Disclaimer: Sekirei and all associated characters and symbols are the exclusive property of Sakurako Gokurakuin and her associates. Fate/stay night and all associated characters and symbols are the exclusive property of Type-Moon and its associates. The story "In Flight" is written by Gabriel Blessing. No financial gain is intended or made by this story.

Friday morning's breakfast was delayed so I could go to the store with Musubi and Tsukiumi and get ingredients not only for Rin's pancakes but also for the various baked goods for the Discipline Squad. Despite that, however, the pancakes went over extremely well. Of course, this was somewhat problematic as all the residents of Izumo House declared I must make them again. With only one of me and nearly a dozen mouths to feed, making that many pancakes was a sizable chore. Every time I'd bring a new batch out to the table, the plate that had borne the last one would be clean even of crumbs, and everyone would be sitting impatiently, waiting to fall upon the next stack like a pack of ravening wolves.

I started saving myself a couple from each batch after the second or third. When I finally finished cooking and got the chance to eat, Rin was pleased to sit at my right, Matsu having changed the whiteboard this morning to give her table privileges for the day.

Her night rights, however, had gone to Kazehana. My eyes had widened when I'd seen that. Matsu had just smiled and pointed out that I'd be able to speak to her alone then. The problem with this plan was that I was fairly certain Kazehana wouldn't want to talk at all. I also didn't like the idea of waiting until tonight to have this conversation. If I could do it earlier today, I would.

At the moment, however, that was a challenge for later. Right now I was trying to supervise the kitchen. Tsukiumi, Musubi, and Kuu were cleaning up the breakfast dishes. Homura had vanished after heating the first sinkful of water, much to Tsukiumi's annoyance, and Matsu had wandered off as well. Kazehana and Akitsu were busy gathering tools and ingredients for me, Akitsu moving at her usual deliberate pace while Kazehana danced lightly around the other Sekirei. It was getting ridiculously crowded, but I found I didn't mind.

I looked over the recipe Matsu had found for me. While I knew good ones for apple tarts, strawberry shortcake, and banana nut muffins, I had never made pineapple upside-down cake, so I needed something to guide my first effort. Baking multiple desserts together would require careful timing as well as help. I got to work mixing, stirring, and chopping, directing my assistants as I did. With this many things to make, there was no way I could finish them all by myself before lunch.

Tsukiumi ended up more or less attached to the sink, washing the mound of dishes that I was quickly creating, with Musubi drying them. Akitsu proved to be excellent at slicing fruit. Kuu was more than happy to stir anything I handed her, though I had to make sure she wasn't so enthusiastic that she ended up spilling things. Kazehana ended up gathering and measuring ingredients for the next recipe while I was prepping whatever stage I was on.

I had never baked so much at once, and I found it both invigorating and challenging. When the strawberry shortcake finally went into the oven, I vacated the kitchen for the first time in hours while Tsukiumi and Musubi finished up the last of the dishes. I'd offered to help, but Tsukiumi had chased me off, insisting that they had it under control and it was my job as their Ashikabi to relax for once.

Akitsu followed me out. Kuu wandered off, and Kazehana looked about ready to do the same. Seeing my chance, I quickly caught her attention. "Kazehana, let's go up to my room."

"Oh? Want to get an early start on tonight, Lover-kun?" Kazehana smirked, stretching sensuously.

My eyes reflexively dropped past her face for a moment before I firmly reminded myself I had a purpose. "We need to talk about yesterday."

Kazehana's eyes went flat. "I don't think that's necessary. I can think of much more enjoyable things to do with our time."

"But I do think it's necessary," I said firmly. "I didn't get a chance to ask you about it then. We need to talk now."

Kazehana sighed, but nodded in agreement. I asked Akitsu to start on her chores, and then we headed upstairs, where I set out cushions for both of us. "So. How did the argument start?"

"Musubi asked Rin who would be using their table privileges. Rin expressed dissatisfaction with the whiteboard system in general." Kazehana smoothed a piece of hair behind her ear.

That seemed like a real minor thing to start an argument over. I remembered what Saber said yesterday, that she and Rin were emotionally exhausted from all they'd gone through to gain control of my Sealing Designation. It seemed Musubi's cheerful acceptance of their situation had been the last straw for Rin.

Still, I had a feeling there was more to Kazehana's reactions than that, so I probed a bit further. "It just seems odd. You're having the hardest time adjusting to them being here. I don't want you to be afraid of them."

"Rin comes and threatens to take my Ashikabi, you tell me she might actually be able with her magic, and I'm supposed to not be afraid?" Kazehana asked, her eyes narrowing.

I winced. Okay, I'd only made things worse. "She won't do it, I promise. I won't let her," I swore. I had no idea what that would do to a Sekirei, but I didn't want to find out. "She couldn't do something like that without consequences, and if I wasn't actively involved it would probably hurt me too. She won't put my safety at risk." Not willingly, I thought. "I just don't want you to provoke her, because things can get nasty when she loses her temper."

"I can handle her if she does," Kazehana said confidently.

"The last time she did she managed to destroy a penthouse suite, several staircases, and part of a lobby," I warned.

Kazehana actually looked impressed. "Well. I can't say I'd have thought her capable of that."

"She's a lot more dangerous than she looks. In any case, though, you've been upset since they got here. Why?" Seeing her hesitate, I added, "I'm just worried about you, and I want to do everything I can to make this work. I'd appreciate your honesty."

"Well." Kazehana folded her arms. "Partially it's that they've been changing so many things. They seem to object to everything about our household life, especially Rin."

This wasn't particularly surprising. Rin was pretty used to getting her own way, and was quite fond of voicing her opinion when she didn't. Sometimes excessively. Usually I enjoyed bickering with her and resisting giving in right away, but the last couple days I'd refrained from doing so. Mostly because her suggestions had made sense, and I hadn't wanted to upset her when I knew she was doing her best to adjust to my new circumstances.

Then again, maybe it would've made her feel better if we'd squabbled instead. Sometimes Rin and I had a strange relationship.

"And…" Kazehana hesitated. "There was another man that I reacted to, once," she said quietly. "Someone I wanted to be my Ashikabi. He refused me because he loved another woman. In the end, however, she shut him out of her life, leaving him alone. He still wants to be with her, but she won't hear a word of it." She looked fierce, holding my shoulders tightly. "I won't let that happen to you. I won't!"

"You… reacted to someone else?" I blinked, surprised by that piece of information. I hadn't even known it was possible for a Sekirei to react to multiple people, though I supposed it made sense. Their species wouldn't stand a chance if they could only be with one person.

Though they presumably could still settle for something less, if they could be winged by force.

"Yes," Kazehana confirmed.

Interesting. I'd thought that perhaps she'd loved someone who couldn't have been an Ashikabi, but that didn't seem to be the case. "Maybe that's why you're having such a hard time with Rin and Saber. Because I'm not supposed to be your Ashikabi," I mused aloud.

"No!" Kazehana reared back as if I'd struck her. "Shirou, I chose you. You are my Ashikabi!"

Some part of me wondered if she really had; every time I'd encountered an unwinged Sekirei, they'd reacted far more strongly to me than was apparently normal. "Even so, Rin and Saber wouldn't do that to me," I told her. "They came back for me. In fact, I think it's way more likely they'd put a leash on me than push me away or try to hurt me." I was touched by Kazehana's concern, though. I understood that she might feel threatened by Rin and Saber's presence, but I hadn't considered that she might've been trying to protect me as well. "They're important to me. I'm not asking you to like them, but try to get along?"

