Chapter 8: Silly things
"What's going on here?" It was all silent, besides the hiss coming from the wisp emanating of Yato's body. Yukine, the blonde, looked away-trying not to make eye contact with Shirou. Kofuku just had a sad look, whilst Yumi was holding onto the pink goddess, Daikoku doesn't seem to be anywhere close to here either.
"Shirou-san?" Turning his head, golden eyes laid upon the brown haired girl, he remembered being known as Hiyori. Immediately her eyes widened and bowed quickly. "Please!" She begged, "Don't kill Yukine. I know the situation looks bad from your angle, but please don't hurt him." She stayed like that hoping Shirou wouldn't kill Yukine right of the bat.
Not hearing his response, the girl feared for the worst and after hearing his footsteps towards Yukine, her anxiousness rose. Looking up she saw that the redheaded god was already in front of the boy, who was still looking away like a child. "What do you want?" He said. The amber eyed shinki didn't get a reply and looked from the corner of his eye to see what the god was doing.
"Show me your back." Shirou said, not changing his tone in hte slightest, which unnerved Yukine for a second. The boy refused of course, but that wouldn't never deter Shirou. "Show me your back." Shirou said again with sterner voice. Yukine begrudgingly obeyed. He slowly took off his coat to show his bare back. It was covered in a gross purple as eyes of different sizes erratically looked around. Shirou even noticed a few small arms coming of the taint. "What did you do?" Shirou asked calmly.
"I didn't do anything!" Yukine shouted at the god, who only narrowed his eyes-almost like he was asking the question again. Which Yukine seem to have understood. "I told you, told you all that I didn't do anything wrong! So why do you keep looking at me like I killed someone."
"You're certainly about to." The redhead told him, "You stung Yato to near death, it's a miracle he's not dead yet, but he will eventually." Looking at Yato they saw that he groaned in silent pain. "So what kind of sin did you do to drive the both of you to this point."
"I said I didn't do anything wrong!" The boy shouted again, denying once again that he has sinned. At this moment Daikoku entered, with a shrine maiden that Shirou recognized as one of the shinki belonging to Michizane. Obviously she recognized him as well, since her face was immediately etched with surprise.
"Shirou-gami, what are you doing here?" She asked, but he was unable to answer as Daikoku spoke up.
"Sorry my lady, but I checked all the shrines and only Mayu-san volunteered." Daikoku apologized with a solemn voice, feeling disappointed that he couldn't find anyone else.
"It's okay, I would be surprised if we had more than two people volunteering anyway, since the absolution ritual is so dangerous." Kofuku said, with an unusually serious tone.
"What is the Absolution Ritual?" Hiyori asked, not exactly liking the sound of the ritual.
"It's a punishment ritual, in a sense."Shirou answered, still glaring at the boy. "It's where the offending shinki is put under extreme pain, until they confess their sins, truly and completely." Saying this he noticed that Yukine flinched slightly.
"Yea, but it needs at least three other shinki to perform it, we only have two including me." Daikoku added in grimace as Yato gave another moan from pain.
"I'll do it." Yumi said suddenly making everyone stare at her. Silence reigned for moment until she spoke up again, her face visibly changing couragiously. "I'll do it. I know how to use a boundary line and-"
"NO!" Shirou shouted, out of character. Despite this Yumi only brave on to protest. The father clenched his hand into a fist and once again said no. "You will not partake in this."
"Why not!" The little girl raised her voice slightly, "If can help them, why shouldn't I help them." Everyone was surprised by the girl's sudden rebelious behaviour, but as Shirou listened to her words, he could almost hear himself saying it and thought, 'You shouldn't do it in spite of your own safety.' It was hypocritical for him to say that, 'this is for your own good.'
"No, in order to successfully perform the ritual you need to be completely apathetic to the offender, so no."
"But-"
"I said no!" Everyone around the god seem to freeze at that moment, even Yumi. She might also be the one most affected as the little girl suddenly lost her bravado. Her mouth made a whimper that Shirou couldn't hear. Though...it felt like she called him in confusion.
"Shirou!" Kofuku's voice broke the ice, making the redhead turn his head towards her. "Stop, you're scaring Yumi." Realising the fear on his daughter's face, he immediately let go of his sword like mentality and starting looking down on the floor. Shirou gritted his teeth as he thought on what he should do now. He plans on saving Yato, definitely, but in order to perform the absolution ritual three shinki are needed. 'Yumi performing the ritual is out of the question, but...at this point the only way to save Yato is to kill Yukine.'
