Thursday morning I woke with Akitsu one my one side and Musubi (whom Akitsu had graciously allowed to share her night after she'd given her own to Tsukiumi) on the other. Akitsu's eyes were on me as I moved away from Musubi. "Good morning, Akitsu."
"Good morning, Ashikabi-sama," Akitsu responded, shifting so I could get up. I did so and dressed quickly before heading downstairs to make breakfast. Yesterday had been busy. Saber and I had gotten caught up in our sparring and ended up practicing later than we had intended. The Sekirei's first run had been interesting too. In the end we'd taken them out to where Tsukiumi and Musubi had demonstrated their Noritos. The Sekirei had run laps around the area, each at their own speed, while Rin and I had taken things at a more human level.
Most of my flock had taken to the exercise relatively well, but Matsu had hated every second of it. It was understandable, since she was a brain type and thus less gifted in physical pursuits. Unfortunately, it had shown just how much she needed the exercise.
I suspected she'd try to come up with an excuse to miss tonight's practice. Too bad she'd already left the house when we had confronted Higa, or she would have undoubtedly cited the need to remain hidden. I'd explained my reasons to her, emphasizing the need for her to be able to get away in a tough situation. Matsu had agreed my logic was sound, but that didn't mean she liked it.
We'd lost track of time, however, and had returned to Izumo House later than expected. As a result, Rin, Saber, and I had only gone over different options for dealing with the Jinki. I was still in favor of my original plan to run. Saber, on the other hand, disagreed, suggesting we actually try to win the Plan and gather all eight of the Jinki to make sure we didn't leave any under others' control, given their dangerous potential. Rin could see the benefits of both sides, but wanted to make sure that we checked my Sekirei and the Jinki for any sort of tracer, poison, or other surprise we didn't know about, regardless what we did. She was mostly concerned with where we'd put them so they couldn't be found.
I could see Saber's point, but didn't like the idea of staying in the Game longer than I had to. Every day more Sekirei were separated from their Ashikabi, and if we did stay around till the final round, would my Sekirei have to fight each other?
I couldn't choose one to support above the others.
We had sat up late arguing the value of each other's ideas until we were all yawning. As a result, we hadn't gotten a chance to go over my magical encounters. Rin and Saber were reluctant to wait any longer, especially since I had work appointments most of today, so I'd made a compromise.
Once breakfast was done, I went back upstairs, carrying two plates of food. Akitsu, who had followed me downstairs as was her habit, carried two more. I tapped Rin and Saber's door with my foot. "I have breakfast."
Saber opened the door immediately, smiling softly as she saw me. "Good morning, Shirou."
"'Morning," I answered, returning her smile as she stepped aside so Akitsu and I could enter.
"Hold up!" Matsu came down the hallway, a plate of her own in one hand, a tray with drinks in the other. She stepped inside before Saber closed the door. "Thanks."
"Of course." Saber nodded and sat.
My eyebrows went up a bit when I saw Rin. The magus was only half dressed in a pair of leggings and a skirt. "You get up too early," she complained as she pulled on her bra.
Matsu laughed. "Looks like Rin-tan wants to get an early start on tonight."
Rin flushed, only then seeming to notice Matsu's and Akitsu's presence, and quickly pulled on her shirt. "You could've waited until I was dressed."
"I did knock." I carefully settled and started passing out plates. It felt strange to be eating away from most of my flock, but I didn't want Musubi or Kuu here for this conversation — Musubi because anything I mentioned in front of her was fairly likely to be repeated, and Kuu because of her age. Saber and Rin settled on either side of me. "Are we ready?"
"Matsu thinks so, Shirou-tan." Matsu slipped her tablet out of its carrying pouch and pulled up a file. She had started taking notes on our meetings yesterday and apparently took her job very seriously. I'd offered to let her sleep in, but she'd been adamant about being here.
Rin grabbed her glass of milk from the tray while I took one of the teacups. I began by summarizing my fight with the Archibald, making sure to mention Akitsu's critical contribution. Then I talked about the Fraga, highlighting how she'd managed to counter the Sekirei's powers. Rin nodded, looking thoughtful. "It's too bad you weren't able to get the runes off of her."
"I couldn't take the risk," I said, though I too regretted it. "As it was, blocking out the satellite feed was suspicious enough that MBI sent someone to check on us." Even having Matsu just take pictures would've taken time we simply hadn't had.
"You must be pleased about Fragarach, though," Rin teased as she finished eating. "That's an impressive weapon to have."
"In limited circumstances, but it certainly could come in handy," I agreed.
"Those have been your only major battles, then?" Saber asked.
"With magi, yeah," I confirmed.
"But Shirou-tan, what about the Third Match and the fight with Higa?" Matsu said. "Those were both major fights."
"Not against magi," I reminded her. "I was fighting Sekirei there."
"Who was Higa?" asked Saber.
"One of the strongest Ashikabi. He kidnapped my sister and asked for a Jinki as ransom. I had to take him out." I shrugged. "We didn't actually fight much there. We basically broke in, rescued her, and left."
"You have a sister?" Rin looked a bit surprised. "You've mentioned your mother, but I didn't know you had found other relatives." I had no idea how to explain Yukari to Rin and Saber, so I just nodded in response.
"Still, it would be good to know about this match, if you were in actual combat there," Saber said. "Knowing your own capabilities, I will have a better understanding of our foes'."
"Matsu can do better than that!" The hacker flipped her tablet around. "The matches are broadcast, and Matsu always makes a recording."
"…they're showing aliens fighting each other on TV." Rin sounded a little faint. I had a feeling that her deeply ingrained magus tendency towards secrecy was giving her fits over the idea.
Matsu pulled up the video and set the tablet on the floor, allowing us all to see. I was impressed by the quality of the recording. I'd seen the first and second matches on TV, of course, but knowing from my own that there hadn't been a camera or a mike to be seen made it all the more remarkable.
"I'd forgotten about that," I mused aloud as I asked the members of the Disciplinary Squad what types of baked goods they'd like. I quickly made some mental notes. I'd intended to send them much earlier than this, but had been distracted by Yukari's kidnapping. "Guess I need to look up a recipe or two."
"Matsu knows a website that has a bunch."
"Really?" I perked up at that. I didn't tend to use cookbooks often, preferring to work things out myself, but sometimes having a recipe to start with helped. "What kind?"
Matsu laughed. "It's the internet, Shirou-tan. Matsu's sure there're recipes for any kind of food Shirou-tan would want."
"I must say I never expected Shirou's cooking ability to have tactical value," Saber mused. "Still, it is a good idea to have the administrators on your side."
"Especially when they actually do their jobs," I agreed.
"Who's this Karasuba they mentioned?" Rin asked as the video continued to play.
"She's another Sekirei," I told her. "Kinda reminds me of Lancer, actually."
"Don't tell me you're trying to get another one," Rin grumbled.
"No — well, she reacted to me, but she didn't want me to wing her."
"Can't imagine why, if you're trying to kill her." Rin shook her head.
"If she is like Lancer, that might have been part of the appeal," Saber pointed out. "We must watch out for this one, Rin. Shirou had an unnatural like of Lancer when were allied."