"I promised I would," Kazehana reminded me. "But if she starts something—"

"I understand." I hesitated. It didn't seem fair that I was asking so much of her and doing nothing in return. I just couldn't be comfortable with getting something for free. "Is there any way I can help?" Kazehana gave me a confused look. "Something I can do for you. What do you need?"

Kazehana smiled, her serious mood vanishing in a flash. "I need what every Sekirei needs, Lover-kun," she purred, and moved closer, lightly running one finger down my chest. "I need my Ashikabi to want me, and I need to be of use to him. I've waited a long time to share everything with you." Her smile turned into a smirk. "It's early, but perhaps you'd be willing to start now?"

I swallowed hard, feeling my heart begin to race. There was no doubt exactly what Kazehana intended. She leaned over to kiss me—

—and someone knocked on my door. Kazehana's eyes flashed in irritation as she sat back.

"Shirou, do you have a moment?" Saber called.

I glanced at Kazehana, who shrugged, looking for all the world as if we hadn't just been interrupted. I shoved down any feelings of annoyance before replying. "Sure."

Saber entered, Rin a step behind her. And then, to my surprise, came Homura as well as Matsu and Akitsu, all five looking grave. "Um… give me a minute." I quickly laid out more places to sit, though Homura opted to take a place against the wall instead. "What's wrong?"

"We need to have a discussion about your association with some of your father's former contacts. Particularly your relationship with Silvia Odell." Saber settled into her seat.

I sighed. "We had this fight already, Saber. We don't need to have it again."

"Who is this Silvia Odell?" Kazehana asked, glancing between Saber and me.

"An acquaintance of my father's," I explained. "She helped train me in combat techniques back at the Clock Tower. If it wasn't for her I would've had a much harder time dealing with the Sekirei Plan and escaping London."

Odell wasn't a magus but a spellcaster like me. For those of us who focused on combat applications of magecraft, she was an extremely valuable resource. Her particular expertise allowed her to send people into trances where they experienced something between a vision and a dream. Within, the person could fight through a variety of situations, gaining knowledge of how to deal with everything from hostage situations to infiltrating an area protected by a magus's wards. It let you to learn in a few months what would take you years under normal circumstances.

She'd approached me a few months after Rin and I had arrived in London, offering to help me. She'd apparently known Kiritsugu and owed him a favor, one she'd passed on to me. I'd been more than happy to accept. Her sessions were normally fairly expensive, way more than I could've paid for on my own. More importantly, though, the skills she offered were priceless for me to continue on my path.

As much I loved Saber and Rin, and valued the skills they had helped me refine, they didn't have all the knowledge I needed in this era. Saber had been a king; she'd fought on the front lines of large-scale military conflicts, or she'd fought supernatural creatures one-on-one. And while Rin was a brilliant magus, and a fairly decent fighter on her own, she was focused more on academic pursuits than paramilitary ones. I needed to know how to sneak into places, how to achieve my objective with minimal force, and how to avoid being noticed by the local authorities, and none of these were things my girlfriends could teach me.

Saber and Rin had not been pleased that I'd gone to sessions with Odell even after they'd voiced their objections. We'd fought so badly that I'd almost given in, but I knew I'd needed those skills to be able to chase after my dream. In all honesty, that fight had been the first time I'd ever really been afraid that our relationship wouldn't make it.

"Why did you fight about it, then?" Kazehana looked between Saber, Rin, and me. "It sounds like it was a good thing that Lover-kun learned from her."

"She wouldn't tell Shirou the exact nature of her magecraft," Rin answered, "but more importantly, he basically opened up his head to her and let her do whatever she wanted."

"You can't expect someone to tell you all the details about their magecraft," I pointed out. "You wouldn't either."

"Yeah, but I don't go mucking around in other people's heads," she countered, "especially under false pretenses." Her face was serious. "Did you know Odell never met Kiritsugu Emiya?"

"What?" I stared. The entire reason she'd worked with me was because of her relationship with my father. "That doesn't make any sense."

"It doesn't, does it?" Rin sighed. "When you left, you absolutely refused to let us go with you, no matter what arguments we made. It shocked us. We'd heard some rumors of strange things happening on the trips you took — things we never thought you'd do — but we hadn't seen anything ourselves before that. I wondered if something was changing you, and the only person I could think of was Odell. So we went to see her—"

"And she told you she didn't do a thing," I interrupted. "Rin, I'm not seventeen anymore. I've seen a lot of things since the Holy Grail War. Of course I'm going to react differently than I did back then."

"Actually, she did tell us something. Something disturbing." Rin wrapped her arms about herself, looking uncomfortable. "Shirou, she considered your father the greatest predator ever to come from humanity, a work of art. Quite frankly, she went on way too long about how perfect he was at killing the unkillable and defying what everyone expected of him." She made a face. "The only problem, as far as she saw it, was that he'd gone into retirement and died. So when you showed up at the Clock Tower, she saw her chance to make someone into everything the Magus Killer was, maybe even better. She used you, Shirou. All those lessons? She was trying to mold you into exactly what she wanted you to be."

Next to me, Akitsu and Kazehana both stiffened, Akitsu's gaze icy. "Are you saying she harmed Shirou-kun?" Kazehana asked, her voice tight.

"It seems obvious to us that she did something," Saber put in. "We were unable to confirm anything until we were reunited, but from what we have seen and been told…" She trailed off, her face serious.

"Maybe she did, but — I needed those lessons," I protested. "I wouldn't have survived without them! She really hasn't changed me much. She just gave me skills I needed to survive."

"Shirou." I turned my gaze on Homura. "Where did you hear about the Path of the Shura?"

"I—" I blinked, my thoughts fizzling out.

I knew what it was. It was important to me, the path to save the most people I could even if it wasn't everyone, but where had I heard the term before?

I couldn't remember.

Starting to feel a bit queasy, I turned my attention back to my girlfriends.

"Odell told us she started by putting you into scenarios similar to things your father went through, but as you kept trying to save others rather than kill your opponent, she switched her focus. She set you up in increasingly difficult situations designed to make you give up on saving people." Rin fisted her hands, anger in her eyes. "She practically crowed when she told us about the first time you let someone die to accomplish a task."

I swallowed, trying not to dwell on my memories of that particular scenario. I'd had to choose between eliminating a Dead Apostle and saving a child on opposite sides of a town. Every time I'd gone for the child first, at least forty people had died before I could get to the Apostle. While my ideal had always been to try to save everyone, Odell had shown me that sometimes that wasn't possible. I'd known that before, but I hadn't wanted to believe it.

"However, you frustrated Odell. She felt you… 'regressed,' as she described it, whenever you returned to us." Saber's distaste for the term was obvious. "When you told her that you were stopping your lessons, she began to worry that she would not be able to finish her project."

I nodded slowly. Odell's simulations had eventually become repetitive. After my first real Dead Apostle hunt, I'd wanted to start applying the skills I'd learned in reality, not just in my mind.

"So she used her 'graduation test' to put you further under than you'd ever been before," Rin said, picking the narrative back up again. "It allowed her to reach a level in your mind where she could plant ideas in your subconscious. I don't know how many, or exactly what they were, but apparently they would slowly unfold, becoming more and more part of your conscious decisions." Her eyes narrowed. "Odell said her only regret about your Sealing Designation was that she wouldn't see the end results of her work, though she was glad it had removed you from our 'inhibitory influence.'"

"Where is this woman?" Kazehana growled. "Is she still alive?" Akitsu was glaring, and the temperature had definitely begun to drop. Over against the wall Homura was quietly steaming, and even Matsu showed signs of barely-concealed rage.

"We had the meeting in a pretty public place near the Tower. I couldn't kill her, as much as I wanted to," Rin said, sounding regretful.