You cannot save one person without condemning another. That is basically what many have told Shirou. Kiritsugu, Archer and in this moment Shirou wondered, 'Is this what you meant? Did a situation like this happen to you as well, Archer.' Suddenly, the redhead felt like he was truly catching up to that man. That future-all of sudden-didn't seem so far. Even when he was fighting Archer, it didn't feel this close. But ultimately that didn't matter, he has to make a decision now and it seems the only available one is to-
"Wait!" Hiyori shouted, as he was about to trace a sword, stopping the golden eyed god. "I think...I think I might know another shinki that can help us." The redhead looked at her in a questioning gaze, practically asking the pink eyed girl how she was to find this person. "I'm sure I can find him, just give me a minute." With that she jumped to the roof, her cat-like tail flailing behind her. From there she closed eyes and raised her nose slightly. Soon enough she took off. Leaving the others behind.
As Shirou watched her move away, he gave a momentary glance to his daughter, before taking after the brunette saying that he would make sure she is safe.
"Why...why didn't papa let me help?"Yumi up after a stretching silence. She almost looked like she was about to cry, barely keeping the tears back.
Seeing Daikoku sighed, even after seeing the fury of her father, the little girl's only thought seems to be why father didn't let her help. Mayu didn't speak up, unknowing of what to say, nor what to do. For intents and purposes, this is quite possibly the only time she felt the absolute power and fury coming from a god. It was terrifying. But to the girl, who was barely eight, this must have been the most world breaking thing that has ever happened to her. Her perception of the god, who the blue eyed girl see as her father must been shaken.
Yet...she still stood there holding the hem of her shirt and the only thought that came to-eight year old-girl was why she wasn't allowed to help. 'Honestly I feel a bit outdone.' The older shinki thought to herself. Looking to her left she saw that the boy-Yukine if she remembered correctly-was also looking at the eight year old before looking away giving an audible 'tch'.
Shifting her gazes back to the girl, who was currently in the embrace of the binbougami. Comforting the girl who was trying to silence her sniffles. "I don't think your papa meant anything when he said that." The goddess told the child. "I think he just wants to make sure you don't get hurt."
"Then why did he leave?" Yumi cried, "Doesn't he want me anymore?" Mayu can clearly hear the hurt coming from voice as she hiccupped, whilst crying.
"No of course not." The goddess comforted, "It's just that papa is very silly sometimes, he thinks that you don't want him to be your papa anymore, so he doesn't know what to do."
"That is silly." The girl said, getting out of the pink goddesses arms. "Then when he comes back I'll tell him how silly, he's being." A new resolved the blue orbs, were wiped of any tears and the little eight year old made a strong face, which was extremely cute, Mayu smiled at the small source of light in this situation.
But she looked back at her former master who was still writhing in the ground and groaning in pain, more so that usual. Gazing upon the culprit for this, she notice that Yukine seem to have a scornful face that told her he was increasing the rate of infectious upon Yato.
'Hiyori-san, Shirou-gami, you two better be quick; I don't think Yato has much left in him.'
"Umm, Shirou-san why are you following me?" Hiyori asked perturbed as to why the god needed to follow her. It was a few minutes after they left and Hiyori was left in a very uncomfortable silence during the entirety of it.
"I'm making sure you stay safe." The redhead answered simply and once again Hiyori was left in a uncomfortable silence.
She didn't know what to say and he tension is starting rise again. If she could she would fidget slightly. Although...the pink eyed girl more or less knows why he's here. After all the tension between father and daughter right now is significantly bigger than the one she's feeling now. Not knowing what to do Shirou must have left giving the excuse of keeping her safe.
He didn't need to, especially since he didn't know if the people she's going to are actually dangerous. Though she is grateful that he came since the shinki is from Bishamon's group. That aside it must be hard on him. The redhead really reminds her of a teenage parent, who's currently having difficulties with the child. 'Shirou-san even looks the part.'
