Intro: There will be some time skips again…
Also I don't know if you guys knew but there is a new android/ios game for Vanguard called Vanguard Zero and I got completely engrossed, though I was sad that I didn't know sooner but at least I was not that late. I really missed the original Aichi, he is so cute TuT! Thankfully because of this I can learn and be good at Cardfighting!
Disclaimer: I do not own Touken Ranbu and Cardfight! Vanguard and other material which came from the said Game/Anime, they are owned by its original creators. The making of this story and this story is made for the fans and the writer XD. Although the plot and some changes in the story are from me ^_^.
Chapter 41: It can't be that… right?
~Present Time~
When everyone in the citadel saw the light pillar they all ran to the center hoping and curious if they really do get to take that large amount back.
"Oh it's afternoon here." Mutsunokami said as the pillar of light and cherry petals disappears as he noticed where the sun is positioned.
"I'm going to take Aichi-sama to the infirmary." Kiyomitsu said but when he was about to leave everyone came swarming the place.
The looks on everyone's face is the look that says they are anticipating the outcome of their treasure hunting.
Though Yagen was the first to compose himself upon seeing Aichi "What happened to you Aichi-sama." He asked while running towards them.
"He sprained his ankle, and grazed hi knee" Kiyomitsu explained as Yagen checked on Aichi.
"Eh Aichi-sama is hurt, what happened?" Shokudaikiri was next to forget about the gold and turned to Aichi.
"It was his usual clumsiness." Kiyomitsu said as Aichi nervously laughed.
"That's a surprise, you usually don't get hurt that much from it." Tsurumaru was next while the others followed suit and completely forgot about the gold.
"Alright let's get you treated." Yagen motioned Kiyomitsu to follow him.
"Wait! What about the gold!" Aichi moved which made Kiyomitsu loose balance, good thing Shokudaikiri and Tsurumaru were behind them to catch Aichi.
"He won't stop if you don't do it first." Yamanbagiri pointed since it was the truth.
"Brother is right, if he wants something he will push to it." Horikawa pitched in.
Kiyomitsu and Yagen sighed in defeat while the others laughed "Alright, let's open it." Kiyomitsu and everyone went near box as Kiyomitsu nodded to Mutsunokami and Nikkari as they slowly opened the box.
Everyone wowed at the amount of gold inside "I wonder how much it will be if we exchanged it." Miwa tries to compose himself.
"Well tomorrow we will find out." Mina said "Because tomorrow I will ask for you guys to exchange them though I am coming just to be safe." Mina motions them for the box to be closed off "With Aichi's condition he won't be able to walk so he needs to say here. Alright you can take him to the infirmary I will handle things here."
~The next day -Sunday-~
Everyone is assembled at the garden "Alright today is my last day, thank you all for your warm welcome, I will come back once a month and my stay will depend on the situation." Kon started "For now I know that everyone is waiting for the enemy as they seem to be planning something though they have stopped maybe because we have foiled their plan but always be vigilant and ready."
"My last report before I leave with Mina and the others is about Aichi's condition, which is…" Kon paused for suspense which is on purpose "Normal!" everyone was able to breathe normally because of it.
"Alright let us go then?" Kon said as he hoped onto Mina.
"Well then take care of the place okay, I will be leaving for a while." Mina said as Miwa, Kamui, Misaki, and Kai left with her.
"I will be going back to my room then." Aichi said as he stood up from sitting on the veranda.
"Eh? Why is that Aichi-sama?" Midare asked.
"I have some unfinished things there." Aichi said as Kiyomitsu supports him.
"Eh but it's a Sunday." Imanotsurugi was next.
Aichi can't think of a way out but thankfully his eyes trailed off to Hakata and Taroutachi "But I need to finish the set of clothes for Hakata and Taroutachi."
Imanotsurugi and Midare pouted as he chuckled at their childishness "If I finish early I will play with you." he said as he left the area.
~After Dinner at the Garden~
As everyone talks about the plans for this coming Friday, everyone is gearing up for this event.