"No I didn't," I protested. I'd just liked how effective he was at teasing both of them.
Kakizaki, Toyotama, and Ichiya came onscreen, and I was treated to the sight of my own savage smile. No wonder Seo called me 'scary.' Rin and Saber exchanged a glance, frowning, but didn't say anything.
As Akitsu's former status was brought up, Rin looked interested. "Matsu, what's a scrap? You didn't explain that."
"There aren't many," she replied. "MBI says that they winged themselves. They aren't supposed to be able to have Ashikabi."
Rin glanced at Akitsu. "But she does have one. How'd you pull that off, Shirou?"
"A… more direct prana transfer." I fidgeted. I really hadn't wanted to tell her about that.
Rin's eyes blazed. "I see."
I winced at the cool tone in her voice. "I don't think scraps winged themselves," I began, hoping to distract her. "MBI adjusted the Sekirei to make them weaker since they can hurt their Ashikabi with their natural strength. I think those designated as scraps were made that way because the adjustment process didn't succeed."
"Interesting…" Rin's anger faded a bit as she pondered the explanation I had given her, and I let out a quiet breath. Distraction successful. Her eyes widened as Akitsu used her Norito. "That's— territory creation! Are all Noritos like that?"
"No, Akitsu's is stronger. Probably because she was a scrap." On Saber's other side, Akitsu straightened a bit, looking proud of herself.
"Shirou, don't tell me you're about to fight those two on your own," Rin said, eyes narrowed as the me on screen ordered Akitsu to leave Ichiya and Toyotama alone.
"I won't tell you, then," I quipped.
Rin glared at me. Saber, meanwhile, bent over the screen, studying the fight intently. She nodded to herself as I used the surroundings to aid me. "I was under the impression that most Sekirei are not well trained."
"They aren't. These two were an exception."
"Shirou," Rin began, looking thoughtful, "did you develop the Jinki snatch-and-grab plan before or after this fight?"
"Before. Why?" I asked.
"Why are you showing off so much, then?" Rin pointed at the video, where I was fighting the two Sekirei. "Wouldn't it have been better to keep your head down and try to keep MBI from taking notice of you if you intend to run away from them?"
"That was actually part of my plan, to get their attention. I wanted them to be wary of me," I explained.
"Well, that seems stupid. It would've been easier to escape if they had no idea you were anything special." Rin folded her arms.
"Allowing one's opponents to overestimate you can be a viable strategy, but the same can be said of the reverse," Saber agreed, her eyes still trained on the battle. "I cannot tell which might be preferable in this case."
"You should have been keeping your head down so the Association didn't find you anyway— ouch." Rin winced as Kanshou sliced into Toyotama. "And you have a Sekirei with territory creation. Shouldn't that have been enough to take care of them?"
"I wanted to be the one to fight them. They didn't deserve anything less than a level five termination," I growled.
"They both helped blackmail Sekirei and force them to do Kakizaki and Higa's will," Matsu spoke up, defending my actions. "Shirou-tan first fought them when they were trying to capture Tsukiumi-tan so she could be winged."
"You can wing someone forcefully— Oh, don't tell me— " Rin interrupted herself, her eyes riveted to the screen.
"…Shirou, stabbing yourself is not a valid defensive technique," Saber said, shaking her head disapprovingly.
"It worked," I protested.
"Still, that is not an acceptable tactic. I have clearly been too lax with you." Saber gave me a dark look. "We shall— who is this?"
"That's Karasuba." Her entrance wasn't any less impressive on film than it had been in person. Watching her avoid Akitsu's attacks was equally amazing. I absentmindedly rubbed my knee as I watched myself block her attack. The memory of it made it sting.
"How bad was the injury?" Saber asked, her eyes flickering quickly over the screen.
"Shattered my knee," I admitted. We watched as first I threatened my own life, and then Kazehana made her move, taking Karasuba's own Ashikabi's life into her hands.
"Hm. What happens to a Sekirei when their Ashikabi is killed?" Rin asked.
"They're terminated," Matsu answered. Beside her, Akitsu shifted a bit, giving the tablet a disapproving look. I didn't think she was pleased that her own abilities had been outmatched so effortlessly.
Either that or she was upset about my injury.
"And threatening your own life stopped her how?" Rin asked as Matsu picked up the tablet and stopped the video.
"Musubi has an agreement with Karasuba to be the last two standing. At that time they're supposed to duel. If I went down, she wouldn't have that chance," I explained.
"I see."
"Kazehana showed good initiative," Saber reflected. "She must have combat experience."
I nodded, then glanced at my watch. "I only have a few more minutes before Seo is going to pick me up, so—"
"Matsu will explain the Discipline Squad," the hacker promised.
"How much practice did it take Tsukiumi and Akitsu to combining their powers like that?" Rin asked, glancing back at the screen.
"Well, we talked about it as a possibility before the fight, but they didn't have any time to practice." Rin and Saber both stared at me. "Ashikabi and Sekirei are linked by a psychic bond. It seems to help them work together. Having more Sekirei is supposed to make an Ashikabi more powerful. It's actually been helping with my circuits."
"A psychic bond?" To my surprise, Rin didn't look interested. She mostly looked worried. "Have you noticed any other effects besides on your circuits?"
"We all have moments where we react to each other without talking about it, or we say the same thing at the same time. I can't think of anything else at the moment." I shrugged. "It is helpful in fights."
"Karasuba was able to overcome even their combined attack, though," Matsu mused. "It'll be difficult to defeat her."
Because even if we did run, they might very well send Karasuba after us. One way or another, we would likely end up crossing swords with the Black Sekirei. And I didn't think Musubi would want it any other way.
"I shall be her opponent," Saber declared. Everyone turned to look at her. "I am your sword, Shirou. It is only appropriate."
"You're Rin's familiar now," I reminded her.
"I'll lend her to you. No interest even," Rin joked. "I think Saber's right, though — she's the one who has the best chance of beating her. I doubt this Karasuba has fought anyone on her level before."
I frowned, not liking it. I was about to protest, but a knock on the door interrupted me before I could. "Shirou-san, Seo-san is here," Musubi called.
I stood quickly, Akitsu following me a moment later. "I have to go. We'll talk later."
"We'll get the dishes," Rin promised.
"Matsu, is it possible to review the footage with Karasuba in it?" Saber asked. "I wish to study her style."
"Sure." Matsu started fiddling with the device as I moved towards the door. "I'll see if I can find any other videos with her in them."
I closed the door behind me and hurried downstairs, determined to make it to work on time. I'd have to talk to Saber about this when I got home. I didn't have any doubt in her abilities, but I didn't want her to underestimate Karasuba either. She was dangerous, and I didn't want Saber hurt.
By the end of my last job of the day, I was happy to be heading home, barely making it before dinner should have started. I hoped that either Rin or Miya had taken care of the meal preparation. As much as I loved to cook, I didn't want everyone to be hungry because I'd gotten back late.
"Why should I leave? Unlike you, I've been with Shirou for three years! If anyone should leave, it should be you!"
My eyes widened at Rin's shout, and I hurried into the dining room. Kazehana and Rin were standing close to each other, their shoulders tense. Rin's arms were folded across her chest, her head tilted up to glare at the taller woman.