"I don't think she hates you or anything like that you know." The god only 'hmm' to sure his acknowledgement. "This happens all the time, parents always argue with their children from time to time, you just need to get back from this and make everything better again." She finished as she looked to see if Shirou would answer. Seeing that he isn't going to she carried on. "Umm, I not sure on what to say really, but I think your doing great as a father all things considered. Uh, I mean it's just...umm I think that if you talked with Yumi a bit you might see ummm." She paused as the brunette realised she isn't getting anywhere with her words. Especially if she's sputtering it on a whim. But "I just think that Yumi would really like her papa next to her."
Once the words left her mouth and reached the ear of Shirou, he stopped and landed on a roof, Hiyori following suit. Looking behind her she saw that the redhead was looking at the floor with his hair hiding his eyes. Thinking that she said something she went to apologize. Her worries were unfounded. "Thank you."
"Eh?" Shirou's words seem to have stumped her slightly as she gave less than apt words.
"Thank you." Shirou smiled. "If it wasn't for you I might have been forced to question my ideals and might not have fixed my relationship with Yumi. So thank you." He bowed as he said this, whilst she sputtered around waving her arms about.
"It's, umm, okay, really, I'm glad I could help." She told him and it made he just smiled at that. Which seemed to have surprised her. It's not like she hasn't seen him smile before, despite them not interacting too much. The smile was a surprise to her as it seemed serene and gave a feeling that she can't describe. She really don't understand it.
"Well come one then, we need to go find help for Yato." He said as he once again took off with Hiyori following.
Omake: It's Christmas time, so everything is crazy
"PAPA WAKE UP." Shouted a little girl as she jumped on a man's stomach making him wheeze and wake up as she wanted. After the redhead Shirou finish coughing he opened his eyes to see that his daughter, Yumi, was currently in a Christmas jumper that was surprisingly his sized decorated with Christmas-y swords and bows and on the back it said UBW. "PAPA it's Christmas!" The child told him, holding up her arms which made the sleeves of the jumper slide down her arms. 'Honestly that is far too adorable.' Ignoring his inexplicably adorable child for a moment he looked out the window to see that it was still midnight.
"Yumi, it's still midnight, you shouldn't be up right now." Shirou told the brown haired child.
"I know, but when woke up there was a big flash of light and all these presents were there." Yumi pointed to her right in which there was a PS4, with Overwatch and The Last Guardian. To it's right was the 3DS and 2DS, both containing pokemon sun and moon respectively. Then there was the 70 inch, plasma wide screen TV, that had a note saying '3D is a stupid gimmick'. Ignoring the fact that the person who sent this also gave 3DS, the child carried on. "So can we keep them?" Yumi pleaded with the puppy dog eyes. It almost made Shirou, but he was stronger- "There was a box that said Doctor Who as well, so can we keep them pleeeeeaaaaase?" The bible did say love thy neighbour.
"Sure."
"Yaaaaaaaaaay." Yumi cheered as she opened the 2DS with pokemon moon and proceeded to play on it. She also seemed to have found a mimikyu plush and a Pikachu onesie. 'When did she change into that?' However Shirou wasn't able to wonder about this as a paper airplane hit in the head, which promptly fell to the ground. Picking up and opening it read as so,
Dear Emiya Shirou,
If you are reading this, how do you like the presents and don't you think Yumi is adorable in the Pikachu onesie, you wouldn't believe how cheap that was.
I stole it.
But never mind that, I'm going to give you a fox that would be arriving any moment now. *Wink, wink, nudge, nudge*This is for the people who happens to ship Bishamon and Shirou and is currently reading this.
Signed, Deus Ex Machina
P.S. Don't let Kofuku in, never let her in okay? Good.
'What there hell is he talking about and what's a ship.' Shirou wondered after finishing the letter. Suddenly the wall next to him burst opened and out came a golden blur that grabbed him by the collar and proceeded to put him up against the wall. "EMIYA SHIROU, WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Shouted the intruding Bishamon, who also broke the 70 inch plasma wide screen TV.
"What do you mean, what did I...are those fox ears?" Shirou said dumbfounded as he found a pair of ears on top of the goddess's head, who is also very close to him, enough that it was kinda making blush, he might be a magus and god that can fight other powerful beings, but he is still 17 at most.
"Yes they are! And I want to know why I have them, as well as a tail. And why do I feel like curling up on your lap right now?" The blonde asked suddenly turning slightly red at the end. Before Shirou can say anything, Yumi decided to pull on Bishamon's tail, which made the woman falter and fall to her knees. "Waaaah, what are you doing?!" She asked in surprise as she looked back on the child, who had her cheeks puffed out, holding onto the blonde's tail like a pillow.
