Chapter 41: Earned Life (Part 7)

"Ok but seriously, Abigail. That was a little bit overboard if you're this tired and worn out. Don't you have any form of restraint?"

"Heh heh…are you really complaining, Nanashi~?"

"I have many complaints about what just happened, number one being that I'm never going to be able to visit an aquarium without having a panic attack."

"You're exaggerating. I know you liked it~!"

Giving up on his protests - partly because he knew it was a lost cause and partly because Abigail was right - Nanashi instead adjusted his grip from where he was princess carrying the worn out blonde back to the hotel, thankful that she'd taken pity on him and made it so that the various passerby still out and about didn't comment or pay attention to them, for which he was grateful.

He'd already had his fill of attention for the night, thank you very much.

"Hell, I hope Manaka doesn't kill us for this…"

Snuggling into his chest as her legs limply flopped about the blonde lightly murmured, "You're worrying more than you need to, Nanashi. Manaka won't do anything like that. She likes us too much!"

"Easy for you to say, you haven't been routinely abused like I have. She knows she can blow holes in my body and I'll be perfectly fine."

The tiny girl merely gave a noncommittal hum before playfully whispering, "Maybe you should return the favor to her holes?"

"Oh for…please turn back to sweet and innocent Abigail."

A chaste kiss to his chest was the girl's only response…summarily followed by a dull 'ow' as she strained herself.

"That's what you get for being crazy all the time."

"I'm not crazy all the time! Hmph, it's not fair that you have a super advanced and powerful body while I'm still a fragile little girl!"

He briefly debated the merits of bringing up all the times she had completely reformed her body from scratch after far worse than a little bit of fun but decided discretion was the better part of valor. Besides, she was probably just pretending to be all beat up and injured to earn pity points from him.

The rest of the walk back went without issue, the duo eventually arriving in their room as Manaka daintily sniffed the air, eventually curling her nose as she grumbled, "Hmph. I suppose you two enjoyed yourselves?"

Without missing a beat Abigail smoothly leapt out of the homunculus' arms as if she hadn't been hurt to begin with, happily chirping, "We did indeed! Why, I can't believe you were keeping Nanashi all to yourself, Manaka~!"

"All to myself?! So many of you have been sharing him that it feels like I can't get a moment alone!"

The outburst didn't so much as faze the longer-haired blonde, skipping over to her friend and flopping down on the bed before engulfing her in a hug, the Magi's face quivering with revulsion as she protested, "Don't be disgusting, You smell like fish and other materials that I would rather not think about! Unhand me!"

"Hehehe, no I don't think I will! Unless you want to take a shower and wash me off, Manaka?"

The innocent question that was anything BUT innocent had Manaka predictably blushing red as the homunculus quickly turned his attention to the other occupants of the room, Tiamat and Ayaka watching TV and ignoring the commotion. Well, Tiamat was the more intrigued of the two - some kind of ocean documentary being voiced over - while Ayaka was more entertained by watching the goddess be visibly awed by what was being shown.

"Anything interesting happen while we were gone?"

"Not really, just my big sister being overly worried and counting the time since you two left. I can't decide if she's more cute or worrying when she's jealous…d-don't tell her I said that!"

Chuckling at the hasty response Nanashi merely promised, "I won't. And don't worry, I'm sure the worst she would do if she heard you say that was sulk and pinch your cheeks."

"Well I certainly hope so…"

Shaking his head as Manaka let loose a particularly scandalized yelp while Abigail just giggled uncontrollably the male asked, "So does anyone feel like dinner anytime soon or-

All heads turned as a polite knock on the door interrupted their interplay, Ayaka confusedly asking, "Did anyone request room service?"

"Well I know we didn't. Here, lemme see who it is, maybe we're lucky and that's someone looking to take an order from us."

Striding towards the entrance as Manaka took the opportunity to push Abigail off of her Nanashi swung open the door…and had to blink in confusion at the sight that greeted him.

A man and a woman, the man older and dressed rather conservatively in a suit that looked as if it was halfway between a military officer's garb or a ballroom formal occasion, steel gray facial hair and crimson eyes gazing at him with an open sort of curiosity. The woman was more casually garbed with jeans and a jacket, crimson hair almost the same shade as the man's eyes while she cocked a hip and appraised the youth with a confident air.

"...You're not room service."

"Oh? And just how could you tell? Perhaps we're a traveling comedy troupe here to entertain a couple of young guests?"

Instincts quietly suggesting that something was awry with the two Nanashi unobtrusively activated his Mystic Eyes-

-and promptly hissed in agitation, vision dominated by such a strange cavalcade of images and impressions that he honestly didn't even know where to start.

The man was some kind of tangled web at the center of uncountable lines that reached in every conceivable direction, each strand as thin and ephemeral as a spiderweb but nonetheless weaving a tapestry of incredible importance and power, as if he was a centerpoint for a nigh infinite amount of esoteric highways.