"Odell insisted on meeting the same day that Rin was to argue for your Sealing Designation," Saber added, "and she did all she could to unsettle her. Had Rin shown too much emotional attachment to you she would likely have lost her case."

"No reason we can't take care of her now," Homura said darkly. "As soon as we get out of the city…"

"I can get behind that," Rin said with a scary smile.

"Hold it." I raised my hands. I couldn't have half my Sekirei running off with Rin and Saber to London to murder Odell. She had multiple contacts in the Enforcers, and things would get messy fast. "This doesn't mean it's affected me that much—"

"Shirou," Saber interrupted, "when I watched your fight yesterday, I saw something I had never seen before." Her face was grave. "I have seen you take pride in your skill. I have seen you relish sparring and opportunities to push yourself. But I have never ever seen you anticipate the death of an enemy with joy."

"They deserved it," I declared, thinking of Toyotama and Ichiya's actions, the crimes they had helped commit.

"That may have been true. However, that does not mean you should revel in it," Saber replied, her tone disapproving. "Death in battle is a necessity. It is not something to rejoice in."

"That wouldn't have been enough by itself," Rin added, "but we were talking to Homura this morning and found out that's not the only strange thing that you've done recently."

I glanced at Homura. "What do you mean?"

"What happened with Higa," she answered.

I winced. That had honestly been right out of one of Odell's simulations, the kind that had given me nightmares. "I didn't have a choice there. The Jinki are too dangerous to let someone like Higa keep them. I couldn't risk all those people to keep my sister safe."

"And that's why we're worried. Because the Shirou we know wouldn't have made that distinction, once." Rin folded her arms. "Odell warped your thinking, and we don't know how far it's gone."

"So what can we do?" Homura asked, frowning.

Rin sighed. "I honestly don't know. The Tohsaka magecraft doesn't deal much with this sort of thing. I'm going to need to consult my library to even have a chance of knowing where to begin, but that's back in Fuyuki. The good thing is Shirou's greatest abilities lie in his own mind, so he might be able to discover these implanted suggestions and weed them out himself… maybe. I really don't know," she repeated as she ran a hand through her hair, looking frustrated. "This is outside my experience. There are probably experts back in London, but I don't want to them to know what's going on with him."

Kazehana looked thoughtful. "Could we force this Odell to reverse it?"

"It's almost impossible to force a magus to do something," I put in. "Odell doesn't have any family she cares about or weaknesses to exploit. She values her work over her life."

"And since she considers Shirou her greatest work, she'd probably rather die than undo it," said Rin with disgust.

"Maybe we can help with our bond," Matsu mused.

Rin and Saber exchanged a glance. "Honestly, I'm not sure your bond isn't helping it along," Rin admitted. "It's is clearly hardwired into his subconscious—" her eyes flickered to Homura "—so it might be helping power those suggestions."

"Is that why you were so upset about it?" I asked. It had been impossible not to notice how negatively she'd reacted to that concept yesterday.

Rin looked at the Sekirei, then back at me. "Your mind's already vulnerable because Odell managed to weaken your natural protections. I have no idea how being bonded to a bunch of psychic nonhumans could affect it." She hesitated for a moment before continuing. "On the other hand, it is possible the bond might be slowing the process down if you're fighting the suggestions on a deep level. The truth is there are just too many variables for us to be able to know exactly what's affecting things how."

Kazehana, who'd begun to glare at Rin as she expressed doubt in the Sekirei bond, relaxed a bit. "So what can we do?"

"We can try meditation, see if that helps Shirou-tan recognize ideas that aren't his own," Matsu suggested. "And maybe Akitsu-tan can keep an eye on Shirou-tan to see if anything strange happens, since she's with him the most?"

"Ohh, that's why you said she needed to be in on this meeting," Rin said, her eyes lighting up. "That's a good idea. Can you do it, Akitsu?"

"Yes. I shall watch over Ashikabi-sama." Akitsu nodded firmly.

"In addition, it would be wise for you to consult others before you make important decisions," Saber said. "As we are uncertain how much this process is affecting you, it would be best to seek second opinions. We do not want a repeat of what happened with your sister."

I nodded. I'd gotten incredibly lucky that Shiina had chosen that exact time to rescue Yukari. I didn't want anything to happen to her.

Saber glanced around the room and nodded to herself. "There is one more thing I wish to discuss with you, Shirou."

This time everyone looked at her in surprise, including Rin. Interesting. She didn't know what Saber was up to either. "What is it?"

"What are your plans after you leave Shin Tokyo?" she asked. "Specifically, do you intend to still seek out situations where you will need to fight?"

"Of course." Saving people and becoming a hero was my goal in life. I couldn't do that by staying home, cooking and doing repair work.

"Then what will you do with your Sekirei when you do so?"

I really hadn't thought about it. "Well, I guess I could find someplace they could stay while I dealt with the trouble…" I mused, and found myself the target of four glares. "What?"

"Matsu thinks Shirou-tan forgot the lecture she gave him," the hacker muttered.

Homura nodded in agreement. "Shirou, we're your Sekirei. We will always be there by your side. You aren't going to fight without us."

"We've fought before, and will certainly continue fighting to help you," Kazehana said firmly.

"Ashikabi-sama will not fight alone," Akitsu declared.

"You don't have the right mindset for it," I told them, even as I remembered the slapping — and lecture — Matsu had given me. "You're powerful and have a lot of potential, but you would've died in some of the fights I've been in. I can't let you go into battle if I'm not there to help you, and there are some things I won't let you fight."

"If they are unprepared, you must teach them," Saber said.

"No!" I instinctively rejected the idea.

"Shirou," Saber said quietly, "Kiritsugu refused most offers of help. You know that he spoke to me only three times." Her hands tightened in her lap. I knew that she'd found my dad to be a horrible match for her as a Master in personality and abilities. To call their relationship 'strained' would've been a huge understatement. "He only included two in his plans, and I am not sure that one of them knew the full truth. You have strayed very close to it, but to try to live his dream does not mean that you need to walk his path."

"And Archer's," Rin added.

"I'm not like Archer," I snapped.

Rin quirked an eyebrow. "Really? Who would know, you or his Master who saw his memories?"

I scowled. I'd picked up some of them myself, but I couldn't argue that I'd seen more than she had.

"In the end, neither accomplished what they wished to, nor were they happy." Saber gazed at me intently. "Shirou, what is your dream? What did you promise Kiritsugu?"

"I promised him I'd become an ally of justice, someone capable of saving everyone," I answered. Around me, I noticed my Sekirei's interest. I turned to address them. "It was something my dad wanted to do when he was younger, but couldn't. I promised I'd do it for him since it was too late for him." And even if it was impossible, I was going to do the best I could. I turned my attention back to Saber and Rin. "And I'm going to keep trying. I refuse to give up."

"I am not asking you to, Shirou," Saber said, "but there are many paths to becoming a hero. You have great compassion, and that is not always a weakness. It has won you a group of strong comrades who are sworn to you. I once met a hero who prized his bond to his subordinates above all else. I think that would be a good path for you." She paused, then added, "He was— also remarkably content and happy, despite the circumstances in which I met him."

I couldn't help but be intrigued. Saber was likely referring to the Fourth Grail War. Even though we had occasionally talked about some of Kiritsugu's actions during it, we had never gone over it in detail. Which hero could she have meant?

"In addition, there is your own life to consider. You do not wish to endanger those sworn to you, but by going into danger, you do so, whether they are with you or not," Saber pointed out. "Their lives end with yours. To not allow them to guard your back is foolishness."

"I just don't want them to be hurt," I muttered, having a sinking feeling I was losing this fight.