"You underestimate the Sekirei bond. We will never leave our Ashikabi. " Kazehana's voice was cold.
"You think I'm going to leave Shirou? You have no idea what we've been through together!" Rin snapped, anger on her face.
I glanced around the room. Homura, Tsukiumi, Musubi, and Matsu were already here, all four seemingly frozen in shock. Saber stood next to Rin, clearly supporting her lover but not making a move to involve herself in the conversation. I stepped forward to break things up, but Saber caught my eye and shook her head slightly, indicating I should remain where I was.
"In case you haven't noticed, Shirou is human! A human bound into a series of relationships he entered under false pretenses!" Rin continued to yell. On the side of the room, Homura flinched and lowered her head. "Stop acting like you're closer to him than us. You don't know him at all!"
"Why are they fighting?" Musubi asked, so softly I barely caught it. "We all love Shirou-san!"
"Quiet!" Tsukiumi hissed, and I winced as Musubi deflated. This would be next to impossible for her to understand. I didn't even know what had caused the fight, but I could tell they were both very angry. This must have been building up since Rin and Saber got here.
"You have no idea what it's like to be a Sekirei. We would do anything for him," Kazehana proclaimed. "We love him, and he chose us."
"Chose you?" Rin sneered. "Don't make me laugh! He took five of you into his life without knowing what it meant, including taking on a psychic bond. Do you have any idea what that can do to someone's head? Of course you don't; you're only a Sekirei." Her voice was scathing. "Let me tell you something: Nothing like that comes for free. Everything has a price."
Regardless of what Saber wanted me to do, I couldn't let this continue. The last thing I wanted was to stand by and watch this. "Rin, Kazehana—"
Rin ignored me. "As for your so-called 'love,' I don't see much of that here. Love needs trust and partnership. All I'm seeing are crushes and physical attraction. If you really understood love, you'd understand why we wouldn't leave him alone in this— this mess of yours."
"Mess?" Kazehana hissed, her eyes bright with anger.
"Yes, mess!" Rin spat. "This ridiculous game he insists on playing to help keep you safe, at the expense of his own wellbeing."
"Rin! Kazehana!" I interjected, more firmly this time. "Stop!"
"Quiet, Shirou," Rin said dismissively, not even glancing at me. "Since you haven't taken care of this problem yet, I will."
I frowned. If they weren't going to listen to me, I had to break them up somehow. I began to summon my mask. "Arguing in Izumo House is strictly—"
But before it even manifested, I felt it flicker out of existence. Surprised, I looked around and saw that Miya had entered the room, holding Kuu's hand. She raised her eyebrows at me, and I knew she must have figured out the trick I'd used to cancel her own projection. It shouldn't have surprised me — she'd been using the technique for much longer than I had — but more importantly, why had she stopped me? She couldn't want the argument to go on.
"Partnership, you say? When you won't even allow Shirou-kun to speak?" Kazehana sniffed. "Go back to your school. We had no problems until you showed up and decided to change things. We're fine without you — better off, even."
"Fine?" Rin scoffed. "Clearly. Because Shirou's been attacked twice by magi, nearly killed, and the only one who seemed to do anything in either case was Akitsu. He's had a shattered knee and a spear in his gut!"
Yes, but it wasn't fair for the Sekirei to be blamed for that. "That's not their fault—"
Again I was ignored. "He'd have been crippled for life if Saber hadn't chosen to stay in this timeline — a choice she made partially because she loves him! Without her here, he can't heal himself!"
"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" Kuu shouted as she ran between the pair, apparently unable to watch the two fight any longer. "Just… stop. If you both love Oniichan, how can you do this to him? How can you make him hurt like this?"
Rin and Kazehana both glanced off towards where Kuu was gesturing at me. Rin's eyes darted off to the side, her mouth tightening. I knew that look. She didn't regret what she'd done, only that she'd gotten caught. Kazehana wore a similar expression, but I wasn't sure how repentant she was either.
An awkward silence fell over the room. "I'm home," I said, almost reflexively, into the dead air.
Kazehana snorted, and Rin rolled her eyes. "Clearly."
I moved towards the magus. "Rin, just calm down. Let's all sit down and talk this out—"
"Talk?" Rin echoed bitterly. "There's nothing to talk about as long as they—" she waved a hand at the room at large, encompassing the Sekirei "—seem to think a psychic bond is more important than a relationship we spent years working on." She turned back to Kazehana, fury in her eyes. "He wouldn't be standing here today if it weren't for Saber and me. We both saved his life long before he ever met you. Think about that the next time you're cooing over your 'precious Ashikabi.'" Rin spun on her heel and left the room, heading upstairs, Saber close behind.
I turned and followed them.
Saber paused as she heard footsteps behind her and turned to face the man she loved. "Shirou." She felt a flash of triumph at the sight of him. As a king, she knew she shouldn't, but Rin had spent the last few years encouraging her to act not as a ruler but as an ordinary person. She had thrown away her chance at a normal life when she had drawn the sword from the stone, but now, in this time, she had no kingdom to rule. She only had Shirou and Rin to watch over. She had come to know love and freedom of choice, as well as what it meant to be human rather than a figure of authority for her people. And as a woman, as Shirou's lover, she knew what his presence here meant.
He had followed his heart, moving instinctively as he so often did, and he had chosen them.
"Saber." He glanced over her shoulder at Rin, who hurried up the stairs, vanishing from his sight, and moved to pass Saber and ascend after her.
Though it pained her to do so, Saber moved into his path. "Shirou, you must first see to your household. When you have settled things with them, join us upstairs." He had a duty to these women who had pledged themselves to him, and the King of Knights knew duty better than most, having only moved beyond it these past four years. She would not keep him from his duty — would remind him of it if necessary.
But neither would she throw away her love.
"But Rin—" Shirou protested, looking torn. His eyes flickered between the stairs and the door behind him.
"Trust me to comfort her for now," Saber said softly. "It is enough that you followed us."
Shirou gave her a confused look and sighed. "All right. But I'll be up as soon as I can."
"I would expect nothing less." Saber watched him return to the dining room, then climbed the stairs, entering the room she shared with Rin. The magus stood staring defiantly at the wall, her shoulders tense, a suspicious gleam of moisture in her eyes.
Saber moved to her side and silently opened her arms. Rin stood firm for a moment, more for her pride's sake than any real reluctance, then moved into Saber's embrace, awkwardly cuddling into the shorter woman's shoulder. Saber held her tightly, gently rocking her as the tears began to fall. She wondered what Shirou would think if he knew how often this had happened in his absence. Rin had had to spend a lot of time suppressing her emotions in public while she'd fought for Shirou's case, but she was a passionate woman, and all those feelings couldn't be ignored forever. Sooner or later they bubbled to the surface, no matter the greater control she had gained as she'd grown older.
Just as they had today.
"And here I am, falling apart on you again. I'm pathetic," Rin grumbled.
"Being strong for you gives me strength," Saber said, pressing a kiss to Rin's hair. "Let us sit."
"You always say that. I still don't get it," Rin complained, but followed Saber's suggestion and grabbed a cushion.
