Series Placement: The following Shard takes place during Fragment 102.

The limousine hit a small bump in the road. "This suit is a bit itchy."

"You won't have to wear it long, dear. It was just for the airport," Sita reassured.

"I'm looking forward to a nice sherwani as well," Arjuna agreed from another part of the limousine. Anishka would've agreed with all of them. The black secretary outfit for the ladies was rather restricting. It certainly looked the part of 'UN official' disguise, but the faster she could get out of it the better. She was looking forward to a comfortable sari and the relaxing vacation that would come…

…After the first and only uncertain hurdle…

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Shard 52: Peer Pressure

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It felt like ages since she'd had a vacation home. One supposed travelling to different points in human history would do that, but it was a trivial note. They'd arrived only an hour ago, and already their chauffeur was driving their fairly sized group to their first stop: Her family's temple. The one that had been in the Sharma family's care for countless centuries.

Anishka stared out the window silently, the blaring horns of mopeds, cars, and other vehicles raced alongside her rampant thought; Some pleasant, but mostly concerned. Even the slithers of relief that humanity continued on unaware of what had transpired were tiny barks within a churning whirlpool. In her reflection on the limousine's window, she could see ago-old tension in her eyes had regrown its roots.

She sighed gently. As much progress as many insisted she'd made, some things never- "Now now. Remember your promise?"

Anishka spotted Sita's reassuring reflection appear beside hers. The master turned to her travelling companions, who'd stopped their conversations to eye her with equal warmth. Her smile did quickly reappear, even as she dipped her head gently. "…Sorry."

"You're worried. You don't know how they'll react to what you'll tell them," Karna listed calmly, but Parvati grinned beside him.

"It's going to be okay. We'll help see you through."

Anishka glanced down as Rama and Sita took her free hand in theirs. The grins of her two most beloved divines was enough to brighten her day, and their lent strength was overwhelming. They practically glowed in her vision, only rivalled by their smiles. Comforted, Anishka squeezed and tried not to focus so hard on the fear of coming out and her future family role, but the excitement of getting to show her companions their modern homeland.

"…Thank you, everyone. It'll be fine with your help."

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In all her worries over coming out to her family, Anishka had forgotten a far more important detail. As a long-standing member of Chaldea, among other things, she was very used to secrecy. As one of Chaldea's active masters, she was also very used to servants and their presence. Every ounce of her being looked up to the Indian servants, who'd blessed her life with their friendship and appreciation. They always shined in her eyes…

…Which was exactly why she'd failed to notice just how extravagant they'd become in their homeland.

Anishka always remembered the Sharma's temple for its airy, sunlit space, but it was almost blinding with the presence of the Indian servants. Every nook and cranny of ancient stone and carved wood gleamed with holy light. The vibrant colors and scent of burning incense seemed to amplify. More than it ever had in her lifetime, the temple and all its divine artifacts chorused with worship for today's arrived blessings.

Within the cavernous maw of the entrance room, each servant almost glowed like warm candles, especially Karna despite wearing a simple black suit. Their very presence radiated a powerful warmth, but she'd grown so accustomed to their majesty it simply felt like a warmer afternoon. If one listened carefully, one may have even heard the choirs of revenant prayer like whispers on the wind.

That was, of course, if she could hear over all the jubilant crying, exclamations, and fervor that'd swept over her family and temple's helpers.

"(It's them! It's really them!)" "(Such a blessing! Our devotion has been rewarded!)" "(For them to walk in our temple…!)"

Rama scratched the back of his head sheepishly as he grinned apologetically towards Anishka. "Eheh… I was so flustered it kind of just slipped…"

"It's as if you're a child who's never seen fame before… Are you my husband?" Sita teased gently up at her lover. As he pouted, she giggled. "I hope they keep it secret."

"We most certainly will." The accented English stood out over all the cries of disbelief and worship coming from the surrounding flock. Dressed in her family's ancient garb, her uncle stood further back with a gentle smile and barely-contained reverence. The glimmer of pride and enthusiastic disbelief fell onto her, and equal parts hope and shame grew as a single tree. Leaning on his cane, he made his way forward with his wife at his side, chuckling all the while.

"We've kept many secrets in our long stay, but I don't recall having such a difficult one. Certainly a challenge to be welcomed at the request of our gods," the old magus easily reassured as he let his eyes drink their presence in absolute wonder. He turned to a smiling Rama, gently bowed, and spoke in their favored tongue. "(You honor us with our presence. We can't hope to repay you for blessing us here this day.)"

"(Please don't feel you have to. We get enough worship from little Annie,)" Parvati teased gently, making Anishka blush with embarrassment as the goddess winked her way.