The woman was even more confusing, if that was possible. Her very presence seemed to extend forever forwards and backwards, the outlines of her body perfectly mirrored in a line that went into and behind the present as every cock of her hip or blink of an eye was repeated innumerable times in an unbroken chain.

"What in the fuck am I looking at here?"

Ayaka's strangled gasp as she looked over his shoulder to see what was happening didn't exactly provide much in the way of assurance, the man crossing a hand in front of his chest before bowing his head slightly, stating, "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, young man and ladies. Just in case I'm not immediately recognizable for one reason or another my name is Kischur Zelretch Schweinorg, Magician of the Second and this wonderful young woman beside me is Aoko Aozaki, Magician of the Fifth."

Nanashi blinked, trying to make sense of the words spoken in a way that didn't hurt his head.

"Now now, we're not here for a fight or anything like that. Just a nice little chat and nothing else."

Rapidly blinking as the Second Magician peaceably raised his hands the homunculus belatedly realized he'd entered fight or flight mode, body alight with energy and fire as it felt like his entire skeleton was ready to burst free at a moment's notice.

"Oh, uhh…right. Sorry."

Forcing himself to relax the flames flickered down to nothing as his circuits also cooled, heart returning to a normal pace as the youth more calmly stated, "Well, come on inside, I guess?"

"Thank you for the invitation. Us vampires have difficulty with things like that, after all."

Not knowing enough about Apostles to decide if the man was joking or not Nanashi just stepped aside for the moment, allowing the duo inside as there was a variety of reactions to their arrival. Manaka's eyes narrowed in clear and blatant suspicion while Ayaka continued to react like a mouse in the presence of an eagle, Abigail retaining her cheer as she lounged on the bed but watching the duo with hardly so much as an errant blink while Tiamat was the most composed out of all of them, simply observing the pair for a moment with an innocent tilt of her head before returning to the documentary without a backwards glance.

"Well at least one of us doesn't seem overly worried."

He tried to channel that energy with middling success.

"Seriously kids, relax. The vampire said we're not here for a fight and he meant it."

Aoko's bold drawl was promptly met with intense skepticism by Manaka, standing up from the bed as the blonde crossed her arms, imperiously demanding, "And then what are you doing here, if I may ask?"

Casually seating himself in a nearby chair as if he'd been the owner of the room for his entire life while Aoko lazily leaned against a doorframe Zelretch stated, "As Magicians we were naturally curious about the latest among our number, the one who almost certainly wields the Fourth. Imagine our surprise that, instead of a long series of dead end searches and rumors we find our man walking into the Clocktower as the assistant to a once in several generations savant, becoming the talk of the tower. I think it would be stranger for us not to come knocking, wouldn't you agree?"

Frowning at the man's words Nanashi sharply retorted, "If you're worried about us stealing your influence or some other Magi crap forget about it. If we didn't have to deal with all of you for the rest of our lives then that would be perfectly fine."

Wagging his finger like a parent would to an unruly child Zelretch said, "Now now, if you go giving away your thoughts and position on such matters so freely then you won't make it for very long even as just a peon."

Feeling his eye twitch in annoyance Aoko casually added, "And you don't need to worry about us taking you to task about any lost notoriety or anything."

A smirk appeared on the redhead's features.

"I'm not liked very much at the Clocktower and can't exactly lose what I don't have."

Glancing towards Manaka he found the blonde's lip curling as if she'd just bit into something sour, Nanashi taking that as confirmation that the new arrival was indeed telling the truth.

"And if a few new kids' arrival at the tower - no matter how novel and talented - was enough to do away with my reputation and cache of influence then I've been doing something very wrong over the past few centuries."

Planting a midnight and unadorned cane aside from a multi-faceted jewel placed atop of it between his legs the man continued with, "So with that out of the way will you take our word for it that we really are here just to get a measure of each other?"

"I'm shorter than both you and her. There, you've got my measure. Feel free to let yourselves out the front door and stop ruining our vacation."

Aoko snorted with amusement while Zelretch rolled his eyes, dramatically commenting, "Goodness, are the youth of today really that inherently doubtful and suspicious of newcomers? There's stranger danger and then there's this."

"Yeah, well, the first time we had a proper run in with a Magus from the Clocktower wasn't exactly the best of impressions. Not exactly sorry for that."

"And that does seem to be par for the course these days. Nice to see my first contact scenarios and such are still being happily ignored."

Decisively setting his hands atop his cane the Apostle continued with, "Regardless, the reality is that we really are here just to chat and aren't looking for a fight or ideological debate."

A gloved finger began tapping the head of the jewel.