"That does not make it any less true." Saber followed suit before taking Rin back into her arms. Saber always felt at her strongest when serving as a protector, a guardian. She hadn't been able to do much to help Rin in her work to save Shirou from the Association, but she had been able to hold her when the rage, pain, and, yes, grief, at their loss overwhelmed her. The situation they had found in Shin Tokyo had been completely unexpected and had turned what should have been a joyous celebration of Rin's victory sour.
They had spent the last year enduring trial after trial to bring Shirou home. They'd been emotionally exhausted when Rin had finally been granted control over Shirou's Sealing Designation, but also giddy with relief. The Sekirei situation had thrown them back into the situation they had been in for a year: kept from renewing their relationship with Shirou. Both had tried their best to grant his wish by getting along with the Sekirei, but it was difficult. Saber had found herself using those skills she'd learned as a king to hide her own pain. Rin had learned to better control her emotions somewhat, but eventually it had become too much for her. One careless remark from Musubi had been the final straw.
Saber wondered if she should have actively participated in the argument. They and Shirou had declared a rule that when two of them argued, the third remained outside of the fight. Thus, as it had only been Kazehana and Rin fighting, Saber had refrained from speaking. She knew that the fight would not likely help their cause in the long run, with the Sekirei or with Shirou.
That didn't mean that she didn't agree with Rin's words, however.
Rin fought with her breathing for a few minutes, finally managing to bring herself back under control. "I'm going to find a way," she declared, her voice bitter. "I'm going to make their— their little crushes vanish. Shirou doesn't know if he loves them. I'll find a way to send them away."
Saber doubted it would be that easy. In fact she strongly suspected that the Sekirei would be by Shirou's side for the rest of his life. Rin was an excellent magus, but she would do nothing to hurt Shirou, nor would she wish to cause injury to the child, at the very least. While Saber wasn't happy about it, she had accepted the situation with more grace. It was not the first time she'd been in a situation not to her liking. As a king she had faced many such predicaments; sometimes one had to make choices that were unpleasant to make the best of them.
And she rather thought the Sekirei could be… useful.
"I still can't believe the idiot got himself into multiple prana contracts without knowing what they were. Especially ones with psychic bonds." Rin spat the words as if they were a curse. "He really doesn't need something messing with his mind."
"We do not know the Sekirei's influence is to blame," Saber reminded her. She thought about what they'd learned before Rin had secured control of Shirou's Sealing Designation, disturbing facts that they had yet to share with Shirou, since they'd been so caught up with the Sekirei Plan and adjusting to Shirou's new circumstances. "There are other likely culprits."
"I know, I know. Damn that woman." Rin shifted to sit up, rubbing at red eyes. "But what we saw on that video this morning…"
"I agree. Perhaps I should retrieve Avalon for a time so that Shirou learned to properly defend himself," Saber said dryly.
Rin started, then hit her lightly on the shoulder. "I didn't mean that, and you knew it, Saber!"
"Yes, I did." The small smile that had appeared on her face while she teased Rin vanished.
The sight of Shirou smiling bloodthirstily at foes, relishing their coming deaths, would not leave her mind either.
"We still need more information. That could have been an isolated incident." Saber sighed. "Unfortunately, you have likely alienated those who might have been willing to share their insights," she gently chastised.
Rin flushed in embarrassment. "I know. I lost my temper." She crossed her arms. "But I'm not going to apologize. Everything I said was true."
"Then we shall have to hope that Shirou resolves the situation in our favor, so that we are able to question them on the matter. I believe Matsu and Homura are our best options," Saber said. The latter in particular seemed a good choice to her. Homura had shown glimpses of the virtues necessary for a knight, even if she had deceived Shirou about the nature of the Sekirei bond.
"If we're betting on Shirou to solve a social problem, we must be really desperate," Rin muttered, not looking hopeful.
"We shall have to discuss it with him. I told him to join us here when he had spoken with his household," Saber told her.
"Wait…" Rin froze, thinking. "You told him? But he…" She trailed off, realization dawning in her eyes.
"Yes, Rin." Saber smiled. "He followed us. I sent him back, but he was coming for you." Saber saw the same flash of pleasure she had felt in Rin's face. The magus knew what that meant, just as she did. "We have not lost him yet."
I returned to the dining room, looking around at the Sekirei. All of my girls seemed shaken by the events, except Kazehana, who continued to look angry. It seemed no one had moved during the minute or two I'd been missing, but the moment Kuu saw me she ran across the room, throwing herself onto my leg. I awkwardly picked her up, allowing her to wrap her arms tightly about me, before turning to look at the others.
"Not resolving discord between residents is strictly prohibited in Izumo House," Miya declared, though no Hannya accompanied the statement. Her eyes met mine. "You need to discuss the current situation with your Sekirei, Emiya-san. I will finish dinner." With that she left the room.
"Why don't we go out to the porch?" I suggested, mostly to spare Miya from hearing our conversation. I had the feeling it wouldn't be an entirely pleasant one.
Once we'd relocated, I carefully took a seat, making sure not to drop Kuu. The rest of my flock settled around me. Akitsu stayed close by at my right while Musubi took my left, Tsukiumi on her other side, a hand on the girl's shoulder in reassurance. Kuu, who was nearly in tears, sat in my lap, burying her head in my chest. I rubbed her back, trying to soothe her. She had never reacted so poorly to something like this, but I supposed if she was as strongly psychically gifted as Matsu said, it made sense that conflict, especially between those with strong emotions, would trouble her. Kazehana and Rin had both been clearly upset.
Matsu choose to sit opposite me, and Kazehana took the spot between her and Tsukiumi. Homura hesitated for a moment, then settled on Matsu's other side, completing the circle. I looked around at the women who were bound to me. All of them seemed uncertain and upset to a certain degree, though some of them showed it more than others. "I guess we should have sat down and talked about this," I said apologetically. Rin and Saber had insisted we discuss the situation when they'd first arrived, but I'd never given my flock the same chance.
I should have. They were as much a part of this as Rin and Saber were.
"No, Ashikabi-sama," Akitsu said softly, leaning against me in silent support.
I hesitated. While I was mostly focused on the fight between Kazehana and Rin, I did owe it to them that we talk about my girlfriends in general. "How do you all feel about this? Rin and Saber, I mean."
"Matsu likes Rin-tan, and Saber-tan seems like she's going to be a lot of help," Matsu answered immediately. She flicked a braid over her shoulder. "They're having a hard time adjusting, but Matsu thinks it'll work out in the end."
Next to her, Homura shifted. "Saber's fine. Rin's…"
"A bit scary?" I offered. She nodded. "Not the first time I've thought that," I reassured her, and she relaxed a bit. I couldn't blame her for that reaction. It was an honest one.
"Kuu likes Rin-neechan and Sa-neechan!" the little Sekirei declared, lifting her head from my shirt. "They're both really nice." She rubbed at her eyes a bit. "Kuu wishes Rin-neechan wouldn't yell, though."
"I'll make sure to tell her that," I promised. I glanced at Akitsu.
"As long as I can serve Ashikabi-sama, it does not matter," she declared.
