Acts of Faith
Chapter 5 - But the Greatest of these is love
(Maison Izumo – Three days after the fight with Karasuba)
Miya walked down to the kitchen to the smell of something wonderful floating through the house. She looked in to see her injured guest standing near a stove working diligently on something. She had a feeling that whatever he was preparing was most likely a western dish. She walked in and cleared her throat.
"I see that you've recovered Matthews San," she said.
"No, but I don't like feeling like a fifth wheel, so I thought the very least I could do was help by preparing a meal for all of you," he replied.
She walked into the room to see that he had already prepared a bowl of mashed potatoes, another of gravy, and it appeared that he was frying something at the moment.
"Regardless, I am the lady of the house, and I feel that it my place to prepare meals, or at least help in preparing them. What can I help do?" she asked.
He smiled and motioned his head toward a small group of ingredients.
"This kind of meal isn't complete without some biscuits. If you don't mind to mix them Miya sama that would be of great help," he said.
She nodded and went to work on making the dough. As she worked she could hear his breathing getting heavier. There was no doubt that his encounter with Karasuba had been hard on him, but amazingly he survived. It was a testament to whatever those who had sent him had done to him beforehand. Matsu had told her some of it. Advanced cybernetics, genetic alterations, and some kind of power cell in the center of his chest that had the ability to level three hundred square blocks should it explode was all inside of him, and yet the best he could do was manage to survive a battle with Karasuba.
"Husband, are you sure you should be up?" Takara asked as she walked into the kitchen.
"It's okay Takara san. I need to be up for a while anyway, and besides I didn't feel right about abusing our host's hospitality without at least attempting to do something to help or repay their kindness," he said.
Takara walked toward the bowl of mashed potatoes and almost tasted of it before a spoon neatly tapped her on the head.
"Not until it's done," Miya said.
Takara nodded and then watched as Jason brought a platter over and placed what he had been cooking on it. He brought it over and took a seat. She, like Miya, could hear his heavy breathing. She touched his hand and lightly held it.
"You will be okay won't you?" she asked.
He nodded and watched as the others began to fill into the room. It wasn't long before the biscuits were done as well and everyone began to prepare their plates and eat. He watched as the other house mates seemed to converse on the exotic dinner they were having. It was strange to think that homemade fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits were exotic, but then it was likely they didn't eat it as often as he had back in the states.
"Since thou seems to be recovering what is thy plan holy man?" Tsukiumi asked.
He smiled and looked toward the closed door.
"I still have to finish my mission. Before anything else I have been sent to complete it, but things are complicated now," he said.
Miya looked at him and he shook his head.
"Telling any of you would be including you in it. I wouldn't ask it of any of you," he said.
"Are we not included by helping thou?" Tsukiumi asked.
"She's right you know. The fact that you're here has already included us in whatever you are doing or going to do," Matsu said.
He breathed out and looked at them. If they had asked for his help to escape he would have done it in a heartbeat, but this was different. There was no doubt in his mind that when it came down to it the church had asked him to be a sacrifice. The defenses, which lay within MBI, was almost too much for anyone to even fathom an attempt to reach and survive. Telling them would include them in on it, and he wasn't sure he wanted to do that them.
"Husband, shouldn't they be warned of why they will be hunted?" Takara asked.
He smiled at her and nodded. Holding the information now would keep them in the dark, but if what they said was true they would be hunted now regardless.
"I was sent first see if the Sekireis were a mockery of the Father, and if so do my best to stop them. Instead what I have found is that like everyone else you are all children of God. You live, love, and learn like any other person in the world. Once that was found out I was to help Ashikabi and their Sekirei to escape. Once I helped all of those escape who wished to I was to end the game. Stop it and the senseless violence it brought with it. The game itself and the man in charge are what the Holy Father believes mocks the Father. After discovering all I could about MBI through an informant I've learned there is only way to stop the game," Jason said.
"You have to kill Minaka don't you?" a voice asked.
He turned to see another woman walking into the room. She seemed to be nursing a bottle of sake and sat down across from him.
"Yes, it seems the only way to end the game completely is to end Minaka's life," Jason replied.
Miya looked at him and then shook her head.
"It will be suicide. I know how strong they made you Matthews san, but you are not nearly powerful enough to reach him," Miya said.
"Regardless it is the mission I was charged with. It has become more complicated though because Karasuba said that she had an informant in the Holy Church. If that is true then she may know about the plan, and if she does then the next play will be hers," Jason said.
(AN: Short chapter I know. But I thought it would be good to give a calm before the storm.)