"We'd be hurt either way, Shirou-tan," Matsu said gently. "Just knowing Shirou-tan's been hurt when we weren't there to protect him is bad enough. Having Shirou-tan come home after the third match was— difficult."

Her pained face felt like a punch in the gut. I had engaged Toyotama and Ichiya thinking only that they didn't deserve to have my Sekirei give them a gentle release, and yes, I had been anticipating the fight, pleased to use the skills I'd honed for their intended purpose. But I hadn't thought about how difficult it must've been for Kazehana, Akitsu, and Tsukiumi not to interfere as I was hurt. It was a testament to Akitsu's loyalty that she'd held to my instructions in spite of my injury. Had it been better or worse for those Sekirei I'd left home, watching the match from afar, knowing that I was injured and there was nothing they could do to help me?

I shook my head, still reluctant. "I don't think this is necessary. We're going to be done with the Sekirei Plan soon enough." I didn't want my flock fighting the type of dangers I'd faced when I was in London.

Saber placed her hands on her hips. "I do not understand why you are so reluctant, Shirou. Surely you are familiar with the concept of a team of fighters with different abilities working together for a common goal. You read several stories about it in your youth, did you not?"

I paused, trying to understand what Saber was talking about, and felt my face heat once it clicked. Shortly after Kiritsugu had died, I'd latched onto any story I could find involving heroes, from western movies to manga to legends from all over the world. Looking back on it, I'd clearly been trying to cope with his loss. "I'm, um, surprised you know about that."

"Taiga provided me with some samples of your collection when we were back in Fuyuki. I do not understand the importance of matching outfits, nor do I believe that robotic vehicles will be feasible, but I daresay you should not need either."

There is some deity somewhere that hates me. There are days I swear Fuji-nee is really a magus and her magecraft is specialized in doing things that come back to haunt me years down the line. I hadn't seen her in almost two years and still she managed to embarrass me!

Under absolutely no circumstances could I let Yukari find out that Saber was turning my Sekirei into a… a sentai team. I'd never hear the end of it.

Then another idea popped into my mind, and I began to pray fervently, promising sacrifices to any power that would grant my plea. Never ever let Fuji-nee meet Yukari. It would be a disaster of epic proportions. Mostly for the one named Shirou Emiya.

"Wait," Homura said, realization slowly blossoming on her face, "is she saying we're a—"

"Don't say it," I muttered. "Especially not where Yukari can hear you."

"Matsu calls white!" Matsu joked, apparently also having realized what Saber was referencing. "Musubi-tan would be good for pink."

"White? Pink?" Kazehana's brow was furrowed in confusion.

"It's not important." I waved the idea away, then looked at my Sekirei. Back on topic. "If you're serious about this—"

"We are," Homura said firmly.

"—then I guess we'll have to train you," I said, finally capitulating. If I couldn't keep them out of battles with elementals, Dead Apostles, rogue magi, and who knew what else, then I'd have to help them be prepared for them.

"Excellent," Saber said, a small smile on her face. She turned her attention to Kazehana. "I understand that you have the most combat experience of all Shirou's Sekirei."

"Yes…" Kazehana answered, clearly not sure where Saber was going.

"In that case, I believe you would make a good second-in-command." Kazehana's eyebrows rose in surprise. "While it is my hope we will be able to train you to all be able to act decisively and independently should it ever be necessary, Shirou will need someone he can place in charge should he need to divide his forces." Saber frowned. "Unfortunately, I am not always able to fight by his side, as the nature of my contract requires me to remain relatively close to Rin."

"And I have class most of the time," Rin added.

"Thus it would be good to have at least one person used to leading the group aside from Shirou. In the event of another scenario where you must accomplish multiple goals, such as the Higa situation, dividing your party will allow you to do more without sacrificing objectives. That is how Shirou, Rin, and I act when necessary. Due to your greater experience, you are the most logical choice to lead and direct the second group," Saber concluded.

Kazehana glanced at me, and I nodded in agreement. If it hadn't been for her quick thinking during the third match, I likely wouldn't be sitting here. "I think you'll do a good job."

"You can teach them some of the stuff you learned from Odell." Rin's lips twisted. "She may have messed with your head, but as you pointed out, you did learn some useful stuff."

"In that case, we should go to someplace where I can test your abilities as a group as soon as time allows," Saber said. "I have studied your profiles, but I would prefer to see you in action myself."

I glanced at my watch. "After lunch?" I suggested. I'd be done baking by then.

"Excellent." Saber smiled.

Two hours later, I found myself in the woods near the clearing where Tsukiumi and Musubi had used their Noritos for the first time. Akitsu, Homura, Musubi, Tsukiumi, and Kazehana stood opposite Saber. With a shinai in hand, dressed in her familiar blue skirt and white blouse, the former Servant looked exactly as she had during the Holy Grail War when she'd trained me. Kuu, Matsu, and Miya sat off to the side, looking on with interest. Rin had excused herself, claiming she had a job interview.

"What side am I on, Saber?" I asked.

"Neither. I wish you to observe for now." She addressed the Sekirei. "If you are struck in the torso or the head, you are to retire from the field."

Tsukiumi bristled a bit. "And what about you?"

"I will obey the same rules," Saber agreed easily. Her stance, however, indicated that she doubted it would come to that.

I looked at her. "You're going to go easy on them, aren't you?"

Saber raised an eyebrow, a hand on her hip. "That would defeat the purpose of this exercise. If the Sekirei wish to fight with you, they must know exactly what sort of foes they will be facing."

"Hmph." Tsukiumi crossed her arms. "It will be no challenge for me, the strongest Sekirei."

"Strength alone is not enough," Saber said crisply. "A skilled or clever opponent can bring down a stronger one." She raised her shinai in her hands, focusing on the group before her. "Let us begin." She shot forward, towards the gathered Sekirei.

"Number eighty-eight, Musubi!" Musubi jumped right into Saber's path. She dodged the first strike, then ducked under the weapon to try closing the distance between them. Saber darted back, bringing her shinai quickly up to attack Musubi again, this time scoring a hit on her left arm. Musubi dashed out of range of a follow-up strike, and Saber raised her blade for an overhand swing. I winced as Musubi's eyes lit up and her hands came up to catch the shinai—

—and missed, the weapon hitting her on the head with a resounding smack. As quickly as it had happened, Saber shot off towards the others, who scattered. Homura sent a gout of flame at her, and quickly retreated as it vanished upon encountering her magical resistance. Saber slowed as Kazehana and Akitsu targeted her together, ice and wind surrounding her, but despite their best efforts, it never touched her.

Homura had apparently decided that attacking directly was pointless, and set fire to the brush in the clearing. Saber leapt the blazing barrier to close the distance between them, though a gust of wind from Kazehana fanned the flames higher so that the edge of her skirt caught fire. Saber tucked into a controlled roll to smother it but immediately surged to her feet once it was out, continuing her pursuit. Homura barely managed to conjure a higher wall of flame in time to push her back, retreating further.

"Water Celebration!" Tsukiumi called, trying to come to Homura's aid. Water hissed against fire as Saber avoided the attack and pivoted on her heel, plowing through the resultant cloud of steam as she changed targets. Ice spears flew along her path, forcing her to dodge, but though it slowed her charge it wasn't enough. Tsukiumi was still in her trademark pose of attack when Saber came close enough to land a diagonal strike that would've split her chest open had she been using a real blade. Tsukiumi gasped, surprised by the strength of the blow, and stumbled back.

"Tsukiumi!" Homura shouted.

Saber spun, returning her attention to the fire user. Her eyes narrowed as she sped towards her again.

Homura quickly fell back. "Fire Snake!"