"You broke the TV, so you have to pay it back with your tail as my pillow." Yumi told her pulling on the tail harder. Shirou was about to scold Yumi until an orange portal opened and Yato came out of it.
"Oh my god, this thing is amazing." The scarf wearing man said as he a weird wrist-like attachment, that was white and had black claw-like protrusions on the end. "Huh Bishamon what are you doing here and is that a tai-" He stopped as a door slammed into his face another blur, pink this time, came through and latched itself onto the now blonde fox.
"Hello Bisha, how are you tooooooodaaaaaaay?" Kofuku said to the fox goddess as she rubbed her face against the woman, whom was currently trying to crawl away. Hearing a groan, Shirou raised his head to see Daikoku lying on the floor saying something about coffee and too much sweets. Shifting his attention the heavily breathing and blushing Bishamon, he saw that she was practically begging for help and as the kind person he is, he did (try). Suddenly the wall broke as a sleigh crashed through it.
On the sleigh sat Saber, or Arturia, or Arthur, who was wearing a red dress with white fluffy ends and buttons. Basically a Santa that is Saber. "Hello Shirou." She said calmly ignoring the situation.
"Saber, what are you doing here and why are you on a sleigh, with presents...and Santa clothes."
"I am here to deliver presents and wish that you call me Santa."
"Why?"
"I have a taken fancy to it." Was all the petite woman replied with before turning her attention to Yumi. "Child what is it that you want for Christmas."
Seeing that there was a Santa in front, her eyes brightened and began to list off her wishes. "Oh, oh, I want a new TV, a real Mimikyu, because it's really cute. Oh, and a sister and can I have a mama as well? Papa can get lonely sometimes" Her eyes brightened at the last part ignoring, the shout from Shirou. Saber nodded and she pulled out a new 70 inch plasma widescreen TV, complete with Netflix she added. After that she pulled out a pokeball, which she threw and out came Mimikyu that Yumi instantly hugged it, making the Mimikyu blush at the attention. Next Saber/Santa pulled out a girl about the same height as Yumi, with white hair and a scar on her face. She was also very scantily clad, but she was soon put into a identical Pikachu onesie. "Yay! I have a sister now, my name is Yumi I'm your sister now, what's your name?"
"We are Jack the Ripper. You are our sister?" The girl asked. Which made Yumi nod and hug, surprising her slight, but eventually hugged commenting that it was warm. "Is this mother?" She asked pointing at Shirou. Which made Yumi smile in amusement and decided to rub Jack's hair.
"No silly, that is papa." She told the white haired girl, who was squirming under Yumi's hand bashfully. When she was about to take her hand away, from the loft of white hair, it was taken hold of and was put back on the other girl's head. Seeing that she wanted more rubs Yumi gave more. "Soooooo, what about mama?" The brown haired girl asked Saber/Santa.
"Seeing that Shirou is your father, I decided that I would be your mother." The petite blonde replied and she was met with two bodies throwing themselves at her.
"THIS IS THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER." Yumi shouted from the top of her lungs as she snuggled into Arturia. Whilst on the side lines Shirou, watched all of this occur with a confused face wondering 'What the actual hell happened?' Surprise, surprise another thing appeared out of nowhere and this thing is Tohsaka Rin.
"Finally after years of res-...What the hell happened here?" The black haired girl stopped midway as she looked upon the scene before her.
Honestly not surprised anymore Shirou only answered with two words, "No Clue."
A/N: Dear freaking GOD ALMIGHTY was that omake long. Pretty much the longest I ever made. Sorry there's no longer story by the way, since I didn't really want to replay the entire scene with Yukine's confession and stuff. Skipping to the scene with Shirou and Yumi reconciling doesn't sit well with me either. So I tried to make it up with the omake and I hope that you enjoyed it.
Also merry Christmas, to those who celebrate it and happy holidays for the people of different religions because I am a lazy bastard who can't be bothered to look up the festivities that happens around this time of year. How many would there be anyway? So uh yea I guess that's it? This chapter is pretty short since I'm trying to give the father, daughter duo some character development and umm stuff.
Well seeing that I have nothing else to say, I guess I'll see you later.
PS Maybe you can check out the other stories I made, *cough*self-promoting*cough*.That's it then, bye.