I found myself jealous, just for a moment, of her confidence. "Tsukiumi?"
"Ah—" All of our eyes returned to Akitsu, who apparently wasn't quite done with her piece. A blush touched her cheeks. "Ashikabi-sama has been happier," she murmured.
"What?" I blinked, staring at her.
Matsu nodded in agreement. "Yes, Matsu thinks Akitsu-tan is right."
I was surprised. I hadn't noticed myself, but… I shook my head and turned back to the woman beside Musubi. "Tsukiumi?" I repeated.
The water user looked grave. She had remained quiet and subdued the last two days, ever since I had asked her to stop referring to herself as my wife. I had tried a few times to see what was bothering her, but she had rebuffed me every time. Now, though, Tsukiumi squared her shoulders and met my gaze steadily. "Do you regret winging us?" she asked, her voice serious.
I hesitated, instinctively glancing at Homura, who looked away. I was glad that she hadn't died, but the end result of her— his winging made me wonder if he would've preferred it. Kuu shifted in my lap to look up at me, and our eyes briefly met before I looked away. I was essentially married to a child. For now she thought of me as her older brother, but later? I didn't want to think of her growing up and becoming attracted to me. It was just wrong.
And that was saying nothing about what winging my Sekirei had done to Rin and Saber.
I looked back at Tsukiumi, noticed her tight lips, and realized that my hesitation had already given my answer for me. I scrambled to recover, trying to think of how to better explain what I felt. "I regret the pain it's caused," I finally said.
"Pain? What do you mean?" The water Sekirei's anger wasn't gone, but now she looked confused. Homura, on the other hand, just tightened her fists, undoubtedly knowing at least part of what I was thinking of.
"You didn't even want an Ashikabi," I reminded Tsukiumi. "Do you regret it?"
"O-of course not!" she declared. "As the strongest Sekirei, it is only natural that I have the strongest Ashikabi!"
"We all love Shirou-san, so it's fine!" Musubi chimed in. I wasn't quite sure she was following the conversation entirely, but at least she didn't seem so upset anymore.
"Oniichan is the best," Kuu said firmly.
"Matsu thinks Shirou-tan makes a wonderful Ashikabi," the hacker said. Besides me, Akitsu nodded in agreement. Homura stayed silent, shifting uncomfortably. I doubted she was without regrets, and I couldn't blame her. She was in a very awkward position.
"As if I'd ever regret having a relationship with you, Lover-kun." Kazehana smirked at me.
"Even with all the baggage I have?" I responded, looking around at the circle of Sekirei. "I haven't exactly made this easy on you." I had brought magi into their lives and nearly gotten them killed. My old lovers had come to find me, and only a little while ago, one of them had argued with one of my Sekirei. And that was saying nothing of my own mental state, something that had from time to time disturbed most of the members of my flock.
"Even so!" Musubi said cheerfully. "As long as we're all together, we can take care of anything, Shirou-san!"
I couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. Musubi really did just believe the best would come out in every situation. It could be annoying sometimes, but it was also endearing, I had to admit. I returned my attention to Kazehana. This was the most important conversation for tonight. "Kazehana, how do you feel about Rin and Saber being here?"
Kazehana paused for a moment before answering. "…Saber is fine. But Rin— she wants to change everything. She threatened to take you away from us." Something flashed in her eyes, too quickly for me to catch it. "Why did they come here, Shirou-kun? You said you'd broken up with them."
In part it had been because Rin had managed to gain power over my Sealing Designation, but that wasn't the real reason. And Kazehana — as well as the others — needed to know what it was, even if I was more than a little ashamed at what it revealed about myself. "They were always planning to find me," I admitted. "They didn't think we'd broken up."
All of my Sekirei looked startled. Matsu slowly began to smile. "Separated, but not broken. Sounds like something right out of a soap opera," she teased, though her voice was much softer than usual. "And then they found out their lover had moved on—"
"When I had no right to do so," I interrupted. "Rin promised to find a way for me to come home. I didn't believe in that." I sighed. "I've put you all in a very awkward place. I'm sorry."
"Shirou…" Tsukiumi seemed at a loss for words.
"No, you didn't." Homura straightened. "This is my fault. I didn't tell you what winging actually meant."
"You were a bit distracted at the time," I pointed out. I couldn't hold her circumstances against her.
"I could have told you later," Homura insisted, echoing Rin's own observation a few days ago. "I'm sorry."
"It doesn't matter," I replied firmly. "I would've tried to help you either way. I'm sorry about what happened with Rin. She's… she can be very…" I tried to find a word to describe Rin's occasionally explosive temper. "She can bottle things up and then it gets out of hand," I finally summarized. I hesitated before continuing, "Kazehana… you do need to be careful. Rin's an excellent magus. I don't think she'd hurt you intentionally, but sometimes when her temper gets the better of her she does things without thinking them through." I would forever remember the time she chased me around the school back during the Holy Grail War. While she hadn't really intended to kill me — I thought — it certainly could've happened by accident.
"She's only a human. There's nothing she could do to a Sekirei," Kazehana said, with the casual arrogance that seemed to be a common failing of her species.
"She's a magus, and a better one that me. And I can fight Sekirei," I reminded her. Yes, a normal human would pose no threat to a Sekirei. Kazehana, having killed many in defense of her race, undoubtedly knew that. But Rin was something else entirely.
"Can magecraft affect Sekirei bonds?" Matsu asked.
I blinked, a bit surprised by the sudden question. "Well, I know of at least one method that could sever a bond, but I don't know what type of affect it would have on Sekirei. While Rin doesn't know how to use that particular mystery, it doesn't mean she wouldn't know something else that might do something similar." I did not want things to come to a fight between Rin and Kazehana. Rin was a genius, and if she sought to dissolve the Sekirei bonds, I could almost guarantee she'd find a way. She had listened to my wish, but if Kazehana hurt her pride, she might do something she'd regret later. "It'd be better if you didn't provoke her," I warned.
Kazehana's lips twisted. "If you say so," she finally replied, clearly not happy about it.
"I'll tell Rin the same thing," I promised.
"Shirou-tan, Matsu thinks we're getting off the main point." The hacker sat up straighter, drawing everyone's attention to her. "This isn't really about us. It's about you. What do you want, Ashikabi-sama?"
I blinked at her in surprise. She rarely used my title; the way she had addressed me made it seem almost like a formal request. But I couldn't agree with what she had said. "No, it is about you too. You've all gotten dragged into this because of me. You're a part of it," I insisted.
Homura glanced at Matsu, shook her head. "No, Shirou. I'm going to agree with Matsu. You were pulled into the Sekirei Plan because of us, not the other way around. We owe you."
"It is our duty as your wives to help you in any way we can," Tsukiumi declared, "but Matsu is right. We cannot do so if we do not know what you want."
Beside me, Akitsu nodded again in agreement. Kuu and Musubi both beamed at me. I hesitated, then admitted, "I just want all of you to be happy. You and Rin and Saber."
"Is that really it, Ashikabi-sama?" Matsu said, still retaining her formal air.