Because of this Misaki remembered something from yesterday "Aichi I just found out that Shin-san is planning for a training camp." Misaki informed Aichi.
"And it's going to be at the beach too!" Miwa who likes the idea added.
"Why don't we try to make it the same date?" Misaki suggested.
"That's a nice idea." Aichi said as everyone agreed too.
"It's fine by us." including Mina and Konnosuke who nodded in response to what Mina said.
"Though I heard that they are also coming" Kamui mentioned meaning Morikawa and Izaki.
"It's alright, I will invite Emi then." Aichi said though the others are worried "It's going to be fine" Aichi reassured as he felt everyone's concern for him.
"Oh that's a nice idea Aichi-kun." Mina said clapping her hand in the idea.
"Though if everyone is coming I think you should better teach Aichi that." Konnosuke said talking to Mina.
"Oh yeah, although you already have an idea on how to use it, this time we will be doing a large scale." Mina started "Tomorrow we will be prioritizing that, I'm sure you'll be able to do it now."
~Monday Morning –In front of the Citadel-~
"Alright Aichi today we are going to make a large scale barrier!" Mina started though to Aichi it already seems impossible and before they could start Aichi started sneezing?
"A cold?" Mina touched Aichi's forced to check his temperature "Nothing seems to be wrong."
"No I'm okay, something just feels ticklish in my nose." Aichi said as he wipes his nose.
"Pollen allergy?" Aichi moved his head to left to right indicating that he doesn't have such things.
Before they started "I'm surprised that you dispatched Imanotsurugi, Yagen, Midare, Yasusada, Tsurumaru and Mikazuki to an expedition."
"Yeah… I used up the materials that I need and Konnosuke said that there is an area where I can get large amounts of it."
"Kōbu Gattai Exercise, there is also an area where there is gold there. Though we already have enough" Mina remembers.
Aichi nervously laughed he still has the pouch with few gold's, Kon said it was for emergency only so he hid it.
"Alright let's start, this training is for you to practice making a barrier around the whole citadel." Mina started their exercise.
"T-the whole citadel?!" Aichi exclaimed as he looked left and right the whole citadel.
"Don't worry all you have to practice is the whole structure first before the whole area, and then if you successfully make one, we will test on how long you will last." Mina further explains as Aichi already thought that this would be hard. "This training can also help you last longer in using your ability."
"If you remember Kon-san said that you can't still use your talismans in the UTC since it's for safety measure if ever you won't last long, that is because you are not used in using it longer, with this barrier training this can also help you last longer in using your ability. Lasting longer and having more power is different. Although you have more power if your stamina in using it is low your body will not take it as it is not used to it." When she finished explaining Mina readies a large amount of talisman and threw it upwards.
Everyone in the training hall were watching even Misaki, Kamui, Miwa, and Kai stopped for a while to watch. Upon successfully going up in the right range "Barrier!" Mina shouted as the talismans drop down the whole citadel while forming a transparent barrier, when all the talismans are placed at the ground the transparent barrier disappeared.
"Of course this training will also help you multi task, meaning while the barrier is up you must learn to do other things, which is of course after you have manage to concentrate on making a big scale so it does not break. Training this large scale barrier can also help you surpass your limits that is one of the essentials." Mina finished as she called up all the talisman back to her by forming back upwards as the transparent shield disappeared.
"Alright Aichi-kun it's your turn, with your ability I know you could make a scale that big, though the question is how long will you be able to last and if you will be able to control it so it does not break or even wobble." Mina added.
Aichi readies a right amount of talismans and exhales as he threw the talismans up "Form a barrier around the structure of the citadel!" The talismans glowed blue as it drops down in a fast rate which surprised Mina and Aichi as it created a blue shade semi-transparent barrier and also disappeared in a fast rate.
Mina made sure first "It surprisingly sturdy" Mina is still surprised even Aichi "Since it looks like looks like it won't waver, let's continue onto the next then which is multi-tasking." Mina motioned Aichi to follow her to the training hall for archery.
~Afternoon~
Aichi and Mina are looking upwards the barrier that Aichi made from before though they could not see it as even the talisman disappeared with them, but they can feel that it is still there.
