Transcripted (sorta) from reality:
*Syroc publishes new chapter*
Internet: SHOCK! ALARM! DISMAY!
Syroc: Oh. That was a bit more volatile than I expected. Oh well, moving on...
*Syroc posts the forums*
Forums: SHOCK! ALARM! ETC!
Syroc: Huh, maybe I should do something about that…
*Syroc wanders off to write something sugary*
No One Left Behind - And Now For Something Completely Different
"Ne, ne Saber-nee-chan!" Kusano said excitedly while splashing playfully at the bathwater with a yellow rubber ducky. "Can you show me your sword?"
The blonde swordswoman smiled minutely at the innocent question and paused in the act of shampooing the girl's hair to answer.
"Tomorrow, maybe," she agreed fondly before reaching over for a pail. "But not tonight."
"Fuugh," the small girl grumbled in displeasure, splashing once more. "No fair."
"Perhaps not," Saber said gently, and dipped the pale into the warm water. "But sometimes that's just the way things are. Now close your eyes and hold your nose like a good girl."
Kusano was quick to obey, and giggle happily when Saber upended the pale of water over her head. They repeated the process a few times until all of the lather had been washed away.
There was a small amount of difficulty for Saber when Kusano decided that it wasn't fair for her to have all the fun and started an impromptu one-sided splash-war. Saber, far too dignified to act in such a childish manner, merely took the assault with a small gasp of surprise but little else. She certainly did not use the pale to drown Kusano in a torrent of warm water: she was merely rinsing the girl off. Any satisfaction she felt could be attributed entirely to satisfaction in a job well done.
The two lingered in the water for a while longer, but when Saber pointed out that they would look like prunes if they stayed for too long Kusano eagerly left the water.
Saber quickly dried herself off before she did the same for Kusano.
"Ne, Saber-nee-chan," Kusano began, sounding contrite. "Can we keep the meany-Sekirei with us?"
Saber paused in the act of toweling off the girl, a concerned look appearing on her face. "Why would you ask such a thing, Kusano-chan?"
"So that she doesn't have mean any more!" the girl explained innocently. "And then she can be nice, and happy, and we can play all day long!"
Saber's expression softened, and resumed drying Kusano's hair.
"We'll see what can be done," Saber told her, somewhat subdued. "Tomorrow."
"Mmm!" Kusano hummed her agreement, confident that the entirety of Izumo Inn would see the wisdom in her plan.
Saber finished drying off the young girl, playfully dumping the damp towel on top of Kusano. This elicited an indignant squawk from the girl, who struggled with the offending garment.
"Mou,"Kusano said when she at last freed herself from the towel. "That wasn't nice!"
"I'm sorry, Kusano-chan," Saber apologized with a light chuckle. "Arms up."
Kusano gave a child's glower, but obeyed.
Saber pulled one of Rin's disused shirts over Kusano to use as makeshift set of pajamas. When she was decently clothed, the young girl held her arms outwards expectantly. Saber, recognizing the universal stance that meant 'hold me!', picked her up and exited the bathroom.
"You won't be mean to me, will you Saber-nee-chan?" Kusano asked suddenly as they left, worry in her voice.
"Of course not, Kusano-chan," Saber answered warmly, and gave the small girl a hug. "I would never want to hurt you."
"Jii-" Kusano hummed happily, and wrapped her own tiny arms around Saber's shoulders. "Ku-chan knew you would't! Ku-chan and Saber-nee-chan will be together for forever and ever!"