I ran the Matsu's words through my head again and frowned a little, realizing what must have happened. I knew that Matsu had cameras in my room; I'd used them myself to review the strange incident with Yume's spirit. Between referencing magecraft that could sever Sekirei bonds and asking me what I wanted, I could only conclude she must've watched the discussion between myself, Rin, and Saber. I'd suspected she'd looked in on us Monday night, but the idea of her watching and listening that closely felt like a violation of privacy — not so much my own, but definitely Rin and Saber's.
Then again, these Sekirei had sworn themselves to me for life. Maybe they had as much of a right to know as Rin and Saber did.
"I don't want to have to choose," I said, repeating what I had told my girlfriends.
"Choose?" Musubi asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Between you and Rin and Saber," I clarified. "I want all of you to get along, to be happy."
"Why would you need to?" Musubi blinked. "We all love you."
I sighed. Musubi's fixation was sweet in a way, but it made having a serious conversation about this difficult. I was beginning to wonder if I was this bad with my own distortion. If so, I owed Rin and Saber something for putting up with me. Maybe homemade chocolates? They both liked those. "I'll have to if you can't all be happy together," I told her.
"Matsu is willing to do anything to help Rin-tan and Saber-tan settle in," the hacker put in. "Matsu would rather have Shirou-tan part of the time than none of the time."
I frowned. "Matsu, I didn't choose—"
"Yes, you did, Shirou-tan," Matsu said gently. "Shirou-tan went to them first. That's okay. Matsu knows that Shirou-tan is human, and so are Rin-tan and Saber-tan. Shirou-tan was with them for a long time but has only known his Sekirei for less than a year. Matsu has learned that humans need more time to love than Sekirei, and that's okay." Some of her seriousness faded, and she smiled. "We just have to make it so Shirou-tan can have all of the people he loves together."
"I hadn't— I didn't—" I hadn't meant that when I'd followed Rin and Saber from the room. I'd just seen Rin in pain and wanted to stop it. Nothing else had passed through my mind. "I wasn't choosing," I insisted. "And if having Rin and Saber here makes you all unhappy…" I bit my lip. Saber was right. I had a duty towards my flock, and if her and Rin's presence disrupted that, I'd have to part ways with my girlfriends. After the last few days, though, I couldn't imagine never seeing them again. Maybe I could see if I could find somewhere else for them to stay, so that they wouldn't have to see Sekirei as often, and then we could go back to London together after the Sekirei Plan had concluded. It wasn't something I wanted to consider, but if I wanted everyone to be happy, it might be the best option.
"But a Sekirei can't be happy if their Ashikabi is miserable!" Musubi said, almost fierce. "So we all need to work to make Shirou-san happy. I'm sure we can do it if we do it for you!"
"I can't force you to like them," I said, looking at Kazehana. "Just… try to be civil? Please?"
The wind user sighed. "If you insist." She didn't look satisfied with this resolution. It wasn't great, but I'd take it for now. Anything that didn't lead to another fight like tonight would be good.
Kuu jumped off my lap and ran back into the house. I looked after her in concern, but she didn't seem upset, only determined, so I didn't chase her.
"Shirou," Tsukiumi spoke up again, her expression serious again. "Was what Rin said true? About them saving your life?"
"Yes," I admitted. "Multiple times." I never would've survived the Grail War without Saber and Rin. While it was true I'd done nearly as much to help them, they'd both made sacrifices on my behalf before we'd even really known each other. Saber's sheath had saved my life before I'd even become Emiya Shirou, and Rin had sacrificed her father's legacy to heal me after Lancer's fatal blow. Things had only gotten more complicated after that.
Tsukiumi sat in silence again for a minute or so. I waited, recognizing the look in her eyes from the last few days. She was thinking of something, but I knew now I couldn't rush her. Finally she nodded to herself. "Then we owe them. If it were not for their actions, we would never have had you as our Ashikabi, and we someone else might have forced us to become their Sekirei." She straightened. "As the strongest Sekirei I shall do all I can to repay our debt."
"That's really not necessary," I hastened to assure her.
"But it is," Tsukiumi insisted. She colored and looked away. "Even if I would have been able to do it myself, you did defeat those who were trying to take me by force. S-So I am going to do this for you!"
Tsunderes. I didn't think I'd ever really understand them. "Thank you." I couldn't really say more than that. I turned my attention back to Kazehana. Of all of my flock, she was the one who was having the worst time adjusting to Rin and Saber's presence, and I needed to know why. "Kazehana, how did the fight—"
"Matsu thinks Shirou-tan should head up to talk to Rin-tan and Saber-tan now," the hacker interrupted. "Dinner will be ready soon."
Matsu was right, but it was more than a little suspicious that she'd spoken up just then. I hadn't forgotten how she'd manipulated me into revealing the nature of the Holy Grail War, and for a moment I hesitated. But she was right, and I needed to talk to them before dinner. "I'll be down in a bit, then." I stood and headed upstairs, passing Kuu, who was returning to the dining room with one of her stuffed cats. I turned and saw her head to Kazehana, offering the plush toy to her before giving her a hug. A smile tugged at my lips as I started to climb the stairs. Akitsu was by my side, as usual, but Matsu fell into step too. "Matsu?"
"Matsu knows Shirou-tan needs to talk to Kazehana-tan, but Matsu thinks Shirou-tan should do it when they're both alone," she said.
I nodded. It was a good idea, but of course the problem was getting some time alone. "I guess I'll have to wait until Saturday, then." Saturday was Kazehana's night, though I didn't like the idea of letting it wait that long.
"Leave it to Matsu, Shirou-tan. Matsu has an idea," the hacker assured me.
"Right." I paused upon reaching the second floor. "You watched my conversation with Rin and Saber on Monday night."
"Yes, Shirou-tan," she admitted. "Matsu thought the others needed to know what Shirou-tan wanted too."
That might be true, but it still made me uncomfortable. "Listening to private conversations that include Rin and Saber is prohibited," I intoned. Matsu reflexively flinched, though I did not summon my mask. "I want you to remove your cameras and mikes from their room, and any footage of the three of us in mine is to be deleted as soon as possible."
Matsu didn't look happy. Considering how much she used the cameras to keep an eye on the house, I could understand why, but I wasn't letting that happen again. Rin and Saber wouldn't take it well, and I couldn't blame them. "All right, Shirou-tan," she finally agreed. "Matsu will do it tomorrow and delete the files she already has after dinner."
I felt my shoulders relax a bit. I had hoped Matsu would be reasonable, but considering some of her more underhanded moves in the past I hadn't been sure. I glanced at Akitsu and motioned for her to remain outside before I knocked on Rin and Saber's door. "It's me."
"Come in, Shirou," Saber called. I entered. The pair were sitting together on the floor, their fingers twined together.
I moved over to sit with them. My stomach clenched as I noticed Rin's red eyes and the tears lingering on her face. I didn't know if they were tears of anger or loss, but I knew she was hurting. I could count on one hand how many time I had seen her cry and have fingers left over. I reached out to hold them both tightly. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your— well, I suppose it kind of is," Rin grumbled. She buried her head in my chest. "Stupid Shirou. How could you get yourself into this mess again?"
I knew the question was more rhetorical than something I needed to answer, so I just kissed the top of her head. "I just wish I could make it easy for you."