"I'm guessing that the reason why Aichi can handle it is because of the THAT time." Konnosuke said as he jumped onto Aichi's shoulder.
"Oh… THAT incident" Mina nervously smiled at the thought, they were talking about the incident where Mina fluked to take over the citadel.
"I guess it made a big factor in Aichi controlling multiple things." Konnosuke said as he is now looking upwards.
"Oh! What are you looking at?!" Imanotsurugi with Sayo ran towards them and looked upwards too.
"We are looking up at the barrier that Aichi set up, and surprisingly it's sturdy and is still up there." Mina said as the ones in the training hall came forward and looked up too.
"Alright Aichi-kun let's see if your barrier can last even if you go to sleep!" Mina took it up to the next level which made him worry a little.
"Eh? But wouldn't it be bad for Aichi-sama?" Tsurumaru was surprised.
"To be honest I don't feel his power is even that low, surprisingly though I can still feel a large amount inside him." Mina said looking at Aichi as Aichi stopped looking upward and is looking at Mina too.
"Me too, Aichi's power is a huge leap from before or maybe because it's not that of a powerful barrier that is why he hasn't used up a lot of it?" Konnosuke thought.
"Well let's try?" Mina said as some talismans were up outside of the barrier.
"W-when!?" Aichi was surprised.
"Don't think that all of the talismans are back to me, I guess we have to make you sensitive to divine powers, since you can't detect it that much yet" Mina added a new training for Aichi which made him smile sheepishly.
"Alright!" Mina raised her hand "Arrow!" Mina's talisman formed in a straight line as she hastily drop it that successfully struck the barrier. Surprisingly they now saw the barrier but it wasn't even damaged and turned invisible again which surprised Aichi, Mina, and Konnosuke.
"It's surprisingly sturdy…" Konnosuke said "I guess we will find out tomorrow morning then." Konnosuke said as they once again looked above where the barrier is.
~Tuesday Morning~
Aichi yawns as they are now back at the training hall while looking at the barrier "So you dispatched them to a new location again?"
Aichi nodded "Yeah… at Auditing the Ashoro Fields, which requires one Uchigatana, Konnosuke said that it has more resources and that as we travel to previous location sometimes a new area will be found and more resources we could get."
"This time Misaki volunteered." Mina said as they talk about this morning's dispatch.
"I was surprised too. Aichi said.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Kai volunteered next." Mina said as Aichi agreed.
Although on Aichi's mind he seem to be worried about a different thing "His face…" Aichi muttered.
"Hm?" Mina looked at Aichi requesting to repeat what he said as she did not understand.
"No, uhm… it's nothing." Aichi said remembering the face that Horikawa has on this morning's dispatch while Mina left for a while to check on the ones in the training hall.
"It's that face he has on that time…" Aichi remembers the face that Horikawa has last Friday which worried him as he noticed somewhat kind of a pattern.
Thinking of Horikawa, Aichi decided that later when they come back he will ask him, that this time he did not mistake it.
~Evening~
Aichi first searched at the garden though he was not there, even Yamanbagiri, even though he thought that this evening would be his free time since after they were dispatched Horikawa had lunch, took a break and then headed to the kitchen for dinner and then after eating dinner he was sure that he will be at the garden with the others but alas it was those days that not everyone is gathered at the garden.
The only way he thought of was that he may be in their room now and so he proceeded to do so.
While walking towards the hallway Aichi's vision became blurry "This must be cause of my lack of sleep… I need to reach their room faster."
Finally almost reaching their room Aichi felt more exhausted than before which he though was weird but thought of the fact that he is sleepy because of lack of sleep he thought it might be just that.
"You want to see him?" it was Yamanbagiri's voice which made Aichi stop from his tracks it seems they are talking about something.
"Yeah, but I decided to just wait." This time it was Horikawa "Though sometimes I will feel sad but it's not like Aichi-sama can choose who he calls out to so I decided to just wait. Besides I am not the only who is waiting for someone so I shouldn't be like this" Aichi finally heard the answer to his question but before he could put his thought more into it Aichi's vision became blurry as he passed out and fell on the floor with a loud thump.