"Unfortunately, the reality is that a Magician carries within them great potential for catastrophe and unchecked carnage should they be of less than ideal disposition and discipline. And yes, miss Sajyou, I am aware that you're about to point out how hypocritical it is of someone with my reputation to say that."

Nanashi glanced out of the corner of his eye, indeed finding Manaka biting back on seemingly grumpy words as the Vampire added, "I ask that you not take my reputation as gospel and instead look to the reality of actions rather than words."

Aoko turned her gaze away from Nanashi and instead swept it over the group in general, observing, "And this is indeed quite the odd and varied group that's gathered together. Definitely one of the more eccentric I can think of in recent history."

Zelretch tilted his cane in Nanashi's direction, remarking, "The presumed Fourth Magician in the body of a homunculus made of quite the bevy of materials either rare or impossible to find this side of the world."

Next was Abigail, the Apostle seeming almost cheerful as he remarked, "And then there's you, miss Williams. Typically a Heroic Spirit or host of an Outer God whose name honestly eludes me at the moment yet here you are, of sound mind and happy disposition despite feeling more like a god than a mere channel for one."

Seeming perfectly amicable to the sudden meeting Abigail merely waved with a cheerful motion, chirping, "I am indeed quite happy with my new circumstances, Mr. Kaleidoscope."

Tiamat was next, only deigning to turn her attention away from the documentary for a brief moment as Zelretch cocked his head in curiosity, musing, "And then there's the Primordial Goddess herself, one who should be rather opposed to the presence and existence of Humanity. Yet here she is, yet again of sane and even disposition, happily watching Sir Attenburough. Not that I blame her."

The teal-haired woman simply offered a nod of greeting, stating, "I was saved by them," as if that explained everything that needed explaining.

"I mean, I guess it sort of does."

Finally turning to Ayaka and Minaka the man seemed genuinely perplexed, saying, "As odd as it may sound you two are by far the strangest of the current roster. In all the timelines I have witnessed, miss Ayaka, you are either killed by your older sister or have to kill her in turn."

One could hear a pin drop in the room as ruby eyes finally settled on an utterly still Manaka.

"Mostly because she has become little more than a rampaging monster that raised a beast of calamity to wipe out humanity, so far removed from the novelty of life that all she can think of is ending it in a desperate attempt to alleviate her idle hours. Fitting for a soul that slowly consumed the one that gave life to it."

Nanashi clenched his teeth, only holding back his immediate response to tear the old bastard a new one because he fully expected Manaka would want the pleasure of doing so, glancing back towards the blonde-

-and felt his breath catch in his throat at the sight that greeted him.

Namely, his girlfriend looked terrified. Indomitable, prideful and sometimes caustic Manaka Sajyou was scared. Body rigid, eyes wide, jaw clenched and breathing erratic, as if the man's words had revealed some awful truth that had never been acknowledged but was always present.

…He decided he was actually extremely upset about all this.

"I take it you're not leaving until you get your answers?"

"That is why we're having this little meeting."

"Okay, give us a minute."

Instinctive powers came to life as the homunculus leapt forward, cocking a fist as bone armor sprang into place around it, killing fire engulfing it as it he threw a haymaker at the still smiling Vampire's face-

CRACK!

-and a gust of heated force filled the room, a number of walls collapsing as a charred and headless corpse barrelled through them before coming to a stop further in, Nanashi breathing heavily as he tried to get his temper under control.

"You realize he was saying that just to get a rise out of you, right?"

"Well he sure as hell got one."

Feeling well and truly pissed he turned to face a completely unconcerned redhead, the woman giving him a strange look before suddenly chuckling, reaching out with a hand as he tensed-

-before blinking as she simply ruffled his hair with a fond motion.

"You remind me of a guy I know from way back when. He also shot first and asked questions never when a girl he liked was threatened. We'll be in the dining area later tonight, meet us there and we'll chat like civilized people."

Before he could ask what the hell that meant the woman was striding through the trail of wreckage, one bewildered resident staring at the destruction with wide eyes and a gaping mouth until Aoko put him in a headlock, cheerfully stating, "Come on, pal. Let's get your memory fixed. Damn, the old man really got some distance on this one…"

The homunculus put the duo out of sight and mind for the moment, instead turning back to a still shivering Manaka as he felt at a complete and honest loss of what to do.

"While the offer is appreciated I can assure this isn't the first time I've been launched through the wall nor do I believe it will be the last. No no, that's all right. But my goodness aren't you a polite young lady?"

Striding through the last ragged entryway Zelretch had created with his body Aoko found him fully regenerated and speaking to a shellshocked family, the mother and father alternating between staring at the man and the hole he made while a wide-eyed girl held out a box of colorful bandaids.

"Now if you could all stare at this for a moment? It's a part of the healing process, I'm afraid."

