I'm sorry for the delay of this update, but work kept me busy and my free time is limited. But I want to let you all know that I will not abandon this fic, even if the updates are months apart.
On another topic, I want to recommend to you all a manga that I just found named KENJA NO MAGO, with the alternative title of Magi's Grandson. The light novel already has 45 chapters, and the story is funny and entertaining.
Again, I want to thank Fenerath for his help and support with this story.
Also, I'm working on a one-shot crossover of Battle Star Galactica and Independence Day, and a new fic for Naruto.
Chapter Start
Silence. None of those present could say a single word, or make any noise, after their parents dropped the bomb and told all those present about the new family arrangement between Irisviel, Kiritsugu and Aoi.
The seconds felt like hours, and the minutes as days, until finally Leysritt was the one to break the silence with her usual tact.
"It's a harem epidemic! First Shirou and now his father, I wonder what will happen to us? Should one of us, dear sister, go to each harem? Or should we start a new one with Tatsuya?" asked Leysritt dramatically.
"This is no time to make jokes." was Sella's reply.
"Well, if you know the proper way to react to this news, please tell me."
"What will happen now?" asked Tatsuya after he finally managed to process the new information.
"Nothing will happen. We will continue to life our lives as always." was Aoi's answer, but the blush on her face made those present believe that she said those words for herself. Besides, the small smile on her face also told them that whatever changes that she was expecting would be good ones.
The fact that Irisviel had a bigger smile on her face while Kiritsugu found the table in front of him very interesting made those present realize that the three of them were happy about this development, and that was all that mattered.
The reaction of the world-jumping heroes was similar, because after witnessing how their parent's lives ended in the other world, they were more than glad to see them happy in the company of their loved ones.
That touching moment ended when they heard a chuckle that later became a full-on laughter. When everyone turned to see the origin of that laughter, they saw that it was Illya who was responsible for it. For a moment, Irisviel, Kiritsugu, and Aoi believed that she might have been against this strange union, but to their surprise, she pointed with her finger to where Rin and Sakura were sitting and laughed even more.
"Oh my god, this is great!" said Illya, while the others tried to understand what she was going on about. "All these years, you two made fun of me because I was after Shirou, who is my brother even if we aren't related by blood, but now you two are in the same boat!"
"What do you mean by that?" asked Sakura.
"What I mean is, now that your mom and my dad are 'married', Shirou's become your older brother, and in the case of Rin, her little brother. I wonder what kind of scenarios can come from this situation. A little sister that seeks solace from some problems that she's having? Or maybe an older sister that has to discipline her little brother? Oh, maybe both! When Shirou is consoling his little sister Sakura-chan, his two beautiful older sisters come and from there…"
"Illya-chan." said her mother with a serious voice, catching the attention of all those present. "That is an excellent idea! This roll playing thing, what do you think Aoi-chan? Do you want to try something like that?"
While this was happening, Shirou and Kiritsugu had the same wish coming from their hearts 'Earth, please swallow me whole.'
No one saw how Tatsuya ended his breakfast and left the kitchen in silence.
'Another typical morning in the Emiya mansion.'
While this was happening, in the Shiba's home another family meeting was taking place. The only difference was that one of the members was in another city, and the meeting was done by a video call.
"So there's no new information about the Emiya family?" Miya asked her sister from her chair. She could see on the screen that Miyuki was standing next to her mother.
"The team leader that payed a visit to the Emiya's mansion woke up last night. Although the situation was led by Akira, he believed that the mission was ordered by us and used his best skills to accomplish his mission. Yet the story that he told us sounded more like a horror movie than a mission report."
"What do you mean by that Oba-sama?" asked Miyuki. She wanted to know as much as possible about the people that had become her brother's new family.
"From what he said, that girl Sakura is truly a force to be acknowledged. By using unknown magic, she took down, one by one, all of the members of our best team, and from what the captain said she looks like she didn't even have to try. It was like it was a game to her."
"So she has the muscle to back up the warning that she gave us." said Honami, while remembering how that girl destroyed her shield like it was just a little annoyance, something that hurt her pride.