Inside the Kunihiro room they looked at each other first and then both headed straight to the door only to see a fainted Aichi.
"Aichi-sama" the two called out to Aichi as they ran to his side then a glass that shattered was heard.
"Brother, take Aichi-sama to the infirmary, I'm going to look for Yagen" Horikawa instructed as Horikawa helped Yamanbagiri to carry Aichi and then both left after in hurry.
~Garden~
At that time the barrier broke like a shattered glass. Mostly the Tantous, Yasusada, Kiyomitsu, Taroutachi, Mikazuki, the guardians, and Mina with Konnosuke is there.
Mina hastily stood up surprised that she didn't feel that something was off about Aichi's powers so she was very surprised and hoped that it was just that he lost concentration or something "Everyone! Please find Aichi-kun hurry!"
Surprised and confused the toudans hearing the words to find Aichi means that it has something to do with the barrier that broke and remembering that it was Aichi's barrier, instantly they knew that something happened to him and decided to move excluding Mikazuki as he quietly sat at the veranda.
"Yagen!" It was Horikawa that was shouting from the corner, he sped up in running to find them.
Yagen hastily met up with Horikawa "What's the matter?!"
"Aichi-sama collapsed on the hallway, Brother is taking him to the infirmary." Horikawa reported as both of them ran towards the infirmary.
Kiyomitsu hastily stood up as he ran to the infirmary while Mina wanted to do so too but she noticed a calm Mikazuki, she is curious and at the same time confused but instead ran to the infirmary also.
At the time that Mina, Kiyomitsu, and Yagen left while Konnosuke is sitting beside Mikazuki "You are surprisingly calm…"
Mikazuki with his usual smile as he chuckled "I might look calm but I am also worried… though…" Konnosuke waits for his response as he opened his eyes "It was his choice, I did always remind him to not push himself too much, but he is just that stubborn."
Konnosuke nervously laughed at the part with Aichi being stubborn "So… what did happen, being bonded with Aichi, you also know his condition." Konnosuke was able to talk with Mikazuki since the others already followed them to the infirmary even the guardians.
"Aichi-sama is simply just fatigued cause of late night sewing, and because of it he caught a cold, because of that he collapsed" Mikazuki informed Konnosuke "To be honest having this bond with him feels like I have another body that I monitor, but it feels like I have a separate place for it" Then Mikazuki remembered something as he looked at Konnosuke with a confused face "Aren't you going to teach us more about this bond." Konnosuke froze as Mikazuki called out to him, once again he forgot something important.
~Infirmary~
"He caught a flu the reason is because his body is over fatigued…" Yagen leaned to where Aichi is currently sleeping soundly, nervously smiling as he was able to breathe from worry though he was not the only one, the guardians and the Tantous that followed with Mina, Yasusada, Kiyomitsu, and Taroutachi were also able to breathe again.
"So you think he will be able to recover before Friday?" Kiyomitsu asked as he sat at the bed where Aichi is lying.
"If he gets a proper sleep and rest, and by rest as in no more work, then he is going to be fine." Yagen said as he turned over to everyone.
"Then just to be safe, let's make Aichi continue to rest up after our trip. So everyone make sure to tell the others that didn't know about Aichi and to tell them and also everyone here that if they saw Aichi do some working…" Mina paused as she inhales "Make sure to stop him!" which made them sweat drop as this is Aichi we are talking about.
"I'm curious why he is over fatigued though." Yasusada pointed as everyone were now curious and at a perfect timing Mikazuki with Konnosuke came.
"Ah…" Mina totally forgot that he wasn't surprised at what happened to Aichi, which means he knew something and Mikazuki who clearly understood that look slowly looked away.
"We will know when he wakes up, for now let's let him rest." Mina instructed as all the toudans left but Yasusada, Kiyomitsu and Imanotsurugi stayed with Konnosuke and the Guardians entering the room.
Mikazuki stayed beside Imanotsurugi who looks about to cry "Aichi-sama… Aichi-sama is really just exhausted from overwork… right?"