"The entire situation is difficult. It would be better if we had had some more time to recover before having encountered it," Saber admitted.
"Recover?" I asked. "Were you hurt?"
"Of course we were, Shirou. We were hurt deeply when you left," Saber answered, sitting back. "The past year has been very trying, and I am afraid neither of us are feeling particularly magnanimous or patient with the current situation as a result."
I shifted to let Rin sit back as well so I could look at them both. I really had no idea what they had gone through in the last year. I'd asked them a few questions, but we'd mostly been working on getting them up to speed on the Sekirei Plan. I knew that the current situation had hurt them both, but I didn't know what I could do.
This was why my wish was impossible. This was why I didn't deserve it.
"Do you want to leave?" I asked, almost reflexively. "I can't, but you could."
"We are not leaving you, Shirou. Do not ask again," Saber said sternly. "We will deal with the current situation."
"Saber's right. It's just…" Rin crossed her arms and looked away from me. "I hate this," she said bitterly. "I hate this whole situation. I hate having to share you, I hate the stupid schedule, I hate that they act like they're equal to us when they've barely spent any time with you. We've given up more for each other than they can dream of, but they act like their stupid bond is the same as all that!" Rin paused, her breathing elevated, her hands clenched into fists. "And the worst part is…" She ground her teeth in frustration. "I've never seen you so happy!"
"What?" I asked, startled.
Rin turned her head back to glare at me. "You're happy! You're smiling more, and you're more relaxed than ever, even with all of this going on! It has to be the Sekirei's fault. What else could it be?"
I immediately shook my head in denial. "That's not true, Rin."
"I agree that Shirou is happier here than he was in London before he left," Saber began. "However, Rin, I believe you are wrong. There are many things that could be causing Shirou's mood to improve."
"Like what?" Rin grumbled.
"Not only is he is back in his home country, but Izumo House is very similar to the Emiya home and is likely soothing to him." I nodded in agreement, knowing I had felt that the minute I'd first walked around this place. "In addition, while he does have to concern himself with the Sekirei Plan, he does not have to deal with Clock Tower politics, with which he was never comfortable. This is much more of his area of expertise. Furthermore, he has people to protect—" Saber paused, and added with a smile "—not to mention a much larger kitchen than the one in London."
"Only you would think that was important," Rin grumbled, but she was fighting a smile herself.
"Well, it is a really nice kitchen," I admitted. "Actually, though… Akitsu was just saying she thinks I've been happier since you came." Both Rin and Saber looked at me in surprise. "She's around me the most, so she's probably right."
"Leaving aside potential outcomes, positive or negative, of the Sekirei bond's influence on Shirou's mind, its existence certainly does not mean that he does not need us," Saber added.
I glanced at her. What did she mean by the bond being a negative thing? Saber shook her head, glancing at Rin. I nodded and let the topic go. Right now we needed to focus on Rin, but I'd have to talk about it with her later.
"So, Shirou, do you still need us?" Rin moved out of my embrace to cross her arms, glaring at me.
Of course I did. Rin and Saber and I had helped each other through so much. Just having them here the last few days had made me aware of how much I had missed them, needed them in my life. I knew something that would make Rin feel better, even if my pride would suffer for it. "Well… the other day I was trying rune combinations I got off the digital workshop and managed to cause an explosion," I said, a bit sheepishly.
"…Shirou, I was under the impression you didn't have a workshop anymore. Didn't you destroy it in your fight with the Fraga?" Rin asked.
"Yes—" Here it came.
"You were practicing experimental magecraft without a workshop!?" Rin dropped her forehead into her hand. "Please tell me you didn't blow up anything important."
"Just some dirt," I reassured her. "I was out where we did our running yesterday."
"You're lucky you didn't blow up your head, you idiot," Rin grumbled. Her fingers interlaced with mine. "Avalon won't fix everything."
"I know." I leaned over and kissed her. "Are you feeling any better?"
"Not really," she admitted. "I'm still hoping we'll be able to win the Sekirei Plan and then go home. And leave them here. What about you, Saber?"
"Some of your companions are not disagreeable, but I agree that it would be easier if they were not your lovers." Saber moved closer to Rin, wrapping one arm around her shoulders. "It is difficult to think of them in such fashion."
I wish I had some way to resolve this situation. If I'd had Command Spells I would've used them in a heartbeat, but there was nothing I could do about it. So I steered the subject towards something a bit lighter. "Can I make you something special for dinner, at least?"
Rin chuckled. It was a bit weak, and held an undercurrent of hurt, but it was good to hear all the same. "Comforting people with food. That's so like you."
"I believe Miya was already preparing dinner," Saber interjected. "It would not be wise to waste her efforts."
"Breakfast, then?" I promptly offered.
"…Pancakes," Rin finally decided. "Lots of different kinds."
I nodded, glad that I'd practiced more Western dishes when we were in London. "Do you want to come down for dinner now?"
"Perhaps we should remain here and eat later," Saber said, glancing at Rin.
"No, we go now." Rin raised her chin. "I'm not letting them keep me in here."
"Right." Then I hesitated. I hated to do it, but I had to. I couldn't just ask my Sekirei to adjust to Rin and Saber. I had to stand up for them as well. "Rin, I need you to apologize."
"Why?" Rin snapped. "I didn't say anything that wasn't true."
"Maybe not, but you scared Kuu," I said. "She doesn't like it when you yell."
"…I'll apologize to her, then." Rin folded her arms. "But I didn't say anything to Kazehana I didn't mean."
"Please, Rin?" I begged. "I already talked to Kazehana about it, and I asked her not to start anything. Things will be a lot calmer if you both promise to do the same thing."
"I don't want to—"
"Rin." Saber's tone was disapproving.
Rin flushed, then exchanged a long look with Saber. The swordswoman arched an eyebrow at her, and Rin rolled her eyes. I could tell they were silently discussing something, though not what. An uneasy feeling settled in the pit my stomach. I had seen them do this before — for that matter, I had often participated — but I had never been completely unable to follow these exchanges. The year apart had created a distance between us, and frankly, I didn't like it.
Rin seemed to finally give in, crossing her arms. "Fine." She shot me a sharp look. "But I'm not doing it for her."
"Thank you." I kissed her, then opened the door. "Let's head down now. I'll ask Musubi to go—"
"Go where, Shirou-san?" Musubi asked cheerfully.
I blinked, looking out into the hallway. Akitsu was still there, which I'd expected, but Matsu had remained as well, and the pair had been joined by Musubi, Kuu, and Tsukiumi. "…shopping, after dinner," I managed to finish. "I'm going to make a special breakfast tomorrow."
"Okay, Shirou-san!" Musubi smiled brilliantly. "Are you all ready for dinner now?"
"…definitely distorted," Rin murmured beside me, just loud enough I could hear. I nodded in response to both her observation and Musubi's question.
Kuu came forward, the determined expression back on her face. She offered Rin the plush cat she held in her arms. "Have a meow-meow to hold and feel better, Rin-neechan," Kuu declared. Rin reflexively took the toy and held it awkwardly, and Kuu hugged her. "Rin-neechan and Fuu-neechan should play meow-meow together so they can become friends!"