"It's more than that. When we looked into their files, we didn't find anything. The first time we checked, just before the incident with that Sakura girl, we believed that we had missed something. After that incident I ordered a better investigation and found something, or rather I should say we didn't."
"Please sister, we don't have time for these games." said Miya to her sister.
"Killjoy. Any ways, it was what wasn't there that attract out attention. There was no evidence of manipulation at all in their records." Maya could see that her sister was able to understand the implication behind those words, yet Miyuki and Honami didn't so she decided to explain. "When someone tries to hide something in their public records, no matter how good they are they always leave a small clue that something was done. It's usually a small piece that doesn't match with the real information, but this time we didn't find anything."
"What does that mean?" asked a confused Miyuki.
"My dear niece, it means that either they had a better team hiding their information from the public than anyone we've ever heard of, or there is nothing to find. But we know that at least that girl Sakura is special, and that means that from the very beginning the Emiya clan has been keeping their talents secret."
"There's also the demonstration that the other members of that clan did at First High School. I'm sure that they knew that we would see the security recordings, and that you would also tell us about that demonstration." added Miya.
"No one showed anything at the same level as what Sakura did, yet it was also just a school demonstration while Sakura remained behind. They were sending a message that we can't underestimate them." added Honami before she continued. "But the thing that I'm more worried about is that they know that they're facing the Yotsuba clan, and yet act like it's nothing to worry about."
"Are they overconfident, or do they know something that we don't? That is the question that we need to solve in order to take the next step."
"Are we thinking about taking action against them?" asked a worried Miyuki.
"It is too soon to decide that. We need more information, and then we will take the best available choice for the clan."
"But Oni-sama-"
"We will resolve that situation at the right time." answered Maya.
And with that, the conversation was over.
First Magic High School
A week had passed since the arrival of the new teachers, and just by looking the second course students you could say that there had been a change already. Now they could walk with their heads held high, and they spent every free moment studying the text books that the new teachers provided them. Even former course two students were acquiring those books in order to improve their magic.
The promise from Illya-sensei that she would teach them how to create their own crests and update them was something that many were waiting for. The idea of having access to some of their best magic, like flight magic, without the need of magic tools was something that had many of them exited.
The first period had just ended, and the students were in their morning break. They were talking about the class that they just had, however soon the conversation changed to a more juvenile topic.
"Ahh, today Sakura-sensei looks as great as ever. And to think that after the break, we'll have classes with Illya-sensei." said a male student with a dreamy look in his eyes.
"And don't forget Rin-sensei after lunch." added another one.
"Comparing all the teachers in this school, we are the blessed ones by having the Three Magic Megamis" a third student added as well. "To think, that all of them are around 24 years old but they all look to be almost our age!"
Tatsuya, who was walking just in front of them, chose to remain silent hoping to avoid get involved in this conversation. But like always, luck wasn't on his side.
"Hey Tatsuya, do you know if they are dating someone?" asked the first student, and that question attracted the attention of all the students that heard him. For the female students, the Three Megamis represent what they could become, and for the boys… well, boys will always be boys.
When Tatsuya saw that all eyes in the room were locked on him, he decided to give as little information as possible considering the nature of the relationship of his big sister figures.
"Yes, the three of them are in a relationship of their own." was Tatsuya's answer, hoping that that would be enough. By the dead looks and expressions in his class mates, he believed that that was the end of the topic.
"What about Shirou-sensei?" asked a female classmate, that like many others had a secret crush on the red haired teacher.
Taking a moment, Tatsuya thought about his next reply 'Yes. In fact, he's in a relationship with Rin, Sakura, and Illya at the same time, and they're fine with that. In fact, they're the dominant ones in the relationship, and were the first to suggest the idea of becoming a harem.'
"Tatsuya?" the same student asked again.
"Ah. Yes, he is also in a relationship." was his reply.
"Aww. Why are the good ones always taken?" questioned another girl.
The ring of the bell indicated that the break was over, and for that Tatsuya was thankful. Little did he know that this was only the beginning.