"(You're too kind, but our home shall remain your home for as long as you require,)" he welcomed, then glanced over to the other side of the cluster. Specifically where Karna had strategically stepped back to allow his younger brother to fully drown in his current plight. After a brief glance, the old magus stepped towards Anishka with smile still permanently affixed to his lips. He quickly brought her into a warm hug that quickly spilled the tears from her eyes. "(I'm glad you're safe. Welcome home, our little Lotus. We've missed you.)"

"(I'm glad to be back, Uncle…)"

"(If only your father could be here too,)" her aunt added as her uncle quickly shifted aside to let her join the warm reunion. The older woman chuckled mirthfully, "(To think this is what you two have kept secret. And I thought our family had enough secrets in our care.)"

"(We have a lot of secrets, huh…)" Anishka mumbled onto her shoulder as the cold fear of rejection slipped into the warm stream. She had no time to think about it as a chorus of swooning echoed through the temple.

Her aunt broke their embrace to glance over. "(Is that handsome man's identity another secret? We're already blessed with three of our gods… Are those two…?)"

Anishka took a pause to mentally gleam over agreed protocol. Servants were supposed to keep their identity completely secret, no matter how difficult their homeland's influence made it. The Clock Tower made a slight exception for magus families because they lived through pure secrecy; Lord El-Melloi II reassured that this exception was far from inconvenient for their interests too. But that meant Anishka's family could know since secrecy was paramount. She just hadn't expected for Rama to just blurt a few names out half-way through the front door…

…But it is what it is. Anishka smiled, "(Tall, dark, and handsome surrounded by all the young helpers would be Arjuna. The gentleman kind enough to not get mixed in is Karna.)"

"(The heroes of…)" Her uncle could barely hold renewed awe. Those nearest to Anishka fell further blinded by blessed disbelief, making Rama, Sita, and Parvati laugh gently. "(And your job here is to help them…?)"

"No, sir! Our friend's on vacation with us! We've come to explore our home with her!" Rama beamed delightfully. "We even got a few extra days because of the whole mess back at our home away from home!"

"Makes it sound like Chaldea's a vacation house…" Parvati mused, then giggled. "I guess that's about right."

"Anishka… They're with you…?" one of the family's helpers breathed in English, partially in clear envy.

"(One of us always is. We got to make sure our dear friend's safe, Miss Singh)" Parvati returned in her tongue, but the goddess quickly put a hand to her mouth in embarrassment. The helper had quickly feinted in outright reverence, probably by having her name spoken by a Hindu goddess. "Oops… I didn't mean to!"

"(Shri Parvati said Lady Anishka is their friend!)" "(She's in the constant company of our divines!)" "(Our Madam is incredible! She's truly a blooming flower!)"

All the sudden praise redirected her way made Anishka's cheeks flush far brighter than she'd ever felt before. Karna's small little proud smile only made the blush far worse. Rama and Sita's too. Parvati, Rama, her uncle, her… Right, so this whole situation was making her knees awfully weak from outright embarrassment. And it was still only getting worse.

"(She's blessed! We're blessed by Anishka's presence too!)" "We've known her for years, but why didn't I think destiny chose her?)" "(Is Lady Anishka an incarnation?)"

"(Nononononoooo! Nooo please! I'm not- No! It's not…! Rama! Please hel- Don't just laugh! Please!)"

Anishka's desperate scramble to squash growing, completely undeserved rumors made her friends laugh joyfully. Even her aunt and uncle smiled with profound mirth as the master tried begging Rama for support, then Parvati. Yet, such informality with the divines only stoked the fires further. The uncomfortable gaze of worship, envy, and delight threatened to drown her.

"(Look how Lady Anishka is able to talk to them!)" "(To talk to Shri Parvati as if she were her sister or friend…!)" "(Incredible! Lady Anishka has become so direct!)"

"(She sure has become a lovely lady,)" Sita giggled happily. "(We're very proud of her.)"

With the fiery jubilation growing by the minute, Anishka's worries fell completely to the wayside. The talks of how she may continue the magus family line, and the related revelation of her sexuality. The future of the temple and her duties should her cousins not grow up to be suitable heirs. As with typical magus families, even the more benevolent Sharma clan still had much to discuss, but the current commotion did make one thing clear in her mind.

Her family visit would be far smoother with her friends at her side, leaving the rest of their vacation carefree and exciting.

Rama's laughter echoed. "(Oh! You must be wondering what Annie's been up to all this time, huh? How about over lunch I tell you some of her heroic feats during our adventures together!?)"

…That was… if she wasn't going to die from embarrassment first…