Somehow I thought it would take more than that. To her credit, however, Rin didn't respond to Kuu's comment except to pat her awkwardly on the head, still holding the toy. "I'm sorry I yelled, Kuu-chan," she said. "I'll try not to do it again."
"Thank you, Rin-neechan!" Kuu beamed.
Tsukiumi stepped forward, bowing. "I apologize for the pain our household has caused you." I blinked at her, surprised, but then remembered how she had treated Karasuba once she'd gotten over the shock of her being here. Tsukiumi did take her position as a 'wife' very seriously. "In addition, I wish to thank you for the gift of our Ashikabi's life. I, Tsukiumi, will do all that I can to repay our debt."
"Ah, thank you for Ashikabi-sama," Akitsu said, a moment behind her.
"We didn't do it for you," Rin grumbled, but between the cat and Kuu, who was still holding onto her, she didn't come across as particularly intimidating. "You don't owe us anything."
"Yes, we do," Tsukiumi said firmly. "If you had not saved his life, we might have been winged by another. One who is not as kind. Please tell me of anything I can do to help you in any way."
I gave Tsukiumi and Akitsu a warm smile in thanks. Tsukiumi flushed and looked away. Akitsu didn't say anything, only moving to her usual place by my side. "It'll just be flab on her mind if you refuse," I joked to Rin.
"Very funny." Rin shot me a look, then shrugged. "Okay."
"And after dinner, we'll start on Rin's own workshop!" Matsu grinned. Normally we'd go for a run around this time, but it had started pouring as I'd come home. We could run in the rain, but I didn't want to get my Sekirei soaked if it wasn't necessary. The last thing I needed was for them to catch cold.
"You just want to make me work with computers some more." Rin managed to carefully extract herself from Kuu and tried to hand the toy back, but the young Sekirei would have none of it, insisting she keep it.
"Of course!" Matsu said gleefully. "Rin-tan makes the most amusing faces when something doesn't work the way she expects it to. Besides, getting an old system to work with a new one is important, isn't it?"
Rin paused, giving Matsu a considering look. "…I suppose."
I wonder if Matsu meant what I'd thought she did. Magi were fairly good at picking up on implication, mostly because so much of their work involved things beyond normal human experience. And that one hadn't been particularly subtle, either.
"In any case, Rin-tan should feed Shirou-tan at dinner!" Matsu suggested, smirking. "That always makes Tsukiumi-tan feel better."
"Shirou's not a baby bird!" Rin rolled her eyes.
"And what is that supposed to mean, Matsu?" Tsukiumi demanded.
"Come on, let's go downstairs." I gestured. "It's way too tight in the hallway with this many people."
Kuu promptly let go of Rin and latched onto Saber's hand, leading her downstairs. I decided to follow her example and took Rin's in mine, making her blush. "Sh-Shirou—"
I ignored her protest, leading her downstairs to the dining room. Rin's fingers tightened briefly on mine as she saw Kazehana, and then she pulled free of me, moving to stand in front of the wind Sekirei. They stared at each other for a long moment before Rin spoke, her voice cool. "I apologize for speaking in a belligerent tone. While nothing I said was untrue, I am willing to propose a truce for Shirou's sake."
I started to feel a headache coming on, and bit back a sigh. That had not been what I'd meant when I'd told Rin to apologize. That sort of backhanded insult was right out of her time in the Clock Tower. I had a feeling this wouldn't end well.
"And I'm sorry you can't understand our relationship with Lover-kun," Kazehana purred. "However, for our Ashikabi's sake, I agree."
And that didn't sound particularly promising either. Rin returned to my side, sitting at my right. I turned, expecting to see Kuu at my left, but she had moved over one place, giving Saber the spot next to me. I thanked her. It was nice to have Saber beside me again. For several minutes an uncomfortable silence hung over the table, so I hunted for a neutral topic. "I'm making pancakes tomorrow. What kinds do you want?"
"What kinds can you make, Shirou-san?" Musubi asked, looking interested.
I began to list things I'd done before and new ideas I could try tomorrow. The topic of pancakes gradually gave way to food in general, something everyone could talk about without incident. By the end of dinner the room was noticeably less tense, much to my relief. I helped clean up, then headed upstairs with Rin and Saber, again taking Rin's hand in mine. As we headed out, Kazehana paused, looking at our clasped hands. The same expression I'd seen her wear earlier reappeared. This time, however, it stayed just long enough for me to be able to recognize it for what it was.
Fear.
I knew then that I had to talk to her as soon as possible. I couldn't wait for Matsu's plan, and I couldn't wait until Saturday. I could think of many reasons why someone should be wary of Rin, but none that could explain the apprehension I'd briefly seen in Kazehana's eyes.
I couldn't let something like that stand.
Notes
Okay, we're pretty sure there's going to be a lot of strong reactions to this chapter. It is our hope, though, that you'll read these notes to understand some of our reasoning before leaving a review.
First of all, we're not trying to bash Kazehana. She has a very good reason for reacting the way she is here. If you know her backstory you can probably figure out part of it. We're going to get more into Kazehana's reasons for her actions next chapter, but it didn't seem right to have Shirou interrogate her in front of everyone.
Rin and Saber's presence acts as a catalyst. They're completely outside the Sekirei Plan, and they're both the type to challenge things. In addition, their relationship with Shirou is inherently different than Shirou's with his Sekirei, not only in terms of the time they've been together but also in terms of the work they've put into strengthening the emotional aspects of their relationships. It's certainly possible for the Sekirei's relationships with Shirou to deepen to that point, but they need to work more to get there.
By allowing Rin and Saber to stay, we've put the Sekirei into a situation completely outside of their canonical source material. So yes, things are going to change, and part of that change is hurt. Tsukiumi is smacked down for the wife comment. Kazehana is afraid she'll lose her Ashikabi.
But part of that change is also good. All the Sekirei get a chance to talk to Shirou about their relationship and find out what he wants. They begin to have chances to show other sides. We really want to develop their characters some more, and getting them more
As for the argument itself, Saber and Miya don't interfere because both have been involved in organizations as leaders. They recognized that this needed to come out and be dealt with. Kuu, on the other hand, canonically breaks up fights/arguments. Since she didn't develop the habit of carrying around potted plants in IF, we had her physically intervene.
We also introduce the first interlude here. While we had originally planned on trying to stay to the Shirou-only POV of In Flight, we realized this limited how much we could show of the others' emotions. Saber, in particular, is known for locking them down. Expect to see these not only from Rin and Saber, but also focusing on the various Sekirei.
Finally, on the topic of Sekirei bonds. We are going to be examining the Ashikabi-Sekirei relationship in a more serious manner than it is presented in Sekirei (more of a Nasuverse/Fate view). We will not, however, be following the same end as Zero Wings (if you read that on the forum) so if you didn't like ZW for that reason, you don't have to worry about that. However, if you don't like the idea of the fated aspect of the Ashikabi-Sekirei relationship being questioned, you may not want to continue to read the story.
EDIT: Nice catch by GlaringEyes about Musubi having mentioned pancakes in IF. We'd forgotten about that. The chapter has been edited accordingly.