Student Council Room - Lunch Break
Tatsuya was expecting to be the target of Mayumi's games, but instead of teasing him, she was looking at him with an accusing gaze. He wasn't sure if this was just a new game from her part, or if he really did something to make her mad at him. For a moment, he was tempted to ask her, but he decided against it. From past experience in dealing with the strong headed women from the Emiya household, he knew that no matter which of those options he chose, it would not end well for him. So he chose to show that discretion was the better part of valor.
But as someone who had lived next to Shirou for so many years, luck wasn't on his side.
"Did something happen Saegusa? You look rather mad today." asked her friend Mari, stating the question that all those present had, but no one wanted to ask.
"I don't know what you mean Mari-chan, I'm perfectly fine." said Saegusa, not convincing anyone there. "I'm just marveled with how fast some friendships seem to advance in comparison to others." She finished as she sent a look at Miyuki and Tatsuya.
"Did we did something wrong?" asked an innocent Miyuki, who didn't know about the games that he and Mayumi were playing, and thus gave her the opening that she wanted.
"Of course not. After all, it's only natural for high school students to have dates." said Mayumi with a mischievous smile.
"Date?!" was Miyuki's answer as her face turned red.
"I can imagine how romantic it must have been, the two of you alone in a coffee shop, sharing your life stories as you both get to know one another better to build a future together." continued Mayumi.
"But it wasn't like that!" protested Miyuki, forgetting her training as a Yotsuba and giving more room for Mayumi to play with.
"But, unless you two are siblings, when a boy and a girl go out like that, it's known as a date." added Mayumi, enjoying the face of Miyuki who had unknowingly become a new piece in her game with Tatsuya. But inadvertently, she touched a sensitive nerve for them.
When a worried look began to appear on Miyuki's face, it was at that moment that Tatsuya decided to finally intervene.
"Actually, we were talking about a family mater as it looks like Miyuki's mother knew Sakura-onesan, and we were talking about a future meeting." said Tatsuya, deciding to mix a bit of truth and lies together. This was because he knew that even with her joking personality, Saegusa Mayumi was still a member of the Ten Master Clans, and she had been taught how to detect lies.
"Is that so? I believed that something interesting was happening." answered Mayumi.
"Why is that Mayumi? By any chance, were you jealous?" asked Tatsuya with a grin when he saw the reaction of Mayumi. For some reason, he really enjoyed getting the better of her.
"Why should I be jealous? After all, we are just members of the Student Council, and we just became friends." said Mayumi, back in the game when she realized what Tatsuya was trying to do.
"Yes, that is true. In the same way, Miyuki and I are in the process of becoming friends, so as you can imagine there is no wrong with two friends getting to know each other." said Tatsuya in a low joking tone.
"Of course. So, maybe the next time we can all go together?" asked Mayumi.
What the two of them forgot was that all of the other members of the Student Council were present, and were looking at the two of them in silence. But with that last sentence said by Mayumi, her good friend Mari saw a chance to pay her back for all her past jokes and took it.
"Now that you mention it, we do need to get some supplies, and do some errands after school. Things like that are our responsibility, and now that you are mentioning it, you could go out with Tatsuya as friends. How about you two go to do those errands?" said Mary. She enjoyed the look that appeared on her friend's face, and taking into account that Tatsuya had the same face, it was even better.
"If-If that is the case, I would like to go with them." said Miyuki in a hurry. She saw the atmosphere that existed between the president and her brother, and she didn't like it.
"Unfortunately, we still have work to do on the formation of the clubs from last week that needs to be finished as soon as possible. We still need to assign the respective budgets for each of them, and those errands only need two people to do." added Suzune, who saw what Mary was trying to do and decided that she as well was going to pay back Mayumi for all her jokes. And as a final blow, she added, "Of course, after what you said, there's nothing wrong with a boy and girl that are friends going out together, especially if it's for school business."
Seeing that almost all the members of the Student Council, with the exception of his sister, were plotting against them, Tatsuya had no other choice but to accept this situation.