The attack surged towards Saber, who ignored it. Within inches of her skin the flames flickered out. Homura raised her hands to attack again, but Saber flashed forward, once more avoiding a volley of Akitsu's ice shards, and the fire user fell to another chest strike before Saber turned to face Akitsu directly. With a burst of prana she rapidly closed the distance between them. Akitsu quickly called up a thick shield of ice as she fell back, but Saber punched through it with her shinai, though the blow broke the weapon in half. As the shield shattered a gust of wind howled between the two of them, driving the sharp chunks of ice towards Saber, who lightly jumped back. She coolly regarded Akitsu, who'd taken advantage of Kazehana's distraction to increase the distance between them, and then charged again.

Akitsu sent volley after volley of razor-sharp spears and daggers of ice against her foe, Kazehana's gales surging around her and lending greater force and speed to the attacks, but Saber moved lightly among the deadly projectiles, dodging most and smashing the rest into powdery frost with her fractured shinai. With a wordless shout and another burst of prana, she closed the last few yards between them before Akitsu could call up another ice shield, thrusting the remnant of her weapon to land a hit that would have pierced the Sekirei's heart.

Akitsu stumbled back, then made her way to my side, joining Homura and Tsukiumi, who moved slowly as they supported each other, along the way.

The sound of wind drew my attention back to the fight. Kazehana was not going down easily, and, now that the field was clear except for her and Saber, had decided to use her powers on a much greater level. A maelstrom roared around her, lifting twigs, sticks, and rocks from the ground and the trees, flinging them at her opponent. Saber's progress slowed against the attacks, since she had to take time to counter the thrown objects. I wasn't sure they could've really hurt her, considering mundane weaponry was essentially useless against a Servant, but Saber wasn't exactly a Servant, and even when she had been she'd always been a unique case.

Still, regardless of the obstacles before her, Saber continued to advance, finally getting within reach of her target. She managed to land a blow on Kazehana's arm that made me wince in sympathy before the Sekirei spun away, the wind tightening around her to increase her speed. The pattern repeated, Kazehana trying to wound Saber with her wind-driven projectiles while Saber moved closer and closer, managing to land blow after blow, though not one of them could be considered a one-hit kill.

Watching Kazehana call her winds about her to move away again, I noticed the sweat gathering on her brow, her chest heaving with the need to breathe.

She was getting tired.

Saber seemed to notice it too. Gathering her prana, she plowed through Kazehana's defenses faster than the Sekirei could reinforce them, finally managing to land a blow against her chest. Both women froze, the fierce hurricane winds that had been buffeting the clearing finally calming.

I was impressed to notice that despite their force, neither wind nor debris had escaped Kazehana's control. For all their fury, they had not harmed me, my flock, or Miya.

"Whew. Matsu is glad she didn't have to get involved." The hacker shook her head.

"You are very skilled, Saber-san," Miya commented as the former Servant approached us.

Saber simply inclined her head in acknowledgment and handed me what was left of her shinai. I allowed the prana to disperse, the projection fading from existence. "Your findings, Saber?" I asked.

"You all have great potential." She glanced over her vanquished foes, who were all looking at her with more than a little awe. "Akitsu, your aim and reaction time are excellent. Homura and Kazehana, you both showed very good use of your environment. Most of you would be able to defend against or defeat an average magus."

"I'm sensing a 'but' here," Homura said dryly.

"Shirou does not fight average magi. He has, in the past, tracked creatures that have killed multiple magi, even some trained in combat." Saber looked around the group. "Tsukiumi, you need to work on the speed of your attacks, as well as moving to ensure you can defend yourself when you finish. All of you should develop some more close-range attacks, including ones that are physical rather than elemental in nature. Your enemies may have magic resistance, as I do." She frowned at Musubi. "Musubi, at your skill level you should be attempting not to catch a blade but to evade it. Your defenses were good until you saw my overhand strike, and then you only focused on catching it. Such tricks should be attempted only after you master your own abilities."

"Yes, Saber-san," Musubi said, sounding disappointed in herself.

"Musubi-chan, I will practice with you more when we return to Izumo House," Miya promised.

Musubi perked up. "Thank you, Landlady-san!"

"In the meantime, let us have another round. This time, try to stagger your attacks so that you are covering your own openings," Saber instructed. "I will give you five minutes to discuss your strategy."

"Kuu wants to train too!" my littlest Sekirei announced.

"No!" I quickly shook my head. Saber's training methods were far too rough to inflict on a child.

Kuu stomped her foot. "Kuu is strong too! Kuu wants a sword!"

"Actually, now would be a good time to begin working with her," Saber said thoughtfully. "She will not yet have learned poor habits."

I stared at her in shock. "You can't be serious."

"She seems to be about the same age I was when I began my own training in the sword," Saber countered. "I will need you to obtain the appropriate materials. It will take time, but she could grow to be a good swordswoman."

I blinked, realizing that Saber intended to use more traditional methods than the harsh learn-or-die education she'd given me. "…Right."

"Yay! Sa-neechan is the best!" Kuu ran over and hugged Saber's leg.

Saber gave her an awkward pat before returning her attention to my gathered Sekirei. "I believe an hour of practice shall be sufficient for today."

I looked at the expression on her face, recognized it as her most determined, and sighed. "Just sure they can walk back." There was no way I could carry five Sekirei, and from the look on Matsu's face, she wouldn't be too keen about helping out.

An hour later we returned to Izumo House, the Sekirei who'd fought Saber all looking worse for wear. Most of them quickly went to the bath, though Homura vanished into her room instead. Matsu and Kuu did likewise, Kuu looking for exercise clothes, while Miya headed to the kitchen, leaving me alone with Saber. "I know you want them to be able to fight with me," I told her, "but don't you think you're being a bit harsh?"

"If you are attacked by magi again, Shirou, it will not be without backup," she said firmly.

"Still, you're using a lot of prana…" I knew Rin had a lot, but I didn't want Saber to draw too heavily on her.

"Yes, I am." Saber paused. An awkward silence fell between us as she looked at me intently.

"…What?"

"I used a great deal of prana."

Oh. I reflexively licked my lips a bit. "…It's Friday."

Saber gave me a dark look. "We would not be sleeping or eating, Shirou."

"I know, but—" Friday was Matsu's day, and she had given sleeping privileges to Kazehana.

Saber turned away, her shoulders tensing. "If you would prefer not to, we need not do anything."

I looked at the way she was holding herself and went to her, wrapping my arms around her waist as I pulled her back against me. "It's not that. Of course I want to. I always want you, Saber," I said softly, pressing a kiss to the nape of her neck. Saber was extremely self-conscious about her own attractiveness. Being frozen in time as a young teen made her worry that her slim form was unwomanly. Rin and I had tried for years to convince her otherwise, but some doubts, it seemed, stuck no matter what we said. "I'm just trying to be fair."

"Nothing about this situation is fair, Shirou," Saber murmured, leaning into my embrace.

I winced, and my arms tightened around her a little more. The truth was that I wanted her too. It had been a long time since we'd had any time alone together. When it had been just the three of us, I'd had time with both Rin and Saber individually as well as together, but now one of them would have to sacrifice a night for the other to have that. With only two nights a week together, none of us were keen on the idea. "We'll have to be quick," I warned. It wouldn't be too long until my flock got out of the bath.

Saber turned to kiss me. "I am sure we will manage."

As I finished icing the strawberry shortcake, I pondered the problem I now had. "What's wrong, Shirou-tan?" Matsu asked, catching the expression on my face.

"I'm just trying to figure out how to deliver these to the Discipline Squad."