Aoko maneuvered the still dazed man's head so that it was pointing at the medallion Zelretch began to wave back and forth, a few seconds of observation causing the people to collapse with light snores filling the room.

At least until the Vampire abruptly chuckled, rubbing his chin.

"The kid has a hell of an arm."

"Protectiveness and agression don't necessarily mean he's of sound mind and judgment."

"Would you describe either of us as possessing sound mind and judgment, miss Girl Who Leapt Through Time?"

Grimacing as she foresaw a world in which she was NEVER free of that damn joke Zelretch took the opportunity to more seriously state, "Protectiveness and aggression for the sake of others - especially when it was performed against people like us with no hesitation - speaks well to his character. Yes, there are better temperaments aplenty but I can also imagine innumerable worse ones. Bear in mind he also didn't attack until I genuinely hurt the young lady."

Huffing out a breath Aoko replied, "Alright, if you say so. Just bear in mind, the kid looked like he wanted another round with you."

"Ahh, youth. To fight for his beloved's heart that way, how inspiring! Well since we have some time on our hands how about we go and get a bite to eat? Beach resorts like this one-"

Smacking the man's arm Aoko hiked a thumb to the still destroyed walls, stating, "Repairs first. We crashed the party, we do cleanup."

"I despise it when you say things that make sense."

Ignoring the way Tiamat and Abigail watched him pace outside their room Nanashi couldn't help but worry himself sick, frustrated to hell and back at how useless he currently felt.

Seeing Manaka worried or frustrated wasn't that rare, she didn't mind letting them know how she felt…but frightened? Scared? Of what looked like herself? He'd only seen that expression perhaps twice, once being when she had accidentally injured him when he was in his old body and she'd been inconsolable for hours.

He'd had no idea on how to fix things and was both surprised and grateful beyond measure that Ayaka had stepped up to the plate and shushed them out of the room, spending some time alone with her sister.

As if summoned by his thoughts the door to their room clicked open, a tired but nonetheless smiling Ayaka stepping through as she gestured for them to approach, whispering, "I never thought the day would come where I was the one comforting her…but I think she's okay now, although you should all go see her for a while."

Breathing out a sigh of relief the homunculus gave the younger Sajyou sibling a warm smile, saying, "Thank you, Ayaka."

His words only drew a giggle from the girl, teasing, "I never would have thought you to be the mother bear type, Nanashi."

"Well what was I supposed to do? The old fuck scared Manaka."

Shaking her head at his words the younger Magus took a deep breath stating, "I'll go downstairs and keep an eye on the two, while you keep Manaka happy."

Abigail frowned, offering, "Are you sure? I don't mind going and speaking to them."

"No, it's fine…yes, it's kind of scary talking to such powerful people but I need to start being braver at some point, don't I?"

He felt like pointing out that Ayaka was already plenty brave but eventually held his peace, the girl departing further down the hallway as they cautiously entered the room, finding a puffy eyed Manaka sitting on one of the beds while a simple sundress hung loosely across her body.

Tiamat wasted no time in approaching her friend, hopping onto the bed and gently pulling an unresisting Manaka's head into her lap, tail gently curling around her waist as she stroked the Magus' hair while humming a gentle melody.

Not one to miss out Abigail also curled up next to their friend, holding her close as Nanashi pulled a chair next to the mattress, quietly holding both Abigail and Manaka's hands in his own.

"You don't need to treat me as if I'm made of glass…"

They all promptly ignored her words, Abigail firmly saying, "We're worried about our friend. End of discussion."

"You know you aren't what the old fuck said you are, right?"

A frightened shiver wracked the girl's body, the homunculus immediately squeezing her hand as she whispered, "Not right now. But I would have been. I know I would have been. I was on my way to being what he said I should have been, a little monster that ate her mother's soul then destroyed what little love and affection was left in her life because she didn't know a damn thing."

Genuinely unsettled by the self-deprecating words Nanashi honestly had no idea how to respond, Tiamat thankfully seeming to have the right idea as she hummed even louder, stroking the tired girl's head as Abigail firmly stated, "We all would have been like that if we hadn't met each other, Manaka. Nanashi would have wasted away and died never knowing anything about himself, I would still be the puppet of an uncaring god, Tiamat would still be trapped in her prison or driven mad by loneliness and you would be precisely what you fear…but that isn't what happened, is it?"

The longer-haired blonde unleashed a radiant smile, happily announcing, "Whether by odds, a miracle or something else we were all brought together and made all the better for it. Isn't that something to be celebrated instead of fretted over?"

Manaka was silent, eventually asking with near inaudible volume, "Will…will you be with me? Always? I don't want to go back to how I was before, where everything was just…less."

They didn't respond with words, just huddling closer as Nanashi inwardly resolved to ask Merlin first chance he got for advice on how best to shit on Zelretch's parade.