Later That Day After Class
Mayumi and Tatsuya were walking down the street as they were doing their errands. They were in complete silence since they didn't know what to say in that situation. After a while, Mayumi was the one who the broke the silence.
"I don't what they were thinking, muu." said Mayumi.
"Maybe they were thinking about what you would do in their place in that kind of situation." was Tatsuya's answer with a knowing smile.
"Tatsuya-kun! That's not something you should say to a lady… even it is true." added Mayumi with a little smile.
"I'm sorry, but having the honor of walking around with such a beautiful girl as yourself must have clouded my mind." answered Tatsuya, who wanted to take lead on the scoreboard in their own little game. And according to the blush on Mayumi's face, he did score.
Fighting the blush on her face, Mayumi was ready for a counter attack when she decided to link her arm with Tatsuya's.
"Oh my, you're so charming! You really know what to say to a girl." added Mayumi, enjoying the looks on Tatsuya's face now that they were walking with their arms linked.
Neither of them knew how the game had come this far, but they both knew that the first one to stop would lose, and that was something that neither one of them wanted.
But before they could say anything else, they saw something that caught their attention.
"Ne, Tatsuya-kun, those two over there, aren't they Rin-sensei and Shirou-sensei?" asked Mayumi, while pointing at the couple that were walking in a similar fashion as them.
In truth, walking around twenty meters in front of them was the mentioned couple, and just like them they had their arms linked. In the case of Rin however, she was hugging Shirou's arm with both of her hands, and looks truly happy about that. Because the mentioned couple was ahead of them, they didn't see them, and for that Tatsuya was thankful.
"I never imagined that they were a couple. Their personalities seem to be very different from each other." commented Mayumi.
"Well, that only proves that with love, there is no logic and everything is possible." answered Tatsuya. 'No logic at all. If you only knew to what level that phrase was true.' he thought.
"Look, we're already here." said Mayumi as she saw the entrance of the commercial center that had the last store that they needed to visit to finish the errands.
They entered and quickly found the store. After a few moments they made arrangements with the owners to provide the new uniforms that would be needed for the new 9MHS competition.
"AHH! We're finally done with all of this!" said Mayumi as she sat down in a spot near the food stands.
"That's true." added Tatsuya as he saw Mayumi from the other side of the table. "Would you like something to drink?"
"That's very nice of you, and Ice Tea would be nice. You know, if you keep going that way, I may believe that this is a real date." joked Mayumi.
Giving a small smile, Tatsuya proceeded to get them drinks while Mayumi was waiting at the table. She had a nice view of a mother and her daughter, the mother was sitting at a table while the daughter was to playing in the kids section. It was a normal scene and everything seemed fine, but that was about to change.
BOOOM!
A big explosion was heard from the nearest entrance, and the shock wave threw everyone down, including Mayumi.
When she managed to get on her feet, she saw a man with fire dancing around him walking to where they were.
"I WILL KILL YOU ALL! I WILL KILL YOU ALL!," screamed the mad man as he began to walk to where all of people were still on the ground.
Seeing the danger that these people were in, Mayumi hurried up to take action, and, with great aim, used a few ice spikes to hit the fire ball, disrupting the magic in them and attracting the attention of the attacker.
"I don't know what your problem is, but I will not let you hurt these people." said Mayumi as she got ready to take action.
"You're one of them! Everyone is part of them, and that's why I have to destroy them all!" shouted the man as he got ready to fight.
Mayumi knew that a fight would endanger the other people present around them, so she got ready to defeat him with a single strike. But then, something unexpected happened.
"Mommy, where are you? I'm scared." said a small voice that Mayumi could see from the left corner of her eye came from the little girl that she saw earlier.
Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one that saw this, and soon the mad man was targeting the little girl.
Reacting by instinct, Mayumi hurried to protect her when she saw that the man was about to launch a fire ball at her direction. In a moment of great effort, she manage to push the little girl out of the way of the attack. Unfortunately, the fire ball hit her on the hand that she used to save the girl, and an explosion was heard.