Everyone went silent for a moment. I'd been doing my best to make MBI wary of me, so it wouldn't be wise to just walk up to their front door and offer up the basket myself, and I wasn't sending one of my Sekirei to do it. I could try calling Seo, but I had the feeling there wasn't enough money in the world to make him take this job.

"What about Takami?" Homura asked.

"What about her?"

"Well, you have her phone number, and she works for MBI…" Homura trailed off.

It wasn't a bad idea, really. I knew that Takami was familiar with Karasuba, having seen them together first at the airport and then when we'd encountered them after killing Higa and retrieving the Jinki. On the other hand, our last meeting had been strained.

"Who's Takami?" Rin asked, looking interested.

"Shirou-tan's mother," Matsu explained.

"Well, that seems like an obvious choice, then. Call her and ask her to drop it off."

I winced. "Things were a little awkward the last time we met."

"Oh? Why?" Rin leaned forward on one hand.

"She found out about my extracurricular activities while we were in London," I summarized. Takami hadn't taken the fact that I was a mercenary — or, as she had said, an assassin — well. Honestly, I couldn't blame her. "It's safer if she doesn't associate with me anyway. I don't want her to be dragged into having to deal with the consequences of my actions."

"Our actions," Matsu muttered.

Rin narrowed her eyes a bit. "Shouldn't that be her choice? Did she tell you she didn't want to talk to you or anything like that?" I shook my head. "Then call her. If she doesn't want to see you, she'll say no."

"She'd be safer—"

"Call her. You're lucky to have her." Rin stood up and left the table, leaving her plate behind.

Besides me, Kuu shifted uneasily. "Is Rin-neechan okay?"

"She will be all right. She just needs a moment to herself." Saber comforted Kuu. "She will return soon."

"Yeah," I agreed as I fumbled for my phone. After we'd been together a while I'd pieced together Rin's family history. She'd lost her father in the fourth Holy Grail War, but perhaps even worse, her mother had lost her sanity at the same time. Rin had been essentially alone, except for Kotomine, from that time onward, though she'd taken care of her mother as best she could. How much would Rin have given for the chance to really speak to her again?

"I'll be right back." I rose and headed out onto the porch before carefully dialing the number Takami had given me so many months ago. It rang three times before I heard her pick up. "Takami?"

"Shirou." For a moment, awkward silence hung between us. Takami coughed a bit. "Was there something you needed?"

"Yes, actually. Do you mind making a delivery to the Discipline Squad for me?"

The other end of the line went silent for so long I was worried the call had been disconnected or Takami had hung up on me. "You want me to take something to the Discipline Squad," she finally said slowly, sounding as if she suspected she'd heard me incorrectly.

"It took me a while, but I finally made the baked goods they asked for," I explained.

"Baked goods?" Takami sounded bewildered. "What are you— wait, didn't you mention something about this during the third match?"

"Yes," I confirmed. "I promised Karasuba some tarts, but I couldn't just send some to her. After all, she's not the only one working hard."

"Hardly working, I'd say," Takami muttered. "I should have her pick them up."

I winced. "Well, I'm at Izumo House right now, and I don't really think that would be the best idea…"

"Hmm." Takami's thoughtful voice made me pace a bit, even though I wasn't usually one for restless motion. "As amusing as it might be, it'd likely end in quite a mess. I suppose I'll have to refrain." She paused. "You realize it'll need to be tested for poison."

My eyes narrowed. "I don't kill people with poison," I said flatly. I fought fairly whenever I could. If necessary I might take down someone from afar, as I had with Higa, but I didn't like poison. It was too easy to accidentally get someone else involved.

There was a moment of silence again, then a small sigh. "I can come over around six. Would that work?" Takami finally asked.

I grimaced, grateful I wasn't having this conversation in person. I had to wonder if she'd been about to ask how I did kill people. "That'd be fine," I agreed. "I'll see you then."

The time before Takami's arrival was nerve-wracking. Trying to keep myself busy, I packed the baked goods and worked on dinner. I was surprised how genuinely anxious I was about seeing my mother again. The last time we'd met I'd said goodbye to her, expecting to never see her again under friendly terms. Now I was asking her to deliver something to my probable enemies as a favor.

My life sure was strange sometimes.

When the knock on the front door finally came, I headed to answer it, Akitsu carrying the box of baked goods behind me. "Takami."

"Shirou." Takami raised her eyebrows. "You're blocking the door."

"Uh—" I reflexively stepped aside, and Takami came in and removed her shoes. "I thought you were just going to pick up the box."

"Well, I was, but Miya called a little while after we got off the phone and invited me to dinner," Takami said simply. She snagged a pair of guest slippers and headed towards the dining room.

I quickly hurried after her, catching sight of a smiling Miya. "It has been a long time since we've seen each other, Takami-san. And to find out you're the mother of my main boarder — well, I thought it was time we caught up." Miya turned her attention to me, her smile turning into the barest bit of a smirk. I had the distinct impression she'd heard that Takami and I were on less than perfect terms — and that this was her revenge for allowing things to escalate between Rin and Kazehana yesterday. Never mind that Miya herself had prevented me from trying to stop it.

"Takami-san!" Musubi cried, hurrying to greet her.

"Takami-neechan!" Kuu threw herself at our guest, hugging her tightly. "You're okay!" I had no idea what Kuu was talking about until I remembered Takami had been injured shortly before Kuu had been winged. Takami greeted the two Sekirei before nodding at Homura and Kazehana, her eyes sweeping the room, pausing on Saber and Rin. "Shirou, won't you introduce me to your… friends?"

I swallowed hard. This would either go very well or very poorly. "Takami, this is Tohsaka Rin and Saber. Rin, Saber, this is my mother, Takami Sahashi."

All three studied each other for a moment. "I'm surprised to see you here," Takami said slowly.

"It took us a while to get things sorted out in London, but we managed." Rin smiled, donning her old school persona — polite, mature, slightly distant — effortlessly. "We've only recently arrived."

"I see. And how exactly are you handling this situation?" Takami asked me, giving me a sharp glance.

I could tell what she was asking. I'd had two old girlfriends show up on my doorstep, but I had my Sekirei. I briefly wondered if she was more concerned about me or them. After all, I might've been her son, but we'd spent most of my life estranged, while she'd adjusted several of the Sekirei and might think of them almost as her children themselves, especially Kuu.

"We're… making it work." I couldn't deny that the situation with the Sekirei and Rin and Saber was awkward at times, but everyone was trying to get along the best they could.

I really hoped Rin and Kazehana's fight yesterday would be the worst of it.

"Compromise is necessary for relationships," Saber said simply.

"But we all love Shirou-san, so it'll be okay!" Musubi added, beaming.

"Anyway, I should finish dinner," I said, moving towards the kitchen.

Rin put out her hand. "I'll do it. Why don't you talk with Sahashi-san?"

I hesitated, then reluctantly passed off my apron to her and took a seat. Musubi was busy explaining the whiteboard to Takami, who'd taken the seat next to Kuu at my youngest Sekirei's urging. I took advantage of the momentary distraction to retreat to the kitchen brew a pot of tea, though Rin kicked me out as soon as it was done.

I returned to find Takami beginning to interrogate my former Servant. "Saber is an unusual name. Is it a pseudonym?"

I shifted a little as I poured the tea, feeling uneasy. I'd actually worried more about Rin meeting Takami than Saber. The once and future king had amazing charisma, and most people were easily charmed by her. It seemed my mother was at least a bit resistant to it, though.

"Yes," Saber freely admitted. I tried to keep my face expressionless. Saber didn't really like to lie except by omission, which occasionally led to… interesting stories. It wasn't usually that much of an issue, but this particular topic wasn't something she'd ever been pressed on, either.