Mina crouched down a little and pats Imanotsurugi's head "Yes don't worry, I can feel that it's not a danger to his life" Mina smiled as she comforts Imanotsurugi.
Bringing back the bright smile to his face he chuckled and then ran with a smile to follow the other Tantous.
When Imanotsurugi left Mikazuki decided to escape as he wears his normal carefree smile "I'm going to fol-" but before that Mina already has a hold of him.
"You got some explaining to do…" Mina said with a vein on her head that seems about to pop at any second that made the three toudan and the guardian surprised and confused.
Mikazuki turned to face Mina but she didn't let go of him "Ahahahaha… whatever do you mean." Mikazuki laughs as he played dumb.
"You know something about Aichi-kun's condition right?!" Mina demanded which made Kiyomitsu and Yagen ran towards them.
"Ahahahaha… that…" Mikazuki continues with his smile "Aside from his busy schedule, Aichi-sama has been doing late night sewing for us Touken Danshi to wear for this upcoming trip"
Yasusada, Kiyomitsu and Yagen all looked at each other who felt guilty about this discovery "I did tried to stop him, but he was just too persistent into finishing them, saying that he is worried that he won't finish before the trip."
Mina let's go of Mikazuki "So… did he finished them?" it was Kai who spoke which is a good question.
"Very observant, if Aichi-sama is indeed not yet finished, then there is a possibility that he will continue making them." Yagen said placing a hand on his chin.
"Unfortunately he didn't…" Mikazuki said which made them all sigh.
"Well it won't be a problem to make him sew, but only to certain time and no late night sewing." Mina placed a hand on her temple, slowly her gaze trailed off to the guardian for a moment which made everyone in the room curious, smiling Mina remembers that Aichi seems to admire Kai "Alright! Kai"
Kai was surprised well everyone is "I have a feeling that if you monitor Aichi before our trip he will listen to you." Mina followed her instinct could feel they have a weird connection and she must know why.
Surprised Kai was unable to speak up Miwa knowing this chance grinned at him as Mina's curiosity grew she tries to calm herself "Alright when he wakes up, please do your job as Aichi's guardian!" Mina pointed out though somehow she felt a love triangle her instincts tell her "Alright Dismissed but Mikazuki and Kai stay." Konnosuke jumped onto Mina's shoulder as he could understand why.
Yasusada who noticed Kiyomitsu's feelings more than anyone pushed him out of the room "Alright let's go!" and Yagen followed outside with the guardians.
"I have to thank Mina-nee for this opportunity." Miwa grins and laughed at what just happened "He was completely stunned."
"Somehow I don't know if you are a supportive friend or torturing friend." Misaki sighs as Miwa sweat dropped at the last part.
"What are you guys talking about?" Kamui was confused as he don't know what they were talking about.
"You do know that Aichi admires Kai right." Miwa said as he leaned a little to Kamui as he listens to him.
Kiyomitsu had the sourest face at this moment because of what he has just heard but they were at the back so the three didn't notice this.
"Well, we'll tell you when you are older" Miwa laughs.
"Unfair!" Kamui throws a small fit.
"You wouldn't understand." Miwa said as he ruffled Kamui's hair as they head off to their rooms.
While listening to the story Yagen could notice the down Kiyomitsu and Yasusada who has a worried look as he stare at Kiyomitsu.
When the Miwa, Kamui and Misaki left the area Kiyomitsu, Yagen, and Yasusada were left.
Yagen sighs "I'm going to see if the others are already informed and if not inform them if ever." He knows that right now they need a moment to talk it out as he left the two together.
When Yagen completely left the area "Kiyomitsu…" Yasusada called out.
Kiyomitsu sighs heavily as he looked at Yasusada ready to let his feelings out.
Outro: Alright cliffhanger…
I'm very sorry for my lack of vocabulary and wrong grammars and wrong spellings, but I hope you like the story nonetheless, and thank you for everyone's continuous support!
Thank you for reading! Please review or pm for any suggestions or problems on the story.