs? Heh the yellow bears might once again face the panda's terrible might! Ah but all that was for another day.

For now Sougen Jinan raised a cup and wished them good luck on their endeavors for those two Emiyas would have to deal with Misaki's guarding Oni.

A/N: Ah yes part one of Shirou little Misaki visit. I've been a bit preoccupied with finally seeing all the scenes from FHA with Rider's being my definite favourite. Also I'm a bit sad that prisma's Gil is not as nice as the real Ko-Gil but then he would just enuma elish everything and we wouldn't have a story. We will probably wrap this visit up in a chapter or two and I hope you guys will enjoy it.