"Then I suppose your name is too recognizable?" Takami asked, and Saber nodded. The older woman looked at her for a moment, as if assembling her thoughts. "Exactly how did my son start dating nobility?"

I stared. How had she put those two together? Yes, Saber had admitted the name she went by wasn't her real name, but… well, she knew that Saber was from England, and she still had her regal bearing…

"I came to him in Fuyuki four years ago." Saber sipped the tea I handed her and said nothing more.

Takami looked at her, clearly calculating how determined Saber was to keep silent, and then changed topics. "I understand you were at school with my son. What do you study?"

"I am Shirou's sword instructor," came the reply. "I do not study anything."

"And why does he need to learn to use swords?"

"To save others," Saber said simply.

"Like he saved Kuu!" My youngest Sekirei tugged at Takami's sleeve. "There was a bad Sekirei trying to hurt Kuu, and Oniichan made her go away."

"I see." Takami looked down at her. "And what do you think of Rin and Saber?"

Okay, I'd realized that my mother wasn't above using underhanded methods to get information, but interrogating a child? That was just too much.

"Rin-neechan comes up with all sorts of fun games for Kuu to try!" she said happily. "Lots of tricks with flowers! But Sa-neechan is the best. She feels really bright and nice."

"She feels nice?" Takami repeated, dumbfounded.

I had to wonder about that one as well, but given that Kuu was supposedly one of the most psychically gifted Sekirei, it brought to mind something Issei had said when he'd first met Saber after the Holy Grail War. "Her spirit is pure." Everyone looked at me except Kuu, who nodded vigorously in agreement. "Um, it's something my friend said about Saber once."

"Oh? Which friend?" Matsu asked, looking interested.

"Issei Ryuudou. He was at the same high school as me." I noticed all the interested expressions around me. "It's not that important," I said dismissively.

"Shirou-tan is still so mysterious." Matsu pouted. "Can't Shirou-tan tell us?"

"If you really want me to, I guess…" So I talked about Issei and school for a while, eventually branching off into my work at Copenhagen and what my boss had been like, as well as some of the tamer stories I had about Fuji-nee. Both my Sekirei and Takami hung on every word — especially Takami, who asked a seemingly endless number of questions. I didn't understand it. Why would my time in Fuyuki be so interesting to her? I wasn't telling her about anything more than mundane student life.

By silent agreement, much the way we'd avoiding speaking about the Sekirei at one point, we avoided the topic of Kiritsugu Emiya. Neither Takami nor I wanted to resurrect that point of contention.

Only Rin's return to the table as dinner was served released me. Takami regarded her with interest. "So, Tohsaka-san, what are you studying in London?"

"Mineralogy, with a focus on gemology," she answered promptly. "It's a family tradition."

"I see." Takami took a bite of her meal, nodding in appreciation. "Why are you investigating Sekirei abilities, then?"

What did she— oh. The "games" Rin was having Kuu play must not have been games at all. I felt a little slow for not picking up on that.

"Because they're interesting!" Rin folded her arms. "I don't know how anyone could meet them and not want to know how they worked."

Takami stared at her for a moment and then began to laugh. "It's too bad you don't have an interest in bioengineering. You would've fit in well at MBI." That was all the invitation Rin needed to start asking questions about the company. Much to my surprise, Saber asked a few of her own.

After a little while, I asked one myself, something that had been bothering me since our last meeting. "Takami, you don't agree with Minaka, and I know you don't like the Sekirei Plan. Why do you stay at MBI?"

Takami looked surprised, then glanced at Miya. "When Takehito left MBI, I made him a promise that I'd stay and watch over the Sekirei. I thought about leaving too, but when others tried to take over the adjustment process, mistakes were made." Her eyes flickered to Akitsu. Interesting. "Even now that everyone's been winged, I need to help with the terminated Sekirei. I don't like the Plan, but I won't let them face it alone. I try to rein in Minaka, though with limited success." Her mouth twisted. "I don't suppose you've changed your mind about their offer?"

I shook my head. "I won't work for MBI." They'd done too many awful things to the Sekirei. My hands were hardly clean, but I refused to work for a group like them. "I can't."

"This Minaka…" Saber mused. "The impression I have received from Matsu and Homura indicates that he does not care for those under his protection. He started the Sekirei Plan?" Takami nodded. "Then what would happen if he were removed from the picture?"

Homura perked up at that, looking at Saber eagerly. Kazehana, on the other hand, seemed upset. "You can't do that!" I was surprised at the fervor of her objection. The rest of my Sekirei had always been neutral towards Minaka, with the exception of Homura, of course.

"I'm afraid Kazehana's right," Takami conceded. "You're probably not aware of how much of MBI's resources are tied up in keeping the Sekirei relatively unknown. Minaka has control of literally the entire company. If he were to die, there'd be too much time wasted on dividing up the spoils to protect the Sekirei. Things wouldn't end well." She sighed. "I don't even know if he's ever had a will made. He really should have, but Minaka isn't exactly the most practical of people."

"Aren't they showing matches on TV?" Rin asked. "How is that keeping the Sekirei a secret?"

"They're specifically broadcast only to the residences of Ashikabi," Takami said, and sighed. "It'd be easier if we didn't bother, but Minaka insisted." She glanced at her watch, then reluctantly rose. "Unfortunately, as lovely as this has been, I need to be heading out."

"Goodbye, Takami-san!" Musubi said cheerfully. "Come visit again soon!"

"Yes, Takami-neechan!" Kuu gave her a hug. "Please!"

Takami lightly patted Kuu's head before looking at me. "Promise me you'll take care of yourself."

"Don't worry, we'll take care of him," Kazehana interjected. Around me, both my Sekirei and Rin and Saber nodded in agreement.

"I see you're in good hands," Takami teased.

"So I'm told," I replied as I stood, fetching the box I had packed the baked goods in. "Most of this is for the Discipline Squad, but this one is for you, and this is for Yukari." I indicated two bags off to the side.

"I'll see that they get it," Takami promised.

Homura spoke up suddenly. "I'll walk you out to your car," she offered, taking the box from Takami and following her from the dining room.

"Well." I looked over the table as my mother left. "It wouldn't be fair for me to have you help make things and not get to taste them, would it?" Everyone turned to look at me. I headed into the kitchen to retrieve a tray bearing two smaller cakes as well as muffins and tarts for everyone to share. "Who wants dessert?"

Homura had been having a very strange day.

Immediately after breakfast he'd asked to talk to Rin and Saber alone. After what had happened last night, it had become imperative that he apologize to them as well as Shirou. Let them take out their anger on him. He could handle it, and more importantly, he deserved it. What followed was nothing less than an inquisition as he was questioned more thoroughly than he'd ever been in his life. Rin, he realized about halfway through, was actually a lot like Takami. She had the same sharp mind likely to pick up unspoken details, and the same bad temper when she was crossed. Saber had been equally involved in the discussion, and it had been both amazing and intimidating to see the king of legend in action. She clearly must have been a master negotiator in life, managing to coax things out of him that had surprised him.

By the end, they'd known more about him and his situation than he'd ever intended to tell them. Still, he hadn't been upset; they'd given him hope.

Rin had been appalled by what his bond with Shirou had done to him, but then she'd revealed that it was possible to put filtering on mental links to magi. She had some on her own with Saber so she didn't constantly see Saber's past in her dreams, not wanting to pry too much. She wasn't sure if it would work with a Sekirei bond, but Homura was more than willing to try, if Shirou would as well.