The moment seemed to take an eternity, and the world lost all sound. Knowing that she was still in danger, she tried to stand up, but a deep pain made her fall again. It was in that moment that she realized that her hand and part of her arm was missing, and if she could see herself in a mirror, she would get the view of her beautiful face cover in burns.
The attacker just walked in front of her, and was getting ready to finish her off when a voice from behind called his attention.
"I wouldn't do that if I was you." a boy's voice said, making him turn only to receive a light shot that pierced his right shoulder. Then the other one was pierced as well, and finally one of his legs joined them, causing him to fall and become unable to use magic any more.
"You're late. I really hope that the ice tea is really that delicious for causing the delay." Mayumi said in a weak tone as she saw how Tatsuya made his entry.
A Few Moments Earlier
Tatsuya was in line in order to get drinks for himself and Mayumi. Because of the hour, and the fact that this mall was close to a school, the line was larger than he expected. He was caught off guard however when the sound of an explosion was heard from the same direction that Mayumi was in.
In less than a moment he was trying to get over there, but the mass of people in a state of panic made it impossible to pass. So, activating his magic crest that contained the Flight spell, he flew over the crowd in the direction of Mayumi.
What he saw when he arrived was the bloody form of Mayumi, while a man with fire balls around him was getting closer to her. Seeing this, he took action.
Present Time
"The line for the drinks was a killer." said Tatsuya as he studied the state of his friend. Half of her left arm was missing, and she had severe burns on her face and body. He knew that even if she survived, she could no longer live the life that she was used to. So, in a moment that he knew would come back to bite him in the ass, Tatsuya used Dispersion Mist on the security cameras that were in the area without making a single movement to indicate that he was the responsible for it. Kneeling down and taking Mayumi in his arms, he decided to use the same magic that he used to save Miyuki's life all those years ago. While hugging her to hide what he was doing from any possible witnesses that might still have been present, he cast the spell.
For Mayumi, this looked like a movie scene when the hero was about to give one last kiss to his lover before she died. Were her injuries really that bad, and she was she going to die? After a moment of consideration, she thought that having her first kiss be just before her death would be something dramatic, just as she liked it. When Tatsuya closed the distance between them, she waited for the kiss to come, but then something happened as she felt a strange energy enter her body. It was so intense but pleasant at the same time, that she wondered if all first kisses were like that. But when she opened her eyes, she saw that Tatsuya had placed her head on his chest, and that in fact they had not kissed. Feeling embarrassed, she pushed him away to make some distance between them. By the warmth of her cheeks, she knew that she was blushing and used her hands to cover her face.
It was at that moment that she realized what happened.
"How is this possible?" asked Mayumi in wonder as she saw that the hand that was missing had returned. Not only that, but the burns, injures, and even her uniform were restored as if nothing had happened. "How do you do it?"
But before he could say something they were interrupted by a scene before them.
"Mommy!" shouted the little girl that Mayumi saved as she ran to where her mother waiting for her with her arms opens.
"Akane!"
While this was happening, the couple was watching the mother and daughter. It was at that moment that Tatsuya came close to Mayumi and spoke to her as he saw how the security and police were getting closer. "Please don't say anything about my magic. I will explain it to you, but not now."
Not knowing what to do, but deciding to trust, him she only nodded. "I'll wait for that explanation, but don't make me wait for too long."
GAA Territory
Inside a very expense and fancy room within a military base was a beautiful woman, alone and wearing dark clothes. Any man would have desired to be next to her, just by her appearance, and any man that would have tried that would have died in unspeakable agony. Especially considering the mood that she was in.
"Damn you! Even after being summoned hundreds of years in the future, I can still feel your influence!" the woman snarled by herself. "First you filled the head of that stupid girl Arturia with your idiotic ideals, and now a group of lowly magicians attempt to follow those same idiotic ideas and give our greatest gifts to the mundane humans. They even had the gall to call their group Avalon! I don't know how your influence touched them, but I will make sure that all of the magicians in that group disappear!" She looked around herself within the luxurious room. "And I happen to have an army of pawns for the job." And with that, the woman went to talk with the leader of these mortals, to make sure that they would be her tools in the destruction of Merlin's legacy.