When he'd first been winged, Homura had clung to the ancient Greek concepts of love: agape, philia, and eros. More specifically, he'd hoped that his relationship with Shirou would be a platonic one, and that he'd be able to remain in a relationship that would stay within the realms of agape or philia and never stray into the sexual context of eros. As his body had changed, however, he'd struggled with the idea that he would eventually be forced into desiring another man, regardless of his own natural preferences. When the transformation had finished, he'd given up. There was no reason to fight it anymore, and telling Shirou how he felt would have only hurt his Ashikabi.

But even if he was stuck in a female body for the rest of his life, to retain his male identity, to never want a sexual relationship with Shirou — that would be worth some experiments no matter how uncertain their results.

The nature of his change had allowed his conversation with Rin and Saber to drift off topic for a bit, before Saber had brought up something else they'd wanted to discuss with him. Homura had found himself reciting his observations of Shirou under various circumstances, many of which caused frowns to grow on Saber's and Rin's faces. Halfway through, Matsu had appeared at the doorway to his room, undoubtedly made aware of what was going on due to her excessive peeping, and had contributed her own thoughts.

Then Rin and Saber had told them what they'd discovered in London.

Homura took a slow, deep breath, trying to calm himself. Silvia Odell had earned the dubious privilege of ousting Minaka from his position as the person Homura most wanted to kill. How dare she do that to Shirou. How dare she harm his Ashikabi, who, at least from what Rin and Saber said, wanted to save others more than anything else.

Odell had better watch herself. Sooner or later Homura would find her, and then she'd pay for what she'd done.

To top it all off, he and four of his fellow Sekirei had had the dubious honor of being singlehandedly defeated by King Arthur before they'd all sat down to dinner with his MBI informant, who happened to be his Ashikabi's mother. Yes, it had been a very strange day indeed.

"I'm sorry, Homura."

Takami's voice shook Homura out of his thoughts. It took him a second to realize what she meant, and then he realized his change could hardly be hidden anymore. He sighed. "It's not your fault." Even Takehito's own skill at adjusting Sekirei hadn't been able to help. "It's… it's better than it could be. Shirou is a good Ashikabi."

"Is he." Takami pursed her lips.

Homura shifted the box in his arms a bit. Shirou probably hadn't been aware of it, but Matsu had bugged his clothing before she'd let him leave for his meeting with Takami. Homura had listened to their entire conversation, waiting to see if he needed to step in and help Akitsu rescue their Ashikabi. Thankfully that hadn't been necessary, but he had learned just what sort of impression Takami might've gotten about her son.

He didn't want her to think Shirou was a cold-hearted killer. Yes, he had occasionally shown a side like that — a side that might very well have been the result of Odell's tampering — but there was so much more to him. Homura was tempted to tell her Shirou had been brainwashed, but that would only make her more likely to drag him off someplace for treatment. Still, there had to be something he could say to help her realize Shirou wasn't what she thought. "…Takami, you know I decided to be the guardian of the Sekirei." She nodded. "Just before he winged me, I asked Shirou if he'd let me continue doing so."

"What did he say?" Takami asked, looking interested.

"Not only did he say he would, but he offered to help if I ever needed it," Homura replied. At the time he'd through the idea ridiculous, but considering the talents his Ashikabi had shown… Takami looked surprised. "He's not an assassin, Takami. Maybe you should look deeper into the situations he got into while he was in England. He really does want to help people. Sometimes he just… he gets overenthusiastic."

"And here I was hoping he didn't get anything from his father," Takami muttered darkly. She studied Homura intently. "You were listening, then. At the restaurant."

"Heh. You didn't really expect Matsu to send him off without someone to keep an eye on him, did you?"

"True, and you're one of the best Sekirei at fitting in." Takami hesitated. "Take care of him?"

"Believe me, we intend to. Shirou's surprised us too much. It's about time we turn the tables on him." Takami's lips quirked in amusement. "He has several single digits, and even Miya's fond of him." Not to mention what Rin and Saber could do. Homura wasn't sure about Rin's abilities, but Saber had proven herself a match for any Sekirei. "We'll keep him safe," he promised.

"Good." Takami smiled and opened her car door, and Homura set the box next to her as she slid inside. "Have a good night, Homura. Keep in touch."

"I will," he promised, watching Takami's car pull away before heading inside. They had a lot of work to do before they could become powerful enough to protect Shirou in every situation, not just the Sekirei Plan, and he had no intention of wasting time now. Saber had promised them lessons on tactics, and there was no time like the present to start.

Notes:

The thing about IF Shirou is that he has a mind/skill set that doesn't really seem to fit Sunny Day Shirou. While it is certainly something that could develop organically given time and certain types of experiences, we didn't see how it could've happened given the circumstances of his background as given in IF. He spent a year in Fuyuki, then two in London, all with Rin and Saber, neither of whom would really be able (or want) to shape him in that way. They aren't Natalia, so he needed an equivalent (though obviously Odell cares less about Shirou as a person than Natalia did about Kiritsugu). On the plus side, this gives the people who love him someone they can all hate together! We did consider not addressing this issue at all, but after rereading the third match and the Higa arc we couldn't believe Rin and Saber wouldn't see it — and be deeply concerned.

(Odell brags about her work to Rin and Saber in a relatively safe setting because she finds it pointless to create a piece of 'art' if no one is aware of what she did. Pride, through and through.)

As far as the Path of the Shura goes, we looked into the shura/asura/every variant spelling we could think of and couldn't find anything that really fit the Path of the Shura with how it was described in IF. So our question was, if it wasn't a historical idea Shirou could have heard of, where in the world did he come up with it? Our thoughts were that it could very well be the result of what happens when you combine Shirou's deeply held desire to save with a subconsciously-imposed image, specifically the idea of an asura, a wrathful, warlike demigod. We realize this is a horrible plot device yanked right out of Inception, and are pretty much expecting to get flack for it, but we couldn't find another way to make it make sense within the text. (Interestingly enough, in IF the Path of the Shura is mentioned briefly and then slowly starts growing in importance, almost as if a seed were blossoming…)

So there you have it. As much as it might be occasionally satisfying to blame all of Shirou's changes on Sekirei bonds, getting a Sekirei doesn't confer a degree from assassin school. (Besides, Linn did that once already. Repeating yourself is boring!)

On Saber curbstomping the Sekirei: This is completely intentional. All the research we've done on Sekirei fighting gave us only fights with Sekirei vs. Sekirei, or Sekirei vs. mundane humans and their equipment. In addition, in IF, the majority of the Sekirei are described as lacking combat skill. Combined, this leads us to believe there'd be a huge difference in skill and experience here, even with former Discipline Squad members. None of the Sekirei have ever fought trained opponents who use magecraft or elements thereof. On the other hand, Saber has not only fought against various mythical beasts and in several wars at a point in space-time from which multiple heroic spirits originated, but she's also fought in two Holy Grail Wars. Experience matters, and the Sekirei don't have that. Yet. (This, by the way, is Saber's coping mechanism.)

On Homura's interlude: The Sekirei wiki indicates that Homura still considers himself male, at least mentally. We thought this was certainly possible in IF, where his change was a gradual one, and wanted to highlight what Homura might be feeling in his situation. Magecraft will not provide an easy 'fix' for him during the course of Steadfast, but we wanted to put the possibility out there.

On where things are going: While we originally stated we'd be lifting concepts from the rest of IF, Steadfast went and developed its own plots and conflict on us. While it is possible that IF's concluding chapters will have concepts similar to what we've planned for Steadfast, we'll be ignoring that and following our own plot outline once we've finished laying the groundwork. To preclude possibilities of cross-contamination, we won't be reading any IF posted after chapter 41 until Steadfast is finished. (Yes, we know about the big revelation of IF 42 due to people's reactions, but since that came up only after our divergence point we won't be using it.)